The loss of the lamprey • Boise's bit part in the fake jeans explosion • Sign ordinance clears up rules in Twin Falls • Majestic horses gather in Sandpoint • Criminal prosecution funding on the agenda at meeting of counties • Tiiiiimmber! The tale of a suffering Idaho industry

The loss of the lamprey

The Oregonian says fewer adult lamprey have passed Bonneville Dam on their way upriver to spawn this year than any year since records have been kept.

In the upper reaches of the Columbia River and its major tributary, the Snake, populations of the eel-like lamprey are winking out, Bob Heinith, a biologist at the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission told the paper.

"We're running out of time. We don't have the animals anymore. There's a real sense of urgency."

The disappearance of the species could reverberate throughout the food chain. They've been called "earthworms of the river" because they are an important food for species from salmon to sea lions.

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Boise's bit part in the fake jeans explosion

An L.A. Times story about counterfeit apparel says a tip from a Boise private investigator recently led to a bust of an L. A. warehouse holding 6, 600 pairs of jeans infringing on True Religion's trademarks.

The warehouse was selling the knockoff jeans around the country.

Luxury brands are prime targets for piracy. As the upscale denim industry has grown, so too has the copycatting.

Customs officials last year seized $18 million worth of counterfeit apparel, which includes denim, from China alone. That's a 29 percent increase from the previous year.

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Sign ordinance clears up rules in Twin Falls

Twin Falls has completed a new sign ordinance to clear up city codes about what types of signs can and can’t be hung up around town.

The code includes provisions for sizes, the number of signs a business can use, and time limits.

Under the proposed new rules, banner signs, including those for new businesses, may only be displayed for six weeks.

Prohibited signs include billboards; obscene signs; portable signs; and merchandise displays.

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Majestic horses gather in Sandpoint

Thursday marks the beginning of the 32nd annual Idaho State Draft Horse and Mule show in Sandpoint.

All six breeds of draft horses - American Cream, Belgian, Clydesdale, Percheron, Shire, Suffolk - and draft mules will be presented at the four-day show.

"We encourage you to come to the show and get up close and personal with these gentle giants," said organizer Ramona Triber. "Our exhibitors welcome the opportunity share with you their love and passion for their horses and mules."

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Criminal prosecution funding on the agenda at meeting of counties

Blaine County, one of the wealthier counties in the state, spent about $1 million in 2005 convicting Sarah Johnson of first-degree murder in the shooting death of her parents.

"Blaine even struggled," lawyer Dan Chadwick told the Post-Register. "Can you imagine what would have happened if it was Butte County or Custer County? It would have bankrupted a small county."

Paying for costly criminal prosecutions is near the top of the agenda this week as members of the Idaho Association of Counties gather for their annual meeting in Idaho Falls.

The Associated Press says one idea is an Extraordinary Crimes Defense Fund that counties could join as insurance against expensive cases. Counties would pay annual dues based on population, and a committee would decide which cases would be eligible for assistance.

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Tiiiiimmber! The tale of a suffering Idaho industry

The Coeur d'Alene press reports on the continuing woes for the timber industry and looks to the future as businesses shift strategies.

Right now, as timber prices slump and fuel costs surge, one N. Idaho timber company bleeds up to $2 million a month on gas, and lately workforce is scarce as unskilled labor drifts to other industries springing up across the state.

The key to keeping the industry afloat is sustaining it as a renewable source, said forester Brian Pew of Forest Capital Partners, an investment firm that manages forests across the country.

Most nations competing in the global timber market strip their forests bare to provide product all the faster, Pew said. The best bet for the U.S. is to stay ahead in the long term by replanting the forests after they're cleared.