The Idaho Transportation Department just announced that it has issued permits today for the first four mega-loads proposed for U.S. Highway 12 in north-central Idaho, the four proposed by Conoco-Phillips, but is suspending the shipments until after a hearing officer rules on a petition for…
In a new opinion piece today, Gov. Butch Otter says he's "read all the postmortems and punditry about the 'meaning' of the November 2nd election results," and declares, "I believe most of it is well-intentioned, although there certainly is a fair amount of cynicism, condescension…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho trimmed its economic growth forecasts, predicting fewer jobs and less personal income by 2013 than had been expected just three months ago. The new forecast indicates Idaho workers' personal income will be…
A national self-storage lobbying group says Idaho is engaging in unfair competition with the private sector and undermining tax revenue that would otherwise go to local governments, the AP reports, by the state's foray into the self-storage business. The state, as part of its management…
The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call has come out with a story about lobbying by Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo's daughter, Lara; she represents numerous health-care-related interests, the paper reported, including several Idaho medical facilities for which the Idaho Republican has sought earmarks, according to federal…
House Speaker Lawerence Denney's announcement of his decision to remove Rep. Phil Hart from the House Tax Committee says he made the decision because Hart himself, in an Oct. 29 letter, asked him to do so. "Representative Hart was duly elected by the people in…
House Majority Caucus Chair Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, had this response to today's announcement from House Speaker Lawerence Denney that Rep. Phil Hart will be removed from the House tax committee and a new ethics committee will be appointed: "I think it was important to have…
Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, who served as vice-chair of the House Ethics Committee that voted unanimously in September to recommend that Rep. Phil Hart be removed from the House tax committee, had this response to Speaker Lawerence Denney's announcement today of Hart's removal from the…
Idaho House Speaker Lawerence Denney announced today that he's removing Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, from the House Revenue and Taxation Committee and that he'll convene a new ethics committee to look into a new complaint against Hart from Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake. Hart, a…
Phil Hart has filed a motion to disqualify the judge in his state income tax appeal case in 1st District Court in Kootenai County, Judge Lansing L. Haynes. Hart's motion, filed late last week by his Coeur d'Alene attorney Starr Kelso, cites an Idaho court…
Idaho state Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, has clarified to the state Endowment Fund Investment Board that a check he recently sent for $2,450 to the state's public school permanent endowment fund is just a donation - not a payment on an outstanding judgment Hart faces…
Three education groups are seeking to join Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, in her lawsuit over secret tax deals at the state Tax Commission, saying the alleged deals are causing education funding in the state to suffer. "We take the allegations very seriously," said John Rumel,…
The owners of a bankrupt firm that once was the largest seller of extended auto warranties in the nation have been barred from doing business in Idaho, under a settlement announced today by Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden. "These individuals got rich by blanketing the…
The Missoulian reports today that Idaho is taking the position that it won't permit mega-loads of oil equipment to travel U.S. Highway 12 in north-central Idaho until Montana issues permits for its leg of the trip, and Montana is taking the position that it won't…
Lawmakers from around the state, including some newly elected, rolled on buses into the Silver Valley this morning as part of the North Idaho legislative tour, after hearing a presentation from Lt. Gov. Brad Little about the work of the governor's transportation funding task force.…
A GOP lawmaker from North Idaho has filed a new ethics complaint against Rep. Phil Hart, saying Hart's 1996 theft of state school endowment-owned timber, claims of legislative immunity and tax protesting show he's violated his oath of office.Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, calls Hart's…
Here's an interesting tidbit shared by Idaho Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko on IPTV's "Dialogue" program last night: Despite the GOP sweep in this year's elections, Idaho is no longer the "most-Republican" state as measured by Republican dominance in its top offices and Legislature. Wyoming…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A dozen teachers in the tiny town of Harrison are the first to sue an Idaho school district over pay and benefits negotiated under financial emergency declarations that started two years ago. The…
It was early in the morning the day after the election when the Idaho Transportation Department announced a "major realignment" of the agency, aimed at reducing management employees, saving money and focusing resources on on-the-ground work. So why that timing? Eye on Boise asked Gov.…
Idaho's state Republican and Democratic party chairmen - Norm Semanko and Keith Roark - will analyze the election results and take calls from viewers tonight on Idaho Public Television's "Dialogue" with host Marcia Franklin; there's more info here. The show airs live at 8:30 p.m.…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — After a quarter-century in public office, Idaho's Dirk Kempthorne has officially rejoined the private sector as the top lobbyist for the nation's life insurers. The former Idaho governor, U.S. senator and Interior Secretary…
Idaho elected its first Hispanic to represent the state in Congress on Tuesday, as Raul Labrador upset freshman Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick with a decisive 51 percent to 41.3 percent victory. Labrador, a conservative Republican state lawmaker and immigration attorney who charged during the race…
The Republican sweep of Idaho's elections on Tuesday carried off one of North Idaho's longest-serving lawmakers, a Democrat who often voted with the Republicans and whose campaign slogan was "as independent as Idaho." Rep. Mary Lou Shepherd, D-Prichard, lost her bid for a seventh term…
Idaho House Speaker Lawerence Denney says he's made a decision on the unanimous recommendation from a special House Ethics Committee to remove Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, from the House Revenue & Taxation Committee, but he's not yet ready to announce the decision because he wants…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's former chief of staff was arrested early Wednesday morning on driving under the influence charges after attending an event celebrating the GOP's big wins in the previous day's election.…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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