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Eye On Boise

Bedke presents Idaho flag that flew over House chamber to Rep. Bell

Longtime Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, who is retiring after this year, is presented with the Idaho flag that flew over the House chamber during this year's session by House Speaker Scott Bedke, on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. (The Spokesman-Review / Betsy Z. Russell)
Longtime Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, who is retiring after this year, is presented with the Idaho flag that flew over the House chamber during this year's session by House Speaker Scott Bedke, on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. (The Spokesman-Review / Betsy Z. Russell)

Before the House broke for a mid-day break today, Speaker Scott Bedke made a special presentation to Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, the longtime House Appropriations chair who is retiring after this year – he presented her with the Idaho flag that flew over the House chamber during this year’s session. “I’m assuming you have a proper place to display it back at the ranch in Jerome,” Bedke told Bell.

“I’m assuming I didn’t do anything while I was in here to besmirch it,” Bell said, to which Bedke responded, “Absolutely not.” The House then gave Bell a standing ovation.

Bedke then also presented Idaho flags, that had flown for at least some period of time over the House chamber, to each outgoing House member this year: Reps. Burtenshaw and Cheatham, who are running for the Senate; Reps. Redman and Hartgen, who are retiring; and in absentia, Reps. Malek, Jordan and Packer, who are running for higher office. Bedke said of Packer, “You all know her circumstances; our heart goes out to her and her family with the passing of her mother here in the last few days. She’d be here if she could.” Bedke also had a flag for Rep. Hy Kloc, D-Boise, who has been out ill the whole session; he presented it to Kloc’s substitute, George Tway.  “This is a hard one,” Bedke said. “We know that he would be here if he could be. ... Hy, if you’re listening, and I’ve got a feeling you are, we miss you and Godspeed.”



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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