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Rural Idaho comes together to to bypass landslide using the Weiser River Trail

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Rural Idaho comes together to to bypass landslide using the Weiser River Trail


A landslide took out a portion of Highway 95 in between Council and McCall in March. The road has been closed ever since, but the community has rallied to provide an alternative.

The Weiser River Trail is the longest rail line converted into a trail in Idaho, it features 85-miles of non motorized use. However, the Friends of the Weiser River Trail opened up a one-mile section to help people get around the construction site.

“As we go through each community we are part of that community,” said Leonard Messersmith, the President of the Friends of the Weiser River Trail. “We try to be as helpful as we can. This is a wonderful thing and I think we have done the right thing by opening this up.

Braun-Jensen Inc. out of Cambridge has been contracted by the Idaho Transportation Department to repair Highway 95. However, this local company has two of their workers performing eight hour shifts driving people back and forth in a side-by-side.

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Ron Keller takes me through the bypass

Ron Keller is one of the Weiser River Trail taxi drivers for Braun-Jensen and he told us he puts 125 miles on the side-by side everyday. The shuttle runs from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and around 100 people use the shuttle on a daily basis.

“I never dreamed I’d be a taxi driver, never,” said Keller. “It’s been relaxing and the people are really appreciative of us doing this.”

Lisa and Kirk Kundrick catch the shuttle

Kirk and Lisa Kundrick live in Council, but they work in New Meadows and McCall. Without the bypass it would take them four hours to drive all the way around.

“It’s amazing the cars are lining the whole road and the word is out about how efficient it is,” said Kirk Kundrick. “It is working to get everybody through in a timely manner.”

Allowing a motorized vehicle on the Weiser River Trail

Mountain Community Transit opened a bus line heading north to Valley county from the construction site, neighbors have helped neighbors and what could have been a huge inconvenience showcases the resiliency of rural Idaho.

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Meanwhile, the Idaho Transportation Department says the road could be back open by the beginning of May. This past week crews installed a retaining wall and this upcoming week they will re-pave Highway 95.

The retaining wall built this past week

The shuttle has run for 18 days helping workers get to mill north of the landslide. There are a lot of people that work and live on the opposite side of the construction site. We also met a pair of ladies who used the shuttle to take their cat to the veterinarian.

“I know there are a lot of businesses affected by opening this up in a positive manner,” said Messersmith. “We are glad to be part of that.”

The Weiser River Trail is a fun adventure for hikers, bikers and horseback riders

The Weiser River Trail provides a place for hikers, bikers and horseback riders to enjoy. I can tell you from experience that biking this section is pretty fun as the trail starts in the pines and goes all the way down to Weiser. Shuttles are available in Cambridge and Weiser.

The Friends of the Weiser River Trail is a non-profit and this trail was deeded to them in 1997. There mission is to preserve the integrity of the Pacific and Idaho Northern Railroad corridor, manage a public recreational trail and protect natural habitats along the corridor.

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Charges dropped against BYU-Idaho student accused of kidnapping baby at Costco – East Idaho News

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Charges dropped against BYU-Idaho student accused of kidnapping baby at Costco – East Idaho News


Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal describes a new video from Costco over the incident involving an alleged kidnapping prior to Thanksgiving. | Daniel V. Ramirez, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS — Weeks after a BYU-Idaho student was accused of kidnapping a baby from Costco, the Bonneville County Prosecutor announced Thursday afternoon that charges will be dismissed.

During a news conference, Prosecutor Randy Neal showed three videos from inside Costco during the alleged incident on Nov. 24, which led to Michael Raine, 24, being charged with felony second-degree kidnapping.

According to court documents, Raine was looking at books inside the store and a cart with a baby was nearby.

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RELATED | BYU-Idaho student accused of kidnapping 4-week-old baby in Costco

The document states that Raine “looked around” and then grabbed the cart and walked away.

The issue for officials was what occurred once Raine rounded the corner with the cart and the baby.

Neal said the new video shows Raine walking away with the cart, and the baby’s mother finding him almost immediately. The prosecutor explained that when pursuing cases, a prosecutor reviews the evidence and determines whether, beyond a reasonable doubt, the action was a crime.

“For a prosecutor, the analysis is whether there is a rational basis for someone to conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that they are to a moral certainty, that this is a crime? I don’t think that we can say that,” Neal said.

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Neal said the surveillance videos from Costco show that Raine had no intention of running away with that cart.

WATCH COSTCO SURVEILLANCE VIDEO HERE:

The other aspect is that Raine didn’t leave the store after the incident, which, according to the documents, indicates the student had purchased items and eaten at the food court.

Looking at the reasons for Raine’s arrest, Idaho Falls Police Chief Bryce Johnson said at the time, there was only one single video, and based on what was seen, Raine’s actions were found to be suspicious.

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Another factor that influenced Raine’s arrest was his trip to the United States Marine Corps Recruiting station in Boise on Nov. 25.

“The detectives were consulting with the prosecutors and made the proper decision at that time in the interest of public safety, based on probable cause, to make that arrest,” Johnson said. “That just doesn’t end the case. There’s a requirement to keep on going.”

Johnson and Neal discussed how detectives met with the mother of the baby and went over the events in a cognitive interview. Neal said this type of interview is a narrative recount of the events by the victim, without any questions being asked.

“Often, the mind will just start filling in pieces in order to make it make sense to them,” Neal said.

Detectives worked on recreating the incident at Costco with the mother, but Neal said some of the mother’s version of events were inaccurate in terms of the cart placement and other minor details.

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Neal said Natalie Millett was told charges have been dropped.

Victim Impact Statement from Natalie Millett. | Courtesy Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney

In a statement to the media, Millett said the event has caused the emotional pain that words can’t describe and will impact her for life.

“I believe it was miraculous that I ran in the right direction and recovered my baby swiftly, but the outcome could have been so different had I not listened to my intuition and impressions that day,” Millett said.

After being informed that the charges against Raine would be dismissed, Millett stated that she does feel at peace because she has done everything in her power.

One of the major talking points of the conference and in Millett’s statement is the reaction and comments from social media that have attacked her and made egregious remarks about people involved.

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“To sit in your basement and write poison is just really disgusting. It’s just inappropriate,” Neal said.

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Drivers urged to exercise caution amid potential flooding in North Idaho

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Drivers urged to exercise caution amid potential flooding in North Idaho


The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is warning drivers in North Idaho to be vigilant as rising water levels from recent rainfall and runoff may lead to roadway flooding and washouts.

ITD crews are actively monitoring the situation and are prepared to respond as conditions change. Drivers are advised to exercise extra caution, particularly in lowland areas, where conditions can shift rapidly. ITD strongly recommends against driving through standing water, as it can be difficult to gauge its depth or identify hidden hazards. Water intake can also cause significant damage to vehicles. For updates on detours and road closures, drivers are encouraged to visit Idaho 511.



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Notre Dame pulls away from Idaho, wins 80-65 despite missing leading scorer Markus Burton

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Notre Dame pulls away from Idaho, wins 80-65 despite missing leading scorer Markus Burton


SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jalen Haralson scored 20 points, Carson Towt had 19 points and 15 rebounds and Notre Dame pulled away late to beat Idaho 80-65 despite playing without leading scorer Markus Burton on Wednesday night.

Burton, who leads the Fighting Irish at 18.5 ppg, was to have had surgery Wednesday on his left ankle after suffering an injury in Notre Dame’s previous game, an 87-85 overtime win over TCU. He is expected to be out “for the foreseeable future,” according to the school.

Haralson was 8-of-16 shooting and Towt was 9 of 12 in collecting his third double-double this season. Cole Certa had a trio of 3-pointers and 15 points and Braeden Shrewsberry made four 3s and scored 14. The Irish (8-3) shot 52% and made 9 of 14 from the arc in winning their third straight game and improving to 6-0 at home.

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Biko Johnson made three 3s and scored 19 points and Jackson Rasmussen added 16 points though the pair combined for only eight second-half points for Idaho (6-4). Brody Rowbury added 11 points. The Vandals shot 40% and made 10 of 24 3-pointers.

Tied 33-all at halftime, Notre Dame never trailed in the second half, going up 61-51 with nine minutes to go after Certa scored the first seven points in an 11-2 run. The Vandals got back within four with six minutes left on a Johnson 3-pointer but that was their final field goal. Shrewsberry and Certa hit 3-pointers in a game-ending 12-1 run.

Up next

Idaho is home against Evergreen State on Sunday.

Notre Dame is home against Evansville on Sunday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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