Commentary
Twin Falls to Salt Lake City flights getting trimmed shouldn’t surprise anyone
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who flies in and out of Twin Falls or other southern Idaho airports that Delta Air Lines is trimming its Salt Lake City daily flights from three flights to one for Twin Falls. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the airline industry all across the country as fewer […]
Plan your outdoor trip in advance to avoid conflicts on Idaho’s public lands
This column was first published at idrange.org By all accounts, the number of people playing outdoors in Idaho has been growing rapidly in recent years as record numbers of people move here or vacation here. Visits to Idaho’s public lands are increasing, and that’s led to an increase in litter, trigger trash, trespassing, resource damage […]
Idaho governor for a day does not mean queen for a day. McGeachin’s actions go too far.
Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, who served as a state representative from Idaho Falls for a decade (2002-2012), has said often that she needed some time off from state politics to reflect and gain some perspective. So when she was elected as lieutenant governor in 2018, becoming the first woman to win that office in the […]
The emotional and financial cost of dementia demands our community’s attention
Over 6 million Americans are living with dementia. The cost of caring for these individuals is estimated by the Alzheimer’s Association to be $355 billion in 2021. As a local geriatrician, I care for families who experience tremendous frustration over delayed diagnoses, poor efficacy of current drug therapies, lack of insurance coverage for in-home caregiving, […]
Idaho’s former Chief Justice Burdick hasn’t slowed in retirement, drawn firearms notwithstanding
Many Idaho court watchers figured the former Chief Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court, Roger Burdick, would slow down to smell the roses when he retired at the end of June. It was not to be. On Sept. 25, Burdick played an instrumental role in the arrest of two individuals on a variety of charges […]
Retail? Hotels? Sure. But in Idaho, economic development also supports tech-savvy ag sector.
I attended an economic development Business Plus lunch recently at which a question was asked about the importance of agriculture to the Magic Valley and Southern Idaho economy. I’ll paraphrase the question as, “shouldn’t economic development do more to encourage agricultural growth in the region?” It’s a good point, but if you look around, there’s […]
North American Grasslands Conservation Act would fund restoration, conservation of Idaho’s habitats
The “sagebrush sea” is synonymous with the iconic wide-open landscapes of the American West. This drab, gray-green member of the sunflower family was once ubiquitous across much of Idaho. What may look like a lifeless desert actually supports over 350 plant and animal species. A common phrase often uttered by developers, farmers, hunters and even […]
I was relieved COVID affected adults more than kids. With delta variant, that relief is gone.
In March of 2020, when the world was living in fear of the unknown virus, I remember being relieved that the disease affected adults more than children. With the delta variant, that relief is gone. We’re seeing an increase in pediatric COVID-19 cases with no end in sight unless more Idahoans get vaccinated. More than […]
Wildfire smoke is here to stay. Here’s how to clean the air inside your home.
The fierce wildfires that broke out across much of the western United States this summer, spreading smoke across hundreds of miles, continue to pose a serious health hazard to millions. More are expected this fall. That’s a major health concern because microscopic particles in wildfire smoke, carried by the wind, can penetrate deep into your […]
How can we bestow love upon our neighbors in Idaho’s COVID-19 crisis?
“Love thy neighbor” is a bedrock tenet of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Leviticus 19:18 portrays God directly telling Moses, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Building on this theme, when Jesus was asked which of the commandments was greatest, he replied that the first and greatest commandment was an unquestioning love of God and “the […]
Tips for Idaho teachers in the wake of the delta variant
For a while, things have been returning back to normal, albeit a “new normal.” Due to COVID-19, most students did not have in-person instruction last year, and most of those who did only returned part-time with mask mandates in place. Now, we are weeks into a new school year. The hopes were to once again […]
Idaho needs media literacy to combat COVID-19 misinformation
With Idaho recently announcing crisis standards of care in hospitals across the state, we are seeing first-hand the effects of myths, misunderstandings, and misinformation about COVID-19. In today’s media environment, Idahoans are bombarded from every direction with contradictory claims about COVID-19, and it can be challenging to disentangle the truths from the falsehoods. Much like […]