Data centers may sway midterm voters + New rail coming to PNW + Column: Key strategies for effective wildfire funding

By Christina Lords | Editor-in-Chief

“The people that say AI is going to destroy the World, and that Data Centers are bad for your neighborhood, are the same people that said, just a short time ago, that the World would be extinguished by ‘Climate Change.’” - President Donald Trump, in a Truth Social post

Alabamans hold up signs that read “No Data Center” at a County Commission meeting on Aug. 24, 2026, in Hayneville, Alabama, in the Lowndes County Courthouse. (Photo by Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)

ELECTION 2026

Trump likes data centers. Congress seems stuck. The midterms could deliver a verdict.

By David Lightman

The rare 2026 issue that draws huge support from Republicans and Democrats in Congress is the same one that’s mobilized many Americans: restrictions on giant data centers.

The House has overwhelmingly passed legislation forcing state regulators to consider requirements that data centers absorb the cost of the electricity they use.

But there’s more to be done, say data center critics, and they’re finding there is no easy or even obvious answer about what to do next.

Leave it to state and local governments to decide whether and how the centers should function? Should their size be restricted? Should they be banned altogether?

The future of data centers has become a flashpoint in this year’s congressional races. It’s woven into the debate about affordability, artificial intelligence and corporate influence on government.

A sleek new Amtrak Cascades train passed through the Willamette Valley in July on a test run. Regular service with this next-generation train model begins in Washington and Oregon on Sept. 30. (Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Transportation)

TRANSPORTATION

Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet

By Tom Banse

The state-supported Amtrak Cascades line serves eighteen cities from Vancouver, Canada, to Eugene, Oregon, including Bellingham, Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia and Portland.

Wildland crews implement firing operations to remove unburned vegetation between a fire’s edge and containment lines on the 2026 Three Queens Fire in Washington. (Photo courtesy of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest)

COMMENTARY

Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Washington show key strategies for effective wildfire funding

By Emily Strasburg

Suppression is essential, but preparedness and mitigation can reduce the severity of future fires, writes guest columnist Emily Strasburg.

MORE NATIONAL NEWS FROM US

Trump administration faces second lawsuit to block ICE agents at polls | Ariana Figueroa

ICYMI: OUR TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK

Idaho’s prisons are full. Corrections agency will request $45.3 million to open 3 new facilities. | Laura Guido
As Idaho extends slim budgets and feds shift stance, disability care may face cuts, advocates worry | Kyle Pfannenstiel
Idaho District 2 congressional candidates say they’re worried about high cost of living | Laura Guido
Idaho state revenue exceeds forecast for July and August | Clark Corbin
Idaho congressional candidate pleads guilty to possession of child sex abuse material | Laura Guido
Rare wolverine documented in Idaho’s central mountains | Clark Corbin
Idaho minister found guilty of trespassing at a protest of anti-trans bills to serve no jail time | Kyle Pfannenstiel
Lava Hot Springs to serve as Idaho’s ‘Capital for a Day’ with Gov. Little, state officials | Kyle Pfannenstiel
Top insurance official recommends task force for studying Idaho’s most critical healthcare issues | Kyle Pfannenstiel

ICYMI

Shining a light on other Idaho politics reporting

Note: Some links may lead to stories behind a news organization's paywall

BoiseDev: Sun Valley visitors could pay more if they stay in Ketchum, if voters approve
Idaho EdNews: What can we expect from the U of I search? Secrecy, for starters.
East Idaho News: Emergency preparedness fair to be held Saturday at ISU
High Country News: Ranch manager tied to top Trump appointee started 5,600-acre Idaho wildfire

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