(Blackfoot Police Department Press Release, November 9, 2026)
On November 6, 2026, at approximately 1:51 p.m., officers with the Blackfoot Police Department responded to a reported altercation at CAL Ranch, 250 North Meridian Street. While officers were en route, dispatch advised that an employee had reportedly been stabbed and that the suspect had fled on foot.
Officers received a description of the suspect and, upon arriving in the area, located a man matching that description. When officers attempted to stop him, he fled on foot. Officers took him into custody a short time later and identified him as Alphonso E. Chacon (35 years of age).
Blackfoot Police officers and detectives with the Bingham Joint Investigation Unit continued the investigation and interviewed the victim and witnesses. Investigators determined that Chacon had allegedly left the store with unpaid merchandise. Two CAL Ranch employees who witnessed the reported theft attempted to stop him, and a brief altercation followed. During the altercation, Chacon allegedly stabbed one employee in the right bicep with a small knife and fled the area. The employee was treated at the scene for an injury that was not considered life-threatening.
Chacon was booked into the Bingham County Jail on charges of Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery, Burglary, and Resisting and Obstructing Officers. Chacon is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The November 3rd election was a hard night for many conservatives across the country. Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress, even picking up U.S. Senate seats in Texas and South Carolina. But here in Idaho, voters saw the value of conservative governing and sent every member of our Idaho Freedom Caucus back to the Legislature. We’re grateful for that trust and ready to get back to work!
As Republicans, our party tied its fortunes closely to President Trump. We believe he puts America first, and recognize that presidents make hard calls on issues like Iran with intelligence most of us never see. We also think his administration can do more to rein in federal spending, ease pressure on working families, and seek better advice when policies fall short.
A change in who runs Congress won’t fix Washington’s spending habits or give Idaho families more room in their budgets. Those problems are one reason we put so much effort into what we can do here at home.
Idaho conservatives have many reasons to be encouraged!
Republicans kept supermajorities in both chambers of the Idaho Legislature, even though Democrats flipped six seats in competitive urban districts. Conservative wins in the North may bring new members into our caucus. That would give us more lawmakers working together on limited government, fiscal responsibility, and individual liberty in the 2027 and 2028 sessions.
Voters also heard our combined voices on the perils and horrendous impacts to our unborn and to families Prop 1 would have brought to Idaho. To everyone who voted, knocked on doors, put up signs, or talked with a neighbor about what was at stake, thank you. The work you did in your own communities made a difference. We want to thank the generous donors who helped us get the vote out on Prop 1. Idaho again will be a beacon of hope for conservatives across our nation.
What Idaho voters decided on the ballot
Proposition 1 was defeated. About 56% voted against the initiative, which would have expanded abortion access in Idaho. We’re grateful to everyone who spoke up for unborn children.
HJR 4 was defeated. About 66% voted against giving the Legislature exclusive authority to legalize marijuana and certain other drugs. The proposal raised a question about who should have that power, including whether citizens should retain the ability to bring such a proposal through the initiative process.
HJR 6 was approved. About 63% voted to put English in Idaho’s Constitution as the official state language, with exceptions where federal law requires another language.
What we’ll take to Boise
A young family trying to buy their first home and a retiree wondering how long they can afford their property taxes have something in common. They both need lawmakers to understand what it costs to live here. As we prepare for the January legislative session, we’ll look for more ways to curtail Idaho government spending activities; scrutinize rules that drive up the cost of building or refurbishing a home or running a small business; strengthen parental rights; and make state government easier for citizens to hold accountable.
Tell us what you want us to tackle in January. Click on the link here to suggest an Idaho law, rule, or expense you’d like us to take a closer look at. If you’ve dealt with it yourself, tell us what happened. Those details help us see where a change in the law could make a difference.
Thank you for helping us keep Idaho the greatest state in the union!
Pocatello–Local book group “Patriots for Liberty & Constitution” plans to continue discussing Chapter 4 of Marshall Foster’s book, The American Covenant, at their weekly meeting tonight. They will also begin reading Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution
A PDF of The American Covenant is available for download here.
Patriots for Liberty & Constitution meets at Mountain Valley Baptist Church, 202 S. 7th Avenue in Pocatello, every Monday evening at 6:30.
(Bannock County Press Release, November 6, 2026; Cover Photo Credit: Bannock County)
Bannock County Commissioners Meetings, November 9-13, 2026
Monday, November 9, 2026:
There are no meetings scheduled at this time.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026:
9:00 AM Business Meeting (action items)
10:00 AM Bid Opening for 4th of July Fireworks Celebration Display RFP (action item)
10:30 AM Review of proposed Land Use and Development Ordinance and potential signature on Public Hearing Notice (action item)
Wednesday, November 11, 2026:
The Bannock County Courthouse will be closed in observance of Veterans Day.
Thursday, November 12, 2026:
9:00 AM Work Session and Claims Meeting (action items)
The agenda for this meeting will be updated on Monday, November 9, 2026.
Friday, November 13, 2026:
There are no meetings scheduled at this time.
(The information packets for the business meeting and work session can be found at http://www.bannockcounty.gov. Scroll down and click on “Agendas and Minutes” then click on the information packet for the meeting that you are interested in.)
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.
November 6, 2026 (Cover Image Credit: Idaho Freedom Foundation)
Think Idaho Survived the Blue Wave? Think Again
By: Ron Nate, IFF President
IFF President Ron Nate
The brightest spot of Tuesday’s general election in Idaho was Proposition 1 (Prop 1) (to legalize abortion) losing solidly. However, the results of other contests show a less rosy picture for Idaho. Sure, Idaho Republicans retained all the federal and state officer seats, but their percentages of victory were ALL lower than the last mid-term election four years ago. Even worse, this year in the statehouse, Republicans in both chambers lost seats to Democrats. Not one state legislature seat went from Democrat to Republican, but six seats went from Republican to Democrat. The last time we saw such a swing in Democrat gains was 20 years ago.
(Note: Idaho Freedom Foundation is non-partisan, but recognizing and tracking the party affiliations of those winning offices are almost always key indicators–correlating to our Idaho Freedom Index–of the direction of ideological trends in the state office holders.)
In looking at the types of legislators based on their freedom scores and who won and lost in primaries and general elections this year, it can be argued that 2026 saw a net loss of conservative positions by 2 to 3 seats. Using Freedom Index scores and campaign platforms as guides, here’s our take: conservative gains were Herndon, J. Sauter, and Bennett; conservative losses were Thompson, Cayler, Kohl, Leavitt, and Zuiderveld.
Further, there were missed opportunities for conservatives to flip seats more conservative. Johnstone, Hyde, and Crowder lost general election efforts to win over seats from moderate Republicans or Democrats.
All told, there were definite Democrat gains on Tuesday (six seats), and conservative losses on net (2-3 seats) from the May and November elections.
While it’s true Prop 1 was defeated, that defeat should have and could have been much more lopsided. A 56% percent NO vote says something, but not nearly as much as the 69.6% NO vote on the ranked choice voting proposition two years ago. It appears the “blue wave” of discontent in national politics had some impact here in Idaho.
Here is how the blue wave affected Idaho. All our federal and state constitutional offices were retained by the Republican incumbents. However, every one of their winning vote percentages were remarkably lower than four years ago.
Good news: Idaho won a huge victory for LIFE! Proposition 1 — the initiative to change Idaho law to expand the options to kill unborn babies — failed! Death for the most innocent among us was on the ballot in four states and Idaho was the only state to hold the line and protect precious babies. Praise God for this win!
Other Idaho election results yielded mostly negative changes if any. Statewide and federal offices held status quo albeit with lower margins. Among the Republicans in the statehouse, there were a few November wins (two or three conservatives replacing moderates), but those couldn’t offset the numerous conservative losses in last May’s primary. And, Democrats picked up 6 seats overall — they are almost always lower on our Freedom Index.
This should be a wake-up call for all freedom and liberty-minded folks in Idaho. Freedom didn’t get crushed in Idaho like it did in Arizona, Texas, Georgia, and Ohio, but Idaho sure stepped closer to the cliff’s edge. We must be vigilant and powerful in restoring the liberty mindset in Idaho. One or two more election cycles like 2026 could be devastating for families and businesses trying to thrive and prosper.
Defeating Marxist ideology, limiting and reducing government, lowering taxes, and protecting traditional Idaho values remain our top priorities, and 2026 should be a clear and loud warning bell that “all is not well” in the Gem State.
While the 2026 legislative primary and general elections didn’t deliver some of the victories our state needs, one thing remains unchanged:
Liberty needs defenders.
Idaho Freedom Foundation is committed to defending Liberty.
Not every battle ends in victory. Not every election goes the way of freedom. But the principles Idaho Freedom Foundation stands for — limited government, fiscal responsibility, individual liberty, and constitutional governance — do not change with the political winds. The fight for freedom is never won (or lost) in a single election.
Idaho Freedom Foundation is in it for the long haul. We need you with us!
Editor’s Note: Learn more about the work of the Idaho Freedom Foundation here: About – Idaho Freedom
(Bonneville County Central Committee, November 5, 2026)
Governor Ron DeSantis is coming to Idaho Falls on November 12!
Join us for a special event focused on the growing national debt and the movement to establish a federal Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Tickets can be purchased at Balanced Budget Now with Governor Ron Desantis | BetterWorld
This is our opportunity to spotlight the importance of fiscal responsibility, accountable government, and protecting the financial future of the next generation. In addition to Governor DeSantis, Idaho State Legislators, and Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke will be in attendance and offer remarks to the audience.
For more details on the event menu or program, please call the Bonneville County Republican Central Committee at (208) 497-1211 or send an email to info@bonnevillegop.com. Doors open to the public at 5:45pm. Dinner and program will begin at 6:15pm.
(Idaho Department of Lands Press Release, November 6, 2026)
Boise, ID — Hunters, please extinguish your warming fires! Chilly nights and early mornings can make warming fires appealing during hunting season. However, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) firefighters have responded to a number of abandoned warming fires that spread into the wildland, causing small fires while hunters were away.
Even when temperatures are cooler and overnight moisture makes conditions seem less hazardous, dry grasses and underbrush can still ignite and spread fire.
Before going to bed or leaving the camp for a hunt, make sure your warming fire is completely out. Follow these steps:
Let the fire burn down
Drown it thoroughly with water
Stir the ashes, coals and dirt
Drown it again
Feel for heat
Repeat until everything is cold to the touch
A special thanks to those who have come across the fires and reported them.
IDL firefighters appreciate your help preventing wildfires and wish everyone a safe and successful hunting season.
There’s so much I could share from this week, but what I’m sitting with most is gratitude. I feel blessed to serve the state I love.
Election nights are what we live for here. Seeing hundreds of thousands of Idahoans head to the polls to make their voices heard in a process we’ve spent months preparing for feels incredible. A number of us worked through the night and into the next day. There’s a rush that comes from being at the center of it all, and being on the ballot myself this year made it even more personal.
I’m so grateful to Idaho’s voters for giving me the opportunity to continue to serve. It’s hard to describe what it feels like when you’ve got that many people weighing in on your performance review, but I will say it feels good seeing the results.
I’m so proud of the amazing people I get to work with, both in and out of the office. In this first term, we’ve accomplished so much. We’ve greatly expanded education and training for election officials around the state and completely overhauled VoteIdaho.gov to make voting information easier to access. We’ve made it easier to report campaign finance information and see the money in Idaho politics. We’ve also dramatically cut the time it takes to file a new business. Through all of this, we’ve kept working to build trust in government.
When I started my re-election bid, I added the tagline, “We’re just getting started!”
It’s exactly how I feel. We’ve done so much, and there’s so much more we will do.
In the coming weeks, I’ll share a few of my ideas for the future. In the meantime, please know how grateful I am. I’m grateful for my family, I’m grateful for my team, and I’m grateful to all of you who follow the office and support us in the important work we are doing.
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.
