Other News

Worker Exposed To Ammonia At Fertilizer Plant Dies

Associated Press — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:48:05 +0000

A man who was working for a subcontractor at a Simplot fertilizer plant near Pocatello has died at a Utah hospital after being exposed to ammonia last weekend.

Spokane Man Arrested, Pleads Not Guilty to Mailing Ricin

Paige Browning] — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:25:53 +0000

Wednesday FBI officials in Spokane arrested a man for connection with mailing a poisonous letter to a government building.

37-year-old Matthew Ryan Buquet pleaded not guilty in his first federal court appearance Wednesday in Spokane. FBI Public Affairs Specialist Ayn Dietrich says Buquet faces a grand jury indictment for mailing a threatening communication.

New Marathon Will Challenge Idaho Runners Beyond Robie Creek

Frankie Barnhill — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:14:39 +0000

After years of running the grueling half marathon at Robie Creek, Bart Davis had an idea. Instead of just running the 13.1 miles up and down the steep Aldape Peak summit, why not turn around and do it all over again?

Davis’ company, Rivertown Racing, came up with its own brand new race: the Double Robie on September 28. The race will be a full marathon – beginning and ending at Fort Boise. Runners will climb 3,800 feet over 26.2 miles.

Idaho Man Facing Terror Charges Will Remain Jailed

Associated Press — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:44:09 +0000

An Uzbek national facing terrorism-related charges in Idaho will remain jailed pending his trial after waiving his right to a detention hearing.

Lawyers for Fazliddin Kurbanov on Tuesday waived a hearing where a U.S. District Court judge was to have considered whether he should stay in Ada County jail in Boise until his July 2 trial.

Kurbanov is a refugee from Uzbekistan in Central Asia who arrived in Boise in 2009. He was arrested last Thursday.

Contracted Employee At Simplot Exposed To Ammonia

Associated Press — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:25:42 +0000

A man working at the Simplot fertilizer plant west of Pocatello was hospitalized in critical condition after apparently being exposed to ammonia over the weekend.

The Power County Sheriff's Office says 23-year-old Derrick E. Martinez of Garden City, Kansas, was found unconscious in a Blick's Phosphate Conversion mobile testing trailer on Simplot property Saturday afternoon.

He was taken to the hospital in Pocatello and then flown to a hospital in Salt Lake City, where he was listed in critical condition on Monday.

Boise State Public Radio Wins 18 Press Club, SPJ Awards

BSPR — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:44:00 +0000

Boise State Public Radio's news team took home 18 local and regional journalism awards this weekend.

At the annual Idaho Press Club awards banquet, we received nine 1st place honors, three 2nd place, and two 3rd place. Here are our winning entries:

Accused Boise Terrorist Appears In Court, Next Hearing Tuesday

Adam Cotterell — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:39:27 +0000

An Uzbekistan national pleaded not guilty on three federal counts of terrorism Friday morning in Boise. Fazliddin Kurbanov was arrested Thursday at his Boise apartment. Adam Cotterell was in the court room and described Kurbanov to All Things Considered host Samantha Wright.

Transcript

Cotterell: I don’t think he’d stand out on the streets of Boise or on the Boise State campus for that matter. He’s 30 but looks a bit younger. A little taller than average. Stocky. Olive skin, short black hair, dark eye brows with maybe a couple weeks growth of beard.

Idaho "Spice" Smuggling Operation Stopped

Samantha Wright — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:14:34 +0000

Federal authorities say a "spice" smuggling operation has been taken down in Boise.

A federal grand jury in Boise has indicted five Boise and Meridian residents on a laundry list of charges. They include conspiracy to smuggle goods into the U.S., conspiracy to sell and transport drug paraphernalia, and conspiracy to launder money.

Uzbek Man Arrested In Idaho On Terrorism Charges Pleads Not Guilty

Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:58:20 +0000

An Uzbekistan national living in Idaho has made his first court appearance on charges he gave support, cash and other resources to help a recognized terrorist group in his own country.

Thirty-year-old Fazliddin Kurbanov pleaded not guilty Friday morning during a brief hearing in federal court in Boise and was formally charged with three federal terrorism counts.

He was arrested Thursday during a raid at his Boise apartment.

Federal Officials In Idaho Arrest Uzbekistan National On Terrorism Charges

Emilie Ritter Saunders and Associated Press — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:19:06 +0000

Federal officials say an Uzbekistan national has been arrested on federal terrorism charges. According to a press release, 30-year-old Fazliddin Kurbanov was arrested Thursday morning in Boise, Idaho.

Kurbanov was living legally in Boise at the time of his arrest.

Idaho Prison Warden Whose Staff Filed False Reports Quits

Associated Press — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:04:04 +0000

The warden of the privately-run Idaho Correctional Center has quit, one month after his company acknowledged falsifying staffing records for much of 2012.

Timothy Wengler, who works for Corrections Corporation of America, lasted three years as warden of the prison south of Boise.

The Nashville, Tenn.-based company with the contract to run the prison through 2014 says Wengler's last day is May 31.

CCA spokesman Steve Owen says Wengler had been thinking about quitting for a year and described his departure as a "personal decision."

Idaho Soldier Killed In Afghanistan

Associated Press and BSPR Staff — Mon, 06 May 2013 23:24:39 +0000

Military officials say five Fort Bliss soldiers have died in a roadside bomb blast in southern Afghanistan.

An Army statement Monday identified the dead as Spc. Kevin Cardoza of Mercedes, Texas; 1st Lt. Brandon James Landrum of Lawton, Okla.; Spc. Thomas Paige Murach of Meridian, Idaho; Staff Sgt. Francis Gene Phillips IV of Meridian, N.Y.; and 24-year-old Spc. Brandon Joseph Prescott of Bend, Ore.

They served in the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division.

Boise State Public Radio CD Sale!

Emilie Ritter Saunders — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:33:47 +0000

Remember those round, shiny discs with the hole in the middle. You know, the ones that play music? We're selling a couple thousand of them!

CDs are $3 each. We've got music for all ears, everything from holiday and jazz to classical and rock.

Over 500 Idaho Non-Profits Ask For Your Donation Today

Samantha Wright — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:30:00 +0000

More than 500 non-profit groups are taking part in the first ever “Idaho Gives” day today. You can help out birds, dogs, rats, kids, museums, fine arts, the environment and more, during the 24 hour event.

The goal is simple. Get everyone to donate online to their favorite Idaho non-profit by midnight tonight. Lynn Hoffmann is the Executive Director of the Idaho Nonprofit Center. She calls today’s event a “giving frenzy.”

Texas Fertilizer Blast Draws Attention To Chemicals Used In Idaho

Frankie Barnhill — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

It’s been two weeks since a deadly explosion at a Texas fertilizer facility claimed 14 lives and injured scores more. Investigators are still determining what caused the blast at the West Fertilizer Company.

Struggling Idaho Alt Energy Company Sued Again

Associated Press and and BSPR Staff — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:20:11 +0000

Updated at 11:04 a.m.

An Idaho alternative energy company beset by lawsuits faces another one, this time from a bike race that says it hasn't been paid millions in promised sponsorship money.

Exergy Development Group of Boise and its owner, James Carkulis, were sued in Colorado by Classic Bicycle Racing, owner of Colorado's USA Pro Challenge race.

John Moore, Classic's general counsel, said Wednesday company owners were forced to make additional capital contributions when Exergy failed to meet its contractual obligations.

Boise State Public Radio Wins 6 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards

Emilie Ritter Saunders — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:52:44 +0000

The Radio Television Digital News Association has awarded Boise State Public Radio six of 13 regional Edward R. Murrow Awards.

Boise State Public Radio news director Sadie Babits was elated upon seeing the news. “I couldn't be more proud of our journalists,” said Babits. “They've worked incredibly hard over the past year to bring quality radio and digital content to our audience and these awards are well deserved."

Robie Creek To Amp Up Security After Boston Marathon Bombing

Frankie Barnhill — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:00:26 +0000

The Idaho running community will celebrate the 36th annual Race to Robie Creek this Saturday. But the half marathon has taken on new meaning for racers since two bombs went off near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Brian Rencher has helped plan this weekend's race. He says organizers have been talking with the Boise Police Department and the Boise County Sheriff’s office about Monday’s bombing.

Moscow Area Runners Hold Boston Marathon Vigil

Glenn Mosley — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:51:25 +0000

A group of runners and their friends got together in Moscow Monday night to show solidarity with their fellow runners and those impacted by events at the Boston Marathon.

They came to Friendship Square in their running shoes and their running gear, feeling they had to do something following the explosions in Boston, and so they gathered, they said, as amateur athletes and as human beings. Jim Ekins is a member of the University of Idaho Extension faculty.

Officials Urge Caution Around Road Construction Sites

Samantha Wright — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Spring is a time when road construction projects kick off in earnest. The Idaho Transportation Department is asking Idaho drivers to slow down and use caution around highway construction zones.

This is National Work Zone Awareness Week, a time set aside to draw attention to safety around construction zones.

Nationwide in 2010, 576 people died in work zone crashes.