08/14/08 Armstrong's gold; foreclose on failed tax payments

Idaho's Kristen Armstrong has had one overriding goal for the past four years; winning a cycling gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. ARMSTRONG "I wanted to go there and it wanted to win this time around and so you know Beijing its been the biggest goal." The 35 year old Boisean fought back tears when she stood on the medal platform after winning the 15 mile long cycling time trial. Armstrong has credited dairy products and especially chocolate milk as part of her nutritional regime. She expected to return to Idaho on Friday. There could be tears shed in four Treasure Valley residences that are about to be sold because their owners failed to pay irrigation district taxes for the past four years. An official with the Nampa and Meridian Irrigation District will personally visit all four owners today to tell them what's about to happen. The unpaid taxes on the residential properties range from $271 to $844 for a total amount of 23 hundred dollars. Tax deed auction means the properties could end up being sold at auction for virtually pennies on the dollar to satisfy the back taxes An irrigation district spokesman says repeated efforts to get the owners to respond to previous notices went unanswered and now they're at the point of last resort. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott