The state Board of Education voted unanimously today for a $10 million plan for need-based scholarships for Idaho college students, an area where Idaho lags far behind most states. Idaho offers about $17 per student in need-based aid, compared to a national average of $387.…
Today’s Idaho State Journal had a story by reporter Dan Boyd on a talk by local legislators to the Chamber of Commerce there in Pocatello about their legislative priorities, and the lawmakers touched on the question of whether the state should create more need-based scholarships…
When might justices of the Idaho Supreme Court write about a “butt load of money” or about how a “seller may poop away a security interest in goods”? When they’re writing about a case involving “Hogs N Kisses LLC,” of course. The court’s recent 4-1…
With a light coating of snow frosting the city, Boise is coming out of a long holiday weekend that started with the entire country chortling over its turkey about Boise’s great Zamboni caper, and included the Boise State Broncos winning a spot in the Fiesta…
State Superintendent of Schools-elect Tom Luna – the first non-educator ever to be elected to that post – has asked three Idaho school district superintendents and the state controller to help him transition into the office, now held by Democrat Marilyn Howard. Luna named Boise…
The Idaho state controller’s office has released its audit of travel records of former state Historical Society Director Steve Guerber, who resigned recently after a legislative audit of just a small portion of the agency’s records showed $700 in improper travel or meal payments to…
Governor-elect Butch Otter has named his chief of staff: Jeff Malmen, who filled the same role for former Gov. Phil Batt and has been chief of staff in Otter’s congressional office for the past six years. Malmen also has served as executive director of the…
Idaho Gov. Jim Risch says he has a secret plan to eliminate the sales tax on groceries, but he already has opposition from a key player – Governor-elect Butch Otter. Otter, who was elected Tuesday to be Idaho's next governor, said he favors a targeted…
The Idaho Secretary of State’s office has posted near-complete unofficial election results now, with just one precinct of 955 missing. By the time you click on this link, that one may have been added too. The final results show Republicans expanding their lock on state…
At 1 this morning (Mountain time), Republican Butch Otter announced that, although he was leading in the governor’s race by a 54-43 margin with 62 percent of the vote counted, he wouldn’t declare victory until he’d heard from Democratic opponent Jerry Brady conceding the race.…
Long lines are being reported at the polls, including some Ada County precincts with waits of up to two hours – but the Idaho Secretary of State’s office says that if voters are in line at 8 p.m., they’ll still get to vote, even if…
But need more info? Here’s a look back at some of our major coverage of the top races in Idaho this year. Read all about it, make up your mind, and don’t forget to vote.Governor’s race Series on where all the candidates stand on major…
Gov. Jim Risch stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Sen. David Langhorst, D-Boise; Nampa Mayor Tom Dale; and Sen. Brad Little, R-Emmett, today to speak out against Proposition 2 on Tuesday’s ballot, the anti-takings initiative. The room was packed with Prop 2 opponents, including representatives of chambers of…
Likely the final public poll before Tuesday’s election came out today, sponsored by the Idaho Business Review and KTVB-TV, and it shows Democrat Jerry Brady leading Republican Butch Otter in the race for Idaho governor, 41-36 percent, with 20 percent still undecided, and Democrat Larry…
Halloween was a banner day for scary surprises in the independent political expenditure arena. According to FEC filings, the Washington, D.C.-based Club for Growth spent another $259,599 on Oct. 31 alone for more TV attack ads against Democratic congressional candidate Larry Grant in Idaho. They…
It’s gotten to the point where I can’t keep up with all the attack ads and the counter-charges about the attacks being inaccurate. So with apologies to the many I’ve no doubt missed, here’s a roundup:Idaho Superintendent of Schools Marilyn Howard said a radio attack…
The criminal complaint unsealed today in the University Place case charges former UI financial vice president Jerry Wallace with two counts of misuse of public money by officers, a felony. The complaint charged that Wallace falsified accounts and loaned or appropriated UI money “on behalf…
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican who may run for president in 2008 and would become the first LDS president if elected, stopped off in Boise this morning for a rally for Republican candidate for governor Butch Otter. Romney gave a stirring, patriotic talk to…
In the final debate between the candidates for governor last night in Twin Falls (read the full story here), it was Democrat Jerry Brady – not GOP Congressman Butch Otter – who garnered the sole outburst of applause from an audience of 250. Otter continually…
Retired Coeur d’Alene High School principal Steve Casey, who lost to businessman Tom Luna in the GOP primary election for school superintendent in May, endorsed Luna today despite earlier expressing misgivings about Luna’s qualifications for the job. “We did have some spirited debates along the…
Apparently when congressional candidate Bill Sali made that reference to people seemingly claiming he has a position on Proposition 2 when he maintains he doesn’t (an interesting boast), those claims he was referring to came from his own campaign. “No matter what anyone else claims,…
Education is the single largest piece of Idaho’s state budget, and the Idaho Constitution makes it a top priority for the state. Yet Idaho ranks near the bottom of states in per-pupil expenditures for schools, and last winter, the state’s Supreme Court declared the system…
Ignoring the elephant in the room – or, more accurately, the elephant NOT in the room – two candidates for governor focused on issues as they faced off in the League of Women Voters-Idaho Press Club debate on Idaho Public TV on Sunday night. Democrat…
Republican Butch Otter rails against regulations. Democrat Jerry Brady declares that growth must pay for itself. Libertarian Ted Dunlap says there’s no reason to make changes when growth will “fix itself” as the economy cools and people stop moving here. Constitution Party candidate Marvin “Pro-Life”…
It turns out that Vice President Dick Cheney’s second campaign visit to Idaho in three months will be different from the first – it won’t be a fundraiser, and it won’t be for any particular candidate. Instead, Cheney will fly briefly into the Coeur d’Alene…