- Bonner County has held its number of lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 to four, with 59 cases in Kootenai County, according to the Panhandle Health District. Meanwhile, cases statewide have been on a steady upward trend in the past two weeks. As of Friday, April 24, the number of both confirmed and probable cases in Idaho numbered 1,870 — up 447 cases since Friday, April 10. State data reporting lists 34 cases added April 24.
- Local nonprofit Come Together North Idaho is hosting a community food drive Saturday, April 25. The event takes place beginning at 11 a.m. at the Sandpoint Safeway. Click here for more info on how to participate. For more on the organization, see the Reader‘s recent profile here.
- The Bonner County Economic Development Corporation is offering assistance to local businesses affected by COVID-19. Click here to access more information.
- Not-so-Quick Hit: A southern Idaho woman arrested amid a stay-at-home protest at a Meridian park April 21 has apologized, according to Boise-based KTVB-7. The station reported April 24 that Sara Brady, 41, issued a mea culpa to the Meridian police officer who arrested her, saying that the stress of staying at home with her multiple children drove her to the actions leading to her arrest. Following Brady’s arrest, protesters including well known anti-government activist Ammon Bundy — whose family was at the heart of both the 2014 Bunkerville standoff in Nevada in 2014 and Malheur Wildlife Refuge armed takeover in 2016 — gathered at the officer’s home, Boise Weekly reported.
- Despite Brady’s assertions April 24 that the Meridian park protest was not planned, KTVB and Boise State Public Radio both noted that she is an active member of anti-vaccine and “health freedom” groups, and in video of her arrest is captured saying, “Someone call Idaho Freedom Foundation right now and get them on the phone.” Boise-based small-government lobbyist group Idaho Freedom Foundation helped organize, promote and publicize the anti-stay-at-home protests that occurred in Idaho on April 17, including in Sandpoint, and in some cases continued through the weekend until April 19. In a post April 22, IFF Communications Director Dustin Hurst addressed the Brady arrest, both writing that “she’s a friend of ours” and that the park demonstration was planned. However, he added that IFF was “not really” involved in the demonstration and “hell no” not involved in the gathering at the Meridian officer’s home. Read his statement here.
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