Driggs boil water advisory lifted

KIFI on March 24, 2026

News Team

DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI) — A boil water advisory for residents living north of Valley Center Drive. Recent testing confirms that the water supply is once again safe to drink.

The advisory was triggered after a city water system valve was accidentally closed, causing a significant drop in water pressure. When pressure drops below certain levels, there is a potential risk for backflow, which can allow bacteria, viruses, and parasites to enter the supply.

While the water is safe, residents in the affected areas should flush their taps by running cold water for 3–5 minutes before drinking or cooking.

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Big changes ahead for Bend: residents weigh in at open house

KTVZ on March 24, 2026

Spencer Sacks

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The city of Bend hosted an open house, on Tuesday, to share information about the Franklin Project and others, including the Hawthorne Crossing. Members from several city teams were on hand to answer questions, explain design changes, and gather feedback from residents.

Todd Johnson, Senior Engineer with the City of Bend, said community input plays a key role in shaping city projects.“the reason why we have these open houses is just the feed back. It really helpes shape the design of what we build.”

He added that new bike infrastructure is designed to make cycling safer and more intuitive.“As you’re coming out of the protected bike lane you can go on the cycle track which is curb separated bike path.”

Around one hundred people attended Tuesday’s event. Reactions were mixed, though many said they left with a better understanding of what’s planned.

Bend resident Tamara Houston appreciated seeing the infrastructure designs up close.”It did. You know, I think one thing that’s, tricky for everybody is like, what’s happening when we take out car lanes. And so, like, looking at some of the infrastructure designs that they put in place to help accommodate bikes and cars and, and maybe actually, it’s not that different than what it is, it’s just that the bikes are separated and the pedestrians are separated from the cars a little differently”

As for the Hawthorne Project, city officials are exploring the possibility of expanding crossing areas, but those ideas are still in the early stages.

While many residents expressed excitement about improved bike and pedestrian access, several business owners voiced concern about what construction and lane changes could mean for their businesses.

The Hawthorne Connections Study focuses on two road segments intended to fill gaps in the city’s bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The first segment involves Hawthorne Avenue between Third Street and Fifth Street, which would provide safer access to destinations such as the Juniper Swim & Fitness Center. The second segment covers Harriman Street between Greenwood Avenue and Franklin Avenue to improve access to the planned Hawthorne Crossing bridge. This bridge is designed to carry pedestrians and cyclists over the Parkway and Railroad.

The Midtown Crossings Project includes final design details for Franklin Avenue from Harriman Street to NE Fourth Street. Planned improvements for this stretch include new separated sidewalks and bike lanes, upgraded lighting, landscaping and signage. The project also involves new railings near the undercrossing, painting and various water and stormwater management infrastructure. These changes are intended to reduce traffic conflict points and calm vehicle speeds.

The Second Street waterline project aims to replace aging infrastructure to improve the resiliency of the water system across Bend. Crews will replace an existing 12-inch cast iron water main with an 18-inch ductile iron main. This upsized pipe will increase water capacity between the Awbrey Reservoir and the Pilot Butte Reservoir while bringing the system up to current standards.

Utility construction on Franklin Avenue between NE First Street and NE Fourth Street is scheduled to begin in April.

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District 35: Education-focused incumbent takes on ‘true conservative’ former lawmaker

KIFI on March 24, 2026

Kaeden Lincoln

Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on March 24, 2026

By: Kaeden Lincoln

Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of candidate profiles Idaho Education News will publish ahead of the May 19 primary election. We’re highlighting competitive races impacting education policy. Click here to see our Elections webpage featuring a list of all candidates and much more. Click here to see your voter information. Follow our elections blog for breaking news and insights.

AMMON, Idaho — A first-term lawmaker and a former representative are on a collision course in District 35 — with different ideas about what should drive Idaho policy.

Incumbent Rep. Mike Veile is defending his seat against former lawmaker Chad Christensen in the upcoming Republican primary.

Veile is centering his campaign on education and collaborative policymaking, while Christensen is returning with a focus on law-and-order conservatism and support for school choice measures like Idaho’s new private school tax credit.

“One size doesn’t fit all for our kids,” Christensen told EdNews.

But Veile says he’s just settling in as representative of the district covering a large swath of Bonneville County and Teton, Caribou, and Bear Lake counties.

He hopes to continue focusing on education. 

“I just love getting in the middle of some of these bills,” he said. 

Incumbent: Mike Veile

Occupation: Engineer
History of elected service: One term in Idaho House. Appointed in 2025.
Campaign website: mikeveileforidaho.com

 

 

Gov. Brad Little appointed Veile to office last year after former Rep. Kevin Andrus was tapped by the Trump administration for a U.S. Department of Agriculture role.

As a former Soda Springs School District trustee, he said education tops his priorities if reelected — and he values including as many people as possible in the legislative process.

“I love sitting down in a room with different stakeholders and trying to get to a result,” he said.

This session, his priorities have revolved around several education-focused bills, including:

House Bill 883, which gives state funding flexibility to districts that meet certain academic benchmarks.

House Bill 712, which would create a state seal of excellence in civics to appear on high school diplomas for qualifying graduates.

Senate Bill 1339, which Veile sponsored alongside Sen. Dave Lent, R-Idaho Falls, to create a requirement for school districts to adopt strategic performance improvement plans with measurable goals.

Rep. Michael Veile at the House Education Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Sean Dolan/EdNews)

He finds charter schools innovative and a model Idaho public schools can learn from, but he worries they divide families between haves and have-nots depending on things like at-home support and special needs.

“We cannot turn our backs on those students,” he said of students with special needs. “They will become members of our society. It’s in all of our best interests to make them as successful as possible.”

He wants to increase special education budgets, especially in smaller districts, to support paying for things like speech pathology and to boost support for undertrained paraprofessionals.

Veile opposes private school tax credits. Idaho doesn’t have the funding to support multiple education systems, he said. He worries directing dollars to private schools reduces the effectiveness of money for public schools. 

He’s unsure what kind of funding model would solve problems in school budgets, but he doesn’t think it’s as simple as keeping the state’s average-daily-attendance model or even shifting to an enrollment-based approach.

“I think there’s other factors that are rapidly changing in how students do their learning through online avenues and things like that, which don’t make it an easy answer,” he said. “So that would be something that I think needs to be looked at differently.”

He believes Idaho is typically fiscally responsible, but some recent decisions unsettle him.

“Fiscal responsibility is also not passing costs on to our local governments,” he said about bills that impact property taxes. “I’m here to push bills that advance. I’m interested in making things better. I’m not interested in punishing.”

Challenger: Chad Christensen

Occupation: Real estate agent
History of elected service: District 35 representative, 2018-22.
Website: chadforidaho.com

 

 

Christensen lost his House seat to former Rep. Josh Wheeler by 362 votes – a 4% difference – in the 2022 Republican primary. He withdrew the following cycle because he supported Andrus, who left for the Trump administration.

If elected, Christensen said he would prioritize issues of welfare recipient fraud and would seek harsher penalties for sex offenders, issues he focused on during his previous tenure in office.

Chad Christensen (Photo courtesy of Chad Christensen for Idaho)

His children once attended public schools, he said. But when his son suffered an ankle injury, he switched to an online school. The experience left Christensen feeling that public schools should be funded based on enrollment, rather than average daily attendance.

Education isn’t his primary focus, he said, but he supports school choice, public schools and career-technical education. He said he doesn’t want people to think he’s against traditional public school because he supports school choice.

“I support all education avenues,” Christensen said. 

Consolidating some school districts is an area he would like to explore, he said, as long as it is economically feasible. Consolidation proposals have gained traction in recent years, including in Vermont, where enrollment has shrunk in the last two decades.

Christensen expressed concerns about a lack of conservatism in the Statehouse. 

“The people in Idaho are conservative. I think the Legislature doesn’t mirror that,” he said.

He feels some representatives campaign on conservative platforms and then vote more liberally.

“I’m a true conservative,” he said.

Fundraising –  2026 election cycle

Chad Christensen

Beginning cash balance: $5,083
Total contributions: $17,130
Total expenditures: $11,975
Ending cash balance: $5,539

Mike Veile

Beginning cash balance: $7,342
Total contributions: $8,750 (+$16,000 loan)
Total expenditures: $7,155
Ending cash balance: $17,595

Source: Idaho Sunshine, as of March 23

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Scam Alert- Text messages are impersonating Idaho DMV

KIFI on March 24, 2026

Kaelyn Blessinger

Boise, Idaho — Idahoans are being warned about another wave of scam text messages circulating across the state. These messages include links to pay for traffic tickets or vehicle registrations that are not real.

The Idaho Transportation Department stress, these text messages for unpaid traffic fines are NOT from them or the Department of Motor Vehicles.

“Scammers are still targeting Idahoans with messages that look official but are completely fraudulent,” said Lisa McClellan, DMV Administrator. If the link does not end in a dot gov address, it’s a scam.”

If you receive one of these messages, do not click any links and do not provide personal or payment information. Report the message to your mobile carrier and delete it. 

For accurate and secure information about DMV services in Idaho, always visit www.dmv.idaho.gov.

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Free household hazardous waste collection events in Deschutes County this April

KTVZ on March 24, 2026

Kelsey Merison

DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County Solid Waste will host three free household hazardous waste collection events in Redmond, Sisters, and La Pine this April. The one-day events are designed to help rural residents dispose of toxic materials safely and reduce the number of trips required to the county landfill.

While the Knott Landfill in Bend accepts hazardous waste weekly, many rural transfer stations are not currently equipped to handle such materials. Greg Brady, the Deschutes County hazardous waste supervisor, said the initiative is intended to protect local resources from contamination.

“Improper disposal of household hazardous waste can harm the environment and community health by allowing toxic chemicals to leak into the soil and groundwater,” Brady said. “We hope that by offering these free, one-day events we can reduce the amount of hazardous waste going into the county landfill.”

The schedule for the collection events begins in Redmond at the Negus Transfer Station, located at 2400 NE Maple Ave. This first event is scheduled for Saturday, April 4th.

The following week, on Saturday, April 11thh, the county will host a collection at the Sisters Recycling Center at 328 Sisters Park Drive.

The final event will take place on Saturday, April 18th, in the South County Services Center parking lot at 51340 U.S. 97 in La Pine.

All three events will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Residents may bring a variety of common household chemicals to these sites. Accepted materials include oil and latex paints, stains, thinners, solvents, and various fuels. Garden products such as herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers will also be taken, along with pool and spa chemicals. The events will also accept oil-soaked rags, aerosols, mercury-containing thermometers, and rechargeable batteries.

Certain automotive and household items are also eligible for free disposal. Staff will accept vehicle fluids including coolants, lubricants and brake, transmission and fuel fluids. Small propane tanks, such as those used for barbecue grills or camp stoves, are allowed, as are fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent bulbs.

Some materials are strictly prohibited from the one-day collection sites. These include business-generated hazardous waste, medical waste, and explosives such as fireworks or ammunition. Organizers will not accept compressed gas cylinders, other than the specified propane tanks and no containers larger than five gallons will be allowed.

For those who cannot attend the April events, the county offers year-round hazardous waste disposal in Bend. The Knott Landfill household hazardous waste facility, located at 61050 SE 27th St., accepts these materials every Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at no charge. Residents can also find more information through the Inside Deschutes County Podcast or by calling the Department of Solid Waste at 541-317-3163.

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Urgent search for missing 15-year-old Brandy Bird in Oregon

KTVZ on March 24, 2026

Kelsey Merison

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Human Services is asking for the public’s help to find 15-year-old Brandy Bird, who went missing from Beaverton on March 13th. Officials believe the teenager is in danger and is likely in the Portland metro area.

Urgent Search for Missing 15-Year-Old Brandy Bird in OregonUrgent Search for Missing 15-Year-Old Brandy Bird in Oregon

Bird is also known by the name Sky Flores or Sky Florez. She is described as five feet three inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. While her hair is naturally blond, officials noted it may currently be dyed multiple colors. She has distinct physical characteristics, including piercings on her nose, eyebrow, and lip and a rose tattoo on her left arm.

The teenager was last seen in Beaverton and is known to frequent the Hillsboro and Portland areas. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is investigating her disappearance under report number WCSO 50-26-3482. Additionally, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has issued report number 2081609 regarding the case.

Anyone who believes they have seen Bird is urged to contact 911 or local law enforcement immediately.

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Ticks pose Summer threat in Southeast Idaho: Here’s how to protect you, your family and your pets

KIFI on March 24, 2026

Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Ticks may be tiny, but they can carry serious diseases, making prevention especially important during outdoor activities like hiking, camping, or even working in your yard.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare warns that local insects carry several diseases of concern. In southeast Idaho, ticks are known to spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tick-borne relapsing fever, and tularemia.

One way ticks jump into your home is through your pets.

“So normally ticks are outside and are brought in from pets going outside and coming inside. Most commonly grassy areas, wooded areas, places with high grass such as fields. But they can get into your yard,” Elise, a Certified Veterinary Technician at the Idaho Falls Veterinary Hospital, said.

“A bite can cause a disease that might seriously impact your health. It’s important to do everything you can to avoid getting bitten,” said IDHW in a 2022 news release.

This year can be especially bad for ticks in Southeast Idaho due to the unusually warm winter, and it’s taking a toll on veterinary clinics.

“The fact that we had such a mild winter does give them a longer breeding season, and we do expect to see a lot more ticks this year,” Elise said.

Removal is important especially to ensure that the tick is successfully removed.

“If you find a tick on your pet, stay calm [and] ideally, you want to get tweezers and then you want to grasp it firmly where it meets the skin and then pull with constant pressure,” Elise. said

The CDC recommends several simple steps to reduce your risk:

Before going outside

Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or similar ingredients

Wear long sleeves and long pants when possible

Treat clothing and gear with permethrin for added protection

While outdoors

Stay in the center of trails and avoid tall grass and brush

Be cautious in wooded or shaded areas where ticks are common

After coming inside

Check your entire body for ticks, especially under arms, behind knees, and around hairlines

Shower within two hours to wash off unattached ticks

Put clothes in the dryer on high heat to kill any ticks

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Officer-involved shooting in Wellton ruled as justified

KYMA on March 24, 2026

Lauren Duffel

WELLTON, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Wellton Police Department (WPD) says an officer-involved shooting from earlier this year has been ruled as justified.

According to WPD, The Yuma County Attorney’s Office reviewed bodycam footage the morning of January 16, where police responded to a report of aggravated assault on S. Dome Street, near Old U.S. Highway 80.

WPD says an officer found a victim who had severe injuries after being hit by a hatchet outside the home, prompting the officer to call for back-up to help assist the victim.

The suspect, a 37-year-old woman, then ran outside the home, charging at the officer with a hatchet, WPD says.

The officer told the suspect to drop the weapon, but she did not comply, leading the officer to shoot the suspect, and was later pronounced dead.

Witness statements and physical evidence were also reviewed, and was determined the shooting was justified.

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Crash blocks I-15 north of Blackfoot; Hay bales littering roadway

KIFI on March 24, 2026

Seth Ratliff

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — A crash along Southbound I-15 is causing significant delays for travelers north of Blackfoot.

According to the Idaho Transportation Department, the crash took place around 9:57 AM near W 450 N. Details surrounding the incident are limited, but ITD has confirmed that there are several large hay bales on the roadway.

The right lane is currently blocked, and the left lane is partially blocked. ITD is directing drivers to expect delays and use caution. For updates on traffic and road closures, click HERE.

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There’s Good News: Elk Vintage to open first brick-and-mortar store in Bend’s Old Mill District

KTVZ on March 24, 2026

Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Elk Vintage, a locally owned boutique, is set to open its first permanent storefront in Bend’s Old Mill District this spring. Owners Jeni Gallacher and Andria Hattenhauer will move the business into the historic Little Red Shed with a grand opening scheduled for May 1st.

The 400-square-foot building is the oldest structure in the district and originally served as a fire hose shed for the Brooks-Scanlon mill. The new shop marks a transition for the owners, who built the brand through regional pop-up markets and community events across Central Oregon.

The business grew from the owners’ history of hosting pop-up shops and participating in markets throughout Central Oregon. They previously sold items at Gathered Wares, Consignment Collective, Dogwood at the Pine Shed, and various events in Camp Sherman. Gallacher, co-owner of Elk Vintage, said the transition to a physical store was a gradual progression from their personal collections. “At first, it was just, ‘We have a lot of cool stuff,’” Gallacher said. “Then it turned into, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we had a store?'”

Co-owner Hattenhauer said the size and historical nature of the structure, which sits near City Home, aligned with their vision for the boutique. “We had seen the Red Shed before and thought, ‘That would be the perfect spot,’” Hattenhauer said. “It’s the right size for what we want to do, and the fact that the building itself has history makes it even more special.” 

The boutique will feature a mix of vintage clothing, accessories, and small home goods sourced from across Oregon, as well as online platforms and regional buying trips. Gallacher’s contributions to the collection focus on vintage T-shirts, denim, and rock-n-roll styles.

Hattenhauer provides a different perspective with classic sweaters and timeless pieces. Gallacher said the inventory is selected to ensure shoppers find unique items. “All of our pieces are one of a kind,” Gallacher said. “You’re not going to walk in and find something everyone else is wearing.”

Each item in the shop is washed, steamed, and prepared before it is available for purchase. Hattenhauer said she hopes customers feel a sense of discovery when visiting the boutique. “We love the idea that a vintage piece finds you,” Hattenhauer said. “That’s what we want people to feel when they walk in.”

The grand opening is scheduled for May 1st from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. as part of the First Friday Art Walk. Regular store hours will be Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with new inventory arriving on a weekly basis.

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