Tiny gray areas in the skies

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SMELL AS SWEET Nampa resident participates in her 32 consecutive Rose Parade MAIN, A3

FUTURE BRONCOS SPAR Boise State recruits McLeod, Hensley compete at Rollie Lane SPORTS, B1

January 4, 2015

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Karcher Mall facing challenges ‘De-malling’ proposal could create more store frontage By TORRIE COPE tcope@idahopress.com

© 2015 Idaho Press-Tribune

NAMPA — It’s a critical time for Nampa’s Karcher Mall. The mall has had a large vacant space to fill since Macy’s left in 2009, and it’s bringing the rest of the mall down. There are retailers interested in the 70,000-square-foot space, but it’s in need of extensive work before it would be ready for them. LeAnn Hume, the branch manager and principal for Cushman & Wakefield|Commerce, the mall’s broker, presented this information to the Nampa Development Corporation’s board in December.

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Please see Karcher, A4

Utah gears up for lands fight as deadline passes By MICHELLE L. PRICE The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY — A deadline Utah set for the federal government to hand over 31 million acres of public land quietly passed this week with no such transfer, something predicted by both critics and supporters of the state’s push for control. Republican Ken Ivory, a state representative who spearheaded Utah’s push, said the passing of the Dec. 31 deadline shows that the federal government doesn’t seem willing to negotiate the issue.

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OTHER STATES Montana, Wyoming and Nevada have passed resolutions or requested studies of the legal arguments and costs and benefits of the issue. Idaho passed a resolution in 2013 demanding the federal government hand over control of public land in that state, but a state committee studying the issue now says working with Washington, D.C., for a solution will work better than issuing a demand. The committee is set to issue a recommendation in January about how Idaho should pursue the land.

NEW YEAR’S BABY CORRECTION Elizabeth Chaffer’s baby, Olivia Rose Chaffer, was born New Year’s Day at 6 pounds, 10 ounces. Incorrect information was provided to the Idaho PressTribune for a story that ran in the Jan. 2 edition.  Deaths Judy Atwood Wilma Curtis

Farrell Ferguison Mary Green-Wynn Elsie Gregovich

By KELCIE MOSELEY

kmoseley@idahopress.com

© 2015 Idaho Press-Tribune

Local drone experts discuss new technology outpacing federal laws NAMPA — Say the word “drones,” and what probably comes to mind is a hulking, government-issued aircraft waiting to strike or spy at any moment. But that is one of the most extreme versions of drone use, and a highly specific niche of the invention itself — a small, airborne device that can take crisp, clear photos and video of the ground below. The technology used to seem out of reach and difficult to comprehend, but every day, drones become more accessible to the common person, not just the Department of Defense. In fact, many individuals probably received some type of drone for Christmas. One of the highest rated “quadcopters” on Amazon — the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ — is $1,100, but the prices range all the way down to about $200 for smaller models.

A December report from CNBC said consumers worldwide spent about $720 million on drones in 2014, which works out to about 200,000 units sold each month. Mike Blades, senior industry analyst for aerospace and defense at Frost & Sullivan, told CNBC he expects those numbers to double this year. The problem a person might encounter upon receiving or purchasing one is that the Federal Aviation Administration has somewhat muddled rules on how and where a drone can be used.

WHEN DID DRONE USE TAKE OFF?

The Federal Aviation Administration first authorized the use of unmanned aircraft in the National Airspace System in 1990, but hobby drones have only become an issue in the past few years. As far back as 2007, hobbyists were assembling their own drones with help from websites such as DIY Drones. As popularity began to increase, parts became cheaper and easier to obtain, and more retailers began to sell them. The FAA estimated in a March report that as many as 7,500 small commercial drones will be in use by 2018.

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International blames the lack of a regulatory structure for mounting U.S. economic losses, suggesting that for every day that drones are not integrated into the nation’s airspace, the U.S. loses $27.6 million a day — or $10 billion each year.”

Please see Drones, A4

Chase Hochstrasser Jerry Jensen Jeanne Kelly

Violet Prince Larry Sanceri Janice Taylor

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