Idaho Gov. Butch Otter says he'll appoint the state's lieutenant governor on Tuesday - that's the same day that current Lt. Gov. Jim Risch will be sworn in as a U.S. senator and resign the state post - and Otter has named names of 16…
A district court went too far when it imposed a no-contact order on an offender that banned him from contacting any minor, including his own two young children, the Idaho Court of Appeals has ruled. No Idaho court had previously ruled on the issue, so…
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter has appointed Twin Falls attorney Richard D. Greenwood to be a 4th District judge, replacing Judge Kathryn A. Sticklen, who is retiring. Interestingly, Otter passed over Greenwood for a 5th District judgeship in May of 2007, instead appointing 5th District Magistrate…
It's been a good week so far at Boise's local non-profit ski resort, Bogus Basin. All lifts were running as of Tuesday. On Wednesday, the "Closed" signs that had festooned runs ranging from Liberty and Tiger to Upper Paradise disappeared, replaced by well-warranted "Caution" signs.…
Here's a final last-minute gift for Boise skiers: Bogus Basin has opened its Superior Chair No. 3, bringing the mountain to full operation. So far, Chair 3 is open for day skiing only, but there's night skiing on the front side of the mountain (except…
A new law allowing Idaho to enforce mandatory chain-up requirements on commercial trucks on snowy North Idaho passes has made a big difference in the past week, officials say. Prior to this year, Idaho had no chain requirements at all, and snowy spots like Lookout…
Here's a holiday gift for Boise-area skiers and snowboarders: Bogus Basin has announced it'll open at least part of its backside - Pinecreek Chair No. 6 and Bitterroot Chair No. 5 - plus night skiing, all this Saturday. The non-profit ski resort had a rather…
Idaho's state schools superintendent puts out a weekly e-mailed newsletter to school districts, and this week's edition adds a new feature: "Rumor has it." In it, "this week's rumor" is debunked - that millions in technology funding that school districts now receive through the Idaho…
By the end of the day yesterday, exhausted Idaho State Police folks in North Idaho had this report on their storm toll, headed, "Interesting happenings and thank-you's." It was a day when Coeur d'Alene recorded 25 inches of snow in 24 hours, shattering the previous…
The chairman of Idaho's Citizens Committee on Legislative Compensation says if the panel were to meet today, it'd likely reach a different decision, rather than recommending a 5 percent raise in state legislative salaries. "We made that decision last summer," Rich Jackson said today. "I…
It's a mess up north, where 20 inches of snow has fallen at the Spokane Airport and as much as 30 inches at North Idaho locations like Athol. Most schools and government offices are closed, authorities are stretched to the max trying to deal with…
The Bronco blue and orange will festoon a Horizon Air Q400 jet that will fly the colors year-round as it flies passengers around the West, the airline announced today. Horizon said the decorated plane is planned to celebrate its 25 years of serving Boise. The…
When the Citizens Committee on Legislative Compensation made its recommendation in June for a 5 percent increase in Idaho legislative pay, it was the second two-year session in a row the panel had called for an increase. Before that, there were both no-increase recommendations and…
Pay for legislators in Idaho actually is on the low end among the states, at $16,116 a year, though there are some quite a bit lower. That compares to $41,280 a year in Washington, and at the top end, $116,098 in California. Montana, on the…
Back in June, a citizens committee recommended that state legislators get a 5 percent raise this year, from $16,116 to $16,921, effective this month. The committee's recommendation takes effect unless lawmakers reject it by concurrent resolution prior to the 25th day of the upcoming legislative…
Meridian police say two cars that were parked and running, as their owners tried to warm them up on cold mornings, have been stolen so far this week. They've issued a theft warning, according to the AP, cautioning drivers to carry two sets of keys…
How said. The makers of "Airborne" dietary supplements have agreed to change the way they market their products, as a result of a settlement with Idaho, 31 other states and the District of Columbia, according to Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden. The sad part: This…
The overall consumer price index in the Treasure Valley dropped by 2.2 percent in November, according to Wells Fargo, which tracks it. That exceeded the national CPI drop for the month of 1.9 percent (or 1.7 percent seasonally adjusted). That national seasonally adjusted figure was…
Idaho's top elected officials have agreed to freeze the rents they charge cabin owners on state lands for the next year. The narrow, 3-2 vote brought sighs of relief from cabin owners who crowded into the old courtroom where the state Land Board meets, some…
Idaho's state endowment fund lost 4 percent in November, the state Land Board learned this morning, "which brings the fiscal year-to-date to a whopping 25," said manager Larry Johnson. The loss to the fund in November was 4.4 percent; fiscal year to date, it's 25.2…
Idaho's portion of the Electoral College met today at noon, and the four electors, John Erickson, Melinda Smyser, Ben Doty and Darlene Bramon, dutifully cast their ballots for Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin. Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, who was presiding along with Gov.…
Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle, reported some unusual campaign expenditures during this year’s campaign – a pig, a sheep, and a pen of rabbits. “I kept the pig,” the North Idaho senator said. “I paid my campaign back for the meat at market price.” The rest…
Idaho's economic forecast calls for pain, the governor's chief economist says, even as state agencies struggle to meet budget cuts imposed earlier this month. After years of faring better than the nation, Idaho's economy is now looking at its worst outlook in a quarter-century, state…
Mike Ferguson, chief economist for Gov. Butch Otter, gave a briefing for reporters on the state's revenue outlook this morning, and said, “The economic outlook is changing rapidly, and it's not getting better. ... Idaho is actually leading in terms of the decline in economic…
The Libertarian Party is celebrating its 37th birthday today, having been founded on Dec. 11, 1971, and ranking as America's third-largest political party. So what to get the birthday celebrant? Here's what Idaho gave the party's presidential candidate this year, Bob Barr: 3,658 votes. That's…
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