Kevin’s blog
Expert analysis and the latest news from award-winning journalist Kevin Richert.
Coronavirus: Ada County closes bars, bans gatherings
According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Ada County’s coronavirus case numbers have increased by 19 percent since Friday. We have the latest figures here.
This week’s coronavirus trendline (6.19.20 edition)
As school officials turn their attention towards reopening in the fall, Idaho has reported its largest one-week increase in coronavirus cases in more than two months.
Sherri Ybarra’s mysterious vote for the State Board budget
State superintendent Sherri Ybarra voted last week to endorse the State Board of Education’s 2020-21 budget — which would shift 18 jobs and $2.7 million from her State Department of Education. That’s the same budget shift Ybarra is fighting in court.
Hearing set in lawsuit over K-12 funding initiative
The U.S. District Court will hold a hearing June 23 on Reclaim Idaho’s lawsuit against Gov. Brad Little and Secretary of State Lawerence Denney.
‘A big hairy piece of ground:’ State considers endowment land swap
The decision could ultimately affect funding for state endowment beneficiaries — including public schools.
The coronavirus trendline (6.15.20 edition)
Copy: Coronavirus cases, June 5, 2020 Infogram As Idaho began its fourth and final phase of a business reopening plan, its coronavirus case numbers showed some signs of tapering. The Department of Health and Welfare and its health districts reported 3,375 confirmed and probable coronavirus cases Friday afternoon — a one-week increase of 8…
This week’s coronavirus trendline (6.5.20 edition)
Idaho’s coronavirus case numbers increased by 11 percent this week — the highest weekly increase since the state’ stay-at-home order in April.
Ybarra hires Laraway as new communications director
For the past four years, Karlynn Laraway has worked as the State Department of Education’s director of assessment and accountability.
Attorney defends Ybarra documents — but says they aren’t ‘proof of the truth’
The documents — a flashpoint in the legal fight between Ybarra, the Legislature and the State Board — instead are designed to show why Ybarra believed her office was under political siege.
This week’s coronavirus trendline (5.29.20 edition)
In the month since the state began relaxing a historic stay-at-home order, the rate of spread of the coronavirus has remained more or less stable.