Frankly, I don't like the person I become when I can't get the NYT Connections in the morning.
Christina Lords
@christinalords.bsky.social
Lover of cheeseburgers, Diet Coke and all cuddly/fuzzy/go woof things. Editor-in-chief of IdahoCapitalSun.com. UI alumna. Excel advocate.
After we reported on a legal claim filed by a D.C. woman who says Idaho National Guard members injured her while detaining her, we heard from some of you asking about how long and how many Idahoans had been deployed there. Here's our follow up:
Idaho National Guard members have been deployed in D.C. since February • Idaho Capital Sun
Idaho National Guard members have been deployed in Washington D.C. since February. Idaho officials didn't publicly announce the action.
idahocapitalsun.com
This may have been the last opportunity for Idaho voters to legalize cannabis. A separate ballot issue approved by the #idleg, called House Joint Resolution 4, would amend the Idaho Constitution to allow only the Legislature – and not voters – to have the authority to legalize any drug. #idpol
Medical cannabis initiative fails to qualify for Idaho’s general election ballot • Idaho Capital Sun
Idaho Secretary of State’s Office said medical marijuana ballot initiative failed to meet the total signatures and legislative districts.
idahocapitalsun.com
The initiative would legalize abortion until fetal viability or in cases of emergency — essentially re-establishing the abortion rights Idahoans had before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision. The initiative also protects access to contraception and IVF. #idleg #idpol
Initiative to end Idaho’s strict abortion ban qualifies for November’s general election ballot • Idaho Capital Sun
The voter initiative seeking to end Idaho’s strict abortion ban has officially qualified to appear on ballots in the November general election.
idahocapitalsun.com
“Due to the presence of unexploded military ordnance remaining from the area’s historic use as a military training site, there are sections of the reserve that Boise Fire personnel cannot safely access,” the Boise Fire Department said, noting that the fire is in the area of the Military Reserve.
Boise Foothills wildfire grows to 2,000 acres, public asked to leave Ridge to Rivers Trail System • Idaho Capital Sun
The U.S Wildland Fire Service – Great Basin is referring to the wildfire in the Boise Foothills as the Claremont Fire.
idahocapitalsun.com
🎶"I hear her howlin' down below...Idaho, oh, Idaho..."🎶
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 2mo agoFor the July 4 America250 in Idaho Capitol Celebration at Cecil D. Andrus Park in downtown Boise, planned events include a veterans breakfast, downtown parade, military fly over, a performance by the Army Band, food trucks and concerts by Idaho musicians.
🚨Reminder that all Idaho polls are open until 8 p.m. local time tonight! Voting absentee? Make sure it's in the hands of your election clerk TODAY. Our voter guide has info on how to find your polling place and how to find your sample ballot so you can feel prepared before you head into the booth! 🚨
Voter Guide: 2026 primary election • Idaho
From Idaho Capital Sun | Accountability reporting for the 208’s political landscape
idahocapitalsun.com
I got to go behind the scenes in Boise State's special collections and archive to see the boxes and boxes and boxes that make the Andrus papers for this story, and my cold, dead nerd girl heart grew three sizes that day. 🤓 #idpol #idleg
Share your ‘Cece story’: Boise State’s Andrus Center will host ‘History Harvest’ for book project • Idaho Capital Sun
Idahoans are encouraged to bring items and memories associated with former Gov. Cecil Andrus to a Boise State University event in November.
idahocapitalsun.com
If you want to vote without showing up to the polls on Election Day on Tuesday or via an absentee ballot, this week is your final chance. https://idahocapitalsun.com/briefs/friday-is-the-deadline-to-early-vote-in-idaho-ahead-of-2026-primary-election/
Friday is the deadline to early vote in Idaho ahead of 2026 primary election • Idaho Capital Sun
If you want to vote without showing up to the polls on Election Day on Tuesday or via an absentee ballot, this week is your final chance.
idahocapitalsun.com
As you consider your support during this year's @idahogives.bsky.social campaign, might I suggest a donation for our small but mighty Idaho Capital Sun? This is our first year participating in this wonderful event that boosts nonprofits around our state! We're hoping to reach new readers. 💞 🌟⛰️
Support Idaho Capital Sun | Idaho Gives 2026
I’m ready to support Idaho Capital Sun on May 4, 2026 during Idaho Gives 2026. Learn more about Idaho Capital Sun and all the other organizations participating in Idaho Gives 2026.
idahogives.org
I'm very proud of the accomplishments of the @idahocapitalsun.com in 2025, including the launch of our most ambitious writing and audio project yet: Howl, a deep dive into the reintroduction of wolves back into Idaho and the West. I work with the best of the best; I don't take that for granted.
Idaho Capital Sun wins 13 Idaho Press Club awards at annual banquet • Idaho Capital Sun
The Idaho Capital Sun took home 13 awards — including seven first-place finishes — in the Idaho Press Club’s Best of 2025 Awards contest.
idahocapitalsun.com
New from @pfannyyy.bsky.social this morning:
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 3mo agoThe lawsuit argues that Idaho’s bathroom ban violates due process and equal protection rights in the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment. The lawsuit asks a federal judge to stop the law’s restrictions on transgender people’s bathroom access. #idleg #idpol
Please take a look and share w/ your peeps! We answer all kinds of voting-related questions, including how to request an absentee ballot, how to find campaign finance information, how to find your voter registration status, how to find where to vote, how to look at your sample ballot, and more!!
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 3mo agoTake a look at our primary election voter guide, which has important dates to watch, how-to information (think how to find your polling place, how to register to vote, etc.), and candidate surveys for contested primaries for governor, Congress and some legislative districts. #idleg #idpol
If you're interested in state politics and policy coverage in Idaho, do I have a deal for you! 😇💞
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 4mo agoIt’s Local News Day! Show your support for the journalists working in your community by sharing this post and subscribing to our free daily newsletter, The Sunrise idahocapitalsun.com/subscribe/ #FairFearlessFree #LocalJournalism
The U.S. Justice Department sued Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane on Wednesday, and asked a federal judge to force him to turn over the full voter data, which includes partial Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers. #idpol
Trump administration sues Idaho election official to force him to turn over sensitive voter data • Idaho Capital Sun
The U.S. Justice Department sued Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane, seeking to force him to turn over sensitive voter registration data.
idahocapitalsun.com
@christinalords.bsky.social of @idahocapitalsun.com shares this photo from Boise. @statesnewsroom.com #nokings
This year, state lawmakers are pushing for deeper, across-the-board state government spending cuts — including to Medicaid disability services — after approving years of tax cuts that have reduced the state’s revenue by more than $4 billion. From @pfannyyy.bsky.social :
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 5mo agoThe bill would repeal Medicaid expansion on Jan. 1, 2028. That would remove roughly 90,000 Idahoans from the health insurance public assistance program. #idleg #idpol
McGrane wrote the DOJ revealed in a separate federal lawsuit filing that sensitive personal information, including Social Security numbers, were shared from federal systems “to unauthorized persons.” “That development reinforces the importance of careful stewardship of sensitive voter information."
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 5mo ago"Ultimately, my concern is for the privacy rights of Idahoans who have registered to vote, as secured under Idaho law,” Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane wrote to the Justice Department in a Feb. 26 letter. #idpol
Zuiderveld voted against the funding after criticizing the Idaho Military Division for not finding somewhere else to cut. “Where could they have cut besides that?” Zuiderveld asked. “...To me it feels kinda like we are being gaslit because they are angry they have to cut on a lot of these things.”
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 6mo agoThe additional funding request was for $190,800 out of a nearly $6 billion state budget, but 11 JFAC Republicans voted against the funding while only seven JFAC members supported it. #idleg #idpol
Soon after the cuts were announced, providers and the Idaho Sheriffs’ Association warned the cuts would risk public safety, and providers said the cuts would drive up other costs even more. And. Eastern Idaho crisis centers are seeing demand spike after the cuts. From @pfannyyy.bsky.social:
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 6mo agoProviders say it marks the third death among patients who were receiving mobile, specialized treatment in less than three months since an Idaho Medicaid contractor cut the service. In the year and a half before the cut, providers say only one patient on the program died. #idleg #idpol
“A youth bill of rights is extremely concerning to me,” Rep. Burgoyne said. “Currently, children don’t have rights, because all their rights are vested with the parent, and I think it’s extremely important that we keep those rights with the parent.”
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 6mo agoIdaho lawmakers introduced two bills Wednesday to enumerate young people’s rights while they’re in the state’s care and while they’re in residential treatment. #idleg #idpol
As a minor under 18 who didn’t have parental consent to get treatment, the hotline operator told him they had to end the call due to an Idaho law passed in 2024. #idleg #idpol
988 ended his call. Now an Idaho teen is pushing for a fix to state’s parental consent law. • Idaho Capital Sun
An Idaho teen had his call to the 988 hotline end because of Idaho's parental consent law. He's now urging lawmakers to change the law.
idahocapitalsun.com
Here's a crash course on what the 5% state budget holdbacks advancing in the #idleg will mean for you and your families based on the dogged reporting our @idahocapitalsun.com staff busted out this week. What we found is that these cuts could affect nearly every Idahoan in some way. #idpol
Legislative notebook: Budget committee sends funding cuts to full Idaho House, Senate floors • Idaho Capital Sun
This week, we did something a little differently than we ever have before at the Idaho Capital Sun. After spending the last five years, day in and day out, covering as many Idaho legislative committee...
idahocapitalsun.com
Meanwhile, the fire suppression fund IDL relies on to fight fires is nearly empty. The IDL director said there's about $1.2 million in the wildfire suppression fund. That isn't enough to even pay for the state’s up-front contracted aircraft costs, let alone pay the bills for an entire fire season.
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 6mo agoStarting with the '26 #idahofire season, Idaho Department of Lands will be forced to hire fewer seasonal firefighters in the Eastern Idaho Fire Protection District. The irony: Because #idleg is cutting funding available to IDL, the state will likely have to pay someone else to fight those fires.
New 1% and 2% budget cuts that the Idaho Legislature’s budget committee approved for most state agencies on Feb. 6 could force the Idaho Department of Water Resources to cut funding for 15 of the 93 stream gages funded through the department’s trustee and benefits program.
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 6mo agoA new round of state budget cuts is forcing an Idaho state agency that is responsible for administering water rights to reduce stream monitoring services that help state officials accurately administer water rights and reduce conflicts between water users. #idleg #idpol
The Idaho DEQ still has not recovered from budget cuts implemented in response to the Great Recession of 2008, Director Jess Byrne told us. “For perspective, funding for statewide water monitoring today is less than 50% of what we spent on the same activities 20 years ago,” Byrne said.
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 6mo agoA new round of budget cuts will force a state agency to reduce the water monitoring it conducts to protect Idahoans’ health and water quality, the agency’s director said. The department will scale back its harmful algal boom detection program and eliminate unfilled vacant positions. #idleg #idpol
We're continuing our #idleg state budget cuts coverage all week, and I wanted to draw your attention to this one. Pardons and Parole Executive Director Christine Starr told the Sun the estimate of $620,000 in more prison costs as a result of parole and pardon cuts is conservative.
Idaho Capital Sun@idahocapitalsun.com · 6mo agoA 2% cut for the Pardons and Parole Commission would save just $87,100, the governor’s budget chief Lori Wolff told lawmakers. But it would force layoffs, delay processing parole eligibility and violations, and drive up the state’s costs to house people in prisons by $620,500 each year. #idleg