Monday 032723

Two people died after a head on crash yesterday afternoon just before 5 in Bingham County.  Police say the accident occurred on I-15 and closed all southbound lanes for about three hours. 

Gov. Brad Little signed a bill allowing execution by firing squad, making Idaho the latest state to turn to older methods of capital punishment amid a nationwide shortage of lethal-injection drugs.  The Legislature passed the measure March 20 with a veto-proof majority. Under it, firing squads will be used only if the state cannot obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections.

A new bill designed to provide for a “tightly regulated system” of medical cannabis was introduced Friday morning in the Idaho House of Representatives.   Under the new Idaho Medical Cannabis Act, patients with a significant medical condition would be eligible for a medical cannabis card that would be valid for up to one year before renewal.

Republican legislative leaders missed their nonbinding target to wrap up Idaho’s 2023 legislative session on Friday.  Despite the late date, the Idaho Legislature has not yet passed most of the 2024 fiscal year state budget. The state’s largest budgets the K-12 public schools budgets and the Medicaid budget that has now been rewritten twice have not been taken up yet.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little will have the final say in whether Idaho’s presidential primary election is moved to late May. If passed into law, the bill would move Idaho’s presidential primary election back on the calendar from its current date on the second Tuesday in March until the third Tuesday in May.

Starting today, St. Luke’s Magic Valley and Wood River medical centers will require the use of guest badges.  Those arriving for lab testing, diagnostic imaging, other outpatient procedures and all visitors will need to obtain a guest badge upon entry.

Idaho’s unemployment rate fell slightly for the month of February, according to the Idaho Department of Labor.  Unemployment fell one tenth of a percent for an overall total of 2.6%.

The drought in Idaho could be over soon. Last month, most of Twin Falls and Cassia counties were listed as being in a severe drought, despite snowpack being well above normal. That has now been changed to moderate.

SPORTS

Saturday The College of Southern Idaho women’s basketball team faced off against No. 5 seed Blinn College. CSI capitalized with 36 bench points and shot 46.7% from the field to win 79-64 at the Rip Center in Lubbock, Texas.  CSI’s win over Blinn extends their winning streak to 19 games as they move one step closer to capturing their first national title.

On to High school baseball from Saturday, where Twin Falls, Burley, Jerome, Minico and Mountain participated in the Bucks Bag, tournament in Boise.    It was Meridian 11, Minico 1.  Mountain Home 10, Nampa 5, Borah 8, Twin Falls 6.  Burley 14, Nampa Christian 5 and it was Fruitland 9, Jerome 3

In softball action, Jerome, Gooding, Twin Falls, Burley and Canyon Ridge participated in the WTP Tourney, Caldwell.  It was LaGrande 17, Twin Falls 1 Then, Mountain View 12, Twin Falls 5.   Boise 18, Canyon Ridge 3.   Owyhee 21, Canyon Ridge 3.  In the second game, Owyhee 12, Burley 3. Then  Emmett 11, Burley 5.  In another double header it was  Gooding 9, Borah 7 in the first game then  Kuna 18, Gooding 2.  Then Kuna 10, Jerome 1.  Then Nampa 13, Jerome 3.

WEATHER

Today:  Mostly sunny, with a high near 41. West southwest wind 6 to 8 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.

Tonight:  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. East wind 11 to 17 mph.

 

Tuesday:  A 20 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 47. Breezy, with an east wind 18 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Tuesday Night:  A chance of rain and snow before midnight, then a chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Breezy, with an east northeast wind 17 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

 

Wednesday:  Rain and snow likely, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 47. East wind 11 to 16 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Wednesday Night:  A chance of rain before midnight, then a chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

 

Thursday:  A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Thursday Night:  A chance of rain and snow showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

 

Friday:  Partly sunny, with a high near 48.

Friday Night:  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32.

 

Saturday:  A chance of rain and snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 51. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Saturday Night:  Rain and snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

 

Sunday:  A 50 percent chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 45.