Here’s a link to my full story at spokesman.com on how Idaho Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo issued a statement today saying they're interviewing both "men and women" for a U.S. District Judge opening, and that the process is "ongoing," but not saying whether…
Interestingly, the joint statement I posted a few minutes ago from Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo on federal judicial selection was the one I received from Risch’s office; the one I’ve received from Crapo’s office is slightly different. Here’s the statement sent out from…
The last time Idaho got a new federal district judge, here’s how the selection process worked: The late U.S. District Judge Harold Ryan, who had served since 1981, took senior status on Dec. 30, 1992, and died of cancer on April 10, 1995. Then-Rep. Larry…
Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, who have repeatedly declined to comment on the secret selection process they now have under way for a successor to U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge, who is taking senior status on July 3, have just issued this statement: “Several…
The U.S. Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service has released its annual report today on the Treasury Offset Program, or TOP, Delinquent Debt Collection’s work in 2014. Never heard of it? Among its findings: Idaho recovered $13.4 million in delinquent child support payments through the…
A new state report praises Idaho charter schools for their academic performance, but acknowledges that fewer minority and low-income students attend them, writes Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News. On Wednesday, Idaho’s Public Charter School Commission released its first-ever annual report on charter schools. The…
A second measles case in Spokane, following the first confirmed case in more than 20 years last week, has prompted warnings to 50 unvaccinated people who came into contact with the patients to stay home for 21 days, with some of those under mandatory quarantine.…
Rep. Ryan Kerby, R-New Plymouth, who was among the nine votes to table SB 1067, the child support enforcement bill, on the final day of this year’s legislative session, confirms that he and several others have signed off on proposed amendments to...
In an April 27 letter to Gov. Butch Otter, House Speaker Scott Bedke writes that he has worked with four of the House committee members who voted to kill SB 1067, the child support enforcement bill, on the final day of the legislative session, along...
Here’s a link to my full story at spokesman.com on Gov. Butch Otter calling a special session of the Legislature to address the crisis in Idaho’s child support enforcement system, the first since special session of his three terms as governor. “There is no alternative,”...
Asked his message to the families whose child support payments are at risk if the special session isn’t successful, Gov. Butch Otter said, “My message to them is: Pray for success. We can use all the help that we can get.” He said, “I expect...
Asked if he believes he has enough votes to pass a new version of SB 1067, the House-rejected child support enforcement bill, Gov. Butch Otter said, “Well, I would say: Yes. I am confident. We were in hopes that we could pass out a draft...
Gov. Butch Otter is calling a special session of the Idaho Legislature for May 18 to address the state’s child support enforcement system. “We spent the last 18 days working very hard to come to some sort of resolution for the unfinished work” of this...
Here’s the section of the Idaho Constitution – Article IV, Section 9 – that empowers the governor to call special sessions of the Legislature, and limit what can be considered at the special session: ARTICLE IV EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT Section 9. EXTRA SESSIONS OF LEGISLATURE. The…
Former Idaho state Rep. Frank Henderson died yesterday at the age of 92, after a long life of public service that included serving as a Kootenai County commissioner, mayor of Post Falls, a World War II Army veteran, an international consultant on public administration and...
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter has announced he’ll hold a press conference Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. on Idaho’s child support system; it will be streamed live here, thanks to Idaho Public Television. Otter is expected to announce his decision on whether or not to call lawmakers...
Arguments are under way at the U.S. Supreme Court on same-sex marriage this morning; the New York Times has a live blog here. Once the arguments conclude, the court is planning to post both the audio and the unofficial transcript on its website here; they…
Idaho is the only state in the 9th Circuit that’s never had a woman U.S. district judge, and members of Idaho’s legal community say a secretive selection process that Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have launched to find a replacement for U.S. District…
Even the New York Times has now felt the need to editorialize on Idaho’s child support enforcement mess, urging Gov. Butch Otter to “promptly summon the Legislature back for a special session and give the full House a chance to correct their colleagues’ foolhardiness.” The…
State schools Superintendent Sherri Ybarra was asked by Idaho Education News if she’s advocating for a special session of the Legislature to address Idaho’s child support enforcement crisis; her response was non-committal. Here’s her statement: “There are many capable individuals in the Idaho Legislature, in…
Idaho Falls attorney Steve Taggart, in a column in the Idaho Politics Weekly newsletter that’s published by Zions Bank this week, takes on the main arguments raised against SB 1067, the child support enforcement bill, by Reps. Kathy Sims, Ron Nate and Lynn Luker in...
On tonight’s “Idaho Reports,” I join Jim Weatherby, Marty Peterson, Bill Manny and co-host Melissa Davlin to discuss the Idaho political developments of the past week, from prospects for a special session of the Legislature to anti-federalism and its role in Idaho’s political history. Also,...
There’s bad news for the West on the sage grouse front, Idaho Statesman Rocky Barker reports today: A new study led by a University of Idaho scientist shows sage grouse populations fell by more than half from 2007 to 2013. The study found that the…
Chobani, which operates one of the world’s largest yogurt factories in Twin Falls, is welcoming news that Greek-style yogurt has now been approved for school lunch menus nationwide starting this fall, the Twin Falls Times-News reports. Robert Post, Chobani’s senior director of nutrition and regulatory…
Bottles and glasses clinked on bar shelves and some residents reported pictures falling off their walls, but little damage was reported from a series of earthquakes that shook North Idaho last night, centered 14 miles southeast of Sandpoint. The three earthquakes, with magnitudes of 4.1,…
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