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Pocatello doctor, team to start working in Ukraine
By Dr. Georgia Milan For the Journal
Situation in Siret is that thousands of refugees continue to cross the Siret border. Most from Kyev.
It is taking 7-8 days to arrive in Siret and the travel is difficult. Once they arrive here the buses take them to many different locations around Europe. The hope is they will have a destination with family or friends but many don’t.
The authorities try to bus folks out quickly so that human trafficking or exploitation is prevented. This is a vulnerable population of mostly women and children. Tomorrow our team will start working in Chernivtsi in Ukraine. It is only 40 km from the border and has not been bombed.
They have 50,000 refugees. Many people have opened their homes to the refugees but many are in 33 different shelters from a sports arena to small schools. Our team, Hands on Global, met with their Ministry of Health yesterday and we will travel to the refugee shelters and provide medical assistance. Many folks are sick and also do not have medication for chronic problems. Lots of stress and broken hearts. | 2022-03-15T18:01:27Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pocatello doctor, team to start working in Ukraine | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pocatello-doctor-team-to-start-working-in-ukraine/article_c856c7f3-96fd-576c-a6fc-9154f55c8ce1.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pocatello-doctor-team-to-start-working-in-ukraine/article_c856c7f3-96fd-576c-a6fc-9154f55c8ce1.html |
Idaho Transportation Department Photo
The Idaho Transportation Department recently removed restrictions on several popular trucking routes in southeast Idaho. It is another example of the department removing restrictions on routes within the Gem State to improve commerce and mobility, creating greater economic opportunities for commercial carriers. The department will be examining roads across the state and making improvements to eliminate restrictions whenever possible.
Kevin Sonico | 2022-03-16T00:57:52Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | ITD: Improvements to local truck routes creating economic opportunities | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/itd-improvements-to-local-truck-routes-creating-economic-opportunities/article_e2e3d580-126c-53a0-a755-737bbf8aa310.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/itd-improvements-to-local-truck-routes-creating-economic-opportunities/article_e2e3d580-126c-53a0-a755-737bbf8aa310.html |
Mama Inez co-owner Brandon Burtenshaw, left, poses with a photo of his late father, Brad Burtenshaw, and his interior designer Jane Warnock of Caldera Designs after an extensive remodel of the restaurant.
The east wall of the front dining room at Mama Inez.
The front dining room of Mama Inez following an extensive remodel.
Warm colors and Southwest accents provide a more inviting dining experience at Mama Inez in Pocatello following a recent remodel.
POCATELLO — When the addition of a framed Idaho State University jersey of four-time NFL first-team All-Pro Jared Allen is a sidebar during a complete overhaul of a restaurant, you must be doing something right.
While Brandon Burtenshaw, who co-owns Mama Inez on Yellowstone Avenue in Pocatello with his siblings Andrew and Samantha, is over the moon about his new Allen jersey, he’s even more thrilled to know the front dining room of the restaurant finally has a look and feel that’s indicative of the great service and memorable meals that’s made Mama’s a Gate City staple for decades.
“The front of this place was very much like a cafeteria from the 1990s, with the pink and maroon colors throughout,” Burtenshaw said. “It was definitely outdated and after my dad passed away last year there were a ton of questions about whether or not we were going to keep this place going. This was a way for us to show the community that we are definitely going to keep Mama’s around and will do so with a space that’s more inviting and comforting.”
Mama Inez has called Pocatello home since 1981. Jim Gallegos was the original owner before Burtenshaw’s father, Brad, purchased the restaurant in 1996 after Gallegos died earlier that year. Brad had previously purchased the Mama Inez in Jackson, Wyoming, in 1994, Burtenshaw said.
Brad passed away in July 2021 and since then Burtenshaw, his siblings and long time general manager Jason Moore have stepped up to keep Mama Inez alive and well.
Since its conception, the recipes of Mama Inez originated in New Mexico and are prepared using only the finest ingredients, Burtenshaw added.
“We source all of our chilies and chili powder directly from a farm in New Mexico,” Burtenshaw said. “Almost all of the recipes are directly from Gallegos’ grandma. We haven’t changed the recipes much since then. Everything is handcrafted here and nothing is ever frozen.”
Though some of the most common menu items include the famous Cheese Crisps and the Chili Colorado, what really makes the meals stand out is Mama’s homemade enchilada sauce, which is made fresh from the New Mexico-sourced chili powder, a spice that Burtenshaw likened to a trade secret.
While high-quality ingredients work to make the meals at Mama’s memorable, Burtenshaw said he knows that a dining experience encapsulates much more than what a patron puts into their mouth. That’s why he and his siblings reinvested most of their inheritance back into the restaurant.
“We want to give the community a place that they can go that’s local but puts off a more clean and respected appearance,” Burtenshaw said. “We have a ton of regulars that come to our ISU sports area in the back, but we really wanted to breathe some new life into our front dining room.”
Though he likely could have managed on his own, Burtenshaw partnered with local interior design expert Jane Warnock of Caldera Designs to make sure the project lived up to all his hopes and aspirations.
Warnock began with putting together a design board that she presented to Burtenshaw and Moore in October 2021.
“We wanted to give Mama’s a new, fresh feel and to make this place a family-friendly restaurant that’s as beautiful on the eye as it is delicious in the stomach,” Warnock said. “We weren’t going for something that is super trendy, but rather something that captured the warmth of the Southwest.”
The extensive remodel brings with it a warm, homey Southwest feel that’s a perfect marriage for the Southwest Mexican meal offerings. Light yellow and a mellow blue paint along the walls are reminiscent of the sun setting along the cliffside of a steep canyon.
All of the railings have a fresh dark bronze powder coating and all of the partitions between tables have been replaced with decorative glass. The entire restaurant now boasts new carpet and light fixtures throughout.
The far east wall of the front dining area now features stained wooden planks and a large custom carved longhorn skull adorns the wall. Bushels of real chillies, Kokopelli cutouts and thick woven rugs and baskets provide colorful accents throughout.
Warnock commended the staff at Mama’s, the patrons and the general contractors who worked together to complete the remodel without closing the restaurant.
“We worked with local businesses and family friends to get this done,” Burtenshaw said. “Carpets Plus Color Tile and Brooklyn Potter did all the flooring, American Electric and Vardell Tate did all of the electrical work and Steve Hays with Ed’s Painting did all the painting. These are people that had known my dad since 2000. They have been instrumental in supporting us over the years and we are beyond grateful.”
The back ISU sports area also saw several changes, including larger tables, removed barriers for a more open dining experience and the addition of Burtenshaw's Allen jersey.
To celebrate the remodel, Burtenshaw said Mama Inez is hosting a grand reopening event on Saturday that will include all-day food and drink specials. And this year’s Cinco de Mayo celebration is going to be the biggest one yet, Burtenshaw added.
Burtenshaw said he started to realize there was room for improving the dining experience at Mama Inez when the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints temple opening celebrations were kicking off in the Gate City.
“When the temple events were coming to town and we had groups of 25 or 30 people coming in from all over and I just didn’t feel like we were putting our best foot forward,” Burtenshaw said. “Now, It’s like a complete 360 degree shift. Finally we can feel like the front of the restaurant looks as good as our food tastes and we are beyond excited to see some repeat customers.”
Brandon Burtenshaw
Jane Warnock
Mama's | 2022-03-16T00:58:11Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | RESTAURANT REMODEL: Mama Inez completes massive dining room overhaul project | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/restaurant-remodel-mama-inez-completes-massive-dining-room-overhaul-project/article_a74c5931-ddca-5738-84f0-0890ddbff6b8.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/restaurant-remodel-mama-inez-completes-massive-dining-room-overhaul-project/article_a74c5931-ddca-5738-84f0-0890ddbff6b8.html |
Ike Sutherland poses by a log from a massive Russian olive tree that was recently cut at City Creek Trailhead as part of a city ecological project. He plans to make furniture and other pieces from the lumber.
Viewed as trash trees by many, Russian olives have always held a special place in Sutherland's heart ever since he made his unique marriage proposal 18 years ago. So when the city recently brought in a team to cut down many of the invasive trees near the City Creek trailhead, using massive Clydesdales to haul the logs away, Sutherland dreamed up a project.
Sutherland, 49, will dry and mill some of the old-growth logs and use the lumber to make tables, chairs, picture frames and other custom creations, most of which he'll give away to people in the community.
He'll offer pieces to friends, workers involved in the tree removal project and others who might appreciate the story behind the wood.
"The significance of those (logs) is the ability to document the historical harvest of the material," Sutherland said. "Those trees were planted a long time ago and they've matured over the years. They've been a resource to the community and they were uniquely harvested with the Clydesdale horses that brought them down the mountain."
Russian olives were once planted for wildlife habitat and erosion control. From an ecological perspective, the city opted to use $130,000 in Idaho Department of Lands grant funding to remove the Russian olives because they're known to reduce streamflow, add excess nitrogen into waterways through the berries and choke out native plants.
Sutherland acknowledged Russian olive isn't commonly used for lumber. It grows along stream banks and sucks up loads of water, and the wood takes a long time to dry and cure. The wood typically develops cracks in the grain as it dries. To prevent cracking, Sutherland painted and sealed the ends of his logs, allowing them to dry more evenly.
But one woodworker's trash tree is another woodworker's treasure.
"Russian olive appears to have a consistency of walnut coloration but a graininess similar to mahogany," Sutherland said. "It has a beautiful white bark band on it that really lends itself to contrast."
It will be a while before Sutherland will be able to use his largest logs. He explained he'll have to let his logs sit one year for every 3 inches of diameter before milling them. For every inch of thickness, his milled lumber will then have to rest for an additional year. He said some of his smaller logs will be workable within a couple of years. The largest logs won't be usable for five to six years.
"It just makes my soul cry to think that contractors could just rip them out and shred them and throw them away," Sutherland said. "I think desirability in woods comes from a European perspective of cutting a tree down and milling into straight lumber to make it easily workable.
"In order to take an undesirable shape and create workable pieces out of it takes a different thought process and a different perspective to accomplish."
Sutherland has also been working recently with another locally abundant wood from a so-called trash tree — juniper. He's planning to build some pieces with juniper bases and Russian olive tops.
His friend Lyle Murray, who lives in the Johnny Creek neighborhood, gave him some juniper that was removed from his property. Another friend, Mark Otteson, gave Sutherland some buffalo juniper logs removed from Blackrock Canyon. He's made pieces for both of them already.
While living in the Teton Valley, he worked for a shop building custom cabinets and custom furniture. He also worked in carpentry in the Seattle area, building cabinets, jewelry store cases, children's furniture and other projects. He then ventured out on his own as a carpenter for several years.
"When I pick up my hand tools, all of my life stresses and all of my worries are gone," Sutherland said.
Ike Sutherland
Bough
Mark Otteson | 2022-03-16T00:58:17Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | TREASURE FROM A TRASH TREE: Local woodworker to share creations made from City Creek Russian olives | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/treasure-from-a-trash-tree-local-woodworker-to-share-creations-made-from-city-creek-russian/article_5c0dad18-7d88-5d90-bc7d-62c6213b2c61.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/treasure-from-a-trash-tree-local-woodworker-to-share-creations-made-from-city-creek-russian/article_5c0dad18-7d88-5d90-bc7d-62c6213b2c61.html |
Pocatello firefighters at the scene of Tuesday night's power pole fire on West Maple Street near the Westwood Mall.
A Pocatello fire truck at the scene of Tuesday night's power pole fire on West Maple Street.
POCATELLO — Power poles caught fire in Pocatello on Tuesday night, knocking out power to much of the city.
The first power pole caught fire around 8 p.m. on West Maple Street near the Westwood Mall followed by a second power pole fire about an hour later on Monte Vista Drive.
Pocatello firefighters responded to both fires and extinguished the burning power poles, but as of 9:45 p.m. nearby streets remained shut down as a precaution.
West Maple Street between Richland and Moreland avenues and Monte Vista Drive between East Alameda Road and Jessie Avenue are currently closed to all traffic.
At one point nearly 4,000 Idaho Power customers in Pocatello were without electricity because of the burning power poles and as of 9:45 p.m. over 1,500 of those customers still had no electricity.
Idaho Power crews have responded to the fire-damaged power poles and expect to have power restored to everyone by 2 a.m. Wednesday.
We have received no reports that the burning power poles caused any injuries but the flames charred both the poles and the power lines they supported, causing blackouts throughout much of west, north and central Pocatello.
Idaho Power reported that the power pole fires were likely weather related. It rained in Pocatello on Tuesday.
Monte Vista Drive | 2022-03-16T06:28:21Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Power pole fires cause blackouts impacting much of Pocatello | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/power-pole-fires-cause-blackouts-impacting-much-of-pocatello/article_e3e67e72-23be-5596-a457-14509e2772b2.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/power-pole-fires-cause-blackouts-impacting-much-of-pocatello/article_e3e67e72-23be-5596-a457-14509e2772b2.html |
Idaho Irony
A few days ago at nearly the same time that Ukranian President Zelenskyy put out a call for freedom fighters to join the International Legion to Defend Ukraine, Idaho’s Lt Governor Janice McGeachin had a taped message playing to a crowd of Pro-Putin, Pro-Hitler white supremicists in Florida in which Ms McGeachin was making a plea for “freedom fighters” to join her in her fight in Idaho. In the case of Mr Zelenskyy his request is understandably in the name of freedom. On the other hand, Ms McGeachin’s request is far less clear. In the absence of an explanation it should be assumed that Ms McGeachin is a wannabe warlord who feels the need to have her own paramilitary organization. History does not bode well for right wing extremists who use their personal militias to engage in bullying, terror, mayhem, assassinations, and even genocide. The Tonton Macoute in Haiti, the La Sombre Negra in El Salvador, and the Interahamwe in Rwanda; all very ruthless and savage right wing extremist paramilitary groups. So, fellow law-abiding Idahoans, remain eternally vigilant, it seems that the McGeachin goon squads will soon be headed our way.
Ralph Heckard, | 2022-03-16T20:06:19Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Idaho Irony | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/idaho-irony/article_9a4e6748-b3c1-57d1-9cf4-aa7609a887ba.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/idaho-irony/article_9a4e6748-b3c1-57d1-9cf4-aa7609a887ba.html |
Idaho's new motto: Tax the poor
It appears all the Idaho legislature can do correctly, is give tax breaks to the rich and a raise to themselves. Trying to raise taxes on the poor is ridiculous, because they don’t even make enough to pay taxes in the first place. Wonder where our Idaho Billions came from? So is the voting public, who seem to have just lost our ballot drop boxes, which limits our voting capabilities and is also illegal. How can Idaho with a population (I believe) under 2 million, have such an abundance of Tax relief money unspent? It definitely isn’t getting spent on property tax relief or addressing lowering the rising gas prices (which are not even affected by the Russian war on Ukraine) and are increasing only due to the greed of Oil companies growing a slush fund for whichever Republican that will let them keep their “ill-gotten gains” (but that’s just a personal opinion).
It’s fairly easy to see who’s in Putin’s back pocket and the driving forces of a dictator at work. It’s far past the time Americans should take the abuse at the pump any longer. Does it take the complete shutdown of ALL service deliveries, trucking transportation, and air carrier stoppages, to get the politicians to cease supporting Putin, Trump and other like-minded evil warlords of destruction? When will we start protecting our Constitution, Americans and the free democracies of the world, as we watch the Ukraine people be ravaged by their 3rd world war that was started for NO reason, except Putin’s greed to gain a larger land mass under his forced rule. He has attacked children and a peaceful country of democratic people, as we watch their homes, hospitals, churches and an entire country be wiped off the map by a war of hate.
It appears that our votes are needed to stop the gluttony of greed in Idaho (if we’re allowed to vote) the people’s choice. Vote out the hate group followers, and the rich enough politicians before the people of this state have to relocate to find an affordable place to even rent. Then we may be able to purchase individual homes without having an intravenous lifeline to the banks and greedy tax abusers in our home state. Vote to stop the abuse of the people in Idaho. When they raised the sales tax to 6% it was to be reduced later and not meant to last forever. Now the greedy want to increase sale taxes on the poor, higher than ANY STATE across the country, at least remove it from food products first.
I think that well has dried up, and now it would only be like squeezing a turnip trying to get it to bleed money. Vote (if we get a chance) to stop the abuse of voter rights in America. Take back our state from the greed and the suddenly radical right wing politicians in control of the gas pumps Nationwide. We may not get another chance to hear the people’s voices in the next vote count, if the attack on Americans by hate continues.
Danny Higgins, | 2022-03-16T20:06:31Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Idaho's new motto: Tax the poor | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/idahos-new-motto-tax-the-poor/article_989189a4-6a62-5f59-a111-ff29420e0f58.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/idahos-new-motto-tax-the-poor/article_989189a4-6a62-5f59-a111-ff29420e0f58.html |
Yet the Idaho legislature ignores both personal and religious freedom with two bills prohibiting 1) women's freedom to make their own medical decisions and 2) parents making medical choices for their children. These laws would have stiff penalties-up to life in prison-codifying government intrusion into difficult family decisions–decisions the legislature had previously rightly determined should be based on personal medical choice
Please ask your legislators to oppose,
Bill S 1309-Passed the Senate and is now in the House. It would ban abortion at 6 weeks, when many women don’t yet know they’re pregnant. It would deputize family members, who would receive a reward, to enforce it.
Bill H 675-Passed the House and is now in the Senate. It would criminalize providing gender-affirming medical care to minors. A physician knowingly providing a child any form of gender transition-related treatment, including hormone therapy, would be charged with a felony. Parents would also be prosecuted for seeking out-of-state treatment for their children.
Marilyn Beckett, | 2022-03-16T20:06:37Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | My body, my choice | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/my-body-my-choice/article_e30ac9ab-485f-53f6-91b4-cb4d3442ae09.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/my-body-my-choice/article_e30ac9ab-485f-53f6-91b4-cb4d3442ae09.html |
The KeyBank branch at 105 N. Arthur Ave is expected to permanently close in June.
POCATELLO — The KeyBank branch on North Arthur Avenue is expected to permanently close this summer, according to bank officials.
The KeyBank branch at 105 N. Arthur Ave will close effective June 10 and all active accounts will be transferred to the KeyBank branch at 910 Yellowstone, KeyBank said in a statement provided to the Idaho State Journal via email on Wednesday.
“Our branches are and always will be a source of strength for KeyBank,” KeyBank said in the statement. “Our branch network and teammates are a critical way we differentiate in Idaho. How clients interact with our branches continues to change at a rapid pace and we have seen a steady increase in client preference for digital banking. For example, transactions via online and mobile banking were two times the number of transactions completed at a branch office. Since the pandemic began, those trends have increased at an even higher rate.”
A KeyBank spokesperson told the Journal that the top priority when a branch closes is to place affected employees at other nearby branches.
“If we are not able to do that, employees are also encouraged to apply for open positions at branches in the market,” the spokesperson said. “Our goal is to ensure that our team delivers amazing service to the Pocatello market.”
KeyBank said it is focused on providing local customers with digital banking needs in the future and that no action is required to ensure accounts are transferred to the new branch.
“With our strategically located branches, our expanded ATM network and continued strengthened digital capabilities, we are focused on offering more convenience to our clients and providing them with exceptional service,” KeyBank said in the provided statement. “Clients do not need to take any action as all accounts will be transferred automatically to the new location. They can continue to bank at any KeyBank location they choose. As this process moves forward, our focus is on making any changes as smooth as possible for our clients and teammates.” | 2022-03-17T00:44:43Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | KeyBank branch in downtown Pocatello to close this summer | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/keybank-branch-in-downtown-pocatello-to-close-this-summer/article_4def895c-72dd-57ed-9ad6-1988cb6b8574.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/keybank-branch-in-downtown-pocatello-to-close-this-summer/article_4def895c-72dd-57ed-9ad6-1988cb6b8574.html |
POCATELLO — Local housekeepers and janitors will be the guests of honor when Gov. Brad Little visits Pocatello on Saturday morning to sign a proclamation.
During his 10 a.m. visit at the Museum of Clean, 711 S. Second Ave., Little will officially declare March 27 through April 2 to be Cleaning Week in Idaho.
Grant Aslett, marketing specialist for the museum, which was created by his father Don, believes the honor is both well deserved and overdue for a group of workers who remain behind the scenes but help society function.
"They do most of their work at night. You hardly see them but they're the ones who keep the world moving clean-wise," Aslett said.
“The pandemic has demonstrated the essential role that cleaning professionals like custodians, housekeepers and environmental service workers play in keeping people safe,” ISSA Executive Director John Barrett said in a press release. “Because cleanliness impacts every industry, everyone can get involved in celebrating the value and achievements of these essential workers and advocating for a cleaner and healthier world.”
Aslett explained several states have already issued Cleaning Week proclamations. He agrees that the pandemic elevated awareness about the important role cleaning professionals play in sanitation and keeping the public safe.
"Being in a janitor family all of my life, people treat janitors as like, 'Clean it up!' Hotel housekeepers come in and clean your room but are hardly recognized," Aslett said.
Aslett said he's been calling area custodians and housekeepers, including some from Portneuf Medical Center, offering invitations to the event "so they can get some recognition."
He also invited some of the usual local dignitaries to attend, including Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad.
As for the Museum of Clean, Aslett said a dog-powered washing machine the museum recently acquired has been a popular addition, and the museum is in negotiations with a Chicago man to obtain the bulk of his extensive collection of unique soap products. | 2022-03-18T00:26:43Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Governor to sign proclamation at Museum of Clean for Cleaning Week | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/governor-to-sign-proclamation-at-museum-of-clean-for-cleaning-week/article_13d920c5-d2fa-518c-9c60-d612d008af57.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/governor-to-sign-proclamation-at-museum-of-clean-for-cleaning-week/article_13d920c5-d2fa-518c-9c60-d612d008af57.html |
Defunding education is anti-diversity tactic
There was a time when every racial, ethnic and other group in America was labeled. It wasn’t the best of times, either.
The nicknames weren’t pretty. They were frequently hurled, like stones, to hurt those to whom the labels were being applied.
You don’t hear the labels much now. They’re not politically correct. The labeling’s still there, but now it’s hidden.
For the third year in a row, an example popped up in the Legislature this week. The bill before the House was the higher education budget — funding for Idaho colleges and universities. The budget bill was attacked with a false claim.
You’ve heard this disinformation before. The false claim is that university students are being indoctrinated by programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.
Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, called the programs “higher indoctrination.” The hardline far-right Republican refused to answer questions when his colleagues asked for specifics.
Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, joined Barbieri in the assault. He repeated a shorter version of an essay from a right-wing lobby group, the Idaho Freedom Foundation. It repeated the indoctrination line that’s been used to attack Idaho State University and other four-year schools across the state.
The lie has a kernel of truth. There are indeed diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Idaho’s public universities. Here’s why.
Educating thousands of college students at the same time on a university campus creates an understandable risk. There will likely be some encounters between the many minorities represented in the student body and a few, shall we say, less than tolerant students who also have a right to be learning there.
If such encounters become negative, a university can be not just morally liable for the welfare of all involved but also financially liable. Idaho State University puts it like this.
ISU strives “to create an environment where all individuals feel welcome and safe.” The school works to maintain a campus where every student “is treated with dignity and respect.”
By accusing Idaho universities of indoctrination, Barbieri, Nate and their enablers in the Legislature are using classic dog whistle messaging. It’s as silent as a dog whistle but the message gets across just the same.
Some people are being treated with dignity and respect, and they have someone to talk to who can act if they aren’t being treated that way. Some people are being made to feel safe and welcome.
That’s obviously outrageous to Barbieri, Nate and others. Apparently defunding higher education is OK if that’s what it takes to stop some students from being made to feel safe and welcome.
Boise State University gathered some facts on this issue last year. At significant expense to you, dear taxpayer, they hired respected Boise law firm Hawley Troxell to investigate lawmakers’ allegations of indoctrination at BSU.
The firm, staffed by people professionally skilled at getting the truth from even uncooperative witnesses, found a single allegation from a non-student. Interviews of actual students found “no evidence of indoctrination.”
Nate, of course, preferred to believe the non-student who wasn’t even in the classroom. The lawyers didn’t look hard enough, claimed Nate.
Nate, by the way, makes his living teaching at a private university that competes for students with the public schools he is attacking. Ironically, Brigham Young University-Idaho, the school Nate works for, is committed to diversity.
Also, by the way, Reps. Kevin Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs, and Chad Christensen, R-Iona, joined Nate in voting against the higher-ed budget. It passed anyway.
Andrus and Christensen will be competing for House seats in the primary election May 17. Their newly drawn legislative district includes Bannock County east of Interstate 15 from Highway 30 to the north end of the Highland bench.
Local voters may want two ask the two why they sided with legislators apparently opposed to diversity in education. | 2022-03-18T18:16:56Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Defunding education is anti-diversity tactic | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/defunding-education-is-anti-diversity-tactic/article_c8e52206-6696-564a-b0de-8a396796a606.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/defunding-education-is-anti-diversity-tactic/article_c8e52206-6696-564a-b0de-8a396796a606.html |
Elections have consequences
These days the Democrat’s media hopes you won’t remember how they championed and protected a hiding candidate Joe Biden now that it is obvious President Joe Biden is just a manipulated mannequin. Buyer’s remorse is rampant.
But wait, perhaps the electorate wasn’t totally taken in by the mainstream media’s propaganda after all. Maybe most registered citizens voted for President Donald Trump anyway. As more examples of election rule violations and outright fraud emerge there is an increasingly non-trivial probability that Trump/Pence were elected in 2020. Like so many “conspiracy theories” mocked by the left that have become reality, the Big Lie may become the Big Truth. In spite of relentless fake news, “the difference between fact and wild right-wing misinformation is just a little time.” (Julian Conradson)
Many alleged, once-rejected claims have become valid topics of discussion in the face of facts and evidence. The origins of COVID, the uselessness of masks, the limited effectiveness and risks of COVID vaccination, the impact of progressive “crime is fine” initiatives, Democrats spying on President Trump and accusations of Biden family corruption were all no-go topics just months ago, but they are taken seriously now.
The further Biden sinks in the polls the more popular support there will be for a credible reevaluation of the 2020 election result. At some inflection point in this administration’s decline shaky Republicans and reinvented media leaders may find the courage to speak up in serious discussions resulting in the recertification of 2020 election results.
If a few thousand votes swing or are simply ruled invalid in just three states then Donald Trump and Mike Pence were the elected president and vice president in 2020. Imagine the chaos. This would be new territory constitutionally in a situation where we have a non-elected, but legally sworn administration.
If we’ve learned anything from Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan debacle and his ineffective Ukraine diplomacy, it’s that contingency planning and advanced preparation is essential in times of crisis. Now’s the time to start making plans to be prepared in case we need to calm down the bedlam that’s sure to result from the acknowledgment of an incorrect result in the 2020 election or any future election.
I’m not trying to put the election cart before the horse. I’m suggesting a cart, i.e., a thoughtful solution to a serious problem, should be ready if we need it. No one wants another January 6th event. There needs to be another way to address the case of election error discovered post ingratiation.
First, everyone should agree that President Joe Biden is the 46th president. Vice President Kamala Harris is the vice president. Even if found to be non-elected, Biden’s executive actions (laws signed, executive orders, pardons, etc.) and VP Harris’s Senate votes were legal.
Nevertheless, something would have to take place to satisfy any sense of justice if the Biden/Harris administration was non-elected. None of the options normally available seem viable.
• I doubt the Biden/Harris administration would be honorable enough to resign in favor of letting the Speaker of the House assume the role of president.
• Fraud, crime or just errors in state controlled elections are not presidential impeachable offenses.
• Hold an Electoral College recount, and swear in Trump/Pence and the left would howl that we traded one illegitimate president for another one. It would be like having two popes at the same time excommunicating one another.
• There is no constitutional foundation for a presidential recall election or for an extra out of four-year-cycle election.
• Do nothing and the situation would fester in a swirl of countless lawsuits and a perpetual media frenzy. Gridlock would paralyze the government. The world would shudder, mock us, and take advantage of both the USA and our friends.
What we need are some new options and contingency plans that could be ready should the 2020 election result, or any future election, flip and emotions run amok.
One alternative could be an amendment to the constitution that deals with the case of a non-elected, but sworn-in administration. A new amendment could either put limits on the executive powers of a non-elected administration through the end of their term in office or it could be written to force the non-elected administration to resign and allow the Speaker of the House to become the acting president.
The trigger to put such a new amendment into action could be a deposition from the states that certify corrected election results. The total corrected results would have to be sufficient to reverse the final Electoral College results.
Any new amendment would take a lot of work to write and to pass. I’m sure engaged thinkers can come up with other contingency plans. However, an amendment seems like a good investment if we’re going to tolerate ID-less voting, unsupervised drop boxes, ballot-harvesting, election weeks rather than an election day, opportunities for mail fraud, and manipulated voting machine risks.
Now is the time to have discussions and make preparations before the shock of a discredited election is upon us. As President Obama put it, “Elections have consequences.” Errant elections even more so. If the 2020 election was miscounted we can expect President Obama’s words to ring true in a way he never imagined. We’d be wise to have a contingency plan in place. | 2022-03-18T18:17:02Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Elections have consequences | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/elections-have-consequences/article_39617df8-0789-5334-ad97-27e66f611bbc.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/elections-have-consequences/article_39617df8-0789-5334-ad97-27e66f611bbc.html |
Human collaboration serves animals better than silos
A review of communities that deal effectively/humanely with feral/stray or unwanted animals without resorting to high, unnecessary kill-rates substantiates that impassioned citizens partnering with supportive government yields the best results. Government cannot solve every community need. However, by partnering effectively with quality citizen groups it can maximize the reach and impact of tax dollars.
The Pocatello Animal Shelter cannot be expected to work alone. However, functioning in a silo rather than partnering with other animal groups will not get the job done for our community. The recent OK Ward dog park debacle and some city staff reactions to Friends of the Pocatello Animal Shelter‘s decision to support other local animal rescue groups has, disappointingly, strained relationships.
In addition, the Pocatello Animal Shelter decided not to join All About the Animals, the newly constituted regional animal rescue/welfare group, despite adjustments to membership language designed to specifically support the shelter’s free membership.
The overarching goal of the Friends of the Pocatello Animal Shelter (FPAS) has always been to reduce the number of homeless animals in Pocatello and strive to ensure no adoptable animal is euthanized. FPAS has steadfastly pursued that mission through collaborative efforts to build a much-needed shelter and by augmenting city funding, thus alleviating the annual tax ask by providing needed equipment/improvements requested by the shelter.
Much has been accomplished since FPAS initially incorporated in 1996. The new shelter exists and has received many upgrades and improvements with funding from FPAS donors. Several significant fundraising events such as Splash Dance for Dogs and Run with the Big Dogs have become community traditions.
Past FPAS projects include additional security fencing and upgraded outdoor dog recreational pens, a commercial washer and dryer to increase cleanliness, an anti-graffiti mural and upgraded outdoor dog pens. Current singleton FPAS-funded projects include:
1) a comprehensive security/fire/carbon monoxide alarm system; 2) a video security system; and 3) new shelter signage on Fourth Avenue.
Ongoing FPAS donations fund numerous on-going programs at the shelter including free pet adoptions for veterans, 50 percent adoption fee reduction for older dogs and cats, subsidized adoption fees for animals with special circumstances, necessary medical/dental care for shelter animals to ensure good health and adoptability including a contingency fund to address unforeseen barriers to adoptions.
Feral/community cat colonies are a particular concern for local animal advocates and citizens. Efforts in other cities clearly demonstrate the only effective way to reduce cat colonies is to trap/spay/neuter/return (TNR). Adoptable cats are fostered until homed. Truly feral cats are returned to location, sheltered and fed until the colony is drastically reduced/disappears due to low/no birth rate.
Unfortunately, the Pocatello Animal Shelter found it necessary to suspend TNR efforts during COVID. They are currently working to revive efforts. Luckily, other local citizen groups continued efforts throughout the pandemic. With FPAS financial assistance they have been able to increase the number of feral cats served through TNR and on-site housing/feeding for those not suitable for socialization and adoption. Without these valiant efforts by local boots-on-the-ground volunteer organizations, the city’s initial TNR efforts would have been overwhelmed and essentially meaningless as cat colonies were re-established.
Though much has improved for animals in Pocatello since 1997, there are still many challenges. FPAS is determined to continue to meet its original goals while also stepping up to face new challenges. FPAS will continue to support the Pocatello Animal Shelter as it always has while also supporting other local volunteer groups who keep animals from ending up at the shelter in the first place. This dual approach is designed to reduce the number of animals the shelter must turn away and/or euthanize due to lack of space and help the Pocatello Animal Shelter fulfill its commitments to the community. Animals who are turned away are frequently simply abandoned to the streets unless other rescue groups step in.
Individuals/estates wishing to donate to FPAS efforts may 1) visit the website at pocatelloshelterfriends.org; 2) drop a check at the shelter or in one of the donation boxes listed on the website; 3) mail a check to Friends of the Pocatello Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 281 Pocatello, ID 83204.
Friends Of The Pocatello Animal Shelter | 2022-03-18T18:17:21Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Human collaboration serves animals better than silos | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/human-collaboration-serves-animals-better-than-silos/article_f7c4fff3-f10c-5248-af46-861d41cdb3f0.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/human-collaboration-serves-animals-better-than-silos/article_f7c4fff3-f10c-5248-af46-861d41cdb3f0.html |
LGBTIQAD+
For 5,000 years, throughout recorded history, humans have lived with “gender identities” force-fit into two buckets: male and female. Apparently, the handiness of imprecise simplicity is now over.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is a nonprofit whose vision is to see “a world strengthened by diversity, where our laws and society treat all people equally.” With such a lofty goal, who could oppose them? No one in woke corporate America, to be sure.
When the HRC declared there exist “limitless sexual orientations and gender identities,” the woke world immediately created an acronym to assure inclusion, “LGBT.” But by 2016, as Donald Trump accepted the GOP nomination, his daughter Ivanka told him it was more inclusive to say LGBT”Q.” Twitter exploded with “What does the ‘Q” mean? Questioning whether Ivanka actually has LGBT friends?”
At present, the HRC says that the most “inclusive” acronym is “LGBTIQAD+.” The letters stand for:
L — Lesbian, a woman attracted to women,
G — Gay, a person attracted to another person of their same gender identity,
B — Bisexual, a person attracted to more than one gender identity,
T — Transexual, currently identifying with a gender other than that assigned at birth,
I — Intersexual, born with anatomical traits not stereotypical of either male or female,
Q — Queer, a spectrum of identities and orientations that are counter to the mainstream,
A — Asexual, a complete, partial, or temporary lack of sexual attraction or interest, and
D — Demisexual, a person for whom emotional attachment is needed before sexual attraction.
HRC adds the plus sign, “+,” to re-assert their observation that an all-inclusive list would truly go on forever.
When asked why an ever-growing list is even needed, HRC representatives concede it is getting cumbersome. “We feel it necessary to represent every group under attack,” they explain.
But who is attacking? A common answer is “Barbara Ehardt and her Alliance Defending Freedom.”
Ehardt is a state legislator from Idaho Falls who sponsors legislation pushed by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). The Southern Poverty Law Center labels ADF a “hate group” for abrasive anti-LGBT language and position statements.
In February, I asked to meet with Rep. Ehardt about defunding public schools as a way to force parents into private and home schools. She has opposed me strongly in defense of that tactic. No meeting time was available as she was testifying for ADF legislation “in numerous other state legislatures.”
According to gay-rights leader Jennifer Pizer, ADF is known for “vigorously amplifying the nastiest, most defamatory of anti-LGBTQ” rhetoric. “ADF has been calling for them to be subject to state-sanctioned sterilization.”
The ADF’s wholesale rejection of LGBT non-discrimination was mentioned at a recent University of Virginia Religious Freedoms Symposium, featuring former Utah Supreme Court Justice Dallin H. Oaks, who now serves in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“We should be wary of the idea that one set of rights automatically trumps another in all circumstances,” Oaks said. “Both religious freedom and nondiscrimination are important values that are powerfully protected by law.”
Asked about the hostility between groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Human Rights Campaign, Oaks replied, “I deeply regret that these two groups have been drawn into conflict with one another.”
Adding more letters to the list of “those against whom we should not discriminate” is getting ridiculous. But de-humanizing those whose “identity” is simply different from our own is clearly immoral.
Elder Oaks may be right. Ending the alphabet of “identities” may only happen once we end Ehardt’s hurtful insensitivity and all-consuming nationwide “crusade.”
Trent Clark of Soda Springs is president and CEO of Customalting Inc. and has served in the leadership of Idaho business, politics, workforce, and humanities education. | 2022-03-18T18:17:33Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | LGBTIQAD+ | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/lgbtiqad/article_457e6204-633d-5d54-b26c-b4c294190a04.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/lgbtiqad/article_457e6204-633d-5d54-b26c-b4c294190a04.html |
The power of rhetorical persuasion
“Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death for thousands of people.” — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Wars and countries have been won or lost by powerful speeches using language as a weapon. We know the celebrated speakers in history: Pericles, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill. These speakers hoped to save their countries and their people. Aristotle also warned against brilliant speakers who would use rhetoric to do the utmost harm. Adolph Hitler is the prime example.
President Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy of Ukraine just addressed both houses of Congress, evoking Pearl Harbor and 9/11. His speech echoed Churchill’s 1941 plea for battleships when the British Prime Minister said, “Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.” In 1942, Churchill told Congress that England and America must work together against the dark forces of Nazism. President John Kennedy described Churchill’s power of rhetoric thusly: “In the dark days and darker nights when England stood alone — and most men, save Englishmen, despaired of England's life — he mobilized the English language and sent it into battle.”
Are the recent comparisons of Zelenskyy to Churchill justified? Certainly, the situations are similar. A former actor and comedian, Zelenskyy’s address to Congress was heard through a translator, possibly mitigating the emotional effect if not the message.
The main point of the speech is one of great debate and consequence: whether or not to close the skies over Ukraine against Russian bombers and fighter jets. Surface to air missiles that could reach high flying Russian bombers would be effective. America doesn’t have those weapons but other countries could supply them and alter the course of the Russian invasion. America allowing Zelenskyy the use of NATO MiG warplanes with Ukrainian pilots flying them could escalate and widen the war into a United States-European Union-Russian conflict.
Do Americans want that? Can it be avoided? Should it be avoided?
During the speech, Zelenskyy ran a video of Ukraine, before and after the invasion. A once peaceful landscape turned into images of burning buildings with exhausted mothers and children evacuating their country. The footage of refugees had more power than any number of evocative words. What nightmares will Ukrainian children have growing up — if they survive?
The purpose of rhetoric is to argue and persuade. By any definition, President Zelenskyy succeeded in his address to Congress and also accomplished something even more remarkable: Convincing opposing Democrats and Republicans to stop their bitter rivalry and unite for a common cause.
After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Hitler then declared war on America. Winston Churchill inspired America to continue the fight, but there really wasn’t much choice for President Roosevelt.
When Zelenskyy ended his speech, he switched to English and said: “I am addressing President Biden. You are the leader of the nation, of your great nation. I wish you to be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace."
It was a remarkable challenge. What choice does an American “leader of the world” have, now, to bring peace: supply arms to Ukraine or directly confront Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine and raise the specter of more war? | 2022-03-18T18:17:51Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The power of rhetorical persuasion | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-power-of-rhetorical-persuasion/article_e27233da-f493-574b-9303-362a5ef8dd4d.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-power-of-rhetorical-persuasion/article_e27233da-f493-574b-9303-362a5ef8dd4d.html |
Those dark secrets
I have been touched by the friends, acquaintances and strangers who reached out to thank me and to express compassionate support regarding the story told in my past column, “A broken heart.” It isn’t easy to divulge one’s history regarding childhood abuse, but their comments assure me other children may benefit from baring my soul.
A few friends have expressed reservation at my willingness to reveal personal details in my columns. Others who lived idyllic childhoods have told me it is impossible for them to read stories about child abuse because it is so foreign and horrifying.
However, I have concluded these painful stories must be told and retold. The sordid legacy that involved the upper echelons of the Catholic Church compels that conclusion. Over many decades (arguably centuries), this church kept dark secrets while moving pedophile priests about the world. Those actions created a litany of needless victims. I was baptized Catholic, but consider the institution morally bankrupt for its complicity in “sacrificing” legions of innocent children.
We have also witnessed the unfolding of the Boy Scout story. Again, secrets kept ensured that thousands of additional boys suffered gratuitous assaults. Lesson learned parents — beware when placing your children in positions of trust that give others solitary access without supervision.
Paranoia should not reign, but institutions must exercise vigilant accountability and parents need to be on guard. Pedophiles are highly manipulative beings who purposefully seek access to impressionable and vulnerable children.
Sadly though, this problem with dark secrets isn’t limited to organizations that failed to embrace moral integrity. Like my story, many violations occur at home where children ought to be safe from parents and caretakers.
Others have confided secret stories involving pain and degradation. I knew my little sister Annie suffered gross physical and verbal abuse because I stood with her on the firing line, but neither of us could reveal the shame we felt over sexual violations until we reached our late 20s. I had assumed my perpetrator solely had a perversion for boys. It pained me so learning my sister had also endured this vile conduct, but that night of revelation brought us ever closer.
Consider the story of a friend I’ve known for years who grew up in a small town. Her older brother began raping her when she was 13. Before she turned 15 she was pregnant, but she could not tell her parents who had done this. Shipped away in shame, she gave birth to the child who was adopted away. This “loose” girl has never divulged her secret because it would “destroy” her parents. How does something that toxic not eat at your soul? All women should have a choice over what happens to their bodies after that kind of travesty.
Another friend told me about the stepfather who began sexually assaulting her as a teenager. She said that at a certain point she complied in order to protect her mother from this beast.
I know a woman whose father was a police officer and an alcoholic. She has three sisters. When her father drank, he started violating his teenage daughter. Supposedly no one in her family knows about the attacks she experienced. She feels that revealing the truth would tear her family apart.
This so-called father died, and she said it made her happy knowing he was dead. I heard and felt some of her pain, and I wonder about her sisters. Children hold these dark secrets inside because of fear of violence or not being believed — they don’t know how to talk about these crimes or where to seek help, and predators rely upon their vulnerability, seldom stopping at one victim.
I’ll conclude with a somewhat encouraging story. I know of a situation where a 12-year-old girl was molested by her stepfather. She had been educated enough to know she could approach a school counselor for help, which occurred the following day. The school contacted the girl’s mother, and that pedophile was immediately removed from the child’s household. One violation is too many, but the girl’s awareness of avenues for help prevented further abuse.
Programs educating young children to recognize abuse, and providing instruction on how to seek help, are critical for protecting our most precious asset. Society should never abdicate this essential education in deference to parental discretion. The painful reality is that far too many children need protection from predators who reside within false sanctuaries. Breaking the abuse cycle should be society’s paramount concern.
I am working on a final rewrite of my manuscript, “Little Gray House on Fire.” My story of abuse survival and healing will be published. No benefit exists from staying silent when others could be helped who still suffer from a legacy of dark secrets. | 2022-03-18T18:17:58Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Those dark secrets | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/those-dark-secrets/article_c6ef691f-3cea-5442-94de-f991cb5e5f95.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/those-dark-secrets/article_c6ef691f-3cea-5442-94de-f991cb5e5f95.html |
Express Lab, ISU and Southeastern Idaho Public Health moving COVID-19 testing to Express Lab beginning April 4
POCATELLO — Express Lab, Idaho State University and Southeastern Idaho Public Health will be moving the location of their drive-thru COVID-19 testing site from its current location of the Eames Complex to the new location of Express Lab, 444 Hospital Way Building 100, Suite 224, April 4. To prepare for the move, the current testing site will close at 1 p.m. on April 1 and will resume normal operation hours (Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) on April 4.
For people who do not have insurance and are symptomatic or have had contact to a confirmed case, Southeastern Idaho Public Health will cover the cost of the test. Southeastern Idaho Public Health will not cover the cost of traveling for testing.
For more information, please call SIPH’s COVID-19 hotline at 208-234-5875.
Southeastern Idaho
Express Lab | 2022-03-18T22:46:12Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Express Lab, ISU and Southeastern Idaho Public Health moving COVID-19 testing to Express Lab beginning April 4 | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/express-lab-isu-and-southeastern-idaho-public-health-moving-covid-19-testing-to-express-lab/article_e4690c2a-5213-5ee2-887b-3040a77ebbb3.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/express-lab-isu-and-southeastern-idaho-public-health-moving-covid-19-testing-to-express-lab/article_e4690c2a-5213-5ee2-887b-3040a77ebbb3.html |
Belle’s Easy Herbed White Beans
Packed with protein and flavor, this bean dish is sure to please
Tired of the same old side dishes but need something quick and easy? My easy herbed white beans are just that. Beans are so versatile, yet we usually only use them for chili, baked beans, or refried. This bean dish is loaded with protein and uses fresh or dried herbs. It’s a great side dish for just about any meat, poultry, or fish. It’s full of flavor and hearty but won’t overwhelm the rest of the meal. So, if you’re looking to add variety to your menu along with a healthy serving of protein, then this dish is sure to please.
1 (15-ounce) can navy or cannellini beans
2 teaspoons dried chopped chives
Drain and rinse the beans in a colander. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add the beans and saute for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, chives, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir for another 2 minutes. | 2022-03-18T22:46:18Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Packed with protein and flavor, this bean dish is sure to please | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/packed-with-protein-and-flavor-this-bean-dish-is-sure-to-please/article_156c0718-79a4-52f5-a1e4-86dfe9405f1b.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/packed-with-protein-and-flavor-this-bean-dish-is-sure-to-please/article_156c0718-79a4-52f5-a1e4-86dfe9405f1b.html |
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Press Release
FORT HALL — Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson is pleased to announce $7 million in federal funding for the construction of a new Fire Station on the Fort Hall Reservation, home of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.
The funding is designated to address the inadequate facility needs of the Fort Hall Fire Department and EMS operations.
Current facilities rely upon on antiquated equipment, decrepit structures, failing infrastructure and poor location and access.
The project will provide high quality essential services to protect the lives and property of reservation residents, employees and visitors, as well as the surrounding communities.
Shoshone-bannock | 2022-03-19T02:41:04Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Congressman Simpson announces $7 million for new Shoshone-Bannock fire station | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/congressman-simpson-announces-7-million-for-new-shoshone-bannock-fire-station/article_59393997-a4ab-56d6-9d88-edd1d54c6070.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/congressman-simpson-announces-7-million-for-new-shoshone-bannock-fire-station/article_59393997-a4ab-56d6-9d88-edd1d54c6070.html |
Let's talk protein and food timing
Maintaining muscle mass as we age is essential for optimal living.
Ability to participate in activities and preventing falls are just two well-cited reasons to keep as much muscle on your body as you can.
This is not necessarily a difficult thing to do, and it is well worth your time and effort. Daily exercise, regular resistance training or weightlifting, contribute to maintaining muscle mass.
A diet with adequate protein from a variety of meat and plant-based sources is also essential, as protein is the building block for muscular development and maintenance.
Several recent studies have shown that having the right amount of protein at the right time of day is essential for proper growth.
This is something I have mentioned in several of my books called food timing.
Our body’s internal biological clock or circadian rhythm is observed by all cells and controls life functions like metabolism and growth.
Protein digestion and absorption have been found to fluctuate across day and night according to this clock.
Studies show that adequate protein earlier in the day (breakfast and lunch) promotes skeletal muscle growth in adults.
Currently, most adults’ average protein intake at breakfast is about 15 grams. Average intake at the last meal of the day is roughly 28 grams.
Simply reversing this amount, having more protein at breakfast and less in the evening, can greatly impact your body’s ability to grow and maintain muscle mass as you age.
Having as much muscle mass on your frame as you can by using those muscles and eating the right foods at the right time can greatly influence your quality of life. | 2022-03-20T00:59:18Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Let's talk protein and food timing | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/lets-talk-protein-and-food-timing/article_22af2d56-0403-52a1-a664-1bbf4031f6c7.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/lets-talk-protein-and-food-timing/article_22af2d56-0403-52a1-a664-1bbf4031f6c7.html |
CHUBBUCK — A fire destroyed a mobile home here on Saturday night and caused nearby residents to be evacuated, authorities said.
The fire at the mobile home on Circle Inn Drive behind the Smith's supermarket was reported around 9:40 p.m. Saturday.
The residence was fully engulfed by flames when firefighters arrived and police temporarily evacuated several nearby mobile homes as a precaution.
Firefighters extinguished the flames but the residence was a total loss.
We have received no reports that the blaze resulted in any injuries.
Authorities have not yet said what might have caused the fire.
Circle Inn | 2022-03-20T05:41:14Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Fire destroys local mobile home, causes evacuations | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/fire-destroys-local-mobile-home-causes-evacuations/article_21fd7e03-9d0f-561e-9b82-111cf1a8455f.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/fire-destroys-local-mobile-home-causes-evacuations/article_21fd7e03-9d0f-561e-9b82-111cf1a8455f.html |
A winter storm is blasting East Idaho with snow and damaging winds.
The National Weather Service has issued a snow squall warning, winter weather advisory, special weather alert and high wind warning for the region to warn the public about the snow and destructive gusts that arrived Sunday morning and are expected to continue into Sunday night.
The snow squall warning was issued Sunday morning for the Inkom, Shelley, Firth, Pocatello, Chubbuck, Fort Hall, American Falls, Aberdeen and Blackfoot areas. The weather service said the snow and high winds are dramatically reducing visibility in those areas and motorists should expect very hazardous driving conditions, especially on Interstate 15 and Interstate 86.
Winds of up to 65 mph are possible with the storm, the weather service said. Such gusts can be considered tropical storm strength and will be capable of causing power outages, bringing down trees, and damaging homes and other structures. Avoid forested areas if possible on Sunday and stay away from your home's windows.
The hardest hit areas in terms of snow are forecast to be Island Park, Swan Valley, Palisades, Wayan, Victor and Emigration Summit. These areas could receive up to 5 inches of snow, creating hazardous road conditions.
East Idaho's higher mountains could receive 9 to 10 inches of snow from the storm.
The powerful winds accompanying the storm could create blizzard-like conditions when combined with the falling snow. Dramatically reduced visibility will be the result.
Driving conditions on Interstate 84 in East Idaho could be especially dangerous.
The winds are expected to be strongest in the Raft River, Burley, Rupert, Heyburn, Paul, Albion, Almo, Malta, Rockland and Holbrook areas.
The weather service said the winds could be strong enough to make controlling a vehicle difficult. East Idahoans are encouraged to secure outdoor objects such as trash cans and lawn furniture because the winds could turn such items into dangerous projectiles.
Elsewhere in the state, wind advisories and warnings are in effect in southwest and south central Idaho.
Outside of the state, weather warnings related to snow and/or wind are in effect in Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada because of the storm. | 2022-03-20T15:10:18Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | SNOW AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS ARE HAMMERING EAST IDAHO | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/snow-and-destructive-winds-are-hammering-east-idaho/article_cf147a87-84c5-592e-95ba-01286a559a08.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/snow-and-destructive-winds-are-hammering-east-idaho/article_cf147a87-84c5-592e-95ba-01286a559a08.html |
Idaho State guard Montana Oltrogge puts up a 3-pointer in a game earlier this season.
Idaho State guard Jordan Sweeney unfurls a shot against Montana earlier this season.
Freshman Paisley Specht
ISU Media Relations
Idaho State’s women’s basketball team will look a little different next season.
That’s because junior Tomekia Whitman, senior Montana Oltrogge, junior Jordan Sweeney and freshman Paisley Specht have entered the transfer portal and will move on from the team, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation.
A previous report stated redshirt junior guard Diaba Konate had also entered the portal, but according to a source, she has withdrawn her name.
Head coach Seton Sobolewski declined to comment on these developments.
Whitman’s departure amounts to the biggest loss for ISU. A first-team all-conference selection who averaged 12 points and seven rebounds this season, she developed into one of the Bengals’ best players, shooting 35% from beyond the arc and winning Big Sky co-defensive player of the year honors. In a Jan. 13 contest against Eastern Washington, Whitman totaled a career-high 30 points, and she pulled down double-digit rebounds on six occasions.
The Bengals will also lament the loss of Oltrogge, who started 13 games and averaged 10 points a contest. This season, she shot just 30% from deep, but the team relied on her for her shooting acumen. In a Dec. 8 home game against Carroll College, she knocked down a triple to send the game into overtime, and on Jan. 8 against Weber State, she hit a game-winning trey with three seconds left. Injuries shuffled Oltrogge into the starting lineup, but even when she didn’t start, she logged heavy minutes for Idaho State.
ISU will have an easier time adjusting to the losses of Sweeney, who averaged two points in nine minutes per game, and Specht, who redshirted this season.
In any case, these transfers cement what was already becoming true for Idaho State: Change is coming to the program. Super seniors Dora Goles and Estefi Ors have graduated and will move on, as will senior forward Ellie Smith. Those players were three of the team’s best, and most experienced.
All told, Idaho State is losing a lot of what fueled this season’s run, which included a second-straight Big Sky regular-season championship, a quarterfinal loss in the conference tournament and a first-round loss in the women’s NIT. Those early-round losses added up to a disappointing ending for the Bengals, who advanced to the 2021 NCAA Tournament, solidifying their case as one of the country’s best mid-major programs.
The team does retain two starters, Konate and rising super senior Callie Bourne. The Bengals can also look forward to the return of junior guard Carsyn Boswell, who missed this season with an injury, plus the development of six freshmen who played sparingly this season. Earlier this month, ISU also landed a commitment from Kacey Spink, a guard at Ferris High in Spokane, Washington.
So Idaho State will have to look inward to cushion the losses of a total of seven players. It’s also possible ISU looks to the transfer portal or the junior college ranks to fill out its roster. One thing is for sure: Now that seven players are leaving the team, only time will tell the way ISU’s team looks next season.
Tomekia Whitman
Paisley Specht | 2022-03-20T21:41:14Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Four Idaho State women's basketball players to transfer | Sports | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/sports/four-idaho-state-womens-basketball-players-to-transfer/article_5aa5cee1-6401-5148-a9c6-dcd509b32520.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/sports/four-idaho-state-womens-basketball-players-to-transfer/article_5aa5cee1-6401-5148-a9c6-dcd509b32520.html |
TikTok saves the day for north Utah pharmacy
NORTH LOGAN, Utah — When Cache Valley Pharmacy saw a 12 percent decrease in business in 2020, a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and no rebound by January of 2021, pharmacist Phillip Cowley turned to social media.
Turning to social media was against pharmacy tradition, but Cowley thought maybe he could use it to hit a demographic unfamiliar with a pharmacist’s role.
“The older generation knows pharmacy and so they know to go talk to a pharmacist,” Cowley said. “But there’s an age gap there where there’s a lot of people have no idea what a pharmacist does, what useful information they have, or how to access it.”
“It allowed for me to give them information,” Cowley said. “If you have stomach acid issues, if you got motility issues, if you’ve got constipation, I have the information. And there’s a whole generation that was waiting to have something like this.”
Cowley took to TikTok in October. Within a week he had hit 42,000 views. A week later he had 20,000 more views. Today, he’s accrued 840,000 followers and 4.7 million likes, with videos regularly reaching hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions, of views.
The social media presence has proved to be a boon for business at Cache Valley Pharmacy. From May 1 to now, the company has seen a 16-17 percent increase in business.
His TikTok also brought other things to Cowley’s business, such as online sales, brand deals and offers to be in infomercials.
“Each one of us have their own special things about us,” Cowley said. “Build your audience around who you are and what you know. And then that audience will grow naturally. If you try to be like somebody else, it’s a lot harder. It’s hard to be special in a world where everybody’s doing the exact same thing. Some of people’s favorite TikToks are just people talking who are just real.” | 2022-03-21T21:30:50Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | TikTok saves the day for north Utah pharmacy | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/logan_hj/news/local/tiktok-saves-the-day-for-north-utah-pharmacy/article_e4170426-e5b9-553b-b7b8-2b6a40b891fe.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/logan_hj/news/local/tiktok-saves-the-day-for-north-utah-pharmacy/article_e4170426-e5b9-553b-b7b8-2b6a40b891fe.html |
Bonneville cutthroat trout
Ryan Hillyard, Idaho Fish and Game
Driving directions from Grace, Idaho to the lower Black Canyon access site.
Ryan Thompson catching a Bonneville cutthroat trout in the Bear River.
Fishing Bear River's Black Canyon can be fun in the spring, just watch for those high whitewater flows
BEAR RIVER — It’s that time of year that anglers may be limited on places to fish due to thin ice conditions and upcoming spring runoff in rivers and streams. Don’t fret. There are still plenty of fishing opportunities, especially on reservoir tailwaters.
The Bear River below Grace Dam, called “Black Canyon,” remains fishable throughout most of the year and is especially good fishing in early spring. However, high flows are possible due to whitewater boating flows that are released for kayaking opportunities.
Anglers should take note that 2022 spring boating flows will occur on these weekends:
— March 26 and 27
— April 9 and 10
— April 29 through May 1
— May 14 and 15
Public access to this fishery is obtained by driving to the Bear River hydroelectric power plant operated by PacifiCorp near Grace, Idaho. From the power facility's parking area, anglers can access the river by either going upstream or downstream. The section upstream of the parking area offers some of the best cutthroat trout fishing and can be accessed via a footbridge at the end of the road.
This section of the Bear River flows through a lava rock canyon (hence the name "Black Canyon"), which can make the river bottom particularly difficult to wade. Anglers may encounter holes and drop-offs right next to shallow lava rock shelves, so using a wading staff is recommended.
Now that the weather is warming up, get out and enjoy some springtime fishing. | 2022-03-22T18:43:43Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Fishing Bear River's Black Canyon can be fun in the spring, just watch for those high whitewater flows | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/fishing-bear-rivers-black-canyon-can-be-fun-in-the-spring-just-watch-for-those/article_edb05240-077e-5ef8-8b1c-fa7e7367838d.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/fishing-bear-rivers-black-canyon-can-be-fun-in-the-spring-just-watch-for-those/article_edb05240-077e-5ef8-8b1c-fa7e7367838d.html |
Timothy S. Patschull
POCATELLO — A 59-year-old Pocatello man has been charged with a felony after police say he attempted to strangle a local woman on Monday evening.
Timothy S. Patschull has been charged with attempted strangulation following a Pocatello police investigation, which began to unfold when officers were dispatched to a home on the 1900 block of South Fifth Avenue around 8 p.m. Monday.
Upon arrival, the woman told police that Patschull was intoxicated and refusing to leave the property, according to police reports the Idaho State Journal obtained Tuesday.
When the woman tried to tell Patschull he was no longer welcome at the residence, police say he grabbed her by the neck with both hands and pinned her down to a seat in the kitchen.
The woman had red marks on her neck consistent with being nearly strangled and Patschull admitted to police that a physical altercation between the two had occurred, police said.
Patschull was subsequently charged with felony attempted strangulation, arrested and booked into the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello.
Patschull appeared in front of 6th District Judge Eric Hunn for an arraignment hearing Tuesday, during which it was ordered that Patschull be released on his own recognizance. A no-contact order was issued between Patschull and the victim.
Patschull is due back in court on April 4 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 felony attempted strangulation charge, Patschull faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. | 2022-03-23T04:18:04Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Local man charged with felony for allegedly trying to strangle woman | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/local-man-charged-with-felony-for-allegedly-trying-to-strangle-woman/article_33007d51-8d63-5e8e-827f-55bec590b3c3.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/local-man-charged-with-felony-for-allegedly-trying-to-strangle-woman/article_33007d51-8d63-5e8e-827f-55bec590b3c3.html |
Marlise Irby has worked in news as a journalist at KOKI in Tulsa, Oklahoma; KTUU and KTBY in Anchorage, Alaska; and at KPVI as an anchor in Pocatello, Idaho.
Marlise Irby’s first day with the city of Pocatello was March 21.
For all media inquiries and questions, please contact the public information officer at 208-234-6281 (office), 208-244-9311 (cell) or email mirby@pocatello.us. | 2022-03-23T18:16:51Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | City of Pocatello announces a new public information officer | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/city-of-pocatello-announces-a-new-public-information-officer/article_6f2209e3-44d8-536c-91ec-4b5f2af32bd6.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/city-of-pocatello-announces-a-new-public-information-officer/article_6f2209e3-44d8-536c-91ec-4b5f2af32bd6.html |
Kortnie Balls stands in front of the charred remains of the mobile home gutted by a Wednesday morning fire in south Pocatello. She's being credited with saving the life of the elderly man who was trapped inside the burning residence.
From left, Bannock County sheriff's deputies Hayden Klauser, Elrich Schaffner and Lt. Jeremy Taysom pictured on Wednesday after helping to save an elderly man from a burning mobile home in south Pocatello.
POCATELLO — FedEx driver Kortnie Balls will never forget her Wednesday morning drive to work.
The 25-year-old Gate City resident saw a mobile home on fire in a south Pocatello trailer park and moments later became a hero, though she would never call herself that.
Balls explains that she "sprung into action," crawling into the burning residence after learning a man was trapped inside and then pulling him through the inferno to safety.
If not for her heroics, the 76-year-old man who lived alone with two dogs in the mobile home on the 6300 block of South Fifth Avenue would surely be dead.
"Once I found out someone was in there, I knew that I had to get him out," Balls said.
The elderly man, who was immobile and not in good health prior to the fire, suffered severe burns in the 7:30 a.m. blaze that destroyed his mobile home, damaged a nearby car as well as adjacent mobile homes, and resulted in the evacuation of neighboring residents. He was transported via Pocatello Fire Department ambulance to Portneuf Medical Center and then airlifted by emergency helicopter to a hospital in Salt Lake City for further treatment.
As of Wednesday night his name and condition had not been released.
Balls said he was conscious and talking when she pulled him to the doorway of his mobile home, though he was badly burned and bleeding.
Once Balls got the man to the doorway she got help from another hero, Anthony Evans, a Walmart employee who resides in the mobile home park and had just finished working his overnight shift.
The 33-year-old Evans had been the first person on the scene. He let the dogs out of the burning residence, dialed 911 to report the fire and then tried to enter the mobile home after hearing the elderly man yelling for help.
But the heavy smoke, flames and the man's exploding oxygen tanks beat Evans back.
His moment came when Balls got the man to the doorway and needed help. With Evans' assistance and the fire closing in, they were able to pull the man onto the mobile home's porch.
"It was the most insane experience I've ever had," Evans said.
With flames quickly consuming the porch, three Bannock County sheriff's deputies arrived literally in the nick of time to help the exhausted rescuers and carried the elderly man out of harm's way.
Those deputies were Lt. Jeremy Taysom, Hayden Klauser and Elrich Schaffner. They thought so highly of Balls' actions that they gave her what's called a Challenge Coin for her heroism for saving the elderly man's life. The sheriff's deputies give such coins to people who perform extraordinary deeds and Balls qualified.
Taysom said it seemed like everyone arrived at the scene at the exact right time — Balls spotting the fire and crawling into the burning mobile home, Evans helping her pull the victim out of the residence and onto the porch and then the deputies responding when they did.
"Everything fell into place so we could get him out," Taysom said.
Jeremy Taysom | 2022-03-24T05:56:22Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | FedEx driver, Walmart employee and sheriff's deputies save elderly man from burning Pocatello mobile home | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/fedex-driver-walmart-employee-and-sheriffs-deputies-save-elderly-man-from-burning-pocatello-mobile-home/article_93f008d3-9123-5139-a664-66c1caf5e0da.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/fedex-driver-walmart-employee-and-sheriffs-deputies-save-elderly-man-from-burning-pocatello-mobile-home/article_93f008d3-9123-5139-a664-66c1caf5e0da.html |
Isn’t it worth your time to watch those TV ads, listen to the radio commercials, read the newspaper ads and columns and those flyers in the mail, attend the candidate forums to determine which candidates best represent your viewpoints and philosophy, and then go to the poling location May 17th and vote? If you don’t, who will choose your elected representative for you?
Rick Cheatum, | 2022-03-24T18:49:59Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Primary voting | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/primary-voting/article_441fbd31-acfd-563e-82bf-783e57259926.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/primary-voting/article_441fbd31-acfd-563e-82bf-783e57259926.html |
Marcus Yupe
Local man convicted of aggravated assault for trying to strike officers with pickup truck
Bingham County Prosecutor's Office news release
Following a two-day trial, a jury convicted Marcus Kurt Yupe on March 1, 2022, of two counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement personnel, eluding a police officer, and possession of fentanyl.
Mr. Yupe was also convicted of being a persistent violator, a sentencing enhancement which carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years and a maximum term of life.
The charges arose from an incident on May 8, 2021, which began in Blackfoot. A Blackfoot police officer attempted to stop a pickup truck being driven by Mr. Yupe due to its fictitious and suspended license plates.
Mr. Yupe fled the officer, reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour in a residential neighborhood where the posted speed limit was 25 miles per hour.
Ahead of the pursuit, Corporal Lawrence Henrie and Deputy Brook Ferro of the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office deployed a “spike strip” device across Shilling Avenue just prior to a bridge spanning the Blackfoot River. Cpl. Henrie controlled the spike strip from a position on the opposite side of the road from Mr. Yupe and Dep. Ferro stood just off the roadway near a marked patrol vehicle.
Mr. Yupe drove directly towards Cpl. Henrie and Dep. Ferro, prompting Cpl. Henrie to open fire on the truck. Cpl. Henrie’s shots struck the driver’s side of the pickup truck, but Mr. Yupe continued driving. Both deputies narrowly avoided being hit by the truck; it passed within two feet of Cpl. Henrie and within approximately ten feet of Dep. Ferro.
The pursuit continued for approximately eleven minutes. Blackfoot officers and Bingham County deputies apprehended Mr. Yupe once his truck became inoperative due to driving on tires that had been punctured by Cpl. Henrie’s spike strip.
After Mr. Yupe was taken into custody, a Blackfoot officer located pills on his person which were later determined to contain fentanyl. Mr. Yupe had not been prescribed the pills.
The Bingham County Prosecutor’s Office charged Mr. Yupe with aggravated assault on Cpl. Henrie, aggravated assault on Dep. Ferro, a felony count of eluding, a felony count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, driving under the influence, resisting and obstructing, and the persistent violator sentencing enhancement.
The DUI and resisting and obstructing charges were dropped by the Prosecutor’s Office prior to trial. The case was tried by Janet Franklin, a deputy prosecuting attorney for Bingham County.
Lawrence Henrie
Brook Ferro | 2022-03-24T23:19:21Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Local man convicted of aggravated assault for trying to strike officers with pickup truck | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/local-man-convicted-of-aggravated-assault-for-trying-to-strike-officers-with-pickup-truck/article_de1ee707-3d3d-5ced-9186-c5c1ab3d939b.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/local-man-convicted-of-aggravated-assault-for-trying-to-strike-officers-with-pickup-truck/article_de1ee707-3d3d-5ced-9186-c5c1ab3d939b.html |
MONTPELIER — Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding an unattended death in this southeast Idaho town.
The Montpelier Police Department told the Idaho State Journal on Thursday that Chavah Leah, 71, of Montpelier, was found dead inside her garage on Wednesday after having been reported missing on March 19.
Friends of Leah on March 19 contacted authorities to report nobody had seen or heard from her since March 16. Montpelier Police Chief Blake Wells says officers responded to Leah’s home on March 19 to conduct a welfare check but did not locate her at that time.
On Wednesday, police responded to her residence again and ultimately located Leah dead inside of her garage.
“There is nothing to suggest there are suspicious circumstances surrounding her death and no signs of any foul play,” Wells said. “It looks like there was probably an accident that happened inside her home.”
The Bear Lake County Coroner will likely conduct an autopsy and is working to determine an official time and cause of death for Leah, Wells said.
Blake Wells | 2022-03-25T01:21:04Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Police investigating unattended death in local town | Police | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/townnews/police/police-investigating-unattended-death-in-local-town/article_72d868cc-d56e-5810-b47a-1d3baadd856f.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/townnews/police/police-investigating-unattended-death-in-local-town/article_72d868cc-d56e-5810-b47a-1d3baadd856f.html |
Brandon Charboneau
Brandon Charboneau, 35, was arrested in June after he reportedly attacked the victim in the victim’s bedroom. He reportedly hit the victim so hard that the guitar broke, causing permanent injuries to the victim in the process.
“It’s not even going to aid Mr. Charboneau in his rehabilitation properly,” Bean said.
Bean also cited the seriousness of the victim’s injuries. In an impact statement, the victim said injuries to his neck meant he could no longer work in construction. He said the loss of income had cost him his house, and that he was unable to engage in physical activities, such as playing with his son in the yard.
“I think (Charboneau’s) a danger to society and I think he needs a lot of help,” the victim said.
Thomas asked Whyte to put Charboneau on a rider program, saying his crimes were the result of struggles with addiction. According to Thomas, Charboneau began drinking alcohol when he was 5 years old, and was using methamphetamine when he was 15. Thomas said Charboneau had also been abused as a child by his mother’s boyfriend.
“Mr. Charboneau is a product of his environment,” Thomas said.
“He’s the kind of guy who’s trying to climb his way out of the hole his family dug for him,” Thomas said.
Bean said she was “disappointed” by the presentence investigator’s recommendation. She said Charboneau had been out of prison for less than a year when he was arrested for burglary, and that he was arrested for aggravated battery while facing the burglary charges.
“He’s crying ‘rehab,’ but he didn’t take advantage of the rehab options when he was on parole,” Bean said.
The prosecutor also called Charboneau’s behavior in his crimes “cavalier.” She said security footage from the burglary showed Charboneau had tested doors at the store until he found one unlocked and that he had spent an hour in the store “dancing around and sliding in socks.”
Bean said Charboneau maintains he does not remember attacking the victim with the guitar, claiming someone else had done it. She did not dispute that Charboneau could not remember the crime because of his drug use, but said Charboneau had been seen with the guitar earlier in the day when police removed him from a home. The victim’s hair and blood were later found on broken pieces of the guitar.
In handing down his sentence, Whyte noted Charboneau already had a criminal history that included 21 misdemeanors. He agreed with Bean that the victim’s injuries raised the case to a prison sentence.
H. Alayne Bean
Michael Whyte | 2022-03-25T05:11:40Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Local man sentenced to prison for guitar attack that left victim disabled | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/local-man-sentenced-to-prison-for-guitar-attack-that-left-victim-disabled/article_1290117f-ef2f-502d-b7d3-b80acbaef546.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/local-man-sentenced-to-prison-for-guitar-attack-that-left-victim-disabled/article_1290117f-ef2f-502d-b7d3-b80acbaef546.html |
It has been a noisy week. The continuing misery in Ukraine. The sullen, angry inquisition of Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Like an unwelcome guest, the snow came early that year, partied past its welcome and stayed late. We have a long dirt driveway, and I could only keep the top portion of the driveway shoveled, with just a footpath to the front door.
But then along came this last winter, which, I’ve noticed, is now being referred to as “the cold winter.” Not a lot of snow, but relentlessly cold temperatures. When you check your phone for the 10-day forecast and see that it will never get anywhere close to freezing during the entire time, it’s annoying — for me, at least. For my wife it’s just plain depressing.
And so it was a happy surprise that even as I watched the unfolding sorrow in Ukraine and the follow-the-partisan-script outrage of another Supreme Court nomination, I noticed, right on time, the buds forming on the cottonwood trees, and the brown carpet of the front yard beginning to turn green.
A few days ago I went out to the chicken barn and officially took down the heat lamp and replaced the water tank with the one that doesn’t have to be plugged in to stay warm.
In the backyard I noticed the daffodil shoots are popping up, even though I have done nothing to encourage them in months. They’re just doing what daffodils do, despite my best efforts to ignore them.
Yes, I know it happens every year. I know my time will soon start to be filled with spring things, which in short order I will view more as time-consuming annoyances, since I am not gifted by nature with a green thumb and a love of gardening.
Despite all the misery and anger in the world, spring comes anyway. For about 10 minutes, I felt guilty about being happy. Then I said, “aw, nuts,” and smiled anyway. | 2022-03-25T18:53:10Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Finding My Way: My guilty pleasure | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/finding-my-way-my-guilty-pleasure/article_46959e91-5ce1-529b-9b95-9998538a17f7.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/finding-my-way-my-guilty-pleasure/article_46959e91-5ce1-529b-9b95-9998538a17f7.html |
Putin’s evil, but Tucker Carlson isn’t wrong
Fox News celebrity Tucker Carlson gets little love these days. He’s been using his No. 1 cable show to highlight facts that detract from a simple “support Ukraine, fight Russia” narrative.
And for this, Newsweek dubbed him an “Organ of Russian Disinformation.” A Los Angeles Times column described him “shilling for Putin while his colleagues die in Ukraine.”
Carlson is counterbalancing a deadly game, one where mainstream media fans outrage over villainous Russian President Vladimir Putin and elevates to saint Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Carlson plays against condescending elitists who question Americans’ capacity for complex reasoning.
How we perceive complex issues is the topic of a new book by noted Oxford psychologist Kevin Dutton. In “Black and White Thinking — The Burden of a Binary Brain in a Complex World,” Dutton reminds us of the “Three Tiers of Understanding,” identified by psychologists in the 1970s. Those “tiers” are:
— Rudimentary Black and White: When we have limited world context, we cling to absolute binary truths: don’t play in the street, don’t pet strange dogs, don’t play with matches. A wise child learns these truths and survives to grow older.
— Shades of Gray: As we experience the world’s complexity, youthful truisms are set aside. We learn language itself is imprecise and even nature’s “rules” are riddled with exceptions. We risk forming an “ethic,” a view of right and wrong, that morphs to fit each new situation.
— Sophisticated Black and White: While navigating the unending shades of gray, critical decisions still force binary choices: go, or don’t go; love, or don’t love; act, or refuse to act. The right choice requires prioritizing desired ends, educating ourselves from every possible viewpoint, and evaluating the likely costs and unintended consequences.
Carlson is, by his own description, the “sworn enemy of lying, pomposity, smugness and group think.” That puts him at odds with everything that defines Washington, D.C.
Politicians in Washington, D.C., lie. They will ask you to dismiss as “Russian disinformation” anything and all things that deny them power and wealth. Entire laptops can be willed into nonexistence.
Carlson’s Ukraine commentary should be viewed knowing how dishonest, pompous, smug and shackled by group-think the “swamp” is. D.C. is awash in powerful lobbyists who control vast wealth and whose sole objective is preserving that power and wealth, even if it bankrupts the rest of us and plunges the world into chaos, war, famine and ruin.
And since they are pompous and smug, they will treat us as children. They’ll sell a proxy war using Ukrainians as our pawns, backed by the same reasoning when telling a 2-year-old “don’t play with matches.” Suggesting Ukraine is barely a democracy is heresy — just ask Candace Owens.
Vladimir Putin is a self-absorbed, unscrupulous dictator. He lies shamelessly and is ruthless to those who question him. When told his troops bombed a hospital of pregnant Ukrainian women, I suspect he barely held back his famous smug smile. He is evil incarnate.
But Putin being evil doesn’t cause Washington, D.C., to stop lying or being less “Putin-like.” Thousands of little “Putin-wannabes” will milk the passion of the moment to shamelessly “get more money.”
On Ukraine, Tucker Carlson does us all a service. He treats us as adults, reminding us that war is life-and-death serious, complicated by shades of gray. Giving lethal aid to Ukraine is a highly risk-laden choice, one on which reasonable and patriotic individuals can disagree.
Putin certainly seems worse than Zelenskyy. But a year ago, the Ukrainian politician was in the pocket of corrupt oligarchs, despised by three quarters of his people. The threat of losing re-election, then being targeted by Chechen assassins, may have helped him choose his own people for a change.
So America stands today with a man who opted for courage. It’s bold of us to do so. But thanks to Tucker Carlson, we walk down this dangerous path with our eyes wide open. | 2022-03-25T18:53:16Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Putin’s evil, but Tucker Carlson isn’t wrong | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/putin-s-evil-but-tucker-carlson-isn-t-wrong/article_84d8cb4e-b771-567f-a24a-dd21e0545434.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/putin-s-evil-but-tucker-carlson-isn-t-wrong/article_84d8cb4e-b771-567f-a24a-dd21e0545434.html |
The Bank of Idaho Tuscany branch on Via Caporatti Drive in Pocatello will permanently close this summer.
POCATELLO — The Bank of Idaho Tuscany branch on Via Caporatti Drive in Pocatello will permanently close this summer.
Though that branch will officially close on June 24, Bank of Idaho Chief Executive Officer Jeff Newgard told the Idaho State Journal during a Friday phone interview that all Tuscany branch staff will continue working at the branch on Yellowstone Avenue, adding that the company is committed to maintaining a strong presence in the local market.
“It just made a lot of sense for us to combine those two branches into one and by no means does this mean we are leaving town,” Newgard said. “We are doubling down in our commitment to that community and will continue to engage and donate funds within the community. We are here to stay and we love serving the Pocatello market.”
Bank of Idaho officials opted to consolidate the Tuscany branch with the Yellowstone branch on the heels of an upcoming lease agreement renewal on the building and recent data suggesting more and more customers are banking online, Newgard said.
“We evaluated what the best move should be and what we realized is we have really great teams in both locations and we determined we could accommodate both teams in that single branch to form a very powerful team,” Newgard said. “This is combined with the fact that post-pandemic we have seen an upswing in electronic and mobile banking. People are using those avenues a lot more now.”
In addition to contributing a significant amount for the construction of the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument and Plaza located off Olympus Drive in the Northgate area, Bank of Idaho has historically been a huge supporter of the Idaho State Civic Symphony.
Moreover, Newgard said the Bank of Idaho has plans to replicate a very successful fundraiser held in Idaho Falls over the last five years and bring it to the Gate City.
Last year, the Swing for the Green golfing tournament in Idaho Falls surpassed $57,000 in donations to an endowment fund for scholarships at the College of Eastern Idaho, pushing the total amount raised by the fundraiser to over $100,000 since its inception. This August, a fundraiser modeled exactly like the one in Idaho Falls will be held in Pocatello and benefit the endowment fund for Idaho State University, said Tyler Kraupp, Bank of Idaho director of marketing.
“We’re finalizing dates right now, but what we have heard from the ISU student foundation is an endowment like the size of the one we have created in Idaho Falls will really do some good for their students,” Kraupp said.
The tournament is still in the preliminary planning stages, but Newgard said it’s a full 18-hole scramble tournament that features at least three professional golfers with the Ladies Professional Golf Association.
“We also have what they call a horse race, or a sudden death playoff, in which one professional LPGA golfer and an amateur are teamed up as twosomes that compete against each other to raise money,” Newgard said. “What’s really interesting about the ISU tournament is that the ISU ladies golf team will also be involved in some capacity, which is just really exciting for us.”
But as Newgard put it, the Bank of Idaho isn’t solely just about writing checks, but the organization is also committed to encouraging its employees to give back to the community in other beneficial ways, such as volunteering their time and energy for worthy causes. For instance, Keith Zundel, a commercial loan officer for the Yellowstone Branch, also serves as a volunteer on the board for the United Way of Southeast Idaho, Newgard said.
“Our philosophy or our magic sauce so to speak is not only do we write checks, which is the minimum we can do, but we also remain committed by donating our most precious asset and that is our time,” Newgard said. “Time is the most precious thing and that’s what we love to do — get engaged in the community and actually go shoulder to shoulder with other community members to make the city a better place to live with a better overall quality of life.”
Jeff Newgard
Bank Of Idaho Tuscany | 2022-03-26T04:04:47Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Two Pocatello Bank of Idaho locations consolidating as company 'doubles down' on local commitment | Pocatello / Chubbuck | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/business_journal/pocatello-biz/two-pocatello-bank-of-idaho-locations-consolidating-as-company-doubles-down-on-local-commitment/article_c04a5194-9402-51f6-bc64-fb23ee535c51.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/business_journal/pocatello-biz/two-pocatello-bank-of-idaho-locations-consolidating-as-company-doubles-down-on-local-commitment/article_c04a5194-9402-51f6-bc64-fb23ee535c51.html |
Safety first with infant feeding
From first words to first steps, there are many firsts to come for your baby — but food poisoning shouldn't be one of them.
Since young children and infants are at an increased risk for food poisoning, learning the basics of baby bottle safety is important to keeping your infant protected.
Both breast milk and prepared formula are susceptible to bacterial contamination if not handled properly, which is why sterilizing and cleaning can go a long way.
Before the very first use, sterilizing baby bottles in boiling water for five minutes is recommended, though it's not necessary to do this regularly.
For daily cleaning of bottles and supplies, however, you'll only need soap, hot water and a baby bottle brush.
· Fill sink with hot water and add dishwashing liquid.
· Add bottles, nipples, caps, rings, preparation utensils and other supplies.
· Pour hot, soapy water into bottles, and rotate a baby bottle brush inside until the bottle is clean. Wash away all soapy water under running water.
· Use a nipple brush to wash nipples and nipple holes. Squeeze the hot, soapy water through the nipple hole to flush out any trapped milk.
· Thoroughly rinse all utensils under running water to wash away all traces of soapy water.
· Use sanitized tongs to remove bottles, nipples and other utensils and place them in the dish drainer to dry.
Before handling baby bottles (or feeding your baby), always wash your hands thoroughly with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds.
Even if you use disposable plastic bottle liners and ready-to-use formula, you still need to make sure the bottles and nipples are clean.
Additionally, washing and drying in a dishwasher is safe, but only with heated water and a hot drying cycle.
First check the manufacturer label to make sure items are dishwasher safe.
When storing expressed breast milk, use breast milk storage bags or clean, food-grade containers made of glass or plastic with tight fitting lids. Avoid containers with the recycle symbol number 7, which indicates it may be made of a BPA-containing plastic.
Freshly expressed or pumped milk can be stored at room temperatures (77 degrees or colder) for up to four hours, in the refrigerator for up to four days, or in the freezer for about six months is best.
To use, thaw frozen breast milk in the refrigerator overnight, in a container of warm or lukewarm water, or under lukewarm running water. Never in the microwave.
Prepared infant formula can spoil if it is left out at room temperature, so use within two hours of preparation and within one hour from when feeding begins.
If you do not start to use the prepared infant formula within two hours, immediately store the bottle in the fridge and use it within 24 hours. Throw out any infant formula that is left in the bottle after feeding.
Safe infant feeding protects baby and helps prevent foodborne illnesses.
Sources: cdc.gov and Eatright.org
Julie Buck, EdD, MHE, RD, is a registered dietitian, food safety specialist and health educator employed at the University of Idaho Extension, Bannock County. She can be reached at (208) 236-7310 or jhbuck@uidaho.edu.
Nipple | 2022-03-26T20:53:10Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Safety first with infant feeding | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/safety-first-with-infant-feeding/article_72c25f7a-98a1-5401-8f33-e97a0c16a0c4.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/safety-first-with-infant-feeding/article_72c25f7a-98a1-5401-8f33-e97a0c16a0c4.html |
Idaho State catcher Morgan Hess (left) celebrates with teammates Kaylee Butterworth (middle) and Isabell Cargill (right) after her home run Saturday afternoon against Sacramento State.
Idaho State catcher Morgan Hess launches a home run Saturday afternoon against Sacramento State.
Idaho State outfielder Rheanne Lewis hauls in a fly ball Saturday afternoon against Sacramento State.
Idaho State coach Andrew Rich (right) chats with a player during Saturday's game against Sacramento State.
Idaho State first baseman Frankie Tago reels in a throw Saturday afternoon against Sacramento State.
Idaho State pitcher Haley Rainey unfurls a pitch Saturday afternoon against Sacramento State.
Idaho State catcher Morgan Hess catches a pitch Saturday afternoon against Sacramento State.
ISU SOFTBALL
Several minutes after noon struck, after Idaho State secured a one-run lead on Sacramento State in the second frame of Saturday’s series finale, the Bengals remembered something: Smile. Relax. Things will work out.
“Sometimes they put too much on their shoulders,” head coach Andrew Rich said. “They’ve done the work. They just need to go play.”
So in the top of the third, pitcher Haley Rainey smiled as she retired three straight, including a strikeout on a pitch in the dirt. An inning later, Morgan Hess grinned after she laced an RBI single into right field, and pinch hitter Piper Tago celebrated from second base when she roped a hit into right, plating another run. The Bengals looked happy, loose, like they were going through batting practice.
It hardly mattered that ISU really needed this win, especially to avoid getting swept in this three-game series against Sacramento State. The Bengals did win with ease, getting a three-run homer from Mailee Newman to invoke the run rule in the sixth, cruising to a 10-0 victory. But to the brains behind the team, to Rich and his three assistants, the best part was the way the team looked doing it.
To them, that’s what helped the Bengals (17-16, 1-2 Big Sky) follow two losses on Friday with a lopsided win on Saturday. So much of Rich’s philosophy — off the field, at least — involves enjoyment. Enjoy the moment, the teammates, the opportunity, the process. If all they do is work, Rich figures, they’ll wear down. They’ll get exhausted when it matters most. So instead, the Bengals have made a conscious effort to just relax. Smile a little bit. This is supposed to be fun.
That’s the thing about this team, the part that has helped engineer a turnaround equal parts encouraging and sturdy — what happens when the team gets into tight spots. Things tend to work out for the Bengals when they’re loose, confident, relaxed. When they find themselves in situations that might inspire nerves, they play best when they laugh.
“For us,” Rich said, “enjoying every day we come out here, enjoying being around each other, enjoying what we do on the field, enjoying the game, is a huge thing. That keeps things free and easy. That’s what we want. We’re 100% serious, but we’re also enjoying what we’re doing, enjoying being around each other, and the love of the game.”
That attitude showed up in bushels on Saturday. On a full count, Hess clubbed a fastball and deposited it over the center field fence, sharing high fives with a pair of teammates back at home plate. In the fifth, outfielder Rheanne Lewis opened up and lined a solo shot over the right field wall, smiling with Rich at third and disappearing under a horde of orange jerseys in the dugout. If they made this much noise in their apartments, the Bengals would probably get a noise complaint.
Here’s the interesting part, though: It’s easy to smile when you’re mashing home runs left and right. How does Idaho State keep that attitude throughout the season? The team would love to run off 19 straight victories and win out the rest of the year, but good luck finding a bookie who would take odds on that. The reality is the Bengals will lose games in the future. They’ll struggle in the circle, in the batter’s box, in the field. What about then? Next weekend, when they host the best team in the Big Sky, Weber State, can they smile if things go south?
The good news for ISU is the team has already been there. Earlier this month, the Bengals dropped three straight. They know how that feels.
“Yesterday, we were a little tight in the box, a little guessy,” Newman said. “Just trying to push too hard.”
“When things go wrong, we let a little fear in, and we have some self-doubt,” added sixth-year senior Frankie Tago, who drove in a run during the Bengals’ six-run sixth frame Saturday. “We’re hesitant, not ourselves, not being free.”
That feeling has lingered over ISU’s program in recent years. The Bengals haven’t recorded a winning season since 2016. They have experienced success since then, reaching the conference championship game that season and falling a game short the next, but the program has taken a moderate decline since previous head coach Candi Letts’ contract expired. Her successor, Cristal Brown, resigned after two seasons that yielded a 19-41 record.
Enter Rich, who took over the program last summer. He has a gargantuan task on his hands: Take this program back to a place it hasn’t been since Barack Obama called the White House home. Reinvigorate the fanbase, which has every reason to feel apathetic. Establish consistent winning at Miller Ranch Stadium, which hasn’t hosted a conference tournament in seven years.
It’s too early for Rich to check off the last box — only the Big Sky’s top seed hosts the conference tournament — but he’s taking his pen to the other two. The Bengals haven’t been over .500 through 33 games, where they are now, since 2015. Chalk it up to gorgeous weather on a weekend afternoon, but in Saturday’s win, fans cheered on in the bleachers and on the hill behind the outfield wall, playing fetch with their dogs and taking in the game.
“This is our team,” Newman said. “We have the most fight. We have heart. And I think we’re ready.”
Idaho State has a lot to be ready for. Next up is a three-game series against Weber State, which has racked up a 21-7 record. That’s the best mark among conference teams. Pitcher Arissa Henderson has collected a 1.85 ERA, second-best in the Big Sky. The Wildcats have yet to play a conference game — next weekend’s series against ISU will be their first — but the consensus is this: They look good.
Thing is, so does Idaho State. On Saturday, Rainey blanked Sacramento State, which ranks tops in the conference in batting average. The conference’s three best hitters, at least in terms of batting average, are all Hornets. Rainey made mincemeat out of them, and even when she didn’t, she wriggled out of jams like Alan Grant escaping dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. “I can’t do my job unless the defense does their job,” Rainey said.
More importantly, though, the Bengals look happy. They look energized. Rich might not have a secret formula, but if he did, he would probably smile as he cooked it up.
“Joy is something we talk about a lot,” Rich said. “Enjoying the process. Enjoying the moment. Enjoy everything you get out here, because you only have it for so long. Enjoy this moment.”
Haley Rainey | 2022-03-27T03:54:40Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | 'Enjoy this moment': The mindset behind Idaho State softball's best season in years | Sports | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/sports/enjoy-this-moment-the-mindset-behind-idaho-state-softballs-best-season-in-years/article_198ee9ec-77f9-55a1-95dc-95c0b25d89fb.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/sports/enjoy-this-moment-the-mindset-behind-idaho-state-softballs-best-season-in-years/article_198ee9ec-77f9-55a1-95dc-95c0b25d89fb.html |
Simply Health MoveSpring announces April Energizer Challenge
POCATELLO — Portneuf Health Trust is rolling out another Energizer Challenge. This time, it’s for the month of April. The goal for the April Energizer Challenge is to reach a total of 300,000 steps by the end of the month. We encourage folks to try and reach 10,000 steps a day. This makes the total goal of 300,000 steps more manageable and everyone can be victorious.
The challenge will be run through the app, MoveSpring. MoveSpring is a free health app that is very user-friendly. To sign up for the April Energizer Challenge, download the MoveSpring app, use the organization code simplyhealth when prompted, select the blue “+Join/Create” button and get to steppin’.
If you reach 300,000 steps or more for the month of April, you will be entered into a drawing for the grand prize of a stand-up paddleboard (valued at over $400).
Follow us on Facebook at Portneufhealthtrust for more information.
Start spring off the right way and get that body moving with the April Energizer Challenge.
Movespring | 2022-03-28T18:53:04Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Simply Health MoveSpring announces April Energizer Challenge | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/simply-health-movespring-announces-april-energizer-challenge/article_fb97f89d-6c55-51dd-91b0-5e81d5859f63.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/simply-health-movespring-announces-april-energizer-challenge/article_fb97f89d-6c55-51dd-91b0-5e81d5859f63.html |
Chris Jeppsen, Vice President of Wealth Management.
ICCU partners with Ameriprise Financial to bring financial planning advisers to area
By Stephanie Bachman-West For the East Idaho Business Journal
POCATELLO — After the success of launching a goal-based planning program in Treasure Valley, Idaho Central Credit Union is expanding its Wealth Management program to the rest of the state, which will provide all its members with strategic planning for retirement, investments, taxes and more.
The program will provide financial advisers who will assist members and guide them through the planning process and incorporate their needs, wants and wishes into their strategy, said Chris Jeppsen, vice president of Wealth Management.
This program meets a growing demand for personalized financial advising across the state.
“Idaho Central saw an increase in requests from our membership for knowledge, information and structure when preparing for retirement and/or leaving something for multiple generations to come,” Jeppsen said. “We originally launched our Wealth Management program in the Treasure Valley and have been steadily increasing our financial adviser presence all over the state.”
The credit union has partnered with Ameriprise Financial Institutions Group, which has over 125 years of experience and a network of 10,000 financial advisers, to answer this demand from its members. This partnership will produce quality advising that is personalized and easy to access.
“When we began to research how best to assist our members with their investment needs, we knew we wanted to partner with a company that had a strong reputation (and) focused on planning with state-of the-art technology and products,” Jeppsen said. “With Ameriprise, our members enjoy personalized advice, robust investment solutions and the digital capabilities that allow them to meet with their advisers where, when and how it works best for the member.”
ICCU also provides members throughout the state with Medicaid agents who can help guide each individual through their financial plans and help navigate the correct forms to get them set up with their Medicaid coverage, Jeppsen said.
For those interested in learning more about the Wealth Management program, visit iccu.com/wealth/planning.
Chris Jeppsen | 2022-03-29T17:42:08Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | ICCU partners with Ameriprise Financial to bring financial planning advisers to area | East Idaho | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/business_journal/east_idaho/iccu-partners-with-ameriprise-financial-to-bring-financial-planning-advisers-to-area/article_fb276bbb-cb2d-58b8-9053-af8cd577e30b.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/business_journal/east_idaho/iccu-partners-with-ameriprise-financial-to-bring-financial-planning-advisers-to-area/article_fb276bbb-cb2d-58b8-9053-af8cd577e30b.html |
Alexei, pictured above, has been driving a shuttle van to get Ukrainian refugees to safety.
Courtesy of Nancee Tegeder
Tegeder
Nancee Tegeder set out only to raise $700 to help a family escape Ukraine when she made her post on social media about a month ago.
But the simple campaign she launched quickly ballooned into something much greater. Tegeder, a California resident whose parents and sister reside in Pocatello, has helped create a rescue network with seven vans and several brave drivers constantly shuttling refugees from the war-torn nation.
Tegeder served a mission in Ukraine with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2000 and 2001. She still has many friends in Ukraine, including a woman named Yulia, who prompted the fund drive when she asked Tegeder to raise money to cover train tickets for her family to escape the Russian invasion.
Tegeder has a relatively modest social media footprint, with roughly 600 Facebook friends. Nonetheless, her request for help was shared several times, and donations ranging from $5 to $1,000 began pouring in. She's already generated more than $100,000.
After the post about Yulia, she made a second post about Alexei, another Ukranian she met while serving her mission. Alexei has remained in Ukraine to defend his country and help refugees. He told Tegeder he had sufficient savings to support his wife and son, who crossed the border. But Alexei has also been helping other families evacuate and has been covering the gas from his personal finances.
Again, Tegeder made a social media plea that generated far greater results than she'd anticipated — this time seeking gas money to support Alexei's work.
Tegeder has pooled $100,000 from her fundraising with about $200,000 raised from a couple of similar social media campaigns, and their collective funding purchased the seven shuttle vans. Alexei was their first driver, and he's recruited additional help.
"We always check with our drivers every day," Tegeder said. "Some of them go into Russian occupied territories and it's really scary, but all of them have made it out."
Tegeder explained she accepts donations by Venmo and uses a special app to wire it to people in Ukraine.
Venmo contributions toward Tegeder's efforts can be sent to @Nancee-Tegeder (4330). PayPal contributions may be sent to nanceetegeder@gmail.com.
"Once Alexei and his friends get to the border, they're filling up their cars with humanitarian supplies and they're bringing that back in," Tegeder said.
Just a month ago, Tegeder said Alexei was working at a bank.
"Now he's getting shot at driving people to safety," she said, adding her husband also served an LDS mission in Ukraine and met Alexei in another area.
Maverik Adventure's First Stop, based in Salt Lake City, has also prioritized helping people affected by the Ukraine crisis. The company made a $50,000 donation to to the global Red cross network to help Ukrainians. The company also has a Round Up Your Change register program running through April 28 in support of the cause.
The Red Cross is now on the ground distributing food, medicine and other supplies to Ukrainian refugees, in addition to assisting with evacuations and providing shelter.
Nancee Tegeder | 2022-03-29T17:42:39Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | RESCUE MISSION: Woman with local ties helps launch shuttle van network transporting refugees from Ukraine | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/rescue-mission-woman-with-local-ties-helps-launch-shuttle-van-network-transporting-refugees-from-ukraine/article_b9abcbc2-84ef-53f4-990f-2c6eba8abcea.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/rescue-mission-woman-with-local-ties-helps-launch-shuttle-van-network-transporting-refugees-from-ukraine/article_b9abcbc2-84ef-53f4-990f-2c6eba8abcea.html |
Bonneville County Sheriff’s Deputies located two wanted suspects overnight after being found hiding inside a commercial business unit. Deputies were made aware that 37 year old Scott Robert Hensley had been staying inside a commercial building in the 2000 N. block of Deborah Dr.
Hensley was wanted on two Felony Warrants for Failure to Appear at hearings tied to charges of Grand Theft and Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance and information provided to Deputies indicated he was possibly armed.
Just after midnight Deputies located a vehicle belonging to Hensley parked outside of the building in question and observed Hensley and an unknown female go inside. Deputies began setting a perimeter around the building while a search warrant could be obtained from a judge. During this time a female, identified as 39-year-old Melinda Hudson, exited the building and was taken into custody by Deputies without incident. Ms. Hudson was found to have two active Misdemeanor Warrants from an outside jurisdiction and Deputies located a handgun in her backpack. Ms. Hudson told Deputies it would be dangerous if they entered the building to search for Hensley.
The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team was activated and arrived on scene to assist. After a search warrant was obtained for the building, Deputies gave multiple commands for Hensley to exit the building and attempted contact via phone but could not get a response. An airborne gas irritant was then deployed into the building, ultimately causing Hensley to exit and surrender peacefully to Deputies.
Both Hensley and Hudson were transported to the Bonneville County Jail where they were booked on their respective warrants. Ms. Hudson was also booked on a new Felony charge for Felon in Possession of a Firearm due to a past conviction prohibiting possession of firearms.
Scott Robert Hensley
Melinda Hudson | 2022-03-30T06:01:12Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | SWAT team deployed after fugitives try to hide inside local business | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/swat-team-deployed-after-fugitives-try-to-hide-inside-local-business/article_dc983b14-1a9e-5061-ab3d-30ae4f73b9fa.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/swat-team-deployed-after-fugitives-try-to-hide-inside-local-business/article_dc983b14-1a9e-5061-ab3d-30ae4f73b9fa.html |
A kiosk at the Lead Draw trailhead was recently damaged.
By Caribou-Targhee National Forest
POCATELLO — The newly installed kiosk at the Lead Draw trailhead was damaged by irresponsible shooters days after installation. “We are very disappointed,” said Sheila Larsen, recreation manager for the Westside Ranger District. “In addition to the blatant property damage, the shooter displayed poor judgement by shooting near a trailhead, making it unsafe for other recreators in the area.” Parts of a newly constructed fence have also been shot.
The East Mink Creek Corridor is currently a major focus area for the revitalization of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. This is due to significant funding from the Great American Outdoors Act. A considerable amount of money and effort has been put into revitalizing this area, including trailhead improvements, paving of East Mink Creek Road to Justice Park/Scout Mountain, and new signage and kiosks. Additionally, the forest is planning a Lead Draw Trail reroute which would allow users to safely use the trail system in the same area while continuing to allow for responsible recreational shooting.
As a multiple-use agency, the Forest Service supports various kinds of recreation, including recreational shooting. However, while the Lead Draw area currently remains open for target shooting, users are urged to not abuse this privilege. Shooters must practice ethical and respectful target shooting behavior. Know your target and what’s beyond it. Remember to always use a backstop. Don’t shoot up the canyon or across the trail and please pick up after yourselves.
“Generous citizens and service groups donate their time and energy to repetitively clean up popular areas on public lands near our communities, but this isn’t fair to them,” said Larsen. “If you pack it in, you need to pack it out.”
The district is seeking assistance from the local community to stop senseless vandalism in Mink Creek. Anyone witnessing such acts, or with information regarding this most recent incident, is encouraged to contact the ranger district or the Bannock County Sheriff’s office.
Target shooting is allowed on national forest or grassland unless restricted. Check your local ranger district for more information about local restrictions. For special orders of the Caribou-Targhee, check out the Forest Orders Interactive Map https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/ctnf/alerts-notices
— In or within 150 yards from a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation area or occupied area.
— Across or on a national forest or grassland road or body of water.
— In any manner or place where any person or property is exposed to injury or damage as a result of such discharge.
— Into or within a cave.
— Firing tracer bullets or incendiary ammunition.
— Disturbing, injuring, destroying or in any way damaging any prehistoric, historic or archaeological resource, structure, site, artifact, property.
— Abandoning any personal property or failing to dispose of all garbage, including targets, paper, cans, bottles, appliances.
— Use approved targets. Certain forests may have specific restrictions, such as the type of targets used (i.e. cardboard targets, paper targets, clay pigeons). Exploding targets are not recommended and are restricted on many forests or grasslands for safety and fire concerns.
— Use approved targets along with a safe, “bullet-proof” backstop. Do not attach your targets to vegetation or structures, such as trees, log decks, slash piles, fences or water tanks.
— Treating every gun as if it is loaded.
— Never letting the muzzle of a firearm point at anything you do not intend to shoot.
— Keeping your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target and you are ready to shoot.
— Making sure of your target and what is beyond.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/ctnf/alerts-notices Are not in possession of alcoholic beverages while discharging a firearm.
Visit www.treadlightly.org/programs/respected-access.
Remember: You are responsible for your own safety and for the safety of those around you.
Lead Draw Trail | 2022-03-31T23:32:08Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Newly installed kiosks damaged at Lead Draw | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/newly-installed-kiosks-damaged-at-lead-draw/article_8c5a5234-0bab-53ed-8dfd-f1bc9f8268d3.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/newly-installed-kiosks-damaged-at-lead-draw/article_8c5a5234-0bab-53ed-8dfd-f1bc9f8268d3.html |
Pocatello High School announces September reunion
By Pocatello High School 50 Plus Reunion Committee
POCATELLO — After a two-year absence because of the COVID pandemic, the Pocatello High School 50 Plus Reunion will be having a reunion on Sept. 10 at the Clarion Inn, 1399 Bench Road with a catered luncheon.
Pocatello High School alumnus Steve Eaton will be providing entertainment. All class members from classes who graduated from Pocatello High School over 50 years ago are invited, along with their guests.
People who helped organize the class reunions for the classes of 1968, 1970, 1971 and 1972 please call Pat Vigliaturo at 208-339-2244.
Pocatello High School alumni who would like to help plan the reunion, please give Pat a telephone call. | 2022-03-31T23:32:14Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pocatello High School announces September reunion | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/pocatello-high-school-announces-september-reunion/article_b7b76192-e944-5bb8-a951-2a4b327cd3f6.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/pocatello-high-school-announces-september-reunion/article_b7b76192-e944-5bb8-a951-2a4b327cd3f6.html |
Belle's Crispy Smashed Baby Potatoes
A crispy and delicious way to serve potatoes
My entire family loves potatoes, but I often resort to just a handful of recipes. Now I’ve found a new way to serve the special spud. My crispy smashed baby potatoes are so good, and they are also so simple to make. They have a crisp, savory outside and a fluffy inside. You have to use baby potatoes because the skin holds them together, keeping them in nice little patties. With just a few simple ingredients, you will have a potato dish that everyone will love.
Belle’s Crispy Smashed Baby Potatoes
1-2 pounds baby potatoes
2 teaspoons garlic salt
2 teaspoons dried chives
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the salt and potatoes. When the water comes back to a boil, set a timer for 20 minutes. Check the potatoes with a fork. If they are very soft, remove them from heat. If they are still not easily pierced with a fork, cook another couple of minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. Brush a large, rimmed baking sheet with a tablespoon of the oil. Arrange potatoes on the baking sheet in a single layer. Using the bottom of a heavy drinking glass with a large base, gently press down on each of the potatoes until they are about a quarter of an inch thick. Brush each potato with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt, chives, and parsley. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes until crispy.
*You can use fresh herbs instead of dried, but make sure you use them after the potatoes finish baking, or the herbs will burn.
Brenda Stanley is the mother of five children, including two sets of twins and a grandmother of eight. She is a cookbook author and novelist. For more recipes and information, visit her website www.talesofthedinnerbelle.com. | 2022-04-01T16:59:11Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | A crispy and delicious way to serve potatoes | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/a-crispy-and-delicious-way-to-serve-potatoes/article_668da397-64b2-5cbe-b7d6-72b2e5a4afbe.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/a-crispy-and-delicious-way-to-serve-potatoes/article_668da397-64b2-5cbe-b7d6-72b2e5a4afbe.html |
Crappie are relatively small but a very tasty treat.
By Roger Phillips Idaho Fish and Game
Crappie fishing is very popular because they are abundant and provide lots of fun fishing action, and they are considered excellent food fish and sportfish with mild sweet, white-flaky fillets. There are two species, black crappie, and white crappie, and both are plentiful in many of Idaho’s lakes and reservoirs.
Crappie creel limits are usually very liberal with no restrictions on size or bag limit, but check the rules for where you’re fishing. Crappie are a very prolific species, so taking a batch home to eat does no harm to the population.
CRAPPIE FISHING BASICS
Crappie are mostly minnow eaters, and minnows hide around any kind of brush or weeds to avoid being eaten. The key to how to catch crappie is to focus on fishing wherever minnows hide. That also includes fallen trees, bushes, man-made structures, flooded weeds, etc. When these don’t pay off, try drifting with the wind or slow-trolling across a lake, using bait, jigs or lures at different depths until you cross paths with a school of roving crappie.
Although crappie are occasionally caught on various plugs (occasionally on a surface lure or a crankbait), the one artificial that pays off regularly is a small leadhead jig with a soft-plastic body resembling a minnow. The trick is to fish this very slow. Jigs weighing from 1/64- to 1/16-ounce are often better than heavier ones, and this requires using light line. Artificial flies that resemble jigs can also be productive.
Crappie anglers primarily use ultralight spinning or spincasting reels equipped with 4- or 6-pound-test line and 5- to 5 1/2-foot-long rods. Fly rods designed for trout fishing with 4- to 8-pound leaders will also work.
Crappie are commonly found in Idaho’s lower to mid-elevation (under 4,500 feet elevation) lakes and reservoirs and slow moving rivers. They are abundant in most the Snake River’s reservoirs and other larger lakes where you find warmwater fish species, such as bass, bluegill, perch, etc.
You can find water that have crappie through Idaho Fish and Game’s Fishing Planner
Black crappie prefer cooler, deeper, clearer waters with more abundant aquatic vegetation than do white crappie. This includes still backwater lakes, sloughs, creeks, streams, lakes and ponds.
White crappie can be found in creek backwaters, slow-flowing streams, sand- and mud-bottomed pools, small to large rivers, and lakes and ponds. They prefer shallower water and can tolerate warmer, more turbid, and slightly alkaline waters. They are usually found near dropoffs, standing timber, brushy cover, or other artificial cover.
SCHOOLING BEHAVIOR
Since both species congregate, an angler who comes across one crappie is likely to find others nearby. They are especially active in the evening and early morning, and remain active throughout winter.
Small minnows form a large part of the adult fish’s diet, and they consume the fry of many gamefish species. In southern reservoirs, gizzard or threadfin shad are major forage, and in northern states, insects are dominant. Crappie feed through winter and are very active under the ice.
The black crappie and white crappie are silvery olive to bronze with dark spots; on the black crappie the spots are irregularly arranged instead of appearing in seven or eight vertical bands as they do on the white crappie. Both species are laterally compressed and deep-bodied. The best way to differentiate the two species is by counting dorsal fin spines, as the black crappie usually has seven or eight, the white crappie six.
This story is courtesy of takemefishing.org. | 2022-04-01T16:59:17Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | An angler’s guide to crappie and crappie fishing | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/an-angler-s-guide-to-crappie-and-crappie-fishing/article_6899cd70-6c95-5457-a277-49ae9cd21155.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/an-angler-s-guide-to-crappie-and-crappie-fishing/article_6899cd70-6c95-5457-a277-49ae9cd21155.html |
ICCU's donation will help the Chubbuck Fire Department purchase a new ladder truck.
ICCU donates $500,000 for new Chubbuck fire truck
By City of Chubbuck
POCATELLO — Idaho Central Credit Union contributed $500,000 toward the purchase of a new ladder truck for the city of Chubbuck Fire Department.
The CFD would like to say thank you to ICCU for being such a great community member and partner with the city of Chubbuck. This ladder truck will provide vital fire protection and safety services for our businesses and area residents.
Chubbuck Fire Department
Safety Service | 2022-04-01T16:59:36Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | ICCU donates $500,000 for new Chubbuck fire truck | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/iccu-donates-500-000-for-new-chubbuck-fire-truck/article_cd90477c-7700-54ef-ba28-8da45b0e1060.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/iccu-donates-500-000-for-new-chubbuck-fire-truck/article_cd90477c-7700-54ef-ba28-8da45b0e1060.html |
Chalk up another strike against the Libertarians Identifying as Republicans (LIARs) who mouth conservative buzzwords, but vote against conservative government. Like body-snatchers mimicking humans, these politicians pretend conservatism only for the power it gives them.
Case in point: A long-standing plank of conservatism is work over welfare. As President Ronald Reagan told the gathered nations of Southeast Asia in 1986, “Our progress has been based on freeing — not restricting — man’s commerce, energy and creativity ... Give a man a fish and he won’t be hungry today but teach him how to fish and he’ll never be hungry again.”
Reagan was citing a centuries-old maxim, that, of all governmental functions authorized by our Constitution, “diffusing knowledge” so that citizens obtain skills and know-how to become masters of their own fortunes is an honorable and proper role of government.
Jefferson and Madison were not socialists. They opposed redistributing money and property from one citizen to another. But “knowledge” was different. A broad “diffusion of knowledge” enabled all citizens to grasp the brass ring of prosperity. Where work skills were widely taught, paupers could become blacksmiths and blacksmiths could become employers and entrepreneurs.
The teaching of in-demand work skills is even more essential today. Many modern jobs require compliance with complex government-imposed rules. The state of Idaho mandates its share of “minimum training standards.” Day care operators must know CPR, construction workers need OSHA “10-hour” courses, and Idaho prohibits plumbing, teaching, accounting or nursing without the required “certification” and hours of training.
So it made absolutely no sense whatsoever when half of the Idaho House of Representatives voted “no” on Senate Bill 1411, nearly killing workforce training in the state of Idaho. The bill had cleared the Idaho Senate by an overwhelming margin. But the shallow-thinking pod-people in the Idaho House just saw “government-offered training” and opted for giving away fish instead of teaching fishing.
Who cares what Ronald Reagan thought? Wasn’t he a RINO?
Rexburg politician and power-seeker Ron Nate led the charge, decrying the use of taxpayer dollars for training that “should be done by private employers.” His argument ignores that many needing training don’t have a job — therefore no employer to pay for training. Nate’s twisted circular non-logic would doom thousands of Idahoans to permanent unemployment.
But his “no” vote is even more absurd. Senate Bill 1411 includes Idaho’s Workforce Training Fund, which isn’t derived from sales or income tax. Idaho employers have opted to direct unemployment taxes toward the fund, expecting workforce training to get people off unemployment sooner. Less unemployment benefit paid out leads to a lower unemployment tax burden.
Which is why a “no” vote simply keeps people unskilled, unemployed and dependent on societal “safety nets” like jobless benefits, food stamps, temporary assistance, emergency housing, etc.
What wasn’t funded by employers in Senate Bill 1411 came mostly from Idaho’s $5.6 billion American Rescue Plan money. This is the COVID-19 relief President Joe Biden rammed through Congress right after taking office. Idaho’s senators voted against it, with good reason.
The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco recently revealed that “The United States is experiencing higher rates of inflation than other advanced economies.” They further observe “The sizable fiscal support measures aimed at counteracting the economic collapse due to the COVID-19 pandemic could explain about 3 percentage points of the recent rise in inflation.”
Translation: Idahoans are now paying for the American Rescue Plan through higher prices. Nate’s “no” vote, if successful, wouldn’t save a dime. Instead, the federal training funds simply revert to other states, while Idahoans continue picking up the tab on every trip to the grocery store.
Refusing to train for “work,” growing dependence on “welfare,” are not Republican values, further proving libertarian pod-people are Republicans-In-Name-Only, the original RINOs. | 2022-04-01T16:59:55Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Fake conservatives embrace welfare over work | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/fake-conservatives-embrace-welfare-over-work/article_90a2af45-cdb1-5774-a05f-e1c1832836ff.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/fake-conservatives-embrace-welfare-over-work/article_90a2af45-cdb1-5774-a05f-e1c1832836ff.html |
Fed nominee withdrawal reinforces need for transparency and commitment to improving economy (copy)
The Federal Reserve is tasked with an incredibly important role to set monetary policy decisions independently of political persuasion. I had serious concerns with Sarah Bloom Raskin’s public statements targeting the oil and gas sector. I have fought for many years against progressive left policies that would choke off credit to politically disfavored industries, such as oil and gas or firearms companies. Now that she has withdrawn her nomination to serve as Vice Chair for Supervision at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, a far better course would be for Democrats to advance a nominee who is fully committed to improving our country’s economy through greater spending discipline and policies that fuel economic growth, not inflation.
Senate Banking Committee Republicans were unjustly criticized for not going along with Sarah Bloom Raskin’s, now withdrawn, nomination to the U.S. Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Ms. Raskin evaded important questions, and the Committee should not advance a nomination if there are outstanding concerns with a nominee’s responsiveness.
For example, Ms. Raskin advocated choking off credit to some legal, lawful industries, such as oil and gas, that have been targeted by the progressive left. This position is reminiscent of the highly inappropriate initiative “Operation Choke Point”, which targeted politically disfavored industries. Under this operation, some Idaho business owners involved in the pawnbroker, guns and ammunition sector experienced difficulty finding essential banking services. It is an absurdity for the progressive left to enable the federal bureaucracy to financially strangle lawful businesses simply because they do not agree with them.
I aggressively and successfully fought against this initiative, and will continue to push against similar efforts. In that spirit, I am co-sponsoring legislation to prevent this far-left policy of banking discrimination, and I oppose nominees who advocate for this discriminatory policy. Customers and lawful companies complying with federal and state law must have access to credit based on their creditworthiness, rather than social or political pressure.
The Senate is also not a rubber stamp for nominations, and must properly evaluate them. We have very serious issues to address, as our country recovers from the pandemic and works to rouse peace and stability in our turbulent world. A stronger economy not only means stronger local communities across our country, but also a stronger position to support our allies and weaken those, such as Vladimir Putin, pursuing horrendous and destabilizing agendas.
Inflation has accelerated under the Biden Administration to 40-year highs. Economists agree the Democrats’ American Rescue Plan poured $2 trillion of inflationary fuel on an already overheating economy, and is a significant factor to the price spikes since the beginning of the Biden Administration. Rather than considering further damaging measures, such as more untargeted federal spending, wage and price controls, and tax hikes, we should:
• ensure the Federal Reserve attends to its low-and-stable inflation mandate without allowing politics to enter decision-making;
• exercise greater discipline over spending, deficits, debt and our broken budget process;
• expand trade opportunities;
• streamline federal regulation; and
• protect the tax reforms implemented under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which led to record high levels of business investment, historic lows in unemployment and poverty, and record high incomes during the past Administration.
We need nominees for these important federal roles who are truly committed to focusing on advancing policies, such as these, to strengthen our economy and who are also truly committed to steering clear of wasting more time on pushing polarizing, personal preferences on how to change American society. | 2022-04-01T17:00:01Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Fed nominee withdrawal reinforces need for transparency and commitment to improving economy (copy) | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/fed-nominee-withdrawal-reinforces-need-for-transparency-and-commitment-to-improving-economy-copy/article_88d0f652-1d60-5d8b-b7b6-6ea1a3fd5a5e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/fed-nominee-withdrawal-reinforces-need-for-transparency-and-commitment-to-improving-economy-copy/article_88d0f652-1d60-5d8b-b7b6-6ea1a3fd5a5e.html |
Finding My Way: Show biz
Who knows why it happened? There might have been better ways for Will Smith to handle the perceived slight against his wife. Perhaps a news conference afterward demanding an apology followed by a scripted handshake and maybe a two-page spread in People Magazine on the pressures of fame.
But who am I to judge? It must be strange to be really, really famous. There have been times in my life when I was ever-so-slightly famous in a tiny, localized way, always as an offshoot of my work in a few of America’s small-town TV newsrooms. When you see someone pushing a cart in Walmart the day after you saw him joking with the sports guy on the 10:00 news, you’re inclined to want to say hello.
In such circumstances it is imperative that you (the mildly-famous person) be warm and friendly — recognizing that this brief interaction will be remembered by the person initiating the conversation literally forever — especially if they viewed you as being curt, brusque or unfriendly.
Yes, there are the on-screen artists like Harrison Ford or Meryl Streep, who appear to be emotionally well-balanced and able to juggle real life with the demands of the plastic, false world of celebrity, in which you run the very real risk of no longer being able to differentiate between the actual you and the fake on-screen you. But such actors may be few and far between.
Objectively, we can all see the traps of endless fame and wealth. And yet, if offered to us, I wonder how many of us would have the brass to turn it down, myself included. | 2022-04-01T17:00:07Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Finding My Way: Show biz | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/finding-my-way-show-biz/article_dc981728-1a53-5255-8e20-7a3bf4f3d39f.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/finding-my-way-show-biz/article_dc981728-1a53-5255-8e20-7a3bf4f3d39f.html |
Spring has sprung. And since 2022 is a midterm election year, it’s time for political dandelions to start popping up.
Certainly, the big campaign story in Idaho is the governor’s race. As of a week ago, there are 13 officially entered candidates. Along with one Democrat and eight Republicans, there are also libertarians, constitutionalists and an independent.
Now that Donald Trump and his political sycophants have set the precedent for questioning the entire democratic process whenever Republican candidates lose an election fair and square, and that they can claim to stop the steal while “stealing” millions of dollars in donations from supporters to fight such injustice, it’s a safe bet that we’ll see this play out in the upcoming Idaho election.
It’s simply a question of which loser in the May 17 Republican primary election for governor will be the first to cry foul. Let’s look at a few potential contenders.
Perhaps it will be Lisa Marie who appears to have made a career out of running for political office in Idaho. In a 2018 interview on idahonews.com, when asked how she would help Idahoans if elected governor, Marie talked about nanoparticles in the air, possibly referring to RNA-modifying transhumanism-nanotechnology, or something like that. She also mentioned Agenda 21, which members of the woo-woo crowd fear.
Laugh if you want, but in her last three attempts to win statewide elections in Idaho, Lisa Marie garnered over 30,000 votes. Despite multiple election losses, at least she has always lost with dignity.
Republican governor candidate Steve Bradshaw out of Cocolalla, Idaho, population 985, is not likely going to blame anyone but himself if he loses in the primary, not when his website features the slogan “Tough Times Take A Tough Governor.”
Bradshaw certainly has qualities that should appeal to many Idaho voters. He is the pastor at Cocolalla Cowboy Church. He is a “Lifetime” NRA member (must come with one’s birth certificate in Cocolalla). And he says he won’t allow the feds to take away separate locker rooms for boys and girls!
In addition, Bradshaw’s website has lots of images which appeal to conservatives, like pictures of flags, eagles, cowboy hats, a Bible and the Ten Commandments.
To top it all off, he loves to write in all caps, stuff like “I WILL NOT ALLOW THE FEDS TO PAINT GOOD, UPSTANDING PATRIOTIC MEN AS DOMESTIC TERRORISTS.” Hmmm, I wonder who exactly he is referring to.
Bradshaw even goes so far as to proclaim that we need to get politics and politicians out of government. OK, I think someone needs to explain this whole running for governor thing a bit more to Steve.
Despite his experience as a Bonner County commissioner, Steve Bradshaw probably is destined to come up a bit short in his bid for governor. But will he cry “Stop the steal”? I doubt it.
A third interesting Republican running for governor is Ashley L. Jackson. On Facebook, Ashley describes herself as “America's First Pro-Cannabis Republican Candidate for Governor.” Wow! That right there makes Ashley the grooviest of the Idaho primary candidates.
Her Facebook page and her website have pictures of Ashley, LOTS of pictures of Ashley. The website also focuses on the usual conservative issues like gun rights and critical race theory. But I found her closing statement confusing: “The poles close on May 17th! Help me keep Idaho Free Forever!” The ‘poles’?
Win or lose, Ashley Jackson is a candidate for governor who will accept the will of the people, whether they be from the North Pole or the South Pole, without a lot of complaining and conspiracy theory bunk.
The candidate in the 2022 Republican primary for governor with the most name recognition and is acknowledged as the leading contender to defeat incumbent Brad Little, is current Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin.
McGeachin, who organized a task force to root out critical race theory from schools because Idahoans were fed up with a lack of transparency when it comes to public education, recently received The Black Hole Award for… lack of transparency.
In a March 20 campaign speech, McGeachin covered the usual gauntlet of conservative issues: mask and vaccine mandates, Second Amendment, dependence on fed money, stuff like that. Interestingly, she never mentioned critical race theory. I wonder why.
But there were several clues during her speech which make one suspect that if McGeachin loses in the GOP primary she is the most likely candidate to claim the election was stolen from her.
First, in the speech she claimed that as governor she will “bring integrity to Idaho’s elections,” clearly implying that there is a crack in the state’s election process now under Gov. Brad Little’s watch. She also said that as governor she will push for a 50-state forensic audit of the 2020 election — oh, oh.
Adding to the potential for post-election trouble is the indication that Democrats registered as Republicans to vote against far-right GOP candidates in the primary. Sounds like fuel for the stolen-election fire to me.
To top it off, McGeachin’s campaign poster which was prominently displayed at her speech features her standing beside Donald Trump.
Ashley L. Jackson | 2022-04-01T17:00:38Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | #StopTheStealIdaho — trust me, it’s coming | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/stopthestealidaho-trust-me-it-s-coming/article_e7026d37-ef75-581a-af1e-f004063025a5.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/stopthestealidaho-trust-me-it-s-coming/article_e7026d37-ef75-581a-af1e-f004063025a5.html |
What is a woman? WOW!
Not exactly a question you’d imagine would be a challenging litmus-test question for a Supreme Court nominee, but there it was. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden’s equity nomination for a lifetime position on the Supreme Court, couldn’t answer because, “I’m not a biologist.” It’s tempting to just chuckle at Judge Jackson’s ineptitude and just say, “Next candidate, please.” But as we have yet to the see the bottom of the Biden administration’s barrel of incompetence, let’s assume her name won’t be withdrawn.
I accept that Judge Jackson is not a biologist. What exactly is she then? She’s obviously a convert to the church of “Willingly Obedient Wokeness,” better known as “WOW.” In a public, high-profile confirmation hearing Judge Jackson just had to bravely proselytize and defiantly proclaim how thoroughly marinated she (or some other genderless pronoun) is in her (or some other genderless pronoun) hyper-woke WOW theology. The question, “What is a woman?,” was a direct theological challenge to the catechism of her (or some other genderless pronoun) WOW religion.
Science (biology in this case) be damned. Like many a convert to the church of WOW, Ms. Jackson is blindly, yet totally, committed to WOW theology. She needs an intervention. If Ms. Jackson can’t say what a woman is today, how long will It be before her WOW doctrine tells her she can’t say what a citizen is, or what’s child sexual exploitation, or what anything is? Now this is fine and all; we still have freedom of religion here, but this kind of demonstrable fantasy has no business influencing the judgements of any courtroom, much less the Supreme Court.
Catholics on the bench can compartmentalize their theology and allow themselves to make rulings that allow abortions. Jewish legates can set aside their dietary commandments and give licenses to non-kosher restaurants because at some intellectual level they know our species are omnivores who can digest almost anything. Seventh-Day Adventist judges can hold Saturdays sacred, but turn back Saturday Blue Laws because at some scientific level they acknowledge that each day has the same astronomical characteristics as any other day in a week.
But the church of WOW apparently indoctrinates their disciples to the point that Judge Jackson can’t acknowledge the scientific reality of DNA. All their faithful must always reverence and maintain resolute allegiance to their irrefutable dogma that “a woman” is an imaginary construct. Why? Because WOW demands it.
What will happen when judge Jackson is confronted with cases (e.g., the draft, discrimination, positive or reverse affirmative action, men or women only associations, etc.) that touch the broad array of issues around men and women if she can’t define “woman” and therefore by extension, she can’t define “man?” Is justice to become so blind that we must now stand before the bar of justice as brainless, asexual sponges?
After her WOW response to the “What is a woman?” question, it’s really hard to think of Judge Jackson as a serious person. I suggest that Judge Jackson steer clear of all STEM subject matter careers, not just biology. Without her robes, she seems a better fit in some gender studies role at Yale. Her record of social activism on the bench makes it clear she’s not one to measure laws and decide if they fit the Constitution or not.
To Judge Jackson “justice” must be a fluid thing where WOW situational ethics and equity reign. If broad sentencing guidelines are insufficiently flexible for her and can be set aside in her WOW wisdom, how likely is it that as a Supreme Court Justice she will respect the far more precise boundaries of the constitution?
Judge Jackson is neither a biologist nor a worthy choice for the Supreme Court. She is an affirmative action equity choice, nominated by President Biden because of her looks and her politics — period.
I wonder what her answer would be if some curious senator asked her, “What is an American?” I wouldn’t be surprised to hear her reply, “I can’t answer because I’m not one. I identify as an African-American.” If Judge Jackson does reach the Supreme Court we can look forward to many a ruling and many an opinion that will leave us exclaiming, “WOW, just WOW!” | 2022-04-01T17:00:44Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | What is a woman? WOW! | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/what-is-a-woman-wow/article_ac1fdd9e-3724-557b-b4c5-f6c56a7736d7.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/what-is-a-woman-wow/article_ac1fdd9e-3724-557b-b4c5-f6c56a7736d7.html |
Freezing foods is a way to pause the just-picked and just-baked foods to maintain the peak freshness and lock in their flavor and nutrients. Freezing foods is one of the oldest methods of preserving foods — and the easiest.
Starting at the farm, only the highest quality produce is picked at the peak of ripeness. Directly from the field, produce is thoroughly washed and vegetables are blanched. What happens to the outer trimming from farm produce? It is collected and recycled for animal feed. Next, produce is flash frozen within hours of harvest. This process places produce on a flat pan and freezes each individual piece to then be packaged. By flash freezing, key nutrients and minerals are locked in to preserve taste. This allows each kernel of corn to freeze separately so consumers can use exactly what they need out of the package. Finally, the fruits and vegetables are packaged.
By properly freezing foods, microorganisms are prevented from growing and the natural enzyme activity in plants is slowed down to keep foods safe for longer periods of time. Fruit and vegetable growers and manufacturers of prepared meals capture and preserve food at the peak of its freshness and nutrient content. When it is time to take the frozen food out of the freezer or off the frozen food aisle, read and follow package cooking instructions to heat or thaw safely. Carry a cooler in your car to keep the frozen foods as close to zero degrees while traveling home from the grocery store. By quickly freezing leftovers, we can enjoy food later. Frozen fruits and vegetables still have nutrients, so consider frozen foods to enjoy longer storage time.
Freezing foods is appealing to consumers who report 76 percent would freeze leftovers, 72 percent would purchase frozen food and frozen prepared meals, and 69 percent would freeze meals and ingredients in advance of cooking to reduce food waste. Next time you plan your meals, consider how to first use the frozen foods in your freezer and next to add frozen foods to your menu options.
Source: Frozen Food Foundation | 2022-04-01T19:27:07Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Rediscover the benefits of frozen foods | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/rediscover-the-benefits-of-frozen-foods/article_a9659239-9ad6-5961-9732-7c1f49a00a50.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/rediscover-the-benefits-of-frozen-foods/article_a9659239-9ad6-5961-9732-7c1f49a00a50.html |
Now Republicans are defunding libraries
This being an election year, we should not be surprised that curious decisions are being made by our elected officials in Boise. First, though, let’s be clear about libraries.
Idaho’s wonderful public libraries are doing a great job. They operate on tiny budgets. Still, they manage to put on engaging reading programs for kids.
Our libraries help students find a quiet place to study and to get access to educational resources they may not have at home. Libraries maintain, issue and track books for all of us, and they do much, much more.
Over a week ago the Legislature cut more than $3.8 million from the tiny $11 million budget Gov. Brad Little had proposed for the state’s smallest agency, the Idaho Commission for Libraries. Why? The library agency was being punished because a private library-lobby group had opposed an anti-education, anti-library bill passed by the House earlier this year. The Idaho Senate, by the way, found the bill to be so deficient in substance that it was never considered there.
Republican defunding of Idaho libraries cut two important technology initiatives. One would support telehealth access points in rural libraries. Those would allow people in places like Fremont County to have video appointments with health care professionals.
Last year, the state started a pilot project at two rural libraries to provide private rooms and broadband in rural libraries where community members could attend telehealth appointments. The pilot project was well-received, especially by seniors who couldn’t easily make a long drive for an appointment. “The concept was to expand it to additional libraries throughout the state,” a member of the governor’s financial staff told Melissa Davlin of Idaho Reports.
Also cut was $300,000 for electronic resources — mainly e-books — that are accessible through all Idaho public libraries via the Library Commission’s LILI internet system. That cut will hurt Southeast Idaho libraries that won’t have as many e-resources to share from the state system.
Republicans in the Legislature argued, with absolutely no evidence, the cuts were necessary to stop an avalanche of pornography being handed out to kids by librarians. Long before the Legislature finally got around to requiring porn blockers on library computers, our local libraries had installed and were using the technology. Porn is far, far too freely available on the internet, but you’ll have trouble finding it in our libraries.
Only after they’d trashed the Library Commission budget did the majority legislators gin up the idea of actually looking into whether libraries are doing what they’re accused of. Doesn’t it look like Republicans in the Legislature are claiming the study is necessary to cover up one more embarrassing case of their party’s lying run amok?
The lying punished the Library Commission, which is a state agency. The real targets were the Senate that didn’t take up their anti-library bill, and the entirely independent, non-government Idaho Library Association (ILA) that didn’t think putting librarians in jail for doing their jobs was a good idea.
The ILA is supported by people who actually visit and care about libraries. Being private, the ILA and its members do have free speech rights.
However, as the Legislature proved, exercising free speech that disagrees with the Republican majority in the Legislature is punished. Even Rep. Greg Chaney, R-Caldwell, called it political retribution. “I consider it to be a fine,” said Chaney, of the library de-funding.
Now right-wing wackos in our Legislature have switched from book-banning to making an outrageous accusation. Despite what they believe and say, no, our public libraries are not handing out pornography to kids.
The damage that’s been done to education by constant false attacks on school boards, teachers, colleges and universities will take generations to repair. Why on earth does any legislator think following the same wrong path to harm our wonderful libraries is also a good idea?
Dave Finkelnburg is a long-time Idahoan, a former newspaper journalist, and is currently semi-retired from an engineering career. | 2022-04-01T19:27:25Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Now Republicans are defunding libraries | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/now-republicans-are-defunding-libraries/article_db944b5f-5290-5c2d-81d2-660e69b9b768.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/now-republicans-are-defunding-libraries/article_db944b5f-5290-5c2d-81d2-660e69b9b768.html |
Fast forward 20 years, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard law professor and 2020 presidential candidate, advocated for similar changes in the standards for operating America’s corporations. She maintained that corporate entities should do more than exist to advance the interests of wealthy Americans when she introduced the Accountable Capitalism Act (ACA) in 2018. Her bill also went nowhere in a Congress dominated by wealthy people.
Gallup polls report approximately 56 percent of Americans own stock, but that much of it is held in retirement plans. Ownership is disproportionately distributed in America as 10 percent of the population hold approximately 90 percent of all stocks.
The reforms advocated by Warren and McKinney of requiring corporations to act with a conscience strike at the heart of capitalist philosophy. The ongoing standard has been that corporations exist solely to benefit their owners (stockholders). The prevailing theory being that government can regulate corporate actions and that leaving them free to act without mandated ethical boundaries enhances their potential for success.
Contemplate this capitalist philosophy with the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision that corporations and other entities have First Amendment rights that cannot be restricted in donating to politicians and political media campaigns. The 5-4 decision has already revealed itself as being one of the greatest logical blunders in judicial history.
Corporations are not individuals, and allowing them unrestricted financial influence upon legislators while not having an applicable ethical code in place invites disaster on many fronts. Our nation was already rife with 40,000 toxic Superfund sites primarily created by corporations if anyone requires proof on that score.
Shocking amounts of corporate and individual wealth have poured into American politics since that infamous decision was rendered. What chance exists for environmental protection and economic fairness from a government run by politicians who ride to Washington, D.C., on carpets made from special interest greenbacks?
I’m not anti-capitalist, nor am I anti-business. I have visited countries with virtually all forms of government/business models, and generally find that capitalism (with proper regulation and fair taxation) is the most productive system.
However, unregulated capitalism ensures that some corporations will abuse humans and the environment. Balance is needed, and the imposition of a base corporate code of ethics would be a good start.
Many corporations appreciate the need to be “good citizens,” but history compels the conclusion that we can’t rely upon voluntary benefaction to protect society and the environment.
America and the world need a quantum shift in focus if we are to solve the humanistic and environmental problems plaguing our planet. That shift won’t occur if we maintain a system where unfettered money elects our government officials, and businesses are allowed to continue operating globally without ethical mandates.
Pete Buttigieg, in the last presidential campaign, argued for adoption of a constitutional amendment to rid America of the dark influence wrought by the Citizens United decision. He is right on that score. While doing so, America should tweak its corporate codes to require national and global accountability as part and parcel of the corporate mission.
The world needs inspired leadership from government and corporations if we are to change the present trajectory that is crippling our planet’s ability to sustain life. America is still a significant player on the world stage — why not set an example by embracing ethics and long-term vision over our inherently corrupting worship of the almighty dollar? | 2022-04-01T19:27:31Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The corporate factor | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-corporate-factor/article_f6b31bc8-176f-5cb4-8885-c6f5731af001.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-corporate-factor/article_f6b31bc8-176f-5cb4-8885-c6f5731af001.html |
By JIM KEY
This should be easy if you watch what they do and not what they say.
I have watched Rep. Simpson work his way up the committee structure in Congress to eventually become chair of House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water.
The 2020 election flipped the majority in the House, so Simpson became ranking member of this subcommittee. This position is still enormously important to business interests in Idaho.
John Wagner, INL laboratory director, recently announced funding for INL is expected to double in the next decade to continue its innovative research in clean energy and cyber security.
Simpson played a major role in making this happen, whether he was in the majority or not. Just look at the new facilities in Idaho Falls.
Historically, other Department of Energy national laboratories were better funded than INL because they had much stronger congressional delegations that participated in energy-related committees, accumulated seniority and provided leadership, which led to funding.
Loss of Simpson’s seat on House Appropriations would be catastrophic to INL’s mission and high-paying jobs in Idaho.
On the other hand, Smith, Doyle Beck and Idaho Freedom Foundation cronies joined with certain western states to transfer ownership of federal lands to states for development.
This is an excellent example of how states become corrupt. If federal lands are transferred to states, they can be sold piecemeal to developers, who just happen to get the prime parcels if they make adequate donations to PACs and legislatures.
Never mind legal opinions that this is unconstitutional and in conflict with required provisions territories signed to become states.
It took a major protest rally at the Idaho Capitol by hunters, fishermen, boaters, bikers, skiers, climbers and photographers to get the message across — keep federal lands public.
By the way, Smith is vice-chair of Freedom Foundation. Later, Simpson voiced support to keep the federal lands and improve them to better meet their original purpose.
Simpson went further and created the Sawtooth National Recreation Area by getting input from all stakeholders with common interests in this beautiful part of Idaho.
It now has legal standing that will preserve it for future generations. The next major initiative is in the planning stages. Simpson initiated talks with stakeholders along the Snake River where dams were built for electrical power generation and, unfortunately, pose a threat to Idaho’s indigenous sockeye salmon.
Smith’s hysterical campaign ads that removing dams will take water away from farmers and increase their transportation costs to markets is a bald-faced lie.
Simpson’s planning process will not go forward without mitigating measures to avoid these problems.
What can Smith contribute? Nothing positive.
He owns a law firm specializing in personal injury lawsuits and medical debt collection.
While these services are often needed in a community, overstepping the bounds of reasonable ethics is not.
Smith’s methods were so egregious that the politically friendly Idaho Legislature passed legislation that created regulations to prevent massive overcharging on legal fees and confiscation of property.
Jim Key is a former manager of the INL Materials Research Department who lives in Idaho Falls. | 2022-04-01T23:44:15Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The choice of Simpson versus Smith | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-choice-of-simpson-versus-smith/article_03f02c04-46e3-562e-84bd-d402d2ed27bc.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-choice-of-simpson-versus-smith/article_03f02c04-46e3-562e-84bd-d402d2ed27bc.html |
The article isn’t wrong, and its point could be made about many of the legislature’s committees, or the Senate and House themselves.
There have been many reports of various lawmakers retiring or running for something else — not least the long-serving House speaker (running for lieutenant governor) and another prominent House member who’ll be competing with him in the primary.
But how different will the legislature be in 2023?
Here I feel like a runner rounding a familiar bend in the track: Once again, as in many cycles for years past, you’ll likely see little real change.
The recent district reapportionment may change those numbers a little but not much.
The two districts that jump out to me as maybe most likely to yield partisan changes are likely to do so only at the margins, and seem to cut in opposite directions. (The new District 6, centered on the Moscow area with a slice of Lewiston, maybe helps Democrats a little. And the new District 26, which unites Blaine and Jerome counties, improves odds for Republicans in a district long dominated by Democrats.)
Statewide, redistricting doesn’t seem likely to much benefit either party.
The Republicans, be it noted, have done something remarkable: Unless my eyes misled me in scanning the lists, they appear to have filed at least one candidate for every single seat in the 105-member Idaho Legislature, including those few where Democrats seem prohibitively strong.
As best I can tell (someone correct me if they find any exception) neither party has until this year managed that in the last half-century.
What this most immediately means is that continued overwhelming control of the legislature by Republicans is highly likely to continue, and a scan of the candidate lists shows no indication its overall thrust and direction will be much different.
If you like what the Idaho Legislature is now, or if you don’t, well, either way, you’re almost certainly in for more of the same for the next two years.
Randy Stapilus is a former Idaho newspaper reporter and editor and blogs at www.ridenbaugh.com. He can be reached at stapilus@ridenbaugh.com. His new book "What Do You Mean by That?" has just been released and can be found at http://www.ridenbaugh.com/whatdoyoumeanbythat/ and on Amazon.com. | 2022-04-01T23:44:21Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The next legislature | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-next-legislature/article_ff92ddec-bbe0-537c-98ea-f82d0cdf81a8.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-next-legislature/article_ff92ddec-bbe0-537c-98ea-f82d0cdf81a8.html |
A brush fire burns along Interstate 86 near the Simplot plant in Pocatello on Friday afternoon.
A firefighter sprays water from a hose to douse the remaining hotspots from a brush fire along Interstate 86 in Chubbuck on Friday afternoon.
Firefighters douse the remaining hotspots from a brush fire along Interstate 86 in Chubbuck on Friday afternoon.
Firefighters and state police extinguished three brush fires that ignited along Interstate 86 in Southeast Idaho around the same time on Friday afternoon.
Reports of the fires along the freeway's westbound lanes in Chubbuck, near the Simplot plant in Pocatello and just east of Pocatello Regional Airport started coming in around 12:50 p.m. Friday.
Firefighters from multiple fire departments and state troopers responded to the blazes and all three of the fires were out by 2 p.m.
Smoke from the brush fires could initially be seen from miles away as the flames scorched dry vegetation along the freeway.
There were no injuries and the blazes did not result in any damage to homes or other buildings but the flames did scorch a chain-link fence along the interstate.
Emergency vehicles responding to the fires partially blocked stretches of Interstate 86 and traffic was backed up but the freeway was never shutdown.
State police believe that a vehicle dragging a chain likely sparked the fires, which scorched a total of less than 5 acres. | 2022-04-02T03:42:34Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Multiple brush fires ignite along Interstate 86 between Chubbuck and Pocatello airport | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/multiple-brush-fires-ignite-along-interstate-86-between-chubbuck-and-pocatello-airport/article_b8e6d7cc-a5ab-5d4f-ac4e-e3e5ddb3f7ff.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/multiple-brush-fires-ignite-along-interstate-86-between-chubbuck-and-pocatello-airport/article_b8e6d7cc-a5ab-5d4f-ac4e-e3e5ddb3f7ff.html |
Pocatello coach Josh Naylor shares a fist bump with freshman Taylee Rogers during a game against Blackfoot Friday afternoon.
Pocatello sophomore Miah Lusk unfurls a pitch during a game against Blackfoot Friday afternoon.
Pocatello senior Jadyn Burt makes a throw to first during a game against Blackfoot Friday afternoon.
A Pocatello player makes contact with a pitch during a game against Blackfoot Friday afternoon.
In the aftermath of Taylor Bunderson’s walk-off single, the final blow in Pocatello’s sweep of Blackfoot Friday afternoon, the Thunder spilled out of the dugout like ants to bread crumbs. First they sprinted toward Anisiah Ramirez, who scored the winning run in this 11-10 victory, then to Bunderson, the evening’s hero. They swarmed her, patted her helmet. In chilly temperatures before a setting sun, celebrations didn’t get sweeter.
Still, the party felt muted. If a stranger had just strolled into the game, they might think Bunderson had just threaded a game-tying single in the fifth, not a game-winning one in the seventh. The Thunder laughed and yelled and congratulated Bunderson — but she didn’t exactly dash around the diamond, didn’t get dogpiled or picked up. It was like a birthday party for a 30-year-old, not a six-year-old.
“I kinda saw it go past short,” Bunderson said, “and I just felt so relieved.”
Chalk it up to cold weather, fatigue, maybe something else entirely, but it’s also possible that subconsciously, the Thunder didn’t celebrate harder because they have bigger plans in store. Last year, this program had a seven-year streak of state tournament appearances snapped, so the standards here tower over other programs’. How would you react to a B when you’re used to straight As?
“It’s a huge goal. It’s a huge, huge goal,” head coach Josh Naylor said of his team’s aim to make state. “We’re hungry.”
Start there to understand how the Thunder have followed a 1-3 start with four straight wins, two over Bonneville on Monday and two over Blackfoot on Friday. They’re surging after a slow start. Their lineup is starting to resemble an assembly line, producing key hits from leadoff hitter Jadyn Burt to the nine-hole batter Ramirez, who also pulled off a go-ahead inside-the-park home run in Friday’s win.
None of it feels particularly surprising to Naylor, who has watched his team execute similarly early this season, in four-run losses to Twin Falls and 25-3 wins over Bonneville. The difference, he says, is in the margins. In other words: The Thunder have pieced together four straight wins because they’ve stuck with the ideals they started with.
“These girls work really, really hard. It didn’t pay off in our record in the beginning of the year,” Naylor said. “We preached to them, keep doing the right thing. Keep grinding at-bats out, keep working hard in practice. We put them through a lot, and it’s starting to show now. It’s starting to show in key moments.”
On Friday, it showed in spades. In the second frame, second baseman Taylee Rogers tied the game with an RBI single, and three batters later, Burt followed with an infield single that plated a go-ahead run. In the third, catcher McKinley Hill belted a triple, and she scored when outfielder Anna Campbell laced a single into right.
Even in the fifth, when Blackfoot gashed Pocatello for a four-run inning and the Thunder faced a three-run deficit, they never wilted. After they tied the game, with two outs, Ramirez roped a bullet down the right field line. The ball rolled all the way to the wall. By the time Blackfoot corralled it, Ramirez was sprinting toward third, so Naylor sent her home, where she crossed the plate with little drama. Pocatello retook the lead.
The seventh and final inning unfolded in similar fashion. The Broncos registered three runs in the sixth, taking a 10-9 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Not to worry. After outfielder Brooke Rushton led off with a double, Ramirez laid down a bunt, but an error allowed Rushton to score. Then Burt singled to right. One batter later, Bunderon poked the game-winner through the left side. The Thunder walked it off with nobody out.
“Josh really pushes the mental toughness on us, and we’ve been focusing on that,” Bunderson said. “So I just tried to stick with it and visualize it. We’ve been working on that too, visualization. So I just tried to visualize myself getting that walk-off and telling myself I was gonna do it.”
“We have so much belief in Taylor,” Naylor added. “She’s one of the keys to this team. She plays a great third base for us. She made some outstanding plays today, some double plays, a diving play on a bunt. We have confidence in her in every situation, that she’s gonna get the job done.”
The interesting part is that even with an exceedingly young team — Pocatello starts five sophomores and two juniors — the Thunder seem to keep getting the job done. Sophomore pitcher Miah Lusk, who allowed four runs over four innings, turned in a three-hit game in Friday’s nightcap. All told, four underclassmen posted multi-hit games in the contest.
It prompts what seems like a fair question: How? To Naylor and staff, the answer goes hand in hand with the way they plan to return to state, where they might feel comfortable partying a little harder.
“We find ways to reach our girls and talk to them, pull them aside,” Naylor said. “Try to tell them about the little things, that we believe in them, we trust them, and hopefully it sticks. I think it’s starting to stick now.” | 2022-04-02T07:15:32Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | How Pocatello softball followed a slow start with an electric win streak | Preps | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/how-pocatello-softball-followed-a-slow-start-with-an-electric-win-streak/article_dda3e99d-37fa-51da-9aae-3bcde48e2e47.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/how-pocatello-softball-followed-a-slow-start-with-an-electric-win-streak/article_dda3e99d-37fa-51da-9aae-3bcde48e2e47.html |
The National Weather Service has declared a high wind warning from noon Monday through 6 p.m. Tuesday for the entire region in anticipation of the windstorm's damaging 60 mph gusts. Widespread power outages are expected and road closures because of blowing dust are possible in East Idaho because of the windstorm.
The weather service has also issued a special weather alert calling for snow in East Idaho's higher elevations Monday morning through Monday night. Areas such as Spencer, Island Park, Ashton, Driggs, Victor, Soda Springs, Emigration Summit, Montpelier, Palisades, Swan Valley, Wayan and Henry could receive an inch or two of snow on Monday with the potential for more on Tuesday.
But the biggest weather threat Monday and Tuesday will be from the windstorm, which is forecast to hammer East Idaho with gusts that will blow down trees and power lines, causing widespread power outages, the weather service said.
Blowing dust from the winds could so drastically reduce visibility that temporary road closures might be necessary in East Idaho, the weather service said.
Visibility could be especially bad on Interstate 15 north of Idaho Falls and on Interstate 84 between the Idaho-Utah border and Interstate 86 interchange.
The winds will be strong enough to make controlling a vehicle difficult, the weather service said.
"People should avoid being outside in forested areas and around trees and branches," the weather service added. "If possible, remain in the lower levels of your home during the windstorm, and avoid windows. Use caution if you must drive."
Snow is also forecast for the central Idaho mountains on Monday and Tuesday and a winter storm warning calling for several inches of snow is in effect in the Stanley, Sun Valley and Ketchum areas.
Winter weather advisories and/or winter storm warnings are in effect in western Wyoming and in parts of Montana, Washington state and Oregon. | 2022-04-03T22:48:47Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | DESTRUCTIVE WINDSTORM, MOUNTAIN SNOW FORECAST FOR EAST IDAHO MONDAY AND TUESDAY | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/destructive-windstorm-mountain-snow-forecast-for-east-idaho-monday-and-tuesday/article_7ffa1a89-7900-5af1-b339-d6a18aa55575.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/destructive-windstorm-mountain-snow-forecast-for-east-idaho-monday-and-tuesday/article_7ffa1a89-7900-5af1-b339-d6a18aa55575.html |
OSGOOD — Two people are dead after their pickup truck left the roadway and ended up submerged in a canal on Sunday morning near this East Idaho community, according to Idaho State Police.
Authorities have identified the deceased as Kaydee Jo Martinez, 35, and Kord Dover, 37, both of Ammon.
State police said both victims were ejected from the 2008 Ford F150 they were traveling in on River Road near County Line Road when the pickup left the right shoulder, careened into a canal and became submerged. They were the vehicle's only occupants and neither was wearing a seat belt, authorities said.
State police said they began receiving reports around 7 a.m. Sunday that a pickup truck was in the canal just north of County Line Road near Osgood, which is north of Idaho Falls.
The two victims were already dead when emergency responders arrived on the scene, authorities said.
State police said they believe the crash occurred while the pickup was traveling northbound on River Road early Sunday morning.
State police were assisted at the scene by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Roberts EMS and Idaho Falls Fire Department. | 2022-04-04T06:11:57Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Authorities identify local man and woman who died when pickup left roadway and careened into canal | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/authorities-identify-local-man-and-woman-who-died-when-pickup-left-roadway-and-careened-into/article_ddbe47ff-9fb0-5a49-90c2-e2e478a13f66.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/authorities-identify-local-man-and-woman-who-died-when-pickup-left-roadway-and-careened-into/article_ddbe47ff-9fb0-5a49-90c2-e2e478a13f66.html |
The National Weather Service has declared a high wind warning from noon Monday through 6 p.m. Tuesday for the entire region in anticipation of the windstorm's damaging 60 mph gusts.
The weather service said the biggest impact of the windstorm in East Idaho will likely be road closures caused by drastically reduced visibility due to blowing dust. The winds could also bring down tree branches and power lines and isolated power outages are possible across the region.
"People should avoid being outside in forested areas and around trees and branches," the weather service said. "Secure or bring inside loose outdoor items before the strong winds arrive. Use caution if driving. If you encounter severe blowing dust, do not stop on the roadway. Slow down, turn on your lights, and use the painted roadway lines to
guide you. Look for a safe place to pull as far off the highway as possible."
Visibility could be especially bad on Interstates 15, 84 and 86 as well as on Highway 39.
The weather service has also issued a winter weather advisory calling for snow in East Idaho's higher elevations Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning. Areas such as Spencer, Island Park, Ashton, Driggs, Victor, Soda Springs, Emigration Summit, Montpelier, Palisades, Swan Valley, Wayan and Henry could receive an inch or two of snow.
The weather service said the 60 mph gusts will cause blowing and drifting snow that could dramatically reduce visibility and result in road closures in the higher elevations as well.
The weather service said it's possible that gusts could exceed 60 mph in parts of East Idaho depending on the severity of the windstorm.
The winds will be strong enough to make controlling a vehicle difficult and motorists should use caution while driving, the weather service said.
Snow is also forecast for the central Idaho mountains on Monday and Tuesday and a winter storm warning and winter weather advisory calling for several inches of snow are in effect in the Stanley, Sun Valley and Ketchum areas. A winter weather advisory calling for snow is also in effect in North Idaho.
Winter weather advisories and/or winter storm warnings are in effect in Wyoming, Utah, Washington state and Oregon. | 2022-04-04T16:51:00Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Weather service says road closures, isolated power outages could result from windstorm, mountain snow in East Idaho | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/weather-service-says-road-closures-isolated-power-outages-could-result-from-windstorm-mountain-snow-in/article_7ffa1a89-7900-5af1-b339-d6a18aa55575.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/weather-service-says-road-closures-isolated-power-outages-could-result-from-windstorm-mountain-snow-in/article_7ffa1a89-7900-5af1-b339-d6a18aa55575.html |
Realtor Gail Bishard poses outside of a home she recently sold at 1262 Heber Ave. Bishard is urging would-be home sellers afraid of listing amid a tight housing market to make sales contingent on themselves finding a new home.
POCATELLO — A local Realtor is urging colleagues to promote her simple plan for generating new residential listings amid an acute shortage of inventory in the Southeast Idaho housing market.
Gail Bishard, of the Bishard Team with Silvercreek Realty Group, is convinced the way to make the inventory shortage disappear is by having would-be sellers add language to their listing agreement making closing subject to them finding a new home.
"I've talked to my association. I've talked to my agents. We need to spread the word," Bishard said. "It has to be done. This is an easy fix."
During the annual Spring Fair, hosted in late March at Holt Arena, Bishard repeatedly heard comments from attendees who wanted to move but were afraid to list due to the challenge of finding a new home.
"At the spring fair, every other person said, 'I'm not going to sell a home. I'm not going to be homeless,'" Bishard said.
Bishard said there have been about 40 listings on the local market lately, with more than 400 Realtors competing for those listings.
"I worry about our agents. I really do. There's not enough inventory to really survive," Bishard said.
If her approach were to catch on, Bishard is certain there would be hundreds of listings on the market.
Bishard said local first-time buyers are having an especially hard time due to the lack of affordable housing in the community, as well as their lack of equity.
Most of Bishard's buyers lately have come from out of state.
"Our growth was 3 percent, 3 percent, 3 percent, and these past two years we jumped up high," Bishard said. "We should have moved up, but we're still jumping."
Bishard said there are drawbacks to buying new construction at the moment, based on rising construction costs.
"Builders can't even give me a price. All of the costs keep going up and up," Bishard said. "Numbers can change in four to six weeks."
The good news, Bishard explained, is that home owners are now earning significant equity in their properties within just a couple of years. Though it costs more to buy a home now, she said locals can also sell for more, essentially making it a wash for them to exchange housing. | 2022-04-04T16:51:06Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Local Realtor promoting plan to boost home listings | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/local-realtor-promoting-plan-to-boost-home-listings/article_0cedc6c9-35c6-5782-abf6-6e018ab60bdc.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/local-realtor-promoting-plan-to-boost-home-listings/article_0cedc6c9-35c6-5782-abf6-6e018ab60bdc.html |
The annual system flushing program will last around three weeks.
POCATELLO — The city of Pocatello Water Department will be conducting its annual system flushing program beginning today and will take approximately three weeks to complete. The flushing program is very important to the maintenance of the city’s water system and serves the following purposes:
— Enhances water quality by clearing any sediment from distribution pipes.
— Verifies the condition and proper operation of fire hydrants and valves.
— Verifies sufficient water flow for fire.
— There may be a temporary drop in water pressure at this time.
— Water may be rusty or cloudy. Discolored water is not harmful and will clear up in a few hours.
If you see a crew flushing a hydrant on your street, avoid running tap water and using the washing machine or the dishwasher until the flushing is completed. If you see hydrant-flushing crews working in the area, please drive carefully and treat them like any other road construction crew.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call Dave Christensen at 208-234-6182. | 2022-04-04T18:48:18Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Water system flushing begins today | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/water-system-flushing-begins-today/article_dc289a6b-8e18-547c-a157-3dc2d3bf54c5.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/water-system-flushing-begins-today/article_dc289a6b-8e18-547c-a157-3dc2d3bf54c5.html |
So the Republicans in the Idaho legislature voted against providing pay raises for Idaho’s judiciary. Let’s have no illusions why this happened. It’s payback for the state’s judges’ refusal to osculate the conservative lawmakers’ posteriors by rubber stamping their unconstitutional legislation.
Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. By this benchmark, our right-wing legislators are bleeping nuts. They keep passing unconstitutional legislation and expecting Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and the judiciary to let it be enacted. Two examples—Ag Gag and the anti-initiative law. More are on the way.
Wasden’s reward is to be challenged in the coming election by Raul Labrador. I looked up “political hack” in Websters and there was a photo of Labrador. The judiciary’s reward is to not get the 7 percent raise other state employees are receiving. Hit ‘em in the pocketbook. House Speaker Scott Bedke was philosophical, opining that next year’s legislature can vote for to grant the pay raise. That’s easy for him to say. He won’t be going nine months without a raise.
To be clear, the Idaho legislature’s far right side of the aisle “boasts” of pitiful folks who wave the confederate flag at political rallies, literally, and attempt to pass legislation that panders to their political base, whether or not it is constitutional. This is not only stupid, it’s expensive for the taxpayers. I’m still waiting for someone to show me an example of critical race theory being taught in this state. A high-priced legal firm couldn’t find any. Today we’re attacking librarians, what’s next, bonfires in library parking lots? Crap, total crap and it emanates from Boise on an almost daily basis.
I wish these fools could be voted out of office, but they can’t. They have the job security that in Idaho comes with having an “R” next to their name on the ballot. But let’s try. In the coming election, please vote for sentient human beings. A legislature full of sentient human beings would be a pleasant change.
Glenn Alford, | 2022-04-04T18:49:07Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | These fools | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/these-fools/article_e9f6a2cb-21f8-56e6-b734-57fe82d01962.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/these-fools/article_e9f6a2cb-21f8-56e6-b734-57fe82d01962.html |
Governor Little vetoed the bill which supported freedom to work. He said he did not want government to intrude into private businesses.
On the surface this certainly makes sense. No business wants the government telling them how to run their business. That is just one of the many freedoms we all experience as Americans.
However, when you dig deeper you have to wonder if he had another reason. After all, there are a number of areas where the government intrudes into businesses, including, among others, the following:
Zoning requirements
Fire codes
Americans with disabilities requirements
Business licensing requirements
Contractor licensing and other professional licensing
Non-essential businesses closed by government
Sales tax collections by private businesses
These are just a few: I know there are many others. So what was the real reason for the veto?
Thinking of freedom, more individuals are affected than are businesses. And, further, businesses would not even consider actions against employees except for being misled by the government health officials.
This was a tragic mistake. | 2022-04-04T18:49:13Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Tragic mistake | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/tragic-mistake/article_588813e4-14fa-5605-8374-87bb8f70482b.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/tragic-mistake/article_588813e4-14fa-5605-8374-87bb8f70482b.html |
Above is the bomb shelter at the refugee center we worked at on March 19. Dismal, damp and cold where refugees spend at least a few hours every night.
Georgia Milan
A Ukrainian refugee carries an infant.
Dr. Georgia Milan
Journals from Ukraine: My experiences with treating refugees in war-torn nation
By Dr. Georgia Milan
Editor's note: Pocatello Dr. Georgia Milan wrote these journal entries about her experiences working with refugees in Ukraine.
Arrived in Siret today after some travel delays and an eight-hour car ride from Bucharest. Lots of refugees — so strange to see so few men — all men 18-60 have to stay and fight. Women leaving sick parents in order to save their children. I have seen personal photos of bombed out buildings where people used to live and many not living now. People in shock, depressed and hopeless. So many families torn apart! They didn’t think this would really happen! Tomorrow will meet with other NGOs to better coordinate care. May need to help on Ukraine side but not far from border.
4,181 refugees passed through Siret yesterday. Because of problems on Polish border, more are expected to be coming.
5,000 refugees a day continue to cross the border in Siret. Most from Kiev, Crimea, Kharkiv. They are very efficient here at getting people bussed out to towns all over Europe. This morning as i was crossing into Ukraine I saw again a very tearful family hugging goodbye as the man turned around to fight for Ukraine. The desperation is beyond description as these families say goodbye. Although in a Ukrainian warming shelter I saw two sisters reunited and the wailing of relief brought tears to all of our eyes. I am working now in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, during the day but returning at night to the border. 33 refugee camps with 50,000 refugees. The camp today was in an old school. It was so heartwarming to work with these brave people. Much stress and yet always warm hearts. Every day we go to a different place. Our driver is from Kharkiv which has been bombed badly. He is here with his wife and son. A family took them in and there are 15 people living in three rooms. He has no job now but won’t take money for transporting us. He says he only wants to help. I hope this war is over soon. These people deserve a safe home. They only want peace, family and their freedom. I am inspired by them.
I continue to go to Chernivtsi, Ukraine, with my team of five every morning. It takes about 30 minutes to successfully walk across the border into Ukraine. Many checkpoints and usually many people lined up to hopefully escape into Romania. Babies, children, mothers, dogs, cats, elderly people carrying what they can in suitcases. I am amazed how good the children are — they stand in long cold lines and I never hear them complain. Maybe they are too afraid or hope it is a crazy game they have been thrown into. They cannot escape the tears of their mothers, and their fathers turning around before they reach the border crossing with one last hug. Yesterday in a refugee shelter a mother was crying so hard she was shaking as I held her in my arms and her sick 7-year-old son rubbed her back and told her he loved her. More refugees coming everyday to the shelters in Chernivtsi with horror stories. These people are hoping to have reached a safe place in Ukraine. They do not want to leave their country and many have no relatives or money to try. They feel strongly Ukraine will win this war. They will never give up! We try to visit as many shelters as we can providing medical care. Everyone is so grateful and it inspires them that even Americans care! I am inspired by them every day!!! We have a Ukrainian man who drives us an hour every morning to reach this town snd bring us back in the evening. This morning they again bombed Lviv, which is 150 miles away. Our town has no military targets and it feels safe but at night the sirens go off detecting missiles over Ukraine and everyone has to go to the bomb shelters — freezing underground rooms and sit on cement floors for hours. People reassuring themselves no bomb will come but remembering the bombs they just escaped. Of course I sleep in Romania. I am privileged. I am learning so much fro these people — resilience, courage, smiling in the face of disaster and never giving up hope! I, too, think Ukraine will win this war and live in peace. I pray Putin will not use chemical weapons or worse. We deserve peace!!!
Bomb shelters are dismal, damp and cold, where refugees spend at least a few hours every night. Nearest bomb was 80 miles away. Chernivtsi has no military targets so everyone hopes they are safe. 50,000 refugees and more coming. Today I saw a 72-year-old woman with heart failure. Her village was bombed last week. She has stopped her medications and wants her children To be free to run if needed. She doesn’t want to tie them down. I don’t expect her to live very much longer. The sadness of war. I continue to work with many good hearted young volunteers in Ukraine who are just glad to be busy and helping with the war effort. In the midst of devastating personal losses, people are still optimistic that justice will prevail and Ukraine will win this war.
The people in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, where I go every morning to work in the refugee settlements are so kind to is. They can’t believe people from the U.S. have come to help them. The older women cry on our shoulders. They hold our hands until they must move on. They thank us so much for standing with them. Many are chronically ill and cannot afford more medications. Anything we do not have we try to deliver the next day from the pharmacies in Romania. People running out of seizure medicine, diabetic medication, blood pressure medicine etc. Everyone’s blood pressure is soaring. We also bring herbal meds which people prefer. These are sold in pharmacies right along with prescription meds. Pharmacists are very knowledgeable in both. We buy our medications in Romania because Ukraine has short supplies. We use a number of calming techniques with the people to decrease the panic and sorrow. They definitely help snd I am humbled by the fact that our mere presence brings hope to the people. No one voices any doubt that Ukraine will win this war. They know they can be whole again and one day go home. Billboards in Chernivtsi say “refugees, we will take care of you.” We were down in the bomb shelter again today and I played peekaboo with a darling girl while her brother played with a ball. I was impressed with their ability to hold on to the innocence of their childhoods through this. Everyone tries to protect the children. Everyday I contemplate the preciousness of life and our responsibility to each other.
Today visited the humanitarian distribution center of the Department of Health for this region in Ukraine. Many supplies coming and going. The truck drivers attempting to bring food and medical supplies through the humanitarian corridors but never sure if they will be targeted and killed. Brave folks. They are trying to get aid into Mariupol which is under siege. They are surrounded and 300,000 people are without food and resources. Hospitals have been bombed. There was a rumor that the roads would be opened today and aid could arrive safely but this is doubtful. Pictures of neighbors burying neighbors have been seen. I can’t imagine what that would be like. I don’t see any refugees from this town because they are trapped, but I see any of their horror-stricken relatives. I saw a list of medical supplies that are needed in many parts of Ukraine — surgical supplies, IV meds, morphine for the wounded, intubation equipment, etc. Even ordinary people in Chernivtsi cannot find their diabetic medications. Hospitals have run out of chemotherapy for their cancer patients. These people did not ask for war and yet they are the victims. Let’s pray for a speedy end to this madness!
Today went to a refugee shelter on the outskirts of Chernivtsi. My interpreter was a very nice young woman who spoke very good English. If it were not for these wonderful interpreters I could not help people here. She is from a village in eastern Ukraine which is under siege. She was very tearful talking about it. She said she would rather die in her village than live outside of it. She had her bicycle snd was helping deliver food and medicines to the older villagers but her mother could no longer live in war and they left. This young woman has been terribly depressed and was so grateful to help us. She just wants to help! This is the story of the people I have met in Ukraine. Another woman today in her 70s had a broken rib from falling as she was escaping her town in northern Ukraine. Her husband did not make it. Many sad stories today. It will be hard to leave this place. I guess we all just want to help like my sweet interpreter. She reminded me of the best of the human race.
Dr. Georgia Milan is the medical director of Pocatello Free Clinic. She often travels abroad to help refugees in dire need of aid with the Montana-based organization Hands on Global and recently returned from Ukraine, where she provided aid to refugees. | 2022-04-04T18:49:19Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Journals from Ukraine: My experiences with treating refugees in war-torn nation | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/journals-from-ukraine-my-experiences-with-treating-refugees-in-war-torn-nation/article_7fb41228-fe1c-575a-b6bd-7a0ff9c33c04.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/journals-from-ukraine-my-experiences-with-treating-refugees-in-war-torn-nation/article_7fb41228-fe1c-575a-b6bd-7a0ff9c33c04.html |
By Sixth Judicial District of Idaho
The Sixth Judicial District Magistrate Commission will be selecting a magistrate judge to replace the Honorable David R. Kress, who will be retiring effective June 30. The Magistrate Commission asks you for your help in the appointment by providing us with your comments on the following applicants:
Nine applicants have applied for the position:
— David Wayne Cousin. Bingham County chief deputy prosecuting attorney. Idaho Falls.
— Monte Christopher Gray. Assistant general counsel, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Pocatello.
— Samuel Criss James. Private attorney. Soda Springs.
— Jeffrey Lind Phillips. Prosecuting attorney, Owyhee County. Homedale.
— Tawnya Rawlings. Fremont County chief deputy prosecuting attorney. St. Anthony.
— Dustin W. Smith. Malad City attorney and attorney-advisor for U.S. Air Force. Malad City.
— Randy W. Smith. Deputy public defender IV Canyon County. Middleton.
— Eric Edgecomb Wannamaker. Tech. licensing assoc. and retired Navy judge advocate. Moscow.
— Steven Douglas Wood. Private attorney, partner with Spinner, Wood & Smith and Caribou County prosecuting attorney. Soda Springs.
Evaluation questionnaires on the applicants will be sent to attorneys statewide. Evaluation forms for public comment may be obtained from the Sixth District Trial Court Administrator’s Office, 624 E. Center, Room 220, Pocatello, Idaho 83201 or your local county courthouse. You can call 208-236-7379 or request a questionnaire by email at kerryh@bannockcounty.us
Any individuals with personal knowledge regarding the qualification of the applicants are urged to complete the evaluation form. Evaluations on the magistrate judge applicants should be returned to the trial court administrator’s office at 624 E. Center, Room 220, Pocatello, Idaho or by email no later than April 19 at 5 p.m. | 2022-04-04T20:36:37Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Magistrate judge applicants for Caribou County | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/magistrate-judge-applicants-for-caribou-county/article_b9ee02ab-3ca3-5747-99ae-898e111a3073.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/magistrate-judge-applicants-for-caribou-county/article_b9ee02ab-3ca3-5747-99ae-898e111a3073.html |
LOGAN, Utah — A Cache Valley teenager was charged in juvenile court after he allegedly shot another minor in the eye with an “Orbeez gun” earlier this month, authorities say, and the incident is said to be connected to a broader social media trend.
On March 5 around 10:30 p.m., individuals in a vehicle approached a female minor at Ridgeline High School and allegedly shot her with type of toy gun that launches Orbeez beads. Logan City Assistant Police Chief Jeff Simmons said the alleged victim was hit near the eye and sustained a welt and perhaps some bruising.
“This female apparently didn’t have anything to do with it,” Simmons said. “They approached her, asked her which team she was on, she began to roll the window up, they fired into the car and hit her.”
Simmons said a 16-year-old male admitted to shooting into the vehicle and was charged with a single class-A misdemeanor count of assault with substantial bodily injuries.
In this particular case, Cache County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Mikelshan Bartschi said a child of a sheriff’s office employee was contacted during the investigation, and the case was passed to Logan police to avoid any conflict of interest.
Simmons and Bartschi indicated the incident seemed to be part of the #OrbeezChallege on TikTok. Bartschi indicated both Ridgeline and Green Canyon High School have seen an increase of these kinds of issues.
Orbeez are compact, absorbent beads that grow when placed in water, and certain paintball-esque guns — products not made by Orbeez — are used to shoot the beads. While a quick search on TikTok shows the #OrbeezChallenge typically involves harmless uses for the water-absorbent beads, it has garnered attention after law enforcement agencies across the nation have said the challenge has led to deleterious shooting incidents.
In February, Vernal City Police Department officers referred two minors to juvenile court for allegedly shooting “multiple individuals” with projectiles from an “Orbeez gun.” They indicated it was part of a TikTok challenge.
The day before the incident at Ridgeline, Draper City Police responded to a group of juveniles who came face-to-face with a real firearm after they had been shooting “gel balls” at people in a parking lot.
“People in two vehicles, blocked the juveniles in, and a man pointed a handgun at a juvenile’s head while demanding the juvenile hand over the gel gun. A woman proceeded to punch one of the juveniles repeatedly in the head. Once the juvenile handed over the gel gun, the man put his gun away and the woman hit and damaged the juvenile’s car with the gel gun,” Draper police wrote in a news release.
Simmons said Logan police are concerned about safety, and also a toy gun being misidentified for the real deal.
“It’s just more or less the safety factor for them. Should they pull of of these out as kind of a prank on a traffic stop — that could result in some serious consequences,” Simmons said.
Simmons also noted that juveniles involved in these incidents aren’t necessarily trying to hurt people, including those involved at Ridgeline.
“I don’t think they were trying to cause (injury), obviously, but it still happened because they were careless,” Simmons said.
Bartschi said the sheriff’s office is cracking down on these incidents. Shooting anything, toys or otherwise, from a moving or stationary vehicle is a crime, Bartschi said.
“We are actively putting additional patrols out, and we are not taking them lightly,” Bartschi said. “We will pursue those criminal charges against individuals who choose to engage in that.”
Jeff Simmons
Office Lt. Mikelshan Bartschi
Orbeez Gun | 2022-04-05T06:32:10Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Juvenile charged in shooting incident with ‘Orbeez gun’ near Idaho-Utah border | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/juvenile-charged-in-shooting-incident-with-orbeez-gun-near-idaho-utah-border/article_ce7a531a-b472-52e6-9ccd-cb01b6d84ce6.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/juvenile-charged-in-shooting-incident-with-orbeez-gun-near-idaho-utah-border/article_ce7a531a-b472-52e6-9ccd-cb01b6d84ce6.html |
This photo of 5-year-old Michael Joseph Vaughan was taken one month prior to his disappearance, according to the Fruitland Police Department.
Fruitland Police Department Photo
“We are happy to hear that SB 1378, the Endangered and Missing Person Alert passed both houses and feel that if signed into law will be a much needed tool moving forward for all Idaho Law Enforcement,” the post read. “Mass exposure in these types of events will bring a higher probability of a successful recovery.” | 2022-04-05T08:42:25Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Idaho missing person alert bill signed into law | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/idaho-missing-person-alert-bill-signed-into-law/article_3d311070-6ae9-55a7-8db3-f3a9975627ab.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/idaho-missing-person-alert-bill-signed-into-law/article_3d311070-6ae9-55a7-8db3-f3a9975627ab.html |
Students show their drawings in Terry Stilwell's drawing class.
Terry Stilwell
POCATELLO — Basic drawing with American Falls High School Art teacher, Terry Stilwell, is being offered for adults and high school students at the Pocatello Art Center, 444 N Main in downtown Pocatello.
Have you always wanted to learn to draw? Do you know a little, but would like more techniques and tricks? Join Terry Stilwell, for a six week beginning drawing class each Tuesday night from 6 to 9 p.m. beginning April 19.
Classes will cover ways to dramatically improve your drawing with simple tricks and techniques as well as ways to add interest and complexity. For those who are ready to increase their observational skills, learn to translate objects into basic shapes, develop a sense of depth through compositions and perspective, and create the illusion of textures, this class is for you. No prior training is needed.
"I had taken an art class 30 years ago and didn’t have the best experience, but I always felt a little sad that I hadn’t stuck with it. I was also in a rut and wanted to try something creative again. So I took a chance and signed up — and I even convinced a couple of friends to join me. I loved every minute of it," said one of Terry's previous students, Laura Soldate.
"Terry’s teaching style is perfect for beginners and more advanced artists because she starts from scratch with the basics. She draws with you so you can see what she is doing, and she encourages you to apply your own style, strengths and artistic flair. She doesn’t expect you to do it like she would. She wants you to find and explore your own way of doing things. She makes the learning process fun and engaging, and you never feel self-conscious. Now I sketch on my own for fun, and I am building confidence day by day."
The cost is $60 for Pocatello Art Center members and $75 for non-members.
Call Educational Director Marsha Losser at 208-234-1549 for more details or the Pocatello Art Center at 208-232-0970.
Class size is limited. Call today to ensure your space in the class.
Pocatello Art Center | 2022-04-05T18:07:13Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Basic drawing art class at the Pocatello Art Center | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/basic-drawing-art-class-at-the-pocatello-art-center/article_2911d028-5e5c-56bd-aa78-525cbc83b3a4.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/basic-drawing-art-class-at-the-pocatello-art-center/article_2911d028-5e5c-56bd-aa78-525cbc83b3a4.html |
ITD District 5 Surveyor Ryen Johnson receives Surveyor of the Year Award
So, when Idaho Transportation Department began looking at extensive work along the Interstate 15 corridor between Pocatello and Idaho Falls, District 5 Land Surveyor Ryen Johnson realized numerous important National Geodetic Survey benchmarks were attached to I-15 structures and would need to be replaced. Knowing the importance of these markers, he spoke with District Engineer Todd Hubbard, and the two created a project to remove the monuments and place new markers throughout the 59-mile stretch of freeway.
“We recognized that we needed to start work, and we were going to focus on the I-15 corridor prior to any bonding money being formally available,” said Hubbard. “They are the gold standard of monuments for precision accuracy, elevation in particular. We knew those bridges would need to be replaced and the monuments along with them. Instead of doing it bridge-by-bridge and monument-by-monument, we wanted to look at the whole corridor and place new monuments out of the right-of-way lines.”
Fifty-seven new monuments were placed as part of the FY20 District 5 and District 6 Monument Preservation Project. The new monuments will be reported to the NGS at 2nd Order, Class 1 or better accuracy standards. Performing this work prior to the planned widening of the freeway to six lanes allows the project to move forward without having to remove the monuments during construction, but also offers a foundation for project surveys.
Hubbard points out the importance of being in front of the effort, “Now we have great control and knowledge of elevation as we start those designs and I-15 corridor design work and analysis.”
To D5 surveyor Jeannie Liimakka, Johnson’s efforts seemed a shoo-in for the prestigious Idaho Society of Professional Land Surveyors’ Surveyor of the Year Award for 2021. The award can only be won once by any individual surveyor and recognizes a significant public service by the surveyor with a “record of achievement and service to the profession.”
“To complete this project,” said Liimakka, “Johnson held bi-weekly meetings with key staff members to discuss project updates, progress checks, field effort planning, NGS updates, etc. Sixteen project update meetings were anticipated. Photos were taken on all monuments found or set. Digline was called for all new specified monument locations.
"An anticipated 57 new NGS monuments were set, these being either brass disc in rock and/or stainless-steel rods driven to the point of refusal. Static GPS surveying along the entire corridor was performed on all benchmarks, except on walls that were deemed unoccupiable with GPS; this includes vertical benchmarks.” | 2022-04-05T18:07:57Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | ITD District 5 Surveyor Ryen Johnson receives Surveyor of the Year Award | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/itd-district-5-surveyor-ryen-johnson-receives-surveyor-of-the-year-award/article_a992d060-7119-5fd3-a70f-574a611c83ce.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/itd-district-5-surveyor-ryen-johnson-receives-surveyor-of-the-year-award/article_a992d060-7119-5fd3-a70f-574a611c83ce.html |
Scott Anderson, director of choral activities at ISU’s Department of Music, conducting the chamber choir and concert choir.
POCATELLO — The Idaho State University Choirs Spring Concert will be presented April 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Jensen Grand Concert Hall.
Scott Anderson, director of choral activities at Idaho State University's Department of Music, will conduct the ISU Chamber Choir and ISU Concert Choir in the performance of a wide variety of choral masterworks and folk arrangements. Anderson said: “The ISU student singers are thrilled to be performing without masks for the first time in more than two years, due to the COVID protocols we’ve been maintaining since the pandemic began. Our April 16 concert represents a return to a more 'complete' opportunity to communicate and share music with our audience."
Anderson will lead the 18-voice ISU Chamber Choir in the presentation of the “Kyrie” from Cantus Missae in Eb for double choir by Josef Rheinberger, Johannes Brahms’ setting of “O schöne Nacht,” featuring the artistry of pianist Gabriel Lowman, three of Paul Hindemith’s Six Chansons: “La biche,” Un cygne," and “Puisque tout passé." The group will end its portion of the program with Eric Whitacre’s rhythmic setting of “Little man in a hurry,” No. 5 from "The City and the Sea," once again featuring pianist Gabriel Lowman.
The 45-voice ISU Concert Choir will perform Beethoven’s magnificent setting of “Hallelujah” from Christus am Ölberge, Op. 85, with pianist Jack DeTombe, a senior piano major at ISU. The choir will continue with “Verleih uns Frieden” by Felix Mendelssohn, and Shawn Kirchner’s arrangement of “Unclouded Day” from his set Heavenly Home: Three American Songs.
Anderson explained: “With the shocking aggression and warfare now happening in the Ukraine, we will present two pieces which describe the great contradictions present for any group of people enduring life amidst such destruction.”
The concert choir will perform three verses of the Ukrainian lullaby, “Oi khodyt’ son kolo vikon," followed by Jere Hutcheson’s moving composition, “Lament for a lost child.” Pianist Jack DeTombe will again be featured in the optimistic setting, “Courage, my soul”, a gospel arrangement by Rollo Dilworth.
ISU Music Department concert admission prices are $8 for adults, $6 for faculty and staff, $4 for pre-college aged students and ISU students get in free with a valid Bengal ID.
Children aged under the age of 6 will not be admitted into ISU Music Department concerts.
Isu Music Department
Isu Chamber Choir | 2022-04-05T18:08:03Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | School of Performing Arts to present the ISU Choirs Spring Concert | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/school-of-performing-arts-to-present-the-isu-choirs-spring-concert/article_fb33c65a-4d19-5e14-a6fc-1f71608e8a2e.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/school-of-performing-arts-to-present-the-isu-choirs-spring-concert/article_fb33c65a-4d19-5e14-a6fc-1f71608e8a2e.html |
Courtesy Idaho Transportation Department
ITD District 5 Surveyor Ryen Johnson Receives 'Surveyor of the Year' Award
So, when ITD began looking at extensive work along the Interstate 15 corridor between Pocatello and Idaho Falls, District 5 Land Surveyor Ryen Johnson realized numerous important National Geodetic Survey (NGS) benchmarks were attached to I-15 structures and would need to be replaced. Knowing the importance of these markers, he spoke with District Engineer Todd Hubbard, and the two created a project to remove the monuments and place new markers throughout the 59-mile stretch of freeway.
“We recognized that we needed to start work and we were going to focus on the I-15 corridor prior to any bonding money being formally available,” said Hubbard. “They are the gold standard of monuments for precision accuracy, elevation in particular. We knew those bridges would need to be replaced and the monuments along with them. Instead of doing it bridge-by-bridge and monument-by-monument, we wanted to look at the whole corridor and place new monuments out of the right-of-way lines.”
Fifty-seven (57!) new monuments were placed as part of the FY20 District 5 and District 6 “Monument Preservation Project.” The new monuments will be reported to the NGS at 2nd Order, Class 1 or better accuracy standards. Performing this work prior to the planned widening of the freeway to six lanes allows the project to move forward without having to remove the monuments during construction, but also offers a foundation for project surveys.
Hubbard points out the importance of being in front of the effort: “Now we have great control and knowledge of elevation as we start those designs and I-15 corridor design work and analysis.”
To D5 surveyor Jeannie Liimakka, Johnson’s efforts seemed a shoo-in for the prestigious Idaho Society of Professional Land Surveyors’ “Surveyor of the Year" Award for 2021. The award can only be won once by any individual surveyor, and recognizes a significant public service by the surveyor with a “record of achievement and service to the profession.”
“To complete this project,” said Liimakka, “Johnson held bi-weekly meetings with key staff members to discuss project updates, progress checks, field effort planning, NGS updates etc. Sixteen Project Update meetings were anticipated. Photos were taken on all monuments found or set. Digline was called for all new specified monument locations.
An anticipated 57 new NGS monuments were set, these being either brass disc in rock and/or stainless-steel rods driven to the point of refusal. Static GPS surveying along the entire corridor was performed on all benchmarks, except on walls that were deemed unoccupiable with GPS; this includes vertical benchmarks.”
Ryen Johnson Receives | 2022-04-05T18:08:27Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | ITD District 5 Surveyor Ryen Johnson Receives 'Surveyor of the Year' Award | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/itd-district-5-surveyor-ryen-johnson-receives-surveyor-of-the-year-award/article_048a1fdd-8eca-5f75-8c27-e9990b1e11de.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/itd-district-5-surveyor-ryen-johnson-receives-surveyor-of-the-year-award/article_048a1fdd-8eca-5f75-8c27-e9990b1e11de.html |
Movie review: Stylish slasher 'X' evokes '70s sleaze with post-modern satire
It's only been a few weeks since Netflix released their horror requel, “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” a somewhat low-effort attempt to restart the cannibal killer franchise where Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic left off. The ripple effect from the monument in exploitation horror bares out with decades of obvious imitators. From horror favorites like “The Hills Have Eyes” and “Motel Hell,” to modern movers and shakers like “Wrong Turn” and “House of 1000 Corpses,” these films lift themes and concepts directly from Hooper’s low-budget masterpiece.
Ti West’s latest splatter flick, “X,” walks a tightrope between homage and rip-off, but does so with enough self-awareness and youthful zest that it justifies an honorable retread.
Set in 1979 Texas, a group of young travelers rent a rural cabin to shoot an adult film, in hopes of propelling them out of their small-town lives. Mia Goth and Brittany Snow star as Maxine and Bobby-Lynne, the pretty starlets of this pornographic production. Rapper Kid Cudi plays the male on-camera talent, Jackson. Martin Henderson plays the slick-talking, McConaughey-esque producer Wayne. Owen Campbell and Jenna Ortega round out the cast as RJ and Lorraine — the porn director with art-house aspirations and his shy sound-technician girlfriend. The team must keep their antics a secret since their living quarters are only a grassy field away from the cabin’s elderly landlords, Howard (Stephen Ure), and his sundowning wife, Pearl (also played by Mia Goth).
It's clear from the get-go that these traditional, religious octogenarians represent a repressed and violently reactionary generation that came before that of the free-love out-of-towners who they encounter. When Pearl’s dementia takes the form of disassociated nymphomania, the couple reclaim their territory in strange and unpredictable acts of carnal terror.
West taps into a visceral fear of decay and aging by baiting the audience with base titillation and switching suddenly to the same physical desires as expressed by traditionally undesired bodies. When the characters, like the audience, naturally recoil from these advances, that’s when they are punished into brutal and gory executions.
One might find all of this in bad taste and needlessly cruel, and if that’s how you feel, you’re not wrong. The tradition of exploitation is to push beyond the veil of decency with lurid premises that you won’t see in the average movie-going experience. In this sense, “X” captures the depravity and anarchic glee of Tobe Hooper’s “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” as well as his lesser-known follow-up, “Eaten Alive.” West also leans into a knowing satire, akin to the subtler moments of Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead” franchise.
While this exercise in genre doesn’t say anything new about its subject matter, it's worth noting that the porn director character makes the point of aspiring to the heights of French art cinema, even though his role is to simply capture meaningless sex. A24, the studio that distributed “X,” is associated with a style of “elevated horror” that evokes the art-house auteurs of the 1960s and ’70s. The shots here are composed with skill, and the horror is effective in building and releasing tension, but, to the movie’s benefit, this is not an art film. Perhaps West has his tongue in his cheek as he uses the mainstream clout of A24 to release what is essentially a down and dirty, no-frills slasher film filled with boobs, blood and well-executed mayhem.
Tobe Hooper | 2022-04-05T21:57:55Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Movie review: Stylish slasher 'X' evokes '70s sleaze with post-modern satire | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/movie-review-stylish-slasher-x-evokes-70s-sleaze-with-post-modern-satire/article_3fff7f99-14b6-56fd-8fa5-2b90460ce912.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/movie-review-stylish-slasher-x-evokes-70s-sleaze-with-post-modern-satire/article_3fff7f99-14b6-56fd-8fa5-2b90460ce912.html |
Throw Them Away!
Take a few moments to reflect upon this past week or month of your life. What stands out as big anxieties hanging over you? We all have anxieties, which seem to pull our thoughts in all kinds of ways.
The Apostle Peter wrote to Christians who were being persecuted for their faith. He encouraged them to continually entrust their lives to God’s care and protection, instead of worrying themselves to death. In 1 Peter 5:6-7 (TPT), Peter writes: “If you bow low in God’s awesome presence, He will eventually exalt you, as you leave the timing in His hands. Pour out all your worries and stress upon Him and leave them there, for He always tenderly cares for you.”
Whenever we feel our stability or health is threatened, we get anxious, and worry about how to change it. Big increases in gas and grocery prices cause anxiety. A serious medical diagnosis can throw us for a loop. And besieged Ukrainians don’t just have anxieties, they face life-threatening dangers. So what are we to do?
Peter gives each of us some sound advice to equip us for navigating uncertain times. First, Peter tells us to acknowledge the greatness of God and our comparative vulnerability as frail, mere mortals. Death comes to each of us, at some point. I remember an illustration Dr. Elizabeth Kübler-Ross once shared about our inability to stop death. A terminally ill little girl drew a picture of a big tank pointing its barrel at a little girl standing in front of the tank as she held up an octagonal sign with the word “STOP” on it. When we are facing a life-threatening situation, we all feel like that little girl.
The good news is that what leaves us feeling helpless is not beyond the power of God to alter. God can do things beyond what is “natural,” because He is supernatural. Being a rationalist, I have no doubt that God is capable of doing anything He sets His mind to do. But I also understand that God does not always change Heaven’s bigger plans because of my personal objections or requests. Jesus addressed this same issue in the Garden of Gethsemane (see Luke 22:42; Matthew 26:39). He prayed asking God: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup (my death on the cross) pass from me.” But even in this prayer Jesus immediately yielded the outcome for God to do what was necessary to carry out His divine purposes, even if it meant Jesus’ death. Thus Jesus prayed: “Nevertheless, not My will, but Your will be done.”
So talk with God about your situation. Express your requests and feelings, but also put your life and future in God’s hands, being willing to do whatever God decides is the way forward. Thus Peter says: Humble yourself before God. Admit that God is God, and you are His servant.
Next Peter says, cast your cares onto God. Where are your cares and anxieties currently located? Are they on you, always on your mind, in your hand? Peter says throw your cares and worries onto God. This is like throwing a football, letting it leave your control. Once you throw the ball, (the anxieties) to God, they are in His hand. Your worrying will accomplish nothing but tear down your health.
The Passion Translation of 1 Peter 5:6-7 tells us to “pour out all your worries and stress upon Him, and leave them there.” The last phrase in vs. 7 is really important to remember. Pour out your heart to Him, throw all your worries and cares onto God. Why? “For He tenderly cares for you.” When it feels like life is falling apart, we sometimes conclude: “God doesn’t care! If He did, He
wouldn’t let this happen.” But God demonstrated His great love for us, that while we were still spitting in His face, Jesus died for us, so we can be forgiven, changed, and be with Him forever. So we can entrust our future to Him.
In the midst of your pain, your fears, your worries and anger, never forget this truth: God cares for you. He loves you and wants you to spend eternity in His home, in His presence. When you are filled with anxieties, come before God humbly, pour out your heart to Him, turn your worries and problems over to Him, place your whole life and future in His capable hands, and give thanks that no matter how chaotic our life seems to be, He is there for us, loving us, and caring for us. Throw your anxieties on to God, and leave them there!
Award-winning columnist Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gwynn’s Island Baptist Church, Gwynn, VA. He can be reached at szent.edward@gmail.com. | 2022-04-05T21:58:02Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Throw Them Away! | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/throw-them-away/article_6c31e169-8787-5355-b87a-71b9c881c3e1.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/throw-them-away/article_6c31e169-8787-5355-b87a-71b9c881c3e1.html |
Diana M. Corcorran
A 50-year-old Downey woman was arrested last week after sheriff’s deputies say she elbowed an emergency medical technician in the face while being transported to a local hospital.
Bannock County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Diana M. Corcorran at Portneuf Medical Center on Thursday and charged her with felony battery upon a healthcare worker for the alleged attack.
The incident occurred in an ambulance on Interstate 15 north of Downey shortly after 11 a.m. on March 27, according to an incident report the Idaho State Journal recently obtained.
Deputies and emergency medical personnel were dispatched to a home on East Center Street in Downey for the report of a woman, later identified as Corcorran, who was overdosing, the incident report says.
Upon their arrival, deputies and emergency medical staff administered Narcan, a drug that reverses opioid overdoses, before Corcorran, who was unconscious but breathing, was loaded onto a gurney and into the back of the ambulance.
The ambulance stopped at mile marker 36 north of Downey on Interstate 15 and the deputy was advised Corcorran had struck one of the emergency medical staff members in the face, deputies said in the incident report.
When the deputy entered the back of the ambulance, Corcorran had regained consciousness and was flailing her arms around, deputies said. The deputy secured Corcorran’s hands to the gurney using handcuffs and the ambulance proceeded to Portneuf Medical Center.
At the hospital, Corcorran “was still attempting to fight with the ambulance staff and hospital staff,” so it was requested she remain handcuffed until she calmed down, deputies said.
The emergency medical staff member told the deputy she was trying to gather Corcorran’s vitals when Corcorran started removing the safety belts of the gurney. The emergency medical technician tried to calm Corcorran down when Corcorran struck her in the nose with her elbow, deputies said.
The emergency medical technician told the deputy she would seek medical treatment at the hospital because she was experiencing pain in her face, a headache and nausea, deputies said.
Corcorran was admitted to the behavioral health unit at the hospital and remained there from March 27 until Thursday when hospital staff informed the sheriff’s office Corcorran was set to be released. A sheriff deputy responded to the hospital, charged Corcorran and arrested her.
Corcorran appeared in front of 6th District Judge Paul Laggis for an arraignment hearing Friday, during which Corcorran was ordered to be released from jail on her own recognizance.
She is due back in court on April 12 for a preliminary hearing in which prosecutors will attempt to prove there is enough evidence against her to elevate the case from the magistrate to district court level for trial.
If convicted of the felony charge of battering a health care worker, Corcorran faces up to three years in state prison. | 2022-04-06T04:20:20Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Deputies: Local woman charged, arrested for elbowing medical technician during ambulance ride | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/deputies-local-woman-charged-arrested-for-elbowing-medical-technician-during-ambulance-ride/article_fa689224-7e87-5e8e-a70d-1768199aa5e8.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/deputies-local-woman-charged-arrested-for-elbowing-medical-technician-during-ambulance-ride/article_fa689224-7e87-5e8e-a70d-1768199aa5e8.html |
Highland coach Ralph Daniels chats with catcher Jenna Kearns during Tuesday's game against Thunder Ridge.
Highland catcher Jenna Kearns hauls in a pitch during Tuesday's game against Thunder Ridge.
Highland catcher Jenna Kearns makes contact with a pitch during Tuesday's game against Thunder Ridge.
Ralph Daniels has the perfect way to describe the burdensome task of becoming Highland’s new softball coach, so as the temperatures dip and the wind gusts and the sun sets, he points to a sign on the backstop at this field in Chubbuck.
“Tisha Coverdell Field,” Daniels says.
Sure enough, attached to the fence behind home plate is a rectangular sign that bears the name of Tisha Coverdell, the Rams’ legendary softball coach who completed a 25-year career last season. Before she retired last May, she recorded 15 district titles and nine top-five finishes at state, becoming a softball fixture in Pocatello and establishing one of the state’s premiere programs.
So now the task — the responsibility — of coaching softball at this field goes to Daniels, who headed the JV team for the past seven years. On this chilly Tuesday evening, he wonders: How does anyone take over for Coverdell?
“You don’t,” Daniels said. “I learned a ton from her, but I’m trying to make it my own program. I steal itineraries and stuff from her — she’s super organized — but I’ve gotta find a way to make it my own program. I can’t try and fill her shoes. I can’t try and be her. She was a fantastic coach here.”
To add his own flavor to this storied program, Daniels has pressed a few buttons. He wants his players to relax. He thinks these Rams play best when they’re having fun, so in practice, he blares music to keep the mood light. It usually ends up being hip-hop. “I actually like it,” Daniels said with a chuckle.
On the softball field, though, Daniels and the Rams have work to do if they want Coverdell to smile about her first season as former coach. With a 15-14 loss to Thunder Ridge Tuesday afternoon, Highland dropped to 1-5 this season, the latest installment in this book titled The Rams’ Close Losses This Season.
The chapters look like this: A 19-12 loss to Owyhee. A 15-14 setback to Rocky Mountain. A 22-17 defeat to the Grizzlies. So when the Rams fell again — this time when they tallied nine runs in the sixth inning and their frenzied rally fell one run short against Thunder Ridge — it puts Daniels in a curious spot: How do you square a disappointing record with so many narrow defeats?
Mostly, he says, he’s come away encouraged. It’s not like Highland is falling to overmatched opponents. The team’s first four losses all came last weekend, in a tournament in Boise, where some of the state’s best talent resides. Losing to 5A powers like Rocky Mountain and Owyhee is nothing to be embarrassed about.
Then again, this is Highland. The Rams are supposed to compete with programs like those, not lose, even if the games are close. That’s where the binary outcomes for Highland seasons — state tournament or bust — come back to bite Daniels.
So far, his diagnosis of the team’s issues come down to defense. Wind gusted at more than 20 mph in Tuesday’s game, but the Rams committed seven errors. In Highland’s first game against Owyhee, the Rams committed six. That number jumped back up to seven in Highland’s second loss to Rocky Mountain.
Those figures have conspired to force Highland into an early-season hole, but through a wider lens, they’re also incompatible with the standards Coverdell established with this program, which missed state just three times in her 25 years.
“We are making simple mistakes on defense. We are missing what should be simple outs,” Daniels said. “That’s what we have to fix. We’re giving the games away…. We cannot win against this level of competition making those types of errors.”
Lucky for Daniels, his team rosters Jenna Kearns, the team’s catcher who is hitting a scintillating — no typo here — .692 this season. She’s clobbered six home runs for 11 RBI, posted a comically high 2.224 OPS and, perhaps most importantly, she’s struck out just once. She recorded two games with two homers last weekend. Good luck finding a player on this side of the state, at the 5A level, with those kinds of numbers.
She’s played so well that she’s complicated things for athletic director Travis Bell, who runs the Highland sports Twitter account, where he posts updates during games. On Saturday, he tweeted “Jenna Kearns with the bomb over deep center.” Then, barely 20 minutes later, he wrote, “Kearns crushes another one over deep center!” She's kept Bell busy during these games.
“I take a deep breath before I get in, just relax,” Kearns said. “It’s really about mindset, me knowing that I can hit this, that I will, that I’ll help my team.”
Through six games, she’s done that and more. She’s also committed just one error all season, good for a sparkling .968 fielding percentage, which means she’s helping the Rams in the department that’s hurt them most so far.
Now would be a good time for Highland to solve its defensive woes. The Rams’ next seven games are all against 5A District 5/6 foes, starting with a road twinbill against Madison on Thursday. Hypothetically, Highland could drop these contests and still make the 5A state tournament, since everyone makes the district tournament and everyone gets a shot to win the whole thing.
But this is Highland. The Rams are expected to win. Daniels may be in his first year as head coach, but he knows that when fans come out to his team’s games, they don’t come to any generic field. They come to Tisha Coverdell Field.
“There is some pressure, but I have to figure out a way to put that in the back of my mind. I can’t compare myself to her,” Daniels said. “I can’t panic with our record being where it’s at. There is huge pressure. We’re Highland High School. Our expectation is we go to state every year and we compete. I know there is pressure. I have to do my part to help these girls fix. But that pressure is on me, and I can’t put that onto the girls.”
Tisha Coverdell Field | 2022-04-06T04:20:39Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | How Ralph Daniels is managing expectations in his first season as Highland's softball coach | Preps | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/how-ralph-daniels-is-managing-expectations-in-his-first-season-as-highlands-softball-coach/article_f6150bab-7b1a-5a15-a5a1-bca87ce6c061.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/how-ralph-daniels-is-managing-expectations-in-his-first-season-as-highlands-softball-coach/article_f6150bab-7b1a-5a15-a5a1-bca87ce6c061.html |
The Idaho State Police and a Critical Incident Task Force are investigating after an early Wednesday morning pursuit that followed several citizen reports of shots being fired from a vehicle on eastbound Interstate 84.
At approximately 3:30 am, with the aid of spike strips, the suspect vehicle, a pickup truck, was stopped at milepost 192 between Twin Falls and Burley. Two occupants of the vehicle, a male driver and female passenger were taken into custody without further incident.
Investigators appreciate the calls from motorists who allowed officers to locate the suspect vehicle. If anyone witnessed this morning's incident and has not spoken with investigators, they're asked to contact Idaho State Police dispatch at 208-846-7500. | 2022-04-06T15:59:37Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Two people in custody after multiple shots fired at police during lengthy pursuit | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/two-people-in-custody-after-multiple-shots-fired-at-police-during-lengthy-pursuit/article_b2f7c411-545e-5684-98ae-bac33ba212dc.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/two-people-in-custody-after-multiple-shots-fired-at-police-during-lengthy-pursuit/article_b2f7c411-545e-5684-98ae-bac33ba212dc.html |
The Idaho Library Association is accepting nominations for its 2022 statewide awards and scholarships.
Awards are given for public library, librarian, paraprofessional, trustee, school librarian, friend and special services to libraries.
Scholarships are given to individuals pursuing a library science degree or engaging in library-related continuing education.
To see the criteria, apply for a scholarship or nominate a library, individual or group for one of the awards, visit the ILA website at http://www.idaholibraries.org/Idaho-Library-Awards.
Contact the committee at ilaawardsubmission@gmail.com with questions. The deadline for nominations is June 3. | 2022-04-06T17:52:49Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Idaho Library Association now accepting nominations for statewide awards and scholarships | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/idaho-library-association-now-accepting-nominations-for-statewide-awards-and-scholarships/article_ca1eb284-7ac0-5626-9443-0ed4d78ab289.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/idaho-library-association-now-accepting-nominations-for-statewide-awards-and-scholarships/article_ca1eb284-7ac0-5626-9443-0ed4d78ab289.html |
Margaret Hanson, the TSA’s national officer of the year for 2021, poses with Kimberlee Green of Pocatello, who won the award last year.
Margaret Hanson, who was named TSA’s national officer of the year, helps a family go through a security check at Idaho Falls Regional Airport.
East Idaho TSA officer wins national award
An Idaho Falls officer with the Transportation Security Administration was celebrated after she was named the agency's national officer of the year.
Margaret Hanson
Andy Coose | 2022-04-07T06:28:51Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | East Idaho TSA officer wins national award | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/east-idaho-tsa-officer-wins-national-award/article_960f9f4d-22b7-521a-8a8f-15b8c6d53451.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/east-idaho-tsa-officer-wins-national-award/article_960f9f4d-22b7-521a-8a8f-15b8c6d53451.html |
Gate City Elementary School for won Most Minutes Total and tied for Most Minutes Total.
By Lookout Credit Union
POCATELLO — City of Pocatello’s Mayor Brian Blad, Lookout Credit Union and the Marshall Public Library once again has partnered together for education, presenting the sixth Annual Mayor’s Million Minute Marathon for 2022.
This reading program challenges K-5 public schools, charter/private schools and home-schooled students in the Pocatello, Chubbuck and Fort Hall area to have a goal of reading a million minutes combined in the month of February.
Lookout Credit Union, and Marshall Public Library’s Kathryn Lopez Luker, distributed over 7,500 reading tracking sheets to all elementary schools at the end of January. Students then calculated their reading time starting Feb. 1 through Feb. 28. The sheets were then collected and tallied at the beginning of March.
This year, the students have more than doubled their minutes from their 1-million-minute goal, with the final total clocking in at 2,200,025, along with a record number of students participating this year (2,854). Kathryn Lopez Luker of Marshall Public Library said: “This wonderful, yearly program helps children build excellent skills and gives them an opportunity to develop a love for reading. Congratulations to everyone who participated. If everyone reads a little, the whole community accomplishes a lot.”
For the winners, Lookout Credit Union has generously donated cash prizes for their library for the schools with the highest statistics.
— Most Minutes Total winner: Gate City Elementary School, 715,365 minutes ($500).
— Highest Average Per Child winner: Holy Spirit Catholic School, 2,571 minutes per child ($500).
— Highest Percentage of Participation (three-way tie) winner: Wilcox Elementary School, 100% participation ($250). Gate City Elementary School, 100% participation ($250). Holy Spirit Catholic School, 100% participation ($250).
The principals and librarians from the winning schools each got a check presentation with Mayor Brian Blad. Lookout Credit Union also gave each of the winning schools a giant personalized check to proudly display at their school, and each reading participant will also receive a ribbon.
The MMMM started in 2016, with the idea coming from Mayor Brian Blad, who wanted to increase reading awareness in local schools and approached Lookout Credit Union for support.
“The overwhelming support and buy-in for this program (MMMM) is a true testament to the parents, teachers and, most of all, the learners. This program goes to show that with community buy-in, and local support, anything can be accomplished. We love supporting this program, as books unlock the knowledge to a brighter and more beautiful future for everyone. We are honored to be involved with this wonderful reading program with Mayor Blad since the beginning," said BJ Fillingame, vice president of marketing for Lookout Credit Union.
The first year’s total minutes was 487,590 (2016) and has since increased almost five times the amount from the first year. This reading program is a huge success, and the community looks forward to continuing it in the years to come.
For questions contact BJ Fillingame, Lookout Credit Union vice president of marketing, at 208-235-7100 or bfillingame@lookoutcu.com.
Lookout Credit Union
Kathryn Lopez Luker | 2022-04-07T18:30:24Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Mayor’s Million Minute Marathon held for its sixth year | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/mayor-s-million-minute-marathon-held-for-its-sixth-year/article_e6b74ec2-4502-531e-ab0e-2230a1da4b67.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/mayor-s-million-minute-marathon-held-for-its-sixth-year/article_e6b74ec2-4502-531e-ab0e-2230a1da4b67.html |
Fremont County responds to intoxicated man threatening to harm himself
By Fremont County Sheriff's Office
On 04/06/2022 Fremont County Dispatch received a call of an intoxicated male subject at a residence threatening to harm himself.
The male subject had discharged a firearm in a shop located at the residence. Fremont County Deputies, Ashton Police Officers, Forest Service Law Enforcement, and St. Anthony Police Department arrived on scene. The male subject left the residence and walked north through a field.
As deputies was approaching the subject and told him to show them his hands he pulled a knife out of a sheath and dropped it he ground. Deputies arrested the subject without incident.
Subject was checked out by Fremont County EMS. He was then taken to the Fremont County Jail where he was booked into jail for discharging a firearm at a house or building. The subject was identified as Blaze Maupin 36 of Ashton.
Ashton Police Officers | 2022-04-07T18:30:42Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Fremont County responds to intoxicated man threatening to harm himself | Crimes & Court | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/fremont-county-responds-to-intoxicated-man-threatening-to-harm-himself/article_955b1e87-14be-5650-82d6-0ee679a13415.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/crimes_court/fremont-county-responds-to-intoxicated-man-threatening-to-harm-himself/article_955b1e87-14be-5650-82d6-0ee679a13415.html |
Highland pitcher Colton Sneddon unloads a pitch Thursday evening against Madison.
Highland coach Christian Colonel (center) meets with players on the mound Thursday evening against Madison.
Highland players and coaches take in Thursday's game against Madison.
Highland shortstop Luke Davis throws to first Thursday evening against Madison.
Highland’s cadre of coaches met in shallow right field, standing in a circle, chatting about all the things that led to this calamitous loss: Fielding errors. Empty at-bats. Unfocused attitudes. To head coach Christian Colonel, this 6-1 setback to Madison Thursday evening underscored more than just a disappointing start to district play.
“If you’re going to have more errors than hits and walk eight guys,” Colonel said, leaning over the first-base line fence at Haliwell Park, “that’s a recipe for disaster. You’ll never win a game.”
After the Rams’ second straight loss to the Bobcats, making Highland 1-2 to kick off 5A District 5/6 play, Colonel looked disappointed. He was a bit off on his first statement — Highland posted five hits and four errors — but his second was spot on. The Rams issued eight walks. Four came in the seventh, when Madison blew the game open with four runs, all but sealing this result.
“That was definitely the worst game we’ve played all year,” Colonel said.
To Colonel, much of this game — this series — spoke to the team’s mindset. In Wednesday’s first game, a 15-3 Highland win, the Rams took what they saw. Didn’t force things. Stayed composed in the batter’s box.
That all changed on Thursday. Designated hitter T.J. Edgington notched two hits, and three of his teammates logged one apiece, but their head coach didn’t see much else that he liked.
“Letting the game come to us instead of going and taking control,” Colonel said. “Want to be up at the plate and be the guy in the moment, instead of going up because you’re up next to bat, instead of wanting to be the guy. We’ve just gotta figure it out.”
So how do the Rams do that?
“Hopefully the boys just reflect on today and learn from it,” Colonel added. “Then eventually flush it. If they just forget about how that felt, and we don’t learn from our mistakes, then it’s going to be a long, terrible season. But if we learn from it, we can be better for it, for sure.”
This series was always going to be a rather critical one for Highland. The Rams had raced to a 9-2 start, entering with two straight wins to their names, but the real test in their season — the part that affects the postseason — arrived this week with the start of district competition. How would the team fare? Even back in the middle of March, after a blowout win over Century, Colonel chatted about how much he and the team were looking forward to playing the games that really mattered.
They all matter, Colonel clarified, but not in the way these do. Three games into this five-team gauntlet, the Rams now sit in fourth. That’s hardly the end of the world — it’s still early April, and besides, they’ll make the district tournament regardless of seed — but Highland would rather not be playing catch-up. Idaho Falls (5-1), Madison (4-2) and Thunder Ridge (2-4) lead Highland after Thursday’s games.
If there’s good news for Highland, it’s this: The pitching hasn’t been all bad. In this series finale against Madison, senior Colton Sneddon tossed five innings of two-run baseball, walking four and fanning six. In Game 1, Edgington struck out seven in five innings, allowing three runs, just one earned. The Rams have the arms to win games. Their gloves have just betrayed them. “We’ve just gotta be able to step up and make the play,” Colonel said.
To some extent, these mistakes can be understandable. The players are teenagers, Colonel acknowledged, not pros being paid obscene amounts to laser throws from third to first like Nolan Arenado. Inconsistency is part of high school sports, from California to Maine.
The part that frustrates Colonel is that these errors might be understandable, but they’re not excusable. In 2018, his first year as the head man at Highland, he’s felt like the hunted, like others teams are giving the Rams their best shots. “It’s always been like that,” Colonel said. “Highland’s got the reputation of a football powerhouse, and then it trickles down to other sports.”
That adds a dimension of frustration to this result for the Rams. Much went wrong — they fell behind in too many at-bats, Colonel said, and they aren’t taking aggressive enough approaches at the plate — but it only feels that way because of the standards they hold themselves to.
All of which prompts a question: Did anything go right for Highland on Thursday?
“I’ll let you know next week — how we respond to this,” Colonel said.
In other words, Highland’s home twinbill with Rigby on Wednesday looms rather large.
T.j. Edgington | 2022-04-08T05:04:54Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | After a series loss to Madison, where does Highland baseball go from here? | Preps | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/after-a-series-loss-to-madison-where-does-highland-baseball-go-from-here/article_6cbff87a-b3d7-5167-8b0c-b23899af4123.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/preps/after-a-series-loss-to-madison-where-does-highland-baseball-go-from-here/article_6cbff87a-b3d7-5167-8b0c-b23899af4123.html |
As a young child, age 5 to probably about 11, I had three paranoias: wind, our basement and ghost stories.
The first one came to mind this morning at 4:47 a.m. as I laid awake listening to the gusty wind whistle around the bricked corner of my house where my bedroom is located. This is the same bedroom I slumbered in as a child. I recognized that same whistling pitch that used to disturb me enough to either head to my mom’s room or sometimes holler out for her to come protect me. It kept me awake and scared back then. But now it just kept me awake and annoyed.
I checked the weather app on my phone. It said gusts of 15 to 21 mph. Sure seems more powerful than that. I will probably see debris in my yard when the sun shines. Some of the new U.S. flags I just installed on the fence will indubitably be on the ground. At least my tulips and daffodils are not up and bloomed yet to be obliterated by this early spring gale.
I mentioned the basement. Thirteen steps with a railing on the left side going down to the food storage and freezer. An extra bedroom and what we called “the playroom” make up the partially unfinished area. My friends and I would gather in that “play room” for sleepovers and throwing darts at the woo- paneled walls. (The holes are still there, I can show you sometime.)
“Go downstairs and get a package of hamburger from the freezer,” Mom would order. “Sure,” I would say, being the most dutiful and obedient child of the family. There was only one light switch at the top of the stairs and it only provided light to not quite the bottom of the stairs. It used to look darker than a West Virginia coal mine from the top of the stairs as I stood there hesitant, trying to muster my courage. From the bottom step, I had to make a right hand turn and traverse about 15 feet on a cold concrete floor to make it to the freezer door. There lies the problem, pitch black with only a bare bulb from the ceiling with a pull chain and that was clear on the opposite side of the room! Pulling open the freezer door to activate the light was necessary to even see where the dang pull chain was!. If I had brains back then, I would have packed a flashlight but you know the answer to that already. Getting to the freezer door and back to the lit staircase was 10 seconds of pure terror for me. I am sure my EKG would have shown tachycardia from the fear of “something going to get me” until I was bounding back up the stairs to the safety of the kitchen and my Mom. Ironically, when my son and I moved back to this house in our “Andy Griffith and Opie” days, he was about 12 years old and he, too, was petrified by this basement. So it wasn't just me!
Now to the ghost stories. I surmise this may be the catalyst for all my other anxieties and fears of childhood. On the shoulders of my best childhood friend, Danny, I will place this honor. We often camped out in his backyard in the elevated fort his Dad built. Complete with a trap door and rope climb access. Our fort adventures could be its own book. Tucked into sleeping bags, we would chatter into the late hours of the dark summer nights. Danny loved telling ghost and horror stories. I hated it. Despite my whimpering and protesting, he raconteured me into a fearful frenzy every time. More than once, I would leave our outings in a tremble to either walk home or get his mom Elaine out of bed to drive me the three blocks of no street lights. We laugh about this now, Dan and I, when we see each other occasionally.
Hearing this wind whistle this morning brought out these memories and also the smile on my face that I am not a scared little boy anymore. The sun is now up, I look out my front window and all my new flags are still up and intact. I go down the basement all by myself just fine, thanks to the added light switch. And, Dan, if you read this, call me — .I’ve got a great ghost story for ya! | 2022-04-08T19:12:51Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Fears of childhood blown away | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/fears-of-childhood-blown-away/article_56de4b2e-f691-5260-8770-bed101b36b13.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/fears-of-childhood-blown-away/article_56de4b2e-f691-5260-8770-bed101b36b13.html |
Idaho’s so-called “Freedom Index” scores legislators high who have bowed low to a dark-monied, libertarian-leaning special interest group. It does not measure conservative values.
Released to the public just last week in time for the 2022 primary election, the “Freedom Index” is produced by a lobby group with unknown funding. Looking at a few Index ratings for legislation, decide for yourself how “conservative” it is:
House Bill 509 — Increases the refund of grocery sales taxes to Idaho families, raising the credit to $120 per person, a $20 increase. While the Freedom Index says that “letting Idahoans keep more of their hard-earned income” should be a key element of “freedom,” apparently not in this case. This tax reduction, returning $32 million to Idaho taxpayers, scores zero, nada, zilch. Coincidently (or not) this proposal competes with a grocery tax exemption being lobbied by the Index authors.
House Bill 548 — Keeps tax cheats and out-of-state residents from claiming the Idaho property tax homeowner’s exemption. It authorizes comparing a list of exempt addresses to the homes claimed by registered voters. The Freedom Index declares this “especially anti-freedom” with a penalty of minus 2 against a legislator’s “Freedom Score.” Apparently owning million-dollar homes and illegally claiming multiple exemptions is somehow “pro-freedom.”
House Bill 664 — Aligns certification (including fingerprinting and background checks) of Idaho audiologists and speech pathologists through an interstate agreement that allows treating patients in multiple states. Mountain Home Air Force families needed this to avoid changing a child’s therapist with every relocation. Idaho speech therapists supported this action. But the Freedom Index scored it as anti-freedom, minus 2.
Ironically the Index authors routinely challenge the trustworthiness of health professionals who come into public schools (or “government schools” as they dub them). They’re likely to cry foul if “non-fingerprinted” health professionals work with your child, suggesting you should abandon the “government school.” They want to push you to private, on-line or homeschool alternatives and give up the free local school that competes with their backers.
House Bill 678 waives sales tax on building materials to expand semiconductor manufacturing in Idaho. Without such expansion, these taxes aren’t collected at all, so this incentive costs the state nothing.
Economists observe that “Russia produces an insignificant number of semiconductors and is heavily reliant on imports,” so microchip sanctions strike Russia’s greatest weakness. This bill works to prevent similar U.S. vulnerability to China. According to the Freedom Index, bringing more semiconductor jobs to Idaho is a significant blow to freedom, scoring a penalty of minus 2.
Senate Bill 1284 raised the age for purchasing and using tobacco and vape products, from 18 to 21. Idaho now aligns with the federal smoking age signed by President Donald Trump in 2019. Trump made raising the smoking age a priority to combat underage smoking (mostly 15- and 16-year-olds who get their “smokes” from 18- and 19-year-old classmates). Cigarette and vape sales on military bases and federal facilities are now limited to ages 21 and above.
Even Phillip-Morris, cigarette manufacturer and owner of vape outlets, agreed, conceding that the age increase “would be the most effective means to prevent underage smoking.” The Freedom Index, however, scored the bill a whopping minus 4, ranking it among the most “anti-freedom” bills, not just of 2022, but of all time.
The “Index” apparently sees teenage tobacco addiction as “the price of freedom” in Idaho.
Solid conservatives and Republicans committed to limited government passed all these bills. They support a stronger economy, low tax rates, and decision-making by individuals, not bureaucrats. Libertarians find economic collapse an opportunity to “short” stocks, believe “no tax” beats low taxes, and couldn’t care less about responsible decision-making, by anyone.
The libertarian world is chaos. The conservative world envisioned by the authors of the U.S. Constitution, and the great patriots who fought and died for it, is one of principled liberty.
Do not be deceived by politicians bragging of a good “Freedom Index.” Vote conservative instead.
Freedom Index | 2022-04-08T19:12:57Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Freedom Index rewards libertarian tyranny | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/freedom-index-rewards-libertarian-tyranny/article_634a912b-7a25-5b20-86e6-5d0e3e20521f.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/freedom-index-rewards-libertarian-tyranny/article_634a912b-7a25-5b20-86e6-5d0e3e20521f.html |
Jesus, Jefferson and Joe — a trio of ‘wokeness’
I just hate it when people use slang and I have no idea what it means. It makes me feel so out of it — which, at my age, I am, but reluctant to admit it.
It’s like that “jive scene” in the movie “Airplane!” when the two Black passengers are talking jive, which the flight attendant can’t understand. Then an older white lady, played by June Cleaver of “Leave It to Beaver” fame, takes over and talks jive right back at them. Very funny.
A USA Today article points out that half of adults who use slang admit to not even knowing the meaning of the slang terms they use. I’m sure that is particularly true when older white guys like me try to use slang. When we do, we quite often come across as being “cheugy” or totally uncool for trying too hard to be in style (like I just did).
Last week in the opinion section of the ISJ, a gentleman in my age group suggested that Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is inept and an unworthy choice for SCOTUS who may turn us all into “brainless, asexual sponges” due to something he calls her “wokeness.”
After reading that, I thought “Wow! I’m not sure what wokeness is, but if there is a vaccine for it let’s get it out there.”
My curiosity piqued, I researched the term and discovered that most people who use the term “woke” have no clue what it means either. But they like to use the term because, as one politician’s aide explained, “it works.” The media is full of examples.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, accused “the woke mob” of trying to prevent people from reading his book. But I say it’s more likely woke and unwoke book critics trying to save people from wasting their money.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, is probably the number one wolkaholic politician, having cautioned the nation about such dangers as "woke corporate virtue signaling” "woke progressive craziness” and "woke toxic nonsense.” Rubio even criticizes "woke talking points" while using “unwoke” talking points the entire time.
Rubio, like most conservatives, never seems to take that extra step to explain what he means. Perhaps he could try being honest like Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, 86. When asked if he is concerned about wokeness, Inhofe replied, "I cannot answer that, because frankly I don't know what you're talking about.”
In a recent interview with Fox News, former President Donald Trump naturally had to jump on the wokewagon, saying the Biden administration is "destroying" the country "with woke." And it’s a safe bet that Trump has no idea what HE is talking about either.
One dictionary definition of woke is “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).” Now, I ask you, doesn’t that sound like a quality one would desire in a Supreme Court justice, or any human being for that matter?
The term woke has been around in the Black culture for a long time. But it wasn’t until the Black Lives Matter movement promoted the concept of “being woke” to society’s injustice that some conservatives raised the alarm and proclaimed, “That wascally woke is a vewy, vewy bad word.”
So, certain politicians stole “woke” from Blacks and morphed it into a political weapon. Or as Guardian columnist Rebecca Solnit put it, “Woke’s youth was among young Black people, but its illness and decline came after it was kidnapped by old white conservatives.”
This headline on the internet is an example of the”‘woke” scare tactic being played out to its extreme: “Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) Says The 'Woke Left' Is The 'Greatest Danger' America Has Ever Faced.”
Wow! Circle the wagons. Batten down the hatches. Get the kids and the dog into the bomb shelter. Aunty Em! Aunty Em! I’m frightened!
Apparently, degrees of acceptable wokeness vary with the times. Thomas Jefferson’s wokeness is clearly evident when he contributed to writing the words “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal….”
Can you imagine an 18th century slave owner proclaiming such heresy to fellow slave owners? That’s about as woke as a guy can get. If the other Founding Fathers had today’s conservative mindset they would have protested loudly, “Wow! Jefferson is so full of wokeness it’s sticking out from beneath his wig.”
Or how about Abraham Lincoln in 1863 stating “that all men are created equal” in his Gettysburg Address? That took some chutzpah with the slavery issue still in flux. Lucky for Honest Abe that someone like Rick Scott wasn’t in the audience with his pitchfork shouting, “That’s wokeness if I’ve ever heard it. This man is the greatest danger America has ever faced!”
So why all this weeping and gnashing of teeth over such a nebulous concept as wokeness? Well, when it comes to leaders in government and religion nothing is more important than preservation of the status quo.
It’s just safer for those in power to remain unwoke. After all, based on the word’s definition, Jesus was the King of Wokeness — and remember what political and religious leaders did to Him. | 2022-04-08T19:13:09Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Jesus, Jefferson and Joe — a trio of ‘wokeness’ | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/jesus-jefferson-and-joe-a-trio-of-wokeness/article_89f91fda-d7e1-5ca4-a139-f8adeaf3e142.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/jesus-jefferson-and-joe-a-trio-of-wokeness/article_89f91fda-d7e1-5ca4-a139-f8adeaf3e142.html |
Being a mediator, I am in the problem solving business, and humans have frequent conflicts. How we handle those events reveals much about our humanity.
One may think they learned the basics for making apologies in the first grade, but “apologies require the highest level of human capacity — mindful self-reflection and the ability to acknowledge another person’s experience.” (The Power of Apologizing, May 2, 2019)
Multiple online sources identify the following components for making effective apologies: Start by checking your ego at the door; clearly identify the offense; recognize that the other person’s feelings of embarrassment or pain are valid; brief explanations can be helpful but don’t try to shift the blame; assume full responsibility for the conduct; voice sincere regret; request forgiveness; and express your intent to act more mindfully in the future.
Give thought to the nuances involved in making an effective apology; poorly executed efforts can escalate the problem, while well-executed apologies can open lines of communication.
A 2019 Gulifyle study found that our most common transgressions are romantic (33 percent), family (27 percent) and friends (23 percent). It’s not surprising that we primarily hurt people in our closest relationships. I struggled over the pain I caused someone in my life, but a counselor helped me to accept my situation by observing, “Hurting people is part of the journey of being a human being, Jesse. Nobody gets through life without causing other people pain.”
Two individuals who exercised complete control over my life for years while committing child abuse have never apologized. One is dead and dances with the devil; the other lacks capacity to even acknowledge her cruelty.
I spent 25 years of my life harboring controlled rage toward those two individuals. My assumption was that they would eventually be consumed with the need to apologize for their abusive conduct — “never make assumptions.”
“You are less likely to receive an apology if the relationship is too conflicted, or if there are legal liabilities or potential precedents involved, or if the offender is in a position of power.” (Marsha Wagner, University of Colorado, Apologies Handbook).
My anger toward my abusers simmered for years until I met an intuitive woman on a beach in Mexico. She took my hand and began reading my fortune; in two minutes her insight had my heart pounding.
At that captivated point, knowing my first name and that I was a lawyer, she added, “You suffered a horrific childhood. The people who raised you did terrible things to you, and you are filled with anger toward them. You want them to apologize, but people who do these kinds of cruel things to children lack conscience. They are going about their life while you suffer needlessly, and they will never apologize. You are a good person who helps others, but you need to forgive these people because your anger impacts your ability to fully live your life. I promise you forgiving these people will take a great weight off your shoulders. I promise you that.”
Her words were difficult for me to accept. I had resolved to forever hate my abusers. After several weeks of contemplation, I wrote that letter of forgiveness. I had no desire to reconcile with their toxicity, but my letter released negative energy and permanently enhanced my enjoyment of life. It felt like a weight had been taken off my shoulders.
My birth mother departed when I was 2 and my sister was a baby. I have no recollection of her from my early childhood. We did not resume a relationship until I was on my own at the age of 16. Her brother, a man I didn’t know existed, stopped to give me a ride when I was hitchhiking. That “chance” meeting facilitated a reconciliation of sorts. I eventually came to understand she was overwhelmed and that survival drove her actions. We made our peace after experiencing some rocky times, and we are caring friends nowadays.
I received a letter of apology from my birth mother after she turned 81. She expressed poignant remorse for her actions that failed me as a mother. I had no expectation of receiving that communication, but her genuine apology still touched my well-seasoned heart. If you have made recent or ancient mistakes, it’s never too late to embrace the power of apology. | 2022-04-08T19:13:16Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The power of apology | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-power-of-apology/article_bf2aa0d4-6527-50db-88a2-06d0158af15b.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-power-of-apology/article_bf2aa0d4-6527-50db-88a2-06d0158af15b.html |
I’m not complaining. From my observation spot on my lonely treadmill, I’ve watched many of them huff and puff as they strut their stuff. I say this without sarcasm — it’s a frequently entertaining show. It’s certainly more interesting than anything on the overhead TV monitors airing angry bird news anchors, History Channel medieval reenactments, and aging situation comedy reruns.
It is a sad thing to discover that giving money to a gym — an act first seen as evidence of a life-changing commitment — actually requires far less commitment than the long, sometimes painful work of rebuilding a body allowed by modern conveniences and less-healthy foods to sink into the trap of long-term lethargy.
Besides — truth be told — sure, I want to drop some pounds, but along the way I’m also just enjoying the show.
Gym Rat | 2022-04-09T00:30:01Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Finding My Way: Gym rats | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/finding-my-way-gym-rats/article_b351dffe-918f-55df-b1ff-fe88fd79e8c3.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/finding-my-way-gym-rats/article_b351dffe-918f-55df-b1ff-fe88fd79e8c3.html |
Vichy America and our Pétain
Sometimes you can see what’s ahead of you by looking over your shoulder. As we experience another war in Europe with improved, but similar weapons, propaganda and devastation, it’s as though we’ve stepped through a time portal into the past. It’s like a new play or movie with a familiar plot dating back to World War II.
One nation claims the right to conquer more geography to allow their natural border to expand. Another nation is unprepared for military conflict against their more militant neighbor. The weaker nation relies on the memories of the horrors of the previous war and the vague assurances of friendly powers to deter military aggression from the stronger nation. But war comes anyway.
Like any sequel or remake there are a few new plot twists in the latest European war. The color coverage is better and more real-time. The actors are hardly of the same caliber as were Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin or Hitler, but today’s leaders play their parts well enough. The terrifying possibility of nuclear war adds a frightening backdrop to the conflict reminiscent of the way the looming threat of poison gas did during WWII.
This time around, we have the scrappy Ukraines rather than the indomitable Fins fighting off Russian invasion. There’s NATO on the sidelines rather like the fence-sitting nations of 1940. We are seeing an evacuation of civilians into Poland that’s rather like the Dunkirk evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force back to Britain in 1940. It all seems so familiar and so tragic.
History is repeating itself in another way as well. It’s only a subplot in the overall drama, but there are many instructive historic parallels between Vichy France in the 1940s and the Biden-Harris administration.
After the fall of France during the early days of WWII, France was divided with one half of the country declared Free France or Vichy France. Not unlike our country today, France was bitterly divided in 1940. French prisoners of war were being held hostage to ensure cooperative transition to the new regime. Remarkably some Frenchmen volunteered to fight for the new regime.
What the victorious ideologues needed in 1940 was a safe, compliant father figure to lead France quietly into its assigned place in the new world order. The fascists of 1940 found exactly what they needed in Henri-Philippe Pétain. In 2020 the Democrats, fearing Bernie Sanders was too obviously radical, selected Joe Biden for exactly the same reasons.
Marshal Pétain was an 84-year-old French WWI hero. His best days were far behind him and his political and social opinions were out of step with those of most French citizens. However, his views were pretty close to those of the new authoritarian regime and he was malleable. It was the perfect casting call. Flattered and groomed to believe he still had it in him to be an effective leader, Marshal Pétain became the unelected puppet head of state of Vichy France.
Philippe Pétain dutifully enforced his master’s destructive policies that diminished France, literally sank France’s navy and further divided his country. Pétain used police power and state controlled media propaganda to shape public opinion and to persecute and harass his political and social opponents. Groups and individuals who threatened the new world order were branded traitors, silenced, rounded up and had their lives destroyed.
The history and the decline of Vichy France is disturbingly similar to our situation today.
After WWII Marshal Pétain was convicted of treason and given a death sentence. In recognition of his age and past service to his country his sentence was commuted to life in prison. Thankfully our constitution provides less radical options to relieve President Biden of his duties. We don’t have to go to war to retire President Biden. In fact, given his reckless gaffes, removing President Biden from office may keep us out of a war.
Marshal Pétain used the radio the way President Biden uses his teleprompter for live speeches. Biden’s new teleprompter has ridiculous dimensions to compensate for Biden’s failing cognitive abilities. His minders could just as well turn the teleprompter around and let us read the talking points for ourselves. That would reduce the risk of confusing gaffes and save us from Biden’s delusional stories.
The false Oval Office Biden uses for press conferences, where press and president share the same question and answer note cards, is a physical allegory of the hollow Biden-Harris administration. The White House press corps obediently excuses every Biden-Harris gaffe and then gives a dutiful pass for the inevitable walk-back. The media’s active propaganda and/or willful silence acts like a cloak of invisibility that’s hiding both Biden’s dementia and his family’s corruption. Today’s media have certainly mastered the propaganda lessons of Vichy France.
Throughout WWII masses of people were on the move across all borders, including those of Vichy France. It was an immigration crisis. From the very start of his administration Biden’s policies have created his own immigration crisis. Soon even greater numbers of illegal aliens will flood through our southern border as they will no longer have to wait in Mexico.
The labor competition from exploitable illegal aliens will continue to drive down the wages of our poorest citizens. The flood of illegals already strains our public services and schools. With an even greater uncontrolled rush of unvetted aliens, how many more Biden “Bad dudes” can our country absorb and still remain the land of the free?
Selective prosecution was the rule in Vichy France. Now we have our own two-tiered system that divvies out justice based on race, ideology and political partisanship. It’s no longer just what you do but also what you believe, what you say and who you know that gets you in trouble or not with Soros-prosecutors, the DOJ and the FBI.
Today’s science fiction of gender self-selection is a close twin to the racial purity pseudo-science of Vichy France. Accommodations made for the pursuit of happiness by a tiny, gender shifting minority have evolved into demands for the majority to abandon any expectation of fair play and deny biological facts. The traditional sports slogan, “May the best man win.”, has taken on an ironic, literal meaning in women’s sports.
In similar fashion the new segregation promoted by critical race theory (CRT) divides our nation into racial classes as neatly as did the master race theories of Vichy France. Today’s CRT radicals, endorsed by President Biden, would have white skin become the new Star of David, indelibly worn by those marked for public shaming.
The long bread lines of Vichy France have yet to arrive here, but President Biden has promised us they will as food prices chase his devalued, inflated dollars and our supply chains fail. It’s another unacceptable parallel between Vichy France and what is fast becoming Vichy America under the Biden-Harris administration.
It’s time to change the story’s plot line for our country’s sake. To be sure, retiring a sitting president and the specter of a President Harris is a frightening plot twist. However, removing President Biden via the 25th amendment would send a clear message to America’s Vichy government that their end is near. | 2022-04-09T00:30:07Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Vichy America and our Pétain | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/vichy-america-and-our-p-tain/article_a2dee9e5-386d-5cef-a713-8a6031134f94.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/vichy-america-and-our-p-tain/article_a2dee9e5-386d-5cef-a713-8a6031134f94.html |
Fairs and festivals are exciting events and there are always fun things to see and experience, including artwork, music, games and rides. One of the biggest draws to these events is the many different types of foods and beverages.
Sometimes the usual safety controls in a kitchen, like handwashing facilities, refrigeration, thermometers to check food temperatures and workers trained in food safety, may not be available when cooking and dining at fairs and festivals. This makes it even more important for you to follow food safety tips.
Remember food safety practices are the same at fairs as they are at restaurants and at home: Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill. Learn more about these steps at fightbac.org and reduce your chances of getting food poisoning.
What should you consider before buying food from a vendor?
— Does the vendor have a clean/tidy workstation?
— Does the vendor have a sink for employees to wash their hands?
— Do the employees wear gloves or use tongs when handling food?
— Does the vendor have refrigeration on site for raw ingredients or pre-cooked foods?
— Has the vendor been inspected? Is a recent inspection report available? Requirements vary by state, but in general temporary and mobile vendors, like those at fairs and carnivals, should have a license to sell food and beverages in a particular state or county for a specific time period. You can check with the local health department to see if the vendors are licensed and if a food inspection has been completed.
When bringing food from home, what are proper food handling and storage practices? If you bring food to a fair or festival from home, be sure to keep food handling and storage times in mind. Don’t let food sit out for more than two hours. On a hot day (90 degrees or higher), reduce this time to one hour. Be sure to put perishable items in a cooler or insulated bag.
What steps can you take to protect you and your family? Wash Hands Often!
— Find out where hand washing stations are located.
— Wash your hands with soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds.
— Always wash hands after using the restroom, after playing a game or going on a ride, before eating and drinking, after changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet and after removing soiled clothes or shoes.
— Bring hand sanitizers or disposable wipes in case there aren’t any places to wash your hands.
Hopefully these tips will remind us how to stay food safe while having fun at indoor and outdoor food events.
Source: CDC.gov | 2022-04-09T16:34:14Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Fair and festival food safe practices | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/fair-and-festival-food-safe-practices/article_a8514cf4-435a-50c5-a4e8-324502a66437.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/fair-and-festival-food-safe-practices/article_a8514cf4-435a-50c5-a4e8-324502a66437.html |
Idaho State receiver Oakley Hussey (left) runs a route while receivers coach DJ Steward instructs during Saturday's practice.
Idaho State wide receiver Christian Fredericksen hauls in a pass during Saturday's practice.
Idaho State wide receiver Xavier Guillory makes a catch during Saturday's practice.
Idaho State wide receiver DeMonte Horton (left) makes a catch while receivers coach DJ Steward instructs during Saturday's practice.
Idaho State wide receiver DeMonte Horton makes a catch during Saturday's practice.
Idaho State wide receivers coach DJ Steward (far right) leads a drill during Saturday's practice.
Idaho State wide receiver Oakley Hussey stretches out for a catch during Saturday's practice.
After one spring practice this week, Idaho State wide receivers coach DJ Steward called sophomore wideout Xavier Guillory into his office. When Guillory walked in the door, Steward noticed something odd.
“His hands are shaking,” Steward said.
Turns out, Guillory is a dogged competitor. He admits he can go overboard sometimes. On this afternoon, he wanted to see how many passes he could catch off the JUGS passing machine, so he stayed on the practice field long enough to catch 1,000 balls.
“That’s the type of guy he is,” Steward said. “He wants to be great all around. He wants to not have any limitations in his game. I’ve just been impressed by how hard he works.”
“That’s one part of my game I wanted to get really good at,” Guillory added. “I’ve noticed in spring camp that it’s helping. It’s helping me make catches that last year, I struggled with, or even over-the-middle, contested catches.”
After two weeks of ISU spring practice, stories like those have reinforced what was already beginning to crystallize: Guillory will be the leader of this wide receiver corps. He’s only a sophomore, but last season, he reeled in 20 receptions for 259 yards and one touchdown — which might not blow you away until you realize he was an option behind first-team all-conference pick Tanner Conner, who has rocketed up NFL Draft boards in recent weeks.
“It’s always gonna be hard to replace a Tanner Conner,” Steward said, “but you’re gonna be saying a lot of other names, bringing a lot of pride to this university, for sure.”
Elsewhere in the receivers room, Idaho State rosters players like Christian Fredericksen and DeMonte Horton, Shane Dailey Jr. and Cyrus Wallace, which is the group that will try to make up for the losses of two key-pass catchers: Conner and tight end Jared Scott, an imposing tight end.
Can they do it? The answer is a little complicated. A lot has changed since last year, when backup quarterbacks Sagan Gronauer and Hunter Hays split time running an offense that failed to consistently maximize Conner’s abilities, struggled to generate points with its starter on the shelf and, in the final game of the season, threw a goose egg on the scoreboard.
It was a grisly sight, but now things are different, at least on the surface. Charlie Ragle has taken over as head coach. Starting quarterback Tyler Vander Waal is back from injury. The Bengals have hired coaches like offensive coordinator Taylor Mazzone and Steward, who players rave about. Conner might have moved on, but the holdovers from last season’s receiving corps feel adamant that they can turn the page, that last year’s struggles are just that — last season.
Only time will tell whether that comes to fruition. For now, in early April, here’s what we know: Wideouts like Guillory, Fredericksen, Horton and Dailey have experience. They might be ISU’s four main receivers, but Guillory threw out a few other names to remember: Century grad Jovan Sowell, sophomore Benji Omayebu, even freshman Jeff Harris — “the smoothest route-runner,” Fredericksen said. They’re all athletic pass-catchers who are ready to flourish in the team’s new offensive system, which projects to feature receivers in more prominent capacities. With Vander Waal back in the fray, perhaps that’s not such an audacious idea.
During ISU’s scrimmage on Saturday, which completed the second week of spring practice, it began to take shape. On one occasion, Vander Wall unleashed a pass downfield to Horton, who bobbled the ball and corralled it on his way down. On another, he checked it down to running back Soujah Gasu, who ran for a first down before defenders brought him down. When the Bengals say they’re ready to roll out a revamped offense, these are the kinds of plays they point to.
Here’s another clip from today’s Idaho State scrimmage. Tyler Vander Waal checks it down to Soujah Gasu, who’s taken down by Alec Flanagan and Ja’Maree Boone pic.twitter.com/vvttK9oX9W
Then again, these receivers weren’t perfect. On one play, Guillory ran a slant and caught a pass over the middle, only to fumble as he went to the ground. Later, Vander Waal targeted Fredericksen on the outside, but cornerback Josh Alford jumped the route and snagged a diving interception — prompting the white-jerseyed defenders to spill out onto the field like moths to a flame, celebrating the play.
“I struggled a little bit today,” Guillory said, “but I know he’s gonna help me bounce back.”
By he, Guillory meant Steward, who spent last year coaching receivers at Pittsburg State in Kansas. Now he’s helping receivers like Guillory and Fredericksen refine their games. It hasn’t all been roses. Steward, Guillory says, has revealed flaws. He told Guillory he needed to become quicker. He feels like he already has. He helped Fredericksen work on his releases. Fredericksen feels like he’s enhanced that part of his repertoire too.
“It hurts, it stings to know that you’re not as good at something as you could be,” Guillory said, “but it’s helping me improve my game.”
“Last year, we were only allowed to use one or two releases. That was the coaching rule,” Fredericksen said. “This year, he’s tripled my toolbelt for release packages. I feel like I have a lot more freedom off the line. Now he’s teaching me how to use those releases and when to use the right releases.”
The thing about Steward’s teaching, though, is that it isn’t all football. Lots of coaches say that — how many times have you heard a coach say he wants to make his guys better men, too? — but what separates Steward is that he mixes in life lessons on the practice field.
Here’s an example: In practice, when a receiver drops a pass, Steward will offer advice. Then he’ll go right into how the mistake ties into life. “In life, adversity hits,” Steward will say. “What are you gonna do now? Are you gonna bounce back, are you gonna fall into the sandtrap?”
Other times, if one of his receivers misses a block, Steward will say something like this: “Don’t ever go back to a block or chase a block, because that’s already done. You already made a mistake. Don’t go back to it. Just keep moving forward and moving up.”
“I’m like, OK, he’s really relating life to football,” Guillory said.
“I think a lot of guys respond well off of that,” Fredericksen added.
The part that really matters, though, is whether that will translate to wins this fall. After last season, which featured just one, Idaho State fans want to see change. Players feel it’s imminent. They’ll have to wait several more months before ISU visits UNLV in September, but in the meantime, Guillory will keep catching thousands of footballs, hauling them in until his teammates get tired of feeding them into the machine.
“It was worth it,” Guillory said.
Xavier Guillory
Benji Omayebu
Demonte Horton | 2022-04-10T01:55:09Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Why Idaho State's receivers are ready to absorb losses and unlock the Bengals' offense | Sports | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/sports/why-idaho-states-receivers-are-ready-to-absorb-losses-and-unlock-the-bengals-offense/article_422b0516-55e0-5640-9137-6a2da7c3a519.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/sports/why-idaho-states-receivers-are-ready-to-absorb-losses-and-unlock-the-bengals-offense/article_422b0516-55e0-5640-9137-6a2da7c3a519.html |
A rock climber scales a route called “Ms. Smiley” at the Teddy Bear Cove area west of American Falls. The name refers to a hole in the rock that resembles a large smiling mouth.
A climb by any other name is still just as hard
One thing I’ve noticed about humans is that they love to name things. Since rock climbers are sort of human, too, they also engage in this phenomenon of giving everything a name.
It shouldn’t be a big surprise. Most recreations give their equipment, participants, locations and actions goofy, descriptive or clever names that require explanations to folks out of the loop.
One common name for a typical belay device — that piece of equipment that catches a falling climber attached to a rope — is called an ATC. ATC stands for “air traffic controller.”
Names in the newish Teddy Bear Cove climbing area near American Falls have a mostly classic rock theme. Some kooky names of climbing routes around eastern Idaho include Seeking Sleazy Squeezes, Mr. Hanky, Who Killed Kenny and Make Love Not Warcraft. Sometimes you have to climb a route because the name is so funky. Other times you may avoid it because of the name. Like the route named “Clip Me Deadly.” I climbed that route and thought I was going to fall and hurt myself trying to clip the next bolt hanger.
Last week I was climbing with my sweetheart and friends at an area called The Playground in the Blackfoot River canyon. This wall has been established for decades and has several fun routes worth climbing over and over again. (One is named Cure for the Hangover — a route that goes under a huge overhanging rock.)
While we were climbing, my friend Billy was up the canyon a few hundred yards at a wall called Boot Camp Wall. He was busy bolting a new route and adding new routes to the climbs already there. He and a friend started bolting routes on the wall when they discovered its potential a couple of years ago. They named the wall Boot Camp because Billy’s son was at the time going through military boot camp.
Bolting sport climbing routes was a new thing (and controversial) with the traditional “place-your-own-protection-as-you-climb” crowd in the United States in the mid 1980s. About that time a French climber came to eastern Oregon’s Smith Rock State Park and bolted hangers onto a nearly blank wall that was impossible to protect traditionally and showed North Americans how things were being done in Europe. The name of the route captured climbers’ imagination: To Bolt or Not To Be.
Since those days, sport climbing around the world has become the most popular form of rock climbing. To Bolt or Not to Be is still mega hard (5.14a/b) and not often repeated because the rock texture resembles an asphalt street turned vertical.
Naming rock climbing routes, similar to naming mountain bike trails or classic races, has become a thing usually done by the first ascensionist.
After Billy was done bolting his new route, he showed up at The Playground where we were climbing and asked me if I wanted an “FA?” (first ascent).
“I think it’s a pretty easy 5.8,” he said. “And you’ll get to name it.”
Up until this time, the only thing I think I’ve helped name was my children (and they’ve never forgiven me for that).
So, trusting that Billy’s bolts would hold should I happen to slip and fall (in climber lingo: “take a whipper”), I launched off on his new route. The route was a bit easier than his other routes on the Boot Camp wall.
“I thought it would go at 5.8,” he said of the difficulty rating.
“You could make a case for it being 5.7,” I said. “But 5.8 works.” There was a spot or two where you had to puzzle it out a bit.
“So what do you want to name it?” Billy asked. “It should have a military theme since it’s the Boot Camp Wall.”
I thought of my grandfather who served in World War II and him telling me of recruits getting extra “KP duty” when they were in trouble with the officers. KP stood for kitchen police and meant you would be tasked with cleaning dishes and peeling potatoes for the whole barracks.
“How about ‘Stuck on KP duty’?” I asked Billy.
He approved.
Other names at the Boot Camp Wall include: Buzz Cut, Boots, Lock n’ Load and The Reaper.
I’m not sure if the name I gave the route will inspire folks to climb it, but since it’s still new and still dirty in spots, it could use some cleaning. | 2022-04-10T08:56:21Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | A climb by any other name is still just as hard | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/a-climb-by-any-other-name-is-still-just-as-hard/article_9e430587-31da-5fcf-8ced-d7f1f05bc190.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/a-climb-by-any-other-name-is-still-just-as-hard/article_9e430587-31da-5fcf-8ced-d7f1f05bc190.html |
Wow! I was suddenly jolted out of my frigid winter mode and had woken up in a spring paradise. And it just hit me: I’ve got to hit ram speed and get my spring lined up right fast. First the dirty work though.
According to Uncle Sam I’ve got to get my taxes filed so that will take most of this week along with the 12 to 14 articles that need to be submitted. I think this week I’ll focus on those two tasks and maybe getting out and whacking some whistle pigs. They should be out big time. Hopefully I can get two days in of whistle pig hunting.
That may sound like plenty to fill up the calendar until June but don’t forget-Crappie Fishing! I think I’m out of crappie. I’ve got to dig down into the freezer and see if maybe there is one or two last packages of crappie filets. (I panicked and ran out to check. Good, there was one package left for dinner tonight.) Walleye is the best freshwater fish and then probably perch but crappie is for sure third best and maybe they split the second and third spots with perch.
After writing this article I’m even more excited than when I started it. Hmmm, I wonder if they’d really throw me in jail if I skip the tax deal for a couple of months and go hunting and fishing for a while? They’re letting all the non-violent criminals out of jail anyway in some states. Surely if I showed them some pics of the mushrooms, coolers of crappie and my bear they’d let me off the hook, wouldn’t they? | 2022-04-10T18:25:38Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | It’s here! (Spring, that is) | Xtreme Idaho | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/outdoors/xtreme_idaho/it-s-here-spring-that-is/article_a21844d8-718e-502e-9022-e8940e8ab0ce.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/outdoors/xtreme_idaho/it-s-here-spring-that-is/article_a21844d8-718e-502e-9022-e8940e8ab0ce.html |
Department of Homeland Security stock image
It might be spring but this week is expected to definitely feel like winter in East Idaho with a chance of snow in the forecast every day Sunday through Saturday.
The most snow is currently expected to fall Monday morning through Tuesday morning with up to a foot expected in the Emigration Summit area and up to 8 inches in the Mud Lake, Idaho National Laboratory, Atomic City, Craters of the Moon, Albion, Almo and Arco areas.
Other higher elevation areas such as Grace, Bancroft, Soda Springs, Henry, Bone, Wayan, Swan Valley, Palisades, Victor, Island Park, Dubois, Spencer, Montpelier, Georgetown, Paris, St. Charles, Inkom, Downey, McCammon, Arimo and Lava Hot Springs could receive up to 4 to 6 inches of snow Monday morning through Tuesday morning. The rest of East Idaho including the Holbrook, Malta, Arbon, Rockland, Thatcher, Driggs, Tetonia, Ashton, Pocatello, Chubbuck, Malad, American Falls, Raft River, Burley, Rupert, Aberdeen, Blackfoot, Fort Hall, Shelley, Firth, Idaho Falls, Ammon, Rigby, Rexburg and St. Anthony areas could receive up to 2 to 3 inches of snow from this Monday morning through Tuesday morning storm.
East Idaho's higher mountains could receive even more snow, possibly up to a foot in some cases, depending on the severity of the storm.
The Monday morning through Tuesday morning storm is also expected to bring winds of up to 50 mph to East Idaho that will create near whiteout conditions and make for hazardous driving, especially in higher elevation areas.
Thundersnow and rain are also in the forecast for East Idaho this week, but the snow will be the most prevalent challenge with there being a chance for flakes every day of the week Sunday through Saturday.
Outside of East Idaho, winter weather advisories, winter storm watches and/or winter storm warnings are in effect throughout most of the rest of the state as well as in all surrounding states in anticipation of the incoming snow. | 2022-04-10T22:59:27Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | WINTER WEATHER WARNINGS CALLING FOR SNOW, NEAR WHITEOUT CONDITIONS DECLARED FOR EAST IDAHO | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/winter-weather-warnings-calling-for-snow-near-whiteout-conditions-declared-for-east-idaho/article_c1854d34-d0e0-56af-a307-945e2f630c48.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/winter-weather-warnings-calling-for-snow-near-whiteout-conditions-declared-for-east-idaho/article_c1854d34-d0e0-56af-a307-945e2f630c48.html |
Snow and rain arrived in East Idaho on Monday morning as part of a winter storm that is also expected to bring near whiteout conditions to the region.
The most snow is currently expected to fall Monday morning through Tuesday morning with up to 10 inches expected in the Emigration Summit area and up to 7 inches in the Mud Lake, Idaho National Laboratory, Atomic City, Craters of the Moon, Albion, Almo and Arco areas.
The Monday morning through Tuesday morning storm is also expected to bring winds of over 30 mph to East Idaho that will create near whiteout conditions and make for hazardous driving, especially in higher elevation areas. | 2022-04-11T19:34:03Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Parts of East Idaho could receive several inches of snow from storm that arrived this morning | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/parts-of-east-idaho-could-receive-several-inches-of-snow-from-storm-that-arrived-this/article_c1854d34-d0e0-56af-a307-945e2f630c48.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/parts-of-east-idaho-could-receive-several-inches-of-snow-from-storm-that-arrived-this/article_c1854d34-d0e0-56af-a307-945e2f630c48.html |
A local man wanted in connection to a series of vandalisms and disturbances was arrested Sunday morning after eluding deputies.
Roman J. Riojas, 35, was being sought by deputies since April 8 after receiving reports of threatening phone calls to a residence in the 500 South block of 52 East. Mr. Rojas was reported as making verbal threats of physical harm over the phone to the resident and shortly after showing up at the residence, throwing rocks toward the property and causing a disturbance.
Just after midnight on April 9, Riojas was observed by the homeowner outside of the residence breaking bottles and smashing the windows of a vehicle causing over $2000 in damage. Riojas fled the area before deputies could intercept him.
On the morning of April 9, deputies took a report of smashed windows in a vehicle at a residence on the 5000 North block of Marbrissa Lane deputies had previously responded to that location for domestic disturbances involving Mr. Riojas, resulting in a protection order prohibiting him from being at or contacting victims who lived there. At that time, Mr. Riojas had not been located by deputies and served the order.
Deputies continued searching for Riojas in connection to the incidents at both 52 East and Marbrissa Lane, but he was not located until yesterday morning around 10 a.m. when neighbors saw him parked on Marbrissa Lane and called dispatch.
An arriving deputy spotted Riojas driving on Marbrissa Lane and attempted to stop him, but he fled at a high rate of speed. Riojas reached speeds near 70 mph, running a stop sign and driving into the oncoming traffic lane to avoid tire deflation devices before deputies quickly discontinued their pursuit out of safety concerns for the public. Area law enforcement was notified to be on the lookout for Mr. Riojas.
A short while later Idaho State Police troopers intercepted Mr. Riojas near a relative’s residence in the Shelley area and were able to take him into custody. ISP troopers transferred Mr. Riojas to a deputy, who after getting a medical clearance at the hospital transported him to the Bonneville County Jail.
During transport, Mr. Riojas attempted to injure himself with seatbelts in both the ISP and Bonneville County Sheriff’s vehicles resulting in deputies transferring him to the medical clearance and jail restrained in an ambulance from the Idaho Falls Fire Department.
J. Riojas
Marbrissa Lane | 2022-04-11T19:34:21Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Felony vandalism suspect arrested after eluding police during high-speed chase | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/felony-vandalism-suspect-arrested-after-eluding-police-during-high-speed-chase/article_ddf2cd8c-3a3f-5082-97a9-f4c4117469dd.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/felony-vandalism-suspect-arrested-after-eluding-police-during-high-speed-chase/article_ddf2cd8c-3a3f-5082-97a9-f4c4117469dd.html |
Cindy Reed, left, and Shalene Robinson stand outside of their forthcoming business, Reed's Waffles & Ice Cream, located at 1301 S. Fifth Ave. in Pocatello.
Ice cream will be paired with waffles: as waffle tacos, as waffle ice cream sandwiches or on cones made of their waffles. Waffle cones and tacos will come in both vanilla and chocolate.
Alan Reed, owner of Reed's Dairy, said he's excited to have another ice cream shop offering his brand in Pocatello again. Old Town Ice Cream and Candy, 110 N. Main St., also offers Reed's ice cream in Pocatello.
Alan Reed said 30 customers carry Reed's Dairy products wholesale. He said his dairy plans to build a new processing facility for bottling milk and making ice cream, which should improve efficiency and increase production by up to 40 percent. | 2022-04-11T22:14:33Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | REED'S WAFFLES AND ICE CREAM: Planned Pocatello shop to feature waffles, Reed's Dairy ice cream | Freeaccess | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/reeds-waffles-and-ice-cream-planned-pocatello-shop-to-feature-waffles-reeds-dairy-ice-cream/article_fb03f0bd-0d4a-5fa1-9100-80c450ff3551.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/reeds-waffles-and-ice-cream-planned-pocatello-shop-to-feature-waffles-reeds-dairy-ice-cream/article_fb03f0bd-0d4a-5fa1-9100-80c450ff3551.html |
Whether preparing for kitten season, fundraising for anticipated animal medical expenditures, or recruiting volunteers, it is vital for animal welfare organizations and shelters to plan ahead. Advance strategic planning is particularly critical today when economic factors are resulting in lower pet welfare donations. There are small business challenges, higher inflation impacting personal budgets, and rising pet food and veterinarian costs. On top of donation woes, there is a significant veterinarian shortage resulting in longer waits and fewer docs with room in their schedules for added efforts such as spay/neuter/wellness clinics.
Therefore, animal welfare groups and shelters need to continuously improve. These organizations only get better when they continuously improve their processes and focus. By only relying on internal knowledge, an organization will certainly struggle. A much better approach is to evaluate themselves against other organizations and experience, particularly contrasting to those organizations which exhibit the highest standards and practices of animal welfare. As an example, the Idaho Humane Society is a highly regarded source of free advice based on their experience and research.
The Bannock Humane Society’s (BHS) Foster Program restructuring is a good example of continuous improvement. BHS has instituted an increased focus on the human side of animal rescue. Foster volunteer burnout/advocate discouragement can be huge problems when building sustainable organizations attempting to solve a wide array of daunting issues. Animal advocates feel the unfortunate plight of animals deeply and inability to always intervene successfully is deeply discouraging. Additionally, community members in need may view animal rescuers/advocates as ineffective when there is no immediate solution — unintentionally adding to volunteers’ emotional burdens. Resolving animal concerns requires patience, deep listening, considering issues from many perspectives and making really heart-rending decisions — all while remaining positive and hopeful.
The BHS Foster Program is an excellent example of institutional growth and improvement. They have instituted a manageable growth plan including guidelines to prevent volunteer/foster home burnout. Based on feedback from BHS foster pet parents and on data from other organizations, BHS has revised their practices to support volunteers through the long term. When humans get discouraged, efforts lag and community animals suffer.
Another example of the continuous improvement approach is Bannock Feral Friends (BFF). They follow best practices from the Alley Cat Allies, which update constantly. As a result of improved practices, they are able to spay/neuter increasing numbers of feral cats — 63 for March alone.
As BFF Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) successes continue, so do challenges. BFF currently has requests for TNR efforts at several new locations and needs safe relocation venues for cats living in unsafe environments. They have posted requests for safe barn/shop locations on Facebook, Craigslist and KSL as well as posted fliers at hardware and livestock supply stores. If you can help with finding homes for these furry feral friends, please contact BFF at facebook.com/Bannockferalfriends.
Friends of the Pocatello Animal Shelter (FPAS) is dedicated to fundraising/financial support for the Pocatello Animal Shelter and local animal welfare organizations. Considering the current challenges in fundraising and general donation availability, FPAS reviewed other organizations’ approaches to fundraising including considerations of estate planning bequests. As a result, FPAS confided in a local attorney who engages individuals in estate planning. With this input, FPAS reconfigured their website to include discussion of the benefits of estate planning and suggested estate planning verbiage.
BHS will be helping with organization and providing hands-on staffing for the Annual Rabies Clinic at the Bannock County Fairgrounds from 9 a.m. until noon on May 7. Services include $15 rabies shots, one free cat/dog shot for Senior citizens (age 65 years or older) and $20 per animal microchipping ($15 for senior citizens).
This Annual Rabies Clinic supported by the Eastern Idaho Veterinary Association, headed by Alpine Animal Hospital and staffed by local veterinarians and BHS volunteers, was canceled due to COVID-19 during 2020 and 2021. Happily, this event will resume this year in building B at the Bannock County Fairgrounds.
Please consider donating to one of the many animal welfare organizations in our area at one of the links below. | 2022-04-11T22:14:52Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | The necessity of continuous organizational improvement for animal welfare | Columns | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-necessity-of-continuous-organizational-improvement-for-animal-welfare/article_4deb2279-079a-5992-b6e4-74f7e912d92a.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-necessity-of-continuous-organizational-improvement-for-animal-welfare/article_4deb2279-079a-5992-b6e4-74f7e912d92a.html |
Photo courtesy of Kamden Been
POCATELLO — The Pocatello Animal Services director says the department will work to review its policies and procedures after an adopted dog was recently euthanized after catching parvovirus.
Pocatello Animal Services director Chris Abbott says he is working on developing an alternative adoption payment process at the Pocatello Animal Shelter after a Pocatello man, Kamden Been, paid all the fees and completed all the necessary paperwork to adopt Oso, listed as a German shepherd mixed male dog, on March 29, but could not take Oso home from the shelter until April 14 because he was not yet neutered.
After Been paid the $130 fee to adopt Oso on March 29, the dog tested positive for the canine parvovirus infection, commonly known as parvo, on April 3 and was euthanized.
“There have been some concerns with our process regarding how dogs at the Pocatello Animal Shelter are adopted out,” Abbott said. “The issue is that local veterinarians are bottlenecked with spays and neuters and so we sometimes end up in situations where a person has paid to adopt a dog but it’s not technically their animal until it’s been spayed or neutered and so we are left with this gray area.”
The situation involving Oso is tragic, both according to Been and to Kelly Boodry, the director of Friends of the Pocatello Animal Shelter, a local animal advocacy group.
Been said the process of deciding to adopt a dog from the Pocatello Animal Shelter began on March 28 when he and a friend went to the shelter and interacted with two different dogs, Oso and another, Been told the Idaho State Journal on Monday.
“I bonded almost immediately with Oso and so I went in the next day to see how he was and to make sure that he was a good fit for me,” Been said. “He was definitely the dog that I wanted, so I paid all the fees and completed all the necessary paperwork to adopt him that same day.”
Though Been had paid for the adoption of Oso, it is the policy of the Pocatello Animal Shelter to keep an adopted animal in its possession until the animal has been spayed and neutered. Been said the earliest he could take Oso home was on April 14.
Abbott said that on April 3, however, a staff member at the animal shelter who cares for the animals there during the weekends noticed the stools from Oso indicated that he might be sick with parvo. Oso was tested at the shelter and was positive for parvo, said Abbott, adding that Oso tested positive again with the on-call veterinarian, resulting in his euthanization.
Been on April 4 went to the animal shelter to visit Oso and learned from staff that the dog had been euthanized, something he said was an utter shock and left him feeling concerned that he was not contacted or informed about the decision.
The euthanization occurred on a day in which only kennel workers were at the animal shelter and not any of the staff members who oversee adoptions, said Abbott, adding that staff had the intention of notifying Been on Monday but he had arrived at the shelter in person about 15 minutes after the facility opened for the day.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, parvo is a highly transmissible virus that typically spreads via direct contact with infected animals or its excretions. The virus can even spread via the aerosolization during cleanup and is highly resistant, persisting in some cases on untreated surfaces for up to one year.
The American Kennel Club says parvo is a potentially fatal disease, though the survival rate for dogs with parvo that receive veterinary treatment is between 68 and 92 percent. Parvo is not curable and although treatable, the process can become very expensive and typically involves a dog receiving intense treatment at a veterinary clinic for up to two weeks.
Because of the risks associated with a parvo-positive dog infecting others, the Pocatello Animal Services Department has a policy to euthanize all dogs admitted to the shelter that test positive for parvo, which was something Been said he struggled to understand.
“I got in contact with a local animal rescue group, Sadie's Safe House Chihuahua Rescue, that has a great history of helping dogs with parvo to recover. She told me that out of 15 dogs with parvo there was only one that they had to put down and that wasn’t even for parvo but because the dogs organs were failing," Been said. "The woman who runs that rescue has tried to talk to the Pocatello Animal Shelter about treating dogs with parvo but has never heard back from them.”
Abbott said the department’s euthanization policy is there to prevent parvo from spreading within the shelter.
“If we don’t euthanize a parvo-positive dog then it will cause cross-contamination at the shelter and unfortunately I will end up euthanizing more animals than just the one,” he said.
Boodry recently met with Been about the situation involving Oso, commending him for his level-headedness amid a very emotionally taxing situation. After his conversation with Been, Boodry said he was left with three nagging questions: Why wasn’t Oso tested for parvo when he was initially surrendered to the shelter? Why wasn’t Oso tested for parvo when he was set to become adopted? Once Oso tested positive for parvo, why wasn’t Been allowed to have a say in what should happen to the dog?
When presented with the Boodry’s three questions, Abbott said there are some nuances to this situation that make it more difficult to have a clear-cut answer. Firstly, Abbott said that when Oso was surrendered, the person relinquishing their right to the dog said that he was about four years old and that Oso had lived with him for about the past three years. As it turned out, Oso was actually around the age of between six months and one year. Abbott said it is the department’s policy to test all puppies or young dogs for parvo upon admittance, but not every dog that enters the shelter.
Christine Stevens, a member of the Pocatello City Council and member of the board of directors for Friends of the Pocatello Animal Shelter, told the Journal on Monday afternoon that she spoke to Abbott Monday morning and learned that the cost for the Pocatello Animal Shelter to administer a parvo test is approximately $15 and about 1,200 dogs go through the shelter every year, which would result in an additional cost to the shelter of about $18,000 annually to test every dog for parvo.
Additionally, Abbott said Animal Services does not have a policy to test dogs for parvo that are being adopted because the tests are administered to the dogs that need to be tested at admission.
With regards to the question about Been having a say in what should have happened to Oso, Abbott said that although Been had paid for the adoption services, the dog was still within the care and custody of the animal shelter and therefore the shelter was obligated to follow it’s euthanaisa policy. This, Abbott said, is another reason why he would like the adoption payment policy to change.
Moving forward, Abbott said he would like to consider a process that involves prospective adopters paying an adoption deposit rather than the entire adoption fee. This, he said, could help to alleviate scenarios like the one involving Oso from happening again in the future because a person who pays the deposit will know that while they have indicated they intend to adopt the animal it does not yet become theirs until the animal has been spayed or neutered and the entire adoption fee has been paid.
“Right now people pay the entire fee and it can create a misconception that at that moment the animal is now theirs,” Abbott said. “I am going to start working on a policy where we take a deposit so that people can understand that the animal must remain in our care and custody until the final payment for adoption is made. A new policy like this may add another day to the adoption process because right now people can pick up their animal directly from the veterinarian after the spay or neuter procedure and this new process would require the animal coming back to the shelter so that the adopter can pay the final fees.”
Abbott said that, although against department policy, he refunded Been for the $130 adoption fee because of the extenuating circumstances surrounding this situation. Been said, however, that he was offered in-store credit for up to 90 days in which he could use the money he already paid to adopt a different dog in the future.
Been said he is mostly upset about about the lack of communication, adding that he felt like the animal shelter cared more about justifying the euthanasia than clarifying what actually led up to that event. Been is unsure of what he plans to do next, but is hopeful nobody ever has to share his experience.
Abbott expressed sympathy over the situation, adding that moments like this are difficult for everyone involved.
“This was a very unfortunate scenario,” Abbott said. “I feel bad for (Been) and for Oso, too, because he was such a great dog. Situations like this are not just hard for (Been) or the public, but it’s hard on us at the shelter, too.”
Kamden Been | 2022-04-12T02:53:02Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Pocatello Animal Services department to revisit policies after adopted dog gets euthanized | Local | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pocatello-animal-services-department-to-revisit-policies-after-adopted-dog-gets-euthanized/article_5e0a0402-8ae6-5491-bd23-6b8df3a637db.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/pocatello-animal-services-department-to-revisit-policies-after-adopted-dog-gets-euthanized/article_5e0a0402-8ae6-5491-bd23-6b8df3a637db.html |
By United Way of Southeastern Idaho
POCATELLO — The United Way of Southeastern Idaho’s volunteer group Women United will host its first spring fundraiser, Beauty and the Brunch, on April 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Grand Idaho Inn & Suites, 1399 Bench Road in Pocatello.
“We have a wonderful panel of women who will share their wisdom and life experience to inspire and transform,” said Angie Lion, steering committee member for Women United. “We really want the focus to be on inner beauty, personal and professional development, owning our excuses and self-limiting beliefs, and creating generational impact in the lives of our families and our community.”
Tickets are a suggested donation price of $25 and are available at https://bit.ly/3tel0rO.
All proceeds from this event will support partner nonprofits that serve women, children and families in need in Southeastern Idaho.
Speakers include Heather Murray, author of GET A GRIP; Angie Lion, owner of Black River Performance Management; Cherisse Brown, director of the Successful Transitions and Retention Track program at Idaho State University; Shantay Bloxham, CEO of the Southeastern Idaho Community Action Agency; and Amy Cicilot, senior vice president/COO of Lookout Credit Union.
Brunch and mimosas will be served by Del Monte Meats with music by DJ Adrian.
In February, Women United hosted a breakfast that awarded checks for grants to four local community organizations that support women: the Southeastern Idaho Community Action Agency, Family Services Alliance, Acorn Fund Pocatello and the Bingham Crisis Center.
Lion said the inspiration for Beauty and the Brunch developed from the success of the group’s fall fundraiser — Women United Murder Mystery dinner — and the enthusiasm felt at the February event where members were able to see the funds raised go toward nonprofits that help women in need.
To learn more about Women United, which promotes health and wellness that empowers the lives of women, children and families in Southeastern Idaho through education, support and advocacy, visit https://www.unitedwaysei.org/women-united.
Tickets are expected to sell out, and table sponsorships are available. Please contact Wendi Ames at wendi@unitedwaysei.org for more information. | 2022-04-12T18:36:17Z | www.idahostatejournal.com | Women United to host Beauty and the Brunch workshop for women’s empowerment | Community | idahostatejournal.com | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/women-united-to-host-beauty-and-the-brunch-workshop-for-women-s-empowerment/article_c675fbcc-382d-595b-a754-4d2448ee08ce.html | https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/women-united-to-host-beauty-and-the-brunch-workshop-for-women-s-empowerment/article_c675fbcc-382d-595b-a754-4d2448ee08ce.html |
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