Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com and to links to briefs from both sides in today's oral arguments at the Idaho Supreme Court in the Land Board case, in which Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden is suing the board - on which…
Here's a news item from the Lewiston Tribune, via The Associated Press: GRANGEVILLE, Idaho (AP) — For erstwhile Idaho gubernatorial candidate Rex Rammell, home may be where his voters are. Rammell, a veterinarian who ran second in May 25's Republican gubernatorial primary to Gov. C.L.…
An issue that was discussed in the briefs filed with the Idaho Supreme Court on the Land Board case, but that didn't come up specifically during the oral arguments in the case today, is that Idaho's Land Board has charged 2.5 percent of value annually…
Interestingly, Idaho Supreme Court justices allowed Deputy Attorney General Melissa Moody, speaking for Attorney General Lawrence Wasden's side, to give her entire presentation before asking her questions during arguments on the Land Board case today, while they interrupted attorney Merlyn Clark, representing the Land Board,…
Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said after today's Supreme Court arguments on the Land Board case, "I thought that both sides represented the case well. The court has a couple of options here; we knew that going in." The court, he said, could either issue…
One light moment in today's Idaho Supreme Court arguments on the Land Board case came when Justice Roger Burdick, who asked by far the most questions today, asked Deputy Attorney General Melissa Moody for an explanation of the new "premium rent" plan for state-owned cabin…
Idaho's state Land Board set rents for state-owned cabin sites for an upcoming 10-year lease period "that it knew would not achieve market rent, and it said so on the record," Deputy Idaho Attorney General Melissa Moody told the Idaho Supreme Court today. "Attorney General…
Idaho's state Board of Examiners voted unanimously today to transfer another $11 million from the state's general fund to the tax refund account, to make sure Idaho income taxpayers' refunds go out on time (and to avoid the state having to pay interest, which would…
Disaster emergencies have been declared by the governor today for three Idaho counties - Adams, Idaho and Valley - due to flooding. But those declarations weren't signed by Gov. Butch Otter; he's on a trade mission to China. And they weren't signed by Lt. Gov.…
Here's a news item from The Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Boise Airport will keep an air-traffic control system that federal aviation officials had once aimed to relocate to Salt Lake City. The Federal Aviation Administration's announcement Tuesday that it has abandoned plans…
The early light kisses the hills around Lucky Peak Lake this morning, just after sunrise, as a lone windsurfer skims across the lake. Boise's cool, rainy spring has put a crimp on the usual spring recreation for this time of year, so today - forecast…
Fired ITD Director Pam Lowe has filed her response to the state's arguments against granting the core of her wrongful-firing claims in a partial judgment, and Lowe's lawyers contend the state's arguments misconstrued case law, overlooked clear rulings from the Idaho Supreme Court that an…
The Forest Service has issued new temporary guidelines on filming in wilderness areas under its jurisdiction, but they're kicking off even more controversy in a debate that began when Idaho Public TV was first refused permission to film a student conservation project in the Frank…
An Eagle man who admitted poaching a young wolf in 2009 has been sentenced to $1,064 in fines and costs; six months in jail with five months and 28 days suspended and the option for 40 hours of community service instead of jail; one year…
A North Idaho legislator has filed a lawsuit against the state over secret tax deals that allegedly allowed some wealthy and politically connected taxpayers to get millions in breaks. Those deals violated the Idaho Constitution, said Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, which requires taxing to be…
Idaho's seasonally adjusted unemployment dropped for the third straight month in May, after 31 straight monthly rate increases going all the way back to August of 2007. May's rate was down a tenth of a percentage point to 9 percent, which compares favorably to the…
GOP challenger Raul Labrador has issued a response to 1st District Rep. Walt Minnick's modified line-item bill being picked up by the Obama Administration and used as a model for a new administration bill. "I recognize the public relations value of Mr. Minnick's claims, particularly…
Gov. Butch Otter is touting a national fiscal survey of states as proof that this year's legislative budget-setting decisions for 2011, including deep cuts to schools and other state programs, were the right ones, as other states are facing large shortfalls. "We are doing our…
Legislation proposed by freshman Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick to make it easier for the president to push Congress to slice specific items out of big spending bills has been latched onto by the Obama Administration, which last week introduced its own bill modeled after Minnick’s.…
Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa has announced fines against two groups that launched last-minute campaign attacks against an Idaho Supreme Court candidate without following the disclosure requirements of the state's Sunshine Law. "Idaho Citizens for Justice" is being fined $1,300, and "Idaho Citizens for…
Here's a news item from The Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The ACLU has reached a settlement with the Idaho Department of Correction in a potentially class-action lawsuit over violence at a privately run prison near Boise. Under the agreement, the Idaho Department of…
The Boise Weekly reports today that violent assaults on inmates at Idaho's privately-run Idaho Correctional Center increased in April and May after a drop in March, with six incidents in April and 11 in May through the 26th of the month. The Weekly obtained the…
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keith Allred stood by his pickup truck - a Ford F-250 "SuperDuty" 4x4 - today to make a case that he's the "fiscal conservative" in the race because, through his work at the nonpartisan citizen group The Common Interest, he helped defeat…
Just because a road easement was granted years ago along someone's lakefront property doesn't mean the property owner has given up the right to build a dock on the lake, the Idaho Supreme Court ruled today. The high court's clear ruling puts an end to…
Idaho is on track for an economic recovery in 2011, according to the state's latest official forecast - though state lawmakers and the governor set a pessimistic budget for 2011 that requires historic cuts in education. The newest state forecast, issued in May, says, "Idaho's…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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