Monday, March 9, 2026
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Idaho Secretary of State: Spring Cleaning Idaho’s Voter Rolls

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(Idaho Secretary of State’s Office Press Release, March 6, 2026)

It’s March, and despite Idaho’s sorry excuse for a winter, spring is in the air. The Ides of March also bring a familiar rite of the season: spring cleaning. It’s the time of year when you dust the baseboards, donate items you no longer need, and give your home a fresh start.

Elections are no different.

This time of year, Idaho’s county clerks conduct a more thorough review of our voter rolls. While voter records are updated year-round, this annual review is one of the primary ways we ensure Idaho’s elections remain accurate and secure and that only eligible Idahoans are registered to vote.

How Idaho Maintains Accurate Voter Rolls

As part of this year’s statewide review, county clerks removed over 19,000 voters who hadn’t voted in the last 4 years or who were flagged for a change of address or ineligibility. It’s a mechanism built into Idaho law to keep our voter rolls current, and each year I report our state’s efforts to the Idaho Senate.

But just like your home needs more than one deep clean a year, annual list maintenance alone isn’t enough. That’s why counties routinely work with federal and state agencies — including the Bureau of Vital Statistics, the Department of Corrections, and other state and federal databases to keep records accurate year-round. When someone passes away, the Bureau of Vital Statistics alerts us, and they’re promptly removed from the rolls. When someone moves, our statewide voter system is updated, and we work with other states to remove voters who have moved out of Idaho.

And we don’t stop there. Idaho became the first state in the nation to take executive action ensuring that only U.S. citizens can vote. Governor Brad Little’s Only Citizens Will Vote Act Executive Order prompted a comprehensive citizenship verification of all registered voters through the Idaho Transportation Department’s DMV, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) databases.

The result? Clean rolls, secure elections, and the confidence that only eligible citizens are casting ballots while also ensuring no legal voter is inadvertently removed from the voter rolls.

When you’re done dusting the top of the fridge, take five minutes to visit VoteIdaho.gov and check or update your voter registration. Then join me at the polls on May 19 for the Idaho Primary!

Phil McGrane

ABOUT SECRETARY PHIL McGRANE

Phil McGrane was elected Idaho’s twenty-eighth Secretary of State and took office on January 2, 2023. McGrane served as elected Clerk of Ada County from 2019-2022.McGrane holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, a juris doctorate, and a Master of Public Administration. As a fourth-generation Idahoan, Phil has dedicated his career to making elections in the state of Idaho accessible, secure and transparent.

DoW Identifies Additional Army Casualty from Operation Epic Fury

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(Department of War Press Release, March 9, 2026)

The Department of War announced the death of a Soldier who was supporting Operation Epic Fury.

Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Ky., died of his wounds on March 8, 2026, from injuries sustained during an enemy attack on March 1, 2026, at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia. The Soldier was assigned to 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, Fort Carson, Colo. The incident is under investigation.

Water Line Installation Begins March 9 on Mar Vista Drive

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(City of Pocatello Press Release, March 6, 2026)

Beginning Monday, March 9, 2026, the City of Pocatello Water Department will begin replacing water lines within the neighborhood of Mar Vista Dr and Westello Boulevard. The project will be completed in multiple phases, with work starting on Mar Vista Drive, then continuing onto Westello Boulevard as work progresses.

Construction will require temporary street closures and parking restrictions between 6:30 a.m. and approximately 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Every effort will be made to maintain local access to homes and properties during construction. Residents are asked to park their vehicles away from the construction area during working hours. Access to all properties will be restored at the end of each workday.

The project may cause short-term disruptions to water service. Residents in and around the construction zone are encouraged to keep a supply of drinking water available during this time. Parents and guardians are also asked to remind children about potential safety hazards and to stay a safe distance from the construction area.

The project is expected to take approximately eight weeks to complete, though the schedule may change due to unforeseen conditions.

Residents with questions about this or other Water Department projects may contact the department at 208-234-6182. Additional information is available at pocatello.gov/water.

City of Pocatello Calendar for March 9-14, 2026

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(City of Pocatello Press Release, March 3, 2026; Cover Photo Credit: City of Pocatello)

City of Pocatello Calendar of Meetings ~ March 9-14, 2026

MONDAY, MARCH 9

  • Bid Opening – 2026 CIPP Project 2:00 p.m., Iwamizawa Conference Room
  • Pocatello Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council Meeting 3:15 p.m., Council Chambers
  • Human Relations Advisory Committee Meeting 5:30 p.m., Council Chambers
  • Water District #29D Annual Meeting 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers

TUESDAY, MARCH 10

  • Pocatello Regional Airport Commission Special Meeting 9:00 a.m., Airport Conference Room
  • Pocatello Regional Airport Commission Meeting 11:00 a.m., Airport Conference Room
  • Site Plan Review 1:30 p.m., Iwamizawa Conference Room
  • Pocatello Iwamizawa Sister Cities Foundation Meeting 5:15 p.m., Council Chambers
  • Pocatello Arts Council Special Meeting 6:30 p.m., Council Chambers

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11

  • Golf Advisory Committee Meeting 1:00 p.m., 144 Wilson Avenue
  • Planning & Zoning Commission Clarification Meeting 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers
  • Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting 6:30 p.m., Council Chambers

THURSDAY, MARCH 12

  • City Council Work Session 9:00 a.m., Council Chambers
  • City Council Special Meeting Immediately following the Work Session, Paradice Conference Room
  • Hearing Examiner 5:30 p.m., Council Chambers

FRIDAY, MARCH 13

  • City Council Special Meeting 8:30 a.m., Paradice Conference Room

SATURDAY, MARCH 14

  • Service Academy Day 1:00 p.m., Council Chambers

Labrador Letter: Protecting North Idaho’s Water for Generations to Come

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March 6, 2026 (Cover Photo Credit: Karyn Simmons)

Dear Friends,

Raul Labrador (Photo Credit: Raul Labrador FB)

This week, we announced a historic agreement that ends decades of water rights litigation threatening families, farms, and businesses across north Idaho. Yesterday, Governor Brad Little and I joined Chairman Chief Allan, the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council, and affected stakeholders to announce this agreement, which protects existing water users both on and off the Reservation.

For over 150 years, the question of the Tribe’s water rights remained unresolved. Following creation of the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation by Executive Order in 1873, Idaho courts, including the Idaho Supreme Court in 2019, held that the Tribe was entitled to implied federal reserved water rights with some priority dates reaching back to time immemorial. Those rights would have been senior to nearly every city, farm, business, and homeowner in the basin. Without this agreement, we faced years of litigation to determine how much water would be held in trust by the federal government for the Tribe’s use. This economically and socially consequential litigation created uncertainty for cities, farms, and employers across the basin.

When I took office in January 2023, resolving this litigation became an immediate priority in order to protect all north Idaho communities. By the time I took office, negotiations had already fallen apart multiple times and the parties had stopped talking. Having a prior relationship with Chief Allan and the Tribe, I reached out to them and worked with my team to bring everyone back to the table. We brought together more than 300 stakeholders including the cities of Coeur d’Alene, St. Maries, and Harrison, Benewah County, private water users, and major employers like Buell Bros., Hagadone Hospitality, Avista Corporation, Hecla Limited, and Potlatch. We spent years working through complex issues, but we never lost sight of what mattered. Protecting the water that north Idaho families and businesses depend on while providing certainty for future growth.

Here’s what Idaho secured through these negotiations. The Tribe agreed to recognize and protect all existing state-based water rights dated September 6, 2023, or earlier. If you had a water right before that date, it’s protected. The Tribe also agreed to recognize an additional 10,000 acre-feet per year of future water rights, ensuring north Idaho cities and communities can grow without running into a legal wall. The agreement fully and finally resolves all tribal water rights claims in the basin, which means no future lawsuits and no lingering uncertainty. And it won’t cost Idaho taxpayers a dime in direct funding to the Tribe.

We also built in protections against federal overreach. The agreement establishes a framework preventing water use protected under this agreement from being swept up into federal Clean Water Act or Endangered Species Act enforcement. That matters because federal agencies have a track record of using those laws to strangle state water management.

The Tribe receives defined quantities for its federal reserved water rights and retains authority to manage water resources within the Reservation. The agreement also authorizes creation of a tribal water supply bank, allowing the Tribe to lease water off the Reservation. The Tribe will seek $500 million from Congress for water infrastructure improvements, but the agreement stands regardless of whether or how much Congress appropriates.

The agreement now moves to the Idaho Legislature for approval during the 2026 session and will require authorization from Congress. Throughout these next steps, I’ll continue fighting to protect the rights of all Idaho families and communities who depend on this water.

This agreement is a victory for all parties and provides certainty, protects existing rights, and allows for future growth.

You can read the agreement here.

Best regards,

Image

ABOUT THE OFFICE

The Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to the State of Idaho. The Attorney General and his deputies represent state agencies and offices, to better the lives of Idahoans.

For more information about the Office, visit our website here.

Pocatello Parks and Recreation Highlights: March

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March 9, 2026

Pocatello–The city’s Parks and Rec newsletter is now available.  Highlights include:

  • Registration is now open for the Fun Run Series; for more information, click here.
  • Freckleton Park‘s playground upgrades are complete.
  • New this year: Marshall Public Library card-holders will be able to check out day passes to Zoo Idaho starting in April.
  • Spring Cleanup at the cemeteries begins March 31.
  • The Midweek Race Series kicks off March 28; for more information, click here. Both running and biking options are available.
  • Reminder: Polite pets are welcome in city parks and the City Creek Trail system.  Owners must keep their pets leashed and under control at all times, and are required to clean up after them.  To read the relevant city ordinance, click here.

Bannock County Commissioners Meetings, March 9-13, 2026

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(Bannock County Press Release, March 9, 2026; Cover Photo Credit: Bannock County)

Bannock County Commissioners Meetings, March 9-13, 2026

Monday, March 9, 2026:

  • There are no meetings scheduled at this time.

Tuesday, March 10, 2026:

  • 9:00 AM Business and Claims Meeting (action items) – Information Packet
  • 10:00 AM – Public Hearing – FLUM – Jackson (action item)
  • 10:10 AM – Public Hearing –Rezone – Jackson (action item)
  • 10:30 AM – On the Record Review (action item)

Wednesday, March 11, 2026:

  • There are no meetings scheduled at this time.

Thursday, March 12, 2026:

  • 9:00 AM Work Session and Claims Meeting (action items) – Agenda and Information will be posted Monday, March 9

Friday, March 13, 2026:

  • There are no meetings scheduled at this time.

 

About BOCC Meetings

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is comprised of the three elected County Commissioners: Ernie Moser (District 1, Chair), Jeff Hough (District 2), and Ken Bullock (District 3).

The BOCC generally meets twice a week: regular business meetings are on Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. and work sessions are on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. Meetings are generally held in the Commissioner’s Chambers at 624 E Center, Room 212, Pocatello, Idaho, unless otherwise noted. Times subject to change within 15 minutes of stated time.

During these meetings, the BOCC may: approve contracts, expend funds, hear testimony, make decisions on land use cases and take care of other County matters, and are open to the public.

Ski Ingram’s “A Veteran’s Thoughts:” The Democrat’s Masque

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March 8, 2026

The Democrat’s Masque

By: Ski Ingram

Ski Ingram

A masque is a form of 16th and 17th-century aristocratic entertainment in England, featuring a combination of music, dancing, singing, acting, and elaborate costumes. We know this today as a masquerade. The Democrat Party’s masquerade was exposed most recently during the State of the Union Address on February 24th. It is so plain to me that the Left hates America and Donald Trump loves America.

The Left continually states that Donald Trump and the Right are destroying democracy, when in fact we do not live in a democracy, we live in a Constitutional Republic. If we lived in a democracy, majority would be the rule. Thomas Paine famously stated, “when you want to help people, you tell the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear.”

During the State of the Union address President Trump challenged lawmakers to stand if they believed the “first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” To my knowledge the only Democrat to stand up was Senator John Fetterman. The rest remained seated. President Trump told those who did not stand, “You should be ashamed of yourself.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer later defended the lawmakers who stayed seated, stating their disagreement was “legitimate and right” because they believe the President’s policies are not actually protecting Americans.

Schumer’s statement was not a surprise; the Democrats have proven over and over again that they do not have America’s best interests in mind. They have proven it by continuing to lie about Russian collusion, the January 6th demonstration, and saying that the SAVE act will prevent women and minorities from voting. They call it Jim Crow 2.0, when they were in fact the ones who promoted Jim Crow from 1876 until 1965 in order to prevent Blacks from voting.

Here are more examples of how the Left has tried to destroy what they call democracy. They still want to cancel the police and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). They continue to report that members of ICE kidnapped a 5-year-old boy when in fact it was the child’s father who abandoned his son in order to escape ICE custody. During Covid they spied on members of the PTA, they closed churches in violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution, they spied on Republican members of Congress and attempted numerous times to put Donald Trump in prison with no evidence that he did anything wrong. Let’s not forget they impeached Trump twice for supposed wrongdoings that were murky at best.

Thomas Paine stated, “our greatest enemies, the ones we must fight most often, are within.” Henry Louis Mencken, an American journalist, satirist, and scholar (1880–1956) reminded us that “the urge to save humanity is almost always a false face for the urge to rule us.” What better way to become our rulers than to convince people that America is not worth our allegiance, that our founding fathers were not men to be honored because they did not abolish slavery, that we were not built on Judeo-Christian principles, and that illegal aliens, those who sneak into the country, should receive all of the rights and benefits that belong to every American citizen.

James Madison told us that “the future and success of America is not in the Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.” Adlai Stevenson said, “My definition of a free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular.” Are we really free if they cancel us because we don’t agree with them? I think not.

There’s a radio show from the 30’s and 40’s called The Shadow. Its tag line is “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of man? The Shadow knows.” After watching the State of the Union Address, I think I know what lurks in the hearts of Democrats.

Ski Ingram is a combat veteran and a patriot who can be reached at: Ski@Skiingram.com Or www.Skiingram.com.

 

U.S. Suspends Operations at Kuwait Embassy; Announces Plans to Reopen Embassy in Venezuela

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March 7, 2026

On Friday, the U.S. State Department announced a pair of decisions affecting the operation of embassies in Kuwait and Venezuela.  The Kuwait City embassy is suspending operations due to regional unrest; the embassy in Venezuela will be reopened.  The full text of both announcements appears below:

Regarding Kuwait:

Today, the Department of State announced the suspension of operations at U.S. Embassy Kuwait City.

While there have been no reported injuries to U.S. personnel, the safety of Americans abroad remains the highest priority of the U.S. Department of State.

The Travel Advisory for Kuwait remains at a Level 3: Reconsider Travel. U.S. citizens should consult the most current Travel Advisory and country information at travel.state.gov.

U.S. citizens in Kuwait should depart the country, if they can do so safely, using commercial or other available transportation options. U.S. citizens unable to depart should shelter in place.

U.S. citizens requiring emergency assistance, including consular services and information on available departure options, may contact the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and +1-888-407-4747 (from the United States and Canada).

U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

For additional information, visit https://travel.state.gov.

Coeur d’Alene Tribe, State of Idaho Sign Historic Water Rights Settlement

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(Photo Credit: Karyn Simmons)

(Governor’s Office Press Release, March 5, 2026)

Boise, Idaho – The Coeur d’Alene Tribe and the State of Idaho announced the completion of a historic water rights settlement agreement [Thursday], after decades of negotiations to resolve the federal reserved water rights of the Tribe while protecting water in Coeur d’Alene and water users across North Idaho.

Governor Brad Little joined tribal leaders and Attorney General Raul Labrador during a signing ceremony in Boise [Thursday]. The agreement came together through years of hard work among many parties to craft a solution for water reliability for the benefit of all of North Idaho. Adjudication of water rights in North Idaho began in 2008.

“This agreement is the product of generations of Tribal members and leaders who laid the groundwork to protect Coeur d’Alene Lake and other water resources for future generations. As the late Tribal leader Felix Aripa often said, ‘water is the life of all of us.’ Through hard work and constant dedication, we’ve been able to reach an agreement that not only protects our Tribal homelands but ensures water reliability for everyone throughout North Idaho,” Coeur d’Alene Tribal Chairman Chief Allan said.

“This historic water rights agreement delivers certainty for water users and lasting protection for Coeur d’Alene Lake and everyone who depends on it. After years of hard work, we are proud to stand alongside Chief Allan and tribal leaders to mark this milestone. Countless partners came together to forge a balanced, durable solution that strengthens water reliability and benefits all of North Idaho,” Governor Little said.

“This settlement is a massive win for all north Idaho families, businesses, and communities who depend on reliable water,” Attorney General Raul Labrador said. “For over a decade, this litigation created uncertainty for cities, farms, and employers across the basin. Courts had already held that the tribe was entitled to certain water rights on the Reservation that could affect the region. This settlement avoids continued litigation, protects existing water rights, secures water for future growth, and it is a win for all parties.”

In addition to the Tribe and the State of Idaho, other parties to the agreement include:

  • City of St. Maries
  • City of Harrison
  • City of Coeur d’Alene
  • Benewah County
  • HECLA Limited
  • Potlatch TRS Idaho LLC
  • PotlatchDeltic Forest Holdings, LLC
  • PotlatchDeltic Land & Lumber, LLC
  • Buell Bros., Inc.
  • Jack and Eleanor Buell
  • Members of the North Idaho Water Rights Alliance
  • The North West Property Owners Alliance, Inc.
  • Coeur d’Alene Lakeshore Property Owners Association

Final negotiation of the settlement was facilitated by Water Court Special Master Ted Booth.