Idaho

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

Published

2 years ago

January 23, 2024

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.

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.

“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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Idaho

Town Hall to address future of Medicaid expansion in Idaho – Local News 8

Published

14 minutes ago

February 28, 2026

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Town Hall to address future of Medicaid expansion in Idaho – Local News 8

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Nearly two-thirds of Idaho voters approved Medicaid expansion, but local leaders say that coverage is now at risk.

According to the organizers of a town hall set for Saturday, February 28, proposed changes could severely impact Idaho’s rural hospitals and leave thousands of residents without access to healthcare.

The town hall, titled “Protecting What Works: Medicaid Expansion in Idaho,” will take place at Chubbuck City Hall from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

A panel of representatives from across the healthcare sector — including home health, hospitals, and public and community health — will answer questions about how Medicaid expansion works in Idaho and how potential cuts could affect communities. Organizers say there will also be time for audience questions.

One of the event organizers told Local News 8 why the discussion is important:

“There have been conversations in the last couple of legislative sessions about either fully repealing Medicaid expansion or making significant cuts to Medicaid,” Shantay Boxham, the organizer, said. “This is an educational forum to ensure voters and community members have the information they need about what the program is, what’s at stake, and how it supports Idaho and Idahoans.”

There are limited seats available for the meeting. To reserve a spot, visit members.pocatello.com.

Local News 8 will continue to follow this story and have updates tomorrow.

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Idaho

Idaho CBD retailers navigating uncertainty under new hemp rules

Published

12 hours ago

February 27, 2026

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Idaho CBD retailers navigating uncertainty under new hemp rules

Idaho takes pride in being a no-THC zone. Unlike our neighbors on all sides, the Gem State has taken a firm stance not to legalize marijuana for medicinal or recreational use for years. This opposition long extended to the legalization of hemp, a plant relative of marijuana with far lower levels of the intoxicating chemical […]

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Idaho

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

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 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

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

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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