AGP Executive Report

Wildfire & Injuries: A fast-moving Elmore County fire near Smith Road and Hamilton Road burned about 300 acres, triggered evacuations, and left several law enforcement officers hurt as crews worked to contain the blaze and assess damage. Weather Watch: Strong winds also rattled the Treasure Valley, including a Boise Airport incident where gusts tore up parts of a warehouse roof. Health Care Deal: Benewah Community Hospital backed off a planned contract termination with Blue Cross of Idaho after new reimbursement terms came back “better,” with more changes expected soon. Local Politics: Benewah County’s GOP commissioner primary went big for Tim Grubham over Douglas Pratt. Idaho Infrastructure: ITD announced temporary I-90 ramp closures in June for reconstruction tied to corridor growth. Sports & Community: Gonzaga made Isiah Harwell’s 2026-27 addition official, while Make-A-Wish Idaho’s Walk for Wishes North Idaho returns Saturday in Coeur d’Alene. National Legal Fight: A federal appeals court tossed a fluoride ruling that would have forced the EPA to revisit acceptable limits.

Labor Strike: Journalists at five McClatchy-owned papers in Washington and Idaho walked off the job Tuesday, demanding better pay and stronger protections against AI. Unions say McClatchy won’t put decision-makers at the bargaining table, and the strike includes a reader boycott of newspaper websites. Industrial Disaster: In Longview, a chemical tank imploded at a pulp and paper mill, injuring at least 10 and killing others, with officials still withholding how many remain missing. College & Sports: Idaho State University announced the state’s first three-year Bachelor of Applied Science degrees, while the revamped Pac-12 is being framed as the top “next rung” in hoops. Idaho Life: Rupert will enforce a 15% irrigation water cut as drought continues. Public Health: A rabid bat was found in Bannock County, and officials urge people to avoid bats and contact a vet if pets were exposed. Food Safety: Specialty coffee/tea/boba mixes were recalled in 25 states over possible salmonella contamination. Community: Volunteers and divers joined a Lake Coeur d’Alene cleanup to remove trash and debris from shorelines and underwater.

Idaho Parks Boom: Southern Idaho’s Craters of the Moon, Hagerman Fossil Beds, City of Rocks and Minidoka drew 431,522 visits in 2025, with Minidoka hitting a record 43,539—nearly double the year before. Road Safety Push: Washington and Idaho are kicking off the “100 deadliest days” stretch for summer crashes, with patrols targeting speeding and distracted driving. Housing Watch: A new FHA rule affecting nonborrowing spouses is raising fresh hurdles in community property states like Idaho, where debts and ratios can complicate mortgage approvals. Local Life & Travel: Boise splash pads reopened for the season, and Idaho’s annual bridge repair season starts after Memorial Day with major work zones and lane shifts. Community & Sports: Meridian added a long-missing WWII-era soldier’s name to a memorial, while CSI softball kept its NJCAA World Series run alive with a walk-off win. Quick Hits: Target is rolling out a redesigned shopping cart in select stores, and Ada County suburbs are dealing with a rat surge tied to moving patterns and local debate.

Local Impact Fees: Idaho Falls is switching residential impact fees to a square-footage system starting June 1, replacing per-unit charges as the city tries to match infrastructure costs to growth. Idaho Falls Safety: Crews rescued a driver trapped after a crash that sent a car over an embankment on I-90 near Coeur d’Alene; injuries were non-life-threatening. Memorial Day Context: Idaho Falls and across the country marked Memorial Day with stories tied to the holiday’s origins and the sacrifices of service members. Health & Policy: Washington Planned Parenthood rolled out a new option to order abortion pills in advance, aiming to help people plan ahead even before pregnancy. Sports & Community: Hoop Idaho Falls opened a mobile arcade basketball trailer for rentals, bringing arcade-style scoring to parties and events. Public Health Watch: New research flags unusually high hantavirus levels in rodents across the Palouse, including parts of Idaho and Washington.

Memorial Day Watch: Investigators are still searching for the cause of a deadly New York City shipyard fire and explosion that killed one person and injured more than 30 firefighters. Idaho Missing Person: An endangered missing advisory is out for 18-year-old Riley Dawn Stevenson, last possibly seen in Sidney, Nebraska, after investigators say she may be traveling toward Kansas City. Local Safety: Twin Falls County is urging extra water vigilance after a 12-year-old boy died in a possible drowning at Dierkes Lake. Community Spotlight: A Boise woman is building a humane rat-sighting map to help neighbors track infestations. Holiday Planning: Memorial Day hours vary by retailer, with Costco reported closed nationwide. Sports: The NCAA softball field is set for the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, with Texas Tech and Mississippi State among the teams advancing.

Idaho & the West’s wildfire watch: A human-caused Moore Fire near Kuna has burned about 1,500 acres; crews gained containment late Saturday and are aiming to get it under control Sunday, with road closures lifted but officials still advising people to leave. Public safety & courts: In Ada County, two men pleaded guilty to second-degree kidnapping after they beat a teen and forced him to break up with his girlfriend, then used his phone to send the messages. Health spotlight: Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City is expanding its proton therapy center after a former patient returned to help break ground on a project meant to double capacity. Idaho in the national mix: Idaho ranks 13th for average VA home loan size in Q1 2026, while Montana sits at 16th and Alaska at 15th. Sports: NCAA softball super regionals are underway, with Texas pushing to a Game 3 after a comeback vs. Arizona State. Also trending: A viral clip shows a teenage umpire in Potlatch ejecting a coach after a music dispute.

NCAA Softball: The super regional round is underway, with 13 of the top 16 seeds punching tickets to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City starting Thursday—Tennessee beat Georgia 2-1, Nebraska advanced via a 9-1 run-rule over Oklahoma State, Alabama topped LSU 4-1, and UCLA crushed UCF 14-4; Idaho Tragedy: A 12-year-old boy died after a possible drowning at Dierkes Lake Park in Twin Falls, with Shoshone Falls and the park closed while investigators look into what happened; Wildfire Watch: The Moore Fire near Swan Falls Road burned about 1,500 acres southeast of Melba, with forward progress stopped and the road reopened; Local Sports: Athletic Club Boise suffered its first home loss in club history, falling 3-1 to Fort Wayne, while Taylor baseball kept its NAIA World Series run alive with a 10-8 win over Doane; Health & Safety: Doctors are warning about kratom and 7-OH, saying “natural” doesn’t mean safe; Weather: Memorial Day weekend looks clear in Idaho, but Monday could get breezy and a bit disruptive.

Courts & Safety: A Rexburg man, Benjamin Mark White, was sentenced to six months in Madison County Jail plus five years probation for arson in a suicide attempt—after he disconnected gas lines, removed fire extinguishers, and disabled smoke alarms before setting his apartment on fire, endangering six residents and nearby neighbors. Sports: NCAA softball super regionals are underway, with Mississippi State staging a late comeback to beat Oklahoma 11-9 and Tennessee knocking off Georgia 2-1 to punch a ticket to Oklahoma City. Idaho Community & Life: In Notus, a high school baseball program is back after years away, built by students and community support on a makeshift field. Local Health & Risk: Three teens were injured in separate ATV crashes in the Coeur d’Alene National Forest; one 17-year-old remains in critical condition. Regional Spotlight: Utah’s “dirty soda” boom faces national chain competition, while Utahns also rally against the Box Elder Stratos data center over water and power concerns.

Super Regional Spotlight: The NCAA softball super regionals are underway, with Tennessee punching its ticket to the Women’s College World Series by beating Georgia 2-1 and clinching its 10th OKC trip; Mississippi State stunned Oklahoma 11-9, and Texas Tech opened with a 10-8 upset of Florida as the race for the final OKC spots heats up. Idaho Courts: In Pocatello, a federal jury convicted an unknown man of stealing a dead teen’s identity to collect more than $280,000 in benefits over decades—his real name still isn’t known. Memorial Day Prep: Idaho State Parks unveiled a new, expanded Farragut campground ahead of the holiday weekend. Local Life: The Idaho Field of Heroes Memorial returned to Pocatello, placing 7,086 markers for Iraq and Afghanistan service members. Sports (NAIA): At the Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston, IU Southeast beat Georgia Gwinnett 14-13 in a first-round game.

Island Park Traffic Delay: Idaho’s first traffic signal at U.S. 20 and Yale-Kilgore Road won’t be ready right after Memorial Day. ITD says a fit problem with the signal hardware forced a pause, and replacement parts will take about a month—pushing installation to later this summer. Local Business Closure: Duck Donuts in Ammon permanently closed Friday, blaming “unforeseen” debt tied to prior decisions after a new owner takeover. Health Watch: A new study finds hantavirus exposure may be higher in the Pacific Northwest than thought, with nearly 30% of rodents in Washington-Idaho’s Palouse region carrying a strain that can cause serious illness. Housing Reality Check: A national analysis says home values have surged far faster than wages over the past decade—leaving affordability worse even as prices cool from the COVID-era spike. Idaho Sports: Watersprings basketball standouts Korban Nelson and Ryan Demkowicz signed with separate colleges.

Federal Permitting Pushback: Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon are pushing back on slow, expensive federal permitting, saying the system defaults to the “largest, longest” reviews and is costing manufacturers billions—while the Permitting Council says it has finished just 16 mining permits but is trying to clear dozens more. Nuclear Power Focus: At Canaccord’s Nuclear Nexus conference, developers and investors warned that AI-driven electricity demand is colliding with grid and fuel-chain limits, with Idaho National Lab tied to plans for domestic HALEU supply. Idaho Courts & Families: A federal jury in Pocatello convicted a man who used a dead teen’s identity for decades to steal nearly $300,000 in benefits. Local Utilities: Twin Falls is installing a permanent sewer odor scrubber after complaints, starting May 25. INL Spotlight: The Experimental Breeder Reactor-1 Atomic Museum opens for the season at Idaho National Lab with free admission. Sports & Culture: Boise State’s Brooke Blevins named interim provost; and Zach Top announced a 14-date 2026 “Cold Beer & Country Music” tour hitting Boise.

Farm Costs Spike: After the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, farmers say diesel and fertilizer prices have surged, with shipping disruptions hitting key fertilizer ingredients and imports. Idaho Weather Watch: The National Weather Service says the Northwest has the best odds of a hotter-than-average summer, with drought already in parts of Idaho and Eastern Washington. Wildfire Prep: Coeur d’Alene’s Tubbs Hill trails will temporarily close over Memorial Day for FireSmart fuel-reduction work. Public Safety Politics: Oregon’s Jefferson County sheriff race is roiling after a committee recommended revoking candidate Tyler Anderson’s law enforcement certifications for life. Health Update: WSU researchers report Sin Nombre hantavirus appears more widespread in Palouse rodents than expected, with about 10% actively infected. Local Life: The Idaho Lottery is launching a new America250 scratch game, and Boise’s BoDo is set to welcome Cactus Southwest Kitchen + Bar later this fall.

Markets Watch: Wall Street bounced back after oil eased and Treasury yields cooled, with the S&P 500 up 1.08% and the Nasdaq up 1.54%, setting up an ASX rebound as investors regain some breathing room. Idaho Energy & Mining: Resolution Minerals says its first 2026 drill holes at the Golden Gate project in Idaho hit strong sulphides and alteration, teeing up more work after early results in a previously undrilled area. Local Business: People’s Waffle is opening a second location in Coeur d’Alene on May 22, bringing its Spokane-style waffle concept to North Idaho. Public Safety & Justice: A Nampa man was arrested on a felony charge after police said he used the internet to entice a child, with more charges possible after device searches. Aviation & Infrastructure: The FAA is moving ahead with replacement air-traffic control towers at major airports, including one in Idaho, as aging systems get upgraded. Sports & Community: Treasure Valley held its first all-girls high school flag football championship in Boise, with Centennial winning the title.

Trump’s Primary Sweep: Trump-backed candidates posted a 37-0 run across six states, with the biggest headline in Kentucky: incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie was ousted by Ed Gallrein, a Trump-endorsed former Navy SEAL, setting up the fall matchup. Idaho Politics: Idaho’s GOP gubernatorial nominee is Brad Little, who won the primary and now heads to November against Democrat Terri Pickens. Second Amendment Fight: A new lawsuit targets Illinois’ FOID licensing law, arguing it violates the Second Amendment and due process. North Idaho Police Search: Authorities are hunting a suspect after shots were fired at law enforcement during a domestic violence incident near Samuels, with residents urged to lock doors. Local Sports: Orofino won the 3A state baseball title with a 14-0 mercy-rule win over Malad, capped by a no-hitter. Obituary: Former O.J. Simpson trial detective Mark Fuhrman died at 74.

Idaho Primary Fallout: Idaho’s GOP governor race is headed to a familiar winner: Gov. Brad Little was leading in early returns and the AP called it for him, while key Idaho federal incumbents also held their primaries—U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, Rep. Mike Simpson, and Rep. Russ Fulcher. Local GOP Shifts: In eastern Idaho legislative races, several incumbents survived, including Marco Erickson (33B), Stephanie Mickelsen and Erin Bingham (District 32), and Barbara Ehardt (33A). Trump’s Party Test: Across the country, Tuesday’s primaries kept spotlight on Trump’s influence—Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie lost to Trump-backed Ed Gallrein, another high-profile “loyalty” win. Idaho Policy Watch: The Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit is reopening May 21 with $7M+ remaining, and parents will apply first-come, first-served. Community & Culture: Orcas Island’s “Dirty 30” fire recruits graduated after grueling training, and Idaho’s CSI softball earned the 13th seed for the NJCAA national tournament.

Idaho Primary Day: Idaho voters are heading to the polls Tuesday, with statewide races and local contests deciding who makes the November ballot—plus reminders on who can vote in GOP primaries and where to cast ballots. Trump’s Influence Tested: Across the country, six-state primaries are a stress test for Trump’s grip on Republicans, with Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie facing a Trump-backed challenger and Alabama’s Barry Moore trailing in a late poll. Idaho Services & Daily Life: June SNAP payment timing varies by state, and Idaho families are also weighing options like teen residential treatment in Boise when outpatient care fails. BLM Leadership: The U.S. Senate confirmed Steve Pearce to lead the Bureau of Land Management in a party-line vote, setting up a fresh fight over how public lands are managed. Community Notes: Inkom opened its first public library, and the Idaho Field of Heroes returns to Pocatello for Memorial Day weekend.