News
5 reasons some Idahoans didn’t get the COVID vaccine — and what might persuade them
A new report on vaccine hesitancy in Idaho sheds light on what’s behind the state’s low COVID-19 vaccination rate. More than 710,000 people in Idaho have now chosen to get the COVID-19 vaccine. That’s about 47% of the people eligible at this point. But public health experts believe it will take a lot more people […]
Murkowski to oppose Stone-Manning nomination, while Tester works to keep support among Dems
WASHINGTON — Another Republican senator plans to oppose President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, who has been targeted by conservatives over her connection to an Idaho tree-spiking scheme three decades ago. A spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who serves on the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee, […]
Looking for ways to make the commute for your employees easier? These grants can help
Ada County Highway District’s Commuteride program announced a new grant aimed at helping small local businesses implement and maintain commute options in a press release Wednesday. The Commuteride Workspace Mobility Grant provides up to $3,000 in financial assistance to Ada County organizations with 100 or fewer employees. The grant funds can be used for amenities […]
Senate Democrats’ voting rights push stalls in the face of GOP opposition
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans shut down efforts to open debate on a sweeping elections reform and voting rights bill brought to the Senate floor by Democrats Tuesday night. In a party-line 50-50 vote, the Democratic measure, S.1, titled the For the People Act, did not reach the 60-vote threshold required to end a filibuster […]
‘It’s a challenge’: Short-term rental issues plague a small Idaho town near Yellowstone
Idaho’s picturesque views and endless supply of outdoor recreational opportunities have always attracted visitors — tourists and new residents alike. But the dynamic changed in the past decade, with the rise of third-party rental websites like Airbnb, VRBO and Vacasa. These short-term rentals and vacation homes opened up lodging to more visitors in some corners […]
Biden to meet with Western governors about wildfires, vows to raise firefighter pay
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Tuesday that he will host a meeting next week of Western governors, Cabinet members and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials “to prepare for heat, drought and wildfires in the West.” Biden at a White House FEMA briefing also sharply criticized the low salaries paid to federal wildland firefighters. “There’s […]
Looking for a job? More than 120 employers will be in Caldwell on Wednesday
More than 120 Idaho employers with nearly 3,500 available jobs will participate in an outdoor job fair in Caldwell on Wednesday, the Idaho Department of Labor announced in a press release. The cities of Caldwell and Nampa, Boise State University, Amazon, the Community Council of Idaho, Knife River, CS Beef and others will be among […]
Idaho hits a COVID vaccine milestone: More than 50% of adults got their shots
Idaho has reached a milestone in protecting its residents and economy from the coronavirus. More than half of Idaho’s adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported that 50.2% of Idaho adults had chosen to be vaccinated. “We likely will not meet the national […]
The nation’s wildland firefighting headquarters, in Boise, is getting some long-needed funds
The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise is about to tackle a backlog of deferred maintenance projects that are designed to reduce costs and address safety issues, with funding authorized by the Great American Outdoors Act. The fire center projects are an example of some of the Department of Interior’s multiyear, multibillion dollar deferred maintenance […]
Idaho cities can start applying for $54 million in federal relief funds
Idaho cities with populations of fewer than 50,000 people will begin receiving their share of $54 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, Gov. Brad Little and State Controller Brandon Woolf announced Monday in a press release. Almost all Idaho cities have a population small enough to be eligible for the funds. Little and […]
College athletes score a big win in the U.S. Supreme Court in NCAA dispute
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled Monday that the National Collegiate Athletics Association cannot limit educational compensation to student athletes due to their amateur status. The 9-0 decision in NCAA v. Alston was delivered by Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, who said the college athletics body is not exempt from antitrust law. “Put […]
Eighteen months, 5,000 students: Idaho colleges and universities face a deep enrollment decline
Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on June 21, 2021 Idaho’s public colleges and universities have lost more than 5,000 students since the pandemic. It’s not worst-case scenario stuff. The 18-month dropoff was 8.7%, but administrators feared a 20% decrease. By placing a premium on face-to-face learning — in the midst of a public health crisis — […]