Settlement follows mediation and partial court approval
The federal civil rights lawsuit reached a settlement through mediation on Aug. 18, 2026, according to the Journal's Nov. 4 reporting. The agreement became public in an Oct. 26 court filing, and U.S. District Judge David C. Nye approved part of it the next day.
Perez, 17, had autism and cerebral palsy. Pocatello police shot him in his family's backyard on North Harrison Avenue on April 5, 2025. He was hit 12 times and died at Portneuf Medical Center on April 12.
On Sept. 3, 2025, the Idaho Attorney General's Office announced that it would not bring criminal charges against the officers. The office said they had not known Perez's age or disabilities and emphasized that its decision did not address civil liability.
The settlement petition assigns 60 percent to Luis Alicea, Perez's grandfather and the personal representative of his estate, and 20 percent each to Perez's mother, Wanda Alicea, and his sister. His aunt, Ana Vazquez, receives $10,000. The petition lists attorneys' fees of $1.665 million.
The Journal also cited a previous police-shooting settlement: Pocatello's insurer paid $1.6 million in 2024 to resolve a lawsuit brought by former resident Jake Sheeler. Police shot Sheeler five times near the Red Lion Hotel in 2020, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down.
Democrats win District 29; Republicans take other contested seats
All three legislative races in Pocatello's District 29 went to Democrats. Republicans won every other contested legislative seat in Southeast Idaho, the Journal reported, including a sweep of District 30's races in Bingham and Butte counties.
Preston family remembers Kasey Priestley
Kasey Priestley's family described the 21-year-old Preston man as someone whose loyalty, determination and kindness defined his life.
Priestley died Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, following a motorcycle collision just south of Preston. According to the Journal, his motorcycle collided with a semi that was making a wide right turn on South State Street. He was wearing a helmet and was taken by ambulance to Franklin County Medical Center in Preston, where he died a short time later.
Students join Jack Thompson's mental health ride
About 100 local middle school students rode with Australian cyclist Jack Thompson this week during his 10,000-mile journey through 48 states. Thompson, who holds nine world records, is using the ride to promote mental health.
His 60-day trip, called Ride the Nation, began in Massachusetts and is scheduled to finish in Santa Cruz, California. He is crossing the contiguous United States as an ambassador for California-based Outride, which uses cycling to promote mental health, brain health and well-being.
The students participate in Outride's Riding for Focus grant program, which supplies middle schools with bicycles and helmets. Pocatello School District 25 first applied about four years ago and received 30 bikes and helmets. The program now operates in all four of Pocatello's middle schools.
Thompson has spoken about severe struggles with depression and substance abuse when he was younger. He credited cycling and its community with helping him through that period, describing the bike as "a bit of a savior for me."
Chubbuck pickleball facility sets Dec. 1 opening
A Dec. 1 opening is planned for a new Chubbuck pickleball facility at 152 Evans Lane. The two-story building will house 10 professional-sized indoor courts on a property of nearly six acres.
The facility belongs to a larger development that also includes three five-story mixed-use buildings. Plans call for retail space on the ground floors, three levels of condos and commercial venues on the rooftops. The Journal reported that The Bank of Commerce is privately financing the project, with no city tax dollars involved.
Elsewhere in the edition, the Journal previews a dance performance by Thor the Cat and recounts how an investigator's persistence solved a cold case.
