Idaho on Friday May 09, 2008

Archive of Idaho on Friday May 09, 2008

States rebuff plan to put Italian waste in Utah
By John Miller, The Associated Press, Casper Star-Tribune
BOISE, Idaho -- Eight Western states including Wyoming Thursday rejected a company's plan to ship tons of radioactive Italian waste to Utah by declaring that rules don't allow for foreign loads.
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Judge sets hearing on wolf injunction
By Matthew Brown, The Associated Press, Billings Gazette
A federal judge in Montana has rejected a request by the government to delay a lawsuit seeking to place the gray wolf back on the endangered-species list, saying that he's "unwilling to risk more deaths."
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Canadian company nixes Idaho for ethanol plant
By The Associated Press, The Idaho Statesman (Boise)
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho -- A Canadian biotechnology company has decided to build a cellulosic ethanol plant in Saskatchewan, rather than southeast Idaho. Iogen Corp. on Wednesday said it has suspended its operations in Idaho.
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'Win-win' situation
By Nate Poppino, The Times-News (Twin Falls)
In April, the Idaho Water Resource Board announced it had completed its $26 million purchase of the Pristine Springs fish farm operation, a multi-party deal it said would solve surface water mitigation calls and provide the city of Twin Falls a way to solve its arsenic issues.
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Waste panel votes to ban EnergySolutions' import of Italian N-waste
By Judy Fahys, The Salt Lake Tribune
BOISE, Idaho - Eight Western states on Thursday derailed EnergySolutions' plans to import nuclear cleanup waste from Italy and bury some of it at the company's Utah landfill.
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Mont. judge rejects bid to delay wolf lawsuit
By The Associated Press, USA Today
BILLINGS, Mont. - A federal judge in Montana has rejected the government's request to delay a lawsuit seeking to place the gray wolf back on the endangered species list.
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Competing House bills use databases to check workers' legal status
By Diana Marrero, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
WASHINGTON -- With little prospect of overhauling the nation's immigration laws before the presidential election, members of Congress are attempting to address the issue in a more piecemeal fashion.
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Attorneys general reach Facebook agreement
By Marcus Moore, The Gazette (Gaithersburg)
In an attempt to make the Internet safer for children, all but one of the nation's state attorneys general have turned their attention to another popular social networking site.
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Facebook reaches agreement on sex predators
By Amy Worden, The Philadelphia Inquirer (registration)
Facebook, the world's second-largest social-networking Web site, has reached an agreement with state law enforcement authorities across the country aimed at protecting children from sexual predators.
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Facebook safeguards will protect young users
By The Associated Press, CNN.com
HARTFORD, Conn. - Facebook, the world's second-largest social networking Web site, will add more than 40 safeguards to protect young users from sexual predators and cyberbullies, attorneys general from several states said Thursday.
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Facebook agrees to shield kids from adult content
By Phuong Cat Le, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Social networking giant Facebook has agreed to better protect children on its Web site, including providing automatic warning messages when a child is in danger of giving personal information to an unknown adult.
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23 states face budget gaps in '09
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

Like a college student fishing for stray quarters in the sofa cushions, states are tightening their belts, dipping into their rainy day funds and hoping revenues will pick up. But the faltering economy already has punched a $26 billion hole in 23 state budgets for 2009 – and it could get worse, according to a new report issued today (April 25).

Neutral govs to remain on sidelines
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

In the homestretch of an unprecedented presidential primary season, spinning with competing sound-bites and endless rhetoric, voters still heading to the polls in four states can’t look to their governors for any pre-election advice. These governors plan to wait until after their states vote to make their own endorsements.
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WORTH NOTING: Illinois treasurer shows his knowledge of charges
By Daniel C. Vock, Stateline.org Staff Writer
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) endures a bruising charge from Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D). A new Utah law stirs Salt Lake City bartenders to create a new drink. And Louisiana prison guards get outside help to prevent escapes. In case you missed those stories this week, Worth Noting fills you in.
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At-risk gubernatorial seats increase
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

After a pair of hard-fought primaries, North Carolina joins Missouri, Washington and Indiana on Out There's list of states where partisan control of the governorship could flip this fall.
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Silver Alert helps rescue lost seniors
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer
(Updated 9:30 a.m EST, May 8, 2008)

When an elderly person with dementia is lost, eight states can trigger an alert to let the community know. Proposals in Congress would expand the successful missing persons program to all 50 states.
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Will states fix 2012 primary process?
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

While voters in Indiana and North Carolina go to the polls today (May 6) to help Democrats pick Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama as their nominee and Republicans rally behind John McCain, party insiders and state election officials are in informal talks to improve the presidential nominating contests for 2012 and beyond.
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Oh say, is that banner made in the U.S.A.?
By Kim Mendelsohn, Special to Stateline.org
Lawmakers in 10 states have taken steps to require that American flags bought with state funds be manufactured in this country. While not all the legislation has passed, one state’s new law even bans the sale of foreign-made American flags in that state.
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Fairness of death-penalty panels questioned
By John Gramlich, Stateline.org Staff Writer
Death-penalty supporters are raising questions about the fairness of state commissions charged with studying how capital punishment is carried out in Maryland and Tennessee, claiming the panels will issue reports that ignore their views.
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WORTH NOTING: Voters' guide promotes phone sex
By Pauline Vu, Stateline.org Staff Writer
An Oregon voters’ guide lists a very wrong number. California’s governor insults rural legislators. And Pennsylvania considers selling wine in vending machines. In case you missed those stories this week, “Worth Noting” fills you in.
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Parents turn to states for autism help
By Daniel C. Vock, Stateline.org Staff Writer
(UPDATED 4 p.m. EDT, Thursday May 1) One of the toughest problems facing autism patients, their families and policymakers is paying for treatment. Families are increasingly relying on states to help them cope with the financial, medical and educational needs.

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Legislators prod Congress on Medicaid, Real ID
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer
As some states tumble into what they fear is a recession, state lawmakers from across the country are pushing Congress for relief from impending federal rules that would force states to pick up more Medicaid costs and spend billions to make drivers’ licenses more secure.
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With justices' OK, voter ID moves ahead
By Daniel C. Vock and John Gramlich, Stateline.org Staff Writers
A decision Monday (April 28) by the U.S. Supreme Court to let Indiana demand photo identification from voters paves the way for other states to do the same during November’s presidential election, experts say.
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Will Democrats grow legislative edge in '08?
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

For the past several election cycles, the Democrats have been on a roll in legislative elections. This year, the party is well-positioned to hold its majority of chambers — but greatly expanding Democratic control may not be in the cards.

'Purple' states turn a little more 'blue'
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

The national polls point to a tight presidential race in November. But Democrats have a bit more to cheer about than Republicans do, regardless of who wins the Democratic primary, according to the latest state-by-state electoral-vote projections by “Out There.”
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Obama's friends in unlikely places
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

Barack Obama is striking an unlikely connection with voters in the reddest of red states. However the Democratic presidential contest plays out, the Illinois senator has breathed new energy and resources into several long-forsaken state parties.
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