Item: High skin cancer rates in Idaho, Wash. prompt warnings/Betsy Russell, SR

More Info: Idaho has the highest death rate from melanoma in the nation, and both Washington and Idaho are among the top 10 states for incidence of the deadly skin cancer, so health officials are urging folks to slap on the sunscreen and think about hats and shade as the sunny holiday weekend kicks off. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire highlighted the problem in 2008 when she declared Washington a “SunWise” state, launching an EPA-sponsored program to educate kids in schools about how to be “sun-safe.”

Question: Do you take the threat of skin cancer seriously? What precautions do you take when you're out in the sun?