Idaho icon’s replacement, $1.5m settlement, exclusive dining — what you may have missed

From a peek at the design that may replace Idaho icon Rainbow Bridge to a $1.5 million harassment settlement in Caldwell, here’s a rundown of top recent headlines from the Idaho Statesman.

• The Idaho Transportation Department unveiled its preferred design to replace the historic Rainbow Bridge on Idaho 55 with a through arch bridge featuring high orange beams, two 12-foot lanes and 14-foot shoulders. The 1933 bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places but has become increasingly unsafe, with the cost to preserve it estimated at $20 million to $50 million.
• Ada County Sheriff Matt Clifford, who fought against mandatory ICE cooperation legislation this spring, is now preparing to voluntarily sign a 287(g) agreement for the warrant service officer program with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Clifford says the voluntary model will let his office place ICE detainers on people already in custody while avoiding the problems he warned about in March.
• The city of Caldwell agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle former officer Allison Butler’s sexual harassment lawsuit against Police Chief Rex Ingram, the city’s second-highest-paid employee. Ingram denies any wrongdoing and says the settlement included no admission of liability or fault.
• The Boise Post, the city’s tallest rooftop food-and-drink spot atop the new 15-story AC/Element Hotel, has been so busy in its opening week that staff have had to turn away walk-in customers. Executive Chef Hunter Durgan is offering globally influenced, Idaho-sourced fare, including an Outfitter’s Board with rabbit and rattlesnake sausage.
• Umi Japanese Shabu Shabu in Meridian has closed temporarily to rebrand as a “premium” all-you-can-eat sushi and hot pot concept. The restaurant, which arrived in Meridian in 2024 and has another location in Salt Lake City, plans to reopen June 1.
• The summer calendar is packed with outdoor concerts and festivals across the Boise area and Idaho, including Alive After 5, the Hyde Park Street Fair, and shows at the Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater and Outlaw Field. Multi-day options include the Sawtooth Valley Gathering in Stanley and the Braun Brothers Reunion in Challis.

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.