WATCH THEM PLUMMET Entertainment 1 This Weekend’S Perrine Bridge Festival Will Raise Money
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88 / 53 WATCH THEM PLUMMET Entertainment 1 This weekend’s Perrine Bridge Festival will raise money Sunny & warm. for kids, may feature world record tandem jump. Business 4 MORE MATURE >>> Declo QB a playmaker in his senior year, SPORTS 1 FRIDAY 75 CENTS September 11, 2009 MagicValley.com State cuts coming, DELL TO HANG UP unknown when Lawmakers expect Otter to issue ON CALL CENTER budget holdbacks 500 jobs lost By Jared S. Hopkins at T.F. facility Times-News writer State lawmakers say Gov. By Joshua Palmer C.L. “Butch” Otter may Times-News writer announce midyear budget cuts — perhaps even today It took more than a year — in light of the state’s and more than $1.5 million to ongoing revenue slump. bring a Dell call center to Facing softening revenue Twin Falls, but less than 15 figures and an uncertain minutes for it all to fall economic future, Otter down. announced meetings with Dell Computer Inc. agency directors and law- announced Thursday that it makers last week but also will close its Twin Falls cus- assured the state has the tomer support call center by tools to maintain delivery of January, ending an eight- necessary services. year run as one of the com- Still, lawmakers who will munity’s largest and most meet today with Otter have prominent employers. said ongoing issues with the The announcement left economy will force budget employees devastated, and cuts. Rep. Maxine Bell, co- bewildered local economic chairwoman of the Joint development officials who Finance-Appropriations had invested taxpayer Committee, said she money and resources in a expects Otter to announce venture that was supposed cuts later today after the to remain in Twin Falls for at DREW GODLESKI/For the Times-News meetings. least a decade. Employees console each other after learning Thursday the Dell call center in Twin Falls will close. Employees were told they would lose sever- “We’re down $170 million Center employees were ance pay if they comment or identify themselves to the media. so there’s no way we can go told late Thursday to gather they comment to the media. Kaur said employees who forth with the 2010 budget at the Canyon Crest Dining Many said they had sus- Magicvalley.com do not continue working (as set),”said Bell, a Jerome and Event Center for an pected some layoffs were with Dell will receive sever- Republican. “There will “important announce- coming, but said they were WATCH an interview with Harjit Kaur, spokeswoman ance, but would not com- have to be holdbacks.” ment.” shocked when told the cen- for Dell Computer Inc., about the closure of the Twin ment on specifics. Just 15 minutes later they ter will be shuttered. Falls call center. “This is something that See HOLDBACKS, Main 2 emerged from Canyon Dell spokeswoman Harjit we have been discussing Crest. Many were stunned Kaur confirmed that it is 500 employees will be She said the number of since last month to better and angry, but all asked that company policy to bar offered jobs at Dell call cen- employees who will remain serve our customers,” she their names not be used as employees from speaking to ters in Texas and Oklahoma, working from home in Twin said. the company had threatened the media. or with the company’s Falls was still being “deter- Plant has to take away severance pay if Kaur said about 125 of the work-from-home program. mined.” See DELL, Main 2 to wait October — The city and Dell agree to buy a former Albertson’s grocery store at 851 Pole Line Road for a call center that would offer 200 to in Twin Falls 250 skilled jobs at a starting yearly wage of about $28,000. The URA floats $2.9 million in bonds to buy the building, which Dell agrees to January — Idaho October — Following a its turn lease for at least 10 years. The URA, state and Business Plus, a Department of Labor 20 percent decline in Chamber of Commerce economic development group, each pay reports that the cen- sales, Dell lays off 30 more Fish and Wildlife $500,000 for upgrades such as a fiber optic cable connection. ter employs 630. Twin Falls employees. rules rare Idaho 2000 2001 2002 2004 2007 2008 2009 plant could be The city of Twin Falls, its Urban Renewal February — The center October — Dell quietly Sept. 10 — Dell announces endangered Agency and the College of Southern Idaho opens with more than lays off 100 employees, closure of the center and By Nate Poppino begin discussions with Dell Computer 200 employees. citing changes in the way layoff of about 500 Times-News writer Corp. about bringing a center to handle the company handles employees. inbound service calls to Twin Falls. customer service calls. It’s not likely many people know the Goose Creek milkvetch even exists. R EMEMBERING THE FALLEN The plant, a low-growing Local counterfeiters perennial with pink flowers, grows only in 10 square miles of the Goose Creek drainage face federal prison in Idaho, Utah and Nevada, including Cassia County. By Andrea Jackson LEARN HOW TO That’s its only habitat Times-News writer worldwide, from which it SPOT A FAKE must withstand all outside Federal authorities say threats. So it probably was- they nabbed two former The U.S. Secret Service has n’t a surprise to the U.S. Fish employees of Ridley’s valuable information on its and Wildlife Service when, Family Markets in Jerome Web site that can help you in 2004, a group of 26 peti- for counterfeit money determine if you have coun- tioners asked to list the plant crimes that affected at least terfeit money. as endangered. four other area businesses. Go to: www.ustreas.gov/ After a review coordinated The women, Jonna usss/KnowYourMoney with the U.S. Bureau of Land Cheyenne Monge, 34, and April08.pdf Management and U.S. Leanor Marie Parreira, 38, www.ustreas.gov/usss/ Forest Service, Fish both worked for Ridley’s money_detect.shtml and Wildlife announced where they were involved in Thursday that the plant does passing fake $100 bills that (Ridley’s) reimbursed a merit protection. But, offi- had been forged from real $5 number of their customers cials added, it’s going to have bills through bleaching who ended up with a coun- ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News to wait its turn until the and re-printing, Idaho terfeit,” said Maloney, agency completes pending Wilford Lampman walks among some of the 3,000 flags at the Crossroads Point Business Center in Assistant United States adding that Ridley’s “did listing actions for higher- Attorney Kevin Maloney the right thing and were Jerome County. The Sept. 11 memorial will be up until Thursday at the site, north of the Interstate 84/ priority species. confirmed on Thursday cooperative and helpful and U.S. Highway 93 interchange. Larry England, a botanist from Boise. “I know that they See COUNTERFEIT, Main 2 More 9/11 coverage inside on Business 3 See MILKVETCH, Main 2 Comics....................Sports 6 Crossword ......Classifieds 6 Obituaries ..........Business 5 Commodities ......Business 2 Dear Abby ........Classifieds 7 Opinion ..................Main 6-7 OBAMA HECKLING GETS MIXED REACTION Community ........Business 4 Movies ......Entertainment 2 Sudoku ............Classifieds 9 S.C. voters surprised by Wilson’s outburst > Business 3 MORNINGMORNINGMain 2 Friday, September 11, 2009 BRIEFINGBRIEF- TN Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho Pat’s Picks TODAY’S HAPPENINGS Three things to do today ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT MORE INSIDE role of fire department in aiding those involved Pat Marcantonio in World Trade Center tragedy, flag ceremony Haunted Mansions auditions for “scary”actors For detailed coverage of today’s arts and at corner of Main Street and Broadway Avenue, So much to do, so few Guyer, one of America’s and actresses, 5 to 8 p.m., Campus Grove,Al- entertainment all around south-central and refreshments, 10 a.m. to noon, Buhl Public picks. leading sopranos, at bion, 208-430-6430 or hmmortensen@ Idaho, check out our Events Calendar in the Library, 215 Broadway Ave. N., open to the pub- • Who can pass up the 7:30 p.m. in the CSI Fine yahoo.com. Entertainment section of today’s edition. lic, no cost, 543-6500. Perrine Bridge Festival Arts Theatre. Admission is “Stories of Love and Loss,” a concert by sopra- today at the Twin Falls free with a suggested dona- no and Twin Falls native Joyce Guyer, accompa- MUSEUMS AND PARKS Fit and Fall Proof Exercise Class, 11 to Visitors Center? Highlights tion of $5 to the CSI Music nied by pianist Mark Neiwirth, presented by 11:45 a.m., Oakley Fire Station, 315 E. Main St., Faulkner Planetarium “Two Small Pieces of include lunch with the Department Scholarship College of Southern Idaho’s Music Oakley, no cost, 737-5988. Glass/Live Sky Tour,” 7 p.m., $4.50 for adults, BASE jumpers, raffles, Fund at the door. Department, 7:30 p.m., CSI Fine Arts Theatre, Fit and Fall Proof Exercise Class, 1:30 p.m., front $3.50 for senior citizens, $2.50 for students, music and art. The action • And a bonus pick: The free admission, $5 suggested donation to the lounge,Woodstone Assisted Living Facility, 491 no cost for children under age 2 and a special continues at 8 a.m. Magic Valley Speedway’s CSI Music Department Scholarship Fund at the Caswell Ave.W.,Twin Falls, no cost, 737-5988. price package for families with five children or Saturday with a fun run and idea of a stimulus package is door, 208-732-6288.