BY KAREN BOSSICK

Ponies named Moose and Zeus boosted the spirits of Residents of The Cove of Cascadia nursing home in Bellevue this week.

Residents, who have been quarantined for the past eight weeks during the coronavirus pandemic, were taken outside in the sunshine in small groups to greet the ponies from Swiftsure Ranch.

“It made their day. They were super excited,” said Paul Bennett, the executive director of the therapeutic equine center.

Swiftsure Ranch reopens on a limited basis on Monday, June 1, with 30 of its most independent riders returning for lessons.

“The staff starts arriving back Monday. We’re super excited to get to doing what we do best,” said Bennett.

BLAINE COUNTY CHARITABLE FUNDS 100 HOUSEHOLDS

The Blaine County Charitable Fund has now awarded $115,000 in assistance to more than a hundred households.

But the team that founded the fund knows they’re nowhere finished. They anticipate needing an additional $250,000 to help out during the pandemic. More than one in five Blaine County residents are still out of work and Blaine County has the top unemployment rate in the state.

“With summer events canceled left and right and much of the summer tourist business we rely on in jeopardy, we know we are far from the end of the effects of COVID in our community,” said Mary Fauth, one of the team members.

Mountain West Bank is among the recent donors, having given $10,000 to the fund. And June is Cocktails for COVID Month with every can of Boozie sold raising funds for the BCCF and Boise State University nurses. Atkinsons Market will chip in an additional dollar for the BCCF for every can of Boozie purchased locally.

BURLEY MEATPACKERS SHUT DOWN DUE TO CORONAVIRUS

At least 44 employees at Ida-Beef, a slaughterhouse and meatpacking facility in Burley, have tested positive for coronavirus in the past two weeks, according to officials with South Central Public Health District. The company is shut down until June 1 due to a staffing shortage.

The facility is located in Cassia County where community spread was confirmed on Tuesday.

WILL SPIKES DERAIL IDAHO REBOUNDS?

Can Stage Three of Idaho’s Idaho Rebounds plan go ahead on Saturday, May 30, despite spikes brought on by clusters found at food processing facilities?

Gov. Brad Little said during his weekly telephone town hall hosted by the AARP that one or two spikes don’t have a significant statistical impact on longer-term trends.

“The overall trend lines are going the direction we want—down in some areas and flat in others,” he said.

Little will announce whether Stage Three, which will allow bars to reopen and groups of 50 to meet, can go ahead on Thursday.

BIG NUMBERS AGAIN

Idaho recorded 32 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing its total to 2,731. It recorded one new death, bringing its total deaths to 82.

The latest death was in Twin Falls County, which has now reported 23 deaths due to COVID-19.

Two more Blaine County residents tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total to 512 since mid-March.

DEMOCRATS’ TRIVIA

The Blaine Dems will hold a trivia night at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28. The theme: Government and National Politics—Past and Present.

Participants are invited to bring a team of up to four people as they gather on Zoom. Donations are welcome.

Visit www.blainecountydemocrats.org for more information. Or, register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUvfu6opzsqHdJtf48Nvevw5M-Yx0BNt5Cp

U.S. TOPS 100,000 DEATHS

One hundred thousand Americans have now died of the coronavirus, a disease we'd never heard of just six months ago. Mothers, fathers, teachers, carpenters...That’s enough to fill the stadium at Penn State or the town of South Bend, Ind., according to an article by Associated Press writer Ted Anthony.

To put it in perspective, Boise only had 99,000 people in the late 1970s. And with Twin Falls' population just topping 49,000 people, that's enough people to fill two Twin Falls.

AMERICANS WAFFLING ON VACCINE

Only half of Americans say they would get a COVID-19 vaccine if an effective vaccine is formulated, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

One in five said they’d refuse. Another 31 percent simply weren’t sure whether they’d get one or not.

MASKS WORK

The evidence is clear that wearing masks works, according to Dr. Chris Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.  Masks offer at least 50 percent protection against transmission, Murray told CNN.

NEVADA SET TO ROLL THE DICE

If you’ve missed your craps, rejoice. Nevada’s casinos will reopen on June 4.

Brothels, nightclubs and strip clubs will remain closed, however.

NEW ZEALAND EMPTIES THE HOSPITALS OF COVID PATIENTS

New Zealand discharged its last patient with COVID-19 on Wednesday. Only 21 people have died in Kiwi country, thanks to a strict and early month-long lockdown.