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One eye on South Dakota

State Rep. Bill Sali is already the leader in the money race for the May Republican primary, but now he's hoping to add another red-meat bona fide: passage of a new anti-abortion bill in the Idaho Legislature.

The bill, per the reporting of Betsy Russell of the Spokesman-Review, isn't ready yet, but it will be, if Sali sticks to his guns, as he's known to do.

The bill is a parental-consent bill, the likes of which are common in many states. But no one has quite topped South Dakota's bill, recently signed by their governor, which bars abortion, period. That's made one hard-core (and hungry) Idaho conservative happy, but Randy Stapilus is wondering why Sali is only going so far.

Albertson's: it's not your store

The news of Albertson's lousy quarterly earnings, released today, didn't exactly blow away analysts, who had more or less expected poor performance after the company tried hard to sell itself, failed, then tried again this fall.

But, ouch. Nearly 17 percent drop in earnings still hurts, no matter how you slice the well-waxed apple.

Burying, then unearthing, political hot potatoes

If there was a hot-button political issue in the 2006 elections in Idaho, it might be the sale of public land. The very notion of it has enflamed tempers from Boise to Coeur d'Alene, and ensnarled political careers and initiatives as it goes.

No surprise why. Idahoans will tell you the land is one big reason they're here. I won't belabor that point.

But whether you're a Congressman on the make, a columnist with an axe to grind, or a wilderness bill in need of friends, watch out for anything resembling the transfer of public lands. It could make (or break) your day in Idaho. [more]

heard in idaho

“And we all know this is going to end up in court anyway."
-That's Idaho Fish and Game Commissioner Gary Power of Salmon, expressing his doubt about much movement we might see on the state's plan to kill wolves in northern Idaho.

Read The Associated Press's account of the unanimous Idaho Fish and Game Commission vote today. Despite scientific concerns over just how effective their plan would be in the face of dwindling habitat, Idaho wildlife managers say the best thing to do for elk in the Lolo area is to shoot every wolf that might lay a fang on the prized elk.

The debate rages on that question. But Power may have the endgame figured out already.

heard in idaho

"No one's indispensable."

-Idaho Speaker of the House Bruce Newcomb on why he feels it is OK for him to retire.

After two decades in the House, Speaker Newcomb announced his retirement (he is 66) after this session. News came first from KTVB Channel 7 here in Boise, but that rare gem of a quote came from The Idaho Statesman.

Update: At last, someone did more than say what a nice guy he is (which he is, natch) and went on to ask the real question: what's next? For that, we must turn, as we often do for sage political analysis, to Randy Stapilus at Ridenbaugh Press. Take it away, Stapilus.

Growth a "When" not an "if"

Mid-term "reports" by sitting mayors tend to be little more than spin machines (they don't get their own "State of the State" speeches) and I would have been surprised to see anything different from Boise Mayor Dave Bieter.

Herewith, his report on his own term comes out today. Read it in its entirety here, at the Boise City page.

Hunting for wisdom? There are a few pearls. [more]

nice doing business with you

It's March, in like a Lion and all that, so we're going to re-start the Knight-Ridder sale talks bug over there in the "Intelligencer" column.

If you're looking for the latest news on the sale of the company that owns The Idaho Statesman, then we'll hope to slap some up there whenever we can. Click that link every couple of days, since the news changes that often. Usually, we'll be posting stories like today's from the San Jose Mercury News, which is getting itself all hot and bothered about the impending bid deadline of March 9.

Today's news tells us we shouldn't forget a big potential bidder, and a familiar face at that.

who needs that home on the range

An open letter to the West's real estate market:
Dear WREM,

Lately, I've benefitted and I've been bitten by your marvelous home sale market. I've made money and lost money on quaint homes in your hip, gotta-be-there cities.

But I've noticed, my dear WREM, that you have some ego problems. You seem to believe in the never-ending spike in your value, and that the line of suckers stretches for miles behind me.

Today, dear WREM, I believe you need to reconsider. You see, WREM, I've just seen the January existing-home sales figures. And, I hate to break it to you, but nobody's market is crumbling faster than yours. [more]

Heard (outside) idaho

"Governors should be involved in these decisions. There has been too much that we have learned outside the loop. It's time we were inside the loop."

-Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, talking to The New York Times after meeting with President Bush on National Guard issues.

But wait, it gets snarlier: "I appreciated the president saying he's committed to the full strength, but the money is not in there."

That from the Washington Post.

Kempthorne joined other governors in expressing skepticism about the Bush Administration's ability to properly support state-based National Guard forces. The White House is considering some changes to the way National Guard forces are staffed and deployed.

Scary fast

After a while, you get inured to the news of death by snowmobile. In the wintry West, it's a tragically popular -- and predictable -- way to die.

Today, the sad news of a popular mayor of tiny Atomic City, Idaho: Forrest "Frosty" Hawley died when he hit another snowmobiler -- his wife, Gerry -- head-on. Read the news from the Associated Press here.

But, jeez, you don't have to go far to find other bad news about the fastest thing on snow. [more]

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