Occupy Boise Protestors brave downpour

Occupy Wall Street has spread across the country reaching Boise, Idaho on October 5^th with a gathering of at least 300 locals.  Despite the torrential downpour Idahoans braved the weather conditions to protest on 8^th street. 

The protesters started at the Anne Frank Memorial by Boise River and marched on to the Idaho capitol crying “We are the 99%.”  The organization is claiming that they march against all the bank bailouts and the extreme power and sway that the banks and that Wall Street has on United States politics. 

One protest sign read “This rain is the only ‘trickle down’ you’re going to get.”  Others read slogans like “audit the feds” or “people not profit.” Many citizens demand that the greed of huge corporations be put in check.

Occupy Wall Street started out with 12 protesters and has spread from New York across the entire country.  An Occupy Pocatello has begun at the Idaho State University will be taking place at 5pm on October 7^th starting at the Pocatello Art Walk at Simplot Square.  Occupy Idaho Falls is scheduled for October 8^th from 5:30 to 11:30 at the Idaho Falls Green Belt.  

The Facebook page for Occupy Pocatello reads, “We stand in solidarity with Occupy Wall St to show our contempt for Corporate Greed and Political Corruption.”

“This is nonpartisan. This is about everybody. This is about elderly people, students, liberals, conservatives.  It affects and is a part of every American’s life. Everyone wants to be a part of a democracy, and I think the general feeling is that that’s not the case right now. If anything comes of this, that’s what’s going to happen, that’s what’s going to be the case,” said OccupyBOI spokesman Tom Kershaw as quoted by Boise Weekly.

CAES pushes earnings 41.9 million

The Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) boasted an 11-1 return of the 1.6 million that Idaho taxpayers invested this year.  The center pushed their total earnings to 41.9 million, with 18.2 million earned in competitive grants, and other funding. 

 

The CAES is owned by the state but it is also part of the Idaho State University as well the Idaho National Laboratory.  It is also in collaboration with Boise State University and University of Idaho.

"CAES is a great example of what the Idaho universities and Idaho National Laboratory can accomplish by working together," Governor Otter said.

In 2011 an economist from ISU estimated that the center created around 366 jobs.  This certainly adds a hopeful light on the current 9% unemployment rate in Idaho.  

For a state that provides itself on being financially efficient this project is turning out a great profit, and is leading to more research and development.  One of the projects that will be funded will be a way to recover uranium from seawater.  Total the researchers at the Center earned more than 25 different grants and competitive awards.  

“I think one of the things that makes it so successful is that theres a lot of people with a lot passion and a lot of talent,” said David Solan CAES Boise State University Co-Director. 

"The CAES partnership has proven to be a great investment for taxpayers, and you're going to see more of that kind of collaborative public-private effort from my administration in the years to come,” said Governor Otter. 

The CAES director Bill Rogers discussed what a great year it was for the center. 

In regards to the five million dollars in grants awarded to CAES by the U.S. Department of Energy, "Winning these grants illustrates the power of collaboration and what the CAES partners can achieve by working together," said Bill Rogers, CAES director.  The grants will fund research in solar energy, energy efficiency, and geothermal energy. 

At a point in history when the impact of burning fossil fuels as well as the future reliability the importance of research in alternative energy sources has escalated. Idaho is making an impact on this new development and this new phase in renewable energy sources.

Idaho Senator in opposition to further extension of federal unemployment

Roger Madsen the Director of the Idaho Department of Labor sent a letter to Senator Crapo in opposition of the further extension of the federal unemployment benefits on Nov.7 for Thursday’s US Senate Finance committee hearing concerning unemployment. 

Idaho received federal funding as part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, known as the Stimulus Act.  Out of the $787 billion act $40 billion was to extend unemployment benefits and increase the benefits by $25 a week.  The leftover funds would be plugged into the current state economy in hopes of saving nearly 1000 Idaho jobs. 

“I am deeply concerned about all Idahoans, especially those who are unemployed.  Our local office employees are doing everything in their power daily to help these people find work,” said Madsen.

$750 million in the federal extended benefits have gone to 20% of the labor force.

In his letter Madsen referred to the unemployment insurance program the most successful social program since its inception but expressed his concern that continuing the extension would deter many from going back to work. He also added that in continuing to accept so much federal funding for the unemployment program was only adding to the country debt deficit, calling the money “borrowed dollars”.

Madsen said, “If we want to give our Idaho businesses the confidence they need to increase hiring, action needs to be taken to reduce the national deficit, and unemployment insurance extensions must come to an end.”

“We won’t let those who are unable to find work through no fault of their own suffer, but Congress would do well to listen to the Idaho delegation’s legitimate concerns about spending money they don’t have,” said Governor Otter in a 2010 press release.  

Gov. Otter continued to explain, “Congress is ruining a great worker-and-employer-funded program by turning it into another open-ended federal entitlement for which Idaho taxpayers are on the hook. Our jobless Idahoans should at least get the benefits.”

In May of 2011 in a news release Governor Butch Otter discussed his Hire One program stating that Idaho businesses that were hiring Idaho workers and therefore improving the economy would receive a tax benefit.

This seemed like a step forward to decrease the almost 10% unemployment rate.