46 / 31 RECYCLING RAIN New plans for Use rainwater old Renova plant to nourish plants Mostly cloudy. H&G 1 Agribusiness 1 Agribusiness 4 WHO HAS ‘IT’? >>> Defining the fire behind the ‘it’ factor, SPORTS 1 TUESDAY 75 CENTS March 1, 2011 TIMES-NEWS Magicvalley.com Legislature targets ‘distracted driving’ By Ben Botkin Times-News writer BOISE — Legislators held on to a “distracted driving” bill on Monday, amid concerns about the latest proposal to battle electronic distractions in cars. One year after a failed attempt to ban Idahoans from texting while driving,the bill backed by Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian,would target all elec- MORE tronic devices — from cell phones to electric toothbrushes. ONLINE As presented to the House VISIT Capitol Transportation and Defense Confidential, ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News Committee, the bill would create the Times- Beau Johnson, with South Central Community Action Partnership, uses a blower door to check the ventilation in a house that the organization was a $75 citation for motorists using a News politi- weatherizing Monday in Twin Falls. A vital source of funding for SCCAP, the national Community Services Block Grant, may be cut by 50 percent, with handheld electronic device in a cal blog the remaining cash made competitive. way that causes them to be dis- by Ben tracted or careless while driving. Botkin. Hagedorn cast it as an attempt to address the problem without the perceived government intru- sion of an outright ban on, say, Nonprofit chief heads to texting behind the wheel. But opinions were split about the compromise attempt. Dave Carlson, a lobbyist for AAA Ida- ho, told the committee his organization has safety concerns about texting while driving and doesn’t D.C. to plead against cuts believe this bill goes far enough. Carlson called the bill’s language “overly vague” As thankful as Owens is for the Call for action and noted that even if passed, it would still be legal SCCAP may close weatherization and heating bill as- sistance the local Community Ac- “Where Community Action has been helping people for so See DISTRACTED, Main 2 tion branch has given her over the many years, Community Action now needs your help,” Jerome office, lay years, she seems equally mystified local director Ken Robinette said. He asks those who want by President Barack Obama’s pro- to help to contact their congressional delegates: Rep. Mike posal to cut the service. Obama’s Simpson and Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch. Contact off dozens budget calls for halving the Com- SCCAP for a form letter to send to the congressmen. munity Services Block Grant, a vital Crapo . .734-2515 Simpson . .734-7219 By Nick Coltrain source of cash for the federally cre- Risch . .734-6780 SCCAP . .733-9351 Times-News writer ated network of nonprofits. “They can’t cut it,” Owens said. Susan Owens, a disabled 49- “People are going to be homeless. By the numbers year-old, thinks a lot about her life Elderly people are going to be frozen How much President Barack before the help of the South Central in their homes and cardboard boxes. 50 percent Obama proposed cutting Community Action Partnership, The economy’s bad, you can’t take from the federal Community Services Block Grant. about how the wind would move the away the only help people have.” How much SCCAP received curtains next to closed windows, Ken Robinette, executive director from the block grant, or and how her and her husband strug- of SCCAP, will plead the case for his $422,000 gled to pay winter heating bills. organization today, echoing people 9 percent of its budget, last year. ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News “Without the help from Commu- like Owens in a meeting with Ida- Magic Valley residents benefited Twin Falls Police Chief Brian Pike is sworn in Monday nity Action, we wouldn’t have been ho’s congressmen in Washington, 30,000 from the grant last year. evening by Mayor Don Hall at the Twin Falls City Council able to pay our bills, maybe been D.C. The block grant, while less Two-year increase in appli- chambers. Pike replaces retiring Chief Jim Munn Jr. homeless because we couldn’t pay than 10 percent of SCCAP’s budget 23 percentcants for SCCAP assistance. our bills,” Owens, of Twin Falls, Those helped who live below said. See CUTS, Main 2 86 percent125 percent of the poverty line. Pike sworn in as Poultry bill introduced Monday ONLINE EXTRA T.F.police chief By Ben Botkin to issue a permit for the poultry facilities By Bradley Guire Times-News writer because the department of agriculture Times-News writer cannot sign off on their nutrient and man- BOISE — Yet another attempt is under- agement plan, and DEQ says, ‘We don’t The torch is passed. way in the Legislature to shore up regula- have any rules or regulations that tell us Mayor Don Hall swore in Brian Pike as Twin Falls’ tion of large-scale poultry operations. what to do with it,’”Stevenson said. new chief of police, replacing retiring Chief Jim Rep. Bert Stevenson, R-Rupert, on DEQ Deputy Director Curt Fransen said Munn Jr., at Monday’s meeting of the Twin Falls Monday introduced legislation to put the the agency supports switching the over- City Council. oversight of all poultry confined-animal sight to ISDA, which already regulates “We’re looking forward to your leadership,”Hall feeding operations under the Idaho State most other CAFOs. told Pike, who was joined on the council chambers Department of Agriculture. The bill, cur- Other Magic Valley lawmakers support floor by his wife,Robin. rently before the House State Affairs Com- the change. Pike, 45, is formerly the captain of the Twin Falls mittee, comes at a time when poultry op- With no regulations for poultry opera- Police Department’s patrol division. After being erations are showing an interest in the tions below the DEQ threshold in place,it’s sworn into office, Pike said he was optimistic about Magic Valley. crucial to have something in place so the the future, referring directly to the numerous The bill would fix an existing system industry knows what to expect, said Rep. members of the force in attendance. that prevents the permitting process from Jim Patrick,R-Twin Falls. He takes over leadership of the 102-employee de- properly unfolding,Stevenson said. Rep. Stephen Hartgen, R-Twin Falls, Ride along with partment, which includes a patrol force of 39 offi- Currently,poultry regulation falls under agreed,calling it a good move. cers and an 18-person investigations department. the Idaho Department of Environmental “The fact is, modern agriculture is larg- Twin Falls police Also attending were Twin Falls County Sheriff Quality, but the DEQ doesn’t get involved er-scale, and you can’t go back to an era When a man going by the name of Robert Tom Carter and many of his deputies, and retired in operations until they reach 200,000 where Ma and Pa had a few hens scratch- practiced his dance moves at a busy Twin Falls Police Chief Lee DeVore, who served birds. ing around in the back yard,’he said. intersection Friday night, the Twin Falls from 1995 to 2005. “We’ve never had one that’s reached More work is still ahead on the CAFO police were called to make sure he didn’t Munn, who was chief from 2005 and is known to that size, either for swine or poultry,” front. Another Stevenson bill would make fall in the street. avoid the limelight, was coaxed into making a few Stevenson said. it easier for counties to request state help But keeping people safe can be more remarks prior to Pike’s swearing in. The threshold has been an issue as Mag- analyzing prospective CAFO sites. And difficult than putting them in jail. “It was an honor to serve you as chief and as an ic Valley counties, including Twin Falls, lawmakers and the pork industry are See the video at Magicvalley.com. officer,” Munn said. “We’re all here to celebrate a Jerome and Cassia, face applications from working on legislation to put swine under changing of the guard.” poultry operations for fewer than 200,000 ISDA. Because the latter is still being The city announced Pike as the new chief in De- chickens,Stevenson said. worked on,Patrick said he’s not sure if that Coming tomorrow: cember, when council members voted 7-0 for his “There is no way now for those counties legislation will be introduced this session. The bulls and bruises of college rodeo. appointment. Bridge ........................H&G 5 Crossword..................H&G 7 Obituaries..................Main 8 Comics....................Sports 4 Dear Abby ..................H&G 6 Opinion ..................Main 6-7 BOISE STUDENTS RAIL AGAINST LUNA Commodities..Agribusiness 2 Jumble ......................H&G 4 Sudoku ......................H&G 8 Students protest education reforms, Main 5 Main 2 Tuesday, March 1, 2011 MORNING MIX TN Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho TODAY’S HAPPENINGS One real damp day,circa 10,000 B.C. ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT outh-central Idaho 410 feet — that’s 41 stories — ished by tumbling down- College of Southern Idaho Symphonic Band Concert, 7:30 p.m., was a cold,wet,rocky deep. stream during the flood,can CSI Fine Arts Auditorium, suggested $5 donation, 732-6288. Splace 12,000 years ago. YOU Evidence of the great Bon- be found at many places “Cut to the Chase,” by Declo High School drama department, And then one day it got much DON’T SAY neville Flood can still be seen along the river.Some of the 7 p.m., Declo High School Auditorium, 505 E.