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Eye On Boise archive for June 2008

MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008

Cerami joins LaRocco campaign

Kassie Cerami, the volunteer who together with T.J. Thomson created an unprecedented grass-roots movement in Idaho for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, has signed on with Larry LaRocco’s U.S. Senate campaign as his new state field director. Cerami said she’s a “true LaRoccObaman,” and said…

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FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2008

City slaps lien on Fischer, Swindell

A pair of Christian activists are pleading poverty after failing to pay a $10,131 federal court judgment from their failed effort to return a Ten Commandments monument to a city park in Boise – and now the city has slapped a lien on “all real…

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THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2008

AG’s get Anheuser-Busch to back off product

Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden has joined with attorneys general of 10 other states to announce a legal settlement in which Anheuser-Busch will stop making “alcohol energy” drinks that combine alcohol with high amounts of stimulants like caffeine. The attorneys general said the products, including…

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008

'We're getting a lot of 'hmmm's”

Asked what kind of reaction he’s getting so far to his “road show” pushing a big investment into transportation improvements, Gov. Butch Otter told Eye on Boise today, “We’re getting a lot of ‘hmmm’s.’ We’re getting a lot of this,” stroking his chin.Otter said, “Last…

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TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2008

Otter: Watchwords are 'caution' and 'frugal'

Idaho Gov. Butch Otter spoke at the annual conference of the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry this morning at Tamarack Resort, and he offered some budget warnings. “Now, don’t get me wrong: We are doing better than a lot of other states,” Otter said…

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More delay in Duncan proceedings

It’s now been two months since convicted multiple murderer Joseph Duncan’s death sentence hearings were put on hold to determine Duncan’s mental competence, after he sought to jettison his legal defense team and instead act as his own attorney in the proceedings. Now, there’s another…

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FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2008

Idaho moves to investigate secret tax deals

Legislators and state officials from both parties are launching formal reviews of a whistleblower’s allegations that the Idaho State Tax Commission cut secret deals to excuse multistate corporations from paying millions in state taxes. Today, Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs, authorized the Senate…

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2008

State helped GOP lawmakers get to party convention

Four Republican legislators from southern Idaho didn’t have to pay their own airfares to attend the recent state GOP convention in Sandpoint, because they attended a legislative meeting in North Idaho that conveniently concluded the day before the convention. State rules permit lawmakers on state-paid…

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TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2008

ITD board: Dover bridge is safe

The Idaho Transportation Board heard a report today on the Dover Bridge, a span on U.S. Highway 2 in North Idaho that the May issue of Popular Mechanics magazine rated as one of the “10 pieces of U.S. infrastructure we must fix now,” a list…

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Governor was off for the day

If the transportation funding issue is Gov. Butch Otter’s No. 1 priority for the coming year, why is it that he didn’t attend the kickoff briefing for legislators on the issue on Monday, instead sending a video message? I asked two of Otter’s aides this…

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MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2008

Otter launches road show

Gov. Butch Otter, after failing spectacularly last session to convince state lawmakers to take on his No. 1 priority – addressing a huge annual road funding shortfall – is trying a different approach for next year. Today, Otter’s chief of staff, Jason Kreizenbeck, and key…

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SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2008

Idaho Democrats wrap up ‘love fest’

As the Idaho state Democratic Party convention drew to a close, state party chairman Keith Roark said, “This is as close to a love-fest as it ever gets for Democrats.” Though some delegates came to the convention supporting Hillary Clinton, the vast majority were backing…

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Cerami and Thomson lead elected delegates

Of the 101 state delegates to the Idaho Democratic convention who ran for a chance to go to the Denver national convention, about 80 gave rousing two-minute speeches today to try to win votes. Then, by congressional district and by candidate preference, 12 district delegates…

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FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2008

Boise mayor welcomes crowd to, uh, Garden City

Boise Mayor Dave Bieter offered a welcome to the state Democratic Party convention, as the delegates gathered today to begin the formal part of their business, the consideration of rules, resolutions and platform issues. It wraps up with votes tomorrow, on both the platform and…

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THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2008

GOP convention: 'Where's the entertainment?'

S-R reporter Erica Curless is blogging from the state GOP convention in Sandpoint, and offers this:A woman just asked Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, if there was any entertainment during the convention - a funny question since many people believe this might be one of the…

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101 delegates vying to go to Denver

Of the 382 state delegates participating in today’s Idaho Democratic Party convention, a whopping 101 are running for national delegate, facing off for just 18 slots to attend the August national Democratic Party convention in Denver. “I cannot imagine that it’s ever been higher,” said…

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Dems flock to Boise confab

Hundreds of Democrats are standing in wide lines to check in for the state party convention today, campaign signs and buttons galore are promoting not only election candidates but also the many state delegates who are vying for a chance to attend the national party…

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2008

TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2008

A tale of two conventions

With all the brouhaha about the factional fighting and leadership battle coming up at this weekend’s Idaho state GOP convention in Sandpoint (check out Dan Popkey’s latest article here about the newest candidate for state GOP chairman, Norm Semanko), there’s hardly been a peep about…

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MONDAY, JUNE 9, 2008

Of Libertarians and closed primaries

Here’s an oddity: Idaho Ron Paul supporters, led by former state Libertarian Party chairman and marijuana-legalization activist Ryan Davidson, have joined up with conservative Rod Beck’s bid to oust state GOP Chairman Kirk Sullivan at next weekend’s state GOP convention in Sandpoint (click below to…

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FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2008


Timber payments bill voted down in the House

The House on Thursday defeated legislation from Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., to continue timber payments to rural counties for four years – legislation that promised a sorely needed reprieve to rural Idaho counties and school districts, but that drew ire from House Republicans for paying…

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THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2008

Otter says kids have a 'nature deficit'

Gov. Butch Otter has declared June “Great Outdoors Month,” and said he’s troubled by a trend toward a “nature deficit” among young people who spend half as much time outdoors as children 20 years ago, and a lot more of their time on electronic media.…

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2008

Airport display shows Statehouse renovation

The current renovation of the Idaho state Capitol – for which the capitol is closed to the public for 30 months – is being highlighted in a new display at the Boise Airport, along with the stately building’s history and future. The two-sided, three-panel display,…

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Eye On Boise

News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.



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