Month: April 2026

Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — The road to the May 19 Primary Election officially opened today as early voting began in several counties across Idaho. While the rollout varies by location, Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane is urging every citizen of the Gem State to take advantage of the expanded access to the ballot box.

In a recent news release, Secretary McGrane emphasized the Primary’s important role in shaping the “Gem State’s” future, encouraging “everyone to make a plan to vote.”

“Our goal is to make voting as easy and accessible as possible,” said McGrane. “With early voting, Idahoans have the flexibility to participate in a way that works with their schedule.”

While many counties launched their early voting sites this morning, for others—including Bonneville County—early voting will be available from May 4 through May 15, 2026.

For more county-specific voter information, click HERE.

Idahoans who are not yet registered to vote may register at an early voting location by bringing an accepted form of photo ID and proof of residence.

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KIVI Staff

Originally Posted 7:18 AM, Apr 27, 2026

By: Leslie Solis

CALDWELL, Idaho — With Idaho under a statewide drought emergency, farmers face tough decisions heading into this year’s crop season.

At Williamson Orchards and Vineyard in Sunnyslope, co-owner Mike Williamson said the biggest concern is simple but critical.

“How are we going to keep our vines and trees alive through the end of the summer?” Williamson said.

Drought conditions are not new to Idaho’s agricultural industry, but they pose unique challenges for farmers who rely on permanent crops like grapevines and fruit trees. These crops take years to establish and cannot be easily replaced or rotated.

“Our crops out here are permanent, that meaning they’re gonna stay here year in and year out, and as a farmer, it’s my job to guide my employees to care for these that includes applying the right amount of water,” Williamson said.

Unlike other farms that can pivot to shorter-season crops such as beans or peas, Williamson said vineyards and orchards require consistent care and water throughout the entire growing season. He noted the long-term investment makes water management even more critical.

“These vines behind us, they’re over 20 years old,” Williamson said.

To stretch limited water supplies, Williamson said his team will adjust by pruning their grapevines more heavily this season. The strategy reduces the plant’s need for water but also lowers overall production.

“If we use the strategy to reduce our crop through pruning to help mitigate water usage and reduce our water usage, that can reduce our yield, our overall yield, and it does affect our bottom line,” Williamson said.

Earlier this season, Williamson said farmers were warned water access could be cut off as early as August or September, a scenario that could have devastating consequences.

Recent rain helped improve conditions slightly, but uncertainty remains about how long water supplies will last.

Idaho’s agriculture depends heavily on snowpack in the mountains, which feeds reservoir and canal systems used for irrigation throughout the year.

To adapt, Williamson said his family’s century-old farm invested in water-efficient practices and technology.

“We use water-thrifty practices, including drip irrigation. The emitters put the water right where the plant is. We use technology out in the field as well. We have water sensors that go four feet down in the ground… to measure and monitor how the water table in our fields are doing, so that we can more precisely water. And water right when we need to and not overwater,” Williamson said.

Those systems allow farmers to deliver water directly to plant roots and avoid waste, a crucial strategy during drought conditions.

“Water’s a treasure, and we have to spend it wisely,” Williamson said.

Williamson said each farm faces different challenges depending on crop type, water access, and long-term investments. Many are working through the same uncertainty as they try to protect both their harvest and their livelihood.

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This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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News Team

UPDATE:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Skyline High School is set to reopen Tuesday, April 28, for the first time in nearly a week after an issue with the building’s air conditioning system forced the school to shut its doors.

District 91 Superintendent Karla LaOrange confirmed that the district received updated findings from its Industrial Hygienist from MarCom that support ending the closure.

To maintain transparency with the community, the district announced that all environmental documents from Home Health Environmental and MarCom, including complete test results, will be published on the official district website tomorrow. The district will continue to update that information as it becomes available. For more information, click HERE.

Ahead of tomorrow’s school day, D91 facility staff will thoroughly clean the Skyline building tonight. Superintendent LaOrange says the school district will allow families who are not comfortable with their child returning to the building to keep them home.

“These absences will not count against the student,” said LaOrange. “Still, the student will be responsible for getting assignments from their teachers and staying on top of their work.”

In a news release announcing the reopening, LaOrange expressed gratitude for the patience of the extended Skyline staff and community.

“We are sincerely thankful for the flexibility and patience shown by the Skyline teachers, staff, and family community this past week. We share the same concern for the safety of students and staff, and we are grateful for their partnership,” said LaOrange. “We are also grateful for the work done by D91 Maintenance, MarCom, Home Health Environmental, and the other experts who helped manage this situation.”

ORIGINAL:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Skyline High School remains closed on Monday as an industrial hygienist conducts another round of air quality assessments.

District 91 officials say that over the weekend multiple areas of the building were checked using a multi-gas meter, and all readings came back normal. The district expects another report today, which will determine when students and staff can safely return.

While tests were promising, District 91 officials say they are awaiting information from Home Health Environmental before reopening the doors to students and staff. The district expects another report today, which will determine when students and staff can safely return.

Once the final “all clear” is given, the building will be thoroughly cleaned before classes resume.

While general classes are canceled until further notice, AP classes continue to be held at other D91 locations so students can continue to prepare for upcoming exams.

In a letter addressed to the Skyline community, the D91 Superintendent Karla LaOrange expressed gratitude for the cooperation of families and staff during the service interruption.

“The Skyline community has already shown a great deal of flexibility as the maintenance work has been done, and I am thankful for that support,” said LaOrange.

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