The following is a news release from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office:

Kootenai County, Idaho – On May 16th, 2024 at approximately 4:50 PM, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) arrested Eric J. Ferguson, a 49-year-old male from Rathdrum, Idaho. Ferguson was wanted by the Oakley Police Department in Oakley, California on charges stemming from a 2002 kidnap and rape of a child under 18 years of age. Ferguson was 29-years-old at that time and allegedly used a dangerous or deadly weapon during the commission of the crimes.

On May 16, 2024, the Superior Court of California in the County of Contra Costa issued an arrest warrant for Ferguson, charging him with the following: Count 1 – Rape of an Incompetent Person; Count 2 – Forcible Oral Copulation; Count 3 – Kidnapping for Rape. The joint agency Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office/Coeur d’ Alene Police Department SWAT team assisted the U.S. Marshal’s Service in the arrest without any further incident. Ferguson is being held at the Kootenai County Jail awaiting extradition.

Sheriff Robert “Bob” Norris said, “Kootenai County is a safer place because Ferguson is now in jail. A firearm was used in this alleged violent sexual attack and the suspect needs to be held accountable for his actions.”

United States Marshal for the District of Idaho, Brent Bunn, expressed his gratitude for the interstate collaboration of multiple law enforcement agencies in order to get one step closer to bringing justice to the victim in this case. U.S. Marshal Bunn noted, “The persistence of the Oakley Police Department detectives throughout this investigation was exceptional.” U.S. Marshal Bunn also commends the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and the Idaho Department of Corrections for their partnership and strong commitment to increasing public safety in North Idaho.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the USMS, Coeur d’ Alene Police Department and the Oakley Police Department for their assistance and collaboration in the investigation and apprehension of Ferguson.

BOISE – Idaho placed no higher than 36th nationally for three metrics gauging teacher and paraprofessional pay during the 2022-23 school year, according to recently released National Education Association rankings. 

The rankings are dated — and they don’t account for recent state investments in teacher pay. But they provide a retrospective snapshot that illustrates how Idaho stacked up against neighboring states as local schools have struggled to recruit and retain teachers. 

Last school year, Idaho ranked 36th nationally for starting teacher pay, a marked improvement from 48th place a decade ago. But it still lagged behind most neighboring states on benchmark salaries in addition to average teacher compensation and paraprofessional pay. 

NEA, the national teachers’ union, annually compiles salary data for the prior school year. The group releases the data in the spring — when school districts are negotiating teacher contracts. 

Nationally, “modest gains” were made in teacher pay, the union said in a news release. The average salary across the U.S. last school year was $69,544, up 4.1% from 2021-22. NEA President Becky Pringle credited unions for demanding “more for their students, more professional respect and more pay.” 

On average, Idaho school districts paid teachers $56,365 last school year. That was a 4% increase from 2021-22, and it moved up the state two spots in the rankings. Idaho’s $41,179 baseline salary last school year also lagged behind the $44,530 national average.

The Idaho State Board of Education’s annual Educator Pipeline Report, last released in December, pointed to bordering states’ salaries as a possible factor hurting Idaho’s teacher retention. In Washington, for instance, teachers last year earned $20,439 more on average, according to the NEA rankings.

Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming all paid higher benchmark and average teacher salaries than Idaho last school year. Montana, which was last among those states in the other categories, outpaced Idaho on paraprofessional pay. 

Here’s how Idaho stacked up against neighboring states during the 2022-23 school year, along with each state’s national ranking. The rankings included all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. 

Starting teacher pay: 

3. Washington $55,631

10. Utah $49,555

14. Wyoming $48,622

22. Nevada $43,695

32. Oregon $42,050

36. Idaho $41,179

51. Montana $34,476

Average teacher pay:

6. Washington $86,804

13. Oregon $72,476

23. Utah $63,481

26. Wyoming $61,797

27. Nevada $61,719

40. Idaho $56,365

42. Montana $55,909

Paraprofessional pay:

11. Washington $37,334

12. Nevada $36,900

16. Utah $34,893

21. Oregon $33,838

26. Wyoming $31,963

28. Montana $31,642

50. Idaho $26,628 

Idaho school districts rely on state funding to pay teachers and staff, although the salaries are set locally.

Madison Hardy, Gov. Brad Little’s spokeswoman, said the NEA rankings are based on data collected before Little’s “Idaho First” plan increased state funding per teacher by $6,359 during the 2023 legislative session. The investment lifted Idaho’s average teacher pay 9.1% to $61,516 this school year. And the average starting teacher pay across all districts is now $45,680.

“Gov. Little is proud of the huge increases Idaho has championed for teacher take-home pay across the board, including starting teacher pay, and he will continue to push for investments in Idaho teachers to benefit students and families,” Hardy said by email.

Little has previously said the raises put the state in the top 10 nationally for starting teacher pay. Idaho Education News revealed why that claim was misleading, in part because it relied on even more outdated NEA rankings. Next year’s rankings will show how the state compares post-Idaho First salary hikes.

Meanwhile, the latest rankings represent an improvement over Idaho’s “rock-bottom” place in the recent past, said Idaho Education Association President Layne McInelly. The teachers’ union leader lauded the governor and Legislature’s effort to increase teacher pay, but said Idaho still ranks “far lower than IEA members and other Idaho educators deserve.”

“All educators deserve pay, benefits and a work environment reflecting the importance of their work on behalf of Idaho students and families, their personal investment in their discipline and their professional expertise — just as we would expect any professional to be paid their worth,” McInelly said by email.

IDAHO FALLS (KIFI) – Wind gusts of 60 miles per hour forced the Cirque Ma’Ceo equestrian circus to cancel Friday’s Idaho Falls performance.

Inside the big top, strong gusts created a low rumbling noise. Rattling metal filled the treble range.

“It’s pretty scary to be in here,” owner Olissio Zoppe admitted.

“I’m being extremely calm right now, but my heart is right here listening to that wind,” he added.

Local News 8 interviewed Zoppe inside his RV. The winds rocked it back and forth.

“Outside, it’s like a small train going by,” he said.

Cirque Ma’Ceo has toured in its current configuration since 2012. This is the first time it’s ever cancelled a show due to wind. Then again, it’s also its first time in Idaho Falls.

“The only time I’ve ever experienced wind like this is when this tent had gone through a hurricane,” Zoppe said. “Wind is the worst type of weather a big top can endure.”

The winds were also strong enough to tip over porta-potties, so the circus battened down the hatches.

“We put some extra stakes here,” Zoppe said, gesturing to the ground outside the big top, “as well as some extra straps, just to really brace the main mast.”

“Look at the amount of dirt that’s been blown,” he continued. “It’s covered up the T-plate almost completely. It’s like a desert storm!”

And don’t forget – this is an equestrian circus.

“Our first priority is the safety of our horses,” Zoppe said. “And they react to wind.”

Circus staff had to move the horses from an outdoor tent to a barn.

“Walking them from the horse tent to here was pretty chaotic,” Zoppe admitted. “But they did well.”

“Today was probably our biggest day,” he continued. “We were almost completely sold out.”

Those tickets are being honored at the weekend’s other shows. It’s not the sort of thing Zoppe planned for when booking this tour in December.

“We might’ve missed a couple details, like the main one being how powerful the wind can be out here,” he said.

But that, as they say, is show business.

The Cirque Ma’Ceo will perform Saturday at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., as well as Sunday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., at the Bonneville County Fairgrounds.