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.
How Should Idaho Select Judges?
Brian Almon compares Idaho's judicial selection process to the federal and Texas models, and asks whether the state has ended up with the worst of both worlds.
Gov. Little Appoints Judge Jason Scott to Idaho Supreme Court
A short profile of incoming Idaho Supreme Court Justice Jason Scott's record on the bench, and a look at stalled efforts to reform how Idaho selects its judges.
A Tale of Three Judges
Brian Almon examines three Idaho judges in the news this week: incoming Chief Justice Robyn Brody, gubernatorial candidate John Stegner, and federal Judge Lynn Winmill's ruling against Idaho's abortion law.
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