(May 22, 12:55 p.m.) BOISE – Governor Brad Little announced today that the Testing Task Force assembled one month ago has completed its recommendations.

(May 22, 9:05 a.m.) Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it has begun distributing 82 payments totaling $20,395,000 to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) in Idaho to help them combat the devastating effects of this pandemic.

(May 21, 9:55 a.m.) A total of 5,800 new initial claims were filed in Idaho for unemployment benefits during the week ending May 16, the same level filed the previous week. 

(May 20, 9:30 a.m.) WASHINGTON – Last week, U.S. Senators for Idaho Jim Risch and Mike Crapo joined Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and 25 of their Republican colleagues in urging leadership to provide businesses with regulatory relief in the wake of the economic crisis caused by the glob…

(May 20, 9:10 a.m.) Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) provided $2,275,225 to 46 Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in Idaho for COVID-19 testing.

GRANGEVILLE – Syringa Hospital has sent out 83 COVID-19 tests in all as of May 18. Of those, 75 have come back, all negative.

(May 18, 4 p.m.) The North Central District Health Department has issued a health advisory for Idaho health care providers on reporting Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019.

(May 18, 3:50 p.m.) BOISE – Protocols are now available for bars/breweries/wineries/distilleries and outdoor pools/splashpads/waterparks to open in Stage 3 of the Idaho Rebounds plan to safely and responsibly open Idaho’s economy. Protocols for onboarding seasonal or temporary workers were a…

Self-employed individuals economically impacted by COVID-19 now may be eligible to receive up to $7,500 in cash support through the Idaho Rebound cash grants for small businesses.

LAPWAI -- As of May 15, Nimiipuu Health has tested 137 individuals for the COVID-19 virus. Of those tests, 17 have returned positive. All positive tests were from persons tested at the Lapwai clinic located in Nez Perce County. The ages of the individuals that tested positive range from ages…

Idaho Fish and Game Commission approved resuming sales of nonresident sales of licenses, tags and permits, which will be available for sale at 10 a.m. M.D.T. on May 16. The decision was aligned with Governor Brad Little’s revised guidance for Stage 2 reopening of Idaho, which includes relaxi…

(May 14, 2 p.m.) BOISE – Governor Brad Little announced today that small businesses have a new resource to access masks, gloves, and sanitizer as the state enters Stage 2 of the four-stage Idaho Rebounds plan to safely and responsibly open Idaho’s economy.

(May 14, 11:40 a.m.) Initial claims reached 5,795 during the week ending May 9, a 23 percent decline from the previous week.

(May 14, 10 a.m.) The first results from the new U.S. Census Bureau Small Business Pulse Survey released today show a large negative effect from COVID-19 for the majority (51.4%) of respondents and an expectation that it will take more than six months for their businesses to return to normal.

(May 13, 4:50 p.m.) Even in these uncertain times, as the pandemic has torn across our world taking lives and livelihoods, Idahoans are moving forward. I have been proud to work closely with Governor Brad Little and fellow members of Idaho’s Congressional Delegation, Senator Jim Risch and Re…

GRANGEVILLE – As of May 13, Syringa Hospital has sent out 73 COVID-19 tests. Of those, 71 have been returned, all of which were negative.

Idaho Power will reopen several parks, boat launches and day-use areas on Friday that have been closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Idaho Association of Commerce & Industry (IACI) is Idaho’s largest business organization representing employers advocating for economic opportunity. The mission of IACI is to provide leadership, collaboration and education in the development and implementation of effective public pol…

(May 11, 1:30 p.m.) SPOKANE, Wash. — Innovia Foundation today announced a second round of grant funding available to community-based organizations engaged in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts in Eastern Washington and North Idaho.

The Idaho Department of Labor is now making payments for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which provides benefits to individuals who are unemployed because of COVID-19 and are not eligible for regular benefits.

(May 11) BOISE – The White House is highlighting Idaho as a leader among states for plans to reopen the economy and for how the state is allocating federal relief funds.

GRANGEVILLE – As of May 8, Syringa Hospital had sent out 73 COVID-19 tests. Of those, 69 had been returned, all of which were negative.

Initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits from workers laid off due to COVID-19 reached 7,495 during the week ending May 2, a 15 percent decline from the previous week.

(May 7, 9:35 a.m.) LAPWAI -- On May 6, Nimiipuu Health recorded no new positive cases of the COVID-19 virus. On May 5, fourteen individuals were tested and out of those tests, four returned positive. These new results bring the total number of positive COVID-19 cases for the Nez Perce Reserv…

(May 7, 10:20 a.m.) Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded $4,439,921 to 14 health centers in Idaho, to expand COVID-19 testing.

(May 6, 2:25 p.m.) BOISE – Protocols are now available for indoor gym and recreational facilities managers to implement in order to open in stage 2 of the Idaho Rebounds plan.

(May 6) MERIDIAN -- In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dairy West has launched Curds + Kindness, a program to direct surplus, nutrient-rich dairy foods to those who are hungry and unable to afford groceries throughout Idaho and Utah.

GRANGEVILLE – As of May 6, Syringa Hospital has sent out 69 COVID-19 tests. So far, 61 have been returned, all negative.

(May 6, 10:50 a.m.) BOISE – Governor Brad Little announced today that Battelle will decontaminate N95 masks, strengthening the state’s ability to protect healthcare workers as they treat COVID-19 positive patients across the state.

(May 5, 3:45 p.m.) BOISE – General and business-specific protocols for opening in various stages of the four-stage Idaho Rebounds plan have been added to the Rebound.Idaho.Gov website.

(May 5, 9 a.m.) BOISE – Governor Brad Little announced today the full eligibility criteria and process for small businesses to apply for an Idaho Rebound cash grant.

Beginning May 10, Idahoans must obtain a fire burn permit from the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) before starting debris burning activities. Closed fire season takes place annually between May 10 and extends through October 20.

GRANGEVILLE – As of May 4, Syringa Hospital has completed 64 COVID-19 tests with 58 being returned so far. Of those returned, all have been negative.

Two patients at Nimiipuu Health, the tribal clinic on the Nez Perce Reservation, tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on May 1. To date, Nimiipuu Health has tested 12 individuals. These are the first two confirmed positive cases.

Governor Brad Little announced today a new Idaho Child Care Emergency Grant to provide childcare business owners with the financial resources to reopen and continue operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Idaho Governor Brad Little has designated May as Wildfire Awareness Month. As always, the goal is to do your part to prevent human-caused wildfires. But during the COVID-19 outbreak, preventing fires can also prevent wildland firefighters and emergency responders from getting sick.

GRANGEVILLE -- It’s business as usual – almost -- at the Idaho County Courthouse, which reopened to the public on Wednesday, April 29, after being closed for nearly a month due to coronavirus concerns.

(April 30, 3 p.m.) Idahoans who are out of work and have exhausted regular unemployment insurance benefits can now apply for extended benefits under the CARES Act online at labor.idaho.gov/claimantportal.

(April 30, 12 p.m.) Laid-off Idaho workers filed 117,811 initial claims for unemployment benefits during the six weeks of the COVID-19 state of emergency – twice the total number of initial claims filed in all of 2019.

(April 30, 10:30 a.m.) Governor Brad Little announced plans today for more than 30,000 Idaho small businesses to receive Idaho Rebound cash grants, a $300 million investment in Idaho’s small business employers.

(April 30, 10:15 a.m.) As schools closed nationwide to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, millions of school-aged children suddenly started being homeschooled. Many parents are reeling trying to juggle at home work schedules while trying to keep on top of schooling n…

Idaho Housing and Finance Association recently announced the launch of a Housing Preservation Program dedicated to helping renters and landlords who have been affected by COVID-19. This program will provide assistance to those unable to pay past-due or upcoming rent or utilities as a result …

(April 29, 11:05 a.m.) Idaho Power will open more than a dozen popular boat launches and day-use areas for outdoor recreation on Friday, May 1.

We'll update this "situation report" in the morning, in the evening, and other times as we see as necessary each day, until COVID-19 becomes a thing of the past. Click through and read on: This is your local portal to the local news.

In a prepared statement released Saturday, April 25, from Idaho County Sheriff Doug Giddings:

GRANGEVILLE – As of April 28, Syringa Hospital has sent out 62 COVID-19 tests with 53 being returned. So far, all have been negative.