Direct care workforce in ‘constant state of crisis’

Members of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee were tearful last week as they heard testimony from multiple disabled people about their struggles to find direct care workers.

If demographic and workforce trends continue, the Office of Performance Evaluations estimated that Idaho will need over 9,500 new direct care jobs by 2032 to reach national staffing levels.

Republican dispute continues over Bingham County

A court hearing on Thursday did not evaluate the merits of the case – only whether the judge will continue to block the state party from conducting a new election for Bingham County chairman until a internal party appeal is completed.

Idaho GOP attorney Bryan Smith argued that chairwoman Dorothy Moon had intended to proceed with a scheduled Bingham County meeting because she and the rest of the state executive committee were unaware of the county party's appeal, because it had not been sent through the proper channels.

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Quagga Mussels Detected in Snake River

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The Idaho State Department of Agriculture announced last week the presence of invasive quagga mussel larvae in the Snake River near Twin Falls. Director Chanel Tewalt discusses what this means for Idaho and the state's response plan.

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Measles cases reported in four unvaccinated kids

Southwest District Health reported Wednesday that four more unvaccinated people in Nampa, all children, have been diagnosed with measles. The new cases are people exposed to the same household as an initial case reported on Sept. 20. That case involved an unvaccinated adult male who was exposed during recent international travel.

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