I saw a lot of empty shelves at stores when I looked into the coolers. A sign at WinCo explains that the avian flu virus is to blame. The illness has been spreading through large operations nationwide.

Restaurants are struggling too. A friend in Idaho Falls wrote me with details:

The restaurant my son cooks for wasn’t able to do Saturday brunch yesterday because eggs were too expensive. $68 a case to $160? They are a small restaurant/catering service and can’t bear the cost. There would be no profit.

The thing is, the guy who gets blamed is usually the one in charge of the government. The guy at the top. Donald Trump is taking over much the way he left, being dogged by a viral pandemic.

Are you a conspiracy theorist?

News media spent the last four years telling us that a president had little control over fuel prices, and very few tools for dealing with inflation. Which the media blamed on supply chain issues and not the copious printing of currency. Will Trump be given the same pass that Joe Biden received? Don’t hold your breath.

I don’t dislike eggs, but I’m always eating on the fly. I rarely have time for them on weekends, and even if I wanted them on a Saturday morning at a restaurant, there’s now a challenge finding any.

This will pass, but flocks are going to be greatly reduced.  When they do recover, we’ll probably have birds with hardier immune systems.  Bouncing back could take a very long time.

The following is a news release and photo from Sparklight.

IDAHO FALLS — Sparklight, a leading broadband provider, recently awarded a $3,000 grant to the Idaho Falls Symphony through the company’s Charitable Giving Fund. The organization was one of 24 nonprofits across Sparklight’s 24-state footprint that received grants totaling more than $125,000 during the most recent award period.

The Charitable Giving Fund, which awards $250,000 in grants annually, concentrates support in the following priority areas:

• Education and Digital Literacy
• Food Insecurity
• Community Development

This grant season, Sparklight also extended support to organizations devoted to veterans’ outreach, elder care, afterschool programs, community safety, animal advocacy and more.

“Sparklight is proud to support the nonprofits that make a meaningful difference in our community,” said Amanda Moore, Sparklight Senior Regional Director Northwest. “These organizations are essential to strengthening the cities and towns we serve, and we are grateful for the opportunity to amplify their efforts. Together, we can bring vital resources and support to those who need it most.”

Idaho Falls Symphony will use the grant to fund its Link Up Music Education program and concert.

“By supporting the Idaho Falls Symphony, Sparklight is helping thousands of fourth- and fifth-grade students to not only gain important musical skills, but also to have a unique concert experience where they use their acquired artistry,” said Carrie Athay, Idaho Falls Symphony Executive Director. “Music is a universal language and a legacy of expression in every culture. We are so grateful for the generosity of Sparklight to help us enrich students’ educational experiences.”

Nonprofit organizations may apply for a grant during open application periods each spring and fall.

Applications for spring 2025 grants will be accepted between April 1-30.

For more information about the Sparklight Charitable Giving Fund, visit www.sparklight.com/charitablegiving.

TULSA, OK – The Idaho Steelheads (20-14-3-0, 43pts) defeated the Tulsa Oilers (20-12-4-2, 46pts) Saturday night in a shootout by a final score of 3-2 in front of 7,009 fans the BOK Center. Idaho and Tulsa will wrap up this weekend’s three-game series in Tulsa Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. (MT). 

Despite outshooting the Oilers 10-7 in the opening 20 minutes of play Tulsa led 1-0 after the first period as Michael Farren scored at 12:03. 

Idaho received their second power-play of the night just 2:39 into the second period and 59 seconds into the man advantage Andrei Bakanov (5^th) provided the equalizer. From the right half-wall Brendan Hoffmann fed Matt Register at the center point. Register sent a wrist shot to the net where Bakanov banged home the rebound at 4:38 tying the score at 1-1. After the Steelheads killed off their second penalty kill of the night they went on the power-play again at 12:41 of the stanza. With five seconds left on the man advantage Andrew Bellant (4^th) gave Idaho back the lead. Hoffmann from the right point rolled the puck to Bakanov in the right corner where he connected with Bellant inside the right circle where he blasted a one-timer into the net making it 2-1 with 5:24 left in the frame. 78 seconds later the Oilers tied the game thanks to Easton Brodzinski. Tulsa outshot Idaho 13-10 in the period. 

Shots were 8-5 Oilers in the third period and then 7-5 Tulsa in overtime but for the second straight night a shootout was needed. For the second straight night Brodzinski, as the first shooter, scored for Tulsa but then Bryan Thomson would turn aside the next three shots he face. Patrick Moynihan and A.J. White were stopped as the first two shooters before Bellant kept the game going and Hoffmann ended it. 

Bryan Thomson  made 33 saves on 35 shots in the win while Talyn Boyko turned aside 28 of 30 shots in the loss. 

BOX SCORE

ICCU Three Stars

1) Brendan Hoffmann (IDH)                      

2) Andrei Bakanov (IDH)                      

3) Easton Brodzinski (TUL)              

GAME NOTES

• Idaho finished 2-for-3 on the power-play while Tulsa went 0-for-2.            
• Tulsa outshot Idaho 35-31. 
• Romain Rodzisnki (IR), Ty Pelton-Byce (IR), Hank Crone (IR), C.J. Walker (IR), Nick Canade (IR), Wade Murphy (IR), Jason Horvath (IR), and Matt Ustaski (DNP) did not dress for Idaho.
• Andrei Bakanov has (2-3-5) in four games with Idaho including two multi-point games.
• Brendan Hoffmann tallied two assists for his eighth multi-point game.
• Andrew Bellant has two goals in his last three games.
• Matt Register has an assist in back-to-back games.
• Patrick Moynihan led all Idaho skaters with five shots.

Stay up to date with all things Steelheads on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Watch all Steelheads home games on FloHockey and KTVB 24/7 (Channel 7.2) and listen on the Steelheads flagship station 95.3 FM KTIK “The Ticket”.