BOISE, Idaho — Idaho archers can once again try their hand at hunting foam wildlife targets at the Boise River Wildlife Management Area’s 3D archery range near Lucky Peak. The unique range has reopened after being damaged in the Valley Fire.

The Valley Fire scorched nearly 10,000 acres of the Boise Foothills in October of 2024, destroying sagebrush and bitterbrush habitat for deer and elk. The 3D archery range wasn’t spared from the burn.

“So strangely enough, some of the targets survived but the other half just like completely melted,” said Ann Moser, a wildlife biologist who manages the Boise River Wildlife Management Area.

Moser says the fire will have a lasting impact on the area’s ecosystem.

“It may be 20-30 years before we see the brush look the way it did in density and in height that it did before the fire,” Moser said.

But that didn’t stop them from rebuilding the unique archery range with the help of volunteers who brought the 20 different 3D targets — from bears to big horn sheep — back to life.

“Me and my staff have been doing some planting around the archery range,” Moser said.

They’ve replanted thousands of seedlings of sagebrush and bitterbrush since the fire.

“No, it looks great. I wouldn’t have even known there was a fire,” said Terry Poole, who was visiting the 3D range for the first time.

Poole is new to the Treasure Valley and bow hunting, he appreciates the unique training opportunity the range offers.

“I’m sure there’s a lot of people like me who are just getting into it, so this is a great way to learn and learn all the game animals and also get into bow hunting,” Poole said.

He says spotting different animals in the natural environment creates a completely different experience from a classic archery range.

“This is very unique I’ve never even thought any city would offer such a thing,” Poole said.

The range is free to use and is open from sunrise to sunset all summer long.

IDAHO COUNTY, Idaho — Two people are dead following separate rafting incidents on Idaho’s Selway River over the weekend.

The Idaho County Sheriff’s Office received the first call just before 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and was informed of an SOS activation up the Selway River, with CPR reportedly in progress. The area where the SOS was sent from is part of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area and is nearly 20 miles from the end of the nearest road.

Roughly 2 hours after the first call, around 3:40 p.m., Idaho County Dispatch received a 911 text from someone saying that a second person in their rafting group had flipped into the water. This incident was roughly 2 miles downstream from the first SOS location, according to a press release.

Life Flight responded to the scenes and confirmed the death of both individuals, but, due to the location, was unable to transport them out.

The next day, Two Bear Air used a helicopter winch system to retrieve both individuals from the canyon. They were then taken to Cedar Flats and turned over to the Idaho County Coroner. The names of the deceased have not been released while authorities notify their families.

The following is a news release from the city of Idaho Falls.

IDAHO FALLS – The Idaho Falls Public Library is excited to announce the grand opening of its brand-new drive-thru pick up service, officially launching on Monday, May 12.

The city hosted a celebration on Friday with a ribbon-cutting. The Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce participated in the event.

“The IFPL drive-thru is another step in making library services more convenient and accessible for the community,” said Robert Wright, Idaho Falls Library Director. “We’re excited to see it become part of our patrons’ everyday lives.”

Starting May 12, Library patrons can pick up materials without leaving their vehicle. The drive-thru on the east side of the library just north of the book drop, is accessible via Park Avenue. After returning any items in the book drop, patrons can continue straight into the drive-thru lane.

The service is open to all library card holders, including residents of Idaho Falls and non-residents who have purchased a membership.

How it works

Patrons can request items by:

• logging into their account, placing holds, and selecting “Drive-Thru Pick Up” under pickup options.
• calling the Library directly to place a hold
• calling the Library directly to request same-day pickup of a Library-selected bag of age-appropriate children’s books.

Pick-up process:

• Items, other than the bag of children’s books, are typically ready two business days after the request.
• Patrons will need to present a driver’s license at the window for verification.
• The pickup process takes just a minute or two.

“We’re making it easier than ever to access the world of books, learning, and imagination,” added library staff. “Whether you’re on a busy schedule or have kids in the car, the drive-thru is for you.”

The Idaho Falls Public Library is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. with a 6 p.m. closing time on Friday. It’s open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

For more information, visit the website or call the Idaho Falls Public Library at (208) 612-8460.