60 / 43 HOLDING STEADY Feed costs expected to stay stable again this years >>> Scattered AGRIBUSINESS 1 showers. Main 10 ON THE LINKS >>> On first day of state golf, area teams all within striking distance of leaders, SPORTS 1 TUESDAY 75 CENTS May 18, 2010 TIMES-NEWS Magicvalley.com Deadline looms for TFSD contract negotiations Judge “The Legislature set a difficult Jerome, Mini-Cassia PUBLIC SCHOOL CUTS timeline,” said Attorney Brian Julian, with the Boise-based firm dismisses Area school districts are renegotiating teacher contracts to deal with a fiscal year schools also facing 2011 decrease in state funding coming to public schools in July. Here’s a sampling Anderson, Julian and Hull, recom- of approved or proposed cost-saving measures. mending the board not push the vote on pay reductions due process hearing into June. Cuts approved • 12 furlough days for administrators, jail lawsuit “There are events that will take By Blair Koch Gooding School District: representing a 6.3 percent reduction place after the hearing … we can’t Times-News correspondent • 4.35 percent pay reduction for admin- wait because of the timeline.” Halper sued Jerome Co. istrators Jerome School District: If needed, the due process hear- The Twin Falls School District • 5.6 percent pay reduction for superin- • 1 percent pay reduction for teachers ing would give the district and over jail funding issues and the Twin Falls Education tendent and administrators and 10 furlough association an opportunity to Association have three weeks to • Four furlough days, representing 3.6 days, representing a 5 percent reduc- present evidence to support why, By Andrea Jackson finalize a new teacher contract for percent reduction for teachers tion or why not, the reductions are Times-News writer the upcoming school year. necessary. Lowering the amount paid Cuts proposed Twin Falls School District: The board would have 10 days JEROME — Lee Justus Halper toward salaries and benefits is a Cassia County School District: • 6.5 percent pay reduction for teachers from the hearing to decide if the was alone in pointing a finger critical part in the district’s plan to • Eight furlough days for teachers, repre- • 9.68 percent pay reduction for admin- cuts are warranted and then notify Monday at Jerome County, after a cut nearly $3.3 million from its senting 4 percent reduction istrators employees of its decision. judge dismissed his lawsuit con- overall budget in light of state Both sides hope to finalize the nected to a failed election for a funding cuts. if the two sides are unable to come state’s financial emergency provi- contract before the hearing, but new jail. With the June 6 deadline fast to an agreement during its meet- sions — the timeline imposed by were required to schedule a Representing himself, Halper approaching, the board approved ing next week. the legislature. The declaration hearing anyway. filed a petition in January claiming a due process hearing planned for The deadline is 67 days from allowed qualifying districts to the county violated Idaho law by Memorial Day — a necessary step when the district opted into the open contracts for negotiations. See SCHOOLS, Main 3 not seeking bids for an expendi- ture of more than $25,000 when it contracted with Rocky Mountain Corrections,a Ketchum-based jail development and consulting firm, to provide voter education and other services connected to S ERENE SCENE November’s failed election. The county had paid RMC about $87,500 without going to bid for the services, according to Halper’s case. In one week,residents in Jerome County will vote on whether to let the county sign off on a lease- purchase agreement to construct a new jail and sheriff’s office. See HALPER, Main 2 Silsby convicted in Haiti, but free to go By Jonathan M. Katz Associated Press writer PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The last member of a group of American missionaries detained while trying to take 33 children out of Haiti after the Jan. 12 earth- quake was freed Monday when a judge convicted her but sentenced ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News her to time already served in jail. Laura Silsby, the organizer of louds are reflected in a pool of water off of Idaho Highway 46 in the Camas Prairie on Friday. the ill-fated effort to take the children to an orphanage being The weekend’s warm, pleasant weather across the Magic Valley is expected to dampen today, as set up in the neighboring Dominican Republic, returned to the National Weather Service’s Pocatello office is forecasting rain showers and highs near 60. her cell briefly to C retrieve belong- ings before quickly heading to the Port-au-Prince airport. “I’m praising Aston charged Rumors plague Twin Falls County God,’’ Silsby told The Associated Silsby with grand theft Press as she wait- Republican Central Committee ed for a flight out of Haiti. She declined to answer further ques- Unknown what M-C Sometimes officials cannot crossing out numbers and tions before clearing immigration Blogger accuses even respond publicly because writing different ones on and heading through a gate to official is accused of stealing they don’t know who their financial disclosure forms. catch a plane to Florida. former treasurer of accuser is. That happened because a The Idaho businesswoman had By Laurie Welch Ken Edmunds, former treas- refund was reported as income been in custody since Jan. 29. She Times-News writer rendering financial urer of the central committee, and the Idaho Secretary of was originally charged with kid- found that out the hard way. State’s office clarified the form napping and criminal association, BURLEY — Minidoka County When he resigned last week, an by rewriting different figures but those charges were dropped Community Development Director Paul disclosure forms anonymous blog called “Twin on the original form, Edmunds for her and the nine other Aston has been charged with felony grand By Ben Botkin Falls Republican Party said, adding that he had offered Americans who were previously theft,according to the county’s prosecutor. Times-News writer Restoration”suggested a possi- to file new reports with the released. Silsby was convicted of According to a press release issued ble reason was because the blog state. arranging illegal travel under a Monday afternoon, Aston was charged in The Twin Falls County put heat on Edmunds for his Edmunds said he tried to 1980 statute restricting move- Minidoka County. Republican Central Committee work as treasurer. contact the blog’s author to ment out of Haiti signed by then- “I can’t comment on the case at all,” has attracted undesired atten- “They misrepresent things give his side, but got no dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier. Minidoka County Prosecutor Lance tion on different fronts: an so badly, it’s very irritating,” response. The blog’s author Prosecutor Jean-Serge Joseph Stevenson said Monday afternoon. anonymous blog and com- Edmunds said, adding that he’s goes by the name “Jefferson is said she was convicted and sen- Aston also declined to comment plaints about the organization’s giving up his treasurer role to my Hero.” tenced to the three months and Monday on the pending charge. financial information are all in focus on his time on the Idaho “They hide behind the blog eight days she spent behind bars. “I don’t think it would be wise to com- the mix. State Board of Education and and aren’t willing to talk to Last week, the prosecution rec- ment until I’ve spoken with an attorney,” If anything, the attention the Idaho Youth Soccer organi- people,”Edmunds said, stress- ommended a six-month sen- Aston said. means area Republicans have to zation. ing that the committee’s books tence; she had faced a maximum fend off allegations of improper The blog takes Edmunds’ of three years. See ASTON, Main 2 handling of financial records. accounting work to task for See GOP, Main 2 “She is free,’’Joseph said. Bridge ..........Agribusiness 9 Crossword....Agribusiness 7 Obituaries ..................Main 7 Comics ....Home & Garden 3 Dear Abby ....Agribusiness 7 Opinion ..................Main 8-9 SCIENTISTS WORRY OIL COULD GET TO FLA.KEYS CommoditiesAgribusiness 2 Jumble........Agribusiness 10 Sudoku ........Agribusiness 6 Current could carry oil to Atlantic > Agribusiness 3 MORNINGMORNINGMain 2 Tuesday, May 18, 2010 BRIEFINGBRIEF- TN Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho Pat’s Picks TODAY’S HAPPENINGS Three things to do today ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Pat Marcantonio Let’s Dance Club, line and couples dances, 6 to 10 p.m., Twin Falls Senior Center, 530 FIND MORE ONLINE • Young talent is in the all their hits. Tickets are $55 Shoshone St. W., $3, no cost for children Check out our online calendar where you spotlight at the Canyon to $180. younger than age 14 with an adult, 410- Ridge High School and • Learn time- and 5650 or galenslatter.com. can submit events and search by category Robert Stuart Middle money-saving tips for soups Canyon Ridge High School and Robert for specific events and dates. School Spring Choral and casseroles and taste the Stuart Middle School Spring Choral www.magicvalley.com/app/calendar/events/ Concert at 7 p.m. at the samples at Soups On! with Concert, 7 p.m., College of Southern Idaho College of Southern Idaho Diane Bevan of Sweetheart Fine Arts Center auditorium, 315 Falls Ave., Fine Arts Center auditori- Manor at 6 p.m. at the Twin Falls, $3 adults, $2 seniors and stu- LIBRARY students, 732-6655 or csi.edu/herrett. um. Admission is $2 to $3. Burley Public Library, 1300 dents, 732-7555. • The Eagles hit the stage Miller Ave. It’s free. Teen Flicks in Yscapes, movie and snacks, at 8 p.m.