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“I suspect there is no member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pocatello who has more Catholic friends than I do.” That brought a round of confirming laughter from everyone at the end-of-year staff meeting of the local Holy Spirit Catholic school.
For the past school year, I worked part time as “Mr. Paul” at the Holy Spirit Catholic school as the kitchen aide and as an occasional substitute teacher. I saw and helped feed the students, including a couple of my granddaughters, from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade every day. Surely I was the lowest man on the staff totem pole and theologically an alien amongst the Catholics. I was a different kind of saint, that’s for sure!
So how’d that work out?
Well, I might have hoped the children would have been neater eaters. The cafeteria might have been too noisy from time to time. The kids threw away a lot of good food, too. Turns out Catholic school kids are just like public school kids at lunch time.
But those aren’t the memories I’ll hold on to. I had to pass on the morning assembly songs I did not know. Most of the set prayers were foreign to me as well, but I joined in whenever the Lord’s Prayer was recited. We were all united during the daily Pledge of Allegiance.
On occasion that I was substitute teaching on the day of the week that all the school went to Catholic mass I went with my class to church. Of course the students all knew I wasn’t a Catholic, and they would help me out. “You don’t have to kneel,” whispered one middle school fellow as the bells rang and the congregation responded. I don’ t know if I was excused because I wasn’t Catholic or because I’m old, but the gesture was made in such a kindly way I’ll never forget it.
One time the scripture reading in Mass was the story of David and Goliath. The next week I loaned the religion teacher five smooth stones I once collected from the dry stream bed in the valley of Elah where David fought Goliath. These were the ones David did not put in his bag as he approached Goliath, but they do make the story come alive and put you in the scene. Nothing to compare to David’s sling, but loaning one of my treasures made a trust impact.
On Veteran’s Day I was asked to teach the middle school students. In my 1969 jungle fatigues and McNamara boots I gave them an age appropriate history lesson about the day and my experiences as a veteran. At least they learned where Vietnam was on a map. The kids shared their stories about veterans in their lives. I took care to describe my religious episodes in Vietnam related to the Book of Mormon as “scriptures” so as not to proselytize my Latter-day Saint theology. That was part of the employment contract and I was careful to abide by it.
Trust increased to the point that I was even substitute teaching in the religion class! OK, it was just the New Testament book of Acts, but still…. My coworkers in the Pocatello temple thought that was a hoot for Brother Entrikin to be that engaged in the activities of a Catholic school. But trust went both ways.
One of my LDS middle school granddaughters was regularly cast in the starring role as Mary or the Virgin of Guadalupe in the school’s religious plays and reenactments. It reached the point that it became a private family joke about her being recruited to join a nunnery. Humor aside, it showed the degree of acceptance and mutual trust that might surprise an outside observer.
It wasn’t that we just mutually chose to ignore our theological differences. I would tell the staff, including the principal, some really terrible Catholic puns and we’d all laugh at them. For example, “What do you call a priest who becomes an attorney? Father-in-law!” At times a teacher would ask me about the meaning of a religious picture hanging on the wall and I’d preface my reply as, “my understanding” of the picture’s meaning and significance.
As Christians, citizens and neighbors there was so much we shared that the differences faded away in the background. As a result I’m pretty sure my extended family and I do have more Catholic friends than most Latter-day Saints here in Pocatello. If you have any doubts about that, just ask my 4-year-old granddaughter about her class boyfriend. I’m told he’s not even afraid of dinosaurs.
Latter-day Saint | 2022-06-10T19:38:50Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | School’s out | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/school-s-out/article_f96c4a88-4e73-5edd-85e5-bf0f430913a1.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/school-s-out/article_f96c4a88-4e73-5edd-85e5-bf0f430913a1.html |
Staying on point
There are times I write columns knowing they will not be well-received by some readers. I recognize my viewpoint is often considered liberal in a state that has a national reputation for being conservative (some would say extremist). That’s obvious when virtually all Republican candidates in the primary election ran ads claiming they were far more conservative than their opponents.
I strive to provide facts to support my opinions and to stay on point with the issues being discussed. A recent column of mine advocated that we should close the “war” prison that has been maintained in Guantanamo for 20 years because it does not reflect American values.
Those values are that our government shouldn’t torture and jail people for the rest of their lives without charging them for alleged crimes. The U.S. Constitution entitles you to know the charges being levied against you, to have a speedy trial, and to have the right to hear and confront the evidence alleging you committed a criminal act.
My point was not that Guantanamo has housed Boy Scouts for the past 20 years — it’s that we have failed to provide basic due process rights while it has been documented we tortured inmates. A responding columnist attacked me personally and ultimately opined that these people are “barbarians” who deserve no rights. That type of derogatory response illustrates why public discourse has become so shallow and toxic in America.
At the immediate end of World War II, we did not treat the Nazis or Japanese in the fashion displayed at Guantanamo. The Allies conducted the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials involving charges of war crimes against humanity. Those trials were held during the year after that devastating war ended in both theaters, and it was the United States that insisted proceedings be held to document the crimes, and to prevent subsequent claims the defendants were confined, condemned and sentenced without the presentation of evidence.
The Japanese, and particularly the Nazis, acted at levels of organized barbarity unmatched in world history, but it was America that stuck to its founding principles in insisting trials be held. Winston Churchill reportedly wanted the Nazi leaders summarily executed.
Albert Speer, a key figure in the Nazi war machine, was sentenced to 20 years in prison during his trial at Nuremberg. There have been inmates held at Guantanamo for almost 20 years having been tortured and never tried or convicted of any crime.
I was taught fundamental concepts in the founding of America were the recognition individuals had due process rights the government must constitutionally follow. The bill of rights was added to the Constitution to ensure these protections existed.
As a nation, our government failed to do that in the treatment of thousands of Japanese citizens who were interred simply due to their ancestry and color of their skin during World War II. We did not systematically jail citizens of German descent during that war. Our government, decades later, paid damages to its citizens of Japanese ancestry for the violation of their rights.
In addition, America allowed slavery during its early history. That wasn’t ended until the conclusion of the Civil War approximately 160 years past. What followed were decades of brutal sanctioned racism including segregation which was practiced by state and federal governments until the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954 finally held the separate but equal doctrine was no longer permissible.
That was 75 years ago, and to this day Blacks have been fighting for equality. Many school districts in America are still predominantly Black, and they are funded at significantly lower levels than education for white students. It is the same with access to health care, and we are now seeing numerous Jim Crow efforts in various states to suppress the voting rights of minorities.
Other points raised in my prior column were that America has initiated its share of wars on false premises where we bombed and killed thousands of innocent civilians, and that we have aided brutal governments completely lacking respect for human rights to further political and capitalistic aims. Those regimes in many countries (the list is long) killed, disappeared, tortured and raped their opponents. The responding columnist claimed, without offering any factual support, that the alternative governments would have been worse. What would be worse than murdering thousands, disappearing people (also murder), torture and rape?
When it comes to governance, America does exhibit double standards and inconsistent international policies. Some of that appears to have been driven by racism, fear and arguable retribution, but our leadership is needed world-wide to advocate for democracy and human rights. To be effective and respected on the world stage, our governments should practice consistent policies that amplify America’s founding values. | 2022-06-10T19:38:56Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Staying on point | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/staying-on-point/article_09b14d7f-ade2-5b39-bca1-a45c456107c1.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/staying-on-point/article_09b14d7f-ade2-5b39-bca1-a45c456107c1.html |
“The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” — Abraham Lincoln
It is often said that when something controversial is being pounded into the public via media headlines, there is something else that is going on behind the scenes that the public is being distracted from. This is certainly the case with America’s education system. While the public has been hammered with a full-frontal assault by activists pushing Critical Race Theory and gender ideology in the schools overtly, there has also been a covert assault from the flank called Social-Emotional Learning or SEL.
Social-Emotional Learning supposedly arose out of the COVID-19 pandemic and a need to attend to the emotional psyches of fragile youth. It is a shift in the role of a teacher from an educator to a therapist and places a high value on a child’s emotional competency over academic performance. After locking kids in their homes, isolating them from their peers, muzzling them with ineffective face diapers, and pounding them with fear and doom for 2 years, activists have swooped in to provide emotional support in the classroom once they were permitted to return. In typical government fashion, it seems like a solution looking for a problem. They didn’t create SEL to mend the fragile psyches of youth, they damaged the fragile psyches of youth to push SEL.
Social-Emotional Learning is a backdoor for CRT and gender ideology. After returning to school, some students have complained that rather than work to get them caught up on missing a year of quality instruction, they were instead presented with pseudo-therapeutic questions about their emotional competency. Some examples of SEL questions that students have been presented with include “How do you feel when you see two men kissing?”, or “If you didn’t have a diverse makeup of friends in your friend group, is it racist to seek out another race to fill your friend group?” This has resulted in even some lifetime Democratic voters raising red flags.
We’d be remiss to believe that Idaho has escaped the nonsense. In a recent undercover journalism operation by the organization Accuracy in Media, several Idaho educators were secretly filmed admitting that though SEL was banned in Idaho under the CRT ban, they simply teach the same concepts and call it mental health or behavior adaptations.
They call it a brilliant ploy to change the name but keep the concepts deployed. These activists know that what they are teaching is barred in Idaho and secretly celebrate flaunting state law to continue to push their activism on your children. This stands in direct contradiction to what leftists proclaim when they say, “CRT is not taught in our classrooms.” CRT and SEL aren’t curricula, but rather a worldview that is imparted to your children by activists.
In a recent Twitter thread by podcaster Josh Daws of the Great Awokening Podcast, Daws lays out in 23 tweets how CRT and gender ideology have been deployed sequentially and their effect on the minds of America’s youth. Based on the work of postmodern critic James Lindsey, Daws suggests that the opening salvo of CRT was to tear down unapproved identity in the youth. It imparts guilt, shame, and social rejection of majority identities like whiteness, maleness, a binary gender paradigm, or even heterosexuality. Once a person has been made to reject their own race, gender, or sexuality, it is followed up with an approved list of identities from which they can choose in order to be socially accepted.
This activist attack on traditionalism begins to explain the sharp increase in the percentage of the population that identifies as LGBTQ+. In 2012, 5.8 percent of millennials identified as LGBTQ+. Today, that number stands at 9.1 percent among the same millennials. Move a generation forward and 15.9 percent of Generation Z identify as LGBTQ+ and growing.
As we have seen in the case of Florida’s anti-grooming legislation, the pushback against indoctrinating our youth has been vociferous. Attempts to ban sexuality and gender ideology from k-3 classrooms were intentionally misrepresented as banning the word gay from classrooms. This raises the question: why are activists so hellbent on pushing their ideas of gender and sexuality on the kids?
The purpose of all of this miseducation is a direct attack on the family itself. Neo-Marxists promote the same end goals as the old Marxists, including the abolition of the nuclear family, which they view as a structure of the hegemony. When the young are made to believe that their inherent sex or race is a cause for social rejection, they infer that they were set up for this status by their own parents. This creates resentment and a schism in the nuclear family. Many parents can attest to children returning home from school and castigating their parents for raising them with a bigoted worldview. Many relationships are irreparably severed as a result.
Despite legislation to ban certain ideologies in the classroom in many states, activists continue to rebrand their tired ideas with new labels and fill the malleable minds of the youth with divisive and subjective ideologies. It is for this reason that parents must continue to stay engaged in their children’s education and challenge educators, administrators, and school boards when they veer from the mandate they’ve been entrusted with. | 2022-06-10T19:39:08Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Why the classroom activists never give up | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/why-the-classroom-activists-never-give-up/article_2dfd5b33-d37a-50d1-a427-18df302850f6.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/why-the-classroom-activists-never-give-up/article_2dfd5b33-d37a-50d1-a427-18df302850f6.html |
The sign at the Pony Express Car Wash at 4500 Yellowstone Avenue.
Pony Express Car Wash is planning to build a second location in Pocatello.
The first location is at 4500 Yellowstone Ave. Kyle Benson, one of the partners of Pony Express Car Wash, explained that this location has just begun its fourth year in Pocatello.
"We're really excited to get something actually within the city limits of Pocatello," said Benson. "I think the location is going to be really good for the community."
Pony Express Car Wash also has locations in Ammon and Idaho Falls. In addition to the second location in Pocatello, Pony Express Car Wash is also planning to build a location in Blackfoot.
"My partners and I are really excited to build this location and the Blackfoot one as well," said Benson.
The new location will be built at 201 N. Fifth Ave. at the former Raven's Nest. Benson hopes that the second location will be completed by the end of March. | 2022-06-10T22:18:14Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pony Express Car Wash to open second location in Pocatello | East Idaho | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/business_journal/east_idaho/pony-express-car-wash-to-open-second-location-in-pocatello/article_a6ee9d3b-8803-5487-a82b-72cfbc64c4e7.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/business_journal/east_idaho/pony-express-car-wash-to-open-second-location-in-pocatello/article_a6ee9d3b-8803-5487-a82b-72cfbc64c4e7.html |
Tina Guedes
By Tina Guedes
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common medical condition in which the force of blood against the walls of the arteries is high enough that it can eventually cause health problems. Risk factors that may cause high blood pressure are a family history, age (there is a greater chance of developing high blood pressure the older we get), gender (it is more common for men to develop high blood pressure before the age of 64, and it is more common for women to develop high blood pressure after the age of 65), race (African Americans are more predisposed to developing high blood pressure) and chronic kidney disease. The modifiable risk factors (these are behaviors we can change) are a lack of physical activity, an unhealthy diet, consuming to much sodium, being overweight or obese, drinking too much alcohol, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and stress. When left untreated this condition may cause strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, vision loss, peripheral artery disease and kidney disease.
Blood pressure is measured in numbers. Systolic (upper number) takes place as blood pumps out of the heart and into the arteries, and diastolic (lower number) happens when the heart is resting between heart beats. According to the American Heart Association normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. Elevated blood pressure is systolic 120-129, and diastolic is 80-89. Hypertension stage 1 is systolic 130-139 or diastolic 80-89. Hypertension stage 2 is systolic 140 or higher or diastolic 90 or higher. Hypertensive crisis is a systolic blood pressure higher than 180 or a diastolic higher than 120. Hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency and requires immediate attention either through your primary care provider or the emergency room.
There are some simple lifestyle choices that you can make to manage/prevent high blood pressure. Knowing your blood pressure numbers and knowing when your blood pressure is too high. You can check your blood pressure at home and keep a log. Maintain a healthy weight by eating fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Limit saturated and total fats in your diet. Reduce your sodium intake to under 1500mg a day. Aim for physical activity of 90 to 150 minutes per week of aerobic and/ dynamic resistance exercise, and three sessions of isometric resistance exercises per week. Limit alcohol intake, one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Quit smoking. Follow up with your primary care provider at least annually for a wellness physical.
High blood pressure is often called "The Silent Killer" because there are not always obvious symptoms of the disease. When left untreated there can be serious consequences to your health. There is not a cure for high blood pressure but managing risk factors, taking medications appropriately and working together with your primary care provider can significantly reduce the risk of complications from high blood pressure.
Tina Guedes, FNP-C is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She is certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She received her undergraduate degree in nursing from Advent Health University. She received her master’s degree in Family Nurse Practitioner from Frontier Nursing University. Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, she spent 20 years working as a registered nurse. She has diverse experience working in ICU, ICU step down, emergency room, heart catheter recovery unit, and clinic nursing. | 2022-06-10T22:18:32Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The silent killer | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/the-silent-killer/article_20ae837e-64e6-5461-aed6-4482f238ecac.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/the-silent-killer/article_20ae837e-64e6-5461-aed6-4482f238ecac.html |
Elliott Moffett, a member of the Nez Perce Indian tribe, holds a sign that reads Free The Snake as he takes part in a rally to promote the breaching of dams on Feb. 4, 2019, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. A report released Thursday, June 9, 2022, said the benefits provided by four giant hydroelectric dams on the Snake River in Washington state can be replaced if the dams are breached to save endangered salmon runs. But finding other ways to provide electricity, irrigation and enabling commerce would cost up to $27.2 billion, the report said. | 2022-06-10T22:18:51Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Replacing benefits of Snake River dams would cost billions | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/replacing-benefits-of-snake-river-dams-would-cost-billions/article_7214c478-c30a-55d4-92fb-9deae9d83e37.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/replacing-benefits-of-snake-river-dams-would-cost-billions/article_7214c478-c30a-55d4-92fb-9deae9d83e37.html |
The El Korah Shrine Circus is making its way to Pocatello on Tuesday.
It’s a busy week with events for everyone to enjoy at the Bannock County Event Center. Join us for another edition of Movies at the Port, a classic 3-ring circus, a 5K run, and more team roping and barrel racing!
The Event Center, located at 10588 Fairgrounds Drive in Pocatello, comprises the Portneuf Wellness Complex, Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre, indoor arena, grandstands, soccer fields and RV park. Often referred to as the Bannock County Fairgrounds, this complex can host a wide variety of events.
The Bannock County Rodeo Association (BCRA) hosts barrel racing Monday nights at the Bannock County Event Center’s indoor arena. From 7 to 9 p.m., the public can watch cowboys and girls of all ages compete in barrel racing. Admission is free.
The El Korah Shrine Circus is making its way to Pocatello on Tuesday, June 14! Bring the family to see a classic 3-ring circus. Shows begin at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Bannock County Event Center’s Grandstand Arena. Tickets are available at the box office and online at https://jordancircus.com/tour-dates. Adult tickets are $16. Kids tickets are $8.
Finally, it’s Wednesday: Time for Load ‘em in the Dark Cattle Company’s regular Wednesday night team roping event, presented by Courtesy Ford & Lincoln, on June 15 from 6 to 10 p.m. in the Indoor Arena of the Bannock County Event Center. Admission is free. For entry fees and more information, visit the Load ‘em in the Dark Cattle Co. Facebook page.
Team roping continues on June 18, with Load ‘em in the Dark Cattle Co.’s “Super Saturday” event, presented by Logan Coach Trailers. Also located in the Indoor Arena, the event is free to the public and begins at 6 p.m.
Come join Healthy City, USA in striving to make Pocatello/Chubbuck the healthiest city in America! Healthy City, USA, will be hosting a 5K race on Saturday, June 18, at the Portneuf Wellness Complex — Pavilion 2. The race will start promptly at 9 a.m. There is no registration, no cost and no hassle for this 5K. Simply show up and get moving. Everyone is welcome to participate so bring the whole family and friends and help Pocatello/Chubbuck become the healthiest city in America!
Movies at the Port, presented by Portneuf Health Trust, returns with a screening of Marvel’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” on Saturday, June 18. Admission is free. Grab your blankets, chairs, and popcorn, and join us on the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre lawn for a good family-friendly time. Gates open at 8 p.m., and movies begin after sundown, weather permitting.
The Summer Concert Series, presented by Go Out Local, at the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre is heating up. Upcoming performances include hard rock band Badflower, on Friday, July 1, and rock music icons Brett Scallions and Josey Scott, who will be performing together on Friday, July 8.
Also scheduled for this summer is the Rockzilla Tour with Papa Roach and Falling in Reverse, with special guests Bad Wolves and Hollywood Undead, who will perform on Friday, Aug. 19.
Several more fun performances are scheduled for September, including rock bands Lit and Hoobastank on Friday, Sept. 16, hip-hop star Bryce Vine on Friday, Sept. 23, and rock band Candlebox on Friday, Sept. 30.
Tickets to the above performances can be purchased at idahoconcertseries.com.
Country music fans can enjoy a slate of stellar performances at the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre this summer, too.
Go Out Local’s Country Concert Series has lined up Lauren Alaina to perform Saturday, June 25, and Craig Morgan on Saturday, July 9. Later in the summer, Dwight Yoakam will perform on Friday, Aug. 12, then Sawyer Brown with Logan Mize on Saturday, Sept. 17, and country music icon Uncle Kracker is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 1.
Tickets for country concerts can be purchased on countryconcertseies.com.
Bannock County Rodeo Association | 2022-06-10T22:18:57Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Upcoming events at the Bannock County Event Center | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/upcoming-events-at-the-bannock-county-event-center/article_755b40f4-c2cc-5acb-acf5-32c2384710c1.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/upcoming-events-at-the-bannock-county-event-center/article_755b40f4-c2cc-5acb-acf5-32c2384710c1.html |
The donation received by Pocatello Animal Services.
On May 11, Pocatello Animal Services received a $40,000 donation for the animal shelter's spay and neuter program, according to a press release from the city of Pocatello.
The donation came from Harold and Rosemarie Petty, who are both deceased. Chris Abbott, Animal Services supervisor thanked them for their donation in the press release. Abbott stated that this was a generous donation that will help the animals at the shelter.
Jack Baird, executor of Harold and Rosemarie's estate, explained that they decided to make this donation because of their desire to help reduce the overpopulation of abandoned animals.
"They love animals," he said. "They believe the spay and neuter program was a good way to reduce the amount of abandoned animals."
The spay and neuter procedure is included in the adoption of animals from the animal shelter. This donation will prepare the animals to be adopted.
In 2021, the animal shelter took in around 590 adult cats, 450 kittens, 800 adult dogs and 250 puppies. The animal shelter hopes that this donation will help to decrease the population of homeless animals in addition to finding their animals permanent homes.
Rosemarie Petty | 2022-06-10T22:19:16Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pocatello Animal Services receives $40,000 donation for spay and neuter program | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pocatello-animal-services-receives-40-000-donation-for-spay-and-neuter-program/article_472c4902-c183-5e78-9367-aedd1e91afb5.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pocatello-animal-services-receives-40-000-donation-for-spay-and-neuter-program/article_472c4902-c183-5e78-9367-aedd1e91afb5.html |
Cancer treatment in the US
Lance Armstrong was quoted once as saying, “I thought I knew what fear was, until I heard the words, ‘You have cancer.’”
Cancer, even the word itself, strikes fear in all of us. We are blessed to live in a time where we have several treatment options. Technology and amazing cancer centers with amazing teams of doctors can give us some hope if we or a loved one were ever to hear those words. But we can still do more.
For this small article, I am not referring to prevention and potential avoidance of the word and diagnosis. I am talking treatment. According to a new analysis by researchers at Yale University and Vassar College, published on May 27 in JAMA Health Forum, America spends twice as much on cancer care as the average high-income country, but its cancer mortality rates are only slightly better than average.
Senior author Cary Gross, a professor of medicine and director of the National Clinician Scholars Program at Yale, stated the U.S. spends over $200 billion per year on cancer care. This equates to $600 per person, as compared to the average of $300 per person across other high-income countries.
The researchers found that national cancer care spending showed no relationship to population-level cancer mortality rates. Six countries — Australia, Finland, Iceland, Japan, Korea and Switzerland — had both lower cancer mortality rates and lower spending than the United States.
Of course, there are several variables here that could be factored in, but through empirical observation I have realized that a major difference in cancer care in these countries versus the U.S. involves lifestyle and support systems. We need to do more than surgery, chemotherapeutic drugs and radiation. We need to talk lifestyle during treatment and following.
Diet, movement, stress management, relationship healing, etc. Just the other day I was told by a wonderful person going through cancer treatment that when she asked the cancer doctor about possible dietary changes she could make to improve her outcome, he stated it did not matter what she ate.
Maybe that $300 extra spent per person on cancer in our country could go to cancer lifestyle coaches? Maybe we can improve our mortality rates by improving quality of life and lifestyle choices if that word ever shows up in your world? | 2022-06-11T00:45:47Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Cancer treatment in the US | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/cancer-treatment-in-the-us/article_80ccef41-e8ab-57d6-b0ca-11690be22142.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/cancer-treatment-in-the-us/article_80ccef41-e8ab-57d6-b0ca-11690be22142.html |
Adam Lee Vallely
U.S. Attorney's Office News Release
POCATELLO — After a four-day trial, a federal jury sitting in Pocatello found Adam Lee Vallely, 46, of Pocatello, Idaho, guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. announced today.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Vallely engaged in a drug trafficking conspiracy with others in southeast Idaho beginning in December of 2017, to August of 2018. Evidence established that Vallely participated in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin from a Mexico source of supply. Evidence further established that Vallely had a source of supply in Salt Lake City that provided methamphetamine and heroin, and that Vallely and his co-conspirators attempted to get large quantities of cocaine from the Salt Lake City source of supply.
In May of 2018, during the search a residence where Vallely was known to reside, law enforcement agents found methamphetamine, heroin, $15,000.00 in United States currency, and a money counting machine. At the time of the search Vallely was found hiding in an attic.
Rafael M. Gonzalez Jr. | 2022-06-11T03:00:37Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Local man faces possible life sentence, $10 million fine after federal jury convicts him of meth, heroin charges | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/local-man-faces-possible-life-sentence-10-million-fine-after-federal-jury-convicts-him-of/article_7bc8d593-8437-5327-ae70-e2a280c20b28.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/local-man-faces-possible-life-sentence-10-million-fine-after-federal-jury-convicts-him-of/article_7bc8d593-8437-5327-ae70-e2a280c20b28.html |
Runnin’ Rebels shortstop Luke Davis makes a throw to first Thursday evening against Skyline.
The Runnin’ Rebels team chats during Thursday’s Game 1 against Skyline.
Something occurred to Nick Sorrell, so he turned to an assistant coach in the Halliwell Park dugout.
I don’t think I’ve seen as bad of an at-bat that he had earlier in the game, Sorrell said.
The Post 4 Runnin’ Rebels skipper was referring to his starting catcher, Martin Serrano, a reliable hitter who had been slumping over the past few games. During Wednesday’s Game 2 against Skyline, it showed no signs of letting up, concluding with the approach Sorrell told another coach about.
“We were like, what are we gonna do?” Sorrell said.
That’s about when Serrano loaded up, turned on an inside fastball and detonated it over the right-field fence, a three-run home run that punctuated the Rebels’ 11-7 win over the Grizzlies. That followed the hosts’ 10-0 win in the first game of this doubleheader. All told, Serrano climbed out of his slump at the right time, helping his club win each of its first two home games of the summer.
“We were just trying to get back on track. We were trying to get our swings right,” Sorrell said. “We’re trying to build some depth in our pitching staff as well. Pretty much everything we did tonight went to plan, other than the second game, when we had a bunch of defensive mistakes. Other than that, it was what we wanted.”
Thing is, Sorrell knows every game won’t go like these two did. The Rebels will win games and lose games, succeed and struggle, deliver crucial hits and yield critical walks. That’s why he acknowledged his club isn’t where he wants it to be, not in the beginning of June: “We’re getting there,” he said. “From last Friday to today, we started to figure some things out, especially offensively.”
The receipt is in the results. Since the Rebels dropped their season-opener, a 4-1 setback against Upper Valley, they’ve reeled off five straight wins: 8-4 over Upper Valley, 3-0 and 5-2 against Nampa, then these two victories over Skyline Wednesday night. In Game 1, three different players recorded multi-hit games. Jayce Vaughan went 2-for-4 and Luke Davis supplied a 3-for-3 outing.
Then there was designated hitter Gunner Wilhelm, who posted a 2-for-3, two-RBI day. For Sorrell and the rest of the coaching staff, the outing cemented what they already know about the Highland rising senior: The dude can hit.
This last spring, Wilhelm batted a scintillating .500 for the Rams, registering 41 RBI on a 1.192. He earned the Journal’s Sports Stars Baseball Player of the Year award. By all accounts, he’s one of the state’s best hitters — if not the best — and he has the numbers to match.
Which is why when you hear that this his first summer with the Rebels, your first reaction might go something like, what?
“Yeah, he kinda came out of nowhere,” Sorrell said. “He’s a kid that works really hard at everything. He had a breakout spring, and it’s one of those things where it’s like, I gotta have him. I can’t not have that bat in the lineup.”
That’s the thing about the Rebels’ team, though. Wilhelm might swing one of the state’s hottest bats, but that’s not what playing legion ball is all about, not exactly. On Wednesday, he tossed three innings of relief. He allowed two runs on one hit, walked four and fanned three. To Sorrell, it’s important to get guys playing all around the diamond, that way 1) everybody has a good time and 2) he can identify the right positions for his players, even if that means asking them to try something new.
On that front, he’s training his lens on the pitching mound. The list of pitchers he relies on looks like this: Highland’s Colton Sneddon, Trem Tolman and TJ Edgington, Pocatello’s Brody Burch and Mack Evans. “Those are our five main guys that I can throw out there,” Sorrell said, “and I know exactly what’s gonna happen.”
So what Sorrell really wants to do is find the other guys who can fill the holes. On Wednesday evening, he trotted out players like JD Gunderson, Wilhelm and Luke Davis.
“Those are three guys that we’re gonna have to just use here and there,” Sorrell said. “Spot relief, coming into big-time situations and getting us out. We know with all the pitch counts and things like that, they’re gonna be used. As we go through this summer, especially since we play 50 games, everybody’s gonna pitch at some point.”
Sorrell can only hope his guys can avoid giving up the kinds of tanks that Serrano unleashed.
Runnin' Rebels | 2022-06-11T03:00:43Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | How the Post 4 Runnin' Rebels have gotten off to a scorching start | Preps | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/how-the-post-4-runnin-rebels-have-gotten-off-to-a-scorching-start/article_6995a836-965e-5f91-942c-a71a27ae81a3.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/how-the-post-4-runnin-rebels-have-gotten-off-to-a-scorching-start/article_6995a836-965e-5f91-942c-a71a27ae81a3.html |
A Pocatello police SUV at the scene of the drive-by shooting early Friday morning on South Fourth Avenue.
POCATELLO — Police are searching for suspects after a drive-by shooting occurred near Idaho State University early Friday morning.
Around 12:20 a.m. several shots were fired from a moving car at a home in the 900 block of South Fourth Avenue, Pocatello police said.
The gunfire struck the home, which was occupied at the time, but no one was injured, police said.
Police said this was an isolated incident and there is currently no threat to the public.
If you have any information about the incident, please contact Pocatello police at 208-234-6100. | 2022-06-11T21:20:49Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | POCATELLO HOME STRUCK BY GUNFIRE DURING DRIVE-BY SHOOTING | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/pocatello-home-struck-by-gunfire-during-drive-by-shooting/article_06588aa3-6717-5919-b212-b62aad1bda9c.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/pocatello-home-struck-by-gunfire-during-drive-by-shooting/article_06588aa3-6717-5919-b212-b62aad1bda9c.html |
Portneuf Valley Brewing master brewer and cancer survior Danny Paz recently won a national award for his wheat session beer, Trigo Oro, during the Mountain Brewers' Beer Fest in Idaho Falls.
POCATELLO — Twelve years after he brewed his first batch of beer at Portneuf Valley Brewing, Danny Paz, now the master brewer at the brew pub, took home his first national gold award.
During the 2022 Mountain Brewers’ Beer Fest in Idaho Falls on June 4, Paz received the gold award from the North American Brewers Association for his session beer, Trigo Oro.
“So, Trigo is the Spanish word for wheat and then Oro means gold, so it’s literally a golden wheat session beer,” Paz said. “I came up with this recipe all by myself because I wanted to enter something new into this competition, something that's my own recipe.”
Four years removed from winning a bronze award at the Mountain Brewers' Beer Fest for Machismo, an oatmeal stout, Paz said he almost became emotional when he first found out about landing the gold.
“I wanted to cry like a baby,” he said. “I had actually left the awards ceremony early thinking that they had already called my category. I didn’t even know I won until the next morning. When my buddy told me I won gold, I was just like, ‘Is this for real?’”
A mild, easy drinking wheat beer with little bitterness but a decent hop profile on the nose is what Paz suspects elevated Trigo Oro to the top spot for session beers during Brew Fest. It sits at a comfortable 4.2 percent alcohol by volume.
A session beer is essentially a brew that’s lower in alcohol content, typically around 4 or 5 percent, and is easily drinkable over an extended period, or in other words, sessionable.
“For me, you can definitely tell it's a wheat beer but it’s so mild on the hops, not bitter but you can still smell the hops when you bring it to the nose,” Paz said. “It’s one of those beers that honestly surprised me.”
Paz said he developed Trigo Oro using Brewers Friend, a website with tools and information for beginning homebrewers and powerful features for the experts. It was a lifelong friend, Chapo DeLaCruz, who helped him come up with the name.
“Chapo and I were just sitting down for dinner at the sports bar inside the hotel and casino in Fort Hall and he just randomly asked me what I thought about Trigo Oro and I was like, ‘That’s it, that’s the name.’”
Paz said he’s known DeLaCruz for years since the pair would work the hop fields during harvest near Paz's hometown of Wilder, a small town west of Caldwell and Boise. Paz graduated from Homedale High School in 1998 and eventually made his way to Pocatello after he found himself in a bit of trouble and hanging around the wrong crowd.
Paz started working at Portneuf Valley Brewing as a cook in 2008 but owner Penny Pink brought him under her wing as a brewer within the first few years. He’s been the brewmaster for 12 years now and has several original beers under his belt, including the Nueva Vida Mexican Lager, Dirty Drifter, C4 and Liquid Haze Belgian.
Award-winning brewmaster isn’t the only title Paz can claim, though. He’s also a cancer survivor. He was first diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2019. Pink and Portneuf Valley Brewing that same year dubbed the brew pub’s popular annual street party Oktoberfest “Dollars for Danny” and donated all the proceeds to him.
After several rounds of chemotherapy, he can happily say he’s been in remission ever since.
“I just had a test in April, with bloodwork and all that stuff,” Paz said. “I still have to do an MRI and a CT scan here soon, probably towards the end of the year. But I’m in remission and finally close to where we'll just have to do yearly checks. I’m back to the gym, going back to working out and doing my same routines. Everything's so great. I've been very blessed, that's for sure.”
Spending over a decade at the helm of PVB’s brewing operation has been relatively easy for Paz, he said, adding that’s mostly because the four days he spends in the brew house every week isn’t really work at all considering he loves what he does. He said coming up with new recipes and seeing customers' reactions when they love the first sip is the most satisfying part of his job.
Danny said he’s somewhat unsure of what the future holds, however. Pink is in the process of adding a liquor license at PVB so folks can also enjoy spirits and mixed drinks but has also put the business up for sale, he said.
He said he definitely wants to keep brewing, but knows there’s some uncertainty.
“I truly don't know what's next because the building and business are up for sale,” Paz said. “I have no idea what a new owner would want to do. I know that I want to keep brewing. I would totally buy the restaurant if I could and have explored maybe finding some investors, but it’s just not really possible for me right now.”
Paz is grateful, though, for the opportunity Pink has provided him and for now he’s excited to keep doing what he loves.
“Penny has always backed me up with everything and been there for me,” Paz said. “I’m just appreciative and blessed. Very blessed for sure.”
Danny Paz
Penny Pink | 2022-06-11T21:20:55Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | 'VERY BLESSED': Cancer survivor Danny Paz wins national award during Mountain Brewers' Beer Fest | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/very-blessed-cancer-survivor-danny-paz-wins-national-award-during-mountain-brewers-beer-fest/article_2557fdb5-429e-5f23-b552-3d4a56260e5d.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/very-blessed-cancer-survivor-danny-paz-wins-national-award-during-mountain-brewers-beer-fest/article_2557fdb5-429e-5f23-b552-3d4a56260e5d.html |
POCATELLO — Police are searching for the man who led them on a high-speed chase late Thursday night with a woman and infant in a stolen vehicle.
The incident began to unfold around 10:20 p.m. when the owner of a stolen car reported spotting the vehicle in the downtown Pocatello area, police said.
Police responded and located the stolen car. A traffic stop was attempted but the adult male driver of the car would not pull over and a high-speed chase ensued, police said.
The pursuit continued through downtown Pocatello and at one point the suspect vehicle struck another car but continued driving, police said. There were no injuries in the crash.
The pursuit headed south on Bannock Highway and continued onto Portneuf Road and then onto Fort Hall Mine Road before heading northbound on South Fifth Avenue.
On South Fifth Avenue between the Bannock County Sheriff's Office and Century High School the driver of the stolen car stopped the vehicle and fled on foot, leaving behind the woman and infant in the car, police said.
Pocatello police, Bannock County sheriff's deputies and Idaho State Police spent over two hours searching for the suspect in the South Fifth Avenue area but could not find him.
Police said they know the suspect's identity and are continuing to look for him.
The woman and infant who were traveling with the suspect in the stolen car were briefly detained by police before being released, authorities said. Police said it's believed the woman and infant are related to the suspect. | 2022-06-12T02:38:34Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pocatello police searching for suspect who led them on high-speed chase with woman, infant in stolen car | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/pocatello-police-searching-for-suspect-who-led-them-on-high-speed-chase-with-woman-infant/article_afcec666-f4a3-551b-9c4d-cee92e89a18c.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/pocatello-police-searching-for-suspect-who-led-them-on-high-speed-chase-with-woman-infant/article_afcec666-f4a3-551b-9c4d-cee92e89a18c.html |
BOISE — Planned Parenthood has closed its Boise clinic but it’s not a cutback.
It’s part of a shift in the group’s services to provide reproductive health care broadly across the region, including to women who have to travel out of state for abortions as state and federal laws change. | 2022-06-12T07:08:16Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Planned Parenthood shifts resources in Idaho to serve women needing out of state care | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/planned-parenthood-shifts-resources-in-idaho-to-serve-women-needing-out-of-state-care/article_fa3fd53e-4b9a-5b07-ba1e-642ead340b93.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/planned-parenthood-shifts-resources-in-idaho-to-serve-women-needing-out-of-state-care/article_fa3fd53e-4b9a-5b07-ba1e-642ead340b93.html |
Kinghorn, Gwen Nina
Gwen Kinghorn Nina Kinghorn Gwen Nina Kinghorn, 84, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Monday June 6, 2022, at the Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Blackfoot, Idaho. After overcoming many health issues throughout the years, her Heavenly Father called her home to reunite with her eternal companion. She was born June 15, 1937 in Rigby, Idaho, to Oral and Leora Young. The youngest of six children, she grew up in Archer, Idaho, and later moved to Rigby where she attended school. Gwen married the love of her life, Gary S. Kinghorn, on May 14, 1954, and they were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple. They were blessed with three very devoted sons. The family moved to Rupert and lived there for a short time. They later moved to Shoshone, Idaho, where they resided for nearly fifty years. She worked various jobs throughout her life, but the one she loved most was the service she shared with her husband for over eight years as an ordinance worker at the LDS temple in Boise, Idaho. Camping was her favorite vacation destination. Whether at Baker Creek or Island Park, she loved the time spent with family. She looked forward to the dinners and performances at the Mack's Inn Yellowstone Theater. She enjoyed cooking Sunday dinners for her family and baking delicious desserts. Not only was she a great cook and baker, she was talented at quilting, crocheting, and painting ceramics. Although humble in her talents, all of her family and friends thoroughly enjoyed receiving the many gifts she made for them. She took pleasure in serving those around her whether it was taking soup to a neighbor, giving a gift for a special occasion, or sending a card in the mail. Gwen loved spending time with her family and friends. First and foremost, she was a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother. She treasured her children and grandchildren more than anything and embraced every moment she spent with them. She had a vivacious personality and always made people around her laugh. Never without a smile, she was always thinking of others first. She was the most loving, kind, and generous person. To know her was to love her. She leaves behind many cherished memories for all who knew her. She was preceded in death by her parents, all of her siblings, and her husband of sixty-one years. Surviving are her three sons: Gary J. Kinghorn (Cindy), Bryan C. Kinghorn, and Blake Kinghorn (Kim). She also leaves behind eight grandchildren: Karey Steed (Tyler), Eric Kinghorn (Erica), Kyle Kinghorn (Amanda), Teri Taylor (Nate), Brianna Kinghorn, Cody Hollon (Beth), Konner Hollon (Stephanie), Korey Whitehead, and 14 great grandchildren: Kayli Humphreys (Tanner), Tyson and Traxon Steed, Noah, Zev and Callahn Kinghorn, Jackson and Andrew Kinghorn, Sarai and Amara Taylor, Ava, Deliah, and Elias Hollon, Kolton Hollon, and she was days away from meeting her great-great grandson. Funeral services will be provided by Manning-Wheatley Funeral Home on Monday May 13, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. in the LDS Chapel on 4600 Victory Street. A viewing will be held at 9:00 a.m. for family and friends. Burial service will be in Shoshone, Idaho at 3:00 p.m. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family online at www.mwfh1953.com. Service will be live-streamed from Manning-Wheatley Funeral Home's facebook page. _____
Gwen Nina
Gary J. Kinghorn
Nina Kinghorn Gwen Nina Kinghorn | 2022-06-12T11:02:53Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Kinghorn, Gwen Nina | Obituaries | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/kinghorn-gwen-nina/article_e6293f62-3051-53b8-a075-8ed8f5f9de03.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/kinghorn-gwen-nina/article_e6293f62-3051-53b8-a075-8ed8f5f9de03.html |
Jodi Sensenbach Lyn Sensenbach Jodi Lyn Sensenbach passed away peacefully with her family by her side on June 9, 2022, after a courageous battle with cancer. Jodi was born on January 31, 1961, to Paul N. and Sharon A. Carlsen in Pocatello, ID. Jodi loved being the oldest sister, pancakes at Grandma Elsie's and ice skating. While she was young, Jodi's father Paul, was transferred quite often so the family moved throughout the northwest during grade school and settled in Columbia, Missouri where she graduated from Rock Bridge High in 1979. Upon graduation, the family moved to Bountiful, Utah where she began college at BYU Salt Lake and received her EMT certification, she began working in Salt Lake City as an EMT with Holy Cross Hospital. While in Salt Lake, she met Ken Barrett who also was from Pocatello. Ken and Jodi were married in Pocatello in August 1981. They had two children, Chad (Debbie) and Jason (Justine) Barrett, they were later divorced. She later met Randy Drawe and together had a son, Torey, who was born in Pocatello. After moving to Albuquerque, NM where her father lived, she trained and worked as a nail technician and legal assistant as a single mother to support her three boys. She later met and married Ron Sensenbach and were married in Laughlin, Nevada in May 1999. After a move to Talent, Oregon that summer, the following year they relocated to be closer family in Pocatello. She began working with Farmers Insurance where she worked for 17 years before retiring as an underwriter to be home to care for Ron. Jodi loved spending time with family, trips to the family cabin in Island Park, gardening and trying to keep up with her grandkids. Jodi is survived by her mother, Sharon Gibson; sisters, Chris Carlsen and Amy (David) Alder; sons, Chad (Debbie) Barrett, Jason (Justine) Barrett and Torey (Mychal) Drawe; grandchildren, Jackson, Kaiden, Madison, Reagan, Emma & Everett; along with many aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband; father; and both sets of grandparents. A graveside service will be held on Friday, June 17, 2022, at 2 pm at Mountain View Cemetery, 1520 S. 5th Ave. Pocatello, Idaho along with her husband. The family would like to thank all the doctors and nurses that have cared for her over the past few years. In lieu of flowers please donate to the American Cancer Society. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family online at www.wilkscolonialchapel.com
Torey | 2022-06-12T11:03:05Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Sensenbach, Jodi Lyn | Obituaries | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/sensenbach-jodi-lyn/article_44d1f830-df35-50f9-98bd-3d1cce462755.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/sensenbach-jodi-lyn/article_44d1f830-df35-50f9-98bd-3d1cce462755.html |
Vaughan, Elizabeth Mae
Elizabeth Vaughan Mae Vaughan Elizabeth Mae Vaughan, 87, passed away surrounded by her loving family on June 9, 2022. She was born on November 22, 1934. Graveside services will be held on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. at the Norton Cemetery in McCammon. A full obituary will appear online at www.wilksfuneralhome.com.
Elizabeth Mae Vaughan
Norton Cemetery | 2022-06-12T11:03:17Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Vaughan, Elizabeth Mae | Obituaries | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/vaughan-elizabeth-mae/article_10c3fc1a-f3a3-5cfe-bca2-0d974c8bd442.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/vaughan-elizabeth-mae/article_10c3fc1a-f3a3-5cfe-bca2-0d974c8bd442.html |
Idaho State Police are investigating a vehicle collision that occurred on June 12, 2022, at 1:45 a.m. on northbound I-15 at milepost 118 south of Idaho Falls.
A 27-year-old male from Canada was driving a 2022 Volvo semi pulling a trailer loaded with fertilizer. The semi was traveling southbound near milepost 117 where it appears to have failed to negotiate a curve.
It drove off the left shoulder and into the guardrail. The semi then continued through the median, crossing both northbound lanes where it came to rest on the passenger side underneath the Pancheri overpass.
There was no observed damage to the bridge.
Both northbound lanes are closed at this time for recovery of the vehicle. The southbound left lane is currently closed due to debris.
The Idaho Transportation Department is maintaining the road closure until recovery is complete. The closure is from milepost 116 to the 118.
Idaho State Police were assisted by Idaho Falls Police Department, Bonneville County Sherriff's Office, and the Idaho Transportation Department. | 2022-06-12T17:29:43Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Stretch of I-15 in East Idaho almost completely shut down due to semi crash | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/stretch-of-i-15-in-east-idaho-almost-completely-shut-down-due-to-semi-crash/article_7319cd98-285b-5294-b8e0-dc94e9749db4.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/stretch-of-i-15-in-east-idaho-almost-completely-shut-down-due-to-semi-crash/article_7319cd98-285b-5294-b8e0-dc94e9749db4.html |
By University of Alabama
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — James Durrett of Pocatello has received the following degree from The University of Alabama: Master of Arts. UA awarded 5,907 degrees during its spring commencement ceremonies on May 6-8.
With a beautiful campus, dozens of challenging academic programs, expert faculty and numerous opportunities for service and growth, UA is a place where legends are made. UA offers its students a premier educational, cultural and social experience with more than 200 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs.
UA, part of The University of Alabama System, is the state's flagship university. UA shapes a better world through its teaching, research and service. With a global reputation for excellence, UA provides an inclusive, forward-thinking environment and nearly 200-degree programs on a beautiful, student-centered campus. A leader in cutting-edge research, UA advances discovery, creative inquiry and knowledge through more than 30 research centers. As the state's largest higher education institution, UA drives economic growth in Alabama and beyond.
James Durrett | 2022-06-13T19:05:09Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | James Durrett of Pocatello awarded degree from University of Alabama | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/james-durrett-of-pocatello-awarded-degree-from-university-of-alabama/article_28ec3d31-0e3a-5b99-8d6a-56e4d988d9da.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/james-durrett-of-pocatello-awarded-degree-from-university-of-alabama/article_28ec3d31-0e3a-5b99-8d6a-56e4d988d9da.html |
Food insecurity rate among children in Idaho by region and county, 2019 and estimated projections for 2021.
Total number of child SNAP recipients (age 0-4) by region, 2020.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced on April 21 that children who qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will now be considered eligible for Head Start and Early Head Start prenatal-to-five school readiness, nutrition and family support services. This decision increases the number of families that qualify for the free comprehensive Head Start program and eliminates burdensome paperwork that prevented families from applying. Approximately 22,000 children in Idaho are impacted according to 2020 data.
Head Start and Early Head Start services are provided by local programs in 39 Idaho counties. Making sure children aren’t hungry has been important since Head Start was established in 1965, and programs support breastfeeding, offer free formula to families, provide healthy meals and deliver critical nutrition support to families. Programs are currently accepting applications for the 2022/2023 school year.
Idaho Head Start officials will work with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, The Idaho Foodbank, local Head Start programs and other partners to ensure SNAP recipients are informed about Head Start services and understand they meet the eligibility requirements. Children who receive Temporary Assistance for Families in Idaho and Supplemental Security Income are already eligible. Children in foster care and those experiencing homelessness are also eligible to participate in Head Start programs.
Bill Foxcroft, executive director of the Idaho Head Start Association, celebrated the change. “Living in a food insecure household impacts the health of babies and young children, and they may fail to reach developmental milestones. Head Start provides nutritious food to children along with a comprehensive school readiness curriculum that puts them on the road to success in school and life. Idaho’s hungry children must not be left behind. We applaud the decision by HHS.”
Heidi Caldwell, executive director of the Western Idaho Community Action Partnership, said: “Inflation is eating into families’ paychecks, and SNAP provides critical emergency support. Head Start helps parents get back on their feet by giving them time to work and pursue educational goals so they don’t need SNAP anymore. Streamlining the application process will make it much easier for these busy Idahoans to provide their children with high-quality early learning services like WICAP provides in Southwest Idaho.”
Karen Vauk, president and CEO of The Idaho Foodbank, said: “We applaud this decision as it clearly recognizes and reinforces the important link between nutrition and learning. By linking access to the nutrition support that SNAP brings and the early learning support through Head Start, families have the resources to build a strong foundation for their children.” | 2022-06-13T19:05:16Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Policy change means more Idaho families qualify for Head Start | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/policy-change-means-more-idaho-families-qualify-for-head-start/article_b7254e37-60ca-5779-9035-d3099a636ba0.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/policy-change-means-more-idaho-families-qualify-for-head-start/article_b7254e37-60ca-5779-9035-d3099a636ba0.html |
By Southeast Idaho Youth Football League
SOUTHEAST IDAHO — Southeast Idaho Youth Football League is now accepting registration forms for the upcoming 2022 football season. Registration is for players who will be in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades in the fall (2022-2023 school year).
Teams fill quickly, so don't wait. Forms are available at www.southeastidahoyouthfootball.com. The registration cost is $150. Go to our website for more information. Register online today, or you can mail your registration form with a copy of a birth certificate (if not on file with the League) to the League at P.O. Box 1303, Pocatello, ID 83204.
Adult volunteer coaches are also needed. If you are interested in coaching, please complete our coaches' application. Print the application from our website and mail to the League. All volunteer coaches are subject to a background check.
Practice starts Aug. 8.
Southeast Idaho Youth Football League | 2022-06-13T19:05:22Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Southeast Idaho Youth Football League now accepting registration for upcoming season | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/southeast-idaho-youth-football-league-now-accepting-registration-for-upcoming-season/article_7be4e0c6-8f13-5524-97e1-a5baa14f9b16.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/southeast-idaho-youth-football-league-now-accepting-registration-for-upcoming-season/article_7be4e0c6-8f13-5524-97e1-a5baa14f9b16.html |
Makenzie Smith graduated from American Falls High School earlier this month.
While Smith and Hunt’s drive and hard work brought this project to life, it isn’t Smith’s only accomplishment this year. The 18-year-old graduated a trimester early after earning all the credits she could and is attending Idaho State University with a large dent already made toward her associate degree.
“When (Superintendent) Randy Jensen announced at graduation that someone had gotten 32 college credits, I didn’t know that was me until this morning,” Smith said on June 7, four days after American Falls’ high school graduation ceremony. “I knew I had 20 something, but I haven’t been able to see my updated transcript, so it’s cool to see my hard work paid off.” | 2022-06-13T22:16:21Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | High school graduate raises $27,000 for senior project, graduates early | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/high-school-graduate-raises-27-000-for-senior-project-graduates-early/article_0a3b6431-0a3e-5b2e-a870-9569a9f1972e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/high-school-graduate-raises-27-000-for-senior-project-graduates-early/article_0a3b6431-0a3e-5b2e-a870-9569a9f1972e.html |
Butikofer said this was Rankin’s first felony conviction, though his criminal history included 34 misdemeanor convictions. He said his client had struggled with alcohol addiction since he was 14, and that the recent arrest helped him realize he needed to change.
“I’ve had time to think about where my actions and lifestyle are leading me,” Rankin told the court.
Whyte said Rankin’s extensive history of misdemeanors worried him, saying he violated the terms of his probation eight times over the years.
Rankin was also ordered to pay $3,100 in fines and fees. His driver’s license will be suspended for one year after his release. He was given credit for time served. | 2022-06-14T03:37:55Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Man might avoid prison after being sentenced for trying to run over woman, then driving for miles with her clinging to vehicle | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/man-might-avoid-prison-after-being-sentenced-for-trying-to-run-over-woman-then-driving/article_9ad43b08-6d4f-55d0-bf55-f0d714c84a40.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/man-might-avoid-prison-after-being-sentenced-for-trying-to-run-over-woman-then-driving/article_9ad43b08-6d4f-55d0-bf55-f0d714c84a40.html |
Henry Warner, 16, of Meridian, was driving eastbound in a small passenger car around 9 p.m. Sunday when he lost control and left the roadway, drove off the right shoulder and struck a light pole near the West Fairview Road on-ramp, according to an Idaho State Police press release.
Warner was transported to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, where life-saving measures were performed. He died early Monday in the Intensive Care Unit, according to a release from the Ada County Coroner’s Office.
Braden Caldwell, 16, of Boise, was a passenger in the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Ada County Coroner’s Office.
Warner and Caldwell were both wearing seat belts, ISP’s release said. Their cause of death is still pending.
The on-ramp was closed for approximately 2 1/2 hours, ISP’s release said. The incident remains under investigation. | 2022-06-14T05:56:49Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Freeway crash leaves two juveniles dead | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/freeway-crash-leaves-two-juveniles-dead/article_788f3eb8-19b8-5af7-92fd-78be67a1822b.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/freeway-crash-leaves-two-juveniles-dead/article_788f3eb8-19b8-5af7-92fd-78be67a1822b.html |
Music in the Park takes place every Thursday in the summer at the American Falls City Park.
AMERICAN FALLS — Music in the Park is back — a time when individuals can lounge on lawn chairs and picnic blankets, peruse vendors selling homemade goods and snacks, and enjoy music at the American Falls City Park every Thursday starting at 6:30 p.m.
The weekly event, which runs up until the third Thursday in August, has collected a list of bands both new and returning from past years, with last week’s performer featuring country singer and songwriter Cale Moon.
Moon has performed at country and state fairs, festivals, rodeos and much more all across the country and is an example of the type of big talent that the Music in the Park board brings to the city park’s little stage.
“We try to get all genres in, like this week is going to be a bluegrass band,” said Tammy Ramsey, president and co-founder of the MIP board. “We have some bands that play classic rock and oldies, we have a big jazz house swing band, as well as country. We try to mix it up.”
Since Ramsey and co-founder Staci Miller first started MIP eight years ago, the musical event has expanded from a small gathering of 20 people to a community gathering night that draws in families from not just American Falls but Pocatello as well, Ramsey explained.
“We’ve had some people come over that say, ‘You know, we just like this environment because there’s no drinking,’” she said. “They like the family environment.”
This community atmosphere is what got MIP to where it is today. A deteriorating gazebo once stood where the pavilion now stands, and with the help of a great number of community members and the city, the MIP board raised funds and revitalized it.
“The upper stage used to originally be a gazebo … that was built by the LDS church and it was starting to fall apart. It was rusted and needed to be taken down,” Ramsey said. “So that’s why that spot is where it’s at. Because we chose to incorporate the cement portion, the foundation of that gazebo, as part of the stage, so that donation wouldn’t go unseen.”
This community support is something that Ramsey strongly encourages and hopes people can give and receive at the MIP events. Whether it be high school clubs and sports teams setting up fundraising booths, food trucks from out of town or new business owners getting a jumpstart on selling new homemade items, the weekly event welcomes many.
This inclusive environment also extends to the stage — newcomers and locals are welcome to participate as the opener, whether it be a short dance, an entertainment show or a band performance. They just need to reach out to MIP and ask.
“We also support local people who’ve never had experience to come in and sing or do some sort of entertainment. So we support growing, young artists as well,” she said.
For those interested in swinging by to enjoy Music in the Park’s events, visit its Facebook page to view the upcoming list of performers, vendors and sponsors. Event is free and runs from 6:30 to 9 p.m. For those who want to see how to become a vendor or performer, contact MIP at facebook.com/MIPinAF.
Tammy Ramsey | 2022-06-14T21:40:14Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | American Falls Music in the Park offers food, music, family fun every Thursday this summer | Arts & Entertainment | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/arts_and_entertainment/music/american-falls-music-in-the-park-offers-food-music-family-fun-every-thursday-this-summer/article_50eea15d-e86b-5d1a-bd10-683c17641a95.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/arts_and_entertainment/music/american-falls-music-in-the-park-offers-food-music-family-fun-every-thursday-this-summer/article_50eea15d-e86b-5d1a-bd10-683c17641a95.html |
The Juneteenth holiday will be observed by the city Monday, June 20.
POCATELLO — Pocatello city offices and departments will be closed on Monday in observance of the Juneteenth holiday. Because Juneteenth falls on a Sunday this year, the holiday will be observed by the city on Monday, June 20.
“The recognition of Juneteenth National Independence Day honors the many African-Americans who fought for decades for the understanding of the importance of that day, June 19, 1865, when the Emancipation Proclamation was read in Galveston, Texas,” said Mayor Brian Blad.
This is the first year the city of Pocatello will honor Juneteenth Day as an official annual city holiday. The Pocatello City Council unanimously approved the observance of Juneteenth on March 17.
On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation establishing into law June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day, making June 19 a U.S. federal holiday commemorating the proclamation of the end of slavery in the United States.
City services:
— Trash and recycling pick-up will be collected on Sunday and Monday as usual. Residents who normally have collection on Sunday and Monday should set out their trash and recycling as usual.
— Transit services will be running on their regular routine service.
For more information, call the city of Pocatello at 208-234-6163 or visit online at pocatello.us. | 2022-06-14T21:40:38Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | City of Pocatello offices closed in observance of Juneteenth holiday | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/city-of-pocatello-offices-closed-in-observance-of-juneteenth-holiday/article_41d9f6e0-7775-52db-bdcb-175d93e715f1.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/city-of-pocatello-offices-closed-in-observance-of-juneteenth-holiday/article_41d9f6e0-7775-52db-bdcb-175d93e715f1.html |
Upcoming ISU summer activities
Idaho State University's $1 Bengal Theater summer movie schedule continues Wednesday with Sundance Film Festival winner "Safety Not Guaranteed" showing at 5 and 7:30 p.m. in the Pond Student Union. Three Seattle magazine writers take a road trip to investigate the author of a classified ad seeking someone to travel back in time with, but what starts as a skeptical trip eventually has the writers second-guessing their perceptions on what is possible and what is not. Admission is $1. For trailer and more information, go to www.isucinema.com/safety.
J.D. Eicher will be featured at the Idaho State University Concert on the Quad Thursday at 6 p.m. Eicher is a Youngstown, Ohio-area-born and bred musician known for dynamic vocals and meaningful, carefully crafted lyrics. He possesses “an original voice, both literally and figuratively.” With a lyrical talent culled from the great tradition of American singer/songwriters, Eicher also brings the melodic sensibility of great British songwriters such as Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello. All are welcome to attend.
"Urinetown: The Musical!" continues this week at the Stephens Performing Arts Center, with shows Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage caused by a 20-year drought has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity's most basic needs. Amidst the people, a hero decides that he's had enough and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom. Tickets run from $9 to $14 and can be purchased online at www.idahostatetickets.com.
Looking ahead to next week, Nicolas Cage stars in "Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent" on Wednesday, June 22, at 5 and 7:30 p.m. in the Bengal Theater. Unfulfilled and facing financial ruin, actor Nic Cage accepts a $1 million offer to attend a wealthy fan's birthday party. Things take a wildly unexpected turn when a CIA operative recruits Cage for an unusual mission. Taking on the role of a lifetime, he soon finds himself channeling his most iconic and beloved characters to save himself and his loved ones. Admission is $1 admission for summer movies. For more information and trailer, go to www.isucinema.com/unbearable.
The Aaron Ball Band is the featured act next Thursday, June 23, at ISU's Concert on the Quad at 6 p.m. Ball's unique style of Idaho country rock has been called Rocky Mountain Country Music, the product of life in the shadows of the jagged Rocky Mountains. Full of passion, personal reflection and storytelling, combined with engaging live shows that have gained credibility with audiences around the world, Aaron Ball is worth listening to. All are welcome to attend.
And the annual ISU football alumni team golf tournament is on Saturday, June 25, at the Highland Golf Course in Pocatello. The F.A.T. golf tournament reunites former Bengal athletes, alumni and friends to help ISU football. Tournament proceeds go toward the Football Endowed Scholarship Fund and the ISU Football Summer School Fund. For more information and to register for the golf tournament, go to www.isufat.com.
Bob Devine is the coordinator for the Pocatello Film Society. If you would like your campus-related information posted in future columns, please send information to Bob at devirobe@isu.edu. | 2022-06-14T21:40:45Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Upcoming ISU summer activities | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/upcoming-isu-summer-activities/article_7385060c-e42c-5398-b8ec-4b51ef3152c2.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/upcoming-isu-summer-activities/article_7385060c-e42c-5398-b8ec-4b51ef3152c2.html |
Makenzie Smith, center, graduated from American Falls High School earlier this month.
While Smith and Hunt’s drive and hard work brought this project to life, it isn’t Smith’s only accomplishment this year. The 18-year-old graduated a trimester early after earning all the credits she could and is attending Idaho State University with a large dent already made toward her associate's degree.
“When (Superintendent) Randy Jensen announced at graduation that someone had gotten 32 college credits, I didn’t know that was me until this morning,” Smith said on June 7, four days after American Falls High School's graduation ceremony. “I knew I had 20 something, but I haven’t been able to see my updated transcript, so it’s cool to see my hard work paid off.” | 2022-06-14T21:40:57Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | American Falls High School graduate raises $27,000 for senior project | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/american-falls-high-school-graduate-raises-27-000-for-senior-project/article_0a3b6431-0a3e-5b2e-a870-9569a9f1972e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/american-falls-high-school-graduate-raises-27-000-for-senior-project/article_0a3b6431-0a3e-5b2e-a870-9569a9f1972e.html |
Reed’s Dairy is now selling shredded cheddar cheese with no added cellulose.
Photo courtesy of Reed’s Dairy
Reed’s Dairy press release
Most store-bought shredded cheese includes cellulose, an anti-caking additive. While cellulose is safe to eat, many consumers prefer cleaner labels with few ingredients, and Reed’s Dairy has a rich history of using simple ingredients in their ice cream and cheese.
“We have been making cheddar cheese for years, and we realized we could shred and package it so our customers can enjoy it in a variety of recipes without having to shred it themselves,” said Reed’s Dairy President, Alan Reed.
The shredded cheese increases the list of dairy products Reed’s Dairy is known for, including ice cream, bottled milk, heavy cream as well as cheddar cheese, cheese curds, pepper cheese and chocolate milk. All of the dairy items are made at their Idaho Falls family-owned facility using milk from their herd of cows milked at a local farm.
Reed’s Dairy was founded in Idaho Falls in 1955 and has been selling milk to the public since 1962. It operates a home-delivery service in Idaho Falls and the Treasure Valley and has six retail ice cream shop locations (Idaho Falls, Ammon, Boise, Meridian, Kuna and Twin Falls). The Reed family owns a growing herd of approximately 185 Holsteins. For more information, visit www.reedsdairy.com. | 2022-06-14T21:41:03Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Reed’s Dairy offers shredded cheese free of cellulose | Dairy | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/postregister/farmandranch/dairy/reed-s-dairy-offers-shredded-cheese-free-of-cellulose/article_48db3118-946f-574f-ab72-21a60e0f4f38.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/postregister/farmandranch/dairy/reed-s-dairy-offers-shredded-cheese-free-of-cellulose/article_48db3118-946f-574f-ab72-21a60e0f4f38.html |
Henry Warner (left) and Braden Caldwell (right).
Credit: Mike Caldwell
Braden Caldwell and Henry Warner, both 16, were going to be juniors at the private Catholic school this fall, the school said. Caldwell was the son of the school’s principal, Mike Caldwell.
Warner was driving eastbound in a small passenger car around 9 p.m. Sunday in Boise when he lost control and left the roadway, drove off the shoulder and struck a light pole near the West Fairview Avenue on-ramp, according to the Idaho State Police. Warner was transported to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, where life-saving measures were unsuccessful. He died early Monday in the Intensive Care Unit, according to the Ada County Coroner’s Office.
Braden Caldwell was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Both teenagers were wearing seat belts, ISP said.
The school’s St. Teresa of Jesus Chapel was open Tuesday and will be open on Wednesday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Additionally, there will be counseling available for students, staff, and family members, the school said in a press release.
The Holy Apostles Catholic Community held mass Tuesday for both boys and their families; there will be a prayer service for the school community, led by Chaplain Father Gregory Vance, on Wednesday in Our Lady’s Garden at Bishop Kelly’s campus.
”We ask the greater Treasure Valley community to please pray for Braden and Henry, their parents, their siblings, grandparents, and extended family and friends,” the school’s press release said. “Pray for our entire school community because our hearts are broken, and we know that God holds those who are suffering close.”
”Please keep the Caldwell and Warner families and all those impacted in your prayers,” Bishop Kelly President Rich Raimondi said on the school’s Twitter account. “At this time the families are requesting time to process their grief and have asked for no visits, calls or texts. As we know more information about services for Braden and Henry or ways to help the families, we will let you know.”
Kelly High School | 2022-06-15T04:11:29Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Bishop Kelly High School mourning two teens killed in freeway crash | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/bishop-kelly-high-school-mourning-two-teens-killed-in-freeway-crash/article_f2c64f4c-7334-5d28-ac43-7f1b6c10bcfc.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/bishop-kelly-high-school-mourning-two-teens-killed-in-freeway-crash/article_f2c64f4c-7334-5d28-ac43-7f1b6c10bcfc.html |
By Lava Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce
LAVA HOT SPRINGS — Wellness tourism and mineral and thermal springs took a bath during the COVID-19 pandemic, but both sectors are predicted to rebound dramatically over the next five years. Lava Hot Springs in Idaho is already seeing a robust turnaround.
Prior to the pandemic, wellness tourism expenditures and mineral and thermal pool revenues were experiencing robust growth in North America and worldwide, according to the Global Wellness Institute's December 2021 report, The Global Wellness Economy: Looking Beyond COVID. As the coronavirus surged, wellness tourism expenditures and mineral and thermal pool revenues in North America dove 38.5% and 25.6%, respectively, while they sank 39.5% and 38.9%, respectively, worldwide.
Lava Hot Springs attendance dipped 22.6% during that same timeframe.
"There is no question that wellness tourism, spas, and thermal/mineral springs are the wellness economy sectors that were most adversely affected by COVID-19," the report's authors write. "These sectors require a physical presence and/or full immersion for the actual experience. Although some businesses have tried, it has not been easy to replicate the experience of a retreat, a massage, or a hot spring soak through virtual or mechanical (touchless) offerings or through products."
Meanwhile, Lava Hot Springs is already recovering at an astonishing rate. The Idaho state park's pools attracted 12% more visitors in 2021 — 498,155 — than they did in pre-pandemic 2019 — 444,565. This represents 44.7% growth compared to the 344,223 guests in 2020 at the peak of COVID-19.
"In the wake of the pandemic, hot springs owners who were able to continue to operate did so at reduced capacities, but they had record-breaking years," Hot Springs Association Executive Director Vicky Nash said.
"Historically U.S. hot springs facilities have always been packed on weekends," Nash, who is actively involved with the Global Wellness Institute's Hot Springs Initiative, said. "But the pandemic forced everyone to spread guests more evenly throughout the week, which was great, and more operators introduced reservation systems that required guests to designate soaking times. This regulated capacity levels more efficiently, which actually made for a better experience all around and maximized reservations."
Lava Hot Springs rests in Eastern Idaho beside the mountainous Portneuf River Valley along the historic route of the Oregon and California trails, and people have gathered there for centuries to bathe in its sweltering, soothing, mineral-rich waters. Once part of the original Fort Hall Reservation of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, Lava Hot Springs was ceded by Congress to the state of Idaho for public bathing use in 1902.
The foundation's executive director, Devanee Morrison, said Lava Hot Springs has become increasingly popular as a destination for health and wellness over the last two to three decades.
"Our hot springs have developed significantly over time since the construction of the park's first bath house in 1918 to the five pool complexes our guests enjoy today," Morrison said. "Our facilities include the world-famous hot pools — which range in temperature from 102 to 112 degrees Fahrenheit — plus our outdoor Olympic swimming complex, an indoor aquatic center, the indoor Portneuf Kiddie Cove and an outdoor water slide park."
Morrison said what makes Lava Hot Springs water unique is that it surfaces at an optimal temperature — 112 F — and it has a remarkably low sulfur content.
"We don't have to heat or cool our natural geothermal water," Morrison said, "and it doesn't have that rotten-egg-like smell like you encounter at a lot of other hot mineral springs. Our pools are incredibly clean, too, with 2-1/2 million gallons of fresh, hot mineral water coming in and out each day."
Lava Hot Springs Inn & Spa owner George Katsilometes — who holds a bachelor's degree in zoology from UC Berkeley, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Washington State University, and a Ph.D. in endocrinology from UC Davis — is the resident expert on local water chemistry. He said the health benefits of his water and eight mineral hot springs are numerous and well documented and high concentrations of at least five minerals set Lava Hot Springs water apart: calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc.
"The most important mineral is calcium, and there is a lot of calcium carbonate in our water," Katsilometes said. "It's good for your bones and teeth and everything else. Your heart, muscles and nerves need calcium to function properly too.
"After that is iron, which carries life-giving oxygen within our red blood cells. And then there's magnesium, which helps relieve depression and elevates your mood. It also helps in the transmission of nerve impulses, body temperature regulation, detoxification, energy production, and the formation of healthy bones and teeth. Magnesium is especially important for women's reproductive health.
"Manganese is similar to magnesium. It helps in bone formation, thyroid function, formation of connective tissues, sex hormone function, calcium absorption, blood sugar regulation, immune function, and fat and carbohydrate metabolism.
"And the high amount of zinc in our water promotes proper functioning of the immune system, aids in digestion, helps control diabetes, reduces stress levels, improves energy metabolism, and speeds acne and superficial wound healing."
Morrison said Lava Hot Springs, which the website DataUSA.io reports had a population of only 232 full-time residents in 2019, averaged more than 37,000 visitors per month that same year.
She said the destination attracts visitors from around the world — including England, Germany, Korea and Australia — but draws most of its guests from Utah, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. She said the community also sees a lot of traffic from Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and the Dakotas, as well as from Canadian tourists traveling south or heading home.
The town lies 40 minutes southeast of Pocatello, two and a half hours north of Salt Lake City and three hours south of West Yellowstone, Mont., along U.S. Route 30 near interstates 15 and 80 and U.S. Route 91.
"In general it really is a good destination to come and get more than one activity in," she said. "There are several things to do. In the winter there's a ski resort called Pebble Creek and the Mink Creek Nordic Center that are not far from us, so you can come ski or snowboard for the day and enjoy a soak afterwards. You can go snowshoeing above Dempsey Creek too, and there are several places around here to go snowmobiling."
When fair weather prevails, Morrison said outdoor recreation options include mountain biking, hiking, golf, two disc golf courses (with a local retailer, Mountain Mayhem Adventure Rentals, that sells and rents discs), fishing and floating the Portneuf River, which winds through town. Lava Hot Springs also sports outdoor tennis courts and a pickleball court.
It's very walkable too.
"Lava Hot Springs is such a small town," Morrison said. "It's supremely walkable. Our city limits are about 1 square mile total. The biggest challenge is finding a parking space, but once you do you can park for the day and walk everywhere. Our downtown is downright charming, with a great collection of locally-owned restaurants and stores. And we have eight scenic parks, including our Sunken Gardens that showcase native and imported flowers and plants and the ancient remains of algae reefs."
The town also organizes an annual Wellness Festival each spring designed to nourish body, mind and spirit. The event is presented by the Lava Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, and the format changes every year.
Visit www.lavahotsprings.org/to-do/trip-itineraries.html for more ideas about how to make Lava Hot Springs your self-care sanctuary. | 2022-06-15T20:21:08Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Lava Hot Springs thrives as wellness tourism recovers | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/lava-hot-springs-thrives-as-wellness-tourism-recovers/article_503fbb13-137b-50b2-844f-ef834997dc10.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/lava-hot-springs-thrives-as-wellness-tourism-recovers/article_503fbb13-137b-50b2-844f-ef834997dc10.html |
Rikki Trussel
John Roark
POCATELLO — Idaho State University is excited to announce the new Bengal Pharmacy manager is Rikki Trussel, a 2012 ISU alumnus from the pharmacy program.
“I just think there are so many opportunities with Bengal Pharmacy,” said Trussel. “I worked at the pharmacy when I was an intern, but the telepharmacy part wasn’t around when I was here. That’s been exciting to do.”
Trussel was previously with Kroger, first as the pharmacy manager for Fred Meyer and then as the pharmacy district manager for Smith's Food and Drugs. She said she looked into the Bengal Pharmacy and was excited to see how it has grown and changed.
Bengal Pharmacy’s mission is to provide high-quality care to all patients while making accessible health care possible through knowledgeable staff consisting of pharmacists, residents, technicians and interns.
“The majority of our prescriptions are done in Challis and Arco. Both were community pharmacies with owners who tried to sell them, but couldn’t find anyone,” Trussel said. “Bengal Pharmacy took them over, and now we’re providing access to care for communities that would otherwise have to drive hours to get to a pharmacy.”
Idaho is one of the few states with pharmacists able to prescribe medications under certain criteria, and she says ISU's work with rural medicine and advancing the practice of pharmacy has always interested and excited her.
Trussel noted that the pandemic brought into sharp focus the need for pharmacists and pharmacy locations to change and grow with the needs of patients.
“Right now pharmacy is really in a redefining phase. You’ve got practitioners working for Amazon or for the mail-order pharmacies, but then we’ve also got the practitioners providing interdisciplinary approaches, like working with those who need a little extra care. It’s very exciting for pharmacists to have a seat at the table,” Trussel said. “We’re viewed as health care professionals now, and that stems from the pandemic, where we were possibly the only access patients had to health care at that time. We’re decreasing the burden to health care.”
Bengal Pharmacy in Pocatello is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. In Challis and Arco, Bengal Pharmacy is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Visit isu.edu/healthcenter/pharmacy for more information. | 2022-06-15T20:21:14Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | New Bengal Pharmacy manager announced | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/new-bengal-pharmacy-manager-announced/article_e403cee3-f7ce-52c2-9de4-14635b78f861.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/new-bengal-pharmacy-manager-announced/article_e403cee3-f7ce-52c2-9de4-14635b78f861.html |
By Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25
POCATELLO — Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 is pleased to announce the selection of Joel Wilson as the principal of Greenacres Elementary School.
Wilson joins PCSD 25 from the Idaho State Department of Education, where he currently serves as the deputy superintendent. His past leadership experience also includes serving as the superintendent/principal for Butte County from 2015-2021. He also previously served as the superintendent for the Preston and Aberdeen school districts.
He holds the following certifications: superintendent K-12, principal Pre-K-12, ESL/ENG K-12 and Spanish K-12. Wilson earned a doctoral degree in education from Northwest Nazarene University. His graduate education also includes earning educational specialist and education administration degrees from Idaho State University and a Master of Arts in teaching from Willamette University. He completed his undergraduate education at Utah State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish/management.
In addition to an exemplary pedigree in education, Wilson offers experienced leadership to bridge the district’s mission, vision and beliefs with the work being done by staff. He offers a servant-leadership philosophy that has proven successful in supporting students and parents.
“As the parent of children in the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District, I have been impressed by their education,” said Wilson. “The outstanding work being done by the district’s teachers and staff and the district’s reputation for high-performing programs led me to apply for this administrative position.”
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Joel Wilson to Greenacres and the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District,” said PCSD 25 Superintendent Douglas Howell. “Our learners, parents and staff will benefit from Dr. Wilson’s commitment to the pursuit of educational excellence, experience and leadership as he works to reinforce our mission to think more, learn more and be more together.”
Wilson will replace Greenacres’ current principal, Ms. Janelle Armstrong, who has been tapped to serve as PCSD 25’s interim director of special services.
These administrative changes will go into effect on July 1. | 2022-06-15T20:21:21Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pocatello/Chubbuck School District announces the selection of principal for Greenacres Elementary School | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/pocatello-chubbuck-school-district-announces-the-selection-of-principal-for-greenacres-elementary-school/article_fedb96d3-38d8-5b3c-92f2-15fd6a7ec02a.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/pocatello-chubbuck-school-district-announces-the-selection-of-principal-for-greenacres-elementary-school/article_fedb96d3-38d8-5b3c-92f2-15fd6a7ec02a.html |
By The Pocatello Municipal Band
Please join the band for the summer premiere concert of the 87th season of Concerts in the Park. The concert sponsor will be The Simplot Company, and ice cream will be provided by Simplot to all who are in attendance. They have invited Jean Haneke who heads up the Boys and Girls clubs in Pocatello to be the guest director. The featured soloist will be the band's favorite mezzo-soprano Melissa Schrade, who will sing “Blue Moon” and “Crooner’s Serenade.” The band would love to see you on Sunday at the Park.
— Strike Up the Band — G. Gershwin.
— Fuego Del Alma — Carl Strommen.
— The Peanut Vendor — Moises Simons, arr. John J. Morrissey.
— Take Me Out to the Ballgame — Albert von Tilzer, arr. Ed Morbach.
— The Phantom of the Opera Selections — A. L. Webber, arr. Warren Barker.
— You’re The Reason (Simplot Theme Song) — arr. Randy Earles.
— Manhattan Beach March — J. P. Sousa (guest director from Simplot).
— Around the World in 80 Days — V. Young, arr. Alfred Reed, ed. Mark Rogers.
— Blue Moon — R. Rodgers, arr. Warren Barker (vocalist Melissa).
— You Are My Sunshine, Jimmie Davis, arr. Charles Mitchell.
— Crooner’s Serenade — arr. Justin Williams (vocalist Melissa).
— The Northern Pines — J. P. Sousa.
Come early to the band shell and enjoy a special treat for the June 26 concert: Mr. Casey Emerson will direct a performance of the New Horizons Band from 6 to 6:40 p.m.
Melissa Schrade
Horizons Band
Casey Emerson
Pocatello Municipal Band
Ross Park | 2022-06-15T20:21:27Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pocatello Municipal Band to perform June 26 | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/pocatello-municipal-band-to-perform-june-26/article_27e19d8a-c2e2-5a22-be3a-b80aba38e2da.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/pocatello-municipal-band-to-perform-june-26/article_27e19d8a-c2e2-5a22-be3a-b80aba38e2da.html |
FILE - Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference at the Federal Reserve, Wednesday, May 4, 2022 in Washington.
In their updated forecasts Wednesday, the Fed’s policymakers indicated that after this year’s rate increases, they foresee two more rate hikes by the end of 2023, at which point they expect inflation to finally fall below 3 percent, close to their 2 target. But they expect inflation to still be 5.2 percent at the end of this year, much higher than they’d estimated in March. | 2022-06-15T20:21:58Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Fed attacks inflation with its largest rate hike since 1994 | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/fed-attacks-inflation-with-its-largest-rate-hike-since-1994/article_31cc954a-6591-54a4-b374-c055ebcb2641.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/fed-attacks-inflation-with-its-largest-rate-hike-since-1994/article_31cc954a-6591-54a4-b374-c055ebcb2641.html |
A sheepherder works on Bureau of Land Management land in eastern Idaho.
About 63 percent of the land in Idaho is federally owned, but local governments can’t collect property tax on that land. A federal program called PILT, or payment in lieu of taxes, is aimed at reducing the loss of those taxes by giving money to government entities within the state. | 2022-06-15T20:22:16Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Idaho lawmakers hire firm to appraise federal public lands | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/idaho-lawmakers-hire-firm-to-appraise-federal-public-lands/article_7207bf3b-1650-5158-84ec-69dfadc971d2.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/idaho-lawmakers-hire-firm-to-appraise-federal-public-lands/article_7207bf3b-1650-5158-84ec-69dfadc971d2.html |
FILE — The Boeing B-17G “Sentimental Journey” taxis in after landing at the Nampa Airport, Monday, Aug. 9, 2021.
Vintage WWII warplanes arriving at Idaho Falls Regional Airport
"Maid in the Shade" landed at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport on Monday. Due to weather conditions, the second aircraft "Sentimental Journey" will arrive Thursday.
Ground tours of both aircraft are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday for $15 a person or $30 per family of four. Flights will be offered 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Tickets for the flights can purchased beforehand at azcaf.org. Flights in the B-17 are sold for $475 for a waist compartment seat and $850 for a bombardier seat. Flights in the B-25 are $375 for a radio room seat and $590 for a jump seat. | 2022-06-16T04:36:52Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Vintage WWII warplanes arriving at Idaho Falls Regional Airport | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/vintage-wwii-warplanes-arriving-at-idaho-falls-regional-airport/article_0f520686-ebed-5c03-b985-a4b05cfaf12e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/vintage-wwii-warplanes-arriving-at-idaho-falls-regional-airport/article_0f520686-ebed-5c03-b985-a4b05cfaf12e.html |
Tingey
An Ammon man was arrested Saturday after he was witnessed beating and choking a woman in a parking lot.
Joel K. Tingey, 36, was reportedly seen pulling a woman out of a truck and slamming her against the side of the truck around 1:50 a.m.
A Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrived on scene and identified a truck matching a description given by a witness. According to the probable cause affidavit, he saw a man, later identified as Tingey, in the driver’s seat who was reportedly “trying to hunker down and hide from me.”
Tingey told the deputy everything was fine, but the deputy reportedly noticed a woman in the passenger seat who was crying and had blood covering her face.
The affidavit states Tingey had a large amount of blood on his shirt and a scratch mark on his arm that Tingey said was caused by a tree branch. He later said the scratch was caused by the victim.
Tingey denied that he hit the victim, telling the deputy that he picked her up from a hotel and that she had been drinking that night. He said the victim’s face was injured in a fall. He reportedly told a second deputy that the victim spat on him during the drive.
The deputy observed bruising around the victim’s neck and swelling on her lips and cheeks.
The victim said Tingey had picked her up and was driving her back to a hotel. She said that they parked near the hotel and that as she was getting out of the truck, Tingey reportedly grabbed her.
The victim said she was struggling to remember what happened. She said she remembered Tingey choking her and saying he was going to kill her.
The witness who contacted deputies said she saw Tingey “aggressively” remove the victim from the truck and then shove her face into the side of the vehicle.
Tingey was charged with felony domestic battery, punishable with up to 10 years in prison. He was released from jail after posting a $10,000 bond. A no-contact order was issued between him and the victim.
Joel K. Tingey | 2022-06-16T07:56:29Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Authorities: East Idaho man arrested after beating and choking woman in parking lot | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/authorities-east-idaho-man-arrested-after-beating-and-choking-woman-in-parking-lot/article_bff7ac3f-dcef-5800-96f9-ed35d8abd46e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/authorities-east-idaho-man-arrested-after-beating-and-choking-woman-in-parking-lot/article_bff7ac3f-dcef-5800-96f9-ed35d8abd46e.html |
Dr. Scott Barlow, top center, of Family Medical Clinic of Chubbuck, is hosting a "Max Out for Men's Health" event on Friday for Men's Health Month.
Photo courtesy of Scott Barlow
Family Medical Clinic of Chubbuck is hosting an event on Friday to raise awareness to Men's Health Month. The event, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., will feature food trucks and fitness competitions with cash and other prizes.
Dr. Scott Barlow, a family medicine provider in Chubbuck and the only residency trained nurse practitioner in the region, organized the event, which his practice will host in its parking lot at 476 E. Chubbuck Rd.
It's called "Max Out for Men's Health" and it will feature push-up, plank, deadlift and bench competitions for anyone who wants to participate.
The winners in each competition could win between $100 and $500. For children, free cotton candy and a pass to Geronimo's are on the line.
The event is free and open to the community and will also have health-related vendors on hand, raffles and other fun activities for people to enjoy.
There also could be an arm-wrestling match between Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad and Chubbuck Mayor Kevin England, according to Barlow, who challenged the mayors, though they haven't confirmed whether they'll take the challenge.
Barlow said he and his colleagues, Lindsay Sorensen and Kimmi Young, decided to organize this event to spend time with members of the community and raise aware to men's health, which Barlow said is often overlooked.
"The way I phrase it is men are the most self-neglected group of people when it comes to their health in society, so we want guys to know that there's a place where somebody really takes an interest in their health," Barlow said. "I'm not necessarily a specialist in men's health, but it is something that is a huge focus of what we do at (Family Medical Clinic)."
For more information on the event or to get involved, find Family Medical Clinic of Chubbuck on Facebook or visit www.familymedchubbuck.com.
Kevin England | 2022-06-16T19:10:32Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Family Medical Clinic of Chubbuck hosting men's health event Friday | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/family-medical-clinic-of-chubbuck-hosting-mens-health-event-friday/article_aefe9b50-e632-58eb-9267-ce4beffc8b48.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/family-medical-clinic-of-chubbuck-hosting-mens-health-event-friday/article_aefe9b50-e632-58eb-9267-ce4beffc8b48.html |
The first four words in the 2nd Amendment say it all; “A well regulated Militia . . . .” There is NO such thing in America today; only unregulated militia groups that thrive on hate! The intent of the 2nd Amendment was absolutely NOT to permit the vast majority of the people to have almost unlimited access to weapons of war! Every time there is a massacre using an assault rifle or any other high-capacity magazine firearm, there is a short, lackluster effort to do something to prevent the carnage from happening again. As far as republicans are concerned, the solution is a combination of enhanced background checks, red flag laws, arm the teachers, place armed guards everywhere, etc. Red flag laws and enhanced background checks will only have minimal effect in reducing the mass shootings. It will be hundreds of years before science might be able to accurately determine what evil lurks the minds of people, if ever! Many individuals who plan these massacres are not going to “telegraph” their intentions, and if they do, it may be only minutes before the “event”. If they do make their intentions known well in advance, will law enforcement agencies be able to coordinate a response in time to prevent a mass shooting? It’s outrageous to hear people saying after every massacre “my thoughts and prayers go out to the families ….”, blah, blah, blah, and yet these same people, many in positions do something about it, DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! An assault rifle is NOT a hunting rifle. I am NOT anti-gun, I am anti assault rifle! Many assault rifle owners will be reluctant to turn in their weapons of war. Nothing speaks louder than MONEY; just ask any republican politician who welcomes the blood money from the gun lobby, gun manufacturers, the NRA and gun Political Action Committees (PACs). Accordingly, an assault rifle buy-back program must be part of any assault rifle ban legislation. It’s long past due for republican legislators to find the courage and backbone, “fall on their sword” and do the right thing, outlaw assault rifles and high-capacity magazines and include a buy-back program. Otherwise, the mass slaughter of children and many others will go on and on. Failure to do this means only one real solution to end the carnage, VOTE THOSE OUT OF OFFICE who favor assault rifles over the lives of children and thousands of other people. They are unfit and unworthy to hold public office! They are NOT protecting the people, especially their “right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, per the Declaration of Independence! Unfortunately, many voters are selectively forgettable and will continue to support politicians who allow war to be waged on children, just because the politician has an “R” by their name! How utterly senseless is this? | 2022-06-16T19:10:51Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Assault rifles | Letters To Editor | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/assault-rifles/article_e903b6f9-ddcd-5638-9007-40f8363c9400.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/assault-rifles/article_e903b6f9-ddcd-5638-9007-40f8363c9400.html |
Nacho is pictured here outside his new home in Florida.
Photo courtesy of The Golden Ratio
Tine Welch, left, and her husband, who goes by Jimmy Von Lemon, are pictured here with Nacho, a special needs golden retriever they rescued.
Photo courtesy of Tine Welch
Nacho is pictured here with his new family in the Florida Keys.
A dog who was surrendered to a Pocatello veterinarian for euthanasia is getting a second chance at life after a local rescuer, a string of strangers and a Florida family worked together to get him to his new home on the east coast.
Nacho, a special needs golden retriever who has allergies and needed an expensive knee surgery, was recently dropped off at Alpine Animal Hospital.
The vet there didn't have the heart to end Nacho's life and asked Tine Welch, an animal rescuer in downtown Pocatello, to take in Nacho and she did.
Welch started a sort of backyard animal rescue operation out of her house more than a decade ago and it has evolved into what she calls The Herd, her soon-to-be 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose focus is cat and dog rescues.
When Welch took in Nacho, she said he was terrified and had terrible manners.
The rescuer went to work on her Twitter page, @tine_theherd, which has more than 17,000 followers, to find Nacho a home and help him get medical care. The response was more than Welch could've hoped for.
Nacho's nearly 3,000-mile journey from Pocatello to Sugarloaf Key took the help of nine volunteers over five days as he traveled through several states.
The 18-month-old golden retriever found his forever home with The Golden Ratio, a family-run organization that rescues and rehabs golden retrievers, mainly seniors and those with special needs, including hospice care.
Nacho joined five other golden retrievers at The Golden Ratio family's waterfront home, where he now frolics off-leash and gets to swim in the ocean. Welch said a plan for his surgery is in place and his allergies are being treated.
"Twitter connected us and here we are with a success story," Welch said of finding The Golden Ratio. "Millions and millions of followers on social media have donated to Nacho's care, and we trusted strangers to take this dog across the country, just hoping that their hearts were as big as ours. It turned out they were. He had a fantastic trip, and he is going to have a fantastic life now."
The Golden Ratio has been posting regular updates about Nacho and his new "squad." He looks happy basking in the Florida sunshine.
Welch said she hopes to continue rescuing pups like Nacho and adding to her herd. Once she gets her 501(c)3 status, which she applied for in April, that will enable her to continue and expand her rescue efforts in Pocatello.
"At this point, there is nothing that could stop me from continuing to rescue animals," she said. "I just can't say no to a hurt dog or a cat. I love what I do. They come to me in terrible condition, and I get to change that and see them flourish."
Tine Welch | 2022-06-16T22:34:34Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pocatello special needs rescue dog finds home in Florida | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pocatello-special-needs-rescue-dog-finds-home-in-florida/article_16af9f0f-94f7-5a8f-ac44-103a6015caff.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pocatello-special-needs-rescue-dog-finds-home-in-florida/article_16af9f0f-94f7-5a8f-ac44-103a6015caff.html |
The Boeing B-17G “Sentimental Journey” taxis in after landing at the Nampa Airport on Aug. 9, 2021.
"Maid in the Shade" landed at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport on Monday. Due to weather conditions, the second aircraft "Sentimental Journey" was set to arrive Thursday.
Ground tours of both aircraft are available from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday for $15 a person or $30 per family of four. Flights will be offered 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Tickets for the flights can purchased beforehand at azcaf.org. Flights in the B-17 are sold for $475 for a waist compartment seat and $850 for a bombardier seat. Flights in the B-25 are $375 for a radio room seat and $590 for a jump seat. | 2022-06-16T22:34:35Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Vintage WWII warplanes arrive at Idaho Falls Regional Airport | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/vintage-wwii-warplanes-arrive-at-idaho-falls-regional-airport/article_0f520686-ebed-5c03-b985-a4b05cfaf12e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/vintage-wwii-warplanes-arrive-at-idaho-falls-regional-airport/article_0f520686-ebed-5c03-b985-a4b05cfaf12e.html |
Gino Mariani has resigned as the Rams' football coach, he confirmed to the Journal Thursday afternoon, ending a tenure that spanned more than two decades. In that stretch, Mariani captured four state championships and established the program as one of the state's best.
Highland athletic director Travis Bell also confirmed to the Journal that Mariani turned in a letter of resignation.
Last season, Highland fell to Rigby in the 5A state championship game.
This story will be updated with more information on Mariani's resignation and the circumstances that led to it. | 2022-06-16T22:34:36Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Gino Mariani resigns as Highland football coach | Preps | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/gino-mariani-resigns-as-highland-football-coach/article_b676408c-db4c-53e4-b510-276eb32314de.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/gino-mariani-resigns-as-highland-football-coach/article_b676408c-db4c-53e4-b510-276eb32314de.html |
A Pocatello police vehicle blocks East Terry Street after an early Thursday evening collision between a motorcycle and pickup truck.
POCATELLO — A motorcyclist was seriously injured early Thursday evening in a collision with a pickup truck near Idaho State University that resulted in two city streets being shut down.
The 6:11 p.m. crash occurred at the intersection of Alvin Ricken Drive and East Terry Street.
The adult male motorcyclist, whose name has not been released, was transported via Pocatello Fire Department ambulance to Portneuf Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries including a broken leg, authorities said. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, police said. No one else was injured.
Both East Terry and Alvin Ricken have been shut down until further notice by Pocatello police who are investigating the collision.
The impact of the collision left the pickup with visible damage while the motorcycle was totaled.
Further details on the crash have not yet been released by Pocatello police.
Alvin Ricken Drive | 2022-06-17T04:22:18Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Motorcyclist hospitalized after collision with pickup near ISU | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/motorcyclist-hospitalized-after-collision-with-pickup-near-isu/article_ac9b73b4-752c-51a5-9875-a11221c856d5.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/motorcyclist-hospitalized-after-collision-with-pickup-near-isu/article_ac9b73b4-752c-51a5-9875-a11221c856d5.html |
Longtime Highland High School football coach Gino Mariani has resigned.
Gino Mariani has resigned as the Rams' football coach, he confirmed to the Idaho State Journal Thursday afternoon, ending a tenure that spanned more than two decades. In that stretch, Mariani captured four state championships and established Highland's football program as one of the state's best.
Highland Athletic Director Travis Bell also confirmed to the Journal that Mariani turned in a letter of resignation. Bell didn't respond to a request from the Journal for comment on Mariani's decision to leave Highland.
Tommy Togiai | 2022-06-17T04:22:24Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Legendary Highland football coach Gino Mariani resigns | Preps | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/legendary-highland-football-coach-gino-mariani-resigns/article_b676408c-db4c-53e4-b510-276eb32314de.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/legendary-highland-football-coach-gino-mariani-resigns/article_b676408c-db4c-53e4-b510-276eb32314de.html |
Gardner Richard "Skip" D. Gardner Skip was born on June 23, 1945 to Margie Sexton and Vernon Gardner in Pocatello, Idaho. He spent his early years at his grandparents' farm in Inkom - roaming the hills, riding horses, and having fun with his cousins. Later, the family moved to Dubois, Idaho. This is where Skip spent most of his school years, and where he made many lifelong friends who were very special to him. With a "gift of gab", he told many stories of "ordeals" around Medicine Lodge and the surrounding Dubois area. He and his friends conjured up many adventures during these adolescent years. Skip's father was a Fish and Game officer who instilled in Skip a lasting love of the outdoors, hunting, and fishing. Hunting grew into a lifelong passion of his. So much so, Skip eagerly anticipated every hunting season and managed to go elk hunting for three seasons after being told he only had months to live. Skip served in Vietnam for the U.S. Army. He was proud of his service and was an active member of the American Legion Post 21 of Downey. He retired from the Pocatello Fire Department after a 25-year career. He loved his coworkers at the fire department, and he could tell endless stories of his time working with them. Several years later, a friend asked him to help out and take a summer job with Bannock County. This "summer" job lasted 16 years. Skip grew up playing card games with his family. He loved playing cribbage and a family favorite, "hell", with family and friends. He truly enjoyed casual poker games as well - playing cards and spending time with good friends. He really missed not being able to attend "poker night", when his health no longer permitted him to go. Skip enjoyed living in Marsh Valley where he had so many friendships, wonderful neighbors, and incredible, long-term friends and ranch partners (Ray and Dana Marler). His family would like to extend a heartfelt "thank you" to all of his friends and neighbors for their love and support over the years and to all of those who went above and beyond to help out in recent years. His family would also like to send out a special thanks to the "woodcutting crew" of the American Legion Post 21 and the many friends that joined in the wood cutting efforts - in spite of being incredibly busy themselves. The family feels truly blessed. Skip is survived by his wife, Jody Gardner; daughter, Tess Oldemeyer (Bryce); his sons, Kirk Gardner, Kelly Gardner (Kim), and Rich Gardner; brother, Michael Peck (Laura Cameron); cousins, Christine Miller, Scott Sexton (Madrilena Bradley), Robin Sexton; 10 grandkids; 12 great grandkids; extended family; and countless friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; former spouse, Joyce Wood; brother, Gary Gardner; and cousin, Susy McAleer. The family plans to hold a celebration of life at a later date.
D. Gardner Skip
Joyce Wood
Susy Mcaleer | 2022-06-17T09:04:48Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Gardner, Richard "Skip" D. | Obituaries | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/gardner-richard-skip-d/article_6527c794-494c-5c5a-84eb-2688251199b8.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/gardner-richard-skip-d/article_6527c794-494c-5c5a-84eb-2688251199b8.html |
• The third annual Poky Paddle will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. today. The free event will feature a community river float, live music, food trucks, vendors and a giant slip n’ slide. Participants can float the river from Edson Fichter or Taysom-Rotary Park down to the festivities at Rainey-Centennial Park in Pocatello. Attendees will need to supply their own tubes, rafts, floaties and paddles for their water adventure. Free shuttle service and watercraft valet will be provided.
• The Aaron Ball Band will perform live starting at 8 p.m. today at Star Route Brewery, 218 N. Main St. in Pocatello.
• Spinderella, Idaho’s annual premier ladies-only bicycle ride, will take place Saturday in Pocatello. The fun starts tonight with packet pick-up at Lower Ross Park from 5 to 8 p.m. Online registration has closed, but you can register on-site on Friday. For more information, go to spinderellaride.com.
• “Urinetown: The Musical!” continues this week at the Stephens Performing Arts Center in Pocatello, with shows at 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday. Tickets run from $9 to $14 and can be purchased online at www.idahostatetickets.com.
• Whiskey Hangover will perform live from 8 p.m. to midnight today and Saturday in the Loft at Portneuf Valley Brewing, 615 S. First Ave. in Pocatello.
• Healthy City, USA, will be hosting a 5K race on Saturday, at the Portneuf Wellness Complex — Pavilion 2. The race will start promptly at 9 a.m. There is no registration, no cost and no hassle for this 5K. Everyone is welcome to participate.
• The Crafter’s Market is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside Station Square at 200 S. Main St. This week will also feature the History of PRIDE Mobile Museum.
• The Pocatello branch of the NAACP will celebrate Juneteenth from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Pocatello Senior Activity Center, 427 N. Sixth Ave. Ethnic and traditional foods will be served, as well as hot dogs and hamburgers. The meal’s cost is $25 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-12. Children aged 5 and under eat free. Tickets are available by emailing pocatellonaacp@live.com or calling 208-478-2150.
• Southeastern-Idaho Pride 2022 will take place from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at Caldwell Park in Pocatello. There will be food, vendors and entertainment. Free admission.
• The annual Pebble Creek Wildflower and Music Festival will take place on Saturday at the ski area near Inkom. Gates open at 2:30 p.m. and the music starts at 3 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the gate. Children 12 and under get in free. Pebble Creek will operate the Sunshine Triple Chair Lift from 4 to 7 p.m. for people wanting to take a wildflower hike back down the mountain. The cost for the lift ride is $15 for adults and $5 for kids 5 to 12.
• Load ‘em in the Dark Cattle Co. will host “Super Saturday” team roping event on Saturday at the Indoor Arena and the Bannock County Event Center. The event is free to the public and begins at 6 p.m.
• Best By Yesterday will perform live from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Off The Rails Brewing, 228 S. Main St. in Pocatello.
• Steelhead Redd will perform live on the patio starting at 7 p.m. Saturday at Jim Dandy Brewing, 305 E. Lander St. in Pocatello.
• Movies at the Port, presented by Portneuf Health Trust, returns with a screening of Marvel’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” on Saturday. Admission is free. Grab your blankets, chairs and popcorn, and come to the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre lawn for a good family-friendly time. Gates open at 8 p.m., and movies begin after sundown, weather permitting. | 2022-06-17T14:22:06Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Community calendar: June 17-18 | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/community-calendar-june-17-18/article_8f9ea17a-c70b-5c41-879c-9c0ea3874312.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/community-calendar-june-17-18/article_8f9ea17a-c70b-5c41-879c-9c0ea3874312.html |
Song written by ISU professor's AI system named finalist in global competition
POCATELLO — A song written by an artificial intelligence system created by an Idaho State University Professor is a finalist in a music competition spanning the globe.
Recently, organizers of the AI Song Contest announced the 15 finalists for the 2022 edition, and in the running is “And I Think I,” a song written by Pop* - pronounced pop star - an AI developed by Paul Bodily, assistant professor of computer science.
“It’s exhilarating to see ‘And I Think I’ gaining recognition on an international stage,” Bodily said. “It’s a huge validation of not only all the hard work that it took to create the song but also the AI methods we’ve developed in building Pop*.”
For this version of the track, Bodily recruited a group of collaborators. Jon Armstrong, associate professor of music and director of jazz studies at Idaho State University handled instrumentation, arrangement, and production. Dan Ventura, professor of computer science and head of the Machine Intelligence and Discover lab at Brigham Young University contributed AI expertise and helped with song arrangement. Vocal duties were handled by Claire Smedley-Dye, vocal major in Idaho State University’s Commercial Music Program, Bodily, and a virtual singer software.
“My role was quite familiar, approaching the production as if it were a human composer who brought in a tune,” Armstrong said. “I wanted to build and produce it in a way that resonated with the essence of the music. All of the instrumental decisions came naturally as I connected with the song, and working with Claire and Paul as the vocalists was easy and fun. I'm very proud of how it all came out, and feel that we captured the spirit of the original composition, doing good by Pop*.”
“It was a surreal experience to bring life and meaning to an AI’s creation,” said Smedley-Dye. “Usually, lyrics and melodies are composed from a certain feeling or experience, but Pop*’s lyrics are composed from what the program is given, and knowing the track was written by an AI made it a challenge to sing.”
Right now, the public can cast their vote for “And I Think I,” at aisongcontest.com/the-2022-finalists. Voting wraps up on June 30.
More about Pop* can be found at https://bit.ly/ISUAIMUSIC.
For more info about ISU’s Department of Computer Science, visit isu.edu/cs.
Claire Smedley-dye
Jon Armstrong
And I Think I | 2022-06-17T17:11:45Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Song written by ISU professor's AI system named finalist in global competition | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/song-written-by-isu-professors-ai-system-named-finalist-in-global-competition/article_a4a2f9b1-545c-5847-993d-408e874d2176.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/song-written-by-isu-professors-ai-system-named-finalist-in-global-competition/article_a4a2f9b1-545c-5847-993d-408e874d2176.html |
Inheritance and a preposition
I would like to discuss inheritance and the effect on it by English grammar rules. Let’s examine the same sentence with just one small word difference: “What things of my Father’s were left TO me?” versus “What things of my Father’s were left IN me?” You may remember something about prepositions from high school English class. Mrs. Cattani taught me that anything a train can do to a mountain is a preposition. For example: in, to , around, over, under, etc. They are often idiomatic. In other words, the meaning of the phrase is determined by the choice of prepositions.
My sentence above may conjure up memories for those of us who have experienced the situation of losing parents and gaining an inheritance. A pyrrhic experience that is both sad and sometimes financially beneficial. In my case, I gained a house, a gun collection, record albums and boxes of pictures and farm items. I even have a small two-drawer metal file cabinet that contains, among other documents, all his tax returns dating back a couple of decades. A testament to his financial planning and organizational skills that led to his success. If you have not yet experienced a probate of an estate, I wish you well for handling both the personal emotions and the tension among remaining family members that is too often involved. I plead with you to do your best to avoid such confrontations. Material items just do not compare in value to the liability of the hurt feelings of those left behind.
The intangible things of my Dad and his estate are what I refer to when I say: “left IN me.” They were not itemized by the attorney or even mentioned out loud as we gathered to sign legal documents. They were known only to me and were very personal. At his funeral, I spoke of a long list of things I learned AT his hands. He taught me how to shoot a gun, how to field strip a pheasant and how to drive a tractor. He taught me how to complete my work before play. He often said “no” to my requests for the car keys or money, which at the time seemed so unreasonable and random. But when I became a parent, the strategy became clearer to me. It was all about instilling self- discipline and learning to not have an attitude of entitlement. I have the knowledge taught at his hands of how to change the oil on my car, balance my checkbook (which I seldom do) and his standard phrases of how to handle life. I describe some of these folksy quips in an ISJ column back on Feb. 4, 2022, titled “Coins from my Father’s pockets.” I submitted it at that date instead of now on Father’s Day to celebrate what would have been very near the anniversary of his 100th birthday.
If we were to add the value of what was left IN me from my Father, the estate's non-taxable value would skyrocket into the billions. One simple two-letter word makes all the difference in the world to me. If any of his values, talents or wisdom were not left IN me, that is on me. I know his daily goal was to have me inherit all he had to offer. I hope my children feel the same when the day of my departure arrives. If nothing else, they will get an unexpected English lesson when they read this story. A synonymous version of these thoughts could easily be proposed mentioning Mom’s inheritance TO and IN me. But this column’s timing has an obvious coincidence.
Thanks Dad for all you left TO and IN me. Happy Father’s Day and, most of all, job well done! | 2022-06-17T17:11:51Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Inheritance and a preposition | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/inheritance-and-a-preposition/article_480a2853-1c57-54be-9ada-e68d61f7af2d.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/inheritance-and-a-preposition/article_480a2853-1c57-54be-9ada-e68d61f7af2d.html |
The guard tower at Minidoka National Historic Site in Jerome County.
Photo courtesy of Tara Rowe
A building at Minidoka National Historic Site in Jerome County.
Tara Rowe
The entrance and guard tower at Minidoka National Historic Site in Jerome County.
Standing at the Minidoka National Historic Site, viewing the panorama of vibrant blue sky and farmland, a person could be forgiven for thinking they were looking at any other place in the Magic Valley. But it is sacred land, land once belonging to the Shoshone-Bannock and land that once housed as many as 9,397 Japanese American citizens and legal resident aliens.
This past week, dozens gathered at the war relocation center once called Hunt, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the creation of facilities to house Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from the Pacific coast on the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Those in attendance included Minidoka survivors and descendants, representatives of the National Park Service and the Friends of Minidoka.
While the vistas were striking on that clear day, the event, much like the camp that once covered some 33,000 acres, was at the mercy of typical 25 mph wind. Recent rain kept the dust down, but on any given day it is land marred by dust and extreme swings in weather just as it was in 1942 when families began arriving. Nine hundred of those original acres were set aside for housing — wooden barracks covered in tar paper, the only thing preventing the ubiquitous dust from entering the structures, and poorly, at that. What was once a camp with 36 housing blocks made up of 12 barracks each is now a single rebuilt block with a barrack and mess hall. It is a dark, bewildering feeling to see the small living spaces entire families were assigned to knowing that these people were Americans no different than the armed guards who stood in towers above the barbed wire-enclosed camp. It is a soul-searching experience to be in a place that represents one of the most unconstitutional and morally indefensible decisions the United States government has ever made.
Many Idaho residents have a connection to the site. The event’s keynote speaker, former Idaho attorney general and Idaho Supreme Court Justice Jim Jones is one of them. A son of Eden, Idaho, Jones grew up hunting pheasants near the camp after it had been closed with the ending of war time incarceration. His message was that of education. “If people don’t know what is here” and what it represents, he said, “it cannot be reckoned with.” That stories like the survivors in attendance continue to be told 76 years after the final incarceration camp closed is a testament to the importance of these places.
Like every generation, we take for granted that our memories of historically important places and events will survive for future generations. One way that we can prevent the loss of these memories is by protecting what remains of the incarceration camps.
Recently, the National Trust released a list of the eleven most endangered historic places and on that list was the Minidoka National Historic Site. The press release explained the threat to the former incarceration camp as follows:
“Minidoka’s sweeping vistas and distant mountains continue to convey the isolation and remoteness that Japanese Americans experienced there. However, a wind farm has been proposed next to Minidoka National Historic Site, potentially including construction of wind turbines within the historic footprint of the Minidoka camp. If constructed as currently planned, the project could irrevocably change Minidoka’s landscape, potentially creating a visual wall of hundreds of wind towers, each taller than the Seattle Space Needle, with blades exceeding the wingspan of a Boeing 747.”
It is particularly disappointing that the Bureau of Land Management, which is currently considering the proposal for the Lava Ridge Wind Farm, either does not appreciate how the story of Minidoka is truly one of barracks unprotected from the dust and grit that accompanied southern Idaho wind and brilliant vistas in every direction or they have chosen to overlook these facts entirely. While the proposal is for the 73,000 acres of BLM land adjacent to the Minidoka Historic Site, a portion of the project would be on the original footprint of the camp. It is terribly disappointing that a corporation like Magic Valley Energy is allowed to co-opt that space at all. Corporations should have a responsibility to historically important lands just as the federal government does.
Where the land slopes away from the original Minidoka warehouse — now visitor’s center — toward farms as far as the eye can see, it is a very real prospect that those views will be marred by wind towers. If history teaches us anything, it is that tangible objects, actual survivors and the spaces where tragedies occurred have the biggest impact on the development of belief systems, public policy and the preservation of memory. The stories of those who spent years of their lives incarcerated by their own government deserve telling and nowhere is a better place to do so than on the land where their story played out. If not this land in the southern Idaho desert, then where in another 80 years will their story be told?
For more information on the National Trust’s list of 11 endangered places, visit savingplaces.org.
Tara Rowe is an independent historian and scholar who frequently writes commentary on Idaho history and politics. Her historical research includes contributing to the anthology "Idaho’s Place: A New History of the Gem State” and a forthcoming work on women in Idaho coinciding with the centennial of women’s suffrage. She is writing a biography of former Idaho congressman Richard Stallings. She is an Idaho State University alumna and resides in Twin Falls.
Minidoka Historic Site | 2022-06-17T19:43:49Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | As Minidoka marks 80 years, we are responsible for preservation and education | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/as-minidoka-marks-80-years-we-are-responsible-for-preservation-and-education/article_34601133-1a87-5d64-b89c-f2c6de7435a9.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/as-minidoka-marks-80-years-we-are-responsible-for-preservation-and-education/article_34601133-1a87-5d64-b89c-f2c6de7435a9.html |
By all six of Wasden’s living predecessors in office
Lawrence is Idaho’s longest-serving attorney general with five elected terms. He is unique in having worked his way through the office ranks, starting as a deputy in 1989, through chief of staff, to the beginning of his 20-year tenure as attorney general in 2003.
This column was written by former Idaho Attorneys General Tony Park, 1971-1975; Wayne Kidwell, 1975-1979; Dave Leroy, 1979-1983; Jim Jones, 1983-1991; Larry Echo Hawk, 1991-1995; Al Lance, 1995-2003. | 2022-06-17T19:43:55Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Attorney General Lawrence Wasden is a courageous champion of the law | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/attorney-general-lawrence-wasden-is-a-courageous-champion-of-the-law/article_51770347-8b67-5884-8894-643773379ab1.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/attorney-general-lawrence-wasden-is-a-courageous-champion-of-the-law/article_51770347-8b67-5884-8894-643773379ab1.html |
ESG and the unintended consequence
Perhaps you’ve heard a lot about ESG lately. So what is ESG? Environmental, Social, Governance, or ESG, is a movement that encourages companies to comply with the dictates of asset managers reportedly from firms such as Blackrock, Vanguard and State Street investing. Among many conservative business leaders, it is widely regarded as the weaponization of capital, and it is one of the largest threats to our freedoms. Here’s why.
According to Investopedia, the world’s leading source of investment information, ESG is defined as the criteria used to evaluate a company’s behavior outlined in three major factions — environmental, social and governance. These evaluations are used by socially conscious investors to screen their investments ensuring alignment with their political and social ideologies.
Each component of ESG refers to a different interest of the business investment. Environmental refers to the preservation of our natural world with calls to climate change, carbon emissions and greenhouse gas emissions. The social component focuses on humans and our interdependencies with issues such as gender and diversity inclusion, mental health and customer success. The final component, governance, refers to boards of directors and their makeup, hiring and onboarding practices, and executive compensation guidelines. These three components help investors understand the societal impact of the companies in which they seek to invest in, but they also present real concerns that each of us cannot ignore.
To better understand the implications, let’s use an example of a utility company denied auto insurance for their fleet because they owned a coal-burning plant. If the goal is to refuse business with companies partaking in coal operations, then insurance companies will be notified by asset managers who can then deny business based on a failure to comply with ESG criteria. Pressure is now on the utility to either comply or spend more on insurance. If they can’t get the insurance, they will be forced into alternative transportation such as electric vehicles.
Played out even further, the utility company fleet may not be capable of servicing a rural district because of the range limitation of electric vehicles. This can create a snowball effect placing new burdens on businesses to either comply with ESG or fear losing valued business.
Let’s be clear — Investors should be able to review the worthiness of their investments. As consumers, we engage in this behavior every day when we choose where and how to spend our dollars. However, there is an outside pressure added through many of these principles outlined through ESG that allow a small fraction of elites to control where and how money is spent, and those values may not align with your core values.
Originally, ESG was implemented to review a company's societal impact that normal financial institutions would not review. This allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the business and its impact on a community. That doesn’t sound too bad, right? The concern of many is that this vetting behavior can lead to blacklisting and censoring of businesses based on a subjective standard, and it has an eerie similarity to the “social credit score” implemented by the Chinese Communist Party.
These ESG regulations could have many unintended, negative consequences on businesses. Investors and businesses have been engaging in free-market transactions for decades, and we should allow those transactions to continue uninterrupted by a social rating system of worthiness. Before we accept these social rating systems with open arms, perhaps we should focus on what has made businesses so successful in the United States — the free exchange of goods and services to those able and willing to buy. | 2022-06-17T19:44:01Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | ESG and the unintended consequence | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/esg-and-the-unintended-consequence/article_516ea959-4de0-5b06-bd08-5cb69ed13e79.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/esg-and-the-unintended-consequence/article_516ea959-4de0-5b06-bd08-5cb69ed13e79.html |
Gail Siemen was a great left-handed shooter for Idaho State.
Submitted photo/Brett Siemen
Gail Siemen was the principal of Hawthorne Middle School for many years.
Gail Siemen was an avid hunter.
Gail Siemen was always one to crack a joke.
Gail Siemen with a big catch.
During Gail Siemen's time at Idaho State, the Bengals went to the NCAA Tournament three times.
Gail Siemen often took his children rafting with him.
BY JORDAN KAYE sports@journalnet.com
On an expedition floating the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, Gail Siemen’s raft capsized and he fell into the water. When he rose to the surface, he had a suspicion about his father.
As he got off the river, Siemen ran to a phone and called his wife for confirmation.
“When did he pass away?” he asked.
“Yesterday,” she responded.
That is the magic of Gail Siemen on a grandiose scale. And similar occurrences weren’t all that rare. One day, his son Brett said, Siemen woke up and knew what question everyone was going to ask before they asked it. Another time, he dreamt about shooting a deer in this specific location. Later that day, he went to that spot and added another head to his collection.
“Consistently, stuff like that would happen,” Brett said.
Siemen was not a psychic. He could not see the future. He did not sift through tarot cards or look into crystal balls. But he had some sort of innate instinct – instinct so marvelous that it stupefied anyone lucky enough to witness it.
Siemen, it seemed, did not hope for things. He manifested them.
Every morning as principal at Hawthorne Middle School, Siemen’s voice bellowed over the intercom for the morning announcements. And, every morning, he closed it out with the same line: “Make it a great day.”
“Even a month before he died,” said Sue Scully, a friend of Siemen’s who worked with him at Hawthorne, “I said, ‘Gail, have a great day,’ and he said, ‘No, I’m going to make it a great day.”
Siemen passed last summer at the age of 85 — a celebration of life for him will be held Saturday, June 25, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m at the Juniper Hills Country Club in Pocatello. The public is invited.
The former standout Idaho State basketball player and longtime Gate City educator took with him infectious humor, uncanny wit and the type of optimism that makes you think maybe it’s not impossible to throw a car over your head.
It is that enthusiasm that his friends and family will so dearly miss. Siemen had this way of lifting people up, making them comfortable in awkward situations.
When Seton Sobolewski was hired as the Idaho State women’s basketball coach in the summer of 2008, he had just wrapped up his introductory press conference when someone in the crowd hollered at him.
“Come here, young man,” said Siemen, a longtime ISU women’s basketball booster. “Sit down for a minute.”
“He proceeded to give me some advice,” Sobolewski recalled years later. “He said, ‘If you’re going to ask for anything, ask for it now.’ Meaning like from the admin or whatever … He was very bold, but that’s how Gail was. He was not shy.”
“He was never afraid to approach anyone,” added Siemen’s son, Kyle, “whether he knew them or not.”
In other words, Siemen was blunt. Yet he mixed his forthrightness with humor. One time, he told Jack Mooney – a former 7th grade student of Siemen’s whom he later became good friends with – they were going to leave for a fishing trip at 6 a.m. Mooney showed up at 6:05. Siemen was gone.
“I said, ‘Gail, what the hell?” Mooney recalled. “(He said), ‘I told you 6 o’clock.’ That was his personality.”
Another time while Siemen was principal at Hawthorne, a new teacher arrived. This teacher had bounced around from school to school, accumulating an inch-thick file and a poor reputation. On day one, the teacher met with Siemen in his office. Sitting on the Hawthorne principal’s desk was that inch-thick file. Siemen picked it up and tossed it in the trash.
“I don’t care what was in there,” Siemen said, according to Brett. “What you do from now on out is what will matter.”
In the annals of Reed Gym’s history, perhaps no night garnered as much hype and anticipation as Feb. 24, 1958. More than 5,000 people packed the place that Saturday night to watch Idaho State go up against the great Elgin Baylor – the future NBA Hall of Famer who then starred for Seattle U and battled for the nationwide scoring title with Oscar Robertson and Wilt Chamberlain.
“Baylor may score 30 or 40 or even more, but he’ll earn every point against a team with one of the top defensive records in the nation,” late Idaho State Journal editor Lyle Olson wrote before the game.
Olson was right. Baylor scored 32 points and pulled down 20 rebounds that night, but the Bengals made him work. Siemen, Roy Christian and Leroy Bacher forced the springy Baylor to take tough shots from the outside, which helped send the game to overtime.
With Seattle down one and less than a minute remaining in overtime, Baylor slapped Siemen’s wrist and sent the stoic senior to the charity stripe. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound lefty with a smooth stroke knocked down both free throws to finish the game with a team-high 25 points.
When the final buzzer sounded, hardly anyone could hear it. The crowd was too loud. On that night, Idaho State was maybe the best team in the country and the Bengals eventually advanced to their third-straight NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, Seattle U didn’t lose again until the national championship game.
“I was lucky enough to be there and say that I saw Elgin Baylor play,” Mooney said. “It was pretty damn cool.”
It was the pinnacle of Siemen’s time as a Bengal, where he helped author, inarguably, the three greatest seasons in Idaho State basketball history. It was also part of Siemen’s comeback. He dealt with foot issues and shin splints his final two years of college, which forced him to miss time his senior year after he slipped on a loose ball at practice and restrained his arch.
As he returned, Olson wrote: “But if Siemen ever gets the breaks that must be coming his way, don’t sell them short because he must have plenty of good luck building.”
Perhaps that explains all the good fortune Siemen enjoyed in his life.
“What do they say?” said Skip Easterbrook, one of Siemen’s ISU teammates. “Luck and preparedness walk the same road. If that’s the case, I think a lot of it was due to his attitude.”
That most definitely was the case. Instead of accepting bad situations, Siemen asked: Why do they have to be bad?
It was that philosophy that guided him the day a parent walked into his school with a gun.
One day as principal of Hawthorne, Siemen was pulled out of an early-morning meeting and led into his office, where a fuming parent had a pistol on his desk. This was back in the 20th century, back when a gun in a school didn’t summon a SWAT team in a half-second.
So Siemen walked into his office and began to engage with the parent. He listened. And then he began to talk with the guy, calming him down and asking him about the elephant in the room. Siemen was an avid hunter. He knew guns. He knew the gun sitting on his desk was unique so he peppered this guy about his pistol.
Tensions eventually leveled. Gail called the police then went on with his day.
“Pretty soon, Gail comes back into the meeting and says, ‘OK, where were we?’ Our jaws all dropped,” Scully. said “He had retrieved the gun. He notified the police. He had done everything properly but he didn’t make a big show of it.”
And, later, Siemen went down to the police station and purchased the gun. The pistol that was once used to threaten Siemen became part of his basement collection.
“That’s kind of how he was,” Kyle Siemen said of his dad.
A meaningful remembrance for Gail, his family said, would be a donation to the ISU Women's Basketball Fast Break Club: https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/fastbreakclub
Gail Siemen
Jack Mooney
Lyle Olson
Sue Scully
Kyle Siemen | 2022-06-17T19:44:07Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Late ISU basketball legend, longtime local educator Gail Siemen to be remembered at celebration of life | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/late-isu-basketball-legend-longtime-local-educator-gail-siemen-to-be-remembered-at-celebration-of/article_c0ad5466-98b7-5f99-892e-8249c78cd2a0.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/late-isu-basketball-legend-longtime-local-educator-gail-siemen-to-be-remembered-at-celebration-of/article_c0ad5466-98b7-5f99-892e-8249c78cd2a0.html |
Sean Coletti
Time to rethink the closed primary
By Sean Coletti
In 2011, Judge B. Lynn Winmill decided the case Idaho Republican Party vs. Ben Ysursa, concluding that “because the open primary permits substantial numbers of independent voters, as well as voters associated with other political parties, to ‘cross over’ and participate in the Republican Party’s selection of its nominees,” the open primary “violates the Party’s constitutional guaranteed right to freedom of association.” And thus was born Idaho’s closed primary.
However, this reasoning for rejecting an open primary has not aged particularly well. The reality is that not much has changed — it’s nobody’s secret that “substantial numbers of independent voters, as well as voters associated with other political parties” still cross over and participate in the Republican Party’s selection of its nominees. The only difference is that they have to register as an “R” first.
It’s past time to change the system and end the political primary game in Idaho. We would start with a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court case not considered by Judge Winmill, entitled Washington State Grange v. Washington State Republican Party.
In Grange, the Court looked at a Washington primary system putting all candidates for partisan offices, regardless of party, on the same ballot. These candidates declare their party of “preference,” or “independent status.” That “preference” is then shown on the primary ballot. Voters select any candidate listed on the ballot, regardless of party preferences of the candidates or the voter.
The candidates with the highest and second-highest vote totals advance to the general election, again, regardless of party preference. Thus, the general election may pit candidates with the same party preference against one another.
The Republican Party in Grange obviously did not like this idea, arguing that this system violated its associational rights by usurping its right to nominate its own candidates and forcing it to associate with candidates it did not endorse. The Court disagreed, stating that (in contrast with the Idaho case) the Washington primary actually did not choose parties’ nominees; instead, it winnowed the number of candidates to a final list of two for the general election.
The party also argued that voters would improperly assume that parties associate with and approve of the candidates with the “R” or “D” after their names. The Court again disagreed, stating that there was no basis for claiming that a candidate’s party “preference” would be interpreted as the party’s nominee. The Court also said the ballot could include a prominent disclaimer that the party “preference” reflects only the self-designation of the candidate and not an official endorsement by the party.
The legal arguments behind the Idaho case leading to the closed primary fail if Idaho were to follow the lead of the Grange case and make primaries about picking the top candidates for a position instead of party “nominees.”
And even better, Alaska has recently adopted a ballot measure creating not a “top-two,” but a “top-four” primary system modeled in part on the Grange case. The top four candidates in the primary, regardless of party preference, are placed on the general election ballot. The general election is decided using ranked-choice voting. Voters rank the candidates, one through four. If no candidate wins a majority in the first round, the last-place finisher is eliminated and those ballots are re-allocated to the voter’s next-choice candidate, until one wins a majority. This top-four model allows for greater variety in the general election and more opportunity for minority party-preference candidates to be represented in the general.
The benefit of such a system is that it increases the likelihood of (a) all voters being heard, and (b) candidates with the broadest appeal to voters, rather than more factional candidates, winning the election. When candidates seek not a party nomination but to be a top-four vote-getter, they broaden their message and appeal, also leading to broader-based governing upon election.
And what, you might say, would be the point of parties then? They would still be a means for like-minded individuals to join and push platform issues and promote candidates for elections. The difference, however, would be that the ballot would not be for choosing party nominees, it would be for choosing the top vote-getters for a particular office, regardless of party.
This is not just a pipe dream — it’s happening in Alaska right now. Should it happen in Idaho?
Sean Coletti is the mayor of Ammon. | 2022-06-17T19:44:20Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Time to rethink the closed primary | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/time-to-rethink-the-closed-primary/article_24e80f8a-8784-50e6-b6c1-4250da604761.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/time-to-rethink-the-closed-primary/article_24e80f8a-8784-50e6-b6c1-4250da604761.html |
The official holiday is Juneteenth National Independence Day. It is also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Black Independence Day.
* Jan. 1, 1863: New Year’s Day, the day the final Emancipation Proclamation became effective after it was signed by President Lincoln who later noted, "I could not for a moment control my arm. I paused, and a superstitious feeling came over me which made me hesitate ... but my resolve returned, and I told those in attendance, ‘I never, in my life, felt more certain that I was doing right than I do in signing this paper.’”
* Jan. 31, 1865: The date the 13th Amendment passed Congress, proposing to the states that the institution of slavery be abolished.
* April 3, 1865: The day the capital of the confederacy, Richmond, Virginia, fell.
* April 9, 1865: The day Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox, Virginia.
* Dec. 6, 1865: the day the 13th Amendment was finally ratified and slavery outlawed under the U.S. Constitution.
On that date more than 2,000 Federal soldiers of the 13th Army Corps arrived in Galveston, Texas, under the command of Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger. Granger’s men marched through the city reading General Order No. 3:
“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. ... They will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”
When the city of New Orleans fell to Union armies in 1862, slave owners in Mississippi, Louisiana and across the South fled into Texas. Leon Litwack’s book “Been in the Storm So Long: The Aftermath of Slavery” recounts how 150,000 slaves were force-marched in retreat, swelling Texas’s slave population to over a quarter million.
The operative language in General Order No. 3 was “would not be allowed to collect at military posts.” This served not-so-subtle notice to slave owners that freedom would be enforced in the vicinity of the Union barracks.
Even though prosperity and full participation in the American dream were still unrealized, former slaves in Galveston now had armed soldiers and physical might on their side. For many, this was a first in generations — going back to Africa and their village’s subjugation by Ashanti tribesmen who sold their ancestors to English and Dutch slave traders.
The “freedmen” of Galveston started celebrating June 19 the very next year, making red the official holiday color to symbolize the blood spilt delivering Lincoln’s executive order to the western and southernmost corner of the Union. | 2022-06-17T19:44:26Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Why Juneteenth? | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/why-juneteenth/article_1ea7ce57-4f3d-5616-8a1e-b9a6c3c7b499.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/why-juneteenth/article_1ea7ce57-4f3d-5616-8a1e-b9a6c3c7b499.html |
Did Trump know he lost? Does it matter?
Monday’s public session of the Jan. 6 committee provided ample evidence that Donald Trump had been told by numerous people, including his campaign team, close aides and the head of the Justice Department, that he had lost the 2020 election. Even his daughter and son-in-law seemed to have let him know that he had failed to win reelection.
Therefore, Trump was not shielded by associates from the fact that he lost. There certainly were toadies, like Rudy Giuliani, who encouraged Trump to believe, as he wished to, that widespread election fraud had robbed him of what would have been, otherwise, a “landslide” victory, but his original team of campaign staff told him directly that he had lost and that the various claims of fraudulent votes being cast were all false, if not downright ludicrous.
At the same time, no one testified on Monday that they had heard Trump acknowledge that he had lost. Instead, all who told him the truth said that they were met with an angry refusal to accept their judgment. It is possible that, to this day, Trump believes that he won that election; he certainly persists in asserting that that was the case.
I am one of those columnists who has emphasized the importance of taking into account Trump’s personality disorders when attempting to explain his behavior. His narcissism, his fragile ego, his utter self-absorption and inability to empathize with others, his constant lying, his boasting, his need to hold “rallies” in which he could bask in the adulation of his supporters, etc., all seem highly relevant to me.
I have also referred many times to Trump’s habit of insulting people by calling them “losers” and his apparent conviction, despite all of his failures in business, that he is a “winner.” I have alluded to his refusal to acknowledge that he lost the popular vote in the 2016 election: After that election, even though he had become president, and was certainly a “winner” in that sense, he was so annoyed at his popular-vote shortfall that he claimed there were several million fraudulent votes cast on the East Coast that accounted for it.
So, given Trump’s deep fear of losing, his claim to have won the 2020 election didn’t surprise me. I initially assumed that, yet again, he was incapable — psychologically incapable — of admitting that he had lost. And that, yet again, he appealed to a completely bogus theory of fraudulent voting in order to back up his claim that his defeat was not real.
But this time, in the wake of the 2020 election, Trump did more than trump up, so to speak, fictitious excuses for his failure. He plotted to invalidate the election results and retain his power as president. When those strategies failed, his last-ditch effort was to create a mob that would use force to prevent the transfer of presidential authority to the actual winner of the election.
The Monday session of the Jan. 6 committee was advertised as clarifying Trump’s “state of mind” after the election; specifically, his state of mind regarding whether or not he had won the election. Why does that matter?
It might seem to matter because Trump asked for donations from the public to an “Election Defense Fund” to help prove that the election was fraudulent. He received some $250 million as a result. If he “knew” that the election had been fairly conducted, then his solicitation was clearly a lie and constituted fraud. But, as it turns out, his knowledge was actually irrelevant to his culpability, because there is no evidence that a fund by that name ever existed, and the money was used by Trump for other purposes, which is sufficient to establish that he defrauded the donors.
It also might seem to matter because, if Trump didn’t “know,” that he had lost — if he was unable to accept his failure and persisted in the belief that he had won — then his subsequent efforts to retain power might be seen as justified, at least to some extent.
But that, too, is false. There are, indeed, crimes called “knowledge crimes” for which a perpetrator must have a certain knowledge in order to be found guilty. But there is also something called “willfully ignorant misconduct.” The Supreme Court has defined such misconduct as that of a defendant who subjectively believes that there is a high probability that a particular fact exists, but has taken deliberate actions to avoid knowing that fact. In the law, the willfully ignorant may be punished as if they actually had the knowledge required for the crime.
A commonplace example of such criminal behavior is someone who is caught transporting illegal drugs and offers the defense that he didn’t know the drugs were illegal, yet there was ample reason to suspect that that was the case, and the carrier deliberately failed to make further efforts to find out.
Trump’s “state of mind” mattered to the Jan. 6 committee not because the committee was able to show that Trump knew he had lost the election, but because it could clearly establish that Trump had very good reason to doubt that he had won. Yet, in spite of that, he refused to accept, or further investigate, the judgments of his advisors, preferring to fire the employees who told him the truth, and replace them with people who agreed with his false beliefs.
In sum, even if Trump actually believed that he’d won the 2020 election (which I think is likely), the committee has proved that he can legitimately be held accountable for his subsequent actions, because he has willfully remained ignorant of the truth, and can therefore be dealt with by a court as having had full knowledge of his crimes. | 2022-06-17T19:44:32Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Did Trump know he lost? Does it matter? | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/did-trump-know-he-lost-does-it-matter/article_9b0b52f9-f25a-5094-933c-b0166ce51841.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/did-trump-know-he-lost-does-it-matter/article_9b0b52f9-f25a-5094-933c-b0166ce51841.html |
For close to 40 years I wrote for broadcast journalism, which is a lot different than writing for “print.”
You’d be surprised. Writing for print involves the eyes. You, the reader, can control the reading speed. You can reread anything you missed. But your ears approach words differently. Ears instinctively enjoy rhythm, simplicity and short sentences — sort of like your favorite country song.
It was a living. And I’m not saying that writing for the ear is morally reprehensible. Responsible, highly trained broadcast journalists (as opposed to opinionated anchor/ranters) exist and are serving the public every day.
And so are the print journalists — what’s left of them. Sure, you’re reading this column, but people like you are the minority, and you know it.
Personally, I think that when a nation loses the cultural ability to ponder it’s in deep trouble. If you don’t take time to question any of the hogwash washing over you — even when it’s coming from the team you agree with — then you’re just becoming a pre-programmed robot, predictably spouting simplistic zippy phrases that sizzle on the tongue but don’t hold up to even thirty-seconds of careful thought.
Sure, you can take comfort from knowing you’re not alone in the echo chamber. Knowing that you’re just one of 10 million other meme-forwarding couch potato culture warriors equally dedicated to the proposition that Red Good/Blue Bad (or vice-versa), might actually convince you that solving our national problems really is as simple as chanting “My body, my choice,” or “Save the Baby Humans,” really, really loudly. But it isn’t.
In 1964, Canadian sociologist Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase “the medium is the message.” At the time, almost no one, myself included, had any idea what he meant. Today, it finally makes sense. When the broadcast and visual-driven media — television, radio, TikTok, Pinterest, Facebook, etc. — controls, with our permission, the lion’s share of how we communicate with each other, then the ability to understand nuance, subtlety and depth are literally becoming lost arts — like cursive, spelling, reading a long book or even reading an analog clock. | 2022-06-17T19:44:38Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Finding My Way: The English language, more or less | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/finding-my-way-the-english-language-more-or-less/article_21fd99b3-2699-59c6-a92e-357e693a70db.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/finding-my-way-the-english-language-more-or-less/article_21fd99b3-2699-59c6-a92e-357e693a70db.html |
Stop tearing down men
“It’s better to build boys than mend men.” — S. Truett Cathy
It’s Father’s Day weekend. Here in Idaho, the women are saddling up for their annual women’s-only bike ride that attracts participants from around the world. At one point I contacted them on social media to ask if there was a particular reason that this event always falls on Father’s Day weekend? That seems an appropriate opportunity to celebrate fathers and not commit them to observing a female-only charitable event. There are 52 weekends in the year, so selecting this one, in particular, feels intentional. The response I received was a matter of mere coincidence and availability. Any reasonable objection that is raised should solicit reconsideration as to whether or not the timing is appropriate for the event? My inclination is that this is just an extension of the pervasive culture that seeks to stifle a celebration of manhood.
Chick-fil-A founder, Truett Cathy, authored a book titled “It’s Better To Build Boys Than Mend Men.” As the father of two young boys, I have come to adopt that ethos myself. Father’s Day is a reminder for me to recommit to that ethos and the ensuing responsibilities. Those responsibilities include being present and available, working hard and setting a good example, and being cognizant of how I treat other people. Most important is how I treat their mother.
Though it’s often dismissed as a conservative talking point, there is a negative correlation between fathers and nearly every malady of modern society. The absence of the father in the household does not portend well for the children. In the US, children in a fatherless home are four times more likely to become poor, drug or alcohol abusers, or suffer from poor mental and emotional health. If boys are to become good men, they need to see a good father and that fatherhood is worthy of celebration.
One of the challenges of raising boys in the current environment is that popular culture holds differing views of what it means to be a good man or father. It’s been well covered elsewhere, but the fatherly representation in modern television and movies is often that of the bumbling idiot dad and the strong leading mother figure. This caricature of men is reinforced in the children’s programming where the protagonist of every major Disney film of late is a strong female heroine who saves the world, despite the failing efforts of a flawed supporting male cast. This protagonist is like Disney’s “Moana,” the defiant girl who defeats darkness with love and perseverance. She is unlike her father who tries to hold her back, or the arrogant Maui, who tries to save the world with brute strength and weaponry. The inherent and softer female traits are good, and the leadership, strength, and courage of men are bad.
Inherently masculine traits have their place and should not be discounted. As C.S. Lewis put it, “Since it is so likely that children will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.” There may come a time when men are challenged with utilizing these traits in defense of the defenseless, and second-guessing oneself in times of crisis is not an option. As Jordan Peterson stated “A harmless man is not a good man. A good man is a very dangerous man who has that under voluntary control.” The ability to employ strength and courage in virtue separates the men from the monsters.
The world that my boys will enter is one that will at times be hostile to them for no fault of their own. As seen with the #MeToo movement and the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmations, there are some who would like to equate the entire male sex with victimizers, whether for personal or political gain. There will certainly be many lessons that have to be taught that most of us had the luxury of not needing, like avoiding false accusations and precarious positions when dealing with relationships. A healthy respect for women will go a long way in helping them to avoid those traps.
In a world where boys are falling behind their female counterparts in nearly every category, from academics to employment, it’s important that we not demonize half of the population in the promotion of the other half. We should also celebrate unique traits found most often in boys and girls respectively. I believe we make a grave error when we try to build up women by tearing down men. Men are at their best when working in concert with women to build better boys, rather than mending broken men. | 2022-06-17T19:44:57Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Stop tearing down men | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/stop-tearing-down-men/article_ea775fa7-4e9c-53a3-83f4-9ca4ee4181f3.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/stop-tearing-down-men/article_ea775fa7-4e9c-53a3-83f4-9ca4ee4181f3.html |
What is truth, and does it still matter in American politics? The dictionary defines truth as a verified or indisputable fact, proposition or principle. Many humans once believed the world was flat until it was subsequently determined to be round. However, that isn’t accurate; the planet is essentially an ellipsoid because its diameter at the equator is greater than the North and South poles by approximately 43 kilometers. Truth can change when we gain more knowledge.
Ascertaining the truth can be challenging in our legal system because there are times when facts are hotly disputed. Judges and juries are tasked with determining the truth in these instances, but “singular” fact finders don’t always get it right.
The potential for error always exists, and Trump’s representatives filed over 60 lawsuits seeking to overturn the election results in 2020 due to alleged voter fraud. He lost all but one minor case (not involving fraud) that had no impact on his defeat in Pennsylvania. Some judges adversely ruling against Trump were his appointees. When many fact finders reach the same conclusion, truth should be obvious, yet polls indicate approximately one-third of Americans still believe the election was stolen. How can that be?
Many politicians have a reputation for distorting the truth and, at times, outright lying. In the case of Donald Trump, he elevated presidential fibbing to a height unmatched during my lifetime. He was caught lying thousands of times during his presidency, and is still promoting “The Big Lie” that he won the election in 2020. That lie incited rage and violence in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 that desecrated the Capitol building and injured and killed people.
A quote often attributed to George Orwell is that, “The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it.” According to snopes.com, the quote actually originated from Selwyn Duke, in a column he wrote on May 6, 2009. Due diligence is required to ascertain true facts.
What confounds many about Donald Trump is that when caught lying outright, he never admits the truth and either doubles-down or maneuvers to avoid conceding his lies. Don Adams, in the Los Angeles Times (Aug. 5, 2020) nailed Trump’s glaring character flaw: “There is a primal authenticity in Trump. He tells you exactly what he feels in the moment. He lies straight to your face without shame, without any concern for future consequences. It is the stark audacity of untruth.”
Trump lost the 2020 election fair and square. We are now hearing evidence from a congressional committee tasked with investigating the cause of the violence in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 and whether Trump and others conspired to stop the democratic process of certifying Biden’s win.
A federal judge has already found in a civil case that Trump’s actions were sufficient enough to charge him with crimes. The court observed, “The illegality of the plan was obvious.” The evidence criminal actions occurred is mounting as the hearings proceed. William Barr (typically a lackey for Trump) testified he advised the president there was no credible evidence that fraud existed. Barr said Trump had become “detached from reality” as he continued promoting his Big Lie. Chris Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in charge of election security, stated the 2020 election was “the most secure in American history.” Trump exhibited malice in firing him for his honesty.
Presidential insiders allegedly destroyed evidence of communications that occurred on Jan. 6. A number of congressmen supposedly sought advance Trump pardons for their part in orchestrating these events. Trump was recorded requesting that the Georgia Secretary of State “find him 11,780 votes that don’t exist” to overturn his loss in that state.
The hearings should confirm if enough evidence exists to charge that a criminal conspiracy was undertaken by Trump and others to thwart America’s democratic process. Liz Cheney, a staunch Republican conservative on the congressional committee, maintains that is the case. It may cost her reelection in Wyoming, but I respect her selfless courage in seeking the truth. It remains to be seen if Merrick Garland, the United States attorney general, will have the same moxie to indict Donald Trump for crimes if it is determined that truth corresponds to reality.
Many Americans have drifted from valuing the truth. Regardless of the criminal outcome, Donald Trump deserves conviction in the court of public opinion for having accelerated that decline in character. | 2022-06-17T19:45:03Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The Big Lie | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-big-lie/article_59fabdee-34df-58b9-aebc-10f2dd6a02d1.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-big-lie/article_59fabdee-34df-58b9-aebc-10f2dd6a02d1.html |
The third day
“Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed, That he is grown so great?" — Julius Caesar, Act 1, Scene II
The third day of testimony for the committee investigating the insurrection of Jan. 6 lacked the drama of the first two, but did reveal the many warnings former President Donald Trump received regarding the illegality and violation of the Constitution if Vice President Mike Pence had rejected the Electoral College and either declared Trump the winner or postponed the certification of the vote making Joe Biden the president. Trump’s own lawyer, John Eastman, insisted that even if it was unconstitutional, they should “try it anyway.”
What disturbs me the most is the arrogance and insensitivity to America’s voters to attempt such a thing, overturning the will of the people without considering possible riots by those who thought they were voting in a fair election. Did Eastman forget about the peaceful transfer of power, essential to our democracy? How could a government lawyer and a lame duck Commander in Chief even consider such an action? It is unclear what the “other” lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, thought since witnesses claimed he was “inebriated.” (I suspect “Saturday Night Live” is already working on a satirical sketch.)
Abraham Lincoln warned that the United States would never be conquered by an outside force but from within.
There is also something else to consider. The 20th Amendment to the Constitution specifies that the term of each elected president of the United States begins at noon on Jan. 20 of the year following the election. Each president must take the oath of office before assuming the duties of the position. That means that Joe Biden would only need to be sworn in, even if Donald Trump had barricaded himself in the White House. Gen. Mike Milley had determined that the military would stop Trump from taking over on inauguration day.
In the face of that, why attempt a coup that could lead to criminal charges? If President Trump knew he had lost the election, then he could be held legally accountable. If he actually believed he won the election, then the former president had indeed lost touch with reality as his attorney general, William Barr, suggested. This still begs the question: What was the motivation?
The answer might be what the Greek tragic writers like Sophocles called hubris, or a blind pride that causes any individual to make ambitious choices resulting in self destruction.
Something else that came out during the testimony is that Vice President Pence physically came very close to invading rioters chanting “Hang Pence,” since they considered him a traitor. What if that event, which an acquaintance and Trump supporter dismissed as just Trumpers being a “little over the top,” became an actual statistic?
We know House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy urged President Trump to speak out and stop the assault on the Capitol. After talking to the former president, however, McCarthy opposed a 9/11 style commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol. Other Republican lawmakers think Congress has better things to do than investigate what they consider a minor incident. The attack on the Capitol was not a minor incident. Anyone who thinks so or supports the assault is unfit to serve in Congress.
The Jan. 6 committee will meet again, and it will be interesting to see if their findings change any minds. I suspect no minds will be changed. Future historians will weigh, however.
And one day, I can write about a local art exhibit. | 2022-06-17T19:45:09Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The third day | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-third-day/article_b76c2f45-d627-5ecd-a5a0-fe27f3f4ec6f.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-third-day/article_b76c2f45-d627-5ecd-a5a0-fe27f3f4ec6f.html |
June is Men’s Health Month: How to help a man in your life who may be struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide
By Tyson Hawkins
The troubling reality of the world we live in today is that many of us, whether directly or indirectly, have felt the devastating impact of depression-linked suicide. As we try to process these traumas, many are left to ponder the incomprehensible answer to the question:
Suicide, in all its forms, is most often the final desperate act in a fight against depression. This is a battle that can last weeks, months or even years — and commonly occurs in the secret shadows of the mind, where it can rage unseen.
Depression is a relentless enemy and, when left untreated, will apply constant pressure. Hopelessness, worthlessness, grief, apathy and isolation are among the damaging emotions that people suffering from depression can experience.
Too many Idahoans have lost this battle, and unfortunately, the data illustrates a particularly concerning trend among adult men. With June being National Men’s Health Month, it’s important we all understand ways to help the men in our lives who may be struggling with depression and thoughts of self-harm.
As a military veteran and in my work as a peer support specialist and recovery coach, I have personally experienced and witnessed the effects of undiagnosed and untreated depression. Sometimes, the news of a suicide attempt or the completion of the act can catch us completely off-guard. Remember: Just because someone carries it well, doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 6 million men suffer from depression annually. Tragically, men choose more lethal methods when attempting to take their own lives, and complete suicide two to four times more than women. And yet, we know men are far less likely to seek professional help for depression or other behavioral health issues.
But the American Psychological Association says the traditional signs of depression — sadness, worthlessness, excessive guilt — may not be how many men exhibit depression.
Instead, fatigue, irritability, anger, disinterest in work or hobbies, inability to sleep, increased use of alcohol/drugs and even working excessive hours may be more common indicators of clinical depression in men. Among older men, it may be harder for physicians to recognize depression when a man has compounding medical diagnoses, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer or stroke.
Our best chance at reducing the damage caused by depression is recognition of the illness and finding treatment. That starts with an awareness that you, or someone close to you, is going through something, seems somewhat “off” or might have changed in some way. This awareness can only be achieved through open, honest and courageous communication with a loved one or through personal self-reflection.
If you think a man in your life may be struggling with depression, help him find a mental health professional or speak with his medical doctor about his symptoms. Men may be willing to talk to a health care professional about physical issues and, gradually, discuss mental health.
You may decide you want to ask your treatment provider about peer services, as well. Peer services represent a tremendous resource available to individuals who are struggling with depression. A peer support specialist is an individual living in recovery from their own mental health illness, and can often foster a meaningful connection through shared experiences. While role-modeling recovery and inspiring hope, they can provide unique support and guidance utilizing a non-clinical, peer-to-peer approach.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts about self-harm, please call the Idaho Crisis and Suicide Hotline at 800-273-8255 or text 208-398-4357. To learn more about signs of depression and find free tips on how to help, visit Hello Idaho! at optumidaho.com
Tyson Hawkins of Boise is a peer support specialist and recovery coach for Optum Idaho, the behavioral health care provider serving Idaho Medicaid members and their families.
Tyson Hawkins | 2022-06-17T22:03:12Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | June is Men’s Health Month: How to help a man in your life who may be struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/june-is-men-s-health-month-how-to-help-a-man-in-your-life-who/article_5b8939bd-351d-596a-9c50-cdc0f2a145d2.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/june-is-men-s-health-month-how-to-help-a-man-in-your-life-who/article_5b8939bd-351d-596a-9c50-cdc0f2a145d2.html |
Moving beyond dieting
A recent poll of 2,000 American adults conducted by OnePoll on behalf of a weight care platform called Found, showed that 1 in 4 Americans have tried at least 16 different weight loss strategies.
Ninety-one of the respondents admitted to trying at least one weight-loss strategy, with half reporting that they have tried 11 different methods to try to shed some unwelcome pounds. Of these, 32 percent said that they were able to lose weight, but gained it back. Only 15 percent reported their weight loss experience as being fulfilling.
The primary reason long-term weight loss was considered too difficult was because of all the sacrifices that came with it. Respondents said they sacrificed their happiness, mental health and love/relationships due to the dieting experience. This emphasizes a point that has been made many times over in this small section of the paper: Diets don’t work.
It is not a question of willpower, nor is it a question of calories. Calories certainly play a role but are not the end all of losing weight. Maybe when you are 19 years old, calories are key, but not once you past the ripe old age of 35 (in my experience). We have the science to show that eating less and exercising more does not address the metabolic and biological components associated with weight. Eating less and exercising more is nothing but a stress on the body — and none of us need more stress.
Lifestyle plans that incorporate optimal eating habits (not just what you eat but when you eat, how you eat, etc..), movement schedules that are doable daily, balance of medical issues, hormones, brain health and the use of said science, weight loss drugs for example, can all be part of a comprehensive lifestyle plan that results in long-term weight loss maintenance.
Of you 1 in 4 who have tried at least 16 different weight loss strategies, please let No. 17 be a medically directed lifestyle plan that helps you make it last! | 2022-06-17T22:03:55Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Moving beyond dieting | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/moving-beyond-dieting/article_769cd61c-2eab-5959-8ab5-95bea5d5139a.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/moving-beyond-dieting/article_769cd61c-2eab-5959-8ab5-95bea5d5139a.html |
The park closed all entrances and evacuated more than 10,000 visitors. Some entrances could reopen next week. However, with complete road and bridge failures, the park’s North Entrance will not reopen this season.
Many Yellowstone visitors fled to neighboring tourist cities such as Jackson, Wyoming, West Yellowstone, Mont., and Idaho Falls. During a typical summer tourism season, the Eastern Idaho Visitor Information Center, partnered with the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce, helps up to 20,000 tourists.
When asked if the center’s usage has seen an uptick due to the Yellowstone closure, Manager Jen Emery said, “It definitely has. I can tell you that much.”
Chip Schwarze, CEO and President of the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce, said the visitor center store’s traffic has increased by 50% this week.
“People are coming into the store that were at Yellowstone, and they are wondering where to go,” Schwarze said. “They want to know how to finish their vacation.”
“There are a lot of people that come to this area with all kinds of interests. We tell them about the Art Museum as well as areas to hike so they can finish their trips,” Schwarze said.
Hotels in Idaho Falls, especially along the River Walk, reported simultaneously experiencing last-minute cancellations from tourists whose plans to visit the park were disrupted and reservations from those who were already in the area but couldn’t stay in the park. Springhill Suites recorded many new reservations in the last few days. However, it isn’t experiencing overbooking as just as many guests are cancelling their trips.
Chip Schwarze | 2022-06-17T22:04:08Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Yellowstone closures affect Idaho Falls tourism | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/yellowstone-closures-affect-idaho-falls-tourism/article_5f15cdb0-0c9f-5568-b7f8-ed5955ced05f.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/yellowstone-closures-affect-idaho-falls-tourism/article_5f15cdb0-0c9f-5568-b7f8-ed5955ced05f.html |
Shaun Menchaca, president and CEO of Portneuf Health Trust, is pictured with his dog, Penny.
POCATELLO — Portneuf Health Trust will host a dog walk at the Portneuf Wellness Complex on Wednesday, June 22.
"We have wellness walks every Wednesday at the Wellness Complex," said Micaela Knickerbocker, Portneuf Health Trust Community Wellness Coordinator. "We try to have different themed walks, so we're going to be doing a dog walk theme."
Knickerbocker explained that the wellness walks are part of Portneuf Health Trust's efforts to make Pocatello and Chubbuck the healthiest cities in the U.S.
"We looked at what other healthy cities do," she said. "They have walking groups. That's why we started doing this. We're hoping to bring more people in."
Knickerbocker explained that they will be hosting their fourth walk this week. So far, they have been fairly successful.
"We have a pretty good size group," she said. "I hope that continues to grow."
Anyone hoping to participate in the dog walk can meet at the Portneuf Wellness Complex on June 22 at 5:30 p.m. The walk will start at Pavilion 2. Dog treats will be provided.
Micaela Knickerbocker | 2022-06-18T00:13:32Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Portneuf Health Trust to host dog walk on Wednesday, other wellness events throughout the summer | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/portneuf-health-trust-to-host-dog-walk-on-wednesday-other-wellness-events-throughout-the-summer/article_63a299ac-7c89-5275-bd85-2ed262fc193d.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/portneuf-health-trust-to-host-dog-walk-on-wednesday-other-wellness-events-throughout-the-summer/article_63a299ac-7c89-5275-bd85-2ed262fc193d.html |
Shondi Mortimer bought her home in northwest Boise for $289,500 in 2016, when she was still married and pregnant with her sixth child.
Now, as a divorced single parent with three boys still living at home, she received her property tax assessment in the mail that valued her home at $609,700 — up $90,000 just since 2021.
“I looked at it and I was like, ‘Oh holy (expletive),’” Mortimer said.
She’s not the only Ada County resident finding sticker shock with assessment notices. Ada County Assessor Bob McQuade said the median increase for the 2022 tax year is 30%, meaning half of the county’s parcels are higher than that and half are lower. Across all property types, taxable value increased by nearly $27.7 billion this year, after increasing by about $15 billion the year before.
Although dollar amounts tend to be highest for property assessments in Ada County, values have increased significantly in several populous counties in Idaho, particularly between 2021 and 2022. In Canyon County, taxable values of all properties increased by about $10 billion, compared to a $3 billion increase the year before.
Another hot spot of property value increases is in Kootenai County, where taxable values nearly doubled since 2021, from $26.7 billion to close to $47 billion.
Even in eastern Idaho’s Bannock County, a more rural area where taxable values grew by just $500 million from 2019 to 2020, the total taxable value between 2021 and 2022 increased by $2.5 billion. And in Twin Falls County, values increased by 37% in the last year from $7.4 billion to $10.2 billion, after increasing by about $1 billion the year before.
Boise homeowner worries about affordability if taxes increase
Property tax dollars fund things like schools, roads, emergency services, mosquito abatement and city and county government services, and each county in Idaho uses a levy formula to determine the amount of property tax it will collect.
Since property taxes are a local tax, and all of the dollars stay within the city or county, a resident’s taxes may go up or down or stay flat depending on where the home is located. In Mortimer’s case, her assessed value increased from $401,900 in 2019 to $422,900 in 2020, but her taxes dropped by $263.
All of the values can still change until July 1 across Idaho, before the fiscal year ends, but assessment notices were due to be sent to residents in the first week of June. Exact tax increases or decreases will be determined in the meantime as cities and counties set their budgets over the next two weeks.
Mortimer worries about those taxes going up significantly, especially as she deals with lingering fatigue and chest pain from her bout with COVID-19 in 2020. The virus left her bedridden and unable to work for four months, and she had to ask her mortgage company for a forbearance to pause her payments.
The symptoms of long COVID are getting better and she’s able to work full-time, but she’s well aware of how tenuous her situation is.
“As long as I don’t get worse with the COVID (symptoms), I think I’m going to be fine,” Mortimer said. “If I were to get sick again and miss another four months of work, I wouldn’t be.”
McCall retiree blames Idaho Legislature for not finding a solution
In Valley County, where Lori Gibson-Banducci lives as a retiree, her home value increased from $838,000 to $1.1 million over the past year.
Overall, the value of properties across Valley County shot up from $6.3 billion in 2021 to $10.3 billion in 2022, after only increasing by $1 billion from 2020 to 2021.
She said she partly blames the Idaho Legislature for the increases and noted that she wrote her representatives multiple times during the legislative session earlier this year to no avail.
Members of the Idaho Legislature introduced a bill with a goal of decreasing property taxes by raising the sales tax, but it did not receive a hearing in the Senate before the session ended in March. The Legislature also passed one bill in 2021 aimed at decreasing property taxes by targeting and restraining city budgets. While there have been many calls for legislators to pass a bill indexing the homeowner’s exemption to current market values, those efforts have failed. The Legislature did pass a bill in 2021 increasing the exemption from $100,000 to $125,000 as a flat rate, but many lawmakers criticized the bill, saying it didn’t go nearly far enough to help homeowners with tax relief.
“It is really frustrating to me that the Legislature had the opportunity to try and fix this in a broad and substantial way, and they chose to focus on all sorts of other cultural issues that really don’t affect the everyday lives of Idahoans,” Gibson-Banducci said. “And meanwhile, those of us who are property owners or renters are going to pay the price.”
Gibson-Banducci thinks the valuation on her home in the McCall area is probably correct, but she plans to appeal the assessment of her condominium in Boise’s North End neighborhood, which went up 25%. She said the valuation of $421,800 is a much higher amount than comparable units, and she plans to appeal.
That process isn’t easy, she said, because to get the most accurate data, she had to ask a few friends in the real estate business for the price of comparable sales in the right time frame.
“That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me that we have to go through a realtor to get the information,” Gibson-Banducci said.
Idaho is one of 10 states that does not have disclosure laws around real estate transactions, regardless of the type of property. The disclosures that are made are strictly voluntary or available to the assessor’s office through the Intermountain Multiple Listing Service. In Ada County, that amounts to enough data to make accurate appraisals, but it has potentially exacerbated the gap between property tax burdens for residences versus commercial property, for which sales data is much more difficult to obtain.
Assessment appeals high in Treasure Valley counties, low in others
Many more taxpayers in Ada County have appealed their valuation this month than at this time in 2021, according to McQuade. In 2021, 93 residents appealed with the county, the fewest in 22 years. As of Monday, McQuade said 195 residents had appealed. Generally speaking, appeals are successful about 25% of the time, he said, but he’s confident in the accuracy of this year’s valuations based on the available data for residential homes.
In Canyon County, Systems Analyst Steve Onofrei said 818 calls inquiring about property tax assessments have been recorded since the beginning of June, and while the county has received 79 requests to appeal the valuation, only five have been completed so far. Onofrei said those numbers are about average compared to prior years.
Anita Hymas, chief deputy assessor in Bannock County, said the office had fielded 436 calls since June 9, but only about 21 appeals have been filed so far.
“We are really trying to get to a lot of people and help them the best we can; we look over their assessments and make sure they don’t have any errors,” Hymas said.
Higher-end homeowners are the ones who will feel the pinch the most, Hymas said, because the homeowner’s exemption is capped at such a low amount compared to today’s market values.
In Twin Falls County, Assessor Brad Wills said this is the time of year when appeals usually number in the hundreds, but so far the county has only recorded nine formal appeals. Many people are calling with questions, he said, but it hasn’t translated to more appeals.
“We’re finding that a lot of people are upset when they call, but once we talk to them, they understand,” Wills said. “They’re just wanting to make sure we didn’t make a mistake on their one property, that everybody else has experienced a substantial change.”
Counties are required by state law to assess homes at full market value at the time of the appraisal, with a margin of error of 10% above or below market value, which for the 2022 tax year would be based on 2021 numbers. The 2023 tax year will be based on 2022 market values.
That can feel especially confusing as fewer homes are sold in the Treasure Valley area. According to data from Boise Regional Realtors, closed home sales in Ada County fell by 5.8% in May compared to this time last year. Pending sales were also down 12.7% and have declined each month since May 2021.
But that doesn’t mean prices are declining yet. The median sales price for homes in Ada County reached $602,250 in May, an increase of 16.1% compared to May 2021 and a new record.
Meridian city councilor says engaging with budget setting process is important
Meridian City Councilor Luke Cavener grew up in Meridian and distinctly remembers when, as a teenager, he had to stop mowing a neighbor’s lawn because the city raised its water rates, and she couldn’t afford to pay him the $6 he was earning from her anymore. It’s residents like that who he thinks of as the city sets its budget and decides whether to increase its property tax levy rate by the legally permitted 3%, as the City Council will begin to do Thursday night.
Cavener is known as one of the council’s staunchest opponents of property tax increases, and he said he has fielded many calls from residents because he has that reputation among council members.
“Particularly being a community full of young families, anytime a cost increase goes up, that gets passed along. Whether it’s as a homeowner or a renter,” Cavener said. “And as serious as we are about housing affordability, I’m also focused on homeownership affordability.”
He plans to advocate for ways to refrain from taking the 3% increase, even though growth has helped keep the city’s rate low overall, and it’s just one piece of several taxing districts that go into a homeowner’s overall bill.
“There have been years when we’ve taken the full 3% and people’s property taxes from the city standpoint have gone down. There have also been times when we’ve stayed flat and other taxes have gone up,” Cavener said.
Other large cities will also finalize budgets in the coming weeks. The city of Boise will release its proposed budget on Friday, and Nampa will announce its budget on June 27.
Cavener hopes Meridian residents will pay attention to the budgeting process and offer feedback, suggestions and criticisms.
“This is the aspect of government that touches our citizens the most, and we never hear from our community about this,” Cavener said. “We hear when they’re upset when assessments come out, and we hear their frustrations when their property tax bill goes out. We do not hear from them when we’re developing our budget.”
Luke Cavener
Bob Mcquade
Shondi Mortimer | 2022-06-18T04:12:39Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | STICKER SHOCK: Property owners react to soaring assessed home values | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/sticker-shock-property-owners-react-to-soaring-assessed-home-values/article_29842663-dfc5-5fe8-b3c0-a6ccee516816.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/sticker-shock-property-owners-react-to-soaring-assessed-home-values/article_29842663-dfc5-5fe8-b3c0-a6ccee516816.html |
Kyle Riley File Photo
Idaho State Police are investigating a two-vehicle collision that occurred Friday, June 17th, at approximately 10:07 PM, on Interstate 90 at milepost 26.5 just east of Wolf Lodge in Kootenai County.
A Volvo semi pulling a trailer, driven by a 45-year-old male from Homestead, Florida, was travelling eastbound on Interstate 90 when a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado driven by a 36-year-old female from Medimont, Idaho was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 90. The Chevrolet collided with the Volvo head on.
The driver of the Volvo along with his passenger, a 45-year-old female from Homestead, Florida, were wearing their seatbelts and were transported to the hospital via ground ambulance. The driver of the Chevrolet was wearing her seatbelt and was deceased on scene.
Next of kin has been notified | 2022-06-18T14:34:12Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Police: One dead, two injured when pickup traveling wrong way on Idaho freeway collides head-on with semi | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/police-one-dead-two-injured-when-pickup-traveling-wrong-way-on-idaho-freeway-collides-head/article_4ca023ee-fb98-5b37-a423-9f89ba12e3e8.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/police-one-dead-two-injured-when-pickup-traveling-wrong-way-on-idaho-freeway-collides-head/article_4ca023ee-fb98-5b37-a423-9f89ba12e3e8.html |
Pocatello police Capt. Eric Anderson stands next to a patrol truck at police headquarters.
Pocatello police Capt. Eric Anderson tends the grill at the Juneteenth Celebration at the Pocatello Senior Center on Saturday.
Pocatello police Capt. Eric Anderson graduated from the FBI National Academy on June 9.
Photo courtesy of Eric Anderson
POCATELLO — The words "I love you" were hard to come by for Pocatello police Capt. Eric Anderson while he was growing up.
So that’s one of the many reasons why he says it to his four children all the time.
Positive relationships at home are just as important as the ones he develops at work, both in supervising officers as the Pocatello Police Department's patrol captain and interacting with people in the community as he serves and protects.
Anderson achieved a career milestone earlier this month, graduating from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. He and Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei are the only two current members of the department to have graduated from the highly regarded academy where the nation's top cops go to hone their skills.
On this Father's Day weekend Anderson sat down with the Idaho State Journal to discuss his career, his family and how he maintains a healthy balance while working a job that he says requires 100 percent dedication every day of the week.
“I work very hard at trying to be a good parent,” Anderson said. “I’ve supported and coached my kids since they started competing. Family is very important to me and trying to teach my children how to be a good person and to be involved in the community is a really big thing for me.”
Anderson has two children from his first marriage, a 23-year-old daughter named Kylie and his 19-year-old son Jett. He remarried in 2013 and became the step-father of two more children — Dylan, who is now 20, and Alexis, a 17-year-old Highland High School student.
As a father, Anderson said infant deaths and child sexual abuse cases have been the most difficult to handle in his 23 years with the Police Department.
“The hardest cases for me have been infant autopsies and I’ve been on a lot of them,” Anderson said. “When I was in (the Police Department's detective division) I spent a lot of time working unattended deaths and handling the cases involving kids.”
Sometimes it’s difficult to leave work at work and not carry particular cases home with him, he said, but talking the toughest ones out with his wife Angie and using the gym to feel better physically when the emotions are high have been positive coping tools for him.
“It’s easy to talk to my wife about stuff, but some days it’s pretty tough,” Anderson said. “It was really tough for me when (Pocatello police officers) Demetrius (Amos) and (Mackenzie) Handel got shot while I was gone at the FBI Academy. Getting that phone call at 2 in the morning was super difficult. But my wife wanted to do everything she could to help and was able to get Idaho Central Credit Union to actually donate some money to both of their families to help out during this difficult time.”
How Anderson treats his family and the way he sees those relationships resembles the way he interacts with people in the community. He said he sought out a career as a police officer in close-knit Pocatello because he wanted to make a difference.
“I mean, it sounds cliche but it’s that same adage, I just wanted to be able to serve my community and help people for real,” Anderson said. “I mean, that's just something I kind of always felt like I was going to do. It's just something I wanted to do. When I tried to get on at the Police Department in 1998 there were over 200 people testing for the job. I took (the test) again in early ’99 and was able to get hired, but back then, there were several hundred people testing up at Idaho State University and now we're lucky if we can get 40.”
The national climate surrounding support for law enforcement has wavered in the two decades since Anderson first put on the badge, but hindsight aside, he said he’d still join the force today if he was fresh out of high school again.
“I was always excited about law enforcement and excited to get on the SWAT team when I was able to do that,” Anderson said. “I was a rule-follower and never wanted to get in trouble and this was just always something that felt like a calling in a way. If my son wanted to do this job right now I would support him.”
He continued, “The climate has definitely changed, but honestly from the heart we are very fortunate here. In this community the majority of people here support us and support law enforcement. Maybe if I was in my 20s again I would finish school quicker and go the federal route.”
Having just returned from the FBI National Academy, Anderson said the experience gave him a small taste of what a federal law enforcement career might look like. The 10-week course is known internationally for its academic excellence. The program focuses on advanced communication, leadership and fitness training.
Anderson said he loved participating in the highly specialized physical training, which ended with him completing a grueling 6.1-mile mountainous obstacle course built by and still utilized by the U.S. Marine Corps.
“You’re rappelling down rocks and completing this course that the Marines use to train,” Anderson said. “I mean it was no joke. We had people injured during the physical training part of the class. There were a few ACL tears and we had people walking across the graduation stage in walking boots.”
Connecting with and listening to the stories of the other participants during the academy's academic portion was equally rewarding for Anderson. He said he formed a lifelong friendship with a police officer from Montana who has been in recovery for the past six years. He was also moved by the story of an international participant from Palestine whose home had been bombed three times in recent years during the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
“Everybody has got a story and everybody is dealing with something,” Anderson said. “You just have to try and reach out and make sure that we are all taking care of each other.”
Anderson said he doesn’t intend to use the training he received from the FBI Academy and pursue a federal law enforcement career, adding that he’s a lifer for the Pocatello Police Department.
On Saturday, he and other members of the department grilled up some burgers and hot dogs during the Juneteenth Celebration with the NAACP at the Pocatello Senior Activity Center.
For now, he’s just grateful to have a solid support system at home and a job that constantly keeps him connected to the community members he pledged an oath to serve and protect.
“Community involvement isn’t just something that we preach, we live it and it’s so rewarding,” Anderson said. “I love my job and I’ve got at least eight more years in me.” | 2022-06-18T21:05:37Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pocatello police Capt. Eric Anderson's journey from tough childhood to FBI Academy | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pocatello-police-capt-eric-andersons-journey-from-tough-childhood-to-fbi-academy/article_d9dad5eb-9c16-5e31-93be-6ec963df5638.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pocatello-police-capt-eric-andersons-journey-from-tough-childhood-to-fbi-academy/article_d9dad5eb-9c16-5e31-93be-6ec963df5638.html |
Coleman James Ray Coleman James Ray Coleman, 79, of Pocatello, passed away on June 13, 2022. A graveside service will be held in his honor on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. at Restlawn Memorial Gardens. To read the full obituary, or to share memories and condolences with the family, you may visit James' tribute page at www.wilkscolonialchapel.com. | 2022-06-19T08:06:16Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Coleman, James Ray | Obituaries | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/coleman-james-ray/article_43a93b55-04bf-5955-bfe2-b066d705606f.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/coleman-james-ray/article_43a93b55-04bf-5955-bfe2-b066d705606f.html |
Annette Selders Selders Annette Selders, 75, passed away peacefully on June 14, 2022. She was reunited with her sweetheart Curt just three months after his passing. Annette had often mentioned that she just couldn't live without him and longed to be with him in Heaven. She was unforgettable and left a lasting impact on every life she touched with her grace, warmth, kindness, and generosity. Annette grew up in Pocatello with her brothers Larry and Bruce Briggs. She attended Highland High School and was notably awarded "best dressed" for her fashion sense which continued throughout her life. After graduation, she worked as a teacher's aide and drill team instruction at Alameda Junior High School where she touched many lives and was loved by all her students. Annette was an active and caring woman who spent her life always thinking about others. In 1986 while raising her three biological children as a single mother, she found her true love, Curt. They married on December 31, 1987 and were later sealed in the Logan Utah Temple on August 12, 1989 for time and all eternity. Annette's greatest love and accomplishment in her life was her family. As a couple, they found joy in every day being together, as each day spent together was the best day of their lives. Even Sunday drives were an adventure. As Annette would often say, "If you take care of things, they will last." Annette and Curt loved each other dearly and their love story was endearing. Annette was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She found joy and light in her callings and work. She knew her ultimate purpose was to be a mother. This was her favorite role in life. She lit up whenever she spoke of her children and grandchildren. She was an exceptional wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and neighbor who cared deeply and loved fiercely. Her devotion to her faith and family never faded or faltered. She was always the first to offer help to those in need. Annette served others not out of obligation but because that was who she was to her core, whether it was a meal, her time, a hug, advice, or a listening ear. Her heart and home were always open to those she loved. She is preceded in death by her husband Curt, her youngest brother Bruce, and her parents, Fenton and Elsie Briggs. Annette is survived by her brother Larry (Dolly) Briggs, her children Angela (Robert) Allen, Michelle (Robert) Rasmussen, Travis (Kelly) Pickens, Gina (Kyle) Moon, Eric (Trisha) Selders, Sunnie (Aaron) Simmons, 11 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren. We will miss her with our entire hearts more than all the words can say but take comfort that she is with her eternal love. A viewing will be held at Wilks Funeral Home on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Graveside services will follow at Mountain View Cemetery. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family online at www.wilksfuneralhome.com.
Annette Selders Selders Annette Selders
Elsie Briggs
Bruce Briggs | 2022-06-19T08:06:29Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Selders, Annette | Obituaries | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/selders-annette/article_25d43a21-2eb8-5b29-9fe6-4ec37f9f3a00.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/selders-annette/article_25d43a21-2eb8-5b29-9fe6-4ec37f9f3a00.html |
Attendees pose with signs for photos at the Idaho Democratic Convention on June 18, 2022, in Downtown Boise.
Abortion rights, increasing access to voting and protections for libraries and librarians were themes throughout the day
The Idaho Democratic Party approved a resolution Saturday at its statewide convention that opposes laws that restrict abortion and calls for supporting access to reproductive health care.
Protecting abortion and reproductive rights have been themes during the first two days of the Idaho Democrats’ convention in downtown Boise. Several Democratic political candidates, legislators and delegates called for protecting and codifying the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision in light of a leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion published this spring that would overturn Roe v. Wade’s guarantee of a right to an abortion.
Delegates also approved a slate of other resolutions, including resolutions that call for increasing voting accessibility and maximizing early voting options, protecting library collections and library personnel and supporting Reclaim Idaho’s Quality Education Act ballot initiative, which would increase funding for education by raising corporate income tax rates from 6 percent to 8 percent and crating a new tax bracket for Idahoans making more than $250,000 as individuals.
— Committee members read the platform aloud in English and in Spanish.
— The party platform delegates approved Saturday is based on:
— A quality education for every student.
— An economy that works for all.
— Equity, justice and opportunity for all.
— Quality and accessible health care for every Idahoan.
— Strengthening democracy, fighting extremism and ending corruption.
— Protecting natural resources.
The convention concludes Sunday in downtown Boise with the Black caucus breakfast. | 2022-06-20T22:43:19Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Idaho Democrats adopt party platform, resolutions during day 2 of convention | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/idaho-democrats-adopt-party-platform-resolutions-during-day-2-of-convention/article_cfd1b27d-8af7-5cab-969b-fb38b1260703.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/idaho-democrats-adopt-party-platform-resolutions-during-day-2-of-convention/article_cfd1b27d-8af7-5cab-969b-fb38b1260703.html |
Idaho State University Athletes pose for a photo with Pocatello City Council member Linda Leeuwrik, center, during the Juneteenth celebration at the Pocatello Senior Acvitiy Center on Saturday.
Celebrations were planned throughout the Gem State, including Pocatello, Boise, Twin Falls, Lapwai and Rexburg
With live performances, local vendors, food and dance, community members gathered in celebration for the fourth annual “Family Function” Juneteenth event on Saturday at Julia Davis Park in downtown Boise.
For a weekend of celebration, Juneteenth Idaho and the Black Liberation Collective partnered with local organizations and Black-owned businesses such as The Honey Pot CBD, 2C Yoga, Honey’s Holistics, Cut-N-Up, Amina’s African Sambusas, among many others.
Last year, the state and federal government signed a law designating June 19 — known as Juneteenth — as an official holiday. Though it was declared a public holiday only as of last year, Juneteenth has historically been celebrated by Black communities across the country to honor the emancipation of enslaved African Americans during the end of the Civil War.
“On June 19, 1865 — over two years after President (Abraham) Lincoln declared all enslaved people free — Maj. General Gordon Granger and Union Army troops marched to Galveston, Texas, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and free the last enslaved Black Americans in Texas,” the federal proclamation declaring the date a federal holiday said.
The Boise community was not the only city in Idaho celebrating Juneteenth this weekend. Holiday celebrations took place across the state with events happening in Pocatello, Twin Falls and Lapwai. Students at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg will also celebrate the date on Monday.
Pocatello Police officers joined athletes from Idaho State University and officials with the NAACP to host a Juneteenth celebration at the Pocatello Senior Activity center on Saturday.
“Juneteenth is a space of so much Black joy for people across the diaspora. It’s just empowering to know that people who look like you and who share a common heritage are all here in Idaho, even if we don’t see each other often,” said Prisca Hermene, a Boise resident originally from the Congo who volunteered and performed at the Boise event.
Throughout the celebration, organizers were actively reminding attendees to stay hydrated, well-nourished and conscious of COVID-19 considerations.
Concerns after Patriot Front arrests in North Idaho
Community organizers expressed safety concerns for the Juneteenth event after a group of men from the white nationalist group Patriot Front appeared in Coeur d’Alene the day of a Pride event. The Patriot Front members were arrested on June 11 for conspiracy to riot after a 911 caller alerted the police to a group of men crowding inside in a U-Haul truck.
Nonprofit leaders participating in the Boise Juneteenth event expressed their personal thoughts on the incident.
“It’s terrifying and triggering. You never think, ‘Oh that U-Haul truck holds people who dislike me because I’m Black,’” said Whitley Hawk, the co-founder of Inclusive Idaho. “There are groups of people that say racism doesn’t exist, but then you have people who feel comfortable enough to come to a state that they don’t live in to endorse it.”
There was a shared sense of sadness, fear and tragedy among the leaders who ran booths on Juneteenth. However, some expressed a sense of gratitude toward those who stopped the potential riot.
Shari Baber, the president of the Boise Soul Food Festival, vice president of the Idaho Black Community Alliance and board member of the mentorship organization Brown Like Me, said she is proud of the person who decided to call the police to prevent something that could have been devastating.
“Am I sad that groups like this still exist? Yes. But to me, I would have been more devastated if they were all from Idaho. Most of them came here from somewhere else, and what that says to me is they had to go outside of our community to get their numbers,” Baber said.
Baber recommended people step out of their comfort zone as one way Idahoans can make people of color feel safer in their communities.
“If you pull out your camera, and in every one of your group photos everybody looks only like you, then you’ve probably got some work to do. Step out of your comfort zone and come to these events, support a Black business or go to the Idaho Black Community Alliance website to find over 85 Black businesses located right here in Idaho.”
Despite the recent events in North Idaho, this year’s community-wide Juneteenth celebration represents Black residents’ ability to grow and uplift their close-knit community in the state.
Juneteenth organizer, Claire-Marie Owens, returned to Idaho after spending 12 years away. She lived in Paris, New York and Dallas, but she decided to come back. Has she considered leaving Idaho permanently because of feeling unwelcome? No. Her identity as a Black woman and an Idaho resident is who she is.
“My mom’s family has been here for five generations. Idaho is where I am from. It is where I love and where I want to be,” Owens said.
The Idaho State Journal contributed to this report.
Juneteenth Idaho | 2022-06-20T22:43:26Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Idaho’s Black communities celebrate Juneteenth with joy, food, dance and community | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/idaho-s-black-communities-celebrate-juneteenth-with-joy-food-dance-and-community/article_fcf0859a-dac5-5446-96b7-6d5565d92405.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/idaho-s-black-communities-celebrate-juneteenth-with-joy-food-dance-and-community/article_fcf0859a-dac5-5446-96b7-6d5565d92405.html |
Ryker Craven, left, and Salvador Serna.
POCATELLO — Two local men were arrested Sunday evening after police say they forced entry into a local man’s home and displayed a firearm before attacking him.
Salvador Serna, 23, of Pocatello, and Ryker Craven, 18, of Chubbuck were both arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery following the incident. Serna also faces one felony count of aggravated assault.
The incident began to unfold around 8:50 p.m. Sunday when Pocatello police were dispatched to a mobile home on Driftwood Street for the report of a home invasion and disturbance, Pocatello police told the Idaho State Journal on Monday.
Upon arrival, police came into contact with a man who had been attacked and required attention from Pocatello Fire Department emergency medical personnel. The man was treated on scene and released, police said.
Both of the men accused of beating the man had fled from the scene but the victim provided police with a description of the vehicle they used to leave the area.
Pocatello police conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle in the area of West Pine Street and Packard Avenue and both Serna and Craven were identified as the suspects who allegedly beat the man at his Pocatello home, police said. A pistol was recovered from one of the men during the traffic stop, police said.
Both Serna and Craven were arrested without further incident.
Both men are expected to make first appearances during misdemeanor arraignment hearings on Tuesday.
If convicted of the felony aggravated battery charges, both men face up to 15 years in prison. The aggravated assault charge against Serna carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
Salvador Serna | 2022-06-21T02:33:43Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Police: Two arrested after invading man's home, beating him | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/police-two-arrested-after-invading-mans-home-beating-him/article_3829a5c4-e5e4-57ee-be6d-67d4d659932d.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/police-two-arrested-after-invading-mans-home-beating-him/article_3829a5c4-e5e4-57ee-be6d-67d4d659932d.html |
James "Jim" Lehman Lehman James Timothy Lehman, an established dairy farmer and life-long resident of Aberdeen, ID, died unexpectedly in his home on June 18, 2022, at the age of 74. Visitation 10:00a.m. , funeral at 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 24, 2022 at First Mennonite Church in Aberdeen, Idaho. Condolences, memories, & photos may be shared at DavisRoseMortuary.com. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The First Mennonite Church of Aberdeen.
Lehman James Timothy Lehman
James Lehman | 2022-06-21T08:52:06Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Lehman, James "Jim" | Obituaries | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/lehman-james-jim/article_9c46b1c1-f794-5cd7-9a55-7af6e2e547d3.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/lehman-james-jim/article_9c46b1c1-f794-5cd7-9a55-7af6e2e547d3.html |
Brad Paisley will perform live at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel's outdoor concert venue on June 25.
• "Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent" will be shown at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Bengal Theater at ISU. Admission is $1.
• The Aaron Ball Band will perform live at 6 p.m. Thursday during ISU's Concert on the Quad. All are welcome to attend. | 2022-06-22T02:37:07Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | What to do this week in East Idaho | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/what-to-do-this-week-in-east-idaho/article_7ce6b13b-0ae7-5ffc-82ec-df8b919eb6c7.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/what-to-do-this-week-in-east-idaho/article_7ce6b13b-0ae7-5ffc-82ec-df8b919eb6c7.html |
The U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed Joshua Hurwit as Idaho’s next U.S. Attorney on a voice vote.
Hurwit has been an assistant U.S. Attorney in Idaho since 2012. He was among three U.S. attorney nominees confirmed by the Senate on Monday; the other two were Jacqueline Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Gerard Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. | 2022-06-22T02:37:25Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Senate confirms Hurwit as Idaho's next US Attorney | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/senate-confirms-hurwit-as-idahos-next-us-attorney/article_e783a7ba-838c-57c6-80a8-341509fcfd81.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/senate-confirms-hurwit-as-idahos-next-us-attorney/article_e783a7ba-838c-57c6-80a8-341509fcfd81.html |
Karl Pettit holds a blueprint for the design of the Valley Mission dining and kitchen area. The Valley Mission shelter project could be completed as early as summer 2023.
Pictured is the sign outside of the future home of the Valley Mission rescue shelter at 442 N. Arthur Ave. in Pocatello.
Demolition is ongoing at the future home of the Valley Mission rescue shelter.
POCATELLO — The Valley Mission rescue shelter project in downtown Pocatello is well underway, with most of the building's interior demolition complete and a prospective end date set for summer of 2023.
Karl Pettit, director of Valley Mission, which started out of First Baptist Church of Pocatello, said he hopes to have the project complete around this time next year. All that's left ahead is to fill in an old indoor pool and hot tub.
Pettit acquired the building at 442 N. Arthur Ave., which formerly housed Metropolitan Health Spa, in 2020. Since then, work has been ongoing to convert the fitness facility into the Valley Mission shelter complete with 12 beds, a food pantry, laundromat, life skills programs and dormitory housing for at-risk populations.
The current plan is to get the shelter's food pantry and laundromat open in the building by this December, but the timeline depends on fundraising to cover construction costs and purchase furniture and appliances.
Valley Mission services are still being offered out of the nearby First Baptist Church, but Pettit said having the new facility open would be a gamechanger for people in need and for the rescue organization's efforts to provide needed services.
"The quicker we can get the funding for this, the quicker we can get it opened," Pettit said. "The need just continues to grow. It's not growing by the week or month anymore. The need here is growing day after day."
Valley Mission has partnered with many local businesses and organizations and will continue to seek partnerships to help with the construction project and with operating the shelter and its many services once it's open.
Pettit called the summer 2023 opening goal "aggressive" but said he thinks the project is on track to meet that goal if few to no obstacles arise.
"We've got a grant writer that's working with me and my team, so we've been able to really triple our efforts on that and get after some funding. I think it'll happen," Pettit said of being able to complete the project by next summer. "This community is amazing, and this project has been an amazing community collaboration. Really, we're spoiled and I'm OK with that."
Karl Pettit | 2022-06-22T02:37:38Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Valley Mission shelter project eyes summer 2023 completion | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/valley-mission-shelter-project-eyes-summer-2023-completion/article_24afe38c-4137-5cd5-9b67-abf3d813ead7.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/valley-mission-shelter-project-eyes-summer-2023-completion/article_24afe38c-4137-5cd5-9b67-abf3d813ead7.html |
By BROCK MARCHANT Herald Journal
“I think the message from me would be how important families are,” Stevenson said. “When we talk about families, we immediately think of our earthly families, okay, but when we draw back just a little bit, we start to talk about being children of a loving Heavenly Father. And as we think about our role as children of a loving Heavenly Father, that means that we’re all brothers and sisters … as brothers and sisters, I think it’s a little easier to apply brotherly love.” | 2022-06-23T01:26:40Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Ground broken for Smithfield Latter-day Saint Temple | Faith | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/faith/ground-broken-for-smithfield-latter-day-saint-temple/article_6af892d4-364c-534b-9822-aa6d93ca0115.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/faith/ground-broken-for-smithfield-latter-day-saint-temple/article_6af892d4-364c-534b-9822-aa6d93ca0115.html |
By JAKOB THORINGOTN Post Register
The Associated Press, in November, reported that plan submitted in response to the project’s request for proposal for the power system should include a uranium-fueled reactor core, a system to convert the nuclear power into usable energy, a thermal management system to keep the reactor cool, and a distribution system providing no less than 40 kilowatts of continuous electric power for 10 years in the lunar environment. | 2022-06-23T01:26:52Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Battelle awards contracts to design lunar nuclear power system | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/battelle-awards-contracts-to-design-lunar-nuclear-power-system/article_188f8650-6fb4-57f1-9fa6-c5ffeedc3361.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/battelle-awards-contracts-to-design-lunar-nuclear-power-system/article_188f8650-6fb4-57f1-9fa6-c5ffeedc3361.html |
Cougar Island, a 14-acre island in Payette Lake.
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho officials on Tuesday voted to sell at auction a 14-acre “high-end” island in Payette Lake near the vacation and second-home town of McCall.
The island has five lots, with one leased. State officials plan to offer the lots individually or the island as a whole and take whichever brings in the most money. Only two of the five lots are capable of having a septic system, officials said, limiting the value of the three other lots to “campsites” and likely making selling the entire island as a whole the best option.
“I kind of feel sorry for the current lessee,” Little said after the meeting. “I think somebody with really deep pockets is probably going to buy (the entire island) and only put one place on it.”
Jim Laski of Bellevue is the current lease holder on an island lot, which has a cabin, and told the board he and his family have been good stewards and take seriously protecting the watershed. He asked the board to go forward with the auction with hopes of buying the lot from the state.
“Ten summers ago, I had the opportunity to acquire the lease on lot two of Cougar Island,” he told the board. “Since then, my family and I have spent as much time during the summer as possible enjoying the island and the unique beauty an Idaho mountain lake has to offer.”
Valley County commissioners opposed the auction and asked for more time so they could ask for donations and make some type of financial arrangement so the county could buy the island. Commissioners also proposed a possible land swap for county land.
“Cougar Island is a historical gem of Valley County,” Valley County Commissioner Sherry Maupin told the board. “This island, which has been accessible for public use, is one of the many areas used to enhance our recreation economy.”
Land Board members had concerns about the timing of selling the property, with real estate sales appearing to soften recently.
But realtor Mark Bottles, who handles real estate auctions for the Land Board, said now is a good time to sell the island, and as a whole rather than as five individual lots.
“For these high-end assets, we’re still seeing activity,” said Bottles, noting he started getting calls about the island following news reports of a potential auction. “They were interested (in the island) as a whole, not as a subdivision, as they called it. They would rather have something more exclusive.”
Statewide, the Land Board directs the Idaho Department of Lands in managing about 3,900 square miles (10,100 square kilometers) of state-owned land.
The state manages about 285 square miles (740 square kilometers) around McCall, which includes Cougar Island. About 115 square miles (300 square kilometers) are primarily managed as timberland.
But land values have skyrocketed in recent years, outpacing the value of state-owned timberland in the McCall area, and forcing the Land Board to consider selling the land to fulfill its obligation to generate the most money for beneficiaries. Other state lands are facing similar pressure.
Jonathan Oppenheimer of the Idaho Conservation League said his and other groups would like to see the auction for the island delayed until a conservation deal can be struck.
“This is a very high-profile and high-conservation-value property,” he said. “We would like to see it preserved in some way, shape or form to have it conserved for the benefit of all Idahoans.”
Idaho Land Board
Mark Bottles | 2022-06-23T01:26:59Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Idaho to sell ‘high-end’ island in Payette Lake near McCall | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/idaho-to-sell-high-end-island-in-payette-lake-near-mccall/article_6a10b772-e2e5-569c-8d47-19cceb21878d.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/idaho-to-sell-high-end-island-in-payette-lake-near-mccall/article_6a10b772-e2e5-569c-8d47-19cceb21878d.html |
Bingham County Sheriff Craig Rowland
“We will not move it again,” Dunn said. “We will stay as long as we can that Monday for jury selection.”
“Does (Rowland) get some kind of special accommodation because of that to decide” whether Dunn will allow such an argument to be made, the judge questioned. Dunn said he wants a briefing on that no later than July 15.
Rowland’s defense attorney, Justin Oleson, presented the motion to continue the trial along with some other motions. Oleson, who also serves as the Custer County prosecutor, said he didn’t want to be preparing for two trials at the same time and there were some questions of witness availability.
“I have a full slate and I’ve got to have some time to prepare,” Oleson said. The week before July 18, Oleson said, he has two trials in Challis on a sex offense case and a grand theft case.
Initially, Dunn said he was “a little bit not persuaded (to move the trial date) as much by conflicts if we’re talking about your work as a prosecutor,” saying in that capacity he has flexibility to reschedule those cases.
“That would be wholly inappropriate,” Oleson said, adding that the problem is the prosecution in the Rowland case has a victim that couldn’t show on July 18.
Dunn noted that Oleson had three months since Rowland’s arraignment to make whatever preparations were necessary.
“I’m having a hard time being sympathetic, I’m always more inclined to accommodate witnesses than I am attorneys’ schedules,” he added. “I’m disinclined to move the trial. I will not push this into the school year, I’m not going to put these minors in a position to miss school in September.”
“If we can’t move it, I’m going to move to withdraw,” pushing for the following week, Oleson said.
Motions included defense objections to a Ring doorbell video and using trespassing as a defense. Dunn said he wanted some briefing to show why the motions should be resolved in the defense’s favor, saying he would need that by July 6 by 1:30 via Zoom.
There will be 80 potential jurors in numbered seats in the courtroom gallery for jury selection, Dunn said. He added that the circumstances of questioning jurors would be “so unusual” because of the nature of this case.
“When you are sheriff you are acting as the sheriff 24/7,” Oleson argued. Dunn indicated he won’t refer to “Sheriff” Rowland during the trial, that he felt Rowland was acting as a private citizen.
Justin Oleson
Jeffrey Nye | 2022-06-24T07:53:05Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Sheriff Rowland's trial date delayed one week | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/sheriff-rowlands-trial-date-delayed-one-week/article_fb07a881-be89-5b4d-b674-00eecfdadfae.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/sheriff-rowlands-trial-date-delayed-one-week/article_fb07a881-be89-5b4d-b674-00eecfdadfae.html |
Ryder Bike Club recently became a nonprofit 501 © (3) organization and has been working for about five years to transform part of Ryder Park into a bike park, Fell said. The entire project is crowd-funded and volunteer-driven, with support from the city of Idaho Falls.
“This is meant to be a safe place for kids to learn and progress,” Miller said. “Whether you ride a toddler’s bike or a professional’s bike, we want this to be set up for everyone.”
The park’s design plan calls for a 14-acre park with an asphalt track that people can ride with their bikes, scooters and skateboards; along with a skills area with dirt jumps and dirt trails for people to ride their bikes. Fell said the plan may be narrowed in scope depending on the city’s plans for Ryder Park.
Davin Napier | 2022-06-24T07:53:11Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Local bike groups seek to improve mountain biking access in East Idaho | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/local-bike-groups-seek-to-improve-mountain-biking-access-in-east-idaho/article_ae13d5c2-d9d6-55f5-b7b8-5a932934e7ef.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/local-bike-groups-seek-to-improve-mountain-biking-access-in-east-idaho/article_ae13d5c2-d9d6-55f5-b7b8-5a932934e7ef.html |
Delano Moses Vigil Jr., left, and Jesus Gabriel Wallace.
POCATELLO — Two men were arrested and charged with a felony for allegedly possessing stolen vehicles in the Gate City on Wednesday.
Delano Moses Vigil Jr., 44, of Salt Lake City, has been charged with one felony count of grand theft by possession of a stolen vehicle.
The incident began to unfold around 1:35 p.m. on Wednesday when Pocatello police were dispatched to the 1000 block of East Poplar Street after someone located a 2008 black Ford Explorer that had been reported stolen out of Murray, Utah.
The vehicle was parked in front of an apartment complex and officers came into contact with the neighbors who said they identified Vigil as one of the people who had been driving the car, police said. The neighbor said Vigil had been driving the car since Sunday, police said.
Police came into contact with Vigil at the apartment near the Explorer and he initially provided police with a false name, said police, adding that Vigil denied having any knowledge about the stolen vehicle.
Officers informed Vigil there were witnesses who could identify him as a person who was driving the SUV, and told him he was being placed under arrest, police said. Police also confirmed Vigil had an outstanding warrant out of Murray.
After securing Vigil in handcuffs, officers searched him and located a key that matched the Explorer in his pocket, police said.
He was subsequently arrested and booked into the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello.
Jesus Gabriel Wallace, 47, of Pocatello, has also been charged with felony grand theft by possession of a stolen vehicle following a separate incident on Wednesday.
Around 9:16 p.m. Wednesday, Pocatello police observed a 2001 Nissan Maxima with Montana plates that had been reported stolen out of Billings, Montana, near the 400 block of South Fifth Avenue.
The vehicle stopped in an alley and officers ordered the driver, later identified as Wallace, out of the car at gunpoint.
Wallace was also arrested and booked into the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello.
Vigil appeared in front of 6th District Judge Paul Laggis for an arraignment hearing Thursday, during which his bond was set at $500.
He is due back in court on July 5 for a preliminary hearing in which prosecutors will attempt to prove there is enough evidence against him to elevate the case from the magistrate to district court level for trial.
Wallace also appeared in front of Laggis for an arraignment hearing Thursday, during which he was ordered to be released from jail on his own recognizance.
He is also due back in court for a preliminary hearing on July 5.
Both Vigil and Wallace face no less than one and up to 14 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 if convicted of the felony grand theft by possession of a stolen vehicle charge.
Moses Vigil Jr. | 2022-06-24T07:53:18Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Police: Two men arrested after possessing stolen vehicles in unrelated incidents | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/police-two-men-arrested-after-possessing-stolen-vehicles-in-unrelated-incidents/article_a3875dd7-1a62-58f9-8d0c-59cbca0edc47.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/police-two-men-arrested-after-possessing-stolen-vehicles-in-unrelated-incidents/article_a3875dd7-1a62-58f9-8d0c-59cbca0edc47.html |
• Citizens Community Bank will hold a 25-year anniversary party from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at all the bank’s branch locations in Ammon, Chubbuck, Idaho Falls, Pocatello and Rexburg.
• Pocatello Downs is back today with more horse racing at the Bannock County Event Center’s Grandstands. Gates open at 4 p.m., and the first race will run at 5 p.m. Admission is $2 per person.
• Movies at the Port, presented by Portneuf Health Trust, returns with a screening of MGM’s “Dog” (rated PG-13) today. Admission is free. Grab your blankets, chairs and popcorn and come to the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre lawn for a good time. Gates open at 8 p.m., and movies begin after sundown, weather permitting.
• Almost Famous will perform live starting at 8 p.m. today at the Pocatello Elks Lodge, 410 S. Main St.
Today and Saturday
• The 16th annual Malad Valley Welsh Festival will take place today and Saturday at Malad City Park. Celebrating the Welsh heritage of Malad Valley, the festival features presentations about Wales, a photo exhibit of Wales, displays of pioneer family histories, Celtic music, youth and adult poetry readings, concerts, art exhibits, wagon rides to historic sites, kids’ pioneer games, quilt show, food and craft vendors. For more information and to view a full schedule of events, visit www.welshfestival.com.
• The annual Rockland School Foundation Dutch Oven Dinner & Melodrama will take place starting at 6 p.m. today and Saturday at the Rockland School Old Gym, 321 E. Center St. in Rockland. The melodrama this year is “Farm Wars”: “Star Wars” but as a spaghetti western. Tickets run from $5 to $15 and can be purchased at the following link: fb.me/e/2d8D7ZKxJ.
• Get up and get active with Donor Connect’s Gift of Life Walk/Run on Saturday at the Portneuf Wellness Complex. Registration opens at 8 a.m. and the race will begin at 9 a.m. Participants can choose to walk or run a 2K or 5K race around the Wellness Complex. For more information, visit raceentry.com/gift-of-life-walkrun-pocatello/race-information.
• Concentrix Pocatello is hosting a fundraising event for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Longest Day effort from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the Concentrix parking lot at 805 N. Main St.
• ISU’s Department of Physics will host a Water Rocket Festival from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday and Sunday at Pocatello’s Tydeman Park, North Eighth Avenue and East Young Street. Each day, the first 100 youth ages 16 years old and younger will receive the materials needed to construct a water rocket. The festival is being held in conjunction with the Pocatello Kiwanis Club’s 54th annual Bing Hong Pancake Breakfast fundraiser. | 2022-06-24T15:20:42Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Community calendar: June 24-25 | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/community-calendar-june-24-25/article_c651207e-25b6-5c45-90c1-fdb509cec171.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/community-calendar-june-24-25/article_c651207e-25b6-5c45-90c1-fdb509cec171.html |
Delegation won’t follow Cheney’s lead
It’s easy to write glowing editorials about Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney, who has openly called out former President Donald Trump for his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Her words during the first round of televised congressional hearings on the Jan. 6 Capitol riot were profound and courageous: “Tonight, I say this to my Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible: There will come a time when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain.”
History may prove her to be correct. But in the immediate future, the Idaho delegation is not about to side with Cheney or Democrats who spent four years trying to figure out how to remove Trump from office.
Idaho Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo and Congressman Mike Simpson are political survivors. All held top leadership positions in the Idaho Legislature and now have lofty committee assignments in Congress. Crapo, who has served almost 30 years in Congress, is the ranking member of the Finance Committee and once chaired the banking committee. Simpson, who has held his job since 1999, is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee — which has been a cash cow for Idaho’s 2nd District. Risch has served 13 years in the Senate and is the ranking member of the foreign relations committee. These are dream assignments for anyone in Congress.
Fulcher was the lone member of Idaho’s delegation who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election results. It has not hurt him politically, even though commentators have had a field day mocking Fulcher for his stand. People in the media talk about the “big lie” that Trump has been promoting about the 2020 presidential election being stolen, but for a good number of Republicans in Idaho’s 1st District, it’s the “ultimate truth.”
I doubt if anyone in the delegation stands behind everything Trump has said or done or totally agrees with his bombastic approach. Secretly, they may wish that the GOP finds another conservative candidate to head the presidential ticket in 2024. But if it comes down to Trump versus President Biden in 2024, there is no question over who the delegation would support. And there’s little question that Trump would carry Idaho by a wide margin. | 2022-06-24T18:27:47Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Delegation won’t follow Cheney’s lead | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/delegation-won-t-follow-cheney-s-lead/article_adfdf6f9-3a89-555e-b0a7-b73b4ae24cb1.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/delegation-won-t-follow-cheney-s-lead/article_adfdf6f9-3a89-555e-b0a7-b73b4ae24cb1.html |
Minidoka reminds us to remain vigilant against racial injustice
I had the privilege of speaking at a ceremony held at the Minidoka Relocation Camp in Jerome County on June 13, recognizing the 80-year anniversary of the start of camp construction. The camp was one of 10 established in the western states in 1942 to imprison Japanese Americans who were uprooted from their homes in Hawaii and the West Coast during the Second World War. Around 13,000 of them, mostly American citizens, were imprisoned at Minidoka. They posed no threat to their country but were rounded up simply because of their race.
The camp has been designated as the Minidoka National Historic Site. It reminds us of a grave racial injustice brought about by hysteria whipped up by irresponsible news outlets and pandering politicians. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the order to incarcerate our fellow Americans. Former Idaho Gov. Chase Clark applauded the move. It found strong support among the Idaho population.
An honor roll at the entry to MNHS lists the names of hundreds of young men from the camp who heroically served their country in the European Theater of WWII, while their families were imprisoned at home. No instances of disloyalty ever surfaced among the incarcerated Japanese Americans. Yet those who remained in Idaho after the closure of the camp in 1945 were subjected to ill-treatment and racial slurs during the following decades.
Nor were we taught of the massacre of 34 Chinese miners in Hells Canyon in 1887, a crime for which nobody was ever held to account. The 1870 census disclosed that 28.5 percent of Idaho’s population was Chinese. No wonder that it is only around 1 percent today.
And these are not problems confined to the distant past. The Ku Klux Klan was strong in Idaho in the 1920s, and white supremacists were on the rise in Kootenai County in the early 1980s. After having practically eliminated them by the early 1990s, they have come back in force in recent years, thanks in part to an influx of extremists flowing to Idaho from progressive states in search of a white “redoubt.”
Jim Jones is a Vietnam combat veteran who served eight years as Idaho attorney general (1983-1991) and 12 years as a justice on the Idaho Supreme Court (2005-2017). He is currently a regular contributor to The Hill online news. He blogs at JJCommonTater. | 2022-06-24T18:27:59Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Minidoka reminds us to remain vigilant against racial injustice | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/minidoka-reminds-us-to-remain-vigilant-against-racial-injustice/article_0c02a86a-0b01-5b82-a170-d0585476a024.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/minidoka-reminds-us-to-remain-vigilant-against-racial-injustice/article_0c02a86a-0b01-5b82-a170-d0585476a024.html |
My pink half of the drainpipe
Yesterday I watched a White House news conference in which President Joe Biden attempted to make the case that a temporary suspension of federal and state fuel taxes would be an effective tool in addressing that “transitory” inflation that Putin (and China, via coronavirus) concocted to bedevil the West.
It was a wasted half hour of my life that I can't get back.
No, it was worse than that. It might have been the most frightening news conference of my adult life. About halfway through, as Biden was slamming oil companies and the owners of gasoline stations for greed and profiteering, it occurred to me that he actually believed what he was saying. Not since I watched the news of JFK's assassination all those years ago have I been so disturbed by a news conference.
It's one thing for a politician to spout partisan, self-absorbed, blame-eschewing, word salads of BS — something that's nearly ubiquitous. It's quite another when you look into their eyes and, in a moment of horror, realize that they actually believe the nonsense that's coming out of their mouths.
The fact that Biden managed to toss into his unique serving of non sequitur stew a nod to nearly every progressive economic meme and liberal bumper sticker slogan regarding capitalism, is breathless. As is his inability as our current president, a former VP and member of the Senate for decades, to comprehend sophomore economics.
It's no wonder that the Russians and Chinese (among others) openly no longer respect us. Just look at the occupants of the Oval Office for the past six years. If Donald Trump and Joe Biden are the best that we can do, we might not deserve a lot of respect.
Though both Trump and Biden have, in my view, reduced the prestige of this country through incompetence and dishonesty, their dishonesties, though equally unfortunate, are nonetheless entirely discernible.
Trump's crude dishonesty is that of a leering carnival barker trying to egg some poor rube into spending fifty bucks on a chance to win a $10 prize for his cute girlfriend. The rube eventually feels bad about falling for the con, but it's his own fault. He should be more careful the next time.
Biden's somewhat more sophisticated dishonesty is that of a religious fanatic who just knows that completely ridiculous things are true because he, and those of his ilk, feel it in their souls. If you don't similarly feel it in your soul it's because there is something wrong with you; some moral or intellectual defect that requires an auto-da-fe.
I leave it to you, the discerning reader, to ascertain which you fear the most.
Biden's claim that inflation is mostly Putin's fault has been so thoroughly debunked by, among others, Biden's own Fed Chair, Jerome Powell, that it's a wonder that anyone on the left still thinks it's a persuasive talking point beyond those already imbibing the Kool-Aid.
Our current bout of inflation has complex origins and it's certainly not all President Biden's fault. Biden's fault is that he's done almost nothing useful to ameliorate inflation. In many ways, in fact, he's done all that he could to make inflation worse by forcing irresponsible policies, from the left's dream list, into ill-fitting economic realities. Square pegs into round holes.
One of the biggest drivers of the current round of inflation is the cost of energy. Energy costs, which have been near historic lows until very recently, began rising rapidly after the 2020 election — well before Putin invaded Ukraine. I reckon that those greedy oil company and gas station profiteers were just on a prolonged bender for the previous decade when fuel costs, when adjusted for inflation, were near historic lows. Evidently they found religion just as Joe Biden was sworn in.
Not all of the increase in energy costs is President Biden's fault. Some of this occurred due to a rapid, post-pandemic increase in demand after several years of glut. But a good deal of it is. Biden declared war on fossil fuels virtually the day that he took office — much to the delight of the left who imagined higher energy costs as a way to foist their green utopia, by force of government, on everyone else.
Then Putin invaded Ukraine and we got a first hand look at how foolish it's been to abandon energy independence via a mixture of fossil fuels and nuclear power, solar, wind, thermal and other technologies. Germany, as green of a country as they come, observing the plain writing on the wall, is currently restarting coal-fired power plants so that German citizens don't freeze to death this winter. That's what responsible people do when they figure out that plan “A” isn't working.
Yet here in America the Biden administration continues to be openly belligerent to the domestic fossil fuel industry — and lies about their hostility all of the time. Issuing drilling permits on public land does nothing to encourage domestic production if drilling, refining and transportation are all limited by onerous levels of regulation.
Biden could correct this almost overnight — were he so inclined. But this would certainly offend the Green New Deal lobby. That being the case, Biden would rather ask some of the worst regimes on the planet to increase their output of oil than risk offending his left flank by taking the shackles off of domestic production. A move, by the way, that would almost certainly ameliorate both energy costs and inflation.
But offending the Green lobby is not going to happen. And we are told that if we don't like high fuel costs, to go buy an electric car. That's some genuine “let 'em eat cake” for you right there.
I happen to like EVs. We are taking delivery of a new Ford Mach-E next week. But we have two things going for us that most Americans do not. The first is that we can afford to purchase an EV, which not everyone can. The second is that we have access to charging stations at both ends of a reasonable commute — something that almost no one else who might be interested in an EV enjoys.
Joe Biden and the left may concoct any word salad they like to distract from their culpability in our current mess, but the vast majority of Americans aren't buying what they are selling vis-à-vis energy, inflation, national security or a host of other issues. It's roughly 150 days until the mid-terms. I, for one, can't wait.
Associated Press and Idaho Press Club award-winning columnist Martin Hackworth of Pocatello is a physicist, writer and retired Idaho State University faculty member who now spends his time with family, riding mountain bikes and motorcycles and playing guitars. His writing on Substack, “Howlin' at the Moon in ii-V-I,” may be found at martinhackworth.substack.com | 2022-06-24T18:28:05Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | My pink half of the drainpipe | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/my-pink-half-of-the-drainpipe/article_d43da184-bc54-5e65-a2ce-68cbec3f2e7f.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/my-pink-half-of-the-drainpipe/article_d43da184-bc54-5e65-a2ce-68cbec3f2e7f.html |
UPDATE FROM POCATELLO POLICE DEPARTMENT
On 6/23/22 at 1123pm the Pocatello Police was called to assist the Idaho State Police with a male being reported as walking out in front of oncoming vehicles in the area of I-15 and milepost 71. An Idaho State Trooper located the male near milepost 71 and attempted to contact the subject. The male subject resisted the Trooper and the Trooper attempted to restrain the male. The male was able to get away and went into traffic where he was hit by an oncoming vehicle. The unknown driver and vehicle left the scene. The pedestrian did not survive. The name of the victim is not being released pending family notifications and release from the Coroner. The Pocatello Police Department is investigating the incident and more information will be released at a later time. If anyone has any information about this incident please contact the Pocatello Police Department at 208-234-6142 or the City Public Information Officer, Marlise Irby, at 208-244-9311.
POCATELLO — Interstate 15 northbound in Pocatello was shut down for several hours after an adult male pedestrian was fatally struck by a vehicle on the freeway late Thursday night, authorities said.
The collision occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Interstate 15's northbound lanes just north of the Pocatello Creek Road exit.
State police posted on Twitter that motorists traveling on Interstate 15 northbound in Pocatello "should expect delays or find an alternate route."
The pedestrian died at the scene, according to the Bannock County Coroner's Office. The man's name has not yet been released.
Police are expected to release more information on the incident soon so stay with idahostatejournal.com for updates on this story. | 2022-06-24T18:28:11Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Police searching for driver who reportedly left scene after fatally hitting pedestrian on I-15 in Pocatello | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/police-searching-for-driver-who-reportedly-left-scene-after-fatally-hitting-pedestrian-on-i-15/article_55c280ba-d321-5933-86a8-7ec8870572d6.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/police-searching-for-driver-who-reportedly-left-scene-after-fatally-hitting-pedestrian-on-i-15/article_55c280ba-d321-5933-86a8-7ec8870572d6.html |
Dustin Manwaring
The hardest game ever played
By Rep. Dustin Manwaring
My experience playing baseball started with The Rockets tee-ball team and continued into middle school when I traded in my glove and love for diamonds for running shoes and oval tracks. Decades later, coaching tee-ball reminds me of that same nervous energy as little players line up on the field to begin a journey to learn the rules to the great American game.
“Who knows what I am holding?” I said, while kneeling on the damp morning grass with a florescent yellow ball in my hand. “A tennis ball!” shouted many little voices in near perfect unison. Everyone was nervous and excited, especially the coach. The objective of using tennis balls at the first couple of practices was to keep the kids focused on having fun playing the game and demonstrate that all balls being thrown in life are not scary. It is OK to start with the soft balls, develop good habits and polished talents and then move to harder balls and faster pitches.
Playing baseball can be difficult if you do not know which hand to put your glove on or how to hold a bat or throw a ball. Playing baseball can still be difficult when you master the fundamentals and everyone else on the field has your same level of skill. It is sometimes said that hitting a baseball is one of the hardest things to do regularly in sports. It seems fitting then that baseball is considered the great American game because we have a long history of accomplishing hard things. Creating and keeping a representative democracy is extremely difficult for a free society to do.
Rethinking the fundamentals of tee-ball and recalling the basics of the game has helped me think about the American Experiment and the right to choose and pursue happiness. The guarantee is only a right to play the game, and not to get a hit and score every time or get a trophy for playing. Life is hard even in 2022 America, but it is also deeply rewarding and exhilarating if you play by the rules and keep swinging.
After one little league strikeout, I learned what it feels like to walk back empty handed to your teammates and three important lessons about baseball and life. My decision to walk on the right side of Drew, who was warming up and practicing his home run swing in the batter’s circle was an impactful choice. Drew was a "lefty" and when he swung the bat, it traveled in the opposite direction from what I expected. The broken nose lesson has lasted much longer.
First, don't strike out if you can help it. Second, a baseball bat is a useful tool if everyone swings the same way. But it can also be a blunt force weapon when we don’t anticipate the Drews in the world who will teach you things you may not understand — the hard way. Third, stay away from the batter's circle when it is not your turn. That was Drew's space. Lines on the field are usually there for a reason. If you pay attention to the lines, the game is a little less difficult and you are more likely to avoid a broken nose.
Coaching tee-ball has been a time for me to reconsider and reflect why baseball became America's favorite pastime and the role the game has played in the "American Experiment." Besides enjoying the game on a summer evening with family and friends and cheering for a favorite team, the game of baseball shares a part of our history including racial integration and even women substituting to play for men during World War II. These and many others are reasons America fell in love with Baseball.
I hope my son learns to love the game, understand the rules, and to have passion and persistence to play life hard, fair, and long. Our country is expecting it.
Rep. Dustin Manwaring serves Legislative District 29 in the Idaho House of Representatives and is a business and estate planning attorney in Pocatello. | 2022-06-24T18:28:18Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The hardest game ever played | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/the-hardest-game-ever-played/article_26100936-3479-5643-9d03-c259a40dcc4d.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/the-hardest-game-ever-played/article_26100936-3479-5643-9d03-c259a40dcc4d.html |
Animal-human bonds: Benefits and challenges
I find there are few experiences that compare to coming home to furry roommates who hold your heart in their paws. That unconditional love can do more than keep you company, it can give you comfort in many ways. Decreased stress, improved heart health and even help with emotional and social skills are just a few areas this relationship can benefit.
An estimated 68 percent of U.S. households have a pet. But how can humans benefit from having a four-legged companion?
If you’re reading this article, I probably don’t have to tell you the happiness and comfort you get from the affection you share with your furry companion. However, medical studies even show that interacting with these companions decreases levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure. Other medical studies have found that interaction with animals in your life can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support and boost your mood.
Animals can serve as a source of comfort and support. Therapy dogs are particularly effective at providing this type of help. They’re sometimes brought into hospitals or nursing homes to help reduce patients’ stress and anxiety.
Because of these incredible benefits, medical researchers are specifically studying the safety of bringing animals into hospital settings since animals may expose people to more germs. Another study is looking at the safety of bringing dogs to visit children with cancer. Dogs may also aid in the human classroom learning environment. One medical study found that dogs may even help children with ADHD focus their attention.
It's probably no surprise to anyone who has a family pet that children who interact positively with animals showed better social skills and more sharing, cooperation, and volunteering. They also had fewer behavioral problems.
While pets may bring a wide range of health benefits, an animal may not provide positive benefits for everyone. Even though there are studies that suggest early exposure to pets may help protect young children from developing allergies and asthma, for people who are allergic to certain animals, having pets in the home can do more harm than good.
Several years ago, I was struggling with an allergy that kept me awake all night with wheezing, coughing and hacking. It terrified me to think that my beloved furry roommates may be the source of the problem. I went to an allergist who checked me for allergies associated with cats and dogs and they all came back negative. So, what was it?
After months of hacking and coughing (and many sleepless nights) I discovered that the source of my problem was cat litter! Yes, that granular miracle worker which disposes of the incredibly stinky waste odor left behind by your cat!
Come to find out that clay litters emit a dust (even if they claim to be dust free) that may contain elements that cause you or your cat allergies. Fortunately, there are many non-clay-based litters that work well with battling the adverse effects of your cat’s … waste products, without emitting any of the allergy causing dust. After I started using this natural product, which was made of corn, my allergies eventually subsided. Of course, it took about six months for my house to clear itself of all the accumulated clay litter dust before I became completely clear of the allergy symptoms.
Remember that animals can also feel stressed and fatigued. It’s important for kids to be able to recognize signs of stress in their pet and know when not to approach. Animal bites or scratches can cause or lead to serious medical issues. It’s an extremely important issue parents need to consider, especially for young children who don’t always know the boundaries of what’s appropriate when interacting with an animal.
Like many who are reading this article, I do not necessarily need to be informed of all the benefits I get from curling up with my furry roommates. However, there are probably folks who currently do not have daily interaction with a pet but may benefit greatly from these relationships. For those, they may find the information in the following links helpful in discovering the potential medical benefits of bonding with an animal.
National Institute of Health: newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets
Human Animal Bond Research Institute: https://habri.org/blog/top-5-benefits-of-the-human-animal-bond
Local Animal Welfare Organization Events and Services
The Portneuf Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has low-cost spay neuter certificates available to anyone every Saturday between 1 and p.m. at Tractor Supply in Pocatello. For more information, call PAWS at 208-406-2970.
The Bannock Humane Society (BHS) also has low-cost spay neuter certificates available to anyone every Wednesday between 7 and 8 p.m. at the BHS offices on 850 Barton Road. For more information, visit their website at www.bannockhumanesociety.org.
Portneuf Animal Welfare Society | 2022-06-24T18:28:24Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Animal-human bonds: Benefits and challenges | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/animal-human-bonds-benefits-and-challenges/article_44818547-0a8c-5a4f-a0b9-c778d2a1f02c.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/animal-human-bonds-benefits-and-challenges/article_44818547-0a8c-5a4f-a0b9-c778d2a1f02c.html |
The right-wing attack on schools
The rabid right-wingers are waging war on many fronts these days. One such front, a particularly unfortunate and unwarranted one, in my opinion, is the attack upon schools’ alleged violations of parental rights, and use of purportedly inappropriate educational materials.
I know a few teachers and I know a bit about schools of education, and I am perfectly willing to acknowledge that educational practices, for the lower grades particularly, change over time, and that theories of what the best educational methods are, come and go.
I went to a private, university-run school, and when I was there it had become the innovative new practice to omit phonics and sentence structure explication, so I learned to spell simply by knowing what words looked like, and my grasp of the names and functions of the various parts of speech is still minimal. I regret, now, that that was the popular theory of the day, and that I never had the pleasure of parsing a sentence.
But the fact is, education is not yet a science, and no one really knows, with certainty, how best to teach children. So, teachers go from new theory to new theory (they always have names, like CRT and SEL) but, even so, I think it is perfectly evident that, whatever the theoretical enthusiasm of the moment might be, teachers do a great job and kids basically learn what they should.
Right-wingers, however, insist there is “indoctrination” of the young in schools and that parents have a right to determine what their children learn there. Neither claim is valid.
With respect to parental rights in public schools, Idaho’s law says only that schools must make “reasonable accommodation” with parents regarding the exercise of their rights, but “without substantial impact to staff and resources, including employee working conditions, safety and supervision on school premises for school activities and the efficient allocation of expenditures.”
And, if parents think that any learning material “harms (their) child or impairs the parents’ firmly held beliefs, values or principles,” the law says that those parents may “withdraw their child” from class when that material is taught. There is no suggestion in the law that parents may change what schools teach; only that if they object to something in the curriculum, they can arrange to withdraw their children from class when it is presented.
Hard-core conservatives, including our local, self-styled “paleo-conservative” Mr. Parsons, believe that the “doctrines” being foisted upon our children include “neo-Marxism”. Parsons claims that teachers, under the influence of Marxist doctrine, seek the “abolition of the nuclear family.” I’ve rarely encountered an accusation as far-fetched as that. It’s true that Marx believed, wrongly, that the nuclear family was created by, and supportive of, capitalism, but I’d wager that you’d find not a single elementary-school teacher in this state who knows that, much less agrees with Marx and is out to destroy that particular component of American life.
At the same time, the average grade-school teacher is well aware that the stereotypical “nuclear family” — mom and dad, former high school sweethearts who married and produced a brood of beloved children — now has many alternative forms.
Many children are in families with step-dads or step-moms; there are single-parent families; families with adopted children, children with two gay dads, or two lesbian moms, and plenty of “families” who choose not to have children at all. That variability is simply a fact about current American society. Should children be taught in school about all those kinds of families?
Of course, they should. Isn’t it the job of teachers in elementary through high school to not only inculcate skills, such as how to think, and write, and solve math problems, and do research, but also to give their students an accurate idea of what the current social and political realities of their country are?
A great many children grow up in communities that do not reflect the nature of the country we now live in because, in one way or another, they lack the diversity of contemporary American society. But, like it or not, that diversity — of race, ethnicity, culture, religious belief, sexual identity — is the reality that an elementary school kid will have to negotiate as he or she grows up and finds a place, and a life, in America. Conservatives may find our radically diverse society disagreeable, or perhaps even deplorable, but that’s the way it is, and children need to learn about it.
They also need to learn about American history. America is a country that, like other countries, has made mistakes — sometimes very egregious mistakes — but has also (however belatedly), tried to learn from those mistakes and atone for them. Loyalty to country — a moral virtue highly prized by conservatives — should not be the result of teachers’ lying about a country’s history. Whitewashing America’s past does no service to anyone.
Conservatives crave for the America that once was: a country where black people knew their place, brown people worked in the fields, gay people hid their deviant lives from public view, and women were the dutiful breeders that God meant them to be. In that America, it was white, straight, Christian males that held the country in their hands, and assumed it was their right to do so.
Thankfully, that America no longer exists, but conservatives want their children to be taught as though it did, in the hope that someday, somehow, those good-old-days will return. They won’t. | 2022-06-24T18:28:49Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The right-wing attack on schools | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-right-wing-attack-on-schools/article_20201a64-f0de-50a8-8d11-98c4a19581e8.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-right-wing-attack-on-schools/article_20201a64-f0de-50a8-8d11-98c4a19581e8.html |
POCATELLO — Four local men died in two separate crashes on East Idaho roads Thursday night including a fatal hit-and-run accident involving a pedestrian.
Robert Thomas Sequints, 30, of Pocatello, was fatally struck by a vehicle on the northbound lane of Interstate 15 just north of the Pocatello Creek Road exit around 11:25 p.m.
Pocatello police on Friday morning issued a statement saying the agency was called out to assist Idaho State Police after a man, identified as Sequints by the Bannock County Coroner's office Friday afternoon, was reported to be walking out in front of oncoming vehicles.
The Idaho State Police trooper attempted to restrain Sequints but he was able to resist and ran into the roadway on Interstate 15 before being struck by an oncoming vehicle, Pocatello police said. Sequints succumbed to his injuries on scene.
The vehicle that struck Sequints did not stop after the collision and Pocatello police are conducting an investigation regarding the incident.
Anyone with information about his incident is encouraged to contact the Pocatello Police Department at 208-234-6142 or the Pocatello Public Information Officer, Marlise Irby, at 208-244-9311.
Three Bingham County men died in a four-vehicle crash near the intersection of South 1050 West and State Highway 39 in Bingham County around 8:23 p.m. Thursday, according to Idaho State Police.
The Bingham County Coroner’s Office on Friday identified the three men who died in the crash as Luke David Clark, 22, of Riverside, R. Anthony Garcia, 18, of Thomas and Joshua Vance Wells, 24, of Pingree.
Clark was driving a 2017 Ford F350 eastbound on State Highway 39 when he failed to yield to stopped traffic and struck Wells, who was driving a 1982 Honda motorcycle, state police said.
After striking Wells, the Ford F350 continued further east and struck Garcia, who was driving a 2007 Chrysler Pacifica. The truck also struck a 2015 Ram 2500 pulling a 1999 Circle J Trailer that was being driven by a 65-year-old woman from Aberdeen, according to state police.
Clark was not wearing a seatbelt. All other occupants were wearing their seat belts. Wells was wearing a helmet, state police said.
State Highway 39 was blocked in both directions for over four hours Thursday night.
This incident remains under investigation by the Idaho State Police
Robert Thomas Sequints
Joshua Vance Wells
Luke David Clark | 2022-06-24T23:45:07Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Four East Idaho men die in two unrelated crashes on local roads Thursday night | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/four-east-idaho-men-die-in-two-unrelated-crashes-on-local-roads-thursday-night/article_031f04d2-af31-5d8b-8ada-381e8836041c.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/four-east-idaho-men-die-in-two-unrelated-crashes-on-local-roads-thursday-night/article_031f04d2-af31-5d8b-8ada-381e8836041c.html |
David Allen Placket
POCATELLO — A 34-year-old local man was arrested Thursday night after police say he attacked a man with a large wooden stick.
David Allen Placket, 34, of Pocatello, has been charged with one felony count of aggravated battery following the incident.
Pocatello police were dispatched to the 1000 block of S. 4th Avenue around 10:15 p.m. Thursday for the report of a physical disturbance between two men, according to a police report the Idaho State Journal obtained Friday.
Upon arrival, police came into contact with a shirtless man who had multiple bruises and red marks on the left side of his torso, police said. The man told police that Plackett had attacked him with a baseball bat, striking him numerous times in the torso and attempting to hit him in the head though he was able to block those strikes with his arm, according to the police report.
The victim told police that he knows Plackett and that Plackett is a member of the street gang known as the Severely Violent Criminals.
Police came into contact with Plackett at a nearby apartment complex. While interviewing him, Plackett admitted to using what he described as a wooden stick to strike the victim at least five times, police said.
Plackett said he believed the victim had a knife on him but never saw a knife during the incident, police said.
Plackett was subsequently charged, arrested and booked into the Bannock County Jail.
He appeared in front of 6th District Judge Bryan Murray for an arraignment hearing Friday, during which he was ordered to be released on his own recognizance.
Plackett is due back in court on July 5 for a preliminary hearing in which local prosecutors will attempt to prove there is enough evidence against him to elevate the case from the magistrate to district court level for trial.
If convicted of the felony aggravated battery charge, Plackett faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.
Plackett | 2022-06-24T23:45:14Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Local man arrested after allegedly beating man with large wooden stick | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/local-man-arrested-after-allegedly-beating-man-with-large-wooden-stick/article_c9ffc14d-f4d5-5f74-8ed3-a23e6eb9a010.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/local-man-arrested-after-allegedly-beating-man-with-large-wooden-stick/article_c9ffc14d-f4d5-5f74-8ed3-a23e6eb9a010.html |
Volunteer Loran Davis paints a house on Thursday as part of the Portneuf Valley Paintfest.
A volunteer paints a house in Pocatello on Thursday as part of the Portneuf Valley Paintfest.
The Portneuf Valley Paintfest has returned to Pocatello after a two-year pandemic driven hiatus, with seven homes chosen to receive fresh paint jobs this year.
The Paintfest initiative has been around since 1987 and has helped to paint more than 600 homes in the Pocatello-Chubbuck area since its inception. Each home chosen by Paintfest for painting belongs to a senior citizen of a certain income bracket whose house is in need of an exterior paint job facelift.
The painting was canceled for two consecutive years after 2019 due to COVID-19, but the organizers are happy to have been able to bring it back this year.
Portneuf Valley Paintfest board member RJ Anderson said while finding the materials for the paint jobs hasn't been an issue as it has for many similar projects, it has been difficult to find willing volunteers to fill the effort's need.
Volunteers in the past have been able to do close to 20 houses each year, but Anderson said Paintfest decided to keep it to seven homes this year.
"We wanted to start slow, see what our volunteer fluctuations were post-pandemic," he said. "Volunteers has been the hardest thing, just getting everyone back into it. We're probably half our force this year in volunteers that we were in years past, but we do have enough people to get these homes done."
Besides helping to beautify the neighborhoods in which the newly painted houses are located, a fresh paint job can positively impact a homeowner's morale and that of the home's immediate neighbors and the surrounding community.
That's what motivates Terrell Sampson, a local felony probation and parole officer, to volunteer for Paintfest. Sampson said beautifying homes can be impactful.
"At the very least it will provide a better local community, a better Pocatello," he said of painting homes. "To me, that's huge. The job that we do as probation or parole officers helps keep the community safe, but this is another way to give back to the community and another way to make this community a better place."
The Paintfest projects are made possible by local businesses and organizations that sponsor it and bring in volunteer to carry out the paint jobs. This year's sponsors include, among others, Coincentrix and Pocatello Simplot Credit Union.
Anderson, a manager at Coincentrix, who has been volunteering for Paintfest for several years, said he's looking forward to the initiative getting back on its feet.
"For me, the best part of doing this is seeing the homeowner's face and their reaction when we finish," Anderson said. "Every year, halfway through, I'm like, 'I quit. I'm done with this. It's too much,' and then the next year, I want to do it again. It's like a drug that just keeps bringing you back to volunteer."
Paintfest
Rj Anderson | 2022-06-24T23:45:26Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Portneuf Valley Paintfest returns after two-year hiatus | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/portneuf-valley-paintfest-returns-after-two-year-hiatus/article_b595be6b-fbce-5015-bc6d-980c84f32f27.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/portneuf-valley-paintfest-returns-after-two-year-hiatus/article_b595be6b-fbce-5015-bc6d-980c84f32f27.html |
At approximately 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 23, Idaho Department of Fish and Game received reports of two moose in the vicinity of Mountain View Cemetery on the south end of 5th Avenue in Pocatello.
Moose are quite often seen in the open spaces and benches to the west and south of Pocatello. However, sightings right in town are not as common and can be problematic. Moose can be defensive if people approach them, and these large animals can be a hazard to motorists.
Fish and Game cautions the public to always give wildlife their space to avoid potentially dangerous encounters. Never attempt to approach, corral or herd moose observed in town. Instead, contact Idaho Fish and Game for assistance. | 2022-06-25T02:04:15Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Fish and Game personnel capture and remove two moose that wandered into Pocatello | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/fish-and-game-personnel-capture-and-remove-two-moose-that-wandered-into-pocatello/article_44fa4738-c34c-5a3e-a191-8c86e28b9b7c.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/fish-and-game-personnel-capture-and-remove-two-moose-that-wandered-into-pocatello/article_44fa4738-c34c-5a3e-a191-8c86e28b9b7c.html |
March held in downtown Pocatello protesting US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade
POCATELLO — Dozens of people gathered in downtown Pocatello on Friday evening to protest the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The protesters marched through the downtown chanting and carrying signs saying things like "Never Again—Blood On Your Hands" and "Keep Our Kids Safe If You Want Them So Bad."
More than 50 people took part in the march, which was organized by the group Pro-Choice Southeast Idaho. | 2022-06-25T04:14:41Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | March held in downtown Pocatello protesting US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/march-held-in-downtown-pocatello-protesting-us-supreme-court-decision-to-overturn-roe-v-wade/article_14f1a9ea-8091-5926-8676-c6007aef8190.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/march-held-in-downtown-pocatello-protesting-us-supreme-court-decision-to-overturn-roe-v-wade/article_14f1a9ea-8091-5926-8676-c6007aef8190.html |
BOISE (AP) — The overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court with a 6-3 vote on Friday triggers a 2020 Idaho law banning all abortions except in cases of reported rape or incest, or to protect the mother's life.
That law takes effect 30 days after the court's decision, negating the state's current law allowing most abortions up to viability at about 24 weeks.
"Idaho has been at the forefront of enacting new laws to protect preborn babies," Republican Gov. Brad Little said in a statement, noting he signed the 2020 trigger law.
"However, we fully acknowledge this monumental moment in our country's history means we must confront what (we) know will be growing needs for women and families in the months and years ahead," he said. "We absolutely must come together like never before to support women and teens facing unexpected or unwanted pregnancies."
Specifically, Idaho's trigger law requires a judgement from the U.S. Supreme Court, which follows the court's Friday opinion and allows time to allow requests for a potential rehearing. It's not clear when the court will issue its judgement, but it's expected fairly soon, starting the clock on Idaho's trigger law.
"I never expected to see such a grave rollback of our rights in the 21st Century," said Democratic Rep. Lauren Necochea, who also chairs the Idaho Democratic Party. "This law is especially cruel because it only applies to those who don't have the resources to find a way around it. People of means will be able to flee the state to receive abortion care, while Idahoans facing low wages, including a disproportionate share of people of color, will face involuntary pregnancy."
"It is my promise to every person in Idaho that Planned Parenthood will never back down," said Rebecca Gibron, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky. "We will keep fighting with everything we've got to ensure that everyone can access the care you need to control your body and your life. I want to be clear: Planned Parenthood will always be here to help you get the care you need."
Planned Parenthood before the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling had already closed its clinic in Boise, Idaho's largest city, and merged it with one in Meridian about 15 miles away. There's another clinic in Twin Falls. It is opening a new clinic in Ontario on the Idaho-Oregon border, about a 45-minute drive from Boise.
Officials said resources saved by closing the Boise clinic will be used to help with telemedicine and for women to get abortion access in states where it remains legal.
Mistie DelliCarpini-Tolman, Idaho State Director for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, said most sexual assaults are not reported. She also said victims who do report them will face difficulty getting the report from a law enforcement agency as agencies typically don't release reports involving active investigations.
"We all know that abortion is a really time sensitive procedure," she said. "So these exceptions become really in name only. They're not very effective and not going to be very helpful for survivors of sexual assault."
If the Idaho Supreme Court upholds the state's Texas-style abortion ban, with Roe v. Wade now tossed aside, a medical provider who performs an abortion in Idaho could face a lawsuit and criminal charges.
"Today we celebrate 50 years of incredible effort to reverse a flawed 1973 ruling from an activist Supreme Court that violated states' rights guaranteed by the 10th amendment," the Idaho Republican Party said in a statement. "That power is now rightfully returned to the states."
"No one should have to flee their state to access safe healthcare," Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said on Twitter. "I remain steadfast in my support for all people who need access to abortion care & stand with them in fighting for privacy in health care decisions."
Republicans hold super-majorities in the House and Senate and oppose access to abortion. Idaho lawmakers have said they'll potentially consider legislation banning medication abortion and emergency contraception when the part-time Legislature convenes early next year. | 2022-06-25T06:16:25Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Idaho will ban most abortions after US Supreme Court ruling | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/idaho-will-ban-most-abortions-after-us-supreme-court-ruling/article_639f217c-aa95-5c9b-8e9e-12855d241bcb.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/idaho-will-ban-most-abortions-after-us-supreme-court-ruling/article_639f217c-aa95-5c9b-8e9e-12855d241bcb.html |
Man sentenced to up to 67 years in prison for murdering stepfather
IDAHO FALLS — Westley Hightower, 19, was sentenced to prison Friday as his adoptive mother, Larry Powell's widow, Carol Powell, cried from the opposite side of the courtroom. She cried for her husband who had been murdered and her son who had murdered him.
Wixom painted a picture of the courtroom wherein the victim's side of the courtroom was full of those that loved and supported the victim. He then referred to Hightower's side of the courtroom.
"Mr. Powell appropriately has a number of amazing family that love him and care about him, mourn him and are here for him," Wixom said. "I don't know of one person who is here for Mr. Hightower. His biological mother is not here. His biological father is not here. He does not have anyone here. His actions have left him virtually alone. He is all by himself."
Westley Hightower
Larry Powell
Carol Powell
Rocky Wixom
Nicole Mcdonald | 2022-06-25T06:16:37Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Man sentenced to up to 67 years in prison for murdering stepfather | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/man-sentenced-to-up-to-67-years-in-prison-for-murdering-stepfather/article_4dacb687-8e0a-58f5-a972-bfe150166c7e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/man-sentenced-to-up-to-67-years-in-prison-for-murdering-stepfather/article_4dacb687-8e0a-58f5-a972-bfe150166c7e.html |
Local band LOOT performs in front of a crowd of people during the 2021 Shady Grove Music Camp.
Photo courtesy of Shady Grove Music Camp
By Danae Lenz dlenz@journalnet.com
POCATELLO — Several years ago, local musician Caleb Rosenkrance had an idea: He wanted to start a music festival in Pocatello.
To bring the idea to life, he brought on Mike Engle, who operates Portal Productions, a Pocatello-based live sound production company, who agreed to donate his equipment for a festival.
As the idea grew, the two soon brought on Pocatello residents Ariona Brown, Chris Williams, John Eckert and Shelbie Harris to help make the music festival happen — and they did.
“My dad took me to Coachella when I was in highschool and the experience changed my life,” Williams said. “The atmosphere and community I've experienced at large-scale music and art events is special and immediately became an important part of what being alive is about for me. Since the Pocatello area was without that kind of event it was natural for me to become involved in putting one on. I love this part of the world for many reasons, but I've always felt it was a little lacking in its music scene. Shady Grove aims to be a part of changing that.”
Now in its third year, Shady Grove Music Camp will return July 15 and 16 at FMC Park northwest of Pocatello, and the organizers have made sure that the event offers something for everyone.
The music festival is known for showcasing original music, and this year is no exception: There are more than 20 hours of tunes on three stages slated over the course of the two days. Organizers say that attendees can expect to hear a cover or two in each band’s set, but that the majority of the songs are original compositions.
“After playing music in and around Pocatello over the last 10 years I just wanted to be a part of the music community and bring something Pocatello has the potential of thriving with,” Rosenkrance said. “We strive on showcasing original music from our local artists whether it be music, crafts and art in general. We are happy to be able to bring something new each year that some people wouldn't have heard otherwise. I love seeing all our hard work pay off with the cheers and movements of our community enjoying the performers. I hope this lives on and becomes something people look forward to each year.”
This year’s headliners include Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal from Lincoln, Nebraska; Marbin from Chicago; Lee Rafugee from Salt Lake City; and The French Tips from Boise. To see the full lineup of performers, visit shadygrovemusiccamp.com.
Great music is not all the festival offers, though. There will be art installations, great food and drinks, yoga and meditation, and craft vendors, and attendees have the option to camp as well.
SIXES Creative Studio founder Josh Pohlman will be creating a specialized mural, and SIXES will also host a community project, which will allow attendees to put their own touches on a canvas.
“I believe the music world goes hand in hand with the art realm,” Brown said. “A big reason why I am involved with Shady Grove is to showcase all of the unique and one-of-a-kind crafters and artists in Pocatello. I myself have sold my wares at the First Friday Art Walk and have met so many wonderful artists along the way. My intention is to bring the magic of art and expression to Shady Grove. I am proud to say we have gathered a total of 15 to 20 booths of original artwork at the event.”
This year’s food and drink lineup features beer from Jim Dandy Brewing, fresh-squeezed lemonade from Lemon Smashers, quesabirria and al pastor tacos from Taco-H, and the menu from the 2021 Reader’s Choice Awards best chef in Pocatello, Ryan Wiscombe, who will be serving up food from Palate Street Bistro.
Shady Grove Music Camp is sponsored by KISU, Idaho State Journal, Studio 305, Sumisu, Monk’s Auto Reconditioning, Mocha Madness, Creekside Auto, Barricade, ChubbyZ’ A&J Siding, Nugget CBD, Hooligans, Deckadence, Brick 243, Center Street Clubhouse and Nick’s Fireplace Outfitters.
Organizers are still looking for volunteers for the festival to help with parking, gate control, clean-up and first aid for those with medical training. Volunteer shifts are three hours long, and volunteers must be 18 or older. Volunteers will be eligible for free admission the day of their shift.
“This entire festival is a labor of love for all of us involved,” Harris said. “Nobody takes home a paycheck and countless volunteer hours each year are dedicated to carefully plan and organize the event. We do this because we know how incredible the local music scene is in East Idaho and we want other people to experience that, to relish in the fact that you’re listening to some incredible tunes from someone you know and love. As we grow, we look forward to bringing in bigger and better acts but we’ll never stray from ensuring local and regional acts have a chance to showcase their talents.”
Shady Grove Music Camp will take place Friday, July 15, and Saturday, July 16, at FMC Park northwest of Pocatello. It rests on a 20-acre, grass-covered and tree-lined park nestled near the Portneuf River. The trees provide ample shade and a respite from the hot July sun. A playground with swings offers a great place for children and youth to stay occupied
On Friday, gates open at 2 p.m. and the music will last until 1 a.m. Gates open at noon Saturday and the music will go until 1 a.m.
Tickets, which can be purchased at shadygrovemusiccamp.com, are $25 for one day, $35 for both days and $40 for both days if you’re also camping. This is a family-friendly event, and kids 13 and under are free with an accompanying adult.
For camping, both traditional tents and a limited number of RVs as well as camper trucks and vans are welcome to attend. Shady Grove organizers ask that all RV campers email them at shadygrovemusiccamp@gmail.com for reservations.
There will be numerous hydration stations, and attendees are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottle. Outside alcohol will not be allowed at the event, but attendees are welcome to bring their own non-alcoholic beverages and food. Only propane stoves may be used in the camping area.
Only credentialed service dogs are allowed at FMC Park because of a large number of resident peacocks.
Caleb Rosenkrance | 2022-06-25T16:59:59Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Shady Grove Music Camp returns to Pocatello July 15-16 | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/shady-grove-music-camp-returns-to-pocatello-july-15-16/article_5f621cee-6336-511a-973d-91f66af1dba5.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/shady-grove-music-camp-returns-to-pocatello-july-15-16/article_5f621cee-6336-511a-973d-91f66af1dba5.html |
The next First Friday Art Walk in Historic Downtown Pocatello is Friday.
By Historic
Downtown Pocatello
Wysteriasage & The Vintage Menagerie, 658 N. Main St., will be featuring handcrafted jewelry and other accessories by Wysteriasage. Come browse the new store and enjoy some refreshments!
Pocatello Art Center, 444 N. Main St., will feature their Members’ Judged show during art walk. The public is invited to stop by and see the lovely artwork that has been created by their members and view the winners of the show.
The Downtown Pocatello Pavilion, 420 N. Main St., will host the Mystic Market from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Come get a reading or some energy healing work, grab some delicious food and experience the magic of the Mystic Market.
The Elwen Cottage, 334 N. Main St., will be hosting youth artist Eva Heikkila. Be sure to take a look at the new mural on the back south-facing wall. The mural was created during last week’s Sixes Mural Fest 2.
The Grecian Key Restaurant, 314 N. Main St., will host live music by Ray. Enjoy a delicious dinner and live music.
Enchantments, 233 N. Main St., will be hosting a palm reader. Their Aura Camera will also be out with pictures available for $35, regularly $44.
Portneuf Valley Partners is teaming up with Zoo Idaho during First Friday Art Walk. Volunteers will be located at Leadership Pocatello Park between Main Steam Coffee & Desserts and Round River Baking painting garden art posts. Stop by and see or pick up a brush and help paint!
Star Route Brewery, 218 N. Main St., will be hosting artists Jessica Kawamura & SB Designs. Villano’s Italian will be open inside the brewery serving dinner.
The Firehouse Gallery, 210 N. Arthur Ave. (across from the PHS gym), will welcome international artist Yidan Guo. Originally trained in China, Yidan has traveled extensively and exhibited internationally. She is now a fine arts master’s degree student at Idaho State University.
Vain & Vintage, 145 N. Main St., will be open for art walk and showcasing a variety of vintage art and antiques.
Goodbye Hello Crafts & Boutique, 144 N. Main St., will be hosting Amy Bailey, owner of Christine’s Floral, who will be featuring her hand-crafted cards, journals, notebooks, treat baskets and other amazing decor!
Main Street Mercantile & Antiques, 134 N. Main St., will host artist Kelly Kinzalow Logan. Kelly has always loved designing things. She decided to try her hand at wind chimes. She has created beautiful chimes with sliced agates. Kelly also creates wonderful jewelry pieces. Her items will be for sale the evening of art walk and through the month of July.
Cottonwood Junction, 141 N. Main St., will be hosting a book signing with author EC Stilson for her new book “Two More Years.”
At the Old Town Alley Outdoor Gallery, behind the 100 block of North Main Street, stroll through and experience the amazing talent in our community.
Cherub Capers Creations, 308 W. Center St., will be open for art walk and has a beautiful shop full of new and vintage antique chic décor and gifts.
Gate City Coffee, 320 W. Center St., will be open for their first art walk. Stop in to enjoy all of the beautiful framed pieces of art and history decorating the shop and enjoy a delicious hot or cold beverage.
Brick 243, 243 W. Center St., will be open and serving delicious food and beverages during and after art walk.
Kanda’s & Company, 159 S. Main St., will be hosting singer Lynette Neifert performing throughout the evening. There will be refreshments served and a shop full of treasures.
Station Square, 200 S. Main St., will be hosting a variety of Crafter’s Market vendors. Food O’clock will be open for dinner and beverages until 9 p.m.
DNH Studios, Station Square Suite G, has a shop full of handmade items and art. Be sure to stop in.
Off the Rails Brewing, 228 S. Main St., artist Sam Landvick from Mountain Flower Jewelry and live music by JJ Jones from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
The Union Taproom and 313 Whiskey Bar, inside the Historic Yellowstone Hotel, will be hosting BOGO Happy Hour from 4-6pm and Open Mic beginning at 7pm.
Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce, 324 S. Main St., take a look at the new mural on the back east facing wall. The mural was created during last week’s Sixes Mural Fest 2.
Historic Downtown Alley, located on the backside of the Historic Church-White Building, on the east facing alley on the 300 block of East Center Street, stroll through the collection of murals created in June 2021.
Craftology Company, 525 E. Center St., will be hosting a DYI free mini craft event during Art Walk.
Portneuf Valley Brewing, 615 S. First Ave., will be hosting Almost Famous live in the loft from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Independence Day parade reminder: Our community’s Independence Day Parade is coming up on Monday, July 4. Sponsored by Idaho Central Credit Union and Portneuf Medical Center, the parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will wind its way through Historic Downtown Pocatello from E. Center St. and S. 2nd Ave., to the Concentrix parking lots on N. Main St. This year’s theme is “Celebrate America.” Registration is open and we would love to have you participate! Please visit www.historicdowntownpocatello.com to enter your float, view the parade route and for more information.
For more information about all the exciting events coming up in Historic Downtown Pocatello, visit www.historicdowntownpocatello.com. | 2022-07-01T00:45:17Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Art walk set for Friday in downtown Pocatello | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/art-walk-set-for-friday-in-downtown-pocatello/article_6be6a62e-1efe-54b6-bd2f-ea97287ecda3.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/art-walk-set-for-friday-in-downtown-pocatello/article_6be6a62e-1efe-54b6-bd2f-ea97287ecda3.html |
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