CHRONICLE
January 12, 2012 I The Lovell Chronicle I 3
Senior Chatter
First week of
dominoes a
big success
BY
PHYLLIS BRONKEMA
The Lovell Senior Cen-
ter has reported that the
first afternoon of playing
dominoes was a big suc-
cess. Everyone in atten-
dance had a wonderful
time, and expressed a de-
sire to continue playing.
Thus, the next two oppor-
tunities to play will be on
Thursday, Jan. 19, and
on Thursday, Feb. 2. This
is a good activity for peo-
ple who are usually home-
bound, and would like to
get out for some fun.
In other news, the
quilting program at the
center has reported on
what was accomplished
in 2011. Many volunteers
worked hard together to
complete a total of 140
quilts. Of these, 61 adult
quilts and 24 baby quilts
were sent to Humanitar-
ian Aid in Salt Lake City,
along with 10 pairs of slip-
pers, 20 sets of children's
clothing and gowns and 20
dolls.
In our local area, 32
quilts were donated to
North Big Horn Hospital's
"Share-A-Stocking" Pro-
gram, and nine quilts were
given to local families in
need. Aid was also given
to tornado victims in Jop-
lin, Mo., in the form of 14
quilts, sheets, pillow cases,
stuffed animals and dolls.
What a great service
these volunteers perform.
We applaud each and ev-
ery one of you.
School of Rock
concert tonight
It's back to school for
four area bands Thurs-
day, Jan. 12, when they
perform a free concert at
Northwest College.
The music starts at
7:30 p.m. in the Nelson
Performing Arts Center
Auditorium, featuring the
School of Rock Band (a
Northwest College class).
ILENE OLSON
Bridgette and William Watts cradle their newborn daughter, Kaylie Skye.
Kaylie was the first child born at the Powell Valley Hospital in 2012.
New Year' baby 2012 arrives Jan. 3
BY ILENE OLSON
Courtesy of the
Powell Tribune
Kaylie Skye Watts
made her entry into the
world at 8:03 a.m. Tuesday,
Jan. 3, becoming the first
baby born at Powell Valley
Hospital in 2012.
While she arrived via a
scheduled cesarean section
birth, the fact that she was
the first new baby of the
year came as a surprise to
her parents for two reasons.
First, the original date
scheduled for her to come
into the world was Jan. 10;
however, her birthday was
moved up when it appeared
she would be ready soon-
er. At birth, she weighed
7 pounds, 12 ounces and
measured 19 inches.
Second, since she was
born two days after the start
of the new year, "I thought
some other baby would be
born first," said her mother,
Bridgette Watts.
As it turns out, anoth-
er baby was born later that
day.
"We didn't realize she
might be first until they
were talking about it in the
surgery room," said her fa-
ther, William Watts.
The Watts live in
Lovell, where William
works for Bentonite Per-
formance Minerals (BPM)
and Bridgette is a full-time
mother.
Later this week, Kay-
lie will go home for the first
time to be with her three
older siblings: brother Da-
mon, 10, sister Dakota, 8,
and brother William, 4.
"They love her,"
Bridgette said. "My old-
est two can't wait until she
gets home. My daughter is
ecstatic to finally have a
sister."
Young William is a lit-
tle less sure about his new
little sister, though that's
sure to change.
"He knows she's the
baby, so now he's not going
to be the baby anymore,"
Bridgette said.
All four children were
born by C-section. Dad Wil-
liam said he was allowed
to be in the operating room
during the three previous
deliveries, but this was the
first time he was allowed to
watch the actual delivery.
,I got to watch every-
thing," he said.
William said he was
surprised to have another
girl.
"Boy, girl, boy, girl
-- that's what everybody
hopes for. I grew up with
all boys," he said.
Cowley News
DRUE TEBBS-MEEK
548-6901
The first week of Jan-
uary, 2012, has been com-
pleted, the school districts
have once again opened
their doors, college kids
have returned to their var-
ious schools, the Christ-
mas decorations have been
taken down in the neigh-
boring towns and in Cow-
ley, homeowners have put
their Christmas lights and
decorations away, and the
towns seem bare. Most
of the college kids had a
month off between semes-
ters and we were all getting
used to having them here;
it seems lonely, but the way
time passes ahd soon it will
be spring break and we'll
see our loved ones again.
The Christmas season
was lovely for most people
as families gathered and
mothers cooked fabulous
meals and those turkey,
ham and prime rib leftovers
were like ambrosia. The
next celebration is already
being displayed in the
stores and media and soon
February 14 will arrive and
it will be Valentine's Day, a
romantic celebration.
Ken and Sharon Black-
burn are starting to see the
light at the end of the tun-
nel with the renovation of
their home. Ken finished a
lovely mud room/stairwell
to the basement, replaced
all of the plumbing in the
basement and redid the
bathroom and kitchen, and
Sharon has been kept busy
with painting; insulating
and being a gopher. When
the end of the project is fin-
ished, they will carpet the
downstairs and get some
new furniture. Then they
plan to have time to go rock
hunting Once again.
Ken and Sharon are on
their 20th year of working at
the cemetery, and they feel it
is a privilege to serve in this
capacity. When I was young
the cemetery looked pret-
ty good, but the progress in
the last few years has been
outstanding. Ken and Sha-
ron work hard in the spring
and summer months mow-
ing, watering and weeding,
and our cemetery is beauti-
ful. The headstones are in-
teresting as one can track
families of the pioneers and
the family plots are quite sa-
cred to all of us. Thanks to
the Blackburns' work this
place is beautiful, peaceful
and almost holy.
Last Saturday there
was a huge celebration at
the Cowley church cultural
hall. Thomas Bridges, son
of Bishop Willie and Jody
Bridges, was married on
Dec. 30 in the Spokane LDS
Temple to Danielle Johnson
ofCoeur d' Alene, Idaho, the
daughter of David and Val-
Y
erie Johnson. Thomas and
Danielle met at BYU-Ida-
ho in Rexburg and fell in
love. After their wedding, a
reception was held by her
parents in Coeur d'Alene in
their cultural hall. Danielle
comes from a large family
with 10 siblings, six broth-
ers and four sisters. Three of
her sisters were her brides-
maids in Idaho; one sister
is on a mission for the LDS
Church in Wyoming and the
Dakotas and was unable to
attend.
Thomas and Dani-
elle's colors were light blue,
steel gray and white. Their
theme was a winter scene
and included sparkling
snowflakes. The tables and
chairs were decorated with
white linens and light
blue tablecloths with mir-
rors and a centerpiece with
the green and white shim-
mering snowflakes scat-
tered around the mirror
with silver candleholders
and white roses. There were
green and silver artificial
trees with snowflakes scat-
tered throughout the trees
and on the floor. The stage
glittered and added to the
winter scene.
The mothers made
white sheet cakes with blue
frostings, a delicious drink,
mints, nuts, etc. There were
wedding pictures upon the
stage, which were beau-
tiful with pictures of the
in session
bride and groom and the
pictures of their reception
in Coeur d'Alene. The cou-
ple had a gorgeous wedding
cake made in Idaho. Thom-
as' groomsmen in Cowley
were Matt Leonhardt, De-
rik Rasmussen, Rodney
Palmer and Mikey Hernan-
dez, classmates and friends
who grew up with him.
Danielle's wedding
dress was satin with snow-
flakes embroidered on the
skirt and organza over the
satin. The dress had an em-
pire waist with lace and
her bodice was lace beading
and her dress shined and
sparkled and was beauti-
ful with a train flowing to
the floor. Her bridesmaids
were dressed in dark steel
gray satin knee length
wraparound gowns and ev-
erything was gorgeous.
Thomas and Danielle
will live in Cowley at Dexter
Woodis' place at the end of
the first south block next to
Ezme Aubrey. Thomas will
work with his father until
• fall, when the couple will at-
tend the University of Wyo-
ming. What an exciting
evening with mild weath-
er and glimmering decora-
tions as everyone celebrat-
ed the marriage of Thomas
and Danielle Bridges. We
wish you peace, love and joy
as you travel the world as
companions and begin your
new life.
Byron News
E, DENNEY NEVILLE
548-7829
nevilleart@tctwest.net
To paraphrase and
form a thought with the
help of John Greenleaf
Whittier--"The saddest
words of tongue or pen
are those that should have
been."
It should be a law
that we keep a journal. I
can imagine the police re-
port if that were the case.
In the Chronicle we would
read, several elderly people
and five juveniles in Byron
were arrested for not jour-
naling in a timely manner.
All will be required to do
community service--two
hours each, removing goat-
head weeds from alleys,
streets and private yards
in Byron. More arrests ex-
pected soon in surrounding
communities.
My parents grew up
in Byron and are still with
us almost a century later.
They are a resource for me
as to some of the lesser-
known events in our com-
munity's past.
One such event in-
volved the slender cement
obelisk that used to be in
the intersection at Main
and Center Streets. It was
six or seven feet tall and
served as a sort of decora-
tive marker indicating the
center of the community.
One story relates that Sun-
day afternoon as families
were leaving church ser-
vices held in the large LDS
church near the intersec-
tion an accident occurred,
somewhat tragic, some-
what comic.
There are two versions
of it in our muddled histo-
ry. Version one: A family
of two parents and three
or four children climbed
aboard their two-horse,
hay burner-power buggy
and prepared for the re-
turn trip to their home out-
of-town. What began as a
pleasant ride home from
Sunday services suddenly
changed when the horses
spooked and ran toward
the tall, slender obelisk in
the intersection of Main
and Center Streets. The
paired hay-burners created
a problem you may be an-
ticipating. One was think-
ing left, the other thinking
right as they approached
the obelisk.
You can visualize what
happened. Things came
apart quickly, injuries in-
curred, fortunately no fa-
talities. After dividing
asunder both team and
buggy, the traffic-compli-
cating obelisk was not con-
sidered horse-friendly and
was given further demoli-
tion. The family involved,
best as can be remembered,
was a Lindsey family, pos-
sibly the Dave Lindsey
family. Muddled history.
No records. Where are the
journals?
The other version is
much simpler. The maybe
Lindsey family was com-
ing to town, possibly to at-
tend church services. They
were coming from the west
toward the intersection of
Main and Center where
stood the obelisk. Some-
thing spooked the team
of horses and they ran to-
ward the obelisk. A wreck
occurred. The wagon over-
turned. Members of the
family were injured. No
fatalities. My mother saw
this accident take place
when she was about 8
years old. Mom was liv-
ing with her family in one
of the John Jensen houses
on Main Street near the in-
tersection, north side, third
house to the west.
Another incident, this
time involving a horse
and rider, ended in trag-
edy about 50 yards south
of the southeast corner of
the school district owned
auto shop near the town
hall. A young boy by the
name of John Madsen
Pryde, 14 years old, racing
on a horse, was tangled up
in a barbwire fence where
there is now a chain link
fence. The horse fell and
the young boy was unfor-
tunately killed in the ac-
cident. He was the son of
Adam and Vida Pryde.
Three young boys
strapped their sleeping
bags:':to their 'backs: and
climbed the old water tow-
er that used to be at the
center of town, They spent
the night there on the foot
rail around the upper part
of the water tower, alter-
nately napping and observ-
ing. What was seen and
heard in the community as
it lay in the darkness be-
neath them has not, nor
will be, journaled. Now, I'll
bet you wonder why? Well,
a sleeping town is just too
boring for words. The inter-
esting part was watching
the sleeping bags float and
tumble to the ground just
as the sun was coming up.
We escaped our trespass
without official notice.
Welcome to Pam Hop-
kinson. She will be contrib-
uting to the Byron News.
With her help, we can bet-
ter cover current news
and the history of Byron.
We will be taking turns,
though the sequence may
not be predictable. Sugges-
tions and information you
feel interesting and impor-
tant for the Byron News
column would be appreci-
ated. Thank you for read-
ing the column and for your
kind remarks.
Monday night charity
quilting starts Jan. 23
Popular quilting in-
structor Katherine Hoop-
er is offering a five session
quilting class through Pow-
ell Valley Community Edu-
cation beginning Monday,
Jan. 23. Classes take place
from 6-8 p.m. in Room 61
of the Northwest College
Fagerberg "Building. Par-
ticipants can choose to keep
the lap quilt for $30 or do-
nate the quilt to charity for
$10. Quilts from Hooper's
past classes have been well
received by the Veteran's
Administration Hospital.
Generous amounts of
recycled denim and t-shirt
material will be provided
to students, although par-
ticipants may use their
own materials, if preferred.
Quilt design decision is
made by each student.
Good scissors are recom-
mended for the first class.
Subsequent classes require
each student to bring an
extension cord and their
own sewing machine.
To register, call 307-
754-6469 or visit www.
northwestcollege.edu/pvce.
Pictures of Katherine's
work are also available.
See the website, Facebook
page and the back cover of
the PVCE catalog.
Powell Valley Commu-
nity Education programs
are a result of a Board of
Cooperative Educational
Services (BOCES) agree-
ment between Northwest
College and Park County
School District Number
One.
