Commentary
On gun violence, Americans need to agree on the question before figuring out solutions
The reflex to say how great America is instead of actually doing something to make it so is our Achilles heel. It’s strongest when it’s most damaging — after a tragedy born of societal failure, begging for solutions. I’ve reported on guns and gun culture for years, and it’s what happens after almost every mass […]
Why America needs a caretaker to lead her future
Wars, mass shootings, pandemics, droughts, supply shortages, recession and political divisiveness … it’s ugly in America these days. Do you ever remember a time when you were a kid and everything seemed dark around you? Maybe you were being bullied or your parents were divorcing, or perhaps you just lost a loved one. If during […]
Why does this guy still have an Idaho medical license?
Garden City pathologist Ryan Cole burst onto the national scene as a leading COVID-19 vaccination denier and purveyor of unproven cures in July of 2021. Speaking at a meeting of America’s Frontline Doctors, a group of COVID-19 anti-vaccination activists, Cole falsely described the life-saving vaccines as “fake,” a “clot shot” and “needle rape.” He falsely […]
With Idaho’s abortion ban, we will lose patients from complications no one should ever die from
A couple sits in front me, staring intently while I tell them the worst news of their lives. They try to hold it together as I explain a pregnancy complication they have never heard of but will change their lives forever. At the end of the conversation, I make sure they know that what is […]
Huckleberry Ridge, Henrys Fork eruptions get attention. But these Yellowstone tuffs need love, too.
Over the past 2.1 million years, there have been three very large explosive eruptions from the Yellowstone volcanic system that formed calderas — the Huckleberry Ridge eruption 2.1 million years ago, the Henrys Fork eruption 1.3 million years ago and the Yellowstone eruption 631,000 years ago. These eruptions each left a thick deposit of ash […]
Yellowstone National Park’s connection to the 1877 flight of the Nez Perce
Throughout its history, Yellowstone National Park has been frequented by numerous indigenous tribes. All of these groups have a unique and cherished tale bonding them with the land upon which Yellowstone sits, but perhaps one of the most harrowing and tragic stories is that of the Nez Perce, or Nimiipu. In the summer of 1877, […]
Here are five things Idaho developers can do to create more affordable housing
It’s no secret that our state is exploding with growth. As lifelong Treasure Valley residents, we are experiencing our state’s growing pains alongside many other Idahoans. Because our business is to help others live here – whether through real estate, conscious neighborhood development or sustainable construction – we also know housing can be done better, […]
Project ECHO Idaho is changing our health care landscape, one Zoom meeting at a time
Idaho’s rural communities face the largest disparity when it comes to accessing quality health care. With 35 out of 44 of Idaho’s counties considered medically underserved, the need for health care professionals to treat the complex and evolving needs of their communities is greater than ever. Accessing health care in rural areas is often difficult […]
The U.S. Supreme Court warns against state funding of private schools
The U.S. Supreme Court has again ruled that a state will be required to fund religious schooling if, but only if, it provides funding for private schooling. Speaking for the court’s Republican supermajority in Carson v. Makin, Chief Justice John Roberts put it this way: “A State need not subsidize private education. But once a […]
Parents must be prepared to talk to their kids about school shootings. Here are tips on how.
The more things change, the more they stay the same, or so the saying goes. In January 2021, I wrote a column called “Talking to your kids about recent mob violence.” The recent tragedies in Uvalde, Texas, and several other states bring on the sad occasion to write this piece again. I need to repurpose […]
As we celebrate the Fourth of July, just what is an American patriot?
As the nation observes the 246th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we will often hear mention of patriots and patriotism. But, just what does it mean to be a patriot? The dictionary defines the term as “a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors.” That […]
After Patriot Front arrests in North Idaho, meet the new ‘Conflict Entrepreneurs’
“It is clear to us based on the gear that the individuals had with them, the stuff they had in their possession and in the U-Haul with them, along with paperwork that was seized from them, that they came to riot downtown,” said Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White. It’s not every day you see a […]