Safety Fest registration open

North Idaho College will once again offer free safety training at Safety Fest of the Great Northwest Feb. 21-23 at the NIC Workforce Training Center in Post Falls.

Liver for the win of the worst

Last week, Bert took a long weekend holiday, flying south to spend time with our daughter, Sarah. They took in a couple of days of the world-famous Barrett-Jackson collector car auction in Scottsdale, a bucket list check-off for Bert.

MOM: ‘Always on a deadline;’ terribly missed

My mother was Lillian Moore Lind. She died Jan. 8. Sometimes it was hard to claim her because you never knew what the reaction was going to be. People either loved her or didn’t quite know what to think of her. Her passing has left a big impact on our family. I miss her terribly and miss all of her opinionated self.

RESPONSE: To Pastor Paul Van Noy

God created all human beings to love each other regardless of their spiritual, moral, or social standing. God, a power of the universe greater than I can comprehend, can, and has made man and woman capable of loving whom they choose. Injecting conservative Christian dogma into this conversation only serves your narrow view of right and wrong. I am not questioning that right to do so. Your right to do so ends with you and your beliefs. If people follow your kind of Christian teaching, that is their choice. It’s not for everyone. So, stop claiming that we, as human beings, must believe and think like you.

CDA SCHOOLS: What about the levy money?

I just read the article in Sunday’s Press about Coeur d’Alene schools having a projected $6M budget shortfall for 2025. In May 2023, the voters approved a $25M per year, two-year levy. Maybe I don’t understand where that money is supposed to go, but wouldn’t that money help cover the $6M shortfall?

OPINION: For the sake of those who need it, we need to save Medicaid

Medicaid was created as a safety net for the truly needy. But forces in Washington, D.C., have warped it into a spending vehicle that is driving state budgets off a cliff, and Idaho is next.

OPINION: Let's preserve our downtown

The new Marriot coming downtown is allowed by right (Downtown Hotel Gets OK, CDA Press Jan. 26). I know that many citizens are upset. They see a deterioration in the charm and character of downtown. They see a city that’s beginning to look like every other city in the country. And they’re disappointed in the city for not doing anything.

Northern Ireland political party agrees to end 2-year boycott and restore the mothballed government

The breakthrough after months of inconclusive negotiations came after the U.K. government last week gave Northern Ireland politicians until Feb. 8 to restore the Northern Ireland Assembly and the local government or face new elections.

THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Hopefully, Super Bowl comes down to strategy — not Swifties

So far, Taylor being at Chiefs games hasn’t bothered him a whit (what guy doesn’t want to show off for his girlfriend?), and I’m guessing the 49ers shouldn’t expect any help on that front.

PREP BASKETBALL: Timberlake girls fall to Sandpoint in defensive battle

“It was a great defensive effort tonight," Sandpoint coach Will Love said. "I was telling the girls after the game that if you can hold a Timberlake team to 35, it's a really big accomplishment."

More guns on campus?

Proposed legislation to arm school staff receives mixed reactions

Legislation that would allow school staff to carry concealed weapons without guidance from local school boards was recommended Thursday by the Idaho House State Affairs Committee and as of Monday is on its way to a third reading this week. As it is now written, this legislation would not have unanimous support from local education leaders. Post Falls Police Detective Sgt. Neil Uhrig, who serves as the chair of the Post Falls School Board, said his initial impression is that this bill is not ready.

VETERANS PRESS: Cd'A VA Clinic offers medical help to local veterans

The Coeur d’Alene VA Community Based Out Clinic (CBOC) has been a clear comfort for many veterans since it opened in August 2014. This VA Clinic offers a range of primary care and specialty health services including nutrition counseling and laboratory, eyeglass and prosthetics services. For veterans with type 1 or 2 diabetes, they can provide insulin therapy and other necessary survival and self-management skills. They also provide addiction counseling and combat related post-traumatic stress counseling. Another important service is a substance abuse treatment program. The CBOC can pay for and fill prescriptions up to a 14-day supply.

'A victory for law and order'

House Bill 406 aims to toughen penalty for fentanyl trafficking

House Bill 406 now heads to the Idaho Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee.

Silver Valley Sports Recap: Jan. 22-28

Silver Valley teams navigate busy week and winter seasons draw near the end.

Gas prices continue to fall

The Gem State, which often ranks between seventh and ninth place in the country for most expensive fuel, ranks 29th

VETERANS PRESS: Area veterans respond: 'How do you rate your VA care?'

Editor's note: Darrel was asked to interview a few veterans that were using VA health care in the Spokane area. The following are some of the results from those interviews.

VETERANS PRESS: Views from a veteran hospital waiting room

I recently spent some time in the “waiting room” for some lab work at Mann-Grandstaff Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Spokane, Wash., VAMC.

Pinehurst man to pay fine for Cd'A River bank disturbance

According to the court-filed consent agreement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in September 2022, Michael Gagliano was discovered to have violated the Clean Water Act after he used a combination of off-site rock and native sediment from the bank to reinforce the bank of the South Fork of the Coeur D’ Alene River near his property in a remote area of Pinehurst.

VETERANS PRESS: It is easy to apply for VA medical benefits

How do I apply for VA medical benefits at Mann-Granstaff Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Spokane?

Choose VA for your health care needs. With VA health care, each veteran's medical benefits package is unique. You can apply for VA health care online from the comfort of your own home.

MY TURN: Human rights task forces urge legislators to vote no on bills

The Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai and Latah County Human Rights Task Forces in North Idaho, with a combined membership of over 1,500 people, stand united against two dangerous bills currently in the Idaho State Affairs Committee, S 1220 and S 1240.