We have all likely heard some variation of the famous saying that nothing is certain but death and taxes. Given the preeminent inevitability of taxes, we must make certain that the federal agency tasked with administering this responsibility operates with just and up-to-date guidelines. Sinc…

When Tom Mueller grew up in St. Maries, his logger father hoped his son would follow in his footsteps. A guidance counselor urged him to become an airplane mechanic. But his math teacher asked if he was going to become an engineer.

Each year, the fewer hours of sunlight, stormy weather, isolation, and holiday season brings stress to many in our region, nation and the world. Many people become overwhelmed, depressed, anxious and sometimes suicidal during stressful holiday seasons. The Regional Behavioral Health Board (B…

Since the beginning of the pandemic, many residents of nursing homes and assisted living centers have been isolated in their rooms. Despite the incredible efforts of staff to provide stimulating activities, life is not the same, and loneliness is real.

I recently had the opportunity to speak on the Senate floor about important progress under way on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests to improve the health of the forests that is a great example of the benefits of collaborative efforts. The following contains parts of the speech, and a…

One of the most rewarding things about being a foster parent is creating lifelong connections with children as well as their parents. We were over the moon when we received our first placement and just as excited when our most recent “bonus kiddo” moved in. Over the years we have learned man…

The pandemic has presented great challenges for everyone across our state, country, and the world.

CDC, (Center for Disease Control) calls on Americans to wear masks to prevent COVID-19 spread, JAMA editorial reviews latest science, while case study shows masks prevented COVID spread.

Thanksgiving is one of the most patriotic holidays we celebrate as Americans.

Having lived seven years in Vietnam, I know communism. Communism tells its citizens if they can go to church, or assemble for political meetings. It tells them who they can associate with. It tells them what news they can read, what programs they can watch, what music they can listen to, and…

Dear community members,

Local manufacturing businesses and jobs have experienced a resurgence in recent years that needs to continue for our state’s livelihood and connection to the global economy.

It is a great benefit to our state that more than 115,000 veterans choose to make Idaho their home. Idaho veterans offer a helping hand to their fellow veterans, military families and broader communities time after time. I look to Idaho veterans, the veterans organizations they lead and the …

Reduced availability of medical visits, and concerns about contracting COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic contributed to large drops in medical visits, including for preventive care. But now is the time to makes sure you are up-to-date on prevention. Even though I have no family histo…

We have different types of alarms in our life in order to be prepared and to remind us of things that are important. Some alarms we can hit snooze, or even ignore, most of the time we need to heed them. We have had alarms go off for seven months about COVID, we know there’s fatigue, but we c…

As we approach Veterans’ Day, it’s important to honor the contributions of service members and veterans to our safety and security; and, to acknowledge the skills and perspective veteran-owned small businesses bring to the business world.

This is a tale of two governors and the importance they place on every state’s largest job-generator, small businesses.

Just a few thoughts with respect to Idaho County Democratic Party Chairman Jim May and his opinion [last week’s issue].

It’s always amazing when angry citizens write letters without doing their homework. Kim Chenoweth’s letter [Oct. 14 issue] was nothing short of speculation that there is some sinister plot in the works aimed at making life easy for the people living in the City of Grangeville. If she had bee…

“Great leaders we have had, but we could not have had great leaders unless they had great people to follow.” -- Eleanor Roosevelt.

There’s a constitutional amendment on your ballot this fall, and to protect your representation in the Idaho Statehouse, you should vote ‘yes.’ This amendment, HJR 4, is a promise to you and every Idaho voter. The proposed amendment will permanently set the number of legislative districts in…

By Kathy Ackerman, Idaho County Clerk

Two letters to the editor last week got my attention. Both suggest that Idaho County residents are not taking COVID 19 seriously enough. “Mask up!” “The numbers are staggering!” and “I’m ashamed of this county for being so stubborn…”, are the sentiments expressed.

This October, teachers, counselors and education leaders across the state will be focused on a critical, collective effort: encouraging high school seniors to devote time to planning their educational and career dreams as part of Idaho’s “Next Steps Month.” 

Do you love children? Can you provide a temporary, safe, and nurturing home for a child in need? If you answered yes, please consider becoming a foster parent to one of the thousands of children currently in foster care in Idaho.

Two months ago, I wrote about how the University of Idaho had lent support to the Marxist Black Lives Matter, devoting a full webpage of “resources,” which includes mostly leftist propaganda. Since then, more of the university’s colleges have launched their own websites and issued their own …

A hundred years ago, in 1920, the United States came out of the First World War and celebrated a new decade and a changing world. The world was recovering from the Spanish flu pandemic, the automobile industry was beginning to take off, and Americans wrestled with Prohibition. The country wa…

Most of the inaccurate, partisan narrative regarding allegedly new changes at the United States Postal Service (USPS) are part of long-term efforts from multiple administrations to improve its solvency. The Postal Service is not being disassembled and no efforts are under way to hinder the e…

The angst many educators and parents have surrounding whether students should return to the classroom or learn on-line is not surprising given the news we receive every day about the coronavirus’ spread in our state. In fact, the same debate is raging across the country.

While the world has been rightly focused on containing the COVID-19 pandemic that originated in Wuhan, China, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has taken the opportunity to become increasingly belligerent on the international stage.

The Mountain View School Board trustees have received numerous e-mails from staff and patrons regarding our current budget dilemma. I appreciate those who are taking the time to both make suggestions as to cuts, and to tell us how proposed cuts would affect them, whether financially or in re…

The Idaho legislature will be considering a proposal during the upcoming special session that could create chaos and distrust in our state. At a minimum, it sends a message that is the exact opposite of what we should be communicating to our parents, educators, school districts, and communities.

Summers are beautiful in the Gem State. Idaho’s mountains, rivers, lakes and trails are beloved by the people who live here as well as the millions who visit every year. From attending forestry camp in McCall as a student at the University of Idaho, to summers spent hiking through the Cabine…

It feels like we are living in a time warp nearly six months after our lives were turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. At Idaho’s higher education institutions, the public health crisis forced administrators to furlough employees, eliminate positions and cut programs, while simultane…

As positivity rates of the dangerous COVID-19 virus continue to increase in many Idaho communities, the course of action for public schools in those areas is clear—school buildings in communities considered “hot spots” should remain closed and districts should shift to online instruction.

The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on June 30, 2020, to discuss the Judicial Conference of the United States’ most recent recommendations for more federal judgeships. The Judicial Conference has recommended a third judgeship for Idaho consistently since 2003. As a memb…

Dear parents, students and staff, thanks to many of you for the warm welcome!

Idaho just ended its fiscal year with a surplus nearly three times what was expected before COVID-19.

A 2016 report from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) indicates that more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women and men experience violence in their lifetimes;American Indian and Alaska Native women are also two times more likely than other groups to experience rape or …

History has shown that there are critical times where the actions of individual citizens have the biggest impact on outcomes for the whole community and country. We are currently in one of those times. With new confirmed Covid 19 infections in our communities and rapid exponential growth of …

Do you have chronic pain, and your life isn't what you need or want? Do you have family, friends, or your physician wanting you to reduce or stop your pain medications? Peg Gehring, FNP-BC, DPN, at St. Mary’s Hospital and Clinics wants you to know that there are options for you, and St. Mary…

The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in unprecedented change. Phrases like “self-quarantine” and “social distancing,” that were completely unheard of several months ago, are now a part of our daily vocabulary. As we adjust to this “new normal,” America’s sportsmen and women, a group that we are…

When there is a need for a major reform in our country, listening is the starting point for sound change. Recently, I had the opportunity to discuss proposed federal policy changes to address police use of force at a Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing. The input of those who have work…

When someone suspects that they may have coronavirus, we hope that they immediately take steps to get tested so they know if they should self-isolate. Unfortunately, a growing number of Idaho children have difficulty getting tested and treated for coronavirus because they don’t have access t…

The celebration of Independence Day this year will be unlike any other.

It seems that our students cannot get a break.

As an Idaho taxpayer and state representative, it is my priority to address the property tax problem that is crushing everyday Idahoans. Governor Little has proposed the use of pandemic relief funds for lowering property taxes related to emergency services. Let’s be clear: this is a temporar…