Idaho

Sean “Diddy” Combs
Story Published: Aug 29, 2008 at 5:45 PM MDT Story Updated: Aug 29, 2008 at 5:45 PM MDT By Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) - Fuel prices have grounded an unexpected frequent-flyer: Diddy.Sean “Diddy” Combs complained about the “… too high” price of gas and pleaded for free oil from his “Saudi Arabia brothers and sisters” in a YouTube video posted Wednesday. The hip-hop mogul said he is now flying on commercial airlines instead of in private jets, which Combs said had previously cost him $200,000 and up for a roundtrip between New York and Los Angeles.”I’m actually flying commercial,” Diddy said before walking onto an airplane, sitting in a first-class seat and flashing his boarding pass to the camera. (Read the full post about ‘Diddy halts private jet flights over fuel prices’…)

Michael Jackson
Story Published: Aug 29, 2008 at 11:16 AM MDT Story Updated: Aug 29, 2008 at 12:30 PM MDT By Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) - Michael Jackson celebrated his 50th birthday Friday, but he’s still young at heart.”I’ll just have a little cake with my children and we’ll probably watch some cartoons,” the pop star said in an interview with ABC News’ “Good Morning America.” Jackson talked by phone with ABC on Thursday.Jackson, a twice-divorced father of three, said he aims to provide a normal life for his children.”I am letting them enjoy their childhood as much as possible. … I let them go to the arcade and go to the movies and do things. I think that comes naturally. (Read the full post about ‘Michael Jackson at 50: ‘The best is yet to come’’…)

Tom Cruise is shown in a scene from the film “Valkyrie.”
Story Published: Aug 29, 2008 at 10:03 AM MDT Story Updated: Aug 29, 2008 at 12:30 PM MDT By Associated Press BERLIN (AP) - A German film studio has offered to negotiate a settlement with a dozen extras who were injured on the set of the Tom Cruise film “Valkyrie,” despite their demands that the actor and his production company, United Artists, pay them $11 million.”We have offered a settlement,” Charles Woebcken, president and chief executive of Studio Babelsberg AG, which co-produced the film with United Artists. (Read the full post about ‘Studio offers ‘Valkyrie’ extras settlement’…)

In this Feb. 21, 2008 file photo, singer Trisha Yearwood performs as part of Nissan Live Sets on Yahoo! Music in Los Angeles.
Story Published: Aug 29, 2008 at 10:01 AM MDT Story Updated: Aug 29, 2008 at 12:30 PM MDT By Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Trisha Yearwood had a harrowing experience on a recent flight to Oklahoma when her plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Baltimore because of a cracked windshield.The singer was shaken but undeterred; she caught another flight home a few hours later.”I’m pretty spiritual about it,” she said Wednesday. “I turn it over to God and think, ‘There’s nothing I can do about it.’ And I also think, ‘What are the odds?’ I’ve been flying for 18 years and had one emergency landing. (Read the full post about ‘Yearwood philosophical after emergency landing’…)

Story Published: Aug 28, 2008 at 10:28 PM MDT Story Updated: Aug 29, 2008 at 11:28 AM MDT By Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) - David Duchovny has entered a rehabilitation facility for sex addiction.In a statement released Thursday by his lawyer, Stanton Stein, the actor said he did so voluntarily, adding: “I ask for respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family.”The actor’s publicist, Flo Grace, confirmed the rehab report, which first appeared on People.com.She and Stein both declined to elaborate further.Duchovny, 48, plays a sex-obsessed character on the Showtime series “Californication,” which earned Emmy nominations for casting and cinematography. (Read the full post about ‘Duchovny in rehab for sex addiction’…)

PORTLAND, Ore. – He thrilled fans at Portland’s Memorial Coliseum as part of the Portland Trail Blazers in the early 1990’s. Saturday, thousands of people returned to the Coliseum to celebrate the life of Kevin Duckworth.

Watch the KGW report

The two-time NBA All-Star died of heart failure last week at the age of 44.

He was popular with fans, and with his fellow players.

“People say Clyde Drexler was the best player on that team,” said former teammate Buck Williams. “I say it was Kevin Duckworth, because if Duck played well we’re going to win.”

This past summer, Duckworth toured Oregon, teaching basketball at camps with former teammate Jerome Kersey.

(Read the full post about ‘Thousands attend Duckworth memorial service’…)

Here’s a story subject I didn’t think we’d see.

Where Do the Veep Candidates Stand on Animals? Michael Markarian. Huffington Post.

Nevada Governor Gibbons appointments rile sportsmen’s establishment. Wildlife Commission. Gibbons appointments rile sportsmen’s establishment New panel members align with group seen as radical. By David McGrath Schwartz. Las Vegas Sun.

As a side note, Governor Gibbons (R) has quickly become the least popular Western governor with just 23% saying he is doing a good job. As member of Congress Gibbons teamed up with Richard Pombo, chair of the House Resources Committee (defeated in 2006) to hatch a scheme that would allow mining companies to stake and privatize an unlimited amount of our public lands.

Teton County bear conflicts down from last summer. By Cory Hatch, Jackson Hole News and Guide.

The final roadless area rule for Idaho has been released.

There are many improvements in the rule, especially in Eastern Idaho where I live.

When President Bush tried to overturn the Clinton roadless rule (protecting all the national forest roadless areas as what you might call “backcountry” or sorts), western governors were invited to develop a plan for their states’ national forest roadless areas.

Idaho has more national forest roadless, non-Wilderness land than any other state — over 9-million acres. Conservationists feared the worst when Idaho became the only state to accept the Bush Administration’s invitation.

Now that’s it’s down, I can’t say that it is all that bad.

(Read the full post about ‘Truce Is Reached in Battle Over Idaho Forest Land’…)