ELECTIONS & BALLOT MEASURES

ABORTION ACCESS MEASURE CERTIFIED

Idaho voters will decide the future of abortion access this November. State officials have certified the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act for the ballot after organizers submitted more than 110,000 signatures. If approved by a simple majority, the measure would legalize abortion until fetal viability and protect access to contraception and IVF.

STATE LAW & POLITICS

TRANSGENDER BATHROOM LAW ENFORCEMENT

Idaho law enforcement officials say the state’s new transgender bathroom law may be difficult to enforce. Officers say determining a person’s biological sex could require invasive procedures or a warrant in some cases, while legal challenges over the law continue.

LAWMAKERS QUESTION BOISE CAMPING ENFORCEMENT

Two Idaho lawmakers say last week’s deadly stabbing on the Boise Greenbelt may have been prevented if the city had enforced the state’s public camping ban. House Speaker Mike Moyle and Representative Bruce Skaug are asking the Attorney General to review possible legal action against the City of Boise.

LAW ENFORCEMENT & PUBLIC SAFETY

OPERATION SAFE DRIVER WEEK

Idaho State Police is stepping up patrols this week as part of Operation Safe Driver Week. Troopers and commercial vehicle officers will be watching for speeding, distracted driving, aggressive driving and other dangerous behaviors in an effort to reduce crashes and save lives.

TWIN FALLS LICENSE PLATE READER DEBATE

Twin Falls Police say their 40 license plate reader cameras are helping recover stolen vehicles, locate missing children and catch wanted suspects. But a group called Deflock Idaho wants the cameras removed, arguing they raise privacy concerns. The issue is expected to be discussed at the Twin Falls City Council meeting later this month.

POLICE DRONE HELPS CAPTURE SUSPECT

A police drone helped Meridian officers quickly arrest a man accused of aggravated battery yesterday. Police say 35-year-old Ryan Cox tried to hide after fleeing the scene, but officers found him with help from a drone and a K-9 team. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

COURTS & CRIME

PAYETTE COUNTY MURDER CASES RETURN TO COURT

Two high-profile Payette County murder cases return to court today. Stacey Wondra will ask a judge to dismiss charges in the disappearance and presumed murder of 5-year-old Michael Vaughan. Later today, Andrea Shaw is expected to be arraigned on charges she murdered her toddler twins.

ROADS & TRANSPORTATION

CONTROLLED ROCK BLAST IN JEROME

If you’re driving in Jerome tomorrow afternoon, expect delays near South Lincoln and Yakima Avenue. A controlled rock blast is scheduled between 2 and 4 p.m., with traffic stopped for about 20 minutes. Watch for warning sirens, flaggers and posted detours.

SEMI-TRUCK CRASH BLOCKS INTERSTATE 15

A semi-truck crash caused major delays on Interstate 15 near Inkom yesterday morning. Idaho State Police say the truck hit a guardrail and blocked the southbound lanes for about two-and-a-half hours. The 55-year-old driver from Alberta was not injured.

TWO KILLED IN HIGHWAY 93 CRASH

Two people were killed in a crash near Mackay yesterday morning. Idaho State Police say a 61-year-old Challis man failed to yield while pulling onto Highway 93, colliding with a motorhome. His 58-year-old passenger from Arco also died. The motorhome driver was not injured.

PUBLIC COMMENTS SOUGHT ON TRANSPORTATION PLAN

The Magic Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization wants your input on how it should spend about $260,000 in transportation planning funds next year. Public comments on the draft work plan are being accepted through August 10th.

ENVIRONMENT & WILDFIRES

SNAKE RIVER HEALTH REPORT

A new report from the Idaho Conservation League says the Snake River is healthier than it was 30 years ago, but pollution, toxic algae and invasive quagga mussels remain major concerns. The report calls for more statewide restoration efforts to protect Idaho’s largest river.

CABIN CREEK FIRE 50 PERCENT CONTAINED

The Cabin Creek Fire near Stanley has grown to seven acres and is now 50 percent contained. Crews continue making good progress, but Cabin Creek Road remains closed and a nearby evacuation remains at Set status.

SPORTS

BURLEY GREEN SOX WIN DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP

What a turnaround for the Burley Green Sox Legion B baseball team. After finishing the regular season just 5-and-21, the Green Sox caught fire and outscored their opponents 44 to 14 to win the district championship. But despite qualifying for the state tournament, the team has decided not to make the trip because of budget limitations and scheduling conflicts for coaches.

MINICO SEEKS FOURTH STRAIGHT STATE TITLE

The Minico Storm is headed back to the Legion B State Tournament with a chance to win an unprecedented fourth straight state championship. After losing its district opener, Minico battled back with wins over Hub City and Twin Falls, including a 13-11 thriller. The Storm opens state tournament play Wednesday in Kuna, joined by the Burley Green Sox and Idaho Falls Tigers.

IDAHO STATE EARNS PRESEASON HONORS

The countdown to college football is on, and Idaho State is already earning national attention. The Bengals landed three preseason STATS Perform All-Americans, led by first-team offensive lineman Stryker Rashid. Running back Dason Brooks and wide receiver Chedon James, both earned third-team honors after standout seasons. Idaho State opens the 2026 season August 29th at home against Virginia Military Institute in Pocatello.

BOISE STATE GOLFERS NAMED ALL-AMERICAN SCHOLARS

Six Boise State women’s golfers are being recognized for excellence on and off the course. Annie Buffolino, Leia Chung, Macee Greenwood, Jillian Hui, Teal Matsueda and Brooke Patterson have all been named WGCA All-American Scholars. To earn the honor, student-athletes must maintain at least a 3.5 GPA while competing in at least half of their team’s tournaments.

WEATHER

HOT WEATHER CONTINUES

Today, expect mostly sunny skies and another hot afternoon with a high near 90. There’s just a slight 20 percent chance of a shower or thunderstorm overnight. Tomorrow, sunshine returns with a high near 93. The heat continues through the rest of the week, with highs climbing into the upper 90s and only isolated afternoon thunderstorm chances heading into the weekend.

TUESDAY

Tuesday: Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 90. South southwest wind 6 to 15 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon.

TUESDAY NIGHT

Tuesday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then a slight chance of showers between midnight and 2am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 65. West northwest wind 6 to 14 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 93. Southwest wind 6 to 10 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.