Hunting guide industry wary of new ‘auction tags’ 
POSTED: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 10:15 AM PTBY: Sean Olson
Tags: Idaho Fish and Game Commission, Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission begins contemplating new rules for wildlife hunting tag auctions authorized by the Legislature this year. But outfitting businesses and sportsmen are still tentative about an arrangement that gives prime hunting tags to the highest bidder. The rarer the species, the more money to be made off an auction — [...]
International hay producer watches price boom from Eden
POSTED: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 10:10 AM PTBY: Sean Olson
Tags: Agriculture, Eden, Standlee Hay Company
The sleepy town of Eden, population 405, is not the first place one might expect to find a multi-million-dollar international business. But the Jerome County city is home to the Standlee Hay Company, a family business that will ship out an estimated 290,000 tons of forage this year, putting its hay revenues at between $58 [...]
State could strengthen role in Idaho National lab
POSTED: Monday, May 21, 2012 at 04:25 PM PTBY: The Associated Press
The head of Idaho National Laboratory is reaching out to top Idaho leaders in an effort to strengthen the relationship between Idaho and the sprawling research facility in the eastern Idaho desert. INL Director John Grossenbacher said he’s even approached Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter about the state taking an unprecedented ownership stake in the complex, [...]
Cleanup money flowing into Silver Valley
POSTED: Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 04:27 PM PTBY: The Associated Press
Money from a $460 million trust fund intended to clean up mining pollution is starting to flow into Idaho’s Silver Valley. About $8.5 million will be spent this year from the Asarco trust, which was created as part of the company’s 2009 bankruptcy settlement to pay for heavy metals pollution in the valley. Meanwhile, efforts [...]
U.S. Silver reports higher sales, lower earnings
POSTED: Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 11:12 PM PTBY: Brad Carlson
U.S. Silver Corp. on May 10 reported first quarter net income of $2.85 million or 5 cents per basic share, down 3 percent from more than $4.19 million or 8 cents a share in the first quarter of 2011. Revenue totaled $22.9 million, up 2 percent. The cost of sales was $16.36 million, up 50.6 [...]
Climate change poses challenges for Idaho water managers
POSTED: Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 04:31 PM PTBY: The Associated Press
Scientists say climate change is making it tougher for Idaho reservoir managers to forecast weather, control floods and manage water for farming, recreation and fisheries. Future challenges were foreshadowed recently, when two days of record high temperatures, accompanied by record rainfall in the same week, pushed a surge of water in the Boise River. That [...]
Hecla Mining dragged by costs, disruptions in quarter
POSTED: Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 01:54 PM PTBY: Brad Carlson
Tags: capital spending, Mining
Hecla Mining Company on May 8 reported $12.4 million in first quarter net income attributable to common shareholders, or 4 cents per share, down 71 percent from $43.2 million, or 15 cents per share, a year earlier. Exploration and pre-development expenses nearly tripled, to $9 million, and government-ordered suspension of Lucky Friday Mine for cleaning [...]
Coeur d’Alene mines reports higher sales, adjusted earnings
POSTED: Monday, May 7, 2012 at 02:38 PM PTBY: Brad Carlson
Tags: Mining, precious metals
Coeur d’Alene Mines Corp. on May 7 said first quarter earnings adjusted for special items rose 11 percent from a year earlier to $41.5 million. Adjusted earnings per share were 46 cents, up from 42 cents per share. Net metal sales totaled $204.6 million, up 3 percent. Analysts expected adjusted earnings of 34 cents per [...]
Farm Bill looks good for Idaho, if it can pass
POSTED: Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 12:17 PM PTBY: Sean Olson
Tags: Congress, Farm Bill, Idaho Barley Commission, Idaho Grain Producers Association, National Potato Council, Sen. Jim Risch, Sen. Mike Crapo
Agricultural groups in Idaho are cautiously optimistic about the national Farm Bill, but acknowledge that major changes to the bill are possible — and could harm the state. The Senate version of the Farm Bill, a 900-page behemoth that covers the next five years of federal farm policy, passed through the Senate Agricultural Committee on [...]
U.S. Ecology reports higher earnings in quarter, trims outlook
POSTED: Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 11:00 AM PTBY: Brad Carlson
Tags: U.S. Ecology
Boise-based U.S. Ecology Inc. on May 1 reported higher first quarter earnings compared to the year-earlier period, but said full-year earnings will be lower than first forecast. The company on April 30 was told by General Electric that it would not receive material this year at its Grand View plant from GE’s Hudson River cleanup [...]
