October 22, 2010

Cell phone use
ITD prohibits use of cell phones, similar devices while driving state vehicles/equipment

All ITD employees,
Safety is a key objective of ITD Executive Management. Safety is part of the department’s strategic plan; it is one of our performance measures; and it is one of the key objectives in the new long-range system plan. Since safety on the roadways receives such high attention for those who travel on Idaho’s highways, it is equally important to management that employees set an example to others and be as safe as possible.
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Employees
Tolman named new strategic funding specialist
"I am pleased to announce Dave Tolman has assumed a position as the department’s new strategic funding specialist effective Monday (Oct. 25), ” ITD Director Brian Ness said. “Dave’s extensive knowledge of the budgeting process and understanding of federal and state financing will be invaluable in addressing three critical issues facing the department.”
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Hansen critically injured in hunting accident
District 6 employee Korby Hansen, 35, was seriously injured recently in a hunting accident and is recovering at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls. It was the second tragic accident involving a district employee in about three weeks, following the on-duty traffic accident that claimed the life of maintenance worker Jonathan Prahasto.
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Traffic Safety Commission
FHWA official: Driving culture needs to change
Reducing fatalities and serious injuries on Idaho highways will take more than infrastructure improvements and more than the traditional focus on engineering, education, enforcement and emergency responses. Saving lives will require a cultural shift - a fundamental change in driver behavior, insists Joe Toole, Federal Highway Administration's associate administrator for safety. He was among the authorities who spoke Wednesday at the annual Idaho Traffic Safety Commission meeting in Boise.

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Madison County pair receive national safety award
Sheriff Roy C. Klingler and Lt. Cameron Stanford of the Madison County Sheriff's Office were honored this week for outstanding commitment to multi-jurisdictional law enforcement efforts in Idaho. The two received National Highway Traffic Safety Administration "Safety Champion Awards" from John M. Moffat, NHTSA regional administrator for the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. The presentation took place during an Idaho Traffic Safety Commission meeting hosted by the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) in Boise.
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Employees
Fitness challenge honors go to District 5
District 5 employees ran circles around their colleagues from throughout the state this year – or perhaps they could have, judging from final results in the annual ITD fitness challenge. More than half of the District 5 participants (51 percent) completed the 10-week event. District 1 was a distant second, followed closely by District 2 (37 percent) and District 4 (33 percent). Districts 3 and 6 finished with 26 percent and 24 percent completion rates.

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Centennial of Flight

Saturday observance ready for takeoff
Clouds, rainbows, birds and the sun. Until 1910, there wasn’t much else in the skies over Lewiston. Or anywhere else in Idaho. No jet trails. No commercial flights. No private aircraft. That changed on Oct. 13, 1910, when James J. Ward of Chicago maneuvered a simple biplane off the ground from a primitive airstrip in Clarkston, Wash., crossed the Snake River and cast a shadow of his craft over Lewiston.

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Open house celebrates 100 years in the air
An open house to commemorate the centennial of the first airplane flight over Lewiston, which also was the first powered flight over Idaho, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport. It will be at the Stout Flying Service Hangar west of the main airport terminal.

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Remember when?: Milestones in Idaho aviation
It began in 1910 and remains a centerpiece for Idaho travel, commerce, economy...

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Accolades
Idaho 55 drivers owe ITD heartfelt 'thanks'
For the last 10 weeks, motorists who normally use Idaho 55 to travel between McCall and Donnelly have felt like refugees, unable to easily find their way to or from their homes. But now the work is over, and those people - or at least those who represent them - should stop and say a word of thanks to the Idaho Transportation Department.
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In Memoriam
Billy June Pittman Lyndaker
Billy Lyndaker, who was an administrative assistant for the Public Affairs (now Communications) Office from 1996 to 2004, lost a long and courageous battle with bone cancer on Oct. 15. Family members, friends and colleagues gathered at First United Methodist Church in Boise for a memorial service Thursday (Oct. 21). In lieu of flowers, friends are encouraged to make a contribution in her name to the Mountain States Tumor Institute (MSTI) Health Foundation or a local hospice provider.


Safety
Warm up before raking up
Autumn leaves aren't quite as beautiful when it's time to start raking. Because this task is often more physically demanding than people realize, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) recommends that people take precautions when raking:

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Encore
Published October 15, 2010

Employees
Health insurance payment to take two-month 'holiday'
During the 2010 Legislative Session, the Department of Administration was directed to utilize reserve funds to provide premium holidays on the Active Employee medical/dental plans for two months during the current fiscal year. In addition, the Legislature only appropriated 10 months of the normal state contribution for the medical/dental plans to agencies.
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Administrative assistants assemble for 22nd workshop
ITD Director Brian Ness explained his vision for the department as he set the stage for the 22nd annual Administrative workshop this week in Boise. In addition to elaborating on the elements that comprise that vision, he also touched on a concept to reduce reporting levels and make the department more efficient.


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Technology
ETS survey will help improve services
Recently, ETS conducted a general “technology” survey, asking some basic questions that will aid our management team in evaluating the responses, and determining how ETS can make improvements and do a better job supporting the agency (you). This survey was run for a full month and was available via a link on the ITD Intranet home page.
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Preparedness
ITD participates in effort to become prepared
As the seventh annual National Preparedness Month (NPM) concludes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reminds citizens of the importance of emergency preparedness throughout the year. NPM, sponsored by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, is observed each September, encouraging Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities.

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Cybersecurity
Federal agency suggests 'Stop. Think. Connect.'
The federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched the “Stop. Think. Connect.” public cybersecurity awareness campaign Oct. 4 to promote simple steps the public can take to increase their safety and security online. The campaign fulfills a key element of President Obama’s 2009 Cyberspace Policy Review, which tasked DHS with developing a public awareness campaign to inform Americans about ways to use technology safely.
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