Category Archives: Idaho

Business/Economics, Idaho

What Economic Recovery: Idaho unemployment edged up, still at 9.4%, almost no new jobs created in June

Even though Idaho’s unemployment rate is still 9.4% (for several months now) it actually edged up by 500 newly unemployed, for the month of June.

To make matters worse, the Idaho Department of Labor says most of the 15,000 people who found jobs in June, are filling existing positions.  In other words almost no new jobs were created.

Sadly the 15,000 who found work is the highest number since October 2010, yet still far below the average hirings before the 2007/8 credit crisis.

Idaho officials also said that 1,800 unemployed people stopped looking for work in June.

Idaho, U.S.

What Global Warming? E Coli contamination in Idaho blamed on cooler than normal weather

An outbreak of e.coli in the water at Sandy Point Beach, at the Lucky Peak State Park in Idaho, could be caused by colder than normal weather.

Officials with Parks and Recreation think cold weather delayed the circulation of water through the swimming area.

Because winter like conditions lasted well into spring, the Army Corps of Engineers were not able to create the usual lagoon current, that normally flushes out the swimming area.  The result is that officials suspect geese droppings built up in the water, resulting in high levels of e.coli.

The swimming area is now being flushed.

Idaho, U.S.

Government Incompetence: Idaho officials fail to post adequate warning signs for E Coli, people swimming in contaminated water

At the beginning of July, Idaho’s Department of Environmental Quality issued a no swimming warning for Sandy Point Beach, at Lucky Peak State Park, because of e.coli.

Officials claim warning signs are posted, but people who’re swimming in the contaminated water say “what signs?”:   “We stopped and we were looking, we were looking for any kind of anything.”-Loretta Vincent of Boise

“We were swimming and had been swimming for quite some time before they finally came and told us.”-Claudia Craw of Meridian

Idaho, Opinion, U.S.

Government Coverup? Idaho police cleared of killing man who was shot several times

On June 17, Idaho Falls police officers tried to apprehend a man wanted for failing to pay fines, and probation violation.  It ended after the man shot one cop, who lived thanks to his bullet proof vest, then the other police returned fire, shooting the suspect at least six times.

The official investigation said the police fired in self defense.  The shots fired by police hit the man in the neck, shoulders and abdomen.  The official investigation claims that the suspect shot himself in the head, after being shot multiple times by the police.  Here’s the problem: The police officers’ own official statements say they do not recall seeing the suspect shoot himself!  Mmmm

 

Fukushima, Idaho

Idaho EPA RadNet sites not working

14 July 2011, I tried to access the Idaho Department of Environmental EPA RadNet site.  All I got was a “Server Error” message.

I then tried accessing the Idaho Falls RadNet site, directly through the Environmental Protection Agency’s web site.  I got an EPA page that said “The requested item was not found on the EPA’s Web Server”.

Fukushima, Idaho, U.S.

Government Coverup: Radiation from Japan hitting the United States!

“Iodine level in the rain in Idaho in the United States were 130 times that standard… we are very concerned that radioactive cesium was many times above the standard as well.”–Gerry Pollet, Heart of America Northwest

When the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors exploded in Japan, U.S. officials ensured the public that they would increase radiation monitoring.  I’ve reported in earlier postings that most EPA RadNet sites in the western U.S. are shut down, and that other sites can give only limited results.

Now a group based in Washington, Heart of America Northwest, has done their own investigations into contaminated drinking water in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

In a previous posting I suggested that the people of concerned communities need to get together and have their own testing done, on plants, water and soil, even their own urine.  This is what the Japanese have been forced to do, no thanks to the incompetence of their national government.  It’s been those grass roots citizen groups in Japan that have been revealing the truth about the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Heart of America Northwest also has some warnings about current nuclear waste programs in the Pacific Northwest, like the dumping of nuke waste in unlined pits.

Idaho, U.S.

Evil Cops: Idaho officials rig forensic lab results, thousands of drug convictions now questioned! How many innocent people went to prison?

After an internal investigation, the Idaho State Police (ISP) discovered that technicians working at the ISP Region 5 Forensics Lab in Pocatello, Idaho, may have tampered with illegal drugs testing.

The ISP actually conducted the investigation some time ago, and is only now going public.  Three lab technicians were put on leave, but then they resigned in June.

ISP documents show that the lab techs were concealing illegal drugs in the Region 5 Lab.  Testing done at that lab was used as evidence in drug related cases.  One lab tech is said to have kept a box of drugs stashed above the ceiling tiles.

The illegal conduct of the lab techs now raise questions about drug convictions going back to 2003.

Idaho

E.coli hits Idaho recreation area

Idaho’s Department of Environmental Quality issued a no swimming warning for Sandy Point Beach, at Lucky Peak State Park.  The reason is high levels of e.coli bacteria.

Officials say that other beach areas at the park are OK for swimming.

As of now they don’t know where the e.coli is coming from, but the potentially deadly bacteria normally originates in human/animal feces.

 

Idaho, U.S.

Idaho cuts Medicaid again, limits choice of providers, gets sued

Idaho’s slash and burning of Medicaid continues.  The latest cuts are taking away $34 million in state funding.

Idaho began their destruction of Medicaid services last year.  By October of 2010 a total of $105 million in state and federal cuts hit Idaho’s Medicaid program.

Some Idaho dentists say they are providing free services, out of sympathy for patients who’re being denied needed services, because of Idaho’s cuts.  Idaho lawmakers claim the cuts to the Medicaid dental program do not affect “necessary” dental services, but, dentists point out that many of the treatments being hit by funding cuts actually prevent more serious conditions, and would be more cost effective.

On top of that Idaho is now limiting providers, in some cases only one provider is allowed.  This has resulted in a lawsuit, brought by two disabled men and their families.  It could turn into a class action suit.

The new Idaho rules actually violate federal laws which protect a patient’s right to choose which provider they want.

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Corporate officials used Idaho unemployment funds to float their companies

According to the Idaho Department of Labor, corporate executives based in Idaho, used unemployment benefits to float their companies (because of the bad economy).

The executives, who own their companies, would apply for unemployment benefits claiming they had lost their executive position.  They would then use the money to float the company that they held controlling stock in.  It was all legal.

As of now they can’t do that anymore.  Idaho lawmakers created a new law that says corporate executives applying for unemployment benefits must prove they have no ownership in the company they had worked for.  The new law affects about 30,000 executives in Idaho.

However, the new law allows corporate executives to stop paying into the corporate unemployment system.  In Idaho unemployment taxes are paid by employers, not employees, but employers can be eligible for a refund.