.png)
BOISE — As Idaho students go on summer break, the Idaho Department of Education is reminding families that federal Summer Food Service Program meal sites are now operational.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture program serves meals in areas of greatest need, with food provided by sponsors who are reimbursed with federal funds for each meal they serve. There are no income requirements, and children between the ages of 1 and 18 can receive healthy, balanced meals at no cost to them.
This summer, select rural meal sites will allow children to pick up their meals and eat them offsite. When visiting the USDA’s meal service location finder, any summer meal site marked as “Meals To Go” will offer meals to be picked up and eaten offsite.
Families can locate the site nearest to them using the meal service location finder at www.fns.usda. gov/summer/sitefinder or call the Idaho Care Line at 211.
Single vehicle crash near Priest River injures one
PRIEST RIVER – The Idaho State Police are investigating a single vehicle injury crash which occurred at 3:57 p.m. Thursday, June 5 on Highway 2 at Milepost 7 in Bonner County.
A white 2024 Isuzu box truck, driven by a 45-year-old male from Spokane Valley, was traveling west on the highway. The vehicle failed to maintain its lane and drifted off the roadway. The truck then crashed into an embankment, causing it to overturn, and came to rest after striking a power pole.
The driver was transported to a local hospital by air ambulance for treatment. He was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Highway 2 was blocked for approximately four hours while responders worked on the scene. Assisting agencies included Priest River Police Department, Bonner County EMS, West Pend Oreille Fire Department, Idaho Transportation Department, and Life Flight.
This crash remains under investigation.
Newport man develops veteran hiring app
NEWPORT — A Newport man and candidate for a Heritage Foundation Innovation Prize has developed an app that directly connects veterans with hiring managers at civilian companies.
Zipline, or ZPL, is an artificial intelligence data aggregation app developed by Daniel Erbling and his team in Australia and India.
They have created algorithms based on veterans’ military skill sets, experiences, test scores and other information that will help expedite post-military hiring processes, Erbling wrote in an email. Subsequently, ZPL can be used to connect veterans for other needs like service animals, housing and healthcare external of Veterans Affairs.
With some additional programming, Erbling wrote that ZPL may also be transferable to other populations like law enforcement and firefighters, who experience much of the same frustration as veterans upon retirement.
“We are already looking at economic and business development and broadband in rural communities,” Erbling wrote.
The Heritage Foundation will present the Innovation Prizes at a program and reception June 24 in Washington, D.C. These award a total of $250,000 to national, state and local non-profits.
