The Associated Press reports that Republican Sen. John McGee lives 26 miles from the Idaho Capitol but takes an extra per diem payment from taxpayers for a second residence that adds up to some $6,000 annually — even though he lives with his parents in…
Fourth District Judge Timothy Hansen has ruled against the Idaho Education Association, upholding the constitutionality of SB 1108, the piece of state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna's "Students Come First" three-part school reform package that limits teachers' collective bargaining rights, ends an early-retirement incentive program…
Idaho's new citizen redistricting commission has set public hearings for Wednesday Oct. 5 in Idaho Falls, from 6-8 p.m. at Idaho Falls City Hall, 680 Park Ave.; Thursday Oct. 6 in Coeur d'Alene, from 6-8 p.m. at Coeur d'Alene City Hall, 710 E. Mullan Ave.;…
Idaho Statesman reporter Cynthia Sewell reports today that four former investigators for the Idaho Department of Insurance have filed a federal lawsuit, claiming they were fired or forced out of their jobs for pursuing - and alerting federal authorities to - a fraud investigation into…
Thank you to the readers of the Boise Weekly for voting Eye on Boise "best local blog" in their annual Best of Boise awards for a second straight year - I really appreciate the kudos. And to all of you out there, thanks for reading.
Former state Sen. Ron Beitelspacher of Grangeville, the new Democratic co-chairman of the Idaho redistricting commission, said of the proposed redistricting plans his predecessors presented today, "They put a lot of work into that. We're going to look at it. I've been through many reapportionment…
Four of Idaho's former redistricting commissioners, plus a fifth who sent a letter of support, made a strong pitch to their successors today to adopt the legislative and congressional district plans that they reached over the past weeks, after they'd been officially disbanded, and save…
After hearing a presentation from the former redistricting commissioners on the plans they agreed on last week, new Idaho redistricting Co-Chairman Ron Beitelspacher said, "It's very difficult to draw legislative maps. I have done it in several sessions, several special sessions. It's extremely difficult. I…
The new redistricting commission's agenda for today includes going over policies and procedures, a briefing from the Attorney General's office, and this afternoon, a presentation from the former redistricting commissioners. The new commission also is scheduled to get an introduction to the Maptitude online map-drawing…
The Idaho Legislature budgeted $424,000 for redistricting this year, Legislative Services Director Jeff Youtz informed the new redistricting commissioners this morning. About $175,000 of that was spent on hardware, software and preliminary costs. The first commission's 90 days of deliberations, including 14 public hearings and…
Idaho's new citizen redistricting commission has been sworn in by Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, who greeted the six new commissioners, saying, "Good morning, all of you, welcome. I facetiously was telling some of you that I thought you were smarter than this, to be…
New Idaho redistricting commissioners Shauneen Grange, left, Dolores Crow and Elmer Martinez visit with Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa this morning as the new six-member bipartisan commission prepares to convene for the first time. First, Crow, a former state lawmaker, had to resign from…
The first Nickel Bros. megaload on scenic Highway 12 in north-central Idaho, which crossed into Montana late Monday night, traveled without any state police escorts – and the Idaho Transportation Department now says it won't require police escorts for any of the company's eight remaining…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on how freshman Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador, after serving in the U.S. House and seeing what it's really like, has changed his mind and now supports term limits. “It's really a shame,” Labrador said. “All decisions…
Idaho Republicans have named their final two appointees to the new Idaho redistricting commission: Dolores Crow of Nampa, former chairwoman of the House Revenue & Taxation Committee; and former state Rep. Randy Hansen of Twin Falls. Click below for their full announcement.
Congressman Raul Labrador was questioned by a City Club attendee about why, when the Idaho resident – who lives in the 2nd District but owns a business in the 1st District – comments to Labrador's official website, his comments are rejected, with a message saying…
"I believe the Tea Party is a good movement,” Congressman Raul Labrador told the City Club in response to a question. “Because people are being vilified so much by the media, they're not calling themselves 'tea party' any more, they're saying 'conservative Republicans.' … The…
Freshman Idaho Rep. Raul Labrador, in response to a question about term limits at the Boise City Club today, said, “This is actually an area where I have changed in the last eight months. I believe that we need term limits in politics, especially congressional…
"We cannot fix our current situation by spending cuts alone,” freshman 1st District Congressman Raul Labrador told the Boise City Club today. Instead, he said, the nation must “grow our way out of this economic mess.” Labrador is addressing the City Club today, nine months…
Rep. Marge Chadderdon, R-Coeur d'Alene, says she's not planning to seek a fifth term in the state House of Representatives, so the fact that a proposed new legislative district plan unveiled today puts her in the same district as Reps. Phil Hart, R-Athol, and Vito…
That fire early this morning at Rocky Mountain Fireworks & Fur Co. that temporarily shut down an Idaho highway? AP reporter John Miller is reporting that an animal rights group has claimed responsibility for the blaze. An e-mail from anti-fur activists described details of the…
Idaho state Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, has been selected as a fellow of the Aspen Institute, in its Aspen-Rodel Fellowship program that focuses on transcending political partisanship and focusing attention on leadership and governance. Cronin is only the second Idahoan to be selected for the…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order to keep a prosecutor from refiling charges against a woman accused of having an illegal abortion. Jennie Linn McCormack sued over Idaho's so-called "fetal…
Proposed legislative district plan L-83, endorsed unanimously by the six former bipartisan citizen redistricting commissioners, would split 12 counties: Bonner, Kootenai, Latah, Benewah, Canyon, Twin Falls, Minidoka, Power, Bannock, Bingham, Bonneville and Madison. It wouldn't split Ada County, which would have nine districts contained entirely…
I filed an Idaho Public Records Act request for the impact of the new proposed legislative redistricting, L-83, on existing legislative incumbents, and here's what my analysis of that data shows: The plan would force six face-offs among Senate incumbents, and would create nine House…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
| Sept. 2011 | ||||
| 30 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 |
| 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 |
| 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| 12 | 09 | 08 | 07 | 06 |
| 05 | 04 | 03 | 02 | 01 |
