My Turn
See the latest My Turn columns here!
MY TURN: North Idaho College is proof voting works
There will always be a need to safeguard the gemstone of our community.
MY TURN: NIC enrollment growth happened despite trio
Mike Waggoner’s “My Turn” portrayal of events at North Idaho College while he, Todd Banducci, and Greg “Chaos” McKenzie were on the Board of Trustees is self-congratulatory claptrap. It’s laughably dishonest for an…
MY TURN: Will voters stand up?
Election season is in full swing, and voters know exactly which team they are supporting for president. Having a news cycle injected with an abundance of perso…
MY TURN: Zero is a placeholder
A zero is a placeholder. It has no value, but it does serve an important function. It temporarily occupies the position of another person or thing. Our elected board of trustees at North Idaho College currently con…
MY TURN: Prop 1 fails review
After much arm-waving and bumper sticker arguments, I decided to review the actual text of Proposition 1. To my knowledge, no attorney has offered an analysis for the voter. Based on my reading, it should fail for …
MY TURN: We thought closing Idaho's primaries was a good idea. We were wrong
Since 2012, when the closed primary system was introduced, nearly 300,000 independent voters in Idaho have been blocked from participating in our most importan…
MY TURN: A Renaissance at North Idaho College
I’m writing this as a personal opinion, not as part of my official NIC role. With a conservative majority Board, North Idaho College (NIC) has just emerged fro…
MY TURN: NIC governance crisis can be resolved Nov. 5
The risk of NIC losing accreditation is entirely due to poor and inexcusable decisions by the College board majority that included Greg McKenzie. NIC’s risk of losing accreditation started in 2021, a year after McK…
MY TURN: Vote yes on Proposition 1 to reclaim Idaho's future
As election day approaches, there’s been a lot of discussion about Proposition 1. You may have seen signs around town speaking out against it. We believe this debate is about ensuring that every Idahoan has a fair …
MY TURN: Your vote can save NIC from more chaos
North Idaho College is running out of chances. For over 90 years, NIC has been a powerhouse of opportunity, providing education, jobs, and an economic boost to…
MY TURN: Non-disclosure agreements: Brent Regan’s weapon of silence
I’m Kellie Palm, and I’ve lived in Kootenai County for 44 years. I have been a conservative, Christian, Republican since birth. I graduated from Lakeland High School in 1989 and have been a staunch supporter of con…
MY TURN: Support Coeur d'Alene schools
I have to admit, I wasn't always a supporter of public school funding. I approached the topic with skepticism, firmly believing that school districts were overfunded and wasteful, especially on the administrative s…
MY TURN: CLN needs competent trustees
In a letter to the editor published on Sept. 22, Suzanne Kearney blamed the prior Board of Trustees for the Community Library Network’s current budget deficit, alleging — without evidence — that they created a $200…
MY TURN: Coeur d'Alene school levy questions and answers
In less than a month, voters inside the Coeur d’Alene School District will be asked to renew the district’s current two-year, $25 million levy. As elected members of the district’s Board of Trustees, we believe inv…
MY TURN: Embracing Holistic Wellness: Choosing truth over toxicity
The recent article in The Atlantic that belittles subject matter experts advocating for holistic health and questioning the prevailing health crisis in our country is deeply troubling. It highlights the concerning …
MY TURN: KCRCC's secretive machine
The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC) delivers to voters recommended Republican ballot cards. Many voters take this card to the polls, and trust that the KCRCC is supporting their values because …