Betsy Z. Russell

This is my last post here, but starting Monday, I’ll be blogging at idahopress.com/eyeonboise in my new position as Boise bureau chief and state capital reporter for the Idaho Press-Tribune and Adams Publishing Group. This blog – with its full archives going back to 2004 – will remain online, and I hope you’ll find it a valuable resource...

When six GOP candidates for Idaho’s open 1st District congressional seat faced off in the “Idaho Debates” last week, much of the fireworks – and the humor – came in the closing statements. First, Rep. Christy Perry, R-Nampa, lit into rivals Russ Fulcher and David Leroy...

Candidates flock to race for open Idaho congressional seat; link to my full story

An open seat in Congress, as current Rep. Raul Labrador steps down to run for governor, has drawn a whopping 10 candidates to the primary election ballot – and poses a big challenge for Idaho voters to sort through as they prepare to make their picks on May 15.

When six GOP candidates for Idaho’s open 1st District congressional seat faced off in the “Idaho Debates” last week, much of the fireworks – and the humor – came at the end, in the closing statements.

U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, has admitted to federal election officials that he used a lobbyist-owned Washington, D.C., townhouse 81 times over a four-year period at no cost, including as recently as February. The new details from Crapo's re-election and leadership committees came in a response to a Federal Election Commission inquiry...

On tonight’s “Idaho Reports” on Idaho Public Television, I join host Melissa Davlin to discuss the events of the week with Idaho Statesman reporter Cynthia Sewell, Idaho EdNews reporter Kevin Richert, and Idaho Reports producer Seth Ogilvie. There are also clips from the four final...

Sandpoint High alum Luke Mayville sparked Medicaid initiative effort; link to my full story

Luke Mayville was a junior at Sandpoint High School when the 9/11 attacks happened in September of 2001, and his English teacher, Marianne Love, encouraged the quiet, high-performing student to read his essay on the attacks in front of a school assembly just a few days later.

After years of gathering annually at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise to decry “fire borrowing” – the situation in which the Forest Service, each year, shifts millions from other programs when the costs to fight the West’s escalating wildfires balloons, thereby cutting prevention efforts meant to reduce that trend – a bipartisan group of congressmen and top agency officials had a different tone when they gathered at NIFC on Wednesday: celebration.

Former Idaho Rep. Kathy Sims is vowing to fight her removal from the ballot for failing to be a registered voter in her new district for a year before the election; but for now, she's off – unless she gets a judge to rule otherwise.

After years of gathering annually at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise to decry “fire borrowing” – the situation in which the Forest Service, each year, shifts millions from other programs when the costs to fight the West’s escalating wildfires balloons, thereby cutting prevention...

Governor candidate endorsed by national progressives, but not her fellow Idaho lawmakers

Idaho gubernatorial candidate Paulette Jordan labeled her Democratic challenger A.J. Balukoff as out of touch in their second and final televised debate on Monday. The 38-year-old Jordan's attack stemmed from 71-year-old Balukoff's promise to work toward eliminating the gender wage gap in Idaho — an issue that has become a priority for the Boise...