Court upholds insurance ruling

The Idaho Supreme Court has upheld a district court ruling in favor of the Idaho State Insurance Fund in a case filed in 2000 by the Hayden Lake Fire Protection District.

The district claimed that the state had bilked policy holders out of $80 million in dividends through excessive premiums and mismanagement. An expert hired by the fire district testified that the insurance fund’s surplus rate was higher than every other insurance organization he examined.

Two years later, the state intervened in the suit on the side of the insurance fund, to indicate that state agencies didn’t support the attack on the insurance fund.

On Monday, the Supreme Court issued its opinion that Idaho Code did not limit the amount of premiums that could be set aside for surplus, and that some of the fire district’s claims for relief were barred by the statute of limitations.

Hospital adds second chaplain

A second chaplain has started at Kootenai Medical Center to help with the growing demand for spiritual care and patient support.

Jennifer James earned her master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Gonzaga University, where she also completed her clinical pastoral education. Her clinical residency was at Kootenai Medical Center, where she served as an intern to Luther Gutz.

“Jennifer is a very talented individual who has a great in-depth understanding of the spiritual issues that patients deal with when they are hospitalized,” Gutz, who has served as chaplain since 1992, said in a press release.

James will work part-time weekdays and full-time on weekends. She’ll coordinate a weekly grief support group Tuesday evenings.

Shots fired at Boise officers

Boise Two Boise police officers were fired at from passengers inside a vehicle that had been stopped for a routine traffic violation.

An officer stopped a Ford Taurus near Boise State University and a nearby patrol officer came to assist. The two had flanked the vehicle for questioning when a passenger in the back seat brandished his weapon and opened fire on the officers. They fled back to their patrol car and returned fire. The suspect vehicle then sped away. No one was hurt.

Police arrested two suspects at a nearby grocery store. Albert Rosano, 31, of Boise has been charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a felony, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Rosano is no longer a suspect in the shooting. Officers also arrested a female passenger who is in custody and under questioning.

Authorities are looking for 19-year-old Jamaica Mendoza, who is believed to be the driver of the vehicle, and Harlan Hale, 39, who police say last lived in Boise.

Report says Bush plan bad for Northwest

Portland A new report says the Bush administration’s plans to force the Bonneville Power Administration to sell electricity at market rates could be bad news for the Northwest.

The report says the proposal could boost prices a full 65 percent, potentially costing Northwest ratepayers $1.3 billion.

The Northwest Power and Conservation Council analysis shows the effect would be similar to the West Coast energy crisis of 2000.

But a U.S. Department of Energy spokesman says the plan caps any annual rate increase at 20 percent.

Bonneville is one of four federal power marketing administrations that serve the nation.

It provides nearly half the electricity generated in the Northwest, most of it from a system of hydroelectric dams along the Columbia River.

Arsonists burn LDS ward house

Rose, Idaho A ward house belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was burned by arsonists who piled up charred furniture at the front entrance and set the structure afire.

The ward bishop, Ken Wixom, discovered the blackened walls, cracked glass and melted light fixtures inside the Rose Ward House seven miles north of Blackfoot when he arrived to prepare for Sunday services at about 7 a.m. The building had been remodeled before Christmas.

A couch, bench and table had been stacked together and a black streak in the new blue carpet extended the length of a hallway to the furniture pile, apparently following a trail of some flammable liquid.

Blackfoot Fire Chief Kevin Gray said the fire was extinguished by itself and was cold when the church leaders arrived. He said the church sustained little structural damage but substantial smoke damage.

Gray said the fire is still under investigation.