Stories from Wednesday, April 27, 2022

April 21 - BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ The U.S. Department of Defense plans to build an advanced mobile nuclear microreactor prototype at the Idaho National Laboratory in eastern Idaho. The department late last week signed off on the Project Pele plan to build the reactor and reactor fuel outside of Idaho and then assemble and operate the reactor at the lab...

April 19 - (BOISE) – Attorney General Lawrence Wasden has announced receipt of $22.2 million paid to the State of Idaho by tobacco companies as part of the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. To date, tobacco settlement payments made to the state total more than $564 million...

BOISE--Members of Idaho’s congressional delegation and State Treasurer Julie Ellsworth announced Idaho counties will receive a total of $23.4 million in payments for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 under the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. Under Idaho law, 30 percent of the SRS funding goes to counties to help with schools and the remaining 70 percent is earmarked for roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects. ...

Free Resources Identify Top Scams Facing Idaho’s Military Community and Ways to Fight Back Idaho’s 132,000 military veterans are at risk of being targeted by scammers. Today, AARP launched the AARP Veterans Fraud Center, a new online education and resource center to help protect veterans, service members and their families against fraud.For the full story, pick up a copy of the Mountain Home News or click on this link to subscribe to the newspaper’s online edition...

Boise – As part of the celebration of Arbor Day, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) has partnered with the Idaho Forest Products Commission (IFPC) to provide free seedlings to the people of Idaho. On April 29, every IDL office throughout the state will offer seedlings while they last...

Blue mustard, Chorispora tenella, can be found all over in Elmore County and Mountain Home as it is currently flowering. If you have driven by fields full of lush purple (or abandoned lots, field margins etc.) flowers you can see this weed right now. Interestingly, the first documented infestation for the United States occurred in Lewiston, ID in 1929...

Internet access is now necessary for work, school, healthcare, and more. However, for many households, it remains unaffordable. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wants everyone, , to access reasonably priced internet services. The FCC recently launched the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to reduce the cost of getting online...

Congratulations to the “VFW’s National Teacher of the Year” recipient, Lisa Stover-Russell, our very own East Elementary first grade teacher. Superintendent Sherri Ybarra was able to celebrate with Lisa and her students in the classroom recently. Lisa had been previously named the VFW Teacher of the Year for Idaho and after advancing took the National Honors. ...

Volunteers are now walking the streets of Mountain Home in the evening to collect funds for the city’s yearly fireworks show, which will begin at dusk July 4 at the Desert Canyon Golf Course. Members of our Fire Department host the show. It’s regarded as some of the largest fireworks show in the region. In addition to donating to the Streetwalkers as they make their stops, people can also contribute money by stopping by Fire Station One or call MaryAnne Bates 208-599-1837...

After many delays due to COVID-19 and other circumstances, the long awaited trial of Daniel Ruiz-Ortiz finally started last week on Wednesday April 20th. The case and trial is the result of the alleged murder of his wife Samantha Ruiz on or about July 26th 2020 and the discovery of her body in the home two day later, during a welfare check by family members, when no family members had been able to reach her for several days...

April 19, 2022 - Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little and 25 other governors announced the creation of the American Governors' Border Strike Force today, a multi-state partnership designed to disrupt and dismantle the transnational criminal organizations taking advantage of the open border with Mexico...

BOISE, Idaho – Idaho’s favorite game, Powerball, celebrated its 30th Anniversary today during a public event at the luckiest Powerball store in America! In the spring of 1992, the Idaho Lottery joined 13 other states plus the District of Columbia to create what would become the greatest lottery games in history. ...

April 20, 2022 - The Idaho State Board of Education today approved student fee increases at Idaho’s 4-year institutions. Earlier this year, the institution presidents pledged not to request undergraduate resident tuition increases for the third consecutive year. ...