E-News

Statement

E-News

Welcome to the September edition of E-News! This electronic newsletter provides a great opportunity to share information on important issues facing Idaho, the West and our country. It also gives me a way to provide updates on matters that may not make national news, but hold great interest for Idahoans. Please visit my website for more information throughout the month of September.

During the month of August I traveled throughout Idaho and met with many people. I toured fire-ravaged areas, and it was heartening to witness the outpouring of assistance from state and federal agencies, private organizations and individuals first hand. I was honored to present a Spirit of Idaho Award to a very deserving Elyse Bartschi of Montpelier for her efforts on behalf of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. It was fantastic to speak with NASA's Teacher in Space Astronaut Barbara Morgan during a NASA satellite downlink, and to meet with NASA's future Teacher in Space Astronaut Dottie Metcalf at the Discovery Center of Idaho in Boise. I visited hospitals, toured facilities and met with many groups and individuals on a wide array of issues. In this edition of E-News I will share some of the highlights from the August state work period.

This has already been an exceptionally harsh fire season in Idaho. As wildfires continue to burn in our beautiful state, I am committed to working with local, state and federal officials to find ways prevent, fight and manage wildfires. Please visit the Fire Policy and Management section of my website for updates and information.

On August 6, I was honored to present a Congressional Record Statement to Chairman Alonzo Coby of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and to family members of Walter Nevada at a ceremony on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in Fort Hall. Nevada was the oldest living Shoshone-Bannock Tribal elder and remaining allottee on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation when he passed away on April 17 of this year. Chairman Colby was also presented with a Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Tool Kit. The tool kit addresses the issue of teen dating violence, a precursor to domestic violence.

Doctor Naheem Rahim and Doctor Fahim Rahim were also presented Congressional Record Statements at the Idaho Kidney Institute in Pocatello for establishing a world class kidney treatment facility in Idaho. The two nephrologists have contributed to improved care for those suffering from chronic kidney disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, post kidney transplant care, internal medicine, diabetes-related kidney problems, anemia and dialysis care.

Judge Norman Randy Smith was formally invested at a ceremony in Pocatello on August 8. Judge Smith was confirmed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals by a unanimous vote in the U.S. Senate on February 15, 2007. He is one of three Idahoans serving on the court.

I toured the Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello and met with hospital administrators. It was interesting to take part in a demonstration of the Cooperative Telehealth Network with Dr. William Hazle. Dr. Hazle has been providing mental health consultations to rural hospitals through the network since May. The Cooperative Telehealth Network is an emerging infrastructure that uses telemedicine technology to provide clinical, educational and administrative services.

Also, Dr. Jacob De La Rosa took me on a tour of the Portneuf Heart and Vascular Center. Dr. De La Rosa recently performed the first triple valve bypass surgery at Portneuf, a procedure normally reserved for university medical centers.

In Montpelier I toured the newly-remodeled skilled nursing facility, the training area for nursing students and the distance learning classrooms at Bear Lake Memorial Hospital. The hospital has an innovative system to train local residents to become nurses for a "Grow Our Own" program. The rural hospital is a member of the Idaho Public Hospital Cooperative and uses the Idaho State University Distance Learning program. I was pleased that my office was able to assist with an appropriations request from the hospital, that resulted in the improvements to the skilled nurses facility.

While in Montpelier, I had the honor of presenting a Spirit of Idaho Award to Elyse Bartschi for work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Her son Azdyn was diagnosed with cancer at age 5. He battled cancer for several years and is a survivor. Azdyn's wish was to fly over an active volcano and the Make-A-Wish Foundation helped the Bartschi family fly to Hawaii six years ago. As a way to give back, Elyse has helped five other children in her rural community obtain their wishes.

For several years my staff and I have worked with members of the Orofino Community, the Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other area residents to develop, fund and implement a nutrient enhancement project at the Dworshak Reservoir. There are multiple objectives of the program, including; restoration of the resident kokanee salmon fishery, improvement of the water quality and hopefully, a boost to the local economy. Early indications are that the project is proving successful. On August 16, I toured the reservoir by boat with several employees of the Army Corps of Engineers and members of my staff, and others.

On August 17, I joined with members of a public-private partnership in the Coeur d'Alene area to help distribute 10,000 pounds of fresh produce and other food items to many in need. The food distribution effort is headed by the Coeur d'Alene Basin Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and the Spokane-based Second Harvest Inland Northwest. The food was distributed to senior citizens, families, veterans and others needing supplemental groceries.

The Kootenai Tribe, in coordination with agency partners and other stakeholders, is embarking on a large-scale river habitat restoration project for the culturally important white sturgeon in the Kootenai River ecosystem. The white sturgeon is listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. The fish population has declined for the last 50 years. About 9% of the aging fish population dies annually and is not being replaced by native juvenile fish. At this rate, without immediate intervention, the wild population of white sturgeon will disappear in the next 23 to 33 years.

The Tribe has contracted with a leading stream hydrology expert to complete a feasibility study and conceptual design of a natural river channel reconstruction specifically targeted to meet recovery objectives for Kootenai River white sturgeon. On August 17, I met with members of the Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative (KVRI) to discuss resource and collaborative issues.

On August 28, I hosted an open house along with Arlen Lancaster, Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, to discuss conservation related issues affecting agriculture. The Conservation Title is one of my priorities for the 2007 Farm Bill.

This is only a portion of the meetings and events that I attended during the August state work period. Please visit my website for more information.

It is my hope that you will benefit from being aware of changes in legislation of concern to you. Please visit the Issues and Legislation section of my website for information that addresses many issues important to all of us. As always, I highly value the opinions and concerns of my fellow Idahoans. With that in mind, we continue to work to improve my website. Please e-mail any suggestions that you have for improving my website, and let me know if there are issues that you would like me to address. Please send your comments to webmaster@crapo.senate.gov.

Also, it is of utmost importance to me to stay informed on matters of concern to you. By keeping current on issues critical to Idaho, the West and our country, we all benefit. Please share E-News with your friends, co-workers or family members. Please use the 'Tell a Friend' form to your left to pass along this E-Newsletter to them!

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