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Guest Column–Dorothy Moon: Gratitude and Resolve

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November 23, 2023

Gratitude and Resolve

By: Dorothy Moon, IDGOP Chairwoman

Dorothy Moon, Chairwoman of the Idaho Republican Party

160 years ago, as our country was embroiled in a tragic and bloody civil war, President Abraham Lincoln called upon Americans to give thanks to God for the blessings of liberty they yet enjoyed. He invited his fellow citizens to “…observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”

Setting aside a day for the purpose of giving thanks was already an American tradition. The Pilgrims celebrated Thanksgiving at Plymouth in 1621, and our first President George Washington proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving in 1789. We are incredibly privileged to carry on that tradition today.

There is perhaps nothing as quintessentially American than a national holiday devoted toward giving thanks and celebrating our families. Though many holidays contain an element of gratitude — we are thankful for our freedom on Independence Day, thankful to our military personnel on Veterans Day, thankful to God at Christmastime — Thanksgiving Day is a unique opportunity to express our gratitude for the many blessings we enjoy in this country.

One reason that America became great in the first place was because our ancestors cultivated a spirit of gratitude from the beginning. They were proud to be Americans, but humble enough to recognize the manifest blessings our country has experienced in its long and storied history.

Idahoans have much to be thankful for today.

We are thankful for our families, our friends, and our communities. Their love and support make our mission possible and our lives worth living.

We are thankful for those in the trenches. Everyone from block captains and precinct committeemen to the officers of the Idaho Republican Party are volunteers, giving freely of their precious time to ensure that Idaho remains a place where conservative principles and traditional values are honored and protected.

We are thankful for the upcoming Presidential Caucus, which not only gives Idahoans a voice in the future of our country, but presents a wonderful opportunity to get to know your neighbors and share the values that motivate you to be involved.

We are thankful for so many great lawmakers who have devoted their own time and energy toward pursuing Republican values in the Capitol.

Most of all, we are thankful for the blessings of a loving God who has placed us in this time and place to do good. We will continue to fight the good fight to preserve faith, family, and freedom in Idaho and in America. It is in that spirit that we wish all of you the happiest Thanksgiving with your family and friends. God bless America, God bless Idaho, and God bless you all.

Downtown Merchants Announce Specials for Small Business Saturday

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November 25, 2023

Pocatello–The merchants and restauranteurs of Old Town invite the community to spend Small Business Saturday checking out local shops.  A post on the Historic Downtown Pocatello’s Facebook page explains:

Shopping and Dining Small have never been better! The Downtown merchants and businesses invite you and your family to come enjoy a day of shopping and dining specials! Santa will be at The Downtown Center at Lookout Point from 11am to 3pm for free visits & photos. Come stroll through Downtown and celebrate Small Business Saturday!

IDGOP Announces Nikki Haley Has Filed Her Candidacy for the 2024 Presidential Caucus

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(Idaho GOP Press Release, November 24, 2023)

Boise–The Idaho Republican Party is pleased to announce the third filing of a declaration of candidacy for the 2024 Presidential Caucus.

Nikki Haley, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and former Governor of South Carolina, has officially filed her declaration of candidacy and submitted the filing fee, marking a significant milestone in her pursuit of the Republican nomination for the presidency. Known for her strong leadership and diplomatic prowess, Haley brings a wealth of experience to the forefront of the political stage.

Dorothy Moon, Chairwoman of the Idaho Republican Party, commented, “We are excited to announce that Nikki Haley has filed for the March 2nd Presidential Caucus. The anticipation builds as we diligently work each day to ensure a seamless and impactful caucus, giving our party members the invaluable opportunity to actively shape the future of our nation. This crucial event empowers our party members, providing them with the opportunity to select a candidate whose conservative values align with their own. We are committed to a process that reflects the principles we hold dear, and I look forward to a vibrant and participatory caucus.”

The Idaho Republican Party is dedicated to preserving the principles of our constitutional republic, pledging to facilitate a caucus process that is both fair and transparent, faithfully mirroring the collective will of the people.

Guest Column–Martin Hackworth: Just Like Living in Paradise

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November 15, 2023

Just Like Living in Paradise

By: Martin Hackworth

The phone call came late one afternoon to my apartment in Lexington, KY. This was back in the late-1980s, in the days of push-button phones and no such thing as caller ID. I had no idea if the person on the other end of the call, who identified himself as the road manager of the David Lee Roth Band, was on the up and up. I had a lot of friends who were able and eager pranksters with scores to settle. Something like this would have been right up their alley.

After introducing himself, he told me that he was reaching out to me on behalf of Diamond Dave himself. “David has read your book,” he said, “and is eager to climb with you when the band comes through your area for a few shows next week. Will you be available?”

The book that he was referring to was Stones of Years, a climbing guidebook to the Red River Gorge in eastern Kentucky. The first and second editions of that book sold well enough to finance a good chunk of my undergraduate tuition at the University of Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky University. And it attracted at least one celebrity reader.

Writing books is a wonderful endeavor, and I think that I have a few left in me before the great wheel in the sky takes me home. When I published the first edition of Stones of Years, I received an invitation to a formal gala at the governor’s mansion in Frankfort to recognize the year’s published book authors in the Bluegrass State. A banquet with the governor and a bunch of celebrities. Tres professionnel!

There was a brochure created just for this annual event to acknowledge the invitees, which contained a biography of each author. This brochure went out to every library and to most of the bookstores in the state. I’ll never forget the feeling of walking into a local shopping mall one afternoon and seeing my book on display in a chain bookstore window, along with the brochure opened to the page containing my bio.

Each year, the committee that planned this event invited a nationally known author, generally not from Kentucky, as the keynote speaker. The year I went, that speaker was Mickey Mantle: the Mick, the commerce comet, the New York Yankee who battled Roger Maris, his teammate, for the ‘61 home run record. That guy.

Mantle took a seat next to me at the banquet based on my photo and bio. “You look more interesting than a poet,” he said quietly. “Tell me about mountain climbing.”

I think that I might have peed a little in my pants.

Those were truly halcyon days. My friends and I felt like we were 10 feet tall and without fear or doubt. No one should go through life without feeling that way, even if it’s just for a little while. It’s a great comfort when the hard times arrive, as they invariably do later in life, just to have felt magnificent once. You can sustain yourself from that when circumstances change.

Even though I was not completely convinced that the phone call was on the up and up, I agreed to be at my store in Red River Gorge at 11 a.m. in a week to meet the band and go climbing. I didn’t even bother to tell anyone about it, lest my hunch that it was a prank prove to be correct.

At that time, David Lee Roth had recently split from Van Halen to form his own band with Steve Vai on guitar, Billy Sheehan on bass, Greg Bissonette on drums, and Brett Tuggle on keyboards. Skyscraper was the second post-Van Halen album from Roth, featuring the hit Just Like Paradise, which spawned a popular MTV music video featuring Roth climbing in Yosemite Valley. As the band toured to support Skyscraper, they hired a succession of local guides to take them climbing around the country.

In Kentucky, that turned out to be me. I had just settled onto a bench outside of the store on a glorious early fall afternoon when I heard the unmistakable sound of diesel engines straining up the curvy grade that led to our shop. A few minutes later, three very large, very expensive custom tour buses pulled into our dirt parking lot, completely filling it. Oh sh*t, I thought. Before the bus doors opened, I was on the pay phone with one of my employees, telling him to get his ass in gear and get to the store.

A minute or two later, the person with whom I’d spoken on the phone came bounding out of the lead bus in a bustle of energy and with a smile brighter than the face of the sun. “We’re thrilled to meet you,” he said. “The guys are in the bus getting ready.” Noticing, no doubt, that there were no evident cliffs towering nearby, he asked, “How far is it to where we are going to climb?”

That was a great question that I had to think fast to answer, having not planned on actually having to go climbing that day. The obvious place for intermediate climbers who wanted to sample the best of the Gorge was a place about 20 miles away, of which 10 miles were down a gravel road. The problem was that the short way there passed through an old railroad tunnel that the buses had no chance of getting through, being both too tall and too wide. That meant the alternative route, which involved 25 miles of winding mountain roads just to get to the 10 miles of gravel.

As I explained this, I offered that we could get there a lot quicker if we left the buses at the store and took our cars. Looking over my shoulder at the beater Toyota SR5 pickup and a 1975 Chevrolet Impala sitting behind me, the tour manager grinned and assured me, with his megawatt smile, that the buses and the longer route would be just fine.

“The boys can take a nap.”

So off we went. Anyone who knows much about Eastern Kentucky knows that rural mountain roads are narrow and wind torturously through the steep hills underneath thick canopies of trees. If you could take a hammer and flatten out Eastern Kentucky, it’d be bigger than Texas. I was horrified to catch the occasional glance of quarter-million-dollar tour buses in the rear view mirrors teetering precipitously on the edge of major drop-offs on the side of the road while being raked by trees. A lot of expensive custom paint ended up on tree limbs that morning.

When we got to the roadside parking area at the climbing spot, the door of the lead bus opened and hurled a cruise missile straight at us in the form of a very angry tour bus owner/driver. The only thing more impressive in that moment was the speed with which the second man off the bus, the tour manager, managed to intercept the driver before he reached us.

The guy’s name, I kid you not, was “Vinnie,” and he looked like a hood who’d kill anyone who said anything bad about his mother or sister—or who scratched up his tour buses. A couple of the crew members actually carted Vinnie off while he was cursing at us. Turning around, with the megawatt smile still in place, the tour manager said, “Don’t worry about him; he works for us, and we’ll remind him of that when he calms down. The most important thing right now is that this does not interfere with David and the boys having a good time. Are we all good?”

Gerald, my assistant guide, and I both nodded our approval.

With timing honed by impeccable show business chops, off the bus came the band, or at least some of them: David Lee Roth, Steve Vai, and Greg Bissonette. They were incredibly polite, and the pleasantries exchanged seemed genuine. They did seem a bit surprised when we handed them packs to carry up the hill. I don’t think they expected that.

It took about 20 minutes for the six of us to hike up the steep 500-foot hillside to the base of the cliff. But it was an impressive place, especially with a hint of fall colors beginning to show. We could tell that everyone was jazzed to be there. As we unloaded the packs, we started asking them some questions to figure out what they knew and didn’t know about rock climbing basics.

It turns out that, despite having climbed with some of the most famous climbers in North America, they knew next to nothing about basic rock craft: knots, rope handling, belays, etc. They told us that almost invariably their climbing adventures consisted of some famous climber leading them to the base of a route, sans any conversation, putting them in harnesses without any explanation of gear or technique, climbing the first pitch without commentary, then telling them to clip in and follow.

Nothing about that surprised me. There exists a mindset among some involved at the top levels in many endeavors along the lines of what I’m good at is way better than what you are good at. The temptation among my famous fellow guides to trash some wanker rock stars and show ‘em who’s the real schizz-nizzle must have simply been too great.

That’s some ego for you right there. And it’s something that’s aggravated me to no end about many individuals with elite talent in various activities that I’ve been involved with over the years. You are great at climbing (or whatever), but you are an absolute bust as a good human being. How hard can it possibly be to at least exhibit graciousness if you can’t manage respectful?

So over the course of a few hours, the band got their first actual exposure to the basics of rock climbing. They were attentive and progressed rapidly through the standard beginner rock craft lesson. After a few hours, we were ready to actually go climbing.

It did not take long to figure out that DLR was the focus of the tour not only on stage but in the mountains as well; Steve and Greg were mostly along for the ride. I sent Dave off with Gerald so that he’d have his own personal guide, and I led Steve and Greg up to the base of the first route that we’d attempt.

A word on Steve and Greg. Steve Vai, who was at the time one of the most famous guitar players in the world, got his start at age 18, playing in Frank Zappa’s band. He was no slouch. He’s also one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Greg Bissonette got his start with Maynard Ferguson. He is, similarly, one of the nicest people you will ever meet. We had great fun climbing some easy classics, and we all got along famously.

Steve ascertained that I played guitar—something that I was reluctant to discuss voluntarily. I think that my hand preparation might have given it away: coating both hands with tincture of benzoin, carefully wrapping them with pro wrap, then athletic tape over that, and finally using lots of chalk to create a protective, antiseptic, sticky high-friction gripping surface that was good for a day’s worth of punishment. He was very keenly interested in the steps that I took to minimize damage to my fingers from the rigors of using them to support my body weight when clinging to dime-sized holds. We managed to get his hands prepped just right.

After a bit, we all sat down for a lunch that the caterer dragged all the way up the hillside from the buses. It was awesome. And I took the opportunity to sit down with DLR for some one-on-one time. I found him to be quiet, introspective, articulate, and very intelligent. He was impeccably well-read. He was pretty much the polar opposite of his stage persona.

But the whole show was indisputably all about Dave. So after lunch, I decided to gather the whole band together and guide everyone so that Dave would not feel slighted by being handed off to the hired help.

We gathered at the base of a route known as Vector Trouble, which has two pitches. The first is fun and easy, and the second is fun and hard, though the major difficulties are short-lived.

The first pitch went without incident. After gathering Dave, Steve, and Greg on the belay ledge at the base of the second pitch, I climbed it first, leaving anchors at the top, and rappelled back down to arrange a “shotgun” style belay where the rope ran from the climber up to the anchors at the top of the pitch, then back down to a belay on the original ledge. I did this because an overhang at the top of the pitch makes it difficult to see climbers from the upper belay.

The other thing about a shotgun belay is that it makes it much easier to give a helpful tug on the rope at just the right moment. Experienced guides are able to do this without their clients noticing a thing.

So when Greg (who was a big guy) climbed the pitch, unbeknownst to him and everyone else, he managed to power over the crux with about 50% of his body weight being supported by the rope. When Steve climbed the pitch, it was with several strategic tugs on the rope.

Then it was Diamond Dave’s turn.

Dave had been full of good-natured ribbing for his bandmates as they climbed, completely unaware of the fact that they had made it look easy because I was pulling on the rope pretty hard. When it was his turn, not only was I not pulling on the rope, but there was a few inches of slack in it. So when Dave reached the crux, already having exerted himself more than his bandmates, he was unable to crank off the strenuous moves and took a big swing into space.

Now Dave, being aware of cutting-edge climbing ethics, insisted on being lowered back to the ledge to start over instead of starting again from where he was hanging. I told him that I was sure that the problem was that Greg and Steve had just greased up the holds with their meaty hands and suggested more chalk.

To make a long story short, this tableau repeated itself several times, with each attempt proving more desperate. Finally, exhausted, Dave rested on the rope at the crux. By this time, everyone else was in on the secret, including the crew who’d gathered below. While Dave swung slowly back and forth in space, I started singing, softly at first, one of his songs, “I’m just a Giglio.” Everyone erupted in laughter. Dave looked down and grinned, realizing that he’d been had. I can’t repeat what he said here, but it was sure funny. It was a great moment.

When the day was done, ropes coiled and gear put away, we gathered at the tour buses to say goodbye. But the band wasn’t having any of that. After paying us handsomely, they insisted that we come to the show in Lexington the next night. They offered as many lower arena seats close to the stage as we needed. “We saw what you do well; please come see what we do well.”

How could I refuse? The sweetener was the offer of extra tickets and backstage passes. I worked with a local school’s outdoor program at the time, and it seemed like a good opportunity to create a great memory for some kids I’d worked with there.

The show, held in a mostly filled 24,000-seat venue, was spectacular, and we even got a shout from the stage. Backstage, afterwards, the band was great at talking to the kids and making them feel like the center of attention. I’m sure that none of them has forgotten that night, just as I have not.

Especially the way the band settled the score for me letting David literally hang out.

After they made a big deal out of how awesome Gerald and I were as guides to the kids, Steve Vai picked up his heart-shaped guitar and handed me one of his Ibanez Gems.

Vai insisted that he and I jam and would not take no for an answer. I nervously started Travis picking something on the solid-body electric guitar. He listened for a second or two, then started tapping out a 64th note solo over what I was playing. It was like a naked man competing with a freight train. The kids were all over it. “Hey Hackworth, put down the guitar, you lame-o.”

I still follow Roth, Vai, and Bissonette on social media. They’ve all had brilliant careers and seem to be living fulfilling lives. I comment occasionally on their posts, but I’m sure that they don’t remember who I am. It’s OK. We knew each other for a while, and it was all good That’s good enough for me.

I am now, unmistakably, no longer young. The lines on my face and hands, the receding hairline, and the aching in my muscles and joints don’t lie; I’ve become an old man. It all seems to happen in an instant. I never understood this when my elders told me about it when I was a youngster, but I sure understand it now.

As most of the things that I have cared about in my life have become distant, I still have memories of what it felt like to feel 10 feet tall. It was just like living in paradise. These days, I’m a long way from there, but the memory is enough to get by.

Associated Press and Idaho Press Club-winning columnist Martin Hackworth of Pocatello is a physicist, writer, and retired Idaho State University faculty member who now spends his time with family, riding bicycles and motorcycles, and arranging and playing music. Follow him on Twitter @MartinHackworth.

F&G Seeks Public Input on Upland Game, Turkey, Furbearer Season Setting for 2024-2025

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(Idaho Fish and Game Press Release, November 20, 2023)

Idaho Fish and Game will be setting the new seasons for upland game, turkey and furbearers for 2024-2025 in January 2024. Hunters and trappers are highly encouraged to review the proposed seasons and changes and weigh in with their own comments. The comment period is open until Dec. 3, 2023 at 6 p.m. MST.

Fish and Game staff will also host a series of open houses at Fish and Game regional offices between Nov. 21-30. For a full list of upcoming open houses, scroll to the bottom.

Season proposals are broken down by regions, so it’s easy to find which changes pertain to each hunter’s given location. Department proposals will be presented to the Fish and Game Commission for their consideration at their January 2024 meeting at the Fish and Game Headquarters Office in Boise. Here’s what is being proposed:

Wild Turkey

  • Create archery-only spring wild turkey hunt (Panhandle Region)
  • Reduce landowner permission wild turkey hunt tags (Southwest Region)
  • Fall and winter landowner permission wild turkey hunts (Magic Valley Region)
  • Eliminate landowner permission wild turkey hunts (Southeast Region)
  • Change opening date for fall wild turkey season (Southeast Region)
  • Convert fall wild turkey controlled hunts to general season (Salmon Region)
  • Convert spring youth-only wild turkey hunt to general season (Salmon Region)

Forest Grouse

  • Extend forest grouse season (Clearwater Region)

Beaver

  • Remove beaver trapping closures (Clearwater Region)

River Otter

  • Increase river otter quota (Southwest Region)

Trapping 

  • Move opening day of trapping season (multiple regions)

Learn More at These Upcoming Open Houses

Fish and Game staff will host a series of open houses at Fish and Game regional offices from Nov. 21-30. Hunters, trappers and members of the public are encouraged to attend an open house nearest to you for an opportunity to chat with staff and ask questions.

Panhandle Region | Nov. 30 | 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 2885 W. Kathleen Avenue, Coeur d’Alene

Clearwater Region | Nov. 29 | 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 3316 16th Street, Lewiston

Southwest Region (McCall) | Nov. 29 | 4-6 p.m., 555 Deinhard Lane, McCall

Southwest Region (Nampa) | Nov. 29 | 3-6 p.m., 15950 N. Gate Boulevard, Nampa

Magic Valley Region | Nov. 21 | 3-7 p.m., 324 South 417 East – Suite 1, Jerome

Southeast Region | Nov. 27 | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 1345 Barton Road, Pocatello

Upper Snake Region | Nov. 29 | 3-7 p.m., 4279 Commerce Circle, Idaho Falls

Salmon Region | Nov. 28 | 3-6 p.m., 99 Highway 93 North, Salmon

Santa’s Christmas Express Mailbox Returns to Wiltshire St. in Chubbuck

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November 24, 2023

Chubbuck–The official North Pole Mail Service has installed a “Christmas Express” Special Delivery box at 4832 Wiltshire St. in Chubbuck.  The Mail Service’s announcement reads:

Just a reminder the Letters for Santa mailbox is out and ready. PLEASE put a return address if you want a letter back from Santa. Santa will personally respond to each letter. (Santa covers postage). Please try to get letters in by December 20th, any letters after that will probably not get a return letter by Christmas. Located at 4832 Wiltshire St, Chubbuck. Spread the word with friends and family. Merry Christmas!!

A child deposits a letter to Santa in the Christmas Express Box on Wiltshire St. in Chubbuck (Photo Credit: FB)

This Weekend’s Holiday Activity Roundup

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November 23, 2023

Pocatello–Tomorrow marks the unofficial start of the Christmas season, and southeast Idaho has several events scheduled this weekend to get the community into the Christmas spirit.

On Friday afternoon, the Lions Club will hold an open house at the Purpose Building in downtown Pocatello.  The Facebook Event notes read:

Join the Lions Club on November 24th for an Open House at the Purpose Center! The first 100 guests receive a free hot chocolate, courtesy of the Lions Club. Check out our grand poinsettia tree, and take home a beautiful poinsettia. See you there! 

Friday evening is Pocatello’s Christmas Night Lights Parade, presented by Lookout Credit Union.  The Facebook Event notes read:

Lookout Credit Union Presents Historic Downtown Pocatello’s Annual Christmas Night Lights Parade!

This year’s parade theme is “Favorite Christmas Movies.” The parade will follow the traditional route, East to West, beginning at 6:30pm on Friday, November 24th. Santa will ride atop of the City of Pocatello’s Fire Truck at the end of the parade officially welcoming the Christmas Season.

Lookout for Santa at Lookout Point! Following the parade, Santa will light the Community Christmas Tree and visit with children at Lookout Point. There will be hot cocoa, cookies, popcorn, Santa’s Elves and festive fun for the entire family.

Saturday evening is the 33rd Annual Christmas in the Nighttime Skies event at the Bannock County Event Center.  The Facebook Event notes read:

Pocatello’s 33rd Annual Christmas in the Nighttime Skies returns to the Bannock County Event Center!

Saturday, November 25th in Building ‘B’

Dinner and bonfires will begin at 5 p.m., and fireworks will begin at 8 p.m.

Please bring one or more new toys per family for admission. These toys will be distributed by the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation.

For more information, please contact Vicki Jenkins at 208-406-2600.

Guest Column–Brian Parsons: The Origin of Gratitude

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November 21, 2023

The Origin of Gratitude

By: Brian Parsons

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” – Colossians 3:17

We’ve made another trip around the sun, and this one brought its own challenges and life stages.  This week, I am bidding goodbye to the last of my grandparents of the greatest generation, all in the same year.  I am watching as my parents ripen into the fullness and grace of the grandparent role.  In helping to coach my son’s sports teams, I find that my earthly vessel isn’t giving me the horsepower it once did.  Still, in every phase of life, I try to find gratitude in the experience.

The root word of gratitude is gratitudo. It is of Latin origin and traces its roots to the fifteenth century AD.  Literally translated, it means “goodwill” or thankfulness.  They say grace is getting what you don’t deserve, and mercy is not getting what you do. I am grateful to receive both grace and mercy daily.

We typically express gratitude by saying thank you, which has an interesting origin all its own.  The English root of the word thank is thanc, which derives from the Indo-European word tong and means “think” or “thought.”  When we use the words thank you to express gratitude, it is an intentional action to express thinking of someone else in a spirit of goodwill.

Studies have shown that practicing gratitude can dramatically improve one’s mental health and well-being.  In one study, 300 students were divided into three groups before receiving counseling.  The first group was instructed to write letters of gratitude for three weeks. The second group was instructed to write down their negative feelings. The third group was the control and only received counseling.  The result was that the first group, which focused on gratitude, had the best outcomes compared to the other groups.

In a crazy and increasingly narcissistic world, it is easy to see things that are going wrong and fixate on them.  It is not always obvious or easy to consider what is going right and practice gratitude. Our ability to most successfully navigate life hinges on the intentional practice of gratitude so that we realign our perspective with the goodness in the world.

 May the Lord bless and keep you this Thanksgiving, make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you and yours.

Brian Parsons is a paleoconservative opinion columnist in Idaho, a proud husband and father, and saved by Grace. You can follow him at WithdrawConsent.org or find his opinion columns at the American Thinker, in the Idaho State Journal, or in other regional publications.

Prepare Your Home Now in Case of Winter Outages

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(Idaho Power News Brief, September 22, 2023)

With colder weather here, Idaho Power says it’s a good time to prepare your home in case of weather-related outages.

Although the energy company’s average customer is without power for fewer than three hours per year, heavy snow on lines or strong winds can cause longer outages. That’s why Idaho Power is sharing ways to prepare for whatever nature throws your way:

  • Gather an outage kit with items like blankets, flashlights, and non-perishable foods, and plan for any unique medical needs.
  • Keep a large block of ice in your freezer to keep foods cold longer in case the power goes out.
  • Learn how to manually open security gates and garage doors.
  • If your power goes out and you’re using a portable generator, operate it in open or well-ventilated areas and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Download the Idaho Power mobile app to track your outage’s restoration status and sign up for alerts.

To report an outage in the Treasure Valley, call 208-388-2323. Outside the Treasure Valley, call 1-800-488-6151

For more outage preparedness tips and information, visit idahopower.com/outagetips.

Risch, Crapo, Daines Caution Biden Admin that One-Sided Dam Breaching Effort Doomed to Fail

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(Senator James E. Risch News Release, November 21, 2023)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) today sent a letter to President Biden voicing severe concerns regarding the administration’s efforts to breach the lower Snake River dams.

The effort, outlined in September in the “Memorandum on Restoring Healthy and Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other Native Fish Populations in the Columbia River Basin,” highlighted the goal of salmon restoration. However, the memo ignores Congressional authority over the dams, scientific data that supports the current state of the dams, the views of regional partners, and the affects it will have on constituents.

“Congress – and Congress alone – can change the authorized purposes of federal dams and determine their future. Recent history has shown repeatedly that Congress is unwilling to drastically alter the operations of the Columbia River system or remove the lower Snake River dams,” the senators wrote. “. . . Recent salmon return numbers underscore that the policies implemented by past administrations—Democrat and Republican—are working.”

“Rather than focusing attention on controversial proposals that won’t be implemented by Congress or plans that have buy-in from only a limited portion of those who rely on the river system, we urge you to return to efforts that build on regional consensus, are grounded in science, and can be supported and implemented by Congress,” the senators continued.

Risch successfully removed Democrats’ attempts to breach the lower Snake River dams in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which was included in the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.

Read the full letter here.