NEWS
HIGHWAY 30 CRASH
A serious crash west of Buhl shut down Highway 30 for about five hours last night. State Police say a Mercedes rear-ended a utility vehicle, sending its 70-year-old Buhl driver to the hospital by air ambulance. The Mercedes driver suffered minor injuries. Neither wore a seatbelt.
MINICO SCHOOL ZONE
Drivers near Minico High School will soon see a 35-mile-an-hour speed limit. The change follows years of requests and an Idaho Transportation Department data review. Flashing school-zone signs are also planned to alert drivers when school is in session.
STATE GUN VOTE
Idaho could soon have an official state gun. On November third, voters will choose among six firearms in an advisory vote. The results won’t be binding—the Legislature would still need to act to make the designation official.
SCHOOL LEVIES
School funding is on the November ballot across the Magic Valley. Twin Falls is asking for 14-point-four million dollars, Jerome three-point-five million, and Buhl two-point-five million. Each request is a supplemental levy covering two years. Other districts have school funding measures on the ballot.
RESERVOIR LEVELS
Upper Snake River reservoirs were at nine percent of capacity in the Bureau of Reclamation’s September 21st report. American Falls was just three percent full, Palisades eleven percent, and Lake Walcott seventy percent. Those figures are provisional and subject to change.
PRESCRIBED BURN
Smoke near Elba-Oakley Pass is coming from a prescribed burn. About 80 fire personnel are managing the Stinson Creek project, targeting five-thousand acres. The Forest Service says smoke will be visible from the valley as crews work to reduce fuels and improve wildlife habitat.
GAS PRICES
Gas prices are climbing again this morning. AAA says regular averages five-oh-eight a gallon in Twin Falls. Idaho’s statewide average is four-ninety-nine, up thirteen cents in a week, putting Idaho seventh in the nation for the most expensive gas.
DAIRY WORKFORCE
Idaho dairy leaders say immigration enforcement could worsen worker shortages. Rick Naerebout with the Idaho Dairymen’s Association estimates ninety percent of the state’s dairy workers may lack legal status. He warns increased enforcement on farms could disrupt food production.
DATA CENTERS
Two proposed data centers could bring major development to southern Idaho. Copia’s project in Jerome, Lincoln and Gooding counties is entering environmental review. Meanwhile, the Rhea project south of Boise would cover more than 32-hundred acres of federal land and could become Idaho’s largest data center.
NUCLEAR CAMPUS
Forty-six Idaho lawmakers support bringing a nuclear innovation campus to the state, citing jobs and research opportunities. But hosting would require accepting spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. Opponents worry about the Snake Plain Aquifer. Governor Brad Little says protecting it is nonnegotiable.
UNIVERSITY RANKINGS
Idaho’s three largest universities made U.S. News and World Report’s 2027 college rankings. The University of Idaho placed 208th nationally, followed by Boise State at 229th and Idaho State at 382nd. The University of Idaho also ranked 23rd for best value. More than seventeen hundred colleges were evaluated.
TUESDAY SPORTS – SOCIAL MEDIA
SOCCER RESULTS
On the soccer field last night, Daniel Caliz scored the only goal as Buhl edged Bliss one to nothing. In other boys games, Gooding shut out Kimberly three to nothing, and Filer beat Declo six to two. For the girls, Declo held off Filer four to three, while Kimberly blanked Gooding two to nothing.
SOCCER SCHEDULE
On the soccer schedule, the girls take the field today, with Bliss visiting Buhl, Filer traveling to Declo, and unbeaten Kimberly putting its 12-and-oh record on the line at Gooding. All three games start at four. Tonight at six, Canyon Ridge heads to Pocatello to face Highland. Then, the boys are in action. Canyon Ridge hosts Madison at four, Burley welcomes Wood River at four-thirty, and Mountain Home visits Capital at six. Wood River comes into its matchup with an 11-and-2 record.
VOLLEYBALL RESULTS
Oakley volleyball earned its first conference win last night, beating Shoshone three sets to one. Kayzlie Beck led the Hornets with 48 assists. Elsewhere, Carey swept Camas County, Hagerman swept Glenns Ferry, Lighthouse Christian swept Hansen, and Castleford swept Wendell. Dietrich beat Richfield three to one, and Murtaugh topped Raft River by the same score.
VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE
Seven volleyball matches are on the local schedule tonight. Carey visits Camas County at six, with the Panthers coming in at 7-and-3. Everybody else gets started at seven. Wendell travels to Castleford, Hagerman heads to Glenns Ferry, and Lighthouse Christian hosts Hansen. Murtaugh visits Raft River, Dietrich plays at Richfield, and Oakley heads to Shoshone. Hagerman and Shoshone both enter tonight at 7-and-2, while Lighthouse Christian is 9-and-3.
TROUT STOCKING
Magic Valley anglers, more rainbow trout are on the way. Idaho Fish and Game plans to stock over 210-thousand statewide in October. Locally, Lake Walcott gets 24-thousand, Dog Creek Reservoir gets five thousand, and Burley Pond and Blair Trail Fishing Pond each get two thousand. Freedom Park Pond will receive another fifteen hundred.
BOISE STATE FOOTBALL
Boise State’s Maddux Madsen is a Manning Award Star of the Week after throwing for 204 yards and three touchdowns in the Broncos’ 32-to-7 win over Western Michigan. He’s now sixth in school history with 59 career touchdown passes. The 22nd-ranked Broncos host Utah State Saturday at 5:30 in their first Pac-12 game.
IDAHO STATE SOCCER
Idaho State women’s soccer opens Big Sky play on the road this week. The Bengals visit Eastern Washington Thursday at 4:30 Mountain Time, then head to Moscow to face Idaho Sunday at two. Idaho State comes in at two wins, five losses and two draws. Sunday marks the Bengals’ first in-state rivalry matchup of the season.
WEATHER
AM DRIVE
Plenty of sunshine across the Magic Valley today, with a high near 73 and light west-northwest winds. Mostly clear tonight, down to 50. Tomorrow brings sunshine and 75, with gusts around 24 miles an hour. We’ll warm to 77 Thursday, then the low 80s Friday through the weekend, with more sunshine.
AFTERNOON DRIVE
Sunshine across the Magic Valley this afternoon, with a high near 73 and west-northwest winds around 10 miles an hour. Mostly clear tonight, dropping to 50. Tomorrow, sunny and 75, with gusts up to 24. Highs climb to 77 Thursday, then around 80 Friday and Saturday, with sunshine sticking around.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT
Mostly clear across the Magic Valley tonight, with a low around 50 and light southwest winds. Sunshine returns tomorrow, with a high of 75 and wind gusts up to 24 miles an hour. Tomorrow night, clear skies and 49. We’ll warm to 77 Thursday, then near 80 Friday and Saturday with plenty of sunshine.
EXTENDED FORECAST
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 73. West northwest wind 6 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50. West northwest wind 6 to 9 mph becoming southwest in the evening.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 75. West northwest wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Southwest wind 8 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 77.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 81.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 80.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 83.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.
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