Enterprise The Idaho
Oneida County's News Since 1879 Malad City, Idaho
February 15, 2024 |Vol. 144 No. 7
February is Heart Health Month
Conventionally, February is known for a few things—great deals on furniture in honor of Presidents Day, a busy sports season, and Valentine’s Day. In conjunction with Valentine’s Day, February is also American Heart Month, which is recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and many other medical organizations as a yearly reminder to check your heart health. Heart disease is the single greatest cause of mortality in the United States by a large margin, and experts consistently point out that prevention and routine checkups are the greatest strategies individuals can use to help avoid the most serious outcomes of heart disease. Nell J Redfield’s Kathy Hubbard reminds Malad residents that “hearthealth is something that affects everyone. Finding anything that might be going wrong early is very important in the long run.” High cholesterol, high blood pressure, and issues with blood sugar are signs that can point toward heart issues, and can easily be caught early on in lab screenings. The hospital is working to promote the availability of such screenings to the public. In addition to the hospital and clinic’s standard services for heart-health, a Self-Directed set of lab services are also being offered by Nell J. Redfield Memorial Hospital. While the lab is kept busy with doctor-ordered testing, as well as industrial testing as required for the county, state, and other entities with legal testing requirements, private citizens can also obtain lab testing directly through the lab. In addition to a general health panel testing the basic health markers, the lab offers blood typing, COVID PCR testing, Insulin, Iron, vitamin, and hormone level testing, prostate antigen, thyroid function, and others. Of specific relevance to the heart health issue, the lab also performs a Lipid panel (which determines the levels of “good” and “bad” cholesterol in the system and overall heart health), as
NEWS IN BRIEF
Trump Appeals Immunity Decision to Supreme Court
The appeal follows a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals that presidents are not “above the law” during their presidencies, nor immune from prosecution after serving. The central claim of the appeal is that it is unfair to voters to prevent Trump from getting his re-election message out due to the amount of time and effort being spent on his defense against charges of involvement in attempting to hinder the election process on January 6, 2021, as well as the other federal indictments currently filed against him. The next steps taken by the Supreme Court will likely determine whether the insurrection case goes to trial before the 2024 election or not.
Nor’Easter Blankets East Coast
Jean Thomas smiles her way through a blood draw. The hospital now has the ability to run lab work for residents here in Malad.
well as a Chem 14 heart function test. The lab testing is outside of insurance, and requires payment at the time the results are given, though the rates are very low, with most tests costing around $25. The friendly staff at the lab includes James Briscoe, Jase Johnson, and Brittni Leckie, who all have a lot of experience setting people at ease about blood draws and other anxieties people often encounter in a medical lab setting. Many of the services which used to require a trip
out of town can now be handled by your local hospital or clinic, so make sure to call them first if you would like to schedule any of the available testing panels. According to the most recent figures available on the topic, one person dies in the United States every 33 seconds from cardiovascular disease. In 2021, 695,000 people died of heart disease HEART HEALTH MONTH On Page 2
Crisis Center Gala Set for the 16th; Virtual Auction Opens on Valentines Day February is the month during which the Oneida Crisis Center hosts its annual Gala, which will be held this year at 6:30 p.m. on February 16. The event will be a Valentine’s Day themed “elevated dining” experience. The doors will open at 6:00 p.m., and music will be provided by local musician Ernie. Reservations are required for the event. For those unable to attend the event in person, a virtual auction in conjunction with the event will open on February 14 at 5:00 p.m. and close at 5:00 p.m. Friday the 17th. Use the QR Code on the page https://app.galabid. com/occ2024 to enter the auction site and bid on the items. The items have been donated by local and regional businesses, organizations, and individuals. Items from the live auction will be available for view up until the auction starts. The auction will follow the presentation of the 2024 Dove Award recognizing contributions to the community, and will raise funds
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A winter storm system currently covering the east coast of the United States has dumped over a foot of snow in many locations up and down the eastern seaboard, and specifically in the northeastern states. As of Tuesday, more than 250 car accidents were reported in New Jersey alone, with the state moving in around 2,500 pieces of heavy equipment from the transportation department to deal with traffic and structure problems. The Carolinas, New England, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia have all been heavily affected, in addition to New York and New Jersey. The storm system is expected to remain over the area for several days. Even though New York City only saw a few inches of snow, it nevertheless set a record for single day snowfall.
Idaho Senate Bill Seeks to Limit Remote Work
Senate Bill 1261, sponsored by Jim Guthrie (R-Inkom), would restrict the number of state employees who are authorized to work remotely. The bill’s statement of purpose explains that “in-office employees with job responsibilities that require direct contact with the public are not eligible for telework.” Those with day-today responsibilities outside the office would be exempt from the legislation upon approval. According to Guthrie, the point of the bill is “to make sure [employees] are available for work and not distracted by other things.” The COVID-19 pandemic created massive changes to the telework environment, and saw the largest number of employees in history work remotely. As the pandemic concerns have receded, many businesses are revising their work-from-home policies, and Guthrie would like to see the state follow suit. The bill would limit the state’s remote workforce to 15%.
Kansas City repeats as Superbowl Champions
Crisis Center Director Holly Llewellyn with last year’s virtual auction donations before last year’s Gala event.
to be used for ongoing projects benefitting the valley’s residents in a va-
CRISIS CENTER GALA On Page 2
INSIDE THE ENTERPRISE All-State Choir and Band ........................... Pg. 3 OEF Mail-a-thon Begins ............................ Pg. 5 Puzzles......................................................... Pg. 6
Looking Back..........................................Pg.7 Obituaries ...........................................Pg.9 Sports......................................................Pg.11-12
In the literal last seconds of Sunday’s overtime Superbowl game, the Kansas City Chiefs managed to score and once again take the trophy from right underneath the San Francisco 49ers. The Chiefs are the first team to repeat as Superbowl Champs since the New England Patriots accomplished the feat in 2004 and 2005. As a result of the involvement of Taylor Swift (among other things), this year’s Superbowl was heavily hyped, and even inspired a conspiracy theory of collusion among some fans. The game itself lived up to the impossible hype, and became an instant classic.