Idaho
Nearly 200 Idaho students compete in Idaho State Forestry Contest
ATHOL — Wearing her Careywood Eager Beavers 4-H Club T-shirt and with a blue clipboard in hand, Timberlake High School freshman Lily Fry carefully observed the branch of a deciduous tree, taking note of its different characteristics.
“I think it’s going pretty good,” she said Thursday morning as she participated in the 41st annual Idaho State Forestry Contest at Farragut State Park.
“I’ve been participating since I was a rookie,” she said. “I just like seeing how many of the young people are interested in the forest and all that.”
Lily was among nearly 200 fifth-through-12th grade students from across the Gem State to compete in the contest, which tested the future foresters and someday silviculturists on their basic forestry and natural resources management knowhow.
Top individuals and teams had the chance to win up to $1,000 in individual scholarships, or $500 per team member, offered by the University of Idaho College of Natural Resources. The students must be enrolled full time in the College of Natural Resources for the upcoming fall 2024 semester to receive the scholarships.
The statewide competition is sponsored by the Idaho Department of Lands, the Bonner Soil and Water Conservation District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Activities during the competition engage students at stations such as log scaling, map reading, tree health, soil and water quality, timber cruising, and tree and plant identification.
It was the first time for North Idaho STEM Charter Academy freshman Caleb Geckle to compete in the contest. He said he enjoys being out in the woods and may someday go into forestry.
“I’m thinking about it,” he said, adding that he likes the identification part of the process.
Kaylee Owens, a senior at Highland High School in Craigmont, said the contest was a great learning experience for her.
“I’ve never done anything in forestry before, so it’s all kind of new, but it’s good at the same time and the people are really good at helping out and directing you,” she said.
Ava Goetz, a junior at Orofino High School, looked through a clinometer to measure the tall pines off of a main trail at the timber cruising area.
“This is really fun, and I do want to be a forester someday, so this is a really good opportunity to learn more,” she said.
Sandpoint High School junior Zane Walson wore cool shades to block the bright sun as he scaled a log to determine its volume.
“I’m doing my best,” he said.
Idaho Department of Lands private forestry supervisor Ken Homik served as one of the many coordinators of the forestry contest.
“It’s rewarding and gives me hope,” Homik said. “There’s a real need out there. We need smart kids that have interest in being outdoors. It makes me feel happy.”
Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield made an appearance at the Idaho Forestry Contest to support the kids and highlight the importance of cultivating the next generation of Idaho’s forest caretakers.
“The Idaho State Forestry Contest is an absolutely incredible event for any kid, let alone kids who live around Idaho’s beautiful forests,” she told The Press in an email. “What an opportunity to get interested in every aspect of forestry. The event captures everything I love about experiential learning. It’s math, it’s science, it’s communication, it’s hands-on and it’s important education. In fact, it makes me want to get into the woods!”
Ava Goetz, a junior from Orofino High School, peers up at the pines using a clinometer Thursday morning during the Idaho State Forestry Contest. Sandpoint High junior Zane Walson measures a log at the scaling station Thursday morning during the Idaho State Forestry Contest. Brougham Collins, a sixth grader from Forrest Bird Charter School, participates in the Idaho State Forestry Contest’s rookie silviculture station Thursday morning.
The Vandal Jacks, a competitive lumberjack team from the University of Idaho, showed students the skills of using saws and axes Thursday at the forestry contest. From left: Spencer Stenmark, Josey Bouhanna, Nick Barrett, Ella Carroll, Chris Rau, Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield and Sam Bernard.
Idaho
Idaho is home to the nation's first DarkSky Reserve. Now it's home to the nations first DarkSky Certified Resort
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – A controversy is brewing as the City of Idaho Falls reviews its alcohol ordinance.
The goal is to consolidate four existing ordinances for beer, wine and liquor into a single law and ensure compliance with state code.
However, at its meeting last Thursday, the Idaho Falls City Council unanimously voted to remove the proposed ordinance from its agenda, in order to receive and consider additional public comment.
The proposed ordinance would:
1. Require commercial establishments selling, dispensing or permitting consumption of alcohol – including beer, wine or liquor – to have an alcohol license, alcohol catering permit or a charitable event permit.
2. Business events with 20 or less employees consuming alcohol at the business would be allowed.
3. Require alcohol servers to complete training every three years.
4. Individuals who violate the law could be charged with a misdemeanor.
Idaho Falls City Council President Jim Francis said the changes were the culmination of months of collaboration between law enforcement, business owners and city attorneys.
“We wanted to provide a safe environment – the primary point here – for public gatherings,” Francis said. “We recognize that certain antiquated elements of the current code are overly restrictive and needed to be addressed. We wanted to make the code more accessible to the public. We needed to address over-pouring issues. We wanted to reduce penalties where possible for violations, particularly the first offenses, and yet make the code clear enough to be enforceable consistently by law enforcement.”
But City Council Member John Radford said the changes represent an overreach by city government.
“I believe it’s a bad policy. What problem are we solving in the name of trying to solve a non-problem?” Radford said. “We’re becoming big brother around alcohol in your private property. I’m concerned that landlords will be at risk of being charged with a misdemeanor if they knowingly, which I made sure that was in there, because that is what we’ve been talking about, allowed people to drink in our business. We will be outside the norm of Idaho cities. This is a big step, and I don’t think the public has weighed in on this.”
At a City Council Work Session on June 1, Idaho Falls Chief of Police Bryce Johnson cited an increase in alcohol-related crime – particularly downtown – as a reason for the changes.
“DUI is there, but this would include sexual assaults, assaults, batteries, disturbances, urination, public vandalism, shooting – all sorts of crimes,” Johnson said.
But business owners are concerned about the potential impact on commercial enterprises.
“The ordinance doesn’t address the real problem – which is people drinking … at one event and then showing up in a bar or restaurant already hammered and causing problems anyway,” ” said Terri Ireland, representing the Idaho Falls Downtown Merchants Association. “The industry is really well-regulated by state and local laws already.”
The City of Idaho Falls began the process of updating its alcohol ordinance in January 2026, seeking input from community stakeholders.
Multiple community members spoke out about the ordinance.
For more in-depth information, you can read the full 39-page proposed alcohol ordinance here.
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — A simmering dispute between Idaho’s top elections official and the U.S. Department of Justice escalated this month after federal officials warned Secretary of State Phil McGrane about possible prosecution tied to non-citizens voting in Idaho.
The Justice Department sent a letter earlier this month threatening McGrane with prosecution. The warning came amid a broader conflict between the Trump administration and McGrane, whom the administration has sued over his refusal to provide unredacted voter rolls to the federal government.
Idaho’s chief of civil litigation, James Craig, responded on July 10. In a letter first reported by the Idaho Statesman, Craig pushed back on the federal warning, writing, “Insinuations of criminal violations of the federal election laws are not well taken,” and asking the department to “stop threatening your friends in Idaho.”
Craig also requested that the lawsuit against McGrane be dismissed and criticized the Justice Department for sending its letter directly to McGrane rather than to the Idaho attorney general’s office.
The attorney general’s office said the state has already referred 15 cases of possible non-citizen election violations to the Justice Department but is not aware of any of them being prosecuted. Craig’s letter ends by asking the department to do so.
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