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Posts published in “Day: April 22, 2015”

Pot porridge

carlson CHRIS
CARLSON

 
Carlson
Chronicles

Actually, the phrase is a French one, “poi pouri,” and, loosely translated it means “left over items.” Not having taken French as a foreign language either in high school or college, I’ve Americanized it a bit. I call it pot porridge.

Item #1. A covetted “Dummie” award to the p.r. experts at the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Lab. They are making the Andrus/Batt contention that one cannot trust DoE at all, incontestable. Part of INL’s contention that they ought to be granted a waiver from the 1995 Batt Agreement’s ban on the importation of any commercial radioactive waste is that they’ve changed and now are committed
to more transparency, and to prompt notification. A recent event says “au contraire” (French for “I beg your pardon?”).

Turns out there are some bad habits that DoE/INL can’t correct overnight----such as prompt notification to the media of a “worker exposure incident” at the troubled New Waste Calcining Facility. DoE/INL and the site contractor, CWI, admitted tht they had delayed filing a public report for six months.

Some things never change. One can almost hear Phil Batt saying “make my day!”

For his part, Cecil Andrus long ago figured out that any entity, whether public or private, operates by public consent. If one gets crosswise with the public and is perceived as placing the public at risk just for its profits, is not truthful, or misleads, they forfeit the public trust and along with it goes their credibility.

Andrus flat says that DoE has a long history of lying to him. He does not use that word lightly. Justifiably, DoE’s word is no good to him nor should anyone else believe a thing they say, as this latest doubt-creating incident again demonstrates.

Kudos to Corey Taule of the hometown Post-Register, who blistered DoE/INL in an editorial over the weekend for so stupidly making the Andrus/Batt lack of trust case for them.

Item #2. The Japanese have a difficult to translate word, giri, that Idaho’s legislative leadership, especially Speaker Scott Bedke (R-Oakley) ought to internalize. The word references the extra degree of obligation one has to another, and in the Idaho Legislature it is critical that the Speaker of the House recognize his responsibility to fulfill his role by truly providing leadership and producing for the public.

With alll due respect to the man who I’ve never met, there was little if any leadership from him, and few would give this year’s edition of the Legislature more than a D+ . Lay it all at the feet of Speaker Bedke. To let the Legislature adjourn without correcting the failure to provide funding for children from 155,000 certifiably poor families in Idaho, and possibly cripple if not destroy the support system, thus forfeiting $205 million is simply irrespopnsible.

That my good friend, Randy Stapilus, named Bedke the most influentrial politician in Idaho is rediculous. What good is having power if not exercised for the public good?

Bedke called the session “monumental,”and it was----a monumental failure. In Japan when a “leader” fails so miserably, he apologizes and resigns. That’s what giri dictates and that’s what Bedke should do.

Item #3. Ted Turner’s 24/7 CNN News came calling last week. The producer of the Nancy Grace Show, one Mike Duffy, called and indicated they would like me to be available the next day to be on the show via a skype interview. He had seen the column I did on the tragic death of Veronica Rutledge, the bright young Kootenai High School graduate from Harrison shot and killed by her two-year-old last December outside the Hayden Wal-Mart. (more…)

On the front pages

news

Here’s what public affairs news made the front page of newspapers in the Northwest today, excluding local crime, features and sports stories. (Newspaper names contracted with location)

Farmers prepare for possible Idaho drought (Boise Statesman)
Teresa Luna remaining on state payroll (Boise Statesman)
New BYU-I president arrives at Rexburg (IF Post Register)
Special legislative session expected in WA (Lewiston Tribune)
Clearwater Paper may add new chip digester (Lewiston Tribune)
Labrador had role in child support bill fight (Moscow News)
Caldwell schools ask urban renewal funds (Nampa Press Tribune)
9th Circuit rejects St Luke's rehearing (Nampa Press Tribune)
Study group proposes new ISU president house (Pocatello Journal)
TF drive in theatre likely to close (TF Times News)
More mitigation requirements for groundwater users (TF Times News)

Bill goes after slow left-laners (Eugene Register Guard)
Lane job market best in seven years (Eugene Register Guard)
KF council considers business license changes (KF Herald & News)
Medford reports low local jobless rates (Medford Tribune)
Umatilla city extends pot ban 4 months (Pendleton E Oregonian)
Legislators consider campaign funds options (Portland Oregonian)
Study finds ethnic bias in local housing rentals (Portland Oregonian)
School vaccine requirement bill progresses (Salem Statesman Journal)

Special legislative session looks likely (Everett Herald, Vancouver Columbian, Bremerton Sun, Olympian, Longview News)
Lynnwood plans central city expansion (Everett Herald)
Local unemployment rates decline (Longview News)
Seattle focusing on disorder in 9 1/2 downtown blocks (Seattle Times)
Bellevue gets to work on finishing downtown park (Seattle Times)
Measles case found at Spokane (Spokane Spokesman)
Bill to ban 'gay therapy' likely dead this session (Spokane Spokesman)
Inslee asked to veto med pot co-ops (Tacoma News Tribune)
More background on auditor Kelley (Tacoma News Tribune)
Drought may hurt fish recovery programs (Yakima Herald Republic)