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Good morning, Emmett. Here's what happened around town this week.

City & County

Zoning Commission Holds Public Hearings April 6

The Emmett Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 6 at 6:00 PM at City Hall. Three items are on the agenda. A new subdivision called Wildflowers is proposed at 1011 S. Moffatt Ave with 20 single-family home lots. Riverside Church is requesting a special use permit to open a church at 1023 E. Locust. And the City is seeking to annex and zone roughly 35 acres for public use. Residents who want to weigh in can attend in person.

Schools

$2.3 Million Supplemental Levy Heads to May Ballot

The Emmett School District is asking voters to approve a two-year supplemental levy worth $2.3 million per year. The money would go toward behavioral support staff, custodial costs, school nurses, classroom supplies, and building maintenance.

Superintendent Craig Woods has been clear that the district is not in financial trouble. "Emmett is financially stable," Woods told Idaho News 6. "We're in good shape financially." The ask, he said, is about flexibility — the ability to spend state dollars differently than how they're currently allocated, and to plan ahead for flat state funding that isn't keeping up with inflation.

Not everyone will see it the same way. For a community that's watched property taxes climb year after year, a $2.3 million ask from a district that says it's doing just fine is bound to raise some eyebrows. The levy would cost property owners about $10.48 per $100,000 of assessed value after state reimbursements kick in under House Bill 292.

The vote is May 19.

Sports

Softball: Huskies Rout Columbia 26-2, Improve to 2-4

The Emmett softball team put together its biggest offensive game of the season on Thursday, beating Columbia 26-2 at home in a conference game. The win gives the Huskies a 1-1 conference record and moves them to 2-4 overall.

Earlier in the week, Emmett fell to Middleton 2-0 on Tuesday in a tough conference matchup.

The Huskies got their first win of the season on March 21, blanking Payette 13-0 at home. Junior Chloe Scott led the way at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs, and a run scored. Freshman Maci Haskins went 2-for-2 with an RBI, and freshman Kollyns Gragg also went 2-for-2 with an RBI. Junior Oakley Scheibe added two hits including a home run and drove in two runs.

Emmett opens April with a road conference game at Nampa on Tuesday, April 1.

Baseball: Huskies Still Searching for First Win

It's been a tough stretch for the Emmett baseball team, which dropped to 0-10 on the season after losses this week to Columbia (3-6 at home on Wednesday) and Nampa (0-13 on the road Tuesday).

The Huskies also went 0-4 at a tournament in Colorado over the March 19-20 weekend, falling to Erie (7-9), Boulder (5-9), Fruita Monument (6-7), and Highlands Ranch (6-12). They were competitive in most of those games but couldn't close one out.

Earlier in March, Emmett lost to Stayton, Oregon in a doubleheader at home on March 23 (0-11 and 6-13).

The team will look to get on the board as conference play continues.

Development

SH-16 Corridor: Closures and Construction Continue

Eastbound I-84 closures began March 10 as crews place final girders on the SH-16 interchange project. Traffic shifts are also expected near the SH-44 interchange. The full project is still on track to open by mid-2027.

Valnova Overpass Under Construction

Just north of the SH-44 junction, work has started on a new overpass across SH-16 tied to the Valnova development. Construction began earlier this month.

Community

GCRD STEM Club

The Gem County Recreation District held its STEM Club session on Thursday, March 26.

Quick Notes

• Peoples Home & Appliance is holding a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, April 1, according to the Gem County Chamber calendar.

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