Coronavirus: Idaho irrigation district reports more trespassing since stay-home order
The Treasure Valley’s largest irrigation district recently has seen a sharp uptick in trespassing and illegal gardening near canals and easement areas.
According to a news release from the Nampa and Meridian Irrigation District, the increase in trespassing and illegal gardening calls began after stay-home orders in light of the coronavirus outbreak were announced.
“I’ve had have had a ton of calls from people wanting to know if they can walk along canals, should their neighbors be, and about walking along the gravel maintenance roads,” said Greg Curtis, NMID Water Superintendent, in a news release Monday. “I’ve also had several land owners call and ask us to install gates to prevent people from trespassing on their land.”
The irrigation district’s news release states that Curtis believes the trespassing issue is partially due to the flood of newcomers to Idaho who are not familiar with local water laws.
Another issue that irrigation district officials are dealing with more frequently is gardens popping up in canal easement areas used by maintenance crews.
“It may help homeowners break the monotony of the ‘stay at home’ restrictions, but it creates serious access problems for NMID workers if they need to get to a problem spot,” Curtis said in the news release. He added that such gardens are illegal unless a resident has written permission from the district.
For information from the irrigation district, call (208) 466-7861 or visit its website at www.nmid.org.
COVID-19 cases surpass 1,600 in Idaho
New cases of the coronavirus were reported by health officials Tuesday.
Two new cases were found in Kootenai County, according to the Panhandle Health District. The total for the county now sits at 54.
On Monday, newly confirmed case brought the state’s total number of cases to greater than 1,600.
New coronavirus-related deaths were also reported Monday. Central District Health reported two additional deaths in Ada County, bringing the county’s death total to 12. Elmore County reported its first coronavirus death Monday afternoon. The woman who died was in her 60s and had a severe illness when she found she had contracted the virus, according to Central District Health.
As of Tuesday morning, the state’s coronavirus death total was 48.
Statewide, 1,640 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed. The 57 new cases reported Monday was the most in a day statewide since April 9.
Idaho has community transmission in 14 counties: Ada, Bingham, Blaine, Bonneville, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Madison, Payette, Teton and Twin Falls.
Boise approves potentially buying trailers for most essential employees
During its meeting Tuesday, the Boise City Council approved spending up to $355,203 on 25 travel trailers. The trailers, if needed, would be used to house a “skeleton crew” of Boise’s public works employees, Colin Hickman, department spokesman, told the Statesman.
The spread of COVID-19 has not gotten to that point. The department is taking its cues from others around the country, Hickman said, leading to the request to be prepared for the worst.
If purchased, the trailers would be used to provide some of the most crucial public works employees shelter. They would live in the trailers temporarily to avoid contact with others.
“These folks are highly trained, highly skilled, they’re licensed operators,” Hickman said in a phone interview. “They’re absolutely crucial to maintaining a working city, and so they’re extraordinarily high on the city’s list of folks that we need to ensure are able to perform their job.”
The trailers would come from four Boise-area dealers. The city’s contract requires that the trailers are able to be delivered within 48 hours of the decision to use them. The city would seek reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for money spent, Hickman said.
This story was originally published April 21, 2020 at 9:04 AM.
