NEWS

ELECTIONS & BALLOT INITIATIVES

MEDICAL CANNABIS INITIATIVE FAILS TO QUALIFY

A proposed medical cannabis initiative has failed to qualify for Idaho’s November ballot. Organizers fell short of the required signatures, and the Secretary of State’s Office has also referred allegations of possible petition fraud to the Idaho State Police for investigation.

IDAHO PUSHES BACK AGAINST FEDERAL ELECTION OVERSIGHT

Idaho is pushing back against the U.S. Justice Department over election oversight. A state attorney told federal officials to stop threatening Idaho election workers and drop a lawsuit seeking access to the state’s voter registration data.

COURTS, CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

HANDGUN CONFRONTATION IN KETCHUM

A 44-year-old Boise man is facing felony aggravated assault charges after deputies say he pointed a handgun at a Ketchum homeowner during a confrontation. Blaine County deputies used FLOCK license plate cameras to track down the suspect, who was later arrested near Hailey.

DEVELOPMENTS IN TWO IDAHO MURDER CASES

In Idaho courts, the man charged in the Michael “Monkey” Vaughan case is seeking to have the charges dismissed. Meanwhile, a Payette County judge revoked bond for Andrea Shaw, who is charged with murdering her 18-month-old twins, ruling she could pose a risk to her newborn child.

BUILDING PERMIT SCAM WARNING

A new scam is targeting building permit applicants. Idaho officials say scammers are using public permit records to send fake invoices that look like they’re from local cities. If you’re asked to pay by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency, don’t do it.

LAWMAKERS AND BOISE MAYOR CLASH AFTER GREENBELT STABBING

A war of words has broken out between Idaho lawmakers and Boise’s mayor after last week’s deadly Greenbelt stabbing. House leaders say the city hasn’t done enough to enforce Idaho’s public camping ban, while Mayor Lauren McLean says now is the time to support the victim’s family, not play politics.

HEALTH

IDAHO REPORTS FIRST CYCLOSPORA CASE OF THE YEAR

Idaho has reported its first cyclospora case of the year. Health officials say the infected person recently traveled out of state and warn more cases are possible. The parasite can cause severe diarrhea and is often linked to contaminated food or water.

HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT

IDAHO RECEIVES C GRADE FOR HOUSING

If you’re house hunting in Idaho, a new Realtor.com report gives the Gem State a middle-of-the-pack grade. Idaho ranks 26th in the nation for housing affordability and homebuilding with a C grade.

TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC INPUT

MAGIC VALLEY TRANSPORTATION FUNDING COMMENTS

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 are being accepted through August 10th.

WILDFIRES

CABIN CREEK FIRE 80 PERCENT CONTAINED

Good news on the Cabin Creek Fire near Alturas Lake. The blaze is now 80 percent contained at just seven acres, and evacuation alerts have been lifted. Investigators say the human-caused fire started from an unattended campfire.

SPORTS

AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL

DISTRICT TOURNAMENT BEGINS TODAY

The Idaho American Legion A Area C District Tournament gets underway today, with 16 teams battling for just four spots in the state tournament. Five Magic Valley teams are in the field: Burley, the Twin Falls Red Hawks, Twin Falls Cowboys, Buhl Tribe, and the Hub City Hitmen of Wendell.

Defending district and state champion Burley enters the tournament at 31-and-5, winning 23 of its last 24 games, and opens against Hub City as the road to the state tournament begins.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

IDAHO VANDALS FINALIZE 2026 SCHEDULE TIMES

The Idaho Vandals have finalized their 2026 football schedule with kickoff times now set for their final two non-conference games. Idaho hosts Lamar on September 12 and Abilene Christian on September 19, with both games kicking off at 1 p.m. Pacific inside the Kibbie Dome.

Both matchups will air on SWX, giving the Vandals nine regional or national TV broadcasts this season. Idaho opens fall camp on July 28, with the season opener at Cal Poly airing nationally on ESPN.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

IDAHO STATE RELEASES NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Idaho State men’s basketball has released its 2026-27 non-conference schedule, featuring 13 games with six at home in Reed Gym. The Bengals open the regular season with four straight road games, including trips to Utah State, Wyoming, Air Force, and Seattle U.

Idaho State’s home opener is November 20 against South Dakota State, followed by an in-state showdown at Boise State on November 24. All home games will stream on ESPN+.

WEATHER

HOT TODAY, STORM CHANCES RETURN THURSDAY

Sunny and hot today with a high near 93. Mostly clear tonight with a low around 65. Tomorrow, look for a high near 97 with a 20 percent chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms, and a few more storms possible tomorrow night. Hot weather continues through the weekend with highs in the mid to upper 90s.

WEDNESDAY

Sunny and hot, with a high near 93. South southwest wind 6 to 9 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Mostly clear, with a low around 65. West northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.

THURSDAY

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. East wind 5 to 10 mph.

THURSDAY NIGHT

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. North northeast wind 6 to 10 mph becoming south in the evening.