Kempthorne’s legacy, $22 lunch review, initiative dispute — news you may have missed
Idaho lost one of its most prominent political figures last week when former Gov. Dirk Kempthorne died at 74, while an anti-abortion PAC drew backlash for texting people who signed a reproductive rights ballot initiative. Meanwhile, rising gas prices, Boise State football news and a buzzy new sandwich shop also garnered attention.
Here are some of the top recent headlines from the Idaho Statesman:
• Former Gov. Dirk Kempthorne died Friday of complications from late-stage cancer, which he announced in March 2025. A Republican who never lost an election during a career spanning nearly a quarter-century, he served as Boise mayor, U.S. senator, two-term governor, and finally U.S. secretary of the interior under President George W. Bush.
• Idaho Chooses Life, an anti-abortion PAC, sent text messages to people who signed the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act Initiative, saying they may have been “misled.” Organizers behind the ballot initiative say they’ve gathered more than 100,000 signatures and are “confident” the measure will qualify for the November ballot.
• Idaho gas prices averaged about $4.32 per gallon as of Thursday — still well below the state’s 2022 record of $5.25, according to AAA. The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the switch to summer-blend fuel are driving costs higher, and prices are unlikely to drop soon.
• Boise State offensive tackle Kage Casey was selected by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, 111th overall. The three-year starter started 41 games and joins a team that reached the AFC Championship Game last season.
• Boise State’s spring football game featured trick plays and a notable performance from freshman wide receiver Rasean Jones, who caught three passes for 36 yards and a touchdown. Head coach Spencer Danielson promised: “We’re going to have trick plays every single game we go into.”
• Cadence Kitchen, a new sandwich shop in Garden City, has earned a perfect 5.0 on Google. A lunch review found the Italian sandwich and housemade potato salad worth the $22 combo price, calling the sandwiches “certainly the real deal.”
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.