MARK: It's Monday, June 22nd, 2026, and if you haven't managed to melt into a puddle of sweaty disappointment on the sidewalk yet, welcome to another episode of 'Happening in Pocatello'. I'm Mark, your guide through the mundane and the mildly catastrophic, joined as always by Joleen, who's far too energetic for this kind of heat.

JOLEEN: Eat a dick, Mark. It's a gorgeous morning if you aren't a human-shaped rain cloud. I'm Joleen, and despite the fact that our hills are literally catching fire, I'm feeling remarkably upbeat. Maybe it's the smoke inhalation, or maybe it's just the fact that I've finally found a local ice cream place that doesn't taste like frozen sadness. We've got a lot to get through today, from school boards playing hot potato with a four-day week to some actually decent news about the local food scene.

MARK: We'll get to the sugar-coated propaganda later. First, let's talk about why you can smell charred sagebrush from your backyard. If you've been living under a rock--which, honestly, sounds cooler and more humid than my apartment right now--you probably missed the Gap Fire. It scorched about two hundred acres between here and Inkom over the weekend. It started Sunday afternoon in the Portneuf Gap, and for a minute there, it looked like things were going to get real spicy for the folks with houses nearby.

JOLEEN: The Bureau of Land Management guys were all over it, though. They had planes dropping retardant and crews on the ground before I could even finish my first Sunday margarita. They actually had to issue an evacuation order for a little bit because the wind was acting like a total bitch, pushing those flames toward structures. But by late Sunday night, they lifted the order and the fire's mostly contained now. It's just a giant black scar on the hillside to remind us that Idaho is one giant tinderbox waiting for a stray spark.

MARK: It's the same story every year, yet somehow it's a total surprise to everyone. We live in a desert, people. The grass turns into gasoline by June. Speaking of things that were actually pleasant over the weekend, the NAACP held their sixth annual Juneteenth celebration on Saturday. It was a solid turnout, and honestly, the food there probably smelled a lot better than the burning brush we were just talking about. We also had World Refugee Day at Lookout Point. It's nice to see Pocatello acting like a real community for once instead of just a collection of people complaining about the potholes on 5th Avenue.

JOLEEN: Lookout Point was actually packed. It's a great spot when it isn't being overrun by teenagers with Bluetooth speakers. But we can't have nice things for too long without someone ruining it. The Pocatello Police department's been busy with the usual assortment of assholes. We had a string of vehicle burglaries over the last few nights near the University area. Some genius decided to leave their doors unlocked with a laptop sitting in the passenger seat. I'm not saying it's your fault, but come on, it's 2026. Lock your fucking car or don't complain when your shit goes missing.

MARK: I'm always amazed by the level of trust people have in their fellow man. It's misplaced, obviously. There's also been an uptick in reports of people 'forgetting' to pay for their gas at the stations along I-15. It's not a 'gas skip' if the cops have your license plate on three different high-def cameras, you idiots. It's just a slow-motion arrest warrant. If you're going to be a criminal in this town, at least put some effort into it. This low-effort thievery is just insulting to the rest of us who work for a living.

JOLEEN: Maybe they're just trying to save up for the insane real estate prices around here. But before we get to that, let's talk about the school district. The School District 25 board met last week and they're finally tackling the four-day school week debate. Well, 'tackling' is a strong word. It's more like they've gingerly touched it and then decided to hide behind a committee. They unanimously agreed to form a study group to look at changing the calendar for the 2027-2028 school year. So, basically, don't expect anything to happen until our current toddlers are in college.

MARK: A committee. The death knell of any actual progress. They're going to spend a year 'surveying patrons' and 'evaluating data' just to tell us what we already know--half the parents want their kids out of the house five days a week so they don't lose their minds, and the other half want the long weekends to go camping. It's a classic Pocatello stalemate. Superintendent Howell mentioned they're also looking at moving from trimesters to semesters to align with the universities. That's actually a logical move, which is probably why people will find a reason to hate it.

JOLEEN: Oh, they'll hate it. People in this town hate change more than they hate the wind. But hey, if it means teachers get a break and kids aren't burnt out by October, I'm for it. Just don't ask me to sit on the committee. I'd rather gargle thumb tacks than spend three hours in a board room discussing 'synergy' and 'student outcomes'. Speaking of student outcomes, the Education Foundation's been pushing their Idaho Gives campaign. If you've got a few spare bucks, maybe throw it their way so our schools don't have to rely on bake sales to buy basic supplies. It's pathetic that it's come to this, but that's the world we live in.

MARK: If we're talking about things that don't suck, Cafe Tuscano finally finished that expansion they've been working on for two years. They've opened 'Rob's Room', which is this private dining area, and they've got a new bar. I went in there the other day and it's actually impressive. They've got this 'Wines of the World' list now. It's a nice change of pace from the usual selection of 'whatever's on sale at Ridley's' that you find at most places around here. The decor is actually classy, too. It doesn't feel like you're sitting in a converted dentist's office.

JOLEEN: I'm glad they're doing well, but let's talk about the real winner. Scoops N Sliders just won Idaho's Best Ice Cream for 2026. That's their third win in five years. Rodney, the manager there, says they win in all the even years. It's like a weird Olympic cycle for dairy. Their sliders are okay, but the ice cream is legitimately the best thing you'll put in your mouth this week. I had a scoop of the salted caramel and it was so good I almost forgot I was in Idaho for a second. If you haven't been there, you're failing at summer.

MARK: I'm more of a 'best appetizers' guy, and apparently Rogue Restaurant in Lava Hot Springs took the gold for that in the Southeast region. They also got second place in the entire state. It's a bit of a drive, but if it means I don't have to eat another frozen mozzarella stick from a bowling alley, I'll take it. It's good to see some local spots getting recognition that isn't just 'most likely to give you heartburn'. Although, let's be honest, half the fun of dining in Pocatello is the looming threat of indigestion.

JOLEEN: You're just a miserable dickhead when it comes to food. Moving on to sports, the Idaho State summer camps are in full swing. If you've walked near the ICCU Dome lately, you've probably seen a hundred sweaty teenagers dreaming of D-1 scholarships. It's that time of year where the football team is quietly recruiting and everyone's pretending they're going to have a winning season this fall. I love the optimism. It's cute. Like watching a puppy try to climb stairs.

MARK: The optimism is the only thing that's free in this economy. On the high school side, the American Legion baseball season is heating up. The Pocatello Post 4 team has been playing a lot of ball lately. They had some games over the weekend, and while they aren't exactly the 1927 Yankees, it's decent entertainment if you like sitting on metal bleachers and getting a sunburn. It's better than watching whatever's on Netflix right now, I guess. At least it's real.

JOLEEN: Real and humid. Speaking of getting outside, the Spinderella bike ride happened over at Ross Park on Saturday. Hundreds of women riding through the valley--it's actually a pretty cool event. I didn't participate, obviously, because I'm allergic to cardio, but the energy was great. And we've got Revive at 5 coming up again this Wednesday at Lookout Point. It's the usual deal--live music, food trucks, and people pretending they like craft beer more than they actually do. It's a staple, and it keeps the downtown from looking like a ghost town on a Wednesday evening.

MARK: Don't forget the Farmers Market this Saturday. It's the peak of the season, so you can actually get some produce that didn't travel three thousand miles in a refrigerated truck. If you haven't been down to the Portneuf Valley Farmers Market lately, you're missing out on some of the only fresh things this city has to offer. Just be prepared to fight a grandma for the last carton of local honey. Those ladies don't play. They'll take your ankles out with a wicker basket if you get in their way.

JOLEEN: I'd pay to see that. Alright, let's talk about the weather, because it's about to get weird. Today we're looking at a high of 87 degrees with some west winds that might blow your hat into the next county. Tonight it'll drop to about 56, which is actually survivable. Tuesday and Wednesday are going to be scorchers, though. We're talking 89 on Tuesday and 91 on Wednesday. It's the kind of heat that makes you regret every life choice that led you to a state without an ocean.

MARK: But then, because this is Idaho and the weather has bipolar disorder, everything changes on Saturday. We're looking at a high of only 71 degrees with a 40 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms. We're going from 'surface of the sun' to 'fall afternoon' in about forty-eight hours. It'll be great for the fire containment, but it's going to ruin a lot of outdoor plans. By Sunday, we're back to 67 and sunny. So, basically, wear everything you own this week and hope for the best.

JOLEEN: I'll just stay inside with the AC cranked until I'm shivering. It's safer that way. Now, let's talk about construction, because nothing says 'Pocatello summer' like orange cones and a man leaning on a shovel. The I-15 and I-86 interchange project is still the gift that keeps on taking. They've got more ramp closures and traffic shifts planned for this week. If you're trying to get to Chubbuck, just leave now. You might make it by Thursday. The flyover work is progressing, but it's still a total clusterfuck during rush hour.

MARK: It's not just the highway, either. The city's got several water main projects going on. They're working over on East Putnam and some of the side streets downtown. It's like they wait for the hottest week of the year to start digging up the asphalt just to make sure the workers and the drivers are equally miserable. I tried to go through the Center Street underpass yesterday and I think I aged three years just waiting for a light to change. If you can avoid the city center, do it. Walk. Take a bike. Just don't drive unless you have a high tolerance for bullshit.

JOLEEN: If you are planning on driving, maybe drive yourself to a new house. The real estate market in Pocatello is still holding steady in that 'I can't believe it's this expensive' territory. The median list price is sitting right around 370 thousand dollars. Inventory has crept up a little bit, which is good for buyers, but don't expect a bargain. Sellers are still holding out for top dollar, and with interest rates where they are, it's a game of chicken. Who's going to blink first? The guy trying to sell his 'vintage' shack for four hundred grand, or the couple desperately trying to get out of their basement apartment?

MARK: It's the vintage shack every time. People call it 'character' when what they really mean is 'the wiring is a fire hazard and the foundation is a suggestion'. We're seeing fewer bidding wars than we did a year ago, but the 'good' houses--the ones that don't look like they were decorated by a colorblind squirrel--are still going fast. If you're looking to buy, you've got to be fast, and you've got to be willing to ignore a lot of beige carpet. It's the Pocatello way.

JOLEEN: Beige carpet is the state flower of Idaho. Anyway, that's the mess we're in today. If you've got a story we missed, or if you just want to tell Mark how much of a dick he is, shoot us an email at pocatello@thehappeningnetwork.com. We actually read those, mostly for the entertainment value of the hate mail. Make sure you like, subscribe, and comment wherever you're listening to this. It helps the algorithm realize that people actually care about what's happening in this wind-swept valley.

MARK: We'll be back later this week to see if the city has burned down or if the school board has formed a committee to study the formation of more committees. Until then, stay hydrated, stay out of the Gap, and for the love of everything holy, lock your car doors. Goodbye, Pocatello. Try not to suck too hard today.

JOLEEN: Bye, assholes. See you Wednesday.