At 80 years old, Bruce Seamons, pictured here with an autographed ball from the Idaho Youth Ranch, is the oldest working referee in Idaho.

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1 At 80 years old, Bruce Seamons, pictured here with an autographed ball from the Idaho Youth Ranch, is the oldest working referee in Idaho. Photo by Dianna Troyer 4 JUNE 2015

2 Running Octogenarian Bruce Seamons is Idaho s oldest referee on basketball courts and soccer fields By Dianna Troyer From Seattle to southern Utah, strangers on a basketball court often greet referee Bruce Seamons by his first name. Startled, the Burley resident asks the usual question. How do you even know me? he asks. They tell me, Everyone knows you, Bruce. Having celebrated his 80th birthday on April 16, he is the oldest referee in Idaho and has officiated junior high and high school basketball and soccer games for decades. I m refereeing the third generation of kids, says Bruce. After completing his 32nd season of basketball and 15th year of soccer, he estimates he has run more than 6,200 miles while officiating at more than 2,500 games. I ve loved basketball ever since I played in high school, Bruce says. Plus, it s kept me in such good shape that I can still fit into the same size clothes I wore in high school. He referees soccer in fall and basketball throughout District 4 in winter. This past season, I did 110 basketball games and 49 soccer games, says Bruce, who travels to 29 schools in the district, from Castleford to Ketchum and Raft River to Glenns Ferry. After the high school basketball season ends, Bruce refs the Idaho Prep and Amateur Athletic Union tournaments in spring and early summer. I ve done AAU summer tournaments and camps from Seattle, across Idaho and down to southern Utah, he says. When the AAU season ends in June, Bruce has about seven weeks off in summer before the soccer season starts. I visit my brother in Montana, and we ride horses in the wilderness areas, he says. By August, I m ready to start calling games again. Never Too Old Bruce became a certified referee through the Idaho High School Activities Association when he was 47. I was in charge of our church s basketball program and also helped with city league games, Bruce says. Some local refs noticed how much I enjoyed it, so they told me to take the certification training. Our district commissioner at that time told me I was too old, but I ve outlasted him. Sean Stanley, current basketball commissioner for District 4, says Bruce is dependable, dedicated, easygoing and fair. I can count on him to help train refs who are starting out at the junior high level, says Sean. Because he s retired, Bruce is willing to work as many games as he can. After retiring at 65 from his job selling agricultural equipment, Bruce had more time for basketball. He sometimes worked six or more games a day. Bruce estimates he runs about 3 miles per game and has learned to pad his feet. You make your feet fit the shoe by layering your socks in a certain way, he says. I always buy my shoes a half-size too big, then wear a spandex sock and a regular sock over that. My feet don t get sore. One year, his Achilles tendon began to bother him. I realized that if I had a heel lift, it took the pressure off, says Bruce. A few times when other refs have told me their tendons were starting to ache, we found some cardboard and folded it in layers for a temporary homemade lift. Their heels felt better. Bruce has stayed fit without being fanatical about a dogged exercise regimen or diet or going to a gym. You can do a lot at home to maintain muscle tone, he says. When you re watching TV, just sit in a chair, put your legs together straight out, lift them, and hold for a few seconds. You can feel your core stomach and leg muscles tightening. He relies on minimal exercise equipment: an exercise ball, a Pilates chair and a stationary bike. I ll do either the bike or ball or chair about 10 to 15 minutes a day, he says. I just take one supplement that supports cellular regeneration. Hostile Fans After decades of officiating, Bruce has become accustomed to angry fans disagreeing with his calls. At times, he has called a technical foul on rude coaches and ejected them from a game. One junior high coach I had to T later apologized to me for his behavior, he says. You d be surprised at what adults call you. His wife, Afton, refuses to go to games because of rude fans and disrespectful coaches. My last game was watching the College of Southern Idaho women s team, she says. I couldn t stand to hear fans yelling and criticizing him. Usually, it s because they don t understand the rules of the game. Appreciative fans outnumber the nasty ones. Fans have told me they know I treat all the players fairly when I call a game, says Bruce, who passes a yearly skills test. To me, a foul is a foul and traveling is traveling for every player. Coaches often tease Bruce about his longevity. They sometimes tell me, Bruce, one day we ll carry you off the court in a pine box, he says. I just remind them in that case to not forget my whistle. I feel great. I can see myself doing this at least another five years. n JUNE

United Electric Announcements Prepay Program United Electric is happy to announce members can now prepay for their electricity.

Summer Hours for United Electric From May 25 to September 7, UEC s summer hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., and Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Office Closure United Electric will be closed Friday, July 3.

Nontraditional Scholarship Available Applications for the $500 nontraditional scholarship hip are accepted until 5 p.m. on Friday, June 12.

This scholarship is given to an adult or nontraditional dent whose life circumstances differ from traditional students.

3 United Electric Announcements Prepay Program United Electric is happy to announce members can now prepay for their electricity. For more details about the Prepay Program, see page 25 in this edition of Ruralite. Summer Hours for United Electric From May 25 to September 7, UEC s summer hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., and Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Office Closure United Electric will be closed Friday, July 3. A crew will be on call in case of emergencies. The emergency crew can be reached at Nontraditional Scholarship Available Applications for the $500 nontraditional scholarship hip are accepted until 5 p.m. on Friday, June 12. The application plication is available in the office or online at This scholarship is given to an adult or nontraditional dent whose life circumstances differ from traditional students. stu- Applicants do not need to be members of United Electric. Trade-A-Tree The Trade-A-Tree program helps members remove trees from areas where they could pose a hazard to primary high-voltage overhead power lines. The aim is to replace taller trees with shorter ones that will not grow up into the lines. For each tree removed, United Electric will reimburse up to $50 of the cost of a replacement tree that fits within the guidelines. Visit or call the office, , to find out how you can participate in the Trade-A-Tree program. 8 JUNE 2015

4 Take Control of Your Energy Bill United Electric now offers members a prepay option for their electric service United Electric is happy to announce members can now prepay for their electricity use. There are no due dates, late fees or deposits because you determine when and how much you pay each month. Members who opt into the Prepay Program pay for their use in advance. This offers more flexibility for those who struggle to make a monthly payment, because payments can be made monthly, weekly or even daily. Once payment is made, members can watch their balance decrease as electricity is used, giving members a better understanding of their electricity use. The Prepay Program is available to new and existing residential members only. For new members, a membership fee of $100 is required. At the request of the member, the fee may be prorated during a five-month period and charged on the prepay account on the last day of each month. A deposit is not required with prepay. Existing members must have their account paid in full, including unbilled electrical use, before they can switch to the Prepay Program. Existing members who have paid a deposit may apply the deposit to any outstanding balance on their account, transfer the deposit to their prepay account or request to have the deposit refunded. An initial payment of $100 is required when joining the program. Payments can be made in the same ways as traditional accounts. Members participating in the program must make payments to their account to maintain a positive account balance. Minimum payments must be at least $20. Members must have access to the Internet or the ability to receive text messages. When a member s Prepay Program account balance is equal to or less than $40, an automated notice will be sent via text, or SmartHub alert. Daily notices are sent until the account balance is greater than $40. Paper statements will no longer be sent. Members are responsible for keeping contact information up to date so they will receive notifications to avoid being disconnected. Disconnections of electrical service will occur once a day at 7 a.m. on prepay accounts with a zero or negative balance. Prepay accounts with a negative balance any time during the previous 24-hour period will be disconnected at 7 a.m. Once the account balance is positive, power will be reconnected. For more information, call UEC s Prepay Program Why Enroll? Payment flexibility No monthly bill No deposit No late fee or disconnect charges No credit check Want to Enroll? To enroll, you must meet the following criteria. Be a residential member Have an active membership Have an address or textenabled phone Start with an account balance of at least $100 Have account paid in full if you are an existing member UNITED ELECTRIC CO-OP, INC. JUNE

Co-op Connections Card Please support these businesses that participate in the Co-op Connections Card program A&T Construction 194 E 200 S, Rupert 436-0738 5 percent off labor.

5 Co-op Connections Card Please support these businesses that participate in the Co-op Connections Card program A&T Construction 194 E 200 S, Rupert percent off labor. Animal Medical Clinic 284 S 600 W, Heyburn percent off all cash services. Arby s 594 N Overland Ave., Burley percent off purchase. everyday savings THAT'S THE POWER OF CO-OP MEMBERSHIP Savings on everyday items. Like up to 85% off prescription drugs at participating pharmacies nationwide. Find all the ways to save at Connections.coop Barclay Mechanical Services Inc. 100 S 490 W, Paul percent off metal purchase. Barry Rental & Equipment 159 W Hwy 30, Burley percent off rentals; 10 percent off purchases excluding whole goods, such as mowers, skid steers and construction equipment. Clayville Insulation 250 E 100 S, Burley percent off existing residential insulation. Clegg s Service n Repair Brad Clegg, owner 703 W Main, Burley Cell (208) Lube, oil and filter; up to 5 quarts with card, $ JUNE 2015

6 Columbia Electric Supply Co Normal Ave., Burley Wholesale pricing on cash sales. Connections Credit Union st St., Heyburn New members receive a free welcome gift and $5 deposit. D.L. Evans Bank North Burley Branch South Burley Branch Rupert Branch Free small business checking. Complimentary Visa check debit/atm card. No annual fee Visa with a business checking account (upon approved credit). Free introductory order of checks. Member FDIC Farmers Corner 202 S Highway 27, Burley Free pop with gas purchase. Greener Valley Computer 2853 Overland Ave., Burley percent off in-store software. Hansen Sign Co W 16th St., Burley percent off all sign work, including trucks. Custom T-shirt at $5+ tax one per customer. Larry s Electric & Heating 1133 Albion Ave., Burley andheating.com 10 percent discount on filters and light bulbs bought in the store. Lee s Furniture Clearance Outlet 459 Overland Ave., Burley Receive up to a 5 percent discount on purchase. Marble-N-Counters 1321 E Main, Burley percent off marble jobs. Mind & Body Wellness Center 2207 Overland Ave., Burley percent off any services, 15 percent off nutrition. Free consultation for Ideal Protein Weight Loss program. Mini-Cassia Chamber of Commerce th St., Heyburn chamber.com 25 percent discount on all Idaho gifts and jewelry items, excluding consignment and sale items. NAPA Auto Parts 501 Overland Ave., Burley percent discount on regularly priced items. Ponderosa Golf 320 Minidoka Ave., Burley $1 off green fees, Monday through Friday before 4 p.m. Pro Paint Inc Overland Ave., Burley $5 off a $50 purchase. Quality Tire Factory 822 S Onieda, Rupert percent discount on regularly priced items. Sears Burley 2338 Overland Ave., Burley Owned and operated by Ron and Judy Fowler 10 percent off any regularly priced merchandise. Skaggs Furniture Overland Shopping Center, Burley Discount of up to 50 percent on regularly priced items. Snake River Bowl 725 Minidoka Ave., Burley percent off regularly priced bowling, food or merchandise (league and tournament bowling excluded). Stars Ferry Building Supplies 20 S 300 W, Burley Free hat with $100 cash purchase. Sweetheart Manor Overland & 42nd St., Burley percent off invitations or 30 percent off if Sweetheart Manor is used for receptions and tuxedo rental. Ted s Diesel Electric 1141 South Hwy 30, Heyburn percent discount once a month on any rebuilt starter, alternator or generator. The Gathering Place 524 6th St., Rupert percent off purchases, excluding kits, batting and quilting machines. Tony s Barbershop 1607 J St., Heyburn (208) Special price for seniors and children. Ward s Cleaning & Detail 1131 E 18th Lane, Burley percent off carpet and upholstery cleaning; 5 percent off auto detailing. Wilson Bates Appliance & Furniture 2560 Overland Ave., Burley Additional 5 percent off the best sale price of any furniture, Burley location only. JUNE

7 United Electric Co-op Inc. Directors President Dean Nielsen Vice President Bruce Beck Sec./Treas. Cordell Searle Brent Bowen Ronald Osterhout David Phillips George Toner John R. West General Manager Jo Elg Engineering and Operations Trevor Parke Line Superintendent Dan Kidd Executive Assistant Penny West Manager of Finance and Admin. Curtiss Peterson Community Relations Manager Chris Seibold Mailing address: st St. Heyburn, ID Phone: (208) Fax: (208) Website: Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ID-29 Prepay at United Electric Are you familiar with prepaid cell phone cards or prepaid long distance phone cards? The concept for both is the same: pay for minutes in advance of use. These minutes are available for use until they are used, at which time more minutes can be purchased. It is estimated there are more than 100 million prepaid wireless users in the U.S. About one in three cellphone users opt to pay as they go, and that number continues to increase. Jo Elg What are some of the drivers to go prepay? No deposit requirement, no monthly invoice and a possible reduction of fees. But the main advantage of prepay is control. Paying as you go puts you in the driver seat. You decide when you want to use the product. You decide when you want to buy more. How cool would it be if you could pay as you go with your energy use? The staff and board of directors of United Electric think it would be cool, too. We now offer the Prepay Program. It allows you to pay for energy in advance of use and manage your energy consumption the same concept as the prepaid cell phone. The Prepay Program puts you in the driver seat. You control when you use the energy and you decide when it is best for you to make a payment. You can make a payment every day, once a week, twice a month or every other month. The choice is yours. Want more information? Call the office at and tell them you want to pay as you go. Jo Elg General Manager After Hours: (208) UNITED ELECTRIC CO-OP, INC. 32 JUNE 2015

Hard Copy to Hard Drive

Hard Copy to Hard Drive Gary Schorzman looks to digitize local newspapers By Dianna Troyer Wearing white cotton gloves, Rupert historian Gary Schorzman painstakingly thumbs through fragile, yellowed newspaper