Idaho
Utah deputies find Idaho Falls native who disappeared as teen in California – East Idaho News
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A 19-year-old who disappeared from his household’s house in California almost three years in the past has been present in Utah, bringing astonishment and aid to his dad and mom who feared they’d by no means see him once more.
Connerjack Oswalt was shivering and chilly when sheriff’s deputies got here throughout him Saturday sleeping in a comfort retailer in Summit County, recognized for its ski areas, stated Sheriff Justin Martinez. Oswalt appeared to have been residing on the streets there for about two weeks.
His household had looked for him for years, handing out fliers, scanning social media and desperately chasing down fruitless leads. They even moved again to the city of his start, Idaho Falls, hoping he would finally make it again there.
“Any hints at one thing that remotely resembled him, we’d comply with up on it,” stated his stepfather, Gerald Flint. “It’s been an actual nightmare.”
Oswalt, who has been recognized with autism and different psychological well being situations, was 17 when he left the household’s house from Clearlake, California. His mom, Suzanne Flint, remembered making quesadillas, however when it was time for lunch he was gone.
“I by no means stopped on the lookout for him. There wasn’t a day I wasn’t trying to find him, in some kind or vogue,” she stated. The precise circumstances of his disappearance and whereabouts over the past two years are underneath investigation, police stated.
What his household does know is that after deputies discovered Oswalt on the Utah comfort retailer, they requested if he wish to come of their patrol automotive and heat up. He agreed, and finally let officers take a fingerprint.
That led them to an excellent warrant from February in Nevada.
“The deputies simply felt that there was one thing there, one thing past a felony warrant. There was a humanitarian effort that wanted to be explored additional,” Martinez stated.
The officers set to work shifting by way of paperwork, on the lookout for reviews of lacking and endangered youngsters. About 16 pages in, they discovered a 2019 lacking particular person report from Clearlake, California. Although it had a barely completely different title spelling from the Nevada warrant, the pictures matched and so they referred to as his household.
When the Flints first obtained the decision, they frightened their son had been discovered lifeless. After his spouse confirmed the identification by way of a start mark, Gerald Flint left work, jumped in his automotive and drove 4 hours to Utah.
“Everybody within the room was in tears. They went above and past, put hours of labor,” he stated. “They may have dismissed it, however they didn’t and that made all of the distinction on the earth.”
Social staff educated about autism took over Oswalt’s care after the reunion along with his household, stated Summit County Sheriff’s Lt. Andrew Wright. His household is hoping to carry him again house quickly.
“We didn’t deal with him as a felony. We handled as someone that has one thing deeper that we wanted to dig into,” Martinez stated. “That instinct is what actually reunited this household.”
Idaho
Plow strike in North Idaho leaves car damaged, drivers were not injured
BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Transportation Department reports that a plow strike occurred in North Idaho this morning, marking the region’s first winter season.
According to a release, the drivers were left unharmed. However, both vehicles sustained significant damage.
All the snow and mixed precipitation in recent weeks has Idaho Transportation Department crews working hard to make our roads safe. They would like to use this particular incident to remind Idaho drivers to take it slow in icy or slippery conditions.
Plow strike this morning in N. Idaho. An unfortunate reminder that winter roads require winter driving! ❄️🚗 Thankfully, both drivers were safe.
Our crews are working hard around the clock to keep the roads clear — take it easy out there, slow down, & help everyone stay safe. pic.twitter.com/049McAlm0f
— Idaho Transportation Department (@IdahoITD) December 28, 2024
Idaho
Mother Discovers Raccoon Attacking Her Infant Son in Carrier at Home During ‘Extremely Rare’ Encounter in Idaho
An Idaho mother rescued her infant son from a raccoon attack inside of their home before the baby’s father and a sheriff’s deputy killed the animal.
On Monday, Dec. 23, officers from the Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) and the Cassia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call involving a mother who heard “a loud noise in the home” and discovered a raccoon attacking her baby boy, Idaho Fish and Game shared in a release on Dec. 27.
The unnamed mom grabbed the animal to stop the attack, and her son was transported to the Cassia Regional Hospital in Burley for “undisclosed injuries” before being transferred to a hospital in Salt Lake City.
According to officials, a a sheriff’s deputy returned to the home with the baby’s father, located the animal and they killed it. IDFG noted that it is unclear how the raccoon gained access to the home. No other raccoons were found inside and the department is “confident’ that the animal killed was the same one that attacked the baby.
The animal’s carcass has since been tested for rabies by the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories with tests coming back negative.
“Once notified of the incident, staff from the Magic Valley Region activated their Wildlife Human Attack Response Team,” the IDFG wrote in the release. “This specially trained team of department staff has the responsibility to act to protect the safety of the public and incident responders; attempt to identify, locate, and control the animal(s) involved in a human-wildlife incident; and conduct, document and report investigative findings.”
Per the IDFG, reports of raccoon attacks on humans in the state are “extremely rare” and “only one case of raccoon rabies” has been documented in Idaho. They are “generally shy,” mostly avoid humans and can become aggressive if feeling “threatened.”
The IDFG encouraged Idahoans to “never purposely feed a raccoon.”
“As with all wildlife that can be found around homes in Idaho, the best course of action to avoid raccoon encounters is to take preventative actions before a problem starts,” the department wrote. “Raccoons can live in a variety of habitats, but an area with access to water and food will attract them.”
“A homeowner can limit food sources by securing residential garbage, removing any fallen fruit or rotten produce from your yard or garden, feeding pets indoors, keeping pet food securely stored, and removing or securing bird feeders,” IDFG added. “Blocking raccoon access to hiding places in sheds and outbuildings and sealing off potential entryways and exits in and around a home will also discourage raccoon use.”
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The raccoon attack comes several months after another raccoon apparently attacked people waiting in line for a ride at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania. On April 3, TMZ shared footage of guests waiting to board the SooperDooperLooper days earlier at the theme park as they attempted to avoid the animal.
The person recording the clip could be heard off-camera saying that the raccoon ran off with a girl’s shoe, with two guests reportedly bitten. In a statement to CBS 21, park officials said the animal encounter was not a common occurrence and that they had “extensive fencing to help prevent this type of incident from occurring.”
“Guest safety is and will always be our top priority at Hersheypark. As such, we have a full complement of public safety and health professionals on property who responded quickly to render necessary care to the two people impacted,” the officials added.
Biologist Tom Keller, who works for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, told the outlet that officials at the park handled the situation correctly and that the animal appeared to be “really frightened” and felt “trapped” around the “screaming humans.”
Idaho
Numerica to sponsor North Idaho activities through Jan. 4
Numerica is sponsoring Five Days of Family Fun for families to enjoy at no cost over winter break. The events tie into the credit union’s Numerica CARES for Kids program.
“The holiday season can be a magical time, but it also comes with financial challenges,” Carla Cicero, Numerica’s president and CEO, said in a Dec. 18 news release.
Free North Idaho events:
• Tuesday | Hayden Cinema, 9:30 a.m., Hayden. “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” | 2 p.m. “Mufasa: The Lion King”
• Wednesday | Triple Play Family Fun Park. 10 a.m. Raptor Reef Indoor Waterpark
• Thursday | Coeur d’Alene on Ice, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Skate rentals included.
• Friday | Make It Messy! 1857 W. Hayden Ave., 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Open play.
• Jan. 4 | Spokane Chiefs Hockey, 6:05 p.m. Up to four tickets per family. Reservations required.
Visit Numerica’s Facebook page for details.
Headquartered in Spokane Valley, Numerica serves more than 170,000 members in the Inland Northwest.
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