If You Live in Idaho This Is For You Get out and vote. Otherwise, stop complaining.
By: Brian Lenney
The election’s coming up on November 3rd, and early voting in Canyon County opens October 19th (check with your county clerk for yours).
You can also request an absentee ballot and mail it in early.
No matter what you do, though…
Make sure you check your sample ballot before you mail in the real one or show up on Election Day to vote in person.
Just click this link, enter your info, and you’ll see exactly what’s on your ballot.
It’s an exact copy to help you prepare at home so you don’t feel flustered at the polls (you need to do this because every ballot in Idaho is different depending on your address).
There are a few races that’ll be on everybody’s ballot, like governor and Congress. My advice is to vote for the most conservative person in each race, obviously.
And that’s almost always the Republican.
And while I’m tempted to punish weak, needlessly cowardly Republicans in the general election, that should be saved for the primaries. We can’t afford to put Democrats or wacky Libertarians into office because we’re mad at our Republican representatives.
The trade-off just isn’t worth it.
But what I really want you to know about are the four questions at the end of your ballot, because they’re the ones people get confused by.
Being a conservative means we conserve things. Our culture, our language, and our respect for life are what set Idaho apart from every liberal state around us. Three of these ballot questions decide whether we keep them:
HJR 4: Only the Legislature can legalize drugs.
This amends the Idaho Constitution so only the Legislature can legalize marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive drugs. Legalization could no longer come through a ballot initiative.
I’m voting: YES.
Look at our neighbors. Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Montana all legalized recreational marijuana, and all four did it by ballot initiative. Oregon went furthest. In 2020 an initiative decriminalized hard drugs like fentanyl and meth, Portland’s streets filled with open drug use, and by 2024 even Oregon’s own liberal legislature had to walk it back.
Every one of those campaigns was bankrolled by a drug industry that figured out it’s cheaper to buy signature drives than to win over a legislature.
Idaho is one of the last holdouts in the West, and that industry wants us next. I’d rather this decision sit with legislators you can look in the eye and vote out. Out-of-state money never has to answer to you.
HJR 6: English as Idaho’s official language.This adds English to the Idaho Constitution as our official language. Government meetings, documents, court proceedings, and public school instruction would be in English, except where federal law requires otherwise. Right now it’s only in statute, and a future legislature could repeal it.
I’m voting: YES.
I sponsored this bill in the Senate because a common language is what makes us one people. Go to Los Angeles County and you’ll find election materials printed in more than a dozen languages. That’s what it looks like when a state stops expecting newcomers to learn its language and join it. This costs almost nothing and sets a clear expectation: if you come here, learn English and become an Idahoan. And it shouldn’t depend on whoever controls the Legislature in a given year.
Putting it in the Constitution means it stays put.
Proposition 1: The abortion “reproductive freedom” initiative. This creates a right to abortion up to fetal viability, and after viability under a broad “medical emergency” definition that reaches a woman’s health as well as her life. It adds a “right of privacy” over reproductive decisions and requires any restriction to be “narrowly tailored” to the patient’s health. It also shields providers and anyone who “assists” from penalties. It would overturn Idaho’s current pro-life law.
I’m voting: NO.
This is WORSE than California’s abortion law.
Abortion up to viability, a “health” exception broad enough to cover almost anything after that, and a “right of privacy” judges can stretch as far as they like (that’s exactly how Montana’s courts got there). “Narrowly tailored” is courtroom language, and it’s there so judges can strike down limits Idaho passes. That could put things like parental consent for minors in front of a judge.
Idaho is one of the few states in the West that still protects unborn children. We made that choice through the people we elected. Prop 1 hands it to the courts and would make us LEFT of California.
Vote NO.
That’s where I stand on those things.
I don’t care (and I suspect you don’t either) about the state gun. Pick whatever you want.
Make a plan to vote by November 3, and forward this to a neighbor who hasn’t flipped their ballot over yet. And make sure you get your family and friends to vote. This whole low turnout thing is starting to wear on me.
Pocatello–The Gate City region is officially in autumn mode, with sunny days, crisp nights, and glowing colors on the trees. Below are several events that are guaranteed to enhance the fall vibe this weekend:
The First Friday Art Walk is a great opportunity to enjoy Pocatello’s Historic Downtown and get some exercise. Shops stay open late, and if you’re lucky you might catch some live music. 5-8 PM.
The Portneuf Valley Quilter’s Guild’s annual Quiltfest will be held at the Mountain View Events Center at 1567 Way to Grace Ave. Admission is $5; hours are Friday from 10 AM to 6 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Start your Saturday with the AMVETS Pancake Breakfast at the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building, located at 300 N Johnson. 8-11 AM.
The Portneuf Valley Farmers Market is open on Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM at Lookout Point, in the 100 block of S Garfield Ave. The market features fresh, locally grown produce, plants, handmade crafts, jewelry, food items, food trucks, live music and more.
The 4th Annual Pumpkin Fest returns this Saturday as well, from 9 AM to 2 PM, in the parking lot at the corner of Lander St. & Main St. Spend the day shopping local, supporting incredible small businesses, and enjoying delicious food.
The Pocatello Green House, located at 1300 E Oak St., will be hosting the Comforts of Fall Festival on Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM. Highlights will include food trucks, local vendors, Plant Bingo, a cinnamon roll eating contest hosted by Geraldine’s bakery, fall plants, and prizes.
You can end your Saturday by getting creative at Craftology’s Halloween Paint Night hosted by Goody’s Deli, located at 905 S 5th Ave. 6 PM.
(Idaho Secretary of State Press Release, September 30, 2026)
What’s more American than disagreeing? Sometimes it feels like this moment in our history is uniquely divisive, and it’s easy to forget just how much disagreement and division have shaped the American story. We’ve endured a civil war, fought bitterly over civil rights, filled our streets with protests over war and social change, and argued over the direction of our country since the earliest days of the republic. In fact, it was our grievances with the British Crown meddling in our affairs and levying hefty taxes that led us to fight for independence in the first place. Arguing, pushing back, and insisting on being heard is part of our legacy.
That history, and the way we disagree today, has been on my mind a lot lately. It’s what led me to join with partners at the University of Idaho and Boise State to organize the first-ever Idaho Free Speech Summit, coming to Boise on October 13th. The Summit will focus on free speech, civil discourse, and the healthy exchange of ideas.
The problem isn’t that we disagree.
If we all agreed on everything all the time, life would be pretty boring. We don’t even always agree with everyone in our own homes. Disagreement is part of life, whether it’s around the dinner table, in our communities, or in the halls of government. What matters is how we go about it.
The First Amendment protects our right to speak our minds, including when others disagree with what we have to say. Exercising that freedom also means making room for others to do the same. To listen. To debate. To push back. And to respect someone else’s right to speak. We don’t have to learn how to agree. We have to remember how to disagree well.
In a country where the right to speak up is so fundamental, I thought it was time for us to speak up about it. That’s what the Idaho Free Speech Summit is about.
On Tuesday, October 13, we’re bringing together people from across the political, legal, academic, and civic spectrum to wrestle with some important questions about free speech and how we disagree with one another.
I’m especially pleased that Utah Governor Spencer Cox will join us as our keynote speaker. Governor Cox has made civil discourse the focus of his national Disagree Better initiative, and he’ll share his perspective on how Americans can disagree without abandoning strongly held beliefs, a theme he explores in his new book, Off Ramp: How to Be a Peacemaker in an Age of Contempt.
The full-day Summit is free to attend, with sessions at the Idaho State Capitol and lunch included for full-day attendees. I’m grateful to the University of Idaho College of Law and Boise State University’s Institute for Advancing American Values for partnering with me to make this valuable discourse possible.
We don’t have to learn to agree. That’s a useless endeavor.
Yet, as stewards and inheritors of this incredible American experiment, we do have to remember how to disagree, how to listen, and how to preserve the freedoms that allow a republic like ours to endure.
I hope you’ll join us on October 13th and help make this the first of many years we come together to exchange ideas and strengthen our civic culture here in Idaho.
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.
(Department of War Press Release, September 30, 2026)
Over the last two years under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s leadership, the Department has been relentlessly reshaped to focus on lethality, the warfighters, and rapid modernization. Today, the Secretary continues that momentum by unveiling six major strategic initiatives that will govern the Department’s direction for years to come.
Speaking directly to active-duty E-6s and O-3s at Marine Corps Base Quantico, the Secretary bypassed traditional Pentagon bureaucracy to brief the tactical-level officers and non-commissioned officers who will execute these reforms at the ground level. The Secretary’s framework establishes the Autonomous Warfare Command, creates a new Corps of Cadets, launches the “FORTRESS” (Federal Operations for Resilience, Troop Resources, Energy, Supply, and Survivability) readiness program, initiates the Next Great American Base project, stands up the Office of Religious Affairs, and kicks off Project Meridian, signaling a bold new era of warfighter-first leadership.
Autonomous Warfare Command
The establishment of the Autonomous Warfare Command represents the fastest peacetime operational shift in modern military history, designed to scale autonomous warfare across the Joint Force as a 4-star functional combatant command by October 1, 2027. Building on the success of the Department’s Drone Dominance program, which has delivered thousands of robotic systems to the Middle East in support of Operation Epic Fury, the Secretary is directing DRPM UxS to lead Project Agincourt.
To lead this historic transition, Secretary Hegseth appointed Owen West, the current Director of DIU, and Navy SEAL Senior Chief Max Strasiser, the first enlisted SEAL to graduate from Navy Test Pilot School, to direct DRPM UxS under a unique CEO-COO partnership.
America’s Corps of Cadets
America’s Corps of Cadets is a new War Department program established to expand the pipeline of patriotic leaders of character commissioning into the Joint Force. Building on the existing Corps of Cadets at the nation’s six Senior Military Colleges, the initiative partners with a new set of premier institutions—Louisiana State University, Liberty University, Tuskegee University, Mississippi State University, and Hillsdale College—to create additional full-time Corps of Cadets programs. Each participating school is designated a “Distinguished Military College,” a revived category that requires exceptionally high standards of cadet discipline, tactical instruction, and military organization. These institutions also receive “Honor School” status, which provides priority in officer commissioning. The program addresses the need for more officers grounded in the Constitution, Western civilization, American heritage, and the warrior ethos at a time when many traditional commissioning sources have drifted from those foundations. By embedding continuous military discipline and leadership development into these new partner schools, America’s Corps of Cadets aims to grow the number of officers who are patriotic, rigorous, and prepared to lead and defend the Republic.
FORTRESS America
FORTRESS America (Federal Operations for Resilience, Troop Resources, Energy, Supply, and Survivability) is the Department of War’s national insurance policy for the American homeland. Launched at the direction of the Secretary of War, it ends decades of quiet dependence that left the world’s most powerful military reliant on foreign mines for rare earths, overseas factories for microchips, foreign supply chains for weapons, and the civilian power grid to keep bases operational.
The initiative ensures that every major U.S. military installation generates its own independent power so bases remain lit, aircraft fly, and command centers stay online even if the civilian grid is taken down by cyberattack or sabotage. It brings critical supply chains home—rare earths, specialty metals, semiconductors, and propellants—mined, refined, and built in America by American workers. It builds deep strategic reserves of munitions, fuel, medicine, and blood sufficient to fight through disruption when global supply lines break. It hardens every installation on American soil against cyber intrusion, sabotage, and drones. And it secures the high ground and the airwaves—satellites, spectrum, and the ability to see, navigate, and communicate—so the force is never blinded or silenced.
Next Great American Base
The Next Great American Base project rejects the legacy playbook of decaying military facilities, launching a bold initiative to build a premier, world-class power projection platform from the ground up. This state-of-the-art installation will host elite troops across hundreds of thousands of acres. Engineered to operate completely off the commercial grid, it will feature independent power generation, autonomous systems, and advanced air defenses.
In line with the President’s executive orders on Beautiful Civic Architecture, the base will feature timeless, classical designs, providing first-class facilities. Rather than backroom deals, the Department is launching a transparent, merit-based competition, inviting governors and adjutants general to pitch their plans directly to senior leadership. The state that cuts the most red tape and offers the best package of land and support will win the historic honor of hosting the most lethal, modern, and beautiful military installation on the planet.
Office of Religious Affairs
The Department of War is elevating spiritual readiness as a core element of combat effectiveness with the establishment of the Office of Religious Affairs, a direct-report office to the Secretary of War charged with driving Department-wide policy, resource advocacy, and action. Wars are fought by people, and the strength of the force depends not only on weapons, training, and technology, but also on the resilience, conviction, and moral strength of those who serve. ORA will ensure religious affairs are no longer dispersed across distant bureaucratic layers, giving senior leaders a dedicated capability to protect free exercise, remove policy barriers, identify unmet requirements, and secure the support needed for the Service chaplaincies to succeed.
The Service chaplaincies will remain the Department’s primary providers of religious support; ORA will give them a powerful advocate at the highest level of the Department. The office will not compel religious participation, favor one faith, or diminish the rights of personnel of any faith or lack thereof. Instead, it will help ensure every member of the Force has voluntary, meaningful access to religious support and community that fosters purpose and resilience needed to endure hardship, deployment, combat, and loss.
Project Meridian
Secretary Hegseth has commissioned Project Meridian to secure America’s long-term military superiority by identifying the capabilities required to achieve absolute technological dominance on the next-generation battlefield. Project Meridian will examine the full spectrum of future warfighting domains, from subterranean depths to the cislunar frontier. The Department of War’s Chief Technology Officer, Emil Michael, is facilitating the Department’s commissioning of Project Meridian, which will be co-directed by Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and Newt Gingrich, and supported by a team of elite academic, policy, and industry experts. To ensure timely execution, Secretary Hegseth has directed this landmark project to be completed within 120 days of its establishment, culminating in an unclassified, publicly released final report containing critical findings and recommendations, accompanied by a classified annex.
By leveraging the nation’s premier private-sector innovators, business leaders, and technologists, Project Meridian will discover and accelerate the fielding of advanced systems needed to guarantee decisive deterrence. Should deterrence fail, our warfighters must enter any future conflict with the technological advantage secured through today’s foresight, resolve, and preparation. American victory requires informing our Arsenal of Freedom with the lethal effects needed to sustain peace through strength. Project Meridian will present the proactive vision for shaping American dominance in the future of warfare.
(Office of the First Lady Press Release, September 30, 2026)
First Lady Melania Trump secured six new private-sector technology partnerships for Fostering the Future Together, including Adobe, Amazon, Intel, Starlink, Google, and Zoom.
“When I established Fostering the Future Together, the mission was clear: empower children through technology and education. Delivering on that mission demands alliances between best-in-class innovators and global leaders, especially as super intelligence transforms how the next generation learns,” said First Lady Melania Trump.
Combined, the new technology partners committed more than $23 million towards education, tools, and expertise, for children across the globe.
Google committed $4 million to expand its SI Educator Series globally through its new Fostering the Future Together partnership. “Google is proud to support First Lady Melania Trump’s vital effort,” said Google’s Maggie Johnson. “This investment demonstrates our belief in keeping educators in the lead.”
Intel will deploy its technology across ten countries through its SI for Citizens Program, SI for Youth Program, and Semiconductor Education Pathways Program. Adobe will provide students worldwide with free SI-powered study and creation tools through Student Spaces. Amazon will expand free access to its Kiro SI coding assistant, reaching 5 million students through 132 universities, while AWS Academy will provide free training to more than 2 million students. Zoom Cares will provide $2.75 million in SI for Good grants across Europe, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region.
“I deeply value the commitment of these technology companies and welcome them to the Fostering the Future Together movement as we scale across continents,” said First Lady Melania Trump.
About Fostering the Future Together:
Fostering the Future Together is a global coalition of nations unified to empower children through technology and education.
First Lady Melania Trump announced Fostering the Future Together during the 80th United Nations General Assembly. In spring 2026, she convened the initiative’s two-day meeting in Washington DC, bringing together First Spouses and technology-sector leaders at the United Sates Department of State. The gathering culminated at the White House, where the First Lady welcomed the largest assembly of First Spouses ever convened there for diplomatic purposes in U.S. history.
During the 81st United Nations General Assembly, First Lady Melania Trump unveiled several new 2026 Fostering the Future Together regional events, including the G20 (USA), the ASEAN Conference (Philippines), Europe (Poland), and the Caribbean (Saint Kitts and Nevis).
September 29, 2026 (Cover Image Credit: Gem State Chronicle)
What Does Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment Really Mean?
By: Gem State Chronicle Publisher Brian Almon
Brian Almon
The 1964 presidential election split the Republican Party. The conservative wing, energized by activists including William F. Buckley and Phyllis Schlafly, finally found the nominee they’d been seeking for two decades in Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona. The moderate wing, led by New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, predicted doom and gloom, and in this case, they turned out to be right. Goldwater lost the electoral vote to Lyndon Johnson 52–486, which remains the largest Democratic landslide since FDR and the last time Idaho voted blue in a presidential election.
In the wake of that loss, the man who had made the biggest political speech of his career in support of Goldwater sought to become governor of California. Ronald Reagan knew that a divided party could not win, and so he proclaimed what became known as the Eleventh Commandment: “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.” Reagan would honor that pledge in the 1966 California gubernatorial election, which he won, as well as the 1976 Republican presidential primary, which he lost.
Ronald Reagan understood something fundamental about American politics. Partisan primaries can be aggressive, even vicious, but once the primary is over, parties must unite to fight the other side. The differences between Barry Goldwater and Nelson Rockefeller, though stark in many ways, were smaller than the differences both had with Lyndon Johnson. And LBJ’s presidency was disastrous for America: the escalation of the Vietnam War cost tens of thousands of American lives; the Civil Rights Act, though meant to fix inequality in the Jim Crow South, quickly turned into a tool for racial quotas and shakedowns; and the Immigration Act tore apart the fabric of our country, leading to many of the cultural conflicts and illegal immigration problems we face today.
Of course, Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment was never a hard-and-fast rule. Incumbents still invoke it to shield themselves from criticism during primaries, despite Reagan himself doing just that in 1976 when he challenged President Gerald Ford. I believe the real point of the concept is that Republicans should save their most aggressive attacks for Democrats and that, once the primary is over, it’s time to unite as a party.
Party politics is like a football team. During training camp, players are competing with each other to see who makes the team and who gets cut, who will be starting quarterback and who will ride the bench. Once camp is over and the season begins, it’s time to focus on beating the other teams rather than each other. Or, as former Virginia legislator Nick Freitas put it:
You punish bad Republicans in the primaries.
You vote to save the country from leftists in the general.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
For many years, the old Republican establishment demanded that candidates follow this rule. After Pat Buchanan unsuccessfully challenged President George H. W. Bush in 1992, he took the stage at the GOP convention in Houston to give Bush his full support. When Mitt Romney won the 2012 Republican nomination, party leaders demanded that Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, and Newt Gingrich get in line and support the party’s nominee.
Yet something changed in 2016. When the nominee wasn’t a Romney, Jeb Bush, or John Kasich, as party leaders seemed to want, but instead Donald Trump, those same party leaders decided they would rather burn the party down than support someone they detested. The so-called NeverTrump movement led many formerly Republican stalwarts not only away from the party but into the arms of the Democrats. Kasich spoke at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, while former House Republican Conference chair Liz Cheney endorsed Kamala Harris in 2024. The same pundits who demanded that Ron Paul supporters fall in line in 2012 sought to create a bulwark—literally, that’s what they called their blog—against Trump throughout his tenure.
That same strain of disloyalty appears in Idaho Republican politics as well. In 2022, then-Rep. Codi Galloway challenged Sen. Fred Martin, the chair of the Senate Health & Welfare Committee who supported lockdowns, masks, and vaccine mandates. Galloway won a close election, and rather than swallowing his pride and supporting the party’s nominee, Martin endorsed the Democrat in the race.
The same thing happened in the attorney general race that year, as “Republicans” like outgoing Sen. Patti Ann Lodge, former attorney general and Supreme Court justice Jim Jones, and former first lady Lori Otter all publicly endorsed Democrat Tom Arkoosh rather than Republican nominee Raúl Labrador. I wrote about these turncoats at the time:
These supposed Republicans are telling the people of Idaho that they are fine with outright socialism, with abortion on demand, with public schools grooming their students, with no transparency or accountability for taxpayer dollars. This is what Lori Otter, Patti Ann Lodge, Jim Jones, Fred Martin, Gary Raney, and Ben Ysursa support. Just as the Republican establishment of 2016 was deathly afraid of Donald Trump’s nationalism, so [too] do these career politicians fear Raúl Labrador’s plan to put the citizens of Idaho ahead of lobbies and other special interests.
These endorsements call into question everything these politicians did before. Now that we know that Fred Martin and Patti Ann Lodge are neither principled conservatives nor loyal Republicans, what do we make of their actions in the last legislative session when they blocked health freedom bills? Now that we know that Tommy Ahlquist supports left-wing extremists like Lauren McLean, then what can we determine about his motivation for staying in the 2018 gubernatorial primary?
How many more masks will drop in the coming years? What other political leaders who claim to be conservatives are really wolves in sheep’s clothing?
Unfortunately, it hasn’t gotten any better. In 2024, young Colton Bennett lost a close three-way race to incumbent Republican Rep. Lori McCann in District 6. Bennett drew fire from some conservative activists for issuing a public statement of support for McCann following that primary. However, no good deed goes unpunished. In 2026, McCann abandoned her House seat to challenge Sen. Dan Foreman instead. She lost, and Bennett won the race for the now-open seat. Now that McCann’s political career is likely over, she too has dropped the mask and is viciously attacking Bennett on social media, attempting to smear him as a misogynist, despite what will likely be a very close contest with Democratic nominee Trish Carter-Goodheart.
So much for Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment, right?
Of course, this phenomenon is not limited to one side of the Republican divide. Mark Fitzpatrick, who lost to Gov. Brad Little 58.96% to 28.79% in the May primary, has called upon the Idaho GOP to remove Little from the ballot for being a socialist:
Brad Little should be banned from calling himself a Republican.
He isn’t one.
@IdahoGOP could be pulling away rights to use the R from the fraudsters, but they don’t.
Ask why.
Seriously. Call the office and ask them why these socialists like Little and Guthrie are allowed to call themselves Republicans.
They are going to tell you to “vote Republican” on Nov 3rd.
What a joke.
Several replies to Fitzpatrick’s tweet asked what the alternative was, to which Mark replied, “There’s no realistic solution. Idaho might wake up a bit if the ‘Republican’ loses.”
Had Fitzpatrick won the May gubernatorial primary, he would surely have expected the Idaho GOP and other Republican elected officials to support his campaign. I suspect many would have considered him too controversial, however, and might have jumped ship either to former Supreme Court justice John Stegner’s independent campaign or even joined forces with the Democrats to stop him.
It makes one wonder what the point of a political party really is. Is it to work together for shared goals against a common foe? Or is it just a vehicle for individual political ambitions, to be used when convenient and discarded at a moment’s notice?
I have been extremely critical of Sen. Jim Guthrie, the chair of the Senate State Affairs Committee who unilaterally killed dozens of good bills that had passed the House over the past two sessions. I donated to his primary opponent and urged others to do the same. But he won, and barring a very unlikely series of events, he will return to the Senate for the 2027 session. Nothing I do will change that—no amount of kicking, screaming, or angry posting on social media will make any difference.
This is where political pragmatism comes into play. Guthrie, and others like him, will be in the Legislature for the next two years whether I like it or not. That means accomplishing my preferred policies requires working with them, or at least around them. I have limited time, energy, and political capital. Should I use it complaining about a done deal, or put it toward things I can actually change?
That is what Otto van Bismarck meant when he called politics “the art of the possible.” Do what you can, where you can, with the resources you have. None of us can go back in time and change the last election, but we can set ourselves up for the next one.
And there will be another election. All 105 legislators will be on the ballot in 2028, and we are likely to see openings for Congress, Senate, and the governor’s office in the next few years. Now is the time to recruit candidates, build networks, test the waters, and prepare the conservative bench. The men and women who will win the 2028 and 2030 primary elections are out there right now laying the groundwork for successful campaigns, not making a show of sour grapes on social media.
Ronald Reagan’s preferred candidate lost in a landslide in 1964. Rather than moping, Reagan mobilized and won two terms as California’s governor. In 1976, he challenged the president and lost. Rather than crashing out, he rebuilt his campaign and returned in 1980, winning two of the biggest landslides in American history and redefining Republican politics for generations to come. He did it by uniting the Republican Party rather than further fracturing it.
It’s something to consider for our situation today.
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
(Department of War Press Release, September 30, 2026)
Today, the United States and our Coalition partners formally concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, consistent with the September 2024 U.S.-Iraq joint statement and U.S. national interests.
The orderly departure of Coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base marks the successful conclusion of the military mission that defeated ISIS in Iraq.
This milestone reflects the success of a 12-year campaign that defeated ISIS as an organized military threat in Iraq and across the region. It also marks a transition from a wartime coalition mission to an Iraqi-led security effort supported by a more normal bilateral security relationship.
We expect the Iraqi Security Forces, including the Peshmerga and other security forces in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, to lead the continuing effort to secure Iraq and keep ISIS remnants suppressed. The Department of War will continue to provide targeted training and intelligence support to our Iraqi partners.
The primary responsibility for addressing Iraq’s remaining security challenges, including ISIS remnants and Iran-aligned militias that undermine Iraqi sovereignty and regional stability, now rests with the Government of Iraq. The United States remains committed to counterterrorism and will continue to work with Iraq and our partners to ensure ISIS can never reconstitute from Iraqi territory.
The United States supports a strong sovereign Iraq that secures its borders, protects its people, and serves as the foundation for deeper commercial, diplomatic, and security cooperation between our two countries.
(City of Pocatello Press Release, September 29, 2026)
Beginning Wednesday, September 30, 2026, the south side of the intersection of Hiline Road, Pearl Street, and El Rancho Boulevard will be closed as construction continues on the Hiline Road and Signalization Improvement Project.
Detour signs will be in place to help direct traffic through the area. Drivers are encouraged to use caution, follow posted detours, and allow additional travel time during construction. Work on the north side of the intersection is nearing completion, with road compaction and curb and gutter installation now complete. The roadway remains open to traffic, while excavation and backfilling continue along Pearl Street.
The project will replace the existing four-way stop with a traffic signal and includes several other improvements designed to enhance safety, accessibility, and traffic flow. Improvements include:
Dedicated turn lanes
Widening portions of Hiline Road
New storm drainage infrastructure
Upgraded sidewalks, curbs, and gutters
Improved pedestrian ramps to enhance accessibility and meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements
Once complete, the improvements will provide safer and more convenient travel for motorists, pedestrians, and other roadway users.
The City of Pocatello funded the design of the project, while construction is being fully financed through a $2 million Strategic Initiatives Grant awarded by the Idaho Transportation Department through its Local Transportation Grant Program (LTGP). The grant does not require a local funding match. The LTGP supports transportation improvements that enhance safety, accessibility, mobility, and economic opportunity for Idaho communities.
The Hiline Road improvements are part of the City’s ongoing efforts to build a safer, more accessible, and better-connected transportation network, consistent with the goals outlined in the City’s Comprehensive Plan 2040.
To follow the progress of this and other City projects, visit the Pocatello Projects page at: pocatello.gov/1002/Projects
Construction is expected to be completed by the end of October 2026, weather and other unforeseen conditions permitting. The City of Pocatello appreciates the community’s patience and cooperation as construction continues.
(City of Pocatello Press Release, September 29, 2026)
Beginning October 1, adoption fees at Pocatello Animal Services will increase for the first time since 2019 to help offset rising animal care costs.
While adoption fees don’t cover the full cost of care, the increase will help the shelter continue providing vaccinations, medical care, spay/neuter services, and other essential care animals need before adoption.
“As Pocatello’s only municipal shelter, we take in every stray cat and dog within the city limits,” said Management Assistant Sarah Moore. “Every animal that comes through our doors deserves to leave healthy, vaccinated, and ready for their new life, and providing that care simply costs more than it used to.”
Updated Adoption Fees:
Puppies (6 months and younger): $200
Adult dogs (7 months to 6 years): $150
Senior dogs (7 years and older): $75
Kittens (6 months and younger): $100
Cats (7 months and older): $50
Even with the increase, adoption fees remain comparable to or lower than many other pet adoption options. Fees include veterinary care and services provided before animals go to their new homes, making adoption an affordable way to welcome a new pet into your family.
Pocatello Animal Services appreciates the community’s understanding and continued support. Adoption fees help the shelter care for animals in need and prepare them for their forever homes.
