Local/Idaho briefs March 30, 2013
City seeks artists to design McEuen entry arch
COEUR d'ALENE - The city of Coeur d'Alene Arts Commission is seeking artists to design the McEuen Park entry arch. The renewed and revitalized McEuen Park offers a prime location in the heart of downtown Coeur d'Alene. It has evolved greatly over the years, and is currently being developed into a state-of-the-art park.
Artists vying to design the arch should submit proposals by 5 p.m., May 24. Info packets are available at City Hall, 710 E. Mullan Ave., or at www.cdaid.org.
Justices: Syringa can pursue claim against Idaho
BOISE (AP) - The Idaho Supreme Court justices ruled Friday phone consortium Syringa Networks can pursue its claim against the Department of Administration alleging the agency's bidding process violated Idaho statutes governing purchasing.
Syringa sued Idaho in 2009, claiming the Department of Administration illegally handed Qwest Communications Inc. a $60 million contract to install the broadband infrastructure for the Idaho Education Network, an ongoing project to link public schools, universities and businesses in Idaho.
A 4th District Court judge dismissed Syringa's lawsuit, on grounds it hadn't exhausted administrative remedies.
But justices said there were no administrative remedies to exhaust.
Among other conclusions, Supreme Court Justice Jim Jones wrote then-Department of Administration Director Mike Gwartney "appears to have been the architect of the state's effort to bend the contracting rules to Qwest's advantage."
School 'fix it' bill wins Senate approval
BOISE (AP) - The Idaho Senate voted unanimously for the so-called "fix it" bill, a $30 million measure that restores funding to public education that had been eliminated when voters rejected the "Students Come First" propositions last November.
After Gov. Butch Otter signs the measure, as he's expected to do, more than $30 million would go toward teacher salaries, dual credit courses, technology and professional development.
Education groups including the Idaho Education Association and the Idaho School Boards Association all backed the plan.
The money contained in it addresses issues that weren't at the core of the dispute over Students Come First.
Sen. John Goedde of Coeur d'Alene, the Republican chairman of the Education Committee, characterized the measure as a must-pass proposal.
He said Friday lawmakers owed it to school kids.
Senate: State should trump Boise in fight
BOISE (AP) - The Senate voted 24-11 to exempt the state from Boise's local planning rules, to help it build a parking garage near the Capitol.
During Friday's debate, Republican Sen. Jim Rice of Caldwell argued it had never been city government's place to regulate the state.
Idaho has sold bonds for the $8 million, 580-car garage, but a city planning board has rejected the project's design.
Consequently, Idaho fears it will be delayed and grow more expensive.
State officials still hope to win an appeal next month.
If they don't, however, this measure that's now due a House vote would allow them to proceed with the garage, anyway.
Democrats opposed the measure, as did Republican Sen. Todd Lakey of Nampa.
Lakey worries Idaho's garage exemption gambit undermines important principles of local control.
Federal budget cuts mean smaller checks
BOISE (AP) - The federal budget cuts that kicked in earlier this month are taking a bite out of extended unemployment benefits for thousands of jobless Idaho residents.
The Idaho Department of Labor reports that the reductions that went into effect March 1 are forcing a 10.7 percent cut in payments.
The decrease in the weekly checks will begin Sunday and likely extend through the week of Sept. 22.
The agency said regular state benefits of 10 to 26 weeks for more than 17,000 jobless Idaho workers will not be affected by the cuts.
2 killed in rollover crash near Culdesac
CULDESAC (AP) - Two Lapwai men died and another was critically injured in a one-vehicle rollover crash near Culdesac, east of Lewiston.
The Nez Perce County sheriff's department said that the pickup crashed sometime before 8 p.m. Thursday and killed 27-year-old James S. Sanford III and 28-year-old Donovan V. Huth.
Another man, 27-year-old Thomas S. Alfrey, was taken to a Lewiston hospital for treatment of critical injuries.
The sheriff's office says the men were in pickup truck traveling at a high rate of speed when the driver failed to negotiate a turn and the pickup rolled. All three men were thrown from the pickup.
Man guilty of having sawed-off shotgun
POCATELLO (AP) - An eastern Idaho man has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Pocatello to possessing a sawed-off shotgun.
Twenty-four-year-old Timothy Scott Murphy of Idaho Falls made the plea Thursday to a charge of possession of an unregistered firearm.
Murphy was indicted May 22 with possessing a 12-gauge shotgun that was about 16 inches long. The minimum legal length is 18 inches.
He was taken into custody Feb. 21, 2012, following a four-hour standoff.
Murphy is scheduled to be sentenced June 17 by Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill.
Murphy faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Woman pleads guilty to theft of gov't property
POCATELLO (AP) - A 36-year-old Chubbuck woman has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $100,000 in federal money from the Aid For Friends homeless shelter in Pocatello.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says Leslie A. Briggs pleaded guilty Thursday to theft of government property. Sentencing is set for June 18.
Prosecutors allege Briggs was assistant to the manager of the shelter's program that receives and manages Social Security benefits for people who may be unable to handle their money, helping them pay rent and other bills.