39 / 20 BURLEY MAN TURNS HOT ROD HOBBY EAGLE TREE INTO FLEDGLING Spot near Wendell becomes Rain, snow mix BUSINESS, Business 1 favorite for eagles > OUTDOORS 1 Business 4 WINNING ON THE MATS >>> Bruins,Tigers wrestle at 4A district meet, SPORTS 1 THURSDAY 75 CENTS February 17,2011 TIMES-NEWS Magicvalley.com STINKER: House passes health care Few details emerge from overhaul nullification armed robbery Times-News What’s nullification? What’s the next step? What does it mean to me? Times-News The bill would make it illegal The bill, H. 117,now passes into If passed, a taxpayer-funded BOISE — Idaho House Tuesday night’s Stinker Station for Idaho officials to enact provi- the GOP-controlled Senate, legal battle between Idaho and Republicans pushed their heist marks the sixth reported sions of President Barack which will ultimately decide if it the federal government could fol- effort to nullify the federal armed robbery in Twin Falls with- Obama’s 2009 health care re- moves to the desk of Gov. C.L. low. Idaho has spent between in the past year. health care overhaul toward form, including its mandate that “Butch” Otter. $6,000 and $7,000 to join a law- According to Twin Falls police, the Senate on Wednesday, residents buy health insurance. If it makes it to him, the gover- suit over health care reform, ac- a white male in his early 20s en- despite Democratic objec- Idaho is the first of 11 states nor doesn’t seem likely to reject it. cording to the bill’s statement of tered the Kimberly Road conven- tions that the measure is considering nullification efforts Otter has already spoken of nulli- purpose and fiscal impact. ience store at 9:50 p.m., bran- to pass a bill in one legislative fication as one tool among other The bill’s sponsors say Idaho unconstitutional. dished a handgun and stole an chamber, according to the Los efforts to maintain or increase lo- will incur up to $228 million in ini- The vote was 49-20, undisclosed amount of cash and a Angeles-based 10th Amendment cal control of Idaho issues. tial costs to meet the federal man- with seven Republicans — carton of Marlboro cigarettes. Center. The GOP-led effort in- date, with unknown future costs. including Twin Falls’ Leon The suspect stands at least vokes the spirit of 200-year-old If Idaho effectively opts out of INSIDE 6 feet tall and was wearing black Smith and Burley’s Fred state sovereignty doctrine found health care reform, it stands to jeans and a black hooded sweat- Wood — joining 13 Demo- unconstitutional by the U.S. For more of this story, lose billions in federal health care shirt with three white stripes on crats in opposition. Supreme Court. see Business 4 funding. the sleeves. The last convenience store rob- bery in Twin Falls happened in April 2010 at the Oasis Stop ’N Go on Addison Avenue. The robber, Johnny Moore IV, was captured that night and later convicted. TFPD OPENS THE LINES Moore used an Airsoft gun, which resembled a semiautomatic pistol, to steal approximately $400. Twin Falls police are also inves- tigating three open bank robbery cases, all of which occurred in the last six months. The Bank of America branch on Shoshone Street was robbed in August by a man who claimed to have a gun, though no witnesses actually saw a gun. The Blue Lakes Boulevard U.S. Bank branch was hit in December,and five weeks later the First Federal Savings Bank on Falls Avenue West was targeted. Police suspect that the last two bank holdups were perpetrated by the same individual. Elsewhere in the Magic Valley, the year-old armed robbery of Ridley’s Family Market in Gooding also remains unsolved. According to Idaho State Police, 248 robberies were reported statewide in 2009. More than 100 of the robberies statewide in- volved use of a firearm. Photos by ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News Police ask anyone with infor- Twin Falls Police Capt. Bryan Krear leads a tour through the department’s dispatch center Wednesday. Capt. Brian Pike, the city’s next police chief, said the department mation on Tuesday’s robbery to hopes to increase communication with the population it serves. call Twin Falls city dispatch at 311 or Crime Stoppers at 732-5387. Gooding Police Chief Jeff Perry would like to hear from anyone As population grows, police seek improved communication with information on the Ridley’s robbery; call 934-8436. By Bradley Guire Times-News writer Twin Falls’ incoming chief of Jerome sewer police wants to keep better con- tact with the city’s residents. Items are stored in the Capt. Brian Pike takes over his overload pinned evidence room at the new job on March 1, but the de- partment is already trying to be Twin Falls police station. on dairy spill more interactive with the public it The station’s evidence serves. locker used to be a By Laura Lundquist “We’ve had a lot of comments pass-through garage. Times-News writer and discussions with the commu- nity via our Facebook page,” he For more than a month, a sec- said Wednesday while leading a tion of the North Side Canal sys- media tour of police headquarters. tem has doubled as a sewer. “This week, we’re playing around This week, the city of Jerome with Twitter.” plans to have wastewater treat- The department wants to use ment back under control after its social networking to better inform system was overloaded by a local the public on current events, such A focus on crime prevention is Prohibition-era gangster hey- dairy. as Tuesday night’s Stinker Station important, Pike said, as the de- GET IN TOUCH days. Jerome City Manager Ben robbery,and share crime preven- partment serves a growing popu- The department handles as Marchant said a local dairy had tion tips. lation without much prospect of Need to reach the Twin Falls Police many as 850 investigations per “an unfortunate incident” on “We’re trying to open up a dia- growing itself as Idaho crawls out Department? You have options. year, Hicks said, and approxi- Dec. 30, when a large amount of logue with the community,”Pike of a recession. Non-emergency phone calls: 311 or mately 50,000 calls for service to calcium was spilled into the city said. The Twin Falls Police Depart- 735-4357 both the city’s 911 and non-emer- sewer system. The calcium clog- Pike, Capt. Matt Hicks, Capt. ment currently employs 102 peo- Online: gency 311 lines. ged filter membranes in the waste- Bryan Krear, Crime Prevention ple, with 18 in investigations — led www.tfid.org/departments/police “We’re equipped to handle a water treatment plant, shutting Officer Luke Allen and Lt. Craig by Hicks — and 39 patrol officers Facebook: Twin Falls Police population of 40,000,” Hicks down the facility,Marchant said. Stotts met with the media in Pike’s department. His position Department said. It is expected that the 2010 “It’s taken six weeks, at great ex- Wednesday to offer an inside look will be replaced upon his official Twitter: TwinFallsPD U.S. Census, due to be released pense, to strip the membranes of at how the department works and promotion to chief next month, this spring, will show that ap- the calcium buildup,” Marchant how it can serve the public. when he takes over for retiring proximately 42,000 call Twin said.“The expense will go back on Allen is leading a major push to Chief Jim Munn Jr. ered in investigations. The room Falls home. In addition, thou- the industry,so it shouldn’t affect educate area residents and busi- Aside from officers, dozens of accommodates everything from sands more enter the city daily to ratepayers.” nesses on crime prevention. He’s employees provide support serv- drugs to sexual assault evidence work, shop and play. In the meantime, raw effluent available to discuss myriad crime ices in the department’s records and guns — anything from semi- has poured into the North Side prevention topics beyond what room, three-desk dispatch center automatic pistols to shotguns Bradley Guire may be reached Canal Co.’s J Canal. Marchant said the department can address on- and the evidence room, which and, on Wednesday,a Thompson at [email protected] or JEROME line. houses thousands of items gath- submachine gun reminiscent of 735-3380. See , Main 2 Comics ..........Classifieds 12 Crossword ......Classifieds 11 Obituaries ..........Outdoors 6 Commodities ......Business 2 Dear Abby ........Classifieds 9 Opinion ..................Main 4-5 POLICE STORM BAHRAIN CAMP Community ....Outdoors 4-5 Jumble ..........Classifieds 10 Sudoku ............Classifieds 9 Two reported dead in attack on protesters, Business 3 Main 2 Thursday, February 17,2011 MORNING MIX TN Times-News,Twin Falls, Idaho TODAY’S HAPPENINGS Urban renewal bills move to House floor ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT By Ben Botkin through tax-increment fi- to the bill requiring voter ap- MORE ONLINE Jazz at CSI Java, hosted by Brent Jensen, 3 p.m., first floor of the Times-News writer nancing, which allows the proval for taking on debt, Taylor Building at College of Southern Idaho, free, open to the pub- agencies to collect any in- saying that when potential READ a letter sent to lic, 420-7066. BOISE — Urban renewal crease in assessed property economic development pro- legislators by the Twin CSI film series features “Schultze Gets the Blues,” 7 p.m., CSI Fine reform seems to be having a tax value within their jects arise, theres a need to Falls URA, Arts Recital Hall, $6, tickets.csi.edu or 732-6288.