As Gov. Butch Otter has approved an $8 million plan to try to clean up after the Idaho Education Network contract debacle. Otter signed Senate Bill 1428 — which earmarked $8 million that could be used to settle with vendors on the mothballed high school broadband system. The money now goes into a fund controlled by House Speaker Scott Bedke and Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill, who have been negotiating with network vendors Education Networks of America and CenturyLink. Both have filed tort claims seeking back payments on the project; Bedke and Hill have said the vendors’ legal claims could reach $11 million/Kevin Richert, Idaho Education News. More here.