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Idaho-U.S. water rights fight gets district court hearing

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Idaho-U.S. water rights fight gets district court hearing


A district court judge in Boise is set to hear a case on Tuesday morning regarding the question of whether federal land agencies can retain water rights on public land in Idaho for livestock to drink, even if the agencies don’t own the cattle.

The case stems from a 30-year process of sorting out water rights in the Snake River Basin, which ended in 2014.

During this adjudication, some ranchers contested the ability of the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service to hold water rights for cattle, known as stockwater rights. Because the agencies didn’t own the animals, the ranchers argued, they weren’t the ones putting the water to a “beneficial use,” a requirement under state water law.

In 2007, a state supreme court case ruled in favor of ranchers at Joyce Livestock Co. in Owyhee County who had sued over this issue. Over the following years, through several legislative measures and Department of Water Resources orders, Idaho began pressuring the federal agencies to give up some of these stockwater rights.

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Two years ago, the U.S. The Department of Justice sued in protest, arguing that the new Idaho laws couldn’t be lawfully enforced against the U.S. because they violated the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution and federal sovereign immunity.

It also argued Idaho was discriminating against the federal government by targeting the roughly 25,000 instream stockwater rights on federal grazing allotments and not those on private or state lands.

Marie Callaway Kellner, a professor at the University of Idaho College of Law, said the government also feared broader implications, like its ability to manage for multiple uses on federal lands.

“There’s a sense,” she said, “that if it loses the ability to manage how the water is used, it will lose the ability to manage how grazing happens on these lands.”

Clive Strong, who was the Office of the Idaho Attorney General’s lead attorney during the Snake River Basin Adjudication, said, on the other hand, if it’s determined that the U.S. has a broad exemption from state water law, that could affect Idaho’s ability to fully regulate water rights under its rules like “first in time, first in right,” and the requirement to put water to beneficial use.

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“This case is important,” Strong said, “because it is testing the boundaries of that deference to state water law.”

The state also replied that the dispute had already been argued before the Supreme Court in the Joyce Livestock case.

The Idaho Legislature, the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation and ranchers including Joyce Livestock Co. joined in to intervene in the case.

The court is considering motions for summary judgment from both sides.

Find reporter Rachel Cohen on Twitter @racheld_cohen

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Copyright 2023 Boise State Public Radio





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Idaho Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 4 on Feb. 26, 2026

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The results are in for the Idaho Lottery’s draw games on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on Feb. 26.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Feb. 26 drawing

Day: 9-8-5

Night: 3-0-0

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Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Feb. 26 drawing

Day: 9-8-4-2

Night: 9-7-2-1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Idaho Cash numbers from Feb. 26 drawing

04-21-25-30-34

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Check Idaho Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from Feb. 26 drawing

03-14-22-50-57, 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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Idaho lawmaker proposes requiring daily recess in elementary schools

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Idaho lawmaker proposes requiring daily recess in elementary schools


A North Idaho lawmaker wants to require daily recess for elementary school students across the state.

Rep. Jordan Redman, R-District 3, introduced legislation Thursday that would mandate at least 20 minutes of daily recess for elementary school students and require unstructured activity time for middle school students.

Rep. Redman told lawmakers research shows recess improves students’ physical, cognitive and mental health. He said the time can also improve classroom focus and reduce disruptive behaviors. He added that the bill aligns with the national “Make America Healthy” initiative.

Under the proposal, schools would be prohibited from withholding recess as a form of discipline. If weather or other conditions prevent students from going outside, schools would still be required to provide the designated time indoors.

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When asked by a fellow lawmaker whether he was aware of schools not currently offering daily recess, Rep. Redman said he was unaware of specific instances. One committee member questioned whether the requirement should be dictated by the state rather than left to local school districts.

After discussion, the committee voted to introduce the bill, advancing it in the legislative process.



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Idaho Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Pick 3 on Feb. 25, 2026

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The results are in for the Idaho Lottery’s draw games on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on Feb. 25.

Winning Powerball numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

50-52-54-56-64, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 3 numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

Day: 7-9-5

Night: 7-2-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

Day: 6-2-3-9

Night: 7-4-2-8

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Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

31-32-41-48-51, Star Ball: 06, ASB: 04

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Idaho Cash numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

07-09-16-28-31

Check Idaho Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

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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.

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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