From chart-topping bands and Broadway stars to comedians and inspirational performers, live entertainment has become a valued part of the BYU-Idaho experience. Brigham Young University-Idaho is pleased to announce the rebranding of its long-running Center Stage series as BYUI Live!—a new name that reflects the university’s vision to create memorable live entertainment experiences that bring BYU-Idaho students and the surrounding community together.

For decades, Center Stage has welcomed exceptional performers to campus, building a tradition rooted in the fine arts. As the series has evolved to include nationally recognized artists such as OneRepublic, Andy Grammer, and Brett Young, the need for a brand that better reflects the breadth of today’s programming became clear.

“BYUI Live! better represents what we’re trying to create,” said Tanner Christensen, who oversees the university’s live guest entertainment series. “Our goal is to bring people together through memorable experiences in our amazing venues at BYU-Idaho. We are excited to bring the community the best entertainment in the industry that the entire family can enjoy.”

BYUI Live! is designed to be more than just a series of concerts or performances. Each event is an opportunity for students, families, and friends, to spend an evening together on campus—enjoying food, activities, and community before gathering for an unforgettable live show.

The new brand launches alongside an exciting lineup of upcoming events. BYUI Live!’s first performance will feature two-time Grammy Award-winning artist Lauren Daigle on Friday, September 18 at the BYU-Idaho Center. Guest artists for the university’s annual Christmas production and other upcoming performances will be announced in the coming weeks.

While the name is changing, the mission remains the same: “to provide uplifting, high-quality entertainment that enriches the student experience, strengthens community, and creates lasting memories.”

For upcoming events and ticket information, visit BYUI Live!’s new website www.byui.edu/live

For media inquiries, please email Tanner Christensen at live@byui.edu

The 16th annual Idaho Patriot Thunder Ride was postponed after June 26’s severe thunderstorm created unsafe weather and road conditions for riders and event-goers.

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Originally scheduled for June 28, the annual ride honors active military, veterans and fallen soldiers. 100% of the event’s proceeds will go to Operation Warm Heart and the Idaho Guard & Reserve Family Support Fund.

Organizers say the event will be rescheduled for Sunday, July 26.

“The safety of our riders, volunteers, and the public will always be our top priority,” Idaho Patriot Thunder Ride said in a Facebook post. “While we know many have been looking forward to this event, we believe postponing is the right decision to ensure a safe and enjoyable ride for everyone.”

All events and scheduled activities will take place in July at the originally scheduled time blocks, organizers said.

The motorcyclists will ride in a law enforcement-escorted motorcade along eastbound I-84.

ITD warns that drivers should expect temporary ramp closures, rolling slowdowns and delays from Meridian to Mountain Home during the event.

Parts of Idaho looked like the Arctic on the first full weekend of summer when torrential thunderstorms and hail flooded the streets with ice floats, according to dramatic social-media footage. 

In a wild scene Saturday outside the state’s capital of Boise, a resident was caught on Instagram footage paddling a bright green kayak through the ice-covered floodwaters rushing down a suburban road — while a rural county near Nevada was hammered with a staggering 553 lightning strikes. 

“It was small hail, but there was an awful lot of it,” said Josh Smith, the Boise-based National Weather Service’s lead meteorologist, to the Idaho Statesman. 

Cars parked along local streets were nearly swallowed by surging water from the relentless rains – with some vehicles submerged up to their windows – while trash bins floated through the makeshift river, the surreal footage shows. 

The widespread storm damage across the Gem State’s Treasure Valley region – a heavily-populated area that encompasses parts of Ada and Canyon counties – was also fueled by winds topping 50 mph, the Statesman said.

As for the hail, “Even some of our employees that were in northwest Meridian said they had several inches of small hail on the ground,” Smith said.

“That probably led to some of the flooding issues with some of those neighborhoods because all that melted off quickly, and the drains weren’t able to handle it – in addition to the inch-plus rain that we received,” Smith explained. 

Lightning was also relentless throughout the storm, with rural Owyhee County – located about 150 miles south of Boise, near the Nevada border – recording a mind-boggling 553 lightning strikes. 

Ada County had 100 strikes in one day – the second-most ever recorded on a single day in June since 2000, according to Smith and the National Weather Service. 

Officials in Canyon County declared a countywide disaster emergency as crews scrambled to respond to the damage, while employees with the Ada County Highway District worked overnight clearing flooded roads and addressing other hazards, the Statesman reported. 

The Boise Police Department shared photos of the river-like road conditions on Facebook, urging drivers to use “extreme caution.” 

In neighboring Payette County, mudslides triggered by severe flooding caused many highway and street closures Friday, according to the sheriff’s office. 

It was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured. 

The dangerous weather was expected to continue through the weekend, forecasters warned. 

The NWS issued a winter storm warning Saturday for parts of eastern Idaho, where elevations above 6,500 feet were expected to be battered with as much as 8 inches of snow. 

“Plan on cold and wet backcountry conditions with a heightened hypothermia risk for those not properly dressed. Wet snow may down trees and block access to forest roadways,” the advisory warned, according to the East Idaho News.