A new report ranking entrepreneurial activity across the nation puts Idaho at the top of the list.

The Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, which helps track new business creation data in the United States, shows that Idaho had the most new entrepreneurs in 2007. About one half of one percent of all Idahoans jumped into business for themselves in 2007, working at least 15 hours per week on the new venture. The state’s 0.46 percent is up about one tenth of one percent from 2006.

Idaho tied with Arizona for first place, while neighboring states also scored high, including Montana, Wyoming and Oregon. The exception is Washington which ranked in the bottom ten.

West Virginia and Alabama had the lowest rates, with less than one tenth of one percent of residents starting new businesses.

(KTVB)

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday gave approval to the Owyhee Initiative, federal legislation sponsored by Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo to settle land management issues and create new wilderness in Southwest Idaho.

The measure creates 517,000 acres of new wilderness and releases 199,000 acres of wilderness study areas in some of Idaho’s most rugged and scenic back country. It also provides certainty for continued ranching and economic activity, and ensures continued access for back country users and preservation for Native American cultural resources in the area through local management agreements.

Wilderness advocates, ranching representatives and Senators testified favorably about the initiative during a hearing last month. Its provisions were hammered out through an eight-year effort in Idaho begun by the Owyhee County Commissioners, who requested that Crapo assist with the collaborative process.

The legislation passed on a voice vote, and will likely be included in a package of other land management bills that will be considered together by the full Senate as early as next month.

The head of maintenance at McCall’s Municipal Airport says a collision between two small planes last week that killed three people happened after both pilots apparently attempted to land at the same time.

The Idaho Statesman reported that both planes were on approach traveling the same direction when they collided on Friday. The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to release a preliminary report on the crash later this week. Investigators say it’s unclear whether the two Cessna 172 aircraft collided on the runway or in the air.

Killed were McCall public works director Bill Keating, 52, and two of his grandsons, ages 1 and 6. A third grandson, age 3, was taken to a Salt Lake hospital for burn treatment.

(AP)

Federal officials now say the six sea lions found dead in traps near Bonneville Dam apparently were not shot to death, leaving open the questions of how the animals died or whether humans killed them.

NOAA Fisheries officials say preliminary results of a necropsy found no evidence of recent gunshot wounds but found numerous shallow puncture wounds in one animal consistent with sea lion bite marks.

The department still is trying to determine how the animals died and how the doors to the traps in which they were found had been closed.

Investigators had believed the animals were shot at close range with high-powered rifles, the bullets passing through the flesh.

X-rays found metal fragments in soft tissue near the neck of two animals, and a metal slug was found in the blubber of one animal. However, neither the fragments nor the slug appear to be fatal and may have been from old wounds.

The Humane Society, which is suing to block the authorized killing or removal of up to 85 animals a year for five years, agreed with the federal government and the states of Oregon and Washington to continue a ban on killing and stop permanent removal until next year, in part to allow more efforts to go toward investigating what was thought to be shootings of the animals over the weekend. The agreement allowed the governments to continue removing animals and branding them for identification if they return them to their natural habitat.

(AP)

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) says an emergency spending bill headed to the Senate includes $64 million to help rebuild roads damaged in devastating floods in Washington state.

The bill includes $46.2 million for roads damaged in storms last December and another $17.8 million to repair damage from storms in November 2006.

Murray, a Democrat, is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which could take up the emergency spending bill as soon as Thursday.

(AP)

The Lewis-Clark State baseball team opens Region I Tournament play Thursday afternoon at Nat Bailey Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Warriors are 47-5 overall, are the region’s top seed and will play 4th seed Concordia, who enters the post season with a record of 16-25.

The double elimination format pits the top four teams from the regular season against each other for the regional championship and the right to host the West Coast Super Regional next week. The first pitch between the Warriors and Cavaliers is set for 2pm PDT with live coverage on Talk Radio 950 KOZE-AM and on-line at koze-sports.com.

In other opening round action, 2nd seed British Columbia meets the 3rd seed College of Idaho at 6pm PDT. The tournament runs through Saturday.

The Idaho Fish and Game recently received a $50,000 grant for weed control from the Idaho Department of Agriculture’s Noxious Weed Cost Share Program. Mike Demick with the IDFG Clearwater Office in Lewiston, Idaho says the funds will be used in conjunction with other rehabilitation activities being conducted on the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area.

Mike Demick, Idaho Fish & Game, comments

Noxious weeds have become a nuisance in virtually every part of the state, creating several problems for wildlife while hurting Idaho taxpayers’ wallets.

Demick continues

For more information contact the IDFG Clearwater Office at (208) 799-5010.