Idaho

Max von Essen as Tremont, center, dances while Patricia Phillips as Peaches, right, and Luke Grooms as Dwight look on during a performance of “Jerry Springer - The Opera” in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2008. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Story Published: Jan 30, 2008 at 6:17 PM MST Story Updated: Jan 30, 2008 at 6:17 PM MST By MICHAEL KUCHWARA AP Drama Critic NEW YORK (AP) - Before there were Britney, Lindsay and Paris, the needy folks who make appearances on Jerry Springer’s television talk show fulfilled our voyeuristic fantasies about the lives of those ready to self-destruct. The TV series may seem a distant memory for some (although the program is still on the air), but it has definite pop-culture status. (Read the full post about ‘‘Jerry Springer the Opera’ seeks to satirize’…)

Story Published: Jan 30, 2008 at 8:34 AM MST Story Updated: Jan 30, 2008 at 8:34 AM MST By Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) - While negotiators edge toward agreement on the thorniest issues in the 3-month-old writers strike, many in Hollywood are nurturing new hope that an end is near for the walkout that has brought their industry to a standstill.The Writers Guild of America and studio executives, beginning a second week of renewed talks, have made progress on the key issue of payment for Internet-distributed work, said a person familiar with the talks who was not authorized to publicly comment and requested anonymity. (Read the full post about ‘Talks progress on writers’ strike’…)

Story Published: Jan 30, 2008 at 8:31 AM MST Story Updated: Jan 30, 2008 at 8:31 AM MST By Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) - Most young men can be forgiven for not knowing what they’ll be doing two days from now, much less two years. Not the three siblings who comprise the hit trio the Jonas Bros. The superstars-in-the-making have every day mapped out for the next 24 months.If you’re not a tween/teenage girl or don’t live in proximity to one, you may not yet be in on the phenomenon created by 20-year-old Kevin, 18-year-old Joe and 15-year-old Nick. They opened for Miley Cyrus on her fall “Hannah Montana” tour to the delight of shrieking girls everywhere. Their song, “S.O.S.,” catapulted to No. (Read the full post about ‘The Jonas Brothers take the ‘Hannah Montana’ roadmap to superstardom’…)

Story Published: Jan 30, 2008 at 8:28 AM MST Story Updated: Jan 30, 2008 at 8:28 AM MST By Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) - Veteran CBS Washington hand Bob Schieffer, who has anchored “Face the Nation” since 1991, said Tuesday he plans to step down from the Sunday morning political talk show with the inauguration of a new president.The start of a new administration next January provides a natural transition, he said.”That’s when I’ll stop doing what I’m doing now,” Schieffer, who turns 71 next month, told The Associated Press. “But I’ll still have some relationship with CBS, at least I hope so.”Schieffer has talked retirement before. (Read the full post about ‘‘Face the Nation’ host Schieffer will step down with new president’…)

Story Published: Jan 30, 2008 at 8:22 AM MST Story Updated: Jan 30, 2008 at 8:22 AM MST By Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) - Television’s “Dr. Phil” McGraw says he regrets talking about Britney Spears’ mental health after visiting her in the hospital, but didn’t violate the family’s trust.”I regret making the statement. It didn’t help. It didn’t work,” the syndicated TV psychologist said Wednesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”Spears, 26, was hospitalized in Los Angeles after a child custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline resulted in an hours-long standoff with police Jan. 3. (Read the full post about ‘‘Dr. Phil’ says he regrets statement about Spears’…)

Video Raw: I-90 avalanche survivor describes her ordeal I-90 through Snoqualmie Pass closed again by avalanche 3 cars buried in avalanche near Snoqualmie Summit Interview with woman caught in avalanche Cell phone video following Wednesday’s avalanche Car, semi-tanker surrounded by avalanche NORTH BEND, Wash. — Transportation Department crews have been blasting and clearing snow at Snoqualmie Pass after another avalanche fell on Interstate 90 Wednesday afternoon, but a spokesman says there’s no estimate yet when the interstate will reopen. Transportation officials call the avalanche one of the largest on Snoqualmie since 1975. (Read the full post about ‘Second avalanche closes I-90 at Snoqualmie’…)

PORTLAND - Five snowbound people who speak only Cambodian were rescued in southern Oregon during a winter storm as they gathered evergreens to sell for floral arrangements.

The Douglas County sheriff’s office says the five were trapped in their van, but one man managed to hike out to find cell phone service near Elkton.

More snow is headed for Oregon. Heavy snow warnings were posted for the Siskiyous, with accumulations of up to 8 inches.

Up to 12 inches is possible above 4,000 feet in much of central and northeastern Oregon, and drivers may find visibility low.

PORTLAND - School cafeterias in Oregon received more than 170,000 pounds of beef from a Southern California meatpacking company that was barred this week from supplying school lunch.

The action was taken as federal investigators look into video footage that showed workers at the Hallmark Meat Packing Co. mistreating sick cows to force them into a slaughterhouse. The video was released by The Humane Society of the United States after a six-week undercover investigation.

USDA regulations and California law generally do not allow mistreatment of disabled animals. Federal regulations also call for keeping downed cows out of the food supply because they may pose a higher risk of E.

(Read the full post about ‘Barred beef pulled from Oregon schools’…)

SALT LAKE CITY — Free tickets to the Saturday funeral for Mormon church president Gordon Hinckley will be distributed to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

Church spokesman Scott Trotter says the tickets will be handed out at the north gate of Temple Square at 9 a.m. Saturday.

The conference center has a capacity of about 21,000 people.

Overflow seating will be available in the Tabernacle and Assembly Hall on Temple Square, the Conference Center Little Theater and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, where there will be live video feeds from the funeral.

Tickets are required for overflow seating too, and they will be distributed when the conference center is full.

(Read the full post about ‘Free Hinckley funeral tickets first come, first served’…)

Video WSDOT reopened Snoqualmie Pass at 11 a.m., but a new avalanche shut the road down again around 3 p.m. Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond on avalanche-control work Car, semi-tanker surrounded by avalanche NORTH BEND, Wash. - An avalanche that trapped a couple of cars has once again shut down Interstate 90 this afternoon. The new snow slide happened about 3 p.m. in the eastbound lanes at milepost 49, about two miles east of Denny Creek.  State troopers say two cars were briefly trapped. The Washington State Department of Transportation says it is about 12 feet deep. The new closure comes just a few hours after I-90 was reopened after being shut down for over 24 hours because of high avalanche danger. (Read the full post about ‘Avalanche traps cars on I-90′…)