Lura Wiltsie and Rehabilitation Grandchildren; Lura Wiltsie, 91, of Twin in Rupert

61 / 42 The long and winding road Three Methodist churches mark 100 years or more BCS needs playoffs, Boise State athletic director tells Congress. Partly cloudy. in the Magic Valley, RELIGION 1 SPORTS 1 Business 4 WHAT’S THAT TWITTERING SOUND? >>> Employers get philosophical about workers’ texting, BUSINESS 1 SATURDAY 75 CENTS May 2, 2009 MagicValley.com Confident in economy,Otter says raise gas tax C.L. “Butch” Otter said again in 2012, and would he said. “I understand how be released until next week. Monday to continue what is House unlikely Friday the latest economic accept the House plan for an tough it is (to raise taxes in an “Hopefully the economic already the second-longest data shows the recession interim committee to study economic downturn), and downturn has slowed much legislative session in state isn’t as bad as lawmakers the issue. that’s why I continue to more than we have expected history. to fold, assistant think. But Otter said opposing lower the bar.” and, we think, at a much House Assistant Majority Otter, as part of his effort legislators should look Tax withholdings are more manageable rate,” Leader Scott Bedke, R- leader says to find new revenue for beyond the economic trou- expected to be $10 million Otter said. Oakley, said it’s unlikely the roads, made public his latest bles they’re using as justifi- shy of expectations — as Otter’s comments came at House will fold. By Jared S. Hopkins pitch to lawmakers — the cation because April rev- opposed to the $50 million a news conference where he Asked if Otter’s com- Times-News writer same one House enues are better than shortfall forecast a couple of signed legislation, including ments are a political ploy, Republicans rejected expected. months ago. But Otter’s bills regarding public Sen. Dean Cameron, R- BOISE — Still fighting to Wednesday before they “I hope they receive this aides said exact data — schools. Rupert, who supports Otter convince legislators to raise adjourned. He wants to news on the economy with including that for another While House members and who appeared at the the state gas tax for new rev- increase the gas tax by 3 the same appreciation and big revenue source, sales tax left the Capitol Annex enue on transportation, Gov. cents in 2011 and 3 cents the same hope that I have,” — is incomplete and won’t Wednesday, they’ll return See TAX, Main 2 W ORK TIME BEFORE PLAYTIME Times-News takes legal steps to unseal Jerome murder case issue in the court since he Public has right to was accused of first-degree murder in the July shooting watch proceedings, of Javier Zavala-Paniagua, 22, in the street in front of newspaper says his home in Jerome. He also is charged with aggravated By Andrea Jackson assault and aggravated bat- Times-News writer tery in relation to the alleged shooting of his estranged The Times-News has wife, Maria Leon, 41, who challenged the closure of was apparently living with hearings and the sealing of Zavala-Paniagua at the time documents in the murder of the shootings. case against Fortino Leon of The case has not pro- Jerome. ceeded to a preliminary In court papers filed hearing or grand jury Friday, Times-News attor- because the court has yet to ney Fritz Haemmerle cited a rule if Leon is mentally fit to recent closure of a hearing stand trial. in the case, sealing of key On April 15, 5th District court documents and con- Judge Jason Walker had fusion over the status of the granted requests from the case in requesting a hearing Times-News and KMVT- to argue that the proceed- TV to video record and pho- ings should be open to pub- tograph Leon’s court ap- JUSTIN JACKSON/Times-News lic view. pearance the following day. Anne Jensen, left, Jeri Henley, center, and Lark Standley secure railroad ties surrounding new playground equipment Friday afternoon at Haemmerle argued the But “thereafter,without any public has a constitutional explanation, the court Harrison Elementary School in Twin Falls. ‘We’ve done fundraisers over the past few years and this is what our fundraisers have gone for; this is right to observe court pro- ordered the case closed to what our students have worked for,’says Jeri Henley, the school’s PTA president. ceedings. the public, and reporters … “Public access to criminal removed from the court- trials permits the public to room,”Haemmerle wrote. participate in and serve as a On April 17,Walker issued check upon the judicial a written order that also Parents in a lather over school’s soap ban process, an essential com- sealed various documents, ponent in our structure of saying it was “to preserve providing soap in the boys The principal and vice ning of the week. self-government,” Haem- the defendant’s right to a Jerome Middle bathroom even as concerns principal of Jerome Middle Dan Kriz, an environ- merle wrote. “It should be fair trial,”though he did not of a possible swine flu epi- School and the school dis- mental health specialist evident that logic dictates specify why closure was School took action demic mounted. trict superintendent were with South Central Public that the public has a right to needed to do so. In previous “It’s a huge deal,” said unavailable Friday for com- Health District said school know why a defendant fac- hearings he had denied after vandalism Jarvis, noting she and other ment and did not return administrators told him ing murder charges is not defense motions to close the parents filed complaints calls from the Times- they removed the soap after being tried, or when that case, saying it was impor- By Andrea Jackson with South Central Public News. children emptied dis- defendant might be tried.” tant to keep it open. Times-News writer Health after learning sev- But an investigator with pensers onto the floor. The mental competency enth-grade boys had not had South Central Public Health “I said ‘What about put- of Leon, 73, has been at See TRIAL, Main 2 April Jarvis, the mother of access to soap at school for said Friday that complaints ting in bar soap?’” Kriz said a Jerome Middle School stu- most of the week. “Had I this week prompted him to Friday.“But apparently that dent, is upset that the school known there was no soap I visit the boys bathroom in hasn’t happened.” Magicvalley.com apparently violated a state wouldn’t have sent him to question, where he did not WATCH a video of the judge closing Fortino Leon’s health code this week by not school.” find any soap at the begin- See SOAP, Main 2 hearing last month. Scientists: Swine flu may be Simpson sees new hope for less potent than first feared Boulder-White Clouds plan By Mike Stobbe SCAM PREYS ON SWINE FLU FEARS and David B. Caruso IDAHO FALLS (AP) — Sen. Peaks in central Idaho, as District of the Bureau of Associated Press writers Mike Crapo and Rep. Mike well as providing economic Land Management. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana's attorney general is Simpson say the chances of incentives and public land The measure would also The swine flu outbreak warning of a telephone scam offering the sale of Idaho getting more wilder- transfers to benefit Custer release 131,616 acres from that has alarmed the world “mandatory swine flu kits.” ness areas designated appear and Blaine counties. wilderness study designa- for a week now appears less Attorney General Greg Zoeller says telephone solic- to have improved. It proposes carving out tion, provide economic ominous, with the virus itors are telling people the U.S. Centers for Disease The two Idaho Repub- three wilderness areas total- development grants to showing little staying Control and Prevention or the Department of licans say that Simpson’s ing 318,765 acres: Custer County and transfer power in the hardest-hit Homeland Security are requiring the purchase of the Central Idaho Economic • The Hemingway- to counties federal land that cities and scientists sug- kits to test for the swine flu virus. Development and Recreation Boulders Wilderness: 110,438 could be used for low- gesting it lacks the genetic Zoeller said Friday the claims are false and the callers Act doesn’t face as many acres in the Sawtooth and income housing, water proj- fortitude of past killer bugs. are “cynically exploiting people’s fears in order to com- hurdles as it has in the past. Challis National Forests ects and other public uses. President Barack Obama mit fraud.” He says they may also be in violation of “I think the prospects are • White Clouds Wilder- In March, President even voiced hope Friday Indiana’s telephone privacy laws, and anyone in that significantly improved,’’ ness: 76,657 acres in the Obama signed a comprehen- that it may turn out to be no state who has been contacted by such a solicitor should Crapo told the Post Register. Sawtooth and Challis sive public lands bill that more harmful than the notify his office at 800-382-5516. The bill would creating national forests. included Crapo’s legislation average seasonal flu. Zoeller did not say how many people had been more than 318,000 acres of • Jerry Peak Wilderness: to designate as wilderness solicited. wilderness in the Boulder 131,670 acres in the Challis 517,000 acres of the Owyhee See FLU, Main 2 Mountains and White Cloud National Forest and Challis canyons in southwest Idaho. Comics....................Sports 6 Crossword ....Classifieds 10 Obituaries ............Religion 4 Commodities ......Business 2 Dear Abby........Classifieds 4 Opinion ......................Main 6 WHO’SNEXTFORSUPREME COURT? Community ............Sports 7 Movies ......................Main 5 Sudoku ............Classifieds 4 Obama could pick Latino or woman > BUSINESS 3 MORNINGMORNINGMain 2 Saturday, May 2, 2009 BRIEFINGBRIEF- TN Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho Pat’s Picks TODAY’S HAPPENINGS ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Three things to do today served (until gone) and 3 p.m.

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