Columns
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The summer of 2026 was a hot one for many
The Summer of 2026 brought exceptional heat to many parts of the world, including the U.S. According to the World …
Gratitude, empathy for one's fellow man
For decades through this column or in magazine and newspaper features I've told the stories of people in our community, in their best of times and worst of times. As do all storytellers, we observe. Sometimes when …
This nice guy deserves to finish first
Ben Ysursa had big plans when he retired this year as secretary of state - including traveling with his wife, Penny, spending time with his grandchildren and playing golf with friends at Plantation Country Club. No…
The man in the mirror
I look into my bathroom mirror while shaving this morning and see my father's face; not the benevolent father who teaches me to bait a hook with a red wiggler as a 5-year-old little boy or the nurturing father who …
Obama turns 54 today
Happy Birthday, Mr. President.
Our warm El Nino may soon be the strongest in history
We continue to hear about El Nino, the warmer than normal sea-surface temperature event in the south-central Pacific Ocean. Since the spring of 2015, this phenomenon has expanded at a regular pace. It's quite possi…
A little advice for my friends on the right
Let me begin by stating that I have no affiliation with any political party. I personally have an enigmatic perspective. I support many charities and am a big supporter of the food bank and those less fortunate, ye…
Here's why you can trust single stream recycling
We are writing in response to the recent My Turn opinion column, "A Dirty Story about Recycling," and the recent follow up story by the Coeur d'Alene Press, "Tarnished Trash." There was misleading and inaccurate in…
Carousel: Reaching for the brass ring
The Coeur d'Alene Carousel Foundation, a local nonprofit, owns the hand-carved 1922 Spillman Jr., 20-horse carousel, originally located at Coeur d'Alene's Playland Pier amusement park (modern day Independence Point…
Tonight's moon out of the blue
Once in a blue moon, we actually get one. Does tonight's qualify? That depends on your astronomical, and linguistic, viewpoint.
Singing the swan song of summer
For as far back as I can remember (decades!), the first weekend of August with Art on the Green, Taste of Coeur d'Alenes and the downtown street fair has signaled the home stretch of summer. Back-to-school shopping…
When human management isn't such a good thing
What condition would our forests, lakes, rivers, deserts and oceans be in today if they were not being "managed" by the human race?
Ignore cash-flush Boomers at own peril
Boomers represent the biggest market share of disposable income, but according to an article in AARP's Bulletin, advertisers are mostly ignoring them. What gives?
Nature's 'juvenile delinquents' - dust storms
Not only is virtually the entire northwestern corner of the U.S., including most of Idaho, in a "drought disaster" situation, but we're likewise seeing an "explosion of dust devils," tornadic offshoots, throughout …
The other side of the coin
Now that Mr. Purtee and Hallock had their little laugh at the expense of the Democrats and their sick America, let's look at the other side of the coin.
The inspiring story of an Idaho school district
The New Plymouth School District has all the reasons for having low reading scores, with a high poverty rate and limited resources.