Idaho
Idaho submits waiver request to exclude soft drinks, candy from SNAP purchases – East Idaho News
The following is a news release from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Following direction from Idaho Gov. Brad Little, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare submitted a formal request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Friday seeking approval to implement House Bill 109, signed by Gov. Brad Little in April.
Idaho is among just a few states to move quickly on submitting the waiver, a step that is required to implement the new law. House Bill 109 aims to promote healthier food choices by removing soft drinks and candy from the list of items eligible for purchase through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as food stamps.
“My administration is committed to securing the necessary waiver as quickly as possible so we can improve lives and Idahoans’ overall health,” Little said. “I appreciate the support of USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and the Idaho Legislature as we promote the MAHA movement in Idaho.”
Health and Welfare’s Division of Self-Reliance submitted the formal request.
“Idaho supports the health and well-being of families who rely on SNAP,” said Self-Reliance Division Administrator John Bernasconi. “By aligning SNAP benefits with basic nutrition standards, we hope to reduce preventable chronic health conditions and encourage healthier habits across the state.”
Once finalized, Idaho’s waiver request will ask the USDA to approve specific modifications to SNAP’s allowable food categories. If approved, SNAP benefits would no longer cover the purchase of soda, energy drinks, or candy. These changes reflect growing public health concerns over the role of added sugars and processed foods in contributing to conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
House Bill 109 received strong support in the 2025 legislative session and builds on a national conversation about the role of nutrition in federal food assistance programs. According to USDA data, a significant portion of SNAP purchases—approximately 20% nationally—are spent on sugary beverages and snacks.
“This effort is not about limiting choice—it’s about encouraging better options for families and making sure public resources are supporting long-term health,” Bernasconi said.
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Idaho
University of Idaho professor awarded $10M after TikTok tarot influencer claimed she ‘ordered’ quadruple murders
A University of Idaho professor won a $10 million judgment after a tarot TikTok influencer publicly pushed false claims that she was behind the savage quadruple slayings of four college students.
A Boise jury in US District Court ordered fortune-telling Texas TikToker Ashley Guillard on Friday to pay $10 million after concluding she falsely accused professor Rebecca Scofield of having a secret romance with one of the four victims and orchestrating their killings, the Idaho Statesman reported.
Following the verdict, Scofield thanked the jury and said she hopes the case sends a clear warning that making “false statements online have consequences in the real world.”
“The murders of the four students on November 13, 2022, were the darkest chapter in our university’s history,” Scofield told Fox News.
“Today’s decision shows that respect and care should always be granted to victims during these tragedies. I am hopeful that this difficult chapter in my life is over, and I can return to a more normal life with my family and the wonderful Moscow community.”
Scofield, the university’s history department chair, filed the lawsuit in December 2022 — just weeks after Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were brutally stabbed to death at an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, on Nov. 13, 2022.
Guillard began uploading videos to her more than 100,000 TikTok followers in late November 2022, accusing Scofield of a secret relationship with one of the students and claiming she had “ordered” the killings, garnering millions of views across the social media platform.
The complaint states that Scofield had never met the victims and was out of state when the murders occurred.
Even after being served with cease-and-desist letters and after police publicly confirmed Scofield had no connection to the murders, the Houston-based tarot reader continued posting videos, the history professor’s legal team argued.
Guillard doubled down on her accusations against Scofield after being sued, posting a defiant video saying, “I am not stopping,” and challenging why Scofield needed three lawyers to sue her “if she’s so innocent.”
The professor’s legal team argued the defamatory accusations painted her as a criminal and accused her of professional misconduct that could derail her career.
Bryan Kohberger, then studying criminology at Washington State University, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to the quadruple murders in a deal that took the death penalty off the table. He is currently serving four consecutive life sentences in Idaho.
In June 2024, Chief US Magistrate Judge Raymond Patricco found Guillard’s statements legally defamatory, leaving damages to be decided by a jury.
During the damages trial, Scofield described the anguish of seeing her name tied to the murders online, the Idaho Statesman reported.
However, Guillard, acting as her own attorney, insisted her comments were simply beliefs based on tarot card readings.
She claimed to have psychic powers and testified that she relied on tarot cards to try to solve the shocking homicides that shook the rural college town and sparked global attention.
It took jurors less than two hours to return their verdict, the outlet reported.
The jury awarded Scofield $7.5 million in punitive damages in addition to $2.5 million in compensatory damages.
With Post wires
Idaho
Gas prices expected to exceed $3 as the Iran conflict prompts supply shortages
BOISE, Idaho — AAA is warning Idaho gas consumers that pump prices will likely rise as the conflict in Iran disrupts oil and gas supply chains worldwide.
The ongoing turmoil in the Middle East will likely push the price for a gallon of regular gasoline past the $3 mark over the coming days.
“On one hand, the crude oil market had time to account for some financial risk in the Middle East as forces mobilized, but a supply shortage somewhere affects the global picture,” says AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde. “If tankers can’t move products through the region, there could be ripple effects.”
On Monday, March 2, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $2.97, reports AAA, which is 12 cents more expensive than it was a month ago but 20 cents less than this time last year.
State / Price: 1 gallon of regular gasoline
- Washington / $4.37
- Oregon / $3.92
- Nevada / $3.70
- Idaho / $2.97
- Colorado / $2.89
- Montana / $2.82
- Utah / $2.74
- Wyoming / $2.73
In terms of the most expensive fuel in the nation, Idaho currently ranks #14. However, buying a gallon of regular gas in neighboring states such as Oregon and Washington could cost a whole dollar more. In contrast, gas prices in Utah, Montana, and Wyoming are anywhere between 15 to 24 cents cheaper than fuel in the Gem State.
Idaho
Idaho Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 4 on March 1, 2026
The results are in for the Idaho Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 1.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 1 drawing
Day: 7-2-3
Night: 2-7-6
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 1 drawing
Day: 4-7-9-3
Night: 8-7-7-3
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Idaho Cash numbers from March 1 drawing
03-06-07-33-41
Check Idaho Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 1 drawing
10-11-12-35-56, Bonus: 04
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Idaho Lottery drawings held ?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
- Pick 4: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 8:35 p.m. MT Monday and Thursday.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- 5 Star Draw: 8 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Idaho Cash: 8 p.m. MT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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