Lillian Dodson, 92

Lillian Dodson, Artist 92, was born into spirit on March 18th, 2024, a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend.

Decluttering can be a dilemma

Decluttering sounds like heaven. But do I want to go now?

If you are not married, but are in a long-term relationship, you have some very specific legal planning needs

If you have a life partner to whom you are not married (whether same or opposite sex), you should be aware of all necessary legal planning to make clear under Idaho law what your partner’s role is if you die or become incapacitated. What will your partner’s legal status be regarding surrogate decision making, end-of-life decision making, and their status in your estate? Without engaging in some proactive (but relatively simple) legal planning, the results of your incapacity or death could leave your partner not only in grief, but in a financial or logistical nightmare as well.

Old dogs can learn to skate

While putting up with my atrocious skating (basically going in slow circles around the rink), Amy skated backwards, sprinkling in some twizzles and other skills, and chatted happily about the current state of figure skating in North Idaho

Louise Ann Hartley, 73

Born to Lyman George Edward and Marjorie Evelyn McKay on January 24, 1951, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Louise Ann Hartley, beloved mother and wife, reached out to Jesus’s hand and went to heaven with her immediate family surrounding her on March 1, 2024.

Need to know how to check up on your own estate plan? Read on

We should all aim to have our legal planning in order, but how do you know if you have what you need in place? Spending a little time reviewing your estate plan every so often is a must. What should you look for? Let’s take it step by step.

They do more than fight fires

Department answers thousands of calls, and then some

According to the department’s 2023 annual report, firefighters spent more of their time responding to service calls, including 2,205 fire calls; 7,817 emergency service; 194 mutual aid; 5,212 ambulance transport and 10,022 total runs.

Come through in the clutch

Pioneer baseball analyst Bill James and researchers for Stats, Inc., determined the phenomenon of clutch hitters is simply a myth. They noted that what a hitter does in most clutch situations is pretty much what he does the rest of the time.

Celebrate National Humor Month with a laugh

I like to find humor in most situations, no matter how dire. Take for example the devastating tornadoes that hit my home city of Minneapolis in the summer of 1987. There was massive damage, and people were emotionally distraught. Our local newspaper pictured a man standing by his car, which had been crushed by a fallen tree. He was smiling, waving at people driving by and holding a sign that read, "new-style compact car."

Body discovered in uptown Kellogg

Kellogg Police responded to a report of an unconscious man lying on the ground behind a building on the corner of McKinley Ave. and West Park Ave.

Supreme Court lets Idaho enforce youth transgender care ban

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that Idaho may enforce a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth while lawsuits over the matter proceed.

Barbara J. Seyfert, 63

Barb passed away on March 22, 2024. She was born on January 18, 1961, to Robert & Mary Nickel in Davenport, Iowa.

Columbia Falls a natural ‘funnel’ for bears

Last year Vallieres responded to 18 grizzly bear conflict calls in Columbia Falls. The year before that, which was a bad year for wild berry crops, that number was 30.

'We have to use our imaginations'

With 25 short plays based on fairy tales and folk stories, there were only so many props the students at Canyon Elementary were able to use. Carol and Paul Roberts of Grow Me A Story urged the second graders putting on “The Lion and the Mouse,” “The Gingerbread Man” and “The Poppy Seed Cakes” to push beyond the silly to tell the stories to the audience.

Wesche honored as Shikar-Safari Club International Wildlife Officer of the Year

Officer Wesche has been in the Rexburg patrol area for five years.

A decade of 'Good Samaritan'

Thrift Store has funded 50 people in rehabilitation program

In a decade, the Good Samaritan Thrift Store has produced $1.75 million in sales and received $32,600 in donations. It has provided financial support for 50 people to go through the rehabilitation program, a nonprofit dedicated to helping men and women overcome substance abuse and addictions.

MY TURN: Macomber’s hypocrisy over federal funds

Let's talk about what's happening at North Idaho College (NIC), especially with former attorney Art Macomber's recent public stance in opposition to federal funds and state funds. It's kind of funny when you think about it.

Sholeh: Who knew? Liberal, conservative brains different

Research shows strengths and weaknesses of both

Wild turkeys with backpacks

A project to learn more about nesting, habitat use and survival of wild turkeys in North Idaho

To better understand the robust turkey populations in the Panhandle, Idaho Fish and Game staff spent some time late-winter and early-spring putting leg bands and GPS-backpacks on wild turkeys.

Yes — You should have both types of Power of Attorney documentation. No — Just one or the other is not enough

Power of Attorney documents are often an afterthought when someone thinks about their estate plan. Wills and Trusts are used to establish the important directions regarding what should happen to one’s assets upon death, and who should oversee carrying out those directions. However, the planning documents that deal with how things will work while you are still alive but have become incapable of making your own decisions are arguably even more important. This is because you will still be alive and still be impacted by how those decisions are made. A quality estate plan should deal with both death, and with incapacity. Power of Attorney documents are the primary way we plan for incapacity, and you should certainly have a Power of Attorney. Actually, you should have two different types of Power of Attorney documents — one for health care purposes and one for financial purposes. Let’s look at why both are necessary for all of us.