Idaho gubernatorial candidate kicks off 44-county tour

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tommy Ahlquist laid out his political agenda to hundreds of supporters while kicking off his statewide tour to visit all of Idaho's 44 counties in 44 days. Ahlquist , a Boise businessman who is running for political office for the first time, held the campaign rally Thursday in Meridian at the candle company Scentsy headquarters.

Otter’s higher ed task force backs a dozen recommendations, on 12 unanimous votes

Gov. Butch Otter's higher education task force today adopted 12 recommendations in a series of 12 unanimous votes, Idaho EdNews reports. Among them: Rewriting and resetting the "60 percent goal," extending it out for another five years in an effort to be more realistic and effective in the move to get more Idahoans into higher education; an increased emphasis on internships, apprenticeships and workplace-campus co-op programs that partner with industry; a statewide "digital campus" that task force members view as a "game-changer;" and more money for college scholarships.

US Senate confirms Bart Davis as Idaho’s next U.S. Attorney

Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, pays tribute to Sen. Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, after the Senate adjourned, Wednesday, March 29, 2017, in Boise, Idaho. The U.S. Senate has confirmed Bart Davis as Idaho's next U.S. attorney, in a unanimous-consent decision that came at the close of business in the Senate today.

President Donald J. Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Idaho

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Idaho to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by flooding, landslides, and mudslides from May 6 to June 16, 2017. Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by flooding, landslides, and mudslides in Blaine, Camas, Custer, Elmore, and Gooding counties.

AP analysis indicates Idaho district lines favor Republicans – Sun, 25 Jun 2017 PST

Republicans have controlled the Idaho Legislature for nearly six decades, but a national Associated Press analysis shows that the state GOP may have gained even more control last fall with the help of Republican-friendly districts. The AP used a new mathematical formula to scrutinize roughly 4,700 state House and Assembly seats up for election last year and found a decided advantage for Republicans in numerous states, including Idaho.

Grocery tax repeal veto prompts debate in Idaho over powers of…

After Idaho Gov. Butch Otter vetoed a popular bill to remove the state's 6 percent sales tax from groceries, North Idaho Sen. Steve Vick is renewing his push to change the Idaho Constitution to allow lawmakers to reconvene to override a veto that's issued after they adjourn for the year. "It's not uncommon, it's not some sort of strange idea," said Vick, R-Dalton Gardens.

Idaho federal courts administrator Libby Smith to leave for 9th Circuit post

Elizabeth "Libby" Smith, clerk of court for the federal courts in Idaho, has been named the new circuit executive of the 9th Circuit; she will start her new job next month. Smith has managed administrative services for the U.S. District Court and U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Idaho since 2009, including federal court operations in Boise, Coeur d'Alene, Moscow and Pocatello.

School budget set, reflects 6.3% increase in state funding

Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, led a group of legislative budget writers who crafted the public school budget that won approval in the Idaho Legislature's joint budget committee on Monday morning, Feb. 27, 2017, With no disagreement on the final divisions of the public school budget, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has now set the public schools budget for next year at $2.041 billion, a 6.3 percent increase in state general funds. Gov. Butch Otter had called for a 6.4 percent increase.

Western States Remember Internment 75 Years on

States in the American West are marking the 75th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt that forced 120,000 Japanese immigrants and Japanese-Americans into internment camps. Adults, including the elderly, and children could only bring what they could carry and were transported by bus and train, often with blacked-out windows, They were sent, ostensibly to avoid sabotage and spying, to camps in California, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona and other states as far away as Arkansas.

Ice jam breaks, allowing some Idaho flood waters to recede

The Weiser River in Weiser, Idaho, overflowed early Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, flooding areas south of the river near Cove and Couper roads with ice and water. The Weiser River overflowed early Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, flooding areas south of the river near Cove and Couper roads with ice and water.

More on Plus

The This Old House Hour Burying electrical cables, building porch columns, laying a patio, installing kitchen cabinets and trimming the front gable. On ASK THIS OLD HOUSE, changing a dilapidated entrance, how to make wire connections and a lesson on creating mead.

Otter for interior secretary? The speculation continues…

Might Idaho Gov. Butch Otter be considered for interior secretary in a Trump administration? Idaho Statesman reporter Rocky Barker explored the possibilities in a column over the holiday; you can read it here . Two previous Idaho governors were appointed secretary of the interior Cecil Andrus under President Jimmy Carter, and Dirk Kempthorne under President George W. Bush.

Idaho’s glass ceiling

A place for the writings and the ideas of the people in and around the Ridenbaugh Press. Now that Hillary Clinton is about to shatter the glass ceiling hanging over the White House' Oval Office, one has to ask when is Idaho going to get with the program? All of the states touching Idaho's border save Nevada, have had at least one female governor.