On another Sunday morning 45 years ago today, Mt. St. Helens erupted, killing 57 people and forever changing the landscape of southwestern Washington. Growing up in that region, I couldn’t help but see the effects of that day all around. I remember the 10th anniversary in 1990, when the piles of ash alongside Interstate 5 were still rather fresh. Today, what’s left of them have become covered in brush and trees, and you’d never know they were deposited by a volcano’s pyroclastic flow.
What’s even more amazing is how quickly life returned to the region. Volcanic eruptions, forest fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters are all part of the cycle of life on planet Earth. Despite all our technological innovation, we remain at the mercy of systems that are far greater than ourselves, and the best we can do is adapt.
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This week at the Chronicle…
On Tuesday, I explained why I believe conservatives must learn how to use government if we want any hope of reducing its impact on our lives.
On Wednesday, I responded to Wayne Hoffman’s critique of that article, expounding on how I see the purpose of government and how best to interact with it.
On Thursday, I reported that a Boise council member will be heading to China as part of a cultural exchange fellowship. What ideas will he bring back to Idaho?
Finally, on Friday I put to rest the myth that any elective offices today are “nonpartisan”.
Also this week, I published opinion pieces by Sen. Jim Risch on policies that support Idaho small businesses, Maxford Nelson of the Freedom Foundation and the Gang of 8 about how the teachers’ union is targeting conservative lawmakers, Idaho GOP chairwoman Dorothy Moon urging Congress to get to work, and Attorney General Raúl Labrador explaining how he’s fighting for the 2nd Amendment for all Americans.
If you would like Gem State Chronicle to publish your work, please submit it to [email protected]. We are pleased to provide an outlet for a wide variety of figures in the world of Idaho politics to share their own messages.
In other news…
Mike Howell of the Oversight Project joined American Moment’s Nick Solheim for last week’s Moment of Truth. It was a fantastic discussion about how the Democratic Party has turned our government into an engine for its permanent revolution, and what to do about it:
The always-brilliant John Doyle explained why things are happening the way the are with regard to culture and information warfare, and why conservatives should not allow disingenuous liberals to gatekeep our cause:
Carl Benjamin touched on some of the same themes in this video, responding to efforts by former liberals to label national conservatives with the nonsensical term “woke right”:
Carl joined his colleagues at Lotus Eaters to present a new model for education based on the old idea of starting with the Trivium. If you are aware of the classical education movement then this will be familiar to you, if not, you should check it out:
Auron MacIntyre was joined by Riley Lewis to discuss Donald Trump’s foreign policy. It’s worth watching to get a handle on what’s going on in the world without the agenda that comes with corporate news media:
Finally, check out this interesting video on how the business model of the fast food industry is collapsing before our eyes:
Upcoming events…
Rep. Josh Tanner is hosting a golf tournament next month. Click here for details.
Old State Saloon is hosting Chloe Cole this week. As I’m sure you remember, Idaho Freedom Foundation brought Cole to Idaho two years ago, and her testimony helped push our state’s ban on child gender mutilation across the finish line.

Thank you all for your support as I continue to bring you news and analysis that empowers you to make positive change in Idaho. Make sure to subscribe, follow me on Twitter, and follow the Chronicle on Facebook, Telegram, YouTube, and Rumble. Have a great weekend!

About Brian Almon
Brian Almon is the Editor of the Gem State Chronicle. He also serves as Chairman of the District 14 Republican Party and is a trustee of the Eagle Public Library Board. He lives with his wife and five children in Eagle.