Idaho's Eight Belles • Dominican Republic no safe haven for alleged Pocatello robber • Ethanol smackdown part I • Real-life Indiana Jones to speak in Idaho Falls • Ethanol smackdown part II • More education doesn't always work for Washington teachers

Idaho's Eight Belles

A New York Times article titled "Injured Racehorses You Didn't See" mentions 12-year-old gelding Northern Land who made it only to the half-mile pole at a race at Les Bois Park last weekend before pulling up lame.

"Unlike Eight Belles, whose tale will be told for decades to come, the only historical record of Northern Land's misstep will be a cryptic footnote, a dozen-year thoroughbred career distilled into a single line of agate type that reads nothing more than 'trailed, pulled up 1/2.' "

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Dominican Republic no safe haven for alleged Pocatello robber

A man accused of robbing a Pocatello Jewelry store last year and shooting its owner in the leg is behind bars in the Dominican Republic.

LocalNews8.com reports U.S. Marshals arrested Thomas Quest III Sunday afternoon in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic.

He is now awaiting extradition to come back to Idaho and face charges.

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Ethanol smackdown part I

A firm owned by Microsoft honcho Bill Gates dumped 1.13 million shares of Pacific Ethanol, the company that just recently started operating the huge ethanol plant in Burley.

The price of Pacific's stock has slumped 60 percent this year. The company hasn't been profitable the past two quarters.

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Real-life Indiana Jones to speak in Idaho Falls

He's dodged Egyptian grave robbers and discovered a gold-covered mummy over his 30 years of archaeological work.

Brigham Young University Professor of Ancient Studies Wilfred Griggs will speak in Idaho Falls tonight in connection with the Museum of Idaho's "World of the Pharaohs" exhibit.

According to the Post-Register, Griggs will discuss popular misconceptions about pyramids, reveal information about early Egyptian Christianity and share his archaeological experiences.

Read more at The Post-Register's Web site. (Subscription required).

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Ethanol smackdown part II

Sen. Mike Crapo was among 24 U.S. senators who sent a letter to the E.P.A. urging the agency to review federally subsidized ethanol mandates that have contributed to rising food prices.

"According to the USDA, 25 percent of America's corn crop was diverted to produce ethanol in 2007, and 30 to 35 percent of our corn will be diverted in 2008. This problem will only be compounded as we move towards 2015 with ever increasing mandates," the letter said.

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More education doesn't always work for Washington teachers

A report by the Washington state Legislature's research arm shows that advanced degrees for teachers do not always result in students getting higher test scores.

The Spokesman Review reports that "such findings could influence lawmakers as they try to overhaul basic education funding, one of the state's thorniest budget topics."

The S-R story says a five-year teacher in Washington with a master's degree earns 19 percent more than a five-year teacher with a bachelor's degree.