TWIN FALLS, Idaho — A new organization in Idaho’s Magic Valley aims to boost voter participation in local elections, where Republican dominance means primary winners often secure final seats unopposed.

Magic Valley Voter Services outlined its goals at a press conference on Tuesday, focusing on increasing voter turnout, particularly in primary elections.

WATCH: Hear how a new organization is targeting low voter turnout

Magic Valley group targets low voter turnout in Idaho primaries

“The primary and the general [elections] are extremely important for this area,” said Dr. Steven Kohtz, a member of the South Central Medical Society.

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According to official election results from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office, almost 28% of registered voters cast ballots in the 2024 primary, representing just 19% of the voting-age population.

Kohtz said the best way to get representation that speaks for more Idahoans is to increase participation in these elections.

“If enough people are voting consistently, then our legislators are going to be voting the way that the Magic Valley as a whole would want them to vote,” Kohtz said.

The group aims to energize voters and provide information to help them make informed decisions.

Lisa Hymas, another member of the organization, said the group also wants to hold lawmakers accountable on issues like education.

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“I’ve had two kids graduate from Twin Falls High School. I have two more currently there,” Hymas said. “I am invested in seeing the public schools be a foundational part of the education in the state.”

Hymas expressed concern that legislators are listening more to outside interests than to those of local constituents.

“It does seem like these legislators are just leaning more toward voices that may come from out-of-state interest, and that’s not who’s voting, that’s not who’s living the real consequences of what happens,” Hymas said.

Kohtz noted that fewer local lawmakers have been attending the South Central Medical Society’s, an event that invites lawmakers to an annual dinner to discuss legislative priorities.

“This year in the Twin Falls area, we only had two out of the six legislators take us up on that, and that’s the second year in a row,” Kohtz said.

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The following is a news release from the Idaho State Police.

MERIDIAN, Idaho — January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and the Idaho State Police is partnering with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance for the annual Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative. The five-day, nationwide effort begins today and runs through Friday, focusing on awareness of human trafficking across Idaho’s transportation corridors.

Because traffickers frequently rely on highways and commercial transportation routes, education along Idaho’s roadways plays a critical role in identifying victims and preventing further harm. Throughout 2025, ISP Commercial Vehicle Safety specialists received specialized training to better recognize trafficking indicators. This week, those specialists will focus on sharing that knowledge with drivers and members of the community.

“As commercial vehicle enforcement professionals, we see the road from a unique perspective,” Captain Jason Bailey of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Division said. “This initiative is designed to equip drivers and carriers with the ability to recognize potential signs of trafficking and to report those concerns. Increased awareness and informed reporting can make a meaningful difference for victims and our communities.”

Human trafficking crimes typically involve an act, a means and a purpose, and may include force, fraud or coercion. Data from the Idaho Office of the Attorney General highlights the challenges in identifying and prosecuting trafficking cases. Between 2020 and 2024, Idaho recorded 39 trafficking-related convictions, seven of which were felonies. During the same period, Uniform Crime Reporting data reflected only two arrests, underscoring the gap between trafficking activity and confirmed criminal cases.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline is a federally authorized, 24/7 confidential resource for reporting tips and connecting victims with services. In 2024, the hotline received 72 contacts from Idaho, identifying 32 potential trafficking cases involving 49 victims related to both sex and labor trafficking.

Report suspected human trafficking:

• Call: 1-888-373-7888
• Text: 233733 (Text “HELP” or “INFO”)
• Online: humantraffickinghotline.org

POCATELLO — While eastern Idaho received some much-needed and anticipated snowfall at the beginning of the month, the wintry conditions appear to have been short-lived. Much of the region is once again seeing bare ground and warmer-than-average temperatures.

However, despite a slow start to winter, forecasters and water managers concur: “We’re not doomed yet.” It is still too early to draw solid conclusions about the overall winter or water year.

Dry and mild winter pattern continues

According to meteorologist Andrew McKaughan at the National Weather Service office in Pocatello, weather models are showing little to no chance of precipitation for at least the next two weeks.

“Unless something drastically changes, we’re seeing zero chance of precipitation for at least the next week and a half, maybe longer,” McKaughan said. “High and low temperatures will be about 10 degrees above normal, with few exceptions.”

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Over the next week and into the extended forecast period, east Idaho can expect mostly dry and relatively mild winter weather. High pressure will keep skies mainly sunny to partly cloudy, with daytime highs generally in the upper 30s to low 40s and overnight lows mainly in the teens to low 20s.

While patchy morning fog may develop at times as temperatures cool overnight, McKaughan said precipitation is not expected through much of the forecast period.

Toward the latter part of the outlook, there may be limited chances for light snow or mixed precipitation, though no major storms are currently forecast.

McKaughan, who moved to east Idaho from Florida and has been forecasting weather in the region for the past six years, said this winter stands out.

“This is the strangest winter I’ve seen so far,” he said.

However, McKaughan emphasized that despite the lack of snow, the region is not dry, saying, “Much of the precipitation this winter has fallen as rain, leaving soil moisture levels high, which is an important factor heading into spring.”

What’s the water outlook?

Craig Chandler, water manager for Water District 1, said this year’s water outlook is shaped by two competing dynamics: low physical water storage entering the season, but high overall precipitation, much of it in the form of rain.

Water District 1 encompasses the Upper Snake River Basin, located above American Falls Reservoir, including the Snake River and its tributaries, such as the Henrys Fork, Teton, Falls, Blackfoot, and Portneuf river systems.

In a recent report provided to EastIdahoNews.com, Chandler said the Upper Snake River reservoir system is currently holding approximately 1.9 million acre-feet and is 47% full. Storage is well below average and about 570,000 acre-feet lower than at this time last year.

Since Oct. 1, 2025, precipitation accumulation for the Snake River above Milner is 134% of the median to date, a strong start to the season. However, unusually warm temperatures — with several records broken — have caused a larger share of that precipitation to fall as rain rather than snow.

As a result, soil moisture is around 130% of average for the Snake above Milner.

Snow accumulation has lagged behind precipitation totals but remains above average in key areas, according to Chandler. Current snow water equivalent (SWE) is:

• 129% for the Snake above Heise
• 103% for the Henrys Fork–Teton
• 80% for the Willow Creek–Blackfoot–Portneuf

Chandler explained that because the majority of system runoff is generated from the Snake above Heise, that basin remains the primary driver of spring inflows.

Reservoir priorities and what comes next

Chandler said the April–June runoff will likely need to be well above average for the system to have a realistic chance of filling. While conditions are favorable from a precipitation standpoint so far, the region is only about halfway through the snow accumulation season.

Although SWE above Heise is currently 129% of average for this date, it is still just 54% of its typical seasonal peak, leaving room for additional accumulation.

The American Falls 1921 storage right is currently a priority and is expected to remain so through the remainder of winter. Whether it completely fills will depend on spring runoff, though probabilities favor a complete or near-complete fill due to its senior priority.

Fill into more junior storage accounts — Island Park (1935), Palisades (1939), and Ririe (1969) — is less certain. If runoff is low, it remains possible these accounts could receive little to no new fill.

Meanwhile, Jackson Lake’s 1910 and Henrys Lake’s 1917 storage water rights are currently accruing all inflows under their senior priorities. Jackson Lake’s 1910 account is likely to fill completely, while the 1913 account will depend on runoff. Lake Walcott, Palisades Winter Water Savings, and Island Park Winter Water Savings storage rights have already filled.

“This winter could turn into a bad scenario, but we’re only halfway there,” Chandler concluded. “Overall, with three months of weather yet to go, it remains too early to predict the water supply for the region.”