NEWS

STOLEN TRUCK CHASE ENDS IN CORNFIELD

A 33-year-old Texas man is behind bars after yesterday’s stolen box truck chase through Jerome County. Idaho State Police say he crashed into a cornfield, ran to a nearby home, then surrendered after the homeowner alerted deputies. He’s facing multiple felony charges, and no one was hurt.

DEADLY HOUSE FIRE UNDER INVESTIGATION

Kimberly Police are investigating after a person was found dead inside a home following yesterday morning’s house fire. The fire happened near Ash Street South and Jefferson Street, where firefighters found the home fully engulfed. The cause of the fire and the death remain under investigation.

HAGERMAN PERSONNEL MATTER

The Hagerman City Council met in executive session yesterday over a personnel matter after a city employee submitted, then withdrew, a resignation. City Hall briefly closed yesterday but reopened today. A public meeting is scheduled for August 5.

OHIO FIRE EVACUATIONS REDUCED

Good news for Blaine County residents. Evacuation levels have been reduced for parts of the Ohio Fire, including Ohio Gulch Road, the Valley Club, and Indian Creek Road. The fire is holding at about 2,035 acres with 10% containment, and no structures have been lost.

GAS PRICES CLIMB

Idaho drivers are paying more at the pump this week. AAA says the average price for regular gas is now $4.05 a gallon, up about six cents from last week. Rising crude oil prices and renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are driving costs higher.

JEROME COUNTY EXPLORES NUCLEAR ENERGY

Jerome County leaders are exploring whether small modular nuclear reactors could help meet Magic Valley’s growing energy needs. Officials stress no decisions have been made. Idaho National Laboratory is helping lead a $40 million nuclear energy initiative expected to create hundreds of new energy jobs across Idaho and Wyoming over the next five years.

JEROME ANIMAL SHELTER CLOSED

The Jerome Animal Shelter is temporarily closed after a dog tested positive for parvovirus. The shelter plans to reopen August 1, if no additional cases are found.

BOISE-TO-HONOLULU FLIGHTS

Alaska Airlines is launching daily nonstop flights from Boise to Honolulu starting December 17 through March 21. Tickets are on sale now, with round-trip fares starting at around $530.

K-9 EVIDENCE CHALLENGED IN VAUGHAN CASE

Attorneys for Stacey Wondra want K-9 evidence kept out of his upcoming murder trial in the disappearance of Michael “Monkey” Vaughan. The defense argues the dog alerts are unreliable. Wondra’s trial remains scheduled for September.

COMPETENCY REVIEW POSSIBLE IN GREENBELT STABBING

The Boise man accused of fatally stabbing a man on the Greenbelt may undergo a competency evaluation. Defense attorneys for 41-year-old Ross Allen Wardlaw raised concerns during yesterday’s preliminary hearing.

WOMEN THREATEN DEFAMATION LAWSUIT

Kayla Smith, Jennifer Adkins, and Jillaine St. Michel, three women from Idaho’s landmark abortion lawsuit, are threatening legal action against Live Action News, claiming the site defamed them over their medically necessary abortions. The group has until July 28 to respond.

SPORTS

TWIN FALLS COWBOYS HEAD TO STATE

The Twin Falls Cowboys are headed to the AA Legion State Tournament in Lewiston after finishing the regular season 16-and-15. They’ll open tournament play Thursday morning against the Prairie Cardinals. Head coach Tim Stadelmeir says the Cowboys plan to play aggressive baseball and believes they have what it takes to make a deep postseason run.

BURLEY GREEN SOX QUALIFY FOR STATE

The Burley Green Sox had their 16-game winning streak snapped with a 7-4 loss to Bonneville in the Legion A Area C district championship. Burley battled back late but couldn’t overcome an early six-run deficit. The good news? The Green Sox still qualified for the Idaho Legion A State Tournament and will begin defending their state championship Thursday morning in Nampa.

CSI SIGNS TOP UTAH SHOOTER

The College of Southern Idaho has signed one of Utah’s top shooters. Diego Mulford is joining the Golden Eagles after completing a two-year church mission. The standout guard finished his high school career shooting 51% from three-point range and says he’s ready to bring energy and defense to CSI this season.

CSI ADDS ASSISTANT COACHES

The College of Southern Idaho volleyball team has added two new assistant coaches. Natany Felix Guimarães and Bailey Peña join the Golden Eagles coaching staff as CSI prepares to open the 2026 season next month with scrimmages beginning August 10.

RAPIDS FINISH AS NATIONAL RUNNERS-UP

The Twin Falls Rapids Girls U19 team finished as national runners-up, falling 3-1 to Shreveport United in the US Youth Soccer National Championship game. The Rapids capped an outstanding tournament after reaching the national title match with two wins, a draw, and strong playoff performances.

ALBERTSONS STADIUM NOMINATED

Boise State’s Albertsons Stadium has been nominated for USA Today’s Best College Football Stadium award for the first time. Fans can vote once a day through August 17. The Blue is also celebrating its 40th anniversary this season with permanent tributes to Bronco legends Kellen Moore and Ashton Jeanty.

MADSEN NOMINATED FOR GOOD HANDS TEAM

Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen has been nominated for the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Hands Team, recognizing excellence in community service, academics, and athletics. Madsen has been active in mental health awareness, foster care outreach, and enters the season as a preseason All-Pac-12 selection.

IDAHO AND IDAHO STATE PRESEASON PICKS

The Idaho Vandals and Idaho State Bengals have their preseason Big Sky picks. Idaho was selected sixth by the media and seventh by coaches, while Idaho State came in fourth in the media poll and fifth by coaches ahead of the 2026 football season.

BIG SKY KICKOFF

The Big Sky Conference kicks off the 2026 football season this weekend with its annual Big Sky Kickoff near Spokane. Idaho head coach Thomas Ford Jr. and quarterback Joshua Wood, along with Idaho State head coach Cody Hawkins and quarterback Jordan Cooke, will represent their programs at Monday’s Media Day. The event streams live on ESPN+ as excitement builds for the new season.

WEATHER

SMOKE, HEAT AND STORM CHANCES

We’ll see patchy smoke this afternoon before skies clear with a hot high near 97. There’s a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms tonight. Tomorrow cools down a bit with a high near 88 and a better chance for afternoon storms. Then it’s back to sunny, dry, and hot, with highs in the mid to upper 90s through the weekend.

TUESDAY

Tuesday: Patchy smoke after 11 a.m. Mostly cloudy through mid-morning, then gradual clearing and hot, with a high near 97. Southwest wind 6 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.

TUESDAY NIGHT

Tuesday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Patchy smoke before 3 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. West-northwest wind 6 to 16 mph becoming south after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Southwest wind 7 to 9 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%.