Idaho
Experts: Idaho law, culture complicates hate crime response
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The variety of hate crimes reported to regulation enforcement businesses dropped barely in 2021, in line with a report from the Idaho State Police, however specialists say the state’s legal guidelines and tradition make some folks unlikely to report hate crimes and others unlikely to see justice once they do.
Idaho is one in every of 18 states that do not embrace hate crime protections for LGBTQ folks, in line with the advocacy group Human Rights Marketing campaign, although most native regulation enforcement businesses nonetheless monitor these crimes primarily based on federal requirements. 4 of these states — Arkansas, Indiana, South Carolina and Wyoming — don’t have any hate crime legal guidelines.
The Crime in Idaho annual experiences present that dozens of hate crimes are reported to the state’s regulation enforcement businesses yearly. In 2021, 47 such crimes had been reported — the majority of them concentrating on folks due to their race or ethnicity, adopted by crimes concentrating on LGBTQ folks. That is a slight drop from the earlier 12 months, when 54 hate crimes had been reported.
However solely a handful of hate crime perpetrators ever face malicious harassment fees in courtroom, in line with the Idaho Supreme Courtroom’s on-line database. Solely six hate crime fees had been filed in state courts in every of the final two years.
The state’s numbers possible do not mirror the fact, as a result of hate crimes are typically under-reported, stated Chelsea Gaona-Lincoln with Add the Phrases, a company that works to guard LGBTQ folks from employment and housing discrimination and human rights violations.
“Who even feels secure reporting? As anyone who exists in a brown physique, I wouldn’t really feel secure going to regulation enforcement primarily based on what we see from them, and the way in which we see sure regulation enforcement work together with the Proud Boys at rallies,” stated Gaona-Lincoln.
She’s not alone.
Nationwide, solely about 44% of hate crime victimizations had been reported to police between 2010 and 2019, in line with a report analyzing hate crimes within the U.S. by the U.S. Division of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics. Of these reported to police, solely about 13% had been confirmed by police investigators as hate crimes, although the remaining 87% additionally met the report’s definition of a hate crime as a result of the offender used hate language or left hate symbols on the crime scene.
Hate crime victims typically worry reprisals or select to deal with the problem one other means. Some organizations, like Add the Phrases, have created mutual help applications to help marginalized folks going through harassment exterior of the courtroom system. Add the Phrases’ program has helped folks get entry to psychological well being suppliers, discover new jobs the place they will not must work together with a recognized harasser, or go away locations the place their security is in danger, Gaona-Lincoln stated.
Dan Prinzing, the chief director of the Wassmuth Middle for Human Rights, stated there’s been a rise in racist and anti-Semitic language lately, in addition to assaults towards the LGBTQ neighborhood. Final December, anti-Semitic flyers had been left on doorsteps all through Boise’s “North Finish” neighborhood. In 2020, somebody pasted swastika stickers on the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial in downtown Boise.
Neither incident was thought of a hate crime beneath Idaho’s regulation. That is as a result of the regulation requires the harassment to deliberately goal a selected particular person due to their race, coloration, faith, ancestry or nationwide origin. Concentrating on an space, a public place or a church does not qualify, stated Boise Police Detective Mike Miraglia.
Miraglia investigated when the anti-Semitic leaflets had been left within the Boise neighborhood.
“I really interviewed the one that did it,” Miraglia stated. “That particular person didn’t articulate a selected goal, merely your complete neighborhood. A number of the occasions it comes all the way down to that wonderful line.”
Miraglia turned the data over to the county prosecutor, who agreed it did not meet the elements of Idaho’s regulation.
Tagging buildings with stickers or chalk additionally does not qualify, so long as it does not trigger bodily harm to the construction, he stated. Some aggressors are selecting strategies of harassment in order that they’ll skirt the boundaries of the state regulation, Miraglia stated.
“It might be good if that code was up to date,” Miraglia stated. “However that is a process for the Legislature.”
Police spokeswoman Haley Williams stated folks ought to contact police in the event that they really feel like they have been focused for harassment, as a result of even when the case is not prosecuted, the division can provide assist, corresponding to elevated neighborhood patrols.
Recently, lawmakers have been reluctant to sort out discrimination, stated Prinzing. The Legislature has handed a number of legal guidelines lately particularly concentrating on transgender folks, and some years in the past rejected a proposed license plate declaring Idaho “Too Nice for Hate.”
“Are we so afraid to name out what’s hate? There was a time in our state historical past the place management turned not solely vocal, additionally they took actions,” Prinzing stated, referencing decades-old efforts by state leaders to denounce the Aryan Nations group, which constructed a compound in northern Idaho within the mid-Seventies. The neo-Nazi group was finally compelled out of the state a quarter-century later when the group was bankrupted by a civil lawsuit after two members attacked two Native American individuals who had been passing by the compound.
“Regulation enforcement can solely achieve this a lot. Prosecution can solely go up to now,” Prinzing stated. “Idaho lacks a transparent definition of what’s a hate crime.”
Idaho
3 of Idaho's Favorite Holiday Destinations Are Crawling With Bed Bugs
Whether you’re traveling by plane, train or automobile, Idahoans are ready to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday. AAA estimates that nearly 464,000 Idahoans will celebrate the holiday somewhere at least 50 minutes from their hometown.
If you’re one of the Idahoans traveling by car, AAA says that if you want to avoid heavy traffic the best time to hit the road is in the early morning November 26-December 2. They also expect Thanksgiving Day itself to have low traffic volume all day. The heaviest traffic is anticipated on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons when the regular afternoon commute blends together with holiday travel.
READ MORE: Idaho TSA Says No To These Banned Thanksgiving Items
So where are Idahoans headed for the Thanksgiving holiday this year? This time around Anaheim, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Honolulu, Phoenix, San Diego, Bend, Ft. Lauderdale and Jackson are the Top 10 domestic destinations for Idahoans. Some of these cities are destinations that will keep the family busy. Others are relaxation destinations. Each of them offers something cool in their own right, but unfortunately there are several that have the dishonor of being on the list of the most “Bed Bug Infested Cities in America.”
How Dangerous are Bed Bugs?
These little blood suckers aren’t known to spread diseases like West Nile Virus or Dengue like mosquitoes do. They’re more annoying than anything else. The CDC explains that if you become a bed bug buffet overnight, you may not realize it when you wake up. Before enjoying your blood, bed bugs inject you with an anesthetic and an anticoagulant so it’s highly unlikely that the bite would wake you up or leave behind evidence that you were bleeding. A few days later, those bites may swell or become itchy like other bug bites. Bed bugs have also been linked to more serious, non-visible symptoms like insomnia and anxiety.
Why Are Bed Bugs a Travel Concern?
Well, bed bugs are sneaky travelers themselves. Their bodies are skiing and flat, which means they can creep into everything from seams of your luggage, to folds of your clothes or inside a pillowcase on the pillow you brought from home. They can go quite a while without feeding, so they’ll just hang out and wait till you unpack your belongings at home. That’s when they’ll emerge, enjoy you as a meal again and start to spread in your bedding, furniture or other areas of your home.
When you travel to areas known to have a high infestation, your risk of bringing them home rises. This list is important to check because bed bugs aren’t prejudiced. They’re just as likely to infest an upscale room at a luxury hotel as they are college dorm rooms and homeless shelters.
How Can I Tell If My Room Is Infested with Bed Bugs?
They’re tiny, so detecting them with just your eyes can be difficult. They’re also known to hide in more areas than we listed above. Cracks, crevices, indentations in headboards or behind wallpaper are also popular hiding spots for bed bugs. The most tell-tale sign that a room has a bed bug issue is rusty colored blood spots on the mattress or furniture. (And if you’re not asking questions about blood stains in your hotel room or Airbnb, we’ve got questions for you.) You may also find their molted exoskeletons or smell a sweet, musty odor.
3(ish) of Idaho’s Thanksgiving Destinations Rank Among America’s Most Bed Bug Infested Cities
Orkin releases an annual bed bug report which ranks cities based on the number of bed bug treatments they performed between December 1, 2022 and November 30, 2023. We cross referenced that with AAA’s list of most most popular Thanksgiving destinations for Idahoans and discovered that three-ish of the cities overlap.
Seattle ranks as the #4 most popular Thanksgiving destination for Idahoans this year. It also ranks #44 for bed bugs.
What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas…except for bed bugs. Vegas is the second most popular Thanksgiving destination for Idahoans and made the bed bug report for the first time. You’ll find Sin City at #35.
And finally we say “three-ish” because while Anaheim, Idaho’s #1 destination Thanksgiving 2024 doesn’t appear on the list, but nearby Los Angeles does. They’re #5 for bed bugs!
Planning a trip elsewhere? Here’s a look at Orkin’s full list to help you prepare to be on the lookout for signs of bed bug infestations when you arrive at your hotel or Airbnb.
These 50 US Cities are Crawling with Bed Bugs
Every year the pest control gurus at Orkin put together a list of the Top 50 Bed Bug Destinations in the United States. Which areas do you travel to that you should take extra care to watch out for these blood-sucking insects? Let’s countdown to the most bed-bug-riddled city in the United States.
Gallery Credit: Scott Clow
KEEP READING: 5 of the World’s Most Deadly Insects Are in Idaho Right Now
Field & Stream, an outdoor publication that’s been around for more than 125 years, put together a list of the most deadly insects (and arachnids, they admitted to being “taxonomically laid back” in their article) in the world. Five of them can be found in Idaho!
Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart
The 10 Most Popular Vacation Destinations from the Boise Airport
Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart
Idaho
Man killed in northern Idaho crash – East Idaho News
The following is a news release from Idaho State Police.
Idaho State Police is investigating a fatal crash that occurred on Monday at 10:38 a.m. on Highway 95 northbound at Eid Road in Latah County.
It was discovered that a blue 2001 Ford Focus, occupied by a 40 year old male of Lewiston, was traveling north on the highway when it approached stopped traffic. Traffic was stopped due to construction in the area.
The blue Ford Focus approached the stopped traffic, swerved, striking the side of a white 2021 Chevrolet Silverado, then drove off the right shoulder down an embankment.
The driver of the Ford Focus was not wearing a seatbelt and sustained severe injuries due to the crash. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
The driver of the Chevy Silverado, a 65-year-old male of Lewiston, was wearing a seatbelt and was uninjured. He remained at the scene and cooperated with investigating officers.
The highway was closed for approximately three hours while agencies responded and investigated the crash.
Next of kin has been notified.
Latah County Sheriff’s Office, Moscow Fire/EMS, and the Idaho Transportation Department assisted with the incident.
=htmlentities(get_the_title())?>%0D%0A%0D%0A=get_permalink()?>%0D%0A%0D%0A=htmlentities(‘For more stories like this one, be sure to visit https://www.eastidahonews.com/ for all of the latest news, community events and more.’)?>&subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20EastIdahoNews” class=”fa-stack jDialog”>
Idaho
NIC enrollment climbs after fall count
Enrollment at North Idaho College grew 15% since last fall, according to State Board of Education data.
There are 4,585 students at the college this October, up from 3,979 in 2023 and 4,296 in 2022. However, the college is still 3% down in overall enrollment from four years ago.
The growth comes as NIC fights to retain accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. The college Wednesday welcomed three new trustees, who ran on a platform of retaining accreditation and creating stability for the school.
The numbers continue a jump noted in August, after enrollment increased for the first time in more than a decade. In 2011, NIC had 6,750 total students.
The October numbers capture both full-time students, at 1,209, and part-time students at 2,898, an 18% increase. The part-time list includes high school students taking dual-credit classes. There are 478 students enrolled in career-technical programs — a 14% increase from last year, but a 22% decrease from four years ago, when 612 students took CTE courses.
Tami Haft, NIC’s dean of enrollment services, presented the enrollment data to NIC trustees Wednesday, and audience members applauded the news of enrollment increases. Haft noted that the college attracted 211 new students, a 37% rise in new student enrollment.
Here’s how NIC’s student enrollment breaks down:
- 47% of students are in programs to transfer to a four-year university.
- 38% are in dual-credit courses.
- 10% are in career-technical education.
- 5% are in non-degree programs.
Click here to see the fall enrollment numbers for colleges and universities statewide.
-
Business1 week ago
Column: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
-
Science7 days ago
Trump nominates Dr. Oz to head Medicare and Medicaid and help take on 'illness industrial complex'
-
Politics1 week ago
Trump taps FCC member Brendan Carr to lead agency: 'Warrior for Free Speech'
-
Technology1 week ago
Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI
-
Lifestyle1 week ago
Some in the U.S. farm industry are alarmed by Trump's embrace of RFK Jr. and tariffs
-
World1 week ago
Protesters in Slovakia rally against Robert Fico’s populist government
-
Health3 days ago
Holiday gatherings can lead to stress eating: Try these 5 tips to control it
-
News1 week ago
They disagree about a lot, but these singers figure out how to stay in harmony