Officials at the University of Montana are worried that the spotlight on the rash of sexual assault cases on campus will have an adverse effect on their enrollment numbers.

This morning's Missoulian reports that prospective UM students have asked to talk to admissions officers about how the university is handling the issue of sexual assaults.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Justice Department launched its own investigation into the incident, citing more than 80 reported rapes in only three years. The Justice Department said its investigation will focus on complaints that local law enforcement failed to properly investigate and prosecute sexual assaults on women in Missoula because of gender discrimination.

Two members of the UM Grizzlies football team - Big Sky Conference champions - have been accused of rape, leading to the recent dismissal of the football coach and the school's athletic director.

"The allegations that the University of Montana, the local police department and the county attorney's office failed to adequately address sexual assaults are very disturbing," said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.

UM is coming off several years of record fall enrollment, with 2011 seeing 15,669 total students at the main campus and College of Technology combined.

Starting next fall, new students will be required to take a 30- to 40-minute online course on appropriate intimate relations, sexual assault and aggressive dating. The point of the mandatory course is to help students make healthy choices and avoid problematic situations.

What's in a name? Plenty; especially during a long, and often-testy pre-trial hearing in Idaho 2nd District Court on Wednesday.

This morning's Lewiston Tribune reports that court records indicated that Christine Williams-Cox was charged with the manufacture of marijuana at her Lewiston home. She was also charged with contempt of court.

But the Tribune reports that a "long, stormy exchange" highlighted Wednesday's court proceedings, surrounding the woman's name and her objection to the state court's jurisdiction.

Williams-Cox told 2nd District Judge Jeff Brudie that she was "a sovereign and common woman of the land," identifying herself only as Blue Sky Woman.

"I am a sovereign common woman," said Williams-Cox. "You are expecting me to defend a corporate, fiction person."

Then, Williams-Cox spent the better part of an hour challenging Idaho's right to charge her with a crime.

"Is it common law criminal or is it admiralty criminal, which nature," Williams-Cox asked Brudie.

The Tribune also reports that Williams-Cox questioned if the Idaho court was "a secret jurisdiction that only attorneys and judges can navigate."

Ultimately, the judge ruled that Williams-Cox could no longer represent herself for the remainder of the proceedings. She'll be back in the courtroom on June 6.

Boise and Meridian Police partnered up May 12 and worked with a team of undercover minors to conduct alcohol sales compliance checks at 80 establishments across the Treasure Valley. Ultimately, five locations failed by providing alcohol to minors.

In Boise, employees at four businesses were cited:

-Albertsons on Broadway Avenue
-Albertsons on Federal Way
-Cafe Ole in BODO (two people cited)
-Tablerock Brew Pub

In Meridian, an employee at one business was cited:
Joy Garden Restaurant on Overland Road

Additionally, police had minors ask patrons in parking lots to purchase alcohol for them. Seven adults were cited in Meridian. Police also charged some of the adults with possessions of marijuana, prescription pills and drug paraphernalia.

Garden City Police - working with two minors - spread out Saturday night, testing compliance with alcohol age restrictions at more than two dozen businesses. By the end of the evening, clerks at five locations were cited; four of the establishments were on Chinden Boulevard:

-Boulevard Bar, 4079 Chinden Blvd.
-Jacksons, 4400 Chinden Blvd.
-Quarter Barrel Bar, 4900 Chinden Blvd.
-Riverside Bar, 2900 Chinden Blvd.
-Walgreens, 6725 Glenwood St.

In March, Boise Police - working with four minors - handed out 18 citations at five Boise locations where employees had provided alcohol to minors.

The Meridian School District has decided to fire a female employee for handing over a key to the school to a group of Mountain View High School students. Meridian police say the group of 25 students, 19 over the age of 18, trashed the school as part of a senior prank, including pouring cooking oil on floors and a stairwell, throwing trash on floors and zip-tying lockers together. Those over the age of 18 were cited with unlawful entry and malicious injury. The remaining six faced possible curfew violations.

But on Friday, Meridian Police Deputy Chief Tracy Basterrechea said the city prosecutor's office was "holding the tickets," meaning that if the students performed community service at the school and paid for the cleanup, charges may be dismissed.

Meanwhile, school officials also decided to allow the seniors to participate in upcoming graduation ceremonies.

• Andrew Crisp
• U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson delivered information about 14 individuals implicated in a two-year investigation.

Law enforcement officials announced the early success of a major, ongoing investigation into the sale and trafficking of drugs in Idaho, including the synthetic cannabis product spice.

U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson made the announcement flanked by representatives of a number of entities who worked together in the investigation.

"Yesterday, a Grand Jury sitting here in Boise delivered 11 indictments against 16 individuals trafficking drug paraphernalia through businesses commonly referred to as head shops," she said.

Ten men and one woman were implicated in the two-year investigation, Operation Headshop—Not For Human Consumption. Most of those indicted range in age from the mid 20s to the late 30s.

Among those indicted are William Oldenburg, 65, owner and operator of the Boise Beverage and Tobacco and Pit Stop Express; Troy Rawlings, president of RG Distributing Inc.; Raj V. Singh, owner of Wonderland Hookah; and Anthony Stoner, owner of Smoke-N-Accessories. All were charged with conspiracy to sell and offering to sell drug paraphernalia.

Others named in the indictments are: Bradley Berquist, Gabriel Adam, Thomas Blumke, Crystal Blumke, Yoke Fee Chan, Hannah Farrar, Ali Mayid Kathem, Antonio Mendoza and Jennifer Dixon.

Officials said Jason Guerrero and Donovan Johns were still at large, but that law enforcement had "good leads" as to their whereabouts.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, Boise Police Department, Ada County Sheriff's Office, Canyon County Sheriff's Office, Nampa Police Department, Meridian Police Department and the Canyon County Prosecutor's Office all played a part.

Olson said that the investigation sends a message to those selling or trafficking illegal drugs and paraphernalia.

"The businesses that masquerade as selling legitimate tobacco products but actually sell drug paraphernalia will face law enforcement. ... These businesses should be very concerned that law enforcement will look at these things very closely," said Olson.

One month after slapping the founder and CEO of Bodybuilding.com with a half-million-dollar fine and probation, federal prosecutors have charged Bodybuilding.com's former vice president Jeremy DeLuca with violating the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

DeLuca and the Bodybuilding.com entered plea agreements where they will pay fines - $7 million from Bodybuilding.com and $600,000 form DeLuca. The plea hearings are set for a federal court date on Thursday, May 24.

The case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration.

On April 10, Bodybuilding.com CEO Ryan DeLuca, pleaded guilty to five counts of violating the FDCA, after prosecutors said he had sold misbranded drugs as dietary supplements.

Prosecutors said that in the first seven and one-half months of 2009, Bodybuilding.com had gross revenues of almost $1.8 million from the sale of products similar to those DeLuca admitted were improperly sold as dietary supplements.

The fallout from a senior prank at Mountain View High School has resulted in disciplinary measures against a non-teaching staff member that had reportedly given a key to students to enter the building Sunday night.

Nineteen students, all over the age of 18, were cited for unlawful entry and malicious injury to property for their role in pouring cooking oil on floors and stairwells, throwing trash on floors and zip-tying lockers together. Six other students, under the age of 18, were released to their parents and face possible curfew violations.

The Meridian School District announced today that the seniors would be allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies, but would not comment on the disciplinary measures taken against the employee, saying it was a personnel issue.

Two separate Southwest Airlines flights were halted Tuesday night because of bomb threats.

One of the threats was made while Flight 1184 was on its way to Phoenix from Orange County, Calif. As a result, the plane was taken to an isolation pad after it landed.

A bomb threat also prompted Southwest to cancel another flight, Flight 811, that was also scheduled to travel from Orange County to Phoenix. Both planes were inspected, but nothing suspicious was found.

Even so, the threatening calls have attracted the attention of the FBI, but neither the agency nor the Transportation Security Agency would give specifics about the phone calls.

UPDATE Tuesday 3:30 p.m.

• Courtesy Boise Police Department
• Todd William Smisek

Boise Police have an arrest warrant for a Boise man, wanted in connection with the theft of a recumbant bike - or trike - from a young man with special needs.

The warrant, on a felony charge of grand theft, was issued for 31-year-old Todd Smisek, following a number of tips that led law enforcement to identify the suspect. If caught, Smisek will be held on $50,000 bond.

ORIGINAL POST Tuesday, 12:00 p.m.

No arrest has been made and the investigation continues, but Boise Police have recovered what remains of a customized recumbant bike—or trike—albeit in pieces. But there is good news for the owner—a young man with special needs: The manufacturer of the trike, a company in the United Kingdom, has offered to replace any missing parts at no charge. The bike is currently booked into evidence at Boise Police headquarters.

The bike was stolen on the afternoon of May 6 from a Boise residence in the area of Boise Avenue and Gekeler Lane. The trike was the only mode of transportation the victim was able to use.

Police found the trike in pieces at two separate locations May 7.

Anyone with information on the theft is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 208-343-COPS.

• Courtesy Boise Police Department
• The Trice T trike was valued at more than $3,500.