Last Friday, the interim director of the State Board of Education broached the idea of turning some programs back to the Department of Education… where they used to reside. This week opens with four days of testimony on teacher merit pay in joint education committee meetings in the JR Williams (Hall of Mirrors) Building at 3 p.m. Also, an interesting story on ballooning youth mental health services in Eastern Idaho and more in today’s Newsrack…
Ed Board ED: We shan’t run programs. Idaho Board of Education should stick to policy and not try to run programs. Sen. Hammond, former Ed Board member: “Just like any board, their chief purpose is policy-setting, and when they try to get too much into the operational side, it just creates inefficiencies.” Bill to put testing back in the Department of Ed expected. Russell in the Spokesman [partial access].
Pre-K: Long history of going nowhere. In Idaho House, that is. Schroeder, Burkett will try again to get early childhood education started. Speaker Denney: “We’ll try to get a hearing. I have not been convinced that it’s necessary. However, I’m not privileged to whatever the Senate heard that makes them think it’s very necessary.” Denney’s granddaughter goes to public pre-K. Allen in the Statesman.
Children’s mental health programs in Eastern Idaho have three times as much business as Boise, elsewhere in the state. Providers are raking in the Medicaid dollars and not necessarily using the best techniques. Are docs pulling a fast one, parents shopping for diagnoses or is the region the only one in the state actually treating all its mentally ill kids? AP in the Press Tribune.
Luna and budget committee chairs on Idaho Reports.
Liquor task force could open up licenses. Group is looking at enforcement, training for servers and possibly ending or scaling back quota on liquor licenses. Druzin in the Statesman. Meeting is semi-secret. Governor says quota system is broken. Ferguson in the LMT [subsrip]. Also, bill would increase compliance checks at bars, liquor stores. Ferguson in the LMT [subscrip]. And another would ask bars and restaurants to post warnings to pregnant women. Ferguson in the LMT [subscrip].
Pedophile sentencing: Depends on the judge. Post-Register examines sentencing history for sex offenders and finds punishments are pretty subjective. Some want long probations, some opt for lockup. Reporters spend a day at a sex offender treatment center in North Idaho. Corey Taule and Nick Draper in the Post Register [subscrip].
Otter decides not to fund alternative energy center in Idaho Falls. Center for Advanced Energy Studies expected $3.8 million in governor’s budget. Gets zero. Will study nuke and other alternative energies. Davidson in the Post Register [subscrip].
Heard around the Annex: “Excuse me.” Cramped quarters lead to hyper politeness. Voting on laptops. Bedke: “You have to be on time to get booted up. You can’t just run in and punch your ‘present’ button.” Hopkins in the Times-News. Senate more comfy than House… could be political tool. Popkey in the Statesman.
P.O. could be gov’s mansion? First Lady Lori Otter suggests old Borah Post Office for gov’s mansion. Otter on Simplot Hill: “I wouldn’t want my dog on the back porch. That thing goes straight down.” Simon Shifrin, AP in the Statesman.
Risch plays to friendly crowd at Lewiston Chamber. Talks politics in non-campaign campaign stop. Sandra L. Lee in the LMT [subscrip].
Burley farmers worried church may take back leasehold land. LDS church considering direct operations of 10,000 to 12,000 acres of farmland now leased to local farmers. Church spokesman says no decision has been made. Carol Ryan Dumas in Ag Weekly.
Cassia Co. commishs want rid of bighorns. After local county commission asks state to get rid of bighorn sheep on BLM land, S. Idaho Press sort of looks at the bighorn sheep conflict. Sven Berg in the S. Idaho Press.
Kellogg in NYT, NPR. Local reax in Shoshone News Press. Mining town with bleak past. And for Kellogg Mayor who never heard it: Silver Valley Sheds its Polluted Past.
N. Idaho law makers check in. Weekend meeting in CDA with Panhandle Coalition reviews the first two weeks of the session. Sean Garmire in the CDA Press.
Caucusing 101. Idaho and Washington party people tutoring caucus goers on the procedure. Tom Banse on Boise State Radio. [audio].
