A new beginning

District 25, teachers reach deal

By Dan Boyd - Journal Writer

POCATELLO - A lot can change in four months.

After nearly going on strike in April after administrators refused to meet certain contractual demands, School District 25 teachers approved a contract for the 2006-07 school year on Wednesday that includes a 2.5 percent base salary increase.

Teachers will receive an additional 0.5 percent raise on March 1, 2007, and will enter the new school year next Monday with last year's cloud of uncertainty and animosity largely replaced by sunshine and optimism.

Vagner stresses good communication at assembly

POCATELLO - It had all the color of a regular high-school assembly - the chatting, the filing in late, the excitement of the new school year pouring out over the gym floor.

The only difference was that the faces in the bleachers were a bit more mature and their banter respectfully ceased when the National Anthem began.

This was not an assembly of students - it was an assembly of teachers.

To kick off the school year, new Superintendent Mary Vagner led the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 administration in welcoming all of the District's teachers and staff members at Highland High School Wednesday morning.

Hunting reserve debate heats up

Public hearing set on controversial facility

BLACKFOOT - The Bingham County Planning and Zoning Department anticipates a large crowd will weigh in on permitting a controversial private hunting reserve during a Sept. 20 public hearing.

The owner, former Denver Broncos defensive end Rulon Jones, is proposing a shooter bull operation for the Wolverine Canyon area - where hunters would pay between $3,900 and $12,000 to shoot domesticated elk within a 2,000-acre fenced enclosure.

Bingham County previously issued Jones a permit to build the fence, which has already been constructed. The pending conditional use permit would allow him to stock the pen with domesticated game and open his operation.

The public hearing will begin at 7 p.m. in courtroom No. 1 at the Bingham County Courthouse.

Local residents sound off on proposed tax overhaul

Area braces for Friday's decision by lawmakers meeting in special session for first time in 14 years

POCATELLO - Two days before state lawmakers cast a final vote on whether to take a chisel to the state's tax system, Pocatellan Lowell Carlson loaded groceries into his truck and admitted he may have fresh produce but he doesn't have the answers.

"We pay plenty of sales tax, but on the other hand we're pretty put on for property taxes, too," said Carlson, pausing momentarily in the Albertson's parking lot. "If you take from one, you got to add to the other.

"It's kind of a Catch-22."

While most lawmakers have already decided whether they support Gov. Jim Risch's proposal to cut the state's property tax by $260 million and raise the sales tax rate by one percent to largely offset the difference, many political outsiders still aren't sure what to make of the plan.

Ex-ISU educator takes new job in N. Carolina

POCATELLO - Former Idaho State University Mass Communication Department Chairman Bill Loving has taken a new position teaching First Amendment and media law classes at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C.

Loving, who came to ISU from the University of Oklahoma in July 2002 as the founding chairman of the department, was demoted as chairman this summer.

Tim Frazier and Paula Jull replaced Loving as co-chairpersons of the department.

Fire warning remains in effect for Eastern Idaho

Most local fires are nearly contained

In spite of light fire activity, a red flag warning remained in effect for all of Eastern Idaho through midnight Wednesday.

Lynn Ballard of the Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center said the Sublette fire, a 59-acre blaze reported near Lava Hot Springs, was contained at 10:30 Wednesday morning and crews hoped to have the fire fully under control by 6 p.m.

The Bustle Creek fire east of Driggs was reported late Monday. The two-acre fire was expected to be contained by 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Bingham County hit hard by West Nile virus

POCATELLO - Bingham County currently has 24 confirmed cases of human West Nile virus and seven incidents of neuroinvasive West Nile were also reported.

"That's when it becomes more than a sickness," said Mary Howell of the Southeastern District Health Department.

The neuroinvasive strain can include encephalitis and meningitis, she said.

In Bannock County there has been one reported case of West Nile and one neuroinvasive incident reported.

Police arrest businessman for obstructing railroad

POCATELLO - A local businessman with a long criminal record was arrested last week for stacking scrap metal on Union Pacific railroad tracks, court officials said.

Richard Firkins, 60, is charged with felony obstructing or interfering with the railroad. Firkins, who faces 5 to 20 years in prison if convicted of the felony offense, remains in the Bannock County Jail in lieu of a $20,000 bond.

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