Year in Review: Our Top Idaho Web Stories for 2024

2024 was a busy and sometimes hectic year. Idaho made national headlines for several days for a variety of reasons, and some of those stories can be found here in our top 10 most-watched shows of the year.

Let’s talk about what you think was important in 2024, from a supercell storm to the Rainbow Bridge project to an abortion trial.

#10

In June, a rare supercell thunderstorm hit Nyssa, Oregon and central Idaho, leaving a trail of significant damage to crops, homes and power lines. Forest fires were also reported.

Supercell thunderstorms are rare in Idaho, but when they occur they can bring strong winds, large hail and in some cases even tornadoes.

Gusts reached speeds of about 80 miles per hour and the hail was about two inches in diameter – extreme weather conditions that are not very common in Idaho. The storm also produced hail as far north and east as Stanley and Garden Valley.

#9

In January, a hangar collapse near Boise Airport killed three people and injured nine others.

Inspectors from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded and found that Big D Builders Inc. of Meridian had begun construction of the hangar without adequate support or tensioned guy wires. OSHA also found that Big D Builders failed to train workers in proper construction of steel fields and did not allow cranes and other construction equipment to operate in mud and standing water.

OSHA previously cited the contractor for violations related to employee fall hazards and ladder use. The federal agency also charged Inland Crane Inc. $10,163 to continue construction of the hangar despite visible structural problems.

#8

This is a story that has been the talk of the town on our Facebook page this year. Most comments were pleased to see that consideration was being given to preserving the existing bridge.

Highway 55’s iconic Rainbow Bridge is expected to be decommissioned later this decade. Built in 1933, the Rainbow Bridge spans the North Fork of the Payette River north of Smith’s Ferry. ITD said it no longer meets industry standards for bridges, with narrow lanes and shoulders and limited sight lines.

#7

This is the first abortion story on our list. A federal appeals court ruled in December that Idaho’s “Abortion Trade Lawwhich prevents adults from “harboring” or “transporting” minors out of state to terminate a pregnancy without their parents’ consent.

The law, the first of its kind in the country, came into effect in May 2023. It was blocked in November of that year after plaintiffs sued the state. say the law restricts fundamental rights.

The human trafficking law allows the attorney general to file charges if district attorneys choose not to.

#6

Thomas Eugene Creech is Idaho’s longest-serving death row inmate. His execution was canceled after Idaho Department of Corrections Director Josh Tewalt ruled it was not possible because the medical team could not set up an IV line.

Since then, the Idaho Supreme Court has ruled that a second attempt to execute Creech would not violate his Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

The state has not yet issued a new death sentence against Creech because a federal stay is still in effect.

#5

Four women who had to leave Idaho to seek treatment for wanted pregnancies are challenging the state’s abortion bans and calling on it to clarify the conditions under which patients can terminate a pregnancy.

The women testified before Fourth District Judge Jason Scott in November and described how they had to leave the state to get the medical care they needed for non-viable pregnancies. They described the grief of losing their desired pregnancies and spoke of the additional psychological stress of leaving the state.

Assistant Attorney General Craig objected to detailed testimony about the women’s pregnancies and the conversations they had with their medical team. He said the case did not depend on the plaintiffs’ medical circumstances. Judge Scott said he did not expect the case to be decided on that basis either, but would allow the women some leeway to raise the issues. The defendant’s team didn’t ask the four women many questions.

#4

From the Mountain West News Bureau, fish and wildlife officials have been working to help an iconic western fish whose habitat is shrinking. Distinguished by a bright red line under its jaw, the Lahontan cutthroat trout is a trophy fish that many anglers enjoy catching when casting in northern Nevada.

The Lahontan cutthroat once swam in a dozen lake systems and more than 7,000 miles of streams in the Lahontan Basin, which stretches from northern Nevada to central California.

Today they only occupy about 10% of their historic habitat. They have been listed as for decades threatened under the covenant Endangered Species Act.

#3

Idahoans had the opportunity to see the so-called “Comet of the Century” this year. It was the first time it had been in our heavenly neighborhood in 80,000 years.

Astronomy expert Irwin Horowitz visited our George Prentice to learn when the comet should be visible and a few other stargazing tips for every day.

#2

In October, Southwest District Health removed COVID-19 vaccines from its offices and did not allow residents there to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. The district’s health department voted 4-3 to remove COVID-19 vaccines from its facilities after receiving about 300 public comments.

COVID-19 vaccines are no longer free, but health departments can purchase them at a discount. Health insurance often covers the cost of vaccinations, but those who pay out of pocket pay less at the local health district clinic.

The district serves Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette and Washington counties. COVID vaccines continue to be available at other locations, such as commercial pharmacies and health clinics not affiliated with Southwest District Health.

#1

And as number one of the year, Idaho made national headlines after Sen. Dan Foreman (R-Viola) stormed out of a nonpartisan forum in a small Latah County community following a racist outburst against a Native American candidate. When conservative Sen. Dan Foreman was asked at the event whether there was discrimination in Idaho, he said no.

In one opinionDemocratic candidate for House Seat A and member of the Nez Perce tribe, Trish Carter-Goodheart, said she pushed back on that idea when it was her turn to speak, citing her own experiences and the History of White Supremacy Groups in Northern Idaho.

On the Nate Shelman Podcast, Foreman denied telling anyone to go back to where they came from and said he left because the forum was set up as a trap for attacks on conservatives.

Foreman retained his seat with 53.3% of the vote.