Redistricting: What joins, divides communities?

Redistricting hearings last week in the Magic Valley turned up plenty of questions and differing views about what divides or unites communities there, according to reporter Ben Botkin of the Times-News. Among them: Whether the Snake River Canyon creates a “natural separation” between Twin Falls and Jerome counties or not. Said Jerry Marcantonio of Twin Falls, drawing laughter, “There is a bridge there - last I checked, it’s still there.” You can read Botkin’s f ull article here , which touches on the hearings in Burley, Twin Falls and Hailey; next week, Idaho’s bipartisan citizen redistricting commission will hold a public hearing July 13 in Meridian, from 7-9 p.m. at Meridian City Hall, and also will kick off three days of meetings starting that day in Boise, as part of an ambitious plan to work much of July and come up with a redistricting plan before the end of the month. There’s more info here .