Friday, August 5, 2011

News briefs


Express places 2nd in national newspaper contest

The Idaho Mountain Express has been awarded second place for General Excellence in the National Newspaper Association's 2011 Better Newspapers Contest.

The association announced last week that the Express had won an award in that category among non-daily papers with a circulation of at least 10,000, but stated that all the winners' specific placings would not be announced until the association's annual convention on Sept. 24. However, it announced each winner's placing in a press release on Aug. 4.

First place for General Excellence in the non-daily 10,000 circulation division went to the Taos News of Taos, N.M.

F&G working on waterfowl seasons

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will consider proposed waterfowl seasons and limits during a meeting Aug. 24 at commission headquarters in Boise.

Proposed seasons include 107-day goose seasons with a 10-bird daily bag limit on snow, blue and Ross's geese and a four-bird limit on Canada and white-fronted geese.

Proposed duck seasons would be 107 days, with a seven-bird limit on ducks, but no more than two female mallards, two redheads, two pintails, or one canvasback.

Proposed season dates would fall between Sept. 24 and Jan. 29, 2012. The youth waterfowl hunt is proposed for Sept. 24-25.

The proposals and an opportunity to comment will be available on the Fish and Game website later this week at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov.

Fish and Game will also decide on a season for sage grouse, expected to be the same seven-day, one-bird season that occurred in 2010.

Bunny Guy fails to amuse

The Associated Press reports that police in Idaho Falls have told a 34-year-old man to stop wearing his bunny suit in public because it was annoying his neighbors and frightening their children.

A police report says officers responded Monday after a resident reported her son had been frightened by William Falkingham wearing a black bunny costume and hiding behind a tree pointing his finger at the boy like it was a gun.

The officer spoke with other neighbors, who were also disturbed by Falkingham wearing the bunny suit. They also reported he occasionally wears a tutu with the costume.

The report says Falkingham told officers he enjoys wearing the suit, but understood his neighbors' concerns.

Hunting instructors needed

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is seeking volunteer instructors for its hunter education courses.

Volunteers would lead courses on firearms safety, hunter ethics, wildlife management and conservation, survival and regulations. Anyone knowledgeable about sporting arms, wildlife and hunting who is also over the age of 18 is welcome to apply for the position.

Instructor candidates receive eight hours of orientation and training in the techniques of teaching and administrative procedures associated with the program.

For more information about becoming an Idaho Hunter Education Volunteer Instructor, please call the Magic Valley Regional Office at (208) 324-4359.

Second Luna recall launched

Citing a need to "cut off the snake's head," former gubernatorial candidate Pete Peterson has launched the second of two attempts to recall Idaho State Superintendent Tom Luna.

While educators statewide have primarily concentrated on revoking the education reforms authored by Luna and passed by the Legislature in April, Peterson said in a press release that just eliminating the reforms won't fix the major problem.

"As my dead Daddy always said: 'You don't kill a snake by cutting off the tail,'" Peterson said. "The referendums are the tail of the snake. They can grow back. Mr. Luna is the head."

Peterson said the earlier recall fell far short of its goal to collect more than 150,000 signatures due to lack of organization.

"We were still trying to plan and organize the recall in the middle of our 75-day window to collect signatures," he said. "[This time,] we have almost a year to plan and organize."

Peterson said he plans to begin collecting signatures in June 2012 to place a recall on the November 2012 ballot.

"If we are successful in recalling Mr. Luna, it would be like the Titanic hitting the iceberg," Peterson said. "The whole core of Idaho politics would be shattered."

Help children in foster care

Magic Valley Youth and Adult Services will hold an open house Thursday, Aug. 18, at 6 p.m. for anyone interested in helping children and youth in foster care. Foster parents will be present to respond to questions and concerns.

The open house will be held at Magic Valley Youth and Adult Services office at 1869 Addison Ave. in Twin Falls.




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