Emilie Ritter Saunders was StateImpact Idaho's multimedia reporter until the project merged with the Boise State Public Radio site in July 2013. She previously worked as the Capitol Bureau Chief for Montana Public Radio and was a Senior Fellow with NPR's Economic Training Project from 2009 until 2010. She graduated from the University of Montana School of Journalism in 2007.
Idaho doesn’t cater to as many out-of-state hunters and fisherman as it once did. The Idaho Business Reviewreports that’s prompted the Fish and Game Department to step up marketing efforts.
Idaho Fish and Game’s Michael Pearson told the Idaho Business Review that the number of non-resident fishing and hunting licenses sold by the state fell by 13 and 26 percent respectively from 2007 to 2011.
Ads have been placed on outdoor recreation websites and in periodicals like California Sportsman, he said. For the first several months leading to fall, the ads tried to recruit hunters with its “I hunt Idaho” slogan. As fall approached, it switched over to promote the steelhead fishing that is prevalent in October and November. Continue Reading →
On November 6, voters in Idaho will decide if a trio of education laws should be repealed in whole or in part, or if they’ll remain intact. So, what happens if voters reject the laws?
The Students Come First laws do many things. The package of three laws would remain on the books if Propositions 1, 2 and 3 pass on November 6. If any of those propositions fail, the corresponding law would be repealed.
Republican Congressman Mike Simpson and Democratic state Senator Nicole LeFavour debated on Idaho Public Television Sunday night.
LeFavour, an eight-year veteran of the Idaho Legislature is trying to unseat Mike Simpson, who has represented Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District since 1998.
In case you missed it, here’s the hour-long debate:
If you tried to book a spring break direct flight from Boise to Portland on Southwest Airlines this week, you’d notice it’s no longer an option. Southwest released its April and May flight schedule this week, and that direct connection is absent.
“If you have a flight under two hours,” says Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins, “the traffic is just not there anymore.” Hawkins says travelers can still get to Portland on his airline, you’ll just have to go through Las Vegas or Oakland first. Continue Reading →
Southwest Airlines will drop its direct Boise-to-Portland flights this spring. The Idaho Press-Tribunereports the airline says fuel costs were the deciding factor.
Here’s more from the Idaho Press-Tribune:
“The current fuel environment doesn’t allow us to continue operating that market with nonstop service,” Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins said over email. Continue Reading →
State Sen. Nicole LeFavour talks with volunteers at Polo's Restaurant in Burley, Idaho.
Burley, Idaho is farm country. About 10,000 people live in the eastern Idaho town, that for many is just a stop off I-84 to gas up.
This is Republican Congressman Mike Simpson’s home turf. He was born in here. But now, Boise Democrat Nicole LeFavour is making one of the most serious runs at his seat in recent history.
On a late October evening, state Senator LeFavour gathered a group of volunteers to canvass the neighborhoods near downtown Burley.
Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District covers about 40,000 square miles of southern and eastern Idaho. It includes all of Boise, and everything along I-84 to the Montana border. For almost 15 years, Republican Mike Simpson has represented the district.
LeFavour’s field campaign manager Tom Hamilton shows a handful of volunteers how to work an iPhone app that identifies which doors to knock on. Continue Reading →
The governor's panel on Medicaid expansion met for the first time back in August.
The Department of Health and Welfare says it’s rescheduling it’s next Medicaid work group meeting on November 9.
Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter created the panel to study whether Idaho should allow more low income Idahoans on the health care program. Currently, nearly 240,000 Idahoans are on Medicaid. An expansion would add up to 110,000 more people.
The department says it’s waiting on more data to be collected and that’s why its Oct. 23 meeting has been pushed back to Nov. 9.
That meeting will be at the State Capitol from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and will be streamed live online.
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