Show T" p p t"1 p - y t" i : y i1 ii""TnirTTlrrwir" '" "' rrn’K' “r n n ' ' i l i Page 7 Saturday April 7 2001 The Herald Journal Logan Utah In brief Think before you center says speak ' BOISE (AP) — Expanding job opportunities in several sectors of the economy offset resource and high technology layoffs this past winter to hold Idaho's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate unchanged at 46 BOISE (AP) — In response to a tumult over the use of insensitive language in the Idaho Legislature a hp group launched a program that asks people to think man-righ- ts before they speak The Idaho Human Rights Education Center has issued 3000 copies percent But Labor Department' analysts warned that the seasonal adjustments ' to employment figures may be masking the real situation “Seasonal fac- - of a card titled “Speech that Hurts” The card reminds people to think about how their words might hurt others Earlier this year the Legislature defeated a bilj that recommended removing the term “squaw'Vfrom Idaho place names The state's tribes consider it a sexual and racial slur In another case a lawmaker used the expression “Jew ’em down” “I was distressed as many people tors are based on historic trends" they said in the monthly report "Therefore during times of economic downturns the seasonal factors may not precisely reflect current events” Reinforcing that statement has been the persistently high rate of unemployment insurance claims which were running a record weekly : highs early in the year While a string of layoff announcements made a number of lawmakers from Idaho were about some of the phrases that were being used in the Legislature and also concerned about what 1 considered a lack of queasy during last month's tax sensitivity about ’squaw1 in place names” said Les Bock the center's director The cards say: “Think before you speak What may not be offensive to you may be' to others Slurs are no laughing matter Before telling a joke ask yourself if it pokes fun at someone's race religion sexual orientation gender or disability Don't stand silently by If someone uses a slur in your presence let that person know what they said was inappropriate Don't dismiss concerns about sensitive language as ’political cor- rectness’” Bock’s group went through its first printing of 1 000 cards and printed an additional 2000 Cards are available by calling the center at 4 by writing to 801 S Blvd or by Capitol cut- - ting debate the Labor Department third straight month the current jobsaid increased employment in con- - less rate has run below ' levels The labor force closed out struction building supplies and rials tourism and entertainment food 2000 with two months in a row with processing business services and higher unemployment rates than the year before' government compensated numerhave The department said just over been there “Although ous layoffs and closures announced 643000 people were on the job last throughout the state” the analysts month as the ranks of the unemsaid “a labor force of over 640000 ployed remained just under 31000 But of the 23000 more people can absorb job losses without having a dramatic impact on the state’s working last month than a year earli-e- r 15000 were in the state's hotbed unemployment rate” In fact the labor force expanded growth counties Ada Canyon and ' Kootenai underscoring the plight of by nearly 5000 people and the econrural communities Eighteen counties new to 5100 produce omy managed had the unemployment unemployment rates of more jobs Nationally rate rose a notch to 43 percent the than 6 percent last month and four highest in 20 months as businesses saw actual employment decline from cut 86000 jobs the largest payroll March 2000 reduction since the end of 1991 Lewiston and Nez Perce County March was the 51st month in last recorded 1045 fewer workers last 52 that Idaho’s jobless rate has month than a year earlier ' exceeded the national rate but its the ' In January department analysts year-earli- percent last year and theii retreat another notch to 47 percent in 2002 Since then however the economic picture has darkened and the state has been bombarded almost daily negative economic news Regionally the seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for March February and March 2000 were: Panhandle 86 percent 8 percent 81 percent Lewiston area 36 percent percent cent cent 3 44 45 percent counties 31 Ada-Cany- per- 34 percent Valley 37 percent 4 per-- percent Magic 42 percent Pocatello area 4 percent 51 percent Idaho Falls area percent 37 percent BOISE (AP) — A federal 1 36 percent 42 percent 38 that” said Doug Honnold judge said the US Forest managing attorney for the Bozeman Mont office of the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund which repre- Service violated public disclosure requirements before approving a Clinton adminis- tration plan to put 58 million acres of roadless forest land nationwide to log- -' sents the Idaho Conservation League and otherenviron- mental groups in the case ' “This was a process that ging US District Judge Edward was very open and that in fact had more comments Lodge said on Thursday that there was “strong evidence from citizens than any other' that because of the hurried rule ever developed” Honnature of this process the nold said adding that “ 6 Forest Service was not well million Americans took the informed enough to present a time to write in and offer coherent proposal or mean-- : their opinion and they were ingful dialogue and that the overwhelmingly in favor of end result was predeter-protecting these roadless off-limi- ts ‘ chairman resigns 1 BOISE (AP) — Cynthia Wilcox has resigned as chairman of Idaho Young Republicans which also gave her a seat on tire state GOP Execu- -' live Committee with a thinly veiled parting $hQt at Ipahb RepuT'-- 1 Chairman Trent Clark “The current Idaho party leadership puts a premium on conformity and longevity so it can be a chal- lenge for someone from the Young Republicans to contribute new ideas Qut if they do not buck the old guard they can at least observe” Wilcox wrote in a statement issued fhiirsday “I'm sure Trent Clark ' yvill pick someone for the position ' Who is a team player Trent’s good at that’ On Friday Clark called the Boise woman “a hardworking party 1 ' implementation He previ- AP photo Hikers walk in the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness on Three Links Lake part of the Nez Perce National Forest in this August 2000 photo A federal judge on Thursday said the US Forest Sendee violated public disclosure requirements before approving the Clinton administration's roadless initiative International tests unearth math gap recruitment agencies The association hoped to attract a crowd of companies disillusioned by the high cost of doing business in California Bv The Associated 'The ' cities of Boise Coeur Newspaper ads never materialized and the direct mailing targeted companies In areas' that were too far away to drive in “There’s a lesson learned here” lie said “We need to do a much better job at coordinating our group” Potter and Ray Burstedtiexecutive director of the Bannock Development Corp in Pocatello said the effort was not a complete loss thanks to a San Francisco television station that broadcast three stories on the recruiting effort “That’s the kind of exposure you can’t buy in a market like that” said Georgia Smith spokeswoman for the Idaho Department Of Commerce The department has since received a call from a California consulting ' cpmpany with two clients exploring the possibility of a move she said Bush administration to abandon the roadless initiative entirely “I’d say ‘Let’s bag it Let's go back to the drawing board There's ho sense in beating this dead horse' And if they- want roadless rules let’s do it right next time” he - increase cooperation among job d’Alene Pocatello Idaho Falls and Twin Falls were involved Bob Pot--: ter president of Jobs Plus in Coeur d’Alene said failure to advertise effectively contributed to the low order would convince the - California dreairiin’ COEUR D’ALENE (AP) — A $50000 effort to recruit Silicon Val- ley companies to Idaho fell short of only organizer’s expectations with ' six companies in attendance ‘The seminar in Santa Clara Calif was organized by the Idaho Economic Development Association a group that formed last year to Idaho Attorney General Al Lance said he hoped Lodge's reviewing a report from the Bush administration on the plan's status due May 4 The roadless' policy is scheduled to go into effect saj(j May 12 It initially was to Gov Dirk Kempthorne take effect March 13 buLsaij Lodge “demonstrated President Bush postponed both judicial insight and so a review could be con- - common-sens- e wisdom He’s ducted of a proposal condetermined that the state's demned by' Western arguments against the ClinRepublicans and the timber' ton administration's' roadless industry process have been valid And Lodge said that he would at the same time he'has also consider the outcome of that allowed the Bush administra- review in concluding whether ton an opportunity for fur those seeking to block the ther revjew!" roadless initiative' would kuffer irreparable harm by its On the Net: cy almost a nightmare areas” withhold a decision until He also acknowledged Wilcox’s role in reviving the Idaho Young Republicans organization two years ago after more than a decade of He said her former cochair- man Mike Willits of Boise would assume the group’s chairmanship Idaho Young Republicans is open "to anyone 18 through 39 who is registered tb vote in Idaho' dor-pian- mined “Justice hurried on a proposal of this magnitude is justice denied” But Lodge refused a request from the state of Idaho to immediately block the plan He said he would ‘ : ' Judge says public disclosure rule on roadless lands violated Young Republicans ut projected the average unemployment Tate for 2001 would drop a tenth from the revised jobless rate of 49 Forest Service plan criticized 345-030- turn-o- er Press ‘ When the time comes if it’s ever appropriate! we would definitely appeal USDA Forest Service: '' http:wwwfsfedljs Justice Department: http:tawwu8ciojgovenrdinde x:ht!1?' US Idaho:- District Court for http:wwwiduscourtsgovk MERIDIAN (AP) — A multir agency investigation scored Thurs-day with the seizure of an estimated $135000 in drugs and weapons Investigators' found a large marijua- - A preliminary review of the Idaho results from’: die Third International Mathematics and Science Study underscore thenced for more emphasis on mathematics State Sdiools Superintendent Marilyn Howard says math teachers sent us a dear Eighth-grad- e should we that encourage more' young people sage to pursue madi majors and provide them more support ooce they are on the job” Howard said Two thousand Idaho eighth graders from third ’fpf the stateVschoql districts took the test two yedrs along with students in a dozen other states 14 school districts and 38 foreign countries It is the £ find and school districts have been able t to compare theirstudents to those in other nations: Overall" Idaho students ranked just above the international average for both mathematics and sci- -' ence bqttiKty ranked below the United States aver-age in inadKmstici performance and behind all but' two states and five of the school districts 4') Howard said the results of the test showed that -- door ground behind a hidden-traat a Meridian residence Police said Michael Van Orden-5Meridian resident a was arrested at the Boise Airport by Boise-are- g narcotics interdiction : team officers Van Orden had just returned from a motorcycle rally in Phoenix Police Sgt LcRoy Graham said The Task Force made up of Meridian Boise Garden City US ' Drug Enforcement Administration and federal Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms officers found the' plants after serving a search warrant - Officers seized 35 large marijuana plants 120 starter plants more than five pounds of packaged mariAP photo juana arid 45 guns: Street value of the pot is estimated at $100000 A member of a Boise-are- a drug task force talks about the About $35000 in Weapons were Thursday morning raid on an alleged marijuana-growin-g operaseized tion in a Meridian home Officers seized 35 large marijuana "For this area it’s big” Graham ptants120 starter marijuana plants more than five pounds of said “But we’ve had bigger” packaged marijuana and 45 firearms officials aakl 10-ye-ar - ' time-state- “ : : V teachers actually operation under- na-growing I l relativelyfewtmathematics ’fibcfciw tahtiithin ously ruled that those plain- tiffs “have demonstrated a strong likelihood of success ' ‘ college White 41 percent of math teachers nationally majored in math only 28 in Idaho did I' Ii niililli ih 1 — 1 - - n iii r -- I—? — f rr ra |