Category Archives: Idaho

Idaho, U.S.

58 wildfires in Eastern Idaho, and that’s before the official fire season began!

28 July 2012, fire fighters are still busy fighting numerous wild fires throughout eastern & southeastern Idaho. July is the official start to the wildfire season in Idaho, but so far 58 fires have raged since the beginning of the year!

27July 2012, new fire Fort Hall Reservation (east of Blackfoot), as seen from tens of miles to the southwest, looking northeast from the Simplot Don Plant.

According to the Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center (EIIFC) more acres have burned this year than in 2011, 2010 & 2009 combined!  And the official fire season is just starting!

On 27 July 2012, new fires popped up in the Fort Hall reservation northeast of Pocatello (east of Blackfoot). They’re called the Ridge Top, Stevens Peak, East Fire and Gibson Creek fires. Together they’ve burned 8,000 acres (3,237.4 hectares) in less than one day.

Fire officials blame the ongoing, 10+ years drought in Idaho, something the mainstream media seems to ignore when it comes to reporting drought conditions in the United States.

Local fire officials are concerned because most of the fires have yet to hit the tinder dry forests: “Our lower elevations right now are fairly critical. Our upper elevations in the timber, our large fuel, and the trees are drier than normal…”-Lynn Ballard, U.S. Forest Service eastern Idaho

EAST IDAHO WILDFIRES 2012: MAINTENANCE DAY FOR SKYCRANE FIRE FIGHTER @ POCATELLO AIRPORT

Business/Economics, Idaho, International, Technology, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Hoku Corporation voluntarily de-lists, chapter 11 coming soon, “Liquidate Hoku Materials”

“How much longer can Hoku Corp keep the tsunami of debt, liabilities, liens, foreclosures and material breaches of contract at bay? What’s the delay in filing for bankruptcy protection? I believe that it may be driven by their energetic attempts to sell their solar subsidiary before the much tighter restrictions on selling assets that would come under bankruptcy.”-Marco Mangelsdorf, ProVision Solar

Hoku Corporation, parent company of failed Hoku Materials in Pocatello, Idaho, voluntarily de-listed itself from NASDAQ, and will probably file chapter 11 bankruptcy.

On 29 June it was reported that Hoku Corp had enough cash for only nine weeks of operation!

“If Hoku is unable to secure additional financing, it believes it will need to seek protection in bankruptcy from its creditors and to liquidate and wind-down Hoku and Hoku Materials. “-Hoku SEC statement, 25 June 2012

Officials also said they were unable to complete required financial reports and would miss the filing deadline for the end of the fiscal year.

At the beginning of July 2012, Hoku Corp announced it would voluntarily de-list from NASDAQ.  This after NASDAQ stopped trading of Hoku stocks, after share price fell to below $1.00 back in December 2011.  Hoku said their de-listing would take place on 10 July.

Now, Hoku has been trading as a penny stock, and as of 17 July was worth only 4 cents per share!

HOKU CORP GOING BUST! POCATELLO WASTED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ON TAX BREAKS!  WHO’S GONNA BUY ALL THOSE NEW HOMES NOW MR MAYOR?

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Idaho’s Coldwater Creek struggles to keep head above water. Takes on more debts. One loan from company known for Mitt Romney style take overs!

“The proceeds of the Term Loan Agreement will be used for debt repayment, to finance the acquisition of working capital assets, and for other general corporate purposes.  On July 9, 2012, the Company used $14.8 million of the proceeds to repay its term loan with Wells Fargo Bank.”-Coldwater Creek statement

The struggling Sandpoint, Idaho based womens clothing retailer, Coldwater Creek, has been busy trying to save itself, through huge loans and stock tricks.

On 09 July 2012,  Coldwater Creek took a $65 million USD loan from Golden Gate Capital. Stockholders seemed happy that Coldwater Creek took on more debt, because the company stock went up, slightly, it’s still trading at less than one dollar.

Stocks trading at less than one dollar per share is in violation of NASDAQ rules, which means Coldwater Creek could be de-listed just like Hoku.

On 21 July, Coldwater Creek announced it was considering a stock split, in order to get it’s value above the magic one dollar mark.  NASDAQ has given Coldwater Creek until 11 December to bring up the value of its stock.

On 19 July stock prices were at a weak 68 cents per share. Officials with the Idaho clothing retailer hope that 1-3 split would raise the stock to $2.00 per share.  A 1-6 split could get it to $4.00.  A meeting was supposedly held on 25 July to consider the split.  But this is just tricks.

Notice in the above quote that Coldwater Creek says it paid down $14.8 million in debt to Wells Fargo. What they didn’t say is that they’ve negotiated another $70 million revolving credit deal with the same bank!

Back to Golden Gate Capital.  This finance company took over Eddie Bauer in 2009, and is part of a larger group that took over Collective Brands (which owns PayLess and StrideRite shoes).

Golden Gate Capital now holds 19.9% of Coldwater Creek stock, and put two of its own people on the board of directors of Coldwater Creek.

Back on 30 June, an analyst with The Motley Fool, gave three reasons to dump Coldwater Creek stock: Stiff competition, no profits since 2007 and tens of millions in debt!

Idaho, Technology

S-70 Firehawk caught in rain storm, Pocatello Airport 2012

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After weeks of hot dry weather, and lots of wildfires, eastern Idaho gets hit with random thunder/rain storms!

Click on pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

EAST IDAHO WILDFIRES 2012: MAINTENANCE DAY FOR SKYCRANE FIRE FIGHTER @ POCATELLO AIRPORT

Idaho, Technology

East Idaho Wildfires 2012: Maintenance day for Skycrane fire fighter @ Pocatello Airport

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Photos by AAron B. Hutchins. Pics get bigger when you click on them:

EAST IDAHO WILDFIRES 2012: CURRENT FIRES FOR 12 JULY

BUSY 30 MINUTES AT POCATELLO AIRPORT, AS FIRE FIGHTING AIRCRAFT FLY INTO ACTION

SIKORSKY SKYCRANE LEAVES POCATELLO AIRPORT FOR COX’S WELL FIRE

Idaho, U.S.

East Idaho Wildfires 2012: Current fires for 12 July

The following is a list of fires burning on 12 July 2012, from the Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center (EIIFC);

Butte City #2 Fire: 186 acres, began 11 July, 70% containment.

Midway Fire: Southeast of Experimental Breeder Reactor-1 (EBR-1). 8,900 acres, 25% containment.  Began 10 July.  One of my co-workers had to detour to Idaho Falls, as the fire shut down Highway 26 to Blackfoot.

Cedar Butte WSA Fire: 1,200 acres, began 11 July, 30% containment.

Ross Fire: Began 12 July, contained, less than one acre burned.

Rooster Rock Fire: Southwest of Pocatello, 2,500 acres, began 11 July, 90% contained.

Knox Canyon Fire: 600 acres, began 11 July, 35% contained.

However, I saw smoke from several fires, some maybe not mentioned in the EIIFC report.

12 July, smoke (from Knox Canyon Fire?) seen west of Pocatello Century High School (you know, the new one that looks like a prison). The hill in the foreground was burned during the 28 June 2012 Charlotte Fire.

12 July, smoke seen rising (hard to see in this pic) north of Simplot Don Plant (Cedar Butte WSA Fire?).

12 July, smoke seen rising about ten miles southwest of Pocatello Airport (Rooster Rock Fire?).

EAST IDAHO WILDFIRE 2012: BUSY 30 MINUTES AT POCATELLO AIRPORT, AS FIRE FIGHTING AIRCRAFT FLY INTO ACTION

Idaho, Technology

East Idaho Wildfire 2012: Busy 30 minutes at Pocatello Airport, as fire fighting aircraft fly into action

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The following pics (which you can make bigger by clicking on them) were taken by AAron B. Hutchins, within a thirty minutes period, at the Pocatello Regional Airport (USFS Air Tanker Base), on 12JUL2012, between 11:30 hours and 12:00 hours.

Remember, these pics were taken within a 30 minute period.

EAST IDAHO WILDFIRES 2012: MORE NEW FIRES ON 11 JULY, FIRE NEAR NUKE REACTOR, CRATERS OF THE MOON

Crews preping S-64 Skycrane to join in battle against Cox’s Well Fire. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins, 10JUL2012.

SIKORSKY SKYCRANE LEAVES POCATELLO AIRPORT FOR COX’S WELL FIRE

Idaho, U.S.

East Idaho Wildfires 2012: More new fires on 11 July, fire near nuke reactor, Craters of the Moon

11 July 2012, yesterday’s Cox’s Well Fire, near Springfield (east of Craters of the Moon National Monument), is supposedly 100% contained, although the EIIFC website is still showing 70% containment. Lightning is blamed.

But now several other fires have sprung up, because of lightning. Reports said there was a fire southwest of Atomic City, and a fire near the EBR-1 nuclear reactor.

EBR-1, ancient nuclear reactor in the middle of nowhere eastern Idaho. Near Midway Fire, which started on 10 July.

New fires reported on 11 July, by the Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center (EIIFC), are;

Old Grade Fire: Near Arco, they expect to have it controlled by 20:00 hours.

Butte City #2 Fire: 186 acres, no estimate on containment.

Cedar Butte WSA Fire: 1,200 acres, no estimate on containment.

Knox Canyon Fire: 600 acres, no further info.

Smoke from Knox Canyon Fire. Pic taken about 8 miles south of Arimo, on the north side of the Malad Pass, facing west.

Rooster Rock Fire: Southwest of Pocatello, 2,500 acres, extra fire fighting help has been called in.

Power County Assist #2 Fire: Power County Fire Department on scene.

Massacre Fire: Southwest of American Falls, 475 acres, 3 buildings destroyed, now contained.

Air Tractor fire fighter takes off from Pocatello Airport, as Skycrane undergoes maintenance after a busy day, 11 July 2012.

There are still fires burning from days ago;

Midway Fire: Southeast of Experimental Breeder Reactor-1 (EBR-1). 5,000 acres, no estimation on containment.  Began 10 July.

Box Canyon Fire: 380 acres, 50% containment, northwest of EBR-1. Started 09 July.

 

 

 

Idaho, Technology

East Idaho Wildfires 2012: Sikorsky Skycrane leaves Pocatello Airport for Cox’s Well Fire

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Click on pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make them bigger: