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Coming Up: 
 
Wednesday,  
September 6th - Saturday, September 9th
 
Governor Otter and First Lady Lori Otter will host the Idaho Governor's Cup Scholarship events in Sun Valley Idaho.

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Cecil Andrus
 
 
 
As August came to a close, I joined Idahoans from all walks of life in mourning the loss of former Governor Cecil Andrus. I had the privilege of serving under Cece as lieutenant governor, so I witnessed his political skill, his personal character and his deep love of Idaho firsthand. We all benefited from his leadership and uncanny ability to work across party lines in Idaho's best interest. While Cece and I disagreed on a number of issues and came from very different political backgrounds, we worked together well and always treated one another with respect. As St. Thomas Aquinas once said, "The things that we love tell us what we are." By that measure Cece WAS Idaho. His legacy will live on for generations to come
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Idaho's Economic Health Leads the Nation

 
 
Way to go Idaho! On August 16th I was interviewed by Bloomberg News about its annual evaluation of states' economic health. This year it ranked Idaho first in the nation. Bloomberg used data on employment, personal income, home prices, mortgage delinquency, tax revenue and the stock performance to determine each state's economic strength. Idaho outscored every other state by a significant margin, showing strength in almost every category. Businesses like Micron Technology have been particularly successful in advancing Idaho's international trade profile, contributing to our continuing growth and great prospects going forward. You can read more from Bloomberg here.
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Justice Bevan 
 

I was happy to appoint 5th District Judge G. Richard Bevan as the newest member of the Idaho Supreme Court on August 29th. Justice Bevan succeeds retiring Justice Daniel Eismann on the five-member court. I had four great nominees from the Idaho Judicial Council from whom to choose. And I have the utmost confidence that Justice Bevan will be an outstanding addition to the high court. The Twin Falls native has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the legal issues that will come before the justices, as well as an exemplary judicial temperament and demeanor. The people of Idaho can look forward to his sound judgment on the Supreme Court for years to come.
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General Johnson
 
 
 
It was an honor to participate in a ceremony for the promotion of Idaho Army National Guard Colonel Russel D. Johnson on August 15th. With his friends and family in attendance in my Ceremonial Office, Colonel Johnson was promoted to Brigadier General and received his first star. General Johnson's military assignments have included two tours of duty in Iraq, and his performance has been a great credit to all the citizen soldiers in the Idaho Guard. I know General Johnson will continue building an admirable record of leadership and devotion to duty in service to Idaho and our nation. Congratulations General!   
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Miss Amazing National Representatives
 
 
 
One of the most endearing meetings I've had in a long time came on August 30th when I hosted Idaho's national representatives in the national Miss Amazing program. These remarkable young ladies participate in a beauty pageant for girls and women with disabilities. The program helps many of these young women reach their full potential by building confidence and self-esteem along with providing experiences that will last a lifetime. I couldn't be prouder of these young ladies for their courage and perseverance in striving to improve their lives every day. Way to go ladies!   
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First Lady Focus
 
 
 
On August 23rd I was honored to present a check for $12,789 to the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage from the Idaho STEM Action Center and the American Association of University Women (AAUW) to help girls attend camps that focus on science, technology, engineering and math.
 
The AAUW has been promoting equity for women and girls since 1881 by taking strong stances on education, social, economic and political issues. It donated $5,789 to help send members of the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage to STEM summer camps. That was matched with $7,000 from the Idaho STEM Action Center, which is tasked with bringing together STEM education and industry to help prepare Idaho's young people for the increasingly technical career opportunities of today and tomorrow.
 
T he Idaho STEM Action Center's three goals are to coordinate and facilitate implementation of STEM programs throughout Idaho, align education and workforce needs throughout Idaho, and increase awareness of STEM throughout the state.
 
Great work, Idaho STEM Action Center and AAUW! Thank you for your dedication to Idaho education!
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Agency Spotlight: 
Geospatial Information
 
 
The Idaho Department of Administration's Geospatial Information office maintains a clearinghouse of maps that can be of great assistance to legislators, recreationists, business owners, educators, farmers, travelers and others. Information sharing for these maps is a collaborative effort between State agencies, the federal government, and counties and cities across Idaho.  
   
Over 120 employees representing 30 State agencies) are actively contributing to the Enterprise Mapping project. Consolidating State efforts to make geospatial information available to the public rather than funding the same effort for 30 different agencies has saved the state about $75,000 by avoiding duplication of software and personnel. Information also is easier to share on a common system.  
 
Recreational enthusiasts can search for hiking trails by terrain or elevation, trail heads, campgrounds and even birding trails throughout Idaho. The Idaho Trail of the Coeur d'Alene is a popular site complete with pictures of scenery along the route.    
 
Under the categories of Health and Human Resources, citizens can track statewide health issues or view the location of all farmers' markets in the state, for example. Legislators can analyze the number of constituents in their districts who participate in the food stamp program.
 
 
Natural Resources maps offer a chart showing invasive species inspection stations, mussel treatment areas, wildlife tracts, wildlife management areas, potential locations for solar energy collection, and the popular Idaho wildfire map.  
 
Transportation and travel maps illustrate road reports and restrictions, weather station locations, mountain passes, airports, historic markers, rest areas, scenic byways, and options for lodging throughout Idaho.
 
There are a number of maps designed with legislators or demographic researchers in mind using various Idaho statistics. At a glance, one can see the number of veterans located throughout Idaho or the distribution of seniors 65 and older in each of the legislative districts. Per capita income across Idaho also can be examined, as well as the distribution of Idaho's Hispanic population.
 
 
Other data can be viewed at the website includes the Idaho broadband map, cloud-free aerial photos of the state at 40,000 feet, and maps showing many types of boundaries - legislative, counties, school districts, and government lands.  
 
Maps.idaho.gov is a dynamic project that will only continue to expand in the variety and quality of information it provides to policy makers, business leaders, State managers, and Idaho taxpayers. The more State agencies that participate in this project, the more robust will be the availability of analytical data. For some fascinating information, start here.
 
For questions, feel free to contact Bill Farnsworth, Geospatial Information Officer, at 332-1878 or bill.farnsworth@cio.idaho.gov  
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Appointments
 
Recent appointments can be found on my website here.
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