Today is the fourth and final Sunday of Advent, the last preparations before Christians celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is also the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, with less than nine hours of daylight in the Treasure Valley of Idaho. Both celebrations bring a hint of anticipation—we await the birth of Christ in the manger, and even the first day of winter brings with it the promise of spring to come.
Our God, heaven cannot hold him,
nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away
when he comes to reign:
in the bleak midwinter
a stable place sufficed
the Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.
As you know, the Gem State Chronicle is reader supported:
- Paid subscribers via Substack get bonus notes with some articles, giving me an opportunity to share behind-the-scenes thoughts with supporters, as well as early access to podcasts.
- Do you have a small business you want to advertise? I’ll put your ad on the top of the Chronicle homepage, on the article sidebar, and will shout it out on any podcasts I release during the sponsorship. I’ll also write an article on behalf of sponsors, whether about a particular issue or just sharing their story. Send me a message and we’ll get it done. Take the time to visit my regular sponsors, Lynn Bradescu’s Keller Williams Realty and Money Metals, as well as our latest sponsor New Saint Andrews College. I appreciate the support!
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The past week at the Chronicle…
Friday’s episode of the Gem State Report featured chats with Katherine Hartley of the Pacific Justice Institute and Matt Edwards of Citizens Alliance of Idaho. Check it out:
The big news this week was Rep. Wendy Horman’s announcement that she would step down on January 5 to take a position in the Trump Administration. That makes three House committee chairs to depart prior to the 2026 session.
On Tuesday, I wrote a long essay on the topic of literacy instruction, and what was behind an appropriation of $5 million that passed the Legislature earlier this year.
On Wednesday, I examined how the cancellation of a federal grant shows the way in which nonprofits have become dependent on tax dollars.
On Friday, I recapped the final meeting of the DOGE Task Force. Did it accomplish what it set out to do?
I also published guest op-eds and newsletters from Rebecca Falcon, Maxford Nelson, Congressman Russ Fulcher, Idaho GOP chair Dorothy Moon, Sen. Mike Crapo, Secretary of State Phil McGrane, and Congressman Mike Simpson.
Whether we agree or disagree with our elected officials and influential political figures, I think it’s important to hear what they have to say. The Gem State Chronicle is a resource for as much information as possible to help you be more effective and engaged.
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…
Videos:
Michael Malice sat down with political reporter Mark Halperin, who shared the inside story of how President Joe Biden was pushed aside for Kamala Harris:
The political world was rocked this week by an article in Compact Magazine laying out exactly how our society has discriminated against white men over the past decade or more. Jeremy Carl literally wrote the book on the subject (I have a signed copy!) and he joined Auron MacIntyre to discuss it:
Rufo and Lomez, perhaps the two smartest people in the conservative movement today, discussed the same article and what it means going forward:
Finally, Jake the Lawyer explained what the Bill of Rights means in ordinary English:
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 week!
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.
