Idaho

Op-Ed: Idaho desperately needs help from its independent voters on May 17

Published

2 years ago

May 10, 2022

Op-Ed: Idaho desperately needs help from its independent voters on May 17

Article 1, part 19 of the Idaho Structure boldly proclaims: “No energy, civil or army, shall at any time intervene with or stop the free and lawful train of the fitting of suffrage.” The fitting to vote is without doubt one of the most necessary instruments we residents need to form the way forward for our State for ourselves and our kids. All mother and father need a greater life for his or her youngsters, nevertheless it gained’t occur if we sit on our arms on election day.

At this time, about 83% of eligible Idaho voters don’t take part in our major election. In a one-party state like Idaho, most elected public officers — Governor, Lawyer Common, Secretary of State, members of the Legislature and lots of others — are chosen within the Republican major. The Might 17 Republican major is the place individuals should vote, in the event that they hope to affect the way forward for Idaho.

Why is it then that so few Idahoans vote within the GOP major, leaving the collection of necessary public officers to a comparatively small variety of get together loyalists, together with a stable base of political extremists? Is it lack of expertise of the truth that virtually each Idaho citizen of voting age can register and vote within the Republican major by way of the shut of the polls on Might 17?

Significantly! Each registered voter, besides these now registered with one other get together and felons whose rights haven’t been restored, can lawfully participate within the Republican major. We consider those that haven’t chosen a celebration as independents however the State calls them “unaffiliated” voters. Idaho Code part 34-411A says an unaffiliated voter could choose a political get together affiliation on election day “by declaring such political get together affiliation to the ballot employee.” That’s, independents can select to vote within the Republican major on election day. Don’t let anybody, even an election employee, let you know in any other case.

Unregistered individuals can register for the Republican major after they arrive at their voting location, which they will discover by way of their county clerk or by going surfing to voteidaho.gov. They do have to offer proof of residence, similar to a driver’s license.

This major election could nicely determine the longer term course of the Gem State for a few years to come back. There are basically two slates of candidates — one composed of affordable, pragmatic neighborhood members devoted to problem-solving authorities and one other consumed by conspiracy theories, manufactured points and confrontational ways.

The issue-solving slate contains Governor Little, Speaker Bedke, Lawyer Common Wasden, Phil McGrane, two affordable Faculty Superintendent candidates and a supportive solid of accountable legislative candidates.

The disruptive slate contains Janice McGeachin, Priscilla Giddings, Raul Labrador, Dorothy Moon, Branden Durst and a solid of extremist legislative candidates, who’ve tried their greatest to make it tougher to vote, proposed sending librarians to jail, tried to eliminate the initiative and referendum, underfunded and made false allegations in opposition to public schooling and brought each alternative to show Idahoans in opposition to each other.

It’s a stark selection, calling for all eligible voters to weigh in. The Republican major election is extra necessary to the destiny of this State than this yr’s November election. We’re actually at a Benjamin Franklin second in Idaho. When that revered gentleman walked out of Independence Corridor in 1787, after having accomplished work on the U.S. Structure, he was requested whether or not we had a republic or monarchy. He replied, “A republic, in the event you can maintain it.” We will solely maintain our affordable, problem-solving authorities if everybody workout routines their proper to vote on Might 17.

• • •

Jim Jones is a Vietnam fight veteran who served eight years as Idaho Lawyer Common (1983-1991) and 12 years as a Justice on the Idaho Supreme Court docket (2005-2017). He’s at present an everyday contributor to The Hill on-line information. He blogs at JJCommonTater.

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Idaho

Moose Creek Reservoir drawdown to control Pondweed

Published

7 hours ago

September 30, 2024

Press Room

Moose Creek Reservoir drawdown to control Pondweed

Starting November 4th, 2024, Idaho Fish and Game will draw down Moose Creek Reservoir to control Pondweed. Pondweed has drastically limited fishing opportunities at the reservoir and drawing the water level down will help suppress this nuisance vegetation. Water levels will remain 8-10 feet below the full pool throughout the winter until spring runoff refills the reservoir. This technique was used at Moose Creek Reservoir in 2018 and was very successful.

The fishery will remain open with all fishing regulations still in effect. These efforts should provide better fishing opportunities for the next 5-7 years before Pondweed potentially becomes an issue again.

Fisheries biologists will be moving bass and bluegill to other fisheries to provide additional opportunities to anglers during the draw-down period. October’s trout stocking for Moose Creek Reservoir will be moved to Elk Creek Reservoir in anticipation of this effort. Idaho Fish and Game will resume stocking trout in Moose Creek Reservoir starting in the spring of 2025.

Please contact Joe Thiessen (Clearwater Regional Fisheries Biologist) at 208-750-4218 with any questions or comments about these efforts.

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Idaho

Name a Snowplow

Published

14 hours ago

September 30, 2024

Press Room

For the first time ever, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is naming snowplows! Name A Snowplow is a fun way to spread awareness about snowplow safety, foster a sense of ownership among the community, and teach future drivers how to be safe when driving near snowplows. We are partnering with the Idaho Department of Education to collect name ideas from Idaho 8th graders. This age group was selected because they are about to attend driver’s education.

We are asking 8th grade classrooms to come up with names and submit them by October 31, 2024. Instructions for how to submit names will be distributed to teachers through the Idaho Department of Education. ITD will also distribute educational materials about snowplow safety.

Contest Rules:

Eligibility

Open to 8th grade classrooms.
Classrooms must be located in Idaho.

Submission Guidelines

One name per classroom.
Names must be appropriate | MAX 15 characters (including spaces).
Submit name via Microsoft Form. The submission link is only being provided to eighth grade teachers through the Idaho Department of Education.

*If the same name is submitted by multiple classrooms, only the first entry received will be considered.

Selection Process

Names must be submitted by October 31.
ITD employees will vote on submissions in November.
12 winning names will be selected—two from each of Idaho’s six regions—and winners announced by early January. Names will be featured on the plows’ blades.
Winning classrooms will receive recognition and a special visit from the snowplow bearing its chosen name. Media will be invited to cover the event.

Additional Information

Classrooms are free to conduct their own internal voting to select their submission.
Submissions that do not meet the criteria will be disqualified.
By submitting a snowplow name, you grant ITD all rights to use, display and publish the name for promotional purposes.

Timeline

Classrooms submit names October 1 to 31, 2024.
ITD Employees vote on names in November 2024.
Winners announced December 2024.
Plow visits with winning classrooms/schools December 2024 through January 2025.

Interested in participating?

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Idaho

Idaho teacher sentenced to prison for sexual battery, rape of teen adopted by a local family days prior

Published

22 hours ago

September 30, 2024

Press Room

Idaho teacher sentenced to prison for sexual battery, rape of teen adopted by a local family days prior

A former Idaho schoolteacher was sentenced to prison time for sexual battery and rape of a minor who was adopted out of the foster system by a local family just days before she assaulted him.

Jessica Lawson, 36, accepted a plea deal for felony sexual battery and charges of felony rape of a minor. She previously faced charges of felony delivery of a controlled substance and misdemeanor dispensing alcohol to a minor for allegedly giving the 16-year-old boy marijuana and alcohol, but those were dropped as part of the deal.

Jessica Lawson, 36, was sentenced to two to 20 years for sexual battery and rape of a minor. Saint Anthony Police Department

Lawson — who taught at South Fremont High School from August 2021 through June 2023 — will face two to 20 years in prison and will have to register as a sex offender, along with attending sex offender treatment. There will also be a no-contact order in place against the victim for 20 years.

An officer from the Saint Anthony Police Department pulled over Lawson’s car on the morning of Nov. 6, 2023 because her vehicle had no visible taillights. The cop found the teen boy driving, having been given the keys by Lawson who was too “drunk to drive,” authorities said.

The boy admitted to having used marijuana, which was given to him by Lawson, and was driven home by the officer. Lawson was arrested later that week after the boy told his parents that she had picked him up that night and described how they had smoked and drank alcohol before having sex.

Lawson called the teen’s parents and admitted to having given him alcohol and picking him up, but denied that “anything else had occurred,” including the alleged sexual acts and substance use.

The teen’s parents, who had adopted him just days before he was assaulted, said that while their son may have had no real idea about what was happening, he will still be dealing with the fallout of Lawson’s violation for years to come.

“It takes a village to raise a young man, especially a young man that has been in and out of foster care, that has never known what it’s like to have a mom and a dad,” the father told the court, according to East Idaho News.

South Fremont High School
Public school in St. Anthony, Idaho — South Fremont High School, a public school in St. Anthony, Idaho where Lawson used to teach. Google Maps

“My son is going to take a long time to heal and he doesn’t even know the wounds that he has yet. He’s not going to understand those wounds until he’s a parent and he’s sending his daughter or son…to the house of a parent that he trusts.”

The teen’s mother also attested that he struggles to differentiate between safe and unsafe situations as a result of his time in the foster care system.

“We brought [my son] in because he needed somebody, and he didn’t have anybody…It was pretty quick that we realized this is a really great kid, and he’s wonderful and he should be in our family,” the mother told the court.

“He’s got a lot of problems because he didn’t have a mom and dad that taught him how to recognize safe people. And you took advantage of that…she knew she could get something from him.”

The victim’s parents believe that Lawson would’ve gotten a harsher sentence if she were a male perpetrator or if their son were a girl, but Senior District Judge Stephen Dunn, who was in charge of sentencing, denied this.

If you have been sexually assaulted and live in New York, you can call 1-800-942-6906 for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the state, you can dial the 24/7 National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673.

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