Category Archives: Idaho

Idaho, U.S.

What Global Warming? Winter like weather shuts off water for residents of Chubbuck, Idaho (has pictures)

The morning of November 5, hundreds of Chubbuckians awoke to no water in the their taps.  This after a small overnight snow storm (a little early for the Pocatello/Chubbuck area).

chubbuck water break, nov 5,2011The water main break happened in front of a residence and the Saint Paul Catholic Church, on West Chubbuck Road.

The water had blasted its way down a full city block, flowing over the sidewalks.

water main break chubbuck nov 5,2011Weekend city crews were working hard to solve the problem.  As of  15:00 hours (3pm Mountain time) they began opening up fire hydrants throughout the affected neighborhoods.

backhoe water break

Good thing we got snow; time to start collecting buckets of snow so we can flush our toilets! (actually water was flowing through the taps again by 16:00 hours/4pm Mountain time)

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Corporate Incompetence: East Idaho train company fails to report derailment of Propane carrying cars

“Upon us looking at it, we found that two rail cars had splits in their outer tank.”-Corey Child, Madison Fire Department Fire Chief

“Somebody really dropped the ball on this one.”-Randy Lewis, Rexburg Police Captain

On October 7, a train pulling cars full of gasoline and propane experienced some of the cars jumping the tracks.  Two of the tankers were full of propane, two other tankers had just been emptied of gasoline.  Authorities were never notified.

Local fire officials found out by word of mouth. When they investigated they found two tanker cars with splits.  HAZMAT crews were called in.

Federal Railroad Administration is now investigating.  The train is owned by Eastern Idaho Railroad.  Officials with the train company said they didn’t think it was a big deal.

 

Idaho, U.S.

United Police States of America: Idaho school official searches car after smelling tobacco smoke

A former student is suing after a Timberline High School principal illegally searched his car.  The reason for the search was that the principal smelled tobacco smoke on the student.

The search revealed brass knuckles, and a pipe that could have been used for marijuana.  The student pled guilty to having drug paraphernalia, and concealed weapon.

The student claims the search was illegal because he was 18 at the time, meaning he was of legal age to smoke tobacco, voiding the principal’s authority to search the car on the grounds of smelling tobacco smoke.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Occupy America! East Idaho elderly threaten politicians if their earned Social Security benefits are cut

“Seniors aren’t just numbers.  They’re not line items in a budget, and they’re certainly not pushovers.  Idaho seniors are watching Congress today, and so are 50 million other Americans.  We’ve got news for them: They will hold them accountable on election day for their actions.”– David Irwin, Idaho AARP

“Healthcare costs keep soaring, right along with everything else.  I pay my Medicare premiums like everybody else.  Without this coverage I’d be deeply in debt.” Also, “So Crapo and Simpson have my message and received it today.  There will be a lot more messages like mine in the future, and I hope they pay attention.”-Gene Wiggers, east Idaho AARP volunteer

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? East Idaho home sales suck, so sellers are turning vacant homes into temp rentals, boom for Home Tenders

“People don’t build a 5,000 square foot home to turn it into a rental, but we have a number of those in the community right now.”-Clint Collins, Idaho Falls Rentals

The home sales market is so bad in eastern Idaho that many sellers are turning to temporarily renting out their vacant houses.  To give you an idea of how bad; in October, 2010, Idaho Falls Rentals took on four houses for rent.  Then in July, 2011, eighteen homes, then in August another seventeen.  That’s just one east Idaho property management company!

The plus side for “Home Tender” renters is that they can get a big home for less than the usual rent, but the down side is they have to move out as soon as it sells.

 

Idaho, U.S.

United Police States of America: Man loses hearing because of Idaho police brutality

“…a skull fracture and so he had bleeding coming out of his ear and out of his nose…. And probably one of the worst things he had was hearing loss, because the fracture went very close to one of his ears.”-Richard Hearn, attorney & medical doctor

A man is suing the Pocatello Police Department, after suffering a skull fracture, affecting his hearing, after being tased on February 20, 2011.

According to his attorney, who’s also a medical doctor, he was pulled over by police, but panicked when the police grabbed him.  He ran and the police yelled they would tase him if he didn’t stop.  He complied but the cops tased him anyway.  He fell to the ground hitting his head on the sidewalk.  One of the cops hit him in the head as well.  He was life flighted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

A local east Idaho TV station tried to get reaction from the Pocatello Police Department, but the only person authorized to talk about the case is on vacation.

 

 

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

United Police States of America: Idaho Republicans give away contract to Private Prison Tech company, who then double bills Idaho taxpayers

According to Idaho media reports, the executive director for the Idaho Republican Party, Jonathan Parker, is accused of helping AnalyzeSoft (a tech company that makes tracking devices for prisoners) get a big contract from Idaho Governor Butch Otter.

AnalyzeSoft is now barred from doing business with Idaho for at least one year, after it was discovered that they double billed for their services.  Idaho taxpayers were charged $2 million for an incomplete prisoner tracking system!

On top of that, five of AnalyzeSoft’s employees are barred from doing any work for the state, ever!

Under Idaho rules, contractors must bid for contracts with the state.  Not only did they double bill taxpayers, but apparently AnalyzeSoft was handed the contract without bidding.

 

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Unemployed young men in Idaho more than national average

According to Federal numbers, the percentage of unemployed young men in Idaho is more than the national average.

In 2009 the national average was 17%, in Idaho it hit 20%!  Idaho’s 2010 rate was around 18%.

Unemployment claims are down, but according to Idaho Labor Department officials that’s because people just don’t qualify for unemployment assistance anymore.  One official said about 100 people per week are falling off the state unemployment assistance simply because they’ve exceeded the time limit.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Idaho dental insurer to cut payments

Delta Dental of Idaho is going to cut insurance payments to dentists by as much as 13%.

Delta officials say they have to do it to keep costs down to employers who offer their employees the Delta Dental plan.

Idaho dentists say they will have to jack up prices to make up the difference.  One dentist says the cuts took him by surprise: “In the past, Delta Dental has been a great partner with dentists. This is a little out of the blue. I’ve never seen this before.”-Don Wyatt

Delta Dental of Washington state cut payments back in April, by as much as 15%!

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

Incompetence or Conspiracy? Idaho Real Estate web sites, and even Wikipedia, list Micron as the biggest employer in Boise

The computer chip maker Micron Technology is in big trouble, and since 2009 isn’t even the second biggest employer in Boise, Idaho.  Yet, Idaho real estate agent web sites, which encourage out’a staters to move to Idaho, continue to list Micron as the top employer.  Other web sites, and blogs, list the number of Boise Micron employees at 15,000!  Even a check of Wikipedia’s section on Boise still claims that Micron is the top employer.

Micron hasn’t been the top employer ever since 2009, after lay offs cut their Boise work force down to about 5,000.  And that’s according to a September 2011 Idaho Statesman report.  Also, the Idaho Statesman says Micron’s peak Boise employment of about 15,000 happened a decade ago!

To make matters worse, Micron is losing money.  They lost $135 million in the third quarter of this year.  On top of that they’re about to get hit with a court judgment for price fixing.  That judgement could be as high as $11.9 billion.

Micron recently told investors that such a fine would further degrade future operations, and, they admitted they don’t even have any money to pay such a fine!

So why are Idaho real estate companies, web media sites, bloggers, and even Wikipedia still promoting Micron as the top employer in Boise?  Conspiracy, or incompetence?