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Youth group exposed to rabies during girl's camp in Idaho

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Youth group exposed to rabies during girl's camp in Idaho


SODA SPRINGS, ID – A girl’s camp experience gone awry.

The Bear River Health Department said a group of young women from Box Elder County were staying at a cabin at Camp Chi-Keena in Soda Springs, Idaho that was apparently infested with multiple bats.

Karen Valcarce with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services said about 10-15% of bats test positive for rabies in Utah every year, so any time there’s a mass exposure, they take immediate action.

“Rabies is a disease that affects the nervous system of both humans and animals. It is virtually 100% fatal in humans once you develop symptoms. That’s why we treat any potential exposure as a serious risk,” she said.

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Valcarce said actual cases of rabies are rare. The last case of rabies in Utah was in 2018, the first in the state since 1944.

“We rarely see rabies in humans in Utah,” Valcarce said. “In fact, in the United States, typically only about 1-2 cases are reported every year.”

Rabies can be spread through a bite or scratch from an infected animal. A person can experience flu-like symptoms like fever, headache, or nausea, which will then progress to neurological symptoms.

“Don’t wait until you have symptoms to get treated for rabies,” Valcarce said.

That treatment involves human rabies immunoglobulin and a four-dose series of vaccines over a period of about two weeks.

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Jordan Mathis with the Bear River Health Department told KSL TV that the youth group is currently getting treated and there is no risk to the overall public.

If you have contact with a bat or another animal that could potentially have rabies, call your health department right away to assess your risk. Don’t try to remove the animal yourself – call animal control to capture it.

For more information on rabies, including an exposure assessment tool, visit rabies.utah.gov.



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Idaho politicians respond to Trump authorizing U.S military force in Iran

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Idaho politicians respond to Trump authorizing U.S military force in Iran


On Saturday, the United States and Israel launched major strikes in Tehran, with President Trump calling for an Iranian regime change.

RELATED | Trump announces ‘major combat operations’ in Iran, reportedly killing hundreds

President Trump authorized the U.S military operation without congressional approval, a decision that Democrats in Congress are arguing is unconstitutional.

RELATED | Trump’s Iran attack raises legal concerns among Democrats in Congress

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Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea says Democrats are “demanding answers and accountability on behalf of the American people, who are being dragged toward another open-ended war they do not support.”

Necochea says her greatest concern lies with American troops, contractors and civilians who she says “did not choose this conflict.”

“Idaho has thousands of active-duty servicemembers, National Guard members, and military families who live with the consequences when leaders make reckless choices,” she says.

However, not all lawmakers share Necochea’s sentiments.

Idaho Republican representative Mike Simpson commends President Trump’s “decisive action” in Iran.

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“Iran was given every opportunity to resolve this peacefully through negotiations but chose not to,” Simpson said in a post to Facebook. “I commend President Trump for taking decisive action against a regime responsible for decades of terror. May God protect our men and women in uniform on this vital mission.”





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

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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.

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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 CBD retailers navigating uncertainty under new hemp rules

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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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