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HOUSE FIRE-TWINS KILLED
Twin boys die in north-central Idaho house fire
WEIPPE, Idaho (AP) — Authorities say twin 3-year-old boys have died in a house fire in the north-central Idaho town of Weippe. The Lewiston Tribune reports the fire happened early Friday. Clearwater County Sheriff Chris Goetz says the boys' parents were able to escape the fire, but the home was fully engulfed by the time firefighters arrived and the flames were too intense to rescue the boys. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the state fire marshal. Authorities did not immediately release the family's name or other details.
TRUCK STOP-HATE STABBING
Man charged in truck stop stabbing sent to state hospital
ONTARIO, Ore. (AP) — A Colorado man charged in what Oregon prosecutor say was a hate crime stabbing has been found unfit for trial and will be sent to the Oregon State Hospital before his case can move forward. The Argus-Observer in Ontario reports 26-year-old Nolan Strauss was ordered to the hospital for treatment on Wednesday. The truck driver from Colorado Springs was charged with attempted murder after police said he attacked and stabbed a black man in a truck stop restaurant with no provocation. Strauss has not yet entered a plea, and was unable to be reached for comment.
YELLOWSTONE-WORKER HOUSING
Yellowstone plans upgrades to decades-old employee housing
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — Yellowstone National Park plans to replace dozens of decades-old trailers used by park worker. It's part of a major initiative by the park to upgrade employee housing. About half of the Yellowstone's 800 employees live in park housing. Park spokeswoman Morgan Warthin described the quality of the accommodations as “fair to poor.” Costs for the work will run into the tens of millions of dollars.
BC-US-MISSING-KIDS-MOM-ARRESTED
Case of missing children tied to doomsday beliefs, 3 deaths
HONOLULU (AP) — A woman with doomsday beliefs whose children have been missing for months has appeared in court in Hawaii after her arrest. Lori Vallow is being held on $5 million bail that her attorney couldn't get lowered Friday. Family members used to describe her as an attentive mother. But that was before her 7-year-old and 17-year-old children went missing and before she reportedly declared herself a god sent to prepare the world for doomsday. Three people surrounding her also have mysteriously died. She's facing charges of felony child abandonment out of Idaho. Police say Vallow and her husband have lied about the children's whereabouts.
IDAHO APARTMENT SHOOTING
1 killed in shooting at Idaho senior complex, suspect dead
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Police say an 87-year-old man opened fire on three women at a senior citizens apartment complex in southwestern Idaho, killing one and injuring two before fatally shooting himself. Authorities said Friday that Roger Nordberg opened fire shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday. A police officer who responded to the shooting was also shot, but authorities declined to provide details. The officer was treated at a hospital and released. Police say the shooting involved some kind of ongoing dispute at the Portstewart Senior Apartments in Caldwell. Police say 76-year-old Darline Queen died in the shooting. Two other women, ages 79 and 58, were injured.
BC-US-SAGE GROUSE-ENERGY LEASES
US pushes changes to Western land plans that judge blocked
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. Interior Department officials are seeking to bolster their case for easing restrictions on energy development, mining and grazing in seven Western states. A federal judge in Idaho blocked the Trump administration plans last year over concerns that they could harm greater sage grouse, a ground-dwelling bird. Assistant Interior Secretary Casey Hammond says a new set of environmental studies published Friday clarifies the steps the government will take to conserve sage grouse habitat. The Interior Department opened a 45-day public comment period on the studies that cover millions of acres of public lands in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon and California.
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