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MEDICAID LAWSUIT
Judge halts Medicaid cuts after ACLU suit
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A U.S. District Court judge issued an injunction Tuesday to halt deep cuts to Medicaid and restore about $16 million in assistance to Idaho's developmentally delayed adults.
The decision lets an American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho lawsuit on behalf of disabled Idahoans proceed as a class-action case.
That opens it up to more people who lost some their Medicaid dollars when the program was slashed in 2011.
Judge B. Lynn Winmill cited cases of severely mentally disabled Idahoans that can no longer afford necessary therapy and other care in his decision.
The injunction applies to everyone who goes through Medicaid's individual budgeting process for adults with developmental disabilities in Idaho.
Those people will return to the highest level of funding they have received since July 1, 2011.
TEEN MURDER SUSPECT
14-year-old boy says he planned slayings
(Information in the following story is from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com)
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) — A 14-year-old boy charged with killing his father and younger brother in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, told investigators he had prepared for the brutal killings for months.
Eldon G. Samuel III is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the Monday night deaths of his father, 46-year-old Eldon Samuel Jr., and his brother, 13-year-old Jonathan Samuel, inside a home owned by St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho.
His bail was set Tuesday at $1 million.
The Spokesman-Review reported Wednesday that Samuel told investigators he hated his brother and blamed him for his anger and frustration. Samuel also claimed his dad often beat him and had been taking medication and talking about zombies.
GRAZING LAWSUIT
Federal judge upholds bighorn protection plan
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that a U.S. Forest Service plan to reduce domestic sheep grazing on the Payette National Forest by about 70 percent to protect bighorn sheep from diseases will remain in place.
Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge A. Wallace Tashima, sitting by designation for the District of Idaho, made the ruling on Tuesday.
Sheep ranchers in Idaho and other states in 2012 sued the Forest Service over the bighorn sheep protection plan announced in 2010.
The groups contended the Forest Service didn't adequately consider the environmental consequences of the plan as required by the National Environmental Protection Act.
But Tashima ruled in the 22-page decision that the agency did meet requirements in creating the plan.
ACCIDENT-SEARCH
Searchers find crash site
(Information in the following story is from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com)
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Rescue crews have found a vehicle that was involved in a rollover crash in a remote canyon in Owyhee County.
The sheriff's office says one person died in the Wednesday morning crash. Three other people survived.
Authorities from Owhyee County, aided by helicopters, had to search for the site after the driver of the vehicle called 911 to report the crash.
The Idaho Statesman reports the vehicle crashed in an area off of Highway 78, west of Hemingway Butte.
An air ambulance located the vehicle at 10:56 a.m., and officers on the ground arrived soon after.
No information was immediately available on who was in the vehicle, other than a man, a woman and two children. It was not known who was killed in the crash.
TRAILER PARK-INJUNCTION
N. Idaho judge eyes injunction at mobile home park
(Information in the following story is from: The Moscow-Pullman Daily News, http://www.dnews.com)
MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — A northern Idaho judge has agreed to issue an injunction to force a mobile home park owner to overhaul the park's water and waste system to make it safe for residents.
But 2nd District Judge John Stegner on Tuesday also says he's not sure how long it will take to issue the order against Syringa Mobile Home Park owner Magar E. Magar because he wants to make sure it will be effective.
The Moscow-Pullman Daily News reports that a team of third-year law students from the University of Idaho Legal Aid Clinic representing residents sought the injunction.
On another front, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality in February filed a lawsuit against Magar contending the mobile home park is violating wastewater and drinking water requirements.
That lawsuit is pending in 2nd District Court.
PECK SHOOTING DEATH
N. Idaho man pleads not guilty in shooting death
(Information in the following story is from: Lewiston Tribune, http://www.lmtribune.com)
LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — A northern Idaho man charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of another man has pleaded not guilty.
The Lewiston Tribune reports that the attorney for 27-year-old Christopher J. Partee entered the plea Tuesday in 2nd District Court.
Partee is charged with shooting 41-year-old Coby J. Bloodsworth on Feb 11 at a mobile home in Peck during an argument at Partee's residence.
Nez Perce County prosecutors say Bloodsworth and Partee were involved in an argument at a gas station that continued at Partee's mobile home.
Partee said Bloodsworth threatened him so he pointed a gun at Bloodsworth's feet. He said he shot Bloodsworth in the chest when Bloodsworth moved aggressively toward him.
A jury trial is set for July 7. Partee remains in custody on $250,000 bond.
AIR GUARD MOVING?
Air Guard could move to Mountain Home
(Information in the following story is from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com)
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho Air National Guard could move from Gowen Field to Mountain Home Air Force Base if President Obama's budget proposal to Congress becomes law.
The Idaho Statesman reported Wednesday that the Air Force plans to eliminate its entire fleet of A-10 Thunderbolts, which totals 107 planes assigned to Gowen Field and three other bases around the country. Gowen has 22 of the planes.
Gowen Field's 22 A-10s account for the Idaho Air Guard's entire fleet of aircraft, and employ about 1,000 people. About two-thirds of those people are part-time reservists who work one weekend a month and two weeks a year.
The Idaho Air National Guard worries that moving its operations an hour's drive from Boise will hurt its ability to recruit and retain reservists.
WRONG DOOR RAID
SW Idaho family sues police after wrong-door raid
(Information in the following story is from: KTVB-TV, http://www.ktvb.com/)
CALDWELL, Idaho (AP) — Two southwest Idaho police agencies have filed documents in federal court denying accusations they violated a family's rights in a raid on the wrong residence.
Nampa police in documents filed this month say they weren't present at the raid. Caldwell police say they did kick in the door but followed proper procedures and policies based on information they had in an attempt to find a potential suspect and victim.
KTVB-TV reports that David Johnson and his family filed the lawsuit late last year seeking monetary damages to the apartment and for emotional distress.
The lawsuit contends police violated the family's rights with unlawful search and seizure, false imprisonment and excessive force in February 2013.
FIRE RESCUE
Firefighters rescue couple in southwest Idaho
CALDWELL, Idaho (AP) — Southwest Idaho firefighters saved an elderly couple and three dogs, but the man sustained serious injuries.
Firefighters from Caldwell and Middleton responded to a fire in Caldwell about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Caldwell Fire Battalion Chief Tim Scott says the woman was in the doorway and yelled that her husband was still inside.
Scott says crews entered without hand-lines and found the man in the front living room area.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Officials gave no damage estimate.
FAKE WORKER
Idaho Power warns of someone impersonating worker
(Information in the following story is from: KBOI-TV, http://www.kboi2.com)
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Power is warning customers someone is pretending to be a company worker and residents shouldn't let him into their homes.
KBOI-TV reports that the company says a Boise resident recently called the company to say someone with tools knocked on his door demanding to be let in to fix the meter.
Company spokesman Kevin Winslow says the man wasn't an employee.
The company says almost all power meters are on the outside of homes so there's no reason for a worker to go inside.
The company says residents should call the police if someone is claiming to be with Idaho Power tries to get into the house.
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