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Maggie O'Mara: October 2009 Archives
Connector Chaos!
The dog that caused all that chaos on the Connector this week has been found! SIX cars got into accidents to avoid the golden lab running across the road. He was tracked down after the accident, and our reporter Kim Fields found him at the Idaho Humane Society. They've nick-named him CRASH for obvious reasons!
Crash looks like he's someone's pet for sure! He doesn't have a scratch on him after the incident. Our good friend Dee Fugit from the Idaho Humane Society has her own theory as to why he was running loose on the Connector: "Well, you know he's not neutered. So, you know he was out looking for love in all the wrong places, and the Connector is not the place to be looking for it," - Dee Fugit, Idaho Humane Society Here's the kicker - Fugit says if Crash's owners come forward, they will be liable for the damage caused by the dog. (Uh oh! We're talking SIX car wrecks!) She hopes that won't deter them from claiming him. Crash will be put up for adoption if no one claims him within seven days. You can watch Kim Fields' story on CRASH on our homepage right now at KTVB.com. Then tell us...
"Shoe Drive"
"Just thought I should brag a bit! Each year it seems that we have students come to me and ask if they can do a "drive" to help out the less fortunate. This year, Rosendahl's Shoe Center was running a drive to collect used shoes for the Boise Rescue Mission. The owners of Rosendahl's have two boys at our school. The boys asked their dad if they could have the school collect shoes, then they came to me. We have collected shoes for the last week and a half, with the class bringing in the most shoes earning a pizza party. During that time we collected 801 pairs of shoes, and the winning class brought in 179 pairs of shoes! Rosendahls has been collecting shoes at Gold's Gyms and at tailgate parties for BSU football games. Purple Sage brought in more than half of all the shoes collected for the Rescue Mission! Just thought you should know what neat kids we have in the Middleton School District." Betty Solomon
Betty also tells me they had just one barrel in the hall at school, and it was filled eight or ten times! The shoes had to be picked up daily because there were so many of them... just think how many people will benefit from this shoe drive! This morning, they are holding a special assembly at school to celebrate this incredible achievement. Congratulations!
"7's HEROES"
The students in Mrs. Bonnie Dufty's class at Riverside Elementary crocheted and loomed 150 colorful hats! (In the picture above - they are wearing some of them!) They did this for a very special reason. One of their classmates, Paul Michael DeWitt lost his mom to breast cancer in May. Ann DeWitt (see family picture of Paul, his Mom, his Dad and his sister) fought a courageous two and a half year battle against cancer. She is very missed, and the students made and donated all these hats to local cancer patients in her honor.
Mrs. Dufty plans a community service project every year for her students, but this project took on extra special meaning because they all knew Paul Michael's mom. They recently donated the hats to the Matt Hatter's Hat and Wig Donation Project. It serves patients at the Mountain State Tumor Institute, the American Cancer Society, and St. Alphonsus Cancer Care Center.
The Mad Hatter's Project is accepting hat and wig donations until this Saturday, October 31st. If you'd like to donate - check out the website for more information: www.idahomadhatter.com
BSU vs Hawaii
Great news Bronco fans! You can watch the Boise State vs Hawaii game right here on KTVB this weekend. Kick-off is at 9pm our time... so make sure you turn the TV to Channel 7 at 9pm to see all the action!
Also, our very own Mark Johnson has the grueling task of going to Hawaii and calling the game with his partner Tom Scott. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it! (What a gig, huh? A little football, a little sun, a little golf...) Mark stopped by the station this morning to say goodbye to the morning team (and maybe rub it in a little?) - his plane took off shortly after. So, he is Hawaii bound! ALOHA MARK!
One more thing... Mark will also be LIVE from Hawaii on our 5 o'clock news tomorrow with your pre-game coverage... so if you want a little preview of what's to come - watch us at 5pm too.
"News to Me" by Nick McMullin
Is this what Larry goes through every day???
Goodbye Hot Springs?
The U.S. Forest Service says the man-made hot spring pools in Rocky Canyon (between Crouch and Silver Creek) have to be destroyed! That has many people asking WHY?
You may not know this, but about a dozen tubs were built illegally off of Rocky Canyon about a year ago. A man built them without a permit, and the Forest Service says that's a violation. The man responsible did pay a fine and do community service as a punishment. On top of the man-made pools being a violation, a spokesman for the Shoshone-Paiute Indian Tribe says the hot springs are sacred, and are being misused by people drinking alcohol, doing drugs and having sex. But, some of the hot spring supporters/enthusiasts are working to keep the pools intact. They say it's ridiculous to destroy them, and that the public should have a say on what happens to them. The group is looking into getting legal help to stop it.
What do you think?
Should the homemade pools stay or go?
Not Enough Vaccine?
The kids in the Boise and Meridian school districts were scheduled to be vaccinated against H1N1 this week, but on day 2 (Tuesday) of giving the vaccine to students, the Central District Health Department ran out! The department was expecting a new shipment to arrive on Monday. That didn't happen, so now the kids have to wait.
Free Vaccination Clinics
Despite the shortage, you do have the chance to get vaccinated for FREE this weekend if you're in the priority group. The priority group has changed a bit, because there is less of the vaccine available. Here is the new information you need to know to see if you qualify: Priority Groups include: •Pregnant women This Saturday - Southwest District Health will have a clinic in Nampa at the old Sportsman's Warehouse building from 11am to 5pm. Nampa Swine Flu Vaccine Clinic:
Saturday, Oct 24th
Sportsman's Warehouse
11pm to 5pm
In Boise, the Central District Health Department (CDHD) will still have two clinics this Saturday, October 24th. CDHD Swine Flu Vaccination Clinics:
Saturday, October 24th
10am - 6pm
(Or until they run out of vaccine!)
Locations:
•The former K-Mart store - 1001 Park Center Blvd., Boise
•The former Comp USA store - 1195 N Milwaukee St., Boise
CDHD Flu Hotline: 321-2222
PS: Remember - these clinics are for priority groups ONLY! The health department says once the priority groups are covered, the vaccine will be available for everyone who wants it. Right now, you will be turned away if you do not meet the guidelines for PRIORITY.
"NEWS TO ME" by Nick McMullin
This Week:
Kidding Around Live!
He was all over the news back in 2007 after he was banned from the Funny Bone Comedy Club by Idaho State Police Alcohol Beverage Control for being too young. That made him even more popular! He's performed at comedy clubs in all over the west. Hattabaugh recently auditioned for NBC's hit show "America's Got Talent" too.
Tonight, you get your chance to see him again LIVE! He'll be starring in Kidding Around Live at the Linen Building tonight.
It's an all ages benefit show that features music by Eleven (above) and Boise Rock School. It's a night out for the whole family! Everyone is invited to come out and join the fun... there will be a silent auction and a raffle too.
Kidding Around LIVE!
Linen District - 1402 Grove Street
Tonight, October 16th
5:30pm
*Tickets: $8 for adults (21 and older), $5 for kids (12 to 20), $3 for small kids (11 and under) MORE INFO ON THE PERFORMERS: *ELEVEN: MC David Maxwell and DJ Noah Hyde - have positive lyrics and a positive message for kids. A school teacher by day, Maxwell knows how to work a crowd! You have to see him! *Boise Rock School is an independent music school that teaches kids how to rock. Students form bands with their friends, get instruction from professional musicians and gain experience on stage in front of real, live audiences. *Proceeds will go to the Boise Nationals Soccer Club and Boise Rock School.
"NEWS TO ME" by Nick McMullin
This Week:
Will you allow your child to get the Swine Flu vaccine?
It's being called the biggest vaccination effort in state history. The state of Idaho has a plan to administer the Swine Flu vaccine to kids at our schools. That is, IF parents consent to it. This week, parental consent forms will be going home to parents in the Meridian and Boise school districts. On Monday (with parental consent) school nurses will start giving the first doses for FREE - using the nasal spray form of the vaccine.
This is what we know about other areas of the state - Adams, Owyhee, Payette and parts of Canyon County will have clinics to administer shots to children. Gem County and the Middleton School District plan to offer the vaccine at schools. The statistics on Swine Flu are startling. Nationwide, 76 kids have died since April from the virus. Last week alone, there were 19 deaths linked to the H1N1 virus. Kids are at higher risk. *If you have questions, contact your child's school.
Will your child get the Swine Flu vaccine?
Why or why not?
PS: I asked this question yesterday on my Facebook page, and here are some of the comments I received: Keri Anderson Boise Picayune Jeni Gillmor Mark Dale Jill Kuraitis Keri Anderson Karen Moessinger-Dawson Melissa Palumbo Jennifer Hartley Rumsey Myndee Cleveland Bigelow Sam Sandmire Judy Benson Davis Renette Koenig-Davidson Toni Holady Munizich What do you think?
"Don't ask, don't tell?"
This weekend, President Barack Obama said he will do away with the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the military. He says he's working with the Pentagon and congressional leaders to end the policy that bans gays and lesbians from openly serving in the military - but he didn't give a timetable on how soon that will happen.
"We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve the country. We should be celebrating their willingness to step forward and show such courage, especially when we are fighting two wars. My expectation is that when you look back on these years, you will look back and see a time when we put a stop against discrimination - whether in the office or on the battlefield." One of many Idahoans watching this issue very closely is Air Force Lt. Colonel Victor Fehrenbach. He's based here in Mountain Home, Idaho - and is a decorated veteran of 18 years. His career depends on Obama repealing "don't ask, don't tell."
"I could go in to work tomorrow and find out that I've been officially fired, and I won't be able to put the uniform on again." A civilian outed Fehrenbach to his supervisors this spring, and by now he says he already would have been discharged for being gay. But his case has been stalled - possibly because Defense Decretary Robert Gates is interested in reviewing cases like his. Gates questioned the motivations behind Fehrenbach's outing - and asked if the military should take that into account before taking action. Fehrenbach has made national headlines over this, making appearances on MSNBC etc. He says President Obama spoke to him personally, and told him he would put an end to "don't ask, don't tell". When this issue finally is discussed in Congress, Fehrenbach says he hopes he'll be asked to testify on behalf of military men and women who are directly impacted by the policy. So, what do you think?
Should President Obama repeal "don't ask, don't tell?"
"News to Me" by Nick McMullin
Cartoonist Nick McMullin works for us here at KTVB. He's now the morning editor... and in his spare time, he draws funny cartoons of our morning anchor team at 7. It's flattering, right? (Maybe!)
To see more of Nick's work, you can scroll through my old BLOG entries, or you can become of fan of NEWS TO ME on Facebook right now. Just search for "NEWS TO ME" and you'll find him!
9th Annual Mahler Family Food Drive
It's rare to hear about a family with their very own annual food drive, but a Treasure Valley Family has just that! Here's how it all started - one year on Teri Mahler's birthday, she was thinking about how blessed she was and what a wonderful group of family and friends she had. She thought, instead of gifts, she wanted her guests to bring food donations for the Idaho Foodbank! The first year, the family collected 88 pounds of food. Teri decided to do it again. It grew and grew! Last year (year 8!) The Mahler Family Food Drive collected 748 pounds and $2,154 to donate. To date, the family has collected 3,624 pounds of food and over $5,000 in cash. That equals 121,661 meals for the Idaho Foodbank to distribute! Incredible. This year's food drive is this weekend!
The Mahler Family 9th Annual Food Drive
Saturday, October 10th 5pm to 10pm 1702 E. Picabo Ct., Boise, ID 83716
It's going to be a great evening out for the whole family for a great cause!
Just show up with your canned food and a small cash donation - and enjoy food, drinks, & festivities - including a kiddie carnival and crafts, a bounce house, live music, stories by the fire, a photo-booth, and more! There are contests and prizes too! Statistics to Celebrate:
Year 1: 88 pounds For more information on this Saturday's event - check out the Mahler Family Food Drive blog:
PS: Teri Mahler and her family will be featured as Seven's Heroes this Sunday at 10pm. Make sure you tune in!
Will You Get the Swine Flu Vaccine?
It's something many of us are talking about - the Swine Flu vaccine. Should you get it or not? There seems to be a lot of opinions on both sides of the aisle. Some people say no way - they don't want to put something in their bodies they don't need, others say absolutely - why not protect yourself? This week, the first shipment of nasal spray vaccines arrive. Here in Idaho, we have just 9,000 doses for the entire state!
Most of the vaccine is for healthcare workers - that's so they will be healthy enough to take care of people who do happen to get sick. Once health care workers are vaccinated - they'll be ready to vaccinate others. Then, local hospitals will prioritize. There is one problem though, we're not sure when more will arrive. The CDC says more of the vaccine will be ready sometime this month. When the supply does arrive, local health departments are planning on holding mass vaccination clinics. So should you get it?
Health experts say If you're a healthy adult over 25, get your regular flu shot - but don't rush to get the swine flu vaccine. If you're a health care worker, under 24 years old or if your child is under 6 months old - you're at risk. You may choose to get both vaccines. Pregnant women and chronically ill adults are at risk, too. BUT, if you fall into this category, you can't get the spray, you have to wait for the shot.
*Parents, as always, you should talk to your pediatrician to get advice on what to do when it comes to your kids. As with any vaccine, there are possible side effects, and risks. To learn more about the pros and cons of the Swine Flu vaccine - check out the CDC's website at: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_safety_qa.htm
*Will you get the vaccine?*
Why or why not?
Hello? What happened to FALL!
This is at Bogus Basin! Check out the chairlift, covered in snow. A hiker sent us this photo:
This poor guy was at Bogus on a fall camping trip, and got the surprise of a lifetime. SNOW!
Here's the first snow of the season for Hailey:
In Jerome, this family made the best of the new snow - they built a pretty impressive snowman:
Here's a look at the snow taken by a viewer in Lowman, their house is surrounded by snow:
You can see many more pictures like these, and upload your own pics too at "First Person" on KTVB.COM.
Should LeGarrette Blount be reinstated?
It was the PUNCH felt around the country... and it happened right here at Bronco Stadium. Oregon's running back LeGarrette Blount punched BSU's Byron Hout at the end of the game on September 3th. Boise State won 19 to 8. There was some trash talking between the two players, and because of that punch - LeGarrette Blount was suspended from the team for the rest of the season. Hout was punished in house. Now, we're learning - Blount could be reinstated to the team! Oregon Coach Chip Kelly said today if he meets certain goals - he will allow him to suit up for the Stanford game on November 7th. Kelly said he and Blount reached a written agreement on Friday, September 25th. He must meet strict academic and behavioral guidelines to come back. Kelly said that may or may NOT happen. It's up to Blount.
Yesterday, the Oregon Daily Emerald (the student newspaper on campus) published an apology letter from Blount, here it is: Courtesy: Oregon Daily Emerald Though the incident at Boise State happened before the start of classes, there probably are few members of our University community who are unaware of the images and media reports of my regrettable actions following the Oregon-Boise State football game. There is no justification for my behavior -- not the "heat of the moment," not the "agony of defeat," and definitely not anything said or done by an opponent. Being a student-athlete at the University of Oregon should be about being a good student working to positively represent the University and its football program under coach Chip Kelly, and handling both victories and defeats with sportsmanship, class, and character. That night, I used poor judgment and lost self-control. My actions reflected poorly upon my teammates, our football program, and our University. And for this, I offer my sincerest apologies and heartfelt regrets. On a personal note, I probably will never be able to erase the memories of the post-game events of that day. Given this, I do not expect to be given a second chance to be a positive and responsible member of the football program and of this community. Going forward, what I hope for is the opportunity to show that I am able to earn a second chance as a University student. And if I am so fortunate, I believe that I also will demonstrate that I am a better man and a better human being for having lived through this unfortunate experience. Sincerely, LeGarrette Blount
Should he be allowed back on the team?
Do you like the idea of the Boise Streetcar?
Did you know that electric streetcars were THE main mode of transportation in the Boise area from the 1890s to the late 1920s? Mayor Dave Bieter's vision is to bring the streetcars back! The City of Boise, along with the Capital City Development Corp. - is working on a plan right now. A 35 member Task Force of Boise business leaders is also involved.
The mayor says a downtown streetcar could really help development and revitalization. It would operate on rails (like the one pictured above) and have a fixed route. Here is the route for phase one:
It does have critics, though. The capital cost of the initial phase of a streetcar in Boise is expected to be $50 to $65 million. Where will that money come from? Federal grants, local funding options, and taxes. Some people are worried it will cost too much, and some local business owners are worried they will have to pay high taxes to cover it. Portland has a streetcar - and according to Boise Streetcar planners - it cost 100 million dollars to build and has attracted $3.5 billion dollars in new business and development within 3 blocks of the line. Little Rock and Tampa have also have seen increases in local business with the addition of a streetcar system. Other cities are currently considering a streetcar too, we're not the only city working on this. The question is, is this streetcar project a good idea to take on in our current economy? Is it too much for a city of our size?
OPEN HOUSE
Today there is a City of Boise OPEN HOUSE where you can get more information (and voice your opinion) about the Boise Streetcar - and what it would mean to the city, and to you. It's from 11:30 to 8pm today at the old Birkenstock store at 821 WEST IDAHO STREET in downtown Boise. If you go, you can provide feedback on written comment cards. The Streetcar Task Force will submit findings to the Boise City Council at the end of this year.
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