The Idaho Legislature convened Monday, August 24, for a special session to consider issues relating to coronavirus liability and the fall election. Logan Finney was there to cover the day's events, including protestors forcing their way into the House gallery and shattering a glass door.

Rep. Greg Chaney, chairman of the House Judiciary and Rules Committee, discusses the liability legislation that lawmakers will consider at the upcoming special legislative session. Sen. Lori Den Hartog tells us about education-related issues she wishes lawmakers could consider, and Rep. Melissa Wintrow tells us why she doesn’t think a special session is necessary right now at all.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare added 239 new cases and 6 new deaths to its statewide total on Friday. That brings the statewide total to 29,359 known cases and 304 deaths. All of Friday’s reported deaths came from Ada County.

Earlier today, Gov. Brad Little announced Idaho once again did not meet criteria to advance past Stage 4 of reopening Idaho because of the number of COVID-related hospitalizations, though case numbers are beginning to come down and other metrics have stabilized.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare added 424 new cases and 7 new deaths to its statewide total on Thursday. That brings the statewide total to 29,120 known cases and 298 deaths.

Canyon County reported 2 of today’s deaths. Shoshone County also reported 2 deaths. Kootenai, Gem, and Fremont counties each reported 1 death.

While some lawmakers say the upcoming special session should take up more bills, others aren’t convinced that a special session is necessary at all. On Friday, Melissa Davlin spoke to Rep. Melissa Wintrow, Democratic candidate for state senate in District 19, about her concerns.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare added 370 new cases and 9 new deaths to its statewide total on Wednesday. That brings the statewide total to 28,696 known cases and 291 deaths.

Ada reported 4 deaths to the state, while Shoshone County reported 3, and Bingham reported 2. Statewide, rural counties top the list of current infection rates, with Clark, Lemhi, Payette, Washington and Jefferson counties in the top five.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare added 384 new cases and 9 new deaths to its statewide total Tuesday. That brings the statewide total to 28,326 known cases and 282 deaths.

Ada County reported three of today’s new deaths. Canyon County also reported three, while Kootenai, Payette, and Shoshone counties each reported one.

Students return to the University of Idaho this week, and the university plans to test every single student arriving on campus. Officials have repeatedly said that results would be available within 24-48 hours thanks to in-house testing at a university lab. Student reporters Angela Palermo and Alexis Van Horn from The Argonaut join Melissa Davlin to discuss the delay in getting that lab certified and the delayed results from private labs in the meantime.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare added 282 new cases and 4 new deaths to its statewide total Monday, in addition to 487 cases and 4 deaths over the weekend. That brings the statewide total to 27,942 known cases and 273 deaths.

Today the state reports 62 new cases in Ada County, and 60 in Canyon County. The next highest increases were 21 new cases in Bonneville county and 20 in Bannock county.

About thirty percent of reported cases are in people between the ages of 18 and 29, while about fifty-eight percent of reported deaths were people over the age of 80.

On Friday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare added 542 new cases and 14 new deaths to its statewide total. Those deaths occurred in Canyon, Ada, Kootenai, Shoshone, and Twin Falls counties. That brings the statewide total to 27,173 known cases and 265 deaths.