Log it, graze it, or watch it burn

PLUS: Updates from AG Labrador and SoS McGrane

MOON: Either manage Idaho land or watch it burn

This summer, Idaho has once again been reminded of the awesome power of wildfire.

From the devastating Big Grass Fire in Owyhee County to the fires that have scarred central Idaho in recent years, we have watched homes destroyed, livestock lost, wildlife displaced, and entire communities threatened. Families who have worked the land for generations have been forced to evacuate with little more than the clothes on their backs.

For those men and women in harm’s way, this is Armageddon. For politicians, it’s an urgent responsibility.

Governor Brad Little’s emergency declaration and deployment of the Idaho National Guard demonstrate that our state is committed to protecting lives and property. Our firefighters, county officials, and neighbors have shown remarkable courage under impossible conditions.

But bravery alone cannot solve a management problem decades in the making.

Labrador tours the firing squad chamber

What struck me most was how deliberate and careful every part of the process is. This is not a facility run by people who take this responsibility lightly. It is a solemn legal obligation carried out with precision, restraint, and an understanding of the gravity of what is taking place.

My office defends Idaho’s laws in court, and few parts of that work carry the weight of capital litigation. When death row inmates challenge their sentences on appeal, year after year and decade after decade, it is attorneys in my office—assigned to the Capital Litigation Unit and to represent IDOC—who answer those appeals.

Are you smarter than a fourth grader?

When student groups visit the Capitol, one of my favorite traditions is quizzing them on Idaho’s state symbols. Over the years, state symbols have been one of the ways Idaho students have successfully participated in the legislative process and left their mark on our state’s history. Idaho’s students advocated for many of Idaho’s symbols, from the Appaloosa as our state horse to Oryctodromeus as our state dinosaur. And just this year, a determined nine-year-old from Twin Falls successfully championed hunting as Idaho’s official state sport.

This November, it’s our turn. Idaho voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on a non-binding advisory question regarding a proposed state gun. Keep an eye out for more information in the upcoming Idaho Voter Pamphlet.

To celebrate all of Idaho’s official symbols, we recently launched a new State Symbols webpage at sos.idaho.gov, featuring photographs, history, and fun facts behind every one of them. I encourage you to take a few minutes to explore it.

Press releases

• DEQ seeks comment on Felt Hydroelectric Project

• Sen. Crapo lauds benefits of Working Families Tax Cuts

Video of the day

Destin Sandlin of Smarter Every Day set out to manufacture a seemingly simple product entirely in the United States of America, but ran into more challenges than he expected. Check out this insightful video about what it will take to bring manufacturing back to America:

I’m continuing to work through some data regarding property taxes and tax exemptions for Micron, Meta, and other tech companies that build in Idaho. I hope to have an article ready by Monday.

Remember to visit the full redesigned Idaho Insider to find answers to all your questions about Idaho state government. I have many more big plans for the platform between now and the new legislative session in January!

As always, thank you to sponsors Lynn Bradescu’s Boise Realty, Money Metals, and New Saint Andrews College. Thank you also to all the paid subscribers who make it possible for me to do what I do, as well as all the readers who are constantly encouraging me to keep it up. I appreciate you!