PUBLIC SAFETY AND COURTS
ICE ARREST — TWIN FALLS DEPUTIES PROVIDE PERIMETER SECURITY
Federal immigration agents served an arrest warrant in Twin Falls yesterday morning, with sheriff’s deputies providing perimeter security.
The Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office says ICE agents served the warrant around 8:40 near Harrison Street South and Highland Avenue, eventually breaking into the home with a battering ram. A deputy carrying a rifle was seen in the area. The sheriff’s office says deputies maintained safety around the scene while federal agents carried out the operation. Video provided to this station shows a person in handcuffs being placed in a vehicle. Twin Falls Police told this station their department was not involved. Video from nearby residents shows local law enforcement at the scene.
TWIN FALLS INJURY LAWSUIT — SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS DISMISSAL
A Twin Falls construction injury lawsuit is getting another chance after the Idaho Supreme Court overturned its dismissal.
Alexander Bauer, a plumber working for Evans Plumbing, was injured at an apartment complex when a temporary wooden balcony railing gave way. He alleges Scott Myers and Sons Roofing and Construction improperly reinstalled the railing after removing it to do roofing work. His employer’s workers compensation insurer paid more than $245,000 in medical expenses and other benefits.
A lower court dismissed Bauer’s lawsuit because both companies worked under the same general contractor, Stack Construction. That court considered them co-employees protected from liability under Idaho’s workers compensation law.
But the Supreme Court says that protection depends on whether the general contractor controlled how the roofing company performed its work—not simply how the companies were labeled.
The case now returns to the lower court to determine whether the roofing company was an independent contractor that could be held liable. The ruling does not determine whether the company caused Bauer’s injuries.
ELECTIONS AND IDAHO POLITICS
HJR 6 — VOTERS CONSIDER CONSTITUTIONAL ENGLISH DESIGNATION
English is already Idaho’s official language—but voters will decide November 3 whether that designation belongs in the state constitution, too.
House Joint Resolution 6 would establish English as the official language of government in the constitution. A yes vote supports that change. A no vote leaves the existing state law in place.
Supporters say the amendment would promote unity around a shared language. Critics question whether it’s necessary and how it could affect access to government information for residents who speak other languages.
Boise State professor Stephanie Witt says about 11% of Idaho households speak a language other than English at home.
The proposal includes an exception for federal requirements. That means federally required translated election materials would remain available. The amendment also does not explicitly prohibit all government communication in other languages.
CAMPAIGN SPENDING — REDMAN’S PAC BACKS LOCAL REPUBLICANS, OPPOSES PROP 1
An Idaho lawmaker has put more than half a million dollars of his own money into a political action committee backing Republican legislative candidates and opposing Proposition 1.
Coeur d’Alene Representative Jordan Redman reported another $205,000 contribution Wednesday, bringing his personal investment in the 36-18-1 PAC to $555,000 this year.
Since forming in April, the committee has reported more than $355,000 in independent spending supporting legislative candidates. Over the past week, it also reported nearly $146,000 opposing Proposition 1, which would rescind Idaho’s near-total abortion ban.
Locally, the PAC reported $3,697 apiece this month supporting District 26 Senate candidate Bryan Hyde, Representative Mike Pohanka and House candidate Lyle Johnstone. They’re among 7 Republican candidates receiving nearly $30,000 in support across 3 competitive districts.
Redman owns businesses in insurance, real estate and pharmacies. His PAC reported $51,250 remaining as of Thursday.
CANDIDATE DEBATES — FEWER SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISONS FOR VOTERS
Fewer debates are giving Idaho voters fewer chances to compare major candidates side by side this election season.
Idaho Public Television says staffing shortages kept it from producing its traditional statewide debates. Separate candidate forums have gone ahead, but several Republican incumbents have declined invitations.
Governor Brad Little and Senator Jim Risch both passed on League of Women Voters forums. Little’s campaign points to his record and meetings with Idahoans. Risch’s campaign previously raised concerns about an invitation from someone who endorsed his opponent. The league says that person was not an event organizer.
Congressman Mike Simpson’s campaign says its forum invitation conflicted with his congressional schedule.
State Superintendent Debbie Critchfield took a different approach, participating in 3 debates or forums. She withdrew from another because one of her opponents was excluded.
Idaho Press Club President Melissa Davlin says declining debates is a national trend involving candidates from both major parties.
GOVERNOR LITTLE — APPROVAL POLL AND POLICY RANKINGS
Governor Brad Little is getting high marks in 2 new reports measuring voter approval and public policy.
A Morning Consult poll puts Little’s net approval rating at plus 28—meaning approval exceeds disapproval by 28 percentage points. Among governors seeking reelection this year, that places him 5th overall and 2nd among Republicans.
Separately, the libertarian Cato Institute ranks Little 6th among governors in its “Freedom in the 50 States” report. Idaho places 5th overall in the group’s index of economic and personal freedom.
Cato ranks Idaho 1st in its firearm and housing freedom categories, and 2nd in occupational and economic freedom. The organization says its new governor ratings evaluate records across 97 policy variables.
Little welcomed the rankings, saying his administration remains focused on government accountability and delivering results for Idahoans.
FUTURE GOVERNOR’S RACE — DONAHUE LEAVES DOOR OPEN
Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue is leaving the door open to a future run for Idaho governor.
Asked about the possibility, Donahue said he’s not ruling it out. He has not announced a campaign.
Donahue is serving his 4th term as sheriff and is the first Idaho sheriff to serve as president of the National Sheriffs’ Association. His work with the organization has included domestic violence, crime victim services and juvenile justice.
He also testified several times during Idaho’s 2026 legislative session on proposals affecting law enforcement.
STATE GOVERNMENT AND ONLINE SERVICES
HEALTH AND WELFARE — DIRECTOR CHARRON STEPPING DOWN
The head of Idaho’s largest state agency is stepping down to spend more time supporting her family.
Department of Health and Welfare Director Juliet Charron told employees she plans to leave by the end of the year. The governor’s office says her father is facing significant health challenges. Her final day has not been set, and an interim director has not been announced.
Charron took over the department in September 2025 after leading Idaho’s Medicaid program since 2021. Governor Brad Little thanked her for her service and says he expects to announce new leadership before year’s end.
Health and Welfare oversees Medicaid, food assistance, child welfare and other services, with a budget exceeding $5 billion, mostly from federal funding.
Charron’s departure comes as the department prepares to distribute rural health funding and continues work toward shifting the entire Medicaid program to private managed care by 2030.
WEBSITE SECURITY — GLOBAL SHUTDOWNS AND LIMITED FISH AND GAME WEBSITE
A worldwide wave of website shutdowns is disrupting online services—and Idaho Fish and Game’s website is also operating with limited features this morning.
Governments, banks, airlines and rail services across several countries took websites offline after critical security flaws were discovered in PHP, a programming language widely used on the internet. Many shutdowns were precautionary, as organizations rushed to install emergency fixes. Cloudflare reported millions of attempted cyberattacks following disclosure of the vulnerabilities.
Here in Idaho, Fish and Game replaced its full website with a basic page yesterday to reduce a potential security risk. The agency has not confirmed whether that move is connected to the worldwide problems.
Hunters and anglers can still access seasons and rules, licensing, hunter education and agency contacts. There’s no timeline for restoring the full website.
AGRICULTURE AND ROAD SAFETY
SCREWWORM PRECAUTIONS — IDAHO TIGHTENS TEXAS ANIMAL INSPECTIONS
Idaho is tightening inspections on animals arriving from Texas after screwworm larvae were discovered in an elk there.
The parasite’s larvae feed on living tissue in open wounds and can infest livestock, pets, wildlife and people.
Idaho State Veterinarian Dr. Scott Leibsle says the elk was found on a dedicated ranch. He says the discovery underscores the need to expand a control program that releases sterile flies to prevent screwworms from reproducing.
Leibsle says animals moving from Texas to Idaho must now be inspected within 5 days of travel, instead of relying on a health certificate valid for 30 days.
He says Idaho’s Animal Industries Division employees are trained to respond to a possible infestation, and the state’s dry climate helps reduce the risk. The discovery described by officials was in Texas, not Idaho.
HARVEST TRAFFIC — AAA URGES DRIVERS TO GIVE FARMERS ROOM
Harvest season means more slow-moving equipment on Idaho roads—and AAA is urging drivers to give farmers room to work.
Crews are putting in long hours bringing in potatoes, sugar beets, onions and other fall crops. AAA Idaho spokesman Matthew Conde says keeping everyone safe takes extra attention from all road users.
Expect tractors and other farm equipment on rural and county roads. Pass only when the road ahead is clear and you can do so safely. Watch for spilled crops and other debris, along with farmworkers near the roadside or crossing on foot or ATVs.
Conde says even a crash without injuries can leave farmers facing expensive repairs and costly downtime during one of their busiest times of the year.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESEARCH
MAGIC VALLEY REGIONAL AIRPORT — WATER WELL TESTING
Drilling is underway at Magic Valley Regional Airport as Twin Falls works to develop new wells to supply water to the airport.
The test well will help crews evaluate water quality and measure how much water the location can produce. Those results will help determine whether the site can meet the airport’s long-term needs and guide the project’s next steps.
The city has spent several years on testing, design and development. The overall project is expected to be completed in 2029.
MAGIC VALLEY REGIONAL AIRPORT — ADDITIONAL COPY
Drilling is underway at Magic Valley Regional Airport as Twin Falls works to secure a long-term water supply for the airport.
A new test well will help crews evaluate water quality and measure how much water the site can produce. Those results will help determine whether the location can meet the airport’s future needs and guide the project’s next steps.
The city has spent several years testing, designing and developing new wells at the airport. The overall project is scheduled for completion in 2029.
City officials say they’ll share updates as testing results become available.
INL EARTHQUAKE TEST — PROTECTING THE POWER GRID
Idaho researchers are putting the power grid through an earthquake—on purpose—to learn how to keep the lights on when the real thing hits.
An Idaho National Laboratory team tested a full-size, 230-kilovolt power transformer on a giant earthquake simulator at the University of California, San Diego. INL says it’s the first test of its kind involving a complete transformer that size.
The stakes are high. These transformers help deliver electricity to homes, hospitals and water systems. Replacing a damaged unit can take 5 years or longer. An earthquake damaging several substations could leave communities without power for months.
Researchers tested ways to protect vulnerable electrical connections and reduce the shaking reaching the transformer. They also gathered data to better predict how the equipment responds during a quake.
The findings will be made public to help improve transformer designs and strengthen industry standards before the next major earthquake.
COMMUNITY AND CONSUMER NEWS
BOISE NUISANCE ORDINANCE — SECURING FOOD AND GARBAGE
Boise wants rats and wild turkeys off the neighborhood menu—and it’s asking residents to help close the buffet.
A newly approved ordinance requires residents to secure garbage, keep pet food and animal feed out of reach, protect compost piles and pick up fallen fruit and nuts. Bird and squirrel feeders must also be raised beyond the animals’ reach.
The ordinance is already in effect, but enforcement begins December 1. City officials will spend November educating residents about the requirements. City facilities must comply starting November 1.
Property owners who don’t address a nuisance could be billed for the cost of cleaning it up.
IDAHO LOTTERY — MILLION-DOLLAR RAFFLE RETURNS
A $10 ticket could turn into $1 million as the Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle returns for its 20th year.
Tickets are now on sale at authorized Idaho Lottery retailers. This year’s game features 2 million-dollar winners, plus a $100,000 prize, a $50,000 prize and more than 21,500 prizes overall.
There’s also an anniversary bonus: During the first 20 days of sales, the lottery is drawing a daily $1,000 winner from tickets purchased the day before. Another 20 players will win $1,000 by buying every 25,000th ticket sold.
Only 500,000 tickets are available. Idaho Lottery Director Andrew Arulanandam expects a sellout and reminds players to keep their tickets somewhere safe.
Winning numbers will be announced December 29 at 12:20 p.m.
FRIDAY SPORTS
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL — MAGIC VALLEY FRIDAY MATCHUPS
An unbeaten season goes on the line at Raft River, and a rivalry takes center stage at Minico! Friday’s high school football schedule features some big matchups across the Magic Valley.
Raft River brings an 8–0 record into its home game against 7–1 Hagerman. Meanwhile, Twin Falls travels to Minico with both teams sitting at 5–3.
The action starts early tomorrow, October 23, with Cascade visiting Dietrich at 4. Both teams are 2–6. All remaining games kick off at 7.
Buhl faces a tough road test at Declo. The Indians come in at 5–2, while the Hornets are 7–1. Over in Richfield, the 6–2 Tigers host 6–1 Castleford.
Carey looks to build on its 7–1 record when 1–6 Lighthouse Christian comes to town. Kimberly, at 4–4, heads to 4–3 Gooding, while 6–2 Wood River hosts an 0–7 Filer team looking for its first win.
Canyon Ridge visits Jerome with both teams at 2–6. Burley takes a 5–3 record to Mountain Home, where the Tigers are 1–7.
Oakley, at 5–2, travels to 3–4 Shoshone. And 0–8 Murtaugh looks to break through on the road against 1–7 Glenns Ferry.
One scheduled matchup is already decided: Camas County’s game at Hansen is listed as a forfeit, with Hansen awarded a 21–0 victory. Hansen is listed at 5–3, and Camas County at 1–6.
HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER — STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS AND MATCHUPS
The state title chase rolls on today for 3 Magic Valley soccer teams, after opening-round wins by the Wood River boys, Twin Falls girls and Sun Valley Community School boys!
In 5A boys action, Hayden Gvozdas delivered the only goal as No. 2 Wood River edged Columbia 1–0. The Wolverines face Caldwell in the semifinals today at 11. Jerome fell to Idaho Falls 2–1 and meets Century in consolation play, also at 11.
On the 5A girls side, top-seeded Twin Falls held off Vallivue 2–1. The Bruins take on Skyline in the semifinals today at 5. Wood River lost to Pocatello 4–0 and faces Sandpoint this morning at 9:30 in the consolation bracket.
In 4A boys play, Sun Valley Community School blanked Fruitland 3–0 to advance. Rasmus Lahdesmaki scored twice, and Finnley Curtis added another. Wendell dropped a 2–1 decision to Sugar-Salem, with Treysen Corn scoring for the Trojans. Wendell returns for consolation play this morning at 9.
And in 4A girls action, Kimberly fell to Teton 2–1. The Bulldogs face Timberlake in the consolation bracket this morning at 9.
CSI SOCCER — WOMEN CLINCH FIRST PLAYOFF BERTH; MEN FACE DECIDING MATCH
History made for the CSI women—and a postseason showdown ahead for the men! Both Golden Eagle soccer teams picked up shutout wins yesterday at Colorado Northwestern.
The 20th-ranked CSI women punched their ticket to the playoffs for the first time in program history with a 5–0 victory. Macey Call opened the scoring on a penalty kick and added 2 assists. Presley Houghton, Halle Hall, Maggie Anderson and Brielle Cooper also scored. Avery Charlesworth made 2 saves as CSI outshot the Spartans 19–4.
The Golden Eagles improve to 9–4 and secure a top-4 finish in the Scenic West Conference in just their 3rd season. They wrap up the regular season tomorrow at 15th-ranked Snow College, with their tournament seed and opponent still to be determined. Snow won the first meeting 1–0.
Meanwhile, the CSI men control their postseason destiny after beating Colorado Northwestern 2–0. Rodrigo Julian Olmos scored his team-leading 7th goal in the 4th minute off an assist from Gordon Peterson. Jakob Hollon added a goal early in the second half, assisted by Ilan Portejoie.
CSI allowed just 2 shots, and goalkeeper Lasse Brier made 1 save for his 3rd shutout of the season. Now it comes down to tomorrow at Snow College: Win, and the Golden Eagles are in. Those teams tied 1–1 in September.
BOISE STATE FOOTBALL — BRONCOS SEEK FIRST WIN IN PULLMAN
Boise State has won 5 straight—but keeping that streak alive means winning somewhere the Broncos never have: Pullman, Washington.
The 21st-ranked Broncos visit Washington State tomorrow afternoon, with kickoff at 4 Mountain Time at Gesa Field. Boise State is 0–3 on the Cougars’ home turf, with its last visit ending in a 47–44 triple-overtime loss in 2017.
The Broncos arrive with an offense that’s scored at least 30 points in 5 straight games. Quarterback Maddux Madsen has thrown 13 touchdown passes without an interception, while Dylan Riley ranks 2nd nationally in rushing yards per game, averaging just over 139.
Boise State also leads the country in time of possession and in stopping opponents on combined 3rd- and 4th-down attempts.
There’ll be familiar faces across the field, too. Washington State head coach Kirby Moore and offensive coordinator Matt Miller both played receiver for the Broncos. Miller spent the previous 6 seasons coaching at Boise State.
The Broncos won the last meeting 45–24 in Boise in 2024. Tomorrow’s game airs nationally on USA Sports, with radio coverage on the Bronco Radio Network and SiriusXM channel 385.
BOISE STATE VOLLEYBALL — BRONCOS SWEEP UTAH STATE
Another sweep for Boise State volleyball—and now the conference leader is coming to town!
The Broncos beat Utah State in straight sets last night at ExtraMile Arena, winning 25–21, 25–17 and 25–21. It’s Boise State’s 11th sweep of the season, the most in the conference, and its first home victory over the Aggies since 2021.
Sydney Dreves led the way with 12 kills and 10 digs for her 3rd consecutive double-double. Azlynn Tittmann added 11 kills, reaching double figures for the 5th straight match.
Boise State rallied from behind in the final set to finish the season sweep of Utah State and improve to 13–8 overall, 5–3 in Pac-12 play.
Next up: Colorado State tomorrow at noon at ExtraMile Arena. The Rams enter 14–3 overall and unbeaten in conference play at 7–0.
BOISE STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER — DRAW PUTS BRONCOS IN FIRST-PLACE TIE
No goals, but a share of 1st place for Boise State women’s soccer! The Broncos battled Colorado State to a scoreless draw last night in Fort Collins, joining Utah State atop the Pac-12 standings with 13 points.
Goalkeeper Ava de Leest made 4 saves for her 9th shutout of the season and the 15th of her career. Colorado State outshot Boise State 10–7, but the Broncos kept their unbeaten all-time record against the Rams intact.
Boise State is now 12–2–2 overall and 4–1–1 in conference play.
The Broncos finish their regular-season road schedule next Friday, October 30, at Texas State. Kickoff is at 7 Mountain Time, with streaming coverage on the Pac-12 YouTube channel.
IDAHO STATE VOLLEYBALL — BENGALS BEAT MONTANA
A big night for freshman Mia Walsh helped Idaho State put away Montana! Walsh matched her career high with 20 kills and added 12 digs as the Bengals beat the Grizzlies in 4 sets last night in Pocatello.
Idaho State survived a tight opener, 29–27, then took the second set 25–18. Montana answered with a 25–20 win before the Bengals closed it out, 25–17.
Jaydin Watts added 12 kills and 5 blocks, while Annelie Wilson finished with 11 kills and 10 digs. Setter Kadence Marsh delivered 48 assists and 16 digs, and Aspen Boice led the defense with 21 digs.
The Bengals controlled the net, outblocking Montana 11–5 and hitting .322 for the match.
Next up, Idaho State heads to Bozeman to face Montana State tomorrow. That match streams on ESPN Plus.
IDAHO WOMEN’S SOCCER — VANDALS DRAW WITH UTAH TECH
Plenty of pressure, but no breakthrough for Idaho women’s soccer. The Vandals played Utah Tech to a scoreless draw last night in front of 863 fans at the Kibbie Dome for their Homecoming matchup.
Idaho outshot the Trailblazers 11–7, with Sara Rodgers and Mia Boltz leading the attack with 3 shots apiece. The Vandals made a late push with 3 attempts in less than 2 minutes, but couldn’t find the winner.
Paula Flores played all 90 minutes in goal and recorded 2 saves to help preserve the shutout. Idaho’s defense allowed just 2 shots after halftime.
The Vandals are now 7–3–5 overall. They host Southern Utah on Sunday for Senior Night, with kickoff scheduled for 1.
WEATHER
MORNING DRIVE
A wet, windy Friday ahead! Showers and a possible thunderstorm today, temperatures near 46, and gusts to 34 miles an hour. Showers taper off tonight, low 36. Tomorrow brings morning frost, then sunshine and 55. Frosty again tomorrow night, near 30. Sunday warms to a sunny 63.
AFTERNOON DRIVE
Keep the umbrella handy this afternoon! Showers and a possible thunderstorm, temperatures near 46, and wind gusts to 34 miles an hour. A few showers linger tonight before skies clear, low 36. Tomorrow, morning frost gives way to sunshine and 55. Frosty tomorrow night, low 30. Sunny Sunday, high 63.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT
A few showers could linger before midnight, then skies gradually clear. Breezy this evening, with a low near 36. Tomorrow starts with patchy frost, followed by sunshine and a high of 55. Tomorrow night turns colder, with widespread frost and a low near 30. Sunday brings sunshine and 63.
EXTENDED FORECAST
Saturday: Patchy frost between 7am and 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 55. Light and variable wind becoming northeast 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Patchy fog after 3am. Widespread frost, mainly after 2am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 30. Light southeast wind.
Sunday: Patchy fog before 9am. Widespread frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 63.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers before noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34.
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 59.
- Your Daily Briefing – 10/23/2026 - October 23, 2026
- Your Daily Briefing – 10/22/2026 - October 22, 2026
- Your Daily Briefing – 10/21/2026 - October 21, 2026
