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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.
JOLEEN: Welcome to Happening in Pocatello for Monday, October 12, 2026. I'm Joleen.
MARK: And I'm Mark. Today, the first snow hits the Gate City, ICCU funds a massive new basketball arena, and the Bengals suffer a homecoming heartbreaker.
JOLEEN: We're jumping right into the big news because, honestly, my windshield scraper wasn't ready for this morning. The Idaho State Journal headline said it best: 'Brrr-ace yourself.' Fall decided to skip the pleasantries and just dump the coldest weather of the season on us, including our first actual snow. It's barely October and I'm already digging through the hall closet for the heavy parka.
MARK: It's charming for about five minutes until you remember how everyone in this town forgets how to drive the second a single snowflake touches the asphalt. It's like collective amnesia hits Yellowstone Avenue. We've got a Freeze Warning active right now, and the National Weather Service says it's staying in place until Tuesday morning. If you haven't unhooked your garden hoses yet, you're basically asking for a plumbing disaster. I'm looking at a high of maybe 47 degrees today, which is basically winter in my book.
JOLEEN: Oh, don't be such a Scrooge about it. The snow on the mountains looks beautiful. But you're right about the hoses. It's that awkward transition where you're not sure if you should turn the heat on or just suffer through with an extra blanket. Tonight's low is hitting 34, but with the clouds, it might actually feel colder. And tomorrow isn't looking much better with a chance of rain and snow mix before 8 AM. It's definitely 'soup weather' from here on out.
MARK: It's 'stay inside and complain weather.' But while the weather is cooling down, the talk around Idaho State University is heating up. We just got word of a 'transformational gift' from ICCU. They're putting up the money for a brand-new basketball arena right here on the Pocatello campus. I suppose the ICCU Dome isn't fancy enough for the roundball crowd anymore, so we're getting a dedicated space.
JOLEEN: Transformational is an understatement! Think about what a dedicated basketball arena does for the atmosphere. The Dome is iconic, sure, but it's a massive cavern. Having a focused arena for the Bengals is going to change the recruiting game and the fan experience. People were buzzing about it all weekend. It's a huge vote of confidence from Idaho Central Credit Union in the university and the city. They haven't released all the floor plans yet, but it's the kind of investment that makes Pocatello feel less like a sleepy town and more like a real contender.
MARK: I just hope they invest in some decent parking to go with it.
JOLEEN: yeah
MARK: Every time we build something new, we act like people are going to teleport to the front door. But look, I'll give credit where it's due. It's a massive deal. Between this and the new agreements the city signed with ISU recently, the 'college town' label is finally starting to mean something tangible. Just don't ask me to walk from the far lot when it's 30 degrees outside.
JOLEEN: You'll be fine. Buy some thermal socks. Moving on to some of the heavier stuff, we've had a couple of disturbing arrests recently. A local man was taken into custody after a really bizarre and violent incident. According to police reports, he allegedly struck a woman while she was driving, which is terrifying enough, but then it got worse. He's accused of hitting a puppy and a witness who tried to intervene. I can't even wrap my head around that kind of behavior.
MARK: It takes a specific kind of asshole to go after a puppy and a Good Samaritan in one go. You're already endangering everyone on the road by distracting the driver, then you start swinging at the help? It's pathetic. He's facing multiple charges now, as he should be. We also had another arrest involving a man who allegedly threatened a woman with a firearm, took her phone, and basically imprisoned her. It's a grim reminder that while we're talking about sports and snow, there's some real darkness happening behind closed doors.
JOLEEN: It's heartbreaking, especially when you see the witness being targeted just for trying to do the right thing. It makes people hesitant to help, which is exactly what we don't want in this community. On a lighter note--if we can even pivot from that--the school district is trying to get ahead of the game for our seniors. There's an event called 'Senior KickStart' that happened recently. It's all about getting these kids to actually think about life after high school before they hit the second-semester slump.
MARK: The 'Senior Slide' is a powerful force of nature. If you don't catch them now, they'll be checked out by Christmas. The KickStart program is basically a push for college applications, FAFSA forms, and scholarship hunting. It's smart. With the cost of everything going up, if these kids don't get their paperwork in early, they're going to be left holding an empty bag. I wish I had someone breathing down my neck about scholarships back in the day. I might've actually finished with less debt.
JOLEEN: Right? And speaking of schools, there's a big shift in the local landscape. The Idaho Public Charter School Commission just approved new charter schools for Meridian and, more importantly for us, right here in Pocatello. This was finalized last Friday. It's going to give parents another option, but I know it always sparks a debate about how it affects the funding for School District 25. People have very strong feelings about the 'school choice' movement.
MARK: Strong feelings is putting it mildly. It's a localized political fistfight. The proponents say it forces the public schools to innovate and gives kids specialized environments. The skeptics say it's just siphoning off the easy-to-teach kids and the tax dollars. Regardless of where you stand, it's happening. If you're a parent in Pocatello, your options for next year just got a bit more complicated. I'm just waiting to see where they're going to put the building. Knowing our luck, it'll be right in the middle of another construction zone.
JOLEEN: Don't even start on construction! Though I did see that the architects gave an update on the potential Pocatello City Hall move. They're looking at costs and feasibility, and we should have a real estimate in about two weeks. It's one of those projects that feels like it's been in 'discussion mode' since the dawn of time, but it looks like they're finally putting numbers to paper. Moving City Hall is a massive undertaking, but the current setup isn't exactly a 'beacon of efficiency.'
MARK: The current City Hall has the aesthetic of a dental office from 1974. If they're going to move it, they better not spend forty million dollars on a glass box that we can't afford to heat. Speaking of things we can't afford, have you seen the work on Bannock Highway? They've got road construction planned there that's going to be a headache for anyone trying to get toward the south end of town. Between that and the Yellowstone work near Costco that's still lingering, driving through Pocatello is basically an obstacle course.
JOLEEN: It's the Idaho state flower: the orange cone. But hey, let's talk sports, because it was a huge weekend for the Bengals, even if the scoreboard wasn't always kind. It was Homecoming Saturday at the ICCU Dome, and man, it was a heartbreaker. We were up against Cal Poly, and it came down to the absolute wire. Cal Poly hit a five-yard touchdown pass with only 40 seconds left on the clock. Final score: 25 to 24. We lost by a single point in front of nearly ten thousand fans.
MARK: Forty seconds. I mean, you could feel the air just leave the building. 9,483 people showed up, which is a great crowd for homecoming, but losing like that is just a gut punch. The Bengals played hard, but you can't leave the door open that late in the game. It stops the momentum we had from earlier in the season. Now everyone's going to be second-guessing that final drive for the next week. It's a tough pill to swallow when the tailgating was actually going so well.
JOLEEN: The atmosphere was still incredible, though. You have to love the energy of a homecoming crowd. And it wasn't just football. The women's volleyball team had a bit of a rollercoaster. They went down to Cedar City and absolutely crushed Southern Utah on Thursday. Jaydin Watts--get this--she set a new program record for hitting percentage in a single match. They swept SUU three to zero. But then, they headed over to St. George on Saturday and got swept by Utah Tech. It's the classic Big Sky 'split' weekend.
MARK: Jaydin Watts is a monster at the net. If she keeps hitting like that, she's going to be all-conference for sure. But the Utah Tech game was a different story. We got out-hit twenty-six to forty-five. You can't win when the other team is finding the floor that much more often than you are. It's frustrating to see them look like world-beaters on Thursday and then struggle on Saturday. Consistency is the name of the game, and we're just not quite there yet.
JOLEEN: And soccer had a rough go at Davis Field. They battled Southern Utah to a zero-zero draw on Thursday night, which was a defensive masterclass, but the offense just couldn't find the back of the net. Then Sunday came around--yesterday--and it was cold, it was raining, the field was slick, and Utah Tech just took it to us. We lost five to zero. Utah Tech is ranked second in the conference, so we knew it would be hard, but five-nil is a tough result to see at home.
MARK: Soccer in the rain is just a mess. I don't care how professional you are, when the ball is that slick and the ground is that soft, it becomes a game of who makes the fewest mistakes. Unfortunately, we made five big ones. It's a physical sport, and you could see the girls were grinding, but Utah Tech is just on another level right now. Hopefully, they can shake it off before the next road trip because the conference standings are getting tight.
JOLEEN: Well, after a weekend of watching sports in the freezing rain, I needed some serious comfort food. I finally stopped by The 313. Have you been there lately? It's that Detroit-style pizza spot downtown. I know you're a bit of a pizza snob, but those crispy, caramelized cheese edges are something else.
MARK: right I'm not a snob, I just have standards. But I'll admit, The 313 does the 'square' pizza right. Most people think Detroit style is just thick crust, but it's really about the blue steel pans and how the cheese forms that crusty wall against the side. It's heavy, though. You eat two slices and you need a four-hour nap. It's the perfect food for a snowy October day, but don't expect to be productive afterward.
JOLEEN: Exactly! It's like a warm hug of carbohydrates. I love the vibe in there too--it's tucked away, feels like a bit of a hidden gem even though everyone knows about it. If you're looking for a break from the standard thin-crust grease-wheels we usually get, it's the place to go. Just make sure you get the 'red top' where the sauce is on top of the cheese. That's the authentic way.
MARK: Authentic is a strong word for anything in Idaho, but I'll give it to them. It's good. Now, shifting from pizza to houses--the real estate market is doing its usual October shimmy. We've talked before about how it's shifted to a buyer's market, and with this snow, things are going to slow down even more. Nobody wants to go to an open house when they have to trek through slush. I've noticed more 'price reduced' signs popping up around the University area lately.
JOLEEN: It's definitely cooling off with the weather. If you're looking to buy, this is actually the time to pounce because the competition is staying home by the fire. But if you're selling, you've got to make sure your furnace is in top shape and your curb appeal doesn't look like a dead leaf graveyard. I'm still seeing houses sitting for forty or fifty days, which was unheard of a couple of years ago. It's a bit more of a 'sane' market, if you can call three-hundred-thousand dollars for a bungalow 'sane.'
MARK: There's nothing sane about these prices, Joleen. But compared to Boise, we're still the bargain bin of Idaho. I'm seeing more people looking at 'fixer-uppers' because the finished homes are priced like they're in Malibu. If you're handy with a hammer, you might find a deal this winter, but you'll be doing your renovations in the freezing cold. Good luck with that.
JOLEEN: Speaking of being out in the cold, there's a lot of community stuff happening. Today is October 12, which means ISU is celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day. They've got a whole focus on Indigenous knowledge and Tribal sovereignty. It's a really important event for our area, especially given our proximity to the Fort Hall Reservation. It's great to see the university making that a priority.
MARK: It's a good way to actually acknowledge the history of where we're standing. If you're looking for something a bit more trivial--literally--tonight is Science Trivia Night at Jim Dandy Brewing. It starts every second and fourth Monday. It's a collaboration with Zoo Idaho. So if you know way too much about local flora and fauna or the mating habits of badgers, you can finally put that useless knowledge to work for a free beer.
JOLEEN: I'm terrible at science trivia, but I love the atmosphere there. Jim Dandy is always a good time. And for the families, don't forget that the Pocatello High School Art Department has some student performances and exhibitions coming up. Those kids are incredibly talented. We actually had the Pocatello High girls' basketball team recognized recently for their 2026 state championship--the Real Dairy Shootout. It's been a big year for the Thunder.
MARK: The Thunder have been dominant. It's nice to see some winners in the local high schools, even when the college team is breaking our hearts with 40 seconds left. Let's look at that seven-day forecast again, just so people can plan their misery. Like I said, today we're topping out at 47. Tonight, we have 'Light Rain Likely' with a low of 34. Tomorrow is the real fun part--a 40 percent chance of a rain and snow mix in the morning, and we barely hit 48 for a high.
JOLEEN: But look at Wednesday! We're back up to 55 and mostly sunny. It's like Pocatello's weather has bipolar disorder. By Thursday we're at 61, and by next Sunday, we're looking at a high of 67 degrees. It's going to be a gorgeous weekend for one last hike on the City Creek trails before the snow really sticks for the season. You just have to survive the next forty-eight hours of freezing your butt off.
MARK: I'll believe 67 when I feel it. Usually, when the forecast says sunny and mild, we get a windstorm that blows my trash cans into the next county. But hey, if you can get through the Tuesday morning slush, the rest of the week looks decent. Just watch out for that Freeze Warning tonight. If you have plants you actually care about, bring them inside or say your goodbyes.
JOLEEN: My petunias are already long gone, Mark. They didn't stand a chance. Well, that's the big wrap-up for today. A lot happening, a lot of changes, and a lot of reasons to keep your winter tires ready. We'll be back next week with more updates on the City Hall move and hopefully some better sports scores.
MARK: Yeah, maybe the Bengals can find a way to play the full sixty minutes instead of fifty-nine and twenty seconds. If you enjoy the show, make sure you follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us keep the lights on and the heaters running in this freezing weather.
JOLEEN: And we love hearing from you! If you've got a local story, a business we should check out, or you just want to vent about the construction on Bannock Highway, email us at pocatello@thehappeningnetwork.com. We read everything, even Mark's hate mail about his lawn.
MARK: It's not hate mail, it's constructive criticism about my neighborhood's lack of aesthetic standards. Anyway, we'll see you all next Monday. Stay warm, Pocatello.
JOLEEN: Bye everyone! Have a great week!