Category — Boise, Idaho

BOISE — The man accused of beating and killing 8-year-old Robert Manwill wants a new layer. Daniel Ehrlick Jr. was arrested last year and charged with first-degree murder.  His arrest came after thousands of people helped look for the missing boy. Ehrlick filed a motion last Thursday saying he feels his attorneys are “badgering” him. The public defender’s office would not comment on the case …

BOISE – Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist Kristin Armstrong was honored by the Idaho Legislature for her exploits at the 2008 Beijing games. Rep. Phil Hart, a former bicycle racer from northern Idaho, said Monday that the 36-year-old two-time world time-trial champion was an inspiration and positive role model for all residents of the state. Armstrong, who retired in 2009 after winning her …

MIDDLETON — Three people were sent to the hospital after two pickups collided at an intersection near Middleton Sunday night. Idaho State Police investigators believe alcohol may be a factor in this accident. The two-vehicle injury crash happened around 9′30 p.m. at Galloway Road and Emmett Road near Middleton. Police say a 1995 Ford F150 was eastbound on Galloway Road when the driver failed to …

BOISE — The Owyhee County Sheriff is asking for the public’s help in locating a 66-year-old man who has been missing for nearly a week. Authorities say Ted Thomason was last seen on March 9 in his hometown of Grand View. Thomason was believed to be driving to Mountain Home in a white 1996 Ford pickup with Idaho license plate 203753T.  He was traveling with his dog, a blue heeler hound. Thomason …

BOISE, Idaho — University of Idaho President Duane Nellis reports donors so far have pledged $425,000 toward the creation of a third-year law program in the state capital. In his weekly letter to alumni, Nellis said 1954 graduates Frank and Harriet Shrontz recently dedicated $300,000 to help launch the program. The Moscow-based school had previously hoped to open a full three-year law school …

BOISE - At a celebration to honor his silver medal win in Vancouver, Jeret Speedy Peterson makes an announcement.  KTVB’s Mark Johnson asked the athlete in front of a crowd of his fans, if he would be hitting the hill again, in Russia, in four years.  ”The Olympics, 2014 Sochi, Russia,” asked Johnson. “Any chance, any chance at all?” “Honestly, I am tossing around the idea to be honest with you …

BOISE – Some new hairstyles were in order for members of the Boise Police Department and the Ada County Sheriff’s Office after they got together for a good cause. Officers and deputies shaved their heads as part of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraiser to raise money for childhood cancer, Across the country, St. Baldrick’s motto is “shaving the way to conquer kids’ cancer.” Law enforcement …

BOISE — What you can get when you go to the mall got a little bit more diverse Saturday when the Idaho Humane Society set up shop for a pet adoption event. Inside Dillard’s at the Boise Towne Square Mall, dozens of pets put their best paw forward hoping to find a new home. “It’s actually nice to have the pets here, versus just having some of the representatives from the Humane Society,” said …

NAMPA — Spring is in the air and Jalopy Jungle in Nampa is willing to help with your spring cleaning. Jalopy Jungle is offering to pick up your unwanted cars and trucks at any Ada and Canyon County homes for free. Starting on Monday and through the month of April, they will tow the vehicles, then donate $50 of their own money to the nearest Boys and Girls Club for each car or truck they receive …

MERIDIAN — They typically work together to help keep the community safe, but Saturday, Treasure Valley police officers and fire fighters became fierce competitors. Their skills were put to work on the basketball court today as part of the Bigs N’ Blue basketball tournament. Money is raised through entry fees and it all goes to help the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program in the area. “I know they …

BOISE – The city of Boise is hosting a big celebration for Idaho’s silver medalist in aerial skiing – Jeret “Speedy” Peterson! He pulled out his “hurricane” at the Vancouver Winter Olympics and landed himself atop the medal podium. You can come celebrate with him Saturday. A championship run begins at 9 a.m. at the downtown YMCA, with a rally following after at 9′30 a.m. at Boise City Hall …

BOISE — A man arrested after a crash that seriously injured a Meridian teen in the fall of 2008 will stay behind bars for at least another year and a half. Troy McClure was sentenced Friday to 15 years for aggravated DUI. The 26-year-old McClure could be up for parole in three years and today he was given credit for 553 days served. In September 2008, he was arrested a second time for DUI after …

NAMPA — The Nampa School District is writing checks to employees who had trouble with flexible spending accounts from a company that recently went under. XpressFlex, headquartered in Boise, shut down unexpectedly last week. District employees reported that their reimbursement checks for health care and child care were bouncing. The Nampa School District has paid out $3,000, and may pay out more …

MOUNTAIN HOME — Police in Mountain Home are looking for a man that robbed a grocery store late Wednesday night. The robbery happened just before 11 p.m. at the Paul’s Market on East Jackson Street. Investigators say the thief hid inside the store while employees were closing up. Police say the man was dressed in black and wore a ski mask and safety goggles. Employees told police the man was …

BOISE — The National Association of Elementary School Principals is highlighting the work of a school administrator in southwestern Idaho. Greg Wiles at Lone Star Middle School in Nampa is one of seven principals nationwide who the organization has named its Transformational Leaders Across America. The award recognizes principals who have distinguished themselves in shaping long-term school …

BOISE – Ada County’s new emissions program is up and running, but some drivers are still confused about the changes. Air Quality Board members say they’re taking almost 20 calls day from drivers who don’t know if they should get their cars tested or not. Here are the changes in Ada County that took effect on January 1, 2010. - Testing on cars has changed to every other year, instead of every …

BOISE — An Idaho man diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia has pleaded guilty to intentionally ramming two motorcycle troopers who were parked along the median of Interstate 84 last October. David Turnovec, 30, of Buhl, reached a plea deal Thursday with prosecutors.  He pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and one count of a weapon enhancement for …

CALDWELL — A Caldwell man who admitted sexually abusing and beating his three adopted children has been given a life sentence for his crimes. Judge Bradley Ford ordered 35-year-old Kekoa Gaunavinaka to serve at least 25  years in prison for the crime of lewd conduct with a minor.   Gaunavinaka was also sentenced to 10 years for two counts of injury to a child.  The sentences will be served …

NAMPA — A survivor of the earthquake in Haiti has returned to Nampa. You first met NNU grad Katie Zook when we interviewed her from her hospital bed in Miami. Zook was in Haiti on a two-year mission with the Free Methodist Church when the earthquake hit, and the building she was in collapsed. We caught up with Zook again on her first trip back to Nampa. We were there when Katie was reunited …

BOISE — The principal at Mountain Home Junior High School is on paid administrative leave pending an investigation by the school district. According to James Gilbert, the district’s assistant superintendent, the vice principal has been made the principal of the school while the investigation into Bill McCarrel is going on. According to Gilbert, what McCarrell did, did not involve students and …

CALDWELL — Vallivue High School in Caldwell was put in lockdown for nearly three hours today after the school received a bomb threat. Principal Richard Brulotte says a student found the threat written on a stall in the boy’s bathroom and notified school officials. The school alerted police and the bomb squad was called out.  Police, along with bomb-sniffing dogs, and school personnel combed the …

BOISE — The state plans to open another charter school in Nampa, despite objections from one of Idaho’s largest school districts. There are four charter schools operating in the community, with one more set to open this fall and another approved to begin classes in 2011. That’s more than any other city in the state and Nampa School District officials say the rapid growth has exacerbated their …

BOISE — Hammer Flat, a place where developers once proposed building a planned community, will instead remain a haven for wild animals in Boise’s eastern foothills.   In a special meeting Tuesday, the Boise City Council voted unanimously to buy more than 700 acres of land above the Black Cliffs near Lucky Peak. The main driving force behind the city wanting to preserve this land was to make it …

BOISE — The city of Boise will hold a celebration event on Saturday, March 13 in honor of Olympic silver medalist Jeret “Speedy” Peterson. Peterson won the silver medal in the men’s freestyle aerials skiing at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games last month after landing his famous “hurricane” on the final jump. The celebration event kicks off at 9 a.m. and will feature a ”Champion’s Run …

NAMPA — A suspected drunk driver is in police custody after Nampa Police say he caused a two-car accident at Midland Boulevard and Orchard Avenue Monday afternoon. Officers received a call about a man driving erratically, but were unable to locate the man until after the accident. When police arrived at the crash scene they found a maroon SUV and a silver passenger car badly damaged.  None of …

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – One of two U.S. Baptist missionaries still held on kidnapping charges in Haiti was released Monday, but the group’s leader remained in custody. Charisa Coulter was taken from her jail cell to the airport by U.S. Embassy staff more than a month after she and nine other Americans were arrested for trying to take 33 children out of Haiti after the earthquake. Coulter …

BOISE – We are learning much more about the former Boise Police officer accused of lewd conduct with children. Stephen Young, 58, appeared before an Ada County judge this afternoon. Young worked for the Boise Police Department for more than 30 years and as a school resource officer for 10 years. We learned today in court Monday that the investigation against him dates back 30 years. Young …

BOISE — The city of Boise will hold a celebration event on Saturday, March 13 in honor of Olympic silver medalist Jeret “Speedy” Peterson. Peterson won the silver medal in the men’s freestyle aerials skiing at the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games last month after landing his famous “hurricane” on the final jump. The celebration event kicks off at 9 a.m. and will feature a ”Championship Run” from …

BOISE — Idaho Department of Transportation officials say Idaho Highway 21 between Grandjean Junction and Banner Summit in central Idaho is open again. An 12-mile stretch known as “avalanche alley” was closed earlier today because of avalanche danger. The department’s lead avalanche forecaster Bill Nicholson says the weak snowpack combined with high temperatures in the region have created a …

GOODING — Gooding residents will vote Tuesday on a $5 million bond levy that supporters say would help repair aging school facilities in the region. Superintendent Heather Williams says the district needs to replace a high school heating and air conditioning system is 40 years old and build a new cafeteria. The Times-News reports the money would also go toward new carpeting, roof repairs and …