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- The Gem State Brief
The Gem State Brief
Curated by Locus Lectorum
Boise pride goes on with reduced schedule, local churches arrange psalm sing protest at Capitol
Ann Morrison Park | September 2 | Idaho Capital Sun
This year's Boise pride event has reduced its schedule from three to two days following a substantial reduction in funding. Despite the financial drop-off, organizers have moved the event to Ann Morrison Park and expect a large turnout. Several local churches have organized a psalm sing on the steps of the Capitol in protest of the celebration of anti-Biblical values.
This story is the latest in a series, view the full thread here → 🧵
No criminal charges for officers in shooting of Victor Perez
Pocatello | September 3 | KTVB
Following a review of the investigation by the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force, the Idaho Attorney General's office has released a report stating that none of the officers could be criminally charged in the controversial shooting death of the autistic teen by the Pocatello Police Department.
Canyon County priest charged with rape of a minor
Canyon County | August 29 | KTVB
Robert Esquivel, a priest at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Nampa, was arrested and charged with rape and sexual battery of a minor in a Canyon County court on Thursday. Esquivel met the victim through Grindr before raping them in a public park.
Idaho cuts Medicaid rates by 4%
State Capitol | August 26 | Idaho Capital Sun
Facing a projected budget shortfall of $80 million, Idaho Health and Welfare has cut the reimbursement rates for physicians treating Medicaid patients by 4%. Medicaid's required budget is expected to grow by 19% this year, more than double what lawmakers anticipated.
This story is the latest in a series, view the full thread here → 🧵
Nez Perce sues U.S. Forest Service over mining permit
Stibnite Mining District | August 30 | Lewiston Tribune
The Nez Perce Tribe has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service over a mining permit granted to Perpetua Resources. The permit allows Perpetua to operate an open-pit gold and antimony mine in the Stibnite Mining District. The Nez Perce allege the mine's potential impact on the Salmon River violates their treaty rights dating from the 1850s and 1860s.
Aalo Atomics begins construction on new type of nuclear reactor
Idaho Falls | August 28 | Yahoo News
The Texas-based startup broke ground on its location near the Idaho National Laboratory last week. The company is constructing an Extra Modular Reactor (XMR) with the eventual goal of constructing 50-megawatt modular power plants to power data centers. The project is part of the federal Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program, which began in June of this year.
Developer wants to build "Urban Luxury" in downtown Meridian
Meridian City Hall | August 28 | Idaho Statesman
DRB Investments is seeking approval from the city for a large, high-end development named Pine43 on a 37-acre piece of property near downtown Meridian. Originally planned as a traditional suburban development, the development group is now planning a 900-home development, business plaza, 160-room hotel, underground parking garage, retail space, and more. The initial proposal came before the city Planning and Zoning Commission last week and received mixed reactions, with the Commission voting to extend the hearing until September 18th.
Public comment period open for proposed US-20 changes in Idaho Falls
Snake River Event Center | September 2 | East Idaho News
The Idaho Transportation Department is hosting an open house today (September 4th) for comment on plans to repair and expand the stretch of Highway 20 from Idaho Falls to Arco. The road has been in a state of disrepair for several years and is badly in need of improvement. Online comments will also be open for two weeks following the open house.
Highlights & Insights
✍️ By Locus Lectorum
"What’s Going on with Idaho’s Budget Deficit?" - A look at how Idaho went from a $300+ million surplus to a $80+ million deficit, and the concerning implications it has for the state's economy. (Video)
📖 Other Recommended Read
"The Grit Behind AmmoSquared" - An insightful and educational look at the entrepreneurial journey of a Treasure Valley-based ammo company.
🏛️ Apologetics FactPolystrate Fossils: Upright tree trunks and other fossils spanning multiple sedimentary layers (supposedly deposited over millions of years) are found worldwide. These suggest rapid, catastrophic burial, consistent with a global flood event rather than slow geological processes. | 🗣️ Quote"You and your fathers who built up the West did more even than you thought; for you shaped thereby the destiny of the whole Republic, and as a necessary corollary profoundly influenced the course of events throughout the world. More and more as the years go by this Republic will find its guidance in the thought and action of the West, because the conditions of development in the West have steadily tended to accentuate the peculiarly American characteristics of its people." — Theodore Roosevelt |
🏅 Person: Edgar Sengier (1879-1963)Edgar Sengier was a Belgian mining engineer and industrialist who became aware of the possible military uses for uranium in the 1930s. He stockpiled 1,200 tons of the raw ore in NYC, and transferred this high-quality ore (65% uranium, the purest ever found in nature) to the U.S. Army in 1942. He was the first non-American to be awarded the Medal for Merit in 1946 for his "sound judgment, initiative, resourcefulness and unfailing cooperation." | 📕 Book: Unhumans Locus Lectorum's latest group read, here are our thoughts: |