LIBRARIES: Watch authoritarians in action

For decades library trustee roles were nonpartisan. Yet over this last year, the Community Library Network majority trustees have shown themselves to be extremist. That the end justifies the means is evident in how the majority treats fellow trustees, library staff, the press and the public.

EDITORIAL: NIC trustees avert yet another disaster

Budget proposal could have further jeopardized accreditation

EDITORIAL: This book will not have a happy ending

Library Network is in serious trouble - and trustees don't mind a bit

EDITORIAL: Bad news gets worse for CLN patrons

Trustee Katie Blank's departure a devastating blow to all who love their local library

MY TURN: Carping critics

Has anyone else grown weary of the small group of faultfinders who attend every North Idaho College board meeting? Their repetitive diatribes and sometimes cheeky behavior are frustrating for those waiting their turn to speak. They frequently remind us that Dr. South, who has been invaluable in navigating accreditation, is still on staff. They seem unaware that it was Dr. South’s team of experts and effective action steps which quickly moved the college in the right direction last year. He also has a contract that runs through June. Regrettably, this whole ‘risk of losing’ accreditation scheme has been a big expense for the college, and completely unnecessary. You do not have to be a mystic or even a philosopher to understand what has happened and why. But you do have to use discernment to know which of the “stakeholders" are obscuring the truth.

Community Library Network Board installs officers, approves policies

Ottosen remains chair, Hanley remains vice chair

Trustees of the Community Library Network were in sync Monday as they unanimously approved policies and installed officers for the coming year during their annual meeting, held at the Harrison Library.

Legals for June, 15 2024

Legals for June, 8 2024

Legals for May, 29 2024

If you own rental property, you need to understand how trusts and LLCs work together to avoid probate and protect against liability

One of the most important parts of having a living trust designed to avoid probate is to have those assets which would normally require probate assigned to the trust. By this I mean that the trust needs to be the owner of the probate-causing assets (more technically, the Trustee of the trust is the owner, but in his or her capacity as Trustee). In Idaho, one asset that will almost always implicate the need for a probate after death is real estate. So, when I help clients establish a living trust for estate planning, I also assist them in getting their real estate retitled into their trust. This typically means preparing, executing, and recording a new deed for the client’s personal residence which names the trust as the titled owner of the property going forward (again, technically, the deed shows the Trustee of the trust as the titled owner, but in their capacity as Trustee of said trust). If a client owns more than one residence, we will be repeating this process for each.

Longtime Community Library Network trustee resigns

Katie Blank served library district for over 30 years

Katie Blank, a longtime Community Library Network trustee, has resigned from the board. Blank served on the library board for more than 30 years and as chair for more than 10 of those years. She submitted her resignation Sunday. "Recently some very challenging health concerns have been brought to my attention," Blank said in the resignation letter. "This has caused me to look carefully at the priorities in my life. I am realizing that it is no longer sustainable for me to serve on this board. It is negatively affecting my health. It is negatively affecting our livelihood. It is negatively affecting my relationships with my family and friends."

Legals for June, 1 2024

Community Library Network director resigns

Eccles to exit after 13 months

Community Library Network Director Alexa Eccles has resigned.

Legals for June, 5 2024

Legals for June, 5 2024

Legals for June, 18 2024

REGAN: Not rational about NIC

I would like to voice extreme exception to Brent Regan’s opinion column “Rational thinking” in the May 31 edition of the Coeur d’Alene Press. I wonder if the swamp gas floating over Coeur d’Alene also includes the systematic partial destruction of North Idaho College?

Should your oldest child be in charge of your estate?

When I meet with clients to set up estate plans, I find that a surprising number of people mistakenly believe that they must name their eldest child in their will or their trust as the person in charge of their estate. Even those who understand that they are not legally required to do this may think they are supposed to nominate their eldest child for this duty. There may have been a time when social norms dictated this outcome, but those days are long past, and today I speak to my clients in detail about who the right type of person is to be left in charge of their estate. Let’s review some of the factors that should be considered.

Legals for June, 11 2024

Legals for June, 12 2024