News & Headlines
Building Idaho’s Rural Future
For the last few weeks, we’ve been digging potatoes. It’s not glamorous, and it’s far from straightforward when you consider everything that goes into growing a crop. But I love it, and it’s something I’ve been a part of for 40 years. I want similar, long-term opportunities for our rural communities throughout Idaho. It’s no secret that a lot of …
Continue readingStates Are Laboratories for Democracy
Last month, I saw firsthand the wisdom of Justice Louis Brandeis when he described the states as laboratories of democracy. Joining with other Western legislators at the annual meeting for CSG West, the ideas for better public policy took center stage. Over four days, we explored a wide range of issues. Everything from education to economic development received a deep-dive …
Continue readingHow Ready Are We for the Next Flood?
In all the noise that passes for news, one story in recent weeks stands out to me: the catastrophic flooding throughout the Midwest. Homes, businesses, roads, and farms all sit under feet of water with more projected to come. One farmer saw his 10,000 acres of wheat, two weeks from harvesting, swallowed by the Arkansas River. He estimated losses of …
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