| Show Idaho Week The Herald Journal Logan Utah In brief County jail plagued by frequent escapes BLACKFOOT (AP) — Police are Bingham looking for a County inmate who escaped for the second time in four months by removing a light fixture and crawling through a false ceiling Once Michael Schielke broke through the ceiling Thursday he climbed down and walked out of the building convicted burglar and forger broke out of the jail last December also by removing a light fixture crawling through a false ceiling and walking out of the adjacent Bingham Schielke a County Courthouse He turned himself in to jail officials 28 days ago Jail administrator Robert Sobieski has said Schielke told police he got tired of running and could not get a job because of background checks Damage to the building from Schielkc’s first escape still had not been repaired according to a press release from the Bingham County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Dayle Holm had received approval Wednesday from Bingham County commissioners to get the work done Willard Gene Fullmer eluded police for 31 hours last August The sex offender escaped police custody after picking the lock on his ankle shackles and setting fire to the floor In September 1998 officers managed Michael Johnson to catch as he tried to escape from the jail by pulling the drywall off a holding area lie was returned to jail after dispatchers spotted his feet hanging from the ceiling on surveillance cameras Page 6 Saturday March 20 1999 Sportsmen angle for agency License-holder- s seek more firepower for Fish and Game Dept BOISE (AP) — While the Legislature focused on the politics of sportsmen's fees and the ouster of Idaho Fish and Game Director Steve Mcaley one voice — that of hunters and anglers — was virtually silent But perhaps that was because the state's sportsmen have not spoken with a common voice for decades “In all my time I don't think I’ve seen as much confusion disorganization and division of sportsmen over numerous issues" says Don Clower head of the Idaho Wildlife Council representing thousands of the recreationists Clower and others however hope the disunity will fade if sportsmen can unite over a common goal — helping a battered and bruised state Fish and Game Department rise from the rubble “We all want the same thing: a well- - managed Fish and Game to oversee the wildlife of the state” Clower said “We may have differences on getting to the goal but we all agree on that” Now former congressional hopeful Jim Pratt of Melba is pushing a proposed voter initiative to convert the seven-memb- er appointed commission into a four-memb- board elected by those er holding valid hunting or fishing licenses Two would come from the northern and western portions of Idaho in the 1st Congressional District and the others from south-centrand eastern Idaho in the 2nd Congressional District On March 3 the Fish and Game Commission fired Mealey after his beleaal guered department implored the Legislature for a sportsmen’s fee increase to avoid severe program reductions In retaliation lawmakers refused to consider the hike and Mealey has since sued In the wake of the agency’s losses the outdoorsmen are offering some possible solutions First Gov Dirk Kempthorne must select four new commissioners for the board Twenty-eig- seeking a fish and wildlife citizens stakeholder committee made up of sportsmen and conservationists to help him make the selections “Even though we collectively support the commission’s decision concerning Director Mealey 's termination we are fully aware that this action is causing turmoil and unrest within the Fish and Game Commission the Fish and Game Department the Legislature and the sportsmen of this state" they wrote “We feel that by involving a citizens stakeholder group in the selection of new Fish and Game commissioners you will help ensure continuity trust and BOISE (AP) — A with Every two years they survey the community ana make a recommendation to the board whether to keep the current break or consider alternatives he said after Thursday’s vote by the hoard to keep the break For most of the century agricultural school districts in the region have given students about two weeks off to work during the potato harvest Cache Valley newa tips Call reporter nicole Q Farrell 752-212- 1 Ext 3030 13-2- half its size doesn't work now The director has to be an advocate of wildlife” ar over- have to do this because the results we’ve been getting out of public schools aren’t good enough" “We - Republican Sen Darrel Deide of public schools aren’t good enough" said Republican Sen Darrel Deide the former Caldwell School District superinten- semiannual evaluations of kindergarten through third grade stu“The expectations in the workdents and directs all 113 Idaho place the competency expected school districts to offer a summer in the workplace have far outintervention program for students paced what we’ve been able to do whp are reading below grade in the public schools Deide level said “We need to inject a new The legislation is the product of philosophy some new activity a work started two years ago by a new focus” committee created by House-passed The package the Legislature The issue then known as the Idaho Comprehenwas brought to the fore by a 1997 sive Literacy Plan drew only two of Idaho study of University dissenting votes in the Senrte on fourth-grade- rs that showed about as it forwarded was Wednesday in one five those of sampled were to Gov Dirk Kempthorne who has embraced it The goal is for reading below grade level and all third grade students to be three in five scored below grade level in comprehension reading at that skill level Supporters conceded the leg“What can be a higher priorislative package might not be die in said ity” Kempthorne calling for adoption of the $39 million perfect solution but would at least try to solve a problem that is initiative in his budget message “The key is they must be able to apparently stumping local educaread by die third grade and there tors Under the package teacher are even suggestions now that if standards would require Idaho they don’t read by the second universities and the state Board of Education to create a reading grade they’ll fall behind” dent arc somewhat or very unfriendly has been struggling landowners rather than sportsmen “They hired a director to protect outside interests" said Idaho Steelhead and Salmon Unlimited executive coordinator Mitch Sanchotena “What worked 0 years ago when Idaho's population was whelming legislative approval of the sweeping multimillion-dolla- r reading initiative “We have to do this because the results we’ve been getting out Catholics and Protestants Feelings toward all the groups were more favorable than in 1988 the study found But when 21 percent of the people who responded to the survey say they whether to keep the harvest break that involves only 10 percent of students But a district harvest review committee recommended keeping the break after 63 percent of district patrons surveyed said they were in favor of it For the past six years the Shelley School District has appointed a committee to the importance of the break said farmer Merrill Hanny who headed up the harvest review committee two-ye- students has ended with cans Mormons Southeast Asians Idaho perceived Mealey as siding with campaign to improve the reading skills of Idaho’s public school Kcmpthomc “In no way should this be a conclusion that we no longer need to pay attention” The survey was conducted for the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment by Boise State University’s Center for Public Policy Administration and was sponsored by four Idaho newspapers The results released at an Inclusivencss Symposium in Boise were based telephone interviews of a random sample of 639 people Respondents were asked their feelings toward African Americans American Indians Caucasians Hispanics Japanese Americans Jewish Ameri- two-wee- their meetings Reading initiative wins final approval build Qn'' said Idaho Gov Dirk BLACKFOOT (AP) — The Shelley School Board has voted to keep its trak ditional potato harvest break even though it benefits a small number of the area's students Shelley like other districts in eastern at statewide Second assuming Mealey’s lawsuit fails is the appointment of a new director Former-Go- v Phil Batt named sheep rancher Jeff Siddoway and cattleman Roy Brown to the panel in 1993 Critics can Wild Sheep said Kempthorne must remember the commissioners are integral to the fate of an industry he says is worth more than $1 billion to Idaho For example outgoing Commissioner Dick Meiers of Eagle represents a region BOISE (AP) — Although prejudice and intolerance have not been wiped out a new survey indicates more Idahoans are taking a favorable view of minorities than they did in the 1980s “It's a source of encouragement and it gives us a foundation to continue to Board votes to keep potato harvest break hamburgers” support for your selection of these appointed wildlife policy makers” Bob DiGrazia of Boise former president of the Foundation for North Ameri- Study: Idaho more tolerant to minorities toward minorities it is a sign that work remains to be done said Bill Wass-mut- h the coalition's executive director “A minority person walking down the street is a little less likely to come across someone who has a negative view of them but the odds are still of coming across that person" Wassmuth said with 300000 people a good percentage of them anglers and hunters That is a larger population base than any state representative can claim DiGrazia said A commissioner must have a real wildlife-relate- d depth of understanding of business and the legislative process DiGrazia said He also thinks the commissioners should be paid instead of merely being reimbursed for “gas and outdoor groups have ht penned a common letter to the governor Cash for the program was included in the $7646 million public school aid package that AP photo Full spud ahead cleared the House on Wednesday and is awaiting final approval in the Senate The three-bi- ll package establishes teacher education and cert- Retired Army General Cotin Powell holds up a sample of the new State ofkJaho license plate at Fort Boise Middle School during his tour In Boise Thursday Powell attended the Treasure Valley Inclusiveness Symposium to support diversity as the key to the next millennium Powell's wife Alma looks on at left ification requirements sets specific standards and mandates With quick melt record snowpack may yield floods BOISE (AP) — Idaho's snowpack is near or exceeds record levels and government observers hope the state can avoid the floods which may come from a quick melt and spring downpours The Idaho Water Supply Committee met Wednesday for the first time this snow season Monthly gatherings were common in the early 1990s when the state faced continuous drought years The La Nina weather pattern has brought a continuous stream of moisture to Idaho since November Snow surveyors are finding equipment buildings at the measuring sites buried in drifts The Weiser Mann Creek and North Fork Payette River basins had record snowpacks on March 1 of 172 percent of normal The Priest River and Moyie basins were 160 percent Snowpacks in the Cocur d'Alene Clearwater Salmon Main Payette Boise Wood and Lost River basin have reached 133-14- 3 percent The snow amounts in the upper Snak" basin and drainages south of the Snake are up to 113 percent except for the Owyhee River at 170 percent “I guess we can hope for some warm temperatures and dry weather to get the snow out of here" said Ron Abramovich water supply specialist with the US Natural Resources Conservation Service “If it continues to be cold into April it could melt fast" examination that prospective teachers would have to pass to be certified An estimated 7300 kinder- garten through eighth-grad- e teachers already on the job also would have to complete state-approv- reading instruction courses or prove their continuing competence every five years Report: Mothers’ boyfriends more likely violent to children than dads JEROME (AP) — Zachary Nolan made two trips to the hospital emergency room in September 1997 The second time he didn't come home On both occasions the toddler times more child abuse than their hours of child care would lead us to predict" said Leslie Margolin' a University of Iowa counselor education professor who is one of the leading researchers on the sub- Michael B Elison “Any parent would be mortified at committing an act that would put a boy cm a helicopter on the way to St Luke's (hospital) in Boise” Jerome County prosecutor John Lothspe-ic- h said during Elison's hearing on a charge of involuntary manslaughter last fall “This man did it twice" he said Except Elison wasn't a parent He was Zachary's mother's boyfriend Statistically children are still far more likely to be injured by a rela- tive but the role of Mom's boyfriend is getting increased attention fueled by new research into family violence that reveals some startling results “Our report showed that mothers' boyfriends committed 27 T Elison an unemployed Navy veteran who was convicted in December of involuntary manslaughter will serve six years in prism His is one of three recent child abuse cases in southhigh-profi- central Idaho le involving boyfriends Jesse Thrush 22 who was a Twin Falls County sheriff’s deputy at the time has been charged with first-degr- murder ee Burdett who prosecutors say bashed the child’s head into a bedroom wall was caring for the toddler while his live-i- n girlfriend Brooks' mother worked in a Glenns Ferry potato-processing had been left in the charge of ject in connection with the Feb 21 death of Hailey Williams the daughter of the woman who was then his fiance Thrush has not been convicted of any crime Jason And last May Burdctt pleaded guilty to second-degrmurder in the 1996 death Brooks Comfort of Keenan in Mountain Home ld ee ed plant “A boyfriend living in the house often results in conflict with the children” Margolin said “He doesn't have the same emotional investment in the children and the children sometimes resent his presence if they perceive he is keeping their father out of the house" Eric Jensen a University of Idaho associate professor of sociology agrees “Age is a big factor” he added “Boyfriends of single mothers tend to be younger so they have less experience dealing with children” Economics plays a part as well A Heritage Foundation study of child-abus- e cases found that the father was absent from 73 percent of households that earned less than $13000 a year |
