Layoffs at the Statesman
Brian Almon examines McClatchy's mass layoffs at the Idaho Statesman, arguing they were predictable given the paper's leftward drift, loss of local focus, and failure to adapt its business model to the internet.
The Byzantine Breadth of Our Bureaucracy
Idaho has anywhere from 20 to 200 state agencies, depending on how you count. Untangling the Blue Book, the Legislative Fiscal Report, and Idaho.gov's org chart reveals a bureaucracy built over 163 years of consolidations, executive orders, and constitutional workarounds -- and why even veteran lawmakers get lost trying to map it.
What Have We Learned Since 9/11?
Brian Almon reflects on how 9/11 ended his generation's childhood, and argues America's response to the attacks left it more divided and less confident in itself than it was before.
A Year Without Charlie
Brian Almon reflects on the first anniversary of Charlie Kirk's assassination, on the fracturing of the coalition he built, and on finding a path forward in the world his death created.
ALPRs in Ada County
Brian Almon tracks down the source of a mysterious license plate reader in Eagle and talks ALPR policy with Police Chief Travis Ruby, including who has access, how long data is kept, and what the law allows.
Legislative Wins Above Replacement
Brian Almon borrows baseball's Wins Above Replacement to explore why legislative scorecards, while useful, only capture part of what makes a lawmaker effective.
A Tale of Two Trespasses
Christian evangelist Titus Folks and Unitarian LGBTQ+ activist Sara LaWall were both charged with trespassing this year. One had the charges dismissed, while the other was just found guilty.
A Closer Look at the Public School Funding Formula
As Idaho heads into the 2027 legislative session, Brian Almon examines Supt. Debbie Critchfield's call to overhaul the state's 30-year-old school funding formula, and weighs Chris Cargill's warning against shifting from attendance to enrollment-based funding.
Democrats Believe You Have Too Much Money
Brian Almon responds to a Capital Sun op-ed calling for higher taxes, tracing the argument back to the NGO complex funding groups like the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy.
J.D. Vance and the Kingfish: Confronting Our Populist Moment
Brian Almon examines J.D. Vance's invocation of Huey Long to argue that conservatives must address the real barriers facing young Americans, rather than dismissing populist grievances as socialism.
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