News
Biden administration rewriting policies to protect endangered species
WASHINGTON — The lesser prairie-chicken, a rare dancing grouse once abundant on the Great Plains, could benefit again soon from the protection of the U.S. government. So could the rusty patched bumblebee, a black-headed pollinator that at one time ranged from Georgia to Maine and across the Midwest. The Biden administration is rewriting how it […]
Given short notice, Treasure Valley cities to remain open for new Juneteenth holiday
With short notice mere hours after President Joe Biden signed a law making June 19 a national holiday, the mayors of Boise, Nampa and Meridian announced city operations would be open as normal on Friday, while the state’s executive branch agencies will be closed. June 19 is celebrated as the end of slavery in the […]
University of Idaho guarantees profit to Alaska Airlines to bring back direct Boise flights
Alaska Air announced Thursday it will add a direct flight between Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport and Boise beginning Aug. 18. The route has not been available as a direct flight for about a decade, according to a news release. The change is part of an agreement between Alaska Air and the University of Idaho, which is […]
President Joe Biden signs law making Juneteenth a new federal holiday
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law legislation declaring a legal public holiday annually on June 19, the date of the end of slavery in the U.S. known as Juneteenth. “Throughout history, Juneteenth has been known by many names — Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, Liberation Day,” Vice President Kamala Harris said at […]
Idaho Gov. offers paid time off for COVID vaccine, calls on businesses to follow suit
Idaho Gov. Brad Little is taking the lead on offering paid time off to employees who get the COVID-19 vaccine. “This morning, I informed Idaho state employees we’re offering them a new benefit – four hours of paid leave if they have received or choose to receive the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine!” Little said […]
What’s the COVID-19 vaccination rate at Idaho’s care facilities? We don’t know.
A bare minimum of 10,000 residents and 7,000 staff at Idaho long term care facilities have chosen to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, based on data provided to the Idaho Capital Sun by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. That’s nearly twice the number of COVID-19 cases that facilities have reported during the pandemic, according […]
State to review policies as Reclaim Idaho requests updated financial analysis of education ballot initiative
A newly revised financial analysis issued Wednesday found Reclaim Idaho’s updated education ballot initiative adheres to a new tax law the Legislature passed earlier this year. Overall, the initiative would increase income taxes by $323.5 million beginning in the 2024 budget year. The Division of Financial Management issued the fiscal impact statement late Wednesday afternoon, […]
Federal judge halts Biden pause on new oil and gas leases across the U.S.
A federal judge in Louisiana has ordered the Biden administration to restart regular sales of oil and gas leases, forcing the administration to prematurely abandon a central piece of its climate change agenda. In a preliminary ruling issued Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty granted the request of Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and 12 […]
State Board of Education endorses full-day kindergarten
Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on June 16, 2021 The State Board of Education wants Idaho to fund full-day kindergarten. On Wednesday, the board gave the idea its unanimous support, the first step in a process that could play out through the 2022 legislative session. The State Board wants to free up state dollars for full-day kindergarten […]
Boise schools were sole ‘target’ of lawmaker’s indoctrination search
Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on June 16, 2021 As of Monday, Rep. Priscilla Giddings’ $100,000-plus public records request for Boise school curriculum was the only one she made in her search for public school indoctrination throughout Idaho, an EdNews records request showed. Co-chair to Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin on the “Task Force to Examine Indoctrination […]
We don’t review tax exemptions in Idaho. Could models in neighboring states work here?
Editor’s note: This is Part II of an ongoing series examining the various aspects of Idaho’s tax exemptions and lack of a legislative review process. Part I can be found here. With the exception of Nevada and Wyoming, Idaho is surrounded by states with varying degrees of a state-level review process for tax exemptions and […]
Marjorie Taylor Greene in new attack on Fauci demands his salary be stripped
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia on Tuesday led a group of House Republicans calling for the firing of Dr. Anthony Fauci, formalizing their intense criticism of his public statements and actions throughout the coronavirus pandemic into legislation. Those GOP lawmakers can’t actually oust Fauci from his post as director of the National […]