As the issue of gang violence continues to evolve, experts say approaches need to shift as well. From concerns about the continually dropping age of new members to the nature of the crimes, Boise’s Police Department has continuously restructured its gang unit.
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Ally Orr: The youngest person inducted into Boise State’s Chaffee Guild
Fundraising
for the Women in STEM, Medicine and Law scholarship secured Orr in the Chaffee Guild
Boise State alumna Ally Orr is known for her contributions to the Women in STEM, Medicine and Law scholarship — her way of taking action after Boise State professor Scott Yenor stated that women did not have a place in the fields of science, law, technology, engineering and mathematics. Since then, Orr has raised over half a million dollars for the scholarship and has recently been inducted into the Chaffee Guild, which honors donors who have given $100,000 or more to Boise State University. Orr is also the youngest person to ever be inducted into the Chaffee Guild.
After making the most of her time at Boise State, Orr discussed what the journey has been like to get here and her plans for the future.
“When I got this invite to be part of the Chaffee Guild and to be inducted — I had no idea that the Chaffee Guild existed,” Orr said. “When I saw the invite it took me back to creating the scholarship, most of the funds were raised in December of 2021 and then through May of 2022 and I thought about how difficult that was to do. Especially with legislation now and different opinions now that exist — [it] helps me remember why I did the things I did and why I would do it again at the same time.”
Orr shared that she is disappointed with the lack of support there still is for women in STEM, law and medicine. However, she believes that women are resilient.
“I feel surprised based on where we’re currently at, and it’s disappointing,” Orr said. “But I also know that women don’t give up and that women have not stopped following their dreams, pursuing their passions and that’s what gets me really excited, that every single year 48 students receive this scholarship, plus all the other scholarships that exist for women at Boise State.”
Orr said that just last week while thrift shopping she stumbled upon a Boise State yearbook from 1947, featuring an allmale engineering club.
“I thought, wow, we have not shifted as much as I thought we would. Because my girlfriends, who are in the School of Engineering, they also say that they’re still the only women in those classes,” Orr said. “I hope that the scholarship can
continue to encourage women to be there — both financially and emotionally.”
One of Orr’s main goals with the scholarship was to make it attainable for students.
“When I wrote the scholarship, I just wanted women in places where they weren’t well represented or didn’t feel comfortable or safe or wanted, and so the stipulations that I wrote with the scholarship are not that extreme,” Orr said. “I want to be very accessible to students. I didn’t put a crazy GPA on it. It’s very open to different degrees, and I think that is one of the most beautiful parts of the scholarship.”
Thinking back to the night of the Chaffee Guild event, Orr admitted she was nervous and concerned about “proving herself”. While freshening up her lipstick, Orr met a woman who asked her if Orr’s parents were being inducted that night..
“She wasn’t trying to be rude by any means, but it was the fact that I was like: this is what women feel like in spaces [like] in STEM, in medicine, in law … You have to advocate for yourself — nothing’s been said, but the assumption is already there.”
Orr received a series of high fives from fellow attendees after her biography was read and she joined Tromp to receive her medal.
“Everyone was so respectful and thankful at the end of it, but yeah, walking in was terrifying, because I knew I was going to be misunderstood, and that’s just like the definition of women in places where we are not represented completely,” Orr said.
In the future, Orr hopes to meet with donors to create more intimate relationships and truly thank them for their contributions. She also shared that she would like to speak with recipients of the scholarship and hear their stories.
Photo of Ally Orr.
Photo by Ally Orr
Marlene Tromp and Ally Orr at Chaffee Guild Induction.
Photo by Sean Evans
Boise State ‘quietly’ closes Gender Equity and Student Equity Centers
Student Connections and Support Center replaces the Gender Equity and Student Equity Centers
Emily Carmela Nelson | Culture Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Boise State University made a sudden announcement during finals week amidst heated conversations in Idaho regarding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within higher education.
Students received an email with the subject line “Student Connections and Support Center” on Tuesday, Dec. 10. This message contained information about the launch of a new campus unit dedicated to “student community building and support” and announced the closure of the Gender Equity and Student Equity Centers on campus.
The university’s decision to close the centers was preemptive, as the State Board of Education trustees had not yet made a decision on a resolution regarding DEI. Idaho State University was the first Idaho university to do this, with President Wagner announcing the decision to dissolve ISU’s DEI center and programs on Nov. 14.
On Nov. 17, the University of Idaho (UI) announced to students and staff that they would be closing their DEI centers by the end of the semester. This decision was backpedaled only five days later, with UI stating they do not want to “act too quickly”.
Events leading up to the change
Avery Sterling, a junior majoring in Anthropology and Interdisciplinary Studies, said he and his friends utilized the centers regularly.
“The first I heard about [the closure] was over email, which I’m pretty sure was the way most people first heard about it,” Sterling said. “I had no idea that we were going to do that as a university — it caught me completely off guard.”
Andru Davis, a freshman majoring in Mathematics and Secondary Education, is the program assistant for the Student Connections and Support Center’s First Forward program.
Upon hiring, Davis was given prior notice about the fate of the Gender Equity and Student Equity Centers.
“When I got hired, [the centers’ branding] was going to be changed the month after,” Davis said. “They were like ‘This is going to be the new name, and we’re gonna change it by the end of Thanksgiving break.’ I knew it was going to be changed — but when I started working there it was the Student Equity Center.”
The Arbiter found that both of the centers’ websites listed a “404 page not found” as early as Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.
The Gender Equity and Student Equity Center has not responded to The Arbiter’s request for comment regarding the timeline of these changes.
Student Connections and Support Center
The office for the Student Connections and Support Center is located on the second floor of the Student Union building in room E2406, the same space the GEC and SEC was once located in.
The Student Connections and Support Center plans to launch a program next fall catered towards first-generation students, with a focus on academic and personal achievement.
The center also plans to continue to offer support services, such as confidential support and the no-cost Campus Clothing Closet.
Davis noted that the majority of employees who worked for the GEC and SEC will continue to work for the new center.
“I believe a couple of people are moving around, but they’re doing the same job, they’ll just kind of be in a different department,” Davis said. “We still offer the same things and we have the same support and resources — we still have the same goal — [the new name] is the only difference.”
What’s in a name?
Kate Steven, a former program coordinator for the Gender Equity Center, considered the university’s decision to preemptively dissolve the GEC and SEC a “step backwards”.
During the time Steven was at Boise State, they witnessed the Women’s Center become the Gender Equity Center — a name more fitting for the space.
“I think the university knew that the amount of student, faculty and staff support for these offices would have been a big fight — there would have been lots of people advocating for keeping these centers open. I think they wanted to do
it quickly and quietly so that it would be harder to roll back on,” Steven said. “It was a missed opportunity to engage with students, faculty and staff — regardless of the outcome.”
Steven stressed that with a generalized name such as the Student Connections and Support Center, students may feel uneasy about utilizing confidential support services that don’t align with their identity. Steven also notes that students may lose the ability to build camaraderie and connect within the space.
“There’s nothing for students to connect with if they’re looking for one-onone support. How can a student know whatever they’re experiencing will be handled by a provider who is skilled, knowledgeable and experienced in dealing with and working around [situations related to identity]? Not all counselors, therapists and support individuals at a college campus or in a college environment are necessarily skilled in different identities,” Steven said.
The future of DEI beyond Boise State On Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, The Idaho State Board of Education unanimously voted on a resolution to abolish DEI offices from public universities in Idaho. The final resolution states that institutions “shall not establish or maintain a central office, policy, procedure or initiative that promotes DEI ideology”.
DEI ideology is defined by the Idaho State Board of Education as “any approach that prioritizes ‘personal identity characteristics’ (race, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion or gender identity) over individual merit”. These resolutions must be implemented at all state universities by June 30, 2025. It is still unclear what the long term impact of these closures will be on public universities in Idaho.
Photo of the Students Connections and Support Center
Photo taken by Omar Saucedo
Real Estate Association club launches as Boise’s real estate market rises
Boise State’s
new club aims to educate students about the real estate industry
As the new year arrives, a new student club at Boise State is available to educate students with knowledge and skills related to the real estate industry.
Real Estate Association, run by founder and President Dylan Luxenberg and Financial Officer Harrison Thuleen, strives to provide networking opportunities for students interested in real estate.
The idea for the club originated around October 2024, when Luxenberg, inspired by a discussion with friends at Washington State University interested in commercial real estate, decided to create a platform for students to get engaged in the field.
At the same time, Luxenberg’s friends took the initiative to start their own real estate club.
“We talked and were like ‘Let’s start something students can get involved with and network with different professionals in the industry,’” Luxenberg.
The club provides different opportunities for members to network by
hosting guest speakers from different real estate sectors to come and speak, giving students exposure to different career paths in real estate such as residential, commercial and international.
“It’s just more of involving industry professionals sharing their experiences,” Luxenberg said. “Gives students an idea of what it could be like for them and help them understand it’s actually possible, because in college, there’s not really any information on it.”
Luxenberg mentioned that speaking with industry professionals, they’ve mentioned the importance of keeping “young professionals” in Boise, offering work opportunities post-graduation as the Treasure Valley continues to expand.
“It really just goes along with the growth and these companies and individuals are expanding their departments, wanting to get bigger and grow more,” Luxenberg said. “Having young professionals, such as people in the club, have a lot of connections and it’s a really good thing.”
The club’s main focus is to “influence” Boise State to develop a real estate program/degree in the future as the city continues to grow. The Boise area population increased by almost 25% in 2024, totaling the population to almost 770,000 people.
“Starting this club, potentially getting Boise State a real estate degree path would be huge,” Thuleen said. “Just getting extra people to go in and learn more about real estate — I mean everybody needs to buy a house at some point.”
For the future, Thuleen says the club is looking to expand in providing competitive opportunities for their members, where students can compete amongst other schools through working on real estate development projects.
“I think that will be a great thing,” Thuleen said. “[It’ll] get involvement really high and also bring in big companies who want to help sponsor — [provide a] chance for internships. I think the first step is to get our name out there.”
Real Estate Association currently has 40 active members since they officially became a club in late Fall 2024. Starting this spring semester, Luxenberg says the club is looking to meet on a bi-weekly basis on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. in the Business building.
As of 2024, Idaho has one of the least affordable housing markets in the country, compared to states like California, Hawaii and Oregon.
CEO of City of Trees Real Estate, Brent Hanson, explained the shift in Idaho’s housing market post-2020.
“Regarding the Idaho housing market scene post COVID, especially around Boise — it’s been quite the ride,” Hanson said in an email to The Arbiter. “My take is that a major factor pushing housing prices up has been the influx of individuals seeking a kind of political refuge from states with policies they disagree with, not exactly in the traditional asylum sense, but more so people looking for a state whose policies align more closely with their personal views.”
In 2024, Idaho saw an increase in population, growing to over two million people.
With the launch of the Real Estate Association club, Hanson highlighted the club’s potential to shape the future of the real estate industry in the Treasure Valley by addressing the educational gap in this field.
“The launch of a real estate program at Boise State could really shake things up,” Hanson said. “I think this promises to elevate the focus and development of real estate professionals, introducing a higher standard of knowledge that’s much needed. This move could greatly enhance the professionalism within Boise’s real estate market.”
Hanson mentioned with the Treasure Valley continuing to grow and drive more development, making it an attractive spot for new residents, Boise’s real estate market prices will continue to increase.
Photo of a for sale sign.
Photo by Omar Saucedo
Idaho history used as a basis in act proposing bible reading in schools
Religious community and educators share their perspective on school-sponsored bible reading act
Whether or not the Bible should be read in public schools was discussed in the Idaho legislative session on Jan. 6, 2025. The School-Sponsored Bible Reading Act would give educators the option to read 20 verses from the King James edition of the Bible daily. These verses would be read “without instruction or comment” by educators.
Blaine Conzatti, president of the Idaho Family Policy Center said that for students who opt out of the reading, it will be up to the educator to dictate what students do with that time.
Conzatti stated that although teachers who choose to include these readings in their curriculum are not permitted to answer questions or provide context, there is nothing in the policy regarding how this will be enforced.
“Ultimately, it would be up to the teacher,” Conzatti said. “We don’t require the teacher to inform the students that they cannot ask questions. However, if a student does ask a question, that question is to be referred to the student’s parent or guardian, and
that is a requirement of law, so the teacher would be required to refer any question received from a student to that student’s parent or guardian.”
In 1963, Idaho State Statute 331604 was adopted. The statute stated that “selections from the Bible, to be chosen from a list prepared from time to time by the state board of education, shall be read daily to each occupied classroom in each school district. Such reading shall be without comment or interpretation. Any question by any pupil shall be referred for answer to the pupil’s parent or guardian.”
The following year, The District Court of Idaho ruled the statute as unconstitutional, citing the First and Fourteenth Amendments and Idaho’s State Constitution.
However, Conzatti stated that he believes the policy is not in violation of the First Amendment, a criticism many individuals have made, as it does not conflict with Idaho history. Due to the policy’s wording and the U.S. Supreme Court’s steady decline in the use of the “lemon test” (a test used to ensure the separation of church and state) the
policy could potentially be in line with Idaho law.
“A lot of the social problems that we’ve seen in the last 60 years can be traced to declining biblical morality, and bringing the Bible back to schools will help reverse that trend. It’s not a panacea, it’s not a fix-all, but it will certainly help reverse that trend,” Conzatti said.
The Reverend Benjamin Cremer wholeheartedly disagrees with Conzatti’s approach.
Cremer’s comment on CBS2Boise’s account, which Instagram later marked as hidden, read “As a Christian pastor I find this abhorrent. Separation of church and state protects both the church and the state. This isn’t ‘Christian’. This is Christian Nationalism. Only a dead religion has to legislate beliefs on everyone else.”
Cremer received his graduate education in Church History and noted the dangers he believes would coincide with implementing this policy.
“You don’t have to look back too far to see how dangerous and violent the church crawling into bed with the Empire becomes,” Cremer said. “Just look at the inquisitions and slavery and genocide of Indigenous people, the treatment of women and minority groups, that are all done in the name of the Empire’s power when we are claiming to follow someone who gave their [life] up and was actually executed by the powers of the empire.”
Cremer stated that while the separation of church and state isn’t perfect, it is necessary.
“It’s one of the best ways to protect the state and the church from each other while allowing them to hold each other accountable. Without that separation, they just become a single organism that pursues and worships power,” Cremer said.
As a reverend, Cremer spreads the word of God — something he says should be a personal choice to hear or engage with.
“It was never about coercion or force. Jesus never forced someone to follow him or forced someone to obey him,” Cremer said. “It was always an invitation into a relationship, come and follow me and join this work, this movement of the kingdom that’s happening.”
Charlotte Gharring is currently an online educator for Spanish and Japanese. She began her teaching career in Japan, teaching English before she began teaching Spanish in Twin Falls.
Gharring’s husband is a pastor in Idaho and Gharring was raised religious.
“I come from a fairly strong Christian background. I was raised Catholic and I would not want my children in a school where this is happening,” Gharring said.
Although there has been no set time period dedicated to reading the Bible in public schools, Gharring noted that any amount of time is valuable in an academic setting.
“There are so many other things that are needed in schools and academically there are students who can’t read or can’t read very well,” Gharring said. “There were students in my high school at Twin Falls, who could not read past a fourth-grade reading level, and I don’t know why I would take any time academically from those students with anything other than academic work at that point.”
It is difficult to gain a true understanding of what this policy would look like, should it be put into practice, as many of Conzatti’s responses deferred to the educator or state board of education’s decisions.
Photo of the Christian Bible in the middle of childrens books.
Photo by Omar Saucedo
OPINION
It’s time to reflect, change and grow
Roszy McGeorge | Sports & Rec Reporter | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu | Graphics by Naomi Brown
As humans, we are all creatures of habit, many of which we aren’t even aware of.
It is important to reflect on your habits as 2025 begins to figure out what healthy changes you can bring into the new year.
Take a minute to write down all of the habits you have formed in 2024 — the good and the bad.
Now brainstorm what healthy habits you can incorporate in your daily routine in order to eliminate the bad habits.
If you have trouble with changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem may be that you’re forgetting a very important step: an action plan.
The reality is that in order to form good habits and break bad ones, you
Here is a 2025 game plan with eight healthy habits everyone should bring into the new year:
1. Daily affirmations
If you’re someone who struggles with self love, it’s time to start incorporating positive affirmations into your daily routine. Positive self talk can help rewire the brain to view yourself in a much better light. Start by writing a list of 10 affirmations that are specific to your wants and desired view of yourself. Here are some general affirmations that can be a helpful starting point:
- I am valued
- I am becoming the healthiest version of myself everyday
- I can let go of things I can’t change - I can be relaxed in all situations
Say these affirmations in front of a mirror and look yourself in the eyes. Try saying your affirmations every morning in order to start each day off with the right mindset.
2. Workout plan that works for YOU
Physical activity has many immediate and long-term benefits such as releasing stress, improving sleep and overall functioning better throughout the day. However, in order to start consistently incorporating a form of exercise into your day to day routine, you need to find a workout that makes you feel good. If you aren’t sure yet what that is,
let yourself experiment. Go on a walk outside. Take a pilates class. Sign up for an intramural sport. Find a yoga practice on YouTube.
3. Look good, feel good
Waking up just 10-15 minutes earlier to get ready can truly improve the quality of your day. Reflect on what steps in your morning routine make you feel the most confident throughout the day. This could be a skin care routine, a certain hairstyle, an outfit choice, a makeup product, etc. Incorporating these small habits into your morning rather than rolling out of bed and putting on a bummy outfit can increase your mood throughout the day.
4. To-do lists
Whether it’s on your notes app or in a planner, start writing a daily to-do list. Your productivity can improve exponentially just by writing down everything you need to get done each day. This will help you prioritize your time and release any stress about forgetting to do tasks. Being able to check off each task throughout the day also serves as a rewarding feeling.
5. Unplug before bed
Start shutting off your electronics at least one hour before bedtime. Unplugging before bed will allow you to have a much healthier sleep, especially if you’re one that struggles with falling asleep or waking up early. Put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” and find a healthy hobby to build in right before bed. Read a chapter of your book. Get a journal and write about your day. Try a new meditation. Find something that works for you.
6. Hydrate
Your body needs to be hydrated daily in order to function properly. It is recommended that the average person should drink about half of their body weight in ounces of water. For example, a 200pound adult needs approximately 100 ounces of water each day. The first rule to incorporate in your daily routine to start your day off hydrated is to drink a glass of water before anything else. Do not allow yourself to drink coffee or any other beverage before water each day. In
7. Make your bed
As cliche as it sounds, making your bed each morning will set the tone for the rest of your room. Once you get into the practice of making your bed, you’ll be motivated to make other little changes to your bedroom’s appearance. Making you bed is the first step to decluttering your space and having a clean room. Your room is arguably the area you spend the most time in so take care of it!
8. Meal prep
Meal prepping can bring a number of benefits to your daily routine such as saving time, money and building in healthy eating. Knowing you have a meal in your fridge waiting at home for you will help you to avoid the temptation to go spend money on fast food. Furthermore, take time to find easy and healthy meals that you enjoy eating so you are not only excited about your meals but also are creating a balanced diet for yourself. The Trader Joe’s College Cookbook is a great start to healthy cooking.
ON THE BASIS OF FEAR: A GANG ENFORCEMENT ISSUE IN BOISE
After disbanding its gang unit, BPD faced gang activity of greater volume and violence. Experts said the city’s approach needs to change.
Kaeden Lincoln | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu | Graphics by Kelsey
At 2:15 a.m. on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, Nicholas Umphenour, a member of the white supremacist gang the Aryan Knights, opened fire on Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) officers at the Boise St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center.
Umphenour’s objective was to free fellow Aryan Knight member Skylar Meade, an IDOC inmate serving 20 years for firing a weapon at a Twin Falls County Sheriff’s deputy in 2017.
Umphenour succeeded and the two men fled to North Idaho where police said they murdered 83-year-old James Mauney before eventually being taken into custody in Twin Falls, ID.
The March medical center shooting was an example of what local gang experts and police the Arbiter spoke to described as bolder and more reckless acts by gang members in Boise.
In 2021, the Boise Police Department disbanded its gang unit. Two years later in 2023, it identified the increase in volume and recklessness as an issue that warranted establishing a new, temporary gang unit.
Thegang unit
Idaho legislature defines gangs as ongoing organizations, associations or groups composed of three or more individuals who share a common identifying name or symbol, and whose members individually or collectively engage or have engaged in a pattern of criminal gang activity.
Peter Vasquez, a former gang member and now director of nonprofit 2nd Chance Grace through which he promotes good lifestyle choices among at-risk youth and offers tattoo removals, said gangs always operate on the basis of fear.
“I stabbed somebody out of fear, I ran somebody over during a robbery out of fear,” said Vasquez.
He said his life only took a turn for the better when he began reading the Holy Bible.
From 1993 to 2021, the Boise Police Department (BPD) had a gang unit, but in 2021 it was dismantled while former Chief Ryan Lee was in office. Canyon County Sheriff Kieran
Mason
Donahue said the city dismantled it for fear of acknowledging the presence of gangs in Boise.
In 2022, former Internal Affairs Captain Tom Fleming told KTVB that under Lee, morale was extremely low. Mayor Lauren McLean eventually requested Lee to resign.
Without a specialized unit to address issues with gangs, BPD created a temporary unit to face rising gang activity in 2023.
Recently retired BPD Corporal Brian Holland had a reputation as a seasoned gang officer. He testified in court as a gang expert and was a part of BPD’s gang unit before it was dismantled. Holland’s colleague Quackenbush said he’s the most knowledgeable officer in the state of Idaho when it comes to gang activity.
Holland said a gang unit doesn’t just enforce the law and investigate crimes, it engages in proactive policing vital to keeping gang problems from spreading.
“I’ve taught these newer [officers] the value of intervention and humanizing yourself so that you are now a conduit for gang members to
come through and say, ‘Hey, I want to change’, or ‘I can talk to you and nobody else’. And it may not happen right away, but they saw the value in doing that,” Holland said.
Holland warned that if the city experiences a large enough influx of people to overwhelm law enforcement, agencies could become so preoccupied with reactive policing their proactive policing efforts would diminish.
“The Treasure Valley still has the opportunity to be different from any other place in the nation. Boise, for instance, could stay non–territorial,” said Holland.
Non-territorial means that no gang has a defined territory in the city.
“There’s an ebb and a flow to it here [in Boise], we’re not LA, we're not Chicago, we're not Philadelphia. We don't have this sort of persistent presence where there’s territory, but it’s something to stay ahead of,” said BPD
Captain Jim Quackenbush, who heads the department’s temporary gang unit.
Quackenbush, who said his goal is to proactively address groups that appear to be trending toward violence so they can prevent violence altogether, transferred from the Portland Police Department at the same time as former Chief Lee in 2021.
Quackenbush said he and a group of BPD officers established the temporary gang unit as a response to issues at the Boise Towne Square mall caused by groups of kids.
“A group of officers came to me, the patrol captain, and said ‘We have an idea. We’ll start identifying who these problem people are, we’ll really start digging into this,’” said Quackenbush.
Quackenbush said that while groups of kids exhibiting non-violent gang behavior such as identifying with a common sign or symbol and tagging bathrooms are initially innocent, he has witnessed those behaviors devolve into violent conflict very quickly during his service in Portland, Oregon. Holland said that Ada County is beginning to face issues similar to those Canyon County has been dealing with for some time: young gang members, largely juveniles. He noticed a greater prominence of outlaw motorcycle gangs like the Hell’s Angels. The prison-to-street connection, he said, is becoming more prolific.
Hurwit said social media has played a big role in making activities like recruitment and drug trafficking easier for gangs. Hurwit noted that the attorney’s office is seeing more juveniles involved with gangs in their investigations, though the US Attorney’s office doesn’t prosecute juveniles. Justice. gov says this is because state and local justice systems are better equipped to handle juvenile cases.
You left little Idaho, now you’ve got all kinds of connections all over the country,” said Vasquez.
Vasquez said the way people in Idaho get prison sentences is unfair and biased, saying people from communities with worse reputations getting worse sentences. He cited a 2017 case where Adam Paulson from the affluent city of Eagle, Idaho, received probation after 14 months in jail for committing vehicular manslaughter while drunk. Paulson’s conviction was eventually vacated.
The prison-to-street connection is largely how the Aryan Knights operate, with gang leaders directing their non-incarcerated counterparts via texts and phone calls. The white supremacist gang formed inside the IDOC prison facility southwest of Boise and have engaged in drug trafficking and racketeering for years. Racketeering earned many members their sentences in federal prison in a prosecution led by US Attorney Josh Hurwit. These federal sentences do not offer parole. Not every crime a gang member can commit would be a federal crime,” Hurwit said. “Over the years we’ve addressed different gangs in Idaho and the overall problem of gang activity — which overlaps with two of our main areas of prosecution, generally; that being narcotics and firearm crimes.”
Luis Granados is the executive director of Breaking Chains Academy of Development, a Nampa-based nonprofit that provides at-risk youth with support and resources to deter them from criminal and gang activity. Granados himself was a member of a gang in his youth and through the academy which he now operates, he earned a GED.
In interviews the Arbiter conducted with Hurwit, Quackenbush, Vasquez and Granados, each expert mentioned serious gang involvement happening at younger ages than before. Several said the system juvenile offenders go through needs to change.
“The amount of kids who have guns at these young ages is insane. We had guns, but I didn’t get my first gun until I was about 16 and now I know that there are 13, 14-year-olds running around with guns,” said Granados.
Vasquez said there are several issues with how the state addresses gangs and criminality, especially among juveniles and women.
“The whole system, that’s the problem. [School Resource Officers]; they’re not counselors, they aren’t going to do prevention in schools, they’re there for one reason: in case something happens,” said Vasquez.
Vasquez warned against the danger of sending gang members to federal prison for short sentences.
“You know what’s in federal prison? The highest [ranking] gang leadership. So if you’re there for two years and you come back to Idaho, what happened?
“The sentencing guidelines need to be changed in this state. They need to be reformed. All sentencing guidelines, from juvenile to adult,” said Vasquez.
In 2023, Caldwell, Idaho — a city Donahue said was once a “war zone” — revamped its gang unit following an FBI investigation into the Caldwell Police Department’s former gang unit, called the Street Crimes Unit, and subsequent arrest of its lead officer.
Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram reworked, renamed and restructured the Street Crimes Unit into the Operation Safe Streets (OSS) unit.
In its first four months, the OSS unit made around 100 arrests in its crackdown on gang-related crime in Canyon County.
“Imagine a pit full of baby rattlesnakes. [They’re] more dangerous than a bunch of mature ones because they don’t know how much venom to release. That’s kind of what we have here,” said Ingram.
“But the caveat to that is, Caldwell has never been safer — because the gangs are doing things internally, they’re not robbing random people or shooting at random people,” said Ingram.
Caldwell Police Department is also a part of the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force which includes the Canyon County Sheriff, Nampa Police Department, IDOC and the FBI.
The task force’s mission is eliminating violent crimes, including gang crime. The metro task force also works directly with the district US Attorney, Hurwit, to earn offenders federal sentences.
Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue said BPD left the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force years ago.
Donahue said measuring gang activity and measuring increases and decreases is as simple as giving officers the ability to tag cases and reports as gang-related, but that the Boise Police Department doesn’t measure their gang activity this way.
Quackenbush was unable to provide statistics measuring the increase in gang activity, saying BPD measures gang activity on a case-by-case basis. While crime rates are steadily declining in Boise, it is difficult to find publicly available statistics of a true increase in gang activity in Boise.
“Boise has always refused to do it because they didn’t want the stigma that there’s actually gangs. I’ve had leadership prior to Ron [Winegar] say ‘There’s no gangs here in Boise, they’re all out in Canyon County,’” said Donahue.
Canyon County keeps a database of gang members that notifies officers and deputies on traffic stops, for example, that they are stopping a known gang member.
“Well you’re an idiot if you’re saying [there’s no gangs in Boise]. Do they stop at the border? Do they stop at Meridian? That’s asinine to say, but I’ve had leadership from that agency say that to my face,” said Donahue.
“The better approach is to address it head-on, to have a gang unit. The better approach is to have never left the Metro Violent Crime Task Force,” said Donahue.
Gangs are an always-evolving issue and the way Boise shapes its approach
CULTURE
Rylee Amick | Staff Writer
Mac Miller’s estate released the long awaited “Balloonerism”: an album which, true to its surrealist cover and name, broadcasts Miller’s subtly fragmented though certainly heightened meditations on memory, love and mortality itself.
Mac Miller was 26 when he died from an accidental overdose in 2018. The album’s release on Jan. 17, 2025, coincides with what would have been the artist’s 33rd birthday on Jan. 19.
Miller’s estate, which is composed of his family members, attorney and other beneficiaries, confirmed the posthumous release back in
Graphics by Naomi Brown
November 2024 on Instagram, explaining its significance to the artist:
“We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist. Given that unofficial versions of the album have circulated online for years and that releasing Balloonerism was something that Malcolm frequently expressed being important to him, we felt it most appropriate to present an official version of the project to the world.”
According to Riyah Collins with BBC news, reviews on “Balloonerism” so far have been “generally positive,” suggesting that fans are not too deterred by the albums posthumous complexities.
Having only bootleg versions breach the internet in previous years, fans may find it refreshing — albeit emotionally intense — to finally grasp the collected works that were initially recorded over 10 years ago. Josh Berg, the primary audio engineer for “Balloonerism”, remarks on the album’s intentionally bare and unpolished qualities.
“We made a conscious decision to keep things as they were and not go back and ‘fix’ mistakes, tune things or add anything,” Collins said. “It’s beautiful to release an album that’s not so scoured of imperfection, that’s authentic and real.”
Composed of 14 tracks, Miller’s “Balloonerism”
uniquely integrates neo-soul and echoing jazz accents, forming a unified and yet fluid whole. The album features notable collaborations with artists like Thundercat, SZA and Ashley All day and originates from recordings made within 2013 and 2014, where albums like “Watching Movies with the Sound Off” and “Faces” were released. In its wholeness, “Balloonerism” emphasizes the inscrutable realities of everyday life — from “Transformations” lofi jazz descent to the slightly tongue-in-cheek line, “The world afraid to change, but it changed on me,” in “Do You Have a Destination?”, Miller’s work mirrors the cartoon dystopia and blurry expanse of modern materialism, internet and even adulthood.
Tracks like “Mrs. Deborah Downer”, “Rick’s Piano”, “Manakins”, “Tomorrow Will Never Know” and “Shangri-La” each showcase Miller’s philosophizing and occasionally dry humour, where weightier topics like death, life, God and subjectivity are marked.
“Mrs. Deborah Downer” for instance, plods away with a languid bassline, highlighting material ephemera with a kind of nursery rhyme morbidity in the refrain: “If pills can turn to powder / Then this world could turn to ash / Everything seems so slow / But my past, I thought that it would last longer.”
“Balloonerism” reiterates idealism(s) and nostalgias The Romantics might’ve vouched for; notably within “Friendly Hallucinations”. In the song, Miller rejects a singularly material reality and uplifts imagination and vision in love and everyday experience, repeating the chorus, “She’s fallin’ for her hallucina -
tions (Hallucinations) / But what’s love without imagination? Yeah / Baby, don’t let them tell you what’s real and what’s not (And what’s not) / There’s a paradise waiting on the other side of the dock,” and, “It’s only real if it’s real to you.”
In a similar vein, a call back to simple pleasures and childlike ease is marked in tracks like “5 Dollar Pony Rides,” and “Excelsior,” where Miller recalls his own childhood wizardry dream: “Me, I used to want to be a wizard, when did life get so serious? / Whatever happened to apple juice and cartwheels?”
Musings on time and its unrelenting stretch into the future are apparent throughout the entire album; even the album’s corresponding film, directed by Samuel Jerome Mason, showcases an entropic, multidimensional deliverance through the shadow realm of adulthood. Ultimately, Miller’s “Balloonerism” reflects the hanged man’s smiling disposition: sometimes up is also down. Though Miller’s music emanates inflated realms of victory and bliss, it is not removed from the potentially melancholic and gritty realities of human experience. Fans may savor the album’s dualities knowing that it was Miller who, with his own distinct talents, balanced them within his art.
Listen to “Balloonerism” now, available on all streaming platforms.
Idahoans make wishes come true
by
plunging into Lucky Peak
Make-A-Wish Idaho’s 22nd Annual Gebert-Arbaugh Great Polar Bear Challenge raises
Emily Carmela Nelson | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
With the help of hundreds of Idahoans bold enough to take on the January waters of Lucky Peak, Make-A-Wish Idaho raised over $100,000 to bring hope to kids facing critical illness.
Make-A-Wish Idaho’s Annual Gebert-Arbaugh Great Polar Bear Challenge is more than just a fundraiser — it’s a long-standing Boise tradition. The idea for the challenge was dreamt up 22 years ago by Larry Gebert and Gary Arbaugh, media personalities and dedicated members of the community.
Andrea Sanders, the Chief Development Officer of Make-A-Wish Idaho, noted that there are 130 kids statewide who are qualified and awaiting having their wishes granted in 2025.
“When you think about the money raised, but then translate it into how many wishes it’s making possible — that’s where the impact piece comes in,” Sanders said. “The average cost of a wish is $7,500. Granting wishes for these children provides much needed hope and joy at a critical time to help them expedite their recovery.”
The Great Polar Bear Challenge greeted participants with free donuts and hot coffee to prepare them for their icy plunge. Attendees were able to participate in two lighthearted contests — one for the crowd’s favorite costume and another for the best mustache.
After the contest winners were announced, the crowd was introduced to Christian Lim, an alumnus of the Make-A-Wish Idaho program. Lim was
diagnosed with a critical illness at 16, prohibiting him from playing his favorite sport — football.
“I became the videographer for my highschool football team since I couldn’t play anymore as I went through treatment. I really fell in love with it,” Lim said. “When Make-A-Wish asked me what I wanted I thought – ‘You know what? This might help me find my new dream’. I got to go on an electronic shopping spree and get all the stuff I wanted to make my own [videography] business and start it up.”
At 20, Lim now runs his own digital content business based in Eagle, Idaho, under the name CSL Films. He currently is focusing on car photography, wedding cinematography and creating lifestyle content.
over $100,000
Lim emphasized that the message he wants to share is that pain is always temporary and eventually will be overcome. He artfully compared it to the experience of entering the freezing cold water that morning at the Polar Bear Challenge — though the chill may seem painful at first, it will pass with time.
The countdown began at 11 a.m. as the crowd gathered on the beach of Lucky Peak’s Spring Shores Marina. Excitement and fear glowed on the faces of participants as they ran into the chilly waters.
Dahlia Rose Thompson, standing at just barely three feet tall, was among the youngest participants taking their first plunges. With the help of her father, Thompson had raised nearly $900 for Make-A-Wish Idaho’s mission.
When asked about how she felt about the event, Thompson described it as “fun”.
“You know, the cold is just a mindset,” Emily Borgman, member of the Idaho Nursing Student Association, said after she plunged into the water. “This is all for the kids. It’s really awesome, especially giving back to people who really need it.”
Marni Henderson said she felt “invigorated” and “alive” after plunging into the ice-cold water.
“[The Great Polar Bear Challenge] is meant to support people living life to the fullest, especially when they face adversity,” Henderson said. “We’re always stronger and more magical when we come together as a community.”
While plunging into freezing waters may seem to be a daunting task, The Polar Bear Challenge has quickly become a powerful symbol of the community’s unwavering commitment to providing glimmers of hope to children in need.
Feeling ready for a plunge? The next Make-A-Wish Idaho Gebert-Arbaugh Great Polar Bear Challenge is tentatively set for Jan. 10, 2026.
Polar Bear Challenge participants running into the water.
Photo by Omar Saucedo
CULTURE
Timothée Chalamet embodies Bob Dylan in ‘A Complete Unknown’ No matter your generation, “A Complete Unknown” will have you in awe of musical icon Bob Dylan
Kelly Ann Asker | Managing Editor | onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Christmastime is known for many things: Presents, Santa Claus, Christmas trees, ornaments and of course — new movies.
While new film releases may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the holidays, for cinephiles — that’s all we can think about.
On Dec. 25, 2024, four highly-awaited films premiered in theaters: “Nosferatu”, “Babygirl”, “The Fire Inside” and “A Complete Unknown”. Each film has its own reason for immense hype, but “A Complete Unknown” owes its praises to its leading man, Timothée Chalamet.
Based on the 2015 book, “Dylan Goes Electric!” written by Elijah Wald, “A Complete Unknown” follows the incredible musical journey of cultural icon Bob Dylan. From his early days as a 20-yearold nobody, to his switch from acoustic solo performances and then singing with a band and an electric guitar which shocked the nation. This biopic dives into all things Dylan.
In 1961, Dylan moved to New York City at just 19-years-old to pursue music and make his way into the industry. He journeyed to a hospital to meet Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), who had been admitted after suffering from Huntington’s disease.
It was there he met Pete Seeger (Edward Norton), the man who helped Dylan enter the music scene and stayed by his side well into his career.
Dylan’s entrance into the folk music scene forever changed the genre and helped to expose new listeners to the underappreciated and underrecognized genre. He sang with, toured with and even dated famous folk singer Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro).
His lyrics were full of substance and connected to important events at the time. Songs such as “Blowin’ In The Wind”, “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”
and “The Times They Are a-Changin’” are some of Dylan’s most influential songs with themes of war, justice and the polarizing political climate.
Dylan was heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement and helped fight alongside Martin Luther King Jr. to end racial segregation in America. Dylan even took part in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, taking the stage alongside King Jr. and performing several songs — which we see briefly in “A Complete Unknown”.
The biopic takes us through Dylan’s start in the folk scene, all the way to his shift to electric in 1965 that caused uproar and revolt from the folk community and his fans.
Chalamet graces the big screen and stars as Bob Dylan — and he is already receiving high praise for his performance.
Before the film’s wide-theater release, Chalamet had already received a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Actor, as well as other nominations amongst smaller critics circles.
For those seasoned Bob Dylan fans, you’re sure to marvel at Chalamet’s uncanny ability to embody every aspect of Dylan, from his singing and speaking voice, mannerisms and persona.
And for those being introduced to Dylan for the first time through “A Complete Unknown”, you’re sure to fall in love with the way Chalamet portrays the musician.
“A Complete Unknown” was perfectly cast and each performer brough their characters to life, making this biopic one to remember.
It’s undoubtedly difficult to portray a musician, especially one with a sound as unique as Dylan — but Chalamet was more than up for the challenge. His renditions of each Dylan song were exceptional.
Even more impressive, Chalamet sang live during each take while filming “A
Complete Unknown”, meaning his vocals weren’t recorded in a studio and altered — you’re hearing his raw vocals.
If that wasn’t enough, Chalamet went a step further and played both the guitar and the harmonica for each song as well.
Chalamet has proven his dedication to this role by taking the musical elements to the next level, playing around 40 of Dylan’s songs throughout the film.
The screenplay for “A Complete Unknown” feels effortless and tells Dylan’s story seamlessly. Although we experience a time jump, the transition is well done and flows well through the story. We don’t feel as if we’re left with any gaps and instead feel as if we’re being guided onto the next stage of Dylan’s career.
Co-written by Jay Cocks and film’s director Jay Mangold, the screenplay is a perfect homage to the musical icon. From his humble beginnings to the mayhem at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, we get a glimpse into who Bob Dylan truly was.
Even though its release day fell on Christmas day, “A Complete Unknown” still had an impressive opening day at the domestic box office, earning $7.2 million dollars — the biggest opening day for any Searchlight Pictures film.
If you’re from the generation that remembers Dylan’s entrance into the folk scene and his impact on society, then “A Complete Unknown” is a nostalgic callback to both the good and bad times.
If you’re a newcomer and are learning about Dylan for the first time, then this biopic will have you walking away with a new appreciation for his undeniable cultural impact.
Regardless of when you come from, “A Complete Unknown” is a film that will help the legacy of Bob Dylan, and Timothée Chalamet, live on for decades to come.
See “A Complete Unknown”, playing in theaters now.
Image of Timothée Chalamet portraying Bob Dylan in the new movie A Complete Unknown. Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
The Idaho Women’s March gives women a platform to share their stories
Emily Carmela Nelson | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
“We want freedom, we deserve justice, we believe in equality.”
This was the mantra that was chanted as the seventh annual Idaho Women’s March welcomed thousands of Idahoans to vocalize their feelings about the state of women’s healthcare in Idaho.
The 2025 Idaho Women’s March took place just two days before the presidential inauguration, a continuation of the movement that began in 2017 as a response to Donald Trump’s first term in office.
“Is anyone getting déjà vu?” Yvonne Shen, a senior at Boise High School said as she invited attendees to join her on the Idaho State Capitol’s steps.
Idaho House Representative Soñia Galaviz was one of the many women who gave a speech at the march.
Galaviz is not only a Representative for District 16, but has been an Idaho
public school teacher for over 20 years. Galaviz’s speech highlighted the power of education for young women and the long-standing effects of the recent anti-DEI legislature.
“If you educate a girl, you educate a nation,” Galaviz said. “Educating our girls impacts entire families, communities and our country. We know that globally when our girls are educated they are healthier, safer and sheltered from abuse. They invest more in their community and they contribute more to society. These women help shape future generations and lead by example for those around them. I am grateful for the education and example strong women have been to me in my life.”
Other speakers at the march included Betty Richardson, co-founder of Idaho Women Forward, Senator Melissa Wintrow, who shared a deeply personal story of hope from the end of her
mother’s battle with cancer, Gabrielle Wright and Abigail Wallace, local high school students advocating for youth civic engagement and Ani Carrell, president of Boise State University’s Black Student Association and founder of the Student Liberation Collective.
At 3 p.m., the women concluded their speeches and invited the crowd to step down from the steps of the Capitol and hold hands with one another — a symbol of unity, love and resistance.
“I am here because I am a grandma, a woman and an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community. I believe what’s happening in Idaho and across the nation is despicable,” Carolyn Blackhurst, an attendee of the march, said. “I want to use my voice and make a difference in the community.”
Blackhurst attended the first Idaho Women’s March in 2017 and has lived in Idaho for the majority of her life. She held a sign that read “My grandchildren will know I was not SILENT (and this Grandma is pissed as f**k)”.
“When Trump was elected for the first time, my focus in my activism came from the perspective of being a woman of faith in my community and the importance of taking a stand,” Blackhurst said. “This time around I thought — ‘Who am I now?’ I still am [a woman of faith], but I’m also a grandma. My granddaughter should have agency over her own body. I felt called to embrace that perspective. [My grandkids] are going to know that grandma showed up and she was not silent.”
Rose Renteria, a graduate of Boise State University, attended the march with a few close friends.
“There’s a sense of community here,” Renteria said. “Ever since the election this year everyone has been down in the dumps about the potential of communities being taken away. People are scared to go outside and don’t know what a true life is.”
Renteria said that the immigrant women in her life played a large role in the reason she chose to support the Idaho Women’s March.
“[I’m thinking of] my immigrant women who are fearful of going outside and doing small tasks such as going grocery shopping with the fear of ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) coming after them, or even just white men staring at them and making them feel unsafe,” Renteria said. “Once I got my driver’s license, I had to take a big step and become the forefront for my mom — going grocery shopping and doing simple everyday tasks. Even driving can be scary for a lot of people because you don’t know what kind of police officer you’re going to get or if someone will be there to help you.”
Geri Lynn Mcelheney Green was another attendee of the march. At 23, Green faced the impossible — she found out she was pregnant with a baby with skeletal dysplasia, a rare genetic disorder.
“His chest cavity was too small for his lungs and he wasn’t going to survive,” Green said. “I was lucky enough to be able to have that option [to get an abortion] at eight months, and I needed it, because my mental health was not okay. I still had the responsibility of a 10-month-old baby at home and I still had to go to work as a self-employed hair artist. I had to do what was best for me and my family.”
Green held a poster that said, “Nasty women make history”.
“Sometimes we have to stand up and say what’s right,” Green said. “We’re not going to put up with people’s s**t anymore — especially these men who want to make decisions when they don’t have any idea what it’s like to be a woman and make decisions like these. I’m here to rise above and kick some a**.”
Photo of people at the Idaho Women’s March.
Photo by Emily Nelson
SPORTS & REC
January 23, 2025 | ARBITERONLINE.COM
Abby Muse reflects on her final season for Boise State Women’s Basketball
From Portugal to Boise, the “determined” defender’s journey to college basketball
For Boise State Women’s Basketball forward Abby Muse, breaking records isn’t anything new.
In five years at Boise State, the 6-foot3 inch perennial defender holds the Boise State Women’s Basketball record for career blocks and blocks per game.
On Jan. 4, 2025, Muse also became the program’s all-time leader in rebounds with 1,030 following the Broncos loss to UNLV 61-57, according to a press release.
“It’s a pretty special accomplishment,” Muse said in a post-game conference. “Obviously, winning is more important and I wish we could have pulled this one out. The milestones aren’t why I’m here, but it is pretty special.”
Muse’s introduction to basketball began at an early age with both of her parents being former athletes who played collegiately at UC Santa Barbara and professionally overseas.
Muse, who was born in Portugal, split time back and forth living in California in the offseason and Portugal during the season.
As a kid, Muse said she initially drew interest in soccer before finding basketball in the first grade.
“My parents, they did not force basketball at all,” Muse said. “It was just … throw me and my siblings at everything and see what sticks.”
Muse added that the guidance and support early on helped shape her love for basketball and is “blessed” for her parents to continue to provide advice.
“They just talk about perspective,” Muse said. “If I have a bad game, it’s like ‘What can we do to fix it?’ — You have
another game, it’s not the end of the world.”
Coming out of high school in the class of 2020, Muse was a four-star recruit with offers from schools like University of New Mexico, University of California, Davis (UCD), University of Nevada, Reno, University of Portland and Boise State University. Muse said her decision to commit to Boise State came from her initial campus visit.
“I fell in love with Boise on my visit,” Muse said. “I’d never been to Idaho, so I was like ‘What’s there to do in Idaho? There’s literally nothing’ — Then I came here, and I was like ‘Whoa, this is actually amazing’. There’s an amazing community out here, I just fell in love with that and the culture of the program and Boise itself.
In Muse’s junior season in 2023, she was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, finishing eighth in the NCAA in blocks per game that year.
“Aggressive on defense, I think I’m really determined when I play,” Muse said of her play style. “At least when it comes to getting rebounds and making sure the other person doesn’t score.”
Boise State Women’s Basketball Coach Gordy Presnell said he’s proud of Muse’s success both on and off the court.
“She’s been the face of our program and really a model example of a student-athlete,” Presnell said. “[She’s] tremendous academically, has done some wonderful things on the floor, drawing block shots and rebounding.”
Boise State Senior forward Alyssa Christensen, who’s in her second year at Boise State after transferring from College of Southern Idaho, explained
how Muse’s leadership had an overall impact on her experience at Boise State.
“When I first came [to Boise State], I was the only new person joining the team, so it was pretty scary joining a team of all girls that have been together for a couple years,” Christensen said. “Abby especially was really good at inviting me and including me and welcoming me.”
Competing in her final season, Muse is set to graduate in spring 2025 with a master’s degree in Business Administration. On the court, Muse said her personal goal is to play with “joy” in her last season.
“Play free and not have any statistical goals or anything like that,” Muse said. “I just want to have a really enjoyable fifth year.”
Photo of Boise State Women’s Basketball player Abby Muse, #33.
Photo courtesy of Boise State Athletics
Cainon Rogers | Sports & Rec Editor
After an unforgettable season for the Heisman Trophy runner-up, junior Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty announced his declaration to the upcoming National Football League (NFL) draft via Instagram.
“The opportunity to play in the NFL is a dream of mine,” Jeanty said on his Instagram. “I’m proud to represent Boise State and all of those who have helped me along the way at the next level. Go Broncos.”
The two time All-American totalled 5631 yards (28th all time) and 56 touchdowns (tied 35th all time) in his three seasons for the Boise State Broncos, including his record breaking 2023-24 season where he finished with 2601 rushing yards (second all time).
Jeanty’s resume makes him more than qualified to be a starting running back in the NFL. In recent professional mock drafts, Jeanty found himself getting
drafted near the middle of the first round. With the NFL season coming to an end the real question is: Which team will Jeanty end up with on draft night?
Though it is impossible to answer this question until the second his name is called on the draft podium, there are a handful of teams that could likely end up with Jeanty.
Based on the teams position needs, team schemes, and draft position, here are the best team fits for Ashton Jeanty: Las Vegas Raiders (#6 Pick)
The Raiders are coming off a 4-13 record (last in the AFC West) where they struggled to create any form of offense. Having the sixth worst offense in the NFL, the Raiders need playmakers to pair with their emerging superstar tight end Brock Bowers.
What would potentially be considered as a “reach” this early in the draft, because of his projected draft standing, it would
be hard to pass up on Jeanty if the stars align.
Though their biggest team need is finding a franchise quarterback, Cam Ward or Shadeur Sanders may not be available at the #6 pick, making way for the best playmaker available, Ashton Jeanty.
San Francisco 49ers (#11 Pick)
Many may be thinking, “What about Christian McCaffery?” Look at it from this perspective: Imagine a running back committee composed of the best running back in the NFL and the best running back in college. All defenses in the NFL would stress at the mere thought of this duo.
Looking around the league, successful teams are growing more accustomed to a running back committee. The Detroit Lions popularized it with their powerhouse duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. McCaffery and Jeanty have the potential to top this duo and elevate a 49ers offense that is already filled with talent.
The 49ers biggest team need is an offensive tackle, but thinking about the Heisman runner-up pairing with the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year could create a near unstoppable offense.
Dallas Cowboys (#12 Pick)
The league favorite to land Jeanty, the Cowboys injury riddled offense landed them with the #12 pick in the draft.
Led by veteran quarterback Dak Prescott paired with star receiver Ceedee Lamb and a strong offensive line, the 2024 season was supposed to be the Cowboys season.
Unfortunately, injuries across the offense and an inconsistent defense led to the Cowboys’ demise. A healthy Dallas team has every tool needed to win a Super Bowl except for one: a star running back. Jeanty could be the missing piece to bring winning football back to the city of Dallas.
Cincinnati Bengals (#17 Pick)
The Bengals hold the #17 pick after finishing the season 9-8. They fell one game short of making the playoffs, but are still filled with all-pro talent.
Though they have one of the worst defenses in the NFL, and it is likely that Cincinnati’s offseason will be centered around fixing their defense, the bottom line is that their superstar quarterback, Joe Burrow, needs help. Besides all-pro wide receiver Jamar Chase, the Bengals aren’t left with much for the two to work with.
With the likely departure of star wide receiver Tee Higgins, the Bengals offense will be predictable. The addition of Jeanty can turn a top 10 offense into the best offense in the NFL.
Denver Broncos (#20 Pick)
The odds that Jeanty is available this late in the draft are low, but Denver could be the best candidate. Veteran Head Coach Sean Payton has turned the Broncos franchise around, making them a feared team across the league once again. Rookie quarterback, Bo Nix, finished the season with the second most passing touchdowns by a rookie in NFL history, all while throwing to a low talent Broncos receiving core.
The Broncos are already known to have one of the best defenses in the league, but with the breakout season by Nix, the Broncos need talent on the offensive side. If Jeanty is available, don’t be surprised if they pull the trigger.
What’s Next?
Round one of the NFL Draft begins on April 24 and lasts two days, ending April 26. Jeanty is a first round talent as of now, but many things could happen in the next three months that could either help or hurt his draft stock.
The NFL Draft combine begins on Feb. 27 and will last until March 4. After the combine, fans and spectators will get a better picture of where Jeanty could end up.
Graphic of Ashton Jeanty wearing half of a Dallas Cowboys jersey (left) and half of a Las Vegas Raiders jersey (right). Graphic by Kelsey Mason
Staying active in the winter can aid in student’s success
This winter, find motivation, improve mental health and form a new healthy habit
It’s officially winter in Boise, Idaho, and you know what that means: dead trees, dark skies, frigid wind and SAD.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) typically occurs during the winter season when one starts to feel symptoms of fatigue, depression, hopelessness and social withdrawal.
Whether you’ve dealt with harsh winters your whole life or you’re a Southern California native used to a bearable winter season, you are not alone in feeling symptoms of seasonal depression.
It can be especially hard in the winter for students to find motivation to exercise, go to class or even wake up at a reasonable time.
An essential solution to help improve a student’s success in the classroom is physical activity.
“There’s an abundance of evidence that supports that exercise actually can increase your mental acuity and your memory,” said BroncoFit Coordinator and Kinesiology Professor Kevin Blume. “It’s going to help you focus when you’re in class or studying, which is going to help you learn and retain information more effectively.”
Blume is also a certified personal trainer, licensed PE teacher and a dietitian nutritionist.
He adds that physical activity can aid a student to do well in school by improving sleep, reducing stress, increasing confidence and boosting energy.
Although many students are aware of the benefits that physical activity has on overall mental and physical health, it is common to struggle with where to start.
“The biggest thing is to start small with something that’s going to take you five or ten minutes,” said Blume. “It doesn’t need to be this really intricate workout, it can be as simple as going on a ten-minute walk outside.”
Blume also manages the BroncoFit Activities Program which offers around 50 one-credit sports and fitness-related classes every semester. The program’s wide range of classes allows any student to have the opportunity to take a workout-related class they’re interested in. Some of the most popular classes include golf, walking, yoga, pickleball and snowboarding.
Another reason depression can become more prominent in the winter is that most people get into the habit of staying inside as much as possible.
“Even though it’s cold outside this time of year, it’s important to get outside,” said Blume. “I think one of the biggest factors that can impact depression is spending too much time indoors, and there’s a lot of documented evidence that supports the benefit of getting outside on a daily basis.”
Staying physically active can be especially hard in the winter due to the colder weather. However, once you take some time to find a way to move your body that works best for you, the easier it will be to develop into a daily habit.
Lastly, finding a community to workout with can truly help a student’s motivation to get into the habit. This could be as simple as taking a BroncoFit class, developing a workout routine with your roommate or joining an intramural team.
“I find that if people are struggling with motivation to do things on their own a lot of times, having company can really be an effective way for staying consistent and having something to look forward to,” said Blume.
Let this winter be your time to find a fun new way to stay active, you won’t regret it!
Illustration of a woman running in the winter. Illustration by Naomi Brown
