The Idaho Transportation Department had been working on legislation to propose in January to ban texting by commercial truck drivers, to comply with a recently enacted federal rule, but now the proposed legislation is being withdrawn. The reason: Another new federal rule has come out,…
During the state Legislature's Health Care Task Force discussion this morning on health insurance exchange legislation, Rep. Carlos Bilbao, R-Emmett, said he's visited lots of senior centers and nursing homes in his district in the past few months, and has found people there both concerned…
The Idaho Legislature's Health Care Task Force got a detailed rundown this morning from Bill Deal, director of the Idaho Department of Insurance, on the latest draft of legislation to establish a health insurance exchange in Idaho. Deal said the latest draft, from Dec. 9,…
Luke Malek, former North Idaho regional director for then-Gov. Jim Risch and currently a Kootenai County deputy prosecutor, has announced he's running for the seat being vacated next year by four-term state Rep. Marge Chadderdon, R-Coeur d'Alene; Chadderdon has endorsed Malek, a Republican and Kootenai…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press and Lewiston Tribune: MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — The driver of a large load of oil refinery equipment that struck and damaged a van in northern Idaho has been cited for inattentive driving. The collision on Dec. 6…
The Idaho Press-Tribune is now reporting that former Canyon County Prosecutor John Bujak is accused of embezzling $236,000 from funds the city of Nampa paid the county for prosecution services; you can read their full story here. Reporter Mike Butts reports that Bujak was arrested…
Idaho state schools Superintendent Tom Luna said today that he's not yet decided whether he'll revise his budget proposal for public schools for next year to increase funding for professional development, as recommended by a 38-member technology task force today. Luna noted that he supported…
The "Students Come First" technology task force has voted unanimously in favor of the recommendations from its first subcommittee, on "One-to-One Governance and Instructional Integration," without discussion. One the second one, the "Classroom Technology Integration" subcommittee, Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, offered a substitute motion, which…
Former Canyon County prosecutor John Bujak was arrested today on two felony charges of grand theft, the Idaho Press-Tribune reports; the paper says Bujak was arrested during a divorce court hearing, during which others were asked to leave, and then Bujak was arrested and take…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter says news that France's state-controlled nuclear giant Areva has decided to suspend plans to build a uranium enrichment plant in eastern Idaho may not be as it sounds. Areva…
Andy Grover, Melba School District superintendent, is giving the final subcommittee report to the Students Come First technology task force, this one on online learning implementation. Grover said his panel recommends that funding for online courses paid out to providers through "fractional ADA" should be…
Idaho should get the same laptop computer for all students and teachers statewide, Jayson Ronk, chair of the Platform, Specifications and Procurement subcommittee of the technology task force, told the task force this morning. "Our recommendations I think are fairly straightforward ... on this device…
Stefani Cook, chair of the Classroom Technology Integration subcommittee of the technology task force and 2011 Idaho teacher of the year, said her panel recommends developing a "comprehensive plan clearly explaining and linking the various components of Students Come First and the timeline for its…
The "Students Come First" technology task force has four subcommittees: "One-to-One Governance and Instructional Integration," with the "one-to-one" referring to the goal of providing one "mobile compputing device" for every student; "Classroom Technology Integration;" "Platform, Specifics and Procurement;" and "Online Learning Implementation." State Rep. Reed…
After six months of meetings, lots of presentations and visits to schools across the country, the 38-member "Students Come First" technology task force is meeting this morning to hear - and vote on - the recommendations from each of its subcommittees, on how to implement…
Tax-protesting Idaho state Rep. Phil Hart has asked for and received a 30-day delay in the deadline to file his legal response to federal authorities' move to foreclose on his Athol, Idaho home for years of unpaid federal income taxes, interest and penalties. Hart, acting…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press and Lewiston Tribune: LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — State Rep. Jeff Nesset says he'll make a run for the Idaho Senate in 2012.The Lewiston Republican plans to seek the seat that was vacated by Sen. Joe Stegner, who…
Cliff Green, the new executive director of the Idaho Education Network, told the "Students Come First" school technology task force this morning that later this week, state schools Supt. Tom Luna and Gov. Butch Otter will be in St. Maries for a ceremony to mark…
More than 230 people throughout North Idaho attended open government seminars last week sponsored by Idahoans for Openness in Government, from Sandpoint to Coeur d'Alene to Moscow to Lewiston; each was led by Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, and every attendee got the latest copies…
The Idaho Transportation Department has suspended the ongoing Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil megaload shipments after a crash south of Moscow on U.S. Highway 95, the Moscow-Pullman Daily News reports. One of the giant loads of oilfield equipment bound for the Alberta oil sands crashed into a van,…
At the IDOG open government seminar in Lewiston on Thursday night, A.L. "Butch" Alford, owner of the Lewiston Tribune and a charter board member of IDOG, told a crowd of 50, "Our mission is to foster open government, supervised by an informed and engaged citizenry.…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — A state judge has ruled in favor of the University of Idaho in a lawsuit challenging the school's restrictions on keeping firearms in on-campus housing. The ruling was handed down Thursday by 2nd…
The Legislature's General Fund Monitor for November is out, and it puts into perspective the November state tax revenues, which came in $5.4 million below projections, making a cumulative shortfall below projections for the fiscal year to date of $16.2 million, or 1.6 percent. Lawmakers…
Despite stiff competition - a hard-fought UI basketball game against the Washington State Cougars and the downtown holiday lights parade - nearly 40 people turned out last night for IDOG's open government seminar in the ornate, wood-paneled, hundred-year-old City Council chambers at Moscow City Hall.…
Idaho Statesman columnist Dan Popkey reports today on the latest splits among Republicans in North Idaho, with a new group backing "reasonable" Republicans and another saying it's so conservative it disavows Richard Nixon as liberal. “You can’t be on the Republican Central Committee unless you…
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