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Experience Rexburg boasts record turnout Saturday – East Idaho News

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Experience Rexburg boasts record turnout Saturday – East Idaho News


REXBURG – Experience Rexburg has been a staple in the community for more than a decade, and a massive turnout Saturday, estimated at around 6,000 attendees, was encouraging to the event’s organizers, sponsors, and vendors.

The yearly event at Porter Park in Rexburg invites Brigham Young University-Idaho students and area locals to get out and get to know the businesses and services available in their community in a fun, celebratory atmosphere. The gathering is held each year near the beginning of BYU-Idaho’s fall semester as a way to welcome back returning students, to orient new students to the community, and to show appreciation to the locals who support Rexburg businesses all year long. Food trucks line the street next to the park while live music plays in the pavilion, beckoning folks to the park for the celebration.

Attendees could visit the 124 vendor booths, filled with representatives from local businesses, health services, community organizations, churches, and more.

JC Weber is the owner of Circle of Love, a local bridal and formalwear boutique. Weber has participated in the event each year for at least five years and enjoys the opportunity to connect with the community. His tradition is to give away hundreds of free ties at the event each year.

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“It’s a great way for businesses to market ourselves to the BYU-Idaho students, and it’s a great way to stay connected to the community as well,” Weber said.

Noting the large crowd size, Weber was enthusiastic about the boost the influx of college students gives to the local economy.

“We know enrollment is up at BYU-Idaho, and this event is showing how many people are actually here, which is awesome for the community and businesses in the area,” he said.

JC Weber is the owner of Circle of Love, a bridal boutique in Rexburg that gives away free ties every year at Experience Rexburg. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com

The gathering was a boost for new businesses as well. Whiffin’ It was incorporated earlier this year in Rexburg, as part of BYU-Idaho’s Integrated Business Core program, which gives students the opportunity to start real businesses and get some hands-on experience. Whiffin’ It manufactures and sells decorative car air fresheners, and was so successful as an IBC business that one of the team members purchased the business and the leftover stock from the university so he could keep it going after the 2024 spring semester ended.

Whiffin’ It team member Madalyn Altman said she saw a good mix of students and locals at the event, and that their booth had “been busy all day.”

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Team members from Whiffin' It, a new Rexburg business, share their car fresheners with potential customers at Experience Rexburg. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com
Team members from Whiffin’ It, a new Rexburg business, share their car fresheners with potential customers at Experience Rexburg. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com

Lynn Maciantoni is a BYU-Idaho student from Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is her third year at the university and she came to Experience Rexburg to spend a fun afternoon with her friends.

“It’s fun to see all the different businesses and to see all the fun food spots,” she said. “It’s a bigger turnout than I was expecting. I haven’t seen anything this big for a while.”

Experience Rexburg attendees were willing to wait in long lines to try new foods, including Mac Burger, which tops its burgers with fried mac and cheese. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com
Experience Rexburg attendees were willing to wait in long lines to try new foods, including Mac Burger, which tops its burgers with fried mac and cheese. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com

Experience Rexburg is organized by the Rexburg Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by BYU-Idaho and local businesses. BYU-Idaho Public Affairs Director Brett Crandall, who also serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Chamber, says Experience Rexburg is an important event to the university, as it is one way BYU-Idaho can support Rexburg’s local businesses.

“We are ecstatic that so many students and community members came out,” Crandall says. “The success of this event shows that the students are happy to support local businesses, and the businesses want to serve the students and the local community.”

Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board Brett Crandall presents a prize to a raffle winner at Experience Rexburg. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com
Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board Brett Crandall presents a prize to a raffle winner at Experience Rexburg. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com

Rexburg Chamber of Commerce Director Janalyn Holt was thrilled with the turnout. Not only did attendees come out in record numbers, but so did the local businesses, with 30 more vendor booths than last year.

“That just goes to show the support of Rexburg and the excitement of the students. And our food booths – look at the lines!” she said, pointing to the food trucks that were kept busy from open to close. “The Chamber is doing amazing things.”

For more information on local businesses, Chamber membership, and future community events, visit the Chambers website here.

Rexburg Chamber of Commerce Director Janalyn Holt helps Experience Rexburg attendees buy raffle tickets. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com
Rexburg Chamber of Commerce Director Janalyn Holt helps Experience Rexburg attendees buy raffle tickets. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com
Several Rexburg businesses donated mini fridges stuffed with goodies for the Chamber to raffle at Experience Rexburg. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com
Several Rexburg businesses donated mini fridges stuffed with goodies for the Chamber to raffle at Experience Rexburg. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com
Haydn and His Friends made their debut on the Experience Rexburg stage Saturday. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com
Haydn and His Friends made their debut on the Experience Rexburg stage Saturday. | Emily Miller, EastIdahoNews.com

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Idaho is in for a streak of clear skies next week

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Idaho is in for a streak of clear skies next week


After a round of showers came through this week, the Gem State is staying dry and clear for next week.

Temperatures finally started to feel winter-like as we take a tumble this weekend. Consistent 40’s the highs, and 20’s the lows.

Conditions on the valley floors are not expected to get past the mid 40’s. Showers appear to be nonexistent for the next 7 to 10 days.

We will also see some air stagnation in our area, meaning that as a high-pressure ridge moves in, not too much change is expected in the air. So, air quality may take a bit of a fall.

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Not much more than cold and dry air is on the way for Idaho, but at least the sun will shine for most of the forecast.

Have a great weekend and stay warm!





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Interstate 84 near Mountain Home back open after utility work

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Interstate 84 near Mountain Home back open after utility work


MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Interstate 84 near Mountain Home is back open after crews closed the freeway due to utility work.

Crews closed westbound and eastbound lanes on Saturday morning from milepost 90 to milepost 95 due to Idaho Power working on power lines in the area, according to the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office. All lanes are now back open in both directions.

The sheriff’s office and the Mountain Home Police Department apologized for the inconvenience, saying they were just informed of the closure on Saturday morning.

More information regarding road closures and traffic conditions can be found at the Idaho Transportation Department’s 511 map.

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Idaho murder victims’ families file wrongful death lawsuit against Washington State University

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Idaho murder victims’ families file wrongful death lawsuit against Washington State University


The families of the four University of Idaho students killed in a brutal 2022 stabbing attack have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Washington State University (WSU), alleging the school ignored repeated warning signs about Bryan Kohberger.

The civil complaint, filed Jan. 7 in Skagit County Superior Court, was brought by Steve Goncalves, father of Kaylee Goncalves; Karen Laramie, mother of Madison Mogen; Jeffrey Kernodle, father of Xana Kernodle; and Stacy Chapin, mother of Ethan Chapin.

The lawsuit accuses WSU of gross negligence, wrongful death and violations of federal education laws, including Title IX. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified monetary damages.

Attorney Robert Clifford, senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, said that the decision to leave damages “unspecified” is a strategic norm in high-stakes litigation because it prevents the focus from shifting towards sensationalism and keeps the decision firmly in the hands of the jury.

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“Ultimately, that’s to be determined and answered by the jury,” said Clifford, who is not involved in the lawsuit. “But you have some compelling facts and the liability is going to depend on the strength of what the school knew.”

The brother and parents of Kaylee Goncalves speak after Bryan Kohberger’s sentencing hearing at the Ada County Courthouse on July 23, 2025. Reuters
Bryan Kohberger in police custody after his arrest in December 2022. Moscow Police Department
Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were found dead inside an off-campus apartment in Moscow, Idaho.

Despite Kohberger’s guilty plea in the murders, Clifford explained the civil case remains strong because the families face a lower burden of proof – requiring only a preponderance of evidence to establish the university’s liability.

“The mere fact that he pled guilty might not even be admissible in the civil proceeding because he’s not the defendant, right? If he is a defendant in the civil proceeding, then his plea of guilty will be important. And indeed, this school might try to use that to say, ‘See, it wasn’t our fault. He admits that it was his fault.’ But the bar is different for someone in a criminal proceeding than it is in a civil proceeding.”

According to the lawsuit, WSU hired Kohberger as a teaching assistant in its criminal justice and criminology department and provided him with a salary, tuition benefits, health insurance and on-campus housing.

The victims’ families allege the university had extensive authority over Kohberger’s conduct but failed to act despite mounting concerns.

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Here’s the latest coverage on Bryan Kohberger:


The complaint says WSU received at least 13 formal reports accusing Kohberger of threatening, stalking, harassing or predatory behavior toward female students and staff during the fall 2022 semester. The families argue university officials did not meaningfully investigate those complaints or remove Kohberger from campus before the murders – even though they had the authority to do so.

The lawsuit also alleges that the university failed to use its own threat-assessment systems designed to identify individuals who pose a risk of violence, even as concerns about Kohberger escalated. Instead, the families claim, the university continued to employ him, house him and give him access to students.

“The murders were foreseeable and preventable,” the complaint states, alleging WSU prioritized avoiding legal and reputational risk over student safety.

Madison Mogen’s mother, Karen Laramie, and stepfather, Scott Laramie, leave the courthouse after Bryan Kohberger’s sentencing hearing. Reuters
Bryan Kohberger appears at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, on July 23, 2025. Getty Images

The lawsuit also alleges broad failures within the public university, including alleged dysfunction within campus police and compliance officers who are responsible for handling accusations of misconduct, including sexual harassment and stalking.

Kohberger pleaded guilty in July 2025 to four counts of first-degree murder and burglary. He was sentenced to four consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.

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Prosecutors said Kohberger stabbed the four students in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, inside an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, just miles from the WSU campus in Pullman, Washington.

Karen Laramie, mother of Madison Mogan, and Kristi Goncalves, Kaylee Goncalves’ mother, embrace after the sentencing hearing for their daughters’ murderer. Reuters
Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania in December 2022 following a multi-state investigation.

Authorities linked him to the crime through DNA evidence, surveillance video and cellphone data showing repeated late-night trips near the victims’ home.

WSU has not yet filed a response to the lawsuit. Fox News Digital has reached out to WSU for comment.

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