BOISE, ID (CBS2) — As Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month comes to a close, Idaho safety officials are urging drivers and riders to stay vigilant as the “100 Deadliest Days” of summer begin — a stretch when roads see more traffic, more inexperienced drivers, more speeding and drunk driving, and more motorcycles.

Idaho State Police Sgt. Andrew Nakashima said troopers have seen an increase in deadly motorcycle crashes.

“We’ve seen a spike in fatality crashes, at least motorcycle crashes,” Nakashima said. “One of the things I’d like to tell people is I really appreciate the value of ‘Look Twice Save a Life’ campaign, but motorcycles need to do their part too.”

Nakashima said everyone has a role in preventing crashes, with drivers staying alert for motorcycles and riders preparing with proper training, awareness and gear.

Sunshine Beer, director of Idaho STAR, emphasized the importance of protective equipment and visibility.

Idaho AAA, the Idaho Transportation Department, and Idaho State Police are all reminding drivers to be aware of motorcycles on the road as the summer travel season gets underway. (Dakota Castets-Didier/CBS2)

“Always wear the gear, can’t overstate how important that is for comfort, protection, visibility,” Beer said. “When you’re in traffic, make sure you place yourself where you can be seen. When drivers hit a rider, they don’t intend to, but they often don’t see the rider…”

The Idaho Transportation Department said 2026 has seen a decrease in fatalities so far, potentially tied to high gas prices reducing the number of trips. But the agency warned that could change as summer continues.

Idaho AAA, the Idaho Transportation Department, and Idaho State Police are all reminding drivers to be aware of motorcycles on the road as the summer travel season gets underway. (Dakota Castets-Didier/CBS2)

“As of Monday this week, we had 66 lives taken on our roads this year, that is fewer than this time last year,” said Josephine Middleton of ITD. “We do know the price of gas has an impact on the number of trips, therefore that’s probably having a direct impact on the number of crashes.”

Officials said the reminders are simple: drivers should slow down, stay sober, and watch for motorcycles — and everyone should “look twice” to help prevent deadly collisions.

Idaho AAA, the Idaho Transportation Department, and Idaho State Police are all reminding drivers to be aware of motorcycles on the road as the summer travel season gets underway. (Dakota Castets-Didier/CBS2)

Josh Ritter, a professional songwriter and graduate of Moscow High School, will headline the America250 in Idaho celebration in Boise on July 4, event organizers announced Tuesday at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.

Members of the America250 in Idaho Advisory Council unveiled the details about the patriotic celebrations they have been planning and promoting in Boise – and across the state – to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

For the July 4 America250 in Idaho Capitol Celebration at Cecil D. Andrus Park in downtown Boise, planned events include a veterans breakfast, the Idaho 4th of July parade that you can watch live on CBS2 which includes military fly over, a performance by the Army Band, food trucks and concerts by Idaho musicians.

In addition to Ritter, artists scheduled to perform include the Afrosonics, Jeff Crosby and Chad Marvin, officials said.

“We finally have a run of show and (confirmation of) who will be performing,” Jesse Barcroft, the chief of staff for the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office, told the advisory council. “I’m really excited about it; I think that Idahoans are going to be really excited about it. It’s a really cool lineup.”

In addition to planning and promoting the celebration in Boise, members of the advisory council have also approved grants of up to $2,500 each to help local America250 celebrations in communities across the state.

Organizers initially awarded grants to 29 different Idaho arts and nonprofit organizations, but changed gears by cancelling those grants in March 2025 to focus narrowly on patriotic celebrations of America’s founding and 250th birthday, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.

So far, members of the advisory council reported that they have spent $474,425.51 and have $54,967.53 in available funding on the bottom line.

For more information about America250 in Idaho celebrations in communities across the state, visit america250.idaho.gov.

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released the site maps and locations of future temples in Idaho and South Carolina.

The Caldwell Idaho Temple, first announced in April 2025, will be built on a 19.2-acre site located at the southwest corner of West Orchard Avenue and South Florida Avenue in Canyon County, Idaho, according to a press release published Tuesday on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Plans for the Caldwell temple site call for a multistory temple of approximately 82,000 square feet, accompanied by a meetinghouse and an ancillary building.

The Caldwell Idaho Temple was announced in April 2025 general conference by then-church President Russell M. Nelson, and was one of the last 15 temples President Nelson announced before his death on Sept. 27, 2025.

Ten other temples in Idaho are currently in operation, under construction, or in planning or design stages. Of these 10 temples, one — the Montpelier Idaho Temple — is currently scheduled to be dedicated this October.

The Greenville South Carolina Temple, to be the state’s second Latter-day Saint temple, will be a single-story structure of approximately 18,850 square feet.

It will be constructed on an 8.8-acre site located at the south intersection of Independence Boulevard/Ponders Road and Roper Mountain Road in Greenville, South Carolina.

Like the Caldwell temple, the Greenville South Carolina Temple was also announced by President Nelson in April 2025.

As the state’s second Latter-day Saint temple, the Greenville South Carolina Temple will join the Columbia South Carolina Temple (dedicated in 1999) in serving the nearly 47,000 Latter-day Saints that live in South Carolina.

Learn more about the Caldwell Idaho and Greenville South Carolina temples and others worldwide on the Church News’ temple almanac.