Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Larry Craig has been ordered to pay $242,535 to the U.S. Treasury for improperly using campaign funds to cover legal expenses incurred after his arrest in a 2007 airport bathroom…
The latest TV commercial in Idaho’s governor’s race comes from Democratic candidate A.J. Balukoff, and features a Boise teacher talking about his record as head of the Boise School Board. “A.J. Balukoff made a real difference here. As governor he’ll do that for all of…
Tamarack Resort could take a significant step toward a clearer financial picture Thursday when Idaho officials decide whether to transfer a ski area lease to a new company that emerged after a sheriff's bankruptcy sale last spring, the AP reports. But first a majority of…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management once again violated federal laws when it issued grazing permits instead of analyzing how grazing could harm sage grouse in four…
Four candidates for governor have confirmed that they’ll debate this Friday in Coeur d’Alene – GOP Gov. Butch Otter, Democratic challenger A.J. Balukoff, Libertarian candidate John Bujak and independent candidate “Pro-Life.” Jimmy McAndrew of the Coeur Group, which is organizing the noon Friday debate at…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Another person has filed a legal claim against the Idaho Department of Juvenile Correction contending that he was sexually abused by two staffers while incarcerated at a Nampa detention center. The tort claim,…
Idaho’s state Department of Education is looking for 120 public school parents, teachers, administrators and school board members from all over the state to gather in Boise for four days in December to review test questions for the new statewide testing students will undergo this…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A group that overcame a court challenge last winter to hold a wolf- and coyote-shooting derby is seeking a permit from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to roughly double the area for…
The bill for outside legal fees for the Idaho Legislature’s Federal Lands Interim Committee has now swelled to $61,375, according to documents obtained by The Spokesman-Review under the Idaho Public Records Act. The law firm Holland & Hart has submitted invoices to the Legislature for…
When little-known candidate Sherri Ybarra won a four-way GOP primary race for state superintendent of public instruction in May, some speculation focused on her Basque-sounding last name as an advantage in the race. Basques are one of Idaho’s more colorful longtime ethnic minorities; they're also…
Lawerence Denney already has experience shaping Idaho’s election policy. In the Legislature, he pushed successfully to close Idaho’s GOP primary election to anyone but registered Republicans and fought to require voters to show photo I.D. at the polls to vote. He tried unsuccessfully to fire…
Though the chief of the U.S. Forest Service now says controversial permit requirements for filming and photography on forest lands never were intended to apply to journalists, crews for Idaho Public Television’s “Outdoor Idaho” program have repeatedly been told they need permits to film. The…
With Idaho counties calling on the state to set up a statewide public defense system, a legislative committee was told this week that a new commission will provide recommendations before lawmakers convene in January. "We just want to make sure that what we deliver is…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on today's debate at the City Club of Boise between the two candidates for state superintendent of schools. After the debate, I asked former Superintendent Jerry Evans for his impressions. Evans, a Republican, hasn’t endorsed either…
Longtime Idaho legislative aide Kathryn Yost has died at the age of 86; she is being mourned today by lawmakers and staffers alike. “She was full of energy and worked hard,” Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover, told the Idaho Statesman today. “The appropriations process is very…
In their closing comments at today’s City Club of Boise debate, the candidates, Democrat Jana Jones and Republican Sherri Ybarra each said they’re the leader Idaho’s schools need. “You know we only get one chance to educate our kids and we owe it to them…
Asked about how Idaho could better recruit and retain teachers, Democrat Jana Jones told the City Club of Boise that she saw districts starting school this year with vacant teaching positions, having to fill in with student teachers or long-term substitutes. An Idaho teacher, she…
Asked if, as a member the Democratic minority, she can work with the GOP-dominated Legislature, state schools superintendent candidate Jana Jones said, “We’ve had eight years of leadership under the same party and look where we are today. It’s important that we have someone who…
The first question posed to the two candidates for state schools superintendent was about the main philosophical difference between them. Republican Sherri Ybarra responded, “My proven method of address the whole child is a method of just individualizing education and paying attention to the unique…
The candidates for state superintendent of schools are debating today at the City Club of Boise, with Jim Weatherby as moderator. There’s a large crowd for the luncheon debate; among those in the audience are two former state superintendents, Republican Jerry Evans and Democrat Marilyn…
Faced with increasing criticism of a proposal that would restrict media filming in wilderness areas, the head of the U.S. Forest Service said late Thursday that the rule is not intended to apply to news-gathering activities, the AP reports. The rule would apply to commercial…
State schools superintendent candidates Jana Jones and Sherri Ybarra faced off in a lively debate last night in Caldwell; Idaho Education News reporter Clark Corbin has a full report here, including a fact-check that found each candidate misstated something during the debate. Idaho Statesman reporter…
The first debate of this year's race for Idaho governor featured Democrat A.J. Balukoff and Libertarian John Bujak, the AP reports, but not incumbent GOP Gov. Butch Otter. At the debate sponsored by the Twin Falls Times-News, both Balukoff and Bujak criticized Otter's record on…
The U.S. Forest Service is proposing permanent new rules that would require media organizations to obtain a permit to film and shoot photographs in more than 100 million acres of the nation's wilderness, the AP reports, and the rules also are being applied outside wilderness…
Idaho’s high school graduation rate dropped to its lowest point in a decade in 2012-13, Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News reports, but the drop largely reflects a bookkeeping change. Idaho is now complying with tougher federal reporting requirements for how it calculates dropout rates,…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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