News & Columns

Columns and news from members of North Idaho Republicans, newest first.

Christa Hazel · Oct 10, 2026 · Archived copy

North Idaho College is proof voting works

Key facts (5)

NIC came within a single step of losing its accreditation: leadership churned, lawsuits dragged on, millions of dollars were wasted, and the college's insurance carrier walked away.
Voters began changing the board in 2022 (Brad Corkill and Tarie Zimmerman) and finished in 2024 (Rick Durbin, Eve Knudtsen and Mary Havercroft).
NIC graduates add more than $270 million to the local economy and support close to 4,000 jobs.
Corkill and Zimmerman are on the November ballot again, running unopposed.
Early in-person voting at the Elections Office on Third Street in Coeur d'Alene starts Oct. 19; Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3; absentee ballots can be requested at VoteIdaho.gov.

Jonathan Burns · Oct 10, 2026 · Archived copy

Support our public schools

Key facts (4)

Says the Legislative District 4 Republican Central Committee, whose chair wrote the column, voted by a majority to formally endorse the Coeur d'Alene School District levy.
Says the levy would replace the expiring supplemental levy and run through June 30, 2029, at an increase of $5.25 million per year over the levy it replaces.
Says the levy covers rising costs for insurance, utilities, fuel and supplies, and also funds teachers and classroom staff, school resource officers, nurses, KTEC career and technical education, and student programs.
Argues that the district performs well on standardized tests at a cost per student below the national average, and urges a YES vote in November.

Becky Funk · Oct 9, 2026 · Archived copy

“Supplemental” in name only

Key facts (4)

On Nov. 3, voters in the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls school districts decide on replacement supplemental levies, each for two years.
Coeur d'Alene is asking for $30.25 million per year to replace its current $25 million annual levy, which is about one fourth of the district's operating budget.
Post Falls is asking for $6.78 million a year for safety and security, counseling and nursing, extracurriculars, KTEC, literacy and behavioral-support staff, salaries and two buses.
The column urges voters to look at the numbers and where the money goes, and asks whether levies that pay for the basics are really "supplemental."

Becky Funk · Oct 2, 2026 · Archived copy

The ties that bind us — How Flock cameras and data centers are uniting the right and the left

Key facts (4)

Controversy over Flock cameras and large data centers is producing agreement across party lines: conservatives worried about government overreach and liberals concerned about civil liberties.
A North Idaho mayor publicly distinguished the city's limited use of Motorola license plate readers from Flock's surveillance network, and questioned Idaho's data retention requirements.
A proposed AI data center in Pocatello has prompted debate over electricity costs, water resources and environmental impacts.
The question the column says people on both sides are asking: who stands to gain, who pays the price, and who gets to decide?

Becky Funk · Sep 25, 2026 · Archived copy

Vote No on Prop 1. Then fix what's broken.

Key facts (5)

The column says North Idaho Republicans is a pro-life organization that opposes Proposition 1 and also believes Idaho's abortion laws need reform.
Under Idaho's Defense of Life Act, physicians may intervene when an abortion is necessary to prevent a woman's death, which need not be imminent; the column says cases of serious, potentially permanent harm leave doctors facing possible criminal penalties.
The Idaho Medical Association has asked for greater clarity; the column says no legislative reform has followed.
If passed, Prop 1 would create a statutory right to abortion before fetal viability, allow it after viability in medical emergencies, and add broader reproductive privacy protections.
The column calls on legislators to bring physicians, legal experts and families together to write clear medical exceptions and protections for doctors acting in good faith.

Becky Funk · Sep 18, 2026 · Archived copy

North Idaho College: A success worth celebrating

Key facts (5)

Moody's Ratings revised NIC's outlook from stable to positive and affirmed its Baa1 issuer and revenue bond ratings, citing continued stability in college governance.
In February the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities removed NIC from probation and restored it to good standing, ending a multi-year accreditation review.
Spring enrollment rose 7.1% year over year, six straight semesters of growth; Moody's reports growth of more than 9% over the same period last year, extending the streak to seven semesters.
The column credits President Nick Swayne's team, faculty and staff, students, the trustees who restored stable governance, and the community.
Moody's also notes NIC still faces financial and operating challenges.

Becky Funk · Aug 28, 2026 · Archived copy

When laws become real, part III

Key facts (5)

Part 3 of a series on 2026 laws that took effect July 1.
S1352: cities over 5,000 people cannot prohibit "starter home subdivisions" on residentially zoned land and must allow smaller and narrower lots, smaller setbacks and at least 12 homes per acre; it passed the House 36-34.
H0895: data centers that begin construction after July 1 cannot use water for cooling unless it comes from a municipal, water district, or water-and-sewer district system.
S1431: transfers $716,000 for aquifer monitoring, measurement and modeling and restores $390,000 removed in the state's 5% base-budget reduction.
H0930: campaigns must keep a separate checking account and may not commingle funds; candidates who lend their campaign more than $1,000 must deposit it in the campaign account; funds cannot go into stocks. It passed the House 36-34 and the Senate 19-14.

North Idaho Republicans · Aug 14, 2026 · Archived copy

Peter Erbland — A good man

Key facts (4)

Peter Erbland was a North Idaho attorney, litigator and mediator for decades who represented public entities, and a founder of North Idaho Republicans.
He later ran for precinct committeeman, reasoning, "If not me, then who?"
The tribute ran almost two weeks after his death and gathers remembrances from friends including Lora Whalen, Christa Hazel, Russell Mann, Lisa Aitken, Bob Burton, Maggie Lyons, and Deb and Luke Russell.
It says he kept a promise to look after an elderly friend's widow for years, visiting her and taking her to church and outings.

Becky Funk · Jul 31, 2026 · Archived copy

Getting it right — overcoming active ignorance

Key facts (5)

Opens with Goethe's line, "There is nothing more terrible than active ignorance."
The column says the danger begins when the desire to be right becomes greater than the desire to know what is true, and that institutions can cherry-pick evidence to defend a position instead of testing it.
It argues that when leaders defend rather than test their positions, bad ideas become bad policy and public trust erodes.
It calls for intellectual humility, being willing to say "I may have been wrong," and says beliefs that survive honest scrutiny are sturdier.
It says active ignorance belongs to human nature, not to one political party.

Becky Funk · Jul 26, 2026 · Archived copy

The best of Idaho

Key facts (4)

Lists 10 things the column says Idaho gets right: respect for taxpayers, a balanced budget, less unnecessary regulation, local control, access to the outdoors, neighbors who show up, respect for agriculture and natural-resource industries, practical government, personal responsibility, and looking forward.
Notes that Idaho must balance its budget, unlike Washington, and that voters can replace legislators every two years.
Cites Idaho National Laboratory's work in advanced nuclear energy, cybersecurity and critical infrastructure research.
Says two Post Falls teenagers were recognized for mowing lawns for people who could use a hand.

Becky Funk · Jul 17, 2026 · Archived copy

The courage to see the small picture

Key facts (3)

Names three books that shaped the author's view: Charlotte's Web, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Allen Levi's Theo of Golden.
Five lessons from Theo of Golden: take time to see people, listening is an act of generosity, kindness should be personal, ordinary people can change a community, and never lose the ability to wonder.
Argues communities are built up close, through neighbors helping neighbors, rather than through speeches or legislation alone.

Mary Souza · Jul 17, 2026 · Archived copy

Way to go Idaho!

Key facts (5)

Idaho was the first state to pass a law banning biological males from women's sports teams, in 2020; the column says the U.S. Supreme Court has now ruled that states may uphold such laws.
Rep. Barbara Ehardt of Idaho Falls, a former NCAA women's basketball coach, asked then-Sen. Mary Souza to help with the bill.
Alliance Defending Freedom helped with amendments and worked with the governor's legal staff.
The bill passed the House and Senate by large margins and the governor signed it, but an ACLU lawsuit kept it in court until now.
The ruling lets Idaho and the 26 other states with similar laws implement them; the column says 23 states have none.

Mary Souza · Jun 12, 2026 · Archived copy

Is it fair? Does the end justify the means?

Key facts (4)

Brent Regan lost his own precinct race and chose not to run again for KCRCC chair at the committee election.
The column says Regan loyalists were placed at the top of the delegate voting page for the state GOP convention in Meridian, and that the list was voted on by nearly everyone in the room, not just precinct committeemen.
It says the top 17 delegates were also assigned to standing committees, including the Rules Committee that Regan chairs, and that many of the 17 are not precinct committeemen.
Souza, re-elected as a precinct committeeman, asks whether this was fair, citing her late uncle's maxim that the end does not justify the means.

Jim Pierce · May 15, 2026 · Archived copy

Preserving values that defined Idaho

Key facts (3)

The column says NIR is not a "second Republican Party" but an association of longtime Idaho Republicans, including former GOP officials, business owners, veterans and community volunteers.
It describes NIR as a Republican-aligned civic organization supporting candidates it views as mainstream, responsible conservatives, and says its voter guide is a common way for groups, including the KCRCC, to share endorsements.
It says the Kootenai County split happened because many longtime Republicans became concerned about the direction and tactics of the current KCRCC leadership, not because a new group tried to break away.

North Idaho Republicans · Apr 24, 2026 · Archived copy

Why does KCRCC oppose Republican Gov. Brad Little?

Key facts (5)

The column says the KCRCC endorsed Mark Fitzpatrick over Gov. Brad Little in the May 19 primary; it describes Little as the only candidate endorsed by President Trump.
It says only 29 KCRCC members supported Fitzpatrick over Little in the recent vote, with at least 40 precinct committeemen absent.
It says Little won the 2022 five-way primary with 53% of the Republican vote and was re-elected with more than 60%, after the KCRCC endorsed another candidate and refused to recommend him.
It describes the KCRCC as the third-largest central committee in the state, representing more than 74,000 Republicans.
The six co-founders urge readers to vote and to elect precinct committeemen supported by North Idaho Republicans.

Sandy Patano · Apr 17, 2026 · Archived copy

Which election actually decides Idaho’s future?

Key facts (4)

Argues that May's Republican primary is where decisions are made, and that historically far fewer than one in three voters take part.
The May ballot includes legislators, county commissioners, local leadership positions and precinct committeemen, who serve on the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee.
Says an unprecedented number of people, including veterans, firefighters and former elected officials, are stepping up to serve as precinct committeemen.
Ways to vote: request an absentee ballot online, vote early in person, or vote on Election Day, May 19. Idaho holds only two elections a year.

Luke Russell · Apr 3, 2026 · Archived copy

Washington warned us — are we listening?

Key facts (4)

Draws on George Washington's 1796 Farewell Address, citing his warnings about division, debt, and political parties placed above the country.
Says the national debt exceeds $39 trillion.
Says local funding support for K-12 schools and the community college continues to lag.
Announces an April 9 America 250 celebration at the Coeur d'Alene Resort with North Idaho Republicans, the governor and top constitutional officers.

Dan Sheckler · Apr 2, 2026 · Archived copy

Kootenai County Republicans need new, more serious leadership

Key facts (4)

The column says governance failures by KCRCC-recommended trustees led North Idaho College to a "show cause" sanction from its accrediting institution.
It says voters rejected the KCRCC-backed trustees in November 2024, and that the new trustees, supported by Save NIC and North Idaho Republicans, returned the college to good standing.
It says the KCRCC recommended Mark Fitzpatrick for governor over Gov. Brad Little, who earned President Trump's endorsement.
It says precinct committeemen endorsed by North Idaho Republicans won 30 seats in May 2024, short of the majority needed to elect new KCRCC leadership.

Sandy Patano · Mar 27, 2026 · Archived copy

Republican voters deserve all the facts — not a biased list

Key facts (4)

Idaho's current voter pamphlet covers ballot initiatives and constitutional amendments but not candidates.
Boise State University's 2024 Idaho Public Policy Survey found roughly 78% of voters support a state-issued voter guide that includes candidate information.
The column says Republican primary turnout hovers around 30 percent.
It criticizes the KCRCC's "rated and vetted" guide as controlled by a small group and calls for a statewide pamphlet that includes every candidate in a consistent format.

Becky Funk · Mar 20, 2026 · Archived copy

Learning to disagree better

Key facts (4)

Argues that in Idaho, where Republicans dominate, political tension has shifted from party against party to Republican against Republican.
Says labels such as RINO, extremist and sellout are used to dismiss people rather than persuade them.
Proposes leading with curiosity, for example asking, "How did you come to that conclusion?"
Says disagreement is necessary but contempt shuts the door on conversation, and calls for relearning civil engagement.

Becky Funk · Mar 13, 2026 · Archived copy

A handkerchief, a legacy, and the work still ahead

Key facts (4)

A framed suffrage-era "Votes for Women" handkerchief, a gift from North Idaho resident Donna Montgomery and North Idaho Republican Women, is displayed at the Idaho Capitol.
Idaho became the fourth state to grant women the right to vote, in 1896, nearly a quarter-century before the 19th Amendment.
The column says Republican women's clubs across Idaho encourage civic participation, train candidates and help voters stay informed.
It says that in North Idaho the May primary often effectively decides who will represent communities, so participating in it matters.

Becky Funk · Feb 27, 2026 · Archived copy

Political parties are public trusts, not private clubs

Key facts (4)

The Republican Party began in 1854 as a coalition of former Whigs, Free Soilers and anti-slavery Democrats, sparked by the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Argues that political parties exist for a public purpose and answer to voters, unlike private clubs that decide who belongs.
Says a party drifts from its democratic purpose when it limits participation or elevates insiders over voters.
Says North Idaho Republicans believe in open debate, transparent processes and accountability.

Christa Hazel · Feb 20, 2026 · Archived copy

Born in a fight — and built to hold

Key facts (3)

Idaho Territory was created in 1863, in the middle of the Civil War, with Abraham Lincoln's support and signature.
Argues local Republicans can disagree on issues but should stay rooted in shared principles: limited government, local control, religious liberty, private property rights and personal responsibility.
Announces a Feb. 26 talk on Lincoln's connection to Idaho by former Idaho Attorney General and Lt. Gov. David Leroy, hosted by North Idaho Republicans, free and open to the public.

Becky Funk · Feb 15, 2026 · Archived copy

Astroturf, Dark Money, and the Temptation of “Winning at Any Cost”

Key facts (4)

The column says public campaign finance records show about 97% of Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC funding originated outside Idaho.
It says CAI PAC received about $390,000 from an out-of-state Citizens Alliance PAC entity, and that a Florida-based firm, Mobilize the Message LLC, was a major recipient of the spending.
It distinguishes grassroots efforts, which are self-organized and local, from astroturf, which manufactures the appearance of grassroots support; the term was coined in 1985.
It argues that conservatives should not condemn dark money on the left while accepting it on the right, because the ends do not justify the means.

Luke Russell · Feb 13, 2026 · Archived copy

Remembering the 'Lioness of Idaho'

Key facts (4)

Louise Shadduck never held elected office but influenced generations of Idaho Republican leaders, serving in senior roles for governors, a U.S. senator and a congressman.
She became the first woman in the United States to serve in a governor's cabinet, as Idaho's Secretary of Commerce and Development.
She founded North Idaho Young Republicans in 1944, spoke at the 1956 Republican National Convention, and was Ronald Reagan's Idaho campaign director.
Later executive director of the Idaho Forestry Industries Council, the column says she shaped Idaho Republican politics for more than 30 years from her home overlooking Lake Coeur d'Alene.

Becky Funk · Feb 6, 2026 · Archived copy

The out-of-state money myth

Key facts (4)

The column says Idaho Sunshine disclosures show the Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC raised roughly $445,000 in earlier reporting periods: about $435,000 from out-of-state sources and just over $10,000 from Idaho donors, more than 97% from outside the state.
It says the largest listed contributor is a Virginia-based political action committee.
It notes none of this is illegal; the column's objection is to an organization funded this way presenting itself as an Idaho-first grassroots movement.
It says North Idaho Republicans is a local organization that does not require pledges or demand obedience from officials.

Becky Funk · Jan 30, 2026 · Archived copy

America250: Remembering what holds us together

Key facts (3)

Argues America has endured because it was built on ideas in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution: rights come from the Creator, with a framework for self-government and restraint on power.
Warns against turning the 250th anniversary into either a glossy celebration or a catalogue of grievances; says its real value is perseverance.
Says hateful rhetoric on both political extremes has damaged civic culture, and that rejecting extremism does not mean giving up conviction.

Christa Hazel · Jan 23, 2026 · Archived copy

When government becomes a weapon

Key facts (4)

The column says county commissioners overruled Assessor Bela Kovacs's move to strip Allyson Knapp of the homeowner's exemption on her Rathdrum property; Knapp has said she will challenge Kovacs in the May Republican primary.
It says a finding that she was not an Idaho resident would have disqualified her from running, and that she had provided an Idaho driver's license, voter registration, vehicle registrations and utility bills.
It quotes Commissioner Bruce Mattare on applying "an especially high level of diligence" when a matter involves an elected official's political opponent.
It notes the assessor, Mattare and Commissioner Marc Eberlein are all on the May primary ballot, and that the assessor job pays roughly $109,000 a year plus benefits.

Christa Hazel · Jan 2, 2026 · Archived copy

A new year, a clear choice: Participate or be governed

Key facts (3)

Describes precinct committeemen as the party's foundational workers, who help keep party bosses from controlling primary elections.
Filing periods: Feb. 23-27 for legislative, statewide, federal and judicial offices; March 2-13 for county offices and precinct committeeman races.
Urges people with real-world experience, not ideologues or political operatives, to file for local and state offices; filing information is at the Kootenai County Elections Office.

Christa Hazel · Dec 19, 2025 · Archived copy

Christmas In North Idaho through time

Key facts (3)

Draws on the December 1925 society pages of the Coeur d'Alene Evening Press: a choir of 25 at the Christian Church, a musical evening for nearly 50 people at a home on Sherman Avenue, and many club Christmas parties.
Mentions church programs such as a Nativity play at St. Luke's Episcopal and a "White Christmas" program at the Baptist Church.
Argues the spirit of neighbors gathering and caring for one another continues a century later, calling it "the quiet Idaho Way."

Becky Funk · Dec 12, 2025 · Archived copy

The legacy of courage in a culture of outrage

Key facts (4)

Argues the Republican Party was born of moral courage in the 1850s and cites later milestones: Republicans backing women's right to vote in Wyoming in 1869, the 19th Amendment in 1920, and the majorities that passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Contrasts moral courage with moral outrage, and says some legislators introduce bills on problems that don't exist to generate clicks and fundraising.
Gives examples of courage: a parent speaking up at a school board meeting, a community coming together to save North Idaho College, a legislator voting no on wasteful spending, and defending free speech and religious liberty for everyone.
Quotes Thomas Sowell: "Freedom of speech includes the freedom to offend me."

Russell Mann · Dec 11, 2025 · Archived copy

The Gaetz Divide: Why I’m Opting Out of Lincoln Day 2026

Key facts (4)

The KCRCC announced Matt Gaetz as keynote speaker for its 2026 Lincoln Day Dinner, its biggest annual fundraiser, which supports its "rated and vetted" candidates.
At the Nov. 25 KCRCC meeting, NIR precinct committeeman Marc Stewart moved to reconsider the choice; every NIR precinct committeeman present stood in support, and the motion failed.
The column cites the House Ethics Committee report on Gaetz and notes he has not been convicted of the alleged crimes.
It says about 28 current precinct committeemen are affiliated with North Idaho Republicans, and encourages readers to consider running for precinct committeeman in May.

North Idaho Republicans · Dec 5, 2025 · Archived copy

Before you buy a Lincoln Day ticket, read this

Key facts (4)

The column says the KCRCC booked Matt Gaetz as its 2026 Lincoln Day keynote speaker, a $30,000 booking, with tickets at $175.
It cites the U.S. House Ethics Committee's 2024 findings and Idaho GOP platform language opposing "the sexual exploitation of minors in ANY form."
It notes President Trump withdrew Gaetz's nomination for Attorney General when Senate Republicans signaled he would not be confirmed.
It says the piece is about protecting local Republicans from being associated with a choice that doesn't match the party platform, not about attacking Gaetz. Signed by nine members.

Becky Funk · Nov 28, 2025 · Archived copy

Thanksgiving: A tradition forged in the hardest chapters of our history

Key facts (2)

George Washington issued the first national Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789; Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a permanent national holiday in 1863, during the Civil War.
Argues gratitude is a civic discipline that helps hold communities together and softens division.

Sandy Patano · Nov 21, 2025 · Archived copy

Setting the record straight on North Idaho Republicans

Key facts (4)

Responds to claims about North Idaho Republicans made by KCRCC chairman Brent Regan.
The column says the RNC's June 2, 2023 letter concerned only NIR's use of the RNC's trademarked elephant logo on its website, and that the logo was changed once notified.
It says NIR was fined by the Secretary of State after forming in 2022 because its website endorsed candidates before it had created a PAC; it paid the fine promptly and created the NIR PAC, which still exists.
It says the KCRCC and the Idaho Freedom Caucus were each fined $1,000 by the Secretary of State within the last year.

Lora Whalen · Nov 14, 2025 · Archived copy

The meaning of Veterans Day

Key facts (3)

Lora Whalen served as an Army nurse (Captain, Nurse Corps, 1984-1991), including at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany during the Desert Storm era.
After active duty she worked at a Veterans Administration medical center and then in public health.
Urges readers to listen to veterans' stories, learn their names and support the organizations that serve them.

Luke Russell · Oct 3, 2025 · Archived copy

More mayhem, or great leadership?

Key facts (4)

Urges voters to treat any endorsement as a starting point and do their own research on city and school board candidates.
Cites a Lightcast study that NIC is a $270 million a year economic engine; says the previous KCRCC-endorsed board's lawsuits and related costs wasted more than $12 million and pushed the college's insurance bill from $321,000 to $1.2 million a year.
Says the sheriff and commissioners ended a $10,000-a-year helicopter coverage arrangement with Spokane County in 2023, and that the county's own helicopter program has not flown in more than a year.
Points readers to nirpac.org for candidates supported by North Idaho Republicans.

Mary Souza · Oct 3, 2025 · Archived copy

Choose the best

Key facts (3)

Mary Souza endorses Dan Gookin for Coeur d'Alene mayor in the November election.
Says Gookin has lived in Coeur d'Alene for 23 years, has served 14 years on the City Council, and has never voted for a tax increase.
Names the other candidates as John Pulsipher, Debbie Loffman and Woody McEvers, and explains why she prefers Gookin.

Becky Funk · Sep 26, 2025 · Archived copy

Absentee voting: Idaho’s quiet success story

Key facts (5)

Says Idaho absentee ballots go only to registered voters who request them and are verified, and that Idaho does not use universal mail-in voting.
Lists safeguards: online requests need a state ID or the last four digits of a Social Security number, requests must be renewed annually, signatures must match voter records, and election offices get annual signature-verification training.
Says Idaho has ended ballot harvesting: only the voter or a close contact such as a family member or caregiver can return a ballot.
Says Idaho improved its standing on The Heritage Foundation's Election Integrity Scorecard in 2024.
Absentee ballots had to be requested by 5 p.m. on Oct. 24; requests are made at VoteIdaho.gov.

Jim Pierce · Sep 19, 2025 · Archived copy

Why NIR’s recommendations build a stronger community

Key facts (4)

The column, labeled the author's opinion, says NIR's recommendations focus on qualified, responsible candidates and that NIR does not require loyalty oaths.
NIR's Nov. 4, 2025 recommendations in Coeur d'Alene: Mayor Dan Gookin; City Council Seat 4 Kenny Gabriel and Seat 6 Kiki Miller; school trustees Rick Rasmussen (Zone 1), Lesli Bjerke (Zone 4) and Lisa Aitken (Zone 5).
In Hayden: Ed DePriest (Seat 2) and David Erickson (Seat 4). In Rathdrum: Ken Owens (Seat 1) and Renee Mullen (Seat 3). Lakeland School Board Zone 4: Chris Beaty.
In Post Falls: Mayor Ron Jacobson; City Council James Steffenson (Seat 2), Nathan Ziegler (Seat 4) and Ryan Davis (Seat 6); school board Neil Uhrig (Zone 1), Amy Boni (Zone 4) and Kelli Johnson (Zone 5).

Becky Funk · Sep 12, 2025 · Archived copy

When politics turns to violence, we all lose

Key facts (3)

Responds to the shooting of conservative leader Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, from which the column says he did not survive.
Calls for confronting political extremism on both the far right and the far left.
Says every person is made in the image of God and carries dignity regardless of party, and urges leaders, pastors, the media and social media users to tone down their rhetoric.

Jim Pierce · Sep 7, 2025 · Archived copy

On The Horizon: NIR endorsements will put community first

Key facts (4)

Says NIR would rather stay out of nonpartisan city and school board races, but that political conditions in Kootenai County require endorsements; it would announce November endorsements for Post Falls, Rathdrum, Hayden and Coeur d'Alene.
Says NIR was instrumental in the community effort to save North Idaho College, endorsed school trustees when it judged it wise, and supported fire bond levies.
Says NIC supports $64 million in the regional economy.
Says NIR was founded in 2022, has volunteers in every precinct, and builds its endorsements from candidate feedback and community input.

Christa Hazel · Aug 8, 2025 · Archived copy

THE NIR WAY - Leading with service, not slogans

Key facts (3)

Says NIR quietly supported community events and groups this summer, including Idaho Youth Ranch, Canopy Village, Young Life, and the Red & Blue Foundation after the Canfield Mountain tragedy.
Lists organizations NIR members are involved with, including the Museum of North Idaho, Monday Night Dinners, the Cd'A Symphony, Kootenai Health, Lutherhaven, Save NIC, The Coeur Group, Autism Society of North Idaho, Safe Start and 208 Ministries' Day of Hope.
Contrasts this service with KCRCC members, whom the column says rarely show up at such events.

Justin Schorzman · Aug 1, 2025 · Archived copy

Criticism isn’t persecution — it’s part of governing

Key facts (3)

Argues that criticism and disagreement are part of governing in a constitutional republic, not persecution.
Takes issue with local party leaders using the saying "If you're catching flak, you're over the target" to dismiss all criticism.
Says conservatism means careful stewardship, collaboration and respect rather than purity tests.

Becky Funk · Jul 18, 2025 · Archived copy

When tragedy strikes, we’re not Republicans or Democrats — we’re neighbors

Key facts (3)

The column says that on June 29, Battalion Chief Frank Harwood of Kootenai County and Battalion Chief John Morrison of the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department were killed in an ambush while responding to a brush fire on Canfield Mountain; Engineer David Tysdal was critically injured.
It says flags were lowered across the area, people lined Interstate 90 overpasses to honor the fallen, and neighbors donated to the families without regard to party.
Argues that in tragedy the community sees itself as neighbors first, not Republicans or Democrats.

Mary Souza · Jun 6, 2025 · Archived copy

Heartless leadership

Key facts (3)

The column says the KCRCC removed precinct committeewoman Kathleen Tillman after a fourth consecutive absence, during her husband's final illness and after she had arranged a proxy; Tillman had been elected with 63% of her precinct's vote.
It compares the KCRCC bylaws, which allow removal for missing four consecutive meetings "without excuse acceptable to the KCRCC," with Ada County's, which require the chair to send a warning and a certified letter first.
It says the full committee was never asked to vote on whether the excuse was acceptable; the chairman decided on his own.

Christa Hazel · Apr 18, 2025 · Archived copy

What happened after the town hall should alarm every honest Republican

Key facts (4)

The column says the Feb. 22 KCRCC town hall drew attention when a woman was removed and charged with trespass and battery; the charges were later dropped "in the interest of justice."
Citing a Coeur d'Alene Police report, it says KCRCC Chair Brent Regan told investigators the footage was corrupted, incomplete or nonexistent, and that police obtained a search warrant and recovered 14 raw video files and two edited clips.
It says the KCRCC posted "FULL TOWNHALL FOOTAGE NOW AVAILABLE" three days after the warrant was served, and that the KCRCC has spent over $200,000 in political expenditures supporting The People's Pen.
It links the police report and tells readers how to find their precinct committeeman.

Mary Souza · Apr 2, 2025 · Archived copy

Free speech at the KCRCC? Not so much.

Key facts (3)

Documents KCRCC selectively posting individual member votes on social media to publicly shame dissenters
Describes voting to postpone a Resolution and finding her name posted with "LEFT BEFORE THE VOTE" in capital letters
Concludes: "they take every opportunity to make dissenters look bad. Free speech? Not so much."

Mary Souza · Mar 2, 2025 · Archived copy

My favorite legislative town halls

Key facts (4)

Souza, who took part in close to 30 town halls during her eight years in the Idaho Senate, says in her opinion the Feb. 22 town hall's format and choice of moderator were part of the problem.
She says the first hour passed without citizen questions, heckling grew, and the removal of a woman from the room was not professionally handled.
She says KCRCC Chair Brent Regan was present and could have called a recess.
She describes how past town halls worked: brief introductions, short bill summaries, then citizen questions as the top priority.

Kellie Palm · Oct 19, 2024 · Archived copy

Non-disclosure agreements: Brent Regan’s weapon of silence

Key facts (4)

Palm, who won the Precinct 314 committeewoman seat in the 2024 May primary, argues the KCRCC's candidate vetting should be open; she says the vetting committee's unelected members are not named and sign non-disclosure agreements.
She says Chairman Regan threatened that committee members could be sued for sharing information from the meeting.
She says she did not authorize her name on a KCRCC postcard and objects to the KCRCC endorsing in nonpartisan races.
Her own endorsements: NIC trustees Eve Knudtsen, Mary Havercroft and Rick Durbin; Kootenai Soil & Water Linda Ely, Wesley Evans, Walter Jon Groth and Laurin Scarcello.

Dan Sheckler · Oct 4, 2024 · Archived copy

KCRCC's secretive machine

Key facts (4)

Explains that the KCRCC is made up of precinct committeemen elected in the May Republican primary, and that only Republican-affiliated voters elect them.
Describes a 12-member Rating and Vetting Committee whose members sign non-disclosure agreements and which reports to the full KCRCC, about 80 people, which decides in executive session.
Says KCRCC rules prohibit disclosing what happens in executive session, and that Chairman Regan said committeemen could face discipline for revealing it.
Says the KCRCC's ballot opposed the Coeur d'Alene school levy the previous year but did not oppose the school levies this year.

Christa Hazel · Sep 27, 2024 · Archived copy

Brent Regan’s DEI Smokescreen: The Real Problem at NIC is Greg McKenzie’s fiscal catastrophe

Key facts (4)

The column says DEI is not mentioned anywhere in NIC's accreditation documents, which it says focus on resolving litigation, updating policies, employing one president, and treating people respectfully.
It says Trustee Greg McKenzie and board allies have wasted over $1.8 million on legal fees, bad hires and investigations, including $500,000 paid to former President Rick MacLennan after he was fired without cause and $400,000 defending the suspension of President Nick Swayne, which it says a judge called "hostile and arbitrary."
It also lists $200,000 each to attorneys Stan Freeman and Colton Boyles, and a $35,000 signing bonus and $235,000 annual salary for a second president, Greg South.
It urges voters to elect Eve Knudtsen, Rick Durbin and Mary Havercroft to the NIC board.

Marc Stewart · Sep 20, 2024 · Archived copy

Rating and vetting the sample ballot

Key facts (4)

Stewart, a newly elected precinct committeeman, describes the five-hour Sept. 10 KCRCC rating-and-vetting meeting that produced the sample ballot.
Outcomes he lists: NIC trustee candidates were endorsed despite debate over endorsing in nonpartisan races; school levies and magistrates were left off; fire levies were endorsed; all Republican primary winners were endorsed.
He says one candidate's flyer carrying the KCRCC endorsement logo was handed to committee members before the vote, and his motion to remove it failed.
He says five of the 12 members of the rating subcommittee were not elected precinct committeemen, and that members sign non-disclosure agreements.

Christa Hazel · May 3, 2024 · Archived copy

Are you a North Idaho Republican?

Key facts (3)

Describes what the column calls North Idaho Republican values, tied to Ronald Reagan: freedom with minimal government interference, safety and security, and economic freedom.
Says 70 qualified candidates were running for precinct committeeman and points readers to NorthIdahoRepublicans.org to find an NIR-endorsed candidate in their neighborhood.
Voting details for the May 2024 primary: absentee requests due by 5 p.m. May 10 and ballots returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day; early voting May 6-17 at the Elections Department; unaffiliated voters could affiliate with the Republican party through Election Day.

Jack Riggs · Apr 26, 2024 · Archived copy

Is this the Republican Party we want in Kootenai County?

Key facts (4)

Argues the Kootenai County Republican Party faces a defining choice about whether to reject what the column calls a radical faction associated with the KCRCC.
The column says the KCRCC has funneled over $57,000 to a network of consultants it describes as aligned with white nationalist ideologies, and more than $150,000 to fund The People's Pen.
Quotes Abraham Lincoln's warning that America will be destroyed only from within.
Urges primary voters to elect central committee members who will "honor our party," saying precinct committeeman "will be the most important race on the ballot."

Luke Russell · Apr 19, 2024 · Archived copy

Why your vote in May matters

Key facts (4)

Idaho has 975 precincts, 73 of them in Kootenai County; voters elect precinct committeemen to their party's county central committee on the May primary ballot every two years.
Says two years earlier only 12 of 73 Kootenai County seats were contested, and that in 2024 there was a choice in nearly every precinct.
Says KCRCC endorsement votes are unanimous or nearly so, citing 44 of 73 committeemen taking part two years earlier and a 57-0 vote three weeks before the column.
Says Idaho is one of the reddest states, citing Secretary of State Phil McGrane.

Sandy Patano · Apr 12, 2024 · Archived copy

Saving our Republican soul

Key facts (4)

Says 70 of 73 Precinct Committeeman positions were contested in the May 21 primary.
Says North Idaho Republicans was founded by more than 80 longtime local Republicans and rejects claims that it is a takeover by disguised Democrats.
Says NIR's mission is to restore integrity, transparency and accountability within the KCRCC, and asks of the KCRCC's rating and vetting process, "Who vets the vetters?"
Says NIR will support the Republican nominee and calls Precinct Committeeman the most important race on the ballot.

Jim Pierce · Apr 5, 2024 · Archived copy

Idaho Republicans reclaim roots amid division

Key facts (4)

Refers back to a 2017 column in which he warned of a faction taking over the party, and says that has now become reality.
Explains that precinct committeemen are workers for the party rather than "representatives"; legislators, commissioners and members of Congress are the actual representatives.
Says almost every Kootenai County precinct, including Brent Regan's, would have a choice for precinct committeeman in May.
Points readers to northidahorepublicans.org for a candidate list and to VoteIdaho.gov to request an absentee ballot.

Jack Riggs · Mar 29, 2024 · Archived copy

Rejecting racism and the status quo

Key facts (3)

The column says visiting female athletes and students were verbally harassed in downtown Coeur d'Alene, and links this to the area's history, including the 1920s Klan and two decades of Aryan Nations activity.
It says the KCRCC and the Idaho Freedom Foundation have associated with outside consultants who promote hate-fueled ideologies.
It calls Precinct Committeeman the most important race on the May 21 primary ballot and points readers to IdahoVotes.gov to request an absentee ballot.

Marc Stewart · Mar 22, 2024 · Archived copy

Stop spending my money on stupid stuff!

Key facts (3)

Argues that candidates endorsed by the KCRCC have been reckless with taxpayer money, citing North Idaho College (two presidents, two attorneys at $400 an hour, higher insurance premiums, lost lawsuits) and the Community Library Network.
Stewart was running for Republican Precinct Committeeman in precinct 405, the Centennial Place neighborhood.
Urges voters to replace KCRCC incumbents in the May 21 primary and to vote early with an absentee ballot from IdahoVotes.gov.

Jack Riggs · Mar 15, 2024 · Archived copy

Precinct by precinct, take back your party

Key facts (4)

Kootenai County has 73 precincts; the precinct committeemen elected in the May primary every two years make up the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC). Idaho has four officially recognized parties: Republican, Democrat, Libertarian and Constitution.
Says only 12 of 73 precinct committeeman races were contested two years earlier, and that nearly every precinct would have a choice in 2024.
Says 92% of Republicans did not take part in the recent presidential caucus.
Points readers to Secretary of State Phil McGrane's site, IdahoVotes.gov, to request an absentee ballot.

Christa Hazel · Mar 1, 2024 · Archived copy

Republican optimism vs. left wing radical rules

Key facts (3)

Contrasts Ronald Reagan's optimism with the tactics of Saul Alinsky, author of "Rules for Radicals" (1971), which the column says KCRCC chairman Brent Regan frequently references or uses.
Says Alinsky's rule to "pick a target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it" shows up in local nonpartisan races for school board, libraries and city councils.
Invites readers who align with Reagan's principles to join North Idaho Republicans.

Christa Hazel · Feb 17, 2024 · Archived copy

Guided by Lincoln’s legacy

Key facts (4)

Ties NIR's principles to Abraham Lincoln's belief that "every man can make himself": self-determination, personal responsibility, and government help as a "hand up" rather than a "hand out."
Says NIR supports educational freedom, views schools and libraries as vital to the community, and supports local levies when they are fiscally responsible.
Says NIR backs law enforcement and veterans, and names North Idaho College, the American Legion and the VFW as vital resources for veterans.
Says NIR has nearly 30 formerly elected local Republican leaders and hundreds of community members.

Marc Stewart · Jan 5, 2024 · Archived copy

Be aware of citizen journalists on the prowl

Key facts (4)

Stewart, a former journalist, warns readers about "citizen journalists" who lack formal training and, in his view, practice a modern form of yellow journalism.
Names online outlets and a printed publication, The People's Pen, that he says are not constrained by ethics and editing, and says it is often unknown who funds them.
Cites the library pornography claims and the drag-queen park claim as examples of stories he says were not borne out.
Encourages readers to consume news from an array of sources and to "trust, but verify."

Christa Hazel · Sep 22, 2023 · Archived copy

Be wary of confrontational politics

Key facts (3)

Argues that confrontational politics is a deliberate style meant to discourage participation, and names out-of-state strategists Rory McShane and Woodrow Johnston, along with Brent Regan and Sen. Scott Herndon.
Cites recent results as evidence that voters can change direction: two of three NIC trustee seats won in 2022 by Trustees Zimmerman and Corkill, strong turnout after two failed Coeur d'Alene school levies, and the West Bonner School District recall.
Says voters have three secure ways to take part in the Nov. 7 election and points to VoteIdaho.gov, maintained by Secretary of State Phil McGrane.

Christa Hazel · Jul 21, 2023 · Archived copy

Time to recognize the truth

Key facts (4)

A response to a column by KCRCC chairman Brent Regan; it disputes his characterizations of NIR's events and of the author.
Says the KCRCC and a dozen aligned candidates paid an out-of-state strategist affiliated with the "America First" movement over $220,000, and that KCRCC paid a company associated with a rated-and-vetted candidate $11,000 for videos.
Says the Cease & Desist letter involves only the trademarked RNC elephant icon, and that the claim that a trustee was "blackmailed" into resigning is false.
Says the KCRCC includes members recruited and appointed by the committee itself, not only elected precinct committeemen.

Becky Funk · Jun 23, 2023 · Archived copy

Erasing Idaho’s Republican women?

Key facts (3)

Opposes a proposal to remove the Idaho Federation of Republican Women president's vote from the state GOP Executive Committee, to be considered at the June 23-24 Idaho GOP summer meeting; the proposal also covered College Republicans and Young Republicans.
Notes Idaho was the fourth state to grant women the right to vote and, three years earlier, the first to draft legislation protecting women's sports.
Says a Kootenai County Republican Central Committee resolution praised Republican Women but stopped short of keeping the IFRW as a voting member.

Mary Souza · May 19, 2023 · Archived copy

The art of conversation

Key facts (4)

Argues that angry name-calling has replaced civil conversation in Idaho and Kootenai County politics, and that sitting down together makes it harder to hate.
Recalls her Idaho Senate Commerce Committee experience, when groups on opposite sides of a bill were told to sit down together and bring back a compromise.
Says she once invited an online critic to coffee, went through the votes he objected to, and parted on better terms.
Says the KCRCC and the Idaho Freedom Foundation have adopted Saul Alinsky's tactics of ridicule and "pick a target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it."

Sandy Patano and Jack Riggs · Jul 29, 2022 · Archived copy

KCRCC supports and pays 'antisemitic' white nationalist

Key facts (3)

Despite public claims of not supporting Dave Reilly, the KCRCC selected him as a delegate to the Idaho Republican Party's July 2022 state convention in Twin Falls.
Guest opinion authors Sandy Patano and Jack Riggs documented that the KCRCC was effectively paying Reilly through delegate expenses while claiming to distance itself from him.
Brent Regan's claim that the KCRCC did not "support" Reilly was contradicted by his selection as an official party delegate.