West

An Idaho health department isn’t allowed to give COVID-19 vaccines anymore. Experts say it’s a first

Published

2 years ago

November 4, 2024

An Idaho health department isn’t allowed to give COVID-19 vaccines anymore. Experts say it’s a first

A regional public health department in Idaho is no longer providing COVID-19 vaccines to residents in six counties after a narrow decision by its board.

Southwest District Health appears to be the first in the nation to be restricted from giving COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccinations are an essential function of a public health department.

TUBERCULOSIS HAS OVERTAKEN COVID AS WORLD’S DEADLIEST INFECTIOUS DISEASE

While policymakers in Texas banned health departments from promoting COVID vaccines and Florida’s surgeon general bucked medical consensus to recommend against the vaccine, governmental bodies across the country haven’t blocked the vaccines outright.

“I’m not aware of anything else like this,” said Adriane Casalotti, chief of government and public affairs for the National Association of County and City Health Officials. She said health departments have stopped offering the vaccine because of cost or low demand, but not based on “a judgment of the medical product itself.”

The six-county district along the Idaho-Oregon border includes three counties in the Boise metropolitan area. Demand for COVID vaccines in the health district has declined — with 1,601 given in 2021 to 64 so far in 2024. The same is true for other vaccines: Idaho has the highest childhood vaccination exemption rate in the nation, and last year, the Southwest District Health Department rushed to contain a rare measles outbreak that sickened 10.

On Oct. 22, the health department’s board voted 4-3 in favor of the ban — despite Southwest’s medical director testifying to the vaccine’s necessity.

A syringe lies next to vials of COVID-19 booster vaccines at an inoculation station in Jackson, Miss., Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

“Our request of the board is that we would be able to carry and offer those (vaccines), recognizing that we always have these discussions of risks and benefits,” Dr. Perry Jansen said at the meeting. “This is not a blind, everybody-gets-a-shot approach. This is a thoughtful approach.”

Opposite Jansen’s plea were more than 290 public comments, many of which called for an end to vaccine mandates or taxpayer funding of the vaccines, neither of which are happening in the district. At the meeting, many people who spoke are nationally known for making the rounds to testify against COVID vaccines, including Dr. Peter McCullough, a Texas cardiologist who sells “contagion emergency kits” that include ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine — drugs that have not been approved to treat COVID-19 and can have dangerous side effects.

Board Chairman Kelly Aberasturi was familiar with many of the voices who wanted the ban, especially from earlier local protests of pandemic measures.

Aberasturi, who told The Associated Press that he’s skeptical of COVID-19 vaccines and national public health leaders, said in the meeting and in an interview with the AP that he was supportive of but “disappointed” in the board’s decision.

He said the board had overstepped the relationship between patients and their doctors — and possibly opened a door to blocking other vaccines or treatments.

Board members in favor of the decision argued people can get vaccinated elsewhere, and that providing the shots was equivalent to signing off on their safety. (Some people may be reluctant to get vaccinated or boosted because of misinformation about the shots despite evidence that they’re safe and have saved millions of lives.)

The people getting vaccinated at the health department — including people without housing, people who are homebound and those in long-term care facilities or in the immigration process — had no other options, Jansen and Aberasturi said.

“I’ve been homeless in my lifetime, so I understand how difficult it can be when you’re … trying to get by and get ahead,” Aberasturi said. “This is where we should be stepping in and helping.

“But we have some board members who have never been there, so they don’t understand what it’s like.”

State health officials have said that they “recommend that people consider the COVID-19 vaccine.” Idaho health department spokesperson AJ McWhorter declined to comment on “public health district business,” but noted that COVID-19 vaccines are still available at community health centers for people who are uninsured.

Aberasturi said he plans to ask at the next board meeting if the health department can at least be allowed to vaccinate older patients and residents of long-term care facilities, adding that the board is supposed to be caring for the “health and well-being” of the district’s residents. “But I believe the way we went about this thing is we didn’t do that due diligence.”

Read the full article from Here

Montana

Montana Lottery Big Sky Bonus, Millionaire for Life results for May 17, 2026

Published

60 minutes ago

May 18, 2026

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 17, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 17 drawing

09-18-27-31, Bonus: 14

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 17 drawing

11-23-41-45-55, Bonus: 01

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link

Nevada

Fatal crash on US-95 in Nye County

Published

1 hour ago

May 18, 2026

Press Room

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — One woman is dead following a head-on collision on US-95 Sunday afternoon.

Nevada Highway Patrol responded to a report of a crash at 4:41 p.m. at mile marker 105, approximately 45 miles north of Beatty. The crash involved two sport utility vehicles.

One adult female driver was confirmed dead at the scene. The other driver was transported to a local area hospital with injuries.

MORE ON FOX5: Report: Nevada traffic deaths down 33% for April

No road closures are in effect. Investigations are being conducted on the southbound shoulder area.

Nevada Highway Patrol, a division of the Nevada State Police, is asking motorists to slow down and use caution in the area as troopers and investigators work at the scene.

Further information will be provided following the preliminary investigation.

Source link

New Mexico

New York Giants UDFA Scouting Report: RB Damon Bankston, New Mexico

Published

1 hour ago

May 18, 2026

Press Room

New York Giants UDFA Scouting Report: RB Damon Bankston, New Mexico

Damon Bankston, RB

Height: 5’ 10 ⅜”
Weight: 196 lbs
Class: Fifth-year Senior
School: New Mexico
Hands: 9 ½”
Arm Length: 30 ⅞”
Wingspan: 72 ⅝”
40-Yard Dash: 4.44 seconds
Bench Press: 21 reps
Vertical: 33”
Broad Jump: 10’ 3”
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.32 seconds
3-Cone: 6.89 seconds
STATS

Damon Bankston was an unranked running back recruit from Katy Paetow in Katy, Texas, who enrolled at Weber State, an FCS school in Ogden, Utah.

Bankston would stay at Weber State from 2021 to 2024 before transferring to New Mexico for his final season of college football in 2025.

As a redshirt senior, Bankston would rack up 635 rushing yards, 397 receiving yards, and 8 scrimmage touchdowns, as well as another 434 kick return yards and two touchdowns on just 12 returns.

Strengths

Explosive athlete with elite acceleration
Soft, natural hands as a pass-catcher out of the backfield
Solid vision when operating in zone run schemes
Usually a patient runner before accelerating through gaps
Plays very quick as a runner with a bit of a choppy style
Eliminates tackle angles with acceleration
Can make defenders miss in space with a solid juke move
Kick return specialist with two return touchdowns in 2025
Willing as a pass protector in the backfield

Weaknesses

Likely won’t be able to survive through contact often against NFL-caliber defenders
Questionable ability to run between the tackles at the next level
Not necessarily a weakness but only one year of FBS film, not sure how he’ll adapt to NFL game speed
Questionable size to succeed in pass protection
Ball security was an issue for him in 2025, including two fumbles in one game against Colorado State
Play strength is a concern with contact balance, ball security, pass protection, and the ability to be an all-around back

Summary

Bankston will at best be a change-of-pace back in the NFL who never handles a significant workload.

Carving out a role as a return specialist should be the goal for Bankston to make the roster in 2026, which will also be a tall task for him to solidify with Deonte Banks back for the Giants in 2026.

Bankston, who at this point is probably more of a practice squad candidate, can definitely provide some juice on special teams as a kickoff returner. In college he averaged 36.2 yards per return and had two returns for touchdown, showing some explosiveness.

The step up in competition from the FCS to FBS for Bankston caused him to be less consistent with creating yards after contact and making defenders miss.

It’s fair to estimate that with another step up in competition, Bankston could once again see a decrease in that ability to create.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news, and send your mailbag questions to us.