Idaho Statesman: Boise State wins Pac-10 wrestling championship
Kelly Sweeney
The Boise State Broncos wrestling team, yet again, was able to bring back the Pacific 10 Conference title this weekend from Corvallis. The Boise State Broncos tallied a score of 147 points, enough for first place. There were 7 broncos that are able to continue on to NCAA’s next weekend. This weekend’s top story was about Boise States Kirk Smith. Smith has been ranked 1st in the nation this entire year up until this weekend. Due to his high ankle sprain from his first match against Oregon State, he was unable to compete in the final dual against Oklahoma State and chose to forfeit. Coach Greg Randall said that Smith would have only been able to wrestle at 50 % in the final dual if he would have gone. It was better to give him a rest instead of risking even a worse injury. There were four Boise State Champions that brought home their own gold this weekend including Andrew Hochstrasser (133 pounds), junior Jason Chamberlain (149), senior Adam Hall (157) and senior Kurt Swartz (165). Hall was able to beat number 4 rank from Arizona State in overtime. Coach Randall said that Hall wrestled very smart and well. He was able to tire out his opponent and take the win. There were only two broncos that may not get the bid to the NCAA’s who took fifth and sixth place at the duals this weekend. Stay tuned for the news on the Broncos at the NCAA’s next week.
NFL COMBINE-The Dream Begins The NFL season has been over for about a month now, but the off season is just getting warmed up. This week is the NFL combine; to even be invited to this is a great honor. The combine can help determine where you go in the NFL draft. The better you perform the better chances you have of being drafted and having your longtime dream come true. Not every player is guaranteed to make it to the NFL. All the hard work and dedication these young players have put into their football skills will have to show to get a chance in the big time. The combine this year has been much anticipated, there was 71 reporters at the event that is a record for the press. Some of the main players that were being watched this year were Cam Newton from Auburn, Julio Jones, from Alabama and Mark Ingram from Alabama. They are preformed pretty well for the combine. Cam Newton quarterback was under a microscope the whole combine. Winning the National Championship and the Heisman trophy, has raised expectations. Newton went 11 for 21 in his throwing practice, he ran a 4.59 on the 40-yard dash, had a 35 inch vertical leap. Overall he did well but he did not impress the scouts very much. Threw is all he may have lowered his draft stock. Despite all of this Cam is expected to be drafted in the first round probably late in it but he will still get in.
Nampa high school students join walkout to protest Luna bills, support teachers - Idaho Statesman
On Monday February 28th a couple hundred Nampa students left school at 8:30 to protest Luna bills. Many of these students were from the three Nampa high schools, but there was a group that walked from Kuna high school. Students said that they were not too worried about being disciplined for leaving class because they were making their voices heard. Around half of the students who walked out of class and protested had parents call in and excuse them from class. Some students returned to class because they were told they would be marked truant if they were not in class. Students came together on the road of Nampa high school and protested through first period. As some of these students went back to class, others kept on going to Northwest Nazarene University and then to City Hall. There were three main things that onlookers saw that the students wanted. The many students didn’t want teachers to be laid off, they don’t want increases in class sizes, and they don’t want to be required to take online classes and receive laptops. The things that were heard from the protesters were, “What do we want,” “Teachers,” “When do we want them,” “Now.” Another chant was, “Down with Luna.” A Nampa police sergeant followed a group of students from Columbia High School as they walked three miles to City Hall. He made sure that the students stayed safe on the roadway. In the next two years, Luna’s plans would get rid of about 800 teachers. Luna has said that his plan allows districts to reward the great teachers and get rid of those who aren’t doing their jobs.
Vicious high school labor has gone digital. Last week, Pennsylvania State Police said a Facebook user created an online forum on the social networking site titled "Beaver County Hoez." On it, the anonymous user posted photos of girls and young women from Beaver County and included sexually overt captions and fictitious accounts of sexual encounters. Many of the girls were labeled "hoez." State police announced last Wednesday they were launching an investigation and that they were working with Facebook to pull the plug on the site. It was removed sometime late Wednesday evening, though it was unclear if police intervention prompted that. Unfortunately for those who were featured on the site, though, it was too late. Word of site spread like wildfire through school hallways, prompting sneers and harassment from classmates. In the short time the site was up, it was viewed by more than three thousand users who clicked a thumbs-up icon on the site so they could post messages and share the site with fellow Facebook users. The site drew hundreds of comments from other Facebook users, many of them juvenile and cruel. The photos of the girls came from their own Facebook pages. Many of them were high school portraits of the girls in school apparel and cheerleading uniforms, mugging with their friends and boyfriends. The captions, written in high school vernacular, were crude and vulgar. The site's anonymous creator, who used the name Beaver County Hoez, at one point turned the taunts on those who stood up for the victims. State police were still working late Wednesday to identify the Facebook user who created the site. It's uncertain what charges may be filed, though the police characterized the incident as cyber bullying and harassment.
Transforming Education: High-schoolers in Boise, across state walk out to protest reforms
Regan S.
This article was about Superintendent Tom Luna’s education reform proposal. This proposal has faced many challenges since being announced by Luna. The proposal includes things such as limiting teacher contracts, and students learning on laptops in online courses. How does Luna propose that we pay for this? By increasing class size and cutting roughly 750 teaching jobs from the community. Students are very upset by this proposal, insisting that “a laptop can’t teach me or hand me a diploma.” Yesterday, students in the treasure valley and the surrounding areas stood up to this proposal, showing that they do have an opinion and they do have a voice. Through social networking (facebook, twitter, and text messaging) the students formed a walkout in a matter of two days, and many students joined in the fight. Some have accused the teachers of encouraging the walkout, and letting the students be their pawns in this game. No students felt this way, and said that no teachers had any idea that the walk out was going to happen, and none participated in the protest(s). I think that this is an amazing thing that students are doing. Getting involved in the community at such a young age shows that these students have been educated enough to feel comfortable to form an opinion on the subject and then stand up for something that they believe in. These students were aware of the constitution and their rights under it, which shows that maybe teachers have been doing their jobs. People’s biggest concern: Can a computer educate a child in the same way face to face and classroom interaction can? I do not think it can, and if I was in high school, I would have been involved in this protest.
House Education Committee taking public testimony on Luna education-reform bills.
Kyle Shirley
So far two of the three Bills for education reform in Idaho have passed and now comes the whopper that most teachers have stressed. Addressing the Labor Unions contracts written with the government may prove to be difficult (given all the acts that protect the Unions agreed bargaining arrangements) but it will ultimately come down to the legislation and the union representatives on what will be agreed upon. The legislation gives elected school boards more authority than they have had in decades to higher new teachers that may increase performance for students. According to the statesmen, “Luna also repeatedly referred to the current "continuing contracts" for teachers as "tenure." Opponents of the legislation have said that Luna is using the term "tenure" to mislead the public.” Personally I believe the core of this legislation needs more specifics and ultimately comes down to the application of technology in school programs that seems completely ridiculous. Given the amount of controversy surrounding this third legislation Bill, I am completely astonished at the lack of details which explain the proceedings going on during the negotiations of the bill. Given the amount of coverage this education reform has had, there has still be a lack of clear, concise changes that are willing to be made and what exactly was an issue in the first place. Hopefully as time rages on we will be able to get more detailed information rather than speculation.
Boise neighbors help officers locate burglary suspect By Statesman staff - Idaho Statesman
This story pertains to a man who was arrested on charges of burglary on Monday afternoon. The man, who is a Washington resident is 18-years-old, was seen wearing no shoes. He was accused of theft and obstructing officers. A resident called police after they saw a barefoot man ontop of her carport. According to the Idaho Statesman, “Police stopped the suspect, Kory M. Hendershot of Olympia. He matched the witnesses’ descriptions and was barefoot but wearing a sweatshirt, sweater and scarf that reportedly had been stolen from the van, police said.” Police said Hendershot tried to run from police but he was quickly caught and taken to the Ada County Jail.
Like many articles I have wrote this year. I just love to hear about dumb criminals and how stupid they are when it comes to crime. In this case this person decided to burglarize some people’s property and even more than one’s person property. He not only vandalized property, but he did it without shoes. Things like this just go to show how stupid people are these days and what people will go through to try to get things they don’t have, but want. I’ve actually had someone vandalized my car and take my car radio. I guess he wanted to sell it at the pawn shop to get some money. Well he never got far. He was caught a couple hours later and taken to jail. All I could do was laugh at the poor guy.
He didn’t seek the spotlight, but when Frank Buckles outlived every other American who had served in World War I, he became what his biographer called “the humble patriot” and final torchbearer for the memory of that fading conflict. Buckles was the last of 4.7 million veterans who served in the early 20th century war. Born in Missouri in 1901 and raised in Oklahoma, Buckles visited a string of military recruiters after the United States entered what was called “the war to end all wars” in April 1917. He was repeatedly rejected before convincing an Army captain he was 18. He served in England and France, working mainly as a driver and a warehouse clerk.
Buckles died Sunday, February 27th on his farm in Charles Town, West Virginia, nearly a month after his 110th birthday. He had been battling colds and other minor ailments this winter, but was not ill at the time of his death. The day before he died was warm and he spent three hours sitting in the sunshine on the porch of his farmhouse talking with his daughter, said David DeJonge, Buckles’ biographer.
I think this is a touching article about a brave and courageous man. Not only was he willing to enlist in the war, he lived through it and was able to live a prolonged live afterwards. Not only should we remember those who lost their lives during war, we should also honor those who arrived home safely in order to keep the freedom we have.
The kids who performed as the closing act at this year’s Academy Awards were the students from Public School 22 in Staten Island, New York. This article talks about the aftermath of this performance and I found it fun to read because many of the children stated that this was the moment of their lives. Deepti did a good job at relaying the information and giving a sense of accomplishment through these kids’ quotes. What was surprising, however, was when the story took a turn in an unexpected direction.
She began talking about how the senior vice president of original programming and development for Bravo, Andy Cohen, said their performance was “just awful”. I like how she included this as part of her story because it was very unpredictable, and that’s what the public wants in their news.
It was sad to hear this grown man talking about how the performance of elementary age children was so bad and that they didn’t deserve to perform at these awards. These are children and they were given the opportunity of a lifetime and then this man sits here and bashes them in the public eye; there is definitely something wrong with this picture. I witnessed the performance on my television and I liked it. I found it to be inspirational and the children were adorable. Also, they are TEN-YEARS-OLD! Give them credit, Andy Cohen, for accomplishing something so early in life instead of shattering their dreams!
"The Sheen Machine" by David Gasch from the Arbiter.
This piece about Charlie Sheen was obviously an opinion piece, considering that the tone and structure of the article. At first, the article sounds as though it will be a creative article about how to “really party” Hollywood-style. However, after the first paragraph, what looks like an interesting article turns into an immature accusation of a seemingly jealous writer. Gasch scrutinizes Charlie Sheen’s drug and alcohol issues, yet does not look further into the cause of Sheen’s addiction. Gasch speaks of how he has no experience with porn stars and drug-dealers and therefore cannot relate to his subject. Gasch does not have to have the same experiences of Sheen in order to write a respectful piece on the art of parting—as his lead suggests.
I just feel as though this article had potential to be very fun and creative. With a lead and bridge such as Gasch’s, the article could have been intriguing, and knowledgeable. People want a creative new story, but this was not a story. It was someone’s poorly written opinion, and people do not want to read that. They want facts.
Gasch did include some minor details about Sheen’s latest escapade which included a two-day binge accompanied with porn stars and a night in the hospital—I wanted to hear more about that. Sheen condemns himself through his actions. He proves, himself, that he makes bad choices and people already know this. If Gasch’s intentions were to show and draw attention to the fact the Sheen is not a role model, he could have given his readers more facts about Sheen’s life, instead of speaking of his own inexperience.
Shantel Darrah Boise State Arbiter & Sports Illustrated – “BSU Responds to Sports Illustrated Article” – “College Football and Crime”
Sports Illustrated recently teamed up with CBS news investigation to look into College football teams and did a background check on each and every player on every team in the Pre-Season top 25. The results were shocking. Boise State was tied for fourth place with having 16 criminal offenses in the last 5 years. The Arbiter then wrote an article explaining how Boise State responded to the article by Sports Illustrated. Boise State then responded by divulging what the crimes were (they weren’t that serious) and saying that none of them were repeat charges. Boise State also said that they knew of each and every offense with a detailed record, and that each student athlete was dealt with accordingly and given consequences for their actions. Neither Sports Illustrated nor Boise State gave out the names of Boise States players. Sports Illustrated did however, go into detail of other students from different schools with more serious crimes. Keith Coleman for University of Pittsburg for example, was charged with aggravated assault with a vehicle while driving under the influence. The article by Sports Illustrated was meant to be controversial. It was meant to stir up feelings about whether these players should be allowed to play and it was meant to make people take a second look at the schools who have allowed them to pass. What neither of the articles addressed was that not all of the players have a criminal record. Some of the players have an above average GPA and will graduate with honors. Some of the players choose to take on the responsibility of playing football without the incentive of a scholarship or getting to play. They work hard for something they enjoy, something I believe should be acknowledged just as much as those with criminal records. What I would like to see is a follow up of both articles about how the schools choose to handle such “criminals” now that they’ve been put under a microscope. All of this comes as no surprise since these players fall just under celebrity status.
Lindsey Hileman New bill would allow concealed guns on ID campuses - The Associated Press From Idaho Statesman
A bill was introduced today in front of the House State Affairs Committee to limit the authority of university administrators to prohibit concealed weapons on college campuses. The bill would allow college students and administrators with concealed weapons permits to pack heat on campus. This will supposedly allow for the armed students or faculty to step in (if they happen to be in the right place at the right time) and prevent a violent crime from taking place. On a college campus. In Idaho. On the issue, I am not really sure what the point is. The article states that this idea for this bill came from a student suing University of Idaho over not being able to keep his gun in his on-campus apartment. This legislation is specific to concealed weapons which does not address that students issue at all. Not to mention it still bans guns from resident halls.
Lindsey Hileman (continued... My last paragraph got cut off. ooops!)
The article’s lead and bridge were written strangely. The first sentence was one paragraph that addressed most of the Ws. The second sentence was much shorter but was still a paragraph on its own and addressed the Who and When. It seems like they could have gotten all the information into the first paragraph as the lead and then gone into a more traditional bridge. It did follow the inverted pyramid nicely.
Unemployment dips to 8.9%, 192K jobs added Source: idahostatesman.com Whitney Holm
Washington D.C. has come out with a new report on the current unemployment rates of the nation. As of February, the economy has added 192,000 jobs. The number of jobs in January was less than half the number in February, with 63,000 jobs. The most popular career field in which jobs were added was the healthcare field and education field. With this increase in jobs it shows that employers are more comfortable with the belief of future economy improvement. The current average hourly wage is $22.87. Unemployment is becoming less of an issue, but is not over. With the raise in gas prices many people are still strapped for money. The average price for gasoline right now is $3.50. Since gas is so high, improvement for the economy could be delayed. It is interesting that the hourly wage is fairly high across the nation, but it seems that Idaho has a lower average rate. It makes me wonder is Idaho will be one of the last states to recover from the recession. Construction companies gained a net of 33,000 new jobs for workers. This is good for Idaho since our state is one that keeps on growing. I have been able to reflect on the recession due to my place of work. I work at a bank in Boise and I’ve noticed a significant improvement in the unemployment rate. Our bank used to get a lot of unemployment checks and cards and now I rarely see them. Hopefully this is a good sign of future improvement to our community.
Education reform bills pass despite vocal opposition
Source: KTVB (www.ktvb.com)
BOISE- Passed week we have heard a lot about Superintendent Tom Luna’s education reform plans. Although with opposition from student walk-outs and public testimony the reform plan has passed. Two education reform bills are headed to the House floor; the third has stalled in committee. Representative Brian Cronin (D-Boise) said: “We heard several days of testimony now, largely in opposition to the plan. Some 10-1 I think in opposition of the plan. It’s the same with the e-mails, the letters that all of us legislators have received.” Even with all that the Hose Education Committee has passed these two bills with not a whole lot of opposition. He said he is trouble that they are not listening to the parents or the educators. He also does not believe that these bills are not going to be implemented very well because people haven’t bought it. On the other hand Bob Nonini (R-Coeur d’Alene) said that they have support for the bill up in Northern Idaho. "I'm glad we were able to oblige all those people that came to speak to the bill. I'm not sure how much public testimony changed any of the members' minds. I think we come down here hearing from our constituents before we get to Boise." Nonini said. Superintendent Tom Luna said that: "I think the legislature, they've been through this so many times that they know that volume and decibel level does not necessarily equal a majority, and so they know how to balance it." Some legislators who voted against the reform bills remain skeptical that there are a significant amount of supporters.
The article I read was about Boise State football. Apparently, 8 players are unable to participate in spring football this year. Coach Pete said that tight end Chandler Koch, wide receiver Mitch Burroughs, nickel Jonathan Brown, safety Cedric Febis, linebacker Aaron Tevis, defensive end Kharyee Marshall, linebacker Byron Hout and running back D.J. Harper will not participate in spring practice, which begins Monday. Matt Miller will still be able to participate, but will be limited due to his injuries. Matt Kaiserman will not be playing again due to multiple concussions that has occurred over his football career. His two seasons with the Bronco’s have both been injury plagued. Another loss to the Bronco squad will be backup quarterback Mike Tamburo. Mike Tamburo decided to transfer from the program and has not decided where he will transfer to yet. Wide Receiver Anthony Clarke will be practicing with the team this spring. Anthony Clarke faces criminal charges from an alleged role in a Blackfoot High School hazing case. Basically the Bronco’s are facing the difficult task of maintaining players and having them able to participate in spring practices. With the upcoming season, big games, and our reputation on the line, we can only hope that they are up to full speed by the time this upcoming season arrive.
Joe Ross Philly.com Harmony no Problem for Phillies four Aces
The baseball free agency news this offseason was mostly focused on Cliff Lee. The Cliff Lee pickup put the spot light on the Philadelphia Phillies. He decided to return to the Phillies because it was a city he felt the most comfortable in, he likes the management, coaches, fans, and most importantly the players. A consistent pitching staff relies on good team chemistry. Some wondered if Cliff Lee would be able to fit in and share the spotlight with Roy Halladay and Roy Oswald. So far in spring training the starting pitchers have been able to share good memories through all the hype, photo shoots, and fan attention. The pitching staff is mentored by Veteran Pitcher Jamie Moyer, as he is still recovering from his offseason surgeries. The pitchers and the rest of team are relaxed and ready to get at the long Summer season ahead.
The National Bureau of Statistics reported that China’s population reached 1.34 billion last year, leading people to believe the one-child generation has relaxed. In the past year surveys showed that China added 6.3 million people.
It is one of the slower growth rate years recently and experts are hoping that will convince policy makers and the government to release the tension on the family planning policy. Since 1979 parents were allowed one child and in rural areas, parents were allowed two. The population growth is also due in part to people living longer lives, not from families having more.
China’s National Population and Family Planning Commission says that they will continue to remain strict on the policies in order, including the one child per family rule. The government says that 400 million births have been prevented in the past three decades due to their policies. Keeping the birth rate low for the next 5 years is a priority for China’s government.
China is due to release the final count next month, after the government tallies the results of its 2010 census, the first in 10 years, the statistics bureau said. The United States Census Bureau projects China to peak at 1.4 billion in 2026 and that India will take over China in population by 2025.
Experts on China’s population say allowing more births now will help the country cope with their large growing elderly population.
Senate Bill Would Lift Wolf Protections in Montana, Idaho Idaho Statesman
James Snyder
The long debate over the wolf population in both Montana and Idaho may have reached a turning point for a change. A new budget bill presented by the Senate contains within it a provision that would end the endangered species status of the Gray Wolf in both states. The provision itself apparently fails to mention the animals by name; however it requires the reissuing of a past rule giving control of the wolves over to wild life officials. Since the reintroduction of the Gray Wolf back in 1995 the wolf population has skyrocketed too many citizens dismay. There is an estimated 1,400 wolves between both Idaho and Montana and it is possible that those numbers could change drastically in the wake of this bill. For many landowners and citizens this bill could mean a much more comfortable lifestyle. The report stated that hundreds of livestock are killed each year due to wolves, and that public hunting is the preferred method of dealing with attacks. Several attempts in the past to pass similar legislature have failed largely due to the success of animal rights activists. One major problem for this case is that naturally the wolf population would grow radically when being introduced back into the wild after extinction. So, with possible extinction looming again for these animals is it safe to say that a reintroduction will not simply occur again years down the road? Whatever the final decision is I hope that this situation reaches satisfactory ends in the near future.
From: The Idaho Statesman: "Boise man says battered him during ride home from bar early friday morning"
This article explains in detail the events that happened to a Boise man who was assaulted by a cab driver on his way home from downtown. Apparently, the man who was riding in the cab questioned if the cab driver was going to be going the speed limit the whole ride home. This statement infuriated the driver, who immediately reached back and began to strangle the passenger. The article does not report the name of the victim, by informs the reader that he is about 43 years old and would not like to give the name of the cab company that employs the perpetrator.
Police spokesman Lynn Hightower said that there is something like 170 cabs in the city of Boise and about 300 or so cab drivers that are licensed by the city. However, the victim was able to get a good look at the license plate number and then proceeded to walking using side streets so the the deranged driver would not spot him should he return.
"Internet traffic in Libya goes dark amid upheaval" By DANA WOLLMAN - AP Technology Writer, Found on idahostatesman.com
It's amazing just how much the Libyan Rebellion mirrors the Egyption one with the exceptions of violence and how it has been carrying on for so long. Now the internet has been cut of by the Libyan government. Like the Egyption Govenrment the Libyan Government has full control over the internet services in their country and has shut them down to try and get the uprising to calm down. This isn't going to work since the people have still continued to riot and take cities away from the regime in power. It would be better if the stubborn dictator that is in charge would just step down but that will not happen he is too drunk with his own power and wealth that he has accumulated over time to do anything of the sort. People will continue fighting, killing and dying untill they depose him or he is "victorious" and he will not care about how many people are murdered in order to keep in power. It's sickening at the thought, and shutting down the internet in the region will not stop the people who are trying to dethrone him. This is just another desperate tactic that he is using to try and keep himself in power.
Boise State basketball team went on to win its seventh consecutive game on March 5th, placing them in second place in the WAC standings. Their last loss came against Utah State University, a contest in which they lost by almost thirty points. The team believes that loss was sort of a wake-up call to the team, and head coach Leon Rice believes the same. Coach Rice believes the Broncos are playing with much more energy and enthusiasm, hence the much better play out of his squad. The streak is the longest since the Broncos opened up the season winning six straight games, a streak that tied their best. The Broncos capped of their season in front of a crowd of over six thousand, which has steadily improved and looks to grow even more with the move to the Mountain West conference next fall. Next up for the basketball team is the WAC tournament, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, where they hope to earn a bid to play in the NCAA tournament later in March. This could be very likely, because since the Broncos have finished second in the WAC, they now have two consecutive bye weeks in the WAC tournament, which puts them only two wins away from the conference championship game. If they make it, it will be the first time in years that the squad has made it that far.
It appears that now Treasure Valley workers can get physical and financial benefits from working out. In an effort to get the costs of health insurance down, companies are providing benefits for the workers who are shaping up and eating right. Research in the Harvard Business Review stated that fixing health problems of the employees and through offering the employees perks for doing so could yield a 200 to 600 percent return on investment. The 2010 health claims were about 15 percent higher than they are expected to be, according to Cindy Hodges. Hodges works at Nampa Saltzer Medical Group with her main focus being health benefits. Hodges said the driving health costs were not for serious conditions such as cancer or surgeries, but that it was such things as the workers who were getting blood-pressure medications. Top insurance companies such as Blue Cross and Regence BlueShield have tested and adopted the plan to benefit their employees for living more healthy lives. Blue Cross gives participating employees a $350 deductable, and Regence BlueShield gives its employees $200 gift cards for exercising and adopting a healthier diet. Local business Keynetics, also joins in on this health benefit plan and pays race entry fees for 5k walks and marathons every year. The Federal government has also joined in to grant benefits for Medicaid enrollees who quit smoking and lose weight. The Medicare and Medicaid Services dished out $100 million for this plan. CMS Administrator Donald Berwick hopes these incentives will change habits and aid in lowering overall health care costs of the nation.
Dead woman found near campus http://arbiteronline.com/2011/03/07/dead-woman-found-near-campus-was-lying-in-smoldering-bed-when-firefighters-arrived/
Andrew Ford, The Arbiter
Can you imagine how awful it would be to have to be a police officer, and find a smoldering, dead lady in a bed? I don't have the guts to do that, in fact, I'm pretty sure I'd quit on the spot. Cooked women are not my cup of tea. More importantly, I'm surprised at how hush-hush this whole story is. I drove by the crime scene on Saturday at noon, and the story wasn't cracked until much later that day, by the Statesman or KTVB. Homicide is not common in Boise; you rarely hear about it. My roommate is from Miami, and he freaked out when I forgot to lock the front door one night, insisting we could have been killed in our sleep. After taking a public relations class, I'm actually mildly surprised with Lynn Hightower, who is the PR for the BPD. She's typically quiet about things as it is, but this story is seriously under wraps. They haven't released suspect information (so how about that boyfriend who has been gone for four days, huh?).
Downtown Boise 'hole' goes to court, again- Idaho Statesman
The hole at the corner of 8th and Main streets Downtown has been the center of controversy for the last 10 years. In 2001, ground was broken there for the Boise Tower, a proposed 25 story building. After 2 years, with only the foundation finished, the city of Boise revoked the builder’s permits. Since then, the site has remained virtually untouched as the land has been fought over in court and auctioned off in bankruptcy proceedings. Capps Holdings, the company that now owns the piece of land, purchased the parcel at an auction and has put it up for sale. The current controversy involves a small strip of land that runs between the hole and the adjacent 805 Building. Capps Holdings has begun proceedings against EP Investments for trespassing. They claim that EP Investments placed a gate and garbage cans on the strip and installed utility pipelines that overhang onto the property. EP Investments is countering this claim, saying that they have an agreement to use the property. The article went on to chronicle ‘The Curse of the Eastman Building’. The first structure built on the site was an office building, designed with 100 stone lions’ heads on a terra cotta cornice. In 1972, the building was acquired for the city’s urban renewal project, which planned to tear it down and build a shopping mall. After public outcry, it was decided on Jan. 22, 1987 that the building would be renovated instead. On Jan. 24, the building suspiciously burned down. The hole has been there ever since.
The Idaho transportation budget is getting a 16% increase, with a total of $562 million for 2012. This amount is up by about $79 million from last year. This number, however, takes into account the extra $54 million left from federal stimulus money, so it is being rolled into the budget. Without this amount of money, the budget would only be increased by 5%. The transportation budget is made up of money from the federal government, registration fees, and taxes—nothing comes from the state’s general fund.
Representative George Eskridge says that they will use the money to improve the roads. In light of our recent assignment, I am also wondering if they are going to set aside some of that money for the trolley system, since most of the highways are already being expanded when coming into Boise. Eskridge also says that the money increase will allow more flexibility (obviously) in spending, and the department of transportation plans to “increase efficiencies and cut costs.” This is a fairly vague statement, but it is safe to say that more construction will be seen around Boise and especially on the roads between Nampa and Boise.
Idaho Statesman: Boise State wins Pac-10 wrestling championship
ReplyDeleteKelly Sweeney
The Boise State Broncos wrestling team, yet again, was able to bring back the Pacific 10 Conference title this weekend from Corvallis. The Boise State Broncos tallied a score of 147 points, enough for first place. There were 7 broncos that are able to continue on to NCAA’s next weekend. This weekend’s top story was about Boise States Kirk Smith. Smith has been ranked 1st in the nation this entire year up until this weekend. Due to his high ankle sprain from his first match against Oregon State, he was unable to compete in the final dual against Oklahoma State and chose to forfeit. Coach Greg Randall said that Smith would have only been able to wrestle at 50 % in the final dual if he would have gone. It was better to give him a rest instead of risking even a worse injury. There were four Boise State Champions that brought home their own gold this weekend including Andrew Hochstrasser (133 pounds), junior Jason Chamberlain (149), senior Adam Hall (157) and senior Kurt Swartz (165). Hall was able to beat number 4 rank from Arizona State in overtime. Coach Randall said that Hall wrestled very smart and well. He was able to tire out his opponent and take the win. There were only two broncos that may not get the bid to the NCAA’s who took fifth and sixth place at the duals this weekend. Stay tuned for the news on the Broncos at the NCAA’s next week.
AARON NELSON
ReplyDeleteWEEK 7 POST
ESPN.COM
NFL COMBINE-The Dream Begins
The NFL season has been over for about a month now, but the off season is just getting warmed up. This week is the NFL combine; to even be invited to this is a great honor. The combine can help determine where you go in the NFL draft. The better you perform the better chances you have of being drafted and having your longtime dream come true. Not every player is guaranteed to make it to the NFL. All the hard work and dedication these young players have put into their football skills will have to show to get a chance in the big time.
The combine this year has been much anticipated, there was 71 reporters at the event that is a record for the press. Some of the main players that were being watched this year were Cam Newton from Auburn, Julio Jones, from Alabama and Mark Ingram from Alabama. They are preformed pretty well for the combine. Cam Newton quarterback was under a microscope the whole combine. Winning the National Championship and the Heisman trophy, has raised expectations. Newton went 11 for 21 in his throwing practice, he ran a 4.59 on the 40-yard dash, had a 35 inch vertical leap. Overall he did well but he did not impress the scouts very much. Threw is all he may have lowered his draft stock. Despite all of this Cam is expected to be drafted in the first round probably late in it but he will still get in.
Sydney Gill
ReplyDeleteNampa high school students join walkout to protest Luna bills, support teachers - Idaho Statesman
On Monday February 28th a couple hundred Nampa students left school at 8:30 to protest Luna bills. Many of these students were from the three Nampa high schools, but there was a group that walked from Kuna high school. Students said that they were not too worried about being disciplined for leaving class because they were making their voices heard.
Around half of the students who walked out of class and protested had parents call in and excuse them from class. Some students returned to class because they were told they would be marked truant if they were not in class.
Students came together on the road of Nampa high school and protested through first period. As some of these students went back to class, others kept on going to Northwest Nazarene University and then to City Hall. There were three main things that onlookers saw that the students wanted. The many students didn’t want teachers to be laid off, they don’t want increases in class sizes, and they don’t want to be required to take online classes and receive laptops.
The things that were heard from the protesters were, “What do we want,” “Teachers,” “When do we want them,” “Now.” Another chant was, “Down with Luna.”
A Nampa police sergeant followed a group of students from Columbia High School as they walked three miles to City Hall. He made sure that the students stayed safe on the roadway.
In the next two years, Luna’s plans would get rid of about 800 teachers. Luna has said that his plan allows districts to reward the great teachers and get rid of those who aren’t doing their jobs.
Katie
ReplyDeleteVicious high school labor has gone digital. Last week, Pennsylvania State Police said a Facebook user created an online forum on the social networking site titled "Beaver County Hoez." On it, the anonymous user posted photos of girls and young women from Beaver County and included sexually overt captions and fictitious accounts of sexual encounters. Many of the girls were labeled "hoez." State police announced last Wednesday they were launching an investigation and that they were working with Facebook to pull the plug on the site. It was removed sometime late Wednesday evening, though it was unclear if police intervention prompted that. Unfortunately for those who were featured on the site, though, it was too late. Word of site spread like wildfire through school hallways, prompting sneers and harassment from classmates. In the short time the site was up, it was viewed by more than three thousand users who clicked a thumbs-up icon on the site so they could post messages and share the site with fellow Facebook users. The site drew hundreds of comments from other Facebook users, many of them juvenile and cruel. The photos of the girls came from their own Facebook pages. Many of them were high school portraits of the girls in school apparel and cheerleading uniforms, mugging with their friends and boyfriends. The captions, written in high school vernacular, were crude and vulgar. The site's anonymous creator, who used the name Beaver County Hoez, at one point turned the taunts on those who stood up for the victims. State police were still working late Wednesday to identify the Facebook user who created the site. It's uncertain what charges may be filed, though the police characterized the incident as cyber bullying and harassment.
Transforming Education: High-schoolers in Boise, across state walk out to protest reforms
ReplyDeleteRegan S.
This article was about Superintendent Tom Luna’s education reform proposal. This proposal has faced many challenges since being announced by Luna. The proposal includes things such as limiting teacher contracts, and students learning on laptops in online courses. How does Luna propose that we pay for this? By increasing class size and cutting roughly 750 teaching jobs from the community. Students are very upset by this proposal, insisting that “a laptop can’t teach me or hand me a diploma.” Yesterday, students in the treasure valley and the surrounding areas stood up to this proposal, showing that they do have an opinion and they do have a voice. Through social networking (facebook, twitter, and text messaging) the students formed a walkout in a matter of two days, and many students joined in the fight.
Some have accused the teachers of encouraging the walkout, and letting the students be their pawns in this game. No students felt this way, and said that no teachers had any idea that the walk out was going to happen, and none participated in the protest(s). I think that this is an amazing thing that students are doing. Getting involved in the community at such a young age shows that these students have been educated enough to feel comfortable to form an opinion on the subject and then stand up for something that they believe in. These students were aware of the constitution and their rights under it, which shows that maybe teachers have been doing their jobs. People’s biggest concern: Can a computer educate a child in the same way face to face and classroom interaction can? I do not think it can, and if I was in high school, I would have been involved in this protest.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/03/01/1546611/a-statewide-student-walkout.html
House Education Committee taking public testimony on Luna education-reform bills.
ReplyDeleteKyle Shirley
So far two of the three Bills for education reform in Idaho have passed and now comes the whopper that most teachers have stressed. Addressing the Labor Unions contracts written with the government may prove to be difficult (given all the acts that protect the Unions agreed bargaining arrangements) but it will ultimately come down to the legislation and the union representatives on what will be agreed upon. The legislation gives elected school boards more authority than they have had in decades to higher new teachers that may increase performance for students. According to the statesmen, “Luna also repeatedly referred to the current "continuing contracts" for teachers as "tenure." Opponents of the legislation have said that Luna is using the term "tenure" to mislead the public.” Personally I believe the core of this legislation needs more specifics and ultimately comes down to the application of technology in school programs that seems completely ridiculous. Given the amount of controversy surrounding this third legislation Bill, I am completely astonished at the lack of details which explain the proceedings going on during the negotiations of the bill. Given the amount of coverage this education reform has had, there has still be a lack of clear, concise changes that are willing to be made and what exactly was an issue in the first place. Hopefully as time rages on we will be able to get more detailed information rather than speculation.
Boise neighbors help officers locate burglary suspect
ReplyDeleteBy Statesman staff - Idaho Statesman
This story pertains to a man who was arrested on charges of burglary on Monday afternoon. The man, who is a Washington resident is 18-years-old, was seen wearing no shoes. He was accused of theft and obstructing officers. A resident called police after they saw a barefoot man ontop of her carport. According to the Idaho Statesman, “Police stopped the suspect, Kory M. Hendershot of Olympia. He matched the witnesses’ descriptions and was barefoot but wearing a sweatshirt, sweater and scarf that reportedly had been stolen from the van, police said.” Police said Hendershot tried to run from police but he was quickly caught and taken to the Ada County Jail.
Like many articles I have wrote this year. I just love to hear about dumb criminals and how stupid they are when it comes to crime. In this case this person decided to burglarize some people’s property and even more than one’s person property. He not only vandalized property, but he did it without shoes. Things like this just go to show how stupid people are these days and what people will go through to try to get things they don’t have, but want. I’ve actually had someone vandalized my car and take my car radio. I guess he wanted to sell it at the pawn shop to get some money. Well he never got far. He was caught a couple hours later and taken to jail. All I could do was laugh at the poor guy.
Shea McClellin
Tue/Thur
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/03/01/1547083/boise-neighbors-help-officers.html#ixzz1FNqabSd5
Jarrod Driskell
ReplyDeleteT/TH
Idaho Press-Tribune
Last WWI U.S. veteran dies at 110.
He didn’t seek the spotlight, but when Frank Buckles outlived every other American who had served in World War I, he became what his biographer called “the humble patriot” and final torchbearer for the memory of that fading conflict. Buckles was the last of 4.7 million veterans who served in the early 20th century war. Born in Missouri in 1901 and raised in Oklahoma, Buckles visited a string of military recruiters after the United States entered what was called “the war to end all wars” in April 1917. He was repeatedly rejected before convincing an Army captain he was 18. He served in England and France, working mainly as a driver and a warehouse clerk.
Buckles died Sunday, February 27th on his farm in Charles Town, West Virginia, nearly a month after his 110th birthday. He had been battling colds and other minor ailments this winter, but was not ill at the time of his death. The day before he died was warm and he spent three hours sitting in the sunshine on the porch of his farmhouse talking with his daughter, said David DeJonge, Buckles’ biographer.
I think this is a touching article about a brave and courageous man. Not only was he willing to enlist in the war, he lived through it and was able to live a prolonged live afterwards. Not only should we remember those who lost their lives during war, we should also honor those who arrived home safely in order to keep the freedom we have.
Sara Cray
ReplyDeleteNY kids back to school after Oscar performance
By DEEPTI HAJELA
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/03/02/1548949/ny-kids-back-to-school-after-oscar.html
The kids who performed as the closing act at this year’s Academy Awards were the students from Public School 22 in Staten Island, New York. This article talks about the aftermath of this performance and I found it fun to read because many of the children stated that this was the moment of their lives. Deepti did a good job at relaying the information and giving a sense of accomplishment through these kids’ quotes. What was surprising, however, was when the story took a turn in an unexpected direction.
She began talking about how the senior vice president of original programming and development for Bravo, Andy Cohen, said their performance was “just awful”. I like how she included this as part of her story because it was very unpredictable, and that’s what the public wants in their news.
It was sad to hear this grown man talking about how the performance of elementary age children was so bad and that they didn’t deserve to perform at these awards. These are children and they were given the opportunity of a lifetime and then this man sits here and bashes them in the public eye; there is definitely something wrong with this picture. I witnessed the performance on my television and I liked it. I found it to be inspirational and the children were adorable. Also, they are TEN-YEARS-OLD! Give them credit, Andy Cohen, for accomplishing something so early in life instead of shattering their dreams!
Nichole Stallings
ReplyDelete"The Sheen Machine" by David Gasch from the Arbiter.
This piece about Charlie Sheen was obviously an opinion piece, considering that the tone and structure of the article. At first, the article sounds as though it will be a creative article about how to “really party” Hollywood-style. However, after the first paragraph, what looks like an interesting article turns into an immature accusation of a seemingly jealous writer. Gasch scrutinizes Charlie Sheen’s drug and alcohol issues, yet does not look further into the cause of Sheen’s addiction. Gasch speaks of how he has no experience with porn stars and drug-dealers and therefore cannot relate to his subject. Gasch does not have to have the same experiences of Sheen in order to write a respectful piece on the art of parting—as his lead suggests.
I just feel as though this article had potential to be very fun and creative. With a lead and bridge such as Gasch’s, the article could have been intriguing, and knowledgeable. People want a creative new story, but this was not a story. It was someone’s poorly written opinion, and people do not want to read that. They want facts.
Gasch did include some minor details about Sheen’s latest escapade which included a two-day binge accompanied with porn stars and a night in the hospital—I wanted to hear more about that. Sheen condemns himself through his actions. He proves, himself, that he makes bad choices and people already know this. If Gasch’s intentions were to show and draw attention to the fact the Sheen is not a role model, he could have given his readers more facts about Sheen’s life, instead of speaking of his own inexperience.
Shantel Darrah
ReplyDeleteBoise State Arbiter & Sports Illustrated – “BSU Responds to Sports Illustrated Article” – “College Football and Crime”
Sports Illustrated recently teamed up with CBS news investigation to look into College football teams and did a background check on each and every player on every team in the Pre-Season top 25. The results were shocking. Boise State was tied for fourth place with having 16 criminal offenses in the last 5 years. The Arbiter then wrote an article explaining how Boise State responded to the article by Sports Illustrated.
Boise State then responded by divulging what the crimes were (they weren’t that serious) and saying that none of them were repeat charges. Boise State also said that they knew of each and every offense with a detailed record, and that each student athlete was dealt with accordingly and given consequences for their actions.
Neither Sports Illustrated nor Boise State gave out the names of Boise States players. Sports Illustrated did however, go into detail of other students from different schools with more serious crimes. Keith Coleman for University of Pittsburg for example, was charged with aggravated assault with a vehicle while driving under the influence.
The article by Sports Illustrated was meant to be controversial. It was meant to stir up feelings about whether these players should be allowed to play and it was meant to make people take a second look at the schools who have allowed them to pass. What neither of the articles addressed was that not all of the players have a criminal record. Some of the players have an above average GPA and will graduate with honors. Some of the players choose to take on the responsibility of playing football without the incentive of a scholarship or getting to play. They work hard for something they enjoy, something I believe should be acknowledged just as much as those with criminal records.
What I would like to see is a follow up of both articles about how the schools choose to handle such “criminals” now that they’ve been put under a microscope. All of this comes as no surprise since these players fall just under celebrity status.
Lindsey Hileman
ReplyDeleteNew bill would allow concealed guns on ID campuses
- The Associated Press
From Idaho Statesman
A bill was introduced today in front of the House State Affairs Committee to limit the authority of university administrators to prohibit concealed weapons on college campuses. The bill would allow college students and administrators with concealed weapons permits to pack heat on campus. This will supposedly allow for the armed students or faculty to step in (if they happen to be in the right place at the right time) and prevent a violent crime from taking place. On a college campus. In Idaho.
On the issue, I am not really sure what the point is. The article states that this idea for this bill came from a student suing University of Idaho over not being able to keep his gun in his on-campus apartment. This legislation is specific to concealed weapons which does not address that students issue at all. Not to mention it still bans guns from resident halls.
Lindsey Hileman (continued... My last paragraph got cut off. ooops!)
ReplyDeleteThe article’s lead and bridge were written strangely. The first sentence was one paragraph that addressed most of the Ws. The second sentence was much shorter but was still a paragraph on its own and addressed the Who and When. It seems like they could have gotten all the information into the first paragraph as the lead and then gone into a more traditional bridge. It did follow the inverted pyramid nicely.
Unemployment dips to 8.9%, 192K jobs added
ReplyDeleteSource: idahostatesman.com
Whitney Holm
Washington D.C. has come out with a new report on the current unemployment rates of the nation. As of February, the economy has added 192,000 jobs. The number of jobs in January was less than half the number in February, with 63,000 jobs. The most popular career field in which jobs were added was the healthcare field and education field. With this increase in jobs it shows that employers are more comfortable with the belief of future economy improvement. The current average hourly wage is $22.87. Unemployment is becoming less of an issue, but is not over. With the raise in gas prices many people are still strapped for money. The average price for gasoline right now is $3.50. Since gas is so high, improvement for the economy could be delayed.
It is interesting that the hourly wage is fairly high across the nation, but it seems that Idaho has a lower average rate. It makes me wonder is Idaho will be one of the last states to recover from the recession. Construction companies gained a net of 33,000 new jobs for workers. This is good for Idaho since our state is one that keeps on growing. I have been able to reflect on the recession due to my place of work. I work at a bank in Boise and I’ve noticed a significant improvement in the unemployment rate. Our bank used to get a lot of unemployment checks and cards and now I rarely see them. Hopefully this is a good sign of future improvement to our community.
Larisa Gavrilyuk
ReplyDeleteEducation reform bills pass despite vocal opposition
Source: KTVB (www.ktvb.com)
BOISE- Passed week we have heard a lot about Superintendent Tom Luna’s education reform plans. Although with opposition from student walk-outs and public testimony the reform plan has passed.
Two education reform bills are headed to the House floor; the third has stalled in committee.
Representative Brian Cronin (D-Boise) said: “We heard several days of testimony now, largely in opposition to the plan. Some 10-1 I think in opposition of the plan. It’s the same with the e-mails, the letters that all of us legislators have received.”
Even with all that the Hose Education Committee has passed these two bills with not a whole lot of opposition. He said he is trouble that they are not listening to the parents or the educators. He also does not believe that these bills are not going to be implemented very well because people haven’t bought it.
On the other hand Bob Nonini (R-Coeur d’Alene) said that they have support for the bill up in Northern Idaho.
"I'm glad we were able to oblige all those people that came to speak to the bill. I'm not sure how much public testimony changed any of the members' minds. I think we come down here hearing from our constituents before we get to Boise." Nonini said.
Superintendent Tom Luna said that: "I think the legislature, they've been through this so many times that they know that volume and decibel level does not necessarily equal a majority, and so they know how to balance it."
Some legislators who voted against the reform bills remain skeptical that there are a significant amount of supporters.
Kyle Blackhurst
ReplyDeleteBronco Injuries
The article I read was about Boise State football. Apparently, 8 players are unable to participate in spring football this year. Coach Pete said that tight end Chandler Koch, wide receiver Mitch Burroughs, nickel Jonathan Brown, safety Cedric Febis, linebacker Aaron Tevis, defensive end Kharyee Marshall, linebacker Byron Hout and running back D.J. Harper will not participate in spring practice, which begins Monday. Matt Miller will still be able to participate, but will be limited due to his injuries. Matt Kaiserman will not be playing again due to multiple concussions that has occurred over his football career. His two seasons with the Bronco’s have both been injury plagued. Another loss to the Bronco squad will be backup quarterback Mike Tamburo. Mike Tamburo decided to transfer from the program and has not decided where he will transfer to yet. Wide Receiver Anthony Clarke will be practicing with the team this spring. Anthony Clarke faces criminal charges from an alleged role in a Blackfoot High School hazing case. Basically the Bronco’s are facing the difficult task of maintaining players and having them able to participate in spring practices. With the upcoming season, big games, and our reputation on the line, we can only hope that they are up to full speed by the time this upcoming season arrive.
Joe Ross
ReplyDeletePhilly.com Harmony no Problem for Phillies four Aces
The baseball free agency news this offseason was mostly focused on Cliff Lee. The Cliff Lee pickup put the spot light on the Philadelphia Phillies. He decided to return to the Phillies because it was a city he felt the most comfortable in, he likes the management, coaches, fans, and most importantly the players. A consistent pitching staff relies on good team chemistry. Some wondered if Cliff Lee would be able to fit in and share the spotlight with Roy Halladay and Roy Oswald. So far in spring training the starting pitchers have been able to share good memories through all the hype, photo shoots, and fan attention. The pitching staff is mentored by Veteran Pitcher Jamie Moyer, as he is still recovering from his offseason surgeries. The pitchers and the rest of team are relaxed and ready to get at the long Summer season ahead.
Amy Sperline
ReplyDeletePopulation of China now 1.34b
The National Bureau of Statistics reported that China’s population reached 1.34 billion last year, leading people to believe the one-child generation has relaxed. In the past year surveys showed that China added 6.3 million people.
It is one of the slower growth rate years recently and experts are hoping that will convince policy makers and the government to release the tension on the family planning policy. Since 1979 parents were allowed one child and in rural areas, parents were allowed two. The population growth is also due in part to people living longer lives, not from families having more.
China’s National Population and Family Planning Commission says that they will continue to remain strict on the policies in order, including the one child per family rule. The government says that 400 million births have been prevented in the past three decades due to their policies. Keeping the birth rate low for the next 5 years is a priority for China’s government.
China is due to release the final count next month, after the government tallies the results of its 2010 census, the first in 10 years, the statistics bureau said. The United States Census Bureau projects China to peak at 1.4 billion in 2026 and that India will take over China in population by 2025.
Experts on China’s population say allowing more births now will help the country cope with their large growing elderly population.
Shanghaidaily.com
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/nsp/National/2011/03/01/Population%2Bof%2BChina%2Bnow%2B134b/
Senate Bill Would Lift Wolf Protections in Montana, Idaho
ReplyDeleteIdaho Statesman
James Snyder
The long debate over the wolf population in both Montana and Idaho may have reached a turning point for a change. A new budget bill presented by the Senate contains within it a provision that would end the endangered species status of the Gray Wolf in both states. The provision itself apparently fails to mention the animals by name; however it requires the reissuing of a past rule giving control of the wolves over to wild life officials. Since the reintroduction of the Gray Wolf back in 1995 the wolf population has skyrocketed too many citizens dismay. There is an estimated 1,400 wolves between both Idaho and Montana and it is possible that those numbers could change drastically in the wake of this bill.
For many landowners and citizens this bill could mean a much more comfortable lifestyle. The report stated that hundreds of livestock are killed each year due to wolves, and that public hunting is the preferred method of dealing with attacks. Several attempts in the past to pass similar legislature have failed largely due to the success of animal rights activists.
One major problem for this case is that naturally the wolf population would grow radically when being introduced back into the wild after extinction. So, with possible extinction looming again for these animals is it safe to say that a reintroduction will not simply occur again years down the road? Whatever the final decision is I hope that this situation reaches satisfactory ends in the near future.
From: David Lowenthal
ReplyDeleteFrom: The Idaho Statesman: "Boise man says battered him during ride home from bar early friday morning"
This article explains in detail the events that happened to a Boise man who was assaulted by a cab driver on his way home from downtown. Apparently, the man who was riding in the cab questioned if the cab driver was going to be going the speed limit the whole ride home. This statement infuriated the driver, who immediately reached back and began to strangle the passenger.
The article does not report the name of the victim, by informs the reader that he is about 43 years old and would not like to give the name of the cab company that employs the perpetrator.
Police spokesman Lynn Hightower said that there is something like 170 cabs in the city of Boise and about 300 or so cab drivers that are licensed by the city. However, the victim was able to get a good look at the license plate number and then proceeded to walking using side streets so the the deranged driver would not spot him should he return.
Marijane Weitensteiner T/Th 1:40 Class
ReplyDelete"Internet traffic in Libya goes dark amid upheaval" By DANA WOLLMAN - AP Technology Writer, Found on idahostatesman.com
It's amazing just how much the Libyan Rebellion mirrors the Egyption one with the exceptions of violence and how it has been carrying on for so long. Now the internet has been cut of by the Libyan government. Like the Egyption Govenrment the Libyan Government has full control over the internet services in their country and has shut them down to try and get the uprising to calm down. This isn't going to work since the people have still continued to riot and take cities away from the regime in power. It would be better if the stubborn dictator that is in charge would just step down but that will not happen he is too drunk with his own power and wealth that he has accumulated over time to do anything of the sort. People will continue fighting, killing and dying untill they depose him or he is "victorious" and he will not care about how many people are murdered in order to keep in power. It's sickening at the thought, and shutting down the internet in the region will not stop the people who are trying to dethrone him. This is just another desperate tactic that he is using to try and keep himself in power.
Ebenezer Makinde
ReplyDeleteIdaho Statesman
Boise State Rolls To Seventh Straight Win
Boise State basketball team went on to win its seventh consecutive game on March 5th, placing them in second place in the WAC standings. Their last loss came against Utah State University, a contest in which they lost by almost thirty points. The team believes that loss was sort of a wake-up call to the team, and head coach Leon Rice believes the same. Coach Rice believes the Broncos are playing with much more energy and enthusiasm, hence the much better play out of his squad. The streak is the longest since the Broncos opened up the season winning six straight games, a streak that tied their best. The Broncos capped of their season in front of a crowd of over six thousand, which has steadily improved and looks to grow even more with the move to the Mountain West conference next fall. Next up for the basketball team is the WAC tournament, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, where they hope to earn a bid to play in the NCAA tournament later in March. This could be very likely, because since the Broncos have finished second in the WAC, they now have two consecutive bye weeks in the WAC tournament, which puts them only two wins away from the conference championship game. If they make it, it will be the first time in years that the squad has made it that far.
Working out pays off for some Treasure Valley workers
ReplyDeleteRead more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/03/07/1555142/working-out-pays-off-for-some.html#ixzz1FwrayB00
Tawnya G.
It appears that now Treasure Valley workers can get physical and financial benefits from working out. In an effort to get the costs of health insurance down, companies are providing benefits for the workers who are shaping up and eating right.
Research in the Harvard Business Review stated that fixing health problems of the employees and through offering the employees perks for doing so could yield a 200 to 600 percent return on investment.
The 2010 health claims were about 15 percent higher than they are expected to be, according to Cindy Hodges. Hodges works at Nampa Saltzer Medical Group with her main focus being health benefits. Hodges said the driving health costs were not for serious conditions such as cancer or surgeries, but that it was such things as the workers who were getting blood-pressure medications.
Top insurance companies such as Blue Cross and Regence BlueShield have tested and adopted the plan to benefit their employees for living more healthy lives. Blue Cross gives participating employees a $350 deductable, and Regence BlueShield gives its employees $200 gift cards for exercising and adopting a healthier diet. Local business Keynetics, also joins in on this health benefit plan and pays race entry fees for 5k walks and marathons every year.
The Federal government has also joined in to grant benefits for Medicaid enrollees who quit smoking and lose weight. The Medicare and Medicaid Services dished out $100 million for this plan. CMS Administrator Donald Berwick hopes these incentives will change habits and aid in lowering overall health care costs of the nation.
Lauren Hooker
ReplyDeleteDead woman found near campus
http://arbiteronline.com/2011/03/07/dead-woman-found-near-campus-was-lying-in-smoldering-bed-when-firefighters-arrived/
Andrew Ford, The Arbiter
Can you imagine how awful it would be to have to be a police officer, and find a smoldering, dead lady in a bed? I don't have the guts to do that, in fact, I'm pretty sure I'd quit on the spot. Cooked women are not my cup of tea.
More importantly, I'm surprised at how hush-hush this whole story is. I drove by the crime scene on Saturday at noon, and the story wasn't cracked until much later that day, by the Statesman or KTVB. Homicide is not common in Boise; you rarely hear about it. My roommate is from Miami, and he freaked out when I forgot to lock the front door one night, insisting we could have been killed in our sleep. After taking a public relations class, I'm actually mildly surprised with Lynn Hightower, who is the PR for the BPD. She's typically quiet about things as it is, but this story is seriously under wraps. They haven't released suspect information (so how about that boyfriend who has been gone for four days, huh?).
Jessica Adamson
ReplyDeleteDowntown Boise 'hole' goes to court, again- Idaho Statesman
The hole at the corner of 8th and Main streets Downtown has been the center of controversy for the last 10 years. In 2001, ground was broken there for the Boise Tower, a proposed 25 story building. After 2 years, with only the foundation finished, the city of Boise revoked the builder’s permits. Since then, the site has remained virtually untouched as the land has been fought over in court and auctioned off in bankruptcy proceedings. Capps Holdings, the company that now owns the piece of land, purchased the parcel at an auction and has put it up for sale. The current controversy involves a small strip of land that runs between the hole and the adjacent 805 Building. Capps Holdings has begun proceedings against EP Investments for trespassing. They claim that EP Investments placed a gate and garbage cans on the strip and installed utility pipelines that overhang onto the property. EP Investments is countering this claim, saying that they have an agreement to use the property. The article went on to chronicle ‘The Curse of the Eastman Building’. The first structure built on the site was an office building, designed with 100 stone lions’ heads on a terra cotta cornice. In 1972, the building was acquired for the city’s urban renewal project, which planned to tear it down and build a shopping mall. After public outcry, it was decided on Jan. 22, 1987 that the building would be renovated instead. On Jan. 24, the building suspiciously burned down. The hole has been there ever since.
Sam Alderman
ReplyDeleteSource: idahostatesman.com
Idaho transportation budget up 16%
The Idaho transportation budget is getting a 16% increase, with a total of $562 million for 2012. This amount is up by about $79 million from last year. This number, however, takes into account the extra $54 million left from federal stimulus money, so it is being rolled into the budget. Without this amount of money, the budget would only be increased by 5%. The transportation budget is made up of money from the federal government, registration fees, and taxes—nothing comes from the state’s general fund.
Representative George Eskridge says that they will use the money to improve the roads. In light of our recent assignment, I am also wondering if they are going to set aside some of that money for the trolley system, since most of the highways are already being expanded when coming into Boise. Eskridge also says that the money increase will allow more flexibility (obviously) in spending, and the department of transportation plans to “increase efficiencies and cut costs.” This is a fairly vague statement, but it is safe to say that more construction will be seen around Boise and especially on the roads between Nampa and Boise.