Category Archives: Idaho

Idaho, International

What Global Warming? Cooler weather delays East Idaho road construction, What Economic Recovery? Lack of funds will reduce Idaho road construction

“Every time we tried to schedule something, we had a storm come through. With the temperature and the moisture, you just can’t do it.”-James Orner, Idaho Transportation Department

Temperatures are finally warming up in eastern Idaho, and ITD officials hope to get ongoing road construction finished, and start new ones.

But just as the weather is warming up for ITD, funding is running out: “In the next few years, we’re going to see a rapid decline in the amount of construction that’s going to be available because there’s less funding available. With gas prices going up, people are driving less, and it’s affecting our revenues.”-Corey Krantz, Idaho Transportation Department

Funding for ITD comes, in part, from state gas taxes.    

Idaho, Opinion, U.S.

What Global Warming? U.S. ABC, NBC & CBS News ignores cooling trend in Pacific Northwest

Climate change? Yes!  Global Warming? Doubtful, if your from the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

For the past few days we’ve been getting tired of hearing American Broadcast Company (not to be confused with Australian Broadcasting Corporation) news talk about the heat wave affecting “America”: “One week into June, America is in the grip of pulverizing summer heat…”-Diane Sawyer, ABC.

The National Broadcasting Company used The Weather Channel forecaster Kelly Cass, standing in front of a weather map which showed, deceptively, the Pacific Northwest in warm yellow temperatures.

At least CBS (formerly known as Columbia Broadcasting System) specified the heat wave was “…across about two thirds of the nation…”, instead of trying to make it look like it was the whole country.

I’m also getting tired of hearing experts on international news sources say this “heat” is proof of global warming. Well it ain’t hot in the Pacific Northwest!  It’s not even close to normal!

The average high temperature for Idaho, in June, is 77 Fahrenheit.  Today, June 8, in the cities of Pocatello and Chubbuck the official high was 56 (according to the Pocatello International Airport)!  Tomorrow’s forecasted high is 53 to 62 (depending on the National Weather Service, The Weather Channel, or Idaho Falls TV station KIFI)!  Add to that the rain we’re getting.  The average number of rainy days in June, for Idaho, is seven.  We are about to break that average.

The point is, the U.S. Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana) have been cooler than normal, by at least 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

The term Global Warming means a unified warming of the entire planet.  There are many places on Earth that are NOT warming.  What is going on is Climate Change.  Why does mainstream media keep harping on this Global Warming thing, and it’s all human’s fault because of their green house gasses, when there are places that are actually cooling down?  In fact there are reports that contradict the claims that the Earth is warming up.

Business/Economics, Idaho

What Economic Recovery? Pocatello city budget now cutting Muscle

The city of Pocatello, in eastern Idaho, is trying to figure out how to cut $2 million from its budget.  The mayor says they’ve already trimmed all the fat: “What fat there was we’ve cut and now we’re starting to cut into muscle.”-Brian Blad, Pocatello Mayor

So far city officials have decided to cut $150,000 from the police force.  More meetings are scheduled to figure out what else to cut.

Local media reports say the city is hoping to see an increase in property tax revenues.  That’s highly unlikely since Idaho leads the U.S. in falling home prices.  Officials might be overly optimistic, or maybe they’re planing to increase taxes?

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Answer to Idaho Coupon Thieves: Shop at Fred Meyer or Smiths

Recently Idaho newspaper circulation directors speculated that the increase in thefts of newspaper coupons were due, in part, to people trying to save money and deal with high gas prices.

Here’s a solution, that unfortunately for me ends up being free promotion for two stores; shop at Fred Meyer or Smiths.

Both these stores give away thousands of free in store coupons.  Also, if you join their points club (free to join) you get discounts on their already competitive gas prices, and a quarterly rebate based on how much you shop during that quarter.

Actually, at the Fred Meyer in Pocatello, their gas prices are usually the cheapest, even before the points discount for club members (again the club is free to join).   Take advantage, save some money, and don’t be a coupon thief!

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Idaho investor guilty of $76 million Ponzi scheme

Daren Palmer plead guilty, in a Federal court in Pocatello, Idaho, to running a ponzi scheme which cost investors $76 million.

The FBI spent two years investigating, and last month criminal charges were filed against Palmer.  He will be sentenced in August.

The SEC, and CFTC filed civil cases against Palmer, which resulted in an order for Palmer to pay fines and restitution of $90 million.

U.S. Federal attorney’s say Palmer wanted to plead guilty last year.  Some of his neighbors were in the Federal courtroom when he plead guilty, they say he’s a nice guy and believe he just “made a mistake”.

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? People stealing newspaper coupons in Idaho

“The people who are doing it, I guess they wouldn’t consider themselves a criminal. They are just trying to save money.”-Matt Davidson, publisher

The Idaho Statesman reporting a trend making an appearance in Idaho; people stealing newspaper coupons from newspaper vending machines.

“It is becoming a real problem on Sundays because of the value of the coupons and the local interest in couponing over the last few months.”-Frank Peak, newspaper circulation director

In the Boise area, newspaper staff, who stock the vending machines, noticed that many of the Sunday papers were still in the machines but missing the coupons.  They eventually caught one woman, who tried to use the excuse that no one uses them anyway.

Frank Peak says there are several reasons people are stealing coupons, one being the new ‘reality’ TV show “Extreme Couponing”.  Other reasons are the price of gas and the bad economy.

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Idaho leads United States in falling Home Prices

There’s been more news about the continued falling home prices in the U.S.  One company that tracks those prices says Idaho is the biggest loser.

Corelogic reports that for April 2011, Idaho home prices fell 15.2% compared to April 2010.  It’s also twice the current average for the entire United States.

According to the Center of Business Research and Economic Development at Boise State University, most of Idaho’s home sales, prior to the housing market bubble burst, were actually being driven by “second home” buying and real estate speculation.

When the bubble burst those kind of sales stopped.  Now Idaho is looking at a more realistic picture of property sales, which is reflecting the overall bad economy.

Idaho, U.S.

Idaho’s Mike Simpson says “reforming” Medicare will get GOP “beat up” in elections, but it’s worth it

U.S. Congressman Mike Simpson, from Idaho’s 2nd District, admitted that the Republican party will get beat up in future elections, for Medicare reforms: “We knew that the first person that threw something on the table was going to get the living crap beat out of them, we might be beat up in the elections in the future.  But you got to be willing to take that if you want to reform the system.”

Simpson is supporting House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s reform bill, which would replace Medicare with federal subsidies to buy private health insurance.  I know people who got tricked into switching to privately run Medicare programs (private insurance) and they regret it.  Even the AARP is against it.

When Simpson says the GOP will be beat up in future elections, because of their Medicare reforms, who does he think will be doing the beating?  The voters of course!  So in a round about way Simpson is admitting that Republicans are not doing what the voters want!