Winter heating assistance

Idaho is the beneficiary of millions of dollars in federal block grants to help low-income people pay to heat their homes this winter. The Congress passed $5.1 billion in funding to the states for winter heating assistance, most of which goes as direct payments to utility companies to offset heating bills.

You can read about the grants in this week's BW, which hits stands tomorrow. Information on who qualifies for the program is available through the Idaho Community Action Partnership, but a small chart below details income guidelines.

More information on LIHEAP is available here. Call 208-322-1242 in Ada County to make an appointment to apply for assistance

Boycott H8 List Launched

This may not be the Golden State, though a majority of Idahoans may have voted for a Constitutional ban on gay marriage in 2006, but none of that is stopping some members of the state's LGBT community from having their say on the issue.

Pridedepot.com's Jody May-Chang is working long hours to compile Boycott H8, (as in "hate") a list of Idaho businesses and individuals that financially supported the passage of Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage in California. At a gay-rights rally in front of City Hall that coincided with national demonstrations last weekend, May-Chang distributed the list to those in the crowd.

At the top of the list is a name gay rights activists are used to seeing: Vandersloot. According to May-Chang's list, Belinda Vandersloot, the wife of businessman Frank Vandersloot who runs the health care product company Melaleuca in Idaho Falls, contributed $100,000 to the California YES on Proposition 8 campaign.

The bottom of the list dwindles down to contributions of a mere $50, with close to 150 businesses and individuals in total named from Boise to Burley and Rexburg to Rupert.

"It's labor intensive to make sure they're accurate," said May-Chang. "I'm cross referencing between information from California's Secretary of State and Idaho's Secretary of State's records."

In addition to the Idaho list, May-Chang is compiling similar lists for Utah and a nationwide boycott using information available through public records.

A complete list can be found at pridedepot.com, where May-Chang has urged visitors that the list "is NOT to be used in ANY way to harass or otherwise harm anyone in any way or for any form of solicitation."

FTA reaffirms Buy American on locomotive bids

The U.S. Department of Transportation's transit arm has denied a request from Boston's T to allow two pilot locomotives to be built across the pond.

A Boise company had bid against a German-Spanish firm for the large contract. The foreign firm wanted to assemble the first two locomotives in the 28-car order overseas, in violation of the Federal Transit Administration's "Buy America" requirements.

But the FTA, in a letter to Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority general manager Daniel A. Grabauskas, denied a waiver of the protectionist provisions for federal funding of transit projects.

"Absent factors like safety or the introduction of significant new technology, FTA has consistently denied public interest waiver requests predicated on a cost saving of less than 25 percent," FTA Deputy Administrator Sherry E. Little wrote.

MBTA flak Joe Pesaturo told citydesk in an email that the FTA letter is still being reviewed: "Our procurement team will meet on Monday to discuss the MBTA's options, and decide what future course of action is in the best interest of the Authority, fare-payers, and Massachusetts taxpayers."

Asked whether the decision takes Vossloh España S.A. out of the running for the contract, Pesaturo repeated himself in classic Masshole e-mail form: "Our procurement team will meet on Monday to discuss the MBTA's options,and decide what future course of action is in the best interest of the Authority, fare-payers, and Massachusetts taxpayers."

The other company, Boise-based MotivePower, drew support from two members of Idaho's congressional delegation and from Boise Mayor Dave Bieter.

“It would be a travesty to use American taxpayer dollars and a loophole in American law to allow this sophisticated technology and the jobs related to it to be lost to overseas competitors. We are pleased with the FTA’s ruling,” Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo stated.

State workers protest benefit changes

About 30 people—mostly state workers—took time off this morning to attend a hearing on cuts to their benefit package that went into effect prior to legislative review.

Workers demanded the hearing after the state Division of Human Resources, in late August, implemented temporary rule changes that cut the amount of time allowed for short-term disability leave and eliminated paid time off for doctor visits, among dozens of smaller changes.

Selma Gearhardt, pictured above, a pharmacy specialist at Idaho’s Medicaid program, testified that she counsels people all day to go to their preventative doctor and dental visits in order to catch disease early. But then the state takes away a benefit that encourages state workers to do the same.

“Restore effective health care policy that supports the benefit of prevention. Recognize what we have always known: ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’” Gearhardt said in her written testimony.

DHR director Judie Wright arranged the hearing after more than 25 workers demanded it.(The state received petitions from at least 200 employees, according to testimony from the state workers' union). Wright said the testimony will be reviewed and any changes will be reported in about a week and a half.

The Idaho Association of Government Employees, the state workers' union, protested the timing of the hearing—10 a.m. on a Monday morning, but Wright said that was the time that the court reporter was available.

“We didn’t have very long to get it done,” Wright said. “We’re supposed to have our comments done by the 14th.”

No one testified in favor of the rule changes at the Monday hearing. The legislature will review the rules starting in January and legislation to authorize paid leave for preventive doctors visits has already been discussed.

Crapo's Obama inauguration hub

We at citydesk were just wondering how to apply for press credentials for the Obama inauguration in the off chance BW wants to send us to that *historic* event, when an e-mail from Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo (R-, uh, Idaho) popped in the inbox, reading:

CRAPO: SWEARING-IN CEREMONY TICKET REQUESTS BEING TAKEN

Yes, Crapo, soon-to-be-Idaho's senior senator, has a clearinghouse for inauguration information on his Web site including ticket info, parade info, ball info, and even, you guessed it, press pass info.

There are also links for fun things for Idahoans to do in *Warshington*, D.C.

Thanks Senator ... is this a spirit of bi-partisan cooperation we are smelling?

Sali concedes

Idaho Rep. Bill Sali did finally concede the election to Walt Minnick late Wednesday, leaving what's described as a "gracious and heartfelt message" on Minnick's voicemail.

Sali spokesman Wayne Hoffman confirmed to the Associated Press [via Press-Tribune] that Sali would not be challenging the election results.

But Hoffman, who was himself a controversial figure in Sali's controversial single term in Washington, D.C., did not concede that the political road ahead for Sali is closed [see picture at left].

Hoffman: "Stay tuned. Bill has a lot of support out there. That's clear by the election results."

Luna extends PLATO contract

Idaho schools' chief Tom Luna has negotiated a 90-day extension to the state's contract with Plato Learning, a Minnesota-based online and computerized education company that provides remediation services to many IDaho students who fail Idaho's graduation tests.

As we reported this week, Luna recently discovered that the company's lessons do not adequately match up with Idaho schools content standards, but the 90-day extension will include further review.

Luna announced the extension in another memo to school administrators:

AP's Jessie Bonner has more (via Press-Tribune).

Minnick declares victory; Sali still counting votes

Idaho businessman Walt Minnick, a conservative Democrat, has snatched a Republican House seat from Idaho Rep. Bill Sali, according to the state’s now complete, but unofficial vote totals.

Minnick declared victory at 11:15 Wednesday morning.

“Most importantly I would like to thank the thousands of Idahoans, Republicans, independents, who chose to look at this campaign from the standpoint of who could be more effective for Idaho and to cross party lines and to do something that is rare in Idaho: elect someone who’s party affiliation was other than Republican,” Minnick told the TV cameras at a gathering outside the Idaho Historical Museum.

Minnick counted 175,567 votes to Sali’s 171,324, a 51-49 margin, after the last remaining Idaho precincts reported totals to the Secretary of State early this afternoon.

Sali said at a 12:30 p.m. GOP press conference on the steps of the Idaho State Capitol Annex that the counting was not done and he did not concede the election.

“There’s a process that needs to play out and we’re anxious to make sure that every ballot gets counted, that they’re all counted correctly make sure that we come up with the right result for the election,” Sali said.

But at the same press conference, Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo offered his congratulations to Minnick and pledged to work across the isle with Idaho’s newest congressman.

“As Walt and I talked… we can work across party lines, and our delegation whether it be our national delegation or those who serve here in the state are going to be focused on good government and on making sure that we eliminate from the political scene to the best of our ability the kind of harsh, bitter personal and partisan politics that have taken such a dominant focus in our national election climate these days,” Crapo said.

Minnick also said he had spoken with Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson Wednesday morning and planned to meet with him soon.

“He and I are going to get together, hopefully in the next few days and talk about how we can forge a bipartisan team that will allow us to work with Republicans work with Democrats, work with the new Democratic administration and come up with common sense solutions to problems that will be in the best interest of the country and helpful to Idaho,” Minnick said of Simpson.

Minnick is Idaho’s first Democratic congressman to be elected since Larry LaRocco’s final term in 1992.

Idaho still red, Minnick prevails

Good morning Boise! We were up late last night putting today's paper to bed and woke to the news that Walt Minnick has taken Idaho's First Congressional District from Rep. Bill Sali. 

Otherwise, Idaho remained a very Republican dominated state, with Pres-Elect Barack Obama scoring only 36 percent, better than John Kerry four years ago, but not a great showing, given the national wave.

I'll be in the River 94.9 here in Boise a little after 8 a.m. talking about these results with BW editor Rachael Daigle ... and then we will post more analysis here at the citydesk, so check back.

Here are still unofficial, but mostly counted results from this morning.

UNITED STATES PRESIDENT
CON	Chuck Baldwin	4,650	1%
LIB	Bob Barr	3,606	1%
REP	John McCain	397,819	62%
IND	Ralph Nader	7,052	1%
DEM	Barack Obama	232,586	36%
UNITED STATES SENATOR
DEM	Larry LaRocco	216,782	34%
LIB	Kent A. Marmon	9,805	2%
IND	Pro-Life	8,532	1%
IND	Rex Rammell	34,310	5%
REP	Jim Risch	366,694	58%
US REPRESENTATIVE, District 1
DEM	Walt Minnick	171,313	51%
REP	Bill Sali	167,755	49%
US REPRESENTATIVE, District 2
DEM	Deborah Holmes	83,867	29%
REP	Mike Simpson	205,769	71%
ADA COUNTY COMMISSIONER FIRST DISTRICT
REP	Sharon M. Ullman	85,334	51.8%
DEM	Paul Woods	79,548	48.2%
ADA COUNTY COMMISSIONER SECOND DISTRICT
DEM	David Langhorst	75,853	46.1%
REP	Rick Yzaguirre	88,571	53.9%

Idaho results rolling in

The polls are closed in Idaho and the numbers are rolling in. Ada County released more than 75,000 absentee ballot numbers shortly before 9 p.m. showing McCain leading Obama 51% to 47 % in the county.

• Democrat Walt Minnick was up by more than 5,000 votes on Republican Bill Sali after the initial reporting.
• Lt. Gov. Jim Risch had almost 4,000 more votes than Democrat Larry LaRocco in Ada County and Risch was up 55% to LaRocco's 37% at about 10 p.m. in statewide early returns. Rex Rammell, elk farmer and independent candidate was polling at 5%.
  
• Ada County legislative seats all came in initially in favor of incumbents.

We have left the Modern Hotel bar, which was packed with enthusiastic Obama supporters earlier tonight. We are back at BW HQ, listening to NPR and composing our Wednesday story on this historic election... so don't expect too many more posts. Live blogging is for the bloggers...

Here's some Ada County initial results: 21:07 hours on Nov 4.

UNITED STATES PRESIDENT
CON Chuck Baldwin 297 0%
LIB Bob Barr 454 1%
REP John McCain 38,473 51%
IND Ralph Nader 701 1%
DEM Barack Obama 35,912 47%  

UNITED STATES SENATOR
DEM Larry LaRocco 33,324 45%
LIB Kent A. Marmon 1,034 1%
IND Pro-Life 533 1%
IND Rex Rammell 2,440 3%
REP Jim Risch 36,954 50%  

US REPRESENTATIVE, District 1
DEM Walt Minnick 26,651 55%
REP Bill Sali 21,482 45%  

US REPRESENTATIVE, District 2
DEM Deborah Holmes 11,556 45%
REP Mike Simpson 14,124 55%  

STATE SENATOR, District 14
REP Chuck Winder 11,956 100%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION A, District 14
REP Mike Moyle 9,278 62%
DEM Michelle Waddell 5,619 38%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION B, District 14
DEM Glida Bothwell 4,951 34%
REP Raul R. Labrador 9,653 66%

 
STATE SENATOR, District 15
REP John C Andreason 5,458 100%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION A, District 15
REP Lynn M. Luker 5,301 100%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION B, District 15
REP Max C. Black 3,755 52%
DEM Greg Funk 3,137 44%
LIB Marvin Gardner 264 4%  

STATE SENATOR, District 16
DEM Les Bock 4,350 61%
REP Christ Troupis 2,789 39%

 
STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION A, District 16
DEM Grant Burgoyne 4,170 60%
REP Joan Cloonan 2,807 40%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION B, District 16
DEM Elfreda Higgins 4,197 60%
REP Elizabeth Allan Hodge 2,808 40%  

STATE SENATOR, District 17
REP T. Allen Hoover 1,692 31%
DEM Elliot Werk 3,732 69%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION A, District 17
LIB Mikel Hautzinger 969 19%
DEM Bill Killen 4,038 81%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION B, District 17
DEM Sue Chew 3,624 67%
REP Daniel A. Loughrey 1,813 33%

 
STATE SENATOR, District 18
DEM Kate Kelly 4,809 63%
REP Dean E. Sorensen 2,830 37%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION A, District 18
DEM Branden J. Durst 3,973 53%
REP Julie Ellsworth 3,540 47%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION B, District 18
DEM Phylis K King 4,145 55%
LIB James L. Oyler  230 3%
REP Becky Young 3,095 41%  

STATE SENATOR, District 19
DEM Nicole LeFavour 6,309 72%
REP Chuck Meissner 2,401 28%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION A, District 19
DEM Anne Pasley-Stuart 6,971 100%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION B, District 19
DEM Brian C. Cronin 5,836 68%
REP Kevin B. McGowan 2,783 32%  

STATE SENATOR, District 20
REP Shirley McKague 6,223 67%
DEM Laurynda "Ryndy" Williams 3,056 33%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION A, District 20
LIB Rex W Kerr 1,893 23%
REP Joe A. Palmer 6,512 77%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION B, District 20
REP Marv Hagedorn 7,407 100%  

STATE SENATOR, District 21
REP Russell M. Fulcher 9,165 100%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION A, District 21
DEM Sharon L. Fisher 4,390 38%
REP Richard Dean "Rich" Jarvis 7,097 62%  

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION B, District 21
REP Clifford R. "Cliff" Bayer 7,302 65%
DEM Steven J. Dillehay 4,006 35%