Idaho
Power crews responding to outages; more expected across valley
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.
RELATED | High wind warning issued; officials urge drivers to use caution
Estimated restoration is set for 6:00 p.m. For updated info on the outage, visit Idaho Power’s website.
Today is Saturday, May 2, the 122nd day of 2026. There are 243 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On May 2, 1972, a fire at the Sunshine silver mine in Kellogg, Idaho, claimed the lives of 91 miners who succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Also on this date:
In 1863, during the Civil War, Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was accidentally wounded by his own men at Chancellorsville, Virginia; he died eight days later.
In 1927, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Buck v. Bell, upheld 8-1 a Virginia law allowing the forced sterilization of people in order to promote the “health of the patient and the welfare of society.”
In 1994, Nelson Mandela claimed victory for the African National Congress after South Africa’s first democratic elections.
In 1997, Tony Blair, whose Labour Party crushed John Major’s long-reigning Conservatives in a national election, became Britain’s youngest prime minister in 185 years, at age 43.
In 2011, al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, who had been killed hours earlier in a raid by American forces at his Pakistan compound, was buried at sea.
In 2017, Michael Slager, a white former police officer whose killing of Walter Scott, an unarmed Black man running from a traffic stop, was captured on cellphone video, pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges in Charleston, South Carolina. (Slager would be sentenced to 20 years in prison.)
In 2022, a draft was leaked of a Supreme Court ruling throwing out the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion rights ruling that had stood for a half-century. The court cautioned that the draft was not final. (The decision would be released in essentially the same form the following month.)
Today’s Birthdays:
- Singer Engelbert Humperdinck is 90.
- Actor David Suchet (SOO’-shay) is 80.
- Singer-songwriter Larry Gatlin is 78.
- Rock singer Lou Gramm (Foreigner) is 76.
- Actor Christine Baranski is 74.
- Basketball Hall of Famer Jamaal Wilkes is 73.
- Fashion designer Donatella Versace is 71.
- Filmmaker Stephen Daldry is 66.
- Country singer Ty Herndon is 64.
- Actor-wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is 54.
- Former soccer player David Beckham is 51.
- Actor Kumail Nanjiani is 48.
- Actor Ellie Kemper is 46.
- Singer Lily Allen is 41.
- NASCAR driver Kyle Busch is 41.
- Olympic figure skating gold medalist Sarah Hughes is 41.
- Musician Lucy Dacus is 31.
- Princess Charlotte of Wales is 11.
From left, Jonny Willmore and McKenzie Willmore pose for a photo outside the Wandermind shop in downtown Idaho Falls. | Cody Roberts, EastIdahoNews.com
IDAHO FALLS — Wandermind, a retail shop and community space that caters to neurodivergent individuals, is holding its grand opening downtown this Saturday.
Wandermind co-owners McKenzie Willmore and Jonny Willmore told EastIdahoNews.com that the shop is full of tools, puzzles, hobbies, skill toys, games and other resources that those diagnosed with things like ADHD or autism can find helpful or rewarding.
The idea of the store came from McKenzie finding out she had ADHD several years ago, after she had her daughter. She said changes in her life made it so all the systems she had in place to help her stay regulated and perform went out the window. As she did research on ADHD, she said it was a moment of self-discovery for her.
“I was thinking — wouldn’t it be cool if there was a place that had all these tools and resources for people who find themselves in these kinds of situations and have a place where you can totally be yourself, find things that are exciting to you or helpful to you, and also be able to meet people in your community that are in that same group?” McKenzie said.
As she hyperfocused on opening a store, McKenzie said she discovered a path to make her idea come to life. They’ve stayed on the path, and now the shop is set to open downtown across from the Civitan Plaza.
McKenzie said her favorite items in the shop are notebooks and hobby supplies. Jonny said his favorite parts are the skill toys, particularly the fingerboards and fingerboard skate park, as he owns the fingerboard company Tsunami Decks.
RELATED | Local fingerboarders spread joy of hobby, hope to fund miniature skate park
“People with neurodivergence, they love stimulation and hits of dopamine,” Jonny said. “That’s where fingerboarding, kendamas, yo-yos come in because people who have this neurodivergency, they will have a better gratification from the dopamine hits with these kinds of skill toys because it is a little bit more delayed.”
“With hobbies like kendamas or fingerboarding, it’s perfect for somebody to stimulate their senses and satisfy those needs,” Jonny said.
McKenzie said the shop also has a community space where people can get together and work with LEGOs, puzzles, Magna-Tiles and other items to relax and have fun.
“We have a beautiful mural coming along in there too that is going to change that space and make it welcoming and comfortable,” she said.
The shop also has a sensory regulation room — a dark, controlled environment used to help individuals manage overstimulation, reduce anxiety and improve focus. It has a hanging pod, a blackout tent, galaxy lights and a bubble lamp.
“It’s dark, it’s quiet,” McKenzie said. “It’s so cozy. We’ve almost fallen asleep in there.”
Wandermind will be holding its grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A sensory-friendly celebration will also be held on Sunday, May 3, at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Its address is 549 Park Ave, Idaho Falls.
“Creating safe spaces is something that we’re really passionate about, and I think it’s exciting to be able to do it on this scale and share it with the larger community,” McKenzie said.
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The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Fire Department.
The Idaho Falls Fire Department responded to a structure fire on East Ririe Highway Thursday afternoon after a controlled burn spread to a nearby shed, resulting in significant property damage.
At approximately 4:05 p.m., emergency crews were dispatched following reports of a large shed on fire. Upon arrival, firefighters found the structure fully involved, along with a pickup truck that was engulfed in flames.
Initial information indicates the homeowner had been burning vegetation along a canal bank behind the shed. Although the individual applied water and the fire appeared to be extinguished, it is believed the fire reignited and spread to the nearby structure.
Fire crews acted quickly to contain the blaze and prevent further spread. A classic car stored inside the shed was safely removed prior to significant damage. However, a Chevy pickup truck was destroyed, and the shed sustained severe structural damage and is no longer usable. Estimated property loss is approximately $80,000.
The fire also extended into a nearby willow tree, burning within the trunk. Due to safety concerns, a large cottonwood tree adjacent to the shed was felled by the department’s wildland team to prevent additional hazards and protect surrounding property.
The Idaho Falls Fire Department responded with a full suppression effort, including additional personnel. Assistance was also provided by the Idaho Falls Fire Department Wildland Team and Idaho State Police.
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