Noon Headlines — 7.18.12

This July 14 file photo shows gas station owner Kent Couch, right, conferring with Iraqi adventurer Fareed Lafta before taking off from Bend, Ore., in tandem lawn chairs suspended from helium-filled party balloons. The men said Tuesday after hitting thunderstorms about about 14,000 feet, they considered bailing out, but decided to land, coming down safely in a hay field about 40 miles from their starting point. The two men recounted their harrowing experience here. (AP Photo/Jeff Barnard, File)

• Idaho Records /Sherry Adkins, SR
• Idaho woman pleads innocent in wolf escape /AP
• Otter names new species chief /Betsy Russell, EOB
• Sandpoint man calm after winning $1M lottery prize /KHQ
• Deal struck to improve Idaho trout stocks /Becky Kramer, SR
• Otter hires Utah firm to address Medicaid expansion /Associated Press
• Congressional reports show big fund-raising and some big spending /Betsy Russell, EOB
• Orbusmax Special: Washington state introduces voter registration through Facebook here