Thursday, July 03, 2008

poisonous snake on loose in idaho falls

(IDAHO FALLS) A poisonous coral snake could be slithering around an Idaho Falls neighborhood. The snake disappeared near the 600 block of Wabash three weeks ago. The family who had the illegal snake was reluctant to report the reptiles escape, fearful theyd be charged. Now an entire neighborhood is a little nervous. If you see the bright red, yellow and black snake, call animal control immediately and stay away from the snake.

pocatello pd warns of danger to children in hot cars

(POCATELLO) With scorching heat, the Pocatello Police department is reminding locals to make sure they do not leave their children in a hot car. A 47-year-old grandma was charged recently with a misdemeanor for leaving her grandchild in the car at a local grocery store. Police say the temperature in side the car on a hot day can reach as high as 130 degrees.  

chipmaker challenges assessment

(POCATELLO) ON Semiconductor officials says they're challenging Bannock Countys latest tax assessment. The County Assessor says the chipmakers taxable property is worth $25 Million. ON says an independent appraiser put the value at under $15 Million. Commissioners Ghan and Whitworth voted to bring the value down to $18 Million, but ON says their dispute may not be over yet.  

jewelry thief in court

(POCATELLO) An alleged Pocatello jewelry store robber was back in court yesterday. Both the state and the defense team for Thomas Quest III agreed to continue his case July 16th. Quest is accused of robbing the Imperial Crown Jewelers store on Jefferson last November, taking $2 Million worth of jewels, and shooting the owner in the leg.  

former fremont P&Z

(St. Anthony) -- Fremont County's former Planning and Zoning Administrator will spend the next three years on probation. Judge Keith Walker yesterday sentenced Jeff Patlovich after he pled guilty to three misdemeanor counts of petty theft. Patlovich had been arrested for stealing items from the now-closed Hard Hat Restaurant at the St. Anthony Sand Dunes.

gas prices lead to higher food stamp use

(East Idaho) -- Eastern Idahoans are being added to food stamps rolls faster than in the rest of the state. Officials say statewide, about nine percent more of the population uses food stamps this year than last, while in eastern Idaho the increase is about 11-percent. Statewide, over 95-thousand people get the stamps every month.

e-coli beef scare affects east idaho grocers

(East Idaho) -- You could have e-coli contaminated ground beef in your freezer. A recall of meat this week by Kroger's Incorporated includes some product sold locally by Smith's Food & Drug and Fred Meyer's. Fred Meyer officials say they've pulled the product, labelled "Private Selection Natural", even though none of it reportedly went to their western stores. Smith's officials have pulled the meat with a sell-by date of May 21 to July 3 and will offer refunds to customers who bring the product back.

charlie the grizzly bear on last legs?

(Pocatello) -- Zoo officials in Pocatello say Charlie the Grizzly may be on his last legs. Ross Park Zoo Director Scott Ransom tells the Journal that the 30-year-old bear is suffering from arthritis, and could die as soon as tomorrow, or he could live for several more months. Regardless, they're encouraging you to come and visit Charlie soon. The Zoo is in the middle of a capital campaign to raise $2.5-million for a new grizzly exhibit, but they've only raise $770-thousand so far.

fish and game plant trout in jefferson lake

(ISJ) (Rigby) -- For the first-time ever, planted trout are swimming around in Jefferson Lake north of Rigby. An Idaho Fish and Game crew planted 5,000 trout in the lake's waters yesterday, a first-time experiment at the lake. They also remind you you need a fishing license to try your luck.  

news from the associated press:

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - The Idaho Foodbank has changed to a visual inspection system for examining donated items rather than a "use-by" date to determine if the food should be given to hungry residents. Foodbank officials say the sorting standards fall in line with those approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture seven years ago.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Eleven voters from Idaho who aren't affiliated with a political party said they filed paperwork in federal court hoping to help the state of Idaho fend off efforts by the Republican Party to close the state's GOP primary elections. A judge still must decide whether to allow them to intervene.

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) - Two Idaho forest-products companies say they're merging to strengthen ties to large customers including Home Depot Inc. and Lowe's Cos. while the lumber market slumps. Together, the new company will operate four mills located in northcentral and northern Idaho.

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - While natural gas prices are normally low during summer months and utilities stock up for sale in the winter, the general spike in energy prices has also hit natural gas. This means higher prices for consumers this winter and the changes will be reflected when Avista seeks a rate adjustment in September.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - A new report shows violent crimes across Idaho last year increased slightly compared to the year before, including homicides and aggravated assaults. But the annual Idaho State Police "Crime in Idaho" report also shows declines in property crimes and a slight drop in drug and narcotics violations last year compared to 2006.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - The National Interagency Fire Center says fire activity in the western United States has prompted the agency to raise its national preparedness to level 5, its highest ranking. It marks only the second time the Boise-based agency has raised the preparedness to a level 5 this early in the fire season since the 1990s. The last time was in 2002.

TETON VILLAGE, Wyo. (AP) - Alberta's top official defended his province's development of crude from Canada's massive oil sands as environmentalists' complaints trailed him to the Western Governors Association meeting in Wyoming. Premier Ed Stelmach said that he expects his province's oil industry to be scrutinized because it's the top source of imported crude oil to the United States.

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP) - A judge says a county commission in southern Idaho must reconsider its rejection of a cattle feedlot proposed just a mile west of a national historic site where Japanese-Americans were confined during World War II. Judge G. Richard Bevan says commissioners should have taken zoning and feedlot ordinances more into account.

KETCHUM, Idaho (AP) - Actor Tom Hanks and his wife are asking the Idaho Supreme Court to review a district judge's decision to reject their bid for arbitration with Storey Construction. Hanks and Wilson estimate faulty workmanship at the couple's $10 million home and guest cottages north of Ketchum, Idaho is valued at $2.5 million.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - A company whose wire transfers may be used by scam artists to bilk residents from Idaho and elsewhere has agreed to fund a $1.1 million national consumer awareness program. In a settlement with MoneyGram Payment Systems, the company will also provide prominent warnings about fraud on forms people use to wire money.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Three men are in custody and facing charges in the theft of medical billing records from the University of Utah's medical complex. Detectives recovered the data tapes earlier this week. They say the three men suspected in the case didn't have the equipment or the knowledge to access the personal billing information on the tapes.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A bomb threat caused a scare at University Hospital. Authorities limited access to only patients with critical illnesses as they searched the building and surrounding area. No bomb was found and the hospital opened back up in the afternoon.

SPORTS

(Orem, Utah) -- The Orem Owlz scored three unearned runs in the first inning, then held on for a 4-2 win over Idaho Falls last night in Pioneer League baseball. The 12-4 Owlz host the 5-11 Chukars again tonight, then both teams move to Idaho Falls to start another three game series tomorrow. Tomorrow night's game at Melaleuca Field will get an early 6:30 start.

(Eugene, Oregon) -- Olympic gold medalist Stacy Dragila starts her quest to make the Olympics for a third time today in Eugene, Oregon. The former Idaho State University pole vaulter will be in the event's preliminaries tonight at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Dragila lives in Pocatello and has been training at ISU to get ready for the trials.

(Pocatello) -- They're hoping for a good crowd Saturday at noon at ISU's Holt Arena, as the best high school football players in the state square off in the annual Idaho High School All-Star football game. The game will feature a team from Boise's Treasure Valley area against all-stars from the rest of the state.