Idaho Reports Host and Panelists 2010
Host
Host Thanh Tan is a producer/reporter/host with Idaho Public Television. She joined the staff in October 2008, after working several years as a general assignment reporter at commercial television stations in Boise and Portland, Oregon. Thanh graduated with honors from the University of Southern California with degrees in International Relations and Broadcast Journalism. She developed a passion for journalism through several years of internships and freelance gigs with KOMO-TV in Seattle, ABC News Nightline in Washington, D.C., National Public Radio’s Day to Day and CNN in Los Angeles. As a reporter with KBCI-TV, she specialized in covering politics and the Idaho Legislature.
Regular Contributors
Betsy Z. Russell works as reporter for The Spokesman-Review. In that position, Russell covers Idaho news from the newspaper's bureau in Boise. Her "Eye on Boise" blog offers up-to-the-minute news and happenings from the state capital.
Dr. Jim Weatherby is a Boise State University emeritus professor and a political analyst. He served as Director of the BSU Public Affairs Program and later as Chair of the Department of Public Policy and Administration. Weatherby has been interviewed by most of the print and broadcast media in Idaho and by most of the major daily newspapers in the United. He is co-author of The Urban West: Managing Growth and Decline and Governing Idaho: Politics, People, and Power. Weatherby has also written numerous manuals on state and local government and conducted workshops for state and local officials for over thrity-five years. He is a former executive director of the Association of Idaho Cities and served on the faculty at the University of Idaho and Northwest Nazarene University. Dr. Weatherby serves on the board of directors of the City Club of Boise, the Idaho Tax Foundation, and Sage Community Resources, Inc. His wife, Dana, is the former Director of Legal Education for the Idaho State Bar and Associate Director of the Idaho Law Foundation, Inc. They enjoy their daughter, son, and daughter-in-law who live in Boise.
Across the Spectrum
Dolores Crow is ATS’s voice for conservative Republicans. She grew up in Jerome, Idaho and graduated from Jerome High School. She met her late husband, Wayne Crow, while attending college in Salt Lake City, Utah. They married and have six children, and six grandchildren.
Crow was appointed to the Idaho House of Representatives in 1983 and was re-elected 12 times for a total of 24 years of service to the State. While a Representative she was a member of many House committees including four years on JFAC, eight years as Chairman of Environmental Affairs and ending as Chairman of the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. Send email to Dolores Crow.
Sue Reents is ATS’s voice for moderate Democrats. A former State Senator, has an extensive history of public service in the field of human rights and child advocacy, as well as a background in the financial securities industry. She served in the State Senate as a Democrat from 1989-1996, representing Boise’s North and East Ends (D-19). Following her retirement from the Senate, she worked as a lobbyist for non-profit organizations, with an emphasis on public health and access to primary care. Most recently she has worked as a fundraising consultant with an emphasis on non-profit organizations. Send email to Sue Reents.
Tom Ryder is ATS's voice for independents (with a Libertarian streak). He is a retired business executive who spent 35 years as a professional tax advisor working primarily with corporations. He has been in Idaho for the last twenty years and has been involved with the Idaho legislature on issues dealing with taxes, education, human rights, health, urban development and planning, transportation and others. He is an independent who has supported candidates from both major and some minor political parties. He has served on many boards of directors in the Treasure Valley and statewide including serving as chair of the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho, the St. Luke’s Children’s Advisory Board and the Downtown Boise Association. Tom served as a Marine from 1968-1971, graduated from the University of Iowa in 1973 and is a certified public accountant. Send email to Tom Ryder.
Mark Snodgrass is ATS's voice for moderate Republicans. He is an Ada County native, graduate of Borah High School and received both his Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education / History and his Master of Science Degree in Economics Education from Boise State University. Mark and his wife Pascale have two energetic children, Matthew and Jennifer.
Mark recently served three terms of office in the Idaho House, representing the citizens of West Ada County and Meridian. A 20-year veteran teacher, Mark is employed at Eagle High School where he teaches American Government and Economics courses. He also has a decade of experience as a successful real estate agent now working with Market Pro Real Estate. If not busy enough, Mark is currently the Vice President of the Meridian Lion’s Club, participates in many community service activities, assists in coaching youth sports and is an active member of Calvary Chapel in Boise. Send email to Mark Snodgrass.
2010 Panelists
Maxine Bell is a graduate of Jerome High School. Rep. Bell went on to attend school at the College of Southern Idaho and Idaho State University. She is a retired school librarian/farmer and she and her husband H. Jack have one child, Jeff, and three grandchildren.
Dean Cameron is a graduate of Meridian High School. Sen. Cameron went on to earn an Associate Degree in Arts and Science, majoring in political science, from Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho). He is co-owner of Cameron & Seamons, Inc., and involved in the National Association of Health Underwriters, the National Association of Insurance Financial Advisors (NAIFA), the Mini-Cassia Chamber of Commerce, and the Rupert Rotary Club. He and his wife, Linda Lanovara, have three children: Carissa, Laci, and Nathan.
Liz Chavez is a 1965 graduate of Lewiston High School. She received a bachelor's degree in education from Lewis-Clark State College and has a 5th year Master's Equivalency. A retired middle school teacher, Chavez is a past Chairperson of the Nez Perce County Democrats. She is vice president of the Valley Transit Board, a member of the Seaport Quilters, and a member of the Lewis-Clark State College Women's Basketball Scholarship Club.
Lawerence Denney is currently serving his eighth session (14th year) as a legislator and his third session as Speaker. He was the Majority Leader for four years and also served as Assistant Majority Leader for four years. He was originally elected to the House in 1990.
Born and raised in the 'tiny' town of Midvale (as once reported by the Idaho Statesman), Lawerence graduated from Midvale High School in 1966. In 1970 he graduated from the University of Idaho with a BS in Agricultural Economics. He is a retired farmer, but says that once a farmer always a farmer. Lawerence currently is employed at Midvale Telephone. He is married to Donna; they have four children and six grandchildren. Lawerence's hobbies are first and foremost enjoying his family.
John Goedde was born 05/20/1949 at Chelan, WA. He graduated Chelan High School in 1967 and received a B.A. in Hotel & Restaurant Administration from Washington State University. Prior to being elected to the Idaho State Senate, Goedde was an Independent Insurance Agent; former trustee in School District #271; former precinct committeeman and state committeeman; past chairman Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce; past president North Idaho Chamber of Commerce; Coeur d'Alene Volunteer of the Year 1996; Insurance Women of North Idaho-Insurance Industry Leader of the Year 1993; Idaho Insurance Underwriters/Agent of the Year 2000. Goedde and his wife Terri have one child, Brian. This is his fifth Legislative term.
Robb Hicken is managing editor of the Idaho Business Review. He has worked in the newspaper industry since 1979 at newspapers in Idaho, Nevada, Utah and California. Robb covered politics until 1994, when he became an editor.
He was raised in Rexburg, Idaho. He graduated from Ricks College, the University of Utah and attended Brigham Young University. He moved to Boise in 2007. A resident of Nampa, he and his wife, Chris, have a combined family of six children, and three grandchildren.
Wendy Jaquet represents Blaine, Camas, Gooding and Lincoln counties. First elected in 1994, Jaquet came to the statehouse as the executive director of the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber of Commerce. Jaquet served as the House Minority Leader for ten years before stepping down and going on the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee. She also serves on the Environment, Energy and Technology and Judiciary and Rules Committee. Wendy lives in Ketchum with her husband Jim and they have two grown sons and three grandchildren.
Rep. Bill Killen is serving his third term in the Idaho House, and his second term as Minority Caucus Chair. Killen represents Boise residents in District 17. A retired attorney, Killen moved to Ada County after living 30 years in the McCall area. He served on the City Council and as mayor of that city from 1992 until 1997. Killen earned his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. He went on to serve in the U.S. Navy for four years and worked for Hewlett-Packard before attending law school at the University of Idaho. Outside of his leadership duties, he also serves on the Agricultural Affairs, Judiciary, Rules & Administration, Revenue & Taxation, and Ways & Means committees.
Jill Kuraitis is old enough to have ridden a horse to school and tied him to the fence, and to remember when neighborhood dogs and small children were allowed to run loose. A University of California, Santa Barbara graduate in theatre management, she worked in the movie and TV industry before moving to Boise 22 years ago with her husband, toddler son and daughter in utero. Convinced that Boise is the best place to live in the known universe, she’s been writing ever since for political, alternative-press, and magazine clients. Jill makes art quilts, gardens haphazardly but successfully, and adores her husband of 27 years, with whom she has raised two fine children who refuse to live anywhere but the West.
Tom Luna originally moved to Idaho with his wife Cindy 29 years ago to attend college at BYU-Idaho (formerly Ricks College). Tom also attended Boise State University and later graduated from Thomas Edison State College. Tom and his wife have raised six children in Idaho. They are the proud grandparents of five grandchildren. Five of their children have graduated from public schools in Nampa and his youngest son currently attends public school.
Before becoming Idaho's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom had a successful career in business spanning more than 25 years. Tom first got involved in the state's education system by serving on the Nampa School Board for seven years, including three years as chairman. Since then, Tom has served in education at the local, state and national levels.
John Miller covers the Idaho Legislature and state government for The Associated Press. He's worked at the Capitol since 2004.
Mike Moyle graduated from Meridian High School in 1983, and later attended BYU. Moyle is a farmer/rancher and served on the Far West Spearmint Committee. He is a former fire commissioner of Star, served four years as House Assistant Majority Leader, and is currently serving his second term as Majority Leader. Moyle and his wife Sue Ann have three children: Kelsei, Jacob, and Preston.
Brian Murphy is the Idaho Statesman's lead legislative writer. He is responsible for daily coverage at the Capitol and focuses on budget issues and the Treasure Valley delegation. Brian has more than four years of experience at the Statesman in his role as sports columnist. Brian has authored two books on the Boise State football team. He joined the Statesman in Dec. 2005 and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Marty Peterson was born in Lewiston, Idaho, and has spent 46 years in public service in Idaho. He is a graduate of Columbia Basin College, the University of Idaho, and Harvard University’s Senior Managers in Government Program. His career has included serving on the staff of U.S. Senator Frank Church; executive director of the Association of Idaho Cities; budget director of the State of Idaho under Governors John V. Evans and Cecil Andrus; and planning and directing Idaho’s statehood centennial celebration in 1990. He is Special Assistant to the President of the University of Idaho under seven presidents. In April he will celebrate 50 years of public service in Idaho.
![Dan Popkey photo [Credit: Chris Butler/Idaho Statesman]](images/people/popkey60x90.jpg "Dan Popkey [Credit: Chris Butler/Idaho Statesman]")
Dan Popkey came to Idaho in 1984 to work at The Idaho Statesman as a police reporter. In 1986, he covered Boise City Hall during then-Mayor Dirk Kempthorne's first year in office. Later assignments included state government, politics and the Idaho Legislature. In 1994, he became a political columnist. He has covered 19 sessions of the Legislature as a reporter or columnist. He appears Monday afternoons on KBOI radio.
In 2007, Dan led the Statesman's coverage of the Sen. Larry Craig scandal. The Statesman's reporting was recognized as one of three finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news. In 2003, he won the Ted M. Natt First Amendment award from the five-state Pacific Northwest Newspaper Association for his coverage of University Place, the University of Idaho’s troubled real estate development in Boise. In 2001, with the help of the Log Cabin Literary Center, Dan helped start the "Read the Same Book" program, which is now called the "The Big Read." Dan lives in Boise with his two children, Challis, 16, and Nicholas, 14. He announces home games for Challis' basketball team, the Borah Lions, and follows Nick's exploits on the football field and wrestling mat.
Kevin Richert is the Idaho Statesman's editorial page editor. He is responsible for writing the Statesman's editorials on state, regional and local topics; produces a daily blog on politics and Idaho issues; and writes a twice-weekly column.
Kevin has more than 23 years' experience in Idaho journalism. He worked as a reporter and editor for the Idaho State Journal in Pocatello, the Post Register in Idaho Falls, and The Times-News in Twin Falls. He joined the Statesman in April 2001. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
Cynthia Sewell has covered transportation, local and state government and other topics for the Idaho Statesman since 2005. The Idaho Press Club named her 2008 Reporter of the Year. Prior to joining the Statesman she worked as a reporter and managing editor for the Boise Weekly. She is a graduate of the University of Oregon.
Bill Spence was a production manager for a hospital equipment manufacturer before beginning a second career in journalism. He started covering state and federal politics for the Lewiston Tribune in 2008. Prior to that he covered business, local government and land use issues in Montana's Flathead Valley for 10 years.