![]()
John Kelly told veterans groups last week that President Trump decided to remove VA secretary David Shulkin, despite the administration’s insistence that Shulkin resigned. The dispute could have legal implications for VA policies.
White House chief of staff John Kelly contradicted the White House’s claims about David Shulkin’s departure as secretary of veterans affairs, a discrepancy that could lead to legal challenges of decisions made by Shulkin’s interim successor.In a private meeting last week with major veterans groups, Kelly repeatedly said that the decision to remove Shulkin was President Donald Trump’s, according to several people who were present or briefed on the meeting. The White House has insisted that Shulkin resigned, disputing his assertion, in media appearances, that he was fired. (Whether voluntarily or not, his tenure as VA secretary ended on March 29.)“Kelly said the president felt he needed to make a change with Secretary Shulkin and went ahead and made it to get the VA back on track,” said Dan Caldwell, the director of influential conservative group Concerned Veterans for America (also known as CVA), who attended the meeting.A White House spokesman stood by the claim that Shulkin resigned.The distinction isn’t just a matter of semantics. Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, the president can appoint an interim successor to succeed a cabinet secretary who dies, resigns or can’t perform his or her duties. But it doesn’t say what happens if the secretary is fired. It’s unsettled legal territory, but somescholarssay it could open the door to challenging decisions made by the person Trump appointed as acting VA secretary, Robert Wilkie (an official in the Department of Defense). The argument would be that Wilkie lacked proper authority to make the decisions in question, the scholars say.Opposition to Wilkie surfaced rapidly. Amvets, one of the largest veterans advocacy groups, called on Trump to remove Wilkie and instead elevate the VA’s deputy secretary, Tom Bowman. “This is what common sense, veterans and the law all require, and it needs to happen now,” Amvets national commander Marion Polk wrote in a letter to Trump on April 3. Bowman, a former senior Senate staffer, is popular with traditional veterans groups and on Capitol Hill. But, like Shulkin, he clashed with White House aides over legislation that would increase the use of private health care in the VA system.Amvets and other major veterans groups recently had an introductory breakfast meeting with Wilkie. Amvets and other organizations were miffed that Caldwell from CVA was not only invited but given a prime seat. CVA, which is funded by the Koch brothers, has not attended such sessions in the…
Kimberly Swa, 35, is scheduled to appear in Ada County Court on Monday April 16.
A Boise woman is behind bars, facing a felony charge of murder. Boise Police and Ada County Paramedics responded to a call of service just before noon on April 13 at a residence in the Civic Plaza Apartments on the 200 block of E. Front Street, near the Ada County Courthouse. That's where first responders discovered a deceased adult male. Investigators aren't giving too many details other than to say the victim received multiple injuries. After gathering evidence from the scene, officers were able to identify a possible suspect and several hours later, 35-year-old Kimberly Swa of Boise was taken into custody for questioning. Swa was ultimately booked into the Ada County Jail and charged with murder. She's scheduled to appear in Ada County Court on Monday April 16. Meanwhile, a Nampa man was taken into custody by Boise Police early Saturday and charged with a felony count of aggravated battery. Law enforcement was summoned to a report of a fight on the 100 block of S. 6th Street just after 12:30 a.m. That's where police say they discovered a stabbing victim who was rushed to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. A suspect was found a short time later sitting in a nearby vehicle. Investigators said the suspect had been arguing with a female inside a vehicle. When two bystanders approached the vehicle, a verbal altercation ended in a fight where the suspect stabbed one of the men before fleeing from the scene. 22-year-old Jeffrey Redmond of Nampa was booked into the Ada County Jail on a charge of aggravated battery.…
A little-known court document sheds light on the family feud over the multibillion-dollar painkiller’s association with the opioid crisis.
This story was co-published with The Atlantic. Much as the role of the addictive multibillion-dollar painkiller OxyContin in the opioid crisis has stirred controversy and rancor nationwide, so it has divided members of the wealthy and philanthropic Sackler family, some of whom own the company that makes the drug.In recent months, as protesters have begun pressuring the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and other cultural institutions to spurn donations from the Sacklers, one branch of the family has moved aggressively to distance itself from OxyContin and its manufacturer, Purdue Pharma. The widow and one daughter of Arthur Sackler, who owned a related Purdue company with his two brothers, maintain that none of his heirs have profited from sales of the drug. The daughter, Elizabeth Sackler, told The New York Times in January that Purdue Pharma’s involvement in the opioid epidemic was “morally abhorrent to me.”Arthur died eight years before OxyContin hit the marketplace. His widow, Jillian Sackler, and Elizabeth Sackler, who is Jillian’s step-daughter, are represented by separate public relations firms and have successfully won clarifications and corrections from media outlets for suggesting that sales of the potent opioid enriched Arthur Sackler or his family.But an obscure court document sheds a different light on family history — and on the campaign by Arthur’s relatives to preserve their image and legacy. It shows that the Purdue family of companies made a nearly $20 million payment to the estate of Arthur Sackler in 1997 — two years after OxyContin was approved, and just as the pill was becoming a big seller. As a result, though they do not profit from present-day sales, Arthur’s heirs appear to have benefited at least indirectly from OxyContin.The 1997 payment to the estate of Arthur Sackler is disclosed in the combined, audited financial statements of Purdue and its associated companies and subsidiaries. Those documents were filed among hundreds of pages of exhibits in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, Virginia, as part of a 2007 settlement in which a company associated with Purdue and three company executives pleaded guilty to charges that OxyContin was illegally marketed. The company paid $600 million in penalties while admitting it falsely promoted OxyContin as less addictive and less likely to be abused than other pain medications.Arthur’s heirs include his widow and grandchildren. His children, including Elizabeth, do not inherit because they are not beneficiaries of a trust that was…
James Comey tells all, the Boston Marathon kicks off, a ban on large sugary beverages in New York City and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child comes to Broadway.
Former FBI director James Comey's tell-all book, A Higher Loyalty, hits book stands tomorrow, but Comey is already making the rounds on network television, saying that President Donald Trump is a serial liar who "is morally unfit to be president." Appearing last night on ABC, Comey said the American public was "duty bound" to vote Trump out of office. Friends and family of Barbara Bush say the former First Lady is seriously ill and has decided to stop seeking medical treatment to prolong her life. The New York Times says the wife and mother of former U.S. presidents is 92 years old. Seventy-eight Idahoans were among the nearly 30,000 runners who took off this morning in the 2018 Boston Marathon. The temperature was 38 degrees, the coldest start in 30 years. The New York City health board has approved the first U.S. ban on large sodas and other sugary drinks. The BBC reports that the ban will apply to beverages larger than 16 ounces nearly everywhere they're sold, except groceries and convenience stores. Rampage, an adventure film based on a video game and starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, earned $34.5 million and the top spot at the North American box office this weekend. Variety reports that the number two film was A Quiet Place, which earned $32.9 million. The New York Times has a story on what will be the "most expensive Broadway non-musical play ever." It's the new $68 million production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a two-part drama now in previews and opening Sunday, April 22. …
John Kelly told veterans groups last week that President Trump decided to remove VA secretary David Shulkin, despite the administration’s insistence that Shulkin resigned. The dispute could have legal implications for VA policies.
White House chief of staff John Kelly contradicted the White House’s claims about David Shulkin’s departure as secretary of veterans affairs, a discrepancy that could lead to legal challenges of decisions made by Shulkin’s interim successor.In a private meeting last week with major veterans groups, Kelly repeatedly said that the decision to remove Shulkin was President Donald Trump’s, according to several people who were present or briefed on the meeting. The White House has insisted that Shulkin resigned, disputing his assertion, in media appearances, that he was fired. (Whether voluntarily or not, his tenure as VA secretary ended on March 29.)“Kelly said the president felt he needed to make a change with Secretary Shulkin and went ahead and made it to get the VA back on track,” said Dan Caldwell, the director of influential conservative group Concerned Veterans for America (also known as CVA), who attended the meeting.A White House spokesman stood by the claim that Shulkin resigned.The distinction isn’t just a matter of semantics. Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, the president can appoint an interim successor to succeed a cabinet secretary who dies, resigns or can’t perform his or her duties. But it doesn’t say what happens if the secretary is fired. It’s unsettled legal territory, but somescholarssay it could open the door to challenging decisions made by the person Trump appointed as acting VA secretary, Robert Wilkie (an official in the Department of Defense). The argument would be that Wilkie lacked proper authority to make the decisions in question, the scholars say.Opposition to Wilkie surfaced rapidly. Amvets, one of the largest veterans advocacy groups, called on Trump to remove Wilkie and instead elevate the VA’s deputy secretary, Tom Bowman. “This is what common sense, veterans and the law all require, and it needs to happen now,” Amvets national commander Marion Polk wrote in a letter to Trump on April 3. Bowman, a former senior Senate staffer, is popular with traditional veterans groups and on Capitol Hill. But, like Shulkin, he clashed with White House aides over legislation that would increase the use of private health care in the VA system.Amvets and other major veterans groups recently had an introductory breakfast meeting with Wilkie. Amvets and other organizations were miffed that Caldwell from CVA was not only invited but given a prime seat. CVA, which is funded by the Koch brothers, has not attended such sessions in the…
ITC employees will be outside commission offices on the 800 block of E. Park Boulevard.
Last-minute tax filers in the Boise area will once again be able to take advantage of curbside service at the Idaho Tax Commission on Tuesday. ITC employees will be outside commission offices on the 800 block of East Park Boulevard (Washington Group Complex) from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. No postage will be needed for the envelopes of documents dropped off. Those with tax-related questions can get some help inside the ITC offices too, which will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Plus, taxpayers can call the Boise office with questions at 208-334-7660 or toll-free at 800-972-7660. Taxpayers with federal returns will need to either mail them or drop them off at the IRS Taxpayer Assistance in the federal building at 550 West Fort Street, Boise.…
The Sean Hannity surprise, MSNBC drops the ticker, reforestation begins at the scene of the massive Clearwater Complex wildfire, saying goodbye to Harry Anderson and check out what Broadway pays.
Monday's biggest surprise in the courtroom drama surrounding the FBI raid of President Trump's personal lawyer came when it was revealed that another of attorney Michael Cohen's clients is Fox News host Sean Hannity. The New York Times reports audible gasps in the courtroom at the moment of revelation. Appearing last night on his broadcast, Hannity denied being Cohen's client, saying he never paid Cohen for services and that their discussions were brief and centered on real estate. MSNBC has decided to discontinue its bottom-of-the-screen news ticker, which began to appear on the news network in 2001 in the aftermath of 9/11. Variety reports that network officials say they're removing the ticker "for a cleaner view that puts our reporting more front and center." Reforestation efforts have begun on private lands burned by the massive 2015 Clearwater Complex fire. Workers with the Idaho Department of Lands, in partnership with the Idaho County Soil and Water Conservation District, are expected to plant approximately 27,000 Ponderosa Pine seedlings on 90 acres of private land scorched by the catastrophic fires in the Clearwater basin. Hollywood is mourning the loss of Harry Anderson, who starred in the NBC comedy Night Court in the 1980s and 90s. The Hollywood Reporter says Anderson was found at his South Carolina home early Monday. No foul play is suspected. He was 65. Playbill has a fascinating breakdown of typical salaries for Broadway performers, musicians and stage managers. The minimum salary for a performer currently on the Great White Way is $2,034 per week. Understudying roles also come with some additional pay. Of course, major Broadway stars sometimes make tens of thousands of dollars per week, but most actors are paid the minimum with some bonuses for agreeing to a one-year rider, essentially confirming they will remain in the production for an entire year. Stage managers receive a base salary of $3,342 per week. The weekly wage for a Broadway musician is $1,885. …
This brainchick of Hip Chick owners Chef Jennifer Johnson and Serafina Palandech is made with "certified, edible gold."
Chicken nuggets are ubiquitous on fast food menus, were forever immortalized (and possibly made traumatizing) by the documentary about McDonald's, Super Size Me, and are now being reinvented by marketing gurus as a healthy source of lean protein. It may already seem like all that stays the same about chicken nuggets year to year is the animal they come from, but this month, Hip Chick Farms went one step farther out of the box and gilded the breaded lily—literally. Billed as the first and only Golden Chicken Nugget in America, this brainchick of Hip Chick owners Chef Jennifer Johnson and Serafina Palandech is "made with certified, edible gold and with organic, non-GMO, natural, wholesome real chicken that's free range, and humanely-raised." A flight of nuggets rings in at $150 at the Hip Chick "chicken nugget tasting room" in Sebastopol, California. As if the facts of the matter aren't over the top enough, the Hip Chick press release finishes with this nod to the absurd: "Oh, and these go great with Chef Bjorn Delacruz's viral 'golden donuts' and Snowopolis' 24-karat ice cream."…
The exhibition includes 49 pieces in a range of mediums from 20 students, covering topics from the personal to the political.
Undergraduate artists spend a good chunk of their time in college creating original artwork, but it's rare they get the chance to display it in a formal gallery setting. That is, until they're ready to graduate, when Boise State University sets up bi-annual exhibitions to show off the fruits of their labors. "It's for graduating students in the BFA Visual Art, BFA Art Education and BFA Illustration majors," said Visual Arts Center Director Kirsten Furlong, referring to the sprawling exhibition that spans two buildings on campus. "It's their capstone activity." This semester, 20 students offered up 49 pieces of work covering topics from the personal to the political. On one hand there's Kassie Robbins' collection of crowns made from brass, leather, knotted twine, ceramic baler insulator and steel sickle blades, which comments on her family's farming history in Baker City, Oregon. On the other is Mike Vincent's collection of pottery pieces displayed on a brick facade, the top edge of which mirrors the U.S.-Mexico border. Vincent said in a statement that his work pits the symbolic against the utilitarian in order to "foster discussion about identity, political power, disenfranchisement and how to survive in a culture that excludes people it finds unusable." Other pieces make for fun viewing. Corinne Osmanski's A Chromatic Storm combines colorful ceramic teardrops with wood framework and paper mache to form a rainbow-hued stormcloud releasing a maelstrom of hanging droplets. Around the corner from her display crouches Jeremy Shoemaker's installation Pygmalion's Secret, featuring an armchair and side table sitting on an astroturf floor and facing TV screens playing obscure videos. The screens are buried in a riot of foliage. "The class [that helps students plan the exhibition] covers some professional practices, so not only are they learning if they want to exhibit their work, they have a basic idea of how to plan an exhibition and all the different components that go into that," said Furlong. The exhibition runs through Tuesday, April 24, in room 170 of the Liberal Arts Building and room 110 of the Hemingway Center. Save the date for a visit before the students pack up and move out. …
Medium: Resin and mixed media on panel Artist Statement: Please join me and Artist Missy Cory for our joint show opening reception for The Nature of Spirit on Tuesday, April 24 from 4:30-6:30pm. Our work will be on display through May 27 in the Student Union Trueblood Gallery at Boise State University. More at www.shelleyjund.com.…
…
The last few installments of Season 13 are currently airing Thursday nights on The CW.
Dean Winchester, played by Jensen Ackles in the CW series Supernatural, has died and come back to life more than 100 times in the show's 13-year run—and considering The Hollywood Reporter announced April 2 that Supernatural has been picked up for a 14th season, it may just share the same immortality. With 282 episodes on air so far, the genre-spanning show that follows brothers Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester as they fight an ever-escalating series of monsters, demons and worse, is the longest-running sci-fi/fantasy series in the history of U.S. television. It's also one of the longest-running live-action TV series to continue with the same two co-stars at the helm, and Entertainment Weekly posits their chemistry is likely what has kept the show on air. Padalecki and Ackles have played Sam and Dean for roughly a third of their lives, and are as much brothers off screen as on. They share the same four-year age gap as their fictional counterparts, live in the same town in Texas, and often bring their families together on days off. They even have a running prank war on set that includes fellow Supernatural regular Misha Collins, who plays the angel Castiel—Collins once realized at a panel that the pair had turned all of the clothes in his trailer inside out, and retaliated on another occasion by paying Padalecki in buckets of change after losing more than $1,000 to him in Words With Friends. Although EW reported in 2016 that Ackles and Padalecki were originally looking at episode 300 as a potential series finale (despite that fact that it would fall in mid-season), Ackles walked back on the statement in a later Variety interview. "Jared and I talked and we're going to just keep going," Ackles told Variety. "He and I, we talk about getting to episode 300 and that's just another milestone... and then when we get there, we'll keep going and see what the next milestone is." When the season 14 renewal was announced, Padalecki shared the news with fans on Instagram the same day, ending his post with the #WinchesterForever hashtag—a tag that recalls both the show's comeback-kid nature and his own Always Keep Fighting campaign, which sells Supernatural-themed merchandise to raise money for charities that battle suicide and depression. The last few installments of Season 13 are currently airing Thursday nights on The CW, and an all-female spinoff called Wayward…
Dear Minerva, I have a friend who easily works himself into the daily lives and experiences of the people around him. The really problematic thing for me is his willingness to not only be incredibly involved in people's lives but also to offer help in a very strange way. Everything that he does for someone seems to come with a price. I have seen him do this to many people. He offers himself in a seemingly kind and generous fashion, but it always ends with this feeling that something is owed to him later for his efforts. It sets my intuition off in a most unpleasant way and I'm worried for those on his list of righteous benevelovence. Do I butt in and warn others about how I feel? Sincerely, Not Falling For It Dear NIFI, Unfortunately, no matter what our own intuition tells us, it usually isn't enough to persuade someone else about another person. Intuition is personal and not infallible. Butting in and telling people your suspicions may just end up making you look like a gossip who likes to stir the pot, especially if he is well liked. I would stay polite with him. If your intuition has determined him to be a smarmy snake oil salesman, then keep your cool and don't buy into his trickery. Protect yourself. Kindness and generosity should be given freely without any expectation or thought as to what one will get in the future. Thankfully, you seem in tune to that. Good luck!…
Folks, we can't stress this enough: Best of Boise ballots are now open, and it's time to start casting votes for your favorites.
Folks, we can't stress this enough: Best of Boise ballots are now open, and it's time to start casting votes for your favorites. Just click on the Best of Boise banner above. Ballots close Monday, April 30. In other news, in this issue we put an unexpected spin on a well-known fact: that Idahoans are outdoorsy people, skiing is one of their most beloved pursuits, and plenty of adventurers take their passion for powder to the backcountry. As it turns out, those daredevils have been flirting with mortal danger. Idaho is undergoing a warming trend that increases the risk of avalanches, and only a handful of backcountry enthusiasts receive avalanche safety training. In this issue, freelance writer Drew Dodson profiles Santiago "Chago" Rodriguez, a snow scientist who teaches backcountry safety. It's a lively story (pages 6-8) and a sobering report on how a snowy day can turn deadly. We also give you a sneak peak of The James Castle House, which has been lovingly restored by a team from the Boise City Department of Arts & History. Ahead of the Saturday, April 28, public opening and ribbon cutting ceremony, Staff Writer Lex Nelson and I toured the house to tell an unusual story about a city honoring a local artist and turning his former home into a cultural site. Read more on page 22. News Editor George Prentice has done double duty in the Citizen section this week. Chelsea Gaona-Lincoln and her step-father, David Lincoln, are both running for seats in the Idaho House—but one is a left-leaning Democrat, and the other a right-leaning Republican. On page 26, read about what Thanksgivings are like at the Lincoln house and why sometimes there are better things to talk about than politics. Finally, Petite 4, the new French bistro-inspired eatery on the Bench, opened its doors for the first time last week. The brainchild of the folks behind Bleubird, it's already a pilgrimage site for Boise foodies. Check out our review on page 24. —Harrison Berry, Senior Staff Writer…
Boise Art Museum, Saturday, April 21
When was the last time you turned on the television to see runway-ready models clad head-to-toe in paper, metal, or wood? Though the answer was probably never, that's exactly what attendees will see first-hand at Boise Art Museum's upcoming Art of Fashion Show: Material. BAM challenged designers and artists to create fashionable works out of unconventional materials in six categories: wood, paint, metal, paper, glass or clay. Contestants are also expected to emphasize the attributes of the material through various design elements. The winner will be selected by an audience vote and take home a $500 cash prize. The competition comes in conjunction with the Consider the Source exhibition, and proceeds from the event will go on to support BAM's educational programs.
Expo Idaho, Saturday, April 21
The owners of Past Blessings Farm near Spokane, Washington, have hosted vintage and artisan markets—what they call "Pickin' Shows"—on and off their premises since 2004, and their flagship Spokane event in Joe Albi Stadium is now considered the largest outdoor antique show in the area. The Boise event, one of eight affairs in three separate states, will fill two buildings at Expo Idaho with hand-selected vendors from across the western U.S. hawking antiques, vintage items, primitives, and industrial and farmhouse style decor, along with one-of-a-kind pieces that have been made by hand, upcycled or repurposed. Pickin' Boise—recommended by Prairie Style Magazine, Romantic Country Magazine and more—is a one-stop shop for the "joy of junking."
Visual Arts Collective, Thursday, April 19
In many ways, Garden City is Boise's cultural intersection: the offshoot where artists, athletes and enthusiasts of all stripes meet to practice their crafts. The Swell Artist Collective Art Deck-O event—the sixth for the group in as many years—is a perfect example, bringing artists and skateboarders together for a night of bidding on skateboard decks covered with original designs from Swell Artist Collective artists. While the designs haven't been revealed, they're sure to be unique, with 37 one-of-a-kind decks from artists including Kelly Knopp, Noble Hardesty, April Vandegrift, Anne Boyles, Julia Green, Adam Rosenlund, Ed Anderson, Sue Latta and more. Those 21 and older are welcome to bid—whether on their next ride or their next piece of art.
The Record Exchange, Saturday, April 21
The only record store of its kind in Boise, The Record Exchange is where people all over the Treasure Valley go to grab new vinyl, CDs and stereo equipment. It's so central to the city, Boise Weekly had to retire its "Best Record Store" category after RX topped it more than 20 years in a row. On Saturday, April 21, it will throw its 11th Annual Record Store Day—a reminder of how crucial such emporia are. The celebration will include free posters by Adam Rosenlund for the first 50 customers, huge sales on used music, sidewalk buskers, a Radio Boise booth and, of course, RSD exclusive releases like limited vinyl pressings and rare cuts by favorite artists. The event rises to the level of a music-themed street fair where people linger, peruse and maybe find those CDs, tapes and records they didn't know they needed.
