News Digest
Thursday, March 29, 2007 4:20 PM PDT
IDAHO - Lawmakers support $246 million bond sale for highways
BOISE (AP) — Legislative budget writers Wednesday voted 12-8 to approve a new $246 million plan for the ‘‘Connecting Idaho’’ highway building project, over objections that the measure still allows politicians, not experts, to decide the projects on which money will be spent. The bond sale plan is among the measures that needs to be resolved by the 2007 Legislature before it adjourns.
Idaho House overrides
Otter’s veto of bowling
alley smoking ban
BOISE (AP) — Health concerns trumped fears of an invasion of private property rights as House members voted 57-13 Wednesday to override Gov. C.L. ‘‘Butch’’ Otter’s veto of a bill to ban smoking in bowling alleys.
The bill now goes to the Senate.
Idaho retirement fund managers to study Sudan-related investments
BOISE (AP) — Idaho’s public pension fund managers, under fire for investing money in companies that could be fueling genocide in Sudan, have decided to set up a group to consider ending those investments.
But critics said the move Tuesday by the board of directors for the Public Employees Retirement System of Idaho isn’t good enough.
THE NATION
Marine Corps bans big, garish tattoos; some leathernecks are steamed
OCEANSIDE, Calif. (AP) — Five tattooed skulls stretch from Marine Cpl. Jeremy Slaton’s right elbow to his wrist, spelling out the word ‘‘Death.’’ He planned to add a tattoo spelling ‘‘Life’’ on his left arm, but that’s on hold because of a Marine policy taking effect Sunday.
The Marines are banning any new, extra-large tattoos below the elbow or the knee, saying such body art is harmful to the Corps’ spit-and-polish image.
Slaton and other grunts are not pleased.
‘‘I guess I’ll get the other half later,’’ grumbled the 24-year-old leatherneck from Eden Prairie, Minn.
