News
In mental health crises, a 911 call can now bring a team of helpers — and maybe no cops
By the time Kiki Radermacher, a mental health therapist, arrived at a Missoula, Montana, home on an emergency 911 call in late May, the man who had called for help was backed into a corner and yelling at police officers. The home, which he was renting, was about to be sold. He had called […]
Did you get a text about unemployment claims? Delete it, Idaho Department of Labor says
The Idaho Department of Labor is warning residents about unemployment insurance text scams that are an attempt to steal personal information to file fraudulent unemployment claims. According to the release, the Idaho Department of Labor has not been hacked or experienced a data breach. If you receive a text with a link regarding unemployment insurance, […]
Confusion surrounds state financial review of Reclaim Idaho ballot initiative
Officials with Reclaim Idaho have paused efforts to collect signatures for a new education funding ballot initiative as they await a new financial analysis of the initiative from the state. But new documents the Idaho Capital Sun obtained late Monday afternoon raise uncertainty about whether the state analyzed the most up-to-date version of Reclaim Idaho’s […]
Idaho held an innocent man on death row for 18 years. Now it’s paying for that.
How much will the wrongful conviction of a death row inmate who spent nearly 20 years behind bars cost the state of Idaho? Close to $1.4 million. The sum will be awarded to Charles Fain, who was released from death row in 2001 after he was exonerated by DNA evidence in the 1982 sexual assault […]
Justice Department to scrutinize voter access as Idaho, other states tighten voting laws
WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced Friday that it is doubling its enforcement attorneys who will work to protect voting rights. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland’s announcement came as Republicans in state legislatures introduce and pass restrictive voting laws, such as limiting ballot boxes and requiring voter identification. “We are scrutinizing new laws that […]
Idaho’s urban areas are booming. One city’s population grew 7.5% last year.
About 10% more of Idaho’s residents live in the state’s urban areas than they did in 1980, according to the Idaho Department of Labor, and that trend of population growth is continuing. The state had the fastest growing population in the nation at 2.1% between 2019 and 2020, with much of that growth concentrated in […]
Troubled Maryland plant told to toss part of the J&J vaccine ingredient it manufactured
WASHINGTON — Federal health regulators have instructed Maryland’s Emergent BioSolutions to scrap some batches of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine substance manufactured at the company’s troubled Baltimore plant, while clearing a small portion to be used in the U.S. or sent abroad. Two batches of the J&J vaccine substance made in Baltimore were deemed “suitable […]
Extremism expert: Idaho critical race theory debate is ‘cynical’ effort to rally voters
A national expert on race and extremism said a recent spate of attacks on “critical race theory” in Idaho are part of a growing effort by conservative Republicans to exploit anxiety and engage voters in upcoming elections. Meanwhile, the Idaho Freedom Foundation, in a letter to donors last month, took credit for a “never-before-seen” reckoning […]
Reclaim Idaho can now gather signatures for a K-12 initiative. But there’s a catch.
Reclaim Idaho volunteers received the go-ahead from the state to begin collecting signatures on a new education funding initiative they hope to get on Idaho voters’ ballots in 2022. The Idaho Secretary of State’s Office presented Reclaim Idaho officials with the official ballot titles for the Quality Education Act, Reclaim Idaho co-founder Luke Mayville said […]
Analysis: Report raises important questions about two fast-growing programs
Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on June 10, 2021 Idaho spent about $3 million on coursework and scholarships for students who didn’t pursue college. And that was just in one year, according to legislative researchers. The $3 million is just a fraction of what Idaho spends on its Advanced Opportunities and Opportunity Scholarship programs — but […]
OSHA tells employers how to keep workers safe, including paid time off for COVID vaccine
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Thursday announced an emergency temporary standard to protect health care workers from catching and spreading the coronavirus, as well as general guidance for other employers. “Too many of our frontline health care workers continue to be at high risk of contracting the coronavirus,” said U.S. Secretary of […]
New federal broadband benefit could assist nearly one-third of Idahoans
Many Idahoans could be eligible for discounted broadband service through the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, according to a news release from the Idaho Department of Commerce. The $3.2 billion program launched in early May and provides temporary financial assistance of up to $50 per month for broadband internet service plans, or up to $75 per […]