Idaho Briefs December 28, 2011
Idaho defends new legislative map
BOISE - Idaho has delivered arguments to the Idaho Supreme Court on why justices should reject a lawsuit filed by Twin Falls County aiming to have the state's new legislative boundaries thrown out.
Twin Falls argues the county-splitting map approved Oct. 14 disadvantages its voters.
Idaho counters the plan meets the one-person, one-vote requirement, splits counties only where necessary and joins similar communities.
According to the filing, redistricters crafted a plan that's legally defensible and meets Idaho's best interests.
Secretary of State Ben Ysursa said Tuesday he's hopeful justices will rule soon after a scheduled Jan. 5 hearing, to give Idaho election officials time to prepare for the May 15 primary.
A second, separate lawsuit, filed by North Idaho counties, is due for oral arguments in state Supreme Court on Jan. 19.
Company looks
to expand sales
TWIN FALLS -
A southern Idaho company that manufactures bean harvesting equipment hopes to do business in Latin America following a state-led trade mission to the region.
Lt. Gov. Brad Little led more than a dozen Idaho businesses, including Pickett Equipment Co., on the trade trip in early December. The Times-News reports Pickett Equipment is now making a strong push to expand its sales into Mexico.
Jonathan Price manages international sales for the Burley-based company and says he doesn't think they would have seriously considered trying to tap into the Mexican market had they not participated in the early December trade mission.
The lieutenant governor has estimated Idaho businesses have the potential to reap more than $30 million in sales from trade mission, which included meetings in Brazil and Mexico.
Conviction in
cattle theft upheld
BOISE - An appellate court has upheld the conviction of a southern Idaho woman serving seven years in prison for stealing cattle.
The Idaho Court of Appeals issued a ruling Tuesday in the case of Traci Hadden, who says her trial should have been moved from Lincoln County due to the publicity surrounding her in a separate case, where she was charged with plotting to kill her former father-in-law.
The appellate court rejected that argument and affirmed a jury's finding that Hadden was guilty of stealing 20 head of cattle from a ranch near Shoshone in 2008. She'll serve at least another 10 years for aiding and abetting in the attempted murder of then 60-year-old Craig Hadden.
He was shot four times with a rifle outside his home on April 1, 2009.
- The Associated Press