After an unusually mild winter, Idaho is on the cusp of officially welcoming Spring. The season officially begins on Friday, March 20 but one area ice cream shop is getting a jump start! 

If you’re someone who keeps track of the best food freebie days, you probably already know that Thursday, March 19 is Dairy Queen’s “Free Cone Day.” If you didn’t, you know now and the timing couldn’t be better. Not only does the day hit while many schools in Idaho are on Spring Break, the Boise area could see near-record temps around 80 degrees. 

READ MORE: ‘The Planet’s Best Ice Cream’ Is Finally Coming to Idaho

On Thursday, ice cream lovers can enjoy a free small vanilla cone, no strings attached. That’s right. You don’t have to purchase another item. You don’t have to download an app. There are no hoops to jump through. You just have to show up in person and ask for your cone while supplies last. 

Free cone day also gives you an opportunity to pay it forward. At most Dairy Queen locations, you’ll have the option to have that free cone dipped for $1. You can choose from chocolate, cherry or the new Mint Crunchin’ Cookie.

The money raised from those dipped cones on Free Cone Day will benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Idaho’s only children’s hospital, St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital is one of the 170 children’s hospitals that receives funds as part of the network. 

The tradition of Free Cone Day dates back to 2015. The ice cream chain has 25 locations across Idaho.

Is the University of Idaho a…basketball school!?

Known as a legendary state university here in Idaho with a well respected law school, the University of Idaho is all the craze these days because of their basketball programs. 

Yes, ‘programs’, plural.

Both the MENS and WOMENS teams are headed to THE BIG DANCE, March Madness, after mopping up their competition in Boise during the Big Sky Conference Championships.

Making it to the big dance doesn’t come easy–and both the men’s and women’s basketball programs from the University of Idaho are headed there in a totally shocking development during the Big Sky tournament!

Idaho Governor Brad little quickly chimed in to congratulate vandals nationwide! It’s no longer a ‘maybe’, the Vandals are locked and loaded for March Madness.

The most legendary ‘Vandal Bar’ and arguably one of the most legendary bars in the entire State of Idaho celebrated BIG and the videos are amazing. When the Vandals won, Moscow’s ‘Corner Club’ erupted with insane energy and the bar proceeded to pour FREE DRINKS for five minutes, getting everyone in there that wanted one, a celebratory round.    

For programs like the University of Idaho, it takes a LOT to be a part of these national conversations, however, they are guaranteed admission into the bracket under one circumstance: they win their conference tournament.

V’s up!

MERIDIAN, Idaho — An estimated 5,694 customers are without power due to outages in Meridian.

The power company reported that outages started between 4:30 and 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 14. The outages are neighboring one another, with both being along E Chinden Blvd.

The cause of one of the outages is suspected to be weather-related. A crew is en route to fix the issue.

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Estimated restoration is set for 6:00 p.m. For updated info on the outage, visit Idaho Power’s website.