Pocatello Happenings: Pelicans vs. Trout, Etc.

Throughout the years, newsworthy stories have become pretty scarce in Pocatello, and the Idaho State Journal has become progressively hard-up for news.  Today's Idaho Sunday Journal was no different as it provided some extra special stories of the latest happenings in Pocatello and environs (mostly environs).

From the FRONT page, a full 1 1/2 PAGE story tells about how an "exponential" population explosion among pelicans has been implicated in a decline in cutthroat trout in the Blackfoot Reservoir, and how Idaho Fish and Game issued a 5 year management plan to restore the balance between the species.  It was a long story, but essentially, their plan is to put the matter under observation - to wait and see if weather trends will continue to inhibit nesting before they start killing pelicans. Ray, you may want to call them and see if they need your services.  Bring a few tubes of your capsaicin inhibitor.

In this photo two agents subdue a suspect, while another stands guard.

Also, from the front page item, we learn how 60 policemen, numerous SWAT teams from throughout Salt Lake County, used police dogs and a "BARICADE-SMASHING TANK" to end a 14 hour standoff by forcing entry into a West Salt Lake hotel room to arrest Idaho State Prison escapee, Joe Dee Stang, who they found hiding in the attic space of the room, the whole time, leaving 50+ evacuated residents of the hotel "homeless" overnight, and this all subsequent to Stang's walking away from a prisoner work detail in Idaho Falls (not even a Pocatello story,)   Just goes to prove what I've always thought - you can't trust anyone named STANG.

Stang - Good lookin', isn't he?  Sort of reminds me of another famous outlaw:

"Name's Smalls. Leonard Smalls.  My friends call me Lenny... only I ain't got no friends."

Next, from page A2, the lead story, entitled "Pooches paint with paws", tells us how a group of animal shelter supporters are putting Canine-made works of art on sale to benefit the shelter.  Get your wallet out, and don't be chinzy.

In the above photo, volunteers lead one of the artists, Chipper around a fenced area full of paint and paper during a "DOG PAINTING ACTIVITY".  I am not making this up.  I'm also not sure that's all paint Chipper's tracking around.  Buy this art at your own risk.

Seriously though, apparently there is real artistic talent at work here, according to Ken Weaver, shelter volunteer, "To say the dogs simply walk through the paint and then step on paper, would not do it justice.  It's more complex than that because each of the artists have their own personality.  We had Reese who is more aggressive in the paint.  He's the Jackson Pollock style.  Then there is Snickers.  She's very shy and DELICATE."
Yeah sure, they take advantage of Chipper's, Reese's, and Snicker's talents, and then tomorrow they gas them.  But, the paintings will be worth more after they're dead, right?

On Page A3, we read about how Rosco, a Newfoundland Labrador mix, whose execution for biting a human was stayed back in January, through a plea deal between Pocatello's city attorney and Rosco's owner, is AGAIN in trouble for "allegedly" attacking and injuring another much smaller dog, 8 month old sheltie, Suri, during the GRADUATION CEREMONY of DOG TRAINING SCHOOL.  Picture this:  It seems Suri's owner, Bonnie Brown was also injured when she "received scratches as she avoided Rosco's attempt to bite her after she HIT HIM OVER THE HEAD while trying to get him off Suri.  Well, there goes Rosco's chance for graduation.  The Sheriff issued a misdemeanor citation and another court date to Rosco's owner.  Considering his history, this could be it for Rosco.  But not so fast.  According to city attorneys the files from Rosco's earlier case are sealed per the agreement, so his future remains uncertain.  Oh, the drama of small town news.

Rosco - biting something (what's left of Suri?)

And last but not least, on PageA5 (I spared you the obituaries from page 4), we read how Tyler and Jill Fleet -- AKA -- Tyler Fyer (cute spelling for Fire) and Thrill Kill Jill, who incidentally were married to each other on Valentines day in 2006, by Elvis in Las Vegas, brought their "Lucky Daredevil Thrill Show" to the Bannock County Fairgrounds on Saturday, as part of the "POW*MIA Awareness Rally and Motorcycle Rodeo".  I swear I am not making this up.

Here's Thrill Kill Jill electrifying the crowd with her sword swallowing act, using a "real" sword, an act which "can be pretty dangerous stuff," according to Jill, who also says that medical care for a sword-swallowing injury,  according to the SWORD SWALLOWING ASSOCIATION,  will run between $25,000 and $75,000, ON AVERAGE.  Colin, seen any of these cases in the ER lately?  I'm having a hard time with those numbers - are they accurate?  If the SSA says it, it must be true.  What a racket, that medicine.

Here's "The Amazing Blazing" Tyler Fyer, captivating the crowd with his daredevil antics of breathing fire.  Along with this act, Tyler repeatedly advises the audience that he and Jill have spent "years" leaning their "skill" and warns all not to "try this at home."  Hailing from West Virginia (maybe that explains it) Tyler and Jill tour their act around the country from May to September.  Since I missed it here, maybe I can still catch the act at the state fair.  Maybe we all can.

Well, there you have it - the news for Lake Wobegone -er- Pocatello.