Free Republic

SALT LAKE CITY — An 18-year-old missionary for the LDS Church was killed in Southern California Thursday when he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle. It was the church's second missionary death in two days. Both missionaries had been in their assigned missions for less than a month. Elder Andrew Edward Page, 18, from Charlotte, N.C., was hit while riding on Newburgh Street in Azusa, Calif., a little after 4 p.m. Thursday, according to Azusa police. He had been in the Mexico City Missionary Training Center for six weeks and had arrived in California about three weeks...

Public lands continue to draw attention in San Juan County. A series of public meetings in October will allow local residents to learn about several issues and make their voices heard. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has released an environmental assessment and an economic analysis of the Gunnision sage grouse proposals. ... Public comment on the studies will be accepted until October 19. It is expected that the US Fish and Wildlife Service will make a decision on designation by March 31, 2014. The federal agency is considering the designation of the sage grouse as an endangered species and...

Misinformation about the interpretation and application of Arkansas’s new gun laws, specifically about reciprocity, was spread between the legal counsels for the Arkansas State Police and the Idaho State Police in mid-September.What the issue boils down to is whether or not Arkansas will honor Idaho concealed “weapons” permits if said “weapon” is a handgun.The snafu popped up in an official letter dated Sept. 17 written by Arkansas State Police Lt. Cora Gentry to the Idaho State Police: It is our Department’s legal counsel’s opinion that the license issued by another state must specifically be a concealed “handgun” license to be...

Idaho Republican Rep. Mike Simpson was for chipping away at Obamacare during the continuing resolution fight before he was against it. On Tuesday, the GOP congressman told a Capitol Hill publication that he supports voting for a continuing resolution to stop the partial government shutdown — even without provisions defunding, delaying or stopping parts of President Barack Obama’s health care law. “I’d vote for a clean [continuing resolution] because I don’t think this is a strategy that works,” Simpson told Roll Call. “I think the strategy that works is on the debt ceiling.”

Enough with the terrorism references already. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) excoriated House Republicans Wednesday evening, including fellow Californian Rep. Tom McClintock, for waging a ‘jihad’ against American citizens for voting to defund Obamacare in the opening rounds of the fight to extend government spending. The outrageous remark was in the context of a House debate over a Republican-backed ‘piecemeal’ measure to fund the National Park Service, among other programs — McClintock had expressed concerns about the effects of a government shutdown on addressing an ongoing wildfire in Yosemite National Park. “The gentleman from California came and said the towns around...

Jeff Head Cancer Update: September 29, 2013 So, we've been gone for over two weeks from Emmett, ID. This has been my annual checkup for my Chordoma cancer down here in Houston, TX at MD Anderson. Week before last I had those checkups and they went extremely well. No sign of any new cancer around where my sacrum used to be and that is very good. As good a bone fusion to the bone from my right fibula that they used as a support down there as it can be. Very strong and lots of it. Also strong bone fusion...

FreedomWorks is endorsing a primary foe of one of Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) closest allies. The Tea Party-aligned group is backing attorney Bryan Smith (R) in his race against Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), a good friend of Boehner's. "Bryan Smith is a strong fiscal conservative with close ties to the grassroots all across his district. He is not a career politician," FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe says in the endorsement. "Smith will be a roadblock for either party that tries to continue to spend us into a more debt. Idahoans need a strong voice in Congress, and Bryan Smith is their...

Sixteen-year-old Noah Graham of Solway is lucky to be alive after being attacked without warning by a wolf while sitting at a campfire with friends last month on Lake Winnibigoshish near the town of Bemidji in far northern Minnesota. ... the willingness of the Clinton administration to accede to the demands of DOW and other environmental groups, wolves were reintroduced in Yellowstone National Park in 1994 and quickly spread over a 500-mile radius to all corners of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Earlier this month, a pack of wolves stampeded 176 sheep — two were bitten and killed; one was half...

As the 2013 season of devastating wildfires continues to rage across the American West, the question of arson as a form of major terrorism is again being raised. Already this year, 35,440 reported fires have burned a total of 3.9 million acres, with a quarter-million acres scorched the iconic Yosemite National Park. Large blazes continue to burn in several states, with six alive in Idaho, five each in California and Montana, and one each in Alaska, Louisiana, Oregon, Texas and Washington. The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, says at this time last year, 45,278 fires had burned 7.9...

“So, what did you do during your summer break?” If you happen to be a certain 12 year old boy from Pocatello, Idaho, you spent the summer being productive and successfully carrying on an entrepreneurial venture, and then experiencing your state government cracking-down on you for not being licensed and demanding a portion of your revenues. The 12 year old son of Jason Weeks is who we’re talking about. Weeks’ son announced at the beginning of the summer that he wanted to acquire a motorcycle. Weeks had the good sense to tell his son to earn money and purchase one...

Starting a widely unpopular war which will inevitably escalate and will likely involve Russia and China, not to mention all the countries that neighbor Syria, and at best, result in a regime dominated by Al-Qaeda? No problem. Here are the Senators who voted to push America into the latest middle eastern war: Yoting Yes:Robert Menendez, D-N.J., Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Ben Cardin, D-Md., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Chris Coons, D-Del., Dick Durbin, D-Ill. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Bob Corker, R-Tenn., John McCain, R-Ariz, Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. Voting No: Tom Udall, D-N.M., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., James Risch, R-Idaho, Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Rand Paul, R-Ky.,...

Attorney Bryan Smith earned the Club for Growth’s first major endorsement of the 2014 cycle, but he said he made the decision to challenge one of Speaker John A. Boehner’s top allies in Congress independently of the cash-flush, conservative group. ....... Smith is challenging eight-term Republican Rep. Mike Simpson for Idaho’s 2nd District. He got the Club for Growth’s attention after the group launched a campaign against several Republican incumbents, including Simpson, called “Primary My Congressman.” ....... So if Smith makes it to Congress, would he back Boehner in a leadership race? “We’re talking about an event that would take...

Another day, another law disregarded by the Obama camp. Colorado Attorney General John Suthers and representatives from nine other states have signed a letter to the Obama Administration demanding the administration pay up on mineral lease revenues owed to the states under the 1920 Mineral Leasing Act. This nearly century-old contract requires a certain percentage of the royalties collected by the federal government to be returned to the states where the minerals were produced. The administration now is trying to trim these payments under the guise of sequestration, saying that these royalties are subject to across the board spending cuts...

MERIDIAN -- A bizarre rampage on Wednesday left behind many victims, including two men severely beaten who are still recovering in the hospital. Meridian Police say a man under the influence of drugs, violently attacked several people, and terrorized a neighborhood. THE SUSPECT Police tell us the suspect is 23-year-old Sean Carnell from Meridian. Deputy Chief Tracy Basterrechea says Carnell was arrested around 11 a.m. Wednesday on several charges. According to court documents, he's now charged with battery, robbery, second-degree kidnapping, battery with the intent to commit a serious felony, cruelty to animals, malicious injury to property, and other related...

“Ruby Ridge” used to refer to a geographical location in the state of Idaho, but after an incident that took place there 10 years ago on Aug. 21, the phrase has come to refer to a scandalous series of events that opened the eyes of many people to the inner workings of the federal government, including the vaunted Federal Bureau of Investigation. Now that 10 years have passed, the feds will accelerate their ongoing effort to “move forward” and have the scandal declared “ancient history.” But the Ruby Ridge episode should not be soon forgotten.On August 21, 1992 a paramilitary...

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho -- A southeastern Idaho ranch lost 176 sheep as the animals ran in fear from two wolves that chased through a herd of about 2,400 animals south of Victor....

Full Title: Revealed: California killer who abducted teenage girl is shot dead in Idaho wilderness 18 years TO THE DAY after his own father committed suicide while holding another 16-year-old hostage James DiMaggio's kidnapping of 16-year-old Hannah Anderson, whom was said to have a 'crush on,' could be a horrific case of history repeating itself, it has been revealed. DiMaggio's father, also named James DiMaggio, shockingly killed himself 18 years ago to the day that DiMaggio was shot dead by an FBI agent in the Idaho wilderness. Hannah was found safe and is expected to be reunited with her father...

San Diego Sheriff's Department says 16-year-old Hannah Anderson found safe in Idaho. San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore said the suspect in the massive Amber Alert case was shot and killed. Hannah Anderson was successfully rescued and "appears to be in good shape," according to Gore. Check back for updates.

San Diego Sheriff's Department says 16-year-old Hannah Anderson found safe in Idaho. San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore said the suspect in the massive Amber Alert case was shot and killed.

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A car belonging to the suspect in the disappearance of a teenage girl in California has been found in Idaho, authorities said on Friday. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore also said that horseback riders reported seeing two people matching the description of the suspect and girl in the Cascade area 70 miles northeast of Boise on Wednesday.