I thought things would settle down a bit after last week's Idaho Public Charter Schools Commission meeting, especially after reporter Mike Butts and I sat down for an hour Wednesday, Nov. 11, with Erik Makrush, new Nampa Classical Academy board member and public relations chairman. Makrush answered several questions and assured us that the board was making necessary changes to smooth the rough...read more

Several parents have written support letters for Nampa Classical Academy. A few parents have expressed concerns. You can read them here.

The acting chairman for the charter board of directors refuses to provide information concerning a class where a religious document may have been used. Here's the story.

The Idaho Press-Tribune has obtained documentation that the Idaho Public...read more

Usually after an election, the only activity we see is campaign sign removal and a few "thank you" for "electing me" letters.

But it's as if the election isn't over. Wednesday morning, the county commissioners started talking about the next jail bond election in May. And the opponents are already asking "Are you kidding me?" questions.

Christy Perry, small business...read more

You probably don't have time to read all the comments we get on the different stories we publish. But I just wanted to share a couple of clever ones — the kind that make you LOL (laugh out loud) no matter what your own personal point of view is.

Here's what one person said today after we posted a story that says Canyon County Commissioners ponder another jail bond in the spring....read more

Something isn't right in Canyon County. Five resignations within a couple of days raises all kinds of red flags. But nobody is talking.

Here's the deal: Four Planning and Zoning commissioners have or will resign, citing a variety of personal reasons. The moves follow Friday's resignation of Canyon County's development director, Wayne Forrey.

Jeffrey Hess, who had served as chairman...read more

For past stories and links connect back to this blog post.

NCA statement.

Don't miss today's news story about the resignation of three more board members and the parent rep for Nampa Classical Academy charter school.

The newly founded charter, located on Smith Avenue in Nampa, opened its doors in September with more than 500 students. But since then, seven board members and...read more

I want to give a big kudos to the newsroom staff for its election coverage. It's always exciting to hang out on Election Night in a newsroom and watch the results trickle in.

This seems to be a pretty predictable election. But it always taxes us to the limit and we always push the deadline.

Looks like voters pretty much split in the same two races that the Idaho Press-Tribune did. Given their...read more

With just two days until the election, there's always the mad rush to get everything in the paper and on the Web so we can give you the information you want to decide who gets your vote on Tuesday.

I want to thank all the candidates for their participation in our pre-election process. Without them meeting deadlines and taking the issues seriously, you wouldn't have much to evaluate. I know...read more

Erik C. Makrush, a newly appointed board member to the Nampa Classical Academy, has been appointed chairman of the Public Relations Committee. It was issued Sunday night. I'm sharing it here, unedited.

— Vickie

Nampa Classical Academy looking forward to addressing Public Charter School Commission on November 12th.

Nampa Classical Academy's school board is taking proactive measures...read more

Do you think someone decided that Election Day should be a few days after Halloween because we usually see all the skeletons come out of candidate closets by the 31st of October?

I don't think I've ever thought about it that way, but this has been a spooky election season. Or maybe it's just been spooky for me because I've been at the office really late almost every night for the...read more

Here's the audio to the Tuesday night board meeting for Nampa Classical Academy. The founders appointed three new members — all parents of children who attend the academy. Reporter Jon Meyer attended the meeting and wrote this story.Jon also took this photo of the new board members. They are:

Left: Erik Makrush.

Center: Terrence LaMasters.

Right: James Lorenzen.

For a very...read more

I'm sharing this letter that was sent by "Michael T. Moffett," the acting chairman of the Nampa Classical Academy.

He shares some important information. Please let me know if you have any information that confirms or contradicts the statements made here. You can reach me at vholbrook@idahopress.com

In Wednesday's paper read and watch on this blog for:

• Coverage of tonight's board meeting where apparently new board members will be selected.
• An update of the Idaho Public School Charter Commission and the questions it has posed to Nampa Classical Academy.

Dear...read more

The Nampa Classical Academy plans to choose new board members tonight. According to the charter school's bylaws, the founding members will choose new members for the board of directors. The charter may have five to seven voting members. Two voting board members resigned earlier this month because they have concerns with two of the founding members: twin brothers Isaac and Mike Moffett.

Other...read more

If only we could turn back time. How many times have you wished you could rewind and take back something you said or did?

Nampa City Council candidate Bob Henry wishes he had not said at a public meeting last week that he had to lie to respond to a survey concerning the future of Sunny Ridge Elementary.

We had a reporter at the meeting and we listened to an audio recording. It wasn't reported within the story from the meeting....read more

Correction: Mike Moffett was vice chair for the school board and is acting chairman at this time.

After several years of unanswered questions that have been raised about some Idaho charter schools, I applaud the Idaho Charter Commission for taking bold steps and asking for heaps of information from the newly founded Nampa Classical Academy. It's a gutsy move. The Charter Commission's...read more