News
Wondering about your Idaho tax rebate? Track its status with a new online tool
Idaho taxpayers who qualify for the one-time tax rebate passed during the 2021 session of the Idaho Legislature can track their payment online to determine the status of the rebate, according to a press release. The tool is available at any time of the day and is the fastest way to determine the status of […]
Citing increased call volume, Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline seeks volunteers
The Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline is asking for more volunteers to serve as crisis phone responders, citing increased call volume, according to a press release. Crisis phone responders mainly serve as a listening ear to callers, help assess the caller’s suicidal risk and create a safety plan. Since 2012, the hotline has received over 77,000 […]
Biden mandates vaccines in nursing homes, admonishes GOP governors on school mask stances
WASHINGTON — Nursing homes will be required to ensure their staffers are vaccinated against COVID-19, or risk losing federal Medicare and Medicaid dollars, the Biden administration announced Wednesday in a major move on vaccinations as the delta variant sweeps many states. President Joe Biden at a press conference also criticized Republican governors who have prohibited […]
COVID-19 booster shots to roll out starting next month
WASHINGTON — Top U.S. health officials announced a plan Wednesday to begin offering COVID-19 booster shots to Americans starting Sept. 20, with the scheduling of the additional shot to be based on when a person was fully vaccinated. The new round of jabs will be extended to those who received the two-dose vaccine from either […]
White House pledges to fight court order on oil and gas leases, but activists want more
The Biden administration plans to appeal a federal court decision forcing the government to restart oil and gas leases that have been paused since January. But administration officials are also promising to comply in a way that takes into account the damage caused by fossil fuel development. The two-part move worries progressive activists and members […]
Land board pushes for increased funding to fight Idaho’s historic wildfires
The Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners voted Tuesday to ask the Idaho Department of Lands to increase its requests for resources and funding to battle wildfires over the next three years. Led by Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, commissioners asked the Department of Lands leaders to incorporate each of the recommendations from a three-year […]
Idaho health officials warn of ‘grim’ fall and winter, at risk of care rationing
When she’s out grocery shopping in the Treasure Valley lately, Dr. Christine Hahn sees fewer people in masks than she did last fall. As Idaho’s top epidemiologist, it worries Hahn to see Idahoans acting like the COVID-19 threat has passed, when that couldn’t be farther from the truth. She and other state officials warned Tuesday […]
Pay boost for federal firefighters OK’d by Biden administration
WASHINGTON — As wildfires rage in the western United States, the Biden administration on Tuesday announced it is hiking pay for federal wildland firefighters to at least $15 per hour. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the change will boost pay for 3,500 firefighters with the Interior Department and […]
U.S. House Dems unveil new voting rights bill named for John Lewis
WASHINGTON — At the base of the bridge in Selma, Alabama, where the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia almost died while marching for civil rights, congressional Democrats announced Tuesday the introduction of legislation that aims to protect voting rights across the country. Rep. Terri Sewell, an Alabama Democrat, unveiled what will be designated […]
Ada County commissioners vote to appoint Dr. Ryan Cole to health board
Ada County Commissioners Rod Beck and Ryan Davidson on Tuesday voted to appoint Dr. Ryan Cole to be the physician member of the Central District Health board. Ada County Commissioner Kendra Kenyon said she “adamantly” opposed that decision. Later that day, the leader of an Idaho political organization filed a complaint to the state medical […]
USDA announces food assistance benefits in Idaho will increase permanently Oct. 1
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in a press release it would recalculate the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, meaning benefits will increase for households starting Oct. 1. The average SNAP benefit – excluding additional funds provided as part of pandemic relief – will increase by $36.24 per person per month, or $1.19 per day, […]
Afghan evacuees to arrive in the U.S. through Virginia and Wisconsin military bases
WASHINGTON — The first U.S. stop for the nearly 2,000 Afghan interpreters and other refugees evacuated so far amid the collapse of the Afghan government has been central Virginia’s Fort Lee military base. Tapped for its East Coast location and its ability to quickly ramp up to serve as a temporary host installation, the Army […]