...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM MST FRIDAY...
* WHAT...An extended period of stagnant air, with light winds
and little vertical mixing.
* WHERE...Portions of south central, southwest and west central
Idaho and northeast and southeast Oregon.
* WHEN...Until 1 PM MST Friday, and this time may be extended.
* IMPACTS...Periods of air stagnation can lead to the buildup of
pollutants near the surface.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds will increase Tuesday, Wednesday, and
Thursday afternoons in portions of the Upper Treasure Valley
(generally in and around Mountain Home) to the point where
stagnation will be limited. However, the majority of the zone
will experience stagnant air and was therefore included in this
advisory.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
An Air Stagnation Advisory concerns itself with meteorological
conditions only. For more information on air pollution in Idaho,
visit website www.deq.idaho.gov. For Oregon, visit website
www.oregon.gov/deq.
If possible, reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to
air pollution, such as outdoor burning, and the use of
residential wood burning devices. Reduce vehicle trips and
vehicle idling as much as possible.
&&
Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, left, in his office at the state Capitol with, at center, Majority Caucus Chair Mark Harris and, at right, Majority Leader Kelly Anthon, as they take a break Thursday from calling in senators one by one to discuss committee chairmanships and assignments.
Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, left, in his office at the state Capitol with, at center, Majority Caucus Chair Mark Harris and, at right, Majority Leader Kelly Anthon, as they take a break Thursday from calling in senators one by one to discuss committee chairmanships and assignments.
Despite huge turnover in the Idaho Senate, Senate Republicans kept their entire same leadership team in place during contested caucus elections that ran late into the evening on Wednesday.
Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise, was reelected to a second term, turning back a challenge from Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian. Winder then was unanimously elected Senate president pro tem by the entire Senate on Thursday morning during the chamber’s organizational session, though 19 of the 35 senators in the chamber are new.
Winder said he wasn’t surprised. “The strategy we took from the very beginning was keep our leadership team together,” he said, “because of the stability. There are going to be plenty of opportunities for new people.”
However, Den Hartog, who had chaired the Senate Transportation Committee, lost that chairmanship on Thursday and won’t be chairing any committee this year.
“It’s the pro tem’s choice of who the chairmen are,” Winder told the Idaho Press Thursday. “It had nothing to do with her running, and anybody can run for leadership that wants to.” He said, “There were just some extenuating circumstances that I have not decided to ask her to be a chairman this year.”
Betsy Z. Russell is the Boise bureau chief and state capitol reporter for the Idaho Press and Adams Publishing Group. Follow her on Twitter at @BetsyZRussell.
