News Digest
Thursday, May 24, 2007 2:32 PM PDT
IDAHO - Idaho postpones water curtailment order for more than 750 users
BOISE (AP) — More than 750 groundwater users reached a compromise with the state Wednesday, preventing the shutdown of pumps that supply water to farmers, dairymen and industry across a broad swath of southern and eastern Idaho.
The deal comes one day before Idaho Department of Water Resources Director David Tuthill had threatened to turn off groundwater pumps to ensure enough water to a coalition of users with more senior water rights.
THE WEST
Bill drops 5-year
extension of timber
payments, settles for year
WASHINGTON (AP) — A $5 billion plan to extend payments for five years to rural counties hurt by cutbacks in federal logging was left out of a spending bill agreed to by House and Senate negotiators.
It includes a proposal for one year only.
Democrats are preparing to send President Bush a $120 billion bill to pay for the war in Iraq through September. It would not demand that troops leave Iraq by a certain date. The bill — the subject of intense negotiations for weeks — includes $425 million for a one-year extension of the payments to more than 700 timber counties in 39 states, as well as other domestic spending not requested by the president.
OREGON
Open primary bill fails to gain traction in Oregon Senate
SALEM (AP) — A bipartisan group of state senators shot down proposals to switch to an ‘‘open primary’’ election system on Wednesday, ending the concept’s chances of moving forward this legislative session.
Backers aren’t giving up, though — they say they are going to try to gather enough signatures to put the issue on the 2008 ballot. Under open primaries, all legislative candidates appear on the primary ballots sent to all voters. The top two vote-getters then advance to the general election, regardless of party — potentially setting up a general election showdown between two Democrats, or two Republicans.
Blue Angel crashes during South Carolina air show
THE WEST
Nader will speak in
Provo-area after Cheney
