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Guest Columnist ID Representative David Leavitt: The Humble Watchman

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May 15, 2026

The Humble Watchman
Pride, power, faith, and the struggle to remain human

By: Idaho Dist. 25 Representative David Leavitt

ID State Representative David Leavitt (LD25); Photo Credit: David Leavitt

In an October 1989 General Conference address titled Beware of Pride, Ezra Taft Benson delivered a warning that feels more relevant today than when it was first given.

“Pride is the universal sin, the great vice.”
— Ezra Taft Benson

Most people hear that word and think of arrogance. Vanity. Someone who thinks too highly of themselves. But Benson defined it differently. He described pride not as self-importance but as enmity: hostility toward others, the constant need to elevate ourselves by diminishing someone else.

That definition changes everything.

Pride is no longer just about ego. It becomes comparison. Resentment. The obsession with being right rather than seeking what is right.

“Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right.”
—Ezra Taft Benson

Those words strike at something most of us recognize the moment we hear them. Not because they are unfamiliar, but because they describe something we see every single day.

We live in a culture that rewards outrage, vanity, self-promotion, and tribal loyalty. Social media thrives on comparison and humiliation. Politics increasingly feels less like a contest of ideas and more like a machine built to destroy people. Public discourse has drifted away from asking “Is this right?” and toward asking “Did my side win?”

And perhaps the most dangerous part of pride is that it is easiest to see in everyone else and hardest to recognize in ourselves.

Benson warned that civilizations rarely collapse in a single dramatic moment. More often, they decay slowly from within. Pride blinds people. It hardens them. It replaces humility with self-importance and the willingness to be corrected with the need to be justified.

The proud are easily offended. They struggle to receive correction. They seek validation from the world around them. They fear the judgment of their peers more than the judgment of truth.

If we are honest, every one of us recognizes some part of that in ourselves.

Those of us who have served in uniform understand something about tribalism that often gets misread.

Tribalism isn’t inherently a flaw. At its best, it is a foundation. It is loyalty to your unit, your people, your community. It is how soldiers bring each other home. It is how families hold together through hard times and how communities survive when everything around them is uncertain. That kind of tribalism is not something to be ashamed of. It is something to be honored.

But there is another form. And it is worth naming clearly.

It is the tribalism that does not unite people around shared values but instead defines itself entirely by who it excludes. It does not ask “what do we stand for?” It asks “who are we against?” It measures loyalty not by what you are willing to sacrifice but by how willing you are to destroy the people outside the circle.

That form of tribalism is not loyalty. It is pride with a flag wrapped around it.

And politics has become very good at producing it.

Modern politics has become, in many ways, a machine fueled by pride. Public humiliation is celebrated. Anger is monetized. People are rewarded for destroying opponents rather than persuading neighbors. Even movements built on genuine principle can be quietly poisoned when winning becomes more important than being right.

But there is a particular form of pride worth naming because it is the hardest to confront.

It is the pride that wraps itself in religious authority.

It uses the language of faith not as a source of personal conviction but as a political instrument. It identifies enemies — people who vote differently, govern differently, or simply refuse to pass someone else’s test of acceptability — and frames them as threats to God himself. It does not persuade. It accuses. It does not seek truth. It seeks victory, and then calls that victory righteousness.

That kind of pride is especially difficult to challenge, because any challenge to it can be reframed as a challenge to faith itself.

But it is not faith. It is pride wearing faith’s clothing.

And it causes real damage, not just to the people it targets but to the very religious communities it claims to represent. When faith becomes a tool for winning elections, something inside it gets hollowed out. People begin to wonder whether any of it was ever really about God, or whether God was simply useful.

That corruption is not new. It has appeared in every era of American political life. It has appeared in Idaho’s own history, when religious identity was used to exclude entire communities from civic participation — not because those people lacked character or integrity, but because they failed someone else’s definition of acceptable.

The targets change. The mechanism never does.

Real religious freedom, the kind worth defending, cannot function as a gatekeeping tool. It does not sort people into the acceptable and the unacceptable based on whether they share a particular set of beliefs. It does not hand political power to those who pass a religious test and deny it to those who don’t.

It means that people of every faith, and people of no faith, can participate fully and equally in public life. It means that government does not become the instrument of any church. It means that a person’s conscience is their own — sacred, private, and answerable to God alone, not to whoever is running the most well-funded political operation in the valley.

That is not a new idea. It is a foundational one. And it is currently under pressure from people who are entirely sincere in believing they are doing what is right.

Sincerity is not the same as humility. It is not the same as truth.

Benson’s warning was never directed only at the wicked. It was directed at everyone — especially at those who had convinced themselves that their righteousness placed them beyond the need for correction.

He offered an antidote. Not a complicated one.

“We can choose to be humble.”
—Ezra Taft Benson

Not compelled. Not forced. Chosen.

Humility is not weakness. It is the ability to place truth above ego. To admit fault. To learn. To hold conviction without using it as a weapon against the people around you.

In a world that rewards self-exaltation and punishes vulnerability, that kind of humility has become almost countercultural.

Maybe that is exactly why the warning matters now more than ever.

Civilizations rarely collapse in a single dramatic moment. More often, they decay slowly, quietly, from within. Pride erodes families, communities, churches, friendships, and nations. It convinces people they no longer need correction, no longer need forgiveness, no longer need one another.

The choice Benson described — to be humble, to place what is right above who is right — may matter more to the future of this state and this country than any election, any institution, or any political movement ever will.

That choice belongs to each of us.

Guest Columnist Rep. Heather Scott: Black Plates, White Plates…and a Bigger Question

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May 18, 2026

Black Plates, White Plates…and a Bigger Question

By: Idaho Representative Heather Scott

Across Idaho, black-and-white license plates, often referred to as “blackout plates,” are becoming increasingly popular. Many people simply see them as a stylish vintage trend as they look clean, sharp, and modern. But there may be another side to the story that Idahoans should be aware of.

Black-and-white plates also happen to be easier for automated cameras and license plate reader systems to scan and track. The high contrast between white letters and dark backgrounds allows infrared cameras and optical recognition systems to identify vehicles faster and more accurately, especially at night.

License plate reader technology is expanding rapidly across America, including here in Idaho. These systems can automatically log where vehicles travel, when they pass certain intersections, and how often they appear in different locations. Modern systems don’t just read plate numbers anymore, many can also identify vehicle make, model, color, travel patterns, and see into your car!

Idaho is not unique in the blackout plate fad. There are currently 11 states now offering blackout plates. (California, Iowa, Colorado, Mississippi, Utah, Indiana, North Dakota, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, and Wisconsin.)

To be clear, most people choosing these plates are not thinking about surveillance. They simply like the look. But government and private tracking systems are growing quietly in the background while the public is distracted by convenience and aesthetics.

This is how freedom is often reduced in the modern world. Not all at once, but one small “reasonable” step at a time.

We now live in an era of:

  • Traffic cameras and automatic toll systems
  • Facial recognition
  • Cell phone location tracking
  • Digital IDs
  • AI-powered surveillance systems
  • Vehicle data collection
  • Smart devices constantly gathering information
  • Cellular trail cameras

Individually, each system may seem harmless but stitched together, they create a daily, if not hourly, pattern of individual movements. This is something previous generations of Americans would have deeply questioned: the ability to monitor citizens continuously without warrants, suspicion, or probable cause.

Technology itself is not the enemy. Public safety matters and criminals should be caught. But free people need to always be asking:

Who is collecting the data?
Why are they collecting the data?
How long is it stored?
Who has access to it?
Can it be abused politically or commercially?
What protections exist for innocent citizens?

History shows us that governments rarely give up surveillance powers once they gain them.

Idahoans value independence, privacy, and freedom from unnecessary government intrusion. That means we should think carefully before blindly embracing technologies that make mass tracking easier, even when they arrive disguised as convenience, safety, or “cool new trends.”

Sometimes the biggest threats to liberty don’t arrive with alarms and flashing lights.

Sometimes they arrive in matte black with white lettering. Should you be scared? Not yet. Should you be aware and vigilant? Absolutely.

In Liberty,

Rep. Heather Scott

Jefferspud Writing Contest Winners Announced

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(America 250 in Idaho Press Release, May 15, 2026)

BOISE, ID – The America250 in Idaho Ambassadors are pleased to announce the winners of the Jefferspud Writing Contest. The writing challenge encouraged students age 12-18 to submit original essays focusing on a revolutionary figure who was instrumental in the nation’s founding.

Winners were awarded $250 for first place, $50 for second place, and $25 for third place in a contribution to an IDeal, Idaho Education Savings Plan account.

Winners were:

Age 12-14

  • First Place – Kohara Nomura, Moscow, ID
  • Second Place – Tanner Fowler, Idaho Falls, ID
  • Third Place – Claire Danes, Challis, ID

Age 15-18

  • First Place – Audrey Stebbins, Twin Falls, ID
  • Second Place – Bianca Breda, American Falls, ID
  • Third Place – Landon Kemp, Meridian, ID

The contest was sponsored by Eagle River Publishing and IDeal – Idaho’s Education Savings Program. An E-book containing all 21 entries will be published this summer and available on Amazon.

Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Iron Pursuit

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(U.S. Attorney’s Office Press Release, May 5, 2026)

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — The Department of Justice today announced the results of Operation Iron Pursuit, a one-month, nationwide enforcement effort to find child victims of sex abuse and arrest child sex predators. More than 200 child victims were located and over 350 child sexual abuse offenders were arrested. All 56 FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country participated in the coordinated takedown effort.

The operation commenced April 1 and ended April 30. The Administration for Children and Families recognizes April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

“This operation puts every child predator on notice: we are coming for you,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The sexual exploitation of minors is an abomination with no place in our society. We will hunt down these offenders, hold them fully accountable under the law, and deliver justice for victims.”

“Every single day this FBI is working 24/7 to break networks of child abusers all across this country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Last year we joined our partners delivering a record year, identifying and rescuing over 6,300 missing children, and today’s announcement of Operation Iron Pursuit is just the latest success in that work — with over 200 victims located and over 350 offenders arrested. Let this be a message to criminal actors who seek to target America’s children: you will be pursued, and you will be brought to justice.”

“There is no greater priority in the District of Utah than protecting and pursuing justice for our children,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “As with this administration, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue vigorously to combat crimes against children and hold offenders accountable.”

“Every child matters and deserves the opportunity to grow up free from harm,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI and our partners will continue working tirelessly to stop those who prey on our most vulnerable and hold them accountable.”

Victims recovered include a 10-year-old from Utah who was flown from Cuba to home and the child’s biological mother. The child was supposed to be on a camping trip with a transgender parent, partner, and another child. The group instead flew from Canada to Mexico and then to Cuba; concerns existed that the 10-year-old child was taken to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery. FBI Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted with the recovery of the children, providing crisis support and stabilization.

Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, abuse, kidnapping, and possessing, distributing, or receiving child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Some of the alleged offenders include:

  • A Columbus, Ohio, man who pleaded guilty to creating AI-generated obscene material of adults and children and to cyberstalking exes;
  • A District of Columbia man charged with producing child pornography;
  • A New York man charged with sexually exploiting a child; and
  • A Pennsylvania man and former felon charged with sexually exploiting a child and illegally possessing a gun.

This effort follows three other successful operations last year. Operation Relentless Justice, concluded in December 2025, resulted in the rescue of 205 children and arrests of 293 offenders. Operation Enduring Justice, concluded in August 2025, resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders. And Operation Restore Justice, concluded in May 2025, resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders.

The FBI’s VSD assisted victims during Operation Iron Pursuit and provided services such as forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD’s mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

City Seeks Public Input on City Creek Multi-Use Trails Master Plan

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(City of Pocatello Press Release, May 19, 2026)

The City of Pocatello Outdoor Recreation Division is partnering with the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) to develop a multi-use Trails Master Plan for City Creek, a priority identified in the City’s 2025 Parks, Recreation, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan, also known as the PROST Plan. The project is partially funded through grant support.

The project focuses on creating a more sustainable and community-supported trail system within the nearly 3,000-acre recreation area. Many existing trails were created without formal planning, leading to erosion and environmental impacts in some areas.

IMBA has completed a field assessment and worked with City staff to develop a draft trail network proposal.

“City Creek is a valued community asset enjoyed year-round by hikers, bikers, runners, and outdoor enthusiasts,” said Cary Rhodes, Outdoor Recreation Manager for the City of Pocatello. “This master plan will help create a more sustainable trail system while preserving the area’s natural beauty for future generations.”

The public is encouraged to review the draft plan and complete an online survey by May 28, at 5 p.m. A community meeting will also be held June 1 at 6 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 911 N 7th Avenue, to provide updates on the project and gather additional feedback from trail users and stakeholders.

Residents can review the concept plan, complete the survey, and learn more about the project at: citycreektrailsplan-pocatello.hub.arcgis.com/

Questions or comments can be directed to Cary Rhodes at cary.rhodes@pocatello.gov or (208) 234-6237.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is the policy of the City of Pocatello to offer its public programs, services, and meetings in a manner that is readily accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities.  If you are disabled and require an accommodation, please contact Skyler Beebe with two (2) business days’ advance notice at sbeebe@pocatello.gov; 208.234.6248; or 5815 South 5th Avenue, Pocatello, Idaho.  Advance notification within this guideline will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility.

Decline Is a Choice: President Trump Restores Pride and Beauty to America’s Capital

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(White House Press Release, May 19, 2026)

For years, the nation’s capital was allowed to decay — marred by crime, graffiti, and crumbling infrastructure — amid a bureaucratic acceptance of decline as inevitable. President Donald J. Trump rejected that surrender from Day One — and under his leadership, the Trump Administration is demonstrating that decline is a choice.

This week, the historic cascading fountain at Meridian Hill Park roared back to life after years of disrepair. What was once a stark symbol of all-too-common neglect now flows powerfully again as a visible emblem of rebirth in the heart of the city.

The fountain at Meridian Hill Park (photo credit: The White House)

This is about far more than water and landscaping; it’s about rekindling national pride in the city that represents the American Republic. These projects signal a fundamental shift: a rejection of mediocrity and a renewed commitment to excellence in the place where our democracy is on display. It’s a signal to the world — and every citizen — that we will not settle for inferiority in the city that embodies our republic.

President Trump promised to Make America Great Again — and that includes making our capital beautiful, safe, and worthy of the greatest nation on Earth. Where past Administrations offered excuses and stagnation, the Trump Administration is delivering real results. Dozens of additional restoration, infrastructure, and beautification projects are now underway across Washington, D.C., as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026.

Decline is a choice. President Trump is choosing action, beauty, strength, and pride.

Guest Columnist ID Rep. Lucas Cayler–Election Day: It’s Go Time

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May 19, 2026

Election Day: It’s Go Time

By: Representative Lucas Cayler, District 11

On the eve of the Primary 2026 Election, I am reminded of a sobering Proverb from the Bible. King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 29:2 “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”

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No greater example of this could be seen by the American people than during the reign of Joseph R. Biden. Tens of millions of illegals flooded our country, crime rates skyrocketed, our foreign policy and sovereignty was laughed at and challenged by terrorists and rogue nations worldwide.

And then, in another crushing victory, President Donald Trump won the 2024 election and the entire geopolitical landscape of the world changed. Our border got locked down, Venezuela was liberated from its mad dictator, Iran has all but been decimated, and China has been brought to heel by President Trump.

The message has been clear: Americans want a strong and prosperous nation and real conservative, pro-America leaders.

This message was sent by the voters of Indiana two weeks ago, where 40+ squishy RINO incumbent legislators were scrapped in favor of solid, blood-red candidates who live by the America-first agenda.

Tomorrow, here at home, Idaho voters will cast their votes for many races, but the real fight is for the Governor’s race and the legislature. In 2024, we had an overwhelming conservative win for the legislature which resulted in some long overdue covid clean-up legislation like the passage of the landmark Medical Freedom Act.

My encouragement for you is this: get out and vote. Know who you are voting for. As for the governor’s race, I am voting for Mark Fitzpatrick. He is an extremely successful real estate developer and business man, but more importantly, he is very conservative, holds traditional beliefs and has a strong faith in God.

Governor Brad Little needs to go. Despite his Trump endorsement, Little has done very little for Idaho. His covid pandemic response was to keep Idaho locked down in a state of emergency for two and a half years, violating the law, and all because Idaho would lose the Federal CARES Act funding.

Part of the reason for my ire with Brad Little is that I found myself on his list of legislators to get rid of. Not a hearsay list mind you, but an actual list that had about 20 conservative legislators that he wanted gone.

And if he wants conservative legislators out, who will he replace them with?

Here is the thing: we can elect all of the conservative legislators we want. We could put 105 rock-ribbed Ron Paul types in our Capitol, but without a Governor who shares those same conservative values, the stalemate is never broken, and the conservative football will never make it down the field to the end zone.

Freedom is always hanging in the balance. The radical leftists won’t go away, they won’t stop their endless pursuit to take away our Bill of Rights, trans our kids and tax us into oblivion.

That is why it is so important to 1) go vote and 2) know whom you are voting for.

If you don’t know where to vote, you can go to Vote Idaho and find your polling location. The polls are open statewide from 8am to 8pm.

Additionally, if you are in doubt as to whom the best conservative choice for candidate is, this Voter’s Guide is published by Conservatives Of Idaho and is a great resource if you aren’t sure where to start.

Allow me to thank you for being a citizen who does their civic duty and takes the responsibility of helping determine the future for Idaho.

In liberty,

Lucas Cayler

State Representative for Caldwell District 11

Guest Columnist Brian Almon: It All Comes Down to This

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(Image Credit: Gem State Chronicle)

May 18, 2026 (Cover Image Credit: Gem State Chronicle)

It All Comes Down to This

By: Brian Almon

Gem State Chronicle Publisher Brian Almon

You and I know that the real election in Idaho is not in November, but in May. Outside of a small handful of legislative districts and counties, whoever wins the primary is almost certain to win the general election. It’s important for conservative Idahoans to take the time to vote tomorrow, if you haven’t already done so. The future of our state depends on it.

The Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020–21 woke a lot of people up. They might not have been interested in politics, but the events of those dark years showed that politics was interested in them. Gov. Brad Little campaigned in 2018 on deregulation and maintaining a strong economy, but when the Wuhan Flu arrived in Idaho, he issued a Stay At Home Order that gave cover to lesser magistrates who shut down businesses, forced people to wear masks, and even arrested citizens for praying outside or stepping foot in a public park.

This surge of populist energy led to major changes in the Legislature during the 2022 and 2024 primary elections. Many old-guard moderate Republicans, such as Senate Health & Welfare Chairman and vaccine enthusiast Fred Martin, lost their seats to young conservatives motivated to stop government overreach and preserve individual liberty. Glenneda Zuiderveld defeated incumbent Sen. Jim Patrick by 37 votes in 2022, then easily won reelection in 2024. Elaine Price defeated incumbent Rep. Paul Amador in Coeur d’Alene, Cindy Carlson unseated Carl Crabtree in District 7, and Scott Herndon ousted Jim Woodward up in District 1, though Woodward won the rematch in 2024.

The Legislature through 2022 was characterized by big budgets and expanding government. While it did tackle some social issues, such as banning abortion pending the overturning of Roe v. Wade and keeping men out of women’s sports, it was content to allow public schools, libraries, and other taxpayer-funded agencies to be used for left-wing indoctrination. Members who wished to challenge the governor’s Stay At Home Order and the ensuing abrogation of individual rights were well in the minority.

Fast forward to the 2025 and 2026 legislative sessions, where lawmakers clamped down on Boise flying the LGBTQ+ pride flag, codified medical freedom into state law, banned agencies from imposing mask mandates, prohibited forced DEI in higher education, stopped taxpayer subsidies for far-left teachers unions, and even made some of the first real cuts to the state budget in more than a decade (though increasing Medicaid costs still caused the overall budget to rise).

All of this was made possible by good candidates standing for election in the Republican primary and citizens doing their part by turning out to vote. Tomorrow’s primary will decide whether we continue this momentum or take a step back toward rule by a centralized political machine that had no qualms about locking you down just a few short years ago.

And the machine is hard at work, make no mistake. Gov. Little has been campaigning for his people—those he believes will carry out his agenda. Conservatives who charged into politics following the Covid lockdowns have found themselves divided, as the overriding issue of government overreach has faded and we now disagree on a host of other issues. Nevertheless, politics is a team sport, and in most cases there are only two teams on the field at any given time. The governor, along with four other statewide elected officials, has decided that figures including Sen. Jim Guthrie and Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen are on his team, and that team is going all-out for them.

Who is on your team?

People keep asking me who to vote for. After 2022, I decided not to do full endorsements at the Gem State Chronicle. For me, it’s mostly about humility—I am surely more plugged into Idaho politics than 99% of people, yet I still hesitate to make recommendations outside my ken. I know who I’m going to vote for here in Ada County, but I have no idea who the best commissioner candidate is in Kootenai or Twin Falls counties. Regarding the Legislature, I’ve shared my thoughts on which races will make the biggest difference in a special briefing for paid subscribers, but my hope is that all voters read my reporting on the session and the rhetoric of various figures and come to the right conclusion.

In that special briefing, I explained my theory as to why conservative legislation saw a much tougher gauntlet in 2026 than in 2025. Just two resignations—Wendy Horman and Kevin Andrus—were enough to shift the center of gravity just a little bit to the left, and deadlock three important committees that previously had a one-vote conservative majority. If that theory is correct, it demonstrates how even just one or two races can radically alter the makeup of our Legislature, which is why it’s so important for conservatives to take the time to vote in the primary election.

Some people talk about your vote as if it is a sacred instrument, meaning you can only vote for someone if you are 100% certain they agree with you on every issue. I don’t think this is a healthy way to approach republican governance. Your vote is your tool to build the society you want for yourself and your posterity. In most cases, there are only two choices on your ballot, and it often comes down to one candidate who opposes nearly everything you stand for and another who—though surely flawed—generally agrees with you. To me, that’s an easy choice.

Or let’s put it this way: You’re going out to lunch with your friends, and the group is deadlocked between Mexican and pizza. You’re the deciding vote, and while you prefer Mexican, what you really wanted today was a burger. Your choices are either to go have lunch by yourself or vote for the better of the two options on the table. Keep in mind that if you vote for Mexican today, your friends might be more willing to go along with your preferred option tomorrow—at least more so than if you just took your ball and went home every time you didn’t get your way.

Your vote is your tool to decide what we’re going to build going forward. Your vote is your proxy to support conservative policies or oppose bad ideas in the Legislature. Tomorrow, the voters of Idaho will make a choice: Do we continue transforming the Gem State into a bastion of conservatism and traditional values, or do we turn back toward a Mitt Romney-style country club Republicanism that prioritizes big business ahead of families, bureaucracies ahead of citizens, and illegal aliens ahead of Idahoans?

That choice is in your hands. Primary elections never have high turnout, so every vote matters. You’ve done your research, you’ve figured out who is who and what is what, and now it’s time to exercise your right and your privilege. Get out and vote!

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.

Editor’s note:  This article originally appeared in the Gem State Chronicle.  I encourage our readers to visit their website and consider subscribing.  Find this and other informative articles at the Gem State Chronicle here: About – Gem State Chronicle

Pocatello’s Revered ‘Idaho Field of Heroes Memorial’ Returns for Memorial Day Weekend

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(City of Pocatello Press Release, May 18, 2026)

BANNOCK COUNTY, Idaho – An annual Memorial Day weekend tradition for the Portneuf Valley returns for its 22nd year. The Idaho Field of Heroes Memorial will begin Friday, May 22, and continue until Memorial Day, May 25, at Century High School’s soccer fields.

The Field of Heroes honors the men and women who died serving the United States in the Global War on Terrorism.

“This event means so much to our community because it’s a beautiful, solemn reminder of the price families have paid to protect our freedom. We honor the lives of the fallen, and thank their families and friends for their sacrifice,” said Bannock County Veteran Services Coordinator and event organizer Melissa Hartman.

This year, volunteers will place 7,086 markers in the field to represent each service member who died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. An additional 97 markers will represent the service members with an Idaho connection who have died since Sept. 11, 2001.

Volunteers are needed to help set up the field on May 18 through 21 and clean up on Tuesday, May 26. Volunteers are encouraged to arrive at the field at 8 a.m.

The event will kick off with a dedication ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, May 22. The field will then be open to the public 24 hours a day through the closing ceremony at 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

The annual Run to Remember is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, May 23, at Century High School’s track. Those interested can register at the track at 9 a.m. for a $10 donation to support the Memorial. The first participants to register will receive a free T-shirt and a goodie bag while supplies last.

Special meals will be prepared at the Liberty Snack Shack trailer at specific times listed in the schedule below. For a complete list of sponsors, visit www.idahofieldofheroes.com.

Full schedule of events:

Friday, May 22

  • 10:00 a.m. – Dedication Ceremony
  • 6:00 p.m. – Youth Ceremony
  • 5 – 7 p.m. – Liberty Snack Shack open
  • 7:00 p.m. – Civil Air Patrol

Saturday, May 23

  • 9:00 a.m. – Run to Remember
  • 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Liberty Snack Shack open
  • 12-2:00 p.m. – Children’s Activities
  • 2:00 p.m. – USO Show
  • 3:30 p.m. – Stasia Acrobats
  • 5 – 7 p.m. – Liberty Snack Shack open

Sunday, May 24

  • 4 – 7 p.m. – Liberty Snack Shack open
  • 5:00 p.m. – Special Musical Event with Shawn Barnby
  • 8:00 p.m. – Silent Wounds Candlelight Vigil

Monday, May 25

  • 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Liberty Snack Shack open
  • 1:30 p.m. – “Retire with Respect” Flag Retirement Ceremony (POW*MIA Awareness Association)
  • 5:15 p.m. – Thunder Run Tribute
  • 5:30 p.m. – Closing Ceremony

City of Pocatello to Conduct Smoke Testing Near Bannock Highway and Johnny Creek Road TODAY, May 19

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(City of Pocatello Press Release, May 18, 2026)

The City of Pocatello Water Pollution Control Department will conduct smoke testing in the area of Bannock Highway and Johnny Creek Road Tuesday, May 19, as part of an effort to locate the service line connected to the demolished clubhouse at Riverside Golf Course.

Residents and businesses in the area may notice smoke coming from sewer vents or other locations during the testing process. The smoke used during the test is non-toxic, non-staining, and safe for people, pets, and property.

Smoke testing is a common method used to identify and trace sewer line connections and helps City crews evaluate underground infrastructure efficiently and safely.

The Pocatello Fire Department and Police Dispatch have been notified about the testing activity.

For more information about smoke testing and what the public can expect, please visit: superiorsignal.com/smoke-resources/relevant-articles/225-smoke-testing-what-homeowners-need-to-know

Residents with questions may contact the Water Pollution Control Department at 208-234-6254.