Idaho
Rural Idaho comes together to to bypass landslide using the Weiser River Trail
A landslide took out a portion of Highway 95 in between Council and McCall in March. The road has been closed ever since, but the community has rallied to provide an alternative.
The Weiser River Trail is the longest rail line converted into a trail in Idaho, it features 85-miles of non motorized use. However, the Friends of the Weiser River Trail opened up a one-mile section to help people get around the construction site.
“As we go through each community we are part of that community,” said Leonard Messersmith, the President of the Friends of the Weiser River Trail. “We try to be as helpful as we can. This is a wonderful thing and I think we have done the right thing by opening this up.
Braun-Jensen Inc. out of Cambridge has been contracted by the Idaho Transportation Department to repair Highway 95. However, this local company has two of their workers performing eight hour shifts driving people back and forth in a side-by-side.
Ron Keller is one of the Weiser River Trail taxi drivers for Braun-Jensen and he told us he puts 125 miles on the side-by side everyday. The shuttle runs from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and around 100 people use the shuttle on a daily basis.
“I never dreamed I’d be a taxi driver, never,” said Keller. “It’s been relaxing and the people are really appreciative of us doing this.”
Kirk and Lisa Kundrick live in Council, but they work in New Meadows and McCall. Without the bypass it would take them four hours to drive all the way around.
“It’s amazing the cars are lining the whole road and the word is out about how efficient it is,” said Kirk Kundrick. “It is working to get everybody through in a timely manner.”
Mountain Community Transit opened a bus line heading north to Valley county from the construction site, neighbors have helped neighbors and what could have been a huge inconvenience showcases the resiliency of rural Idaho.
Meanwhile, the Idaho Transportation Department says the road could be back open by the beginning of May. This past week crews installed a retaining wall and this upcoming week they will re-pave Highway 95.
The shuttle has run for 18 days helping workers get to mill north of the landslide. There are a lot of people that work and live on the opposite side of the construction site. We also met a pair of ladies who used the shuttle to take their cat to the veterinarian.
“I know there are a lot of businesses affected by opening this up in a positive manner,” said Messersmith. “We are glad to be part of that.”
The Weiser River Trail provides a place for hikers, bikers and horseback riders to enjoy. I can tell you from experience that biking this section is pretty fun as the trail starts in the pines and goes all the way down to Weiser. Shuttles are available in Cambridge and Weiser.
The Friends of the Weiser River Trail is a non-profit and this trail was deeded to them in 1997. There mission is to preserve the integrity of the Pacific and Idaho Northern Railroad corridor, manage a public recreational trail and protect natural habitats along the corridor.
MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho (CBS2) — A joint investigation by the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office and the Mountain Home Police Department has led to the arrest of a man accused of multiple sexual offenses in Elmore County and the city of Mountain Home.
An arrest warrant was issued on June 10, 2026, for Dillon Thorpe following an investigation conducted by Elmore County Sheriff’s Office detectives. Thorpe was taken into custody on June 11, 2026, on a warrant by the Idaho State Police.
Thorpe is charged with rape, child enticement, lewd conduct with a minor, and sexual abuse of a child under the age of 16.
Authorities said additional details about the investigation will not be released at this time because of the nature of the crimes and to protect the privacy of victims and witnesses.
Law enforcement believes there may be additional suspected victims and/or witnesses who have not yet been identified. Anyone with information or evidence relevant to the investigation is encouraged to contact the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office or the Mountain Home Police Department to make a report.
DENVER (KDVR) — Three Colorado motorcyclists died on Tuesday in northern Idaho after a pickup truck driver, also from Colorado, hit all three while trying to pass another vehicle, according to the Idaho State Police.
The crash happened at about 4 p.m. Tuesday outside the town of Kooskia on U.S. 12, police said. The pickup truck driver, identified as a 60-year-old Colorado Springs woman, was headed west on the highway when she crossed the double yellow line in a no-passing zone while trying to pass another vehicle.
She then collided head-on with the three motorcycles that were headed east on the highway.
The three motorcyclists died at the scene. The Idaho County Coroner identified the motorcyclists as: Ethan Powers, 35, of Timnath, Jeremy Coleman, 45 of Berthoud, and Nathan McCormick, 26, of Loveland.
The Colorado Fraternal Order of Police later identified Coleman and Powers as a sergeant and deputy with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office and McCormick as Coleman’s son-in-law.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends, coworkers, and the members of FOP Lodge 4 as they face the difficult days ahead,” the union said. “The law enforcement profession is built on service, sacrifice, and commitment to others. Sgt. Coleman and Deputy Powers dedicated their lives to protecting their community, and their impact will continue to be felt by those who had the privilege of serving alongside them.”
The truck driver was taken to a hospital for medical evaluation before being released then arrested. She was booked into the Idaho County Jail on probable cause for three counts of vehicular manslaughter, police said.
The following is a press release from the Idaho State Police:
The Idaho State Police (ISP) is investigating a three-fatality crash that occurred at approximately 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, on U.S. Highway 12 near milepost 113 east of Kooskia.
The preliminary investigation indicates a 2019 Ford F-150 was traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 12 when the driver attempted to pass another vehicle in a marked no-passing zone. The pickup crossed the double yellow centerline and collided with three motorcycles traveling eastbound.
The three motorcyclists sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.
The 60-year-old female driver of the Ford, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, was transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation. Following her release, she was arrested and booked into the Idaho County Jail on probable cause for three counts of vehicular manslaughter.
The Idaho County Coroner’s Office will identify the deceased and determine the cause and manner of death.
U.S. Highway 12 was closed for approximately six and one-half hours while emergency responders assisted at the scene and investigators processed evidence.
ISP was assisted by the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho County Coroner’s Office, the Idaho Transportation Department, and local fire and EMS personnel.
The crash remains under investigation.
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