Idaho
Dorothy Moon reelected as chairwoman of the Idaho Republican Party – East Idaho News
COEUR D’ALENE (Idaho Capital Sun) — Idaho Republican Party Chairwoman Dorothy Moon was reelected to a second two-year term at North Idaho College during the final day of the 2024 Republican State Convention.
On Saturday, the Idaho Republican Party Secretary Maria Nate announced that Moon, who lives outside of Stanley, defeated challenger Mary Souza. Souza, of Coeur d’Alene, is a former member of the Idaho Senate who announced her campaign for party chairperson last week.
RELATED | WATCH: Dorothy Moon on why she believes she’s united the party and her plans if reelected
The leadership election brought to a close the most secretive Idaho Republican State Convention in at least a decade. Reporters were not allowed to attend any committee meetings, business meetings or attend the convention’s general session on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. This is a departure from recent Idaho GOP state conventions, when reporters were allowed to attend and cover the general sessions, which is where delegates vote on the party platform, rules and resolutions. All of those votes happened behind closed doors.
A Republican official led four reporters into the convention’s general session at about 1:30 p.m. Pacific time Saturday, shortly before Moon was nominated for a second term as party chairwoman. Moon received a loud standing ovation from many of the hundreds of GOP delegates, alternates and guests at the general session. Many of them chanted “Dorothy! Dorothy! Dorothy!” after Moon delivered a short speech.
Moon won by a vote of 376 to 228, Nate announced.
In other leadership races, Nate announced that Mark Fuller of Bonneville County was elected first vice chair of the Idaho Republican Party, defeating Wayne Hurst of Cassia County.
Moon says her emphasis is to honor the state GOP platform
Moon was first elected chairwoman of the Idaho Republican Party in 2022, defeating former Idaho GOP Chairman Tom Luna. Moon will continue to lead the party for the next two years.
In an interview with the Idaho Capital Sun on Thursday, Moon described herself as a hard-worker and rule-follower, which she said are two traits that help her succeed in leading the party. Moon told the Sun she works about 120 hours a week and has been averaging three hours of sleep recently as she prepared for the GOP convention.
“People have told me they have never seen anybody work harder in this position, and I believe that,” Moon told the Sun on Thursday.
“My vision has always been clear – just follow the rules, honor the platform,” Moon added. “That’s what I’ve always espoused.”
Delegates from counties across Idaho voted in the leadership races, which were conducted by written ballots, Nate said. Nate announced the vote at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
The leadership election was the final item on the agenda for the secretive, three-day convention that played out behind closed doors. Reporters were blocked from attending all GOP Committee meetings Thursday and Friday and blocked from attending the convention’s general session on Friday afternoon at North Idaho College, a publicly funded institution of higher education that the Idaho GOP rented space at.
This year’s restrictions on media access were a departure from previous Idaho Republican state conventions, where reporters were allowed to attend and cover the general sessions.

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Idaho
Grocery Outlets to close in Idaho Falls, Pocatello after company announces poor earnings – East Idaho News
IDAHO FALLS — Two local grocery stores are closing their doors, along with 34 others across the country, after their CEO announced last quarter that sales were unacceptable.
On Friday, the Grocery Outlets in Idaho Falls and Pocatello announced on Facebook that they’ll be closing their doors by March 21.
The Idaho Falls Grocery Outlet first opened its doors in July 2022, and the one in Pocatello opened in April 2023.
RELATED | Grocery store offering bargain prices opens in Idaho Falls
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EastIdahoNews.com contacted the operators of the Idaho Falls Grocery Outlet and was referred to corporate. They did not respond to a request for comment.
However, on March 4, Grocery Outlet CEO James Potter spoke during an earnings call with investors, on the closure of the stores in Idaho and across the country. Potter told investors during the call that the company’s fourth-quarter results were “unacceptable.”
“Our outlook for 2026 reflects a business with more work to do than we expected,” Potter said. “I own this, and I own fixing these issues.”
Potter said 36 stores were identified as lacking a viable path to sustained profitability despite the company’s support. The majority of the identified stores were located on the East Coast.
“However, it’s clear that we expanded too quickly and that these closures are a direct correction,” Potter said.
According to a list on Gordon Brothers’ website, a third store in Idaho will also close in Smelterville, located in Idaho’s panhandle. The investment firm’s website shows that all 36 locations are available for sublease.
With these closers, Potter said the company hopes to bring back $12 million and free up resources to assist other stores in different markets.
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Idaho
Turn shopping into a tradition at the Spring Bazaar in Idaho Falls – East Idaho News
IDAHO FALLS — A local event can be your one-stop shop if you are looking for a Mother’s Day gift, Easter basket fillers, and spring or summer decor.
The Spring Bazaar is returning to Bonneville High School this year on Saturday, March 14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s free to enter. You can “shop, eat, mingle, and repeat” at the craft fair, according to the flyer.
The first 100 people through the door will get a free cinnamon roll from Mrs. Powell’s.
“It’s a great opportunity to get out of the house because the weather is getting nice and spend some time with your girlfriends and your family,” said Haylie Rowberry, the event coordinator.
A fun giveaway will be happening during the day, and it will be a scavenger hunt.
“We did something similar last year, and it was a big hit, so we thought we would try it again,” Rowberry told EastIdahoNews.com.
Here’s how the scavenger hunt works. DJ Guido — who runs the music at the event — is giving away an item from a vendor every hour. Participants have to find the booth selling the item, get a claim ticket to win and bring it back to him.
There will be 120 vendors at the Spring Bazaar. New this year is a business called Cow Friend Soap, which is a bath and body booth. Another one is Turtle Tea, which sells boba drinks. Then there’s Beau & Bows, which sells matching hairbows and neckties for the whole family.
See the list below of all the vendors that will be there.
“I love that it’s an opportunity to support the local community and support small businesses and local entrepreneurs,” Rowberry said.
There are junior vendors, who are under 18, like Brysens Ball Claws. It’s 3D printed golf accessories.
There’s also one vendor who is Deaf, and he’s an artist, Rowberry said. His name is Frankie Grant.
“He does drawings and postcards. He makes his own bookmarks and kids’ painting kits. He is very talented, and so I am excited to have him this year,” she said.
There will be Girl Scout cookies there, too and plenty of food vendors to choose from.
The Spring Bazaar has grown in popularity over the years. Rowberry said she’s created a slogan for the event, “Spring Bazaar: where shopping turns into traditions.”
“The Spring Bazaar has become a tradition for many. I have talked to several families that have been coming for years and years, and they look forward to it every year,” she added.
Rowberry puts on the Fall Bazaar, which will be happening in November.


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Idaho
Big Sky tournament: No. 1 Idaho too much for Weber State in middle quarters
- Weber State guard Lanae Billy (32) drives against Idaho’s Ana Pinheiro in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.
- Weber State’s Antoniette Emma-Nnopu (7) eyes an entry pass to Nicole Willardson (25) as Idaho’s Kyra Gardner (3) defends in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.
- Weber State guard Hannah Robbins, right, drives past Idaho’s Ana Pinheiro in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.
- Weber State guard Fui Niumeitolu (12) lofts a floater over Idaho’s Kyra Gardner (3) in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.
- Weber State guard Sydney White (22) tries to set up a play against Idaho’s Ella Uriarte (5) in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.
- Weber State guard Lanae Billy (32) shoots against Idaho’s Kyra Gardner (3) in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.
- Weber State guard Lanae Billy gets back on defense after making a 3-pointer against Idaho in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.
- Weber State forward Arizana Peaua (11) shoots over Idaho’s Debora dos Santos in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.
Weber State women’s basketball showed plenty of fight but Idaho showed why it’s the No. 1 team in the Big Sky on Sunday afternoon.
Using middle-quarter dominance, Idaho built a 21-point lead through three quarters and had enough cushion to withstand a big Weber State push on the way to a 66-52 victory in the Big Sky tournament quarterfinals at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.
Weber State (11-22) got 14 points apiece from its two seniors each putting a cap on their two-year stint in Ogden. Guard Lanae Billy and forward Antoniette Emma-Nnopu each tallied 14, with Emma-Nnopu adding seven rebounds and four assists.
Junior post Nicole Willardson totaled 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for the Wildcats. Those three players combined to shoot 9 of 17 from the 3-point line.
A back-and-forth first quarter bled into the start of the second quarter when Willardson made a 3 to put WSU ahead 15-14. But Idaho’s pressure began to wear on Weber, with the Vandals (27-5) keeping the Wildcats from quality shots while beginning to dominate the post.
Idaho paint players Debora dos Santos and Lorena Barbosa combined for 12 points in the frame; the Vandals outscored WSU 22-6 after Willardson’s 3 and took a 36-21 lead into halftime when WSU left Barbosa open for a straightaway 3 at the horn.
“They were a lot more aggressive this go-round. They really cranked it up, they were denying up on us … they just really sped us up first half, is what it felt like,” WSU head coach Jenteal Jackson said. “We went into a little more iso ball, which is not typical of us. Just needed to slow down, take a breath, run our offense and run a bunch of our actions that we needed to make them guard.”
The third quarter was much of the same. Idaho guard Ana Beatriz Passos Alves da Silva knocked down a 3 to give the Vandals a 54-30 lead with 30 seconds left in the quarter.
Emma-Nnopu ended the quarter with one of her three 3s, though, and unknowingly began a 20-6 run for Weber State. WSU burst out of the final break with a pair of buckets to precede a Willardson 3, then a Sydney White steal leading to a Billy triple seven seconds later. That made it 56-43 with 7:30 left.
Later, White made a 3, then another steal led White to find a rolling Arizana Peaua for a layup to cut the score to 60-50 with 4:00 remaining.
WSU’s gas ran out there, though. Hope Hassmann drove for a bucket on one of Idaho’s 17 offensive rebounds to all but put the game away at 65-50 with 3:00 left on the clock.
Hassmann and Kyra Gardner each also scored 14 to lead Idaho, with Hassmann adding six assists and five rebounds. Ana Pinheiro and dos Santos each scored 12 points.
Idaho advances to play Tuesday, facing the winner of Monday’s game between Idaho State and Sacramento State.
After starting Big Sky play with nine straight losses, WSU finished by winning four of six before the defeat to Idaho, but finished in ninth place.
Weber turns to next season returning five scholarship juniors while replacing the two seniors. WSU lost three players before the season began with knee injuries.
“It’s always tough when kids who are really playing well and peaking are done. It’s been a joy to coach them,” Jackson said of the seniors. “We’re going to miss them a lot.”
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