The allegations made against school officials in the recent Richneck Elementary School shooting in Virginia are potentially, if proven to be t… Read moreRecent school shootings show mistakes, dereliction of duty

In Idaho, we value our quality of life. One way we maintain it is through local services, including public safety, emergency response, and par… Read moreThe obvious property tax solution

We have a lot of reasons to be thankful right now if you rely on water for your livelihood, your community or for recreation in Idaho, no matt… Read moreMany reasons to count our blessings in 2023

The First Amendment says we have the right to free speech, right? Read moreReactions to U of I homicides show that free speech isn’t absolute

It will be up to the two special counsels to investigate and weigh the handling of secret documents by President Biden and former President Do… Read moreAnother scandal regarding classified material: There's too much of it

Some people have become so alarmed by what children might read in school or in libraries that they want books they don’t like removed—immediat… Read moreBanning books is for bullies

As the new year and a new Congress begin, we have an opportunity to set our nation on a course toward energy independence and future prosperit… Read moreCritical minerals are key to our economy, national security

The Mountain States Policy Center (MSPC), which bills itself as a “free-market-oriented think tank,” has been promoting what it calls a “schoo… Read moreWhat’s with the Mountain States Policy Center big-spending plan?

Finally, after a 50-year effort, four massive dams on the Klamath River in Northern California and Oregon will start coming down this July. Read moreA long, strange trip to kill four dams

Fifty years ago, Idahoans in large numbers and variety asked the U.S. Congress to create the Sawtooth National Recreation Area in the headwate… Read moreWild salmon and 50 years of Idaho’s Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Idaho enjoyed outstanding superintendent leadership when I was in the midst of my work in Idaho education: Republican Jerry Evans, who represe… Read moreFormer superintendent candidate shares his expectations for the session

Many Western states have declared they will achieve all-renewable electrical goals in just two decades. Call me naïve, but haven’t energy expe… Read moreThe 'energy gap' no one wants to tussle with

This past year in Idaho brought with it long campaigns and high-profile races in the May primaries and November election. As a result, three o… Read moreWith elections in the rearview, it’s time to get to work

WWAMI (University of Washington, Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) is the only publicly-supported medical school in Idaho. For the past 50 y… Read moreRory Cole's service to Wood River Valley Embodies value of WWAMI

The House of Representatives spent Friday, Dec. 23, passing the $1.65 trillion omnibus spending blowout, and the bill is loaded with earmarks … Read moreThe House pretends to call in sick

As parents, it goes without saying that one of our primary objectives is to do what’s best for our children. We strive to protect their health… Read moreDoing what's best for our kids means saving early for higher education

Our neighbors, children, people who fix our cars, stock our groceries, care for our elderly parents and small children, teachers, farm and dai… Read moreRental assistance helps Idahoans stay housed

The House Jan. 6 committee decided Monday that the best way to cap its 18 months of work would be a political gesture. It thus referred Presid… Read moreThe Jan. 6 inquiry’s not-so-grand finale

Recent articles and editorials have grossly mischaracterized the realities of school choice in Idaho and across the country. The talking point… Read moreSchool choice is about students

A year ago, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky posted a Christmas photo on Twitter. In it, Mr. Massie, his wife and five children pose in front of… Read moreAmerica's gun culture is toxic

We must all step up to aid renters in crisis Read moreWe must all step up to aid renters in crisis

With Republicans poised to take over the House next year, a divided Congress looms. The result could be two years of partisan strife and gridl… Read moreDemocrats and Republicans agree on this tech privacy bill. But can it pass?

It was with heavy hearts that the Dec. 2 edition of our print publication was pieced together. While our usual production nights can be strenu… Read moreMoscow has lost a sense of innocence

There’s a new initiative in Wyoming that’s changing the face of wildlife conservation funding, and it’s already seen huge success in its first year. Read moreWildlife watching has been getting a free ride

When Colorado passed its Red Flag law, called “Extreme Risk Protection Orders,” in 2019, El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder announced his oppos… Read moreRed Flag laws work, but they have to be used

When the leaves start changing colors and there’s a cold breeze in the air, we begin to think of fall and spending time with friends and family as the holiday season nears. What we don’t have on our minds is the beginning of the respiratory illness season, such as influenza, and the importan…

Hate and bigotry often lurk just beneath the surface of civil societies. So long as a society is united in disapproving of hateful words and actions, those evil twins remain suppressed. When they receive official approval, they rise to the surface and infect society like a virus. A society m…

Once again, the Supreme Court is finding its ethics under scrutiny. In November, Justice Clarence Thomas declined to recuse himself in a case involving the plot to overturn Arizona’s 2020 presidential vote, despite his wife’s efforts to pressure state lawmakers to set aside Joe Biden’s victo…

This holiday season, I am tremendously thankful for the opportunity of serving Idaho schools and families as Superintendent of Public Instruction for the past eight years. I especially want to thank my staff and educators in schools across the state for their amazing energy, innovation and c…

At every Thanksgiving dinner, my family asks everyone around the table to say what they’re grateful for. It puts new guests on the spot, so sometimes they just thank the hosts — an easy out that makes it harder for anyone else struggling for a good answer. I’ve been in that position, but thi…

Pennsylvania Republicans craving the governorship after Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s two terms were foiled this year by a superior candidate in Democratic Governor-elect Josh Shapiro, and by their own primary election system. It produced the disastrous Republican nominee, state Sen. Doug Mastr…

For years, anyone showing up at an American hospital emergency room could get the life-saving treatment they needed. No matter who they were, a federal law known as the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act made it clear: If you showed up at an emergency room, that hospital had an obliga…

Idaho Power’s solar study, currently being considered by the Public Utilities Commission, aims to revamp its current net-metering and customer solar policies, which pay homeowners for unused power returned to the grid. These policies have the potential to make or break Idaho’s solar future, …

Local journalism is a cornerstone of democracy and a vital source of information for communities across the country, with newsrooms covering local politics, high school sports, local business openings, cultural events, and other matters that help a community remain vibrant and connected. But…

The results from Tuesday’s election continue to ripple through state legislatures and school boards across the nation. Exit polling shows that public education was one of the top issues on the minds of voters, especially parents.

Every state in the West has some type of law declaring that its waters belong to the public. But what this means is disputed, and several state supreme courts have had to decide cases that pit streamside landowners against paddlers and anglers.

It’s a common story: Candace McNatt of Durango, in southern Colorado, kept losing bidding wars to buy a house. She finally settled on a tiny home of just 350 square feet.

As Idahoans, we love our wintertime activities! Skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling are among our favorite pastimes. Whether you’re carving turns at Sun Valley, Brundage, Bogus Basin, or any one of the 18 resorts in our state, you need to take precautions to ensure that the trip to the mo…

Sun Valley elected officials are proposing to give themselves a salary raise of 81% for the mayor to $38,000 and a 67% increase to $20,000 for council members.

On Nov. 8, there will not be a separate ballot question asking you to specifically express your views on women’s right to bodily autonomy and the freedom to make her own medical decisions. Don’t be fooled, however, choice is absolutely on the ballot in Idaho.

As I reflect on the Idaho Legislature and the nature of the job, my oath and duty are to uphold the United States Constitution, the Idaho State Constitution and the Idaho rule of law. Once elected, we have a duty to work for all Idahoans who expect and demand us to represent their voice: not…

Currently, the Idaho governor can already call the Legislature to an extraordinary or special session, outside of the annual regular sessions, for the narrow purpose of one topic needing to be resolved that cannot be delayed to the next regular session. It is rarely necessary to convene for …

As a rancher with cattle on private and public lands in southeast Wyoming, I’d like to caution those in the Magic Valley who may be listening to the loudest and often misinformed voices who are opposed to the Lava Ridge wind project. Energy options, including wind, have greatly benefited whe…

Imagine you were part owner of a nice piece of rural land, maybe with a trout stream running through it. But your neighbors won’t let you in. You don’t have to imagine, because access to far too much public land is legally blocked by private property owners, causing headaches throughout the West.

We are writing this as Ketchum residents, and not in our official capacities on the City Council. The rising costs and lack of alternatives to receiving U.S. mail are concerning to us, especially when our neighbors are getting their mail delivered for free. We call on our community to ask fo…

Idaho’s law books have become cluttered in recent years with laws that were placed on the books by preening extremists, more for the purpose of gaining votes than addressing real public problems. I like to call them zombie laws because they just languish there on the law books, serving no le…

Response to ‘In Ketchum, postal fees revive old debate’

President Joe Biden finally dared to say it, declaring in an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes” that the “pandemic is over.” Various public-health eminences are saying he’s wrong, but his comments recognize the reality of the disease at this stage and the public mood. The trouble is that his Ad…

Maine had the largest drop in the percentage of people without health insurance in the country over the past two years. Having more people insured and able to access health care is good for their health, and for the economy of the state.

Between Galena Summit and Timmerman Hill, three libraries make space among the mountains for rugged thinking and roaming imaginations.

Blaine County has had a voice in policymaking and leadership in the Idaho Statehouse, primarily in the Idaho State Senate, for just short of 60 years.

I love my kids. I appreciate their unique qualities. I look for opportunities to help them succeed and develop their unique strengths, but I don’t always agree with everything they do. I love them enough to tell them when I am concerned about their choices and to say “no” when it matters. He…