Month: August 2025

Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Pocatello’s ‘Portneuf River Vision’ group is hosting its annual cleanup event on Saturday, August 16.

Volunteers are invited to help clean trash and branches from the banks of the river or bring boots or boats to hit the waters and clear debris jams on the stretch of river from Raymond Park to Simplot.

“People grab everything from tires to lots of soda bottles and plastic bags out of the river,” said Hannah Sanger, manager of Pocatello’s Science and Environment Division. “…every 100 yards, there’s a new gathering of plastic bottles and such, and we’re thrilled to have people come out–it’s a fun day, we have some snacks for everybody, and it’s just a really great way to give back to Pocatello.”

The City of Pocatello will provide trash bags for the event, but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own work gloves, boots, water shoes, and any available tools like handsaws or nets.

The Portneuf River Cleanup will start at 10 a.m. at the Pacific Recycling Trailhead, on N. Main St. near Kraft Rd.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Pocatello’s Maag Prescription and Medical Supply hosted a community barbecue celebrating 75 years of business on Friday.

Pharmacy owner Traci Maag said the ‘customer appreciation barbecue’ was their way of thanking the generations of Pocatellans who have relied on the pharmacy for their medical needs over the decades.

“The community is what keeps us in business–without them, we’re not here,” said Traci. “Most of these people, their parents, their grandparents, they’ve all come in, so it’s just a great way for us to extend the family feel and to make them part of our lives and part of our daily lives; our customer service is really the most important piece of our business, and so this is kind of the least we can do for the community.”

Maag Prescription and Medical Supply was founded in 1950 by Irv and Genevieve Maag and passed down through the Maag family to the current owners, Gary and Traci Maag, who bought the business in 2023.

For more information on Maag Prescription and Medical Supply’s history, you can visit their website.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– The Boise-based ‘Idaho Community Foundation’ made a stop in Pocatello on Friday during a tour celebrating the organization’s nearly 40 years of philanthropic efforts; while in the Gate City, the foundation presented local nonprofit ‘Community Suicide Prevention’ with a $10,000 grant.

The Idaho Community Foundation’s ‘$200 Million Moment’ tour not only celebrates nearly four decades of collecting and distributing donations to nonprofit organizations around the state, it also celebrates the $200 million the foundation has raised in their 37 years of service.

“In Idaho, we rely a lot upon our nonprofit organizations to make their communities run and to take care of people’s needs and to make Idaho a better place to live,” said Rich Ballou, East Idaho Representative for the Idaho Community Foundation. “We feel it’s our job to grow the culture of philanthropy in Idaho and encourage more people to give back, and we help them do that to make sure their money gets to the right place and accomplishes their objectives.”

On the Pocatello stop of the $200 Million Moment tour, the Idaho Community Foundation presented a $10,000 grant to the Community Suicide Prevention organization, which provides suicide prevention education, resources, and survivor meetings in 16 counties.

Community Suicide Prevention chair, Rick Croft, said donations and grants are a necessary part of funding the organization’s programs and enabling them to reach out and provide resources to more areas of Idaho.

“We’re a nonprofit organization, 100% of money that gets donated to us goes into our organization, goes right back out into our communities,” said Croft. “To get a grant for $10,000 is really going to help our efforts in supporting all of our communities.”

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News Release

The following is a press release from Idaho Governor Brad Little’s office:

BOISE, Idaho – Governor Brad Little signed Executive Order 2025-05 today, “The Idaho Act,” creating even more efficiencies in state government to balance the budget and make way for President Donald Trump’s tax cuts while supporting public schools.

“Idaho’s economy is the strongest in the nation, and we continue to move in the right direction. It’s in our DNA here in Idaho to balance the budget, cut taxes, and right-size government so we can continue to make public schools our top priority. My executive order today delivers on our promise to Idahoans that we will implement President Trump’s tax cuts for Idahoans and make the best use of their hard-earned money while putting public schools first,” Governor Little said.

The executive order creates lasting efficiencies in state government by ordering state executive branch agencies to take the following actions in Fiscal Year 2026, which ends June 30, 2026. K-12 public schools are excluded.

To further increase efficiencies, examine potential consolidation of services or agencies

Revert positions that have gone unfilled

Identify cost reductions in existing contracts

Streamline boards and commissions

Reduce General Fund spending by 3%

Reduce travel spending

The executive order also highlights that Idaho leaders have delivered historic tax relief to working families over the past six years – including a 23 percent decrease in income taxes and billions of dollars in rebates and property tax relief – while making unprecedented investments in school facilities, teacher pay, and literacy. Idaho public schools now receive a billion dollars more per year in funding than when Governor Little took office. State support for Idaho public schools has never been higher, with a 63 percent increase in General Fund appropriations over the past six years and remarkable gains in student reading scores over the past year.

Governor Little highlighted Idaho’s strong economy, noting the following facts:

Idaho’s economy is strong, resilient, and growing rapidly, fueled by smart fiscal management, a strong labor market, and record-setting gains in personal income, jobs, and GDP

In June, Fitch Ratings reaffirmed Idaho’s “AAA” credit rating – the highest possible – because of our strong reserves, low debt, and responsible budgeting, giving Idaho the flexibility to absorb tax cuts while still making critical investments in Idaho’s future.

Civilian labor force and overall unemployment rate remain stable year over year

Job postings and hiring remain stable, showing no signs of slowdown

Layoffs are at their lowest level in three years, a clear sign of economic health

Idaho’s population growth ranked third in the nation since 2020 and grew nearly 28% since 2010, almost three times the national rate, helping drive our economic evolution

Idaho’s personal income is projected to grow 32% over the next five years and wages are expected to grow 15% over the next five years.

View the full executive order at this link: https://gov.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/eo-2025-05.pdf

Idaho elected leaders express support for Governor Little’s executive order

Leaders in the Idaho House and Senate, along with the co-chairs of the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee (JFAC) issued the following statements in support of Governor Little’s executive order today:

“Idaho’s leaders are laser focused on making sure taxpayers are getting the most bang for their buck. The Governor’s executive order today further reinforces our strong track record of living within the people’s means and making government as efficient as possible so we can continue to prioritize education,” Senate President Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon said.

“This isn’t the government’s money; it’s the people’s money. Unlike Left Coast states, Idaho leaders routinely give back what the people have earned, and our focus on the taxpayer is what makes our state such a desirable place to live and do business. The Governor’s actions today build on our already strong reputation for running government as efficiently as possible,” House Speaker Mike Moyle said.

“Idaho’s commonsense approach to budgeting means we aren’t growing government beyond Idahoans’ ability to pay for it. Year after year, Idaho demonstrates we can have it all – we can make investments to keep up with record growth while giving back what the people have earned,” JFAC co-chairs Senator Scott Grow and Representative Wendy Horman said.

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News Team

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) — Rigby, Idaho, has officially been recognized as a JustServe City, a designation that formalizes the community’s commitment to volunteerism. The global service organization, JustServe, presented a plaque to the Rigby City Council to celebrate the new partnership.

“Just Serve is the perfect partner to help the people of Rigby become active and engaged citizens,” said Councilman Mike Wilder. “I believe that as we service one another, our efforts will foster a stronger and more connected community and continue to make Rigby one of the greatest cities in the country.”

A “JustServe City” is a community that partners with JustServe to promote and streamline volunteer efforts. This partnership was solidified last month when the Rigby City Council issued a proclamation that officially recognized JustServe’s free platform as a valuable tool for residents to engage in community service.

The platform, available as a website and app, is a service provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to connect volunteers with local service opportunities. For more information, click HERE.

“JustServe is grateful for the city leadership’s commitment to volunteerism and supporting platforms like JustServe,” said Eric Andreasen, JustServe Coordinator for the area. “The people of Rigby have embraced JustServe as they look for ways to follow the Savior’s example to serve their neighbors.”

Rigby joins a growing number of official JustServe cities in Idaho, including Boise, Buhl, Caldwell, Inkom, Iona, Meridian, Nampa, Pocatello, and Rexburg.

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