As the governor's transportation task force opened its all-day meeting this morning, Lt. Gov. Brad Little, the panel's chairman, warned members that they were about to have "an out of body experience" with the first speaker, David Hartgen. The reason: He's the twin brother of…
Idaho Rep. Phil Hart, who has big tax disputes pending over back state and federal income taxes, sat on a three-member legislative subcommittee this year that reviewed new state tax rules for all Idaho taxpayers, and he cast the deciding vote on two of them.…
A 4th District judge has issued his promised new ruling in the Syringa Networks lawsuit against the state of Idaho over the big contract for the Idaho Education Network, and it has a slightly different outcome from his last ruling: He's dismissing most of the…
Personal injury lawyers aren't the only ones flocking to Boise for this Thursday's Multidistrict Litigation Panel hearing on the BP oil spill. A group calling itself "antibp-mob.com" has secured permits for a protest outside the U.S. District Courthouse in Boise on Thursday, where its members…
Leadfoots beware: The Idaho State Police plans to crack down on aggressive driving, from tailgating to quick lane changes to speeding, in or around trucks on I-90 through North Idaho all week. Sgt. Jim Eavenson of the Idaho State Police said 70 percent of crashes…
The Idaho Supreme Court has unanimously rejected an appeal from a man whose 1984 rape conviction in Washington required him to register as a sex offender when he moved to Idaho, even though Idahoans don't have to register unless their sex offenses were on or…
The Wall Street Journal's Law Blog reports that "everyone who’s anyone in the world of personal injury and product liability lawyering is making their way to Boise," for this Thursday's Multidistrict Litigation Panel hearing on litigation over the BP oil spill. "Why Boise, you may…
Idaho’s in hot water – and that could be good for the state’s schools. There’s been a run on geothermal leases on state lands – 80 applications in the past month and a half – and now Idaho’s retooling its geothermal lease rules in hopes…
As one of the largest Basque communities in the United States prepares for the traditional Jaialdi festival in southwestern Idaho, a not-so traditional Basque president is expected to be among the visitors, the AP reports. Patxi Lopez was elected last year, ending nearly 30 years…
Here's a news item from The Associated Press: SANDPOINT, Idaho (AP) — The Sandpoint City Council has voted to quit adding fluoride to the municipal water system that also serves communities from Kootenai to Dover. The 4-2 vote last week followed comments by more than…
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keith Allred drew about 200 people to his town hall meeting in Boise last night at the Egyptian Theater, the second in a series that started at the Sandpoint Community Hall on Monday with a crowd of 30 to 40. Allred, who's…
A federal immigration "enforcement surge" across the Magic Valley area has resulted in the arrest of 22 immigration violators, including two who now face federal charges in Idaho. One of those two had previously been deported four times, and also had been convicted of cocaine…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — A federal advisory council has selected a northern Idaho proposal by conservationists, loggers and others aimed at restoring forests and streams on 1.4 million acres of the Clearwater and Nez Perce national forests.…
Idaho House Minority Leader John Rusche is calling on Gov. Butch Otter to consider a broader than usual call for economic expertise in August when the state revises its 2011 budget revenue projection. “These are unusual and somewhat volatile times,” Rusche said. “I know legislative…
The Republican National Committee and the Idaho Republican Party announced today that the previously announced funding the RNC is sending to the Idaho party for two staffers to run a parallel campaign against Congressman Walt Minnick is part of the party's "Delaware to Hawaii," or…
Idahoans can still get rebates of up to $300 if they're replacing an older appliance with a new Energy Star-rated one, according to the Idaho Office of Energy Resources. The Idaho rebate program, which is funded by federal stimulus legislation, has nearly $300,000 still to…
Idaho has seen a sharp uptick in cases of pertussis this year, also known as whooping cough. The disease is most severe for babies, so the state is urging anyone who is around infants to get vaccinated with a pertussis booster vaccine, known as Tdap.…
Rasmussen Reports has released its latest automated poll in Idaho election campaigns, and it shows incumbent Gov. Butch Otter leading Democratic challenger Keith Allred, 53 percent to 36 percent. The same group's May poll showed a 54-32 Otter-Allred lead, and in March, 60-32. Rasmussen reported…
The National Republican Congressional Committee elevated 33 more GOP congressional candidates to its "Young Guns" program today, but Idaho GOP challenger Raul Labrador wasn't on the list. The Hill newspaper reported today that 14 candidates made the "Contender" level, and 19 were named to the…
With fewer U.S. students going into key technical areas - a decline that's raised major concerns about the nation's future competitiveness - the University of Idaho today announced a new grant to study just why Idaho students aren't choosing to study science, technology, engineering and…
The court decision that tossed out a lawsuit over the state's award of the multimillion-dollar Idaho Education Network to Qwest is being reconsidered, after a 4th District judge said he forgot to consider a component of the case. Click below for a full report from…
Former Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, former Secretary of the Interior under President George W. Bush, told a congressional committee today he never anticipated an oil spill as large as the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico, but no one else did either, the AP…
Idaho is the "point of the spear" as conservatives work to reshape the GOP agenda across the nation, writes AP reporter John Miller, as he examines the outcome of this year's Republican state convention in Idaho Falls last month. Click below to read his full…
Idaho's state endowment fund made 16 percent on its investments in the just-completed 2010 fiscal year, though it dropped 2.2 percent in June. "All of the managers are performing as we would expect them to," Larry Johnson, manager of investments, told the state Land Board…
As of the close of the state's fiscal year on July 1, emergency fire suppression costs incurred by the state Department of Lands for the year were $1.95 million. That's similar to last year's costs, and is 33 percent of the 20-year average. The number…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
