An Idaho inmate who was helping battle a California wildfire is back in custody after walking away from his inmate fire crew near Sonoma, Calif., the Idaho Department of Correction reports. Angelo Manuel Diaz, 37, was reported missing around 11:30 Friday night; a Napa County…
A federal judge has ruled that Idaho prison officials failed to enact court-mandated prison health care improvements for two years from 2014 to 2016 and that some of the officials did not read the court order outlining what was supposed to be done. U.S. District Judge David Carter said in the ruling...
A state-operated treatment center that houses adults with mental health and developmental issues was severely understaffed for half of this year, according to a state report. The report from an inspection conducted in July found that the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center in Nampa did not have the minimum number of required staff...
In response to a letter from the National Organization for Women’s Southwest Idaho chapter, Gov. Butch Otter today sent out this tweet: Idaho Governor @ButchOtter Please join Miss Lori and me in working to bring awareness to the #MeToo movement to stop sexual assault and...
Idaho’s unemployment rate continued its steady fall in September, dropping to 2.8 percent, the lowest rate since 1976. That marks the seventh consecutive monthly decrease in the state’s unemployment rate; it was down a tenth of a percentage point from than August. “Idaho’s labor force…
Idaho Sen. Cherie Buckner-Webb, the Gem State's only African-American state legislator, is giving the dinner keynote address tonight in Spokane at the fourth international conference sponsored by Gonzaga University's Institute of Hate Studies. Her talk is entitled "With Liberty and Justice for All." Here's my profile of Buckner-Webb from today's...
The U.S. Forest Service would get new rules to help fight wildfires in some of its most at-risk areas under a bipartisan plan introduced Thursday by Northwest senators. The proposal would try to reduce the catastrophic wildfires that have plagued Western states in recent years…
A three-term Idaho state lawmaker involved in an active criminal investigation resigned from office Thursday, the AP reported Thursday night. Republican Rep. Brandon Hixon of Caldwell submitted his resignation letter to Republican House Speaker Scott Bedke of Oakley and Gov. Butch Otter. "I hope that my efforts have helped improve the lives of...
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
