Idaho

A health exception to Idaho’s abortion bans would protect maternal health • Idaho Capital Sun

Published

1 year ago

December 13, 2024

A health exception to Idaho’s abortion bans would protect maternal health • Idaho Capital Sun

As the president of the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians, I’m compelled to address a pressing issue that impacts the health and safety of mothers in our state: the urgent need for a health exception to Idaho’s abortion bans.

Idaho law bans abortion with limited medical exceptions and places significant constraints on routine obstetric care. The law doesn’t consider the risks associated with pregnancy. While many pregnancies are uncomplicated, not all are routine. Conditions such as premature rupture of membranes, severe preeclampsia and placental abruption can unexpectedly endanger the life of the mother and baby. In these cases, timely medical intervention is critical. Left untreated these conditions lead to lifelong health problems for the mother, including the inability to have children.

Idaho’s maternal mortality rate has been rising for years, more than doubling rates seen in other states and developed countries. According to the latest data, Idaho’s rate stands at 40.1 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, a statistic that highlights the urgent need for better maternal healthcare policies.

Four women challenge Idaho’s abortion ban in court

The landscape of obstetric services in Idaho has shifted dramatically, particularly in rural communities. Many Idaho counties have lost access to OB/GYN services, leaving vast areas without surgical care for emergencies. The consequences are severe: families face long journeys to receive care that may come too late. We need policies that prioritize the health and safety of mothers, rather than restricting options.

As a family physician that practices obstetrics, I’ve trained for years and delivered babies to families across the state. In a medical emergency, I rely on my medical training, experience and patient autonomy. Politicians have no place in a room where a health care team is working to keep pregnancy safe for the mother.

To address this issue, the organization I lead, the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians, joined patients and other doctors as plaintiffs in a legal challenge to Idaho’s abortion bans, Adkins v. State of Idaho, represented by the Center for Reproductive Rights. A two-week trial concluded last month, and a ruling is expected sometime next year. Through the case, we are asking for clear and workable medical exceptions that would allow physicians to use their best medical judgment and intervene to treat our patients as we were trained. We want medical exceptions that ensure the health and safety of pregnant patients always comes first.

The need for a health exception in Idaho is a matter of urgency that impacts maternal health and safety. Enacting changes that prioritize the well-being of mothers fosters a health care environment that respects individual rights and prioritizes the health of Idaho families. Let us work together to create a future where every pregnant mother has access to the safe care she deserves.

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Idaho

University of Idaho professor awarded $10M after TikTok tarot influencer claimed she ‘ordered’ quadruple murders

Published

11 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

University of Idaho professor awarded M after TikTok tarot influencer claimed she ‘ordered’ quadruple murders

A University of Idaho professor won a $10 million judgment after a tarot TikTok influencer publicly pushed false claims that she was behind the savage quadruple slayings of four college students.

A Boise jury in US District Court ordered fortune-telling Texas TikToker Ashley Guillard on Friday to pay $10 million after concluding she falsely accused professor Rebecca Scofield of having a secret romance with one of the four victims and orchestrating their killings, the Idaho Statesman reported.

Following the verdict, Scofield thanked the jury and said she hopes the case sends a clear warning that making “false statements online have consequences in the real world.”

“The murders of the four students on November 13, 2022, were the darkest chapter in our university’s history,” Scofield told Fox News.

“Today’s decision shows that respect and care should always be granted to victims during these tragedies. I am hopeful that this difficult chapter in my life is over, and I can return to a more normal life with my family and the wonderful Moscow community.”

Scofield, the university’s history department chair, filed the lawsuit in December 2022 — just weeks after Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were brutally stabbed to death at an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, on Nov. 13, 2022.

Guillard began uploading videos to her more than 100,000 TikTok followers in late November 2022, accusing Scofield of a secret relationship with one of the students and claiming she had “ordered” the killings, garnering millions of views across the social media platform.

The complaint states that Scofield had never met the victims and was out of state when the murders occurred.

Even after being served with cease-and-desist letters and after police publicly confirmed Scofield had no connection to the murders, the Houston-based tarot reader continued posting videos, the history professor’s legal team argued.

Guillard doubled down on her accusations against Scofield after being sued, posting a defiant video saying, “I am not stopping,” and challenging why Scofield needed three lawyers to sue her “if she’s so innocent.”

The professor’s legal team argued the defamatory accusations painted her as a criminal and accused her of professional misconduct that could derail her career.

Bryan Kohberger, then studying criminology at Washington State University, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to the quadruple murders in a deal that took the death penalty off the table. He is currently serving four consecutive life sentences in Idaho.

In June 2024, Chief US Magistrate Judge Raymond Patricco found Guillard’s statements legally defamatory, leaving damages to be decided by a jury.

During the damages trial, Scofield described the anguish of seeing her name tied to the murders online, the Idaho Statesman reported.

However, Guillard, acting as her own attorney, insisted her comments were simply beliefs based on tarot card readings.

She claimed to have psychic powers and testified that she relied on tarot cards to try to solve the shocking homicides that shook the rural college town and sparked global attention.

It took jurors less than two hours to return their verdict, the outlet reported.

The jury awarded Scofield $7.5 million in punitive damages in addition to $2.5 million in compensatory damages.

With Post wires

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Idaho

Gas prices expected to exceed $3 as the Iran conflict prompts supply shortages

Published

23 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Gas prices expected to exceed as the Iran conflict prompts supply shortages

BOISE, Idaho — AAA is warning Idaho gas consumers that pump prices will likely rise as the conflict in Iran disrupts oil and gas supply chains worldwide.

The ongoing turmoil in the Middle East will likely push the price for a gallon of regular gasoline past the $3 mark over the coming days.

“On one hand, the crude oil market had time to account for some financial risk in the Middle East as forces mobilized, but a supply shortage somewhere affects the global picture,” says AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde. “If tankers can’t move products through the region, there could be ripple effects.”

On Monday, March 2, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $2.97, reports AAA, which is 12 cents more expensive than it was a month ago but 20 cents less than this time last year.

State / Price: 1 gallon of regular gasoline

Washington / $4.37
Oregon / $3.92
Nevada / $3.70
Idaho / $2.97
Colorado / $2.89
Montana / $2.82
Utah / $2.74
Wyoming / $2.73

In terms of the most expensive fuel in the nation, Idaho currently ranks #14. However, buying a gallon of regular gas in neighboring states such as Oregon and Washington could cost a whole dollar more. In contrast, gas prices in Utah, Montana, and Wyoming are anywhere between 15 to 24 cents cheaper than fuel in the Gem State.

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Idaho

Idaho Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 4 on March 1, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

The results are in for the Idaho Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 1.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 1 drawing

Day: 7-2-3

Night: 2-7-6

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 1 drawing

Day: 4-7-9-3

Night: 8-7-7-3

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Idaho Cash numbers from March 1 drawing

03-06-07-33-41

Check Idaho Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 1 drawing

10-11-12-35-56, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Idaho Lottery drawings held ?

Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
Pick 4: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
Lucky For Life: 8:35 p.m. MT Monday and Thursday.
Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
5 Star Draw: 8 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Idaho Cash: 8 p.m. MT daily.
Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.

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

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