Owyhee County has spent more than $162,000 on something so obviously wonderful, it just has to be kept secret from taxpayers. So the county took a black marker and diligently crossed out 56 entries on a 240-page check register provided to the Idaho Freedom Foundation. County Prosecutor Douglas Emery decided the recipients of the taxpayer dollars - of which he’s one - should remain anonymous.
From the Idaho Statesman
Magaly Rodriguez lives in Minnesota and occasionally travels to the University of Idaho to serve as an independent consultant and “Chief Inspiration Officer.”
The UI pays her $12,500 a month for her services, according to public records obtained by the Daily News.
Rodriguez is held on retainer by the UI, on a nine-month appointment that expires in June. The contract totals $112,500 and was signed during the same academic year that state holdbacks forced the UI to cut about $3.8 million from its budget.
From the Moscow-Pullman Daily News
Among its other tasks, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare inspects the state’s nursing homes, hospitals and other entities on behalf of the federal government.
Since 2006, Health and Welfare has posted its inspection reports on its Web site for public review. But those postings have stopped after the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services warned Idaho it was violating federal law.
From the Times-News
The Republican Party’s libertarian wing is criticizing the conviction of a Mountain Home GOP official who defied a police order to stay away from Idaho Gov. Butch Otter’s office.
“Idahoans for Liberty,” a group including organizers of recent Tea Party events and backers of Texas Rep. Ron Paul, marched from the sentencing hearing Monday to Otter’s office.
From the Idaho Statesman
The Times-News has challenged the closure of hearings and the sealing of documents in the murder case against Fortino Leon of Jerome.
From the Times-News
Public documents were sealed from community sight this week in the murder case against Iranian refugee Majid Kolestani.
Kolestani, 43 - a man who identifies as a woman and also goes by the first name Nastaran - is accused of shooting 29-year-old Iranian refugee Ehsan Velayati Kababian to death in his car along Fifth Avenue East in Twin Falls on Aug. 25. Friends of the pair say possible motive is jealousy over a woman Kababian may have been romancing in Iran.
From the Times-News
Fifth District Court Judge Jason Walker said Friday that he closed a status hearing on the commitment of an accused murderer “to preserve the defendant’s right to a fair trial,” even though prior proceedings related to the man’s mental competency have been held in open court during the 9-month-old criminal case.
From the Times-News
JEROME - Fifth District Court Judge Jason Walker Thursday shut the public out of a criminal hearing in a first-degree murder case without saying if 73-year-old Fortino Leon is mentally fit to stand trial or why he was sealing the case.
From the Times-News
An attorney for the former director of the Idaho Falls-based Family
Care Center believes notes from a Post Register reporter could help
his client’s case.
From the Idaho Falls Post Register
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter has signed into law legislation revamping and strengthening Idaho’s Open Meeting Law.
The bill, SB 1142, sponsored by Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, passed the Senate unanimously and the House on a 59-10 vote. It was endorsed by an array of media, civic and local government groups, including IDOG.