Month: May 2025

Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Zoo Idaho and Connections Credit Union are hosting their annual Free Zoo Day on Saturday, May 31.

Free Zoo Day has been an annual tradition for Pocatello’s Zoo Idaho since 2017. Connections Credit Union, a major sponsor of Zoo Idaho, will provide additional activities like scavenger hunts, games, and free food from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. to go along with free admission for everyone to enjoy Zoo Idaho’s collection of native animals.

“You can interact with the community and just enjoy a day at the zoo,” said Ashley Wuthrich-Hoffman, brand empowerment coordinator for Connections Credit Union. “That’s the most important part, because we’re here to support the zoo, bring as much of the community here as possible.”

Zoo Idaho will host Free Zoo Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 31. For more information, you can visit the Zoo Idaho website.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Pocatello Animal Services is nearing capacity for dogs in the shelter, and they are asking for the community’s help in clearing space before they reach their busiest season in summer.

According to Sarah Moore, administrative assistant for Pocatello Animal Services, during the warmer months the shelter sees a marked increase in dogs brought into the shelter as lost or surrendered.

Moore said the shelter has already had an influx of dogs coming into the shelter this spring, prompting concerns they may see more dogs entering their care in the coming months than they have kennel space available.

“We’re going in already pretty much at our capacity line,” said Moore. “We are a municipal shelter that has to take all strays within our jurisdiction–which is the city of Pocatello–so we always have to make sure we have kennel space open for housing those dogs and so that they have a place to stay. In order to make sure we have space for them, we always have to make sure that we’re sending dogs out.”

Moore said they currently have 25 dogs available for adoption, and many other pets ready to go into temporary homes through the shelter’s fostering program.

For more information on adopting or fostering a shelter pet, you can visit the Pocatello Animal Services website.

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Ariel Jensen

Ammon, Idaho (KIFI) — Chick-fil-A in Ammon is facing a lawsuit after a former employee says he endured racist abuse by co-workers and supervisors.

Court documents show Thomas Wade, an African-American, is suing Ammon Chic-fil-A franchisee Lauren Mosteller for race and color discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation, and the intentional infliction of emotional distress. The documents indicate the harassment came from three Chick-fil-A employees related to Mosteller.

Wade began working at the Ammon Chi-fil-a in December 2022, according to the court document timeline. He was hired as a cook and placed in the “back of house” crew. Shortly after being hired, Wade applied for the leadership development program, but was not admitted. The job of shift lead was given to a white employee.

On March 23, 2023, Wade stepped in when two employees – one of them his supervisor’s son – were “antagonizing another employee.” Court documents allege one employee said, “Shut up ape before I put you in a cage.” When Wade said he would report the behavior to management, one employee shot back with “monkey-looking-ass” and “my parents own this store.”

Wade says he reported the incident to his supervisor and the other employee’s father, Eric Ibarra, but Ibarra did nothing, according to the complaint.

The next day, Wade met with the General Manager and the Back-of-House Director and told them what had happened. The General Manager apologized, then said, “It was not as bad as if someone like her had said it.” The General Manager is white.

No one was disciplined for making racist comments or for the supervisor’s failure to report the comments to upper management.

Wade took two days off work to have some space. Documents say when he returned, “several members of the Ibarra family resumed making racist comments, which occurred over the next seven months. Wade made 25 to 30 reports about racist comments co-workers made to him or in his presence.

Some of the comments from Eric Ibarra, his son, as well as other co-workers, included calling Wade “ape,” “monkey,” “n-word,” and “antique farming equipment.” They also told Wade they would put him in a cage. They would also remark to each other, “Of course he works at Chi-fil-A, so he loves chicken.”

Court documents go on to say that Wade walked in on one of the Ibarras whipping another employee with a towel while the employee said “Please, master, I’ll work harder.” One employee told Wade he would know about getting whipped since he is black.

Wade says he was consistently called “blackie,” “n-word,” and “monkey.” Court documents indicate nothing was done when he spoke to management.

On June 11, 2023, Wade made an appointment to speak with management about the incident on March 23, Waiting outside the office, he heard one of Eric Ibarra’s daughters say, “Look like a monkey, act like a monkey.” Wade told her to repeat what she just said, and she repeated the remark. Management said they would speak with the co-workers, but nothing changed.

A racial slur was also written on the freezer on July 23, 2024. When Wade reported it to management, he was told, “If he wanted to be shift lead, he needed to get along with the Ibarra family because several of them were in leadership positions and she couldn’t fire them.”

Mosteller’s attorneys filed a response in court denying the allegations.

Local News 8 reached out to Wade, who agreed to meet with us and give us more information after discussing details with his legal consultant. 

THOMAS WADE COMPLAINT DOC1Download

THOMAS WADE DOC 9Download

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News Release

UPDATE 4:30 p.m.: Idaho Falls Police said Donna Coleman was found safe.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Police Department:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (News Release)— The Idaho Falls Police Department is searching for a missing, possibly runaway juvenile, Donna Coleman. Donna is 15 years old and was last seen yesterday, May 29, 2025, around 5:30 p.m. She is a white female, approximately 5′ 9″ and 100 pounds, with hazel eyes, and brown hair with blonde highlights. 

Anyone with information about Donna’s whereabouts is asked to call Idaho Falls Police dispatch at (208)529-1200.

Donna Coleman, 15

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