Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Happening in Pocatello keeps locals informed with a weekly rundown of the city’s biggest news, events, crime reports, sports highlights, school district updates, weather, traffic issues, and restaurant talk. Hosts Mark and Joline bring a raw, critical edge that cuts through the noise and makes staying informed unexpectedly fun.
MARK: Welcome to 'Happening in Pocatello', the only podcast recorded in a city that's essentially one giant construction zone held together by fry sauce and stubbornness. It's Monday, August 24th, 2026, and I'm Mark, your guide through the existential maze of Southeast Idaho.
JOLEEN: And I'm Joleen. I'm upbeat, I'm cynical, and I've already had three cups of coffee because if I don't keep my heart rate up, the sheer weight of Pocatello's charm might actually crush me. We've got a hell of a show today, assuming the internet doesn't cut out because someone tripped over a fiber optic cable on Benton Street.
MARK: It's a high possibility. Listen, before we get into the literal and metaphorical wreckage of the week, you can reach us at pocatello@thehappeningnetwork.com. Tell us your secrets, complain about your neighbors, or just send us pictures of your potatoes. We're here for it.
JOLEEN: And don't forget to like, subscribe, and comment. If you don't, we'll just assume you've been kidnapped by the wind and blown all the way to American Falls. It's for your own safety, really. Now, Mark, tell me, why is the city closing everything today?
MARK: It's like they decided Monday was the day for collective punishment. The Lower Ross Skate Park is closed today, August 24th, for seal coating. Apparently, if the skaters don't get a break, the concrete might actually start fighting back. They say it'll reopen tomorrow, but 'Pocatello time' is a real thing, so don't hold your breath.
JOLEEN: Oh, it gets better. The Community Recreation Center is also locking its doors starting today. It's closed through September 6th for 'annual maintenance'. I love how they pick the last week of summer, when every parent in town is desperately trying to tire their kids out before school starts, to just shut down the pool and the gym. It's a special kind of cruelty.
MARK: Well, they timed it perfectly with the Ross Park Aquatic Complex closing for the season yesterday. If you didn't get your last swim in on Sunday, you're shit out of luck. Now you just get to sweat in your backyard like the rest of us. It's the Pocatello way: if you're having too much fun, the city will find a way to seal-coat it or put it under maintenance.
JOLEEN: God, I love this place. Speaking of things that are absolutely broken, let's talk about the crime report, because we've got some winners this week. And by winners, I mean people who should probably just stop being people.
MARK: Top of the list is a 42-year-old Pocatello man who was arrested on Friday, August 21st. This asshole is facing six felony charges for a pattern of child sexual abuse that police say spans a freaking decade. It's heavy, it's disgusting, and honestly, the fact that he's off the streets is the only good news in that entire file.
JOLEEN: Yeah, that's some dark shit. It makes the other crime news feel almost quaint, which is a weird thing to say about toddlers committing federal-level vandalism. Apparently, three young children--and when I say young, we're talking little kids--decided to absolutely wreck an LDS stake building here in town.
MARK: I read that report. They didn't just knock over a plant. They smashed items, tipped over pianos, and basically treated a place of worship like a demolition derby. Where were the parents? Probably at the Ammon Chick-fil-A waiting in the drive-thru that's still being renovated. You can't leave three-year-olds alone with a piano, Joleen. That's Vandalism 101.
JOLEEN: It's impressive, really. If I tried to tip over a piano at that age, I'd have crushed my own legs. These kids have a future in heavy labor. But seriously, Pocatello, keep an eye on your children. They're out here turning churches into scrap metal while you're worrying about the price of gas.
MARK: Let's pivot to school, since that's where most of those vandals will be heading on Wednesday. School District 25 starts its first day for grades one through twelve this Wednesday, August 26th. If you haven't bought your notebooks and pencils yet, you're already behind. The elementary schools are having their back-to-school nights tonight, actually.
JOLEEN: I saw that. Chubbuck Elementary, Ellis, Gate City--they're all doing their little meet-and-greets between 4:00 and 7:00 PM today. It's that magical time of year when parents pretend they're sad to see their kids go, while secretly counting down the seconds until they can have a quiet house and a glass of wine without someone screaming about Minecraft.
MARK: High schools are doing theirs later this week. And for the Kindergarten parents, you get a staggered start. Group A begins on Thursday, Group B on Friday. It's like a soft launch for a restaurant, except the customers cry more and usually pee their pants. It's going to be a shit-show on the roads, though, especially with the construction.
JOLEEN: Oh, don't even get me started on the roads. I feel like I need a degree in civil engineering just to get to the grocery store. The Hiline and Pearl intersection is still a disaster zone. They're replacing that four-way stop with a traffic signal, which is great, but they won't be finished until the end of October. Until then, it's just you, a flagger, and your own regrets.
MARK: And the Benton Street Bridge over the Portneuf? Still a nightmare. West Benton is still closed between Hayes and Grant. They're hoping to finish by the end of September, but I've heard that song before. It's like the city is trying to see how many detours a human heart can take before it just gives up and moves to Boise.
JOLEEN: Never. Boise is for people who like traffic and overpriced toast. I'll take my Pocatello detours any day. Plus, they're milling and paving S 6th Avenue and Howard this week. So if you like the smell of fresh asphalt and the sound of your tires being ruined, you're in for a treat.
MARK: Since we're talking about things that make us feel better, let's talk about food. We checked out Abracadabra's Breakfast & Bistro recently. It's on Yellowstone, and they've been there since 2018. They call their food 'magic', which is a bold claim, but honestly, their Cap'n Crunch encrusted French toast is pretty close to a religious experience.
JOLEEN: It's sugar, Mark. It's a sugar-induced hallucination. But I'll give it to them, the vibe is welcoming. It's one of those places where you can go and forget that the world is burning for forty-five minutes while you eat a burger that's the size of a small child's head. It's definitely better than the 'Butterburr's' drama where they moved locations a while back and people acted like the sun had disappeared.
MARK: Butterburr's is fine, but Abracadabra's feels like they actually enjoy being there. It's a nice change of pace from the service you get at some of the other joints in town where the waitress looks like she's contemplating a life of crime just to get away from your table. Anyway, if you're looking for a review, go get the French toast. Just bring your insulin.
JOLEEN: Let's talk sports, because Friday was actually interesting for once. High school football is back, and we had some decent scores from the 21st. Rigby absolutely destroyed Roy out of Utah, 35 to nothing. And Madison put up 52 points on Minico. It's like they're playing a different game entirely.
MARK: Blackfoot beat Shelley 8 to 7, which sounds more like a soccer score than a football game. I love a good defensive struggle, but eight to seven? That's just painful to watch. It's like watching two turtles fight over a piece of lettuce. But hey, a win is a win for the Broncos.
JOLEEN: The real hype is with the Idaho State Bengals, though. The preseason polls are out, and people are actually optimistic, which is terrifying. They're picked to finish 4th in the media poll and 5th by the coaches. That's the best outlook they've had in a decade. We've got preseason All-Americans like Stryker Rashid on the line and Chedon James out wide. They open at home against VMI this Saturday, August 29th.
MARK: VMI is coming all the way from Virginia just to get hit by a bunch of angry Idahoans. I'm excited. The Bengals soccer team is also killing it; they just beat CSU Bakersfield 2-0 yesterday. It's nice to see some winning around here that doesn't involve winning a lawsuit against the city.
JOLEEN: Mark, don't be a dickhead. It's a positive week! We've also got the Greek Festival this Saturday at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church. It's from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. If you like gyros and watching old men dance in circles, it's the place to be. It's a Pocatello staple, and the food is always incredible.
MARK: I'm just there for the baklava. And if you're not into Greek food, The Beach Boys are playing at The Port this Wednesday, August 26th. It's part of their endless summer tour, which I guess means they're just going to keep touring until the heat death of the universe. It'll be a sea of Hawaiian shirts and questionable dancing.
JOLEEN: I'll be there, and I will be dancing, and you will judge me, and I won't care. It's classic. Also, for the runners out there--all three of you--the Pocatello Marathon is coming up on September 5th. They call it 'Running the Gap', but I call it 'Voluntary Torture'. Still, it brings a lot of people to town, so try not to run them over with your car.
MARK: Let's look at the weather, because if you're running, you're going to want to know if you'll be struck by lightning. Today is looking like 88 degrees with a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. It's going to be mostly cloudy, which is just Pocatello's way of teasing us with shade before the humidity kicks in.
JOLEEN: Tuesday is hitting 90 with another slight chance of storms after 4:00 PM. Then we level out on Wednesday and Thursday at 89 degrees. It's consistent, I'll give it that. But the real cooling starts Sunday, when it drops to a high of 80. So if you've been waiting to go outside without melting, next Sunday is your day.
MARK: Eighty degrees sounds like a dream. The real estate market is also holding steady, weirdly enough. The median sale price right now is around 348 thousand dollars. It's not a seller's frenzy anymore, but it's not soft either. Houses are sitting for about 55 days. If you're selling, you have to actually price your house realistically, which I know is a foreign concept to some people who think their 1970s split-level is worth a million bucks.
JOLEEN: People are crazy, Mark. But honestly, for Idaho, Pocatello is still one of the last places where you don't have to sell a kidney just to afford a starter home. We've got 451 active listings right now, which is up 7 percent. So there's actually stuff to buy, assuming you don't mind living next to a construction site.
MARK: Which, let's be honest, is everyone in this town. Alright, we've covered the vandals, the French toast, the Beach Boys, and the fact that we're all being blocked by orange cones. It's a typical week in the Gate City.
JOLEEN: It really is. We'll be back next week to see if those toddlers have moved on to bank heists or if the Benton Street Bridge has finally been reclaimed by nature. Until then, keep your head down and your fry sauce close.
MARK: Don't forget to email us at pocatello@thehappeningnetwork.com. We want to hear your gripes. Like, subscribe, and tell your friends. Or don't, and let them remain uninformed. See if I care.
JOLEEN: He cares. He's just acting composed and sarcastic. Have a great week, Pocatello. Stay safe out there, and try not to get seal-coated.
MARK: Goodnight, and good luck. You're going to need it.