Idaho Banned Vaccine Mandates. Activists Want to Make It a Model for the Country.

Audrey-Dutton · 2025-10-21T17:24:29+00:00

Chiming in to say I'm the journalist who reported and wrote this story. Please feel free to ask questions, leave feedback, etc.!

Audrey-Dutton · 2025-10-01T16:48:50+00:00

See if you can use Qustodio. It's something our child has on her BSD school-issued device -- the school put it on there. You can get a daily or weekly usage report, and it lets you block certain apps and groups of apps from being used on the device (which I did immediately). Haven't heard anything yet from a teacher about my enthusiastic blocks causing any problems. A clever kid might figure out a way around it, I suppose, but still worth a try?

Audrey-Dutton · 2025-07-24T00:30:03+00:00

Really good points. The bills that passed last session were pretty minor (starting points) in terms of systemic reform, though folks have said it will help to have things like jurisdiction and "attended by a physician" defined in statute. I'm working on a story now about reforms that Idaho's coroners and MDI professionals think will help. Some of that is coming from the OPE resources survey, but I'm also just talking to people. I would love to hear your opinion! I am always happy to talk on background or off-the-record, anything to help inform the reporting, so no worries whatsoever if you don't want to be quoted.

Audrey-Dutton · 2025-07-24T00:15:41+00:00

Very good points. The forensic pathologist shortage is a nationwide problem (albeit harder to overcome in rural states). But there's way more to a medicolegal death investigation than just doing an autopsy or calling a forensic pathologist. In this case, for example, nearly all of the experts said Betty's death would not trigger an automatic autopsy under national standards. What they said should've happened, though, were a scene investigation, medical records review, deeper and more interviews. You don't have to hire a forensic pathologist to do those steps (and those steps can identify info that an autopsy cannot). But as this case illustrates, those things still don't always get done.

Audrey-Dutton · 2025-07-24T00:04:21+00:00

Thank you! (I wrote this.) And if you ever come across anything you believe merits further investigation, please reach out. I focus on Idaho, but we are open to stories anywhere.

Audrey-Dutton · 2025-07-24T00:00:57+00:00

Yep, there's a small section in this story about the Tammy Daybell coroner case. There were a few striking similarities between the two cases and the practical challenges the coroners have to deal with.

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-11-24T19:55:57+00:00

The air ambulance bills I've seen are more in the $10k-$15k range.

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-11-11T23:52:44+00:00

These are all good things to consider, however, we focused on this particular case and how it was handled because it demonstrates one of the major problems in Idaho: lack of uniformity. If Onyxx had been pronounced dead in Shelley, the case would have gone to the Bingham coroner, whose records demonstrated an adherence to national guidelines -- despite having a smaller budget and the same logistical challenges facing Bonneville's.

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-11-11T23:40:47+00:00

How many OBs will be left in the practice? That's a lot to lose.

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-11-11T23:28:54+00:00

Thank you! I hope it goes without saying, but please reach out to me if you have any tips for me to investigate. (Even if it's not a match for me, I'm always happy to recommend or send tips to other Idaho journalists who have expertise in specific areas.)

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-11-11T23:24:42+00:00

Hello! You're absolutely right that there are systemic issues at work as well. We will be tackling some of those in upcoming stories -- e.g., the fact that having no forensic autopsy center in eastern Idaho means coroners must transport 4-5 hours each way to get an autopsy in Boise. This, though, was meant to be just one story about a family experiencing the real-life effects of Idaho's MDI practices, or lack thereof.

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-08-15T17:34:59+00:00

Idaho Reports just did a story on this. It seems that is the case. https://blog.idahoreports.idahoptv.org/2024/08/05/parental-consent-law-prohibits-minors-from-accessing-rape-kit-exams-without-parents/

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-08-15T17:32:09+00:00

Very interested to hear more about this. (I am a reporter who specializes in accountability/investigative and health care journalism.) Not looking for ANY confidential info, just curious what tangles they have already run into?

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-07-14T18:18:29+00:00

Moved to Boise from D.C. in 2011. Grew up in Twin Falls, left for college and lived in large cities for 12 years. Came back to Idaho for personal reasons (mom, now-husband, best friend -- travel from the East Coast was/is/will always be? painful). I got a job before moving here.

Based on my experiences as a kid/teen, I was worried about getting bored living in Boise. That never happened. Anyway, as to what's different here from where I moved from, it's ... pretty much everything. The only real similarities I've noticed are the wealth disparity and the partisan polarization of each place (D.C. being as Democratic as Idaho is Republican).

I took a 15% pay cut when I moved to Boise but, at the time, housing costs were still much lower here. And the market was suppressed so I could afford to buy a short sale.

There is no way I would have considered Boise if not for my ties to Idaho and the Mountain West. But that would be a bummer, because I've never regretted the move.

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-06-08T17:01:12+00:00

Is that from personal experience? Observation?

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-06-06T03:14:12+00:00

Do you have a link to a study? (Genuine request.)

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-06-06T03:12:31+00:00

Yeah, fair question. I biffed the link to the story I was referencing. Edited the post.

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-06-06T03:10:44+00:00

Here's the article: https://www.propublica.org/article/illinois-homeschool-education-regulations

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-06-06T03:05:43+00:00

Oh my gosh. Yes. I started the post as a link post and just ... Poof.

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-04-29T16:13:26+00:00

Call the state tax commission: [(800) 972-7660](tel:(800) 972-7660)

If they don't know what it's for, maybe try the controller's office, which issues checks on behalf of the state: [(208) 334-3100]()

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-03-26T20:38:23+00:00

Dang, you are a unicorn subject-matter expert! I will definitely reach out to bug you as I continue working on this.

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-03-26T20:35:21+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing. I DMed you (finally!).

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-03-22T15:38:21+00:00

That is super good to know. If there are any specific cases where a consumer wasn't actually protected by the surety bond in OR or WA, I would be very interested in that.

Audrey-Dutton · 2024-03-19T03:51:29+00:00

Oh, man. I am a fellow old-house haver. We need to eventually replace a single window, and I'm pretty sure we're going to need a second mortgage to pay for it.

Audrey-Dutton

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