The Idaho Supreme Court has ordered tax-protesting Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, to pay the state $10,128 in attorney fees and costs for his unsuccessful state income tax appeal to the court, finalizing a decision it first issued in June. At that time, the court dismissed…
Idaho Statesman columnist Dan Popkey reports that state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna has reimbursed a lobbying firm that represents Apple and other clients for hosting his state staff for lunch during the City Club of Boise forum on Luna's school reform laws this week;…
Today is First Thursday in downtown Boise, and there's a particularly interesting presentation scheduled: Greg Hahn, host of Idaho Public TV's "Idaho Reports," will give a multimedia presentation at 5:30 p.m. in the Rose Room entitled, "The Left, the Right, Occupy Wall Street and the…
Both sides are standing by their conflicting versions of what was said yesterday in the Luna-Cronin clash at the City Club of Boise, shown here, when, just after Rep. Brian Cronin's opening remarks, state schools Superintendent Tom Luna leaned over to him and expressed displeasure…
The latest statewide TV commercial to air in the battle over Idaho's controversial school reform laws comes from opponents of the laws, and focuses on what may be their toughest sell in the right-to-work state: Proposition 1, which restricts collective bargaining rights for teachers. The…
The Idaho Fish & Game Commission has come out in favor of HJR2aa, the constitutional amendment on the November ballot guaranteeing a right to hunt, fish and trap; you can read the commissioners' letter here. The constitutional amendment, which just needs a majority vote in…
There's a little-noticed constitutional amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot in Idaho regarding misdemeanor probation services. SJR 102 adds one word, “felony,” to the section in the Idaho Constitution on management of adult probation in the state, to reflect current practice and clarify that counties…
Though Idaho is the nation's third-largest producer of cheese, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture says Idahoans who want to join the "locavore" movement have often had trouble finding Idaho-made cheese to buy. The reason: Most Idaho cheese is sold to food companies that put…
On Monday, Oct. 15th - that's a week from Monday - the League of Women Voters, Transform Idaho and the AAUW are sponsoring an educational panel discussion on Idaho's school reform referenda; the forum, which is free and open to the public, will be at…
Fourth-term state Rep. Bob Nonini is running for the Senate, but his actions in the primary - pouring thousands into the campaigns of unsuccessful challengers to several sitting GOP lawmakers, including three senators - could make him an unpopular arrival there. "I'm getting back-door support…
"I appreciate everyone that came and testified," Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Meridian, said after a half-dozen people spoke. He suggested the Governor's Housing Committee schedule a meeting in the next 30 days or so and "absorb what we heard today and wee where we go." Rep.…
Among those testifying on Idaho's governor's mansion: Mike Kostanecki, pictured here, spoke in favor of keeping the Simplot home as Idaho's official governor's residence. "My main concern is, What are we going to do with Simplot Hill?" he asked. "It's a part of history. ...…
Fire officials suspect a dangerous mixture of cleaning solvent, dirty rags and high explosives likely led to a destructive blast that sent the wife of a southern Idaho legislator to the hospital with second-degree burns, the Times-News and the AP report. Amy Wood, wife of…
The Governor's Housing Committee has opened its two-hour hearing in the state Capitol, room WW55, on whether or not to keep the former Simplot home atop a green, grassy North Boise hilltop as the state's official governor's residence. There are about 25 people in the…
Here's how fiery the debate between state schools chief Tom Luna and Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, got at the City Club of Boise today: After the debate, Cronin accused Luna of grabbing his arm after his opening remarks and berating him. "He grabbed my arm…
State schools Supt. Tom Luna made a comment shortly before the end of today's City Club of Boise forum on school reform, saying, "Any carpenter can build a barn, any jackass can kick it down." Asked what he meant by that, Luna said afterward he…
The City Club of Boise forum has wrapped up with thunderous applause after an extremely lively debate between state schools Supt. Tom Luna and state Rep. Brian Cronin over the school reform laws, Props 1, 2 and 3 on the November ballot.
Rep. Brian Cronin said national scientific studies have shown no link between merit pay for teachers and improved student achievement. State schools Supt. Tom Luna countered that it's working in New Plymouth. "If you really are interested in the truth, take a look at New…
Rep. Brian Cronin was asked how he reconciles his role as a state legislator with his role as a paid consultant for the No on Props 1,2,3 campaign. "I reconcile it this way," he told the City Club of Boise. "This is very simple. I…
Rep. Brian Cronin, at today's City Club of Boise forum on school reform, said, "Technology plays an important role as a tool, but it is not an end in itself, and it is being treated as such in this. ... There is no evidence to…
State schools Supt. Tom Luna was asked about a deteriorating relationship between teachers and himself. "This divide is not between teachers and me," he said. "It is between union leaders. ... They spent $185,000 to unseat me, this is the union leaders. They have never…
The first question from the audience was for state schools Supt. Tom Luna, asking why he didn't unveil the reform plan until after he was re-elected in 2010. Luna's response: "I've ran on this platform three times and made it very, very clear about the…
Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, in his opening statement today, said the "Students Come First" school reform laws were not reforms. "They turned a temporary fiscal crisis into long-term permanent underfunding," he said, charging that they were used by political leaders to justify under-funding schools. "The…
State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna is speaking first at today's City Club of Boise forum. "About 30 states have passed some form of education reform in the past two years," Luna said. "Education reform in the state of Idaho is absolutely necessary, not because…
Moderator Jim Weatherby is welcoming the crowd to the City Club of Boise, but said that first, as a professor, he wanted to lecture the crowd: "One of City Club's highest values is promoting civility," Weatherby declared. Therefore, he asked the crowd not to applaud,…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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