🗳️ ELECTIONS & VOTING
🪪 VOTER ID — Groups Report Registration Barriers
Two Idaho voting-rights groups say state registration requirements are making it harder to help eligible voters cast a ballot. Secretary of State Phil McGrane says young voter registration remains consistent, and voters have several ways to establish their identity and residency.
Babe Vote and the League of Women Voters of Idaho point to 2023 laws that eliminated student IDs as acceptable identification. Babe Vote leader Olivia Luna says students who move frequently or don’t drive can struggle to gather residency documents and get to a DMV for a free state ID.
The League says older adults face challenges, too. President Jean Henscheid says some need birth certificates and records of name changes to obtain identification, a process that can take months. Both organizations say those hurdles have slowed their voter registration efforts.
McGrane says presidential election cycles drive changes in young voter participation. He also points to expanded online registration options. Supporters of the laws cite stronger identification security, and a judge upheld the laws in 2023.
Voters can find registration information, check their status and locate their polling place at VoteIdaho.gov.
🚔 PUBLIC SAFETY & COURTS
🏍️ HEYBURN CRASH — Police Seek Semi Driver
Idaho State Police are looking for a semi-truck driver who continued eastbound after striking a motorcycle rider lying on Interstate 84 near Heyburn yesterday morning.
The crash happened around 9:37 at milepost 211 in Minidoka County. Troopers say a 23-year-old Redmond, Oregon, man riding a Kawasaki motorcycle struck a trailer being pulled by a Ford F-350. The pickup was driven by a 42-year-old man from Dingle, Idaho.
The motorcyclist crashed and came to rest in the roadway, where a semi struck him. Police have not identified that driver or provided a description of the truck.
The rider was flown to a local hospital. His condition was not released. Eastbound traffic was blocked for about 3 hours.
🏫 SHOSHONE SCHOOL — Gun Rumor Was False
A rumor about a student bringing a gun to a Shoshone school was false, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies investigated and determined the rumor grew out of an unrelated, nonemergency visit by sheriff’s office personnel earlier that day. As word spread, the reason for that visit became misunderstood.
The sheriff’s office says it takes reports involving student safety seriously and understands the concern they can cause for parents and school staff.
Officials thanked those who raised concerns and encouraged people to verify information with the school or law enforcement before sharing it.
🏦 BANK FRAUD — Pocatello Charges Follow Kimberly Arrest
A New York woman arrested at a Kimberly bank now faces charges in Pocatello, where police say she used a fake passport to withdraw $11,000 from a couple’s home equity loan account.
Kimberly Irene Schwartfigure, 50, is charged with felony burglary and grand theft. Investigators say she impersonated the account holder’s wife at Lookout Credit Union on March 18, making separate withdrawals of $9,000 and $2,000.
She was arrested the next day at a D.L. Evans Bank branch in Kimberly after staff flagged another attempted withdrawal. In that case, Schwartfigure later pleaded guilty to burglary and possession of a controlled substance. A Twin Falls County judge suspended a prison sentence October 8 and placed her on 5 years of probation.
She is now being held in the Bannock County Jail, with bond set at $125,000 in the Pocatello case. Prosecutors are also seeking a persistent violator enhancement based on previous felony convictions. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 27.
🧪 ISP TOXICOLOGY — Annual Report Details Drug Findings
More than 4 out of 5 adult samples submitted for drug testing to Idaho State Police contained at least 1 drug—and nearly half contained multiple drugs. That’s according to ISP’s newly released Fiscal Year 2026 Toxicology Report.
Cannabis-related compounds were detected most often, followed by amphetamine and methamphetamine. Together with cocaine and its breakdown product, those substances accounted for more than 63% of the drugs reported.
Among adult DUI samples tested for alcohol or other volatile substances, 82% had an alcohol concentration of at least point-zero-eight.
The report covers blood and urine samples submitted in DUI and other investigations. ISP cautions these findings reflect only samples sent to its laboratories—not all DUI cases or overall drug use across Idaho.
🚧 TRANSPORTATION & UTILITIES
⚡ TWIN FALLS OUTAGE — Birds Knock Out Power
Birds getting into a transformer knocked out power to about 8,300 Idaho Power customers in Twin Falls yesterday morning.
The outage began around 9:15 and affected a large area stretching from the Snake River south to Addison Avenue. Twin Falls School District spokesperson Eva Craner said 6 schools lost power, along with the College of Southern Idaho.
Idaho Power confirmed the cause, and service was restored around 10 a.m.—about 45 minutes after the outage began.
🚧 I-84 PAVING — Lane Closures Begin Monday
Drivers on Interstate 84 near Twin Falls should plan for daytime lane closures starting Monday.
Crews begin paving near the Twin Falls Interchange at Exit 173 on October 19. Work is expected to wrap up in early November, although weather could affect that schedule.
Lane closures will be intermittent, and trucks will frequently enter and leave the work zone. Drivers are reminded not to follow those trucks off the highway into construction areas.
🌊 ENVIRONMENT
🦪 QUAGGA MUSSELS — State Reports Progress in Snake River
Idaho’s fight against invasive quagga mussels is showing progress—but the threat to the Snake River isn’t gone. State Agriculture Director Chanel Tewalt told lawmakers Tuesday that she believes the population remains very small and confined to limited areas near Twin Falls.
Water sampling this year turned up 8 mussel larvae, and divers also found adult mussels. Tewalt says sampling found fewer mussels than in previous years, with a smaller area affected.
The state has used copper-based treatments each year since the mussels were first detected in 2023. This year, divers also targeted hard-to-reach cracks in the river’s rock. Those treatments kill fish and other aquatic life, too, although Tewalt says fewer fish have died this year.
Officials say unchecked mussels could clog pipes and threaten drinking water, irrigation and recreation. Monitoring will continue, with water sampling resuming when temperatures warm up next year.
🩺 HEALTH & NUTRITION
🥬 MATERNAL NUTRITION — ISU Receives Produce Program Grant
More fresh fruits and vegetables could soon be within reach for pregnant women and new mothers in southeastern Idaho.
Idaho State University is receiving a $499,465 federal grant for the Maternal Produce Prescription Program. It will serve eligible pregnant and postpartum women and their families in low-income and medically underserved communities within Idaho Public Health District 6.
Participants will receive a prescription to add produce to their diets, vouchers to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, and nutrition education.
ISU’s Institute of Rural Health says the program will also strengthen connections among healthcare providers, community organizations and local food suppliers. The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
🏈 FRIDAY SPORTS — HIGH SCHOOL
🏈 FOOTBALL — Friday Night Schedule
An unbeaten Raft River team puts its record on the line, and 2 teams with just 1 loss meet in an afternoon matchup as high school football returns across the Magic Valley tonight.
The action starts at 3 in Dietrich, where Carey faces Salmon River. Both teams come in at 6-and-1. Richfield’s scheduled game against Camas County is listed as a forfeit, with Richfield awarded a 21-to-0 win.
The rest of tonight’s games kick off at 7. Raft River takes its 7-and-0 record to Valley, where the Vikings are 3-and-4. Declo, at 6-and-1, visits 5-and-2 Malad. And 6-and-1 Hagerman hosts 3-and-3 Shoshone.
Wood River heads to Gooding with a 5-and-2 record to face the 4-and-2 Senators. Buhl, also 4-and-2, welcomes winless Wendell. Filer looks for its first win at 3-and-4 Kimberly.
Twin Falls hosts Jerome, with the Bruins at 4-and-3 and the Tigers at 2-and-5. Canyon Ridge, also 2-and-5, travels to 4-and-3 Burley. Minico takes its 4-and-3 record to 1-and-6 Mountain Home.
Elsewhere, 4-and-3 Hansen visits 1-and-5 Lighthouse Christian. Oakley, at 4-and-2, hosts 1-and-6 Glenns Ferry. Winless Murtaugh welcomes 4-and-3 Butte County. And Dietrich, at 2-and-5, hosts Carey’s junior varsity.
⚽ SOCCER — Six Teams Face State Play-In Games
Six Magic Valley soccer teams face the same challenge Saturday: win and go to state, or see their season end. All 6 play-in games begin at 1 p.m.
In 5A boys soccer, Jerome hosts Moscow. The Tigers are 12-2-2 and beat the Bears 4-2 on the road earlier this season.
On the 5A girls side, Wood River hosts Skyview, while Jerome travels to Pocatello. The Tigers secured the final at-large play-in berth after beating Canyon Ridge 4-3 for third place at districts.
In 4A boys soccer, Wendell faces Ambrose at Eagle High School. Those teams tied 1-1 earlier this season.
In 4A girls action, Sun Valley Community School hosts Preston. Wendell travels to Driggs to face Teton, looking to reach the state tournament for the first time.
Already headed to state are the district champions: Wood River’s boys, Twin Falls’ girls, Sun Valley Community School’s boys and Kimberly’s girls.
This year’s qualification system uses MaxPreps composite rankings to help determine at-large berths. Twin Falls’ boys and Canyon Ridge’s girls narrowly missed the cut.
🏐 VOLLEYBALL — District Tournament Results
Twin Falls keeps rolling, Hagerman gets a big night from Addison Bingham, and Oakley survives a 5-set battle as district volleyball heats up across the Magic Valley.
In 5A, top-seeded Twin Falls swept Burley, 25-14, 25-20 and 25-17. Siena Billings led the Bruins with 12 kills, Danica Brecht added 9, and Ivie Bohrn finished with 36 assists and 13 digs. Second-seeded Wood River also swept Minico. Burley visits Minico Saturday at noon.
In 4A, Filer swept Gooding behind 10 kills each from Keyana Montreal and Jillian Price. Addie Shank delivered 29 assists and 6 digs, while Brekk Bowman added 9 kills and 11 digs.
In 2A, top-seeded Valley swept Sun Valley Community School. Hagerman beat Murtaugh 3-1, with Addison Bingham piling up 23 kills, 13 aces and 15 digs. Addi Chizum contributed 50 assists and 15 digs, while Ava Chizum added 2 kills and 23 digs.
Oakley edged Raft River 3-2. Kinslee Matthews finished with 13 kills, 17 digs and 4 blocks, and Kayzlie Beck added 32 assists. Shoshone swept Glenns Ferry.
And in 1A, Carey swept Dietrich, Castleford beat Lighthouse Christian 3-1, and Camas County defeated Hansen 3-1.
🎓 COLLEGE SPORTS — FOOTBALL
🏈 BOISE STATE — Riley Earns Midseason All-America Honor
Boise State’s Dylan Riley leads the nation on the ground—and now he has a national honor to go with it. The junior running back has been named to the Associated Press Midseason All-America Second Team.
Riley leads the country with 835 rushing yards and 998 all-purpose yards. He’s scored 7 touchdowns and topped 100 rushing yards 4 times, including a career-best 206 against Memphis. He’s also the only FBS player this season with 3 runs of at least 70 yards.
Riley is coming off a 227-yard all-purpose performance with 2 touchdowns in Boise State’s win at Fresno State. He and quarterback Maddux Madsen also made the Pony Express Award Midseason Watch List, recognizing college football’s top tandem.
The Broncos are 5-1 overall, 2-0 in the Pac-12, and ranked 23rd in the AP poll and 24th in the Coaches Poll. They’re off this weekend before visiting Washington State October 24. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. Mountain Time on USA Sports.
🏐 COLLEGE SPORTS — VOLLEYBALL
🐴 BOISE STATE — Washington State Rallies Past Broncos
Boise State volleyball was 1 set away from a win Thursday night, but Washington State rallied to hand the Broncos a 5-set loss at Bronco Gym.
Boise State won the first 2 sets by identical 25-22 scores. The Cougars answered with a pair of 25-19 wins, then took the deciding set 15-8. The Broncos fall to 12-7 overall and 4-2 in Pac-12 play.
Azlynn Tittmann led Boise State with 18 kills. Sydney Dreves added 17 kills and 13 digs for her 4th double-double of the season. Tehya Maeva also posted a double-double with 26 assists and 14 digs. Kendall Hastings contributed 13 kills and 4 blocks, while Melia Barlow led the team with 15 digs and 3 service aces.
Coach Shawn Garus said Washington State improved as the match went along, and his team didn’t respond to the challenge. Boise State gets a quick chance to bounce back Saturday, visiting Gonzaga in Spokane at 1 p.m. Mountain Time.
🐯 IDAHO STATE — Bengals Rally Past Northern Colorado
Idaho State turned a late deficit into a statement win Thursday night, rallying past Northern Colorado in a 5-set thriller at Reed Gym.
In their first meeting since the Bears beat ISU in last season’s Big Sky tournament championship match, the Bengals trailed 10-6 in the deciding set. Idaho State fought back to win it 17-15, improving to 14-6 overall and 5-2 in conference play.
Annelie Wilson led 4 Bengals in double-digit kills with 13, adding 12 digs. Mia Walsh finished with 12 kills and 17 digs, Jaydin Watts added 11 kills, and Gracie Vohs had 10.
With Nora Waddoups unavailable, Kadence Marsh stepped into the setting role and delivered 37 assists and 12 digs. Aspen Boice anchored the defense with 25 digs as Idaho State piled up 92—the team’s most in a conference match this season.
Coach Sean Carter credited his team’s belief and defense for getting through the tight finish. After 3 matches in 6 days, the Bengals get a break before hosting Montana Thursday, October 22, at 7 p.m. in Reed Gym.
🏐 IDAHO — Vandals Defeat Portland State
Idaho volleyball turned a 6-point deficit into a winning finish, beating Portland State 3-1 at Memorial Gym for its 2nd conference victory of the season.
After dropping the opener 26-24, the Vandals took the next 2 sets. Then, trailing 18-12 in the fourth, Idaho rallied to close out the match. Kiana Greer delivered a kill and a service ace for the final 2 points.
Greer led Idaho with 14 kills and 5 aces. Alaina Armstrong added 13 kills, and Sarah Sullivan finished with 12. Koen Makaula contributed 6 blocks, while Keira Kleidon anchored the defense with a match-high 23 digs. Csenge Krakoczki handed out 29 assists.
The Vandals host Northern Arizona Saturday, October 17, at 7 p.m. Mountain Time. Fans are encouraged to wear pink for Idaho’s annual Spike Out Cancer night.
⚽ COLLEGE SPORTS — SOCCER
🦅 CSI — Both Teams Fall at North Idaho
A tough road trip for CSI soccer, with both Golden Eagle teams dropping 1-goal matches at North Idaho.
The CSI men fell 2-1 to the 8th-ranked Cardinals in Coeur d’Alene. North Idaho scored in the 23rd minute and added a penalty kick in the 58th. Jakob Hollon’s late penalty kick gave the Golden Eagles a chance, but the comeback fell short. CSI goalkeeper Lasse Brier made 8 saves, while Juan Porto Pascual led the offense with 2 shots on goal. The Golden Eagles will try to snap a 3-game losing streak Saturday against Pacific Northwest Christian in Kennewick, Washington. CSI won their September meeting 6-0.
The CSI women lost 1-0 Thursday in their first match as a nationally ranked team. North Idaho scored late in the first half, and CSI couldn’t find the equalizer despite putting 6 of its 12 shots on goal. Maggie Anderson led the Golden Eagles with 3 shots on target, and Bailee Collings added 2. Avery Charlesworth finished with 6 saves. The women also visit Pacific Northwest Christian Saturday, after winning the teams’ September matchup 22-0.
🐯 IDAHO STATE — Bengals Shut Out Montana
Two first-time goal scorers helped Idaho State break through Thursday, as the Bengals shut out Montana 2-0 in Missoula for their first Big Sky soccer win of the season.
Syleena Hogan scored in the 8th minute, ending Idaho State’s scoring drought dating back to September 20. Emma Casenave added her first career goal in the 70th minute—just 14 seconds after entering the match—with Saydree Cooke providing the assist.
Aliya Garrett made 3 saves for her 5th shutout of the season. The Bengals outshot Montana 11-9, with Parker Sullivan leading the way with 4 attempts, including a first-half shot off the crossbar.
It’s Idaho State’s first victory since September 3, improving the Bengals to 3-7-4 overall and 1-2-2 in conference play. Next up is a trip to Portland State Sunday, October 18, at 2 p.m. Mountain Time.
⛳ COLLEGE SPORTS — GOLF
⛳ IDAHO — Women Finish Fall Season; Men Head to Mexico
Idaho women’s golf has wrapped up its fall season, while the Vandal men have 1 more trip ahead this month.
The women finished the Golf Iconic Classic in Las Cruces, New Mexico, at 27 over par. Zoe Newell led Idaho at 3 over, followed by Diya Brar and Ella Kozak, both at 7 over. Fjola Vidarsdottir finished her Vandal debut at 10 over, and Amber Hou came in at 21 over. Idaho returns to competition February 8 through 10 at the Mountain Classic Matchplay in Palm Springs, California.
On the men’s side, Idaho finished the Visit Stockton Pacific Invitational at 31 over par, posting its best team round on the final day. Brae Rogalczyk led the Vandals at 2 over, highlighted by a bogey-free 69 in the second round. Henrik Koglin finished at 5 over, Charley Simpson at 15 over, Carter Frisby at 16 over, and Ben Buchanan at 18 over.
Coach David Nuhn says the team will use the break to recover and sharpen its game before the Monterrey Collegiate Classic in Mexico, October 26 and 27.
🌤️ WEATHER
🌅 MORNING DRIVE
Sunshine takes us into the weekend, with a high near 70 today and east winds around 10 miles an hour. Mostly clear tonight, dropping to 34. Sunny Saturday, reaching 72, then near 70 Sunday and Monday. A cooler pattern arrives Tuesday, with shower chances continuing through Thursday.
☀️ AFTERNOON DRIVE
A sunny start to the weekend, with temperatures topping out near 70 this afternoon. Mostly clear tonight, with a low of 34. Saturday brings sunshine and a high of 72, then near 70 Sunday and Monday. Cooler weather moves in Tuesday, with shower chances and highs falling into the 50s by midweek.
🌙 EVENING/OVERNIGHT
Mostly clear skies overnight, with temperatures dropping to 34 by morning. A sunny weekend is ahead, reaching 72 Saturday and near 70 Sunday, with light winds. Sunshine sticks around Monday before cooler weather arrives Tuesday. Shower chances continue through Thursday, with afternoon highs slipping into the upper 50s by midweek.
📅 EXTENDED FORECAST
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 72. East wind around 6 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39. East wind 5 to 7 mph becoming south after midnight.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 70.
Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 42.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 70.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.
Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 57.
Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 56.
- Your Daily Briefing – 10/16/2026 - October 16, 2026
- Your Daily Briefing – 10/15/2026 - October 15, 2026
- Your Daily Briefing – 10/14/2026 - October 14, 2026
