The Courier
NEWS
Two Lincoln County Highschoolers Qualify for Nation Finals Rodeo
Wes Shaw (Dietrich) and Waid Dalton (Richfield) will be heading to Guthrie, Oklahoma, in mid-July to compete in the 72nd annual National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFA). This will be Wes Shaw’s second trip to nationals and Waid Dalton’s first. Wes will be competing in Bareback Riding & Steer Wrestling, and Waid (photo by Rockin’ Horse Photography) will be in the Tie Down event. To help with travel expenses, young Mr. Shaw is selling tickets for a Yeti cooler at $5 a piece. Check out his facebook page and watch for the drawing on July 12th. With more than 1,650 contestants from 43 states, five Canadian Provinces, Australia and Mexico, the NHSFR is the world’s largest rodeo. In addition to competing for more than $150,000 in prizes, NHSFR contestants will also be competing for more than $375,000 in college scholarships and the chance to be named an NHSFR World Champion. To earn this title, contestants must finish in the top 20 and advance to the Saturday evening final round. The Saturday championship performance will be televised nationally as a part of the Cinch Highschool Rodeo Tour telecast series on RFD-TV. LIVE broadcasts of each NHSFR performance will air online at www.RidePass.com. Performance times begin at 7p.m. on July 17th and competition continues daily at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. through July 23rd.
INDEPENDANCE DAY 2020
America faced many challenges getting to this year’s 4th of July Celebration, and we will continue to deal with Coronavirus issues for the remainder of the year. But... that is no reason not to remember the founding of our country. While some communities around the state have cancelled their festivities (or postponed them), all but one our three county communities will be shooting off fireworks this Saturday. Shoshone, Richfield and Wendell will gather at their football fields, Dietrich at the city park. To see the fireworks in Gooding, head to the Middle School. Hagerman will do fireworks on August 1st. 4th of July in Bliss starts at 10:00 a.m. with Mud Volleyball. To pre-register, call Aubrey Cheney at 208-358-4545. At 5 p.m. vendors will start setting up in the Bliss Park (accoss from the fire station) with live music beginning at 6:00 p.m. by Dustin and the Rocky Mountain Riders. A parade will roll through town at 7:00 p.m. and the main event will take place at dust (~10:15). In Fairfield, the parade will begin at 5 p.m. followed by food booths in the City Park at 6 p.m. and live music at 7:00. To join the parade, call Leigh Weidman (208-764-3418) or Steve Miller (208-358-1121). Fireworks start at dark. Last but not least, West Magic will be holding a BOAT PARADE at noon (register your boat at the Dam Fools Club House from 11 to 12). The parade will be followed by a Veterans/1st Responders ceremony at 2 p.m. and a BBQ at 3 p.m.
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
July 1, 2020
Vol 44 Num 27
Hands-Free Cell Phones
As of today, Idaho is the latest state to have a hands-free driving law on the books. Earlier this year the Idaho legislature passed House Bill 614 banning the use of handheld electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle. The new law takes effect today - July 1st. Distracted driving is a contributing factor in about one out of every five crashes in Idaho. Between 2014 and 2018, there were 241 people killed in distracted driving crashes across the state with hundreds more seriously injured. While most of us choose to drive engaged by putting away distractions and focusing on the road – the new law may be a timely reminder for others to drive well. One question you might have about this law is: We already have a distracted driving law, so how is this new law different? In 2012, the legislature passed a law that prohibited texting (this statute will be repealed). The old law focused on the act of texting and driving, and did not provide provisions for other uses of phones like using social media, watching or capturing videos, or playing video games. The new law accounts for many of the additional ways we use electronic devices. Another notable change in the law is its definition of operating a motor vehicle. For the former texting and driving law to be enforced, it required the driver to be texting while driving a vehicle in motion. The new law applies when you drive or have physical control of a motor vehicle in a travel lane on a public roadway – even if you are temporarily stopped at a stop sign or a traffic signal. Keep in mind, if you are parked out of the travel lane, you can use your phone. Under the new law, use of a handheld electronic device becomes a moving violation and carries a progressive fine for multiple violations within a three-year period. Distracted driving happens when you participate in any activity that takes your attention away from the act of driving. Anyone who drives can tell attest to the fact that there is a nearly endless list of possible distractions. No matter the distraction, it falls into one of three categories: manual, visual, or cognitive. When you use a phone or other handheld electronic device you are participating in all three types of distractions at once. Putting the phone away eliminates two of these three types of distractions and helps you anticipate and react to the road.