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The most interesting Local News for the North Idaho Business Radio Show - March 8, 2010: Sandpoint Blog

By Gary Lirette

Services for Real Estate Pros

March 08, 2011 02:41 PM

I like to cover some of the best news stories on my two radio shows. Here is what we went over this week.

A Concern About Wetlands in North Idaho: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog

I received an inquiry from some folks looking for property and they had a concern about wetlands in our area. The link above is how I responed.

So, posted on Sunday, March 6, 2011 10:00 am in the Bonner County Daily Bee, this article tells the next tile in the story:

Priest Lake couple takes EPA challenge to high court By Keith Kinnaird News editor Bonner County Daily Bee

SANDPOINT - A determined Bonner County couple who contends the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is unfairly interfering with their right to develop a homesite at Priest Lake is taking their fight to the nation's high court...

Chamber Welcomes Air Idaho Charters

SANDPOINT - Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce officials welcomed Air Idaho Charters to the greater Sandpoint area with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

We reported on this air service from my interview with the guys on my North Idaho Business radio show in this blog: Sandpoint Blog: Air Idaho Charters - Those Daring Young Men in their Flying Machines

Happy homecoming: Historic carousel returns to Coeur d'Alene By Becky Kramer The Spokesman-Review

A historic carousel that once entertained crowds on Coeur d'Alene's waterfront has come home.

A pony with a fiery orange mane, carved in the 1920s, was unveiled near the carousel's original location at Independence Point on Monday afternoon. It was one of 20 antique wooden horses that arrived by van over the weekend.

Between 1942 and 1975, the carousel was part of the Playland Pier amusement park at Independence Point near downtown. The park was destroyed by fire.

Read the whole story here

Lawmakers set ITD budget aimed at shifting spending to roadwork The Spokesman-Review

Legislative budget writers have voted to set a budget for the Idaho Transportation Department for next year that would rise by a total of 16.3 percent; ITD gets no state general funds, instead relying on federal funds and dedicated funds that come from fees and gas taxes. Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, and Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover, who crafted the budget, said it was designed to move as much funding as possible into work on the roads, and also to give new ITD Director Brian Ness flexibility to move funds around as part of his realignment of the department.

Read the whole story here

Idaho lags nation in female judges Officials hope to increase number of applicants The Spokesman-Review

BOISE - The Idaho State Bar and some elected officials are looking for ways to boost the number of women and minorities seeking to become judges in the state.

Idaho has the smallest percentage of female judges in the nation with just more than 11 percent, according to the Idaho Statesman.

Read the whole story here

In Bonner County we have two fine judges that also happen to be women: Debra Heise & Barbara Buchanan

This week I posted seven new videos on YouTube

See all of these videos and more by searching for Gary Lirette

Higher ed budget in Idaho is lowest since 2000 Betsy Z. Russell The Spokesman-Review

BOISE - Idaho's colleges and universities will have to rely more on student tuition and fees under a budget lawmakers set Friday.

"I know that universities have borne a heavier burden than other entities," said Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, co-chairman of the Legislature's joint budget committee. "That's not because we want them to. ... They are much more able to adapt and work through this than any of the other agencies we are setting budgets for."

Cameron pushed for deeper cuts, slicing an additional $1.59 million from the higher education budget, but his move narrowly failed in the joint...

Read the whole story here

Lookout Pass snowfall tops weekly chart ‘on the planet' Alison Boggs The Spokesman-Review

Phil Edholm knew the ski area he runs on the Montana/Idaho border had received a lot of snow over the past week. On Monday alone, Lookout Pass was reporting more than 2 feet of new snow.

But the most snow on the planet?

An e-mail Edholm received Tuesday morning informed him that according to record-keeping by Great Britain-based Skiinfo, Lookout Pass had received more snow in the past seven days than any other ski area "on the planet." The news came complete with a certificate for the greatest weekly snowfall, with 6.5 feet...

Read the whole story here

Gary Lirette, featured in Where To Retire magazine and host of the Tuesday noon local radio shows: North Idaho Business as well as North Idaho Arts.

Gary Lirette