Idaho
Idaho's county clerks deserve our respect.
We sometimes hear Idaho’s County Clerks spoken of dismissively as mere clerks– low-level functionaries just there to carry out the orders of county commissioners. Those dismissive individuals might be surprised to learn that elected Clerks are the heart and soul of most counties in the Gem State. Idaho law says they serve as clerk of the courts in their county, as well as ex officio auditor, recorder and county commission clerk.
When I started practicing law in Jerome in 1973, it did not take long to learn how much influence the Clerk had over county business. The Clerk, Virginia Ricketts, was the institutional memory for the commission board, helping it to avoid legal pitfalls while guiding it to efficiently perform important county functions. In addition, she oversaw the maintenance of county records, recording of property documents, auditing of county records and operating the courts in the county.
Virginia’s staff was invaluable in providing copies of public documents that a young lawyer could use as a guide in drafting papers for clients–something law schools did not teach. Other Magic Valley Clerks were similarly helpful, both to lawyers and the general public. And, so it is today in Idaho’s 44 counties.
Another important responsibility of the elected Clerks is to oversee elections in the county. When I took office as Attorney General in 1983, I learned that Idaho’s elected Clerks were doing an outstanding job of administering elections. They still do so to this very day–running elections efficiently and honestly. Indeed, the Clerk who ran the largest county voting operation, Phil McGrane, was recognized for the excellent job he did by being elected as Idaho Secretary of State in 2022. He had the support of hundreds of county officials who were familiar with the high quality of his work.
During the Secretary of State campaign, one of Phil’s opponents in the GOP primary, Dorothy Moon, made a raft of unfounded claims regarding the integrity of Idaho elections. In 2021 she had given credibility to claims of fraud peddled by an out-of-state pillow merchant. Those claims were quickly debunked by grownups. Moon’s claims of election fraud in Idaho fell flat, except with her committed base of election deniers. When she was unable to show any instances of election irregularities, she made the preposterous claim that Canadians were trooping over the border to vote in Idaho.
Moon’s election denial and false fraud claims helped her to lose the primary race for Secretary of State, although she came frighteningly close (43.07% to 41.41%) because of a three-way race. Extremist Republicans rewarded Moon by making her head of the State GOP. Who said losers never prosper?
Moon’s incredible misconduct has cast an undeserved shadow over Idaho’s competent, largely non-political County Clerks. Most Idahoans can see through her unfounded claims of fraud, but some of the mud from an accomplished mudslinger always sticks.
Now the GOP boss is slinging mud at the Open Primaries Initiative, which will open up Idaho’s elections to allow all voters to participate. The initiative is a direct threat to the stranglehold that Moon and her acolytes have gained over access to legislative positions in Idaho. Extremists can win primaries against reasonable, traditional Republican candidates with as little as 8.8% of the registered voters in a legislative district. The party bosses know the initiative will destroy their monopoly of power.
Among other false claims, Moon contends that election officials, our County Clerks, will not be capable of running efficient, fraud-free elections under the ranked-choice system. She knowingly slanders the ability of these dedicated public servants. In the words of Chris Rich, who served 13 years as Chief Deputy to the Ada County Clerk and then 8 more years as elected Clerk, “Idaho election officials will be able to honestly and accurately tabulate the election results under the initiative. Given the appropriate tools, the Clerks can manage most any election. We are every bit as capable as the election officials in Alaska and Maine, both of which have ranked-choice voting.” Idaho’s elected Clerks are completely capable of performing this work, just like every other task they are called upon to perform. Ignorant slurs will not stand in the way. Give them your respect.
Jim Jones is a Vietnam combat veteran who served 8 years as Idaho Attorney General (1983-1991) and 12 years as a Justice on the Idaho Supreme Court (2005-2017). His columns are collected at JJCommonTater.com.
Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, testifies before the House Judiciary Rules & Administration Committee on Feb. 27, 2025 about HB 322. Watch the House and Senate hearings for the bill in the video above. | Courtesy Idaho Legislature
BOISE – A bill aimed at increasing salaries for Idaho judges passed the 2025 Legislature.
HB 322 was signed into law by Gov. Brad Little on March 28 after passing the House and the Senate. It passed the House on March 3 with 57 in favor, 13 opposed. The Senate voted in favor of the bill on March 21, with 26 in favor and eight opposed.
The bill increased yearly salaries for magistrate, district, appellate and supreme court judges by $17,000. That amount represents a minimum 10% salary increase for judges at all levels in Idaho. Beginning July 1, annual salaries for magistrate judges in Idaho, according to the bill’s statement of purpose, will be $164,508. District judge salaries will increase to $172,508. Idaho appellate judges will make $178,508 a year and state supreme court justices will make $186,508.
Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa — who is an attorney by profession — co-sponsored the bill with Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello — who owns a law firm in Pocatello. Sen. Todd Lakey, R-Nampa — who is also an attorney — was the bill’s third sponsor.
Sen. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, a private practice attorney, worked behind the scenes to introduce the legislation. He tells EastIdahoNews.com he’s pleased to see the bill become law.
“It wasn’t as much as we wanted, but it was a solid increase,” Ruchti says.
RELATED | Local lawmaker working on bill aimed at raising salaries for Idaho judges
During a press conference in January, Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice G. Richard Bevan called upon the legislature to raise salaries for judges statewide. The original amount he was proposing was an increase from $169,508 to $215,000 for supreme court justices, and an increase in district judge’s annual salaries from $155,508 to $201,000.
Ruchti says the $17,000 increase was an amount reached through compromise.
“The amount (the supreme court) had recommended was just too much to get the legislature to agree to it,” Ruchti explains. “They picked a number that was a significant increase, but not everything we wanted.”
Skaug and the other sponsors of the bill are planning to revisit the legislation during the 2026 Legislative session to try and increase salaries again.
A decreasing number of judge applicants in recent years was the driving force behind the legislation, along with dwindling retention for those positions. The goal of the bill was to make salaries more competitive in hopes of recruiting and retaining candidates.
Data about judicial compensation shows Idaho currently ranks near the bottom nationwide. The new law will make Idaho more competitive with neighboring states.
“I’m really pleased we were able to do something this year for our judges,” Ruchti says. “If we don’t increase their compensation, we’re going to lose more and more judges and we’re going to have a tougher time recruiting judges to apply.”
In January, Ruchti noted the judicial system affects every aspect of residents’ lives and the system falls apart without quality judges.
“It’s a tough job and you don’t want just anybody sitting in that seat,” he said.
The total annual fiscal impact for this increase in salary and associated benefits, according to the bill’s statement of purpose, is more than $3.8 million. It will come from the state general fund.
Watch the House and Senate hearings for the bill in the video above.
=htmlentities(get_the_title())?>%0D%0A%0D%0A=get_permalink()?>%0D%0A%0D%0A=htmlentities(‘For more stories like this one, be sure to visit https://www.eastidahonews.com/ for all of the latest news, community events and more.’)?>&subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20EastIdahoNews” class=”fa-stack jDialog”>
A federal magistrate judge is expected to hear arguments Tuesday morning in a lawsuit brought by three news organizations that say Idaho prison officials are unconstitutionally hiding parts of lethal injection executions from public view.
The Associated Press, East Idaho News and The Idaho Statesman filed the lawsuit against the director of the Idaho Department of Correction in December. They are asking U.S. Magistrate Judge Debora K. Grasham to temporarily stop the state from restricting media witnesses from viewing the actual injection of lethal chemicals in any executions that may occur before the lawsuit is resolved.
Prison officials say there are important safety and security reasons for keeping some details secret, like the source and type of lethal injection drugs and the identities of execution team members.
Former Idaho Department of Correction Director Josh Tewalt and other prison officials have told lawmakers in the past that anything threatening the confidentiality of execution team members or the source of the state’s execution drugs could put Idaho’s ability to carry out capital punishment at risk, in part because it would be difficult to find qualified volunteers willing to put someone to death.
But the news organizations contend the public has a First Amendment right to witness the entire execution process, including when execution team members push the lethal injection medications into the IV lines connected to a condemned person. Idaho’s prison officials have kept that part of the execution concealed behind screens or walls in each of the three executions completed in the last 50 years.
Media witnesses can already see other execution team members, though their identities are concealed by medical masks and head coverings.
Idaho has attempted four lethal injection executions since the 1970s. Three of them were completed, but the most recent attempt, involving Thomas Eugene Creech, was aborted last year after execution team members were unable to successfully establish an IV line after eight attempts in Creech’s arms and legs.
Lawmakers passed a new law this year that will make firing squads the state’s primary method of execution, starting next year.
Idaho
Idaho video store owner creates personalized movie section for longtime customer with Down syndrome
At the last remaining video store in Pocatello, Idaho, the curtains have closed after more than 30 years, but owner David Kraning found a way to keep a crucial service going for his most loyal customer.
Christina Cavanaugh, who has Down syndrome and is mostly non-verbal, has rented a movie from The Video Stop every day for the past 20 years, often the same titles at the same time each afternoon.
“She doesn’t ask for very much, she asks for very little, so when she does express herself, I try and accommodate her,” said Toni Cavanaugh, Christina’s mother.
CBS News
Though Christina’s family owns most of the movies she rents, the routine of visiting the store and checking out films is essential to her well-being.
“She’ll only watch them if they’re from the video store,” Toni explained with a laugh. “I think it’s comforting.”
When financial realities forced Kraning to close The Video Stop, he faced a dilemma about how to break the news to Christina.
“Last year, just looking at the financials, it wasn’t sustainable to try and keep the video store going,” Kraning said. “This was one of my first jobs and I remember back in high school, her bringing her daughter in, getting the movies.”
CBS News
Instead of simply shutting down, Kraning, who also owns the convenience store next door, created “Christina’s Corner” — a special section with shelving and a display of DVDs designed to look like the video store experience she was accustomed to.
“That somebody would do something so kind, for her specifically like that — he wasn’t thinking about anything else except her. That’s huge,” said Toni.
Christina still arrives around 3:30 p.m. daily, selects a movie from Christina’s Corner, and checks it out herself at the register. Before leaving, she gives a gesture that powerfully communicates her gratitude.
Toni says Pocatello has been the ideal community for raising Christina.
“The people here treat her like family — especially Dave and his team, who continue to prioritize her needs despite business challenges,” she said.
David Begnaud loves uncovering the heart of every story and will continue to do so, highlighting everyday heroes and proving that there is good news in the news with his exclusive “CBS Mornings” series “Beg-Knows America.” Every Monday, get ready for moments that will make you smile or even shed a tear. Do you have a story about an ordinary person doing something extraordinary for someone else? Email David and his team at DearDavid@cbsnews.com
Where Alabama basketball finished in final AP top 25 poll of 2024-25 season
Alaska Humanities Forum sounds alarm over targeting of federal funding by DOGE
University of Arizona’s new president goes back to his roots to fill vacant provost job
Arkansas basketball ranked No. 20 in final AP Poll
Rare virus behind death of Gene Hackman’s wife kills 3 in California
-
Movie Reviews1 week agoVeera Dheera Sooran Review: Impactful But Drags
-
Technology1 week agoThe FAA hiding private jet details might not stop celebrity jet trackers
-
News1 week ago‘No Cake, No Entry’: More Than 1,000 Picnic to Celebrate the Love of Cake
-
News6 days agoNYC Mayor Eric Adams' corruption case is dismissed
-
News6 days agoSupreme Court Rules Against Makers of Flavored Vapes Popular With Teens
-
Technology1 week agoWe went to 10 anti-Tesla protests — and a couple counter protests, too
-
News1 week agoTrump Says He’s ‘Not Joking’ About Seeking a Third Term in Defiance of Constitution
-
Politics6 days agoFBI flooded with record number of new agent applications in Kash Patel's first month leading bureau