Latest Idaho news, sports, business and entertainment


Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

IDAHO WATER SUPPLY

Idaho water situation continues to improve

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Officials from irrigation districts in southwestern Idaho say the state's water supply outlook is improving thanks to a series of snow and rain storms that hit the region in March and April.

Numbers from the Natural Resources Conservation Service show March precipitation was 163 percent of normal in the Boise basin. Reservoir storage on the Boise system was 107 percent of average and 64 percent of capacity on April 1.

Last year, many irrigation districts in the Boise region had to stop delivering water about a month early because of a water shortage.

But this year, the water supply outlook improved dramatically from January to March 1, and the spring storms since then have some predicting a normal water year for irrigators.

CHILD ENTICEMENT ARREST

Utah man arrested in child enticement sting

CALDWELL, Idaho (AP) — Idaho prosecutors have charged a Utah man with felony child enticement after he allegedly arranged to meet an undercover officer representing himself online as a 15-year-old girl.

Allen Johnson was arrested Friday afternoon at the Caldwell restaurant where authorities say the 48-year-old Provo man was to meet who he thought was the teenager.

The Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney's Office says Johnson had been communicating with the undercover officer in online conversations that were sexual in nature.

Authorities say Johnson gave the officer access to his online profile with pornographic images and agreed to meet the girl to engage in sexual relations.

PAYDAY LOANS-IDAHO-NEVADA-UTAH

ID, NV, UT have among highest payday loan rates

(Information in the following story is from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A report says Idaho, Nevada and Utah have among the nation's highest interest rates for payday loans.

The study, released this week by the Pew Charitable Trusts, found their rates are so high mainly because they're among only seven states that impose no legal limits on them.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Idaho payday lenders charge an average 582 percent annual interest on their loans to lead the nation.

That's followed by South Dakota and Wisconsin, both 574 percent; Nevada, 521 percent; Delaware, 517 percent; and Utah, 474 percent.

SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT-JENSEN

Candidate tells donors to give to schools, not him

(Information in the following story is from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com)

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A candidate for Idaho schools superintendent is telling supporters to donate to their local schools instead of his campaign.

American Falls middle school principal Randy Jensen isn't turning away the checks that come to him. But he tells the Spokesman-Review his purpose is to help schools even if he doesn't win the race.

Jensen says he hopes people will say they want the kind of superintendent who will put money toward kids and not to campaigning.

Jensen is one of four Republicans running for the GOP nomination. He faces John Eynon, Andy Grover, and Sherri Ybarra in the May primary.

The winner faces Democrat Jana Jones in November.

BUJAK-FEDERAL CHARGES

Prosecutors seek to keep Bujak filings sealed

(Information in the following story is from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com)

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Prosecutors are seeking to keep the public from viewing some of their legal filings in a bankruptcy fraud case against a former Idaho prosecutor and current candidate for governor.

The U.S. attorney has filed five sealed motions in the past week in the case against Frank Bujak.

Bujak opposes sealing the motions.

U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge has not ruled on whether the filings can be kept from the public.

U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson tells The Idaho Statesman she can't discuss the reasoning behind sealing the filings. She says in general, it prevents evidence from being made public before being introduced at trial and protects individuals' privacy.

Bujak has denied charges of bankruptcy fraud, concealment of assets, making a false statement under oath, money laundering and obstruction of justice.

FUND BANKRUPTCY

Investment firm affiliate files for bankruptcy

(Information in the following story is from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com)

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A subsidiary of a Meridian company once fined by Idaho regulators for misleading investors has filed for bankruptcy.

Federal bankruptcy court filings say Hopkins Northwest Fund owes between $1 million and $10 million to between 100 and 200 creditors.

The Idaho Statesman reports the fund lists assets in the same $1 million to $10 million range.

It's the second bankruptcy case in the past five months by a Hopkins Financial Services affiliate. Investors in Hopkins Growth Fund filed a petition for involuntary bankruptcy in November in a case that is still pending.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Most recent Business stories

Related topics

Business
The Associated Press

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast