Special Refugee Coverage by MagicvalleyTN

Wednesday •

September 23, 2015

EXC

Don mak ’t miss ing the your gu holi day ide to s ev en.. .

LUS

IVE

LID

www.magicvalley.com •

Fun wit Foodh

Thanks Tablescgiving apes

bett er Fr esh

AY S

FALL

3 Aut umn

ECT

Hom

r ideasSple

e deco

ION Kiwanis Club’s Annual ‘October Feast’ • C1 IN

4 Let’ s

Soup

HAL

’s on

ndor

bring

Picn

for this

ic!

firesid

ide as

the outsi

de in.

LOW e get-t 6 Mak EEN ogeth er. Clip these ing Fac carvi ng deligfree pum es htful pkin stenc 8 A jacko’-lan ils, and No trick Frightfu lly Swe terns. start 10 Quis—just loads et of sugar Cele Step ck & brat out y Clev 11 Eat, for fun in an er Cos goodness. ion easytum Put make a spoo Drink es ense ky spin & Be mble THA on snack Sca . ry NKS s and 12 Dre GIVING treat s. Set a ssed table for 14 On that’s brim Dinner From the Side ming with salad fall fl s to avor. veggi HAN es, we UKK have AH 17 Han you cove Add red. speci dcrafte al touch d es to for Han a speci ukk al celeb ah ratio n.

SID

CHR

ISTM

18 It’s AS Coo up kie

Bake

Season 20 Makthese six scrum ing

Welc ome Fall

Craft ptiou artsy s favor Mer ites. 22 Wra ornament ry s and Make p holid gifts Star ay accen 23 Rise shine withs ts. cute Host pack ing gues& Shin aging make -ahea ts? Easee Bre ideas 24 A d casserolesinto theakfast Bak . day . Caro Main with es lers Whe stree and Street n holid ts of Christm soph it comes ay chara istica 25 Sea this historic to deco crea as cters tive ted look ratin Midw Trim charm son with Don’ . ester the tree ’s Gre the whit So why g, black t n hand let the pum e pum not work and 26 Hap (and wreaenings town. whit pain pkin pkin e MAK Expe ted, a ths) rt tips py, Hea but they s, abov s (straight little of is the class E IT: in style 8 ½x11-in Cut e, fool to keep lthy from that mag ic com . ’re the ch piectissue pape actually you; Print your Holiday the desigpatch ic into yourbo for a healt or pain tissu a fall desig e of card r that printed h on s fall bold, ns e-pa is the track from card per coven (dow stock. . a com may look ted with decor? Fold same stoc

Nothin black- g sign and-whals the ite art start of istry. fall like Natur e haspumpkins. never Head looked to so chithe patch, c! then add

exter Get pute com k. Secu red nload ours tissu color used ior latex card from e pape as the r and decoplex and stoc cove Outdoor re the ). r over pum k. Cut Midw tissu r the upag Mod entir ed in Podg e-paper ¼ inch estLiving. the cardpkin an inch e pum e), plac e. pkin piecing design to around com/Pumstock, tapinlarger the than with any large the pum printed pkinDesi g it in anot an her coat or wrap back pkin gns) desig of deco arou using deco n, then onto the . upag remove upag nd parts e e med toge ther. medium the ium to seal Let dry, (we pape then r edge s.

to ma ke

the

mo st

of the

Histor Getawa ic y

Find

sea son

See thesehow to

mak Watc pumpkin e Midwh the s! Decou estLivvideo: page ing.co m/

esh sea ideaGuide Inside Holiday son s to .P to

lus, ma ke find o B ut h the mo eav ma ow st o te H e you f th olid r Dam e c ay S Dai an e WE ly C hop n t e itize ARE r pin gG n GIV Rea i v e ING awa dm y. AW or Ulti

a littl e

Bring pump on the black kins! they and whIn brighgive au ite, surp t oran tumn’s more rise po ges a p. Fo ideas, decorat r see pa ing ge 3.

Special Wrapp Gift ings

$2.00

win

the

e on

pag

of B

ette

IN P

RIZ

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS‌

Male sage grouses fight for the attention of a female, southwest of Rawlins, Wyo.

Sage Grouse Plan Aims for Balance of Industry, Wildlife MATTHEW BROWN AND MEAD GRUVER Associated Press‌ DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

Panelist Larry Bartlett, director of the U.S. State Department’s Office on Refugee Admissions, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (far right) speaks about refugees and the center that helps them at the College of Southern Idaho Tuesday evening, in Twin Falls.

Security, Refugee Aid Hot Topics at Forum

Hundreds Turn out for Refugee Forum

nbrown@magicvalley.com‌

JULIE WOOTTON

NATHAN BROWN

‌ WIN FALLS • T Islamic terrorism, refugee medical bills and how to find a job were all topics of discussion at a forum Tuesday night held by the Times-News.‌ More than 700 people came to the College of Southern Idaho for the forum on refugees in the community. It was held in the Fine Arts building, and was organized by the Times-News and intended as a way to share some facts about the controversy over the Refugee Center at the College of Southern Idaho. Audience members submitted the questions that were Please see FORUM, A5

jwootton@magicvalley.com‌

Mariah Thornquest listens with her sibling to a group of panelists speak about refugees and the center that helps them at the College of Southern Idaho Tuesday evening in Twin Falls.

‌ WIN FALLS • T While opponents of the College of Southern Idaho’s Refugee Center handed out fliers Tuesday night, five Bosnian refugees were waiting nearby in a large crowd of community members.‌ With vocal opponents, “it’s really hard to hold back,” said refugee Adriana Mustafic, and not take it personally. She thought the opposition was a phase and it would pass. But now, she feels if she doesn’t say anything, the opposition succeeds. Please see HUNDREDS, A5

Commissioners Admit to 3rd Open Meeting Violation LAURIE WELCH

lwelch@magicvalley.com‌

‌ URLEY • Cassia County ComB missioners admitted Monday to another open meeting violation after the Jerome County prosecutor investigated the incident.‌ Casey Andersen, a Burley city councilman, accused the Cassia board of six violations earlier this year, and in May the board admitted to two of the six allegations. The illegal March 23 meeting acknowledged Monday was included in the original complaint. The commissioners moved a meeting from their chambers to Perkins Restaurant, and the

meeting was not put on the agenda or noticed, Cassia County Attorney Doug Abenroth said. Meeting minutes from that lunch show the commissioners discussed a law enforcement committee report prior to a meeting with committee members and Burley officials. Jerome County Prosecutor John Horgan on Monday told the commissioners their options were to admit to the meeting violation, fix any actions taken during the meeting and receive training on Idaho’s open meeting laws — or he would file the complaint in magistrate court. Please see MEETING, A6

I‌ f You Do One Thing: “Kidz Game Night” will be held from 4-5:30 p.m. for elementary school-aged children at the Twin Falls Public Library, 201 Fourth Ave. E. Free.

High

LAURIE WELCH, TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO

Members of the Burley City Council and Cassia County Commission meet March 23 to discuss a law enforcement services contract after commissioners held an illegal meeting on the issue.

84° 53°Low

Sunny. B4

Markets A2 Opinion A10

Obituaries A8 Comics D3

‌ ILLINGS, MONT. • B A cooperative effort to save a ground-dwelling bird has diverted it from possible extinction, federal officials declared Tuesday, as they sought to safeguard the habitat of a declining species while maintaining key pieces of the American West’s economy — oil and gas drilling and ranching.‌ The Obama administration said the greater sage grouse does not require Endangered Species Act protections, walking a fine line with its assertion that economic development and preservation can coexist across the bird’s 11-state range. But critics from each side of the political spectrum quickly denounced the move, concentrating on new plans signed in conjunction with the decision that will guide the use of 67 million acres of public lands. Industry representatives and some Republicans claim the plans would unnecessarily lock up land from drilling, mining and other uses. Wildlife advocates countered that loopholes in those plans still would allow drilling, further threatening the chickensized grouse. Tuesday’s announcement reversed a 2010 finding that the bird was headed toward possible extinction as development cut into its vast but shrinking sagebrush habitat ranging from California to the Dakotas. Flanked by the governors of Wyoming, Montana, Nevada and Colorado, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said at an event near Denver that a massive five-year effort to keep the bird off the endangered and threatened species list had paid off. That includes commitments of more than $750 million from government and outside interest groups to buy up conservation easements and restore the bird’s range. Jewell called it “the largest, most complex land conservation effort” in U.S. history. “It does mean a brighter future for one amazing, scrappy bird,” Jewell said at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The government will provide some level of habitat protections on most federal lands in the grouse’s range, including 12 million acres where strict limits on oil and gas limits will be enforced, Jewell said. The federal holdings make up more than a third of the animal’s total

Sudoku C10 Dear Abby C9

Please see GROUSE, A6

Crossword C8 Jumble C9

Serving All Points of the Magic Valley 208-324-7653

208-733-7355

208-324-(SOLD) 208-733-(SELL) PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES R E A LT O R

WE HANDLE IT ALL!!!

Wednesday, September 23, 2015 • A5

State Department Reps Defend Refugee Programs to Local Officials NATHAN BROWN nbrown@magicvalley.com‌

‌ WIN FALLS T • Federal officials who oversee refugee-related services defended the programs a t a l u n c h e o n Tu e s day afternoon.‌ Larry Bartlett, director of the U.S. State Department’s Office on Refugee Admissions, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, said the vetting process for refugees typically takes from 18 months to two years, and involves extensive interviews, including probes by the Department of Homeland Security. “They would not admit somebody if they did not think it was safe to do so,” Bartlett told a small group of state and local officials at the luncheon at the Blue Lakes Country Club. The group was in town for a public forum on refugee issues, hosted by the Times-News, that was held Tuesday evening. The federal refugee program, which is administered in Twin Falls by the College of Southern Idaho, became controversial locally when

Forum Continued from A1

asked by Times-News editor and moderator Matt Christensen. Larry Bartlett, the director of the Office of Refugee Admissions, who came to Idaho from Washington, D.C. for the forum, did more of the talking than any of the other panelists. His style and sense of humor won loud applause from the refugee center’s supporters at several points but seemed to leave the center’s opponents cold. A group of people wearing black T-shirts with the logo of the Three Percenters on them left after Bartlett made a crack about wanting to fill up some of the empty seats in the auditorium with more refugees. “This is propaganda,” another man shouted as he left about halfway through. Bartlett defended the program in strong terms, casting it as a moral obligation for the United States to help people who have been displaced by war and talking at length about how the vetting process works. “They’re not terrorists,” he said of the Syrians. “They are people fleeing terrorism.” Answering another question, Bartlett said he couldn’t guarantee a terrorist wouldn’t enter the country as a refugee but defended what he called a thorough vetting process. Bartlett also pushed back against the idea that Muslim immigration could lead to Sharia law. Muslims have been coming to Twin Falls for 30 years, he said, and most of them are fleeing from horrible conditions and just want to be safe. “Refugees are no different from you and me,” he said. The program has been in Twin Falls since the early 1980s but became controversial this year, after news came out that some Syrians

STEPHEN REISS, TIMES-NEWS‌

Rep. Lance Clow talks with officials from the Office of Refugee Admissions, about refugee resettlement Tuesday at Blue Lakes Country Club in Twin Falls. news came out this spring that some Syrians would likely be among the refugees to be resettled here starting Oct. 1. Refugees who settle in Twin Falls have historically done well, said Ken Tota, deputy director for the Office of Refugee Resettlement in the U.S.

will likely be among the refugees to be resettled here starting Oct. 1. ZeZe Rwasama, the director of the refugee center and himself a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, spoke at length about the benefits refugees receive and the help the center gives them. Refugees’ rents and utilities are covered for four months, he said, but refugees are expected to get jobs and support themselves quickly. The average refugee is employed after two-and-a-half months, he said. “They have to find a job early on to help them start paying the rent,” he said. While the refugee center opponents in the crowd seemed the most unhappy with the tone of the panel earlier on, later in the evening the supporters seemed more bothered, as the questions turned more toward terrorism and Islam. “Does it matter?” one woman yelled after Christensen asked how many refugees are Christians versus Muslims. Rwasama replied that they don’t track people’s religions because a person’s religion is irrelevant and people have a right to freedom of religion, drawing his loudest applause of the night. The panelists were all people who work with refugees in some capacity. Mike Mason, CSI’s Vice President of finance, said no local or state tax money goes toward the refugee center. Wiley Dobbs, the superintendent of the Twin Falls school district, talked about teaching refugee children. Brian Pike, the city’s deputy director of public safety, said refugees don’t cause any particular problems with crime and sang the praises of the several refugees who are Twin Falls police officers. “They’re some of the most patriotic people I’ve ever met,” Pike said.

Sinusitis or Allergy?

732-0700

New office at 260 Falls Ave.

SYMPTOM

SINUSITIS

Facial pressure/pain yes Duration of illness over 10-14 days Nasal discharge thick, yellow green Fever sometimes Headache sometimes Pain in upper teeth sometimes Bad Breath sometimes Coughing sometimes Nasal Congestion yes Sneezing no

ALLERGY sometimes varies clear, thin, watery no sometimes no no sometimes sometimes sometimes

the U.S. are escaping lifethreatening situations, he told the group. “This isn’t an immigration program,” he said. “This is a rescue program.” Much of the lunch was spent going over the vetting process and how the benefits programs that refugees are eligible for work.

Hundreds

rare occurrence,” said Larry Bartlett, director of the U.S. State Department’s Office on Refugee Admissions, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. Before the forum, members of the Committee to End the CSI Refugee Center passed out fliers. The group cites concerns such as the safety of the community and cost to taxpayers. Group leader Rick Martin said he was in attendance “just to listen and learn.” “We’re using the opportunity to inform and educate,” he said. Martin also invited about 200 people to attend the forum. He wanted answers to many questions, including how many contagious diseases are diagnosed among refugees once they’re in Twin Falls, what budget the Twin Falls School District has for educating refugee students, and how many refugees Twin Falls has been approved to receive next fiscal year. Ronalee Linsenmann came from Nampa for the forum and helped with handing out fliers. “Everybody really has a say in what’s going on,” she said, since they’re taxpayers. Authorities have testified there’s no way to screen incoming Syrian refugees, Linsenmann said, and there’s no way of telling who’s a terrorist or not. It’s a safety issue, she said. But she added about refugees: “You’re not targeting individuals because our heart breaks for everyone in such as a horrible situation.” She’s following the controversy surrounding refugee resettlement in Twin Falls, but not closely. “It’s more the whole global picture,” she said. Adrian Arp – one of the group’s members – said his

Continued from A1

The Times-News held a community forum Tuesday night about the refugee program. It’s the first refugeerelated meeting the five Bos n i a n wo m e n h ave attended, and “hopefully not the last,” Emina Mustafic said. They’ve all been in the United States for at least 10 years. The CSI program can resettle up to 300 refugees each year. Next year, some might be from Syria. The first audience members started arriving more than an hour before the forum started. By the time the doors opened, a line stretched from the CSI Fine Arts Center to the parking lot and around the side of the building. The forum started 10 minutes late to accommodate as many attendees as possible still waiting in line. About 725 people attended. A group of nearly 10 people got up mid-way through the forum to leave and one man shouted: “This is propaganda.” Times-News editor Matt Christensen responded, asking to let the panelists get through the questions. Many audience members clapped and cheered. Soon after, several others in the audience shouted out questions and comments about the recent federal terrorism trial of a Boise refugee and other security concerns. Toward the end, one man asked if someone could address what the audience could do to help refugees. As for the opposition surrounding the Refugee Center in Twin Falls, the city is not unique but “a

Valley when a substantial number of people are opposed to their coming. Bartlett replied that the refugee program in Twin Falls has run with little controversy since 1983, and that the United States has a moral obligation to help. “These people are not any different than some of our forefathers who came here escaping religious persecution,” Bartlett said. Hartgen agreed that, while most Americans are descended from immigrants, he knows many of the people who oppose the refugee center and they are motivated by security concerns, not prejudice, and that the college should pay attention. “To bring a group in here that has a substantial opposing perspective, to me raises some significant questions as to whether that’s good public policy,” Hartgen said. Bartlett replied that it wouldn’t be good policy, and if he felt a group of refugees would be unwelcome or an area had poor services, he wouldn’t send them. “But that’s not Twin Falls.”

main concern is the lack of paperwork on the Syrian refugees entering the United States. “We have to take their word on it that they’re refugees.” Syria is a failed state, Arp said, and there aren’t any “boots on the ground” to conduct security checks. He’s concerned that ISIS is already using refugee programs to bring jihadists into the United States. Twin Falls resident Shirley Ruhter was sitting at a table in the Fine Arts lobby waiting for the auditorium doors to open. She said she wants “real facts” about the refugee program, including how much it costs the government and the security screening process. Also, “the forum is pretty top heavy on CSI,” she said, and she was hoping for a chance to talk. Brady Madson, who works at Canyon Ridge High School, came to show his support of the refugee program. “We just need another face in the crowd to show (refugees) are welcome,” he said. Madson said he wants to figure out how to help, whether that’s signing a petition or making a donation. And he wants to know how to counter the resistance. Jessi Boyer carried a

yellow legal pad and pen as she waited in line with her 5-year-old daughter. Boyer is on the board for Magic Valley Refugee Advocates. She said she got involved out of a “sense of compassion” for refugees and “common sense.” Boyer came to the forum to show her support of the refugee program. She was also hoping to get some hard data that “can back up the positive nature of the center.” “I want the louder voice in our community,” she said, “to be the voice of compassion.” Times-News publisher Travis Quast asked the audience to leave feedback forms about what they thought of the forum. After the forum, Arp told the Times-News the forum didn’t address security concerns about incoming refugees. When they’re interviewed, they could lie about their backgrounds, he said. But audience member Dave Moore said he thought a lot of excellent information was presented. And the format allowed for a large number of questions to be considered, he said. “I think they addressed some very hard issues,” he said. And although there’s not a 100 percent guarantee, he feels satisfied that everything is being done possible to ensure community safety.

September Birth Stone is Sapphire

M & SGoldsmithing S p e c i a l i z i n g i n J e w e l ry ry Repair

Come see our seleCtion of Ceylon sapphires and Create your one of a kind pieCe of jewelry

1688 Kimberly Rd Ste 5 Twin Falls (located by Quale’s Electronics)

1 Carat Ceylon Sapphire set in 14 Karat White gold w/ 7 Diamonds

Mike Nielsen - Goldsmith 208-410-9372

St. Luke’s Welcomes W. Tracey Jones III, MD, FACS Dr. W. Tracey Jones, III is board certified in general surgery and vascular surgery, and is a registered physician in vascular interpretation. He earned his medical degree from Tulane University, completed his surgical residency at the University of Texas, San Antonio, and performed his vascular surgery fellowship at Greenville Memorial Hospital in South Carolina. Dr. Jones is a retired colonel from the U.S. Air Force. He served as a pilot in Air Force special operations, and has more than 5,000 flying hours.

Vascular Surgery Dr. Jones is accepting new patients. Call to schedule an appointment. (208) 814-8475

stlukesonline.org

Because the symptoms of sinusitis sometimes mimic those of colds and allergies, you may not realize that you need to see a Sinus Specialist. If not treated, a sinus infection can last for many weeks. We can help!

State Department. Good local services, employers and jobs contribute to those positive outcomes, he said. Bartlett emphasized that the program helps refugees but in the end, the refugees must help themselves. “They have to seize that opportunity,” he said. Refugees who come to

Bartlett said most refugees assimilate fairly quickly, and that people shouldn’t be concerned about Muslim refugees following religious law or clinging to practices that might be incompatible with American law. Many Muslims have already been resettled in the United States, he said, and most of them come from countries that don’t follow Sharia as their legal code. “I would submit, as long as we’re not admitting someone who’s an ISIS person, that whole Sharia thing is not really something we should be afraid of,” he said. Reps. Lance Clow and Steve Hartgen, R-Twin Fa l l s , D o n n a P e n c e , D-Gooding, and Clark Kauffman, R-Filer, were there, as were Twin Falls Mayor Don Hall, Jerome Mayor David Davis, Twin Falls City Manager Travis Rothweiler, and a representatives from U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo and Rep. Mike Simpson’s offices. Hartgen was the most vocal of the local officials, questioned whether it’s a good idea to bring a group of people to the Magic

Thursday

• September 10, 2015

www.magicvalley.com •

$1.50

Born Lakes offer great hike in new White Clouds Wilderness • B5

Prosecutor: Refugee Measure Unconstitutional But group hoping to close CSI center pledges to push on NATHAN BROWN nbrown@magicvalley.com‌

‌ WIN FALLS • T Opponents of the refugee center run by the College of Southern Idaho plan to push ahead with a ballot measure to ban refugee centers in Twin Falls County, although the county prosecutor thinks the proposal is unconstitutional and could stir up

a legal hornet’s nest.‌ Prosecuting Attorney Grant Loebs, who is charged with reviewing proposed ballot measures under Idaho law, submitted a five-page opinion late last week saying it would violate the federal government’s powers to regulate immigration and pose other potential legal challenges. “The initiative does not state a clear explanation as to why the prohibition of refugee resettlement in the county is necessary for the general welfare,” Loebs wrote. “Enforcement of the provisions

Rick Martin, leader of the Committee to End the CSI Refugee Center, speaks during a public meeting Monday at the College of Southern Idaho.

Read Prosecuting Attorney Grant Loebs’ legal take, and the proposed ballot measure, attached to this story at magicvalley.com.

of this proposed initiative would invite prolonged litigation regarding why its provisions are not ‘arbitrary, capricious, and/or discriminatory.’”

JULIE WOOTTON, TIMES-NEWS

Please see REFUGEES, A3

New CSI Kindergarten Lab Opens

Frulact Remains on Hold; Pacts Terminated ERIC QUITUGUA equitugua@magicvalley.com‌

‌ UPERT • The Rupert City CounR cil yanked funding Tuesday connected to the construction of a 200,000-square-foot Frulact plant as the company’s plans have stalled.‌ The Council also terminated several agreements with Frulact, including a job creation program, lines of credit, an industrial wastewater rate and a development agreement. The Frulact Group delayed construction on a 200,000-square-foot facility south of the Minidoka Irrigation District in Rupert back in July. The company was set to open its plant in 2014 but market conditions slowed progress. Please see FRULACT, A5

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

College of Southern Idaho kindergarten lab facilitator Jodie Bridges watches as (from left) Takuma Gushiken, Alexis Garcia, Justin Perrin and Ryan Simson check over their findings in the garden at the Boys & Girls Club on Thursday in Twin Falls. JULIE WOOTTON jwootton@magicvalley.com‌

‌ WIN FALLS • Jackson West dug T through rocks and dirt while looking at bugs through a small magnifying glass.‌ “Look at this silly creature,” the

6-year-old said as he explored outside at the Boys & Girls Club in Twin Falls. “What do you think it is?” asked Ellen Neff, assistant professor of early childhood education at the College of Southern Idaho. “ I d o n ’t k n ow,” Ja c kso n

responded, but he knew it was coming from the grass. He went to ask his classmates for input. It was part of a hands-on lesson Sept. 2 at CSI’s new kindergarten lab, which opened last week. Please see LAB, A3

How to Sign Up It’s not too late to register. For more information, call Jennifer Patterson at 208-732-6645.

TETONA DUNLAP tdunlap@magicvalley.com‌

‌ WIN FALLS • In 2015, millenT nials surpassed Generation X — 53.5 million strong — to become the largest portion of the American workforce, says the Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.‌ In Idaho, 24 percent of the state’s labor force are millennials. The theme of this year’s

Southern Idaho Economic Development Organization’s annual summit focuses on attracting and retaining this workforce. SIEDO’s 14th annual summit “Winning the Talent Attraction Game – Work Play Integration” is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at College of Southern Idaho’s Herrett Center, Rick Allen Room. About 142 people have signed up to attend the summit, which is at maximum capacity. Idaho Gov. C. L. “Butch” Otter will speak during the luncheon. “Talent attraction, retention and development is a critical part

I‌ f You Do One Thing: “Introducing Lyra, the Lyre” astronomy talk with Chris Anderson begins at 8 p.m. in the Herrett Center for Arts and Science, Twin Falls. Admission: $2.50 adults, $1.50 students.

of continuing to grow the economies in our region,” said Jan Rogers, the outgoing SIEDO executive director. “So, we thought we would focus on not just starting a conversation on it, but leading it.” SIEDO is a joint venture of public and private sectors in 11 southcentral Idaho communities formed to help diversify and strengthen the local economy by retaining and attracting business to the region. This will be the last SIEDO summit for Rogers, who will step down as executive director of the organization effective Sept. 11. It was announced in July that Rogers

High

90° 54°Low

Sunny. B4

LAURIE WELCH

lwelch@magicvalley.com‌

will join the Regional Economic Development Corporation for East Idaho as CEO on Sept. 14. Today, about 34 percent of American workers are millennials, adults ages 18 to 34. Generation Xers and baby boomers account for about 32 percent and 31 percent, says the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rogers hopes participants leave the summit with some tangible information on the subject of regional marketing to attract talent to the region.

‌BURLEY • Police have arrested the husband of a woman who died Sunday for a charge unrelated to her “suspicious death.”‌ The woman is Milissa Dawn Kincaid, 34, Cassia County Sheriff Jay Heward confirmed Wednesday. Police a r re s te d R o n n i e Kincaid on Tuesday as his wife’s body was undergoKincaid ing an autopsy in Ada County. Kincaid has not been charged in his wife’s death, and on Wednesday the sheriff declined to say whether he is a suspect. Authorities are holding Kincaid on a felony probation violation – he is a registered sex offender.

Please see SUMMIT, A5

Please see KINCAID, A5

SIEDO Summit Focus on Attracting, Retaining Workers Gov. Otter to speak at luncheon today

Husband of Dead Woman Arrested

Bridge C3 Comics C10

Markets A2 Crossword C5

Dear Abby C4 Obituaries A4

Opinion A7 Sudoku C6

Thursday, September 10, 2015 • A3

Kimberly School Board Approves Emergency Levy JULIE WOOTTON jwootton@magicvalley.com‌

‌KIMBERLY • Kimberly’s school board approved an emergency levy Tuesday to keep up with a growing number of students.‌ School trustees approved a $75,408 levy — a third of what the district was eligible for. “We could have justified more purchases, but we wanted to keep levy rate as low as possible,” Superintendent Luke Schroeder said. Kimberly schools — like many around the Magic Valley — are gaining more students than expected this school year. And they’re relying on extra funding to hire more employees and buy materials. The district has about 70 more students than last year. That’s a nearly 4

percent increase. “It’s a bit surprisingly because there’s not a lot of new houses being built in the city,” Schroeder said, since the sewer system is at capacity. Most of the growth is happening outside of the city limits just north of Kimberly, he said. And he added it’s not uncommon to see large families with as many as six children in the school system. The Kimberly district — which has 1,811 students — originally projected 2 percent enrollment growth for this school year. School trustees decided against hiring more teachers because of the statewide teacher shortage, Schroeder said. Levy money will be used to hire two part-time paraeducators — one for the

Wendell Couple Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Meth

STEPHEN REISS, TIMES-NEWS‌

Kimberly Middle School teacher Nikki Mathews passes out notebooks during a writing assessment on Wednesday in Kimberly. elementary school and one for the middle school. It will also pay for student desks, lunch tables, infrastructure for the computer network, textbooks, student supplies and janitorial supplies. Growth in student numbers is spread evenly across grade levels, Schroeder said. But the elementary school is especially crowded, with 889 students. The Kimberly district has passed an emergency levy nearly every year since 2009. Elsewhere in the Magic Valley, Twin Falls and Buhl

Lab

The benefit of hands-on learning is that children are engaged, she said, and using critical thinking skills. Maggi Taylor, 5, looked at crops in one of the garden beds Sept. 2. “I found a baby watermelon,” she shouted. She showed her teacher pictures she drew in blue crayon of corn and leaves. Children used clipboards with paper to draw items they saw in the garden. It’s

a foundation for hand-writing skills, Neff said. Joshua’s mother, Veronica West, brings him from Hagerman to attend the kindergarten lab. Her daughter is in CSI’s preschool lab. It’s worth the drive, she said, adding she loves the lab program and believes in it. The hands-on approach is ideal for Joshua, she said, and he loves to explore. “It’s

how he learns.” He needs movement at school instead of being confined to a desk all day at school, West said. Joshua can ask questions and go through a discovery process, she said, instead of adhering to a strict routine. “I think that also gives them independence.” Through the lab program, kindergarten students also learn to recognize their own behaviors and self-regulate, Neff said. CSI education students are helping out in the lab. They’ll be joined by Canyon Ridge High School students from an early education class later this month. CSI student Jasmine Hargrove sat in the grass with Joshua on Sept. 1, encouraging him as he explored outside. Hargrove’s children attended the CSI preschool lab program. Now, she’s a CSI education student working on her practicum. College students devote eight hours per week to their practicum. Hargrove spends Wednesday mornings at the kindergarten lab and Fridays in the toddler lab. High school and college students learn researchbased methods before working with kindergartners, Neff said. “We want our college students to support the children in the same way.”

suicide for the college to fight it,” he said. CSI has managed the refugee program for more than three decades, and about 5,000 refugees have been resettled in the Twin Falls area since 1984. The program became controversial when news came out this spring that some Syrians will likely be among 300 refugees who will be resettled here over the year starting Oct. 1. Some opponents have raised fears of Islamic radicals being among the refugees, said the State Department’s vetting isn’t adequate, or criticized the cost of the program and of providing assistance to refugees. “Our nation is deeply in debt ... and the money that’s being used to run this refugee center is borrowed,” Martin said. Benjamin Cover, a visiting associate professor with the University of Idaho College of Law in Moscow, said that, generally speaking, if a local government tries to regulate immigration-related

matters, opponents can challenge it on the grounds that they lack the authority, that federal law preempts it or that it violates the rights of the center or of the refugees. “The strength of these arguments in this particular case would depend on the details of the proposed regulation and the refugee centers it would impact,” Cover wrote in an email.

More than 4 million Syrians have fled their country, displaced by the civil war there, and the issue has been in international headlines this week as more Syrians have been making the oftendangerous journey trying to reach Western Europe. Some American politicians have been calling on the U.S. to allow in more Syrian refugees in response.

Continued from A1

Idaho Department of Education spokesman Jeff Church said he hasn’t encountered any similar programs in the state. The lab focuses on hands-on, project-based learning, Neff said, and meets requirements for Common Core Standards. Plus, it gives high school and college students a place to gain experience working with children. The new offering is an extension of CSI’s lab program, which also serves toddlers and preschoolers. Two classes — a morning and afternoon session — are led by teacher Jodie Bridges. A total of 20 children are enrolled. Parents pay a onetime $150 registration fee and $250 per month. A classroom is set up just off the gymnasium at the Boys & Girls Club. A sensory table allows students to do hands-on experiments. For instance, they can test out how to melt ice by using warm water. Outside, garden beds are planted, thanks to a grant CSI received in May. The Boys & Girls Club’s teen program planted the vegetables. “We’re encouraging the children to draw what they see in the garden,” Neff said.

Refugees Continued from A1

The initiative also says county commissioners would be criminally charged should they seek to repeal it, which Loebs said would be illegal under the principle that one legislature cannot bind a future one. “There are no alterations or revisions to this initiative that would render it constitutional and/or legal,” Loebs concluded. However, his recommendations are not binding, and Rick Martin, the head of the Committee to End the CSI Refugee Center, said Tuesday he plans to press forward, the only change being a correction on the election date in the original petition. The measure, Martin said, is a referendum on the refugee center. “It’ll give the voters a chance to send a message to the (college) Board of Trustees on whether they want a refugee center or not,” he said. Supporters would need to gather 3,842 signatures — 20 percent of how many people voted in the county in the 2014 general election — to get the measure on the May ballot. If it passes, Martin said it would be hard for the college to justify trying to block it in court, especially with a trustee election in November 2016. “It would be political

also passed emergency levies in recent weeks. In Twin Falls, school trustees approved a $1.3 million emergency levy Aug. 31. Buhl’s school board approved a $150,000 emergency levy Tuesday to deal with an extra 66 students — a 5 percent increase over last school year. School boards are allowed to pursue an emergency by the second week of September if average daily attendance rates are higher than the previous year. It doesn’t have to be approved by voters.

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

Alexis Garcia uses her magnifying glass as she checks over the garden during the College of Southern Idaho’s kindergarten lab class at the Boys & Girls Club on Thursday in Twin Falls.

We Want to Make You a Loan!

150 3000

$ .00 $ to ,

Convenient Loan 323 Main Ave. East • Twin Falls

(208) 734-4333 www.GentryFinance.net

Vanwinkle Auction

Saturday Sept 12, 2015 Located: Buhl, Idaho 4254 North 1150 East From the North west corner of Buhl, Jacksons Kountry Korner, go 2 1/2 miles west to 1150 East Road, then 1/2 mile north down lane

Sale Time: 11:00 AM

Lunch by Cookshack

Construction Equipment - Caterpillar 312 Excavator - John Deere 500 backhoe 1968 Mack DM600 dump truck 1996 Oldsmobile van - 1981 Ford Bronco - 1976 Ford “F-250” 4x4 pickup 2004 enclosed utility cargo trailer - 1984 Charmac 16’x7’ Goose neck 4 horse trailer - Tractor Farm Equipment - ATV - Lawn Mowers Shop & Building Items - Household Items - Miscellaneous

For complete listing and color pictures visit our web site: www.mastersauction.com NOTE: Lots of good items on this sale. Farm has been sold and retiring to the golf course

TIMES-NEWS ‌BOISE • A Wendell couple accepted a deal with federal prosecutors and pleaded guilty Wednesday to trafficking methamphetamine.‌ Miguel Angel OsunaZavala, 42, and his wife, Diane Osuna, 43, appeared before U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge in Boise. Osuna-Zavala pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Osuna pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The couple was indicted by a grand jury March 10 in Boise. A search of their home Feb. 2 turned up 65 grams of meth and a 9mm Sturm Ruger pistol in a safe in their bedroom, according

to details outlined in the plea agreement. Officers also found baggies and a set of digital scales. Osuna would weigh out the drugs for OsunaZavala to sell, the plea agreement said. A charge of conspiracy or possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine carries a minimum five year sentence and a maximum of 40 years and a $5 million fine. A charge of possessing a firearm to assist with trafficking can add an additional five years and a fine of $250,000 Sentencing is scheduled Dec. 9. The Gooding County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigated. The case was prosecuted as part of Idaho’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, which seeks to reduce gun violence.

Home of No Pressure, No HyPe! 2013 Toyota Tundra crewmax

$38,998

STK#DX289943

2014 GMC acadia slT-1

$35,998

STK#EJ315099

2005 Honda Odyssey ex

$7,498

STK#5B016774

2014 Chevrolet Traverse lt

$27,998

STK#EJ364445

2014 KIA Optima Lx stk# EG314382 $17,998 2015 Chevrolet Equinox Lt Awd stk# F6112073 $26,998 2012 Ford F150 stk# CFC74801 $38,998 2013 Honda Cr-v Ex-l stk# DL008386 $26,998 2013 Nissan Juke S/sv/sl stk# Dt224775 $19,998 2013 Toyota 4Runner SR5/LIM stk# D5126423 $39,998 Call (208) 732-1655 for more information

call maRcUs WalkeR Sales Specialist

call GReG mead

call BRiaN eRke

call Rick JacksON

Owner: Gary & Dustie Vanwinkle

call RaNdy PeRRiNe

No Buyers Premium - Terms: Cash or Bankable Check Day of Sale

www.randyhansenautomotive.com .randyhansenautomotive.com

Sale Managed by Masters Auction Service “The Business that Service Built”

Lyle Masters Gary Osborne Joe Bennett Lamar Loveland Jim Christiansen (208) 731-1616 (208) 539-5350 (208) 539-0111 (208) 431-7355 (208) 431-4123

call Jim Nickels Sales Specialist

732-1655 636 Poleline Rd. Twin Falls, ID

Tuesday

• June 30, 2015

www.magicvalley.com •

$1.00

Hailey Woman Creates Puzzles for People with Memory Loss • B4

Robbery Suspect and Missing Teen Arrested TIMES-NEWS ‌G OODING • The man wanted for robberies in Gooding, Oregon and California was arrested in California Monday.‌ Anthony G. Parsons, 25, and Frankie H. Collins, 17, were arrested Monday at about 12 p.m. near Box Canyon Dam in Mt. Shasta, Calif. The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said the two were arrested without incident. Parsons has a warrant

Parsons

Collins

from Butte County but the Butte County Prosecutor’s Office said that no plans to extradite Parsons will be made until after he is processed in California. No timetable has been set for

when he will be extradited. Parsons was wanted for the June 15 robbery of the Maverik gas station at 1899 Highway 26 in Gooding. Parsons and Collins were both wanted for the June 22 robbery of an AM/PM store in Stayton, Ore., outside of Salem, and for the robbery of the Lake Shastina Mini Mart near Mt. Shasta, Calif. Friday. Police said that Parsons walked into the mini mart armed with a rifle equipped

.270 rifle and a .22 pistol came into an AM/PM store in Stayton, Ore., outside of Salem. Police said that the two guns were believed to be stolen. On June 15, a robber came into the Maverik gas station at 1899 Highway 26 at about 11:40 p.m. and held the clerk at gunpoint before leaving with an undisclosed amount of money, police said. The man was wearing a black, zip-up hoodie, turned backward to cover

with a scope and that Collins was armed with a knife. The two tied up the employee and took off with an undisclosed amount of money police said. The stores security footage captured a maroon 2001 Dodge pickup with a maroon camper shell and an Idaho license plate numbered 4L910. The truck was reported stolen in Lincoln County. On June 22 two suspects armed with a bolt action

Bed Bath & Beyond Now Open, Noodles & Company to Start Hiring TETONA DUNLAP

his face, with blue jeans, white shoes and what appeared to be a turquoise shirt under the hoodie, police said. Parsons is also wanted on suspicion of the sexual exploitation of a minor. Police ask anyone who was in the area at the time of the Gooding robbery or who has information that could help police to call SIRCOMM at 208-324-1911 or the Gooding Police Department at 208-934-8436.

Trip Craig Remembered for Passion NATHAN BROWN

tdunlap@magicvalley.com‌

nbrown@magicvalley.com‌

‌ WIN FALLS • T Bed Bath & Beyond is the latest store to open at the Canyon Park West shopping center in Twin Falls.‌ The 20,000-square-feet retail store opened June 23 and joins Dick’s Sporting Goods, which opened March 27. Bed Bath & Beyond sells domestic merchandise and home furnishings for bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and dining rooms. Anna Foster and Bonnie McMullen shopped at the store Monday afternoon. The Jerome neighbors said they travel to Twin Falls to shop together at least twice a week. Bed Bath & Beyond now gives them another reason to make a trip to Twin Falls. “I was happy to see Bed Bath & Beyond. We needed something like that here,” Foster said. “I’ll be here regularly. They were very nice and have good employees with good customer service.” There are about 1,000 Bed Bath & Beyond stores in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. The Twin Falls store is located at 1933 Fillmore Street and is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Norma Odiaga of Jerome was walking back to her vehicle Monday to retrieve a Bed Bath & Beyond coupon she forgot. Odiaga found the under-bed storage containers she was looking for, but said she did not like the stores along the canyon rim. “I would have liked to see a park or at least set it back quite a ways,” Odiaga said. “I’m not pleased to have this on our rim.”

‌ WIN FALLS • A former city T councilman is being remembered by some of his colleagues as an independent thinker with a sense of humor.‌ Trip Craig, 50, died Friday at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center after a long illness. A Twin Falls native who graduated from Twin Falls High Craig School in 1983 and Boise State University in 1989, Craig was a legislative intern and a field representative for former U.S. Sen Larry Craig before he was elected to the Council in 1999, beating incumbent Art Frantz. “That surprised a lot of people,” said now-state Rep. Lance Clow, who was on the Council at the time. “It shows that hard work can pay off.” At the time, recalls Clow, Craig was the youngest person ever elected to the Council, a distinction he held until the then-27-year-old Rebecca Mills Sojka was elected in 2011. He served three terms, until he lost the 2011 election to Shawn Barigar, and Clow was on the Council the entire time. Clow remembers Craig as being passionate about downtown Twin Falls, and about his work as the Council’s liaison to the city Parks and Recreation Department. “I think we just worked well together,” said Clow. “He was supportive of me when I was mayor, and we became good friends.” Craig even sponsored Clow when he joined the Masons. Their one rivalry, Clow said, was over baseball — Clow is a Los Angeles Dodgers fan, while Craig rooted for the Oakland Athletics. “When I would go to L.A., I’d always keep thinking of Trip and buying him a Dodgers’ hat,” said Clow. DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

Please see OPEN, A4

Patrons walk into Bed Bath and Beyond at Canyon West Monday in Twin Falls.

Please see CRAIG, A5

New Group: Refugee Center Gives CSI a ‘Bad Rap’ JULIE WOOTTON jwootton@magicvalley.com‌

‌ WIN FALLS • T A group has formed calling for the College of Southern Idaho to shut down its Refugee Center program.‌ The Committee to End the CSI Refugee Center — which has 101 members in a closed Facebook group — is led by Buhl resident Rick Martin, a conservative activist. “Our main goal is to bring about an informed electorate through programs of education and

action,” he told the TimesNews Monday. It follows months of controversy since an April announcement that 300 refugees — possibly, from Syria — could be resettled here over the next year. Some community members have speculated about an influx of radical Muslims. The Refugee Center has resettled about 5,000 people since the early 1980s. During May and June CSI board meetings, Martin asked for a future agenda item to consider phasing out the Refugee Center program

I‌ f You Do One Thing: Rupert’s Fourth of July celebration includes entertainment at 6 p.m. at the Rupert Square and fireworks at 10 p.m. Free.

within six months, saying it’s a burden for taxpayers and a public affairs issue for CSI. “This program is giving the college a bad rap,” he said. “Let someone else take it over.” CSI’s board of trustees have been gracious in allowing for public comments, but haven’t answered many questions, Martin said. Martin’s group submitted a public information request earlier this month to obtain a document about the Refugee Center program. It’s called the R&P

High

99° 67°Low

Mostly Sunny. B3

Abstract, which is prepared for the federal government each year. College officials issued a response Friday saying the document is exempt from disclosure, CSI spokesman Doug Maughan said. The document constitutes trade secrets, according to the written response, which cites Idaho Code 9-340D(1). That section covers information that “derives independent economic value” not readily accessible Please see CENTER, A4

Comics A7 Markets A2

TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO

Hawng Lum Tangbau, ESL instructor for the CSI Refugee Center, teaches students in May to communicate effectively.

Crossword B9 Dear Abby B7

Jumble B10 Obituaries A5

Opinion A8 Sudoku B7

A4 • Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Idaho Aquifer Decline could Hinder Radioactive Monitoring KEITH RIDLER Associated Press‌

‌ OISE • A continued drop B in underground water levels could make it more difficult to monitor the movement of radioactive contamination in an aquifer below an eastern Idaho nuclear facility, scientists say.‌ Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey in a 36-page report released Monday said the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer level has dropped below two wells and about a dozen others are in danger due to ongoing drought. “We’re starting to have some concern that some of them could go dry,” said Geological Survey scientist Roy Bartholomay.

Practices in past decades at the 890-square-mile U.S. Department of Energy facility that opened in 1949 and is now called the Idaho National Laboratory included pumping radioactive waste underground. Workers in the Cold War era also put radioactive waste in ponds that seeped into the ground. The Department of Energy in an emailed response to inquiries by The Associated Press said the agency in 1972 discontinued pumping radioactive waste underground from the Test Area North and Test Reactor Area, and in 1984 at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center. The agency said it has also discontinued putting

radioactive waste in ponds. The agency said it completed publicly-reviewed evaluations and, with the agreement of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, had taken appropriate actions to protect human health and the environment. “These published evaluations determined that no active treatment is required to remove radioactive contamination from the aquifer,” the agency said in the email sent by spokesman Tim Jackson to the AP. “Natural attenuation and institutional controls were determined to be protective for the radionuclides in the aquifer.” The U.S. Geological Survey monitors 177 wells, most

within the boundaries of the federal site but some on the down-gradient side. Water in the aquifer flows from the northeast to the southwest. The down-gradient wells can tell scientists “when and where the contamination plume starts to move off the INL and into another part of the aquifer,” said Geological Survey spokesman Tim Merrick. Bartholomay said scientists track tritium, strontium-90, cesium-137, plutonium-238 and other radioactive elements. A study that looked at well monitoring information from 1981 to 2012 found that tritium and strontium-90 were decreasing or showing no trends. Bartholomay said

radioactivity appears to be staying in some places and overall the aquifer is improving. It’s also believed some of the radioactivity has traveled much deeper in the aquifer. It takes from 50 to 700 years for water to travel through the aquifer and emerge in springs near Twin Falls. The Geological Survey monitored water in the area until budget cuts in the 2000s, Bartholomay said, and never observed any radioactivity above normal background levels. He said any radioactivity emanating from the INL would be too diluted to be of

danger by the time it reached the Twin Falls area. The aquifer, the report notes, has dropped some 20 feet in northern portions. One well in about the center of the aquifer and that Bartholomay said offers an overall picture of the aquifer hit an all-time low in October at 594 feet below the surface. That’s down about 12 feet in 20 years. “We have natural cycles of wet and dry periods,” he said. “Unfortunately, in the last 14 years we haven’t really seen that wet period again.” And in the last three years there’s been drought.

Solutions to All Your Landscape Needs

Open Continued from A1

Patti Stumpf, who lives in Twin Falls, said she likes having Bed Bath & Beyond closer to home. “I shopped at them a lot in Boise,” Stumpf said. “Dick’s hits a specific market that was not here before, women’s golf and soccer. I think we have enough restaurants.” Other Canyon Park West stores are planning to open later this summer and fall. Project administrator Tina Luper said in an email Monday that Petco is set to open July 27. Noodles & Company is tentatively set to open in October. Noodles & Company is a fast-casual restaurant headquartered in Broomfield, Colo., that offers international and American noodle dishes, as well as soups, salads, pasta and sandwiches.

Center Continued from A1

by other people and information that’s “subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.” T h e “ t ra d e se c re t” exemption is ludicrous, Martin said. His group is planning four meetings for July. And they plan to go door-todoor in neighborhoods. The committee isn’t opposed to refugees, Martin said. “They’re human beings and we need to treat them with respect and dignity.” He said he encourages everyone to get to know refugees, such as inviting them over to a barbecue. But with CSI’s Refugee Center, “things are going on that the public needs to know about,” Martin said. The CSI board is proud and fully supportive of the Refugee Center, trustee Bob Keegan told a crowd during a June meeting. Board chairman Karl Kleinkopf told the

The restaurant will feature free wireless Internet and a phone app to place orders online. Erin Murphy, senior manager of communications for Noodles & Company, said the company plans to hold a grand opening and a hiring fair. The company usually hires between 25 to 35 employees including manager, general manager and the manager team. She encouraged interested people to go to noodles.com/ jobs. “We typically don’t begin that process until we are closer to the opening date,” Murphy said. Murphy said the restaurant offers noodle and pasta dishes from around the world. “Everything from indulgent to healthy from spicy to Wisconsin Mac & Cheese,” she said. Other stores at Canyon Park West that will open soon are Petco, Ross Dress

for Less, Mattress Firm, Men’s Wearhouse and makeup store Ulta. A pad site west of the Twin Falls Visitor Center was being targeted as a restaurant in April. Signs for Petco and Ulta hang over building entrances, but construction was still going on inside Ulta Monday. Construction appears finished inside Petco, but shelving and merchandise has not been added yet. A spokeswoman for Ulta told the Times-News in April that the company is tentatively set to open its Twin Falls store July 17. Phone calls to Ulta and other company headquarters to confirm dates were not returned Monday. Ulta, Mattress Firm and Petco filed building permit applications Sept. 30 with the Planning and Zoning Department. Ulta has its sights on a 10,000-squarefoot store with a valuation of $528,100. The

Times-News on Monday he doesn’t anticipate pursuing a future agenda item about the Refugee Center, but won’t rule it out. The board spent about 30 minutes hearing a presentation about the center in April, he said, and there weren’t any public comments. Board members have done their due diligence by putting an item on the April agenda, Kleinkopf said. “I think that’s where we’re going to leave it for a while.” The board has other important topics to consider, he added. But it’s important to allow community members to continue to voice opinions, Kleinkopf said. “We get a lot of comments both ways.” Martin has been in the political spotlight before and was linked with several cases of fictitious sample ballots. In 2012, Martin distributed altered sample ballots. His name was listed, but not his opponent — incumbent Terry Kramer for Republican Castleford Precinct Committeeman.

In March, he distributed a flier — which was labeled as a sample ballot — saying that voting “yes” for a Buhl school bond would harm the poor and elderly. And in May, he passed out a similar flier shortly before an election urging voters to oppose a proposed Buhl recreation district. In recent months, other community groups have cropped up related to CSI’s Refugee Center. Twin Falls accountant Deborah Silver formed a group to support CSI’s Refugee Center. Members plan to volunteer for the center, and educate the community about refugees and the resettlement process.

Brockman Family Chiropractic

Dr. Marjorie A. Brockman R.N., B.S.N., D.C.

“A Positive Approach To Wellness” 445 Idaho St., Gooding • 934-5000

Chicago-based retailer of salon products and services has a Pocatello store. Mattress Firm’s application calls for 4,030 square feet valued at $375,000. It is a bedding specialty retailer and will be next to Idaho Central Credit Union. Petco’s application calls for a 12,234-square-foot store worth an estimated $646,000. Petco sells pet products and services. The 180,000-square-foot Canyon Park West project is approximately 70 to 75 percent leased.

Weekly Tree and Shrub Specials!

to ! Up off 2 1/

T rees , s hrubs , P erennials , a nnuals , s od , r ock , b ark , s TaTuary , F ounTains & h ome d écor

21150 Hwy 30, Filer, Idaho • (208) 326-2100 East of Twin Falls County Fair Grounds

Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 aM to 6 pM • sat. 9 aM to 5 pM • sun. 10 aM to 5 pM

TIMED ONLINE AUCTION Starts closing on July 9th @ 6:30 PM Public Previews: Sat., June 26, 10-2, Mon., July 6, 10-2

Semi Tractors, Western Elite Hay Trains, Equipment Trailers, Telehandlers, Forklift, Tractors, Loader Backhoe, Farm Implements, Duramax Diesel Pickup, Fifth Wheel Travel Trailer, Snowmobiles & Trailer, Four Wheelers, Shop Equipment & Tools

POTTER FARMS, LLC Mark Potter, Owner (208) 731-6668 2354 S 1400 E, Gooding, Idaho

For bidding details, pictures & terms go to:

Randy Musser, Auction Manager (208) 733-8700

ATTENTION

ALL CPAP USERS your lifestyle.

Introducing our new lightweight Pico nasaltypes! mask Over 40 different varieties of mask and state of the art Airsense 10 CPAP machines

We are proud to be your

locally-owned CPAP supplier!

526 Shoup Ave W Suite B • Twin Falls, Idaho

Phone: 208-735-2252 • Fax: 208-735-3917

The draft Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP) lists proposed projects for the next five years, and includes programmed improvements to highways, bicycle routes, pedestrian projects, safety projects, bridges and public transportation. The draft ITIP can be viewed at: www.itd.idaho.gov/itip/draft.htm. The Idaho Transportation Department has created a new, interactive map that allows residents to learn about projects that are planned in their areas. To view the map and learn about specific projects, please visit: www.itd.idaho.gov/itip/draft.htm, and click on the graphic of the Idaho map. Comments are being taken from July 1 through July 30. They can be e-mailed to: comments@itd.idaho.gov. They also can be mailed to: ITD – ITIP Comment, Attn: Adam Rush, P.O. Box 7129, Boise, ID 83707-1129 For CDs and paper copies, call Adam Rush at (208) 334-8119 or e-mail comments@itd.idaho.gov.

Wednesday

• September 30, 2015

www.magicvalley.com •

$1.50

Schools, Nonprofits Plan Fall Food Events • B1

Refugee Food Stamp, Medicaid Deputies Seek Tips Stats Paint Complex Picture in March Slaying

NATHAN BROWN nbrown@magicvalley.com‌

‌ WIN FALLS • T American-born residents of Twin Falls County are more likely to receive welfare than their foreign-born neighbors, according to an analysis of data by the Times-News.‌ The argument that immigrants eat up a disproportionate chunk of social services costs has been common among immigration opponents for decades, and many of the same arguments are being heard against the refugee program at the College of Southern Idaho. The language of a proposed ballot measure to end the CSI refugee center cites the federal debt, “epidemic welfare fraud” and refugees “overburdening our welfare system” as reasons to end the program. Opponents of the program have frequently spoken about federal benefits for refugees in the context of the total cost of the program and of the federal debt, which was at more than $18.16 trillion and growing as of Tuesday. But at a forum on the refugee resettlement program last week hosted by the Times-News, the panelists, most of whom head agencies that serve refugees and support the continued existence of the program, emphasized the temporary and limited nature of these benefits. Numbers back them up. The Times-News examined Medicaid, food stamps and cash assistance programs for refugees after obtaining the data through public records requests. Figures show that native born residents rely on government health care and food assistance in greater percentages than those born in foreign countries, though refugees are also eligible for short-term cash assistance to pay for things like food and housing after their arrival. Zeze Rwasama, the director of CSI’s refugee center and a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said people are encouraged to find work as quickly as possible, and many refugees don’t get the full eight months of cash assistance because they get a job first. On average, refugees in Twin Falls have a job after two-anda-half months, although for a minority who need more help adjusting because of health issues or trouble integrating, the average is five-and-a-half months, Rwasama said. “The goal is to get the people to self-sufficiency as quickly as possible,” said Lee Williams, the vice president and chief financial officer of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. The federal refugee program CSI runs has become controversial since news came out this spring that some Syrians may be among the 300 refugees to be resettled here over the fiscal year starting in October. The program has helped to resettle about 5,000 refugees in the Twin Falls area since the mid-1980s.

Medicaid and Food Stamps‌ Other immigrants must wait five years before getting Medicaid

TIMES-NEWS ‌FILER • Detectives are asking the public for any information on an unsolved March homicide.‌ No one has been arrested and prosecutors have not named a suspect in the death of Glenn Russell Cawley, 55, who was found shot to death in his home March 12. Tuesday, the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office released a statement that investigators are still seeking tips in the case. Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs said the decision to turn to the public came after discussing the investigation with the Cawley sheriff’s office. “A lot of times when they are working on a case I think it reaches this point when they want to see what is out there,” Loebs said. Investigators ask anyone with information on Cawley’s activities prior to his death, his known associates or anyone who might have seen or heard something unusual that could be related to Cawley’s death to contact Crime Stoppers at 208-7325387. Callers may remain anonymous. Please see CAWLEY, A10

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

People enter the auditorium to hear a group of panelists speak about refugees and the center that helps them at the College of Southern Idaho on Tuesday in Twin Falls.

For more detailed charts visit Magicvalley.com.

TIMES-NEWS GRAPHICS/SOURCE: IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WELFARE

Pie chart data is for Twin Falls County. and food stamps, but people who come as refugees qualify for food stamps as soon as they arrive if they meet the same income criteria as anyone else, said Tom Shanahan, spokesman for the state Department of Health and Welfare.

“Most refugees coming in, they’re escaping,” Shanahan said. “They really don’t have resources.” Refugees get Medicaid for their first eight months here. After that, their eligibility is measured the same as anyone

82° 58°Low

High I‌ f You Do One Thing: Company of Fools presents “August: Osage County” for a “pay what you feel” preview at 7 p.m. at Liberty Theatre, 110 N. Main St., Hailey. Tickets are on sale one hour before performance. Partly Cloudy. B10

else, he said. In states like Idaho, which have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, few able-bodied adults are eligible. “There (are) very few adults on Medicaid, unless they’re elderly or they’re disabled,” Shanahan said. DHW records the citizenship status and country of origin of benefits recipients. Using its data for Twin Falls County: • People who weren’t born in the U.S. are slightly less likely, in terms of their percentage of the population, to receive either Medicaid or food stamps than people who were born here. Using the Census Bureau’s 2013 estimates of birthplaces, 25 percent of Twin Falls County residents who were born in the United States received food stamps and Medicaid that year. For the foreign-born population, 22 percent received food stamps Please see WELFARE, A9

Bridge C4 Comics C8

Markets A2 Crossword C2

Major Reporting Project Returns This Sunday TIMES-NEWS ‌With an influx of young Hispanic families, Jerome has become a surprisingly young city. Its median age is 28 — seven years younger than the state’s median — and a third of Jerome’s population is younger than 18. Across the city, Jerome’s youth is driving the shape of the rapidly changing community. On Sunday, the second installment of a special reporting project will examine Jerome’s shifting cultural and business scenes. Education reporter Julie Wootton and government reporter Nathan Brown are devoting six months to “El Nuevo Jerome,” the Times-News’ four-part series led by Enterprise Editor Virginia Hutchins. From 11:30 a.m. to noon Friday, tune in to Benjamin Reed’s talk and news show, “En Vivo y en Directo con el Chupacabras,” on Spanishlanguage FM radio station 99.1 La Perrona. Wootton and Brown will be guests on the show, talking about the upcoming special coverage and taking questions from listeners. They’ll speak in English, and Reed will interpret for Spanish listeners. The radio show takes live callers, at 208-324-9910. On Friday, Reed will take calls in English or Spanish.

Dear Abby C2 Jumble C3

Obituaries A5 Opinion A8

Serving All Points of the Magic Valley 208-324-7653

208-733-7355

208-324-(SOLD) 208-733-(SELL) PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES R E A LT O R

WE HANDLE IT ALL!!!

Wednesday, September 30, 2015 • A9 AT A GLANCE

Idaho Agencies Support Contracting System, see Need for Help‌ BOISE (AP) • Most directors overseeing Idaho agencies say the state’s contracting system works fairly well, even though some agree changes should be made to help prevent future scandals surrounding Idaho’s most expensive business agreements.‌ Idaho lawmakers reviewed feedback from state directors on Tuesday, while discussing Idaho procurement policies. The legislative interim committee is tasked with finalizing a recommendation for the 2016 legislative session. According to anonymous responses collected from more than 50 agencies, directors said they wanted more help providing training staff on contracting laws. Idaho’s system has come under scrutiny, particularly after a district judge in February voided a $60 million contract that provided broadband access in public schools. The judge determined state officials violated Idaho procurement laws by amending the contract after it had been awarded.

Group Sues over Idaho’s Participation in Common Core‌

Paul Walker’s Daughter Sues Porsche over his Death in Crash

BOISE (AP) • Ten Idaho residents led by the chairman of a conservative free-market think tank are suing the state over Common Core education standards.‌ In the lawsuit, Idaho Freedom Foundation board chairman Brent Regan contends that Idaho’s participation in an agency that helps test and implement Common Core standards is illegal under federal rules governing agreements between states. The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium includes about 19 states and territories as members, and in exchange for membership dues the states get access to curriculum tools and assessments. Similar lawsuits have targeted the same consortium in Missouri and North Dakota. A state judge in Missouri ruled in February that the state’s membership in SBAC was illegal and that payments must stop; that ruling is under appeal. The lawsuit in North Dakota is ongoing.

LINDSEY BEVER

Welfare Continued from A1

and 17 percent received Medicaid. In 2010, 24 percent of the native-born population received food stamps and 23 percent received Medicaid. Among the foreign-born population, 19 percent received food stamps and 14 percent received Medicaid. • From 2010 to 2015, the percentage of food stamp recipients in Twin Falls County who were born in the United States varied from 91 percent to 93 percent, according to numbers from DHW. In the same time frame, about 94 percent of all Medicaid recipients were born in the U.S. In both 2010 and 2013 91.5 percent of the county’s population was estimated to be Americanborn. • High numbers of people from countries where many people have recently arrived from under the refugee program, such as Bhutan, Iraq and various African countries, receive Medicaid and food stamps. The numbers are far lower among more established groups such as southeast Asians and Bosnians. • The number of food stamp recipients in the county peaked at 20,034 in 2011 — 26 percent of the county’s population that year — and has since fallen to 15,520 in 2015. The number of Medicaid recipients was a bit lower than food stamps until 2014, when it pulled ahead. Twin Falls County seems to be following larger patterns. The number of food stamp recipients skyrocketed nationwide after the economy tanked in 2008. As the economy recovered, fewer people have relied on the program. Medicaid enrollment, though, has grown nationwide even in states that didn’t expand Medicaid. Some Idaho state officials have called this the “woodwork” effect of people who were always eligible for Medicaid but not enrolled signing up because of Affordable Care Act enrollment campaigns. Statewide, 277,213 people were enrolled in Medicaid in July, according to a report the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services released Monday. According to Idaho Health and Welfare, 18,542 U.S. citizens in Twin Falls County receive Medicaid in 2015. There are also 436 refugees and 728 lawful permanent residents enrolled. The state’s budget for Medicaid in 2015-2016 is $2.1 billion. More than $500 million is from the state’s general fund and the rest from the federal government. As for food stamps, there were 195,814 recipients in Idaho in May 2015, according to data from the Food Research and Action Center. In Twin Falls County, 439 were refugees, 820 lawful permanent residents and 14,261 U.S. citizens were enrolled. The average benefit per person in Idaho in 2014 was $116.34, less than the national average of $125.35, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. According to DHW’s numbers, proven cases of welfare fraud among noncitizens are almost nonexistent. From 2010 to 2015 the agency investigated 620 fraud allegations. Out

The Washington Post‌

‌Nearly two years after Paul Walker’s death, the actor’s teenage daughter is suing Porsche, claiming that the sports car her father was riding in when he was killed in a fiery wreck had numerous design flaws. An attorney for 16-yearold Meadow Walker filed a wrongful death suit this week against the automaker, claiming the company knew the Porsche Carrera GT “lacked safety features that are found on well-designed racing cars or even Porsche’s least expensive road cars—features that could have prevented the accident or, at a minimum, allowed Paul Walker to survive the crash,” according to news reports. The lawsuit, obtained by the Los Angeles Times, said the car lacked suitable side door reinforcement bars as well as an electronic stability control system, which helps drivers maintain control in extreme conditions. The court filing also said that the car had a faulty fuel hose and a faulty seat belt

system, designed so that upon impact, the shoulder belt anchor was pulled to the rear while the seat belt anchor stayed attached. “This snapped Walker’s torso back with thousands of pounds of force, thereby breaking his ribs and pelvis, flattening his seat and trapping him in a supine position, where he remained alive until the vehicle erupted into flames one minute and 20 seconds later,” the lawsuit claims, according to the Los Angeles Times. These design defects, the lawsuit claims, kept the “Fast & Furious” star trapped in the car when it crashed and caught fire in Los Angeles nearly two years ago, according to the Associated Press. Walker, 40, was riding in a friend’s Porsche Carrera GT on Nov. 30, 2013, when the car crashed into a light pole and tree and burst into flames. Both Walker and his friend, Roger Rodas, were pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators, who questioned the automaker’s technicians at the time, concluded that high speeds—not mechanical issues—were to blame.

... .. e c e. n o wic G in G T o G oin G TIMES-NEWS GRAPHICS/SOURCE: IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WELFARE

of that it found 172 cases where a person intentionally defrauded the program. Four of those cases involved non-citizens. A person’s citizenship status was not a direct factor in any of the cases, according to numbers the department released in response to a records request.

Cash Assistance‌

When refugees first arrive, they receive help finding housing and some financial help initially, through federally funded programs that are run by the local resettlement agencies. The overall cost can be a bit tricky to track because the funding is split up between different resettlement agencies. Refugee Council USA, a refugee advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., said the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement directed $6.8 million to

Idaho in the 2014 fiscal year, the bulk for various social services and cash assistance programs. The CSI Refugee Center gets $1,125 per arriving refugee, Rwasama said at last week’s forum. That has to cover first month’s rent, damage deposit and furnishing the apartment. After 30 days, Rwasama said, refugees are temporarily eligible for one of two assistance alternatives — a cash assistance program, or the Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant Program. That program helps resettlement agencies find federal grants. The agencies are required to provide assistance to refugees with the goal of getting them to economic self-sufficiency in 120 to 180 days. Rwasama said refugees who enroll in this program get $200 per adult and $40 per child per month,

KADE ROGGE (208) 431-0074

JED SOUTH (208) 670-4042

Hollinger Liquidation Auction Oct. 3, 2015 • 11:00 am

3800 North 4000 E., Hansen, Idaho Loader available

Watch for Rogge Auction signs

Lunch available

McCORMICK FARMALL 350 TRACTOR

MASSY HARRIS 44 TRACTOR

990 DAVID BROWN 2WD TRACTOR

FARMALL H TRACTOR

YALE HYSTER

L o

AUcTionS “Your Guide to

one-of-A-Kind Finds”

SATURDAY OcT. 3 – 11 Am

Hollinger Auction Hansen, ID

Lois & Ray Fyke Estate Auct.

Farm Equipment, Livestock Equipment, Guns, Tools, and Antiques, Etc. Roggeauctions.com

736 16th Ave. E., Jerome, ID 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis Unique Collectibles, Quality Furniture, Guns

(208)431-6187

www.jjauctionsllc.com

SATURDAY OcT. 3 – 11 Am

Thompson & Blamire Auction, Kimberly ID Shop Tools, Household, Collectibles, Sporting Items, Etc. Times News Ad 10/01/2015 Mastersauction.com

SUNDAY OcT. 4 – 11Am

Rupert Auction Twin Falls, ID

Appliances, Furniture, Office Furniture, Special Items, Lawn & Garden, Shop Tools, Misc. Times News Ad 10/2/2015 Mastersauction.com

Advertise Here

Contact: Lynette 208-735-3226 auctions@magicvalley.com

PUBLIC AUCTION NOTICE

roggeauctions.com RON ROGGE (208) 431-6187

as well as having their rent and utilities paid for another two months. They get bonuses of $150 if they are employed after 120 days and another $150 if they still have a job after 180 days, but the financial assistance ends after that, he said. The other option, the Transitional Refugee Assistance program, provides payments of $382 a month for up to eight months. Recipients are required to take English classes and look for a job. “They have to pay rent and utilities out of that,” Rwasama said. With payments so low, he said, refugees are forced to get a job as quickly as possible, and most don’t collect for eight months. The payments end two months after refugees get a job, to give them a bit of time to learn how to budget and get on their feet.

! D

CASE 630 TRACTOR

1997 DODGE 3500 1 TON DIESEL FLATBED

SERVICE TRAILER W/ PENDAL HITCH

FARMALL SUPER M

FORD 700 TRACTOR

CONSIGNMENT ITEMS

Former Twin Falls Clinic Includes Building & Over 17 City Lots 660 Shoshone Street E - Twin Falls, Idaho

Timed Online Auction Starts closing on Oct. 20th @ 6:00 PM

Over 80,000 sq. ft. of floor space located in the heart of Twin Falls, Idaho. This building was a fully functioning hospital & clinic for many years. Most recently, it was home to several Twin Falls County Agencies. There is a cafeteria with all the equipment intact. A 250 KW stand-by diesel generator is also included. The building is earthquake rated, and has more then adequate electrical service and fiber optics to serve most all needs. Includes 150± off-street parking spots. Property is being offered by Twin Falls County.

Bidding Starts at Only $250,000 For bidding details, pictures & terms go to:

2013 KUBOTA L3940 HSTC 4WD TRACTOR

2008 HONDA FOREMAN 500

GUNS

Z425 JOHN DEERE RIDING MOWER

CHECK ROGGEAUCTIONS.COM For Complete Listings ON-LINE or ON THE FARM • ROGGEAUCTIONS.COM TERMS: Cash or Bankable Check Day of Sale Everything Sold AS-IS

ID Required to Register and Bid

Not Responsible for Accidents

Randy Musser, Auction Manager (208) 733-8700