Category: kifi-local-news

Par Kermani

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — Construction on the Riverton Road Bridge north of Blackfoot is expected to continue through November, according to the Idaho Transportation Department.

The bridge replacement project began last month after the overpass was damaged in October.

According to an ITD social media post, demolition of the bridge began May 18.

During construction, the Riverton Road Bridge over Interstate 15 will remain closed to traffic. Drivers should also expect reduced speeds through the work zone, with speed limits restricted to 65 mph.

The bridge closure has forced drivers to use alternate routes while crews remove the old structure and prepare for its replacement.

ITD is encouraging drivers to plan ahead, watch for construction crews and check road conditions before traveling.

The latest traffic information is available through Idaho 511.

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CNN Newsource

Originally Published: 03 JUN 26 16:45 ET

By Emily Ashcraft, KSL

Click here for updates on this story

    AMERICAN FORK, Utah (KSL) — American Fork police are now involved in a viral conversation about a $200,000 “Star Wars” Lego collection.

Ben Schneider, known on YouTube as Reckless Ben, traveled to American Fork as part of his efforts to help Bryan Mansell, a man who reached out to him after he said his family’s collection had been stolen by Bricks and Minifigs, a Utah-based Lego resell company.

The videos claim Mansell left his family’s Legos at an Oregon franchise of Bricks and Minifigs under a consignment agreement, but when corporate took over the store and gave it to a new owner based in American Fork, he allegedly did not get his money back — or his Legos.

Throughout the videos, which are still being released, Schneider goes to great lengths to try to get the Legos back, including speaking to Bricks and Minifig employees, placing large banners about the alleged theft over the company’s sign, delivering an award to the store for “most Legos stolen,” and filing multiple small-claims court lawsuits.

Schneider also created a satirical company called “We Steal From Old People,” which has a logo placing its name under the Bricks and Minifigs logo. Among his other efforts, he has also traveled to American Fork to confront the company’s owner at his home.

A video from Schneider’s channel released on Saturday highlights the American Fork Police Department’s response to multiple calls that he was in front of one of the company’s owners, Josh Johnson. In his video, he claims he is trying to have a good faith conversation and serve papers as required by Oregon court to start a lawsuit. However, Johnson calls police on him multiple times as Schneider sends people to talk to Johnson.

A fundraiser Schneider set up for Mansell after other options fell through has already earned over $250,000.

‘Not exempted’ In a video posted to social media, American Fork Police Chief Cameron Paul said Schneider’s videos were “presented in a way that calls into question some of the actions of our department.” He goes through each of the four case numbers following calls to the department from Johnson on March 9 through March 12 and tells the police officers’ side of the story, including why they responded and what actions they took.

Twice, Paul said, they decided to arrest Schneider, and he was ultimately charged on March 27 with stalking, a class A misdemeanor, and targeted residential picketing, a class B misdemeanor.

“The fact that someone may have believed they were wronged financially does not exempt any individual from the laws governing harassment, trespassing, stalking or other conduct within our jurisdiction. We remain committed to enforcing the law fairly, objectively and transparently regardless of who was involved or what narrative might exist,” he said.

The American Fork Police Department’s role, according to Paul, was not to determine what was morally right in the business agreement but instead to enforce Utah’s law.

“I understand that many people following this situation online have strong feelings regarding the underlying business dispute out of Oregon and allegations that individuals may have lost significant amounts of money. I recognize that people are frustrated, angry and may feel that justice has not been served in relation to those allegations. Those concerns are understandable, I understand them and am empathetic to them. And, nothing in the actions taken by the American Fork Police Department should be interpreted as validating, supporting or defending anyone involved in that separate civil or criminal dispute,” he said.

The police video, the only one currently available on the channel, has over 425,000 views.

Call to unredact Schneider has since buckled down on his complaints against the police department, accusing it of lying about hurting his arm during a search of his Airbnb and in its claim that he hadn’t stopped at a stop sign. He said police instead used that as an excuse to pull him over, when body camera video showed the car he was in did make a complete stop.

He said he explained to the police that he was seeking to fulfill the requirements to file an Oregon lawsuit and that he told them Johnson was the one who was a criminal, accusing him of stealing Legos. He said dragging the issue out just gives him more content.

Schneider ends the video with “let’s find Bryan’s Legos.”

Thousands of comments on the American Fork Police Department’s video and Facebook post side with Schneider. Someone has also created a fake American Fork Police Department Facebook account, where conversations are continuing.

In his latest major update, Schneider said his next video would include allegations that he committed a felony, but he has not at this point been charged with a felony in Utah courts.

His next hearing on the misdemeanor charges is on July 1. At his last hearing, Schneider was grated permission to represent himself.

‘Toxic online circus’ Schneider’s videos claim the Bricks and Minifigs owners have tried to intimidate him and Mansell into not filing lawsuits, saying the company would drag them out, only because it knows it couldn’t win a lawsuit. However, on May 27, Bricks and Minifigs and its owners filed a lawsuit in Utah’s 4th District Court against Schneider, Mansell and others involved seeking over $300,000 and accusing them of defamation, disparagement, conspiracy, stalking, trespass and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Bricks and Minifigs responded with a statement claiming the value of the Lego collection was exaggerated and was really closer to $60,000 or $80,000. The franchise’s social media accounts, however, valued the collection at “well over $200,000” when advertising it in November 2024.

The company said it has always had an approach that “any inventory that doesn’t belong to us should go back to its rightful owner.” It says evidence indicates most of those Lego sets were already sold before corporate took back the franchise, and that other inventory was stored offsite and the new owners never had access to it.

Bricks and Minifigs said it closed the Oregon location because the staff was facing stalking and bomb threats because of the viral videos, not because it lost the lawsuits, as Schneider’s videos claimed.

“While we are completely willing to look in the mirror, tighten our business practices, and improve our corporate oversight, we must also draw a hard line against the aggressive, lawless bullying that has targeted our brand,” they said. “We will not be bullied into silence, nor will we allow online mobs to destroy a brand built on honesty and imagination.”

In a frequently asked question page asking why the company doesn’t just pay the money back, the company said: “We want to help the family; we will not reward a toxic online circus.”

Mansell has said in Schneider’s videos that he was never offered the Legos and that many of the sets were still sitting in the store when they went in.

The lawsuit said Chrystal Law, the previous franchise owner who also claims she was wronged in a YouTube video and has earned thousands in a related GoFundMe, was delinquent on payments, and that is why the franchise was taken from her and her husband. It said she was not cooperative as they took the store back and refused to leave important records.

According to the lawsuit, Mansell showed up shortly after the franchise changed hands, but his “purported inventory list” did not include any Lego sets currently at the store. It later said police were called, and officers determined Mansell had “insufficient evidence of ownership.”

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by KSL’s editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Danielle Mullenix

Idaho Falls, ID (KIFI) – The sale of Kratom will be banned in Idaho Falls in a new law set to take effect on July 1, after a unanimous vote was passed in the Idaho Falls City Council meeting Thursday evening.

This comes after local health officials and leaders linked the substance to multiple deaths in Bonneville County. Bonneville County Coroner Shante Sanchez released a statement in October of 2025 that her office confirmed six kratom-related deaths over the last 18 months, including four cases where the primary active compound, mitragynine, in kratom was determined to be the sole cause of death.

Those findings prompted city leaders and council members to begin discussions this week about whether kratom should continue to be sold in Idaho Falls. City Council members heard compelling testimony from the county coroner, local law enforcement, medical professionals, and members of the public who argued the product poses a growing public health risk.

The ban was passed unanimously, with all five council members approving the ordinance, following public commentary on the proposal.

Before making the motion to adopt the ordinance, Councilor Michelle Ziel-Dingman acknowledged the limits of the local ban. “I’ve recognized that kratom will continue to be sold online in other cities and counties,” she said. “But this ordinance makes it clear where our community stands on this drug, and if our ordinance saves one life, as Councilor Jim Freeman said, or serves as a tool for educating our community, I believe this ordinance is therefore appropriate.”

Mayor Lisa Burtenshaw announced that the city will begin an awareness campaign to inform the public about the new kratom ban.

“I do sympathize with parents who have no idea that these products are sitting on the shelf,” Burtenshaw said. “That is something that we will address with the Idaho Falls Police and through the mayor’s office and through the school district.”

While Idaho Falls has moved forward as one of the largest cities in Idaho with a local ban, kratom remains legal statewide for now. At the state capitol, lawmakers have been debating whether to ban the substance altogether or to regulate its sale and distribution. Several competing proposals have been considered during the 2026 legislative session.

For Idaho Falls retailers, the city’s action to ban kratom products means it will soon be removed from store shelves inside the city limits, even as statewide debates continue into the future.

To see previous stories linked to Idaho Falls’s kratom-related deaths, visit here.

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David Pace

NEWDALE, Idaho (KIFI) – Dozens of ‘Flood 50’ boaters flowed down the Teton River, respectfully marking the anniversary of the Teton Dam’s collapse with guided tours Thursday. 

“The disaster happened, and what we are really celebrating is the way the community came together to recover from the disaster – all of the volunteer help that came to help us recover and shovel out the mud and all those kind of things,” said Rexburg Mayor Jerry Merrill.

Local outfitters navigated rapids, accompanying guests on boats and rafts through jagged canyon walls on the picturesque riverway.

“We’re just rowing people down the beautiful Teton River,” said Teton Valley Lodge Fishing Guide Cody Salley.  “I’m just super stoked to be here. It’s a beautiful day. It’s beautiful river – glad to share it with all these folks.”

The scene was in sharp contrast to 50 years ago, when the catastrophic failure of the Teton Dam unleashed a torrent of water that flooded homes, farms, businesses and communities downstream.

“I had family in Roberts, and they actually watched people floating down the river that had passed away,” said Charlotte Moore, a boat passenger from Menan. “They actually watched the wildlife and the animals that were dead from the water going down. So it definitely had an impact.  …I think most of the people around here are against the dam being rebuilt.”

However, high-level discussions have stirred possibilities of reconstructing the dam.

The Idaho Legislature passed a Senate Joint Memorial 101 in 2025, “encourag(ing) the Bureau of Reclamation, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Governor of the State of Idaho, the Idaho Water Resource Board, the Idaho Department of Water Resources” and other agencies to “update and conduct studies to identify and construct additional water storage in Idaho, including reconstruction of the Teton Dam.”

A contingency of legislators, farmers and activists visited with Idaho’s Congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., last year to discuss the potential project.

“We have to have conversations because there’s a lot of different viewpoints. The need for the dam is even more acute today than it was 50 years ago,” Merrill said. “We still need water storage. We still need power generation. We still need more recreation areas, flood control and those kinds of things.”

“The need is still there. But there are also concerns – safety concerns, of course, that we’ve got to address to make sure that if it is built, that it’s built safely,” he continued. “We need to address the ecology of the area. How can we make sure that, you know, fish and other wildlife can thrive?”

Crucial discussions over the legacy and future of the Teton Dam site will continue for decades to come.

Be sure to tune into our full, 30-minute documentary on “Teton Dam: The Failure and the Future” this Friday.

It will air at 9:25 PM on FOX and 10 PM on CBS.

The Teton Dam site is viewed from the canyon walls on Thursday, June 4, 2026.

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David Pace

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Following an afternoon briefing in the Oval Office where Energy Secretary Chris Wright promised a major announcement before the “sun goes down,” the Department of Energy (DOE) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have declared the “rebirth of America’s nuclear industry.”

On Thursday afternoon, June 4, the DOE announced that the Los Angeles-based Antares Nuclear’s advanced reactor design, the Mark-0, completed a zero-power fueled criticality demonstration at the Idaho facility. In other words, the newly assembled reactor has reached a successful self-sustaining fission chain reaction.

“This milestone reflects years of focused work by Antares, the U.S. Department of Energy, and teams across Idaho National Laboratory,” said Idaho National Laboratory Director John Wagner. “Congratulations to everyone involved in reaching zero-power criticality and advancing the next era of nuclear energy.”

Antares Nuclear’s advanced reactor design, the Mark-0. Courtesy Antares Nuclear.

According to the DOE, this successful test confirms the reactor can operate safely and “establishes a basis that would allow subsequent reactors to produce electricity in 2027 and beyond.” Developed under the DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program, the milestone marks a massive leap forward for small modular nuclear technology.

The Mark-0 is the first of several anticipated advanced reactors to achieve criticality ahead of the July 4th deadline established by President Trump in a May 2025 executive order.

“It is fitting that on the eve of our nation’s 250th anniversary, we are witnessing a historic moment for American energy,” said Secretary Wright in a release announcing the development. “For the first time in more than four decades, a new privately developed non-light-water reactor has reached criticality in the United States.”

This is a developing story. Local News 8 will provide additional updates throughout the evening.

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Curtis Jackson

UPDATE:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Search and Rescue teams have renewed efforts on Friday morning to recover an out-of-state man who fell into the Snake River along the Idaho Falls Greenbelt Thursday night.

Search and rescue teams are lookin for John Green, 54, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

According to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the man was visiting Idaho Falls with a co-worker when he slipped on the rocks near the falls and fell into the water. Investigators say the fall from the water is about 15 feet, and the water in that area is estimated to be more than forty-seven feet deep.

This morning, Police, fire personnel, drone operators, and boat crews have been spread across the downtown corridor of the Snake River. However, Sgt. Bryan Lovell of the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office says the search has been complicated by the dangerous conditions of the water.

“Most frustrating part is that the water currents are making boats hard to navigate and unsafe for divers,” said Sgt. Lovell.

He adds that the strong currents make it impossible for sonar tech to go into the water. For now, the search remains active as crews continue to look for any clues along the Snake River.

This is a developing story. Local News 8 will provide additional updates as the search continues.

ORIGINAL:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)—Search and Rescue teams are looking for a man who may have fallen into the Snake River and never surfaced.

The search in the water has been called off as of Thursday evening and will resume Friday morning.

The call came in at 3:52 p.m. of a person was in the water near the area of the Broadway Bridge.

The Sheriff’s Office says, “Deputies learned the victim was from out of state, visiting Idaho Falls with a co-worker and looking at the falls, when he slipped on the rocks and fell in.” The man went into the river just above the Broadway Bridge.

The Sheriff’s Office said in a statement, “Water levels and strong currents in the area prevented divers from safely entering the water. Surface, sonar and drone resources were utilized to search into the early evening. Sheriff’s Deputies and rescue personnel plan to resume search efforts tomorrow morning at daylight. Current water conditions along the Snake River are at very high levels and extremely swift. Visibility in the water is limited with floating and sub-surface debris. Additionally water temperatures are in the low 40’s, making the ability to self rescue extremely difficult.”

This is a developing story and will be updated when more information is available.

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Curtis Jackson

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – A man connected to a 2022 killing at a rest area east of Ririe has admitted his role in the case.

William Burton pleaded guilty Thursday in Bonneville County Courtroom to being an accessory to second-degree murder. The plea marks the latest development in a case tied to the death of Morey Pelton.

Pelton was found dead on May 13, 2022, at the Clark Hill Rest Area along Highway 26. Investigators say Burton was with Randy Larkin on the night Pelton was killed. Gerald Hamlin was also in the vehicle at the time.

According to court records, Burton was not charged until after Larkin and Hamlin were sentenced in connection with the killing last year.

Burton is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10.

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Seth Ratliff

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — A controversial proposal to develop an AI Data Center in the Gate City could gain a second life as the applicant petitions the City of Pocatello for reconsideration.

The Arizona-based Lex Developments LLC and Gus Schultz have officially appealed the City of Pocatello Hearing Examiner’s recent denial of their Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for a proposed AI data center.

The appeal, filed on June 1, 2026, by attorney Jon Stenquist, seeks to reverse the decision that blocked development of the facility at the former Hoku polysilicon plant site.

Why the Permit Was Denied

The Hearing Examiner’s initial ruling denied the CUP, citing that the developers failed to prove the project would not be “detrimental to the public interests, health, safety, or welfare of the city,” as required under Chapter 17.02.130 D of the Pocatello Municipal Code.

Related: Pocatello denies Conditional Use Permit for AI Data Center at Former Hoku Plant

The decision came on the heels of a highly contentious public hearing, which saw more than 300 residents gather to voice their opinions on the project, primarily due to concerns that the data center would pull water from state agriculture and Pocatello’s resources.

Lex Development, however, has claimed the project would operate on a “closed loop system,” which they state would use 80-95% less water than traditional data centers.

The Grounds for Appeal

The appeal outlines three primary arguments for why the City should reverse the Hearing Examiner’s decision.

First, the applicants argue that the City did not follow proper procedure, contending the project should have been evaluated under Section 17.01.160.C, which governs “Unlisted Use; Authorization of Similar Use,” rather than requiring a Conditional Use Permit. The section establishes a procedure for determining whether an unlisted or unanticipated use would have been permitted in a zoning district or is compatible with or similar to uses outlined in the City Code.

In addition, the appeal argues that the former Hoku polysilicon manufacturing plant already received approvals for “heavy industrial use at a scale and intensity that encompasses the proposed data center.”

According to the appeal document, “In approving that prior use, the City necessarily determined that this particular property could support extraordinary electrical demand, industrial-scale utility infrastructure, water and wastewater impacts, significant and problematic environmental impacts, and serious public safety considerations.”

Secondly, the applicants argue the Hearing Examiner’s outright denial was “arbitrary and capricious” and not in line with the City’s planning staff review, which had “recommended approval with modest conditions.”

The document states, “The Hearing Examiner nevertheless rejected staff’s conclusions…with nothing more than conclusory statements.”

It further argues the Hearing Examiner “did not sufficiently explain the criteria and standards considered relevant, state the relevant contested facts relied upon, or explain the rationale for the decision based on the applicable provisions of the comprehensive plan, relevant ordinance and statutory provisions, pertinent constitutional principles and factual information contained in the record.”

Finally, developers claim the Hearing Examiner’s denial was “disproportionate and fundamentally unjust,” arguing that “The CUP process is not intended to require applicants to incur the full cost of final engineering, utility design, environmental analysis, and construction-level studies before obtaining preliminary and conditional land use authorization.”

What the Initial Denial Requires of the Applicant

Under the initial denial of the CUP, the Hearing Examiner stated that Lex Developments must conduct comprehensive impact analyses before submitting any future applications.

“These studies should include at a minimum: wastewater discharge quantities; identification of pretreatment systems if needed; potential chemical discharge; water demand calculations; long-term electrical infrastructure requirements and environmental impacts related to emissions, water utilization and wastewater discharge,” state the meeting minutes.

Schultz was originally scheduled to present two funding requests to the Pocatello Development Authority on May 20, but both items were later pulled from the agenda. The requests included $200,000 for a joint feasibility study with Idaho Power to evaluate re-energizing the existing building for 200 megawatts of power, and an additional $500,000 intended to remove additional concrete for site development.

The City of Pocatello has not yet announced a date for the appeal hearing.

Editor’s Note: AI tools were utilized in the initial research and structural development of this article. All content is thoroughly reviewed and verified for accuracy by the Local News 8 editorial team.

2026-06-01 – Request for Reconsideration-Appeal of CUPDownload

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Par Kermani

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Rising construction costs, a lack of available housing and workforce shortages were among the top concerns identified by Idahoans in a housing survey conducted by U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo.

The survey was launched by Crapo a year ago to gather feedback from residents, community leaders, and local officials about housing affordibility challenges across the state.

According to Crapo’s office, many respondents pointed to rising construction costs, limited housing supply, and workforce housing shortages as key factors driving affordability concerns in Idaho communities.

“The input we received from Idahoans shapes ongoing solutions to address housing challenges facing the state and country,” Crapo said in a statement. “I thank residents, community leaders, local officials and industry professionals who took the time to share their perspectives and expertise.”

Crapo’s statement says the feedback will help with actions on housing and contribute towards proposals and “ultimately included in the Senate resolution 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.

 Crapo is encouraging Idahoans to continue sharing feedback on housing and other issues through his offices across the state and through his website.

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Idaho Ed News

POCATELLO, Idaho – Pocatello-Chubbuck could become the next school district to shorten its instructional week. But the school board won’t make a decision anytime soon.

After a handful of discussions in recent months on implementing a four-day week or moving toward a five-day “hybrid” model, trustees on May 20 unanimously agreed to form a committee that will study options and survey district patrons later this year. 

Pocatello operates on trimesters, with a five-day school week and one-hour early releases on Mondays, when teachers have time to collaborate. District leaders in recent months have considered a few calendar changes, including: 

Switching from trimesters to semesters

Implementing a four-day week, where students are off on the fifth day and staff use it for planning and training

Modifying the five-day week by adding early-release days and periodic non-student days throughout the year 

Semesters would better align with other school districts and with dual-credit classes offered by colleges and universities, Superintendent Douglas Howell told Idaho Education News this week.

Shortening the school week, however, would be more contentious.

Douglas Howell, Pocatello/Chubbuck School District superintendent.

Four-day weeks are becoming the norm across Idaho. During the 2025-26 school year, about two in three traditional school districts used four-day calendars. Eighteen of the state’s 76 charter schools also have four-day weeks. In 2024, the Nampa School District — roughly the same size as Pocatello-Chubbuck — became the largest school district to join the four-day trend, which is more common among smaller districts.

As EdNews previously reported, the four-day week is gaining popularity, but research on how it affects learning remains indecisive. While cost savings for a district are marginal, at best, the four-day week can be an attractive teacher recruitment and retention tool. Many parents also like three-day weekends for flexibility around vacations, doctor appointments and other things that conflict with school schedules. 

Still, some Pocatello trustees appeared skeptical of the four-day option in recent board meetings. Trustee Megan Furniss pointed to research showing declining test scores in districts that switched to four days. Four-day weeks also typically mean longer school days for students and teachers — a way to maintain minimum instructional hours required by the state. 

“Kids’ attention spans max out at a certain point. We have all witnessed this,” Furniss said during the school board’s May 20 meeting. “To say ‘Let’s add 75 more minutes to their already maxed-out day’ does not equal more learning. It actually just equals more time.” 

Howell said that other districts in eastern Idaho, along with a charter school in the city of Pocatello, have recently moved to four-day or hybrid models, or they’re considering it. A four-day week also came up this year in conversations between administrators and the Pocatello Education Association (PEA), the local teachers’ union, Howell said. 

Click here to read EdNews’ special series on four-day weeks, “The Four-day Phenomenon.”

PEA President Mary Anne McGrory told the school board last month that the union is “not pushing for either a four-day week or a five-day week.” Rather, union members are hoping to have a “real discussion and a review” of the calendar. But trustees have yet to ask teachers for their input, McGrory said. 

Trustees considered releasing a survey soliciting input from district employees and parents on the four-day and five-day hybrid options. Trustee Heather Clarke recommended hitting pause — on the survey and any decisions about calendar changes — until a committee could look at the options more closely. 

“I don’t even know what our ‘why’ is, other than everyone else is doing it,” Clarke said of shortening the school week. “And that’s not a real good ‘why.’”

Pocatello/Chubbuck School District trustee Heather Clarke. (Photo: sd25.us)

Last month’s special meeting on potential calendar changes garnered some initial feedback — from parents, teachers and administrators. So far, it’s been mixed, according to emails shared with the school board and attached to the last month’s meeting agenda. 

Brandi Johnson, a parent, said a four-day week would offer more flexibility with school and work schedules. “Anywhere we can find compromise would be greatly appreciated,” Johnson wrote to trustees. 

Malia Fifita, a student at Highland High School, also supported a four-day calendar. Fridays are when “burnout hits the hardest,” Fifita wrote, and having that day off could help students “slow things down and get things done.”

Others raised concerns about potential negative consequences. Bethany Coffin, a behavior technician at New Horizons Center, wrote that teaching hours are already long at Pocatello’s alternative school, and some students “depend on our school for clothing, food and mental health services,” which they could access for one fewer day per week under a four-day calendar.

Before the school board’s May 20 meeting, trustees asked school principals for feedback on the five-day hybrid. This option could include additional early-release days and moving Monday’s teacher collaboration time to Friday. Some principals said this change likely would lead to more absences on Friday — among students and teachers — and it could interfere with other non-instructional time commitments, like meetings related to individual education programs for students with special needs. 

“My vote would be to keep it the way it is,” wrote Nichole Garza, principal at Lewis and Clark Elementary School.

The five-member school board unanimously agreed with Clark’s recommendation to form a committee that will consider calendar changes for 2027-28 or the following year. The panel will include parents, trustees and representatives of a range of district employees, including teachers, union members, administrators and classified staff.

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