Local health authorities in Idaho, particularly those in Eastern and Southeastern Idaho, are reaching out to the public about an increase in HIV cases. The increase which is being called more of a ‘surge’, by local health officials, is cause for concern in Idaho and is serving as a stark reminder to be in touch — and proactive — with your health.

Numbers of cases are outpacing not only last year–but the last FIVE years.

In the first three months of 2026, there have been seven new cases and diagnosis of HIV. That is how many the area has seen in a year over the past five years.

Contracting these diseases is no joke–and safety is key. Idahoans are urged to practice safe sex not just amid the uptick–but all of the time. Officials also encourage frequent testing as needed, following sexual activity with new partners.

Reaching out to the public is the Eastern Idaho Public Health Department, which serves Bonneville, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, and Teton Counties.

According to the World Health Organization–there are signs and symptoms of HIV, but they vary depending on the stage of infection.

HIV spreads more easily  after a person is infected. In the first few weeks after being infected there is a chance that some may not experience symptoms at all. Others may have an flu-like illness including:

• fever
• headache
• rash
• sore throat.

As the immune system is progressively weakened, other signs and symptoms include:

• swollen lymph nodes
• weight loss
• fever
• diarrhea
• cough.

And finally, if one is to go without treatment, those living with HIV infection can also develop severe illnesses:

• tuberculosis (TB)
• cryptococcal meningitis
• severe bacterial infections
• cancers such as lymphomas and Kaposi’s sarcoma.

Not to scare anyone–but these infections are serious.

Learn more, HERE.

An Idaho bill that could make it a crime for transgender people to use restrooms aligned with their gender identity is now before the state Senate, advancing one of the most punitive bathroom proposals in the country.

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House Bill 752, already approved by the Idaho House in a 54–15 vote, was taken up this week by the Senate, where Republicans hold a 29–6 majority. If enacted, the measure would require people to use bathrooms, locker rooms, and similar facilities based on their sex assigned at birth in both government buildings and private businesses open to the public.

Related: Idaho Republicans pass bill making it a felony for transgender people to use public bathrooms

Related: Idaho Republicans pass House bill forcing doctors to out transgender kids

The penalties escalate quickly. A first violation would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail. A second offense within five years could be charged as a felony, carrying a prison sentence of up to five years.

“The Legislature has a fundamental duty to protect the bodily privacy and safety of Idaho citizens,” Sen. Ben Toews, the bill’s sponsor, said in a Monday committee hearing, according to the Idaho Capital Sun. “House Bill 752 provides a clear, proactive tool to secure sex-separated private spaces in our state, while accommodating common-sense realities.”

Supporters of the measure have called the bill necessary as a matter of safety and privacy in sex-segregated spaces. But opponents of the legislation, including civil liberties groups, some lawmakers, and law enforcement voices, say the proposal creates an enforcement problem that risks turning suspicion into probable cause.

Related: Thousands of paper hearts flood Idaho capital as lawmakers pass anti-LGBTQ+ bills

Related: Idaho Republicans are trying to strip localities of nondiscrimination ordinances that protect LGBTQ+ people

Transgender people are warning that bills like this put them in danger of being assaulted. For example, the boyfriend or husband may see a transgender man following their girlfriend into a restroom, because the trans man has to use restrooms according to his sex assigned at birth, and could confront them.

In committee testimony, transgender Idahoans described how that could unfold. Nikson Matthews, a transgender man, told lawmakers that someone who recognizes or suspects he is trans could call police, prompting officers to respond to what would otherwise appear to be “a bearded man using the men’s bathroom.” If an officer decides he violated the law, Matthews said, “I could go to jail for up to a year for peeing, washing my hands, or even being in the bathroom.”

Related: Idaho Republicans pass bill making it a felony for transgender people to use public bathrooms

The alternative, he said, could be worse. Being forced into women’s facilities, Matthews warned, risks confrontation or violence. “Every single day when I’m out in public, I have to decide,” he said. “Do I feel like going to jail today, or do I feel like being attacked?”

Shane Dial, owner of Ford’s Bar in Idaho Falls, shows EastIdahoNews.com reporter Kaitlyn Hart what it’s like to own a 120 year old bar. | Jordan Wood, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS – EastIdahoNews.com is highlighting different careers and today, I’m Workin’ It with Shane Dial at Ford’s Bar.

Originally opened in 1906, Ford’s Bar has carried the same name through multiple owners for 120 years. It is a staple of the nightlife scene in Idaho Falls, and it’s often said that you haven’t partied until you’ve been to Ford’s.

Shane Dial, who’s been with the bar for the last five years, showed me how to open the bar, make a lemon drop martini, operate the music, the importance of working with law enforcement to manage unruly customers, and more.

Thank you to Shane Dial for letting us come learn what it’s like to be him for a day!

Check out the bar’s Facebook page here.

Watch our experience in the video above, and watch other Workin’ It videos here.