Saturday, September 19, 2026
Home Blog Page 3

Idaho Fish and Game Investigating Illegal Killing and Waste of Bull Elk in Bingham County

0

(Idaho Fish and Game Press Release, September 15, 2026)

Idaho Fish and Game is seeking information regarding the illegal killing and waste of a bull elk in southeast Idaho.

The dead bull was discovered by a member of the public on Sellars Creek Road between Blackfoot Reservoir Road and Long Valley Road in Bingham County. The elk was shot from the road multiple times with a centerfire rifle sometime between Sept. 4 and Sept. 5, likely at night.

The elk was left to waste with only its antlers removed.

Known violations related to this case include killing a big game animal with a centerfire rifle during an archery-only season and waste of game.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Fish and Game Senior Conservation Officer Mitch Newhouse at 208-576-1752 or the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999. Callers may remain anonymous and those with information leading to an arrest are eligible for rewards.

Pocatello City Council to Hold Public Hearing on Text Amendments to Comprehensive Plan 2040 and Title 17: Zoning Ordinance

0
City of Pocatello City Hall

(City of Pocatello Press Release, September 15, 2026)

The Pocatello City Council will hold a public hearing Thursday, October 1, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall, 911 North 7th Avenue, to gather community input on proposed text amendments to Comprehensive Plan 2040 and Title 17: Zoning Ordinance.

The text amendment applications were both submitted by the City of Pocatello’s Planning & Development Services Department staff, who are proposing updates to its zoning and land use regulations in response to recent changes in Idaho State Statutes regarding land use, in particular; Manufactured Homes, Accessory Dwelling Units, and Starter Home Subdivisions.

Proposed amendments can be viewed at the following links: Comprehensive Plan 2040 Amendments: pocatello.gov/DocumentCenter/View/13850/Comprehensive-Plan-2040-Amendment; Title 17: Zoning Ordinance Amendments: pocatello.gov/DocumentCenter/View/13851/State-Preemption-2026-Updates.

Proposed Amendments are also available by emailing planning@pocatello.gov or by calling 208-234-6514. Staff reports will be available the Monday prior to the hearing online at pocatello.gov/AgendaCenter or in the Planning & Development Services Department.

More information about Comprehensive Plan 2040 is available at: pocatello.gov/DocumentCenter/View/318/Comprehensive-Plan-2040-PDF

All interested persons are invited to attend to express their views regarding this proposal. Oral testimony is limited to three (3) minutes per person. Written testimony up to two (2) pages may be submitted up to the start time of the meeting or to the Planning & Development Services Department, and written testimony of more than two (2) pages must be submitted no later than five (5) working days prior to the scheduled meeting date.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is the policy of the City of Pocatello to offer its public programs, services, and meetings in a manner that is readily accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities.  If you are disabled and require an accommodation, please contact Skyler Beebe with two (2) business days’ advance notice at sbeebe@pocatello.gov; 208.234.6248; or 5815 South 5th Avenue, Pocatello, Idaho.  Advance notification within this guideline will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility.

ISP Welcomes New Explosive Detection K-9 ahead of Legislative Session

0

(Idaho State Police Press Release, September 15, 2026)

Boise–The Idaho State Police is adding a new explosive detection K-9 to its Capitol Protective Services team, with the K-9 expected to be trained and ready for service in time for the 2027 legislative session.

K-9 Annie, an 18-month-old black Labrador retriever, has been paired with Trooper Tamara Rose and will receive specialized explosive detection training. Once certified, the team will support security efforts at the Idaho State Capitol and other state facilities and events.

K-9 Annie will fill the role previously held by K-9 Kimber, an explosive detection K-9 who served with ISP for four years and passed away earlier this year after a battle with cancer.

“Police K-9s give our troopers a capability that simply can’t be replicated by people or technology,” ISP K-9 Sgt. Chris Cottrell said. “Whether they are searching for explosives or illegal drugs, their ability to quickly detect potential threats helps us protect the public and the places we are entrusted to keep safe.”

ISP currently has eight K-9s stationed throughout Idaho, including six trained in drug detection and two trained in explosive detection. For Capitol Protective Services, explosive detection K-9 teams are an important part of the layered security used to protect the Capitol, state employees and the thousands of people who visit state buildings each year.

K-9 Annie and Trooper Rose will spend the coming months training together and building the skills and partnership necessary to become a certified explosive detection team.

Ski Ingram: A Veteran’s Thoughts – Domestic Tranquility

0

September 15, 2026

A Veteran’s Thoughts
Domestic Tranquility

By: Ski Ingram

When you read the Democratic Party’s platform or the Democratic Socialist’s (DSA) platform you will find that they want to eliminate the Senate, abolish ICE, give all illegal aliens amnesty, end all deportations, abolish the police and prisons, establish a wealth tax, pass the Green New Deal, reform the Supreme Court, and defund the war in Iran. This should make clear to every American that the DSA wishes to fundamentally change the country into something none of us would recognize.

Whenever an elected official takes office he or she puts their hand on a Bible or a Q’uran and promises to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” which includes the second principle listed in the Preamble to our Constitution, which is “Domestic Tranquility”. They are pledging to adhere to the Constitution and do all they can to promote the principles of our Democratic Republic.

“Domestic” in this sense refers to our country and everything that goes on within it. That includes all the work, the industry, social activities, everything that affects our lives. The word “tranquility” means having a sense of peace, order, and calm. The use of the word “insure” means to protect, uphold and preserve these rights for all Americans. So, domestic tranquility as used in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, guarantees that citizens are protected and that they enjoy a lawful environment. It charges the federal government with the duty to protect that right for us.

Domestic tranquility is important to a free society. It guarantees that people are free to conduct their lives in peace. Without domestic tranquility there is no way to prevent conflict and social breakdown. Without it there can be no justice. Without it the government cannot promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty.

Remember the words of Thomas Paine from his pamphlet “American Crisis” written in 1776, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” What I see today is chaos. I see a country in crisis. There is little tranquility when “woke” District Attorneys ignore laws and refuse to prosecute criminals for their crimes. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) party is attempting to rewrite the Constitution and fundamentally change the country in everything they do and promote.

We have the responsibility to remember these things when we go to vote in November. Do not be fooled by politicians who have said they want to defund the police and ICE, and now are trying to walk those statements back, hoping that we will forget their past speeches. They do not have our best interests at heart. They are not concerned about you or preserving your domestic tranquility. Human nature does not like chaos, upheaval, turmoil, or confusion and that is what we are experiencing in America today. I do not see a place that feels safe and secure so there can be no domestic tranquility.

Today we have high inflation, high crime, high gas prices, and the eroding of many of our rights, such as free speech. I see the Democratic Socialists doing everything in their power to destroy our Constitution. All of these erode our confidence and our tranquility, which is their intent

I believe our Constitution was inspired by God and written by men who loved mankind and believed that God would bless America. I have faith that most Americans believe this same thing. I also believe that it’s a very small minority who believe otherwise. It is just unfortunate that they receive most of the press leaving us with the impression that there are more of them, than us, the patriotic American.

It is only two short months before the mid-term elections. We must be unwavering in our belief that America is the best country on earth. We must continue to fight for our Constitution and our way of life, so I urge you to vote for the candidates who love America as much as you do.

Ski Ingram, a combat veteran, can be reached at Ski@Skiingram.com or www.Skiingram.com

Pocatello: Road Closure and Traffic Report for Week of September 14, 2026

0
(Photo Credit: City of Pocatello)

September 14, 2026 (Cover Photo Credit: City of Pocatello)

The City of Pocatello’s Road Construction & Traffic Report for the week of September 14, 2026, has been published and may be read here.

Highlights include:

  • Street sweepers are currently performing their regular sweeping schedule.
  • The Street Services crew will be patching potholes and curb lines throughout the City.
  • Traffic Operations crews are repainting crosswalks throughout the City.
  • Crews will be jetting and cleaning sewer mainlines throughout the City.
  • Street Services will be milling and paving sections of Gray Ave, E Griffith Rd, and Willard Ave.
  • The Water Department will be working on the water mains on Gray Ave, Howard Ave, and W Wyeth St.
  • Demolition of the Monarch Building continues.
  • Work continues on the Benton Street Bridge, Johny Creek’s Expanded Sewer Project, the Center Street Underpass, and the safety improvements in the area of Hiline Rd. and El Rancho Blvd.
  • Fruitwood Lane will be closed between Indian Tree Lane & Old Ranch Road from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Saturday, September 19, for a Block Party.
  • E Lewis St will be closed between S 7th and S 8th Ave from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Sunday, September 20, for a Harvest Sunday event.
  • South Garfield Avenue between Center Street and West Lewis Street will be closed from 2 PM to 9 PM on Mondays for Curbside Cravings.
  • South Garfield Avenue between Center Street and West Lewis Street will be closed from 6 AM to 3 PM every Saturday for the Portneuf Valley Farmers Market.

State Tax Relief Drops PCSD 25 Supplemental Levy Rate to $0 for Second Year

0

(Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 Press Release, September 14, 2026)

POCATELLO, ID— For the second consecutive year, state property tax relief will fully offset Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25’s voter-approved Supplemental Levy, resulting in a $0 local property tax rate for the levy in 2026.

PCSD 25 received $10,789,319 in state property tax relief this year, an increase of approximately $665,000 over last year. The funding fully covers the district’s $8.25 million Supplemental Levy and provides additional relief that further reduces PCSD 25’s overall local property tax collections.

The $0 tax rate does not mean the Supplemental Levy has gone away. The $8.25 million annual levy remains in place and is up for renewal on Tuesday, November 3. The levy has been community-supported since 1949—more than 75 years.

State Relief Further Reduces Local Property Tax Collections

For 2026, PCSD 25’s local voter-approved levies totaled $15,592,985. After applying $10,789,319 in state property tax relief, the amount levied locally is estimated at $4,495,909, down from $5,188,916 in 2025.

The district’s overall levy rate is also estimated to decline from 0.000581891 in 2025 to 0.000516820 in 2026. The percentage of an individual property owner’s total property tax bill attributable to PCSD 25 will be known in December.

Superintendent Douglas Howell expressed appreciation for the continued investment in property tax relief.

“We appreciate the Legislature’s continued investment in property tax relief for Idahoans. For the second consecutive year, this funding provides meaningful savings for local property owners while maintaining important resources that support our learners, staff and schools.”

The Voter-Approved Supplemental Levy Remains an Important Source of Local Funding

While state property tax relief has reduced the local Supplemental Levy rate to $0 for two consecutive years, the relief does not eliminate the voter-approved levy. Instead, state funds are offsetting the amount that otherwise would have been collected locally for the levy.

The Supplemental Levy has been community-supported since 1949—more than 75 years—and has long provided local funding to help bridge the gap between state and federal funding and the cost of maintaining educational services in PCSD 25. The current levy provides $8.25 million annually and funded approximately 8 percent of PCSD 25’s operating costs for the 2025–2026 school year.

PCSD 25’s current Supplemental Levy expires June 30, 2027. Voters will consider renewing the existing $8.25 million annual levy for two years on November 3, 2026. The amount requested remains unchanged from the previous renewal.

The estimated tax impact required for ballot disclosure does not assume future state property tax relief. State property tax relief reduced PCSD 25’s Supplemental Levy rate to $0 in both 2025 and 2026, but future state relief is determined separately and is not guaranteed.

What the Supplemental Levy Supports

The $8.25 million Supplemental Levy supports six areas of district operations:

  • Classroom Instruction — $4.25 million: Salaries and benefits for teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators and support staff, as well as maintaining class sizes.
  • Safe & Well-Maintained Schools — $1.375 million: Daily custodial services, clean classrooms and healthy learning environments.
  • Teaching & Learning Resources — $1.1 million: Textbooks, classroom supplies, curriculum materials and instructional resources.
  • Technology & Instructional Support — $750,000: Instructional software, classroom technology, technology support staff and teacher training.
  • School Safety — $575,000: School Resource Officers, safety technology and safe school environments.
  • Learning Beyond the Classroom — $200,000: Regional academic, athletic, music, CTE and student competition participation, activity advisors and supervision.

Commitment to Responsible Financial Stewardship

PCSD 25 remains committed to transparent and responsible financial stewardship and to helping taxpayers understand how state funding, local levies and property tax relief work together to support local schools.

State property tax relief has significantly reduced the amount PCSD 25 collects locally in recent years. The amount levied locally has declined from approximately $10.4 million in 2023 to an estimated $4.5 million in 2026.

The district will continue to communicate clearly with the community about local tax impacts, state property tax relief and the November 3 Supplemental Levy renewal election.

For more information about the Supplemental Levy renewal and local tax impact, visit www.sd25.us/elections.

USAF Officer Rescued in Iran Last Spring Shares Story

0
An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, takes off from Nellis AFB, Nevada, Oct. 19, 2023. The F-15E is a dual-role fighter aircraft designed to perform air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jose Miguel T. Tamondong)

(White House Communication Office Press Release, September 14, 2026; Cover photo credit: USAF)

For the first time, a U.S. Air Force officer shot down over Iran — mission call sign DUDE 44 Bravo — told America his story. In an exclusive 60 Minutes interview, Bravo delivered a powerful account of survival, faith, and combat leadership — a testament to the unmatched bravery of our nation’s warfighters and to the Trump Administration’s renewed focus on readiness, lethality, and standards.

In April, after their F-15E Strike Eagle went down deep inside Iran, Bravo and his pilot, DUDE 44 Alpha, ejected — landing miles apart behind enemy lines. What followed was one of the most daring rescue operations in modern military history, culminating in Bravo’s Easter Sunday rescue.

  • “Given the terrain that I faced, I think you’d find it surprising what I was able to go to overcome given those injuries — but I did it because of the WARRIOR ETHOS that we talk about. My airmen that we led in theater had months of hearing of the importance of warrior ethos and how we are going to apply it — and I saw them apply that in the lead up to the conflict, during the conflict, night after night with unprecedented threats against them, and yet they’re doing their job at a way that no one would have thought possible. I owed it to them to show the same warrior ethos in my situation and walk the same walk that I’ve been talking for months.” (Watch)
  • “It’s hard to describe the depth of my gratitude, not just for those who came to get me but for millions of Americans that were supporting me… It’s important for America to hear what we’re capable of and remember that there are thousands of Americans that are out protecting us and defending us every day.” (Watch)
  • “This is not a story about what I went through. Instead, it’s a story of the teamwork, the training, of the faith, of the decisions, the leadership, to do something that will live in history as an example of what America is willing to do in order to uphold our promise and leave no man behind.” (Watch)

No American lives were lost and both aviators came home. This is this Administration’s promise in action: fight to win, hold the line on standards, and never leave our people behind.

AG Labrador Defends Parents’ Right to Raise Their Children

0

(Attorney General’s Office Press Release, September 14, 2026)

Boise–Attorney General Raúl Labrador is defending the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children, urging the Ninth Circuit to affirm a federal district court ruling against California policies that allow public schools to facilitate a child’s gender identity and social transition and actively conceal it from their parents.

Idaho joined Florida and 15 other states in filing an amicus brief in Mirabelli v. Bonta, arguing that parental rights are among the oldest and most established fundamental rights recognized by American law. The brief asks the Ninth Circuit to recognize that those rights extend to parents’ ability to make lawful decisions concerning their children’s education, care, and well-being.

“Children suffering from gender dysphoria deserve understanding, compassion, and competent mental health support,” said Attorney General Labrador. “The last thing they need is to have the state and schools drive a cruel wedge between a child and their parents at a time when that child needs the guidance of their parents the most.”

The case involves California policies that allow public schools to withhold information about a student’s gender expression from parents, protect school officials who refuse to disclose that information, and prohibit schools from requiring parental notification concerning a student’s social transition.

The brief reads: “Whereas a “child may balk at hospitalization or complain about a parental refusal to provide cosmetic surgery,” (Parham, 442 U.S.) a parent typically will know better and should have the “authority to decide what is best for the child.” (Id. at 604.) That basic right is only more pressing when the ideology pushed by schools ignores basic reality about the two sexes and further confuses innocent and impressionable children.”

The states also warn that California’s approach is part of a growing national problem. The brief cites evidence that more than 1,200 school districts have adopted policies allowing schools to facilitate a child’s social transition without parental knowledge, potentially affecting approximately 12.3 million public-school students.

Idaho and the other states urge the Ninth Circuit to affirm the district court and protect parental rights nationwide.

Pocatello Man Dies in Crash with Elk near Utah Border

0

(Idaho State Police Press Release, September 15, 2026)

ONEIDA COUNTY, IDAHO – Idaho State Police is investigating a single-vehicle fatality crash that occurred on September 14th, 2026, at approximately 09:27 p.m., northbound on I-15 near milepost 0.3, just north of Portage, Utah.

A 2022 BMW Z4, driven by a 66-year-old male from Pocatello, Idaho, was travelling northbound on I-15. The BMW collided with an elk that was in the roadway.

The driver succumbed to his injuries on scene. It was unknown if he was wearing a seat belt.

Both northbound lanes were blocked for approximately an hour for responders before opening the right lane. The left lane remained closed for approximately another two and a half hours.

Idaho State Police was assisted by Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Oneida County EMS, and Idaho Transportation Department.

Guest Columnist Brian Lenney: Why the “Stop Harms from Addictive Social Media Act” Doesn’t Actually Stop Harms from Addictive Social Media

0

September 2, 2026

Why the “Stop Harms from Addictive Social Media Act” Doesn’t Actually Stop Harms from Addictive Social Media
The bill they sold you on protecting all kids doesn’t protect all kids

By: Brian Lenney

You might have seen the headline in April. Something about finally making social media companies stop hurting kids.

If you’re a mom, you probably felt some kind of relief. Finally. Somebody did something.

But they didn’t.

The bill is called the Stop Harms from Addictive Social Media Act (SHASM, if you want the acronym). Idaho signed it April 2. South Carolina passed it in May. Minnesota passed it this spring, almost unanimously.

Its sponsors said the day it was signed that the law tells social media companies they “can no longer get away with addicting our children.”

In March, a Minnesota committee was told the bill “protects all teens and kids on social media.” All teens and kids on social media.

That’s the sentence I need to talk about, because it isn’t true, and the reason is sitting in the bill itself: the new law only applies to companies that make at least $1 billion a year selling ads.

That’s the entire test for whether a platform has to follow this new law.

  • Do you sell a billion dollars in ads? Then yes.
  • Do you make your money some other way? Then no.

The law never asks whether kids get hurt on a platform. It asks how the platform makes money.

Roblox isn’t covered by this new law.

Because they don’t sell ads for a living. They sell Robux, the little currency your kid begs you for. Kids buy Robux, game developers take a cut, Roblox keeps the rest. Last year that came to $4.9 billion in revenue and nearly $7 billion in bookings.

So how much of that was ad revenue?

In its February letter to shareholders, the company describes its ad revenue as modest, and then says it monetizes a young user base “without significant reliance on advertising.”

They wrote that to investors as a selling point. It is also the exact reason this law can’t touch them. The law asks how you make your money. Roblox put the answer in writing, and the answer was: not ads.

So Roblox isn’t covered. The new law has nothing to say about it. Not one line.

Now look at what else is happening with Roblox right now.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the company last fall, accusing it of putting “pixel pedophiles and corporate profit” ahead of kids’ safety. Tennessee’s attorney general sued in December and called Roblox the digital equivalent of a creepy cargo van. Louisiana, Kentucky, Florida, Oklahoma, and Iowa have all filed lawsuits too. So has Los Angeles County. There’s a big federal case in California pulling a lot of these claims together.

These are lawsuits filed by the top law enforcement officer in seven states, saying adults are using this platform to get to children. Yes, the law that was supposed to protect all kids on social media doesn’t protect kids on Roblox.

Discord gets a pass too.

It’s the chat app where a lot of the grooming cases start. And it’s named in that same federal case alongside Roblox.

If you made a list of places where American kids get approached by adults who shouldn’t be approaching them, Discord is on the first page of it.

But this new law doesn’t touch them.

Because Discord makes its money on subscriptions (no real ad business).

Telegram is a messaging app that made $125 million on ads in the first half of last year, out of $870 million total. Untouched.

Then there are the AI companion apps, the chatbots kids talk to for hours at a time. They sell subscriptions, not ads. Texas opened an investigation into Character.AI last year over what those bots were telling children about their own mental health.

The new law doesn’t touch them.

So who does this new bill actually cover?

Facebook and Instagram. TikTok. YouTube. Snapchat. Reddit and Pinterest too.

It’s the ad-funded giants. Every one of them is already getting sued by somebody, already dragged in front of Congress, already in every documentary your sister-in-law forwards you. They were getting regulated with or without this law.

And the next one won’t be covered either.

Not because it’ll be too small. But because of where the money comes from.

The apps kids are moving to sell subscriptions, or currency, or a battle pass, or a premium tier with a better chatbot. Ads are how the last generation of platforms made money. Whatever your kid finds in 18 months will have figured out something else, and this law won’t touch them.

It just reaches the apps kids are leaving.

Sadly, these bills are coming from conservatives.

Not from the left. From us.

And they pass by numbers that should embarrass everyone involved: 62 to 7 in the Idaho House, 132 to 2 in the Minnesota House, 66 to nothing in their Senate.

That happens the same way every time. A bill arrives with a title no one can vote against. Somebody says it will “help the kids.” And at that point the hard questions stop getting asked out loud, because asking who this actually covers, in public, on the record, sounds like you’re soft on the thing in the title.

So nobody asks (well, almost nobody).

The vote is lopsided, everyone goes home feeling like they did something, and the check on all of it, the part where a conservative reads the text and asks what it really does, gets left at the door.

So it passes, and it reaches you as a news story that says a new law protects kids online, next to a photo of a governor with a pen. The money rule never makes the article. It isn’t hidden either. It’s the fourth definition in the Idaho bill, on page two.

So what you walk away with is a feeling. Relief.

“The legislature protected my kids!”

Except they didn’t. That’s just what got sold. Because a mom who knows the law doesn’t cover Roblox and Discord keeps checking the iPad. But a mom who was told the law “protects all teens and kids on social media” relaxes.

The distance between those two moms is exactly where a kid gets hurt, on a platform seven attorneys general are suing right now, that this law doesn’t cover and was never going to cover.

It says a billion dollars in ad sales. Roblox told its own investors it doesn’t rely on ad sales… but the promise went out to millions of parents anyway.

One more thing worth knowing: the apps it does cover may not survive court. Laws like this have already been struck down in Arkansas, Utah, Ohio, Texas, Louisiana, and Virginia.

Nobody has even sued over this one yet.

So, here’s what tonight actually looks like:

  • Your kid opens Roblox at 9 p.m. – Not protected
  • Switches to Discord at 10 p.m. – Not protected
  • Gets a friend request from someone who says he’s 14 – Not protected
  • Finds whatever social media app gets built next spring – Not protected

This has been law in Idaho since July 1. It’s been in effect for two months. Your kid opened Roblox last night anyway, and he’ll open it again tonight, and nothing in Chapter 21 of the Idaho Code has a word to say about it.

There will be lawsuits, deadlines, compliance reports.

But none of that is tonight.

Because tonight:

  • You decide whether there’s a phone
  • You decide what’s on it
  • You decide where it charges overnight (and it isn’t the bedroom)
  • You pay for the Wi-Fi and the router has a settings page (you’re allowed to use it)

Your authority covers Roblox. It covers Discord, Snapchat, and the app that hasn’t been invented yet. It doesn’t have a money rule, it doesn’t have an effective date, and no judge anywhere can throw it out.

It’s also the only thing on this whole page that works tonight.

No bill makes you a good parent or protects your kids on social media. Not this one, not a better-written one, not the federal version coming behind it.

Only involved parents protect kids.