Idaho Power plants, Pride pushback, big Blue money — what you may have missed
The Idaho Statesman’s recent top stories span Idaho Power’s bid to build two new natural gas plants, a Boise State fan’s decision to drop serious cash on a chunk of the famous blue turf and Boise Mayor Lauren McLean’s verbal volleys at the Legislature in her State of the City speech. Here’s a quick rundown of what readers are reacting to across the region.
- Idaho Power is seeking state regulatory approval to build two natural gas power plants in Southern Idaho — the 222-megawatt South Hills plant in Twin Falls County and the 430-megawatt Peregrine plant in Elmore County — to avoid capacity shortfalls expected to begin in 2029.
- Boise Mayor Lauren McLean used her annual State of the City speech to criticize the Republican-dominated Idaho Legislature’s “overreach,” saying lawmakers were taking away local control. Boise was forced to take its Pride flag down earlier this year, but responded by putting up rainbow art.
- Brian Lemke, the father of a 12-day-old Nampa infant who died in December 2025, pleaded guilty to a pair of charges and will receive his sentence in July; his wife Allysen Armenta has yet to enter a plea. The case prompted Idaho lawmakers to pass Benji’s Law and two other child protection measures.
- Four new bars and restaurants — Descanso, Spitfire Tacos + Tequila, Ground Rules and Peregrine — will open this spring and summer at The Boardwalk apartments along the Greenbelt, with Apex Brand Collection managing the Garden City complex’s food-and-drink transformation.
- An anonymous bidder paid $25,000 for a 400-square-foot patch of Boise State’s blue turf at Albertsons Stadium, which is being replaced this summer for the first time since 2019. Smaller swatches of The Blue and other memorabilia are available to fans starting at $40.
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.