Idaho Briefs June 9, 2013

Church fires may have been set to hide burglaries

BOISE - Court records indicate two men with extensive criminal records who police said set ablaze a pair of Emmett churches causing extensive damage did so to cover up burglaries.

Authorities said a safe, computer equipment and other items were taken from Community Bible Church and First Baptist Church before the fires started sometime before 4:30 a.m. on April 27.

Bradley Thomasson, 41, and William Dorahush Jr., 45, in mid-May were each charged with two counts of arson as well as burglary and theft shortly after being arrested. Police believe the two met in prison in Idaho, where they lived in the same housing unit at least four times between 2001 and 2011.

Emmett Police Chief Steve Nebeker said the agency received up to 20 tips a day following the fires.

"Our detectives were running nonstop," he said.

One tip led to a residence in Gem County where Thomasson, Dorahush and Dorahush's girlfriend, Tammy Hannan lived.

Hospital cutting 47 positions to save $3.7M

LEWISTON - St. Joseph Regional Medical Center is cutting 47 full- and part-time jobs from a staff of about 1,000 to help save about $3.7 million annually.

Human Resources Vice President Brenda Forge said that four full-time and three part-time certified nursing assistants are losing their jobs due to a reconfiguration of the intensive care unit.

She said other jobs being cut include 15 full-time and nine part-time employees. Another 13 are retiring or resigning, and three positions aren't being filled.

Hospital CEO Tim Sayler said cuts involve secretaries and managers. He said patients aren't going to see a drop in quality of care.

Sayler said Medicare reimbursement dropped 2 percent due to federal budget cuts that took effect earlier this year.

Animal cruelty charges, drug charge dropped

CALDWELL - Thirty misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty as well as a felony marijuana trafficking charge were dropped against a southwest Idaho man after a judge ruled evidence was obtained illegally.

The animal cruelty charges were dropped Friday and the drug charge was dismissed Tuesday against Jerry Krebs, 65, of Caldwell.

Third District Judge Molly Huskey ruled search warrants that authorities said led to the discovery of 30 malnourished English pointers were based on illegally obtained evidence.

- The Associated Press