Politics & Legislation
Parental Choice Tax Credit Bill – Idaho’s Parental Choice Tax Credit Bill awaits Governor Brad Little’s decision today. The bill offers tax credits for private school tuition, sparking debate. Supporters argue it expands school choice, while critics fear it could drain public school funds.
Community College Tuition Cap – Magic Valley legislators are backing a bill to increase the community college tuition cap to boost funding for the College of Southern Idaho. CSI President Dean Fisher testified that more funding is needed to raise staff pay and expand capacity.
Absentee Voting Restrictions – A bill restricting absentee voting stalled in an Idaho House committee yesterday. The proposal would limit absentee ballots to specific reasons, such as military service, illness, or work. Critics argue it would create unnecessary voting barriers.
Vocational Rehabilitation Budget Shortfall – Idaho’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation is under scrutiny over a multi-million-dollar budget shortfall. Lawmakers are considering a $2.7 million request to unlock federal funds, but questions remain about financial oversight.
Wind Turbine Excise Tax – Idaho lawmakers are considering a new excise tax on commercial wind turbines. The bill would require county voters to approve new wind projects or trigger a tax of $25,000 per foot of turbine height.
Local News
Train Collision in Jerome – A white pickup truck collided with a train on Main Street near the I-84 on-ramp around 2:30 p.m. yesterday. No injuries were reported, but the road was briefly closed.
Governor Celebrates LAUNCH Program – Governor Brad Little declared March as “LAUNCHing Idaho’s Workforce Month” to celebrate the success of the LAUNCH program. The initiative boosted college and workforce training enrollments, including a 25% increase in the Magic Valley. Little’s plan invests $25 million in the program.
Ketchum Halts Worker Housing Project – Plans for 66 worker housing units in downtown Ketchum have been halted due to high costs and parking concerns. Residents pushed for a public garage, but adding one would cost $21 million. Business owners feared losing key parking spaces.
Federal News
Sawtooth National Recreation Area Layoffs – Federal job cuts have impacted Idaho’s Sawtooth National Recreation Area, where 43% of employees were laid off—16 of 37 staff. The U.S. Department of Agriculture terminated 2,000 probationary, non-firefighting Forest Service employees nationwide, citing Trump-era efficiency directives. Essential safety positions will be preserved, but local agencies declined to comment on personnel matters.
Sports
Magic Valley High School Championships –
5A – The Twin Falls Bruins edged the Minico Spartans 51-49 in a best-of-three series, claiming their first championship since 2015. Sophomore Trey Billings scored 25 points, while junior Ty Hess added 16. Minico played without injured big man Jayden McKenzie. 4A – The Filer Wildcats rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to beat Kimberly 63-57, securing their second straight Sawtooth Central Idaho Championship. 3A – The Wendell Trojans captured the South East Idaho title with a 55-39 win over Soda Springs at American Falls High—their first district crown in over a decade—while already clinching a state tournament berth. 1A – The Dietrich Blue Devils exploded in the third quarter to defeat Carey 72-50, winning the Sawtooth Conference title for the first time since 2021.
Additional Scores: Jerome 61 – 52 Burley (5A) – Jerome will face Minico on Friday for a state tournament spot. Camas County 39 – 33 Richfield (1A) – Camas will play Carey today in a play-in game.
Boise State Men’s Basketball – Boise State dominated Utah State 82-65 last night at ExtraMile Arena, securing their 12th 20-win season under Coach Leon Rice. Tyson Degenhart led with 21 points, Andrew Meadow added 17, and Alvaro Cardenas had 16 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. Up next, the Broncos visit Fresno State on Saturday at 5 p.m. MT.
Boise State Women’s Basketball – The Broncos fell to UNLV 83-53 last night at Cox Pavilion. Boise State (16-13, 6-10 MW) struggled with turnovers (17 total) and were outshot 48.4% to 32.1%. Natalie Pasco led with 12 points, while Dani Bayes added 11. Their final road game is against Air Force on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Idaho Vandals Women’s Basketball – The Vandals (17-9, 9-6) face Idaho State (11-15, 6-9) tonight in Pocatello. First-year head coach Arthur Moreira has built one of the nation’s top defensive and rebounding teams. Olivia Nelson, fresh off a career-high 31 points, leads the offense. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
Weather
Today: Sunny, high near 53°F. East-northeast wind 5-9 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, low 29°F. East wind 5-8 mph.
Friday: Sunny, high near 54°F. East wind 5-7 mph. Friday Night: Mostly clear, low 30°F. East wind around 7 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, high near 55°F. East-northeast wind 6-9 mph. Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, low 33°F.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, high near 55°F.
Sunday Night: 30% chance of rain and snow showers, mostly cloudy, low 35°F.
Monday: 50% chance of rain and snow showers, mostly cloudy, high 46°F. Monday Night: 30% chance of rain and snow showers, mostly cloudy, low 33°F.
Tuesday: 30% chance of rain and snow showers, partly sunny, high 45°F. Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, low 31°F.
Wednesday: 30% chance of rain and snow showers, partly sunny, high 48°F.
