text stringlengths 237 126k | date_download stringdate 2022-01-01 00:32:20 2023-01-01 00:02:37 ⌀ | source_domain stringclasses 60 values | title stringlengths 4 31.5k ⌀ | url stringlengths 24 617 ⌀ | id stringlengths 24 617 ⌀ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. VA Secretary Denis McDonough, center, tours the Boise VA Medical Center’s Research Laboratory with Mary Cloud Ammons Anderson, right, a research scientist, and Andrew Wilper, left, the chief of staff at the Boise VA.
Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Originally published July 28 on IdahoCapitalSun.com.U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough forcefully denounced the U.S. Senate’s unexpected decision to kill a bill that would have provided health care and benefits to 3.5 million veterans who have been exposed to toxic burn pits while stationed around the world.
In a visit to the Boise VA Medical Center on Thursday, McDonough said killing the legislation, known as the PACT Act, will “inexplicably” delay necessary health care to veterans who have faced 30 years of war and exposure to toxic particulates from burn pits, largely in the Middle East.
“They’ve now waited long enough to get access to care and access to benefits,” McDonough said during a press conference. “So I’d urge the Senate to get going and to get this done.”
The secretary said the Department of Veterans Affairs has added staff to ensure it is ready for the increased claims made by veterans under the new bill.
“We’re getting ready to do this,” he said. “I just urge the Senate to get on with it. Our veterans have waited long enough.”
The bill, from Montana Democratic U.S. Sen. John Tester and Kansas Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, has been bogged down for nearly two months as U.S. lawmakers debated whether to bring amendments to the floor and how exactly to fix a minor part of the bill that stalled the process in the House, according to previous States Newsroom reporting.
On Wednesday, the Senate voted 55-42 to advance the bill toward final passage, but that did not meet the 60-vote threshold required by Senate filibuster rules and the legislation stalled, States Newsroom reported.
There were 41 Republicans, including Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, who voted against the bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, changed his yes vote to a no vote before the final tally, a procedural move that will allow him to bring the bill back at a later date.
The bill was voted down after retiring U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pennsylvania, raised issues with the funding mechanism of the bill, asking for the legislation to be paid by discretionary funds, which can change from year to year, rather than a mandatory funding mechanism, like that which pays for programs like Social Security.
“The PACT Act as written includes a budget gimmick that would allow $400 billion of current law spending to be moved from the discretionary to the mandatory spending category,” Toomey said in a press release Wednesday. “This provision is completely unnecessary to achieve the PACT Act’s stated goal of expanding health care and other benefits for veterans.”
McDonough said he was given no notice from the senators who voted against the bill about their concerns.
Re-launch of records-keeping system
McDonough said there is no set timeline for when the VA will continue to roll out its new electronic records-keeping system after its launch was postponed at the Boise VA and across the country. Military Times has reported the launch will be delayed at least until 2023.
The postponement comes after the VA’s Office of Inspector General issued a report detailing how the new system has caused harm to nearly 150 veterans who seek care through the VA in the Pacific Northwest, including at Spokane’s Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center.
“From facility go-live in October 2020 through June 2021, the new (Electronic Health Record system) failed to deliver more than 11,000 orders for requested clinical services,” the report said.
For example, the report outlined how a health care provider requested a follow-up psychiatric care order for a homeless patient identified as a suicide risk.
“The new (Electronic Health Records system) sent the order to the unknown (electronic) queue,” the report states. “The patient was not scheduled for follow-up care and later contacted the Veterans Crisis Line reporting a razor in hand and a plan to kill himself. The patient was psychiatrically hospitalized.”
Similar issues with the system and its rollout were reported at facilities in Walla Walla, Washington, and Columbus, Ohio.
Idaho lawmakers had concerns
Idaho’s congressional delegation — Crapo, Risch and U.S. Reps. Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson — wrote a letter to McDonough in April expressing deep concern with the system and its rollout.
“Although the intended goal of the (Electronic Health Record system’s) implementation is to provide a streamlined, seamless process for veterans receiving care, the rollout in the Mann-Grandstaff Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center resulted in confusion, frustration and alarming situations for many veterans and their medical providers,” the letter reads, in part.
The Congressmen called upon McDonough to answer questions about the rollout, including asking how the VA intends to provide additional training to health care providers who will use the system.
“Furthermore, the July 2021 report states that after all training was complete and after more than two months of (Electronic Health Record) use at the Mann-Grandstaff VAMC, 95 percent of VAMC staff reported they were unable to use at least one of four core functions of the new health records system,” they wrote. “This decreased provider productivity and damaged employee morale.”
McDonough said Thursday that those concerns are valid and that providers and health care workers in the VA system should feel confident and comfortable with the new system.
“One of the reasons I wanted to come here … was I wanted to make sure that they felt heard about their views on readiness of the platform — (and) the readiness of our governance structures — to roll that out in a way that advances, first and foremost, veteran outcomes,” he said.
As McDonough toured the Boise VA’s facilities on Thursday, he said he asked questions and learned from health care workers on the ground about what will help ease some of the issues facing the new records system.
“Our leaders here at the Boise VA gave us some good ideas on things that we have to really sand down and really improve to ensure that when we roll it out, it’s ready for a big facility like this,” he said.
McDonough is visiting Idaho as part of the annual Western Governors’ Association meeting, held in Coeur d’Alene this week. | 2022-08-02T00:46:23Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | In Boise visit, VA secretary says Senate made ‘inexplicable’ vote to kill burn pits bill | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/in-boise-visit-va-secretary-says-senate-made-inexplicable-vote-to-kill-burn-pits-bill/article_f00e6134-14cb-5722-b8db-abc3bd5b0890.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/in-boise-visit-va-secretary-says-senate-made-inexplicable-vote-to-kill-burn-pits-bill/article_f00e6134-14cb-5722-b8db-abc3bd5b0890.html |
Idaho Gov. Brad Little, sixth from left, joined local and state officials as well as members of the Sundt-Cannon construction group to break ground on the Interstate 15 and 86 Flying Y interchange project Monday afternoon.
Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, makes brief remarks before the groundbreaking ceremony Monday afternoon for the Interstate 15 and 86 Flying Y interchange project.
Dozens of state and local officials as well as members of the Sundt-Cannon construction group attended the groundbreaking for the Interstate 15 and 86 Flying Y interchange project Monday afternoon.
By Shelbie Harris sharris@journalet.com
Monday marked the groundbreaking event for a $112 million project to overhaul the Pocatello-Chubbuck area’s "Flying Y" interchange.
The project described by the Idaho Transportation Department as a “massive undertaking” is expected to be complete by the fall of 2025 and will bring much-needed safety improvements and connect the Portneuf Greenway Foundation’s trail from the Pocatello Creek Road area to the Portneuf Wellness Complex and Event Center.
“What’s important to the people of Idaho is we are doing the right thing, for the right reason for the long term,” said Idaho Gov. Brad Little, who spoke at the event. “The most important thing about this is we did it without raising taxes, or in the case of the federal government, building on the debt that our children and grandchildren will have to finance. For Idaho citizens, the most important commodity is their time. Anything you can do first for safety and second for maintenance and to add more time to the citizens of Idaho is a good thing for this generation and the next.”
The Flying Y interchange was first built six decades ago and the design needs an update to “handle greater traffic volumes and to replace aging bridges that are reaching the end of their life,” ITD said in a press release issued last month.
The project is the first major undertaking of the Leading Idaho Local Bridge Program. Little and the Idaho Legislature decided to tackle the state’s deferred maintenance backlog to preserve and restore our existing transportation infrastructure, which included a cash transfer of $200 million as the first installment on an ongoing investment package to address road and bridge deferred maintenance. Funding is split between the state ($120 million) and local governments ($80 million).
Idaho has 966 local bridges, including the Flying Y interchange, that are more than 50 years old, and many that are closed or have restrictions that impede commerce. The Leading Idaho Local Bridge Program in two years' time should see the repair or replacement of two-thirds of Idaho’s aging or dilapidated bridges.
“With the recommendation of the board and the help of the Legislature, we are putting in a third of our bridges,” Little said. "We are doing one-third this year and another one-third next year and will hopefully get caught up (on our aging bridge infrastructure).”
Preliminary work on the project to reconstruct the Flying Y interchange connecting Interstates 15 and 86 has begun, and contractor Sundt-Cannon has started to move equipment into the area.
“When completed, approximately 900,000 cubic yards of excavation will be completed,” ITD wrote in the press release issued last month. “In addition, about 225,000 tons of base material will be brought in; 111,000 tons of asphalt will be placed; and over 6,500 cubic yards of concrete will be poured. About 70,000 square feet of retaining walls will also be built throughout the project area. Finally, ITD will build eight new bridges. Four of those will use precast concrete girders and four will have steel girders. In all, nearly 5,000,000 pounds of steel will be used in the bridges. Crews will work year-round for approximately three years to complete the project.”
Thiago Bezerra, Sundt’s senior project manager, said the Flying Y interchange will involve numerous sub-contractors, adding that ITD has been a great partner in helping to alleviate any expected supply chain shortages that could delay the project.
“This will be a huge project, not only by Sundt and our joint venture partners but also an army of subcontractors that are both local and out of state who will help us build this monumental project,” Bezerra said. “This is among our larger projects so we are definitely being cautious to bring our A-team and the right resources to make sure we deliver correctly. With our best network of suppliers and vendors from previous projects we are able to leverage those relationships to help this project out. ITD has been a great partner in helping us mitigate some of the challenges with supply chain issues and labor shortages.”
Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, joined Little, ITD Director Steve Stokes and former legislator and current District 5 ITD board member Dwight Horsch in providing those attending the groundbreaking with some brief remarks before the shovels full of earth were overturned.
“This is a historic investment for our state,” Manwaring said. “This interchange system is for our state, but specifically for Pocatello and Chubbuck and the people in our community who get on this interchange almost daily if not multiple times in a day. This is one of the most important interchanges in the state of Idaho.”
He continued, “This is where two interstates meet together and what we call the ‘Flying Y,’ but it’s really the gateway. It’s the gateway leading north to Yellowstone National Park, south to Salt Lake City and west to Boise and onward from there. It’s a special spot with a lot of traffic in and out of our state and in our cities between those in our community. We are excited that we get to begin this much-needed project.”
ITD says in the next week or so there will be a detour for motorists traveling on I-15 northbound onto I-86 westbound. The detour will take travelers through the Northgate Interchange, then back onto I-15 South and then onto I-86 West.
Around the same time, the Chubbuck Road overpass bridge will be closed and its traffic will be detoured through the Northgate Interchange. The bridge will be closed for the duration of the Flying Y project. ITD says the new Chubbuck Road design, which will go under Interstate-15 instead of over, will be much safer and easier to navigate.
“This is awesome,” said Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad. “It’s going to be kind of a pain for a few years with the road closures and detours, but it’s going to be amazing when it’s all said and done. It’s neat to see the state spend some money here. This is a dangerous interchange right now and so it will be nice to see this fixed and work the way that it should. I am excited that ITD took this project on and that the governor is willing to put his stamp of approval on it as this is a much needed improvement to our interstate system here in Pocatello.”
Little added, “We’ll have that orange barrel rodeo that will take place for quite a while and there will be detours one way and detours another but that’s why we plan so much for something like this. You want to keep everyone safe and you want to have the minimum amount of disruptions for businesses and people commuting. But in the end, guaranteed, it will be worth it. And a little patience will be helpful.”
Thiago Bezerra
Dustin Manwaring | 2022-08-02T03:19:16Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | 'HISTORIC INVESTMENT': Gov. Little, state officials highlight aging bridges during 'Flying Y' groundbreaking | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/historic-investment-gov-little-state-officials-highlight-aging-bridges-during-flying-y-groundbreaking/article_643c5734-9f79-50b8-929e-30de7003d463.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/historic-investment-gov-little-state-officials-highlight-aging-bridges-during-flying-y-groundbreaking/article_643c5734-9f79-50b8-929e-30de7003d463.html |
By Boys & Girls Clubs of Magic Valley
Right now, customers in Idaho Falls and Pocatello can make a monetary contribution at their local Ross Dress for Less (“Ross”) location during checkout to be donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Magic Valley, through Aug. 21.
“For the eighth year in a row, Ross Stores is very excited (about) the annual 'Help Local Kids Learn' in-store campaign for the Boys & Girls Clubs. This back-to-school campaign will directly help kids at local clubs across the country. BGCA and Ross’ strong partnership of many years is rooted in our shared commitment to help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens,” said Fred Shuey, senior vice president of Ross Stores.
— This back-to-school season, Ross Stores is inviting customers to give at the register to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of America from now to Aug. 21. Ross will match the first $400,000 raised.
— One hundred percent of the funds raised at each store will benefit Boys & Girls Clubs, with 80% being directed to a club in the community.
— Ross is the national sponsor of BGCA’s "Power Hour," a program that provides kids and teens the opportunity to do their homework in a safe place, in-person or virtually, with support from Boys & Girls Club staff.
— Every $5 donation helps provide one-half hour of homework help for a club youth.
— Fifteen dollars helps keep a kid safe after school. | 2022-08-02T18:23:11Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Ross Dress For Less® to help local kids learn In the Portneuf Valley | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/ross-dress-for-less-to-help-local-kids-learn-in-the-portneuf-valley/article_12c9cf53-5215-5528-b2eb-33dc8fd872b0.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/ross-dress-for-less-to-help-local-kids-learn-in-the-portneuf-valley/article_12c9cf53-5215-5528-b2eb-33dc8fd872b0.html |
A small skull found this spring at a gravel pit southwest of Burley, is likely that of a pioneer child.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CASSIA COUNTY CORONER CRAIG RINEHART
BURLEY — A small skull found at a gravel pit south of town may be that of a pioneer child.
Cassia County Coroner Craig Rinehart said the skull was found March 21 at a gravel pit at 1200 S. 900 W. by dairy workers at a gravel pit that has been open about two years.
The remains were sent to the FBI’s Anthropology Laboratory for testing.
Some of the results have come back and indicate they were likely from a 4- to 5-year-old Caucasian girl.
It is impossible for investigators to know if anyone went missing from the area back then because those records do not exist, he said.
“We have no records that go that far back,” he said. “If an incident wasn’t criminal back then, it simply wasn’t tracked. We now have systems that track missing persons and unattended deaths.”
“We’ve never dealt with anything like this before,” Warrell said. “I’m sure as our area continues to grow and areas in the county start to be developed, we’ll see more of this.”
“But,” he said, “we’ll keep them safe.” | 2022-08-02T18:23:36Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Small skull found southwest of Burley likely from a pioneer child, officials say | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/small-skull-found-southwest-of-burley-likely-from-a-pioneer-child-officials-say/article_56758714-2ea3-5a41-86ad-0e99bd9615c6.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/small-skull-found-southwest-of-burley-likely-from-a-pioneer-child-officials-say/article_56758714-2ea3-5a41-86ad-0e99bd9615c6.html |
Ted Bonman
Theater review: Although summer is ending, American Falls Arts Council is 'Forever Plaid'
By Ted Bonman
American Falls Arts Council is closing out summer theater with a production of the musical revue “Forever Plaid.” “Plaid” is what’s known as a “jukebox musical,” meaning that the show’s songs are mostly, if not completely, collaged together from existing sources, rather than original to the play. In this case, the music comes from the 1950s male harmony trend.
Jukebox musicals can sometimes feel a little contrived, but the good ones, like “Plaid,” get around this hurdle by making the story about musicians and giving them a reason to sing these songs. In this case, we’ve got a darkly funny premise: a band of four hopeful harmony singers, who’ve named themselves “Forever Plaid,” are driving to a gig when they’re struck down by a bus full of Catholic schoolgirls on their way to see the Beatles. In the present day, the spirits of these four earnest singers have been returned to Earth for one final performance of the gig they never got to play.
The Plaids are brought to life by four talented actors. Danny Whisman plays Francis, the Plaid’s de facto leader. Whisman nails the play’s best monologue, a speech near the finale that speaks to the power of music and the reason why we sing. As Sparky, the Plaid’s comedian, Chance Morgan has a charismatic presence and confident delivery. Julio Murillo plays the anxious Jinx with a lot of appropriately nervous energy. Jinx, the group’s high tenor, is a musically demanding role, and Murillo proves that he’s more than up to the challenge. He’s also pulling double duty as the show’s music director! Rounding out the group is Smudge, played by Aidan Anglesey. Although Anglesey is the most junior of the performers, he holds his own with the other actors and sports a deep and resonant voice. Heather Hornbacher provides excellent live piano accompaniment.
The play’s framing device is a concert from beyond the veil of death, and so a lot of the onstage action is watching these four actors perform classics such as “Sixteen Tons,” “Three Coins in the Fountain” and “Heart and Soul.” Between the numbers, the Plaids discuss their strange situation, reminisce on their brief, eventful lives and needle each other playfully about how best to perform their show. There’s also a good bit of prop comedy, especially in the show’s standout number: a live recreation of the Ed Sullivan show that will leave audiences exhausted just watching the performers compress an hour-long television spectacular into three minutes. Imagine what it’s like to perform it!
Although the inciting incident of the play is a bus crash, “Forever Plaid” is pure sweetness. It’s a family-friendly evening of theater that really wants you to have a good time. The pre-show announcement encourages audience members to sing along, and at certain points in the show the Plaids ask for audience participation, up to and including briefly performing with them on stage. These moments lend charm and energy to the onstage proceedings.
“Forever Plaid” plays through Aug. 6 at American Falls High School.
Ted Bonman teaches English and theater at Century High School.
Danny Whisman | 2022-08-02T20:42:59Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Theater review: Although summer is ending, American Falls Arts Council is 'Forever Plaid' | Arts & Entertainment | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/arts_and_entertainment/theater/theater-review-although-summer-is-ending-american-falls-arts-council-is-forever-plaid/article_62c2d4c4-4a50-5a95-9267-6ad163dc3ff6.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/arts_and_entertainment/theater/theater-review-although-summer-is-ending-american-falls-arts-council-is-forever-plaid/article_62c2d4c4-4a50-5a95-9267-6ad163dc3ff6.html |
Submitted illustrations
ISU Theatre announces 2022-23 season
POCATELLO — Idaho State University’s School of Performing Arts is happy to announce its 2022-2023 season opening this fall.
The season will start with José Rivera’s “Marisol.” Written in the style of Theatre of the Absurd, the story follows Marisol Perez, a young office professional in the Bronx, whose life is changed when she finds herself in the middle of celestial and angelic warfare. Marisol then finds herself trying to survive in an apocalyptic dystopia. This show is suitable for adult audiences for language and violence. “Marisol” will run Oct. 7, 8, 13, 14, and 15.
Next, based off of the 1996 movie with the same name, is “Spitfire Grill” by James Valcq and Fred Alley. This musical is about Percy Talbott, a fiery woman straight out of prison trying to find her footing in the small town of Gilead. “Spitfire Grill” is an uplifting and inspirational musical that shows the power of what one woman can do. Performances will run Nov. 18 and 19 and Dec. 1 and 3.
“Cendrillon” based on Perrault's 1698 version of the Cinderella fairy tale is the third show of the season. Idaho State Theatre will be working alongside the music department to perform the English version of this French Opera. Performances will run Feb. 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18. This classic show is a wonderful story for young and old alike.
Lauren Gunderson’s “The Book of Will” will be the last show of the season. In it, William Shakespeare’s been dead for three years. When a pirated, badly botched “Hamlet” plays on a nearby stage, his closest friends decide what they need is a book — a definitive copy of his original plays but to make one, they’ll have to battle an unscrupulous publisher. Running April 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22, this show is a lively, funny, and poignant love letter to theater and the printed word.
ISU Theatre Flex Passes, punch cards with four tickets per card, and regular show tickets are on sale now FLEX passes are $60 for adult tickets and $56 for faculty and staff. First-time buyers can buy one FLEX pass ticket and get another half-off. Single show tickets range from $5 to $16. For more ticket information and to purchase a FLEX Pass, contact ISU Box Office Manager Julie McKnight at 208-282-3595 or visit isu.edu/tickets.
Spitfire Grill | 2022-08-02T20:43:00Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | ISU Theatre announces 2022-23 season | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/isu-theatre-announces-2022-23-season/article_26a813e1-37e4-5f4d-b1be-447f50315eef.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/isu-theatre-announces-2022-23-season/article_26a813e1-37e4-5f4d-b1be-447f50315eef.html |
Bannock County Coroner Torey Danner
With this in mind, Danner set out to find a secure, easy-to-use, and free service that could house this type of sensitive data. He found the Next of Kin Registry (NOKR), used by agencies across America, including Orange County, Calif., Maricopa County, Ariz., and FEMA.
— There is no fee to add contact information to your record
— Minors under age 18 must have a parent or legal guardian as their primary contact
— Those age 18 and older may list anyone as a primary contact
— Contact information is stored in a secure database accessible only by law enforcement and government emergency services who are registered with NOKR
Next Of Kin Registry | 2022-08-02T20:43:32Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Bannock County Coroner asking the public to consider registering their next-of-kin. | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/bannock-county-coroner-asking-the-public-to-consider-registering-their-next-of-kin/article_1d8cc468-05ae-5916-9610-9ee7e702654f.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/bannock-county-coroner-asking-the-public-to-consider-registering-their-next-of-kin/article_1d8cc468-05ae-5916-9610-9ee7e702654f.html |
Coroner Torey Danner
NOKR is used by agencies across America, such as FEMA.
By Bannock County Coroner’s Office
The Bannock County Coroner’s Office is asking the public to consider registering their next-of-kin.
The coroner’s office recently signed up to use the Next of Kin Registry International Emergency Contact System to establish a database of local emergency contacts.
The coroner’s office can access certain records to locate next of kin, but sometimes records are inaccurate, out-of-date or just don’t exist. The delayed notification can impact the family’s grieving process, Danner said.
With this in mind, Danner set out to find a secure, easy-to-use and free service that could house this type of sensitive data. He found the Next of Kin Registry, used by agencies across America, including Orange County, Calif.; Maricopa County, Ariz.; and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The NOKR is a free emergency contact system to help reach a person’s next of kin in the event of a missing, injured or deceased family member. Established as a non-profit humanitarian organization in 2004, NOKR serves as the United States central depository for emergency contact information.
— There is no fee to add contact information to your record.
— Minors under age 18 must have a parent or legal guardian as their primary contact.
— Those age 18 and older may list anyone as a primary contact.
— Contact information is stored in a secure database accessible only by law enforcement and government emergency services who are registered with NOKR. | 2022-08-02T22:54:04Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Bannock County Coroner asks public to register next of kin | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/bannock-county-coroner-asks-public-to-register-next-of-kin/article_25de613c-fe27-5589-adfb-ae2860e7f0b6.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/bannock-county-coroner-asks-public-to-register-next-of-kin/article_25de613c-fe27-5589-adfb-ae2860e7f0b6.html |
Youngsters enjoy the Ross Park pool at the 2019 Aid For Friends Splish and Splash.
Pictured is the car show from 2021.
The War Bonnet Round Up is hosting its rodeo kick-off at Sandy Downs in Idaho Falls. The event includes games and free rodeo action from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Revive @ 5 features the Rockin' Horse Band from 5 to 8 p.m. at the downtown pavilion in Pocatello.
The Caribou County Fair and Rodeo continues at the Caribou County Fairgrounds. The event will last all week with parades, food, vendors, competition and motorsports.
The Bannock County Fair and Rodeo will be in Downey at the Bannock County Fairgrounds all week with live music, horse pulls, exhibits and more.
Bear Lake Raspberry Days is happening in Garden City. Highlights include live music, dances, a parade and fireworks on the beach.
The War Bonnet Roundup professional rodeo will open its gates at 4:30 p.m. each night. Event nights will have a theme. Get tickets and more information at www.warbonnetroundup.org.
First Friday Art Walk will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. throughout downtown Pocatello. The Mystic Market will also take place from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at 310 N. Main St.
The 10th annual Aid For Friends Splish and Splash fundraiser will be at Ross Park from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the Aid For Friends Facebook page and aidforfriendspocatello.com. All proceeds will benefit the local homeless shelter.
The Idaho Falls Zoo is hosting a Sippin' Safari concert series fundraiser from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Purchase tickets beforehand at www.eventbrite.com/cc/tpzs-2022-events-50999. Everyone is invited to attend.
Hawthorne Heights will be performing live in the Summer Concert Series at the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre from 6 to 10 p.m.
Movies in the Park presented by the City of Chubbuck will play “The Mitchell’s vs The Machines”. The movie begins at dusk at Stuart Park. To see the movie schedule, visit the City of Chubbuck Facebook page.
Pocatello and Highland High School’s class of 1971 are combining for their “50 + 1 reunion” this weekend. Activities include a classic car show, hippie costume party, all-class golf tourney and silent auction. For more information, email Debra Harris at wordiva@yahoo.com.
The annual Steppin for Life 2k/5k run/walk hosted by Compassion and Hope Pregnancy Center will take place Saturday at OK Ward Park in Pocatello. Early registration starts at 7:30 a.m., and the event starts at 8:30 a.m. Visit pocatellopregnancycenter.com to register.
Historic Downtown Pocatello’s Oldies Rod and Custom Car Show will have cars displayed on North Main Street from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Idaho State’s Rodeo Team is hosting the Bengal Bull Bash, a fundraiser with a bull riding showcase. The event goes from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bannock County Event Center.
The LACS will be performing in the Country Concert Series at the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre in Pocatello from 5:30 to 10 p.m.
The Future Boys & Girls Club of Portneuf Valley and Pinehurst Floral will host Hot August Classics from 6 to 10 p.m. at Pinehurst, 4101 Poleline Road. There will be plenty of cool cars to check out, food trucks, beverages and more.
Oneida County Horse Races will be at the Oneida County Fairgrounds in Malad this weekend. Events include a breed derby, maiden frolic and kid stick horse races.
American Falls is celebrating American Falls Day with a parade, games and food at city park. | 2022-08-02T22:54:10Z | 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_9b286048-8313-5293-bf63-53718282e3a2.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/what-to-do-this-week-in-east-idaho/article_9b286048-8313-5293-bf63-53718282e3a2.html |
Pocatello police are investigating a suspicious death of a woman at this home located at 948 N. 10th Ave. in Pocatello. The woman’s body was discovered around 2:15 p.m. Sunday.
Pocatello Police Department and Bannock County Coroner's Office news release
An autopsy was conducted on August 2nd, 2022 in furtherance of the investigation into the suspicious death from July 31st, 2022.
Pending the results of the autopsy, which could take several weeks, no new information will be released, including names of involved parties as it is an ongoing investigation.
Furtherance | 2022-08-02T22:54:11Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Autopsy of local woman conducted in 'suspicious' death case | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/autopsy-of-local-woman-conducted-in-suspicious-death-case/article_48af6196-7f8d-5adb-b469-a606ee9bbba1.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/autopsy-of-local-woman-conducted-in-suspicious-death-case/article_48af6196-7f8d-5adb-b469-a606ee9bbba1.html |
Burke Ryan Bailey
Witnesses on scene said a man, later identified as Bailey, walked over to the victim’s semi-truck and started yelling at him, police said. The victim exited his truck and confronted Bailey, who said, “Take that (expletive),” and then sliced the victim's face with a knife, police said. The victim told police that Bailey then fled the area. | 2022-08-02T22:54:12Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Local man accused of slicing victim's face with knife in WinCo parking lot | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/local-man-accused-of-slicing-victims-face-with-knife-in-winco-parking-lot/article_26bdb21b-5829-5a08-b664-d46777625179.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/local-man-accused-of-slicing-victims-face-with-knife-in-winco-parking-lot/article_26bdb21b-5829-5a08-b664-d46777625179.html |
"First Light" by Danielle Dutson
Unnamed painting by Sheila Bush
August will be a busy month for local artists who capture images through various methods, including oil and acrylics.
Two former art students from Idaho State University, Danielle Dutson and Sheila Bush, currently living in Portland, will have work presented at the Gallows Frames & Gifts shop, 150 S. Fourth Ave. in Pocatello. The show will run from Aug. 5 to 26, with an opening reception this week during First Friday Art Walk from 5 to 8 p.m.
Here are quotes from Danielle Dutson: “The art I've been creating for this show is landscapes with an emphasis on the sky,” Dutson said, describing her work. “I'm often struck by the magnitude of the sky in Idaho. It sounds weird, but so often the sky is blocked out here (Portland). In Idaho it stretches from horizon to horizon in ‘made up’ colors and textures. Definitely painting a love letter over here!”
The website contains more of her biography: “Danielle Dutson, an Idaho native, grew up in the mountains of Idaho before settling in Portland, Oregon. Her travels include Sydney, Australia where Danielle Dutson attended an Emerging Artists gallery and she pursued her training and love of art by attending Idaho State University. Dutson completed her Bachelors of Fine Art with Honors in 2008 allowing her education, and time spent traveling, to inform her work.”
A brochure can only give basic information. I have reviewed Danielle Dutson’s work before. She has stated she "uses ink, acrylic, oil and pastel to convey her ideas of nature and the human condition,” but if someone needed to illustrate a book about King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake, Dutson’s impressionistic style would be the perfect choice.
Here is the information provided by Sheila Bush, a very different artist: “Born in York, Pennsylvania, to an artist mother, Sheila spent her youth reading and drawing. After graduating from college at Penn State and law school at George Washington University, she moved West, where she had a successful, 35-year career in natural resource law. Her intense love of nature – as well as her understanding of its fragility – drew her to artistic methods that embody the spirit of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle.’”
According to the website, “Many of her paintings are mixed media explorations of monoprints made from leftover ink and solvent—the artistic realization of a belief in ‘making something new from something old.’”
That is part of the story. I see her work as tending toward the abstract, blocks of color with an image of a nebulous human being caught at the point of destruction. I recall the image of Charlie Chaplin riding through the grinding machinery in the film "Modern Times." Bush is an artist whose paintings dramatize a struggle between reality and not so much dreams as nightmares.
Here is information from The Art Museum in Idaho Falls: “The 12th biennial statewide juried competition and exhibition celebrates the diverse interpretive vision of Idaho artists from across the state. The dates are August 20 – October 29, 2022."
Of special interest, two artists from Pocatello will be Sheila Fletcher and Darrell Allen.
I am sure this art exhibit will be worth the trip to Idaho Falls.
Danielle Dutson | 2022-08-02T22:54:13Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Former Pocatello residents return to showcase their artwork | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/former-pocatello-residents-return-to-showcase-their-artwork/article_cf018110-50b9-5e4f-b2cf-6560f5906ce5.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/former-pocatello-residents-return-to-showcase-their-artwork/article_cf018110-50b9-5e4f-b2cf-6560f5906ce5.html |
From left, Christine Stevens, Roger Bray and Claudia Ortega pictured on election night in 2019 after winning their respective Pocatello City Council races.
POCATELLO — The Pocatello City Council is set to formally vote on censuring council member Roger Bray at its Thursday meeting amid an effort to recall him and two other council members.
Pocatello resident Joan Reed initiated the recall of Bray as well as council members Claudia Ortega and Christine Stevens last week and the effort was officially approved by the Bannock County Clerk’s Office on Monday to move forward with signature collection.
According to the posted agenda for the City Council meeting at City Hall at 6 p.m. Thursday, a resolution is on the table reaffirming Pocatello as a welcoming city and censuring Bray for comments he made during a July 7 budget meeting and after a July 21 council meeting surrounding diversity as it relates to crime in the city and the staffing needs of the Pocatello Police Department.
The comment caught the attention of the Pocatello NAACP branch and at the July 21 council meeting Pocatello NAACP President Ken Monroe took issue with what Bray had said and expressed disappointment with the City Council for not condemning the councilman’s words during the July 7 meeting.
Subsequently, the Pocatello police and firefighters unions as well as Pocatello City Council member Josh Mansfield and the Pocatello teachers union called for Bray to resign, resulting in Bray authoring a column in the Idaho State Journal defending his position.
The resolution that the council will vote on Thursday states, “The Pocatello City Council, on the behalf of the city employees and citizens of the community, reiterates the words and promise of our October 2020 welcoming resolution where the city of Pocatello pledges to welcome all individuals through statements and actions, knowing that discrimination or misunderstanding impedes the social and economic progress of a city by preventing all of our residents from fully contributing to the cultural, spiritual, social and commercial life of our community.”
Additionally, the resolution says, “The comments of council member Roger Bray made during the July 7, 2022, budget development meeting and after the July 21, 2022, regular city council meeting do not demonstrate the values held by the citizens of Pocatello. Council member Bray’s issued statements to the local media defending his comments further demonstrate a lack of sensitivity for the damage his words have done to our community.”
A censure is a public formal statement of disapproval or verbal reprimand and is different from censorship, which refers to the act of suppressing speech.
Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad provided the Journal with a written statement Tuesday afternoon denouncing Bray’s recent statements and explaining why he added the resolution to the agenda for Thursday’s council meeting.
“The city of Pocatello is a welcoming and inclusive city,” Blad said in his statement. “The comments council member Bray made recently are unacceptable. Bray’s comments do not reflect the values held by the citizens of Pocatello. I am putting this before the City Council for them to decide whether or not to officially condemn the comments made by Bray and reiterate Pocatello’s welcoming resolution.”
Bray has not yet provided a response to the recall effort or the proposed resolution to censure him.
Council members Linda Leeuwrik and Rick Cheatum also provided the Journal with written statements Tuesday afternoon indicating they will vote in favor of censuring Bray and passing the resolution reaffirming Pocatello as a welcoming city.
“On the matter of the censure of councilman Bray, I think it is imperative the council pass the resolution on behalf of the city and all of its residents,” Cheatum said in his statement. “I do not want any resident to feel the comments made by councilman Bray represent the council or the city. As the resolution of censure expresses, Pocatello has a long history of diverse groups and that is what has made this a great city in which we live today. We should be celebrating that diversity as the council did in the welcoming resolution several months ago instead of apologizing for it.”
Leeuwrik said in her statement, “As for Mr. Bray’s racist comments and the views they reveal, we need to send a strong message that they are unacceptable and will not be tolerated, especially from a city leader. So far, he has been unwilling to stop trying to defend the indefensible. For me this is not about political games or tactics, as some have suggested, it is solely a matter of right and wrong. Thus, if there is a motion to censure him, I will vote for it. I strongly supported our welcoming city resolution when we originally passed it and I will affirm my continued support. It is very important to me that our city is welcoming and inclusive for all people.”
Reed, who has volunteered as a receptionist at the front desk of the Pocatello Police Department once a week for nearly two decades, said the primary reason she launched the recall effort was because of the dysfunction Bray, Stevens and Ortega have caused as council members.
“I am doing the recall on behalf of concerned citizens of Pocatello,” Reed said. “Many of us feel we need to change the makeup of the Pocatello City Council with the removal of Bray, Ortega and Stevens. The recall is a result of an accumulation of belligerent behaviors on the part of the three city councilors such as creating a hostile work environment for employees, Bray and Ortega’s decision to break quorum on May 19, Ortega’s famous hit list, Bray’s attack on fellow council members and his recent racist comments and Stevens’ bullying of city staff. The citizens of Pocatello are sick and tired of this situation and changes need to be made.”
Ortega told the Journal during a Tuesday phone interview that Reed has the right to initiate a recall but she found it comical that the effort was launched despite Reed not reaching out to her to understand her statements or positions.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” Ortega said. “(Reed) is entitled to do a recall if she wants. It’s funny because she has made no attempt to contact me and understand my points of view, but she’s entitled to start a recall.”
In response to the recall effort and proposed resolution censuring Bray, Stevens also provided the Journal with a written statement Tuesday.
“It is interesting how calls for transparency, accountability, fiscal restraint and representing the taxpayers’ concerns and interests cause so much outrage from the mayor, some union members, some council members and some city employees,” Stevens said. “I am not a fan of the philosophy that the taxpayer’s job is to pay up and shut up.”
Reed and others involved in the effort to recall Bray, Ortega and Stevens have 75 days from Monday to gather 5,853 signatures, which is equal to 20 percent of the number of registered voters in the November 2019 general election in which Bray, Ortega and Stevens were elected.
However, Reed has expressed an interest in getting the recall effort on the upcoming general election ballot this November and the deadline for ballot additions is Sept. 9. Julie Hancock, the Bannock County elections director, has recommended Reed submit the signatures by Aug. 24 to provide elections officials enough time to count and verify all the signatures and to afford any recalled council member the required five days to voluntarily resign before the recall moves forward.
If enough signatures are gathered and a recall question is added to the November general election ballot, the number of people to vote in favor of the recall must be equal to or greater than the number of people who cast ballots for each of the three council members up for recall in the November 2019 general election. For Bray that number is 3,173 votes, it’s 3,705 votes for Ortega and 3,737 votes for Stevens.
Reed said she is working to organize a team to help her gather the large number of required signatures in such a short period of time and will have petitions available for people to sign at Revive @ 5 on Wednesday, the First Friday Art Walk, and at both the Portneuf Valley Farmers Market and the car show at the Pocatello Senior Activity Center on Saturday.
“In regards to the recall, that’s up to the voters,” Leeuwrik said in her written statement. “If they are frustrated and unhappy with the disruptive, unproductive and unprofessional behavior the three council members have continued to exhibit, then a recall is their chance to voice that dissatisfaction.” | 2022-08-03T02:49:57Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Recall effort underway, censure proposed as Pocatello City Council clash intensifies | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/recall-effort-underway-censure-proposed-as-pocatello-city-council-clash-intensifies/article_f81fd120-0394-5639-bb10-9302ab478ef4.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/recall-effort-underway-censure-proposed-as-pocatello-city-council-clash-intensifies/article_f81fd120-0394-5639-bb10-9302ab478ef4.html |
The Ada County Sheriff’s Office reported that the man was swimming near the boat on Sunday when he went under and never resurfaced; search and recovery efforts are under way, but were unsuccessful on Monday. The Sheriff’s Office said on Twitter that recovery efforts would continue on Tuesday, but reported no updates.
The most recent incident occurred around 7 p.m. on Sunday.
In the July 24 incident with the paddleboarder, “He was in front of Spring Shores,” Johnson said. “He was right at the end of the dock, one of the far-end docks. What we were told was he fell off his paddleboard, tried to get back on, fell off, tried to get back on, fell off, and then didn’t come back up.”
Bystanders who witnessed the incident dove in and pulled him out. “They started CPR, all that, continued it, and then paramedics showed up and they tried, and just no go,” Johnson said. The victim was identified as Merrill Davis; the cause of death was identified as drowning.
In the July 18 incident, the 16-year-old fell off the personal watercraft when it hit a wave, according to a news release from the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. “Neither person was wearing a life jacket,” the office reported. “The driver ... jumped in but could not find the boy. The driver of another boat nearby came over and several people tried to find the boy but were not able to. The area where the boy was last seen is very deep.”
Marine deputies attempted rescue dives until around 11 p.m., then resumed the search the next morning, also bringing in an underwater search-and-recovery expert. As of Tuesday, that body, too, hadn’t been recovered.
Johnson said drownings at Lucky Peak happen periodically, though most in his memory were related to car crashes off the nearby highway. He didn’t recall another time when three occurred involving lake users in a two-week period. “It’s just the timing of everything,” he said, between the extended heat spell, more people in the area — including those perhaps not accustomed to the conditions — and people not wearing life jackets. | 2022-08-03T04:39:33Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Third drowning reported at Idaho reservoir in two weeks | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/third-drowning-reported-at-idaho-reservoir-in-two-weeks/article_d4d97dfa-60aa-53db-9e8e-d54bfacbb72b.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/third-drowning-reported-at-idaho-reservoir-in-two-weeks/article_d4d97dfa-60aa-53db-9e8e-d54bfacbb72b.html |
Aberdeen's Hope Driscoll (center) at her signing ceremony in June.
Aberdeen's Hope Driscoll (center) signs with Yakima Valley College in June.
Hope Driscoll admits her recruitment process was a lot to take in. As Aberdeen’s star forward played her senior year and the summer began, she began hearing from several schools: Ones in Washington, others in Wyoming, still others in Oregon.
“It was kind of overwhelming,” Driscoll said.
As she began gauging those schools' interest, though, she couldn’t get over one thing: Yakima Valley College coach Robin Andrea wanted her. Like, really wanted her. Where other schools made Driscoll feel like she should be doing the legwork, Andrea did it all for her, letting her know that she was his top priority in recruiting.
So in the middle of June, she took a visit to the school. She toured the campus. She worked out with Andrea. Afterward, he took her to his office, where he had a letter of intent on his desk. If that sounds forward, it’s because it was. “He was aggressive,” said Lincoln Driscoll, Hope’s father and coach at Aberdeen.
Hope Driscoll told Andrea she needed a couple more days to decide, but in the end, she signed the letter of intent, making a pledge to join Yakima Valley College’s women’s basketball team. When Driscoll called to let him know she had made her decision, Driscoll was ecstatic. “He was super excited. He was like, you don’t even know,” Driscoll said, laughing.
That put an end to Driscoll’s recruitment. She liked a lot about Yakima Valley: Andrea was aggressive in his pursuit, and he also likened his players to his daughters, which reassured Driscoll that she was going somewhere where she would be taken care of. Yakima Valley was also the school that offered the most scholarship money, which made a difference.
The interesting part is how Driscoll’s recruitment came together in the first place. Lincoln made her a profile on an app called Field Level. That showed coaches everything they needed to know about Driscoll: Her school, position, height, clips, stats, honors, awards, everything. “It's kinda like Facebook for basketball, in a sense,” Lincoln said.
In fact, that’s how Andrea became aware of Driscoll in the first place. He sent Lincoln a message, letting him know he was interested in Hope as a prospect, and he wanted to chat. Andrea was looking for a two-guard, he said, and in March, he logged on to NFHS to watch Driscoll play in Aberdeen’s 2A state tournament games.
“He straight up said, I've seen enough,” Lincoln said of Andrea. “He goes, ‘I've seen enough. I want her.’”
There was a lot to like about Driscoll on tape. She made the all-state second team, leading the Tigers to a second-place finish at the 2A state tournament, which is quite the accomplishment for a team that unseated longtime District 5 power Soda Springs for the district tournament crown. In her senior season, she averaged around nine points, providing reliable scoring and consistent rebounding during Aberdeen’s postseason run.
In one way, that all came together last summer, when Driscoll and the Tigers played in a series of tournaments. They lost just two games. “So that was pretty fun,” Driscoll said. “I think that's when me and my team were kinda like, oh, this is serious. Like, we're actually like this good and can play. We can get into that state title game.”
That they did. But the truth is this: Driscoll chose Yakima Valley because of how badly Andrea wanted her. At one point in the recruiting process, Andrea told Driscoll he would drive from Yakima — nearly a nine-hour drive to Aberdeen — to deliver the message to Driscoll in person: He wanted her on his team.
Andrea never actually did it, but sometimes, it’s the thought that counts.
“I really liked that,” Driscoll said.
Hope Driscoll
Robin Andrea | 2022-08-03T04:39:39Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Why Aberdeen's Hope Driscoll signed with Yakima Valley College | Preps | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/why-aberdeens-hope-driscoll-signed-with-yakima-valley-college/article_5a3bae5d-289b-582c-8b81-bc2fec7e23ec.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/why-aberdeens-hope-driscoll-signed-with-yakima-valley-college/article_5a3bae5d-289b-582c-8b81-bc2fec7e23ec.html |
Facer Rick Lynn Facer Rick Lynn Facer, 66, passed away on July 31st, 2022, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on June 6, 1956, in Pocatello, Idaho to Keith W. and Neva M. Facer. He grew up on his family's farm, which is now known as Facer Mountain. Rick attended Lincoln Elementary School, Irving Junior High, and Pocatello High School where he was active in football and ROTC. Rick met Margaret Rineveld, the love of his life, at the age of 17. They dated in high school and later married in 1974. Rick drove trucks most of his life, being employed by Montgomery Wards, Miller's Blue Ribbon Beef and for Pacific Recycling, where he retired after 23 years of service. Rick received many safety driving awards over the years. Rick was an outdoors man who loved fishing, hunting, camping, and riding his ATV throughout the mountains. He always had his dog Bandit at his side. He participated in bowling, pool, and horseshoe leagues. He also relentlessly cheered on the Denver Broncos and watched John Wayne movies. His biggest blessings were his family and he enjoyed spending time with them and making memories. He is survived by his wife Margaret Facer; his sons Kenneth O' Dell Facer (Marlise Irby) and Clayton Ray Facer (Gretchen Elton); his grandchildren Madisyn, Jersey, Kylie, Emery, Emma, Kaylee, and Hunter; his brother Dennis J. Facer and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Norman, Jerry, and O' Dell Facer, and his sister Karen Rumsey. We would like to give a special thanks to Dr. Thayne and Kim. We also would like to include all the doctors, nurses, and technicians at the Idaho Kidney Center. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Diabetes Association. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 6, 2022 at Wilks Funeral Home. Family will meet with friends from 10:00-10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the funeral home, as well as on Friday evening from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Interment will follow the funeral service at the Mountain View Cemetery. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family online at www.wilksfuneralhome.com.
Rick Lynn Facer
Clayton Ray Facer
Kenneth O
Dell Facer
Margaret Facer | 2022-08-03T08:08:46Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Facer, Rick Lynn | Obituaries | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/facer-rick-lynn/article_59fa5177-ed81-5196-b3f1-bd9517f731c3.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/facer-rick-lynn/article_59fa5177-ed81-5196-b3f1-bd9517f731c3.html |
Headstom Marjean Headstom Marjean (Pugmire) Hedstrom Marj was born February 24, 1948 in Montpelier Idaho to Laurel and Norma Pugmire. The third of four children, and self-proclaimed "favorite". She died at her home on July 27, 2022. She lived in St. Charles until 1955 when the family moved to Salt Lake City. She returned to the Bear Lake Valley following her sophomore year in high school and resided in Idaho for the rest of her life. Married John McCaskill in 1968. Had two perfect sons, David and Daniel, later divorced. Married Rick Hedstrom in 1992 and together lived in Inkom until her passing. Marj's Siblings, Kathryn (Baldwin) and Robert (Linda) Pugmire, learned early on who ran the show. Arguing with her meant losing the argument. She had an amazing sense of humor and memory that seemed unmatched. She would MAKE you understand her jokes. Her quick wit and no-filter attitude made for many hilarious exchanges. Survived by her husband, daughter Kim (Woodruff), son David McCaskill, Grandson Gunner McCaskill and her sister Kathryn. Preceded in death by her parents, sister Janet, brother Robert, son Daniel, and her granddaughter Payton Rose McCaskill. A Celebration of Life will be held at the LDS Stake Center in St. Charles on Saturday, August 6th from 11 to noon.
Norma Pugmire
Payton Rose Mccaskill
Hedstrom Marj | 2022-08-03T08:08:52Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Headstom, Marjean | Obituaries | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/headstom-marjean/article_f8223429-bcf7-5eef-87e8-023c6a6e32b4.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/headstom-marjean/article_f8223429-bcf7-5eef-87e8-023c6a6e32b4.html |
FILE - In this Friday, June 24, 2022, file photo, abortion rights protesters cheer at a rally following the United States Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, federally protected right to abortion, outside the state capitol in Lansing, Mich.
“That language gives no indication of how imminent, or substantial, the risk of death must be in order for a provider to feel confident” performing the abortion, said Alan Schoenfeld, the attorney representing the plaintiffs told the justices Wednesday. “Suppose a patient with pulmonary hypertension has a 30 to 50% risk of dying... is that enough?” | 2022-08-03T21:07:26Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Abortion court battles press on, even in deep red states | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/abortion-court-battles-press-on-even-in-deep-red-states/article_1319ee43-6b9c-5dc0-a193-1d4e37fda025.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/abortion-court-battles-press-on-even-in-deep-red-states/article_1319ee43-6b9c-5dc0-a193-1d4e37fda025.html |
The Forest Service is holding a virtual community meeting to discuss the fire and plans to protect the municipal watershed at 6 p.m. on Facebook Live and Microsoft Teams.Firefighters continue to employ point protection strategies for resources at risk in the Spring Creek, Pine Creek, Panther Creek, Tower Creek, 4th of July Creek and Moose Creek areas, the Highway 93 corridor, and many other locations, the InciWeb report said. | 2022-08-03T21:07:49Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Moose fire determined to be human caused | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/moose-fire-determined-to-be-human-caused/article_e4fb8b33-998a-5331-921d-5c72097dbee9.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/moose-fire-determined-to-be-human-caused/article_e4fb8b33-998a-5331-921d-5c72097dbee9.html |
Melissa and Theo Warner of Little Creek Coffee LLC stand in front of the planned location for their new The Human Bean coffee shop near Tastee Treet in Chubbuck.
By Idaho State Journal
CHUBBUCK — A couple who live in Moscow, Idaho, plan to install a new coffee shop in Chubbuck near long-time Chubbuck business Tastee Treet.
Theo and Melissa Warner, who graduated from the University of Idaho in Moscow, say they hope to have the new coffee shop installed at the beginning of October.
They already have two trainers and managers hired, Melissa said.
And typically, each location has about 20 employees, according to the company.
Theo says the prefabricated building, which will be about 45 by 15 feet, will already have all the needed connections.
Leslie Swanson, director of franchise engagement and the primary contact for franchisees once they sign with the company, looks forward to seeing the new location in Chubbuck open.
She says that Melissa and Theo should receive their prefabricated building,which is under construction in Oregon sometime in the fall.
Currently the franchise has 141 locations open across the U.S. Swanson said.
“Others are in development across 28 states,” Swanson said.
The first location for the franchise was in Ashland Oregon in 1998.
The Human Bean is a national leader in drive-thru specialist coffee and premium beverages, according to the company.
"So after they came across The Human Bean while traveling through Oregon several years ago they knew that would be the right fit, for them” she said.
That will get people $2 off a customer’s first purchase and $5 for every 55 points that the customer earns, according to the company.
The Human Bean was founded in 1998 with a commitment to developing the very best coffee drive-thru in Southern Oregon, according to the company.
And according to a news release the company aims to continue to grow through approved franchisees sharing the same determination and commitment to the company’s goals. | 2022-08-03T21:07:50Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | New Human Bean Coffee Shop planned for Chubbuck | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/new-human-bean-coffee-shop-planned-for-chubbuck/article_b9ef7963-d0a1-52ee-9f0b-6cf2ed5eaceb.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/new-human-bean-coffee-shop-planned-for-chubbuck/article_b9ef7963-d0a1-52ee-9f0b-6cf2ed5eaceb.html |
Robert Reed Stacey
POCATELLO — A 47-year-old local man has been charged with felony burglary after police say he entered a Pocatello storage unit last month in which over $1,700 worth of items had been stolen.
Robert Reed Stacey, of Pocatello, was charged and arrested for the June 25 incident on July 29 following a Pocatello Police investigation, according to court records the Idaho State Journal obtained Tuesday.
Pocatello police began investigating the burglary on July 11 after the owners of a local storage unit contacted police to report a unit had been burglarized.
The owners provided police with security camera footage that showed three individuals, one of whom was identified as Stacey, entering a locked unit.
The person who was renting the unit provided police with a list of items that were stolen from the storage unit, which included a canopy, photo blind, 2 studded snow tires and other items that were valued collectively at $1,764, police said.
Stacey was located operating a motorcycle in the area of South Second Avenue on July 29 and detained before being questioned by police.
During the interview, Stacey admitted to police that he opened the storage unit door but denied stealing any items from the unit, police said.
He was subsequently charged with felony burglary, arrested and booked into the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello.
Stacey appeared in front of 6th District Judge David Hooste for an arraignment hearing Monday, during which his bond was set at $10,000.
Stacey is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 11, during 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.
If convicted of the felony burglary charge, Stacey faces between one and 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. | 2022-08-04T05:28:14Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Police: Local man charged with burglary after items worth over $1,700 are stolen from storage unit | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/police-local-man-charged-with-burglary-after-items-worth-over-1-700-are-stolen-from/article_8b216939-841a-592d-bf6a-75c4000e729c.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/police-local-man-charged-with-burglary-after-items-worth-over-1-700-are-stolen-from/article_8b216939-841a-592d-bf6a-75c4000e729c.html |
Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully speaks during his induction into the team’s Ring of Honor prior to a game on May 3, 2017, in Los Angeles.
Dodgers announcer Vin Scully puts his headset on prior to a game against the Giants on Sept. 19, 2016, in Los Angeles.
As the longest tenured broadcaster with a single team in pro sports history, Scully saw it all and called it all. He began in the 1950s era of Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson, on to the 1960s with Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax. into the 1970s with Steve Garvey and Don Sutton, and through the 1980s with Orel Hershiser and Fernando Valenzuela. In the 1990s, it was Mike Piazza and Hideo Nomo, followed by Kershaw, Manny Ramirez and Yasiel Puig in the 21st century.
He was preceded in death by his second wife, Sandra. She died of complications of ALS at age 76 in 2021. The couple, who were married 47 years, had a daughter, Catherine, together. | 2022-08-04T05:28:32Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Vin Scully, Dodgers broadcaster for 67 years, dies at 94 | Sport | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/townnews/sport/vin-scully-dodgers-broadcaster-for-67-years-dies-at-94/article_515452fd-83ae-5d4f-8599-7527c53a8a45.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/townnews/sport/vin-scully-dodgers-broadcaster-for-67-years-dies-at-94/article_515452fd-83ae-5d4f-8599-7527c53a8a45.html |
Case Stayner
Addressing the gaps in spiritual self-reliance
By Case Stayner
The phrase: “addressing the gaps in learning” is used by teachers when they recognize areas where their students need improvement. Teachers address those gaps by differentiating their instruction or modifying the ways they teach their students to help them grasp the concepts they are not yet fully understanding. This principle of addressing gaps in learning can also be applied to spiritual self-reliance.
In every part of our lives, we should ask ourselves these questions: “Where am I now?” “Where do I want to be?” Then, we should set small, attainable goals that allow us to progress. In doing so, we are becoming self-reliant. For example, someone who wants to run a marathon cannot expect her or himself to wake up and run twenty-six miles on day one. Small, attainable goals are subjective. For one person, she or he may be able to run two miles in a single setting, and for another, the starting point may be one mile or less. With each passing week, a small increase in the distance being run is progression. To progress further, one must be consistent in setting, achieving, and increasing their goals so that a marathon can eventually be ran. Improvement is dependent on persistence and consistency.
In education, students learn to become self-reliant through persistence and consistency. They are held accountable to their choices of practicing what they are learning and by completing or not completing their school assignments. I was blessed for having the help of my parents with my homework. My teachers also reached out to them to address my gaps in learning. Overtime, those gaps were narrowed through persistent practice and consistent repetition. My parents also taught me how to become spiritually self-reliant.
One of the core principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is that the family is ordained of God. Parents have the primary responsibility of teaching their children the gospel of Jesus Christ and helping them become spiritually self-reliant. In one of the church’s volumes of scriptures, The Doctrine & Covenants, it explains that parents are to “teach [their children] to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old” (D&C 68:25-28). Individuals are baptized no younger than the age of eight in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Eight years of age is known as the age of accountability. The Swiss Psychologist, Jean Piaget, who was a pioneer of studying cognitive development in children, taught that from “the ages of seven to eleven years, children are in the concrete operational stage [and] are more capable of thinking logically, making inferences, and viewing things from more than one perspective” (Piaget, NES, 2021). In other words, children become accountable to their own actions and are better able to determine the differences between right and wrong and between good and evil. They become cognitively aware if their choices are allowing them to become like Christ.
From birth to adulthood, every person in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints learns how to become spiritually self-reliant by being taught core principles. But as individuals progress in age, some of the core principles learned are easily forgotten if they are not
persistently implemented. We then begin to see gaps in our learning. Without consistent repetition, those gaps become quite wide!
Each of us is responsible for our own actions and for narrowing the gaps in our spiritual learning. What gaps in your spiritual learning need to be narrowed? The church’s general handbook lists principles of how to become spiritually self-reliant. Some of them are: Exercise faith in Christ; Pray; Study the scriptures and the words of the living prophets; Attend sacrament meeting and other Church meetings; Participate in sacred ordinances and strive to keep the associated covenants” (General Handbook, 2022). Persistently implementing these and other principles through consistent repetition is how we will continuously have the “guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost,” which without, “in the coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually” (Nelson, 2018).
Where are you now? Where do you want to be? What gaps in your spiritual learning need to be addressed? Identify the gaps and be persistent in setting, achieving, and increasing your goals. Even if you become one percent better each week, you are still narrowing the gap. (Dunn, 2021) Becoming spiritually self-reliant takes courage, persistence and consistency. The more you improve, the more your testimony of the truths taught by Christ and his prophets and apostles will grow! You will want to act on their invitations and seek to be more like Christ. You can fortify your foundation in Christ through spiritual self-reliance.
Case Stayner holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Idaho State University and is currently working to obtain his master’s in secondary education from Grand Canyon University. He loves writing in his free time and teaching English and other subjects at his place of employment. The most important things he values in life are his religious beliefs, including his faith in God the Father and his son Jesus Christ and his dedication to his family. | 2022-08-04T18:05:12Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Addressing the gaps in spiritual self-reliance | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/addressing-the-gaps-in-spiritual-self-reliance/article_e3aa1806-7a03-527c-8ed1-ae2d1a95624b.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/addressing-the-gaps-in-spiritual-self-reliance/article_e3aa1806-7a03-527c-8ed1-ae2d1a95624b.html |
By Historic Downtown Pocatello
Take a look at what our merchants have planned and get downtown this weekend.
Wysteriasage & The Vintage Menagerie, 658 N. Main St., has lots of new goodies. Vintage, antique, handcrafted and more. Come stroll through the store and enjoy some refreshments.
The Stump, 510 N. Main St., will be celebrating its first First Friday Art Walk. Happy hour is 4 to 5 p.m. Live music featuring Dakota Neifert from 6 to 8 p.m. Be sure to stop in and see this fun new live music, game time and food truck venue.
The Elwen Cottage, 334 N. Main St., will be open with a shop full of crafts, paint and more.
The Mystic Market will be located inside the parking lot on the corner of West Lander and North Main streets from 5 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 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 and tarot reader.
The New Knowledge Adventures program will be located inside Leadership Pocatello Park, between Main Steam Coffee & Desserts and Round River Baking, sharing their new class schedule for the upcoming year. Stop by and learn more about this education opportunity.
Star Route Brewery, 218 N. Main St., will be hosting Wildflower Esthetics. Villano’s Italian will be open inside the brewery serving dinner.
Vain & Vintage, 145 N. Main St., will have a variety of vintage art and handmade jewelry available. Refreshments will be served.
PV’s Uncorked on Main Event Venue, 138 N. Main St., will be hosting Sophia and Coco's Cakery featuring cupcakes and baked treats.
Main Street Mercantile & Antiques, 134 N. Main St., will be open with lots of new inventory.
Pocatello Flooring, 123 N. Main St., will be featuring Ideas On Wood. Refreshments and a fun raffle, too.
Cottonwood Junction invites you to stroll through the Old Town Alley Outdoor Gallery, behind the 100 block of North Main Street. New murals are being painted and added to the alley. Be sure to walk across the street to see the new mural at Maag Prescription and Medical Supply titled “Mother and Sisters,” by artists Paula TopSky Houtz, her daughter Taysia, Jon Hanley and Heidi Yerbich.
Cherub Capers Creations, 308 W. Center St., will be hosting Sarah Austill. Sarah is a fine arts major at Idaho State University, and she will be sharing her beautiful voice singing the classics from the '40s and '50s.
Gate City Coffee, 320 W. Center St., will be open for 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.
The Shady Lady, Too “ArtiQues,” 315 W. Center St., will be featuring various art. Ron Lewis will be presenting the first series of paintings of “Local Iconic Characters of Pocatello." Visit Shady’s second location in the Historic Kane Building.
Brick 243, 243 W. Center St., will be open and serving delicious food and beverages during and after the art walk.
Kanda's and Co., 159 S. Main St., is excited to announce that back by popular demand is vocal artist Lenet Neifert. Lenet will be entertaining from 5 to 8 p.m. Lenet has prepared a line-up of 1970s songs and will be in full ’70s attire. An award will be presented to the best dressed in ’70s outfits they see downtown during the evening. Refreshments will be served.
Arepas Factory, inside Station Square at 200 S. Main St., 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.
The Union Taproom and 313 Whiskey Bar, inside the Historic Yellowstone Hotel, will be hosting BOGO happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. and open mic beginning at 7 p.m.
At the 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 do-it-yourself free mini-craft event during the art walk.
The Gallows Frames & Gifts, 150 S. Fourth Ave., will be hosting Sheila Bush, an artist whose paintings showcase a tenuous balance between reality and dreams, highlighting the contrast between the defined immediacy of the natural world and the intangible, wandering world of abstraction.
Portneuf Valley Brewing, 615 S. First Ave., will be continuing their tribute to all Eastern Idaho offers with a selection of photos promoting play local and drink PVB. Live in the loft will be Hired Gun, headed up by Cody Simpkins, performing from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Don’t miss Saturday’s Oldies Rod & Custom Car Show, a fundraising event for the Senior Activity Center, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. We can’t wait to see all of the cool cars and enjoy all of the family-friendly, fun activities on Saturday. Plan to join us on the grassy area behind Station Square.
First annual Molinelli's Downtown Block Party on Aug. 12 from 5 to 9 p.m. Gas, Food & Lodging live on stage. Food, beverages, giveaways and more on the 100 block of North Main Street.
Maag Prescription & Medical Supply annual Customer Appreciation barbecue on Aug. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Vendor registration is now open for this year's Welcome Back Orange & Black coming up on Aug. 22 from 4 to 7 p.m. Visit www.historicdowntownpocatello.com/activities to view the agreement. Help us welcome back our ISU Bengals and promote your business in one exciting afternoon.
For more information about all the exciting events coming up in Historic Downtown Pocatello, visit us on Facebook and click on "events." | 2022-08-04T18:05:18Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Art walk planned for Friday in downtown Pocatello | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/art-walk-planned-for-friday-in-downtown-pocatello/article_8c14389b-ff49-528d-a53a-fc89d954b75e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/art-walk-planned-for-friday-in-downtown-pocatello/article_8c14389b-ff49-528d-a53a-fc89d954b75e.html |
Jensen Hall attends the Bill Parrish Family 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament in 2021 at Holt Arena in Pocatello. This year's tournament will take place Friday and Saturday at Highland High School.
POCATELLO — The Bill Parrish Family 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament returns on Friday and Saturday at Highland High School in Pocatello.
There will be a round robin tournament on Friday and a double elimination tournament on Saturday.
According to the tournament’s website, “The Bill Parrish Family 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament was created along with the NOCO Foundation following the deaths of the Bill Parrish family, as a result of Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning in the Spring of 2014. … The tournament's goals are simple — it hopes to ensure that no family suffers a similar loss because they didn't know how to protect themselves from Carbon Monoxide.”
First Alert will give away 120 carbon monoxide detectors at the event.
Registration was set to close Thursday night, but people are encouraged to come watch the tournament from the sidelines.
For more information, visit chubbucklions.org. | 2022-08-04T18:05:24Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Bill Parrish Family 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament set for Friday, Saturday | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/bill-parrish-family-3-on-3-basketball-tournament-set-for-friday-saturday/article_3c6afa71-35f6-537d-b5e3-9ffca3245f0d.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/bill-parrish-family-3-on-3-basketball-tournament-set-for-friday-saturday/article_3c6afa71-35f6-537d-b5e3-9ffca3245f0d.html |
From left to right: Brandon DesFosses, Jessica DesFosses, Jessica Guiterrez and Eric Guiterrez in the interior of Cielito Lindo Cocina Mexicana.
Photo courtesy of Brandon DesFosses
POCATELLO — A new Mexican restaurant called Cielito Lindo Cocina Mexicana will soon open in Pocatello at the former Uncle Jim's location.
Brandon DesFosses, investor and partner of the restaurant, explained it will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner options, which will include different types of burritos and fajitas.
Breakfast items include chorizos, fajita omelets and breakfast burritos.
"We'll have more authentic Mexican style dishes," he said. "We'll have American dishes too."
American options will include T-bone and New York steaks. Breakfast options will include omelettes, pancakes and waffles.
DesFosses explained that the restaurant is owned by Eric Guiterrez, who is originally from Mexico but came to the United States in the early 2000s.
Guiterrez lived in California for a time before moving to Pocatello. He has worked several different restaurant positions before deciding to open his own.
"It's literally the American Dream," said DesFosses.
The restaurant will have their soft opening on Saturday, Aug. 6. The grand opening will be held a week later on Saturday, Aug. 13.
Cielito Lindo is located at 1011 Pocatello Avenue at the former Uncle Jim's location that closed down back in May.
More information about Cielito Lindo can be found on their Facebook page.
Brandon Desfosses
SBA loans: A difference-maker for growing companies | 2022-08-04T20:37:30Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | New Mexican restaurant to open in Pocatello, soft opening set for this weekend | East Idaho | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/business_journal/east_idaho/new-mexican-restaurant-to-open-in-pocatello-soft-opening-set-for-this-weekend/article_8f006229-b6ec-5238-8dcc-f23da78fb888.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/business_journal/east_idaho/new-mexican-restaurant-to-open-in-pocatello-soft-opening-set-for-this-weekend/article_8f006229-b6ec-5238-8dcc-f23da78fb888.html |
POCATELLO — A man is dead after crashing his motorcycle in south Pocatello early Thursday morning.
The accident occurred around 12:30 a.m. while the adult male motorcyclist was headed eastbound on the South Valley Connector near South Fifth Avenue, authorities said. He reportedly lost control of the motorcycle and crashed.
Authorities reported that he died at the scene. The man was the only person on the motorcycle and he was reportedly wearing a helmet.
His name has not yet been released. Police said the man recently moved to Pocatello to attend Idaho State University.
The accident remains under investigation by Pocatello police. | 2022-08-04T20:37:36Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Motorcyclist dies in crash in south Pocatello | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/motorcyclist-dies-in-crash-in-south-pocatello/article_bf164e04-517e-5ef5-a2cc-3aa0d2b06268.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/motorcyclist-dies-in-crash-in-south-pocatello/article_bf164e04-517e-5ef5-a2cc-3aa0d2b06268.html |
Back 2 School Giveaway organizer Josh Robinson, center, runs a raffle at 2019’s event at the Mountain View Event Center in Pocatello.
POCATELLO — For the past 14 years, Josh Robinson has spent countless hours organizing the yearly Back 2 School Giveaway, an event which has provided thousands of local schoolchildren with free clothing, school supplies and backpacks in a fair-like atmosphere.
Yet due to supply chain issues and personal health complications, Robinson explained the Back 2 School Giveaway will be scaled back for the 2022 season.
“There won’t be a live event,” he said. “The backpacks are still going to be delivered to the schools, which will be delivered to the kids. I’ve just had major surgery on my neck and I’m a team of one who coordinates the event. Those issues, combined with some supply chain complications being felt nationwide — it just wasn’t and still isn’t feasible.”
The giveaway, which usually takes place at the Mountain View Event Center the third week of August, attracts hundreds of families with school-aged children who attend to not just receive much-needed supplies for the upcoming school year but also enjoy a celebratory atmosphere complete with bouncy houses, face painting and food.
Dozens of local businesses pitch in as sponsors for this nonprofit event, which is funded entirely by the community and supported by volunteers, and Robinson takes no salary.
While he expressed his own disappointment that the live event won’t be held, he said 1,000 backpacks will still be delivered to District 25 schools and area charter schools to children who need them.
“We had some backpacks leftover from last year… and I keep extra supplies and store extra stuff,” Robinson said. “I’ll use (these) so I’ve got enough to make sure that we get some backpacks into the hands of the people that need them. We’ll still have a day where we pack them all up, you know, and use some volunteers…to get that to happen. But I’m just going to have to do what I did in 2020 and drop them off at the schools.”
Although this year’s giveaway will be scaled back, Robinson is already planning ahead for the 2023 year, which he is confident will return as a live event with the party-like atmosphere that has become an anticipated celebration for the community.
“For this year, this is what we’re able to do. But knowing that, we’re already starting to make a plan for how we’re going to make 2023 work and have a full, fun event,” he said. | 2022-08-04T22:56:46Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | This year's Back 2 School Giveaway scaled back, no live event to be held | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/this-years-back-2-school-giveaway-scaled-back-no-live-event-to-be-held/article_e76853b1-6e30-5982-8bc2-abbec5ce8b68.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/this-years-back-2-school-giveaway-scaled-back-no-live-event-to-be-held/article_e76853b1-6e30-5982-8bc2-abbec5ce8b68.html |
Havok is the first-ever K-9 officer to join the American Falls Police Department.
American Falls Police Department photo
The American Falls Police Department recently added its first-ever canine officer to the force, and the dog has already helped get some illegal drugs off the streets.
K-9 officer Havok joined AFPD in April to work with his handler Sgt. Engle, who has been with the police department for more than a decade. Havok is trained in drug detection and has located drugs on several occasions since joining the force, including during a recent response where he sniffed out 3.5 lbs. of marijuana.
Havok was a Bingham County Sheriff's Office canine, and he transitioned to the police department in American Falls after the agency raised money to purchase him. The canine officer cost about $1,500, plus the cost of his gear. He has been entirely funded by donations to the police department from local businesses.
Police Chief Brandon Wilkinson said Havok is a valuable addition to his team.
"Our major goal is to get any narcotics that we can off our streets, especially out of our schools and away from our youth," Wilkinson said. "Havok is going to play a major role in that. Other agencies have been so gracious to assist us and bring their dogs whenever we've called needing canines in the past, but now having our own dog is a major asset to our communities as we try to combat narcotics."
Since being certified in July, Havok and his handler have located methamphetamine and marijuana. Wilkinson stressed the importance of finding these substances.
Marijuana sometimes isn't just marijuana anymore, he said. It's increasingly being laced with fentanyl, and in those cases, can have deadly effects on its consumers. Having a canine officer to help decrease the amount of potentially deadly substances circulating in the American Falls area is invaluable to public safety.
"We're starting to see more and more drugs being laced with fentanyl and that's why it's extremely scary and alarming," he said. "But these generous donations from the community and businesses have given us an amazing opportunity to have Havok on our team and keep any types of narcotics off our streets."
As for whether the police agency hopes to bring on more canines in the future, Wilkinson said he's just looking forward to seeing what Havok can accomplish in American Falls and the surrounding areas where he will also respond if needed.
"It will be interesting to see if he's going to be able to meet all of our needs or if our need grows, then maybe there would be another opportunity to bring on another canine," he said. "But as for right now, we'll see what he can help us accomplish and if he can help us meet the needs of our community." | 2022-08-04T22:57:12Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | First-ever K-9 officer joins American Falls police force | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/first-ever-k-9-officer-joins-american-falls-police-force/article_fa9aabf9-f26e-55f8-adcf-2284c651a59b.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/first-ever-k-9-officer-joins-american-falls-police-force/article_fa9aabf9-f26e-55f8-adcf-2284c651a59b.html |
Forty pounds
Yesterday I grabbed a 40-pound bag of dog food, took it out to our shop, tossed it over the top tube of my bicycle and rode up and down the road just to see how it felt. A year ago, I could have conducted the same experiment without the bag of dog food because I was over 40 pounds heavier. It's been a long journey, but the payoff has been wonderful.
I was almost always skinny when I was a kid and that lasted well into my 20s. When I briefly played football in high school I weighed 113 pounds. When I raced bicycles at the University of Kentucky, four years later, I was 6'2” and weighed about 180 pounds soaking wet. I was always active and had a fast metabolism. I could eat like a horse and not gain a pound. It was awesome. All the pizza, burritos and beer I could consume — with no consequences. Oh to relive those days.
I started strength training for climbing around 1980 and became a gym rat. For most of the next decade, I worked out religiously, gaining 15 pounds during this period. This was the first time in my life that I had to work to control my weight. I can remember walking past restaurants in Lexington, Kentucky, and having to really focus in order to not follow my nose to some gastronomic catastrophe.
After climbing came grad school. The combination of stress and lack of time for much physical activity involved in most graduate programs will put a dent in almost anyone's fitness regime. Then came the move across the country to a new career. Faculty in most academic fields are very busy people. I marked the passage of several decades with a gradually expanding waistline and declining levels of fitness.
Then came my sixth decade and some health challenges. In 2020, things deteriorated to the point that I no longer had the option of ignoring health issues. It was a brutal year, but the beginning of a journey to a much better place.
A few months after a hip replacement I stepped on our bathroom scale at home and it read 250 pounds. I was horrified. I knew that I had to deal with my weight. I spoke with several of my doctor friends about recovery, training and diet. After listening to what they had to say and poring through the resources they recommended for self-study, I decided on a combination of gym training, bicycling and a ketogenic diet to get things under control.
I began this regimen a little over a year ago. Earlier this week, the bathroom scale read 210 pounds. By this fall I should be down around 200, which is my goal.
Keto isn't for everyone and absolutely no one should try it without consulting a doctor. It's also not something that you can do forever. But if it's right for you it's a great diet — especially for athletes. You are literally reconstituting the composition of your body by burning fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. But you have to be very careful to restrict your intake of carbs to a minuscule daily amount in order to remain in ketosis. It's not easy to do, but the payoff is huge — if you can manage it.
I feel better now than I have in decades. None of my clothes fit anymore, but that's a problem that I can handle. First world problems, as they say.
I ride bicycles these days a lot, but I go for one ride every day with the entire family. Megan tows our two little ones behind her ebike and they pace me going up hills. It's the most fun I have had outdoors in a long time.
Every cycling mile gets me closer to my goal of completing my Forrest Gump ride across America in 2024. I'm going to work with the Tunnels to Towers Foundation (t2t.org) to raise money for veterans, first responders and their families. It's a cause near and dear to me and I'm thrilled to be working with a great organization for such a worthy cause.
But there's more than having fun and raising money that I want to accomplish with this next adventure. I want to meet and talk with a lot of people along the way. Any of you who read this column know the disdain that I have for most of the media and many of the self-imagined intellectual and moral pillars of our society — none of whom saw, for instance, Donald Trump coming (and still don't understand why). Most journalists, politicians, academics, pundits and other members of the view from way high in the clouds class have no clue as to what the folks a mile from the freeway think. None. People like you and me are as alien to them as Oumuamua.
Now one may lament that or do something about it. Me? I'm for what's behind door No. 2. I want to talk with as many folks as I can across the country just to see what they think about things and document these conversations in a series of daily essays on Substack. I'm sure that I'll be wiser when I'm finished.
I thank my lucky stars for supportive family and friends who've made this journey, my journey over the past year and many others through the years, possible. If you are out there dealing with a weight issue, I'm as sure as I can be that you can deal with it too. Just don't be afraid to get to the getting. | 2022-08-05T16:21:01Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Forty pounds | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/forty-pounds/article_a1d76d99-2bf3-569a-b643-4552bb6a1a0d.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/forty-pounds/article_a1d76d99-2bf3-569a-b643-4552bb6a1a0d.html |
Thought police
I was a teenager when the first “Fahrenheit 451” movie was produced in 1966. The film was based upon Ray Bradbury’s novel of a future dystopian society where books were banned to control thought and prevent dissent. Firemen were empowered to seize and burn all books — Bradbury used 451 because he was advised that paper autoignites at that temperature (it is within the range).
People were encouraged in the movie to rat out their bibliophile neighbors who were arrested for secretly having books. A fireman fell for a book-loving woman, and yes, the plot heated up.
The movie’s theme disturbed me. As a teenager, I already treasured our American rights to read what we wanted and to exercise freedom of speech. Those rights aren’t absolute as defamatory words and child pornography are examples of communication and publication that should be prohibited. However, we must be zealous in protecting our right to access and read controversial material.
It was disquieting to contemplate a world where unlimited access to books wasn’t the accepted norm, although humanity has always had book banners and destroyers. It’s ironic that Bradbury’s book was recently on a list of materials suggested for restriction in Oklahoma.
Banning books began in America before our nation existed. The first prohibited book was written in 1624 by Thomas Morton, an individual who was at odds with Puritan society and left to form the community of Merrymount. The book compared some Puritans to crustaceans and lampooned them for many things including their genocide of Indigenous people. It was not well received in Puritan New England (I wonder why).
The last book restricted by the federal government in America was “Fanny Hill” (the memoirs of a woman of pleasure). The book was prohibited in 1821 and again in 1963 as being obscene. “The Grapes of Wrath,” “The Catcher in the Rye,” “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” “Sophie’s Choice,” “Lolita,” “Animal Farm” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” are examples of literature that have been the subject of attempted or outright bans in the United States and elsewhere.
Some primary driving forces for book bans throughout the world are perceived obscenity, religious intolerance and the stifling of opposing political and/or moral thought.
A book recently banned in virtually every Islamic country in the world is Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses.” The novel infuriated many Muslims as blasphemous and caused the Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran to call for a fatwa directing followers to kill the author who had to go into hiding.
Any government, religion or entity that seeks to destroy literature contrary to its underpinnings is insecure in its legitimacy. If what you believe or speak is the truth, it should withstand critical opposition.
The images of book bonfires in “Fahrenheit 451” are similar to those seen in Nazi Germany after Adolf Hitler came to power. Jewish literature and many other books, including “Oliver Twist” and “The Communist Manifesto,” were tossed into the inferno to try and control the thoughts of Germans.
Ironically, at the end of World War II, “Mein Kampf” by Hitler, was banned from publication and ownership in Germany and Austria. “Mein Kampf” was not printed in Germany from 1945 until 2016. Given the Nazis’ atrocities, I understand the ban’s motivation, but it is still an effort to control thought.
Book banning is censorship that should be resisted absent compelling justification. It has come back in style in the United States as efforts to challenge and ban books at school and public libraries have accelerated. Many of the objections are fueled by a campaign agenda titled No Left Turn in Education, which seeks to prohibit books focusing upon alternative lifestyles and disputing institutional racism in America.
Librarians are finding themselves caught in the cross-fire of a culture war. Nat Hentoff’s book “Free Speech for Me—But Not for Thee” discusses how the American left and right relentlessly try to censor each other, noting, “the lust to suppress can come from any direction.”
As much as people find some speech offensive, we must work to protect this right. Noam Chomsky said it well: “If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.”
Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas observed, “Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us.”
Hitler aimed to inculcate his people to an ideology of hate and exclusivity by promoting their ignorance — we can’t let that happen in America. Librarians and review boards must remain vigilant against banning books absent compelling justification so that we remain an educated, free and inclusive society. | 2022-08-05T16:21:07Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Thought police | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/thought-police/article_f4fd64be-6c5d-596a-9951-1e1c8b5d6802.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/thought-police/article_f4fd64be-6c5d-596a-9951-1e1c8b5d6802.html |
An unexpected leader, my friend and mentor, Donna M. Jones
By Brandon Woolf
In every generation, an unexpected leader arises. The Silent Generation, composed of Americans born pre-World War II in the aftermath of the Great Depression, came of age in the 1950s. They ushered in the Civil Rights Movement, invented rock and roll, and both believed and lived the American Dream that with hard work and perseverance anything is possible.
For Idaho, Donna M. Jones is the Silent Generation’s unexpected leader. She lived the American Dream to its fullest.
Donna was born on the plains of Colorado and grew up dirt poor. At 12 years old, her family moved to Idaho so her older brother could attend college. Donna married young, had three children and alongside her husband, Don, who passed away in 2000, worked hard.
By 1959, she rose to management for the Party Plan Jewelry Company. In 1967, Donna and Don purchased Payette’s NAPA Auto Parts franchise and opened another store in New Plymouth by 1976. Donna, a scant 5 feet tall, worked behind the parts counter at both stores — an unexpected place to find a woman in the 1960s and ’70s.
Donna also sold real estate in Idaho and Oregon throughout the 1980s and ’90s, successfully, having brokerage licenses in both states. At the turn of the century, she served as executive director of the Idaho Real Estate Commission for six years. At a time when women had limited opportunities she had a family, a career, was an entrepreneur, and was a pioneer for women in politics.
Iconic Democratic Governor Cecil Andrus appointed Donna, a lifelong Republican, to serve in the Idaho Legislature in 1987.
In 1997, then-Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives and now Congressman Mike Simpson tapped Donna to chair the powerful House Revenue and Taxation Committee, a first for an Idaho woman. She became Idaho’s 20th state controller and the first woman to hold this statewide constitutional elected office in 2006.
Donna looked beyond glass ceilings, shattering through them.
She was also my mentor.
Donna was fearless. During the economic downturn of 2008, she was pressured by powerful Republicans to refund a significant deposit to a well-connected individual who had defaulted on a contract through her role on the Land Board. Despite being pressured to do otherwise, Donna would cast a politically unpopular vote because it was the right thing to do for the beneficiaries, even if it may cost her the next election.
Honest. Steady. Loyal. True to principles. That’s Donna Jones.
After Donna’s severe car crash in 2012, and my subsequent appointment to fulfill the remainder of her term by her good friend and then-Gov. C.L. “Butch Otter,” Donna would follow the path of her idol, the man who inspired her political life, President Ronald Reagan.
Concluding his life of public service Reagan said, "I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead." Although Alzheimer's erased Donna’s own memories of her life, our memories of her shine, and she will never be forgotten.
Donna made a difference in my life not only as a friend but as a mentor. Since taking office, I have tried to embody her spirit, fearlessness, and passion for doing what is right — even when it was not easy — every single day.
Donna passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 8, 2022. Her family invites her friends to join them at a celebration of life at the Elks Lodge in Ontario, Oregon, at 3 p.m. on Aug. 13.
This column was written by Idaho State Controller Brandon Woolf. | 2022-08-05T18:36:01Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | An unexpected leader, my friend and mentor, Donna M. Jones | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/an-unexpected-leader-my-friend-and-mentor-donna-m-jones/article_e482a1e5-1707-5969-8830-65e182685863.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/an-unexpected-leader-my-friend-and-mentor-donna-m-jones/article_e482a1e5-1707-5969-8830-65e182685863.html |
Calley Malloy, left, Cassie Woolworth, center, and Dawn Rattan, right, applaud during a primary watch party onTuesday in Overland Park, Kansas. Kansas voters rejected a ballot measure in a conservative state with deep ties to the anti-abortion movement that would have allowed the Republican-controlled Legislature to tighten restrictions or ban abortion outright.
A message of hope (from Kansas of all places)
On Tuesday, Aug. 2, the voters of Kansas defeated a proposal by the Kansas Legislature to alter the state’s constitution in a way that would have permitted the passage of a law that banned or drastically restricted the right of women to have legal abortions within the state.
Given that Kansas is a largely rural and Republican state, which voted for Trump in 2020 by a margin of just under 15 percentage points, the defeat of the proposal was jaw-droppingly large: It was 18 points, with 90 percent of the vote counted, as of this writing. Urban areas voted overwhelmingly against the constitutional-change proposal, but even the most conservative counties, such as Hamilton country, on the western border, (which went 81 percent for Trump in 2020) managed only 56 percent in support of it. It’s apparent that a good many Republicans, in spite of their party’s position on this issue, voted against this attempt to deprive the women of Kansas of their rights.
Why did the Kansas Legislature decide that the state Constitution had to be changed? Because the state’s Supreme Court, in a case decided in April of 2019, had ruled that that Constitution clearly protects a woman’s right to decide whether or not to have an abortion, so no new bill to restrict abortion, however encouraged by the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, would survive state judicial review.
The case that came before the Supreme Court in 2019 was a challenge to a recently passed state law that outlawed the use of a particular surgical method for ending a pregnancy; the method, called D&E, involves dilation of the vagina and evacuation of the fetus and is mainly used in the second trimester of pregnancy.
The decision of that Kansas court rewards careful study. It is clear, well-written and incorporates not only a careful analysis of both Roe and Casey but a wealth of historical information on court decisions and public opinion regarding laws about abortion, not only in Kansas but in many other states. It is particularly valuable for its discussion of the way in which courts deal with adjudicating cases which involve what it calls “natural rights.”
The basic conclusion of that court is that a woman’s right to abortion is securely grounded in the bill of rights with which the Kansas Constitution begins. The first of the rights (section 1), based upon the Declaration of Independence, is titled “Equal Rights,” and states that “All men are possessed of equal and inalienable natural rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Obviously, this declaration of rights is closely related to the statement in the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which includes the statement, “No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law.”
The court maintained, however, that the Kansas statement acknowledges rights that are “broader than the United States Constitution,” including “the right of personal autonomy,” and that “this right allows a woman to make her own decisions regarding her body, health, family formation, and family life—decisions that can include whether to continue a pregnancy.”
“Natural rights” is the phrase used by English philosopher John Locke, who explicitly recognized, as the court affirms, “a natural right to make decisions about parenting and procreation.” The court concludes that natural rights doctrine asserts that “individuals should be free to make choices about how to conduct their own lives, or, in other words, to exercise personal autonomy. Few decisions impact our lives more than those about issues that affect one's physical health, family formation, and family life. We conclude that this right to personal autonomy is firmly embedded within section 1's natural rights guarantee and its included concepts of liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
The Kansas court thought it unnecessary to argue for a right to privacy (Roe’s approach), because the right to personal autonomy is completely sufficient, in their analysis, to establish women’s rights to make decisions on child-bearing.
When considering the history of laws that criminalize abortion, in Kansas and elsewhere, the court is fully cognizant of the “gender bias” that those laws reflect. It remarks that it “cannot ignore the prevailing views justifying widespread legal differentiation between the sexes during territorial times and the reality that these views were reflected in policies impacting women's ability to exercise their rights of personal autonomy.”
And then the court, acknowledging that natural rights are not immune from legal restrictions, presents a careful and layperson-friendly account of what circumstances must exist and what rules govern the imposition of such laws.
I titled this column “A message of hope,” and the vote in Kansas is, indeed, a heartening public response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s blatantly biased and religiously-motivated rejection of Roe and Casey. The Kansas Supreme Court may have been correct that its state Constitution is more explicit in its affirmation of women’s rights to control their own lives than is the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but the latter can certainly be interpreted to yield the same affirmation. What we need now are more demonstrations that the people of this country refuse to accept the ruling of a court that knowingly defied the public’s will.
(To find the Kansas decision, search for Hodes & Nauser, MDs v. Schmidt.) | 2022-08-05T18:36:26Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | A message of hope (from Kansas of all places) | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/a-message-of-hope-from-kansas-of-all-places/article_0ffb39ed-042c-5e5a-b6b5-ad80f7feee17.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/a-message-of-hope-from-kansas-of-all-places/article_0ffb39ed-042c-5e5a-b6b5-ad80f7feee17.html |
An appeal to heaven
“And where the body of the people, or any single man, is deprived of their right, or is under the exercise of a power without right, and have no appeal on earth, then they have a liberty to appeal to heaven.” — John Locke
History is the story of who we are and resonates with us because it gives us a sense of belonging and purpose. It challenges us to be great and to be fearless as we pursue the greatness of our predecessors. In recent history, we have succumbed to a revisionist tale of our past, and as a result, we have forgotten who we are.
America has been led to believe stories of a secular past that brought us favor and prosperity. Proponents of this secular society lean on cherry-picked quotations from our founders, who sought to bind a union of separatist states established for the free exercise of various Christian denominations. To the north, the Puritans established the colonies of New England, and the Quakers settled Pennsylvania. The Anglican Church established the Atlantic states like Virginia and Maryland, while the Baptists established Rhode Island. When the founders spoke of a separation of Church and State, they rejected one official state church that they might find common religious freedom and not the rejection of Christianity or its tenets in government.
From the villainous portrayal of Christopher Columbus to the reimagining of our founding by the authors of the 1619 Project, America has rejected the Truth and the God of the founders and, subsequently, His blessing. If America is to reacquire the blessings of God, it must look to its past revivals and seek the God of its founding. This is the thesis of “The Light and the Glory” by Peter Marshall and David Manuel.
First published in 1977, “The Light and the Glory” is a novel that recounts the Christian conversion of two Ivy League college students in the 1970s. It describes their pursuit to validate or debunk American college professors’ assertions that the United States’ founders were deists or atheists pursuing a secular nation. Digging through the shelves of America’s first university libraries like those of Harvard and Yale, they uncovered something else altogether. The Christian foundations of this nation are inseparable from its existence.
The deists believe that God, if He exists, sets the wheels of the universe in motion and otherwise doesn’t mingle in the affairs of man. This stands in contrast to founding Revolutionaries who found no redress in government and, heeding the words of 2 Chronicles, appealed to the highest authority they knew: an appeal to Heaven.
One of my favorite Revolutionary War symbols is the Pine Tree Flag. It is a basic white flag with a green pine tree on it. Inscribed above the tree is the slogan “An Appeal To Heaven.” This flag was flown by ships commissioned into the navy by then-Commander of the Continental Army, George Washington. The inscription originates in a quote from John Locke’s Second Treatise on Civil Government, which suggests that when a society finds no redress with its government, it has the right to appeal to the authority of God. For founders who allegedly did not believe in the mingling of the Almighty, they certainly raised their petitions to Him, and they did so on official state insignia.
Throughout the insanity of the past few years, I have often wondered where the Church was in anchoring the American society to its foundation. I was disappointed to find that the Church had adopted the lies of the postmodernists and was no longer on stable enough ground to be a Biblical anchor. Such lies suggested that the Church is a racist institution or that America is antithetical to the Kingdom of God. Because the modern Church received its understanding from postmodernism and not from scripture, they were ill-prepared to address the maladies of a national moral collapse from a Biblical perspective.
I believe that the Spirit of God speaks to His people, so it was no surprise that members of different Church bodies have expressed similar concerns over its direction to me. The Church has denied the direness of our national state and rejected the rallying cry of 2 Chronicles to collectively humble ourselves and seek God’s face. In 2 Chronicles, God promised to restore the land of those who turned back to Him. Do Christians believe this, or is the Bible merely a supplement to postmodern philosophy?
Since 2020 and the failure of good-faith electoral challenges to be heard, a feeling of despair crept over conservative Americans. Repeat government abuses at the hands of an unresponsive regime have left much of the electorate with little recourse in government. In their desperation, many conservatives have reserved their final appeal for the Almighty.
Recent headlines of the leftist press have taken note of this appeal, which terrifies them. They call it Christian Nationalism and liken it to any other ism they’ve adorned conservative America with. This one falls squarely outside their secular realm, and they are helpless to avert its groundswell. Is it a coincidence that as a quiet collective appeal rises to God, fifty years of policy and the termination of sixty million children in-utero is finally rebuked? Is it a coincidence that natural rights to self-defense are being reasserted, or that the ability of the unresponsive regime to wage bureaucratic war on its people is being reined in? I don’t think so.
Our founders did not wish to establish an American theocracy, nor should we. They also recognized that no nation has existed or been governed without religion and that Christianity was the greatest of them and a gift to mankind. Will America humble itself and pray and appeal to Heaven? Perhaps this is our best recourse to restore the blessings of our posterity. | 2022-08-05T18:36:32Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | An appeal to heaven | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/an-appeal-to-heaven/article_552de5ce-6cb1-5c19-bb1a-62eb8a4c1d29.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/an-appeal-to-heaven/article_552de5ce-6cb1-5c19-bb1a-62eb8a4c1d29.html |
I was 12 at the time. He was preparing to leave for college and was a little sloppy in his packing. I was very surprised.
So please hold that thought as I introduce today’s topic: the latest fad in parental involvement in education — book banning.
Across America, parents are rising up in true mama-bear anger to purge school libraries of anything that smacks of a reasonably accurate, artistically sensitive and age-targeted portrayal of the wide range of human experiences that fall outside the traditional two-parent Caucasian family merrily rolling along with nary a problem that can’t be overcome by pluck, determination and singing together in the living room.
But there is more to life than campfire songs and puppet shows, and as children get older they grow curious about what they see on Netflix, on their social media accounts and in the lives of those around them.
I’ve seen it happen that way, and I wish that’s how it always happened. But unfortunately, I’ve also seen some parents use the drop-the-hammer approach. It goes like this: There is stuff that happens out in the real world that is different from the way we live. And anytime you see something different, you should know that it’s awful, evil and you should run from it. And anyone who tells you differently is a liar.
I’ve noticed that the recent lists of scholastically banned books come in three flavors: old classics such as “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “A Wrinkle in Time” that are now somehow considered subversive; books that encourage genuine understanding of people whose skin is darker than yours and mine; and books that deal honestly with the often painful personal and social issues involving same-sex attraction.
A final thought. I actually think it’s pretty funny that we’re suddenly worrying so much about library books, when all I’ve heard for the last decade is that kids don’t read anymore. If I still had children in the home, I’d worry much more about online pornography, which, sadly, virtually all children have been exposed to by age 13 — or the casual immorality and foul language your child sees watching Hulu, etc., on the couch with the rest of the family. | 2022-08-05T18:36:38Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Finding My Way: Our convenient forgetfulness | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/finding-my-way-our-convenient-forgetfulness/article_bd14ad65-cddf-5f92-8280-4c13220adab2.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/finding-my-way-our-convenient-forgetfulness/article_bd14ad65-cddf-5f92-8280-4c13220adab2.html |
“Montana... looking, looking, throwing in the end zone... Clark caught it! Dwight Clark!... It's a madhouse at Candlestick!” — Vin Scully
I normally don’t write about sports, maybe because I have never been an athlete, but growing up in San Francisco, I was always aware of the 49ers and how their best teams never won a championship. Quarterback Y.A. Tittle comes to mind. The 49ers came close when he led a team that included Hugh McElhenny Jr., R.C. “Alley Oop” Owens, and Joe “the Jet” Perry. Ultimately, the championship eluded Tittle.
Then came Jan. 10, 1981. The 49ers with quarterback Joe Montana played the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC Championship Game. That legendary game became part of San Francisco sports history, well known and celebrated decades later. Here is a description from Wikipedia:
“With 8 seconds left in the game and the 49ers facing 3rd-and-3, San Francisco wide receiver Dwight Clark made a leaping grab in the back of the end zone to complete a 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Montana enabling the 49ers to defeat the Cowboys, 28–27.”
That statement doesn’t quite capture the excitement and drama of the moment. Montana was in trouble when he threw the pass and Dwight Clark’s leaping catch was just high enough to seize the ball without going out of the end zone. This was the late Vin Scully’s last job announcing a football game, and his description is accurate. It was a madhouse at Candlestick Park. I can say that even though I wasn’t among those hysterical fans that day, since I saw the play over and over on television and heard about it from people who were there. When they spoke of that game, all of them had the same tone of awe. They had witnessed a miracle.
Why wasn’t I in attendance?
That day, I went to see a friend in a production of Shakespeare’s “As You Like it” at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Taking the BART train home, I quickly knew that something had happened. Coming into the 24th and Mission station, the train operator calling out the stops suddenly became a sports announcer, himself, screaming, “Clark has caught it. It’s a touchdown! The 49ers have won!”
My memory may not be accurate regarding the actual quote, but I could hear the roar of a mad crowd before reaching street level. The whole neighborhood resembled black and white films of citizens joyously celebrating the end of World War II with people crying and embracing. I haven’t been hugged by so many strangers in my life.
I went to a favorite watering hole and met an old friend with her date, a rugged looking construction worker who was struggling to hold back tears. It should be remembered that the Cowboys almost made a comeback themselves until a fumble. She was still in shock.
“I couldn’t believe it. It was like watching a movie of an underdog team coming back with only seconds to spare and winning.”
The bar was full of tipsy cheering fans. It was a great feeling to see the power of sports up close creating unity and camaraderie, even among strangers.
By morning, there was a tee shirt with a photo of Dwight Clark making “The Catch.” The 49ers would go on to win the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals, but that game was almost anticlimactic. The impossible had already happened.
Nelson Mandela, after he became president of South Africa, understood the power of sports and helped unite white and Black citizens in his country when their rugby team won the national championship. It is too bad that we can’t harness that unifying force of the human spirit at its best, even without a big game. | 2022-08-05T18:36:51Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The catch | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-catch/article_19dce2e7-ac80-5fd4-88b6-68d827fb4c59.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-catch/article_19dce2e7-ac80-5fd4-88b6-68d827fb4c59.html |
The Biden administration’s legal case filed on Tuesday against the state of Idaho, which was separate from that, may be an indicator, too, as a hint of things to come. It was not, as some people may think, a sweeping attack — “a lawsuit challenging Idaho’s pro-life law,” Gov. Brad Little said. His response, that “the U.S. Justice Department’s interference with Idaho’s pro-life law is another example of Biden overreaching yet again,” was simply a pro forma political statement, not a meaningful riposte on the substance.
The Department of Justice statement described it this way: “The complaint seeks a declaratory judgment that § 18-622 (one of the abortion laws) conflicts with, and is preempted by, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) in situations where an abortion is necessary stabilizing treatment for an emergency medical condition. The United States also seeks an order permanently enjoining the Idaho law to the extent it conflicts with EMTALA.”
Idaho’s newly minted Democratic attorney general candidate, Tom Arkoosh, needed only one sentence: “In many circumstances Idaho’s statute would require doctors to violate their professional oaths, trapping them between prosecution for saving lives or allowing their patients to die, in violation of federal law.”
That is what the federal Department of Justice is suing over — as it should — and what the state of Idaho is spending large amounts of specially contracted attorneys fees to defend: A law requiring doctors to violate their oaths and act against the health and interests of their patients, which runs counter to the requirements under which federal money can be used. | 2022-08-05T18:37:03Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | What the feds are saying | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/what-the-feds-are-saying/article_ac7b1d04-b0db-5afe-887d-fff41915fbde.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/what-the-feds-are-saying/article_ac7b1d04-b0db-5afe-887d-fff41915fbde.html |
Public announcement of the eligibility criteria for free and reduced meals
By Idaho State Department of Education
Families interested in applying for free and reduced-price meals can now view income guidelines and apply for the 2022-2023 school year.
The upcoming school year will be the first time since 2020 that families need to apply in order to receive free or reduced-price meals in schools operating the National School Lunch Program and for free milk in schools operating the Special Milk Program. Eligible families are encouraged to apply to ensure their children’s access to healthy meals this school year.
Reduced price meals:
Participants may qualify for reduced-price meals if the household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.
Household size Annual Monthly Twice per month Every two weeks Weekly
For each additional family member add 8,732 728 364 336 168
Free meals:
Participants may qualify for free meals if the household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.
Categorically eligible students, such as those whose families participate in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Families in Idaho, and Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Additionally, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children participants may also be eligible.
All households that do not receive notification of eligibility can complete a confidential application for free or reduced-price meals and/or free milk. Parents should contact the district their children attend to fill out an application. To find your district, go to https://www.idaho.gov/education/school-districts/. The contact information for each district will be listed on their website. Families only need to submit one application per household, even if their children attend more than one school in the district. Once deemed eligible, households will remain so for the entire school year. An application must be re-submitted at the beginning of each year.
Parents and guardians who become unemployed may also be eligible for free or reduced-price lunches during their period of unemployment, provided that the loss of income causes the household income to reach qualifying thresholds. Applications can be submitted at any time during the school year, but parents are encouraged to apply before the beginning of the school year to ensure their students’ access to free, nutritious meals.
Families notified of their children’s eligibility must contact the school if they choose to decline the free meal benefits. Families who have not received notification of eligibility may apply for benefits by completing a confidential application for free or reduced-price meals or free milk. An official at the school will review the confidential application and determine eligibility.
— A Food Stamp, SNAP or TAFI case number (not Medicaid) for each child or an indication that the household is receiving FDPIR and the signature of an adult household member.
— The names of all household members, the amount and source of income received by each household member in the prior month, the signature of an adult household member, the actual number of household members, and the last four digits of the Social Security number of the adult household member who signs the application (or an indication that the signor has no social security number). | 2022-08-05T20:42:07Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Public announcement of the eligibility criteria for free and reduced meals | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/public-announcement-of-the-eligibility-criteria-for-free-and-reduced-meals/article_584b211f-d8ce-5f65-964f-2914cadbdd96.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/public-announcement-of-the-eligibility-criteria-for-free-and-reduced-meals/article_584b211f-d8ce-5f65-964f-2914cadbdd96.html |
Dr. David Leach
Healthy vision, stronger kids: How to protect your child’s eyesight
By Dr. David Leach
The triple digits are here, and Idahoans of all ages are trying to beat the heat in any way possible. Swimming, finding shade or buying shades (sunglasses) are all on the table. As an ophthalmologist, with an emphasis on pediatric eye care, I want to focus on the best methods to protect your child’s eyes while enjoying another hot Idaho summer.
For starters, not all sunglasses are created equal. Far too often, we get caught up in the consumer trends of what looks good and what other people are wearing. While the choices are endless, there’s only one thing that tops all sunglass considerations and it has nothing to do with price or brand name. It’s all about UV protection.
Sunglasses with 100 percent UV protection should be the single-most important factor in deciding what shades you buy. Anything below that mark can pose a number of potential risks to your eyesight. That’s because sun exposure, regardless of season, can increase the risk of growths on the eye, cataracts, as well as eye cancer. The good news, there are many affordable (and stylish) options for sunglasses that will provide ample UV protection for yourself and your kiddos!
Proper eye protection is crucial during the dog days of summer. However, once we approach the tail end of the dog days, school will be right around the corner. That brings me to another, more recent, issue that poses a threat to pediatric eyesight. Digital learning.
When COVID-19 first altered classrooms, we got a glimpse into different digital challenges. Among them, kids aren’t immune to developing tired, dry eyes from concentrating on laptops and tablets for extended periods of time. The discomfort drove some of them to their ophthalmologist, looking for relief.
The good news is that most symptoms can be avoided by taking a few simple steps. The simple fact behind the headaches, blurry vision, and tired, dry eyes is that we don’t blink as often while using computers and other digital devices, leaving eyes dry and irritated. And when we focus at the same distance for a long time, it can cause our vision to blur temporarily, and the muscles around the eye to tire, which can cause headaches. Extended reading, writing or other intensive near work can also cause eye strain.
To fix this problem, ophthalmologists — physicians specializing in medical and surgical eye care — recommend taking a 20 second break from near work every 20 minutes. It’s also a good practice to position digital devices at proper angles and distances, which helps maintain good posture and reduces screen glare. Finally, for parents and children, put down your device at least 30 minutes before you go to bed. Blue light may disrupt sleep, which can lead to potential issues.
In the ophthalmology community, we’re raising awareness about UV Safety (July) and Children’s Eye Health (August). While kids often feel indestructible, early prevention is the best way to ensure their long-term health. Vision can be fragile, but the steps to limit eye degeneration are simple and often cost-effective!
P.S. If you read this article on a digital device, now is a good time to take a break from your screen time. If that includes going outside, don’t forget your 100-percent UV protective sunglasses!
Dr. David Leach is an ophthalmologist with ClearView Eye Clinic in Lewiston and Moscow. | 2022-08-05T22:44:03Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Healthy vision, stronger kids: How to protect your child’s eyesight | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/healthy-vision-stronger-kids-how-to-protect-your-child-s-eyesight/article_bdeba450-5f1d-5c06-8ce0-2b44a8b4fb15.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/healthy-vision-stronger-kids-how-to-protect-your-child-s-eyesight/article_bdeba450-5f1d-5c06-8ce0-2b44a8b4fb15.html |
Mitch Smaellie was found deceased on Friday evening after a search involving the Teton County Sheriff's Office, Teton County Idaho Search & Rescue, Air Idaho Rescue and numerous community members.
Smaellie, age 66, left his home on North 1st Street in Tetonia a little before noon on Thursday. In a Facebook post, his daughter-in-law Kelsey Smaellie said that he had departed on a four-wheeler without his phone or wallet.
The Sheriff's Office put out a notice that he was missing on Friday afternoon, and Search and Rescue volunteers mobilized to search the area where he was last seen. When dozens of people in the community asked how they could help, they were directed to respond to the Tetonia fire station to receive an assignment.
Later in the evening, Smaellie was located deceased. More information on his cause of death will be released pending investigation.
"The Teton County Sheriff's Office would like to thank the community for their efforts in the recent search and rescue to locate Mitch Smaellie," wrote the Sheriff's Office on Facebook at 9:50 p.m. on Friday. "The Sheriff's Office would like to send thoughts and prayers to Mr. Smaellie's family at this time." | 2022-08-06T05:07:00Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Missing East Idaho man found dead | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/missing-east-idaho-man-found-dead/article_1b38fd1b-1e0c-5a93-83db-a4b7c1189aef.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/missing-east-idaho-man-found-dead/article_1b38fd1b-1e0c-5a93-83db-a4b7c1189aef.html |
Pictured is the water slide at the Ross Park Aquatic Complex in Pocatello.
POCATELLO — After three seasons of the water slide at the Ross Park Aquatic Complex sitting dormant for safety concerns, the Pocatello Parks and Recreation Department is still working on a plan to fund its replacement.
The water slide and tower at Ross Park was condemned in 2020 for safety issues with its worn, wooden steps. John Banks, Parks and Recreation director, said since then, the city has been actively working to replace it.
The slide is not reparable, so the only option is pursuing donations and grants to help fund its replacement, which is estimated to cost roughly $700,000.
Several planned or in-progress projects across the city have been funded by donations from local businesses. Banks said he is working on finding a similar partnership and he's hopeful that one might arise for the slide at Ross Park.
"I am seeking partnerships with other entities in town to try to accomplish that slide replacement and the city is well aware of the need," Banks said. "The city is also looking for areas in the city budget where the slide could potentially be funded, but nothing has been resourced as of yet."
Banks said the slide, inherited from the Westwood Mall, was the most popular amenity at the water park and has been there for more than 20 years.
"Repairing is not an option," he said. "It's a 30-year-old slide and the slide tower is pushing 25 years old. It's reached the end of its useful lifespan, so we just need to start over."
Banks added that it's a challenge to fund "large ticket items" like the slide. The city is eager to find a solution, but Banks said there is currently no timeline for the project until the city can work out the funding aspect.
"We're actively pursuing partnerships, and we're trying to make it happen," he said. "The slide is very important to people who go to (the Ross Park Aquatic Complex), especially for the kids, or the youngsters that are a little bit older and looking for a little bit more adventure than some of the other amenities have at the facility. It's very important that we get this as soon as possible."
John Banks
Ross Park | 2022-08-06T17:52:30Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | City weighing options for condemned water slide at Ross Park | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/city-weighing-options-for-condemned-water-slide-at-ross-park/article_4f0c672e-82d6-5fbc-bdf8-e0c0f3724526.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/city-weighing-options-for-condemned-water-slide-at-ross-park/article_4f0c672e-82d6-5fbc-bdf8-e0c0f3724526.html |
Vallow and Daybell are facing a multitude of felony charges, including first-degree murder, for the deaths of Vallow’s children, Tylee Ryan and Joshua “J.J.” Vallow, who were found buried on Daybell’s property. Daybell is also charged with murder for the death of his wife, Tammy Daybell, who died a month before he married Vallow.
Idaho Court Administrative Rule 32 sets the standards for when a court may seal records or close hearings, such as if the records contain “highly intimate facts,” contain potentially defamatory statements, hold information that could result in financial loss or would compromise the court’s ability to hold a fair trial.
Hellis argues in her memorandum supporting the motion that the court should be less willing to seal records, arguing that it’s important for the case to remain open to public scrutiny.
“In the case at hand, the public, including the victims, cannot ascertain that the case is progressing fairly because they have no access to half of the documents and proceedings conducted in this case,” Hellis writes. “As a result, victims, defendants, and the public can have no confidence going forward that the case will be conducted fairly and transparently.”
Hellis also argues that the court has not made adequate efforts to make sure it’s sealing records as little as necessary, saying hearings should have been held to justify the decision to seal records and hearings.
“The fact that the media are interested in the case and desire to report on it is not sufficient to prove that the defendants will be unduly prejudiced by releasing pretrial documents or opening pretrial proceedings, especially when venue has already been changed to a larger population center to facilitate finding an unbiased jury,” Hellis writes. “The court has chosen to deny access to entire documents and proceedings rather than, as required, to examine whether there is a less restrictive alternative, such as redacting sensitive information.”
Lori A.g. Hellis | 2022-08-07T04:53:46Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Author files motion to unseal records in Daybell/Vallow case | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/author-files-motion-to-unseal-records-in-daybell-vallow-case/article_01bd347d-8260-5dff-a9b0-a640a1dd5a42.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/author-files-motion-to-unseal-records-in-daybell-vallow-case/article_01bd347d-8260-5dff-a9b0-a640a1dd5a42.html |
Eugene Galloway George Galloway Our friend, Eugene George Galloway "Gene" left us on August 4, 2022, at the age of 77, in Pocatello, Idaho. Gene will forever be remembered for his smile, contagious laugh, always followed by a kind or gentle word. His attitude is a beacon on a distant hill, and he was never known to "give up" trying. Gene was always up for a game of golf or tennis. He found coaching tennis to be a rewarding experience. He discovered his place in the real estate business where he found success and built lifelong acquaintances. Genes' greatest love was music and playing the guitar. He often expressed his heart and soul through music. Gene knew how to be a friend to anyone, and in doing so, left the world a better place. Our hearts are full of gratitude for the kind and compassionate care Gene received from Quail Ridge and Enhabit Hospice Care. Each of you are the definition of "angel". You truly became very special to him. There will be no services held at this time. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.wilkscolonialchapel.com
Eugene George | 2022-08-07T08:35:49Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Galloway, Eugene George | Obituaries | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/galloway-eugene-george/article_b288f774-9e71-5c07-94e3-55b5ac40cbd1.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/galloway-eugene-george/article_b288f774-9e71-5c07-94e3-55b5ac40cbd1.html |
A Pocatello fire truck at the scene of Sunday's incident on Kraft Road in which a man was reportedly run over by his own car.
POCATELLO — An elderly man was seriously injured Sunday when he was run over by his own car, police said.
The incident occurred around 5 p.m. outside the man's residence on Kraft Road near North Main Street.
Police said the man was alone in his car in the driveway of his home when he reportedly thought he put the vehicle in park and got out. But the car was not in park and when he exited the vehicle it began to roll and ran him over, police said. The man's car continued onto Kraft Road with no one behind the wheel and traveled a short distance before coming to a stop.
The man suffered a head injury during the incident and was transported via Pocatello Fire Department ambulance to Portneuf Medical Center for treatment, authorities said.
His name and an update on his condition haven't been released. | 2022-08-08T04:18:59Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Elderly man reportedly run over by his own vehicle in Pocatello | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/elderly-man-reportedly-run-over-by-his-own-vehicle-in-pocatello/article_c78cd75e-38eb-5d3b-934f-dbdaa33777cb.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/elderly-man-reportedly-run-over-by-his-own-vehicle-in-pocatello/article_c78cd75e-38eb-5d3b-934f-dbdaa33777cb.html |
Please mark your calendars for next summer—the season will likely begin on Sunday, June 25th, 2023 at the Ross Park Bandshell at 7:00 p.m., with the Independence Day concert on Sunday, July 2nd and the final concert on Sunday, July 30th.
Thank you all again!
Alan C. Frantz,
Pocatello Municipal Band
Tom Kloss
Casey Emerson | 2022-08-08T20:33:50Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | A Pocatello Municipal Band thank you | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/a-pocatello-municipal-band-thank-you/article_030c8e38-9721-5927-bb84-a7cbcead8969.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/a-pocatello-municipal-band-thank-you/article_030c8e38-9721-5927-bb84-a7cbcead8969.html |
I appreciate the council members who stood up for what is right and for the others----I VOTE AND SO DOES MY WIFE AND ALL I TELL ALL MY FRIENDS ABOUT THIS.
It seems to me that Stevens and Ortega are making the fact of being a city employee into a HOSTILE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT.
I want to thank Mayor Blad and all city employees for the work they do for our town. My wife and I value them and our way of life here. Don't run off good employees.
Mo Canfield, | 2022-08-08T20:34:02Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pocatello City Council | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/pocatello-city-council/article_0accbce2-3861-585b-8b4a-b03cbe5b2822.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/pocatello-city-council/article_0accbce2-3861-585b-8b4a-b03cbe5b2822.html |
Abortion-rights supporters rejoice as early polls indicate the proposed constitutional amendment in Kansas has not passed on Aug. 2 at a Kansans for Constitutional Freedom election watch party at the Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kansas.
By JOHN HANNA and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kansas — Abortion opponents were shocked and abortion rights advocates energized by a decisive statewide vote in heavily Republican Kansas last week in favor of protecting abortion access, yet it's not likely to translate into new abortion votes across the U.S. in the November election.
The election in Kansas coincided with the state's primary. Over the previous 10 years, turnout for a mid-term primary has averaged less than 26 percent, with Republicans casting twice as many ballots as Democrats.
But turnout for this election topped 45 percent — almost 915,000 voters — approaching levels normally seen during a fall election for governor. More than half of registered Democrats and Republicans cast ballots. At least 28 percent of registered unaffiliated voters, who couldn't vote on anything else on ballots last week, voted on the proposed amendment.
The outcome also suggested that a sizable number of Republicans voted against the proposed amendment.
In Nebraska, abortion opponents are focused on gaining one more seat in its one-house Legislature for the two-thirds majority necessary to overcome filibusters and pass an abortion ban. A voter initiative there must gather nearly 88,000 signatures from at least 5 percent of the registered voters in 38 of its 93 counties, something known as the "two-fifths rule." | 2022-08-08T20:34:21Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Will abortion be on more state ballots after Kansas vote? | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/will-abortion-be-on-more-state-ballots-after-kansas-vote/article_1f9a3af6-e180-5a07-8088-d31abd5391fa.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/will-abortion-be-on-more-state-ballots-after-kansas-vote/article_1f9a3af6-e180-5a07-8088-d31abd5391fa.html |
Photo courtesy of Rene Bernal via Unsplash
Idaho ranked 14th in the nation for economic well-being, with 14 percent of Idaho children living in households with an income below the poverty line — down from 26 percent in 2008. The state ranked ninth for family and community factors, with 24 percent of children living in single-parent homes, compared to 34 percent nationwide, and just 2 percent of children living in high-poverty areas. In 2008, 5 percent of Idaho children were living in high-poverty areas, compared to 9 percent of children nationally.
The number of children living in a home with a caregiver who does not have a high school diploma has also dropped from 12 percent in 2008 to 9 percent in 2020, and the teen birth rate in Idaho is less than half of what it was in 2010, dropping from 33 percent to 15 percent.
Data: Nearly 13 percent of Idaho Latino high school students attempted suicide in 2019
Tiddens said the data surrounding mental health in children is one of the most concerning aspects of the report, with the national number of children experiencing anxiety or depression jumping 26 percent between 2016 and 2020. In Idaho, the report found 12.6 percent of children between the ages of 3 and 17 had anxiety or depression in 2020, which is an increase from 11.4 percent in 2016. Nearly 10 percent of Idaho high school students and 13 percent of Latino high school students attempted suicide in 2019, according to the report.
In health markers, Idaho ranks 19th in the nation, with a slight uptick in low birth-weight babies and increases in child and teen deaths and rates of obesity. Since 2010, the rate of low birth-weight babies increased from 6.8 percent to 6.9 percent, and the number of child and teen deaths per 100,000 increased from 28 to 30. The percentage of children between the ages of 10 and 17 who are overweight or obese increased from 24 percent to 29 percent since 2016, the data shows, which is still slightly lower than the national average of 32 percent.
The only positive indicator among the health trends is children without health insurance, which has decreased from 11 percent in 2008 to 5 percent in 2020. Tiddens sees that as a win tied to the expansion of Medicaid in Idaho, which she advocated for through Idaho Voices for Children.
Idaho ranked lowest in terms of education markers at 36th. Since 2008, the number of children who are not enrolled in preschool has dropped from 66 percent to 64 percent, meaning a little less than two-thirds of Idaho children are not in preschool. That’s compared to 53 percent of children ages 3 and 4 nationwide who are not in preschool.
The number of fourth graders in Idaho who are not proficient in reading has dropped from 68 percent in 2009 to 63 percent in 2019, compared to 66 percent nationwide. But the number of Idaho’s eighth graders who are not proficient in math has slightly increased from 62 percent to 63 percent, and the number of high school students in Idaho who do not graduate on time sits at 19 percent compared to 14 percent nationally. | 2022-08-08T20:34:33Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | New data shows worsening mental health, education trends among Idaho children | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/new-data-shows-worsening-mental-health-education-trends-among-idaho-children/article_1860645a-b8af-58ff-9320-5d3f5626000c.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/new-data-shows-worsening-mental-health-education-trends-among-idaho-children/article_1860645a-b8af-58ff-9320-5d3f5626000c.html |
Anirban Chakraborty, left, and Rhys Ellis pose for a photo with a sample of deep-sea sediment in Chakraborty's lab at Idaho State University's Pocatello campus on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. The deep-sea sediments contain Earth's hardiest organisms — known as extremophiles — these organisms may help shine a light on to where life may be found in outer space.
POCATELLO — A summer research project by an Idaho State University student may give us some insight into what life might look like across the cosmos.
Recently, Rhys Ellis, a senior honors microbiology student from Boise, Idaho, was awarded a NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium Summer Internship. Over the summer months, Ellis is analyzing samples of deep-sea sediments and uncovering what types of earth’s hardiest organisms — known as extremophiles — call these sediments home.
“To investigate whether life exists on other planets and where it can be found,” explains Ellis, “we need to develop a better understanding of what kinds of life call Earth’s extreme habitats home. It’s theorized that life on this planet began with microbes in deep sea vents, so further understanding of how microbes in the deep sea make their living will provide valuable insights as to if similar conditions could support life elsewhere, especially in other planets which also contain oceans.”
Working in the lab of Anirban Chakraborty, assistant professor of geomicrobiology, Ellis will learn the tools of the trade when comes to studying microorganisms, including extracting and amplifying nucleic acids, analyzing DNA sequences, and culturing microbes that do not breathe oxygen.
“I am delighted that Rhys was awarded the NASA ISGC internship and am excited to work with him,” said Chakraborty. “These skills provide a great head start in building a successful career in research.”
The sediment samples were collected from the North Atlantic Ocean and Monterey Canyon, off the California coast. Monterey Canyon is the biggest underwater canyon on the west coast of the United States and reaches a depth of more than two miles. They were donated to Chakraborty by his collaborator and former supervisor, Casey Hubert, associate professor of biological sciences at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.
“I’m excited to do this research because I’ve always wanted to do environmental microbiology research with water systems, and the deep ocean, in particular, has always been a source of intrigue for me,” Ellis said.
Once the internship is complete, Ellis plans to continue the research as an honors thesis project with the goal to publish his findings in a research paper. Looking beyond his undergraduate academic career, Ellis plans to earn his doctorate in microbiology.
“My dream career would be to investigate microbes within water systems and either continue to work with extremophiles or address ecological issues related to microbial populations, such as pollution or waterborne diseases,” said Ellis.
More about the NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium can be found at idahospacegrant.org.
For more information about ISU’s Department of Biological Sciences, visit isu.edu/biology.
Rhys Ellis
Extremophile | 2022-08-09T00:07:10Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | ISU student wins NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium Internship to research extremophiles in deep ocean | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/isu-student-wins-nasa-idaho-space-grant-consortium-internship-to-research-extremophiles-in-deep-ocean/article_2f82cacb-aa32-5ffe-aece-ceca41ca5cdc.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/isu-student-wins-nasa-idaho-space-grant-consortium-internship-to-research-extremophiles-in-deep-ocean/article_2f82cacb-aa32-5ffe-aece-ceca41ca5cdc.html |
This car was found in a ravine off the side of Willard Peak Road after emergency responders found a woman lying in the road after intentionally driving the vehicle off the road late Wednesday, Aug. 3.
Emergency responders had to use ropes to rappel down the steep ravine to access the car. The woman spent five days in the car before crawling back up to the road and is expected to recover after suffering internal injuries and dehydration.
By The Tremonton Leader
TREMONTON, Utah — A missing Brigham City woman who told authorities she had intentionally driven her car off the side of a rugged mountain road in Box Elder County spent five days in the vehicle before she was found alive after crawling out of a steep ravine and back onto the road.
According to a press release from the Box Elder Sheriff’s Office, at 10:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3 a 64-year-old woman was found lying in the middle of Willard Peak Road, approximately one mile south of Mantua City limits, where she was suffering from internal injuries and dehydration. It was discovered that she had been reported missing to Brigham City Police on the morning of July 26.
“We can all help prevent suicide,” the release states. “The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.” | 2022-08-09T06:03:46Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Missing woman found alive several days after car crash | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/missing-woman-found-alive-several-days-after-car-crash/article_58e211de-015c-503b-ba73-03db6e6935c0.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/missing-woman-found-alive-several-days-after-car-crash/article_58e211de-015c-503b-ba73-03db6e6935c0.html |
Get your running shoes ready: Pocatello marathon set Sept. 3
By Pocatello Marathon
POCATELLO — The 22nd annual Running the Gap Pocatello Marathon, and its wide variety of running activities, is set Sept. 3 and registration is still open, but categories are filling fast.
Participants can register online at Pocatellomarathon.com through Aug. 31 or in person on Sept. 2 from noon to 5 p.m. at the race packet pickup location, Grand Idaho Inn and Suites, 1399 Bench Road in Pocatello. There is no race day registration. Entry fees for respective events are available online.
For those not running, organizers encourage spectators to line the racecourse to cheer on the runners and head to Lower Ross Park to enjoy race festivities.
The race is sponsored by Portneuf Health Partners, Idaho Central Credit Union, Taco Bell, Lowell N. Hawkes Chartered, Citizens Community Bank, Barrie’s Ski and Sports, and many others. See https://pocatellomarathon.com/sponsors-table/.
The half marathon begins 8 a.m., the 10-kilometer begins at 8:45 a.m., the 5-kilometer begins at 9 a.m, the For Kids 2 (0.2-mile) begins at 10:30 a.m. and the 1-mile event begins immediately following the finish of the For Kids 2 event. | 2022-08-09T19:15:55Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Get your running shoes ready: Pocatello marathon set Sept. 3 | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/get-your-running-shoes-ready-pocatello-marathon-set-sept-3/article_1e64e16e-25e7-5005-8d79-746a591bbda7.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/get-your-running-shoes-ready-pocatello-marathon-set-sept-3/article_1e64e16e-25e7-5005-8d79-746a591bbda7.html |
An event to honor outgoing Highland High School football coach Gino Mariani will be held Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Portneuf Wellness Complex, Pavilion #4.
Hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and drinks will be provided. All former players, parents and friends of Mariani are invited to attend and show their appreciation for his dedication and service to the youth of community. Mariani coached at Pocatello High School from 1990 to 2000, and at Highland from 2000 until earlier this summer, leading the Rams to four state championships.
For more information, contact Don Neves at 208-406-3957. | 2022-08-09T19:16:01Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Gino Mariani celebration set for Saturday | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/gino-mariani-celebration-set-for-saturday/article_51eaf08f-a3fa-5c7f-9b1f-9cf557f696d8.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/gino-mariani-celebration-set-for-saturday/article_51eaf08f-a3fa-5c7f-9b1f-9cf557f696d8.html |
The annual Shoshone-Bannock Festival will be in Fort Hall, with the motto “Coming Back Stronger.” Events include a parade, drum circles, free salmon and buffalo feast, arts and crafts vendors, a traditional pageant, bull riding and more. Visit
A Neighbors for Ukraine fundraiser will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Albertsons, 330 E. Benton St. in Pocatello. Proceeds will go to World Central Kitchen, which focuses on world disasters.
Aiding 2 Adoption will host a Summer Block Pawty from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at the pavilion in downtown Pocatello. Enjoy the bands, food trucks, crafters and meet some wonderful cats, kittens, dogs and puppies that are looking for their forever families.
Zoo Brew hosted by the Idaho Falls Zoo will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Beer from local breweries will be available for sampling by adults 21+ who have purchased tickets (online or at the door).
Molinelli’s Jewelers is hosting its first annual Downtown Block Party on the 100 block of North Main Street in Pocatello from 5 to 9 p.m. There will be food, drinks, a raffle and live music.
Movies in the Park presented by the City of Chubbuck will play Disney’s “Encanto.” The movie begins at dusk at Stuart Park. To see the movie schedule, visit the City of Chubbuck Facebook page.
Dwight Yoakam will perform in the Country Concert Series at the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre in Pocatello from 6 to 10 p.m.
The Great Snake River Duck Race hosted by the Idaho Falls Rotary Club will have events all day from 9:30 a.m. to dinner on Friday. The Duck Race starts at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Events are happening on the River Parkway.
Chubbuck Days starts Friday evening with the final showing of Movies in the Park. Saturday will be packed with events, starting with a parade at 10 a.m. and a festival at Cotant Park until 3 p.m.
The 4 Peaks Gran Fondo bicycle race will take place Saturday morning. Visit 4pgf.com for more information.
Zoo Idaho in Pocatello will host Zoo Hullaballoo on Saturday. Celebrate the end of summer with a family friendly carnival at the zoo. Community organizations and volunteers provide carnival games, educational crafts and animal fact stations. Enjoy a day at the zoo with family fun, live music and fair food.
An event to honor outgoing Highland High School football coach Gino Mariani will be held Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Portneuf Wellness Complex, Pavilion 4.
Accomplished ISU dance instructor Lori Head will provide swing dance lessons from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Portneuf Valley Brewing, 615 S. First Ave. in Pocatello. From 10 p.m. to midnight they will be playing a fun mix of country/rock music to practice the dance steps for the remainder of the evening. Classes are free and open to all ages.
The Oneida County Horse Races will be at the Oneida County Fairgrounds in Malad.
The Oneida County Fair kicks off Monday at the fairgrounds in Malad. The event will last all week with music, entertainment, rodeos and more.
The Franklin County Fair starts Monday at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Preston. Events for the week include a car show, demolition derby, comedy shows, concerts and more.
Bear Lake will host the Bear Lake County Fair all week at the county fairgrounds in Montpelier. Events include a rodeo, carnival, parade, exhibits, demolition derby and more. | 2022-08-09T21:52:41Z | 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_a31bc7e3-bb92-5dc0-9afa-505e98a5ffbe.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/what-to-do-this-week-in-east-idaho/article_a31bc7e3-bb92-5dc0-9afa-505e98a5ffbe.html |
Dallas Katseanes, a five-year-old from Blackfoot who is battling Leukemia, is going to Disney World thanks to the Make-A-Wish organization.
Make-A-Wish sending local girl to Disney World
BLACKFOOT — The Make-A-Wish foundation is sending a five-year-old Blackfoot girl with Leukemia to Disney World in Florida for her sixth birthday this January.
Dallas Katseanes wants to meet "all of the Disney princesses," according to her mother, Kylie, and come early January next year, Dallas's wish will be granted.
When Dallas found out on Saturday that Make-A-Wish was sending her, her mom, her dad, Tyson, and brother, Ridge, to Disney World, she was very excited.
"They have a video of Dallas saying that she is '100% excited,'" Kylie said. "She wanted to go to Disney World and she wanted to hang out with Mickey Mouse and the princesses for her birthday, so they're sending us there for her birthday. We're really grateful that they're doing this for us. We're really excited for it."
Dallas was diagnosed with Leukemia in March of 2021. She is cancer free right now, but she is still undergoing treatment for the next roughly nine months.
"If the chemo works and Dallas stays cancer free for five years, she'll be in remission," Kylie said. "She is very spunky. She just doesn't let things get her down. There are days you can tell she's not feeling very good, but she seems to be doing really good. She's still playing sports and going to school. She's still Dallas. Now that she is back to herself, it really makes us feel good."
Dallas gets her love of Disney from her dad, Kylie said.
"My husband is a Disney freak," Kylie said of Tyson. "His whole family is obsessed with Disney and now our kids are too. Right now, Dallas's favorite princess is Ariel, but it changes often. She's obsessed with Ana and Elsa from Frozen too, but Ariel right now is her favorite, so I think she's excited to meet her."
Dallas has developed a strong love for Disney, but that's not her only passion. She's also very athletic, playing soccer, T-ball and doing gymnastics, and she has a lot more to look forward to, including starting kindergarten this year.
"I'm excited to see her reaction," Kylie said. "Dallas has been to Disney World and Disneyland, but I think this will be the first time that she really knows what's going on, so just letting her be kid is going to be good. I feel like at home she's always around doctors and medicine. I'm excited for her just to have fun." | 2022-08-09T21:52:53Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Make-A-Wish sending local girl to Disney World | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/make-a-wish-sending-local-girl-to-disney-world/article_00e70649-4221-5467-a5c0-ef299b799602.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/make-a-wish-sending-local-girl-to-disney-world/article_00e70649-4221-5467-a5c0-ef299b799602.html |
Calob Dan Merrill
POCATELLO — A 44-year-old local man has been charged with multiple counts of stalking after police say he peeked through a woman’s apartment complex and threatened to kill her and her children.
Calob Dan Merrill, of Pocatello has been charged with two felony counts of first-degree stalking and four misdemeanor counts of second-degree stalking following an incident on Aug. 2 and a subsequent Pocatello police investigation.
The incident on Aug. 2 involved Merrill showing up to the apartment complex of a local woman and peeking in her windows, causing “substantial emotional distress” to the woman and her two children, according to Pocatello police records the Idaho State Journal obtained Tuesday.
When police arrived on scene, the woman and several other witnesses provided police with numerous videos, emails and text messages Merrill sent them that contained threats and vulgarities, police said.
The woman provided police with more than 20 emails that were sent to her from Merrill beginning in February 2022 and up until the Aug. 2 incident.
Merrill was charged with two felony counts of first-degree stalking for sending threatening text messages about the victims two boys, and four counts of misdemeanor second-degree stalking for sending threatening text messages to the woman’s daughter, the father of the woman’s three children and the current wife of the children’s father, court records show.
Merrill was arrested on the 2500 block of Michelle Street on Aug. 3.
Merrill appeared in front of 6th District Judge Todd Garbett for an arraignment hearing on Aug. 4, during which his bond was set at $100,000 and no-contact orders were issued between him and the victim.
Merrill posted the $100,000 bond on Aug. 4 and was released from jail.
He is due back in court on Aug. 16 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.
If convicted of the two felony first-degree stalking charges, Merrill faces between two and 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000. Each of the four misdemeanor second-degree stalking charges each carry a maximum penalty of up to one year in county jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
Todd Garbett | 2022-08-10T00:16:23Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | POLICE: Local man facing numerous stalking charges after threatening to kill woman, her children | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/police-local-man-facing-numerous-stalking-charges-after-threatening-to-kill-woman-her-children/article_67c12119-ded1-58d8-a070-7c3ae5171a2c.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/police-local-man-facing-numerous-stalking-charges-after-threatening-to-kill-woman-her-children/article_67c12119-ded1-58d8-a070-7c3ae5171a2c.html |
Idaho State Police are investigating a fatal vehicle collision which occurred on August 9, 2022, at 2:28 P.M. on eastbound Interstate 84 at mile marker 206 near Burley.
A 2006 Ford Focus was traveling eastbound, driven by a 49-year-old woman from Lynnwood, Washington, and drove into the median where the vehicle rolled multiple times.
The driver was wearing a seat belt and was pronounced deceased on scene due to her injuries.
Idaho State Police were assisted by Minidoka County Sheriff's Office, the Minidoka Fire Department, Emergency Response Ambulance and the Minidoka County Coroner. | 2022-08-10T04:32:53Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Woman dies when car leaves Interstate 84 and overturns multiple times | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/woman-dies-when-car-leaves-interstate-84-and-overturns-multiple-times/article_4e19ab4d-eef4-5051-8391-238a4bed7174.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/woman-dies-when-car-leaves-interstate-84-and-overturns-multiple-times/article_4e19ab4d-eef4-5051-8391-238a4bed7174.html |
Two other men were reportedly present with Murray at the hotel on July 19, but were not identified in the probable cause affidavit. The victims said they did not see the other men well enough to give a description.
Murray reportedly pushed his way into the hotel room, pointed his gun at the three occupants and asked for “Marta.”
According to the affidavit, three men, one of whom appears to be Murray, are later seen following the victims into their room.
Murray was charged with three counts of aggravated assault and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, each punishable by up to five years in prison. | 2022-08-10T06:30:23Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | East Idaho man arrested for reportedly threatening hotel guests with gun | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/east-idaho-man-arrested-for-reportedly-threatening-hotel-guests-with-gun/article_2f2e91c7-7dde-5865-9b3c-556b98bb682a.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/east-idaho-man-arrested-for-reportedly-threatening-hotel-guests-with-gun/article_2f2e91c7-7dde-5865-9b3c-556b98bb682a.html |
The new design changes the Chubbuck Road overpass into an underpass with additional space for pedestrians and bicycle lanes.
Idaho Transportation Department Illustration
Idaho Transportation Department News Release
CHUBBUCK — On Wednesday, Aug. 10, the Chubbuck Road overpass will be closed over I-15 to facilitate demolition of the overpass.
As part of the "Leading Idaho" program's I-86/I-15 System Interchange rebuild, the Chubbuck Road crossing will be converted from an overpass to an underpass.
Due to the amount of traffic on I-15, construction of the new underpass will occur in stages while the rest of the project progresses. As such, the new underpass is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2024.
This project is partially funded with Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds as part of Gov. Little’s Leading Idaho initiative. The program allows ITD to accelerate project timelines to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure today that would otherwise take many years to fund and build.
Chubbuck Road
Transportation Expansion And Congestion Mitigation | 2022-08-10T08:23:25Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Chubbuck Road overpass closed starting Wednesday as transformation to underpass begins | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/chubbuck-road-overpass-closed-starting-wednesday-as-transformation-to-underpass-begins/article_366e0080-0f9a-511b-ac2e-07a7d4cceccf.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/chubbuck-road-overpass-closed-starting-wednesday-as-transformation-to-underpass-begins/article_366e0080-0f9a-511b-ac2e-07a7d4cceccf.html |
Marsh Ron Alfred Marsh Ronald "Ron" Alfred Marsh Sr., of Pocatello, passed away on August 7, 2022. He was born in Owyhee, Nevada on May 12, 1946 to Wayne Marsh and Bernita Johnson. He was raised by his Grandma Ruth Soap. He served in the Marines Corps, after he was honorably discharged he worked as a long haul trucker for many years before retiring. He loved to team rope in rodeos, traveling around and winning many competitions. He enjoyed leather working, braiding horse hair, and the casino. He was married to Marlis Marsh. He was preceded in death by his parents Wayne Marsh, and Bernita Johnson, his brothers Cordell and Wayne Marsh, Cordilla Marsh, Corlis Marsh, and Elva Marsh. He is survived by his wife Marlis Marsh of Pocatello, daughter Treva Marsh of Fort Hall, sons Tyrell Marsh of Riverton Wyoming, Ronald Alfred "Tiger" Marsh Jr. of Gibson, Shawn Collins of Nevada, step-sons Faron Bronco of Gibson, Cody Breshears of Pocatello, and John Guerrero. Sisters Ina Mae Marsh, and Lousie Jim. There will be a viewing & light luncheon from 5:00-6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 8, 2022 at Wilks Funeral Home. A service will follow at 7:00 p.m. Memories & condolences may be given to the family at www.wilksfuneralhome.com
Ronald Alfred Marsh Sr.
Marlis Marsh
Wayne Marsh | 2022-08-10T08:23:31Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Marsh, Ron Alfred | Obituaries | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/marsh-ron-alfred/article_e3693efa-58e3-5284-b6c8-2dde5d776080.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/marsh-ron-alfred/article_e3693efa-58e3-5284-b6c8-2dde5d776080.html |
A wildfire that ignited Tuesday evening and scorched about 2,500 acres on the Fort Hall Reservation near Pocatello is now under control after firefighters battled the blaze through the night, authorities said.
The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes reported around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday that the fire had been brought under control with no injuries and no structures lost. | 2022-08-10T16:09:03Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | 2,500-acre wildfire near Pocatello brought under control by firefighters after overnight battle, evacuations | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/2-500-acre-wildfire-near-pocatello-brought-under-control-by-firefighters-after-overnight-battle-evacuations/article_5457158f-4cb6-5232-b7db-ef1f264cf2c8.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/2-500-acre-wildfire-near-pocatello-brought-under-control-by-firefighters-after-overnight-battle-evacuations/article_5457158f-4cb6-5232-b7db-ef1f264cf2c8.html |
League of Women Voters of Pocatello to hold voter registration events
By League of Women Voters of Pocatello
POCATELLO — The League of Women Voters of Pocatello will be holding voter registration events in preparation for the Nov. 8 general election.
You will find the League of Women Voters at Welcome Back Orange and Black on Aug. 22 at the Downtown Pavilion, 420 N. Main Street, from 4 to 7:00 p.m. There will be voter registration tables on the Idaho State Universality campus at both the Rendezvous Center and the Student Union Building on National Voter Registration Day, Sept. 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. League members will also be at the farmer’s market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday between Aug. 27 and Oct. 8.
In order to register, a person must be a citizen, 18 years old and have lived in the county for 30 days before Election Day on Nov. 8. Voters who have moved or changed their name since they last voted must re-register. An Idaho driver’s license number or the last four digits of your social security number is needed to complete the voter registration card. The pre-registration deadline is Oct. 14.
College students should register to vote in their home county unless they have chosen to take up residency in the county where they are attending college. Students can request an absentee ballot from their home county clerk’s office. In Idaho, applications must be received by the county clerk by 5 p.m. on Oct. 28.
You can request your absentee ballot using the online request form at https://voteidaho.gov/absentee-voter-information/ or by submitting a paper application to your county clerk. You must be registered to vote in Idaho to request an absentee ballot. Use of the online absentee ballot request system requires the last four digits of your Social Security number and a valid Idaho driver’s License number.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and to ensure everyone is represented in our democracy. They work to protect the freedom to vote by ensuring that all Americans have the equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and to improve elections by keeping voters informed.
Membership in the League is open to everyone and is free to students. To become involved in the Pocatello League, contact Susan Carter, LWVP membership director, at susancartercma@gmail.com. | 2022-08-10T18:28:18Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | League of Women Voters of Pocatello to hold voter registration events | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/league-of-women-voters-of-pocatello-to-hold-voter-registration-events/article_39aecb97-c5b3-52d3-ba8b-a52e4d8f0a91.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/league-of-women-voters-of-pocatello-to-hold-voter-registration-events/article_39aecb97-c5b3-52d3-ba8b-a52e4d8f0a91.html |
Firefighters at the scene of Wednesday morning's wildfire burning in the hills west of Pocatello.
POCATELLO — A wildfire has scorched dozens of acres in the hills west of Pocatello.
An early estimate is that the fire had burned about 200 acres as of 9:45 a.m. The public should stay away from the fire scene until further notice.
Firefighters from several departments including Pocatello have responded to the fire and are trying to contain the flames. | 2022-08-10T18:28:55Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Wildfire spreading in hills west of Pocatello | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/wildfire-spreading-in-hills-west-of-pocatello/article_1c776773-56ef-5890-a98a-effe001ea26a.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/wildfire-spreading-in-hills-west-of-pocatello/article_1c776773-56ef-5890-a98a-effe001ea26a.html |
DICK’S Sporting Goods is opening a new location at Grand Teton Mall in Idaho Falls this week.
DICK’S Sporting Goods press release
DICK’S Sporting Goods will host a Grand Opening Celebration for its new store located in the Grand Teton Mall in Idaho Falls.
— Mystery gift cards to the first 100 adults in line each day (one lucky winner gets a $500 gift card!)
— DICK’S Grand Challenge (includes photo ops, agility courses, trivia, games and more)
— Enter for the chance to win a Grand Prize valued up to $500
Friday, August 12: Doors open at 9 a.m.
Saturday, August 13: Doors open at 9 a.m.
Sunday, August 14: Doors open at 10 a.m.
DICK’S Sporting Goods – Grand Teton Mall | 2022-08-10T20:34:32Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | DICK’S Sporting Goods to kick off three-day grand opening celebration for store in Idaho Falls | East Idaho | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/business_journal/east_idaho/dick-s-sporting-goods-to-kick-off-three-day-grand-opening-celebration-for-store-in/article_2513661e-76c6-5888-b3ec-cb93d5158daa.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/business_journal/east_idaho/dick-s-sporting-goods-to-kick-off-three-day-grand-opening-celebration-for-store-in/article_2513661e-76c6-5888-b3ec-cb93d5158daa.html |
A Bannock County Sheriff's Office crusier.
Photo courtesy of Bannock County Sheriff's Office
This effort came during the middle of the busy summer travel season, also known as the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer. This is the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when there is typically an increase in speed-related fatal crashes. When the effort started on July 18th, 40 people had been killed in crashes on Idaho’s roads; by the end of the enforcement period on July 31st, that number had increased to 52.
Jeff Fullmer | 2022-08-10T20:34:47Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Bannock County sheriff’s deputies target aggressive drivers during 100 Deadliest Days | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/bannock-county-sheriff-s-deputies-target-aggressive-drivers-during-100-deadliest-days/article_b7ed92e1-3b36-5a01-8964-49ac89bc0b7e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/bannock-county-sheriff-s-deputies-target-aggressive-drivers-during-100-deadliest-days/article_b7ed92e1-3b36-5a01-8964-49ac89bc0b7e.html |
From left is Pocatello City Council members Roger Bray, Claudia Ortega and Christine Stevens in an Idaho State Journal file photo.
POCATELLO — A group of concerned citizens have formed a committee to support an ongoing recall effort against three members of the Pocatello City Council.
About a dozen local residents met Monday at 820 E. Young St. in Pocatello to discuss what actions can be taken to assist in an effort to recall Pocatello City Council members Claudia Ortega, Christine Stevens and Roger Bray.
The recall effort was launched on Aug. 1 amid an ongoing controversy surrounding statements Bray made lat month regarding the city’s police staffing levels as it relates to diversity in the community and a subsequent interaction with members of the local NAACP branch and Pocatello police union.
Following the Monday meeting, the group formed a committee titled Citizens Against Division, according to a news release the committee recently issued. The chair of the committee is Joan Reed, a local resident who initiated the recall effort against the three council members.
Ali Khan, a Muslim who moved to Pocatello in 2007 and is from Pakistan, said the committee met with nine original members on Monday but the group has since grown to nearly two dozen.
“This committee was formed so that we can better organize our efforts,” Khan told the Idaho State Journal in a Wednesday phone call. “We need to take control back into our hands as a community. Our entire idea is to form a united front. When one guy believes that it’s okay to exploit other people or to say that less diverse communities need less police it’s just hurtful to our community as a whole.”
Also during the meeting on Monday, Citizens Against Division resolved that it supports calls from the Pocatello police, fire and teachers unions for Bray to resign
The Journal was unable to reach Stevens and Bray for a comment on this article on Wednesday. When reached for comment Wednesday evening, Ortega said about the formation of the committee, "They are entitled to work the system as they see fit. They are excercising their civil rights so good on them."
To assist in ensuring the recall effort is successful, Citizens Against Division has set up a signature collection site at 820 E. Young St.
Recall signature sheets will be available on Thursday and Friday between 9 a.m. and noon and again between 3 and 7 p.m. Local residents can also sign the recall effort at the same location on Saturday from noon until 5 p.m.
Additionally, a signature collection site will be set up at Galaxy Computers at 1424 Yellowstone Avenue in Pocatello next week. Reed said signatugure sheets will be available between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at that location Monday through Friday.
Reed, who has volunteered as a receptionist at the front desk of the Pocatello Police Department once a week for nearly two decades, said those interested in assisting in the recall effort are encouraged to either come to 820 E. Young St. and take recall sheets with them to get signatures from their family and friends or if they are interested in hosting a signature collection site to contact her at 208-241-6057. | 2022-08-11T00:29:37Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Concerned residents form commitee to support recall effort against three Pocatello City Council members | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/concerned-residents-form-commitee-to-support-recall-effort-against-three-pocatello-city-council-members/article_af41ab8a-07a4-5db8-b610-05e1556b6186.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/concerned-residents-form-commitee-to-support-recall-effort-against-three-pocatello-city-council-members/article_af41ab8a-07a4-5db8-b610-05e1556b6186.html |
When Brandy Smith went tubing at the Oneida Narrows, she was devastated when she lost her engagement ring — a family heirloom — after falling off her tube.
Thankfully for the Smithfield, Utah, resident, a skilled diver with a passion for finding treasure came to her rescue.
“They scourged the area,” said Sean Smith, Brandy’s father. “It was only about knee deep water, and the current wasn’t very strong, but for some reason, they just couldn’t find it.” | 2022-08-11T05:47:25Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Diver finds woman's lost engagement ring in Oneida Narrows | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/diver-finds-womans-lost-engagement-ring-in-oneida-narrows/article_fc0432cf-6ec7-5741-8752-c4d1bc0ada20.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/diver-finds-womans-lost-engagement-ring-in-oneida-narrows/article_fc0432cf-6ec7-5741-8752-c4d1bc0ada20.html |
UPDATE FROM SHOSHONE-BANNOCK TRIBES
The Incident Commander for the Ross Fork fire has given permission for residents who live in the Ross Fork area to return to their homes.
Emergency responders are still working at mitigating the fire.
Emergency responders are asking people to please be considerate and to not congest the roadways leading to Ross Fork. The congestion leads to hazards that put citizens and emergency personnel that are using the road at risk.
The Ross Fork Fire started Tuesday, August 9th, at around 5:30 pm. The fire continued burning through the night and into the morning.
It was reported that there was a shed that burned. This was the only building that had caught on fire.
The burned acres estimate is considered to be at least 1,000 acres. A more accurate number will be available in the next couple of days.
The Shoshone-Bannock Tribal leaders and emergency personnel would like to thank the assistance from outside agencies helping to mitigate the fire.
First responders also would like to thank the community for being cooperative by avoiding the burned area and letting responders continue to work on putting out the fire. | 2022-08-11T14:38:14Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Evacuees from Fort Hall fire allowed to return to their homes | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/evacuees-from-fort-hall-fire-allowed-to-return-to-their-homes/article_5457158f-4cb6-5232-b7db-ef1f264cf2c8.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/evacuees-from-fort-hall-fire-allowed-to-return-to-their-homes/article_5457158f-4cb6-5232-b7db-ef1f264cf2c8.html |
The “Christmas with the Celts” show will take the stage of the Stephens Performing Arts Center in Pocatello on Dec. 21.
POCATELLO — Idaho State University is featuring 11 performances with artists from around the world for its 2022-2023 Season of Note Series at the Stephens Performing Arts Center.
Season tickets are now available for the series, and individual tickets go on sale Aug. 19.
Full season tickets are $325 for the main level and $275 for the balcony. Package B, which includes Night Ranger, Croce Plays Croce, Christmas with the Celts, Peking Acrobats and Bee Gees Gold is $170 for the main floor and $135 for the balcony. Package C, which includes Gatlin Brothers, Matt Dusk Sings Sinatra, Kurt Bestor Christmas, Taikoproject and Glenn Miller Orchestra is $160 for the main floor and $140 for the balcony. Kingston Trio is not included in season tickets, but individual tickets are available. Tickets are available at at www.idahostatetickets.com or by calling the Box Office at 208-282-3595.
Featured this season:
Night Ranger: Sept. 26 (Tickets $55 and $40)
In 2021, Night Ranger released their 12th studio album, ATBPO (which stands for And The Band Played On), an ode to making music during the COVID era. The album was released on August 6, 2021. The band began writing the album in early 2020, amid the rise of the global pandemic. After narrowing down the song selection and tightening them up to their well-known rock ‘n roll sound, the band hit the studio, although separately, due to the times we are in. Throughout ATBPO we hear Night Ranger continuing their hot streak that kicked off with 2011's "Somewhere In California". Ten years on, and two highly acclaimed albums later, "High Road" and "Don't Let Up", the band's latest studio work shows them still burning with that high octane hard rock energy. Having sold over 17 million albums worldwide, performed across more than 4,000 stages, and captivated a radio audience that exceeds 1 billion, Night Ranger has both epitomized and transcended the arena rock sound and style well beyond that era.
Kingston Trio: Oct. 7 (Tickets $55, $45 and $30)
Beginning as a group of college singers in the mid 50’s, the Kingston Trio formed in the San Francisco Bay Arena of California and decided to give it their best shot for a year to see what would happen. What happen was the group released its self-titled, first album in 1958, and it contained a little, irresistible ditty called “Tom Dooley” – a tune that became a 6 million –selling super hit and started folk music’s huge revival of popularity in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. At one point, the group had four albums at the same time in Billboards Top 10 and nobody, not even the The Beatles, have ever had that. Favorite songs performed by the trio include “the Road to Freedom,” “M.T.A,” “this Land Is Your Land,” “Jamaica Farewell,” and “You’re Gonna Miss Me.”
Gatlin Brothers: Nov. 10 (Tickets $45 and $40)
Larry, Steve and Rudy, the Gatlin Brothers are Grammy award-winners who have dazzled audiences for more than 65 years. They have accrued a lifetime of noteworthy achievements in their storybook career, including a Grammy for Best Country Song (“Broken Lady”), three ACM awards for Single of the Year (“All The Gold In California”), Album of the Year (Straight Ahead) and Male Vocalist of the Year, along with five nominations for CMA Vocal Group of the Year, Single, Album. The Brothers have accumulated 8 # 1 Singles, 30 Top 40 Records, 24 Studio Albums and 5 BMI “Million-Air” Awards. As a solo writer, Larry ranks 4th on Billboard's top 40 self-penned hits & was recently inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. His impressive song catalog has been recorded by the “Who’s Who” of entertainers, including Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Glen Campbell, Kris Kristofferson, Sir Tom Jones, Dottie West, Charlie Rich, Johnny Mathis, the Oaks Ridge Boys and many others, securing his legacy as one of BMI’s top solo songwriters.
Croce Plays Croce: Dec. 6 (Tickets $40 and $30)
A.J. Croce performs Croce Plays Croce, a special night of music featuring a complete set of classics by his late father Jim Croce, some of his own tunes, and songs that influenced both him and his father. This special event features such timeless songs as “Operator,” “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim,” “Time in a Bottle” (a song written for A.J.), “Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy),” and “Lovers Cross,” to name a few. Classic covers may include songs by Lieber and Stoller, Bessie Smith, and other folk and roots artists. Jim Croce was an American folk singer with a short-lived professional recording and touring career, and decades of posthumous fame as one of the greatest songwriters and artists ever. With sales surpassing 50 million records, including three #1 songs and 10 Top 10 hits, Jim Croce’s short career and long-lived legacy are well-remembered through his era-defining standards like “Operator,” Time in a Bottle,” and “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown.” A.J. Croce’s 30-year touring and recording career has produced ten studio albums that have been released via both major and independent labels, and have charted 20 Top 20 singles and all ten albums on the radio including on Top 40, Americana, and Blues.
Kurt Bestor Christmas: Dec. 10 (Tickets $40 and $36)
Nobody does Christmas better. From the magical, starry stage to the featured musicians, from invited guests and Bestors own playing, conducting and emceeing the show, to the arrangements that add such texture and layers to Christmas songs, there is nothing like a Kurt Bestor Christmas. Bestor has been performing sold-out Christmas shows for over thirty years, as he is best known for his innovative interpretation of seasonal carols found in his popular 5 CD boxed set “The Complete Kurt Bestor Christmas,” and his haunting musical prayer for peace “Prayer of the Children.” The Utah-based composer and performer launched his career writing music for television and movies. His credits include more than 40 film scores and more than 40 themes for national TV programs and commercials. Bestor was awarded an Emmy® for his collaboration with Sam Cardon on the original music for ABC’s coverage of the 1988 Winter Olympics. In 2012, his arranging and producing of Jenny Oaks Baker’s CD “Wish Upon a Star” earned the two of them a Grammy nomination.
Christmas with the Celts: Dec. 21 (Tickets $30 and $26)
Back by popular demand! The high-stepping spirited musical selections have audiences clapping along from the first lively renditions of popular contemporary Christmas classics: ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’, ‘Little Drummer Boy’, ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’; also ‘Count Your Blessings’, ‘White Christmas’ and John Lennon’s perennial ‘Happy Christmas’. The show presents a perfect combination of modern Christmas hits, lively ancient Irish Carols, hilarious spontaneous humor, thrilling Irish dancing, a children’s choir and lush string arrangements giving audiences a most memorable interactive Christmas experience. Christmas with The Celts is the name of the holiday show from the music group The Nashville Celts. The Nashville Celts are Laura McGhee from Dundee Scotland on vocals/fiddle, Fiachra O’Regan from Connemara, Ireland of uilleann pipes, Ric Blair on vocal-guitar-bodhran & piano, Will Clark on vocals/mandolin/banjo and others including the crowd pleasing Irish dancers.
Peking Acrobats: Jan. 18, 2023 (Tickets Adults: $30 and $26, Child $15 and $12)
For the last 32 years, THE PEKING ACROBATS® have redefined audience perceptions of Chinese acrobatics. They perform daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and display their technical prowess at such arts as trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting, and gymnastics. They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility, and control. THE PEKING ACROBATS are often accompanied by live musicians who skillfully play traditional Chinese instruments; the time-honored Chinese music coalesces with high-tech special effects and awe-inspiring acrobatic feats, creating an exuberant entertainment event with the festive pageantry of a Chinese Carnival.
Bee Gees Gold: Feb. 10, 2023 (Tickets $30 and $26)
John Acosta as Barry Gibb has performed in Bee Gees Tributes all over the world. His portrayal of lead singer Barry Gibb is with a zest for detail, like no other. From the look to the falsetto you will close your eyes and say its Barry! John Acosta's Bee Gees Gold tribute Is the ultimate salute, and experience of seeing the Bee Gees in their prime. Bee Gees Gold features the detailed vocal stylings of John Acosta (Barry), Daryll Borges (Robin), and Jeff Celentano (Maurice).
Taikoproject: March 17, 2023 (Tickets Adults $30 and $26, Child $15 and $12)
About the only American taiko group to ever win the prestigious Tokyo International Taiko Contest, LA Weekly says, “This ain’t your mama’s taiko, but it may be your hip, younger cousin’s.” Founded in 2000 by a group of young, emerging taiko drummers led by Bryan Yamami and Masato Baba, their music is rooted in the rich traditions of Japanese taiko, but expressed through the lens of their American upbringing and experiences. Their new full-length concert program “BENZAITEN” is inspired by the Japanese goddess of wisdom, beauty, and dance. Having performed and recorded with Stevie Wonder, Usher, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Kanye West and with appearances on the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, NBC’s “The Voice,” Syfy’s Face/Off, The X-Factor, Conan and Jimmy Kimmel Live, TAIKOPROJECT is THE taiko show for a discerning audience.
Glenn Miller Orchestra: March 27, 2023 (Tickets $30 and $26)
The world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra brings timeless classics like In the Mood, Moonlight Serenade, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Pennsylvania 6-5000, String of Pearls and Tuxedo Junction back to the stage. Even 80 years after founding his famous orchestra Glenn Miller’s music is alive and well. Over 18 musicians and singers bring the unforgettable Glenn Miller sound and perform those songs that everyone remembers... This is a show not to miss for jazz and swing fans alike or the incurable romantics who want to step back in time. The legendary Glenn Miller was the most successful of all the dance bandleaders back in the Swing era of the 1930s and 1940s
Matt Dusk Sings Sinatra: April 29, 2023 (Tickets $30 and $26)
Sinatra. All that cool, classy style and energy from the Rat Pack shows of yesterday are right here, right now. Take a journey with award-winning, multi-platinum selling crooner Matt Dusk as he whisks you away to Las Vegas in 1966 where he pays homage to his hero Frank Sinatra. With new arrangements by Grammy Award-winning arrangers Pat Williams and Sammy Nestico, Dusk transports you back in time to one of music’s most elegant era’s. A time when Come Fly With Me, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Fly Me To The Moon and One For My Baby dominated the charts.
Kurt Bestor Christmas
Taikoproject And Glenn Miller Orchestra | 2022-08-11T16:48:49Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Idaho State University announces 2022-2023 Season of Note Series | Arts & Entertainment | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/arts_and_entertainment/isu/idaho-state-university-announces-2022-2023-season-of-note-series/article_69f74f39-3941-5998-b761-afa67084a1c1.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/arts_and_entertainment/isu/idaho-state-university-announces-2022-2023-season-of-note-series/article_69f74f39-3941-5998-b761-afa67084a1c1.html |
Recently, the group chose to cover 50% of the adoption cost from the shelter. Residents were able to adopt a cat for $17.50 plus tax or a kitten (six months old and younger) for $25 plus tax. All adoptions at the Pocatello Animal Shelter include vaccinations, spay or neuter surgery, a microchip for permanent identification, and a collar (total value of $300).
The Friends of the Pocatello Animal Shelter is a 501(c)(3) organization, and for more information on the group, visit pocatelloshelterfriends.org. | 2022-08-11T18:50:48Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Dozens of cats and kittens found homes during half-off adoptions at Pocatello Animal Shelter | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/dozens-of-cats-and-kittens-found-homes-during-half-off-adoptions-at-pocatello-animal-shelter/article_f7968a01-e13c-5073-b62c-74dee63edc59.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/dozens-of-cats-and-kittens-found-homes-during-half-off-adoptions-at-pocatello-animal-shelter/article_f7968a01-e13c-5073-b62c-74dee63edc59.html |
The Hope and Recovery Resource Center Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides free services, peer support and referrals for people seeking recovery from addiction and/or mental health issues. The Hope and Recovery Resource Center is committed to a peer support model, and much of the work at the Center is provided by volunteers who are in recovery.
The first Family Recovery Night will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 25 at the Central Christian Church, 918 E. Center St. in Pocatello. The program is free to participants, and participant applications should be submitted as soon as possible to reserve a slot for your family. For more information or to apply to participate in the program, contact Kyle Woodworth, program manager, at 208-417-1749, or send an email to kyle@hopeandrecovery.net or visit The Hope and Recovery Resource Center, Inc., 1001 N. 7th Ave., Pocatello, Idaho, 83201. | 2022-08-11T18:50:54Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | New 'Family Recovery Night' Program | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/new-family-recovery-night-program/article_c59851ff-711c-53e1-ae23-cd700ef73042.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/new-family-recovery-night-program/article_c59851ff-711c-53e1-ae23-cd700ef73042.html |
Southeastern Idaho Public Health (SIPH) has confirmed that a bat has tested positive for rabies in Bingham County. This is the fifth bat to test positive in southeast Idaho (4 in Bannock and 1 in Bingham) and the 8th in the State of Idaho. While most bats do not carry rabies, rabies is a virtually 100% fatal viral illness in humans and other animals.
For further information about rabies contact Southeastern Idaho Public Health’s Epidemiologists, at 208-478-6303, or visit SIPH’s website at www.siphidaho.org or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/rabies.
Southeastern Idaho Public Health | 2022-08-11T18:51:19Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Rabid bat found in Bingham County; fifth in Southeast Idaho this year | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/rabid-bat-found-in-bingham-county-fifth-in-southeast-idaho-this-year/article_9db3c0ee-03e3-524d-993f-2d0c9f9c411e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/rabid-bat-found-in-bingham-county-fifth-in-southeast-idaho-this-year/article_9db3c0ee-03e3-524d-993f-2d0c9f9c411e.html |
A firefighting aircraft assists in battling the blaze in the Ross Fork area on the Fort Hall Reservation on Tuesday evening. The blaze scorched 6,391 acres by the time it was 100 percent contained Thursday.
A wildfire in steep terrain east of Michaud Creek Road scorched about 326 total acres by the time it was 100 percent contained Wednesday evening.
Firefighters have contained two wildfires that ignited near Pocatello this week and collectively scorched nearly 7,000 acres.
The first blaze erupted in the Ross Fork Area on the Fort Hall Reservation near Pocatello around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Residents in the area of the Ross Fork fire were evacuated Tuesday and Wednesday as firefighters battled the blaze. Authorities believed firefighters controlled the blaze after battling it all Tuesday night, but it reignited Wednesday afternoon, resulting in additional evacuations.
The Tribes around 8:10 p.m. Wednesday announced the fire’s incident commander gave residents permission to return to their homes.
Firefighters continued to maintain containment lines and mop up hot spots throughout the night Wednesday. Smoke and flames from the blaze could be seen from several miles away on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The blaze, fueled by high winds in the area, destroyed one shed, but did not result in any injuries.
At least 70 firefighters from the Fort Hall and North Bannock fire departments, the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs battled the blaze with help from firefighting aircraft.
The cause of the blaze is currently undetermined and remains under investigation.
Shoshone-Bannock Tribal leaders and emergency personnel thanked outside agencies for their assistance fighting the fire.
“First responders also would like to thank the community for being cooperative by avoiding the burned area and letting responders continue to work on putting out the fire,” The Tribes said.
Firefighters also contained a blaze that scorched hundreds of acres in the hills west of Pocatello in the Michaud Creek area.
The blaze was reported around 5 a.m. Wednesday and was fully contained around 8 p.m. Wednesday, according to Chris Berger of the Idaho BLM.
The blaze burned about 326 total acres, Berger said, adding that some crews will remain at the fire on Thursday to maintain containment lines and mop up any hot spots.
In addition to the BLM and U.S. Forest Service firefighters from the American Falls, Inkom, Pocatello Valley, Pocatello, Fort Hall, North Bannock, Power County and Rockland fire departments battled the blaze.
Berger said the blaze did damage any structures or result in any injuries.
The cause of that fire is also undetermined and remains under investigation. | 2022-08-11T22:41:26Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Firefighters contain Ross Fork and Michaud Creek blazes after nearly 7,000 total acres scorched | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/firefighters-contain-ross-fork-and-michaud-creek-blazes-after-nearly-7-000-total-acres-scorched/article_2ac05413-e09a-5b9f-a467-a0c2fad035e4.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/firefighters-contain-ross-fork-and-michaud-creek-blazes-after-nearly-7-000-total-acres-scorched/article_2ac05413-e09a-5b9f-a467-a0c2fad035e4.html |
Two motorcyclists were rescued from a local mountain after becoming stranded in the rough terrain.
The motorcyclists — a woman from Chubbuck and a man from Utah — called the Bannock County Sheriff's Office around 6 p.m. Wednesday to ask for help getting down from Haystack Mountain northeast of McCammon, Bannock County Search and Rescue reported.
The motorcyclists were stuck in the rugged terrain and were becoming dehydrated because they had run out of water, authorities said.
Bannock County Search and Rescue personnel responded to Haystack Mountain and used ATVs to access the stranded motorcyclists.
The Search and Rescue personnel provided the pair with water and transported them off the mountain.
The motorcyclists had not suffered any injuries during their ordeal. Their names have not been released. | 2022-08-11T22:41:40Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Stranded motorcyclists rescued from Southeast Idaho mountain | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/stranded-motorcyclists-rescued-from-southeast-idaho-mountain/article_68f44949-8094-5299-9f38-32e11a4a9a48.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/stranded-motorcyclists-rescued-from-southeast-idaho-mountain/article_68f44949-8094-5299-9f38-32e11a4a9a48.html |
Pocatello residents Joan Reed, left, and Andy Moldenhauer work the signature collection booth at 820 E. Young St. for the effort to recall City Council members Roger Bray, Claudia Ortega and Christine Stevens.
From left are Pocatello City Council members Roger Bray, Claudia Ortega and Christine Stevens pictured at City Hall.
POCATELLO — A group of concerned citizens this week formed a committee to support an ongoing recall effort against three members of the Pocatello City Council.
About a dozen local residents met Monday in Pocatello to discuss what actions can be taken to assist in an effort to recall Pocatello City Council members Claudia Ortega, Christine Stevens and Roger Bray.
The recall effort was launched on Aug. 1 amid an ongoing controversy surrounding statements Bray made last month regarding the city’s police staffing levels relating to diversity in the community and a subsequent interaction he had with members of the local NAACP branch and Pocatello police union.
Following the Monday meeting, the pro-recall group formed a committee called Citizens Against Division, according to a news release the committee issued this week. The chair of the committee is Joan Reed, a local resident who initiated the recall effort against the three council members. Reed said she started the recall because of the dysfunction Bray, Stevens and Ortega have caused the city as council members.
Ali Khan, a Muslim who moved to Pocatello in 2007 and is from Pakistan, said the committee's Monday meeting involved nine people but the group has since then grown to nearly two dozen members.
“This committee was formed so that we can better organize our efforts,” Khan told the Idaho State Journal on Wednesday. “We need to take control back into our hands as a community. Our entire idea is to form a united front. When one guy believes that it’s OK to exploit other people or to say that less diverse communities need less police, it’s just hurtful to our community as a whole.”
Also during the meeting on Monday, Citizens Against Division resolved that it supports calls from the Pocatello police, fire and teachers unions for Bray to resign.
The Journal was unable to reach Stevens and Bray for comment on this article. When reached on Wednesday evening, Ortega said about the formation of the committee, "They are entitled to work the system as they see fit. They are exercising their civil rights so good on them."
To assist in ensuring the recall effort is successful, Citizens Against Division has set up a signature collection site at 820 E. Young St. Recall signature sheets will be available on Thursday and Friday between 9 a.m. and noon at that address and again between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. both days and on Saturday from noon until 5 p.m.
Additionally, a signature collection site will be set up at Galaxy Computers at 1424 Yellowstone Ave. in Pocatello next week. Reed said signature sheets will be available between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Galaxy Monday through Friday.
Reed, who has volunteered as a receptionist at the front desk of the Pocatello Police Department once a week for nearly two decades, said those interested in assisting in the recall effort are encouraged to either come to 820 E. Young St. and take recall sheets with them to get signatures from their family and friends. Or if they are interested in hosting a signature collection site, they can contact her at 208-241-6057. | 2022-08-11T22:41:41Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Concerned residents form committee to support recall effort against three Pocatello City Council members | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/concerned-residents-form-committee-to-support-recall-effort-against-three-pocatello-city-council-members/article_af41ab8a-07a4-5db8-b610-05e1556b6186.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/concerned-residents-form-committee-to-support-recall-effort-against-three-pocatello-city-council-members/article_af41ab8a-07a4-5db8-b610-05e1556b6186.html |
POCATELLO — A group of pro-choice activists appears to have vandalized the Compassion & Hope Pregnancy Center in Pocatello on Tuesday evening.
The name of a known and long-established pro-choice group was also painted onto one of the windows. The vandalism was reported to police for investigation.
The windows were professionally cleaned, but Wright said the paint that was used left the painted words etched into the windows so they will have to be replaced. Window replacement could cost a few thousand dollars, she said, and the pregnancy center is entirely funded by donations to women's health care.
Compassion & Hope Pregnancy Center provides reproductive support and non-abortion health services for people who are faced with unplanned pregnancies.
"I believe this was done by people that just want to be mad and they want to be destructive," Wright said. "People that are on that side of destruction and abortion, I don't believe that a lot of them understand what abortion can do to a woman." | 2022-08-11T22:41:46Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pro-choice activists vandalize Pocatello pregnancy center | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pro-choice-activists-vandalize-pocatello-pregnancy-center/article_0d81c63a-5f7c-5b4f-8dc2-4dacc531594d.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pro-choice-activists-vandalize-pocatello-pregnancy-center/article_0d81c63a-5f7c-5b4f-8dc2-4dacc531594d.html |
POCATELLO — The Compassion & Hope Pregnancy Center in Pocatello was vandalized on Tuesday evening.
The name of a new militant pro-choice group was also painted onto one of the windows. The vandalism was reported to police for investigation.
Compassion & Hope officials believe the vandalism was committed by pro-choice activists based on the words painted on the windows.
The windows were professionally cleaned following the vandalism, but Wright said the paint that was used left the painted words etched into the windows so they will have to be replaced. The window replacement could cost a few thousand dollars, she said. The pregnancy center is entirely funded by donations to women's health care.
Compassion & Hope Pregnancy Center is a place that cares about women, men and families, Wright said.
"We help them, provide much needed items for them and their babies, items most of them can't afford," Wright added. "We provide education on many topics that can be helpful to our clients."
If you have any information on who might have committed the vandalism, please contact Pocatello police 208-234-6100. | 2022-08-12T00:30:21Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pocatello pregnancy center vandalized | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pocatello-pregnancy-center-vandalized/article_0d81c63a-5f7c-5b4f-8dc2-4dacc531594d.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pocatello-pregnancy-center-vandalized/article_0d81c63a-5f7c-5b4f-8dc2-4dacc531594d.html |
Alfred Conroy Richard Conroy Alfred Richard "Dick" Conroy, Jr., 90, passed away Friday night, August 5, 2022, at the family home on Marsh Creek Road in McCammon. Dick was born September 20, 1931, in Orange, New Jersey to Alfred R. Conroy, Sr., and Ruth Marianne Peet. He spent his early childhood and adolescence in New Jersey, Brooklyn, NY, Cleveland, OH, Chicago and Wayne, IL and later Kansas City, MO. He attended Chicago Latin School (Chicago, IL), Roosevelt Military Academy (Aledo, IL), Elgin Academy (Elgin, IL), and in 1949 graduated from Southwest High School in Kansas City, MO. In 1954, he graduated from Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO with a BS in Geology. He completed his MS in Geology in 1960 from the University of Colorado, Boulder. When he retired in 1996, he completed postgraduate study in Geology at Idaho State University. Dick began his career as a Field Geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey in 1957. From 1961-1967 he was Project Manager for mineral, glass and ceramic processes at the Colorado School of Mines Research Institute in Golden, CO. Dick joined FMC Corporation in 1968 as a Senior Process Engineer and remained with FMC until his retirement in 1996 as Mining Manager. Dick was the author of two U.S. Patents and five geologic and ceramic technical publications. In 2006, he published "North American Tectonic History, A Study Guide with References," and in 2007, "Climate Change in Deep Time, The Science Against Human-Caused Warming." Dick was past president of the Greater Pocatello Chamber of Commerce and past president of the Idaho Mining Association. He was a founder of Bannock Development Corporation. Dick served in the U.S. Army from 1954-56, stationed primarily in West Germany. Dick had a great love for sports, especially the Denver Broncos. He enjoyed fishing and hunting and never stopped being a student of natural science and the world in general. He especially loved the west and all things related to rural life. Dick met the love of his life, Lonna Jean Aller, in Pocatello in 1968. They were married July 19, 1969, and recently celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary. Dick is survived by his wife, Lonna Jean of McCammon and daughters Katie Roby, Longmont, CO; Sarah Hinkle, Keenesburg, CO; and Susan Wright (Randy), Leawood, KS. Brothers Tom Conroy (Linda), Rockville, MD; Jim Conroy (Irene), Ardmore, PA; Peet Crissey (Debbie), Prairie Village, KS; and Mike Crissey (Judy), Kansas City, MO. Granddaughters Amanda Conroy and Paige Roby, Denver, CO; Anna, Mary Grace and Eva Hinkle, Keenesburg, CO; and grandson Max Wright, Leawood, KS. He was predeceased by his parents, stepmother Edna Conroy, stepfather, Ben Crissey, younger sister, Marianne (Sis) Neal, daughter Jennifer Conroy, and nephew Scott Hickerson. The family wishes to thank Heritage Home Health and Hospice for the exemplary care Dick received over the last few years, specifically Rachelle Losser, Ryan Hendricks, Kadie Richardson, Cassie Green and Patti Koger, as well as his cardiologist Dr. Ben Call. Funeral services will be held at Cornelison Funeral Home, 431 N. 15th Ave., Pocatello, ID at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 13, 2022. Family visitation will be held Friday evening from 6 to 8. Burial will be in the family plot at Norton Cemetery in McCammon, ID. | 2022-08-12T08:46:23Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Conroy, Alfred Richard | Obituaries | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/conroy-alfred-richard/article_3d2765a4-2f03-588e-959c-233a8f073347.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/obituaries/conroy-alfred-richard/article_3d2765a4-2f03-588e-959c-233a8f073347.html |
Idaho State men’s basketball players on a boat in Panama last week.
IDAHO STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL
ISU men's basketball bonds in Panama
The NCAA allows men’s basketball teams to go on a foreign exhibition game tour once every four years. With nine new players on the roster, Idaho State head coach Ryan Looney figured this was as good a year to take advantage of a team-building excursion as any. After a three-game adventure in Panama last week, Looney’s pretty sure he made the right call.
“It was pretty awesome,” Looney said, “not just the basketball, but the ability to spend time together as a group in a unique environment. I think there were so many parts of the trip that helped to bring our group together….I got a lot of comments from people who were on the trip about how much fun the guys are having, and how quickly they came together as a group.”
The tourism part of the trip included boat and walking tours of the Panama Canal, a visit to the Gamboa Rainforest, a catamaran trip into the Pacific Ocean, and a tour of Panama City’s historic district, including the Panamanian Presidential Palace. Not to mention a lot of “bonding time,” enjoying team meals and hanging out at the hotel.
But there was also basketball to play, and Looney was generally pleased with what he saw on the court as well. ISU won all three games on the trip, beating the Guatemalan National Team 63-44, the Panama U21 team 93-32, and the Guatemalans again, 92-61.
“We’re so far away from playing a normal game and we have to get a little bit better in every area,” Looney said. “But we turned it over less than we have in the past, against an extremely physical defense… There’s no question we are a deeper, more talented team that has a group that fits better with what we want to do on offense.”
Looney had some initial concerns about that offense after playing in an open air, extremely humid environment in game one. Idaho State really struggled making shots against an older, more physical Guatemalan team. The Bengals also had to deal with international rules and officiating, which allow a lot more bumping and grinding.
“There were moments when their physicality was somewhat overwhelming,” Looney said. “Our guys had to adjust to it. The first game, we didn’t shoot it well, but we defended at a high level, rebounded at a high level, and made some winning plays on a night when we didn’t shoot it well from the perimeter.”
When the Bengals moved inside, to Roberto Durán Arena for the next two games, the ISU perimeter shooting improved significantly. The Bengals made 12 threes in each of the next two contests while shooting over 40 percent from distance.
That was complemented by the Bengals’ strong post game. BYU transfer Kolby Lee and returning post man Brayden Parker took turns dominating inside. Lee had 12 points in the opener against Guatemala, then added 12 points and 11 boards against the Panama U21 team. Parker, the junior from Preston, had 32 points over the three games.
“The combination of Lee and Parker was very good,” Looney said. “Kolby is going to be a very good player in the Big Sky, but Brayden exceeded my expectations on the trip for how he performed in a reserve role. In all moments we had a player on the floor who could score with their back to the basket.”
The star of the show, though, was point guard Miguel Tomley, the transfer from Santa Clara. The 6-foot-3 sophomore struggled to make shots in the opener, but found his touch in the next two games, scoring 20 points (with five assists) against the Panama team, and then exploding for 34 vs. the Guatemalans. Tomley averaged more than 21 points in the three games.
“Miguel Tomley is a very good player,” Looney said. “I thought he did a very good job, not only of making shots, but in distributing the ball to other people and in leading the team.”
Graduate transfer guard Brock Mackenzie also made his mark, hitting three straight triples to ignite the Bengals in their last game against the Guatemalans, transfer forward Jay Nagle continued to impress Looney with his passing ability, and true freshman guard Maleek Arington showed signs of being an immediate contributor off the bench with his high basketball IQ and defensive ability. Returning forward Jared Rodriguez added 14 points in the final win against Guatemala.
Looney started the same five in each contest: Tomley and Mackenzie at the guards, Rodriguez and Nagle at the forwards and Lee in the post. “If we had a game at the end of this week, that’s what we’d do,” Looney said of his starting lineup.
The Bengals will open their season Oct. 29 with an exhibition game against Walla Walla University at Reed Gym.
Brad Bugger has observed athletics in southeastern Idaho for over 40 years, as a sportswriter, broadcaster and fan. He can be reached with comments, suggestions and column ideas at bpbugger@gmail.com.
Kolby Lee
Miguel Tomley
Brayden Parker
Brock Mackenzie
Jay Nagle | 2022-08-12T12:54:29Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | ISU men's basketball bonds in Panama | Sports | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/sports/isu-mens-basketball-bonds-in-panama/article_9da0d279-f104-50fb-ac33-59d2b5797a19.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/sports/isu-mens-basketball-bonds-in-panama/article_9da0d279-f104-50fb-ac33-59d2b5797a19.html |
Over 600 members of the Idaho National Guard deployed this week to Southwest Asia.
Idaho National Guard Photo
Idaho National Guard News Release
More than 600 personnel from the Idaho National Guard’s largest unit deployed Tuesday and Wednesday in support of Operation Spartan Shield in Southwest Asia.
The 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team’s Task Force Rattler trained for more than two years in anticipation of this mobilization.
“Task Force Rattler is trained, motivated and ready to assume all assigned missions in Southwest Asia,” said Maj. Sam McDowell, task force commander. "This team has rapidly prepared and come together as a cohesive and lethal fighting force.”
Operation Spartan Shield is a joint mission under the United States Central Command and is part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Operation Spartan Shield is an ongoing operation and supported primarily by Army National Guard combat units from across the country. The deployment is anticipated to last approximately 12 months and is the second rotation the 116th CBCT is supporting.
The first task force deployed in November 2021 and will return in October. The soldiers mobilizing Wednesday will receive 45 days of additional training stateside before deploying overseas. | 2022-08-12T14:47:39Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Over 600 Idaho National Guard members deploy to Southwest Asia | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/over-600-idaho-national-guard-members-deploy-to-southwest-asia/article_7b5b61ea-d40c-54cf-a4fe-48a6de8288ba.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/over-600-idaho-national-guard-members-deploy-to-southwest-asia/article_7b5b61ea-d40c-54cf-a4fe-48a6de8288ba.html |
A new study published in Bioscience proposes rewilding the West with a system of wildland reserves to restore the ecological integrity of the landscape. The proposal follows President Joe Biden's plan to manage 30 percent of the United States landscape for biodiversity and climate protection goals.
The plan called the “Western Rewilding Network," would set aside 11 large reserve areas. Livestock grazing impacts more western landscapes and species and thus would be terminated. According to the proposal, two keystone species — the gray wolf and the North American beaver — would be restored.
Beaver are well-known for their ability to repair watersheds, increase water retention, reduce sedimentation, store carbon, and promote riparian vegetation. These are critical factors in an already arid, drought-impacted West where 70 to 80 percent of all species depend on the narrow band of green water-influenced foliage known as riparian areas.
Wolves, as apex predators, influence ungulate (i.e., elk, deer) populations and habitat use, plus provide food as carrion for other species like ravens, eagles, coyotes and bears. They have been shown to promote healthy riparian areas by reducing ungulate browsing and use.
Wolves currently occupy approximately 14 percent of its historic range across the West. Similarly, beaver have been reduced or extirpated from an estimated 90 to 98 percent of their former range.
Next, the presence of threatened and endangered plant and animal species, including subspecies and distinct population segments, was identified with at least 10 percent of their ranges within any reserve. Then for each species, any threats from livestock grazing, logging, mining, and oil and gas drilling were determined.
In addition, the current effort of some western states such as Idaho, Montana and Wyoming to significantly reduce wolves on public lands would also need to be terminated.
The plan would reduce existing livestock grazing on federal lands by 29 percent if implemented. In addition, the project proposes compensation for permanent grazing privilege permit retirement to minimize the economic impact on individuals. The cost to society of carbon emissions from public lands and livestock grazing is sufficient to justify such a buyout plan. | 2022-08-12T16:32:29Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Rewilding the West | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/rewilding-the-west/article_dbc1a1c7-0499-59d1-b547-aab984357ae9.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/rewilding-the-west/article_dbc1a1c7-0499-59d1-b547-aab984357ae9.html |
The death of expertise
I've spent the past few hours watching coverage on various cable news channels of fallout from the FBI's Monday raid on former President Donald Trump's residence in Palm Beach, Florida. The Justice Department claims that there was no other way to recover the classified documents they were looking for. Disdain and disbelief are widespread. Who knows if any of it is justified?
For what it's worth, I think that the Justice Department and FBI are going out of their way to treat this situation delicately and professionally. They know the score — and the fallout. I think that the need to recover documents probably was dire and the circumstances extraordinary. But I don't know any of that for a fact. And based on the past six years, I can't blame anyone who thinks that all of this has been ginned up by the current administration and the federal bureaucracy to undermine former President Trump.
The worst part about our recent past has been the death of expertise. Nearly all of the people who we are supposed to trust to be apolitical and to play things straight have abandoned these basic responsibilities to engage in weaponizing debate to acquire money, acquire political power, secure personal and/or professional advancement, advance personal causes or simply to curry favor with the right people.
I have always had faith in and respect for our institutions. I recognize that they are not perfect and that some failures are more than to err is human. But what's happened in the past decade to our educational, media, academic, governmental, legal and scientific institutions is enough to give pause even to people inclined to trust them, like me.
I don't know how we got so far off track. I suspect that it has something to do with a general lowering of professional standards bumping into several generations already predisposed to laggardry as a result of being raised on timeouts instead of “wait until your father gets home.” But none of that is certain. All I know is that it's very difficult for me to get after anyone anymore who thinks that most of what they read or see from “experts” may not be true.
Anyone who's graduated from elementary school knows that politicians generally utter nothing untainted with self-interest. It's just the gap between reality and their particular brand of fantasy that's grown without limit. These days the rarest of rare things is a politician who speaks to objective reality in a truthful manner. It's so rare that I'm often tempted, when I do hear it, to write the Pope and inquire as to the official requirements for a miracle.
I've bashed the media here so many times that it's just too painful to do again today. Right now is Tour of Idaho season and we have several international riders this year. A conversation that's come up frequently with them is how bad the media is in their countries as well. It seems that sowing discord for profit is universal. That and never admitting to a mistake.
Educational and academic institutions are so dominated by liberal politics and leftist unions that they are effectively useless as neutral sources of information. Every survey of which I'm aware shows that these institutions are dominated by those affiliated with Democratic politics. That's hardly a recipe for being a neutral arbiter of facts. The results speak for themselves.
None of the above particularly surprises me. What does surprise me is the degree to which science has been corrupted by the same forces. I subscribe to a publication, Retraction Watch, which keeps track of academic papers retracted due to innocent things like mistakes, but also serious things like data manipulation, bias and fraud. The size of the current list is astounding and I'm sure that it's an underestimation of the magnitude of the actual problem.
What really concerns me in this regard is the over-representation of medical science in retracted papers. You'll get old before you get to the end of the COVID-19 list. Papers have recently been retracted in Alzheimer's research due to outright fraud. It's not all low-level researchers and post-docs either. Deans and program directors are losing their jobs over data manipulation and fraud. That's bad.
I wish that I knew how to address all of this, but I don't. Not in one fell swoop anyway. It took a while for us to get where we are and I suspect that it'll take a while to get professional standards back to where they need to be. Even longer to earn back trust.
All I know for sure is that we have a real problem trusting authority. And while we do, it's a bit difficult for me to tell you that you are wrong if you believe stuff that would have sounded crazy just a few years ago. When you can no longer trust the experts, there are plenty of charlatans waiting in the wings to fill the vacuum. It's sorting through the ones with the fancy credentials that takes some doing.
Associated Press and Idaho 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. | 2022-08-12T16:32:35Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The death of expertise | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/the-death-of-expertise/article_5d3f5217-0d25-599a-a426-40a14ba8308c.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/the-death-of-expertise/article_5d3f5217-0d25-599a-a426-40a14ba8308c.html |
To indict, or not to indict
The most difficult challenge any prosecutor faces is whether to indict someone for an alleged crime. Imagine asking the question the prosecutor must. Will the charge, and its certain consequences, accomplish something positive for society?
Holding a criminal accountable is presumed to be the benefit of any indictment. What about the damage caused even when a person charged is found not guilty of the charge?
Harm to the reputation, the public perception, of the person charged, is certain. The financial burden of defending against a charge is significant for a person of any means. The personal stress for the charged, and for family and supporters, is not a trivial matter, either.
A person charged is always tried twice. What is frequently the swiftest, most damaging and least forgiving trial is not in the courtroom, but rather in the court of public opinion. Promising careers are ended even by trials that result in acquittal.
Attorney General Merrick Garland must be weighing these thoughts daily. That’s because of the clamor from the enemies of former President Donald Trump for his indictment.
Garland is not the only prosecutor awaiting the results of criminal investigations into actions by Trump. However, Garland is America’s chief prosecutor. He’s the one who would bring, or approve, federal charges.
In a saner time, Garland would not be in this position. Instead, he would be one of the liberal minority of justices on the Supreme Court.
There is a certain irony that the political machinations that kept Garland from the court may have put him in a position to make the most momentous legal decision in American history. That decision is whether, for the very first time, an ex-president should be charged with a federal crime.
The closest an indictment has ever come to an American president was in 1973 when Richard Nixon’s vice president, Spiro Agnew, was convicted and imprisoned for not paying taxes on bribes he accepted. Less than a year later, Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment by members of his own party for the Watergate scandal.
Now Republicans have threatened to prosecute Joe Biden and his family members if Trump or any of his family are put on trial. Garland, of course, is aware of but must ignore that bullying.
What could happen? My opinion is Trump won’t be charged. If Garland does bring charges, they would likely be around a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election that Trump lost. Public evidence so far implies a lot yet does not show such a charge would stick.
This week’s FBI search of Mar-a-Lago to recover material that should be in the National Archives is a tempest in a teapot. It’s inconceivable that any spat over classified documents would bring the ex-president to trial.
There might be something else going on, however. “Some senior Republicans have been warned by allies of Mr. Trump not to continue … criticizing the Justice Department and the F.B.I. over the matter because it is possible that more damaging information related to the search will become public,” The New York Times reported Thursday.
Even if there were an indictment and conviction, the possibility of Trump going to prison seems extremely unlikely. The current president could, and most likely would, commute any sentence Trump would receive.
Note that I predict a commutation, and not a pardon. A pardon forgives the crime. A commutation simply reduces the sentence. By it the nation could be spared the spectacle of a former leader going off to prison, but still accomplish the most important goal.
That is to show the world, and this country, that we still are a nation of laws. What’s more, it would show that no one, not even a president, is above those laws. | 2022-08-12T16:32:41Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | To indict, or not to indict | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/to-indict-or-not-to-indict/article_7eee336e-ba96-57b8-8aae-3820fdc65df7.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/to-indict-or-not-to-indict/article_7eee336e-ba96-57b8-8aae-3820fdc65df7.html |
“The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them.” ― Karl Marx
For a year and a half now, I have been writing about the postmodern invasion of American society. I often use terms like neo-Marxism to describe this invasion. This postmodern invasion isn’t the in-your-face/fly the hammer and sickle you often see from groups like antifa or Black Lives Matter. It’s a more subtle and subversive cultural movement that controls people with public shame and derision, similar to the social credit system of the Communist Party of China. Now, this cultural movement is taking root right here in Pocatello.
For several years now, I have watched the unending drama unfold between the executive management of the city of Pocatello and its City Council. In full discretion, I live outside of the city limits, and so even though my wife runs a business within city limits and pays city taxes, we do not get a say in how they run their operations. I have generally ignored the city administration drama that headlines local papers. However, the latest drama has caught my attention, and it deserves a response.
Several current Pocatello City Council members are the target of a campaign seeking their recall. This is based on a comment made by Councilman Roger Bray regarding Pocatello’s relatively low crime and the cultural homogeneity that enables it. The other two members in question are Claudia Ortega and Chris Stevens. The accusation is that Mr. Bray is a bigot because he associates diversity in some form with high crime rates, and his sort of bigotry has no place in Pocatello. For defending Mr. Bray, Councilwoman Ortega and Councilwoman Stevens must also be sacrificed on the altar of the thought police.
Clarification from Mr. Bray was a fair request, and I accept his explanation that diversity is not a term exclusive to race. I’m not a member of the LDS Church, yet Pocatello and surrounding communities are generally greater than 50 percent Mormon. Having lived in Salt Lake City before moving to Idaho, I can attest that one of the values that the LDS Church and its members contribute to society is a wholesome and family-oriented culture. Does this lack of religious diversity reduce the need for policing? Absolutely!
As an openly America First guy, you’d be hard-pressed to find many things that these three council members and I agree on. As a columnist who consistently complains about the tactics of using identity politics to impugn the character of political opposition, I must say that these same tactics being deployed locally are an embarrassment.
During the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, the Marxists would routinely bully the opposition into silence so that their ideas wouldn’t be challenged. It wasn’t about having the right ideas, it was about having the might. In this tactic, thought crimes fall outside of approved thought, and the only remedy is ostracism from society. For this tactic to work, it requires assuming the worst of your opponent or leading others to believe the worst of your opponent with no recourse. Can you see how this strategy is being deployed in this scenario?
For those on the outside looking in, a recall in this scenario looks like a solution looking for a problem. It looks like an attempt to rid the city council of these members, and the means of accomplishing it is to paint the opposition as irredeemable bigots. No attempt to get clarification or understand Councilman Bray’s statement is sought. Those who are deploying this strategy are clearly in the wrong. They should be called on it.
There is a way to go about things, and a recall based on Councilman Bray’s statement on crime and diversity is not only unwarranted, but it also is not the right way. I would discourage the people of Pocatello from signing this petition based on this nonsense and instead put your efforts into putting forth better candidates for City Council elections. | 2022-08-12T16:32:48Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Bolshevism comes to Pocatello | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/bolshevism-comes-to-pocatello/article_d6cace46-b377-5b3c-8f9c-ef4b7e501391.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/bolshevism-comes-to-pocatello/article_d6cace46-b377-5b3c-8f9c-ef4b7e501391.html |
Unprecedented victory - Conservation groups stop Idaho natural gas pipeline
The government had authorized a private fossil fuel company to clear-cut and build a pipeline right through the middle of six Inventoried Roadless Areas on publicly owned National Forest lands.The pipeline was so inconsistent with the existing Forest Plan that governs use of these public lands that the agency changed the management plan for the entire National Forest for the benefit of one private fossil fuel company. In essence, the federal taxpayers who own these public lands would have been forced to subsidize the profit margin of a private natural gas company at the expense of the climate, public lands and endangered wildlife.
Adding insult to injury, the six Inventoried Roadless Areas the pipeline would have crossed are now being considered for wilderness designation in Congress under the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act, H.R. 1755 and S. 1276.
What we accomplished in this case is unprecedented — after two long years of going through all the required legal hoops, as soon as we filed our opening brief, the government canceled the project without even waiting for a final court order. We have never seen this in a legal challenge to a pipeline before and it means there is no possibility for an appeal that would reverse the decision — this win is here to stay. Not only did the government cancel the pipeline, it also made a legally-binding commitment with us to require a full environmental analysis before the pipeline could ever be brought back from the dead.
This is a huge victory for the climate as well as free-roaming endangered species like grizzly bears, wolverines and lynx.
Since time immemorial, native wildlife including grizzly bears, lynx and wolverines have inhabited and traveled the higher elevation connections between the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and Utah’s Uinta Mountains. In the midst of the largest mass extinction since the dinosaurs, this unique area provides a crucial link between the Northern and Southern Rocky Mountains and must be protected and managed as a wildlife corridor for our endangered wildlife species.
Despite the incredible value of this wild place, in 2019 the U.S. Forest Service authorized the construction of the pipeline that included clear-cutting a 50-foot-wide corridor through 20 miles of National Forest lands and six Inventoried Roadless Areas. The Forest Service decision allowed the private company to clearcut a 50-foot right-of-way during construction and maintain a permanent 20-foot cleared right-of-way to service the pipeline — including above-ground facilities such as valves and staging areas.
In addition to the increased harm to the climate, the pipeline would have increased illegal wildlife killings, invasive noxious weeds infestations and illegal motorized use in the service corridor and adjoining areas. The rare and endangered species in this area include lynx, grizzly bears, wolverines, Ute ladies’ tresses orchid and yellow-billed cuckoo, as well as the critically-imperiled greater sage grouse, which is experiencing significant declines in this area.
This is not just a win for us. One less pipeline is a win for the planet and future generations.
Please consider helping us in our fight to protect the wildlands of the Northern Rockies. | 2022-08-12T16:32:54Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Unprecedented victory: Conservation groups stop Idaho natural gas pipeline | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/unprecedented-victory-conservation-groups-stop-idaho-natural-gas-pipeline/article_437d4ca8-3ba7-51ab-ae61-5950edc0103e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/unprecedented-victory-conservation-groups-stop-idaho-natural-gas-pipeline/article_437d4ca8-3ba7-51ab-ae61-5950edc0103e.html |
Although the basic concept of “a government of laws, and not of men” reflects a political philosophy dating back to the ancient Greeks, John Adams stated it during the founding of our nation. This is as true today as when President Adams penned it in 1775.
Laws are also created to ensure the health and welfare of all our furry friends. We see some of the implementation of these laws through our Pocatello city codes.
Like many, I’m not a big fan of government involvement into our personal lives whether it be from the federal, state or local levels. However, the Pocatello city codes on animals, which address everything from prohibited animal nuisances to feeding wildlife, are effectively thought-out to ensure the welfare of animals. Even if you don’t feel the codes are being fully or fairly implemented, at least they are written down and open to everyone for review and recommended changes.
I get flashbacks from my youth where a neighbor would have his dog tied to a tree all day long. Throughout the day the poor guy would eventually wrap the rope around the tree to the point where he was locked against the tree far from any water or food.
Even as a youth I knew this was wrong. I find it encouraging that our city codes go into great detail to prevent this from happening by not only limiting the allowable time an animal can be tethered or chained but specify the minimum length and configuration of the tether.
There are other codes that address things I have never imagined could occur. Did you know that you can’t dye or color a rabbit? As far as that goes, you can’t color or dye a baby chick, ducklings or other waterfowl either.
On one hand, I see that these types of actions would be very cruel and dangerous for the animal and shouldn’t be permitted. On the other hand, I ask myself why would someone even do this? As an animal advocate, I put these actions in the same category as people eating Tide Pods. Although, we probably wouldn’t have a law unless some knucklehead did it!
Municipal codes are a collection of laws passed by the local governing body. These laws that particularly address animals are there to ensure the humane treatment and welfare of animals. However, written codes/laws themselves do nothing unless an individual acts to enforce them. The number of animal control officers to ensure enforcement of all the animal municipal codes would be staggering and unrealistic.
As a result, it’s up to the citizens to ensure the welfare of all animals is appropriately maintained. If you see an animal in distress and they are obviously in the care of an owner/caregiver, go to the owner/caregiver and voice your concerns. If your concerns are not resolved and the issue is averse to our city code, report it to city officials (Animal Services).
Of course, if you believe animal welfare is still not being maintained you can contact one of our local animal welfare organizations for assistance.
I certainly don’t have the allotted article space to address the entire animal section of the city code, however, I hope you engage the link provided above and browse this section of the code. I think you’ll be surprised at the thoughtfulness and detail that was applied for the wellbeing of our animals. And please, always remember, you can make a difference.
A Summer Block Pawty will be held by the Aiding 2 Adoption (A2A) folks on Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. at the downtown Pocatello pavilion. There will be bands, food trucks and crafters along with some wonderful cats, kittens, dogs and puppies.
The Bannock Humane Society (BHS) will be holding an adoption day for dogs and cats on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the BHS building located on Barton Road. There will also be lunch for $5 — tacos! | 2022-08-12T16:33:00Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Your best friend and the law | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/your-best-friend-and-the-law/article_bd8d9732-6c4a-5419-8ec9-48e2c542baa0.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/your-best-friend-and-the-law/article_bd8d9732-6c4a-5419-8ec9-48e2c542baa0.html |
Holy Spirit Catholic School announces registration day for the 2022-23 school year
By Holy Spirit Catholic School
POCATELLO — Holy Spirit Catholic School will conduct registration day on Monday from 10 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the school, which is located at 540 N. 7th Ave. in Pocatello. The activity will be set up in an open house style, which will allow busy parents to drop in anytime.
Parents are also reminded to bring their students' birth certificates and current immunization records. The Holy Spirit website is another timesaver, offering parents the opportunity to review the school’s registration checklist and registration forms.
Karianne Earnest, principal of Holy Spirit School, reflects on registration day: “The time for back to school always seems to sneak up on both parents and educators, but we’ve got our process pretty streamlined. We are excited to see all of the returning parents and students and to welcome all the new faces back to school.”
Holy Spirit Catholic School has served the community for 70 years and was formerly called Saint Anthony’s. Today the school carries on the rich tradition — small class sizes and an excellent teacher-to-student ratio, faith-based learning with an inclusive and diverse student body, and highly qualified and motivated teachers. Spanish instruction is now available in all grades along with before and after school care, sports programs, music, P.E., art, field trips and hands-on learning.
Holy Spirit Church Pastor Henry Carmona added: “Our mission here at Holy Spirit School is very simple really; we want to provide a welcoming environment where students live the gospel message, exhibit high academic achievement and provide service to the community. Based on the feedback we receive from the parents of our students, I’d say our mission is being fulfilled.”
For more information regarding Holy Spirit Catholic School, visit its website at holyspiritcs.com or call 208-232-5763. | 2022-08-12T18:21:11Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Holy Spirit Catholic School announces registration day for the 2022-23 school year | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/holy-spirit-catholic-school-announces-registration-day-for-the-2022-23-school-year/article_f424ab6a-089d-56d2-9d10-97098db3597c.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/holy-spirit-catholic-school-announces-registration-day-for-the-2022-23-school-year/article_f424ab6a-089d-56d2-9d10-97098db3597c.html |
In his 1776 pamphlet Common Sense, founding American philosopher Thomas Paine asked the question, “But where says some is the king of America? I’ll tell you Friend, he reigns above, and doth not make havoc of mankind like the Royal of Britain ... in America the Law is King.”
Paine’s point is that black and white letters on a page, spelling out rules of civil society, are dispassionate, can be applied to millionaires and skid-row winos alike, and provide stability even during the turmoil of politics. In democracies, the law is what exists between elections. Its value as a stabilizing force depends on enforcers whose loyalty is sworn to it, and it alone.
Which is why Temitope Oriola, associate professor of sociology at the University of Alberta, describes mixing police and politics as “the terrible twins.” Professor Oriola, a leading academic advocate of “police reform,” was appalled when Michael McHale, president of the National Association of Police Organizations, representing over 1,000 police unions, spoke at the Republican Party’s national convention in August of 2020.
“Your choices are the most pro-law-enforcement president we have ever had or the most radical anti-police ticket in our history,” McHale told the convention delegates. Professor Oriola warned that this mixing of policing and politics undermines the very virtue in “the rule of law.” “If law enforcers are merely puppets of the King, then of what value is the Law?”
Oriola’s thoughts are usually aligned with progressives on the left of American politics. But this week’s first-in-history federal agent search of a president’s residence brought back memories of living in the military dictatorship that was General Figueiredo’s 1980s Republic of Brazil.
In the summer of 1980, I was living with three other American roommates in a rented house in the northern Brazilian city of Recife. Like most households above medium income, we had a maid who did laundry, vacuumed, dusted and prepared one meal a day. For that she received the Brazilian equivalent of $30 per month.
One morning I was dressing for the day’s work and couldn’t find my tie clip. It wasn’t a priceless piece of jewelry, but it was the only clip I owned. I complained out loud and all three of my roommates immediately chimed in that they, too, were missing small items of menial value. Suspicion immediately fell on our maid. I was asked to confront her about the missing items.
My Portuguese at the time was poor. I was pretty sure I’d said something wrong when, in the middle of my asking about the lost belongings, she broke into violent sobs, fell to her knees begging for forgiveness, then ran crying from the house. That would be the last we’d see of her, I thought.
But she returned two hours later, along with her boyfriend. They were carrying boxes filled with all kinds of treasures. Our missing belongings were all there, as were many other items none of us had seen before.
Our emotionally distraught maid explained, “Please take this, it is everything we own. But don’t call the policia militar.” Noticing my perplexed look, the boyfriend stepped in to explain, “We have no local constable. The only law enforcement is the military police of General Figueiredo. Stealing from Americans disgraces the President. His police would take all we have, burn our house, and leave two bullets in our skulls. We beg you to take this and say no more.”
So forgive me if the Mar-a-Lago search leaves me with questions. Was it necessary to implement a warrant on a residence already controlled by Secret Service? Couldn’t missing documents have been subpoenaed without a forced entry? Where is this going?
Having seen the result when police are corrupted serving politicians, I’m firmly on the side of Mr. Paine: America’s strength is law enforcement loyal to just one master, the rule of law. | 2022-08-12T18:21:24Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Federales | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/federales/article_77be6d83-d59a-594c-8832-1f05de6fb1a3.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/federales/article_77be6d83-d59a-594c-8832-1f05de6fb1a3.html |
Activist and entertainer Jon Stewart hugs fellow advocate Susan Zeier just after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, assured veterans and military family members that the Senate will vote on a bill designed to help millions of veterans exposed to toxic substances during their military service at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 2.
Members of Idaho’s Congressional delegation would probably not receive any heroism awards for their actions relating to the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, also known as the “burn pit” bill.
When the act came up for a vote, our congressional troops flat failed to protect the backs of sick veterans. Reps. Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson voted against the final passage of the bill in the House. Not to be outdone, Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch both voted against the legislation on three separate occasions.
Our senators had a clear choice on Aug. 3 — either vote for burn pit victims or vote against them. There was just one bill on the table. The two claimed their vote was influenced by an elusive $400 billion slush fund that nobody seemed to be able to adequately explain.
Jim Jones is a Vietnam combat veteran and pancreatic cancer survivor, 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. | 2022-08-12T18:21:30Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Judge them by their actions, not their words | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/judge-them-by-their-actions-not-their-words/article_a548cd6f-b9a7-5675-a188-c40fed51c4b4.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/judge-them-by-their-actions-not-their-words/article_a548cd6f-b9a7-5675-a188-c40fed51c4b4.html |
Monster trucks, movies, and Papa Roach are headlining this week at the Bannock County Event Center.
Join Healthy City, USA, for their Wednesday night dog walks around the Portneuf Wellness Complex. Meet at Pavillion 2 by the concessions stand at 5:30 p.m. Dogs must be on a leash. Walk for as long as you like and get some Healthy City, USA, swag.
Don’t miss the Monster Truck 2022 Freedom Tour on Friday, Aug. 19, at the Bannock County Event Center. Hosted by HyLite Real Entertainment, this show will be an exciting time for the whole family. Events include best trick, racing, freestyle and more. For $10, you can even ride in a real monster truck. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m., with a free pit party from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online at hylitereal.com.
Get ready to rock at the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre with four incredible bands on Friday, Aug. 19, at The Rockzilla Tour with Papa Roach and Falling in Reverse, with special guests Bad Wolves and Hollywood Undead. Tickets are nearly gone, but lawn seating can still be purchased for $30 at idahoconcertseries.com.
Get your weekend cardio workout with Healthy City, USA’s free 5k at the Portneuf Wellness Complex on Saturday, Aug. 20, at 9 a.m. No registration is necessary. The race will start promptly at 9 a.m. at Pavilion 3.
Movies at the Port, presented by Portneuf Health Trust, returns with a screening of Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (rated PG-13) on Saturday, Aug. 20. Admission is free. Grab your blankets, chairs and popcorn, and join us on the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre lawn for a good time. Gates open at 8 p.m., and movies begin after sundown, weather permitting.
Portneuf Wellness Complex | 2022-08-12T18:21:36Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Monster trucks, Movies at the Port, concerts and more this week in Pocatello | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/monster-trucks-movies-at-the-port-concerts-and-more-this-week-in-pocatello/article_33dbde80-9c6c-5d1f-9971-01569a8ae7d5.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/monster-trucks-movies-at-the-port-concerts-and-more-this-week-in-pocatello/article_33dbde80-9c6c-5d1f-9971-01569a8ae7d5.html |
According to recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 40 million (more than half of America’s young adults ages 18-34) are living with at least one chronic health condition. To add to this, roughly 1 in 4 are dealing with two or more chronic conditions. These conditions include obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, asthma and arthritis, among others.
While we could point many fingers at many different things from technology (cellphones, social media) to genetics (it is mom and dad’s fault), to lack of health care and many others, one fact remains. Like it or not, personal responsibility matters.
Finger pointing and blame are thrown everywhere, but not at the mirror. This is not completely the fault of those affected. The whole blame game is being professed by what we assume are “health” organizations.
I was reading an American Council of Exercise (ACE) Youth Fitness Manual, and something struck me. Every time they discussed obesity or overweight, they referred to it as “youth with overweight or obesity.” Did you catch that? Youth WITH overweight or obesity. It was not worded as youth who ARE overweight or obese, but youth WITH overweight and obesity. This to me implies the fault is not theirs. They had nothing to do with it. They just got it.
This mindset is toxic and not helpful. If it is not your fault, it is easier just to keep doing what you’re doing and spend your energy blaming others. Once these youths hit the 18 to 34 range I discussed above, they have a chronic medical condition (or a few), that is not their fault. If it is not my fault, it removes me from having to do anything about it. This is not a good trend.
What confuses people even more are the contradictory statements made by these organizations. ACE is saying it is not your fault with their WITH statement, but similar progressive groups of people that make up the CDC, often promote similar WITH statements, but in their own study admit that these numbers are likely due to binge drinking, smoking and physical inactivity.
I guess medicine needs to start focusing on the monkey in the closet forcing our young people (and all of us for that matter) to smoke, drink and sit around. | 2022-08-12T18:21:42Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The blame game | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/the-blame-game/article_ddda9a8f-3fd5-5f2a-a60b-22d4c857eb32.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/the-blame-game/article_ddda9a8f-3fd5-5f2a-a60b-22d4c857eb32.html |
China decides not to cancel school year — in US
It’s a sure sign that the new school year is right around the corner when back-to-school sales ads pop up all over the place. Nothing more exciting for elementary and middle-school kids than picking out some new clothes and a variety of supplies so as to be ready for the first day of school.
Fortunately, it appears China has decided not to cancel the whole shebang.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan made China very angry. In one response to Pelosi’s visit, China sent ships, planes, drones, kites, all kinds of stuff zipping around Taiwan in a show of force. In addition, China has suspended communication with the U.S. on certain issues such as military cooperation.
But those certainly are not the most drastic steps China could have taken. Suppose China had decided to halt shipments of school supplies to the U.S. right at the worst possible time — like now.
Website cnbc.com reports, “In 2022, total back-to-school spending is expected to match last year's record high of $37 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. Families with children in school plan to spend an average of $864 on school supplies.”
School supplies normally include some new school clothes for the kids. Many families rely on an imported supply of less expensive apparel. Considering that in 2021 China produced a whopping 65 percent of the world's clothes and was the world’s largest exporter, normally those parents have plenty of purchase options.
But if the “Made in China” label suddenly disappeared from the store shelves, parents would have to resort to the old hand-me-downs strategy my parents used with five boys. Could today’s kids even survive that?
It’s possible that parents could still manage to dress their kids despite a China supply chain shutdown. But what about all those other essential school supplies traditionally purchased this time of year for elementary and middle school students?
Let’s take the ordinary wooden pencil, for instance. A 2021 report indicates that more than 14 billion pencils are produced every year. And China makes most of them, with factories in just one city there making over one and a half million per day!
Even pencil brands that claim to be produced in America are sometimes of dubious origin. One analyst points out that so-called U.S. pencils are more accurately “Packaged in the USA” than “Made in the USA.”
Of course, if children are going to do some of their schoolwork with pencils, they need erasers, too. Predictably, in 2020 the top exporter of erasers by far was China.
When it comes time to sharpen your kid’s pencil, no problem. China ships out tons of pencil sharpeners to the U.S. every year.
Perhaps your student has moved beyond pencils and erasers to a ballpoint pen. China produces 38 billion ballpoint pens a year, according to China Daily, which is about 80 percent of all ballpoint pens in the world and, unsurprisingly, China was the top exporter of pens in 2020.
The top importer of pens in the world? The United States.
There is always a run on scissors this time of year. Just be sure to remind children not to run with their new scissors. Oh, and the bulk of scissors manufacturing takes place in China, which was the leading exporter of scissors in 2020.
What will children use to lug all those supplies to school along with their lunches, water bottles (likely made in China), etc.? Well, they need to buy new backpacks to replace last year’s of course.
Just so happens that China has tens of thousands of backpack production companies and leads the world in exporting them.
If one needs further proof that China provides the U.S. with most of the affordable clothes and school supplies parents purchase this time of year, just look at Walmart, Target and Amazon — the big three when it comes to back-to-school sales.
Newsweek.com in 2020 stated, “Walmart estimates Chinese suppliers make up 70-80 percent of its U.S. merchandise, according to the Alliance for American Manufacturing.” This indicates that a China school supply shutdown would empty many shelves at Walmart.
Estimates are that Target gets 34 percent of its products from China. Again, school materials could be in short supply at its stores.
Then there is Amazon with about 45 percent of its top sellers based in China and the percentage rising rapidly, according to an article on ecommercetimes.com. The article concluded, “Amazon is the most efficient direct-to-consumer platform for Chinese brands to reach U.S. and European shoppers.”
Looking to purchase a new backpack on Amazon for your child? Fine, just don’t let little Johnny read the Amazon ads, which could have a negative influence on his writing skills. Ads that say stuff like, “College school bag gift for men women. Many padding on the back. No need to keep power bank on the hand, just keep up your phone and on the go.”
Certainly, the timing of Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit wasn’t ideal. But, by all appearances, China has decided not to cause a school supplies calamity.
Yet, we better hope Pelosi never goes to Taiwan around the holiday sales season. Otherwise, China may cancel Christmas. | 2022-08-12T18:21:49Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | China decides not to cancel school year — in US | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/china-decides-not-to-cancel-school-year-in-us/article_00fb8d58-5f97-5e39-af15-bf0b36b38590.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/china-decides-not-to-cancel-school-year-in-us/article_00fb8d58-5f97-5e39-af15-bf0b36b38590.html |
Voting rights, women's rights, LGBTQ rights, even contraceptive rights — somehow, it's all once again up for grabs. And people who fought and won those fights are understandably exhausted at the idea of having to do it all over again. A recent poll by the Washington Post and the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University found that, while 65 percent of Americans disapprove of the court's decision, supporters of abortion rights are far less likely than opponents to vote in this fall's midterm elections.
Poor babies. Conservatives spent half a century not getting what they wanted on abortion rights. Yet, one struggles in vain to recall when anyone ever had to beg them to vote, much less apologetically. They seem to understand what progressives often don't. Which is that human-rights battles — and reproductive freedom is certainly one of those — are not like baseball games where final victory comes with the last out. Human-rights victories must be safeguarded and preserved or else they are subject to being overturned. The good news is that the same goes for human-rights defeats. | 2022-08-12T18:21:55Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Dare we hope? | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/dare-we-hope/article_142e77e1-fd18-5d6e-8155-c2a74e053856.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/dare-we-hope/article_142e77e1-fd18-5d6e-8155-c2a74e053856.html |
The simple, 31-word pledge says a great deal about how we see ourselves as Americans. Two words in particular help define our national self-image. They are “liberty” and “justice.”
Well, I’m not saying that we should go all “Kum ba yah,” give everyone a hug and let lawbreakers go home without penalty if they just say that they’re really, really sorry. But I am saying that from time to time I’ve made mistakes in my personal life that have led me to need forgiveness — mercy — which I did not deserve.
“The quality of mercy is not strained; it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed — it blesses him that gives, and him that takes.” | 2022-08-12T18:22:01Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Finding My Way: The quality of mercy | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/finding-my-way-the-quality-of-mercy/article_bfd21bb0-ef29-5dc2-bbfd-47fe2044caba.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/finding-my-way-the-quality-of-mercy/article_bfd21bb0-ef29-5dc2-bbfd-47fe2044caba.html |
The City Council meltdown: Deliberate over-reaction and score-settling
I should make it clear, before discussing the 8/4/22 meeting of the Pocatello City Council, that I know none of the council members personally, nor do I know the mayor, nor any member of the police or fire department. I know what I read in the ISJ about city government, and I’ve watched the videos of the 7/7/22, 7/21/22 budget meetings, the 7/21/22 regular meeting, and the live broadcast of the meeting on Thursday, 8/4/22.
As everyone knows, the City Council, on some budget issues, is split into two factions, with three members (Bray, Ortega and Stevens) constituting a faction that has frequently challenged the views of the mayor and the other three members of the Council. For the rest of this column, I’ll refer to Bray, Ortega and Stevens as TTM (The Three Musketeers).
What I didn’t realize until Thursday’s meeting, was just how intense the hostility between TTM and the mayor and other members of the council could become. Finger-pointing, raised voices, interruptions, accusations: all testified to a mutual animosity that no one made any effort to conceal. That enmity, I gather, has been building up for some time.
The spark that ignited open conflict on Thursday was the motion to censure council member Bray for remarks he had made during a budget meeting on July 7. All council members except TTM spoke in favor of the censure motion, as did the mayor. Bray did not attend the meeting, but his statement in opposition to censure was read. The remaining members of TTM were present and made strong statements supporting Bray.
It’s worth noting that the censure itself was part two of the motion; part one was a series of “whereas” statements that asserted Pocatello’s welcoming attitude to all potential residents. That two-part structure was little more than a cheap trick to make a “No” vote seem to be a rejection of the city’s welcoming pledge. TTM tried to separate the motion into two motions, but they were voted down.
The accusation directed at Bray was that he had made a racist remark when, during that 7/21 budget session, the issue of how many police officers Pocatello needed was under discussion. The police department has made a request for two new officers. Bray suggested that perhaps that was too many. Police Chief Shei was there to support his department’s request, and pointed out that Pocatello only had a ratio of 1.6 officers per 1,000 population, while the national average was 2.0 or 2.1 officers per 1,000. Bray responded that Pocatello’s ratio had always been lower than the national average, and that the department has always been very efficient and effective, and then remarked that “we’re not as diverse a community as some,” implying that Pocatello didn’t really need as many officers as the national average ratio would give us, in part because we are a community that has far less diversity than does a typical big city. The remark was little more than a parenthetical aside, and there was no reaction to it from any council member, either immediately, or later in the meeting.
Yet some people, on the council and in the community, eventually took offense at the remark, apparently interpreting it as having racist overtones. Two gentlemen from the local chapter of the NAACP made that charge at the meeting on 7/21/22, at which point the mayor apologized, apparently on behalf of the council, as well as for his own failure to notice what the remark implied. Subsequently, the police and firemen unions called for Bray’s resignation, the council decided to move to censure Bray, and now a petition to recall all three of TTM is circulating.
For someone with a heightened sensitivity to racism, Bray’s remark could be interpreted as racist. But anyone who considers the circumstances of the remark, or knows Bray personally, would reject that interpretation. Bray was not speaking of “diversity” primarily in racial terms. He has affirmed this, insisting that he meant the word to refer to a spectrum of human differences, including ethnicity, national origin, education, sexual preference, wealth, religious beliefs, political affiliations, health status, occupation, etc.
He meant to point to the human habit of making “us/them” distinctions, which can lead not just to discrimination, but to trouble of the sort that police might have to deal with. (If you doubt that humans have this innate tendency, read the works of Henri Tajfel, who experimentally confirmed it.)
If Bray had meant to refer only to racial diversity, would he have cited what happened in on these budgeting issues Pocatello a few years ago, when a large number of Muslim students attended ISU? Many Pocatellans resented and attacked those students, not because of the racial diversity they created; but because they flaunted their wealth and were conspicuously non-Christians.
Furthermore, Bray never deplored diversity, or said that Pocatello shouldn’t become more diverse. He simply assumed that Pocatello’s comparative lack of diversity was a relevant factor in determining just how big its police force needed to be.
It seems to me that the real impetus to censure Bray didn’t come from a mistaken interpretation of Bray’s remark; it came from the mayor and his allies’ hope that they could get away with stigmatizing a member of TTM. The censure was not a righteous response to a racist slur, it was an angry retaliation for TTM’s refusal to see budget issues the way the rest of the council wanted them to.
My hypothesis regarding the source of that anger is that Blad has been mayor for more than 12 years, and it’s likely that he has appointed most of the heads of departments in the Pocatello city government. Those heads are probably his friends, if not his cronies, and Blad chooses to give those departments pretty much whatever they want.
TTM does not share the mayor’s attitude. They are fiscal watchdogs, who believe that leaner times may be ahead, and think it their duty to ensure that Pocatello spends its money wisely. They scrutinize budget requests from the departments, and ask whether increased personnel are really necessary.
That attitude angers the department heads, the mayor, and those council members who side with the mayor. Consequently, the council splits into warring factions on these budgeting issues, bad feelings escalate, public attacks are made, and the embarrassing spectacle of Thursday’s meeting is the result.
A final note: in her ISJ column of 8/9/22, Heather Disselkoen exposes what she calls the “arrogance and ethnocentric blindness” of some of the “whereas” clauses of the resolution that precede the censure of Mr. Bray. I recommend that you read her column; it’s a well-informed and critical take on this whole travesty. | 2022-08-12T18:22:20Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The City Council meltdown: Deliberate over-reaction and score-settling | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-city-council-meltdown-deliberate-over-reaction-and-score-settling/article_23b058c4-ccdc-5320-87bc-0332e06f7990.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-city-council-meltdown-deliberate-over-reaction-and-score-settling/article_23b058c4-ccdc-5320-87bc-0332e06f7990.html |
We get so accustomed to bad news that when the good stuff appears, it’s little noted and sometimes hard to believe. I know, I know: There are all kinds of bad and dangerous and ugly things going on in the world. But that’s not the whole story. And we should take note when some of the bad stuff is a little less bad. | 2022-08-12T18:22:26Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The good news | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-good-news/article_5e6bccd7-4994-5f40-bffb-a19b08d6c0c9.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-good-news/article_5e6bccd7-4994-5f40-bffb-a19b08d6c0c9.html |
Ciarra Fuller
Benefits of being outside
By Ciarra Fuller
Everyone has struggled in some capacity or another with their mental health since COVID-19 created a whole new “normal.” Outside seemed to be the only safe place to be or interact for a while there. Not only is it a safe place to avoid illnesses such as COVID there are also great benefits for mental health in being outdoors. Everyone loves to get outside and be as active as possible in the warmer months of the year. Read on to find out some of the several benefits of being outside in the sun and fresh air.
Spending all your time indoors is not good for your physical or mental health. There are certain things that you can get from being outdoors that you just cannot get from being stuck inside. A few of those things include fresh air and direct sunlight. Natural sunlight contains loads of vitamin D, which can improve overall mood, and improve self-esteem. Research shows that being outside on a bright, sunny day increases levels of serotonin whether it's warm or cold outside. Increased levels of serotonin acts as a natural mood stabilizer. So going outside and enjoying some sun can help make you feel better even on a day when everything seems to go wrong. But don’t forget your sunscreen!
Getting outside can also lower your stress levels and help fight symptoms of anxiety and depression. Studies show that getting outside for as little as 20 to 30 minutes can significantly lower your cortisol levels, which is the natural chemical that causes stress. The increase in serotonin as mentioned above helps with symptoms of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Sunlight also produces melanocytes, which are the cells that make you tan, and these cells release endorphins which can also give you a natural boost in your mood. Getting outside more is often easier said than down, but even as little as 20 minutes outside could help make you feel better.
Getting outside and connecting with mother nature can also help you practice things such as being more mindful and being able to be more present in the moment. There are a lot of things you can do to get yourself outside such as taking a walk, riding a bike, gardening or even sitting in the backyard with your dog reading your favorite book or doing your favorite activity, whatever that may be. Find some excuse, any excuse to get outside some more this summer and reap the benefits it has to offer. Just make sure to be safe, wear sunscreen and drink lots of water!
Ciarra Fuller, LMSW, is a psychotherapist currently working at Health West. She practices social work from a Strengths-Based Perspective and enjoys outdoor activities, swimming and reading a good book. | 2022-08-12T20:01:13Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Benefits of being outside | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/benefits-of-being-outside/article_91b3b35d-be00-580f-b7a2-5dc08ecc8814.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/benefits-of-being-outside/article_91b3b35d-be00-580f-b7a2-5dc08ecc8814.html |
Historic flooding and park closures have contributed to a 20 percent decrease in visitors to Yellowstone National Park through the first seven months of 2022.
In June, 536,601 people visited Yellowstone National Park, which represents a 43 percent decrease from the record 938,845 people who visited during June 2021, according to a press release from Yellowstone National Park. June 2021 was the busiest June on record in terms of visitors, Yellowstone officials said.
Overall, year-to-date park visitation for 2022 was also down compared to 2021. Through the end of June, 1,268,053 people visited Yellowstone National Park, which is a decrease of 20 percent compared to the corresponding time period from 2021, park officials said.
Following days of exceptionally heavy rainfall, Yellowstone flooded on June 13, and rangers and staff evacuated the park. Park officials refer to the natural disaster as a 500-year flood event. Roads and bridges were overwhelmed, mud and rock slides were set off and major damage to multiple roads were confirmed, according to a Yellowstone National Park travel and entrance advisory that is being distributed to park visitors this month.
Meanwhile, three other popular park entrances — the West Entrance at West Yellowstone, Montana, the East Entrance near Cody, Wyoming, and the South Entrance located near Grand Teton National Park and Jackson, Wyoming — are open for the public and vehicle traffic.
As of this article’s publication, about 93 percent of roads and 94 percent of the Yellowstone backcountry is open and accessible, according to park officials. | 2022-08-12T20:01:31Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Floods, park closure contribute to decrease in Yellowstone National Park visitors | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/floods-park-closure-contribute-to-decrease-in-yellowstone-national-park-visitors/article_6e465af7-b6d5-5600-97f6-1b36af08176e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/floods-park-closure-contribute-to-decrease-in-yellowstone-national-park-visitors/article_6e465af7-b6d5-5600-97f6-1b36af08176e.html |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is developing proposed aquatic life water quality standards for mercury pollution in Idaho that could have statewide ramifications.
The agency on Wednesday made public a proposed remedy resulting from a federal court’s 2021 ruling in a lawsuit by the Portland, Oregon-based Northwest Environmental Advocates and the Boise-based Idaho Conservation League. | 2022-08-12T20:01:44Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | US launches process to set Idaho mercury pollution standards | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/us-launches-process-to-set-idaho-mercury-pollution-standards/article_7b68149d-066f-5b1c-9596-32bd69160d76.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/us-launches-process-to-set-idaho-mercury-pollution-standards/article_7b68149d-066f-5b1c-9596-32bd69160d76.html |
New 'Family Recovery Night' Program starts Aug. 25
The Hope and Recovery Resource Center Inc. is a 501 nonprofit organization that provides free services, peer support and referrals for people seeking recovery from addiction and/or mental health issues. The Hope and Recovery Resource Center is committed to a peer support model, and much of the work at the Center is provided by volunteers who are in recovery.
The first Family Recovery Night will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 25 at the Central Christian Church, 918 E. Center St. in Pocatello. The program is free to participants, and participant applications should be submitted as soon as possible to reserve a slot for your family. For more information or to apply to participate in the program, contact Kyle Woodworth, program manager, at 208-417-1749, or send an email to kyle@hopeandrecovery.net or visit The Hope and Recovery Resource Center, Inc., 1001 N. Seventh Ave., Pocatello, Idaho, 83201. | 2022-08-12T21:41:15Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | New 'Family Recovery Night' Program starts Aug. 25 | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/new-family-recovery-night-program-starts-aug-25/article_c59851ff-711c-53e1-ae23-cd700ef73042.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/new-family-recovery-night-program-starts-aug-25/article_c59851ff-711c-53e1-ae23-cd700ef73042.html |
Reclaim Idaho News Release
This weekend, organizers and volunteers with the non-partisan grassroots organization Reclaim Idaho will kick off their “Yes On 1” campaign in Eastern Idaho with an information session for local residents about the Quality Education Act, which will appear on the November ballot as Proposition 1.
Meetings will be held at the following locations and times:
Saturday at Russ Freeman Park in Idaho Falls from 10 a.m. to noon.
Sunday at The College Market in Pocatello from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Reclaim Idaho organizers and volunteers will discuss plans for the upcoming campaign, including future local canvassing events as part of the organization's statewide door-knocking campaign.
Proposition 1 was certified for the ballot last month after Reclaim Idaho turned in over 100,000 signatures. The initiative would raise $323 million a year in support of strong K-12 programs and better pay for teachers and support staff. The measure would be paid for by restoring Idaho’s corporate tax rate to 8% — the rate that existed from 1987 until 2000 — and by adding a new income tax on earnings above $250,000 a year for an individual or $500,000 a year for a married couple.
Idaho ranks last among 50 states in education funding per student. School districts across the state, especially in rural areas, lack stable funding for a wide range of programs — including programs like welding, carpentry, and agricultural science that provide students with job-ready skills.
A recent report found that there are over 700 vacant teaching positions in Idaho, and many school administrators reported that they had received few or no applications for vacant positions.
According to a 2022 report by the National Education Association, Idaho teachers are paid far less than teachers in neighboring states. On average, a teacher in Idaho earns $8,000 less than in Wyoming, $16,000 less than in Oregon, and $27,000 less than in Washington. A 2022 survey by the National Education Association found that 51% of Idaho teachers are considering leaving the profession.
Reclaim Idaho is the nonpartisan, volunteer-driven organization that spearheaded the Medicaid Expansion ballot initiative. The measure passed with 61% of the statewide vote. In addition to providing health care to over 100,000 Idahoans, Medicaid Expansion is bringing back over $400 million annually in federal funds to Idaho, shoring up Idaho’s rural hospitals and creating thousands of jobs around the state. | 2022-08-13T02:32:52Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Reclaim Idaho visiting Idaho Falls and Pocatello this weekend to promote Quality Education Act | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/reclaim-idaho-visiting-idaho-falls-and-pocatello-this-weekend-to-promote-quality-education-act/article_9dfe5f82-da40-5ba8-aa1a-429590d2a73b.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/reclaim-idaho-visiting-idaho-falls-and-pocatello-this-weekend-to-promote-quality-education-act/article_9dfe5f82-da40-5ba8-aa1a-429590d2a73b.html |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.