Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on this morning's legal decision from state officials that a last-ditch attempt by Idaho's former redistricting commissioners to propose new legislative and congressional districts - nearly three weeks after their deadline - has no legal value,…
Both Idaho GOP Chairman Norm Semanko and Idaho Democratic Party Chairman Larry Grant said they'll have no preconditions on the new redistricting commissioners to require them to accept an agreement reached Friday by the former commissioners. Grant noted that his party had already appointed its…
Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa said he views the agreement on legislative and congressional district lines among the former redistricting commissioners as a "positive development," and the agenda for the new commissioners' first meeting on Wednesday morning will be amended to include a presentation…
Officials have emerged from their confab on redistricting, and announced that the former commissioners' new agreement on legislative and congressional district lines has no legal significance, other than as a recommendation to the new commission, which will start meeting on Wednesday.
Idaho's three redistricting staffers from the state Legislative Services office, plus Legislative Services Director Jeff Youtz, have now joined the meeting in the Secretary of State's office on redistricting; they brought papers and a large, rolled-up map. They were called and asked to come to…
Officials huddled in a meeting at the Idaho Secretary of State's office on redistricting have been joined by Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg.
Idaho Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill has named his appointee to the new citizen redistricting commission: Sheila Olsen of Idaho Falls; you can see his appointment letter here. Two more GOP appointees still are pending; Democrats have named Ron Beitelspacher, Shauneen Grange and Elmer Martinez.
Idaho Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko and party executive director Jonathan Parker, seen here heading into a meeting room at the Idaho Secretary of State's office, have arrived for this morning's confab on a proposed new redistricting plan, as has state Democratic Party Chairman Larry…
Recent calls by majority Republicans in Idaho to return to the days when lawmakers themselves were in charge of drawing new legislative districts overlook the angst, delays, multiple court battles, and "poisoned" legislative sessions that resulted back then - when even those handling the task…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on how Idaho's previous redistricting commission has now reached unanimous agreement on legislative and congressional district plans, three weeks after its deadline passed and it was disbanded. As to what legal effect the new agreement has,…
Idaho Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko said of the unexpected news that the previous redistricting commission has now reached agreement on congressional and legislative districts, "The Supreme Court, in their ruling, I think everybody noticed they said they can't order the commission to reconvene. The…
In the latest twist in this year's Idaho redistricting saga, the Idaho Republican and Democratic parties have just issued a joint media advisory saying the previous redistricting commissioners, from both parties, have now reached agreement on both congressional and legislative district plans, and will present…
Attorneys for the Idaho State Tax Commission have filed their response to Rep. Phil Hart's state income tax appeal to the Idaho Supreme Court, writing that Hart seems to be arguing different rules apply to him just because he's a state legislator. "Appellant appears to…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho death row inmate Paul Ezra Rhoades is challenging the state's method of execution in federal court. Rhoades, who was convicted of three murders in Idaho Falls and Blackfoot in 1988, says lethal…
The Missoulian reports that a Montana judge says he'll rule next month on whether to repeal or change his order to keep an ExxonMobil subsidiary's oversized oil refinery rigs bound for Canada off Montana highways. Judge Ray Dayton heard two hours of arguments Thursday on…
The mountain lion that was killed by authorities in rural Boise County last night attacked a 10-year-old boy, who escaped with minor scratches, the Associated Press reports. The youngster and his dad were looking for their missing dog near their home about 15 to 20…
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, is bringing its anti-fishing campaign to Boise today, with a noon protest scheduled outside a bait and tackle shop on Vista Avenue, Idaho Angler, to press the group's current campaign that fishing is cruel. "Parents should…
Idaho Fish & Game officials will be releasing more information shortly about an incident last night in which a mountain lion was killed after causing minor injuries to a child near a Mores Creek subdivision; it was the latest in a series of wildlife incidents,…
Idaho state schools Superintendent Tom Luna was among more than a dozen state school chiefs invited to joint President Obama and his education secretary, Arne Duncan, at the White House this morning to unveil a new waiver process for states under the No Child Left…
An appeal by independents of the federal court decision declaring Idaho's open primary unconstitutional has been tossed out by the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, which said it's moot, now that Idaho's changed its election laws and allowed for a closed GOP primary election…
Gov. Butch Otter has named a new state commerce director to replace Don Dietrich, who resigned in August: Jeff Sayer, an eastern Idaho business consultant, CPA and former president and chief financial officer for Mountain View Hospital in Idaho Falls; he'll start Oct. 3. Otter…
The first Nickel Bros. megaload will roll tonight on U.S. Highway 12, the Idaho Transportation Department announced late today; the giant load of evaporator equipment is bound for a Weyerhaeuser pulp mill in northern Alberta. Wayne Roznowsky, Weyerhaeuser spokesman, said the company planned to start…
Political historian Randy Stapilus notes in his most recent Ridenbaugh Press post that Mitt Romney seemed to have the Idaho Republican support wrapped up in the last presidential race, though it hardly mattered, since by the time Idaho's May primary rolled around, Romney was out…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press and Idaho Statesman: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — State Sen. John McGee says he and other Idaho lawmakers vising the Turkish capital on Tuesday were unharmed when a car bomb went off near a high school. The Idaho…
The Idaho Transportation Department has announced that it's issued a permit for Nickel Bros. transportation company to take its first megaload across U.S. Highway 12 tonight, bound for a Weyerhaeuser pulp mill in northern Alberta. The load will be 29 feet high, 24 feet wide,…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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