Idaho
Congressional bill could add third Idaho federal district court judge • Idaho Capital Sun
Under a bill advancing in Congress, Idaho could receive a third federal district judge.
U.S. Rep Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, announced Wednesday he has co-sponsored The Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act of 2024, dubbed the JUDGES Act, which his office says will add “critically needed federal judgeships to resolve currently understaffed and backlogged courts.”
In 2021, the Associated Press reported Idaho had the fewest federal judges of any state.
Congress approved Idaho’s second federal district judgeship in 1954, when Idaho’s population was around 600,000 people. As one of the fastest-growing states in recent years, Idaho is now home to over 1.8 million people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“As Idaho’s population grows, so does the number of court cases,” Simpson said in a news release. “Adding a third district judgeship will reduce backlogs and ensure Idahoans have their cases addressed in a reasonable and timely manner. It is long overdue for Idaho to have a third district judge to meet these needs, and I look forward to seeing this critical legislation get across the finish line.”
The bill would create 63 permanent judgeships across the country, in six phases over a decade starting in 2025, Simpson’s office said.
The U.S. Senate passed the JUDGES Act in August.
Simpson sponsored several recent bills that would’ve added a third Idaho federal judgeship, like a bill introduced earlier this year, with U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, that would add a new Idaho federal district judge and two more Colorado federal judges, and another bill introduced last year.
In 2023, Simpson sponsored a bill to split the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which is the largest federal circuit court based on geography, population, the number of federal judges and the volume of litigation. The Ninth Circuit includes Idaho, along with all states along the U.S. west coast, Alaskas, Hawaii and several other states.
BLACKFOOT — A large contingent of Blackfoot Police officers has cordoned off an area near the Taco Bell on Parkway Drive in Blackfoot.
Police responded around 5 p.m., according to multiple witnesses who contacted EastIdahoNews.com.
EastIdahoNews.com has reached out to Blackfoot Police for details.
We will update this story as we learn more.
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MISSOULA, Mont. — An Idaho Falls angler is back in the Idaho record books after landing a record-setting lake trout at Payette Lake.
Idaho Fish and Game said Dylan Smith caught and released a 43.25-inch lake trout on May 2, setting a new state catch-and-release record for the species. The fish surpassed the previous record of 42 inches.
The catch marks Smith’s second appearance in Idaho’s record books. He previously held the state catch-and-release lake trout record after landing a trophy fish in 2018 before that mark was later broken.
According to Fish and Game, Payette Lake has become one of Idaho’s premier lake trout fisheries thanks to years of management efforts aimed at improving both lake trout and kokanee populations.
Pride Month looks different this June along Boise’s Harrison Boulevard, where a long-standing tradition of hanging Pride flags on lamp posts has been put on hold after a new state law restricted which flags can be flown on government property.
For several years, Pride flags lined lamp posts along Harrison Boulevard in Boise’s North End neighborhood. But Idaho House Bill 561, signed by Gov. Brad Little in March, restricts which flags can be flown on government property, including the City of Boise’s Harrison lamp posts.
In response, a group of neighbors formed Pride North End and launched a distribution effort to help residents show support from their own front yards. The group has been making Pride flags and yard signs available to people who want to display them at home.
“I thought that I would…be a personal example of ‘yes, this is what I do.’ This is what I believe in,” said Edna Schochat, a North End resident.
Pride North End has already distributed more than 900-yard signs and 250 flags. The group’s original donation goal was around $2,000 to order 100 flags and 200 yard signs, but it has exceeded that GoFundMe goal, reaching $10,000 worth of donations.
The group plans to continue holding public flag and sign distributions through the end of the month.
“We cannot just say something without doing something that proves that we mean what we say,” Schochat said.
Pride North End said any leftover funds after materials are distributed will go to local LGBTQ+ nonprofits. A link to the group’s GoFundMe can be found here.
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