Officials with Idaho's solar energy industry say they want to pay taxes on the energy they produce, not property taxes – a system that already applies to other renewable energy developers, the AP reports. The Solar Energy Task Force, a legislative interim panel, met Monday…
Idaho’s state Board of Education met today to vote on a series of complex and mostly technical rule changes, and all were approved without opposition. They included one that drew comments at public hearings in North Idaho and in Canyon County regarding student testing, but...
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter last week met with the consul general of Azerbaijan to discuss trade, agriculture, technology and tourism. The Idaho State Journal reports (http://goo.gl/jGGl9N ) that consul general Nasimi Aghayev…
The League of Women Voters of Idaho is launching a ballot initiative drive to lower Idaho's sales tax from 6 percent to 5 percent, while eliminating an array of exemptions and expanding the tax to cover most services - which would have the result of…
Tonight’s “Idaho Reports” on Idaho Public Television focuses on water and climate issues; also, I join Jim Weatherby, Rocky Barker, and co-hosts Aaron Kunz and Melissa Davlin on the pundits panel to discuss everything from water and ski area snowmaking to refugee resettlement and Idaho’s…
The Idaho Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a Pennsylvania man who wanted Idaho courts to declare that he has the right to bear arms – because a past felony rape conviction in Idaho had been reduced to a misdemeanor – on technical grounds.…
Gov. Butch Otter announced today that he’s signed an executive order waiving inspection fees for state electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits for reconstruction of commercial and residential buildings damaged by this year’s wildfires in Clearwater, Idaho and Lewis counties. “Now that residents and business owners…
Good news for Boise skiers: Bogus Basin announced today that it’ll have a partial opening on Friday and remain open through Sunday for the holiday weekend. Both the No. 1 Deer Point and the Coach chairs will be running, and a terrain park will be…
The town of Wilder near the Idaho-Oregon border has a population of 1,500 that is about 75 percent Hispanic, and it broke political barriers early this month by electing its first all-Latino city council, the AP reports. Community advocates say recent changes in the tiny…
Idaho’s state Land Board voted unanimously today to reaffirm its commitment to the state’s conservation strategy for sage grouse, despite differences between the state plan and newly issued federal land-use restrictions that accompanied the September decision not to list the bird as endangered. Idaho is...
Idaho’s Department of Lands has shifted into high gear for salvage timber sales after this summer’s devastating forest wildfires, state Lands Director Tom Schultz told the Land Board today, putting together and marketing salvage timber sales for 83.5 million board feet of timber – roughly…
Idaho’s state Board of Examiners, which consists of the governor, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of State, has approved an additional payment of $34,502.70 to the attorneys who successfully represented four same-sex couples in their lawsuit challenging Idaho’s ban on gay marriage. That’s on…
The Cassia County Commission has approved audio recordings of their weekly business meetings after the board was caught violating government transparency laws. The Times-News reports that commissioners voted Monday to approve the practice. Recordings will be embedded in the minutes of their meetings on the county's website...
Boise attorney David W. “Tony” Cantrill has been named the new executive director of the Idaho Judicial Council, succeeding the retiring Jim Carlson, who has served in the post since 2011. Cantrill will start on Dec. 1. The Idaho Judicial Council screens candidates for state...
GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz has named Idaho state Treasurer Ron Crane as his Idaho state chairman, and former state GOP Chairman Norm Semanko as his state campaign director. “Idaho is an important state for us, and with Ron serving as our chairman and Norm…
The U.S. Forest Service is spending just over $1 million in northern Idaho to shore up areas scorched by massive wildfires last summer. The agency on Monday announced the plan for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests aimed at stabilizing roads and trails, preventing erosion, keeping out invasive species and removing hazard...
The Spokane Interfaith Council has invited Idaho Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, to a “Meet the Neighbors” event at the Spokane Islamic Center in January, in response to her legislative newsletter calling for a special session of the Idaho Legislature on refugee issues and declaring that…
The Idaho Community Foundation has named a new president and CEO to replace Bob Hoover, the former University of Idaho president who is retiring after nearly seven years with the foundation. Karen Bilowith, currently president and CEO of a four-county community foundation in Albany, N.Y.,…
Parking at meters in downtown Boise will be free on Friday for the “Black Friday” shopping day, the city announced today. The city wants to “encourage shoppers to take advantage of the more than 300 retail and restaurant locations in the downtown area.” Regular rates…
A number of national news reports have recently claimed that no one who came to the U.S. as a refugee has ever been arrested for anything related to terrorism. We in Idaho know that’s not the case, as Fazliddin Kurbanov was convicted in August of…
Idaho’s open range laws have long held motorists fully liable when they hit livestock, and the laws are drawing more attention after the accident in which a couple hit a bull owned by rancher Jack Yantis of Council, which triggered a shocking turn of events…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — Officials are considering a controversial proposal to swap federal land for private timberland in the upper Lochsa River basin. The Lewiston Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/1MMc8um ) Republican Sen. Jim Risch is holding a meeting…
A thousand people rallied in front of the Capitol on Saturday on refugees – 700 attending a rally supporting refugee resettlement, and 300 at a counter-protest opposing it on security grounds, the Idaho Statesman reports. The dueling rallies ran from 11 a.m. to about 1....
Idaho should continue its current system of sending money out to school districts to contract for their own broadband service for another school year, the Legislature’s Broadband Access Study Committee declared today, while longer-term proposals are enacted and implemented. The lawmakers voted unanimously in favor...
The Legislature’s Broadband Access Study Committee has passed two more motions. First, Rep. Greg Chaney, R-Caldwell, made a motion to let school districts "opt out" if they want. Other members argued that was unnecessary, as all that has been discussed was making resources available to…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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