Hospital could end contract with Regence + Ritter to perform + What to expect at Yellowstone, Grand Teton

By Christina Lords | Editor-in-Chief

“Certainly, our preference is to negotiate outside of the public domain. That just helps negotiations in general move quicker and, and better. And it doesn’t create anxiety with the members, like what happens when hospitals go public with their negotiations.” - Regence BlueShield of Idaho’s Vice President of Network Management Ryan Pharis

Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, Idaho, is an acute care facility that has provided health care to eastern Idaho since 1907. (Photo by Christina Lords/Idaho Capital Sun)

HEALTH

East Idaho hospital could end contract with health insurer that covers state employees

By Kyle Pfannenstiel

An East Idaho hospital and a major health insurer are struggling to agree to terms on a contract that would keep the hospital in network for the insurer of Idaho’s state government employees.

Idaho native Josh Ritter performs at The Cannery on Sept. 18, 2015, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images)

LIVING

Songwriter Josh Ritter to headline Idaho America250 celebration in Boise

By Clark Corbin

For the July 4 America250 in Idaho Capitol Celebration at Cecil D. Andrus Park in downtown Boise, planned events include a veterans breakfast, downtown parade, military fly over, a performance by the Army Band, food trucks and concerts by Idaho musicians.

Grand Teton National Park’s iconic Oxbow Bend is an irresistible photo stop for many visitors particularly in the fall. (Photo by Rebecca Huntington/WyoFile)

ENVIRONMENT

What to expect in Wyoming’s Grand Teton, Yellowstone parks as summer kicks off

By Katie Klingsporn

Grand Teton National Park crews are undertaking major infrastructure projects that will likely delay traffic and impact trail access in some park hotspots. Yellowstone National Park is not anticipating major construction, but officials closed an area north and west of Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin after a female grizzly injured two hikers in early May.

MORE REGIONAL AND NATIONAL NEWS FROM US

WA Fish and Wildlife authorizes killing of one wolf after suspected cattle attacks | Aspen Ford
Democratic state AGs say their staff excluded from Vance anti-fraud meeting | Shauneen Miranda
Voluntary departures spike as immigrants face squalid detention, pressure to leave | Tim Henderson

ICYMI

Shining a light on other Idaho politics reporting

Note: Some links may lead to stories behind a news organization's paywall

BoiseDev: New name for Cesar Chavez Lane at Boise State gets approval
Boise State Public Radio: Across the West, states take a wide range of approaches to wildfire building codes
Idaho EdNews | Two current and a former trustee announce candidacy for Boise School Board
KMVT: Limited supply leads to water cutback in Rupert
KREM: More than 900,000 Idahoans live in drought areas, experts say

Thanks for reading The Sunrise. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.