r e i r u o C s a m a C the
2 1 0 2 , 4 April
N E WS
36 Volume 14 Number News from the Heart of Idaho: Camas, Lincoln, and Gooding County
orth
Tax Day 2012 It’s time to file your federal income tax forms, but you’ll have a couple of extra days to do so. April 15th falls on Sunday and Monday is a holiday in Washington D.C. On April 16th, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act for the release of slaves held in the District of Columbia. The Act freed about 3,100 people nine months before President Lincoln issued his famous Emancipation Proclamation. This Act made DC residents the "First Freed" by the federal government. Emancipation Day celebrations were held annually from 1866 through 1901, and resumed in 2002. In 2005 Emancipation Day was made an official public holiday in the District of Columbia. Because Emancipation Day falls on Monday, April 16th, and April 15th falls on a Sunday, the tax deadline will be on Tuesday, April 17th.
ast
est
outh
New Tower Regulations During this year’s legislative session, new regulations were approved and signed into law affecting towers with guy wires which are over fifty feet in height. The purpose of this law is to protect low flying aircraft such as crop-dusters from the danger of guy wires. While pilots usually see or know where towers are, guy wires are all but invisible. When a plane hits a guy wire, it cuts through the wing like a knife through butter. To be affected by this law, the tower must be outside an incorporated city and in a rural or undeveloped area. If the tower is over fifty feet in height (as measured from the original grade at the base of the tower), it must be painted with alternating bands of orange and white, have a flashing light at the top, and have maker balls attached to the guy wires. In addition to these requirements, the ground under the tower and six
feet beyond the guy wire anchor points, must have a contrasting appearance to the surrounding vegetation. All new towers will have to be constructed in compliance with this law. Existing towers that are in violation of this law will have one year to come into compliance. Last July, a similar ordinance was enacted in Gooding county. This ordinance (number 103) regulates towers between one hundred feet in height and the minimum height for FAA regulations. While the marking requirements are almost identical with the state law, the Gooding ordinance affects all towers, not just towers with guy wires. After the state law was signed, a number of ham-radio operators complained that it did not take into account situations where existing trees were higher than 50 feet. Because of this, legislators may modify this law next year, but that is no guarantee.
Blaine County is Healthiest in Idaho, According to New Rankings South Central Public Health District press release TWIN FALLS – Blaine County has the healthiest residents in Idaho, and Shoshone County remains the least healthy county in the state according to the third annual County Health Rankings released today by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). According to the Rankings, residents of
Shoshone have more than double the number of premature deaths than residents of Blaine County. The County Health Rankings rank the overall health of nearly every county in all 50 states, using a standard way to measure how healthy people are and how long they live. This year’s Rankings include several new measures, such as how many fast food restaurants are in a county and levels of physical inactivity among residents.
According to the 2012 Rankings, the five healthiest counties in Idaho (starting with most healthy) are Blaine, slightly surpassing Madison which was the highest ranking county in 2012; followed by Latah, Franklin, and Valley. The five counties in the poorest health (starting with least healthy) are Shoshone, Payette, Gooding, Bearlake, and Butte. “Communities should celebrate their continued on page 9.....