In rural Idaho, when someone calls 911 during a medical emergency, the most important question should not be whether help can reach them and in many rural communities today, that question is becoming very real. Across Idaho, counties are struggling to maintain reliable Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Volunteer responders are stretched thin. Equipment is expensive. […]
I recently sat down with McCall City Manager Forest Atkinson to talk about growth, housing, and the future of Idaho communities. That conversation started in one resort town, but the reality we discussed stretches far beyond McCall. What is happening with short-term rentals is no longer a local issue. It is a statewide turning point […]
And what happens to Idaho if the office collapses? This started with one question in Horseshoe Bend Last Tuesday at the “Meet the Representatives” town hall in Horseshoe Bend, I asked a question based on direct work with Idaho sheriffs. I told the room I have interviewed sheriffs across the state, and they are all […]
A Solution-Focused Companion to Reporting by Murphy Woodhouse This story begins with journalism. In recent reporting by Murphy Woodhouse of Boise State Public Radio, a growing problem facing homeowners across the Mountain West was brought into the open. Insurance premiums are rising at alarming rates. Policies are being canceled or not renewed. In many cases, […]
A Parent’s Real-World Example: Imagine this: you live in Boise, enroll your kids, and get used to the Boise School District’s app. You upload medical records, contact information, emergency numbers — your family’s whole life into the system. Then life changes, you move to Nampa, and suddenly you are told to download a brand-new app. Start over. […]
My wife and I own property near Bonneville Hot Springs. What makes our land unique isn’t just its beauty — it holds water rights and a diversion system that provides one of the only places in the area where helicopters can safely dip water. Our property also surrounds a small cottage neighborhood with 17 homes, […]
I walked into the “God Country” vigil for Charlie Kirk with hesitation. Events like this are not usually my style. I am more reserved, and there has always been a certain unease for me in large public gatherings where faith and politics intertwine. Inspired by Faith and Country: But being there changed me. The participation […]
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Boise is living proof. On the surface, Mayor Lauren McLean’s gestures look noble, promoting inclusion, accountability, and progress. But the results tell a different story: taxpayer dollars wasted, civic unity fractured, and our capital city used as a political foothold for national agendas. Lawsuits […]
Idaho is growing faster than most of us can keep up with. New subdivisions appear almost overnight. Cities expand their boundaries. State lawmakers celebrate population increases as a mark of success. Growth has become the headline. But in the middle of this boom, something deeper is being forgotten: the difference between growth politics and governance. […]
Idaho’s Conservative Cannibalism Problem: For most of my life I was not wrapped up in Idaho politics. I never believed in social media so I didn’t spend my time chasing every skirmish on line. Instead, I was working hard, raising a family and building a life here with my wife of twenty-five years. Now I […]