Columns
See the latest columns from CDA Press!
Fall beauty surrounds us here
Like many of you, we've enjoyed the beautiful autumn foliage of the past few weeks, at least before the wind storms and rain caused a lot of the leaves to fall. Last Thursday, Bert and I spotted a majestic black wa…
In defense of North Idaho College
Recently a few individuals have claimed that North Idaho College has increased taxes by 107 percent since 2007. They claim that NIC's graduation rate is unreasonably low and that the budget is excessively high to m…
Mrs. LP: Misused and abused
Some readers have shared their linguistic frustrations with Mrs. Language Person, asking her to spread the angst in print. Like the injured, winged creatures used as playthings by mischievous cats in our backyard, …
How arctic animals are coping with less sea ice
My friend, Cecil Hathaway, a regular contributor to my column, recently sent me an interesting article that Matt Ridley wrote on Sept. 22 of this year for the Wall Street Journal entitled; "What Arctic Foxes Know A…
Idaho's animals: Under the bus
A disconcerting story from Southern Idaho involves serious animal abuse at Idaho's largest dairy. Three workers were secretly filmed as they stomped, dragged and beat milking cows inside a milking barn. Unbelievabl…
Support Northern Lakes levy
As we vote on Nov. 6 in the general election, we all have major decisions to make. The primary vote is for president of the United States which will affect our country. Another very important vote is for the Northe…
Our Navy at war
After the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783 to end the Revolutionary War and establish the United States as a sovereign nation, the Naval Act of 1794 established the first naval force that would eventually become …
County: Ways to improve efficiency
The time is now for voters to pass the Nov. 6 ballot measure that would provide Kootenai County with an organizational structure that would make county government more efficient and effective and responsive to the …
Now, about that 47 percent
Wow. My head still rings from the retorts in Tuesday night's presidential gunfight. I'm an ostrich in modern politics, preferring to bury my ears than listen to the degree of incivility that has become the norm. Wh…
Bottom line: Teacher merit pay does work
Until this year, Idaho teachers' salaries were based solely on years of experience and the number of credits earned. Period. This system seemed to assume that all teachers and all schools provided equal, added valu…
Charitable donations at check out
Here's a cautionary tale for those who routinely pay at the checkstand with a debit or credit card at any number of our local retailers. On Saturday I did just that and was also intending to request $10 cash back o…
County restructure warranted
It was a little surreal. How often do staff, let alone supervisory staff and more surprising, some elected officials, ask for a new layer of supervision - an additional boss? It happened in 2005. I was there.
Be wary of Republican program plans
I am deeply concerned that the talk by Idaho's U.S. senators, congressional representatives, and others of their party in Congress will come to pass regarding proposed changes to Social Security, Medicare and, prob…
Antarctica is our 'bellwether continent' weatherwise
It's official! Antarctic sea ice by Oct. 6 covered its largest area recorded since satellite mapping began more than three decades ago in 1979. The new record was 19.44 million square kilometers.
Reject change to county government
When you look at a sample ballot the very first thing that you observe is that out of all the choices to make on the ballot, this measure seems confusing. For everything else we vote "yes or no," or choose one pers…