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Democrat Race for Idaho Governor Takes Unexpected Twist

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Democrat Race for Idaho Governor Takes Unexpected Twist


BOISE — With solely an unassuming trainer from Marsing on the poll and the presumed front-runner who’s been campaigning for months relegated to write-in standing — and joined there by a North Idaho disruptor described as an “antisemitic troll” — the Idaho Democratic Celebration is in an odd spot on this yr’s race for governor.

Stephen Heidt, 61, an English as a Second Language trainer at Idaho’s state prisons, had no thought he’d be the one Democrat on the poll for governor when he filed his candidacy on the Thursday earlier than the deadline of Friday, March 11.

“On Monday, I needed to go up north to Orofino and go to the prisons up there,” he mentioned. Then his spouse known as, and mentioned two high Democratic Celebration state officers had stopped by the home, “and so they mentioned, ‘Your husband was the one one which filed on the Democratic ticket.’ So I realized very third-hand.”

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“I really feel that if the marketing campaign is run correctly, that I may truly win the election,” he mentioned.

Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad introduced his candidacy for governor as a Democrat again in November, however when he filed to run on the ultimate day of the submitting interval, the Idaho Secretary of State’s workplace rejected his submitting — as a result of data confirmed he was registered as a Republican. Rognstad mentioned he thought he’d switched again months earlier than, however in March, introduced he’d wage a write-in marketing campaign.

Quickly after, David Reilly, a failed Put up Falls college board candidate and up to date transplant to Idaho infamous for his antisemitic, anti-gay and anti-women writings and social media postings and his white nationalist leanings, additionally filed as a Democratic write-in for governor. Reilly’s college board bid drew nationwide consideration, and the nationwide information web site The Every day Beast labeled him an “anti-Semitic troll.”

Reilly’s new write-in marketing campaign adopted information of a far-right plot in North Idaho to infiltrate and take over the Kootenai County Democratic Celebration, set up Reilly as the brand new chairman, and shunt Democratic funds to far-right GOP candidates and causes.

In an “Information Wars” video posted on his marketing campaign web site, Reilly rails towards “leftist-extremist Democrats” whereas calling present Idaho Republican officers “scumbags” who he claims are “on the take.”

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Idaho Democratic Celebration Chair Lauren Necochea mentioned the get together disavows Reilly. “David J. Reilly, and the hateful beliefs he has espoused for years, don’t have any place in our nice state a lot much less the Idaho Democratic Celebration,” she mentioned in a March 28 assertion, saying, “His phrases and actions contradict all of the values we maintain pricey.”

Requested what all this implies for Idaho Democrats within the governor’s race, Necochea mentioned, “It signifies that issues are nonetheless type of extensive open. We all the time need Democrats to have extra decisions. We welcome any reputable Democrat who desires to run. Clearly, David Reilly doesn’t match that description, and we imagine in maintaining our primaries open, and letting the method play out, and letting the voters resolve.”

“I feel that contrasts to the Republican Celebration, the place we’re seeing native get together bosses both make donations or make endorsements within the Republican main,” she mentioned.

Relating to Rognstad’s write-in marketing campaign, she mentioned, “We think about this a contested main, since he’s formally registered as a write-in, and so the get together workplace is impartial. … We’re treating this the way in which we might deal with it if he had been on the poll and never working as a write-in. … So he nonetheless has entry to all the identical issues that the opposite reputable Democratic candidate does.”

That candidate, Heidt, is gearing up for one thing pretty sudden: An actual marketing campaign. Michelle Vincent, chair of the Elmore County Democratic Celebration, has signed on to be his interim marketing campaign supervisor till he gears up additional after the first. “He’s totally dedicated to working a really robust marketing campaign,” Vincent instructed the Idaho Press.

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Some proof: Heidt gave his two weeks’ discover on his beloved job educating in Idaho prisons, the place he’s taught each ESL and GED courses for 14 years, and can quickly be formally unemployed, although it’s nonetheless two years earlier than his deliberate retirement date in August of 2024.

That’s as a result of being a state worker posed authorized conflicts with working for governor. “I’m not a profession politician – actually, I’m two years out of retiring myself,” he mentioned.

As of April 29, Heidt will likely be out of a job – and free to talk his thoughts on politics.

“I like my job,” he mentioned. But it surely was on the job that he was impressed to run for workplace, one thing he’s truly finished 3 times earlier than, although these had been all Republican bids for Congress in Utah and Washington state three many years in the past that didn’t go far.

Since then, his political journey led him to turn into an impartial, then 5 years in the past, on the urging of his staunchly Democratic dad, to register as a Democrat. “I didn’t actually have any intention of working once more,” he mentioned. “Politics type of turned me off.”

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After doing a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission in Brazil in his youth, Heidt turned fluent in Portuguese, and returned to journey and dwell in South America for a number of years. That’s the place he met his spouse, and his kids all have twin Portuguese and American citizenship.

Since then, whereas educating English as a Second Language, Heidt has realized Spanish from his college students, and easy methods to educate English to those that converse different languages as nicely.

On the prisons, Heidt employs educating assistants who’re inmates, and so they work arduous for a paltry wage of about 40 cents an hour. “They’re all grown males,” he mentioned. “They’ve crimes that scan the board. A few of them are going to be there for a very long time. Most of them are bilingual.” He’s had T.A.’s who converse every thing from Spanish to Japanese to Korean.

He appears for inmates who converse two languages and have school levels, as a result of they’re greatest in a position to assist educate English as a Second Language. Many give up the job after every week or so, however a handful have caught round for the previous 5 years.

“Once they began sending offenders out of state once more about two years in the past, I misplaced half my T.A.’s,” he mentioned.

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He talks with the lads about their work and about present occasions. He shares his ideas about issues that he believes simply aren’t dealt with appropriately.

“They mentioned, ‘Aw, you should run for governor,’” Heidt mentioned. “They stored on badgering me, and I mentioned, ‘Nicely, possibly I’ll give it some thought.’”

“There are some issues which are simply type of not being handled,” Heidt mentioned, from enough funding for training to jail sentences that don’t match the crime, to Idahoans dying or going bankrupt for lack of well being care, to honest and inexpensive housing.

“Offenders value $100 a day to maintain within the jail system,” he mentioned. “I’ve by no means used marijuana, however individuals ought to have the ability to have the liberty of selection in utilizing it, so long as it doesn’t have an effect on different individuals. The crime must be endangering the general public.”

Heidt mentioned he doesn’t favor legalizing marijuana, simply decriminalizing it, so offenders would obtain the equal of a rushing ticket and be fined.

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“I facet with the founding fathers,” he mentioned. “I might slightly see 10 responsible males go free than convict one harmless man.”

He’s a navy veteran, having served 4 years within the Military Nationwide Guard and 4 years within the Military Reserves. He holds a political science diploma from Brigham Younger College, a second bachelor’s diploma in historical past and a educating certification from Japanese Washington College, and is POST licensed as a correctional officer.

Vincent mentioned, “He has needed to maintain a reasonably low profile due to his work restrictions. These will disappear on the finish of the month when he separates from his employment.”

“I’ve labored with a whole lot of candidates, and it’s uncommon to seek out one who’s working for all the suitable causes and doesn’t have ulterior motives,” she mentioned. “He’s a person of integrity and understands the workplace of governor is a superb honor that’s beholden to all Idahoans no matter political affiliation. He’s going to be a implausible candidate and I’m thrilled to be working with him. If he wins the final election in November he will likely be totally ready to imagine workplace and able to get to work.”

Necochea mentioned, “I do know he’s taken the steps to place the items of the marketing campaign into place.”

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At Vincent’s suggestion, Heidt mentioned he had no touch upon Rognstad’s write-in candidacy. On Reilly, he mentioned he agrees with Necochea’s assertion. “I don’t take him as a critical candidate,” he mentioned.

Heidt seems to be quietly however fortunately anticipating the marketing campaign path forward, which can quickly embody an internet site, social media and touring the state. Any time you file to run for workplace, he mentioned, “You need to settle for that nonetheless slim the possibilities are, there’s all the time an opportunity that you just would possibly win. On this case, by submitting, I did win — I used to be the one individual that filed.”

Democrat Race for Idaho Governor Takes Unexpected Twist

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Idaho

Idaho bill sparks controversy and legal critique from experts

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Idaho bill sparks controversy and legal critique from experts


BOISE, Idaho — Idaho lawmakers are considering legislation that would enforce the deportation of individuals who are living in the country illegally if they commit a crime.

But what kind of crime can get you deported?

I’m your neighborhood reporter Jessica Davis digging into what the bill specifically does and doesn’t say and asked an expert, who would this enforcement fall on?

“it’s pretty clear that this particular statute if adopted would be deemed unconstitutional under the federal constitution,” says former Attorney General David Leroy.

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HB 83 passed in the house, the legislation enforcing deportation towards immigrants who illegally live in Idaho, if they commit a crime,

According to Leroy, deportation is a federal issue, meaning States have no rule on who can be deported and why this bill, in Leroy’s words, is “unconstitutional.”

He says, “The state’s rule simply put is to cooperate with the federal government and enforce federal law not to create brand new state crimes.”

This bill states law enforcement can only enforce deportation if they’re investigating other crimes that were committed, not solely based on immigration status.

We spoke to representative Skaug, who says the focus is catching consistent criminals but infractions like speeding, jaywalking, or not stopping at a stop sign aren’t considered quote crimes.

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Rebecca De León, communications director for ACLU of Idaho, says “We are deeply concerned specifically about HB83 and we are doing everything we can to stop this bill we have engaged with lawmakers to explain to them the legal issues that this bill has.”

If this bill passes through the Senate, Leroy says it will go to court.
If that happens the bill will go through the Federal District Court in Idaho, then to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal in San Francisco, and could potentially head to the Supreme Court for review.

Leroy says, “United States Supreme Court does change its precedents from time to time, but this is an area where the settled interpretation of the United States constitution is almost absolute that this is an area of supremacy for the federal government where state government laws will not be tolerated.”

On Monday House Bill 83 passed the House 61 to 9 and moved forward to the Senate.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the legislation and what it will mean for Idahoans so stick with us right here on Idaho News Six.

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Boise State team gathers critical snow data in Idaho mountains

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Boise State team gathers critical snow data in Idaho mountains


Researchers from Marshall’s CryoGARS lab snow trenches in the Idaho mountains.

Every winter, thousands of Idahoans wake up and check the snow levels at Bogus Basin. The ski resort, located 20 miles from downtown Boise, regularly posts photos of its snow marker, an upright measuring stick on top of a small platform. Every evening, staff come out and brush the platform clean so the tally can begin anew.

This rough measurement might be good enough for weekend warriors, but there’s more to snow levels than getting excited for the next powder day. Knowing how much snow and ice exists in Idaho’s mountains at a given moment is critical for farmers, rangeland administrators, water managers, flood and hydropower forecasters, anyone who lives along a river bank, and even the Department of Defense. These snow and ice measurements help anticipate growing seasons, make hydroelectric power forecasts and plan for deadly flooding.

But getting accurate snow measurements is difficult. Measuring sticks like the snow marker at Bogus Basin don’t account for snowpack density and seasonal changes thanks to melting and sublimation—the process of solid snow turning directly to vapor, which can happen below freezing. 

What little information they do provide is limited to the immediate area around their platform, and snow levels can vary dramatically over the landscape. If a measurement is taken at one place in the Idaho wilderness, the snow levels could be very different just one football field’s length away.

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Researchers measuring snow properties in Idaho, like Boise State’s HP Marshall and his Cryosphere Geophysics and Remote Sensing (CryoGARS) group, have to rely on more involved methods. During the winter, the team spends many days every week out in the Idaho mountains, digging blocks out of the snow and taking detailed measurements of depth and density to estimate overall water content.

But Idaho’s mountain ranges are vast, and the team has to cover a lot of ground to get a good idea of how much snow they contain.

“It’s a total workout!” said Lindsay Stark, a geophysics Ph.D. student who Marshall supervises. “It’s fun though. You definitely feel good at the end of the day. When you open up a snow pit, you basically dig a three to six foot deep hole and then try and make it big enough for two people to comfortably work inside. So it’s a pretty big hole.”

Even with all their hard work, there are limits to how much field researchers can learn with traditional snow measuring techniques.

“In general we’re always undersampling the snow,” Marshall said. “We don’t know exactly how much there is in the mountains, since snow is only measured at relatively few locations, given the variability that exists.”

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Fortunately, Marshall is developing new methods to enhance and expand field researchers’ capabilities and improve accuracy. This year, his team is deploying radar and lidar sensors in the Idaho mountains. The radar beam travels differently through snow than air. It also travels faster or slower depending on snow density. Marshall’s team can use the radar beam’s behavior to estimate snow depth and density, in combination with measurements on the ground.

Field researchers can deploy radar sensors on towers to measure continuously, or carry it while traveling on skis or a snowmobile, or with drones when they go out to dig in the snowpack. The drone can travel anywhere within the pilot’s line of sight, taking measurements the whole way. This lets the team multiply their effectiveness, as they compare information from the drone with the snow samples they’re digging up.

Marshall and collaborators from the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Lab and University of Massachusetts Amherst are deploying radar and lidar sensors on planes that will make regular flights over the Idaho mountains this winter. Chartering a plane is more expensive than drones, but it offers much more spatial coverage in much less time.

These new tools are a huge step up from traditional snow measurement techniques, but Marshall has his eyes set on even higher goals. He is currently working on proposals for a satellite-based sensor.

“Right now, we don’t have the ideal sensor in space,” he said. Today, satellite-based imaging can only answer one question: is there snow or not? But if Marshall and the snow community’s work pans out, we could have satellite-deployed sensors that produce snow water resource measurements for entire regions in a fraction of the time it takes a drone or plane. 

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Marshall thinks that the efforts of on-the-ground researchers will always be meaningful. But each new innovation—be it drone, plane or satellite sensors—makes those efforts more effective, and delivers dividends each spring when the snow begins to melt.



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Island Park Oldies Snowmobile Race brings classic racing back to east Idaho – East Idaho News

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Island Park Oldies Snowmobile Race brings classic racing back to east Idaho – East Idaho News


ISLAND PARK — Four dedicated snowmobile enthusiasts are bringing back the thrill of snowmobile racing with the inaugural Island Park Oldies Snowmobile Race on Friday, Feb. 21, to Saturday, Feb. 22. The event aims to unite seasoned riders, fans, and the Island Park community to celebrate classic winter snowmobile racing.

Self-described “oldies,” event organizer Jason Smoot and local businessmen Kevin Phillips, David Yuskewich, and Justin Pyne have worked together to secure sponsors and coordinate the event’s details. Even “Old Man Winter” helped out by providing great snow.

The 25-mile cross-country loop, which features men’s, women’s, and co-ed classes, starts and ends at Lakeside Lodge. Lakeside is a great place for spectators and racers to gather and stay warm while enjoying good food, drinks, live music and raffles.

Smoot, from Pocatello, is a well-known snowmobile and dirt bike racer in east Idaho with an extensive collection of trophies and other awards to prove it.

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“I’ve been racing snowmobiles and dirt bikes since 1978. I wanted to do something to give back to the sport that’s given so much to me. That’s why I initiated this race on a course never done before,” said Smoot. “We’re targeting the grassroots people to come and enjoy snow machining with like-minded people.”

Oldies race organizers from left: Kevin Phillips, David Yuskewich, Jason Smoot, and Justin Pyne | Starla Smoot

Following the “oldies” theme, race classes are determined by the combined ages of team members. Three-person teams compete in the under-150 or over-150 age class, while co-ed two-person teams are divided into under-100 and over-100 categories.

While racers can sign up for the races at Lakeside Lodge on Friday from 2 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 to 9:30 a.m., they’re encouraged to come on Friday and pre-ride the course. All racers must have current insurance and registration.

Main sponsors for the race include Mountain Mayhem, Lakeside Lodge, Pocatello PowerSports, and Hardrock50 Cabin Rentals, which offers discounted lodging for the event.

While Smoot admits it has been challenging to manage the details of the event, such as insurance, permits from the Caribou-Targhee National Forest Service, permission from private land owners, and the logistics of laying out a 25-mile loop, he hopes to grow the race into an annual event that gets better each year.

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The snowmobile trails are groomed and ready for the Island Park Oldies Snowmobile Race | Starla Smoot
The snowmobile trails are groomed and ready for the Island Park Oldies Snowmobile Race | Starla Smoot

“We’ve had a great response from local sponsors and learned a lot. We hope to eventually get recognized and picked up by big-name sponsors to help us like Polaris, Ski-Doo, or Arctic Cat,” said Smoot. “There’s nothing like this around.”

All custom trophies and awards, including a commemorative first-place belt buckle for the inaugural Island Park Oldies Snowmobile Race, are complete.

“We want to bring back the thrill of snowmobile racing with a competitive edge,” said Smoot. “World-class snowmobiling is right here in Island Park. The trails have been groomed, and they’re ready to go. They’re really, really good.”

For more information on the race or to contact the organizers, see the Island Park Oldies Snowmobile Race Facebook Page.

Oldies Race
Courtesy Facebook

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