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Greater Idaho? Greater Montana? Gem State considers talking about expanding its borders
With a wink and a smirk the Idaho House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a nonbinding memorial calling for formal talks between the Idaho and Oregon legislatures to discuss moving some rural Oregon counties out of their state and into Idaho. The proposal is rooted in the so-called Greater Idaho movement, which seeks to include […]
Into the zone of death: Four days spent deep in the Yellowstone National Park backcountry
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, IDAHO – The ranger warned us before we attempted to enter the “zone of death.” Millions of people visit Yellowstone National Park each year, but one of the least visited parts of the park, the so-called zone of death, lies in Idaho. It’s rugged and remote, with no roads, a place where […]
Montana court ruling restores protections for wolverines. Idaho has stake in the debate, too.
A Montana District Court judge has restored the wolverine’s status as a candidate species under the Endangered Species Act following a court decision last month. Montana District Court Judge Donald Molloy’s May 26 decision is the latest development in a 20-year effort to protect the wolverine, Idaho Conservation League North Idaho Director Brad Smith said. […]
Idaho asks Congress to close Yellowstone’s ‘zone of death’ loophole
It’s called the “zone of death,” a 50 square-mile section of Yellowstone National Park adorned with meadows and waterfalls — home to grizzly bears but no people — tucked inconspicuously within Idaho. Supposedly, according to the 2005 Georgetown Law Journal article “The Perfect Crime,” it’s a place where a poorly worded law and a constitutional […]
Study: ‘Sizable minority’ of residents in Mountain West approve of violence when government fails
A survey commissioned by a Boise-based institute has found that a sizable minority of Mountain West residents think violence is justified when the government fails its people. Meanwhile, a large share of those surveyed believe the U.S. is heading in the wrong direction, and are concerned about the health of American democracy. The findings are […]
President Biden in Boise: U.S. can’t ignore drastic consequences of climate change
During his first presidential visit to Idaho, President Joe Biden on Monday said the drastic consequences of climate change have created a need for additional investments in disaster relief and support for wildland firefighters and programs. “We can’t continue to try to ignore reality,” Biden said during a meeting at the National Interagency Fire Center […]
Montana’s transgender athlete bill came from Idaho
A bill that bans transgender girls and women from participating in girls’ and women’s sports has quickly spread to more than 30 statehouses across the country after originating in Idaho. Sponsored by Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, the bill originated in the form of House Bill 500 during the 2020 Idaho legislative session. The Republican […]