6.24.2026 - Election Panic Talk | D91 Infighting | Property Tax Reboot INTERVIEW: Paul Haacke, Julie Nawrocki

6.24.2026 - Election Panic Talk | D91 Infighting | Property Tax Reboot INTERVIEW: Paul Haacke, Julie Nawrocki

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2390029/fan_mail/new] Neal Larson and Julie Mason dug into the ongoing tension inside Idaho Falls School District 91—starting with this year’s teacher contract talks and widening into a broader conversation about trust, transparency, and leadership. Former IFEA leader Julie Nawrocki joined the show to explain how negotiations moved from “everything’s going well” to a sudden push toward mediation, and why that shift—especially when money talks go behind closed doors—creates suspicion among teachers and patrons. D91 Vice Chair Paul Haacke countered with the board’s math: state funding was essentially frozen, the district faced a major health insurance cost jump it chose to absorb (about $1.4 million), and the union’s initial 5% proposal felt disconnected from what was actually available. From there, the discussion turned to a growing Change.org petition calling for a no-confidence vote in Superintendent Karla LaOrange. Nawrocki described what she sees as concrete transparency and communication breakdowns (including schedule changes tied to “minutes” calculations that staff say were never clearly documented, and district documents temporarily disappearing during a software transition). Haacke agreed transparency matters, explained why some processes limit board involvement (especially investigations and appeals), and emphasized that D91 also has real wins—improving graduation rates and test scores, a strong CTE pipeline, and disciplined budgeting. The show wrapped with Neal and Julie reflecting on how organizations get “stuck” in cycles of distrust, plus a spirited side conversation on Trump, election rhetoric double standards, New York’s lurch toward socialism, and whether Idaho can realistically replace property taxes with a sales tax increase. ## 2. Highlights - Julie Nawrocki says negotiations felt positive—until the district abruptly pushed toward mediation once financial proposals hit the table.   - Paul Haacke defends a “0% increase” position by pointing to frozen state funding and the district absorbing a $1.4M insurance increase.   - Debate over whether D91’s use of attorneys in bargaining is responsible stewardship—or a costly distraction from students.   - No-confidence petition specifics: alleged transparency gaps, unanswered emails, schedule changes, and concerns about retaliation/fear culture.   - Neal and Julie torch what they see as a double standard: 2020 “stolen election” claims were taboo, but 2028 “Trump will cancel elections” talk is mainstream.   - Property tax repeal talk: trading primary-residence property taxes for roughly a 1.5% sales tax increase—plus listener math on potential savings. Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms? You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing. Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today.

6.23.2027 - Blue M&Ms Gone? | Consumer Recalls | Idaho Politics Roundup

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2390029/fan_mail/new] Neal Larson and Julie Mason opened with a sobering update in the Nancy Guthrie case, after reports that a second ransom note suggests something “unexpected” happened and that she may have died—raising new questions about what’s real, what’s a scam, and why key details were held back for weeks. From there, the show moved into District 91’s latest turbulence, with Neal and Julie arguing the union-heavy dynamic has helped create a recurring cycle of conflict and public messaging—setting up tomorrow’s planned conversation with Julie Niroki from the teachers union for their side of the story. The rest of the morning mixed sharp political commentary with lighter, high-energy cultural talk. They reacted to viral National Mall vandalism (the reflecting pool liner damage and “86 47” carved into the grass), debated accountability and double standards, and contrasted that media obsession with what they described as underplayed bombshell claims around COVID origins and Fauci. They also dug into Idaho GOP platform momentum to curb or eliminate property taxes on primary residences, discussing tradeoffs like a possible sales tax increase. Finally, an interview replay with Pocatello IT leader Ollie Khan (Moat IT) walked through data centers, closed-loop cooling, power and water concerns, and why community-negotiated requirements could turn tech growth into local jobs—before the show wrapped with a surprisingly fun run of food news (barbecue philosophy, Mountain Dew donuts, and the possible disappearance of blue and brown M&Ms) and a practical consumer recall alert from Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador. ## 2. Highlights - A grim twist in the Nancy Guthrie case: a note claims she died and is “buried with nature,” prompting skepticism about ransom-note authenticity and law enforcement strategy. - District 91 negotiations blow up again—Neal and Julie argue the union dynamic fuels a pattern, and preview tomorrow’s interview with union leader Julie Niroki. - National Mall chaos: the reflecting pool liner gets a reported 250–300 foot gash, an Olympic canoeist is arrested, and Neal draws a straight line to “two can play at this game” sentencing standards. - Ollie Khan (Moat IT) breaks down data center realities: closed-loop water cooling, power infrastructure, and what “100 jobs” really means when you count downstream economic impact. - Idaho GOP platform push: Scott Herndon’s anti–property tax plank sparks a serious discussion about ending taxes on primary residences and the political pain of cutting spending. - Snack-and-culture detour: Kansas City vs. Texas BBQ, Mountain Dew donuts, and why blue/brown M&Ms may be headed for extinction. Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms? You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing. Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today.

6.22.2026 - Dorothy Moon Wins | Conservatives Divided | Ballot Fights Ahead

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2390029/fan_mail/new] Neal Larson and Julie Mason kick off the Monday show with a Father’s Day reflection, then pivot to a big weekend in Idaho politics: Dorothy Moon winning a third term as Idaho GOP chair (and congratulations to Julie Young for winning second vice chair unopposed). Neal and Julie spend meaningful time on what they see as a discouraging fracture among conservatives—less about core ideology and more about personality clashes, misread motives, and performative conflict amplified online. Their message is straightforward: cool it, stop threatening lawsuits and public infighting, and save the political energy for what they believe are the two biggest fights ahead—ballot initiatives related to abortion and marijuana. From there, the conversation widens to national media narratives and Democratic messaging. Neal critiques a CBS exchange involving Margaret Brennan and Mike Waltz, arguing the hostages discussion was used as a “micro-wound” against President Trump regardless of what’s happening behind the scenes. They also react to a Don Lemon/Kamala Harris clip about revisiting the Electoral College, calling it incoherent and hypocritical. The hour’s strongest throughline returns to Idaho: skepticism about “privacy” framing in the abortion initiative, concern that “medical marijuana” language often becomes a pathway to broad recreational use, and a warning that empathy-based politics can be used to sell policies with major cultural and downstream consequences. Listener calls add contrast—one libertarian argues legal drugs don’t mix with a welfare state, while another caller pushes back that many users are responsible adults—setting up a bigger debate Neal and Julie clearly expect to continue. ## 2. Highlights - Dorothy Moon wins a third term as Idaho GOP chair; Julie Young wins second vice chair unopposed—Neal and Julie urge unity ahead of November. - Neal and Julie call out the “adjacent conservative” civil war: personality-driven fighting that drains energy from abortion and marijuana ballot battles. - A sharp breakdown of the abortion initiative’s likely messaging: “privacy” and “22 weeks” framing versus fears it functionally opens the door to abortion through pregnancy. - The marijuana discussion gets specific: Neal questions why “medical marijuana” must be smoked if it’s truly medical—and warns about the “medical-to-recreational” pattern in other states. - Listener call: a libertarian argues legal marijuana + a welfare state equals taxpayer-funded dysfunction—“fix welfare first, then talk legalization.” - Neal and Julie blast Sunday-show media framing and react to a Don Lemon/Kamala Harris Electoral College exchange as word-salad and political theater. Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms? You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing. Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today.

6.19.2026 - Fireworks Finale | Idaho GOP Caucus Fight | S4C: Jill Rowberry - God Bless America

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2390029/fan_mail/new] Friday’s show had a little bit of everything: a big local announcement, some spicy Idaho GOP politics, and a much-needed patriotic reset. Neal and Julie talked through the news that this will be the final year for the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration fireworks at Snake River Landing, as development in the area makes the massive crowd increasingly hard to accommodate. They reflected on what a remarkable 34-year run it’s been, thanked Frank VanderSloot for the long-term investment in the community, and encouraged everyone to really savor this year’s show—especially with America 250 as the backdrop. From there, the conversation moved into Idaho Republican Party convention dynamics, including the contested chair race (Dorothy Moon challenged by Mark Fuller and Steve Thayn) and the increasingly serious push to replace the primary with a caucus system to curb “infiltration” and better align nominees with the party platform. Along the way: a lively (and often humorous) detour into the “hideous” Obama Presidential Center design, some listener back-and-forth on why so many people can’t get into soccer (even while still rooting for Team USA), and a standout Studio 4 performance with Jill Rowberry delivering a stirring “God Bless America.” Highlights: - The Melaleuca Freedom Celebration fireworks are happening this year—but Frank VanderSloot says it’s likely the final one at Snake River Landing as development tightens the space. - Studio 4 Covers: Jill Roberry returns with a powerful “God Bless America” for the America 250 season. - Neal and Julie dig into the Idaho GOP convention: chair race (Dorothy Moon vs. Mark Fuller vs. Steve Thayn) and the brewing caucus-versus-primary fight. - Flash poll results overwhelmingly favored trying a caucus system to curb crossover voting and better define Republican nominees. - The Obama Presidential Center gets roasted—Julie calls it a “dumpster,” and even left-leaning critics aren’t impressed with the architecture. - Listener calls/texts turn the World Cup into a comedy segment—low soccer enthusiasm overall, but a shared hope Team USA wins big. Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms? You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing. Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today.

6.18.2026 - Caucus vs Primary | Water Virtue Signaling | Iran Deal Reax

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2390029/fan_mail/new] Decision day at the U.S. Supreme Court had Neal Larson and Julie Mason glued to SCOTUSblog—only to get a couple of smaller rulings (including a narrow Second Amendment decision involving a marijuana user) while the big Idaho-adjacent cases everyone’s watching remain pending. That wait became a jumping-off point for a bigger frustration: how national media frames Idaho’s “protect girls and women in sports” case as “LGBTQ+ rights,” and how often adults’ interests get elevated above protecting kids—whether that’s in sports, bathrooms, or other cultural fights. From there, the show moved through a complicated Shelley story involving a child with sepsis and a parent refusing treatment (and the limits of “parental rights”), then into a classic Neal-and-Julie sidebar on drought, lawn watering, and virtue signaling—complete with a few laughs about miserable social media takes, vegans, and wildfires. The second hour turned sharply political with a deep dive into the Idaho GOP’s brewing internal fight over a potential caucus system, crossover voting, and whether party labels still mean what voters think they mean—plus a live listen-in to Vice President J.D. Vance on the Iran deal, which led to a surprisingly upbeat review of his tone and communication (even as Neal and Julie remained cautious about whether the agreement holds). ## 2. Highlights - Supreme Court decision day delivers a narrow Second Amendment ruling (marijuana use and gun rights), while the high-profile Idaho sports case stays unresolved.   - Neal and Julie unload on media framing: “protect girls and women in sports” getting labeled as “LGBTQ+ rights.”   - Shelley story sparks a careful but firm debate: parental rights matter—but not when a child’s life is at risk (sepsis case).   - “Stop watering your lawn” virtue signaling gets fact-checked, with a pointed argument that lawns are a tiny slice of total water use compared to agriculture.   - Idaho GOP tensions rise: caucus vs. primary, crossover voting, and the claim that some candidates won’t even sign on to the party platform.   - Live J.D. Vance remarks on the Iran deal—plus a moment of unexpected praise for his steadiness and humor under pressure. Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms? You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing. Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today.