Tradition, location the key to the sales of square ice cream in Swan Valley

Jayda Jorgensen, a sophomore this year at Ririe High School, hands over a waffle cone loaded with Huckleberries and Cream, the top-selling flavor at the Rainey Creek Country Store in Swan Valley. 

It wouldn't be summer in eastern Idaho without a stop at the Rainey Creek Country Store in Swan Valley, "Home of the Square Ice Cream."

The board behind the counter

Passing through Monday to check out an auction site in Irwin, it seemed like the natural thing to do.

The store is having its biggest summer since the economic downturn of 2008, said manager Judy Moore, who has been in charge for 12 years. "People are driving and getting out more," she said. Between day-trippers, tour buses filled with Europeans making the loop through Yellowstone and Jackson Hole and campers from the local scout camps, "It's been crazy," she said. "Every weekend has been crazy."

Numbers on a board behind the counter show sales from this year and last. While sales were up nearly 17 percent Memorial Day weekend, the Fourth of July was up only 2 percent. "That's because it was in the middle of the week," said Jayda Jorgensen, one of the servers behind the counter.

"A lot of people come in and look at the numbers and they think it's the square ice cream, but there are other places that have tried square ice crea," Moore said. "The main thing is we've been here since 1946 and we're in a location where people drive by us anyway. We're 45 minutes out of Idaho Falls, so people are ready to take a break. There's a tradition. You don't stop in Swan Valley with stopping by and getting a square."

Word of mouth also helps. Someone at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport routinely recommends the store to tourists. "I don't know who that person is, but I love them," Moore said.

An artful take on new construction

Enough with boring broad daylight construction pictures. This is Building L at Snake River Landing, where MacKenzie River Pizza is planning to move in by November. In addition to the restaurant, there are three 1,400-square-foot retail suites available. The builder is Morgan Construction of Idaho Falls. The photo was taken close to sunset Sunday night with an iPhone, during a bike ride around the river.

Curb ramp improvements happening all over Idaho Falls

The curb at the corner of Yellowstone and A Street

Whether you're a driver, bicyclist or pedestrian, it's been hard to impossible not to notice the number of curb ramps being poured this summer in the city of Idaho Falls.

There is no single plan or grant behind all the activity, just a renewed focus on the part of Idaho Falls and the Idaho Department of Transportation, said Chris Frederickson, city public works director.

The Idaho Transportation Department is overlaying various state highways within the Idaho Falls city limits this summer, including:

• Broadway from Bellin Road to Yellowstone Highway
• Yellowstone Highway from Sunnyside Road to Lomax Avenue
• U.S. 20 from Saturn Avenue to Science Center Drive

This work includes new pedestrian ramps at various intersections and milling and overlaying the street section. Frederickson said it only made sense for the curbs improvements to be integrated into the projects, to bring access up to the standards of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Work has been going on seven days a week from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., but some of the work has taken place during the day, causing delays and lane closures.

On Channing Way, there is a new water line going in and new curb ramps being put in.  On Thursday night, the City Council approved a $250,000 state-local agreement providing for more curb and sidewalk improvements, primarily on arterial and collector streets.

The city now maintains a road construction map on its Web site, which it updates every Monday.

http://gis.idahofallsidaho.gov/Construction/

Meet the Beetles

There are a lot of tires to kick this weekend out at the EITC parking lot on Hitt Road.

I'm going to admit it right up front: Even though I'm not driving one now, I have always been partial to Volkswagens. I've owned a Rabbit, a GTI, a Golf and a Jetta, and as far as I'm concerned they offer great European car performance at the most affordable price (although the bargain basement Bimmer I scored for $1,100 was probably the most amazing thing I've driven when it came to simply eating up the road.)

Anyway, I don't normally plug car sales on this blog, but Teton VW's Best Thing Ever Sale is being held this weekend at Eastern Idaho Technical College and the money they are paying for the lot is going toward EITC scholarships, which I think is a noble thing. Check out the 200 new and used cars on display. The sale ends Monday night at 8. There are 13 models that get better than 35 mpg on the highway (my first Rabbit got 36; that was back in 1981). Make sure you ask about free Idaho Falls Chukar tickets.

Museum of Idaho, Chesbro Music announce Great Guitar Giveaway

The Fender Stratocaster and amp that are going to be given away Aug. 31 at the Museum of Idaho.

So you wanna be a rock 'n' roll star? In connection with "Guitar: The Instrument That Rocked the World" at the Museum of Idaho, MOI and Chesbro Music are holding the Great Guitar Giveaway.

Enter for a chance to win one of two prize packages:

1. A red Fender Stratocaster with original contour body, Mojo custom retro tweed deluxe amplifier (15 watts w. Jensen speaker), Harman/Digitech istomp downloadable effects pedal, Fender deluxe gig bag, 10-foot Fender instrument cable and CMC stand. Sponsored by Fender, Mojo, Digitech, Chesbro Music and KBEAR 101.

2. Teton acoustic guitar, case and stand. Sponsored by Chesbro Music Co. and KBEAR 101.

Tickets are $1 or 5 for $6. Winner for the first prize package will be drawn Aug. 31. Entries not selected to win the first prize package will be automatically entered into the drawing for the second prize package, which will be Nov. 22.

Tickets are $1 apiece or $5 for 6. They are available at the museum and Chesbro Music on Broadway. Being a guitar gear geek of the first order, I want to check out this amp and also ask whether the Stratocaster can be exchanged for that Thinline Telecaster reproduction I was drooling over the other day. Not that I have anything against Strats, I just like Teles better.