Hello Wednesday. Gretchen Parsons here with your roundup.
After a late night, we have the early results from closely-watched races in the Treasure Valley. Plus, popular areas to camp in the Boise National Forest will open this weekend.
The unofficial results for the May Primary are in.
The AP called the Governor’s race around 10 p.m. last night and declared Governor Brad Little the winner amongst his Republican challengers. He will face off against Democrat Stephen Heidt in November.
Scott Bedke emerged as the Republican pick for Lieutenant Governor. Bedke will go up against Democrat challenger Terri Manweiler in the fall.
U.S. Senator Mike Crapo beat out the other hopeful Republicans and will square off against Democrat David Roth in November.
U.S. Representative Mike Simpson emerged victoriously and will face off with Democratic challenger Wendy Norman.
Phil McGrane is the Republican choice for Secretary of State and will be up against Democrat Shawn Keenan in the fall.
For Attorney General, Raúl R. Labrador handily beat incumbent Lawrence Wasden.
Many Boise National Forest campgrounds open this weekend
This weekend, many campgrounds in the Boise National Forest are opening for the season.
All campsites in Cascade open Friday while all campsites in Idaho City open Saturday. About half of the campgrounds in Lowman will also open this Saturday, while the rest will open in mid-June. You can see the full list of Boise National Forest campgrounds here, including when they open and if they require a reservation.
Forest officials say recent wet weather has delayed the opening of some sites.
Any campers planning on taking a trip this weekend should expect spring conditions. Snow may still be on the ground at some sites. Officials recommend packing warm clothes and extra food and water.
A reminder for newbies that there is no cell service in many parts of the forest. Always tell a friend or family member where you are going and when you plan to be back. You can download a forest map here.
Keeping kids and pets out of hot, locked cars
As the weather begins to warm, Idaho emergency personnel are kicking off their Look Before You Lock campaign. The effort aims to raise awareness about the dangers of kids and pets in hot cars.
In Idaho, research shows that nine children since 1995 have died from heatstroke after being left in a car.
And it doesn’t take long for the inside of a vehicle to heat up. On a day when it’s 75 degrees outside, the inside of a car can reach 94 degrees in 10 minutes and 109 degrees in 30 minutes, according to a news release from the City of Boise.
“A child’s body heats up three-to-five times faster than an adult. If the temperature elevation continues unabated, major organs begin to shut down, and permanent brain or neurological injury can happen,” said Dr. Kenny Bramwell with St. Luke’s.
Additionally, the Idaho Humane Society reports that animal control responded to 408 calls of pets locked in hot cars in the Treasure Valley last year.
“Unfortunately, pets die each year in hot vehicles or live with long-lasting health consequences from suffering in hot cars,” said Kristine Schellhaas with IHS.
Many times leaving a child or pet in the car is an accident. You can find helpful tips here to ensure an accident doesn’t happen.
Happening Today
State of the City: Boise Mayor Lauren McLean will give her 2022 State of the City Address today at JUMP at 4 p.m. You can watch live here.
Blaine County: Trail Creek Summit in Blaine County is now open for the season. Early spring conditions exist.
Planning Ahead: ITD is hosting an open house regarding the future widening of Highway 20/26 between Middleton and Star roads on Tuesday, May 24 at Middleton United Methodist Church from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Eagle Website: The City of Eagle is launching its newly designed website today along with a dedicated homepage for the Eagle Economic Development Department. Check it out here.
BoiseDev Reports
WinCo sells site for once-planned new Meridian store. A new project is proposed in its place
Law to transition Idaho to statewide public defense system will provide some property tax relief, but not much
The state will start picking up the tab from local governments to cover the cost of public criminal defense now that a new law has passed. The move is aimed at providing property tax relief. Margaret Carmel explains how the system will work.
Large Downtown Boise apartment complex gets OK after developers agree to cut a hole in it
There’s a major design change to a proposed apartment project in downtown Boise. Instead of the apartment building taking the whole block and eliminating the current alleyway, new plans would keep the alley intact. Don Day has the update on BoiseDev.
Traffic Stops: A recent Idaho Supreme Court decision further made clear that police can’t detain someone longer than what’s necessary to complete a stop, even including delays measured in seconds. Read about the 19-second delay from Boise State Public Radio.
Global Gardens: A nonprofit that helps refugees through a farming program is in need of more land to continue its effort. Read this report from Idaho News 6.
Lockdown:According to KBOI, Blaine County schools were locked out Tuesday morning after school officials heard a loud noise in the bathroom.
Things To Do
Policy Breakfast: The Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy is hosting its annual post-session policy breakfast at the Grove Hotel this morning. Get tickets here.
Free Shedding: Have some important documents to dispose of? Idaho Spine & Sports, located at 1225 S Orchard St. in Boise, is having a free shredding event today from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. There is a limit of five boxes per person. Details here.
Comedy Competition: Idaho’s first statewide comedy contest featuring 24 working comics competing for first, second, and third place titles begins Thursday and goes through Saturday in Garden City. You can get tickets for all three nights or individually.
Musical: Performances of Into the Woods, a Tony award-winning musical based on the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales, are ongoing Thursday through Sunday at the Morrison Center. All shows are free.
Pet of the Day
What a great photo of this pooch named Scarlet! Owner Michele Monk says Scarlet is an excellent hunting companion along with a great couch buddy.
