The Ranch Podcast

Robert Simison is the mayor of Meridian, Idaho, and came in to speak on a levy that will hit the ballot this November. Up for decision is a levy to fund police, fire, and in house prosecution teams in Meridian. As a city, Meridian is the population growth hub of Idaho, and as such this has stained its resources and capacity to continue providing the same level of service to its citizens. There are...

Jack Hurty is the Salmon and Steelhead coordinator for the Idaho Outfitter and Guide Association. The Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association is a statewide trade organization that represents, supports, and advocates for licensed outfitters and guides to promote safe, sustainable outdoor recreation and tourism in Idaho. Idaho’s public lands and waterways are the fertile earth that grow and support...

Richard McPherson is a world leading authority on Nuclear Technology. In Episode 5 of the American Nuclear series, we discuss the plight of three different states: California, Hawaii, and Idaho. California and Hawaii have some of the most expensive power in the country, and as Richard explains, this was no accident. There are also clear examples of the US political machine selling out American ind...

Matt Clifford is the Sheriff of Ada County and came on to speak about a number of issues. There is a large concern that the Ada County Sheriff’s office is somehow functioning in a different manner than usual with regard to immigration and ICE issues, or with the recent flag issue, and Sheriff Clifford came in and spoke to these concerns. He is also hosting a fundraising golf tournament coming up t...

McKinsey Lyon works for Perpetua Resources and works to explain the plight that the United States is in with its critical minerals. Currently, the US relies on a number of other countries for roughly 50 critical minerals that are vital to either our economic or defense abilities, and some of these countries, like China, have started halting the sale of these critical minerals to the US. We have en...

Rev. Bill Roscoe is the President/CEO of Boise Rescue Mission Ministries and has served the Treasure Valley’s homeless population for decades. Rev. Roscoe provides beds, meals, and help 365 days a year and has never run out of beds. The Rescue Mission does, however, prohibit the use of drugs and other illicit substances while residents stay at the mission, a position that has drawn much criticism...

Andy Creech is the Sheriff in Payette County, Idaho, and came in to speak about the upcoming vote on building a new jail. The existing jail was originally built in the 1970s and then expanded roughly 20+ years ago. The Sheriff’s office at this point is being forced to release low level felons on pre-trial release because they have nowhere to house them, an action that both makes the community less...

Nate Shellman is the station manager and news talk host at KBOI. He and I had a conversation with zero redemptive value. Enjoy. The Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the Treasure Valley and great state of Idaho. The Boise area is home to many counties and ways of life. It’s also home to many law enforcement agencies, like Ada County and Canyon county...

Ed Lodge is the President of Idaho’s Public Utility Commission and came in to talk about the recent rate increase case with Idaho Power, the nature of rate cases, the considerations, and how the PUC works to protect Idahoans. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media.  The Ranch Podcast is the prem...

Zach Hanson is a best selling author and recently published The Trade Gap: Break the rules, Learn a skill, Own your future. Zach experienced what many white collar professionals have and was laid off from his AI based job and wasn’t able to easily replace his employment. In the interim, he was able to provide for his family with skills he had developed slowly over years of trapping and hunting. In...

Dr. Frostie White has spent the last four decades in the American Nuclear Power industry, working in every aspect of the industry. She came in to shed light on the soft barriers to introducing more nuclear power in Idaho and America. Spoiler alert: the barriers are not technology, safety, or capacity. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organizati...

John Wagner is the director of Idaho National Labs, the birthplace of American commercial nuclear power. INL is responsible for turning on the first light bulb with nuclear derived energy, and that legacy continues today. This presidential administration is pushing hard for nuclear energy as the next great energy boom in America, and INL needs Idahoans both young and old to understand what an incr...

Celeste Bolin is the Executive Director of One Stone High School, a project based, student-led private school in the Treasure Valley. One Stone focuses on many core principals that run counter to standard public education, and specifically focuses on community creation and integration. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to...

Caleb DeGroot is a multigeneration Idaho Dairy producer at Sunview Dairy. He graciously took me on a huge tour of the entire operation. We spoke about diet, milking, transport, testing, and many other things that actually blew my mind. The vision of dairy that I had understood from other media sources, I came to find out, is all wrong. I greatly appreciate Caleb for showing me how they produce inc...

Dr. Justin Brink is the proprietor at Premier Spine and Sport in Eagle. He is also on the Treasure Valley masters water polo team that won the championship game at the Rigby tournament for the second year in a row. He also helps me with my trash back. We had too much fun on this one. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to un...

Debbie Kling is the Mayor of Nampa, Idaho, and came in to speak on a myriad of topics including growth, long term development projects, the Ford Idaho center, and more. She is electing to not run for re-election and leaves big shoes to be filled. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media.  The Ranc...

Janie Ward-Engelking is an Idaho state senator on JFAC. We spoke earlier in the year about her concerns regarding the tax relief and Idaho’s capacity to fulfill its financial obligations. Now Idaho finds itself in a situation where departments are being asked to make cuts and hold back funding to ensure any shortfall in revenue can be dealt with. We also touched on the public education and the vou...

Cally Younger is the Administrator for the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources in Idaho. She recently came in to speak on the enormous energy rate increase that many Idahoans are about to absorb, our current energy options, and mining in Idaho. Chalk this one up to another show and guest that kind of blew my mind. Fun fact: The USA cannot make bullets and ammunition for our defense services wit...

Richard McPherson is a world leading authority on Nuclear Technology. In Episode 3 of the American Nuclear series, we discuss the progress America has made since the start of the first nuclear power plant, Shipping Port. It only took the US three years to build and turn on the plant. Now it takes nearly two decades. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit m...

Mike Simpson is the District 2 US Congressman to Idaho and came in to speak about Nuclear Power & Water in Idaho. The current administration has issued executive orders to engage nuclear power in our country on a historic level, and Idaho National Labs is at the forefront of that project. Water, of course, is a huge piece of that conversation and is also THE vital resource for our ag based eco...

Susie Keller is the CEO of the Idaho Medical Association and came in to speak on the recently released JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) report on the continued slide of women’s health access in Idaho. Since the Roe V Wade repeal, Idaho went from having 268 OB/GYNs in the state to losing 114 and was only able to recruit 20 to the state for a net loss of 94. There was hope that the...

Shannon McGuire is the executive producer of the Potato Movie, a love song for Idaho, as she puts it. Shannon moved to Idaho almost two decades ago from an inner city in California and has not only embraced and been embraced by Idaho, but also struggled with understanding the story that is told about this incredible state everywhere else. She worked to create a film that helps people better unders...

Jeff Carlson is an Education Tech specialist and came in to speak on the value of having a Student Longitudinal Data Set in Idaho. An SLDS would allow policy makers in Idaho to better understand the complete picture of funds spent by the Idaho government on an individual 0-18 years old and better enhance or restrict funding based on efficacy and life outcomes. It’s a fascinating idea that is alrea...

Jacob Silvester is a practicing attorney and works with medical contract law across the country. There has been much discussion in recent times about non-competes in Idaho and their effect on attracting qualified medical professionals to our state. Jacob came in to shed light on the good, the bad, and the ugly from where he sits. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation,...

Brandon Woolf is the Idaho State Controller, one of the five constitutional officers on the land board, and the driving force behind the Transparent Idaho site. The state controller is in charge of monitoring millions of transaction points, and as such is ground zero for anyone looking to double check the spending of the Idaho state government. The access to this information that controller Woolf...