Your Daily Briefing – 03/17/2026

MAGIC VALLEY NEWS

School Rankings Released
Idaho’s latest statewide school rankings are out. A couple of Southern Idaho schools landed on the most improved list, including Kimberly Elementary and Morningside Elementary in Twin Falls. But Bridge Academy in Twin Falls also showed up near the bottom of the statewide rankings. The list is based on test scores, student growth, attendance, and graduation rates.

Minidoka Alternative School Could Close
Parents are speaking out as Minidoka’s alternative junior high faces possible closure due to budget concerns. Families say the smaller, supportive environment is critical, and the school board says no final decision has been made.

Mountain Home School Lockdowns
Mountain Home Police arrested a 63-year-old man after reports he pointed a shotgun at students, prompting school lockdowns. No injuries were reported, though an officer’s weapon accidentally discharged during the response.

Twin Falls Event Center Proposal
At last night’s Twin Falls City Council meeting, leaders discussed a proposed multi-event center focused on large gatherings, not sports, as they look at filling a need for bigger events in the community.

Gas Prices Jump
Idaho drivers are seeing a big jump at the pump. AAA says the average price for regular gas in the Gem State is now $3.70 a gallon—up 46 cents in just a week.

Medicaid Cuts Put on Hold
Idaho senators are hitting pause on a proposed 22-million-dollar cut to Medicaid disability services after concerns over impacts to vulnerable residents and providers.

Agriculture Drives Idaho Economy
Agriculture continues to drive Idaho’s economy. A new University of Idaho report shows the industry generated a record $44.5 billion in sales in 2024 and supports nearly 138,000 jobs, about one in every nine jobs statewide.

Immigration Enforcement Debate
Idaho sheriffs helped stall House Bill 659 in the Senate State Affairs Committee. Blaine County Sheriff Morgan says local agencies will keep cooperating with ICE in jails but won’t be forced into future federal programs they can’t control.

Immigration Status Bill Advances
A House committee narrowly advanced a bill requiring police to track immigration status of those arrested. Law enforcement groups oppose it, citing added workload, but it now heads to the full House for debate.

SPORTS

Magic Valley Baseball Results
It was a busy day of high school baseball across the Magic Valley yesterday. Jerome battled but came up just short in a tight one, falling to Blackfoot 3 to 2. Wood River had a tough outing on the road in Nampa, dropping both ends of a doubleheader—15 to 2 in game one, and 7 to 4 in the nightcap. Wendell, on the other hand, had a dominant day at home, sweeping Glenns Ferry in convincing fashion—11 to 2 in the first game, and then a shutout 17 to nothing in game two. Lighthouse Christian stayed hot, picking up a strong 13 to 4 win over Vision Charter.

Softball Scores
Over on the softball diamond, Buhl split a wild doubleheader with Wood River. In game one, the Indians picked up a solid 5 to 2 win. Pearson was dominant in the circle with 13 strikeouts, and the bottom of the lineup came through with key hits. Game two turned into a slugfest. Pearson had a monster performance with two home runs and seven RBIs, but Wood River answered in a big way, taking it 15 to 12. Elsewhere, Twin Falls dropped a pair of close games to Kuna, falling 13 to 12 and 12 to 10. Glenns Ferry had a strong showing, rolling past Greenleaf Friends 11 to 1.

Baseball Games Today
High school baseball is back in action today. At 3:30, Filer, unbeaten at 3 and 0, heads to Kimberly for a conference matchup. The Bulldogs come in at 1 and 1. Then at 5:30, Twin Falls, sitting at 3 and 1, travel to Canyon Ridge for a non-conference showdown. The Riverhawks are 2 and 1 on the year.

Softball Schedule
High school softball is busy across southern Idaho today. At 3 o’clock, Hillcrest, 3 and 2, takes on Canyon Ridge, who’s still looking for its first win at 0 and 4. At 3:30, Kimberly, a perfect 3 and 0, travels to Filer for a conference matchup. The Wildcats come in at 1 and 1. Also at 3:30, Gooding, 2 and 0, heads to Jerome to face the Tigers, who are 2 and 1. At 4 o’clock, Firth visits Declo in a non-conference game, and Wood River takes on Pocatello. Later tonight at 5, Hillcrest and Canyon Ridge meet again, and Burley travels to Rigby for another non-conference matchup.

CSI Men Earn Two Seed
CSI men’s basketball gets the two seed in the NJCAA Tournament, despite a 31-and-2 season. Head Coach Jeff Reinert says the team feels slighted—and they’ll use it as fuel. The Golden Eagles open March 23rd against Barton or New Mexico Junior College.

CSI Women Sweep Awards
Big honors for CSI Women’s Basketball. Randy Rogers was named Region 18 Coach of the Year, and Savannah Stoker was named Player of the Year. Ashley Garner earns first team honors, while Samara Morrow lands on the second team as the Golden Eagles sweep the awards heading into the national tournament.

Tough Winter for Idaho Ski Resorts
It’s been a tough winter for local ski resorts. Magic Mountain has officially announced it won’t open at all this season due to lack of snow, while Soldier Mountain also shut down early. Pomerelle is helping out by honoring passes from other Idaho resorts as the ski community looks ahead and hopes for a better winter next year.

WEATHER

Today
Sunny and warm today with a high near 74. South southwest wind 6 to 13 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.