The Idaho Woolgrowers have had their way in the Idaho Legislature but have rarely done well in federal court.

Earlier this month U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill gave them a victory by shooting down two advisory committees that had linked disease in bighorn sheep to domestic sheep. His decision has no impact in past Forest Service decisions forcing ranchers to move their sheep off of federal lands.

Photo courtesy of Brian Niva

Former First Lady Laura Bush is floating down the Rogue River in Oregon.

We’ve seen it over and over again.

A wild fire moves into a community and some houses burn and others survive. We in Boise watched it happen last year in the Oregon Trail Fire.

Now a new study by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology tells us how it happens. For those of you who read this blog and the Idaho Statesman the answer is not new.

The SL-1 nuclear accident in 1961 in Idaho was a great story I never delved into as the energy reporter at the Idaho Falls Post Register.

The basic story was how steam explosion caused by a nuclear reaction at a small test reactor at the site now called the Idaho National Laboratory. The explosion destroyed the small reactor and killed three military technicians.

Sarah Palin’s shocking resignation shakes up the political world going into the July 4 weekend. I know less than many what her long term intentions are but I predict she will move her family to the lower 48 states no matter what her plans are.

The trip to Alaska is six hours one way and the traveling alone makes having a career and a family life challenging. Palin has countless opportunities financially and politically but Alaska is a tough geographical base from which to jump.

Idahoans may be resorting to “staycations” to fit into their recession-racked budgets but Sun Valley is expecting its usual deluge of power brokers, celebrities and high rollers next week at the 27th annual Allen and Co. retreat.

Idaho’s farm lobby is largely neutral on the proposed climate change bill that passed the House Friday.

They know it will raise farm costs for energy and overall energy costs. But it also will provide rural Idaho new revenue streams in alternative energy and carbon sequestration.

But here’s a big issue that is key to keeping Idaho’s agriculture community from fighting the legislation tooth and nail: It won’t force regulation of methane emissions from cows.

Canadian scientist David Welch has moderated his conclusions about the effects of eight dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers on migrating Idaho salmon.

But he still thinks the evidence shows the problems for Idaho’s fish lie in the ocean, not the rivers. Welch has a

It’s hard to jump back into real life after a week on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.

The Middle Fork’s 100 miles of 100 class 3 and class 4 rapids running through the middle of Idaho’s wild heart in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness is the classic western river trip. I have done it four times now but no trip was better than last week’s high water trip with the guides of Rocky Mountain River Tours .

You gotta see this video of Ben Stookesberry of Shasta, Calif running Lower Mesa Falls on the Henrys Fork of the Snake River at WallStreetJournal.com

This guy has it down but as I prepare for a river trip it gives me the willies! Really kids, don’t try this at home.

Lower Mesa Falls is in eastern Idaho near the boundary with Yellowstone National Park. You might remember that the Idaho Statesman picked the area as the best place for a new national monument.