Idaho
Idaho high school students looking to decrease teen nicotine use speak with state lawmakers
BOISE, Idaho — The American Heart Association and local teens teamed up and encouraged state legislators to support smoke-free air laws and licensed retailer enforcement to help establish a tobacco-free Idaho.
“So we’re looking to increase funding for education of tobacco and nicotine prevention,” said a Meridian High School student.
About a dozen high school students took on the challenge Thursday morning of connecting with busy lawmakers to make a change for their futures. “As a high school student I can definitely say that I see nicotine being used in my school very often,” said Abigail Wallace, a local high school student.
The decrease in the traditional cigarettes has made way for nicotine intake via vape and new chewing tobacco style products like ‘Zyn.’
Bebeto Matthews/AP
Nearly 18% of Idaho high schoolers report regularly using nicotine in some way.
“It’s common to go into the bathrooms and you would smell it. It’s just always like a constant thing that you’re surrounded by, especially with the new nicotine pouches, it’s like people put them in like gum,” said Lydia Kamann, a local high school student.
The American Heart Association is helping coordinate and educate these passionate teens to encourage their representatives and senators to keep nicotine and tobacco laws and regulations top of mind.
“And they want to hear from us. No better way to do it than be here and share with them real-life instances and stories,” said Angela Creason, a cardiac arrest survivor and advocate, who volunteers with the American Heart Association.
The association aims to have e-cigarette smoke included in the Idaho Clean Indoor Air Act and increase taxes and costs on new popular flavored and smokeless tobacco products, potentially using that money to fund impactful prevention education
“[We’re] just trying to up the education level on that and getting teens more focused on why they should not do it,” said another local high school student while speaking with Democratic Senator Melissa Wintrow.
Idaho
Cold nights, gusty winds and a freeze threat ahead before eastern Idaho heats back up – East Idaho News
IDAHO FALLS — After a cold front moved through the area, the National Weather Service in Pocatello says it’s going to be chilly for the next several days before it gradually warms up.
Meteorologist Dawn Harmon tells EastIdahoNews.com overnight lows Sunday into Monday will drop into the 30s. In Idaho Falls, the temperature is expected to be 35 degrees Fahrenheit, with another dip to 30 degrees Monday into Tuesday. If that holds, Harmon says there will likely be a freeze warning in effect for much of east Idaho.
“Some of the outlying areas could see a hard freeze again, with temperatures dropping below 28. We may see temperatures flirt with freezing again on Wednesday morning, but in general, the rest of the week we should see a warming trend,” Harmon says.
Harmon is forecasting a gradual uptick in daytime temperatures throughout the week. Temperatures on Sunday will be in the mid 50s. A 2- to 5-degree jump is expected each day with temperatures approaching 70 degrees on Wednesday and back into the 80s by Saturday.
While there may be some light rain on Sunday night, Harmon says it will be a dry week overall. Light sporadic rain showers may continue, but the amount of precipitation will not be significant.
As of Sunday morning, Harmon says they’re “toying with the idea” of issuing a wind advisory Sunday night. There will be a northerly wind, with gusts between 40 and 45 mph. Areas near the Arco desert will see gusts of 50 mph.
“It’s an overnight wind, so we’re not as confident as we would be with a daytime wind event. We still have time to look at that before we make a decision this afternoon,” Harmon said Sunday morning.
Winds may increase Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, but Harmon is not anticipating “a broad wind advisory across the region.”
Live traffic cams and a complete seven-day forecast are available here.
=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”>
Among those who have agreed to do so are Republicans Cindy Agidius, of Moscow, and Colton Bennett, of Troy, Rep. Kyle Harris, R-Lewiston, House candidate Maureen Anderson, of Lewiston, and state Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins.
Medicaid expansion — Even before they succeeded in imposing a work requirement so technically onerous that it may disenfranchise up to 34,000 working poor Idahoans from healthcare coverage simply for failing to fill out the paperwork, lawmakers made a serious run at repealing the 2018 voter-approved Medicaid expansion outright. Last year, a measure aimed at doing that passed the House 38-32 and was held up by the Senate. Given the GOP-led Legislature’s antipathy for the program and the initiative process that implemented it, a few seats in either chamber could hold the balance of power.
Higher education — Legislative hostility toward Idaho’s colleges and universities has been on full display, first by removing diversity, equity and inclusion programs and then by disproportionately cutting state funding to correct a budget deficit brought on by the GOP’s overzealous tax-cutting propensities. As a result, annual student tuition is within striking difference of the bellwether $10,000.
At the same time, support for Gov. Brad Little’s Idaho Launch program — which promised $8,000 to help high school graduates pursue training and higher education — was tepid at best. It cleared by a 39-31 vote two years ago and already lawmakers are whittling away at it.
If you need to see what the GOP activists have in mind, look no further than the state Republican Party platform: “We strongly support professional technical and continuing education programs that provide career readiness and college preparation, but do not support using taxpayer funding for programs beyond high school.”
Legislative power brokers — Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene, is plowing new ground by allocating $350,000 to a funding apparatus that is funneling big checks, untethered by campaign finance limits, to legislative candidates. It’s not just that a sitting legislator is openly picking winners and losers among incumbents and challengers. There is so much money involved that it could make a difference.
For instance, Redman’s PAC has allocated $16,478 to Bennett’s campaign — which is almost half the amount Bennett has raised for his own campaign. Agidius, on the other hand, has raised $25,789.
Redman’s PAC also has distributed $17,383 to Harris’ effort, coming close to the $23,874 the incumbent has accumulated. Harris’ challenger, former Lewiston Mayor and City Councilor Mike Collins, has collected $30,031.
If voters are prepared to tolerate that, you have to ask at least two questions: What kind of IOUs is Redman collecting from the 20 candidates he’s supporting? And who will be the next lawmaker to follow his example?
Someone is going to decide these questions Tuesday. If not you, who? — M.T.
Potlatch 202 101 0—6 3 3
C. Stewart and P. Stewart; D. Fry, R. Lusby (1), B. Breeze (3) and O. Smith.
Glenns Ferry hits — N. Hernandez 2, P. Stewart (2B), M. Fisher, K. King, J. Titus.
Potlatch hits — E. Vowels (2B), D. Fry, H. Sawyer.
Potlatch 15, Genesee 13
GENESEE — The Loggers spoiled a comeback attempt by the Bulldogs late in the Idaho Class 2A state tournament semifinals.
Genesee (14-11) scored seven runs in the sixth inning, but Potlatch responded with three runs of its own to take the lead back and win the game.
Reese Lusby paced the Loggers with four hits and had two RBI.
Olivia Smith had two hits and two RBI for Potlatch.
Miley Grieser had two hits and led the Bulldogs with three RBI.
Katie O’Connell had a double and two RBI for Genesee.
Genesee 011 407 0—13 8 6
Potlatch 082 023 x—15 13 1
L. Herman and R. Baysinger; D. Fry, R. Lusby (6), B. Breeze (7) and O. Smith.
Genesee hits — S. Banks 2, R. Baysinger 2, M. Grieser 2, K. O’Connell (2B), K. Krick.
Potlatch hits — R. Lusby 4, C. Larson 2 (2B), O. Smith 2, B. Breeze 2, D. Fry, E. Vowels, R. Tucker.
Genesee 12, Clearwater Valley 9
GENESEE — The Bulldogs had five extra-base hits, and three players had three hits apiece to defeat Clearwater Valley of Kooskia in an elimination game earlier in the day.
Alia Wareham and Katie O’Connell each had three hits, including two doubles, driving in one run apiece for Genesee.
Sydney Banks also had three hits and one RBI.
Kaylee Krick had a double and two RBI for the Bulldogs.
Riley Parsons had two hits, one a double, and totaled three RBI for the Rams (16-6).
Seasha Reuben had two hits and two RBI for Clearwater Valley.
Genesee 310 231 2—12 13 1
Clearwater Valley 202 001 4—9 5 4
-
Idaho44 seconds agoCold nights, gusty winds and a freeze threat ahead before eastern Idaho heats back up – East Idaho News
-
Illinois7 minutes agoFire sweeps through old Balmoral Park racetrack facilities in Crete, Illinois
-
Indiana13 minutes agoSpeedway one of numerous statewide locations people rallied against ICE in Indiana
-
Iowa19 minutes agoHow Jaylen Raynor can Make or Break Iowa State Football in 2026
-
Kansas25 minutes agoMeade County residents asked to prepare for evacuation due to wildfire threat
-
Kentucky31 minutes agoKy. women work to combat period poverty, free period pantries open in Lexington and beyond
-
Louisiana37 minutes agoSen. Bill Cassidy loses Louisiana primary, and the Preakness Stakes winner is crowned: Weekend Rundown
-
Maine43 minutes agoMaine high school students accidentally served dirt at charity dinner
