Education & Elections
Tomorrow, 27 Idaho school districts will ask voters to approve over $223 million—$74 million in levies and nearly $150 million in bonds. Filer seeks $52M, Middleton $41.5M, and Shelley $54.5M for new schools. Levy asks include $1.3M in Buhl, $770K in Castleford, $600K in Valley, and $45K in Three Creek.
Kohberger Case Update
Bryan Kohberger’s defense is pursuing an “alternate perpetrator” theory in the 2022 University of Idaho murders. Legal experts say the defense must now convince the judge that the evidence is strong enough to be allowed at trial. Meanwhile, a judge says a recent “Dateline” episode on the Idaho student murders revealed info that violated a gag order. Judge Steven Hippler believes the leak came from law enforcement or prosecutors, raising concerns about finding an impartial jury for the trial.
Plane Crash Data
New data shows nearly 40% of Idaho’s 2024 plane crashes happened in Eastern Idaho—including Burley, Arco, and Twin Falls. Twin Falls pilot Landon Goolsby says rapidly changing weather, varied aircraft, and busy skies are key factors.
Transportation & Infrastructure
The eastbound I-84 on-ramp at Burley’s Exit 208 is closed through Friday at 11 p.m. for construction. Drivers must detour to Exit 211. Westbound access remains open, with two-lane traffic and a 65-mph speed limit in the work zone.
Bellevue Water Restriction
Bellevue has issued a temporary water use restriction today as crews repair a water storage tank. Residents are asked to turn off sprinklers and limit water use to essentials like cooking, hygiene, and drinking.
Community Cleanup
Volunteers gathered Saturday for the annual Snake River Canyon cleanup in Jerome County. The 20-year effort combats illegal dumping to preserve the area for outdoor recreation.
Population Trends
Five Idaho cities ranked among the top 100 fastest-growing in the U.S. from 2020 to 2024. Caldwell, Kuna, Post Falls, Meridian, and Nampa saw population jumps up to 21.5%. Meanwhile, 57 smaller Idaho cities shrank, with Lewiston seeing the biggest drop.
Standoff in Ririe
A Friday night standoff near Ririe ended peacefully after a man armed with a rifle made suicidal threats. Idaho State Police say 34-year-old Trevor Clark was arrested and faces drug and assault charges. He was booked into the Bonneville County Jail.
High School Baseball: Twin Falls Falls Short
Heartbreak for Twin Falls in the 5A State Baseball Championship. The Bruins fell to Bonneville in back-to-back games. Game two ended in dramatic fashion—Bonneville tied it in the seventh, then walked it off with a bases-loaded hit by pitch. Twin Falls had a 6-4 lead late but couldn’t hang on. In game one, Bonneville exploded for 12 runs, five of them in the second and seven in the fifth. Twin Falls nearly pulled off a comeback with five runs in the seventh, but came up short. The Bruins finish a stellar season as Great Basin champs and 5A state runners-up with a 26-8 record.
High School Softball: Kimberly Denied 3-Peat
A familiar foe ended Kimberly’s shot at a three-peat. Cole Valley Christian defeated the top-ranked Bulldogs 11-5 in the 4A state softball title game Saturday in Nampa. The Chargers, who moved up from 2A, went 3-0 against Kimberly this season, including an 8-5 semifinal win. Cole Valley jumped out early with a 4-0 lead in the first and never let go. Kimberly’s Mallory Kelsey struck out nine in a complete game, while Brooklyn VerWey led the offense with three hits and a solo homer. The Bulldogs finish as state runners-up and will graduate four key seniors.
Track & Field Highlights
Kimberly’s girls track team dominated the 4A state meet, winning the title with 110 points. Sophomore Karlie Bair sprinted to victories in the 100 and 200, while Isabelle Burnett set a state record in the 400. Declo’s Gavin Rasmussen and Valley’s Lexi Huettig also claimed multiple titles.
The College of Southern Idaho wrapped up its track season at the NJCAA Division 1 Nationals. Rozzlyn Cazier led the way, earning All-American honors with a 4th-place finish in the 3,000m Steeplechase. Keegan McCraw placed 9th in the men’s steeplechase, just shy of All-American status.
Weather Forecast
Sunny skies today with a high near 62, but breezy—gusts up to 30 miles per hour. Tonight, partly cloudy and 43. Slight shower chance Tuesday morning, then mostly sunny with a high near 64. Warming up midweek—70 on Wednesday, 74 Thursday, and 76 Friday. A slight shower chance Saturday, then sunshine returns Sunday with a high near 76.
Today: Sunny, with a high near 62. West wind 14 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. West southwest wind 6 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers before noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. West northwest wind 6 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39. West northwest wind 12 to 17 mph becoming southwest 6 to 11 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 70. Southwest wind around 7 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 74.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 76.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 76.
