Tagged: Ada County

Voters around Idaho are heading to the polls this afternoon.

In the state's largest county voting has been smooth so far.  That’s according to Phil McGrane, Ada County’s Chief Deputy Clerk. ”Only small issues far, we haven’t had any real challenges to deal with and as far as we know right now there aren’t any strong lines to speak of and people are able to get in and get out relatively quickly.”

If you haven’t taken advantage of absentee or early in person voting, today’s the big day.  It’s time to get out to the polls and vote.  Here's what you’ll need for a smooth voting experience.

Early voters in Idaho's largest county are turning out in droves this year.  The process started Monday and hasn’t slowed down yet in Ada County.

Ada County Chief Deputy Clerk Phil McGrane was expecting a big voter turnout for this election, but not this big.  “Someone said we opened the fire hydrant and it just hasn’t stopped.  People are showing up in record, record volumes for early voting this election.” 

UPDATE 10:45a.m.:

The mountain lion’s future is uncertain.  Evin Oneale is with Idaho Fish and Game.  He says it will all depend on the situation.  He says cougars come into the city all the time, but usually they pass through and are never seen by people. 

He says this lion may be young and looking for territory.  It may also have followed deer which have been pushed into the area thanks to a dry summer and fall.

For months, the debate over a proposed trash and tire burning facility at the Ada County landfill has escalated. 

A citizens group that opposes the Dynamis project has criticized Ada County Commissioners  Rick Yzaguirre and Sharon Ullman - arguing that the two aren’t listening to residents' concerns.

But this week, there’s a new voice speaking out on the garbage-fueled power plant.  That’s the third county commissioner, Dave Case. 

A woman from Twin Falls has tested positive for the West Nile Virus. It’s the first confirmed case in Idaho this year.

Dave Fotsch of the Central District Health Department says mosquitoes tested positive in Ada, Canyon, and Payette counties. According to the Ada County Weed, Pest, and Mosquito Abatement website, the virus has also been found in west Boise.

Fotsch says West Nile’s peak year came in 2006, with almost one-thousand confirmed cases and 23 deaths. Since then, Fotsch says it’s tapered off, with only three cases last year.

Ada County Commissioner Dave Case grilled executives from Dynamis Energy Friday morning.  The Eagle-based company wants to build a plant at the Ada County landfill that would turn trash and tires into electricity.  Case, though, failed in his attempt to bring an end to the county’s contract with Dynamis.

Ada County Commissioners want answers  from the CEO of a company that plans to create energy from garbage.  A citizens group has accused the County and Dynamis Energy of fraud.  Commissioners have called a meeting on the project for Friday morning. 

Eagle-based Dynamis Energy plans to convert garbage to electricity at the Ada County Landfill.  County Commissioners gave the go ahead for the project about two years ago. They also provided the company with $2 million for design work, but the project is now behind schedule. 

Election officials expected low voter turnout on Tuesday. That's due in part to all the changes surrounding this year’s primaries.  That turned out to be true in Idaho's most populous county. Phil McGrane says voter turnout in Ada County was extremely low. “It was 16.74%.”

The Chief Deputy for the Ada County Clerk says that’s lower than normal. “For the past three primaries, in 2010, 2008, and 2006, it’s been just above 21%.”

In District 14, the Senate primary pitted two high profile candidates against one another.  Representative Marv Hagedorn (R-Meridian) faced a former lawmaker, Stan Bastian of Eagle.  Hagadorn won last night in the primary and will likely take his place as Senator after the November election.

Hagadorn says he wants to build on the tax cuts the legislature passed this year. “So I want to continue on that, work on personal property tax. And try and reduce that burden for business. Cause right now everything is about the economy and jobs. Anything else is noise around that.”

It was a three-way Democratic race for House Seat A in Boise’s District 19. In the end, Matthew Erpelding took home enough votes to win the primary. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to be able to go into the Legislature and work and write and see things from behind the scenes and be involved in trying to push forward what I think is progressive and intelligent policy.” 

So you’re planning to vote in a Primary on Tuesday.  Here’s what you need to know: