Crapo Sets Town Hall Meetings; Event With Forest Service Chief

Washington, D.C.  - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will hold two town hall-style meetings in Idaho this week during visits in the Treasure Valley and the Magic Valley.  He will also meet Wednesday with Chief Tom Tidwell of the U.S. Forest Service during an event with the Idaho Forest Restoration Partnership (IFRP) to discuss his new fire funding legislation and collaborative land management projects in Idaho.

Coming on the heels of a statewide telephone town hall meeting last week, Crapo will meet in person with Idahoans during the Presidents' Day state work period.  He will hold a town hall meeting Tuesday night from 7:00 to 8:00 PM at the College of Western Idaho and also meet with Idahoans during a mini-town hall open house at his Twin Falls regional office on Thursday from 5:25 until 6:00 PM.  Crapo will also address the Gooding Chamber of Commerce in a public forum Thursday, join students at an event in Gooding, and speak to Pocatello business leaders at a forum on Friday.

Tidwell, Crapo, Representative Mike Simpson, Senator Jim Risch and Representative Raul Labrador will speak to participants gathered for a statewide policy forum sponsored by the IFRP entitled "Accelerating Forest Restoration in Idaho."  Participants from the timber industry, conservation, recreational groups and other interests will discuss Idaho's collaborative efforts, including the nationally-recognized Clearwater Basin Collaborative in central Idaho.  That effort seeks to restore forest health and habitat, as well as create jobs and recreational opportunities.

Crapo will discuss his recently-introduced bipartisan legislation to protect both forest restoration and fire funding dollars by moving firefighting efforts to existing federal disaster accounts.  Forest restoration efforts were also included in the Farm Bill which Congress passed last month, meaning things are looking up regarding work in Idaho's forests.  Simpson is the lead sponsor of similar legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives; Risch and Labrador also are sponsors.

Highlights of Crapo's schedule for the week of February 17 ^th through the 21 ^st include:

Monday, February 17:

Meridian        6:00 PM         Join Idaho Delegation members for the Academy Nominee reception,

                   Meridian City Hall, 33 E. Broadway

Tuesday, February 18:

Boise             11:00 AM       Speak to the Idaho Senate and the Idaho House of Representatives, Statehouse

Nampa           7:00 PM         Take questions from Idahoans at Town Hall Meeting,              College of Western Idaho Admin Building, 5500 E. Opportunity Drive

Wednesday, February 19:

Garden City  2:45 PM         Joins U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell, Simpson, Risch and Labrador for news conference at IFRP's "Accelerating Forest Restoration in Idaho" Conference, Riverside Hotel, Quiet Bar Room, 2900 W. Chinden Boulevard. 

Thursday, February 20:

Gooding        Noon              Speak to the Gooding Chamber of Commerce, Zeppe's Pizza, 215 Main Street

Gooding        1:45 PM         Visits with students at the Gooding High School Government class, Gooding High School Multipurpose Room, 1050 7 ^th Avenue West

Twin Falls     5:25 PM         Takes questions from Idahoans at Mini-Town Hall Meeting, Crapo Twin Falls Regional Office, 202 Falls Avenue

Friday, February 21:

Pocatello      Noon              Speaks to members of the Pocatello business community,        Mystique Theater, 158 E. Chubbuck Road

Fort Hall        1:30 PM         Tours Chief Targhee Elementary Academy and cultural programs, Chief Targhee Elementary Academy, 38 S. Hiline Road