BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — The mother of a child who died in a car fire at a Boise Walmart last April was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday and must serve at least five years before she’s eligible for parole, according to court documents.

Jennifer Miller, 31, pleaded guilty to two counts of injury to a child in September. In exchange, three additional charges were dropped.

According to court documents, Miller fell asleep in the early hours of April 10 while an open-flame cooking device was still turned on in the vehicle. Authorities said she used it for heat for her two children and herself, who were sleeping in the car, parked in the Walmart lot.

Miller’s daughter, 4-year-old Allie Nicole Rose, died in the fire after Miller was unable to rescue her from the back seat, police said. Miller’s 1-year-old son, Lane Rose, survived.

Judge Samuel Hoagland said that although Miller’s actions were not intentional, a punishment needed to be handed down due to her carelessness.

“I believe the sentence imposed is just, fair and reasonable,” Hoagland said. “I believe that the … selfish and careless acts caused the injury and death of her child, and I believe that justice requires she serve for a period of imprisonment.”

Miller was handed 10-year sentences on each injury to child charge, to be served consecutively. The first 2 1/2 years of each sentence is fixed. Restitution of $10,680.18 was also ordered.

Miller briefly addressed the courtroom before she was sentenced.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry to everyone that was involved,” Miller said. “Every day I replay that night, what could I have done differently. … I wish I could go back now, but I can’t. I can’t fix this one.

“Wherever you decide is where I’m supposed to be.”

This article was originally published in the Idaho Statesman. It is used here with permission.

The following is a news release from Fall River Electric Cooperative.

ASHTON — Fall River Electric Cooperative will be hosting several holiday food drives called “Stuff the Truck” throughout the Cooperative’s service territory leading up to the Christmas holiday. Each event will benefit the local food bank where the drive is being held. In addition to non-perishable food items, Upper Valley food banks are especially in need of pasta, cold cereal, peanut butter and canned fruit and chicken.

“Stuff the Truck” will be held at Broulim’s Fresh Foods in Rexburg on Dec. 7 from noon to 4 p.m. Donations made there will be given to Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership for families in need in the Rexburg and Sugar City areas.

If you are unable to attend this food drive, you can call Fall River Electric at (800) 632.5726 and make a tax-deductible monetary contribution to the food bank of your choice. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Join us for “Stuff the Truck” to help other less fortunate individuals and families during the holiday season.

The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Police Department.

IDAHO FALLS — On Thursday, Dec. 6, at approximately 4:17 a.m., Idaho Falls Police were dispatched to the
700 block of East Elva Street for a burglary in progress. The reporting party told dispatchers that they
heard someone in a spare bedroom.

The reporting party tried to get into the bedroom and found they could not. They then called the police and told the person in the room the same. The reporting party told dispatchers that they felt whomever was inside had fled.

Officers arrived to the area, and with the assistance of Bonneville County Deputies, started checking around. A deputy found a man and a woman with backpacks close by. The man put something on the ground while talking with the deputy.

Officers spoke with the reporting party, who was able to identify items found in the possession of the man
as taken from the home. Officers arrested 32-year-old Delson R. Wahtomy for burglary, possession of a controlled substance, suspected methamphetamines, theft by receiving or possessing stolen property, a parole violation warrant and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Officers also arrested 26-year-old Josephine B. Theboy for accessory to burglary as well as possession of drug paraphernalia.

IDAHO FALLS – Imagine having a mini Mayo Clinic right here in eastern Idaho.

That’s how Dr. Fahim Rahim and others are describing the new Comprehensive Care Clinics opening later this month in Idaho Falls.

The new clinic, Rahim says, will be a one-stop-shop that provides quality medical care at a lower cost.

“We will have a team of specialists — heart doctors, kidney doctors, along with orthopedic, spinal and pain surgeons (and others) all under one roof,” Rahim tells EastIdahoNews.com. “You can see your family doctor in one corner. If you also need to see an orthopedic surgeon, you can just walk upstairs and get an X-Ray on your knee. If the orthopedic surgeon decides you need surgery or some other procedure, you can get it done right here. You can get the labs done here and even visit a pharmacy.”

RELATED | 15 doctors launching unique health care model in east Idaho

Rahim says the quality of care and the cost to the patient improves by having all the staff and resources in one location. The team will include about 16 board certified physicians, many of them fellowship trained, (meaning they have additional training beyond their medical degree), and another 20 or so surgeons and specialists.

“When specialists get together and see the patient at the same time, the patient gets a unified (solution) to their problem,” says Dr. Jack Lassetter, an interventional cardiologist with the clinic.

It also eliminates errors and delays in medical care, Rahim says, which can cause further complications.

Another way the clinic will lower the cost to the patient, according to center CEO and Administrator Blane Uthman, is by trimming the fat, or eliminating extra fees, from the bill.

“Instead of using any savings to add to our profit margin, we will take it off of what we will charge the patient,” he said.

While Comprehensive Care Clinics will operate independently of other hospitals and clinics, the new center will work in partnership with them. Rahim says hospitals are always needed and they’re not trying to put anyone out of business.

The creation of the Comprehensive Care Clinics stems from a conversation between Rahim and other medical professionals over the last five years.

“The gist of that conversation was that our current healthcare system is broken and it’s so fragmented,” Lassetter says. “You’re (currently) getting super sub-specialty clinics that are so fragmented that people can’t get in to them for months. By the time someone (finally does see) all the specialists they need (to visit), the disease process has changed. So what we’re trying to do is better coordinate that care.”

Rahim says the current health care model is volume based, meaning the more patient volume an institution sees, the more money they make. Health care needs to change from volume based to value based, he says.

“The only way you can deliver value is by having models like this. This is the future of health care.”

RELATED | Dr. Fahim Rahim & how he wants to transform medicine in east Idaho

The Comprehensive Care Clinics also offers several technological innovations, like a surgical robot.

“The surgeon is still directing the care and making sure everything is right, but by using the robot, (the surgeon) can input CTs and other diagnostic imaging studies, that provide micro tolerances that even the best human being can’t provide by themselves,” Uthman said. “This leads to shorter recovery periods and better outcomes.”

The Surgical and Outpatient Cath Lab Center opened Nov. 15, but the facility will be fully up and running Monday, Dec. 17.

Comprehensive Care Clinics, in partnership with Bingham Healthcare and Eagle Rock Surgery Center, is hosting a ribbon cutting and open house for the public Dec. 17. The event will get underway at 5 p.m. State and local leaders will be in attendance along with special guests from the North Pole. There will also be food and live entertainment.

“I would invite everyone in the community to come visit and learn about what we’re doing,” Uthman says. “We’ve put together a beautiful state-of-the-art facility that doesn’t feel like a hospital. We want people to come to a place where they feel comfortable. It’s bright, it’s airy, and it’s not the typical experience you (will) have in a hospital.”

The Comprehensive Care Clinics is located at 3302 Valencia Dr. in Idaho Falls.

“This is something that’s never been done, other than at the Mayo Clinic,” Lassetter says. “We (want to show) that we can improve the quality and value of healthcare and change the way it’s delivered in our community.”

(CNN) — Rescuers are searching for crew members aboard two US Marine planes that collided mid-air off the coast of Japan in the early hours of Thursday morning, according to Japan’s Ministry of Defense and the US Marine Corps.

At least one Marine was killed in the crash and the body has been recovered, the Marine Corps said in a statement. A second Marine was rescued and is described to be in fair condition. Five other Marines remain missing.

The KC-130 and F/A-18 collided at 1:42 a.m. local time, according to a Japanese Defense Ministry statement.

According to a statement from the US Marine Corps, the crash happened during an aerial refueling that was part of a routine training. The primary mission of a KC-130 is airborne refueling.

It is believed five crew were on board the KC-130 and two on the F/A-18 at the time of the crash, two US defense officials told CNN.

First Lt. Josh Hayes, a public affairs officer with the 3rd Marines Expeditionary Forces based out of Okinawa, told CNN the rescued Marine was in “fair condition.”

The killed Marine was found by a Japanese military ship at 12:13 p.m. local time and was being transferred to a mainland medical facility, according to Japanese defense spokesperson Norio Harada.

Japan has dispatched 10 aircraft and three ships from its Self Defense Force and Coast Guard to help with the search for five people still believed to be missing.

The US 7th Fleet said in a statement that it was supporting ongoing search and rescue efforts with a Navy P-8A Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft flying out of Kadena Air Force Base.

Rescue teams are battling bad weather which has passed through the area in the last 24 hours or so, bringing showers, storms and sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph.

“The weather is definitely going to play a factor,” said Hayes. “It’s a full team effort between us and the Japanese defense force. And we’re hoping to get our Marines back.”

The crash happened approximately 200 miles (321 kilometers) off the coast of Iwakuni, Japan, a US Marine Corps official told CNN.

The planes “had launched from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and were conducting regularly scheduled training when the mishap occurred,” according to a statement from the US Marine Corps.

Wednesday’s incident comes on the same day that the Marines released a report on a crash in July 2017, also involving a KC-130 variant that killed 15 Marines and one sailor.

That KC-130T crash took place in Leflore County, Mississippi, and the “investigation determined that the aircraft’s propeller did not receive proper depot-level maintenance during its last overhaul … in September 2011, which missed corrosion that may have contributed to the propeller blade” coming loose during the flight and going into the aircraft’s fuselage, according to a Marine Corps statement on the investigation.

The following is a news release from the Idaho Transportation Department.

IDAHO FALLS — Motorists can expect overnight delays on I-15 near the Rose Road Interchange (Exit 98) beginning Friday, Dec. 7 and continuing into next week. Crews will be moving large concrete structures into the median as part of the interchange reconstruction project.

The sections will be moved on I-15 during overnight hours from midnight to 5:30 a.m. A pilot car will be used to slow traffic through the area. Motorists can expect 15-minute delays while the sections are moved. A message board will alert southbound travelers of traffic conditions.

“We are asking that motorists be patient during these overnight traffic delays. Safety continues to be our first priority,” said ITD Resident Engineer Eric Staats.

This work is a part of a year-long project to reconstruct the interchange at Rose Road (Exit 98) on Interstate 15. Construction includes widening the Rose Road overpass and increasing its vertical clearance; reconfiguring and lengthening the interchange ramps; and replacing two canal structures to support current traffic loads. The project is expected to be completed in late 2019.

More information about the $10.8 million I-15, Rose Road Interchange project is available at itdprojects.org/rose. Community members may sign up for email updates by texting INTERSTATE 15 to 22828 or emailing I-15construction@itd.idaho.gov.

IDAHO FALLS — An 80-year-old man who threatened to kill his son has been sentenced to prison.

Dale Ivan Smith was sentenced to 15 years in prison with four years fixed and 11 years indeterminate. He was was found guilty of assault with intent to murder on Wednesday.

Smith entered an Alford plea as part of a plea agreement that dismissed a first-degree stalking charge, and charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of a destructive device.

An Alford plea is a guilty plea where the defendant acknowledges a jury would most likely find them guilty based on evidence but maintains their innocence. The deal also amended the original charge of attempted murder to assault with intent to murder.

During a previous hearing, Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Clark said Smith threatened to kill his son, local attorney Bryan Smith, on multiple occasions.

RELATED: Man pleads guilty to assault with intent to murder his son

“Those statements would include ‘turn Bryan into a vegetable,’ and ‘there was a contract out on him,'” Clark said referring to the prior threats. “Another threat (was) where he stated was ‘to put him in a damn box,’ ‘may come over to blow his f—— head off myself,’ and ‘if it’s the last thing I ever do in my life I will suck the life out of him.'”

Dale’s wife is legally under Bryan’s care. Bryan has a no-contact order against Dale that covers Dale’s wife as well.

“I would sacrifice my life, whether that be by execution, in jail, prison for life, whatever to free my wife,” Dale said according to court documents.

Dale was arrested on Nov. 16, after he was found outside of Bryan’s home with an AK-47 and ammunition in the front seat of his vehicle.

Police reports show at about 8 p.m. that evening Bryan called authorities to report a suspicious vehicle near his home.

Bonneville County Sheriff deputies arrived and discovered Dale in the vehicle, a violation of previous no-contact order.

RELATED: Father accused of attempting to murder his son waives preliminary hearing

Deputies also discovered fictitious plates with the vehicle, cash, weapons and a note indicating he may have intended to harm Bryan. Dale also said he had World War II grenades in his vehicle.

Police asked Dale if he walked up to Bryan’s house with the rifle. Dale responded, “Yes I did. So how many years is that gonna get me?”

Dale was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and was issued a no-contact order for the duration of his sentence.

IDAHO FALLS — Nearly 3,000 veterans can find health care closer to home with the new Veterans Affairs Outreach Clinic in Idaho Falls.

The outreach clinic on South Woodruff Avenue is three times the size of its predecessor in nearby Ammon. Air Force veteran and Idaho Falls resident LeRoy Duenes said he could only get into the old clinic some of the time and needed to travel to Pocatello when he couldn’t get in.

“Now I just come out my backyard, and the clinic is right here,” Duenes said.

Assistant Chief of Primary Care Jeremy Timm said the old clinic only had enough space for one primary care team.

“Now our capacity to care for veterans goes from about 900 to almost 3,000,” he said.

Timm said the Teladoc system in each exam room will greatly benefit veterans. Teladoc, a telemedicine service, allows patients at a clinic to video chat with a specialist in a different location. This allows patients to receive specialized care without having to travel.

“If we can provide telemedicine or tele-specialty care up here in the Idaho Falls clinic, (veterans) will be able to come right here, see a VA specialist for whatever care they need … rather than either having to travel to Salt Lake or see someone they don’t know out in the community,” Timm said.

Mark Butler, a doctor at the clinic, said the facility can provide for all primary care needs.

Butler has been working with veterans for 31 years. He said he chose to treat veterans and work in VA facilities because that is where he feels at home.

“They need love and care like everyone else,” Butler said. “Sometimes they need a little more as far as treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder or depression or things like that. They do have special needs, and we really try to accommodate that.”

Duenes said veterans need someone to care about them.

“They love this nation,” Duenes said. “What can we do to pay them back? I don’t know that we can do enough. To build a clinic is an amazing thing, and thank you. Thank you to the American people for doing that.”

The clinic officially opened in November and held its grand opening Thursday. The clinic is at 640 S. Woodruff Avenue in Idaho Falls. It can be reached at (208) 522-2922.

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Ada County prosecutors got a judge to postpone the competency hearing for a man accused of stabbing nine people — including a 3-year-old who later died — after saying in court Thursday that they will challenge a psychiatrist’s finding that Timmy Earl Kinner Jr. is unfit to stand trial.

Deputy Prosecutor Dan Dinger said during a hearing that prosecutors have an expert they want to review the 300-400 pages of findings by a court-appointed psychologist and psychiatrist in Kinner’s case.

RELATED: Trial for Boise mass-stabbing suspect delayed until 2020

The evaluation by the two psychiatric experts has been sealed, so its contents are not available to the public. Fourth District Court Judge Nancy Baskin will make a decision after the competency hearing on whether Kinner should be committed to a state hospital for mental health treatment.

Defense attorney David Smethers objected to any delay, saying the state should have been prepared for either finding: competent or incompetent. He said the psychiatrist found Kinner incompetent to stand trial.

“It’s hard to prepare for that before you have the actual report,” Dinger said.

Kinner’s competency hearing had been scheduled for Dec. 13. Baskin ordered the hearing closed to the public, other than stabbing victims, victim-witness coordinators and a police investigator.

RELATED: Prosecutors to seek the death penalty in Boise mass-stabbing case

Baskin said Thursday that she would grant a short continuance, with the hearing taking place either Dec. 27 or Jan. 3. Court then went into recess so the details could be ironed out. Because some witnesses could appear in court on only one of those dates, Baskin said the hearing would be held on Dec. 27 and then concluded on Jan. 3.

Kinner is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Ruya Kadir. He’s facing numerous other charges, including eight counts of aggravated assault.

Two weeks ago, Kinner’s attorneys asked Baskin to move the high-profile death penalty case from January 2019 to January 2020. It is now set to begin on Jan. 13, 2020.

RELATED: Community mourns victims of birthday party stabbing

Police investigators said Kinner went on a violent rampage at the Wylie Street Station Apartments on June 30 because he was kicked out by a woman who invited him to stay there as a guest.

The nine mass stabbing victims included six children, including 3-year-old Ruya, who was celebrating her birthday. She died two days after the stabbing. All of the victims were refugees from Syria, Iraq and Ethiopia.

This article was originally published by the Idaho Statesman. It is used here with permission.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A psychologist who practiced for years in Chubbuck was found guilty of six felony sexual assault charges for luring victims of sexual assault into having sex with him, claiming it was part of their treatment for post-traumatic stress problems.

Dr. Heath Sommer was accused of mistreating patients and leaving them “even more traumatized” at Travis Air Force Base in California from 2010 to 2016, prosecutors said. He is looking at a possible prison sentence of 11 years and eight months.

The jury’s verdict came after six days of deliberation closing out a six-week jury trial, according to the Daily Republic.

Prosecutors detailed allegations against the clinical psychologist that he used a technique known as exposure therapy on his patients — inflicting the same sort of abuse that landed some of them in his office in the first place.

The Daily Republic reports the following:

One woman, a colonel, recalled Sommer telling her at their third session in 2014 that he was going to start using exposure therapy. He orchestrated moving their sessions off-base to his home, where he then told her he wanted to treat her by having her re-experience every facet of her sexual assault by three British soldiers.

Sommer had the officer repeatedly describe the details of her sexual assault she endured at a training facility in Afghanistan. She told him about the dirty facility and recalled the taste of partially cooked goat meat she had been served by Afghans before the assault, the investigator said. Sommer then got dirt out of his backyard and had the officer put it in her mouth and had her eat meat from leftover Chinese food out of his refrigerator.

That was followed by his recommending she have a “positive and loving” sexual experience, so he took her into the master bedroom of his home while his wife stayed in the kitchen. Then he put his hand over her mouth and had sex with her, according to the testimony. After that therapy session, in the next two months she had sex with Sommer nine more times at his home. The last time came after she spent the night at his house, sleeping with Sommer and his wife. When she woke up, he started to have sex with her before she told him to stop, then got up and left.

Sommer was the CEO for Seasons of Hope in Chubbuck until March 2013 when the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare alleged fraud against the facility and suspended Medicaid payments. Three months later, KPVI reported Seasons of Hope was cleared of the allegations, but the facility shut its doors.

EastIdahoNews.com and Ashley Furniture HomeStore are teaming up every week to bring you some good news during Feel Good Friday!

We want to surprise people in our community with random acts of kindness and leave you feeling good.

A few weeks ago we received the following email:

Shawna Bragg is amazing woman in our community. Without any pay or recognition, she heads up multiple scholarship programs for young women. She directs the Miss Hillcrest Scholarship Program, the Miss Thunder Ridge scholarship program and also Miss Serendipity (a pageant for special needs young women). Her co-director is her daughter, Danica, who has special needs. Together, this unlikely team works tirelessly to help girls receive scholarship money for college. It is not easy for Shawna to do what she does. With a severely handicapped daughter, she has every reason to take a seat and let others carry the load of helping young women, but she is a fierce and charitable woman who believe in giving back. Her programs focus on teaching young women life skills, carrying out platforms that benefit our schools and community and encouraging girls to attend college. She is a champion of the special needs groups in this area and she works tirelessly to bring joy to these kids.

We decided to thank Shawna for her work with a Feel Good Friday surprise! Watch the video above to see how it turned out!

If you have any ideas for Feel Good Friday, email neaton@eastidahonews.com.

WATCH MORE FEEL GOOD FRIDAY SEGMENTS

A Feel Good Friday surprise for Mr. Pizza

The $10 Feel Good Friday Challenge

A Feel Good Friday surprise for a volunteer who has spent 15 years helping hospice patients

Fed Ex driver helps with Feel Good Friday after some of her customers endure 2 heartbreaking tragedies

A special thank you for a woman who provides a unique service for breast cancer survivors

For Feel Good Friday, we surprised a group that has helped over 100 students get a college education

A Feel Good Friday surprise for the sisters of a 9-year-old who hasn’t woken up since having brain surgery

Seriously ill girl moved to tears when her favorite singers show up at her house

A surprise for the sister of a high school football player who was paralyzed diving into the Snake River

A Feel Good Friday surprise for 6 siblings who survived a horrific crash

A Feel Good Friday surprise for some workers who have had the worst month of their careers

A thank you for a woman who’s helped thousands of animals find their homes

Even though her job was eliminated, this woman won’t stop helping drug and mental health patients

The following is a news release from the city of Pocatello.

POCATELLO — Snow is back in the forecast for Pocatello and the City of Pocatello Street Operations and Police Departments are reminding residents to keep sidewalks clear and not to shovel or blow snow into the streets of the Gate City.

Pocatello City Code 8.14.060 states, “The responsible party of any premises within the municipality abutting or adjoining any public sidewalk shall be required to remove all snow and ice from any such sidewalk.” The code also says “The responsible party, following notification from city staff, has a period of twenty four (24) hours from the time of notice within which to correct or otherwise remove all snow and ice.” Renters are advised to contact their landlord or consult their rental agreement to determine whether the landlord or tenant is responsible for snow and ice removal.

Officials also add that it is illegal to move, blow, shovel or throw snow into the street. Under Pocatello City Code 9.16.190 “No person shall cause or allow grass clippings, dirt, dust, solid waste, or other material generated on or originating on nonpublic property to be placed, swept, blown with a portable blower or other device, or otherwise deposited onto or into any part of the public rights of way of the city of Pocatello.” Residents are asked to deposit the snow onto the yard or lawn area of their residence or business.

“When the plow comes by, the snow can be pushed back towards the property, creating a berm that can be difficult to clear for residents, but it is an unavoidable side effect of plowing,” said Tom Kirkman, Deputy Public Works Director. “Residents also need to be aware the snow that is deposited in the roadway can be a hazard for drivers. If the snow freezes solid, it can be similar to hitting a wall and it can damage the vehicle as well as injure the driver.”

Violators of both portions of the code may be issued a citation and residents who commit multiple violations can be charged with a misdemeanor. Officials would like to thank the public for their cooperation.

“If you see the plow coming, please wait until it is finished before you clear the berm in front of your driveway and mailbox, as the driver most likely will make more than one pass,” Kirkman said. “That way you only have to move the snow one time.”

For more information about the City Code or to report potential violations, please contact the Code Enforcement division at 208-234-6287. You can also report potential code violations online at http://pocatello.us/376/Code-Enforcement.

ST. ANTHONY — A Fremont County family suffered the devastating loss of their new home after a mysterious fire broke out in one of their rooms. Now a family friend is doing all she can to help them restore their lives before the holidays.

Ashly Stratton, friend of Stephanie Burton and Joey Sanchez, says she’s been experiencing the loss with them.

“Sunday evening they’d finished loading the rest of the stuff from their apartment that they were living in to move it over to their trailer,” Stratton says.

Stratton says the Burton-Sanchez family had to be out of their old apartment by the beginning of December. They were transferring belongings to their trailer home, which was in the remodeling phase and hadn’t been insured yet.

On Monday, the family headed to Pocatello to buy a new car and blew a tire. But that wasn’t the worst part of the day.

“They got a phone call from the officer saying that their trailer house was on fire,” Stratton says.

Because of the tire, they couldn’t get back to their home until hours later.

Stratton says the news hit Burton hard.

“She was just bawling — just hysterical,” Stratton says.

The fire broke out in a back room of the trailer around 2:30 p.m. Monday, according to South Fremont Assistant Fire Chief J.D. Henry. He says firefighters were battling the blaze for nearly five hours.

According to Henry, one firefighter received minor injuries and was transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. He says a number of the Burton-Sanchez pets also died in the fire. Stratton says one dog, fortunately, made it out alive.

“From what I understand there were two cats and three dogs that I’m aware of (that were killed),” Henry says.

Henry says the department is still waiting for word on what caused the fire.

“They just know that it started in the back bedroom of the house, which was where they all slept, including the animals, and which is where my son was (staying) the night before this happened,” Stratton says.

She says many people in the community have reached out to help after hearing about the incident, but the family is still in need. She says they’ve been hit with trial after trial and are struggling to find solace during the holiday season.

“I can only imagine what they’re dealing with,” Stratton says. “Stephanie is one that would give her shirt off her back to anyone. She would do anything for anybody. She’s never asked for anything in return, (and) Joey does what he can to provide for his family.”

Stratton has started a GoFundMe for the family and encourages any who can to donate. For questions on how to help call Ashly Stratton at (208) 970-8240.

Nikkie Schwemmer is a single mother of three adorable children. She lives in a humble home that is in need of many upgrades. Her tub has water constantly running from the tap, her toilet floods frequently, her roof has multiple holes that cause water to leak into the house and several other repairs are needed.

To add to this, Nikkie’s car died just a few days ago. She has needed a new vehicle for quite some time but has not been able to afford it. She is now borrowing her parents vehicle, but this is just a temporary fix to a permanent problem.

Nikkie’s friends say she would give her shirt off her back to anyone, and she sees the positive in every person she meets. Her co-workers can’t say enough good things about her and she just need a break.

Secret Santa decided to give Nikkie the ultimate Christmas gift, so he sent the EastIdahoNews.com elves over with a present Nikkie and her kids will never forget.

Watch the video above to see how the surprise went down!

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — An Ada County sheriff’s deputy saved the life of a 16-year-old Boise girl who had overdosed on heroin that her 20-year-old boyfriend allegedly watched her inject — the first time the department has used the opioid overdose-reversing treatment since deputies began carrying it in 2017.

Ada County Deputy Jason Piccola, a K-9 officer who carries NARCAN in his patrol car, saved the girl at the scene, around 6 p.m. on Nov. 29. NARCAN, or naloxone, is a heroin overdose antidote that can be administered through a nasal spray.

In a Facebook post Thursday, the sheriff’s office explained that the deputy arrived at a home, near Victory and Cole roads, after a family member found the girl unconscious and called 911.

“When Pioccola arrived, the girl was unresponsive,” the sheriff’s office reported. “She did not appear to be breathing. Her skin was grey. Her lips were turning blue. Family members were with the girl, but 20-year-old Marshall S. Schrick, who helped the girl get the heroin and watched her inject it — but didn’t call 911 when she overdosed — wasn’t there. He took the syringes they used and ran away from the home before Piccola got there.”

The deputy administered two doses of NARCAN to the girl. The first didn’t seem to work, but after the second dose, she began to breathe.

“After a few minutes, she suddenly got up — confused, but alive and conscious,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “Around that time, paramedics arrived and began treating the girl.”

The girl was taken to a hospital, and Schrick was picked up at a local hotel and arrested.

Schrick, of Nampa, is being held at the Ada County Jail on a $280,000 bond. Online court records show he’s been charged with felony injury to a child and felony destruction of evidence.

“Our deputies have responded to dozens of opioid overdose calls this year — some of which involve young adults in their 20s and 30s,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “Some of those calls turn out to be fatal. Some don’t. Adding teenagers to that list in any way is a scary and disturbing development.”

As of Thursday, 105 people have died from drug overdoses in Ada County in 2018, according to the sheriff’s post. Coroner reports show 65 of those deaths were only due to opioids and the other 40 overdose deaths involved a combination of drugs, such as opioids with methamphetamine or cocaine.

All nine of the Ada County Sheriff’s K-9 deputies carry two doses of NARCAN their vehicles. Two doses cost $121, according to the sheriff’s office, and they expire every two years. So if the deputies don’t use the antidote, they will need to be replaced.

Since 2017, the sheriff’s office reported spending nearly $4,000 on NARCAN nasal spray, using money seized in illegal drug cases to supplement the taxpayers’ cost. About half of the cost to the sheriff’s office is covered by the drug money seizures.

The sheriff’s office also keeps doses of NARCAN at the booking and health services areas in the Ada County Jail and in its crime lab. The doses held at the crime lab are there in case employees are accidentally exposed to drugs such as fentanyl.

Schrick’s next court appearance is set for 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 13. This isn’t his first drug charge, and he was on probation at the time of his most recent arrest for a felony drug possession conviction in 2018 in Canyon County.

This article was originally published by the Idaho Statesman. It is used here with permission.

IDAHO FALLS — After medical bills began piling up, a local mother was left wondering if she would be able to bring Christmas to her daughters this year.

But one local business and the Idaho Falls YMCA stepped up to help.

At their annual Christmas party Friday, Northwest Cosmetics Laboratories presented the woman and her family with a decorated Christmas tree.

Kristina Anderson, a single mother of two daughters ages 6 and 8, was one of the first people to be chosen. She was diagnosed in October 2017 with aggressive stage 3 breast cancer. Anderson, a full-time UPS driver, had enrolled her daughters in programs at the YMCA when she received the diagnosis, and she says they were a great support.

“I remember calling Donovan (an employee at the YMCA), and I remember him saying, ‘Godspeed, I’m here with you,'” Anderson said.

This left a lasting impression on her as she fought the disease.

One year later, Anderson is in remission, but the medical bills linger. She was left unsure if she would be able to provide a Christmas for her daughters due to her financial situation. She has returned to UPS part-time in the office, but she is unable to work as a delivery driver due to the demands it would have on her body.

That’s when the Idaho Falls YMCA stepped in, calling Anderson on Thursday with the news that she would be honored at the Northwest Cosmetics Laboratories Christmas Party and given the gift of a tree.

“I was humbled by it and grateful that they considered us. It’s not often we are on this side of this, not being able to give back to others. I’m just grateful,” Anderson says.

Northwest Cosmetics Laboratories, the company who partnered with the Idaho Falls YMCA assigned a tree to each of the eight departments of the company to decorate, and all of them will be given to the families.

“One of our missions we have developed is do something positive for the community,” said Michael Hughes, CEO of Northwest Cosmetics Laboratories. “Some of the people on our HR team came up with the idea, ‘Why don’t we create some Christmas trees that will be given through our partners at the YMCA to eight families who otherwise might not have a Christmas tree?'”

Following Anderson’s tree presentation, Northwest Cosmetics delivered the remaining seven trees to other families in the community.

POCATELLO — State officials have issued an air quality advisory in Bannock and Franklin counties due to stagnant air and elevated pollutant levels.

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality shows the air quality in those counties is measuring as moderate and is forecast to become unhealthy for sensitive groups by this weekend. The advisory will remain in effect until air quality has significantly improved.

As a result of the advisory burning restrictions are in effect.

NWS officials warn people who are sensitive to increased particulate matter may experience negative health effects and should limit prolonged time spent outdoors and heavy exertion.

For more information please access the department’s website at http://airquality.deq.idaho.gov.

BLACKFOOT– It is not often you see an 8-foot tall, 4-foot wide mailbox in town, but you can find one at the Snake River Travel Plaza in Blackfoot. And the letters you drop inside will be delivered straight to Santa’s elves.

“Last year, the mailbox received close to 2,000 letters, and we are hoping to get even more this year,” Plaza owner Jace Katseanes said in a news release. “It’s an exciting way to provide a fun service to the community. We’re inviting everyone to stop by and drop their letters to Santa.”

Letters dropped off by Dec. 20, will receive a response from Santa himself with the help of several local volunteer elves. Those visiting the mailbox will encounter a snowman stairway, candy cane fence and holiday sound effects.

To ensure your letter receives a response from Santa, remember to place a return address on your letter so the elves know where to mail them to.

The giant mailbox was handcrafted from stainless steel by Darrell Callison from Quick Draw Welding and Fabrication, and custom painted by Wes Wixom from Riverside Rods & Upholstery.

Snake River Plaza and Santa’s Mailbox are at 320 W. Highway 26 in Blackfoot.

REXBURG — Nearly 18,000 Rocky Mountain customers are without power Friday night. The outages are being reported across the Upper Valley from as far north as Ashton and south to Thornton and between Rexburg and Newdale.

The power went out just after 8:15 p.m. and is estimated to be restored by 10:30 p.m.

The Madison County Sheriff Office reports the outage began with a transformer going off at a substation in Rigby.

Rocky Mountain Power spokesperson Tiffany Erickson told EastIdahoNews.com five substations are now down due to a loss of power on a high voltage transmission line.

The exact cause of the outage has yet to be determined.

The Brigham Young University-Idaho Hart building is open for anyone who needs to keep warm, according to Rexburg Police Chief Shane Turman. Turman says officers have been checking on nursing and retirement homes and most are running on emergency generators.

EastIdahoNews.com will post updates as they become available.

Jennifer and Dusty Eck experienced something no family should have to go through. In July 2016, Jennifer was traveling across the country from Virginia, where Dusty was going to medical school, to eastern Idaho. She intended to surprise her family when an intoxicated driver crossed the yellow line and hit them head-on in Jackson Canyon.

Jennifer was crushed from her waist down. Their daughter, Madisen, suffered many internal injuries and Cole, their 7-year-old son, was killed.

Jennifer was told she would never walk again but after several surgeries and physical therapy, she is back on her feet. Madisen has recovered and the family prays for Cole every day.

Dusty is currently trying to complete medical school and has had to pay for places to stay during his residency as well as travel out of state these past few months – leaving behind his family.

Their family was given a blessing this year as they found out Jennifer is pregnant with a little boy – even though doctors told her that she would never be able to carry a baby again in her physical condition.

The Ecks have never complained or spoken ill words of the thoughtless person who destroyed their world as they knew it.

Secret Santa asked the EastIdahoNews.com elves to go visit the Ecks with an early Christmas gift. Watch the video above to see the surprise!