Much has happened over the last five years that is having a profound and positive effect on public education at all levels, despite the pandemic. The catalysts for these changes are two sets of recommendations put forth by pair education task forces convened by Governor Brad Little and his p…
On the one-year anniversary of the horrific attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, I would like to reflect on the events and lessons learned since that day, and the opportunities Congress had to respond.
Educators deserve to be heard and trusted, paid competitively, and prepared with the tools to support students in any classroom. Idaho educators need clear expectations, simplified roles, and they deserve policies that help them work with all students. Educators want to be successful in thei…
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported violent crime was up 5.6 percent in the U.S. in 2020 from 2019. In Idaho, in 2020, the FBI found there were 3,610 violent-crime incidents reported by 107 law enforcement agencies. There are many complex reasons for this unfortunate increase.…
Lately, it seems like all I read is negative news from the main street media when it comes to financial matters. Although President Biden’s policies have created any number of worrisome, noteworthy indicators, nationally, including seven percent inflation, outrageously high gas prices, plumm…
The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc across Idaho. Hardest hit? Vulnerable, older adults, children, families struggling to juggle work and caregiving, and people with medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
The holiday season can be a stressful and overwhelming time for many people. In addition to increased financial pressures and family/social obligations, as the New Year approaches many of us must acknowledge we didn’t achieve the goals we set last year for making positive changes in our lives.
China’s encroaching aggression in the Indo-Pacific region is a threat to international and regional security. Trade is critical not just for economic growth and strength, but also in the context of dealing effectively with China. The administration cannot stand idly by as China advances its …
The holidays have arrived, a time for faith, family, and friendship. But this year, new worries weigh on the season. Small businesses and families across Idaho are confronted with broken supply chains and rising prices on everything from gas to groceries.
When I heard of the passing of WWII combat veteran and former presidential candidate, U.S. Senator Bob Dole, I immediately recalled a man of integrity, humility, and patriotism.
Parents, teachers, community members, and business leaders deserve an engaged leader with a strong vision to actively connect them to funding and program support. As Superintendent of Public Instruction, I will lead Idaho education with honesty and transparency to empower parents, strengthen…
Idaho Gov. Brad Little and the Legislature have an incredible — and maybe once-in-a-generation opportunity — to use the budget gargantuan surplus to rid the state of one or more albatrosses around residents’ necks. These albatrosses are, in no particular order:
Should parents or politicians choose how children are educated? The Idaho Education Association (IEA) is a major political player in the state and recently shared its attitude on that important question. IEA President Layne McInelly asserted, “Public schools are the foundation of our society...”
Recently, there has been a lot of news surrounding so-called ‘mainstream Republicans’ encouraging Democrat voters to disingenuously change their party registration and vote in the upcoming Republican primary next May.
Don’t be fooled by the rhetoric coming from the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry. They’re not on the side of freedom — not now, not ever.
To the representatives, senators, and people of Idaho:
The “Now Hiring” and “Help Wanted” job postings are everywhere.
Idaho’s Legislature will resume the session on Nov. 15. My most sincere hope is for the legislature to pass a bill to protect Idahoans from big corporations and “special-interest science.” Our elected leaders need to make vaccine mandates illegal!
For political conservatives, countering big government’s alluring but empty promises are challenging. The task is tenfold harder when libertarians pretend to speak for conservatives.
As you move throughout your day, you begin to notice that you feel a bit run down, you are beginning to cough, your head is starting to ache, and you think you might have a fever. Do you have COVID? Or is it the flu?
Ever wonder why Veterans Day is on the 11th and doesn’t change? The 11th is significant, as the end of World War I was the result of an armistice (an agreement to stop fighting) between Germany and the Allied forces that took effect on the western front of the war, on the 11th month, on the …
There is a lot of talk about President Biden’s $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill. Most of the conversation is around the price tag. While the fiscal note of this bloated proposal is alarming, even more alarming are the opportunities for federal overreach.
The catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan has been thoroughly canvassed. The Biden administration’s failures in its retreat have been discussed at length. The fallout from President Joe Biden’s decision to leave Afghanistan the way we did will tarnish America’s reputation.
Washington D.C. was once a required meeting place for our elected leaders. When it was founded as our capital, there were no computers, and in-person gatherings were essential. The floors of the House and Senate bustled with the activity of our elected leaders, doing the business of the nati…
Each year, during the month of October, the YWCA participates in a nationwide Domestic Violence Awareness Campaign. As advocates, we go out into our communities and hang purple ribbons, talk to community members, place posters and information about the services that are available and encoura…
In a few days, I will “celebrate” my first anniversary of COVID. What are my thoughts about this past year? The first thought I have is that if I can prevent, or at least alleviate, someone else from going through what I went through, I will.
What if we held an election and 85 percent of the voters didn’t show up? If that seems far-fetched, it isn’t. In years where city mayors are on the ballot, only about 25-40 percent of people vote. What’s even more alarming is that when only city council and school board members are on the ba…
The Idaho Constitution directs state officials to provide a free, thorough and uniform public education system. And, as you know, nothing is free. More than 2 billion of your dollars go to education to fulfill that Constitutional charge. You send your hard-earned dollars to Boise with the be…
Don’t blame the unvaccinated for the activation of the state’s “crisis standards of care” at Idaho’s hospitals. Blame the state’s big hospitals.
It’s not surprising that the Idaho Supreme Court ruled against a new law requiring more uniform collection of petition signatures in order for an initiative to qualify for the ballot. What is shocking is how badly the court twisted itself into knots to justify its decision to the satisfactio…
BOISE — Americans are deeply divided on COVID-19 and the response to it. Public health has turned political, there’s no doubt about it.
As a lifelong Idahoan, I’m thankful to Governor Brad Little for issuing an official proclamation recognizing Sept. 20-24 as National Clean Energy Week in Idaho. Investing in an all-of-the-above approach to clean energy – including emerging clean energy technologies in natural gas and nuclear…
Should we accept that our current system of education is the absolute best and most effective system of education?
BOISE — The new school year began with more uncertainty than we expected because of the rapid spread of the COVID-19 delta variant strain. However, based on our overall performance and experience last year, I am confident that our local school boards, administrators, teachers and parents are…
I have been a nurse for 39 years, 26 of those as an RN and the last 12 as a nurse practitioner. I graduated with my associate’s degree at the age of 20, my bachelor’s degree at the age of 22, and I worked as an RN for Syringa Hospital for 23 years and at St. Mary’s Health for the past 12 yea…
There are moments that define a generation.
The Idaho North Central District of Public Health reported last Friday that the Delta variant of COVID-19 is in fact in Idaho County*. Numbers of COVID have surged throughout the country the past few weeks, with Idaho’s positive cases being no exception. Because of the current state of the p…
BOISE — As cities and counties begin to set budgets for the coming year, it is important to understand the recent changes implemented by the state legislature, as well as the impact of the huge allocation of federal rescue funds sent to local governments. Your local officials are setting bud…
Late last month, Idaho stood up its first Medical Operations Coordination Cell (MOCC) calls in response to COVID. The name may sound innocuous, but it could be the most ominous action taken so far by our healthcare system during this pandemic. To deal with the expanding overflow of patients,…
