🌱 New Elementary School + Local Firefighters Help Battle CA Fires

Hey, friends. It's Thursday in Idaho Falls and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening locally.

But first, your local weather:

• Thursday: Nice with plenty of sunshine. High: 83 Low: 54.
• Friday: Breezy with clouds and sun. High: 82 Low: 58.

Here are the top three stories in Idaho Falls today:

1. Following a successful bond vote, Bonneville Joint School District 93 is set to construct a new elementary school in Idaho Falls, funded by a $34.5 million bond. The approval, with over 70 percent voting in favor (3,264 for, 1,391 against), allows for both the new school's construction and repairs to existing school roofs. This outcome marks a notable shift in voter engagement compared to a previous attempt in May, with 4,655 people participating in the recent election, compared to 2,818 previously. (East Idaho News)
2. Idaho Falls firefighters, including Captain Mark Pitcher, have been assisting in battling fires in Hayfork, California, enduring rigorous 15-hour shifts for 14 days. They've engaged in firefighting across challenging terrain in the Six Rivers National Forest, contending with multiple blazes sparked by lightning strikes. Pitcher's team, part of a larger effort involving various resources, is set to return to Idaho Falls after receiving gratitude from local communities, and the costs are covered by the government. Simultaneously, other Idaho Falls firefighters have been combating the Ridge Creek Fire in northern Idaho. (East Idaho News)
3. In an incident on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m., a collision on US 26 involving a Honda Odyssey and a black Nissan NV200 van resulted in a 29-year-old male passenger from the Nissan being transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The collision occurred when the Honda, driven by a 36-year-old woman from Idaho Falls, crossed US 26 from 55th East and struck the eastbound Nissan driven by a 24-year-old man from Rigby. All individuals involved were wearing seatbelts, and the Idaho State Police are currently investigating the crash. (LocalNews8.com)

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Today and tomorrow in Idaho Falls:

Thursday, August 31

• Idaho Falls Chukars Vs. Kalispell At Melaleuca Field (7:05 PM)

Friday, September 1

• The Beach Boys At Hero Arena At The Mountain America Center (7:30 PM)

From our partner:

Do you know an outstanding community leader in Idaho Falls? Nominate them here for a chance to be featured on Patch!

From my notebook:

• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Idaho Falls area at the link! (Idaho Falls Patch)
• In case you missed it: A substantial power outage affected numerous Rocky Mountain Power customers in Ammon, Menan, and Terreton, with Ammon experiencing the largest impact of over 2,000 customers without electricity on Tuesday. Concurrently, a significant outage occurred for about 1,300 Idaho Power customers in Blackfoot and Springfield due to stormy and windy conditions in eastern Idaho. (East Idaho News)
• New homes have been listed for sale in the Idaho Falls area! Get all the property details at the link. (Idaho Falls Patch)
• After reaching record highs in 2022, nationwide rates of catalytic converter thefts appear to be on the decline for the first half of 2023. In Idaho, catalytic converter thefts have decreased by 65.85 percent from 2022, and 39.78 percent from 2019. (BeenVerified)

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That's it for today. I'll see you soon!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.