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IDAHO SOS RACE-ENDORSEMENT
Idaho Secretary of State endorses McGrane for post
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa has endorsed Ada County's chief deputy clerk Phil McGrane to be his successor when Ysursa retires at the end of the year.
The race for the GOP nomination is already crowded, with Midvale Rep. Lawerence Denney and former state senators Evan Frasure and Mitch Toryanski running. Boise Rep. Holli Woodings is the only Democrat vying for the post.
Idaho's secretary of state is the top election official, responsible for keeping track of campaigns and lobbyists. The secretary of state also holds a seat on the Idaho Land Board.
In a prepared statement released Tuesday, Ysursa said McGrane's work as one of the top election officials for Idaho's most populated county has prepared him well for the Secretary of State's duties.
SCHOOL LEVY-KUNA
Recall drive started against school trustee
(Information in the following story is from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com)
KUNA, Idaho (AP) — A recall drive has been started against a trustee of the Kuna School District after he successfully worked to defeat a $3.19 million supplemental levy.
Election Office officials with the Idaho Secretary of State tell the Idaho Statesman that a petition with 20 names have been submitted to recall Michael Law.
Recall organizers starting last week have 75 days to gather 29 more signatures.
Voters last month in a light turnout narrowly rejected a supplemental levy. District officials on a 3-2 vote put the levy up to voters again on May 20.
Law voted against putting the levy to voters and distributed fliers opposing it in the last election.
Resident Terri Reno says Law isn't representing the best interests of students.
Law says he won't resign.
COPPER THEFT
4 men arrested following S. Idaho copper thefts
(Information in the following story is from: The Times-News, http://www.magicvalley.com)
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP) — A father and son and two other men police say stole nearly $15,000 worth of copper in south-central Idaho are facing felony charges.
The Times-News reports in a story on Tuesday that 39-year-old Larry Hendricks and 18-year-old Cody Hendricks are charged with theft by receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy.
Twenty-year-old Conner Edward Owen and 25-year-old Daniel Jerke are charged with felony grand theft and felony attempted grand theft.
Police arrested the Hendrickses on Wednesday. Owen and Jerke were arrested March 14.
Police say some of the thefts occurred at an Idaho Power substation.
The four men are scheduled to appear in Twin Falls County Magistrate Court on Friday.
GRAFFITI-TEENS
Police: Teens caused $39,000 in graffiti damage
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Police in Boise say three male teenagers linked to graffiti causing nearly $39,000 in damage have been identified.
The Boise Police Department says in a statement on Tuesday that reports have been sent to the Ada County Juvenile Prosecutors recommending charges of felony injury to property against the three teens.
Police say two of the boys are 14 and one is 13.
Police say they have connected the teens to 33 incidents of graffiti found on small business, schools, homes, fences, signs, playground equipment and trees.
Police say they started investigating in September when officers saw an increase in graffiti that included spray paint and stickers.
TRAILER PARK-WATER
Judge OKs water testing at mobile home park
(Information in the following story is from: Lewiston Tribune, http://www.lmtribune.com)
MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — A judge has ordered the owner of a northern Idaho mobile home park in Moscow to allow access to the park's water systems for independent testing.
The Lewiston Tribune reports that 2nd District Judge John R. Stegner late last week issued the order as part of a preliminary injunction.
The injunction requires park owner Magar E. Magar to maintain the park's residential water and wastewater treatment systems in compliance with state law during a pending lawsuit.
About 150 residents are pursuing a class-action lawsuit against Magar, contending lack of maintenance has made the mobile home park unsafe.
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.
CONCEALED CARRY COURSE
Idaho sheriff offers free concealed carry course
(Information in the following story is from: The Times-News, http://www.magicvalley.com)
BURLEY, Idaho (AP) — The Cassia County Sheriff's Office in south-central Idaho is offering free instruction for enhanced concealed carry gun permits.
Sheriff Jay Heward tells The Times-News that so many residents are interested he decided to offer the eight-hour class for free.
The course taken elsewhere can cost $150. The enhanced permit is honored in Nevada, Washington, New Mexico, Virginia and South Carolina.
The course includes safety instruction and requires each student to shoot 100 rounds on a gun range under the instruction of police.
The instructor, Lt. Kevin Horak, says the course is about being safe and knowing what is expected if a person chooses to carry a concealed weapon.
The Sheriff's office held its first course Saturday and plans to hold three more this year.
CRISIS CENTER
N. Idaho police push for crisis center
(Information in the following story is from: Coeur d'Alene Press, http://www.cdapress.com)
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) — A northern Idaho county sheriff and four area police chiefs have signed a letter written by a state senator requesting that Coeur d'Alene get a behavioral-health crisis center.
The Coeur d'Alene Press reports that Kootenai County Sheriff Ben Wolfinger, Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Ron Clark, Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug, Rathdrum Police Chief Kevin Fuhr, and Spirit Lake Police Chief Keith Hutcheson signed the document.
Republican State Sen. John Goedde of Coeur d'Alene wrote the letter.
The Idaho Legislature has approved money for a facility but Boise and Idaho Falls are also being considered for the $1.52 million approved by lawmakers for the facility.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare requested money to operate three crisis centers, but lawmakers only passed funding for one.
YELLOWSTONE BISON
Montana seeks proposals to take quarantined bison
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Montana wildlife officials say they are seeking proposals to take up to 135 disease-free bison being held under an experimental effort to establish new populations of the animals.
The small herd in the U.S. Department of Agriculture program is made up of animals captured from Yellowstone National Park and their descendants.
The bison have been held for the past several years on behalf of Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks at a Bozeman-area ranch owned by philanthropist Ted Turner.
They have been tested repeatedly to make sure they don't have the disease brucellosis, which can cause pregnant animals to prematurely abort.
Livestock groups have opposed previous Yellowstone bison transfers.
Officials say proposals to take the animals are due by April 30. They could be moved as early as November.
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