IDAHO BALLOT INITIATIVES
Idaho Governor Signs Bill That Tightens Election Measures
BOISE, Idaho (AP) – Idaho Governor Brad Little signed legislation making it difficult to get initiatives or referenda on the ballot in what is seen as an attempt to stop a medical marijuana initiative. The Republican governor announced Saturday the decision to enact the law that supporters of the measure say is necessary because the current process favors urban voters. Opponents say the measure would make it nearly impossible for the bills to be voted on. The proposed law would require the signatures of 6% of registered voters in Idaho’s 35 districts. Little vetoed similar legislation in 2019 out of concern that a federal court could declare it unconstitutional and dictate Idaho’s initiative ballot process.
IDAHO LAWYER COMPLAINT FOR VIOLATION
Ethics panel to file rape complaint against Idaho legislator
BOISE, Idaho (AP) – A legislative ethics committee is investigating a rape complaint against an Idaho state legislator. Representative Aaron von Ehlinger, a first-year Republican from Lewiston, denied the allegation. His lawyer has asked that the ethics investigation be dismissed, saying the meeting was consensual. In the complaint filed by Republican leaders in the House of Representatives on March 17 and published on Friday, the accuser told Deputy Sergeant at Arms Kim Blackburn that she was assaulted after von Ehlinger took her out to dinner and then back to his apartment on the pretext that he ‘had forgotten something. She said it happened even though she said “no” and froze.
FIGHT FOR THE POWER OF IDAHO
Idaho governor to veto bills that restrict his emergency powers
BOISE, Idaho (AP) – Idaho Governor Brad Little says he will veto two bills aimed at limiting his power to respond to emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic. Little made the announcement on Friday, and four former governors also expressed support for the decision. Little said the bills violate the state Constitution and threaten the safety and economy of Idaho residents by handcuffing the state’s ability to act quickly during emergencies such as earthquakes, droughts or floods. After Little’s announcement, the House Republican Caucus released a statement saying the bills made the necessary updates to the outdated emergency power laws. Rep. Megan Blanksma, a Hammett Republican, rebuked the governor, saying she was taking the bills personally.
THREE LOST CHILDREN-BODY FOUND
Idaho Sheriff: Missing Girl’s Body Found, Suspect Arrested
BOISE, Idaho (AP) – An Idaho sheriff says investigators found what is believed to be the body of an 8-year-old girl who went missing earlier this week and that a suspect has been arrested. The girl’s two older brothers, who were also reported missing and last seen months earlier, were found safe. The Gem County Sheriff’s Office first announced Tuesday that they were looking for 17-year-old Tristan Conner Sexton, 14-year-old Taylor Summers and 8-year-old Taryn Summers. Later, authorities said the three children were believed to have fled at different times. Sheriff Donnie Wunder announced Thursday night that investigators found a body believed to be Taryn’s.
BEARS MAULING
Montana man seriously injured by bear near West Yellowstone
WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. (AP) – A bear attacked a Montana man, seriously injuring him near a camp outside Yellowstone National Park. The violent encounter occurred Thursday afternoon in a lumber area near Bakers Hole Campground, about three miles north of West Yellowstone, Montana. The camp was closed at the time. Investigators have not been able to interview the victim due to her injuries. The West Yellowstone man was able to call 911 after the attack and was taken to a hospital in Idaho. Rescuers saw the bear and described it as a brown bear, but that has not been confirmed.
AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-OREGON-MASK-REGLA
As masks mandates end, Oregon bucks trend with permanent rule
PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) – States across the country are lifting restrictions on COVID-19. But Oregon is poised to go in the opposite direction, and many residents are furious about it. A senior health official is considering indefinitely extending the rules requiring masks and social distancing in all workplaces in the state. The proposal would keep the rules in force until “they are no longer necessary.” The administrator for the Oregon Department of Occupational Safety and Health says the “permanent” rules are necessary because of a technicality in state law that allows current restrictions to expire. But the idea has sparked a flood of angry responses, with many residents calling it a major government overreach.
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‘This Article may contain information published by third parties, some details of this article were extracted from the following source: ktvz.com’
