News Digest:
Friday, April 4, 2008 11:22 AM PDT
GOOD AFTERNOON
IDAHO
Small fee increases force ID universities to tighten belts
BOISE (AP) — The hammer fell three years ago, after the state Board of Education clamped down on student tuition and fee hikes in the double digits.
State universities were to told to keep Idaho higher education affordable. No more 12 percent increases like in 2002, or the 10 percent increase in 2003. No more relying on student tuition and fees to make up for gaps in state funding.
‘‘The message was pretty clear,’’ said Chris Rosenbaum, executive director of the Boise State University budget office.
Woman sentenced in slaying of southern Idaho teen
TWIN FALLS — A south-central Idaho woman has been sentenced to life in prison for her role in the December 2006 killing of a southern Idaho teen.
Nicole Baker, 24, must serve at least 12 years before she is eligible for parole, 5th District Judge Randy Stoker said Wednesday.
Baker pleaded guilty in August to first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a murder in the slaying of Jessie Aaron Coates, 19, whose frozen body was found by a man walking his dogs in the South Hills recreation area south of Twin Falls.
OREGON
Mannix touts early
fundraising in Ore.
congressional race
SALEM (AP) — Republican Kevin Mannix raised nearly $110,000 from 600 individual donors statewide in just a few weeks after launching his campaign for Congress, his campaign said Thursday.
Mannix’s campaign issued those fund-raising totals ahead of the April 15 filing deadline. The campaign wants to show Mannix will be competitive in the May 20 Republican primary even though his fund-raising totals don’t come close to those of his opponent.
Wealthy businessman Mike Erickson previously reported raising about $520,000 to date, including $340,000 of his own money.
Erickson’s campaign, which has begun running TV ads, said it would release new numbers soon.
‘‘We’re going to have all the resources we need to run a winning campaign,’’ said Bruce Boram, a consultant to the Erickson campaign.
