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Fall 2011 Newsletter Our Fall 2011 Newsletter is now available online. The newsletter is being sent by postal mail to members, and by email to all of those subscribed to FoM updates. |
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Feedlot (CAFO) Lawsuit Update Friends of Minidoka is awaiting the county to rebut the appellate brief in the Idaho State Courts. We are still seeking donations to cover the costs associated with the lawsuit. Click here to learn more and donate. |
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A Special Year for the Minidoka Pilgrimage Nearly 200 people journeyed to the annual Minidoka Pilgrimage. This year's event was special for two very important reasons. First, the Minidoka Honor Roll was re-established at the entrance to the park. Every year, the names of fallen Minidoka soldiers are read on the last day of the Pilgrimage. This year, Kay Endo, a WWII Nisei veteran, read the names during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. With the newly installed Honor Roll as a backdrop, the moment was full of tears. Bill Vaughn, Friends of Minidoka board member and retired architect, oversaw much of the installation. Superintendent Wendy Janssen noted that his help was instrumental in making the project possible. FoM would like to thank all those who worked on this project, including NPS staff! More on the Honor Roll Event article The second amazing aspect to this year’s Pilgrimage was the noticeable changes to the park itself. The walking trail with signs interpreting Minidoka's history is nearly complete. A full barrack was brought back to Minidoka and placed at the exact location of Block 22, where NPS plans to assemble an entire residential block. Since the Pilgrimage, a mess hall has also been moved to Block 22. Thanks to NPS staff and all those who have contributed to the park’s progress. The upcoming year promises more park improvements, so mark your calendar for the next Pilgrimage, to be held the 3rd weekend in June 2012. |
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FoM Receives Matching Grant It is with great excitement that we announce our selection for a 2-to-1 matching Confinement Site Grant for the 2011 Civil Liberties Symposium: Patriotism, Honor and Sacrifice. The grant allowed us to bring in national scholars and creatives to share the military impact on those incarcerated at Minidoka. Featured speakers included emeritus historian Bob Sims, David Adler, director of the University of Idaho’s McClure School on Public Policy, psychologist Martin Cutler, and poet Larry Matsuda. The conference also examined two films and presented a play, “The Betrayed” by the Grateful Crane Ensemble. The Symposium was sponsored by the College of Southern Idaho, the National Park Service, the Friends of Minidoka, Boise Valley JACL and the Idaho State Historical Society. The Friends of Minidoka have been honored to receive two Confinement Site Grants, to date. Last year, we were awarded a grant for the Minidoka Honor Roll Project. The Honor Roll unveiling took place at this year's Pilgrimage. We are still in need of matching funds. To learn more about the honor roll or to donate, see below. |
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New Trail at Minidoka The trail plan has been developed and construction of a new 1.6 mile trail will begin soon, including reintroduction of a portion of the historic barbed wire fence along the canal. Once complete, the remaining wayside exhibit panels will be installed along the trail. The wayside exhibits interpret the history, people, conditions, injustice, and community of Minidoka. In addition, a new park entrance sign will be installed soon. |
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Latest CAFO News: Letter Writing Campaign 2/25/2011 We need your help in our fight to protect Minidoka! Please make a donation to our legal fund and write to your Congress members and the National Park Service calling for action from the Justice Department to protect Minidoka. The Federal Government would be a very powerful force against the CAFO if they would step in and help our cause. Donate Now Learn More Write a Letter |
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Spring 2011 Newsletter Our Spring 2011 Newsletter is now available online. The newsletter is being sent by postal mail to members, and by email to all of those subscribed to FoM updates. |
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Judge sides with CAFO owners 8/25/2010 Big Sky Dairy and South View Dairy currently have a permit to construct and operate a 13,000 animal Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) located on property 1.2 miles from the Minidoka National Historic Site. The Friends of Minidoka and the coalition members are seeking funding and weighing options for a legal appeal. Your donation would help greatly. Read more... 8/12/2010 - Judge upholds controversial Jerome County feedlot permit.  |
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$3 million for WWII Japanese American Confinement Sites The National Park Service (NPS) has awarded 23 grants totaling $2.9 million to help preserve and interpret historic sites where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II. The NPS granted $17,295 to re-establish the historic Honor Roll (which commemorates Japanese American servicemen) at the Minidoka National Historic Site in Jerome County, ID. NPS grant program news [PDF] |
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