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Suspect in Idaho student killings wants more time to respond to prosecutor’s request for alibi | CNN

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Suspect in Idaho student killings wants more time to respond to prosecutor’s request for alibi | CNN




CNN
 — 

Bryan Kohberger – charged with stabbing four University of Idaho students to death last year – is asking a judge for more time to decide whether to offer a formal alibi in the case.

Kohberger’s public defender, Anne Taylor, said in a motion filed Friday in Latah County District Court his defense had not had sufficient time to fully review evidence provided by the prosecution. The evidence “includes thousands of pages of discovery, thousands of photographs, (and) hundreds of hours of recordings,” Taylor wrote.

Under Idaho law, a criminal defendant normally has 10 days to offer information on whether they plan to provide an alibi showing they were not at the scene when the alleged offense took place – but a judge can extend that deadline.

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“The defense needs time to make this determination and consider evidentiary rules,” said Taylor.

Kohberger, 28, faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in the November 13 killings of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, at a home just outside the university’s main campus in Moscow. A not guilty plea has been entered on his behalf.

The killings and lengthy investigation rattled Moscow, a city of 25,000 people that hadn’t recorded a murder since 2015. After weeks of little information and heightened anxieties in the community, Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania in late December and identified as the alleged killer. He has been in police custody since and is being held without bail.

Latah County District Court Judge John Judge is also expected to issue a decision on arguments from a media coalition and an attorney for the Goncalves family asking him to amend a gag order implemented in the case.

The order prohibits all attorneys in the case – prosecutors, defense lawyers, and those representing victims and witnesses – from saying anything publicly beyond what is already in the public record.

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Defense attorneys and prosecutors claim without the gag order jurors may come to the trial with an opinion already formed.

But Shanon Gray, an attorney representing the Goncalves family, urged the court Friday to amend the gag order to allow him to speak publicly on behalf of his clients.

Gray argued that he and his clients are not parties or witnesses in the case and should not be subject to the gag order.

A media coalition has argued the gag order should be removed. The order is “vague, overbroad, unduly restrictive, and not narrowly drawn,” the coalition said in a previous filing. “Publicity in and of itself is not prejudicial,” said Wendy Olson, an attorney representing the media coalition. “What they (media coalition clients) want is for their reporters to be able to obtain accurate information, of the kind that might help the public better understand all of this.”

Olson also suggested other alternatives to guarantee an impartial jury, including holding the trial in a different area or sequestering the jurors.

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Correction: An earlier version of this story misspelled the first name of Goncalves family attorney Shanon Gray.



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Idaho

'This is a game-changer.' New indoor soccer facility set to open in east Idaho – East Idaho News

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'This is a game-changer.' New indoor soccer facility set to open in east Idaho – East Idaho News


The following is a news release from Portneuf Valley Soccer Club.

POCATELLO — Portneuf Valley Soccer Club is proud to announce the finalization of a four-field indoor soccer facility in Pocatello.

At just over 120,000 square feet, this facility will be the largest of its kind in Idaho. Beyond housing four fields, the complex will serve as the new headquarters for PVSC, featuring administrative offices, a merchandise store, classrooms, and more.

“This facility is a game-changer for soccer in Eastern Idaho,” said Cristie Stone, President of PVSC. “It’s a testament to the vision and commitment of our club, our partners, and the community. We’re investing in our players and are determined to raise the bar of soccer in Idaho.”

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PVSC is making a significant investment to enhance the facility’s infrastructure which includes installation of high-quality turf on all four fields, procurement of equipment and technology, upgrades to restrooms, office spaces, and other amenities.

“This facility is phase 1 of a 3-phase strategic development program that will see PVSC become the Number 1 club in the state,” said Paul Baker, who led the development efforts. “We are focused on building a community where our athletes can thrive, families can connect, and the sport we love can continue to grow in eastern Idaho.”

PVSC’s growth ambitions don’t stop here. In addition to the facility, the club will be investing in the professional development of 5 full-time professional coaching staff who will focus on enhancing Youth Development and Competitive programs.

The facility is set to open its doors for a soft opening in January with an official opening ceremony scheduled for early February, offering a transformative space for the soccer community to participate in events, tournaments and leagues.

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As PVSC is a 501C3 Non Profit, the club is asking local businesses and families to support the clubs efforts through advertising and sponsorships. Information is available on their website: www.pvscunited.com.

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Project Pinecone aims to recover Idaho’s forests after Wapiti Fire • Utah News Dispatch

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Project Pinecone aims to recover Idaho’s forests after Wapiti Fire • Utah News Dispatch


One organization is aiming to help forest managers recover the trees lost in one of Idaho’s most devastating fires this summer.

On Nov. 3, the nonprofit Daughters of the American Revolution launched a fundraising campaign to raise money to help restore scorched south and central Idaho forests.

The Wapiti Fire, which began on July 24 by a lightning strike two miles southwest of Grandjean, spanned about 130,000 acres across the Boise National Forest, Sawtooth National Forest and the Salmon-Challis National Forest.

Coined Project Pinecone, the funds raised will be used to hire professional tree climbers for the Sawtooth National Forest who will pick pinecones off trees to harvest mature seeds that will be used to grow and eventually replant trees back into the Sawtooth National Forest.

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As of Monday, the Project Pinecone had raised a total of $11,500, including cash and check donations outside of the PayPal fundraiser, lead organizer Janice Beller said.

Beller is the Idaho state leader of the nonprofit. Like others in the organization, she is a descendant of someone who participated in the American Revolution. Conservation is important to the organization and important to her as a fifth generation Idahoan, she told the Idaho Capital Sun.

“Stanley is one of my favorite places in the world, and it has been in my family for years —  literally generations,” she said. “When Stanley burned this summer, it just broke my heart and really had a kind of a profound impact on many members within Daughters of the American Revolution.”

‘We have a lot of need for seed’: Sawtooth forester says 

Beller said a member of her leadership team reached out to a Stanley forest ranger to ask how they could help restore the forest. That’s when she learned about the shortage in seeds at Lucky Peak Nursery, located off Highway 21 outside of Boise.

Nelson Mills, the timber and silviculture program manager for the Sawtooth National Forest, said his biggest challenge is that forest staff hasn’t collected enough its seeds to replenish its seed bank at Lucky Peak Nursery.

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Pinecones are collected by professional tree climbers who use harnesses and spurred boots to climb trees between 75 and 120 feet tall. The pinecones are then transferred to Lucky Peak Nursery for seed processing. (Courtesy of Bill Josey)

Forest service staff right now have enough seeds to cover 50 to 80 acres of trees suitable for the Stanley area at its nursery, Mills said. However, that is not nearly enough to recover the forest from the Wapiti Fire.

Mills said that wildfires are a natural part of the ecosystem, but catastrophic wildfires like the Wapiti Fire will require artificial tree restoration. Of the 130,000 acres that were burned in the Wapiti Fire, 485 acres have been identified as requiring immediate reforestation need because the seed bed was completely burnt, Mills said. When a more formal assessment is done this winter, forest staff will likely find more acres in need of seedling planting, he said.

In addition to the seed shortage, harvesting pinecones is a complicated, risky and expensive process, Mills said.

The main way to collect pinecone seeds is by hiring professional tree climbers for $2,500 a day. Equipped with harnesses and spurred boots, they climb trees between 75 and 120 feet tall to collect pinecones at the perfect ripeness.

Timing is crucial, as ripeness varies by species and elevation, typically occurring between mid-August to mid-September, Mills said. An unripe pinecone won’t have a viable embryo, an overripe pinecone opens and releases its seeds, and pinecones that have fallen on the ground have been exposed to mold — making the seeds unsuitable for use, he said.

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The pinecones are then transferred to Lucky Peak Nursery where they are tested, processed, cleaned and sown to make baby lodgepole pines, ponderosa pines and Douglas firs.

Mills said Project Pinecone creates flexibility for foresters because it is not congressionally appropriated. If it’s not a good pinecone producing year, he said foresters can wait until the next year, or look at other species in a different area.

“Everybody is stepping up through all phases of this reforestation issue to make a solution and grow forests back specifically in the Stanley basin that was affected by the Wapiti Fire,” Mills said. “It is an amazing collaborative effort, and I am just so thankful that people want to get together and grow a forest ecosystem.”

Fundraiser to last until spring 2025

Beller said the fundraiser will last until May, when she plans to hold a ceremony to present the funds to the Stanley community and forest officials. She said she is encouraging individuals to donate, as it is tax deductible, and people who donate more than $10 will receive a wooden magnet with the project’s logo.

The total goal of the project is to raise $15,000, which would pay for six days of pinecone picking.

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The fundraiser is partnering with Boise Cascade, which committed to a day’s worth of pinecone picking to the project.

“Boise Cascade’s roots run deep in the state of Idaho, and we are honored to contribute to this incredible project to help restore some of Idaho’s most cherished forest lands that were burned during the brutal fire season of summer 2024,” Boise Cascade Vice President of Human Resources and contributions committee chair Angella Broesch, told the Sun. “As one of the largest producers of wood products in North America and a leading wholesale distributor of building products in the U.S., our company is committed to contributing to responsible forestry practices and protecting our environment.”

Having surpassed the halfway point of its goal, Beller said the successful donations show how much people from Idaho and outside of Idaho care about the Stanley area.

“We’ve heard so many people say that it’s truly the heart of Idaho, and it means a great deal to them and their families,” Beller said. “So to see everybody come together and contribute even just a little to bring it back is very humbling.”

Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: [email protected].

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A very wet holiday week lies ahead

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A very wet holiday week lies ahead


After a short dry spell this past week, Idaho is gearing up for a wet holiday week ahead with plenty of precipitation to come.

It started off today with light snow falling in the mountains but not much making it to the valley floor in terms of rain. Tomorrow the Magic Valley will see some rain sweep through the region as a stray pattern will bring in early rain separate from the main systems later this week.

Monday night into Tuesday morning is wave #1, which will deliver precipitation to almost all of Idaho. Tuesday will see another wave pass through before things clear out just in time for Christmas Day.

Wednesday’s clear weather only lasts for a moment as more rain arrives on Thursday & Friday, with more to come next Saturday.

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Happy Holidays everyone! Enjoy the season and stay dry this week!





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