Free Republic

Public money should never be used to support a political agenda. Yet, that’s exactly what’s happening at the University of Idaho, which decided to explicitly provide backing for the most radical elements of the controversial Black Lives Matter program. A university vice provost emailed students this week to announce the school’s “series of Black Lives Matter events” “where discussions surrounding systems of oppression will occur.” That’s what tipped me off to the fact that the school also created a website containing “ways to get involved and support the Black Lives Matter movement.” The university’s “resources” page contains more than 100...

A Boise State University assistant professor used her publicly-funded email account and access to students’ contact information to raise funds for a group that seeks to end capitalism and defund police nationwide. The assistant professor, Les Hutchinson Campos, also offered students tips for protesting without getting caught or injured. She promised additional help to students if they asked. “I’m just an email away. And, if you want to talk on the phone or video chat about what’s going on, please email me. I have an open schedule to talk with you,” Hutchinson Campos wrote in a June 11 email. “You...

If you ventured to downtown Coeur d’Alene, Idaho last night you would think you had entered a Militia family reunion. No one has an accurate count of how many heavily armed citizens came out to support peaceful protestors and protect local businesses and citizens against shipped in ANTIFA members but it was certainly HUNDREDS, perhaps over a THOUSAND. “We just drove downtown Coeur d’Alene. It is packed with armed citizens. I’ve never seen so many AR-15s in my life. There’s at least a thousand armed citizens walking on the sidewalks and the streets are packed with cars and trucks with...

Justin Lum Fox 10 Phoenix PROBABLE CAUSE AFFIDAVIT: Here are the 11 pages in unredacted documents in the affidavit to arrest Chad Daybell. There are graphic details and I will include my Twitter thread here so you can also see the main bullet points I shared.

This is a subject that we’ve been covering here ever since the coronavirus stimulus bill was first being debated in Congress. Having passed a measure providing enhanced unemployment benefits with no cap on the amount of the payments based on the worker’s previous rate of pay, a condition was created where a majority of the unemployed are now collecting more than they did on their last job. That doesn’t provide much of an incentive to go back to work, particularly if you can point to your concerns about the virus as a reason to stay home.In Idaho, Republican Governor...

One of the largest churches in Boise, Idaho, apologized for participating in "white supremacy" and announced it is removing the likeness of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a stained-glass window. In a statement, the pastors and staff at the Cathedral of the Rockies began by "acknowledging our own sin with a stained glass window," which also features presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. "The recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor brought long-overdue urgency to our discernment process," the church board wrote in a statement to members. "We are reminded of our privilege. We have waited...

When Idaho State Police Capt. John Kempf shouted “Stop. Police,” at the group of about 50 at McEuen Park on Saturday, they ignored that command. Instead, they ran. Sirens began screaming. Lights started flashing. Adults and kids kept running. And Kempf watched and smiled. Some ISP troopers on hand even applauded. “This is exciting, especially in light of the COVID stuff and everything else that’s going on, so it’s great to see the community coming together for a cause,” he said. That cause was the “ISP 5K Foot Pursuit,” an event to highlight the partnership between CASA (Court Appointed Special...

A Friday afternoon (June 4, 2020) letter signed by Mayor Steve Widmyer and the Coeur d'Alene City Council expressed support for the rights of armed citizens who have been patrolling downtown since Monday. “It’s tough,” said Councilman Dan Gookin, “because the cops want to stay neutral. The cops want to do their job. We are the ones who take positions on this. But everyone’s been behaving marvelously. There’s been a lot of people downtown — I’m going to call them ‘militia,’ because I don’t know what else to call them. There’s been a lot of militia downtown, and they’ve been...

May 27, 2020 The Honorable Donald J. Trump President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Trump, We write today to urge you to consider the important role non-immigrant temporary visa programs will play in aiding post-pandemic economic recovery in America. Any changes to these programs should be very narrowly tailored to prevent additional damage to the already struggling American small businesses who rely on the assistance made possible through these visas. The coronavirus pandemic has brought devastating loss of life and livelihood across our country. As we begin to reopen,...

Reports and rumors that groups bent on rioting and violence in Coeur d’Alene brought out men and women with guns on Monday determined to stop them if they arrive. Dan Carson was patrolling Sherman Avenue with an AR-12 automatic 12-gauge across his chest, an AR-15 strapped to his back, two 9mm handguns holstered and a .38 special, too. “I heard there are some people on the way who shouldn’t be here,” he said early Monday evening. Those people, he said, were Antifa and Proud Boys, militant far-left and far-right groups. Carson said he was in Spokane Sunday night helping protect...

"Melanie Gibb likely knows more about Chad and Lori Daybell’s relationship than anyone else. She was Lori’s best friend, attended conferences where Chad spoke and was with them the moment they met. She saw the pair’s friendship quickly turn into something more and says Lori confided intimate details about the couple’s activities, beliefs and future together. Gibb is an extremely private person who has been in hiding since December. That’s when police announced Lori’s children, 8-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan, were missing. Their mother has refused to say where they are and is in the Madison County...

Boise Mayor Lauren McLean is looking to mold the city of Boise from a sleepy capital to a regional hub of art, entertainment, commerce, and, apparently, communism. The details are in a report, “A more equitable city for everyone.” The document, released by the mayor’s office in April, flew under the radar as Boiseans dealt with the Coronavirus-induced chaos. On Friday, the Boise Guardian wrote about the report and deemed the document as “worthy of discussion.” Unfortunately for taxpayers and small business owners and ultimately customers, who would bear the brunt, McLean paints the picture of a Boise that looks...

a Montana resident attempted to drive to Cooke City when he was pulled over and harassed by law-enforcement who – obeying the orders of Governor Steve Bullock – refused to allow passage to the small Montana town. ... Governor Steve Bullock, who seems intent on hurting Montana’s tourism economy – which amounts to 3.7 billion dollars a year and brings in more money than both agriculture and energy – has the state’s parks on lockdown. ... Whereas Yellowstone National Park has been opened up, only the entrances on the Wyoming side are open to travelers. Governor Bullock, insistent on protecting...

There have been two new cases of the coronavirus reported in the Panhandle Health District since Friday. PHD reports there are a total of 70 cases, with 66 in Kootenai County and four in Bonner County. Boundary, Benewah and Shoshone counties still have no cases. Sixty-seven of the cases are no longer being monitored. As of Wednesday, only seven of the 70 cases have resulted in hospitalizations. There has not been the feared outbreak of cases since restaurants, salons and gyms reopened Friday. Gov. Brad Little’s reopening plan for the state allows bars to open May 30.

Willow Creek, Montana (CNN)The children filed in, one by one, keeping their distance, to have their temperature taken at the door as Willow Creek School in Montana opened Thursday. "They're incredibly excited. They are so glad to be back," said Erika Wahl, the mother of two students at the school, which has between 50 and 60 students in grades K-12. "They miss their teachers, they miss their friends." While 48 states and Washington DC have ordered or recommended that schools close through the end of the academic year because of the coronavirus pandemic, schools in Montana and in Idaho opened...

For 10 minutes, a woman heard a man yelling for help Tuesday. And then, it stopped. She called the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office. That led to a search around North Derting Road by KCSO deputies and neighbors by foot and ATV. They checked as close as they could get to the area, but didn’t find anyone, or anything, KCSO reported. A mystery? Perhaps not. While not confirmed, they discovered a likely reason for the cries for help. “Deputies later learned there were some men training some hound dogs in the area, and this could have been the source of what...

Sixteen elk died sometime during the winter at an eastern Idaho wildlife management area when a stack of hay containing 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bales collapsed and fell, crushing some of the elk and causing others to be trampled to death. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game said Saturday that it appears the elk broke through a high fence and ate at the bottom of the haystack, causing it to collapse. The haystack is on the Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area about 15 miles east of Idaho Falls. Fish and Game officials investigated after receiving a report from a concerned citizen....

Austin Goodrich was part of an antifa group that shut down a College Republicans event at Portland State in 2019. ... Oregon renter who refused to pay rent and his landlord who tracked his coronavirus stimulus check went viral. .... A lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, April 22 by tenant Austin Goodrich, 22, of Forest Grove, Ore., nearby Portland, against his property manager and landlord. The lawsuit seeks damages for Goodrich “feeling overwhelmingly violated and vulnerable.” When the story first made national and international headlines, reporters and Goodrich did not disclose that the landlord, Lois Ranstead, is also his grandmother...

An Idaho woman was arrested Tuesday after police say she was violating city orders by trespassing on a city playground that was closed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. CBS affiliate KBOI-TV reports that 40-year-old Sara Brady, of Meridian, was arrested and charged with one count of misdemeanor trespassing. Following Brady's arrest, which was captured on social media, there were protests held at Meridian City Hall, KBOI reported. Station KTVB reported that roughly 100 people protested.

Comrades, after the Meridian cornavirus enforcement police received several calls from compliant citizens, a dangerous group of subversive moms were identified engaging in non-approved playground activity against the interests of the state. Local authorities activated an emergency response task force & arrested the lead scofflaw mom at the park. According to video smuggled from the park by an underground network of rebellious female breeders, Mrs. Sarah Brady was instructed by the COVID-19 compliance officers to vacate the playground. Ms. Brady refused to comply with the order and was subsequently handcuffed and arrested for violations of the state lock-down, ie. misdemeanor...