It wasn't what you might think that made Ray Smelek decide to bring Hewlett-Packard's printer division to Boise in 1973, launching a high-tech industry in the Idaho capital city that transformed the city's economy. "From a personal point of view ... it seemed like a…
Gov. Butch Otter's transportation task force will hold its first meeting on Aug. 6, next Thursday. The governor's named the panel his "Task Force on Modernizing Transportation Funding in Idaho." Lt. Gov. Brad Little, who chairs the task force, said, “Our first meeting will largely…
Bright, advanced Idaho high school juniors can now compete to get into a new online science and math course offered in partnership with NASA - in part by impressing a local state legislator. Or, perhaps, just knowing one. "We would like to get state lawmakers…
Here's a group that's certainly not bashing U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick's upcoming "economic blitz" during the congressional summer break: Idaho businesses who are planning to participate. "Congressman Minnick’s 'blitz' is being received positively by my contractor members," said Mark Dunham, executive director of the Idaho…
GOP congressional hopeful Vaughn Ward's campaign had this statement today in response to Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick's announcement of an "economic blitz" across the 1st Congressional District during the Congress' summer break, in which Minnick will host four events to connect Idaho companies and communities…
Today marks my 18th anniversary with The Spokesman-Review. Though things have changed quite a bit since I joined the newspaper as its Idaho editor in 1991, we're still in the same business - reporting the news. We just do it in a lot of new…
Idaho House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, in an op-ed piece, notes recent Democratic gains throughout the West. "Yet the Democratic brand continues to lag across much of Idaho," he writes. "We know that our fellow Idahoans will not shift long-held voting patterns unless they…
Freshman Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick says in his seven months in office, he's become convinced that creating new jobs in Idaho is the most pressing issue he can address, and there's federal money, contracts and more that could help - if Idahoans just had a…
Here's a link to my full story in today's paper on what's up in Idaho's 2010 gubernatorial race, from the half-dozen lesser-known candidates already out stumping to the lack of any campaign launch yet from either incumbent Gov. Butch Otter or a major Democratic challenger.…
One of my favorite Idaho reporting anecdotes is the time I called then-Gov. Phil Batt's press secretary, Amy Kleiner, and a voice that clearly wasn't Amy's answered, saying, "Amy Kleiner's office." It was Gov. Batt. Well, it just happened again. I put in a call…
The Idaho Democratic Party is launching a "special candidate recruitment committee for the 2010 elections," at a time when, with the 2010 primary 10 months away, the party has had no major candidate step forward to challenge sitting GOP Gov. Butch Otter. State party Chairman…
The National Conference of State Legislatures has surveyed all the states to see how quickly they're spending their federal economic stimulus money - some are spending it all to close their state budget gaps in the current fiscal year, leaving nothing for the following year…
When Ron "Pete" Peterson announced his candidacy for governor today at a Boise bikini bar, there wasn't exactly a crowd on hand, but the few people there were mostly supportive. "I think it's wonderful," said a dancer named Tawni, who slipped off her 8-inch-high stilettos…
A bat in Ada County has tested positive for rabies, prompting Idaho health officials to remind people throughout the state to take precautions around bats and make sure that their dogs, cats and horses are adequately vaccinated against rabies. It's the first rabid bat found…
Both of Idaho's U.S. senators, Republicans Jim Risch and Mike Crapo, said today they'll vote against confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Differences on 2nd Amendment/gun rights issues were among the top concerns the two cited; both met with Sotomayor personally. “There is…
Now that we're starting the 43rd week before the next Idaho primary election - yep, it's way off on May 25, 2010 - the candidates for governor have begun emerging. Six already have filed preliminary paperwork with the Secretary of State's office (you can read…
Did you know that the influenza virus can survive on surfaces for two to eight hours, spreading the disease? That's what the CDC says, and the warden of Idaho's privately operated prison, Phillip Valdez of the Idaho Correctional Center, says he has no "no idea…
When owners of hundreds of cabins on Idaho state land submit their applications to renew their leases next year, each will have to pay a $250 fee – up from $10. But that doesn’t have the owners upset, because it’s small potatoes compared with the…
The big Garwood-to-Sagle freeway project on U.S. Highway 95 in North Idaho won't have a two-lane bottleneck at its south end after all, the Idaho Transportation Board decided today. The board designated $15.8 million in economic stimulus funds toward expanding the stretch from Wyoming Avenue…
Here's a link to our full report on the federal hate crime convictions of three Idaho men in an attack last July 4th outside a Nampa Wal-Mart store. Among the details: The 24-year-old victim had gone to the store to buy milk. As he left…
Last year on the Fourth of July, three men, shouting racial slurs, ambushed, chased and beat a 24-year-old African-American man as he left a Wal-Mart in Nampa. Now, two of the men have been convicted of hate crime assault by a federal jury in Boise.…
In a state where Republicans hold all but one of the top elected offices and three-quarters of the seats in the Legislature, Idaho Democrats have consistently outperformed the GOP in one key area: Donations via the state's tax form checkoff. Idahoans are given the opportunity…
Idaho Supreme Court justices had sharp questions today for Michael McNichols, the Lewiston attorney who represented District Judge John Bradbury before the high court, challenging a move by the state Judicial Council to suspend him for not living in his district. Bradbury maintains he does…
The groundbreaking is on now for the infamous Dover Bridge replacement, a project that languished for three decades for lack of funding - despite a large chunk of the bridge deck falling away, and national attention from such media outlets as Popular Mechanics magazine and…
Gov. Butch Otter has written another guest opinion touting Idaho businesses that are growing. "I planned on sharing just a few positive news items with you here," he wrote. "But as I looked around the state, I realized there was even more to hoo-rah than…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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