46 / 33 TEACHING Second time’s a charm THE WORD Bible college a dream come true for Jerome couple, Chance of rain. Bruins beat Tigers for GBC title, SPORTS 1 RELIGION 1 BUSINESS 4 FROM TWIN FALLS TO BRAZIL >>> Local Rotarian to represent Idaho farmers in Brazil, BUSINESS 1 SATURDAY 75 CENTS February 27, 2010 Magicvalley.com JFAC prepares to set education budget By Ben Botkin which could still see changes $17 million. The preliminary line items that designate the budget proposal means Times-News writer before it’s sent to the House budget comes on the heels of funding for mandated pur- that school boards, not leg- and Senate for a final vote. meetings with the education poses like technology, class- islators, will decide what the Lawmakers BOISE — Legislators are The $1.58 billion budget is a community and legislators. room supplies, and text- priorities are when budget- preparing to set a budget for reduction from this year, but “Our goal of the whole books. ing discretionary funds. public education on Monday the bulk of cuts come group was to try and find In the proposed budget, Rep. Maxine Bell, R- question that has a 7.5 percent overall because federal stimulus consensus and move as those line items are Jerome, co-chairwoman of cut but offers more freedom dollars that aided this year’s much money as we could to removed, creating more JFAC, encouraged the com- salary report in how school districts budget will dwindle from the local districts,”said JFAC freedom for school districts mittee to spend the weekend spend the dollars they get. $145.7 million to just $7.4 Co-chairman Sen. Dean to decide where to allocate reflecting about the propos- By Ben Botkin The Joint Finance- million. Cameron, R-Rupert. funds. al. Times-News writer Appropriations Committee While there’s a 7.5 percent Here’s how the budget School districts receive “We’re on an unknown on Friday examined the pre- cut in the entire budget, gives districts flexibility: discretionary funding from road,”she said. BOISE — A report of liminary public schools state general funding is The state’s budget for the state, which can be spent school district salary raises is budget for fiscal year 2011, being cut by 1.4 percent, or public schools usually has where needed. In the end, See EDUCATION, Main 2 raising more questions than answers among lawmakers. There’s one understood side of the report, and then there’s another that’s less Senate OKs visible, some legislators say. One side shows that 37.4 ‘conscience’ percent of administrative employees and 44.2 percent of teachers in Idaho schools bill for Police break up are making more this year while the state prepares to slash the public education health care budget. The side that isn’t seen contains the reasons for workers the raises and how districts made local decisions, said By John Miller Rupert Republican Sen. Associated Press writer senior poker game Dean Cameron, co-chair- man of the Joint Finance- BOISE — After long and Appropriations Committee. emotional debate on Fri- “I’m asking Superinten- day, Senators voted 21-13 dent Luna to review the to allow pharmacists, report,” Cameron said on nurses and other health- Friday. care workers to opt out of The Idaho State providing assistance for Department of Education abortions, stem-cell ther- report was passed on to leg- apy, emergency contra- islators from the agency in ception or end-of-life response to a records care, if they first tell their request. employers first the proce- Melissa McGrath, spokes- dures violate their con- woman for the state agency, science. noted that the report was The measure now goes provided without an opinion to the House, where a or analysis, which is how similar bill aimed at giving responses to records pharmacists conscience requests are made. protections passed 48-21 At the same time, last year before stalling in Superintendent of Public the Senate Health and Instruction Tom Luna has Welfare Committee. This expressed surprise at the year’s measure, written by dollar amount, calling it anti-abortion activists, “$22 million in pay increases bypassed that committee that could have been used to and went to the Senate preserve successful class- State Affairs panel where room programs.” it passed on a 6-3 vote. Cameron said there are Backers including Sen. reasonable explanations for Chuck Winder, R-Boise, ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News the raises that the report said this wasn’t a “right- Shirley Basham, 75, reaches for poker chips during a game with friends Friday afternoon in Twin Falls. does not explain. Examples wing scheme’’ brought by include promotions or a “bunch of religious employees getting raises fanatics,’’ rather a heart- Law takes dim view of gambling at senior center after taking on extra duties. felt effort to provide all “There’s concern about health care workers with By Andrea Jackson would be split among the top chip the accuracy of that report,” protections against hav- Times-News writer Magicvalley.com holders. Cameron said. ing to do something WATCH a video of some A handful of seniors from the poker Also, while state funding against their moral or eth- Older than most law breakers, a of the senior poker players. group said Friday they didn’t know was frozen last year for ical beliefs. It won’t group of Twin Falls seniors muster lit- what they were doing was illegal. teacher raises based on their absolve nurses or phar- tle remorse for having played Texas Because of contributions given to experience, that wasn’t the macists of their duty to Hold ’em. there were illegal and had to end. the center,“we thought we were legal,” case for raises based on provide the best care pos- After all, their weekly games made About 20 seniors had played at the said Ora Deahl, 73. obtaining more education, sible, added Sen. Russ them happy and shouldn’t be illegal, center for more than five years despite Deahl and four other seniors met to such as a master’s degree. Fulcher, R-Meridian. according to some area poker enthusi- failing vision, fading memory and play cards on Friday at 80-year-old Ultimately, whether to “It was never the intent asts in their golden years. limited mobility, five of the seniors Doris Williams’ Twin Falls home. give more raises to employ- of the authors and spon- But police say nothing in the law said on Friday. They tried playing the legal way last ees from other sources of sors of this bill to try to permits Idahoans to gamble at any age. They enjoyed playing poker at the week at the center without money, but funds is a decision for local change in any way what Earlier this month authorities went to center and gave an estimated $400 to it just wasn’t as much fun, they said. school districts. the Twin Falls Senior Center and $500 to it per month. Each player See CONSCIENCE, Main 2 explained that weekly poker games would put in $20 to play, and the pot See POKER, Main 2 See SALARIES, Main 2 After beating U.S., carousing Canadian Canada’s Meghan Agosta smokes a cigar women’s hockey team raises eyebrows after Canada beat USA 2-0 By Jocelyn Noveck inappropriate. And the “I’m gobsmacked at the boys. I absolutely think they on Thursday to Associated Press writer International Olympic reaction,’’said Kara DeFrias, singled these players out win the Committee said it was look- a writer from San Diego who because they’re women.’’ women’s gold NEW YORK — They ing into the incident, which expressed her thoughts on In fact, DeFrias said, for medal ice worked hard, they tri- took place on the Olympic Twitter, calling officials her, it was nice to see these umphed, and then they par- ice after fans had left. hypocrites for even looking exuberant players erupt in hockey game at tied hard — the way athletes On Twitter, Facebook and into the matter. joy. “I’m excited that they the Vancouver so often do. other venues across the “If this were the men’s were celebrating in a way 2010 Olympics And yet the photos of the Web, many were debating team, would anybody be that they felt appropriate to in Vancouver, Canadian women hockey whether the scrutiny was saying one word about it?’’ celebrate,’’she said. British players joyously feting their fair. Most seemed to think it asked DeFrias, in a followup And celebrate they did. Columbia. gold medal with beer,cham- wasn’t, and a number telephone interview. “Of Photos showed player Haley pagne and cigars struck thought it smacked of sex- course not. It would be no some as jarring, or at least ism, conscious or not. big deal,because boys will be See HOCKEY, Main 2 AP photo Comics ............Classifieds 7 Crossword ......Classifieds 9 Obituaries ............Religion 4 Commodities ......Business 2 Dear Abby........Classifieds 8 Opinion ......................Main 6 U.S. TO DROP BUSH PLAN FOR NUKE DETECTORS Community ............Sports 7 Movies ......................Main 4 Sudoku ............Classifieds 5 Equipment called ineffective, too costly > MAIN 5 MORNINGMORNINGMain 2 Saturday, February 27, 2010 BRIEFINGBRIEF- TN Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho Pat’s Picks TODAY’S HAPPENINGS ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Three things to do today “Classical Piano: An Evening of Russian Stake Center, 213 W. Main St., snowshoeing Auditions for Magic Valley’s Got Talent com- Music,” by Sun Valley Winter Artist Series, and sledding, foods, humanitarian project, Pat Marcantonio petition, all talents and ages welcome, 8 p.m., Church of the Big Wood, 100 Saddle fireside and concert with Preston Pugmire, 9 a.m.