Category Archives: Idaho

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.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Global Warming? Cooler wetter weather damaging Idaho cherry crop, expect prices to go up

 

“We still have quite a few cherries (in this year’s crop), but it’s down from what I normally see. Maybe two-thirds of what we had last year.”-Paul Pinard, cherry farmer Emmett, Idaho

Because of a lack of global warming in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, there are going to be a lot fewer cherries, and a lot later.  The cooler than normal weather is affecting the $573 million cherry market.

cherry chubbuck

Chubbuck, Idaho, July 2, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year, in Washington, Idaho, Montana and Utah, as many as 7 million boxes of cherries were packed.  This year the commercial cherry farmers will be lucky to get 2 million.

On top of that, cherry picking season ends in June, but not this year, many cherries aren’t even ready.

I can vouch for that.  I have a cherry tree, and I’ve been wondering what the heck is going on.  Not only have the cherries not fully developed, but they’re shriveling and dying.  Normally, by the end of May I’m swamped with too many cherries for me and my kids to eat, but this year…it looks like nothing.

shriveled cherry

Chubbuck, Idaho, July 2, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another factor in driving up prices for cherries, is that demand is up.

But it’s not just Cherries that are being negatively affected.  The asparagus picking started late, and northwest growers associations are reporting delays in melons, peaches and corn.

cherry pityful

 

 

 

 

 

So even if you try to grow your own, to keep from paying higher prices at he store, Mother Earth just won’t let it happen.

Idaho, Opinion, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Idaho drug & prostitution crimes up

The Idaho State Police released the 2010 crime stats, and surprisingly the number of most types of crimes, statewide, went down, including violent crime.

But there was an increase in “crimes against society”, of which drug and prostitution crimes made up the most.  Crimes Against Society include drug crimes, prostitution, pornography crimes, weapons crimes and gambling crimes.

There was a 7.3% increase in overall Crimes Against Society in 2010, with drug crimes seeing a 8% increase, and prostitution seeing a 54.5% increase.

The top three drug crimes in Idaho are: Possessing/Concealing, Using/Consuming and Distributing/Selling, in that order.

Idaho saw not only an increase in adults being arrested for drug crimes, but juveniles as well.  There doesn’t seem to be a favorite drug, based on confiscation numbers.  Some numbers went down while others went up.

The ISP report doesn’t give much more information on prostitution crimes, other than demographic information (more men arrested than women).

I’m wondering if the increase in drug crimes, and prostitution, are a reflection of the bad economic situation in Idaho?  Crime reports don’t normally deal with the “why” of a crime, the Law doesn’t usually care about that.

For a detailed PDF of the report go to the Idaho State Police web site.

 

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Eastern Idaho has increase in people needing help with housing

“People aren’t feeling as comfortable getting a mortgage because they don’t know for sure what the future of their employment is going to be.”-Debra Hemmert, Southeastern Idaho Community Action Agency

In the Pocatello area, Hemmert says the amount of people asking for help with housing has doubled this year.

Sheryl Bailey, with the Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership, says they’re seeing the same thing in the Idaho Falls area.

There is no state taxpayer funded housing assistance program in Idaho.  There is the Idaho Housing and Finance Association, which offers Federal HUD Section 8 assistance program, but only in 34 of Idaho’s 44 counties.  Also, the IHFA has two apartment units, one in Idaho Falls, the other in Kellogg.

The city of Boise, and the county of Ada, run a joint Housing Authority, which actually serves as a way to match people with Federally funded government programs, and non-profit assistance.  Most housing assistance in Idaho comes from non-profits who rely on donations and government grants.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Global Warming? Cold, wet weather spreads fungus through Idaho wheat

The cooler, wet spring might finally be over, but it left behind a threat to Idaho’s wheat crop.

The fungus is called ‘stripe rust’, and is spreading so fast that farmers are crop dusting like crazy with fungicides.  “If you wait until you have it, it’s almost too late. It will choke off the plant and cause the wheat to shrivel in the head.”-Tom Holm, Bonneville County farmer

Holm points out that wheat prices are already high. Farmers might lose out if they lose their crop, but less wheat on the market will only drive the price up even more for consumers.

 

Idaho, U.S.

What Global Warming? Idaho has record snowpack levels, and it’s summer! Guarantees more flooding

According to surveyors from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, June 1 had Idaho breaking record snowpack levels.   Normally most of Idaho’s mountain snowpack melts off by the end of May.  This year’s cold wet spring has delayed that, and actually added to some the mountain snowpacks.

In eastern Idaho, Two Ocean Plateau’s snowpack is at 113% of peak average, as of June 28.  What global warming?

The concern now is that temperatures are finally warming up to what is normal for the time of the year, which means all that snow is gonna melt and just continue the flooding that’s already taking place.

The same is true of snowpacks in the Rockies, and other western U.S. mountain ranges.  This is why officials have warned the flooding from the Missouri River could last through the month of August.

Business/Economics, Idaho, International, Opinion, Technology

Japan not number one when it comes to computer skills, girls better at digital reading, computer use at school of little value, Idaho needs to get their act together

A survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows which countries are the top for computer/internet skills among teenagers.

Japan did not come in first.  South Korean teenagers are number one in computer/internet skills, followed by New Zealand, Australia, then Japan and Hong Kong/China.

The OECD study looked at the digital reading comprehension and computer operating skills of 15 year olds.  16 countries were involved with the study, the United States did not take part.   It turns out that girls are better at digital reading than boys (studies show that girls are better at print reading as well).

A surprising find was that use of computers in schools showed little benefit.  It could be because they aren’t used at school as much as at home.  The study showed that most teenagers learn their computer skills at home, not at school.

“But computer use at school had little impact on results, while using a computer at home had a more marked impact on results. To help students at school, computer use should be integrated into curricula and more invested in training teachers to use them for teaching and to help students learn, says the OECD.”

I can attest to that.  Almost every year here in Idaho, the Albertsons Foundation gives our schools new computers.  One year, right before the start of the school year, I was visiting Chubbuck Elementary school to meet one of my daughters teachers.  The teacher was busy trying to set up some of the new computers, she was also complaining about it.  She admitted that she didn’t “understand the things” and tried “not using them at all”.   Over their elementary school years, my daughters, and my son, confirmed that most of the teachers did not allow them to use the donated computers.  My kids learned their computer skills from me and their mother (passed away).   We did so well that I have to go to my now adult kids for help with any computer problems.

The state of Idaho is pushing a new computer system on our schools, they hope to give high school students their own laptops.  I’ve already read stories of how other states have done the same thing, then actually used those laptops to spy on the kids while they where at home.  This new study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development blows holes in the argument by some education officials that pushing more computers in schools is the answer for our country’s educational disaster.  In fact the study proves that kids learn better at home.  It’s too bad most parents don’t have the luxury of home schooling.