Month: November 2025

Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho State Highway 16 could soon get a new name. The Idaho Family Policy Center (IFPC) is partnering with state lawmakers to introduce a bill during the next legislative session that would rename State Highway 16 the “Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway.”

The proposed name change would honor Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative student organization Turning Point USA (TPUSA), who was killed in September while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. Idaho State Highway 16 runs north to south, connecting the cities of Emmett and Star, Idaho.

The IFPC released a statement arguing that Kirk’s influence is significant in the state, citing thousands of students involved in Turning Point chapters across Idaho. Blaine Conzatti, president of the Idaho Family Policy Center, emphasized the need for public recognition and a stance against violence.

“Our state should recognize Charlie’s legacy—and stand up to those who would kill us for sharing our Christian faith and our political viewpoints,” Conzatti said. “Renaming the highway will serve as a reminder that free speech and the Christian faith are vital for a functioning constitutional republic—and that we ought never tolerate political violence as a response to robust civil discourse.”

Kirk, a prominent conservative speaker and political activist, had previously held events in Idaho, including at Boise State University in 2021 and earlier in 2025. Austin Rose, President of the TPUSA chapter at Boise State University, says Kirk’s legacy is defined by his dedication to teaching a generation of young Americans.

“Kirk’s leadership inspired young people to challenge the status quo and help shape the future of our nation,” said Rose in the release. “After Charlie’s assassination, his mission has only grown more impactful. Charlie Kirk will always be remembered—and the mission that he started will be finished by the people whom he inspired.”

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News Release

The following is a news release from Idaho State University:

POCATELLO, Idaho — In the late 1970’s, Kelly Rae packed her hopes and dreams into an old car and drove to Pocatello with just enough money to cover a single semester of tuition. Her goal was simple but bold — to walk on to the Idaho State University (ISU) softball team and earn an athletic scholarship that would allow her to continue her education.

On November 8, 2025 at the ICCU Bengal Alumni Center, Rae was inducted into the ISU Sports Hall of Fame along with a cohort of standout athletes: Lindsey Reed (women’s basketball), Vicky Galasso (softball), George Kyvernitis (men’s tennis), and Dan Taylor (football). Rae was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her enduring contributions to ISU and her community.

“Each of these inductees represents the best of what it means to be a Bengal,” said ISU President Robert Wagner in his opening remarks. “These are not just exceptional athletes; they are role models, leaders, and ambassadors of this university.” 

Established in the 1960s and revived in the 1970s to celebrate athletic excellence, the ISU Sports Hall of Fame has long recognized those whose achievements elevated the reputation of the university and left a lasting mark on its athletics programs. 

Lindsey Reed, a fierce competitor and one of ISU’s all-time scoring leaders in women’s basketball, helped lead the Bengals to a Big Sky Conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. Softball powerhouse Vicky Galasso rewrote ISU’s record books, earning national honors and becoming the first Big Sky Conference player to compete professionally. Tennis star George Kyvernitis dominated the Big Sky Conference, earning All-Conference First Team honors all four years and capturing the 1999 MVP title. Dan Taylor anchored the offensive line of ISU’s 1981 national championship football team and went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys. Rounding out the class, Kelly Rae turned her ISU softball experience into a lifelong legacy of mentorship, philanthropy, and service. Together, these honorees embody the determination, talent, and Bengal pride that have long defined ISU’s athletic tradition.

Lindsey Reed – Women’s Basketball

“Lindsey’s athletic talents are obvious, but what is not as well known is how beloved Lindsey is in our community. She’s an exceptional representative of Idaho State. She’s the example of what we want our student athletes to become once they graduate.” – Seton Sobolewski, ISU Women’s Basketball Head Coach

Reed comes from a competitive family of five, and she says that’s where her drive originated. At ISU, Coach “Sobo” pushed for grit, and Reed thrived on a team that shared her determination. “We were out there for blood, we were out there to win, and I loved that.”

Her dad’s support was instrumental. He drove four hours each way to attend her games and that gave them time to reflect together. She shared one of the lessons she learned: “I realized from a young age that you take a lot more from a loss than from a win. A loss is a time to improve, reflect, and create a better game plan.”

Reed remembers a championship win vividly: “I had the ball in my hands. I had that moment where I could celebrate during the game. I knew we had it. Then we were swarmed. We were swarmed by so many people on the court that I couldn’t breathe.”

Reed says that the lessons from ISU carried into her professional life in the beauty industry. “I’ve taken a lot from playing up here. They’re all good things, things that set you apart and take you to that next level. That’s exactly what ISU did for me, take my athletics and skills to the next level.”

Vicky Galasso – Softball

“It is evidently clear, and without question, that Vicky is not only the greatest softball player in our program’s history, but also one of the greatest players in the history of the Big Sky Conference.” – Andrew Rich, ISU Softball Head Coach

Now a general manager and co-owner of a climbing gym in Texas, Galasso is recognized as the best and most decorated softball player to ever wear the Bengal jersey. During her remarks at the reception, Galasso emphasized how she was able to help build up the softball program with her teammates during her time at ISU. “The greatest thing for me is we came from zero to where we were in the span of four years. That alone seems impossible. What we built, what we created is the greatest pride I have from my time here.”

“Confidence is earned by stacking small wins,” she said. “However grim it may look, you have the power to change those circumstances. The team had a motto: Leave the jersey in a better place than you found it.”

Galasso did just that, and now encourages ISU softball players to continue striving to be the best: “These records are there for you to break. Go for it. You have all the tools. It’s a matter of self-belief and hard work.”

George Kyvernitis – Men’s Tennis

“George is one of the greatest players in ISU Men’s Tennis history, having been named Big Sky Conference All-Conference First team selection all four years that he played for the Bengals. This feat has only ever been accomplished by 10 men’s tennis players in Big Sky Conference history, and George is only the second player at ISU to achieve the feat.” – Oliver Good, ISU Men’s Tennis Head Coach

Kyvernitis reflected on the impact of his time at ISU as an international student, saying the biggest highlight was the team itself. “Coming from a country where I competed individually for 18 years, learning to compete as a team changed the norm for me. I felt like I had a family in another country, another state.” He added that traveling to 12 different states and experiencing new places “enhanced the experience as an athlete and as a team” and made him appreciate ISU as a top NCAA Division I program.

Pauline Thiros, ISU Athletic Director, said she often points to Kyvernitis as an example for student-athletes: a man who crossed the world to pursue his dream and made it truly remarkable.

Kyvernitis, now managing partner at Kyvernitis Travel S.A., reflected on his lasting connection to ISU: “Pocatello has a special place in my heart. It’s a beautiful place, a beautiful campus. I think the future is going to be bright for this school, this town, this state. I will be on the sidelines, helping, supporting, maybe bringing the donuts to practice. I will do everything in my power, my strength, to be a good alumni and ally for the school.”

Kelly Rae – Softball (Lifetime Achievement Award)

“She came to ISU, not with a secured scholarship. It was just on the chance that she might be able to work her tail off and earn enough money to make it through one semester at a time. She drove around the field on a motorcycle planting the spikes. She did the laundry. When you graduate after that experience, you could leave your alma mater feeling that you did not owe it anything, but Kelly Rae has never felt that way at Idaho State. I’ve only heard the words gratitude, and commitment.” – Pauline Thiros, Athletic Director ISU

Rae’s Hall of Fame recognition honors her resilience, dedication, and lifelong commitment to giving back to ISU and her community. Reflecting on her time at ISU, she recalled, “The most impactful…was the day before Thanksgiving 1978 when my coach offered me a manager’s scholarship. It changed the trajectory of my life…I’d probably be in prison otherwise.”

On the sense of belonging she felt at ISU, Rae said, “It was a sense of belonging like I was born to be here…every inning, every practice, every game. It wasn’t just one time, it was all the time, and it continues.”

Offering advice to students, Rae emphasized dedication and perseverance: “Commit. Commit. Commit. If you want to change your life, commit to it and don’t stop. Commit to your team, to your school. Commit to yourself. Commit to somebody. Commit to what you believe in, what you want to be, and what you want to do and don’t lose focus on that.”

Dan Taylor – Football

“On the field, he was a mountain. If you were lucky enough to run behind him, you knew you were going to make yards. He protected our ball carriers like a big brother, but it’s off the field where Dan’s heart really shines.” – ISU Sports Hall of Famer Clyde “Arnie” Bagley, Dan’s best friend, roommate, and teammate while at ISU

Taylor’s impact on Bengal football is undeniable. His teammates remember him for his work ethic and dedication, and they continue to hold him in deep respect.

Reflecting on his time at ISU, Taylor said, “One of the biggest moments was coming to ISU, playing football here. It was competitive. I loved it. It taught me life lessons I use today.” On winning the national championship, he recalled, “The last play when we won…I will never forget that feeling. Never. How often do you really get to complete your dream?”

He also expressed gratitude for those who shaped his journey: “There are so many people to thank when you reach this level. But there’s one person I want to thank today, Coach Kragthorpe. When I went to the Cowboys, I took what he taught me.”

Playing football at ISU gave Taylor mantras that have guided him throughout life, mantras such as “Never give up when things get hard.” Today, he applies that same drive in his work in safety risk management in worldwide construction.

The Sports Hall of Fame is a reminder of what it takes to create standout athletes and programs. Coaches, loved ones, faculty, fans, and the athletic team all play an instrumental role. Rae credits Ellen Margolis, ISU Softball Coach when she came to ISU in 1975, with allowing her to finish her studies and graduate. 

“I found hope,” Rae said. “Hope through getting an education. Combining opportunity with hope I found belief. Belief that if you can make a difference by helping or serving others in this world, why not do so? Thank you ISU athletic department for saving my life 47 years ago, and honoring my life work today.”

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Seth Ratliff

UPDATE:

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — The Dec. 2nd Pocatello Mayoral Run-Off election is rapidly approaching. Tonight, November 19, Local News 8 is bringing you the Pocatello Mayoral Run-Off Debate, your chance to hear candidates Greg Cates and Mark Dahlquist answer the tough questions on the issues facing your community.

Local News 8 will now begin our live updates of the debate:

The rules for the Local News 8 Pocatello Mayoral Run-Off debate, as presented by Doug Long, are as follows: At the beginning of the debate, each candidate will be allotted 2 minutes for an opening statement. Following these statements, the moderators will pose each candidate a series of questions. Each candidate will receive 90 seconds for an initial answer, followed by 90 seconds for the opposing candidate’s response. A pre-debate coin toss determined that Mark Dahlquist would be the first candidate to respond. Then each candidate will be allowed a 30-second rebuttal opportunity before the next question. Finally, each candidate will be allowed 2 minutes for closing remarks.

Linda Larsen will ask the first question.

9:03 — In his opening statement, Mark Dahlquist emphasized how he loved the Pocatello community, stating he’s known by his friends as Mr. Pocatello. “I’m born and raised in Pocatello. I’m a Highland High School graduate, graduated from Idaho State University with a business management degree,” said Dahlquist. “Shortly after that, I got my first job or my first real job at Farmers Insurance Company, and I worked there for about 18 years, started out as an underwriter, worked my way up into progressive management positions there. And then in 2007, I got on as the director at Neighborworks Pocatello. NeighborWorks Pocatello. We’re a large community development nonprofit.”

He went on to say the decision to run for mayor is because there is no better way you make an impact on your community and be a service leader.

9:05 — Greg Cates chose to emphasize his professional experience as a law enforcement officer working with the Pocatello Police Department, among other local and national agencies. “I have 35 years experience as an investigator and a law enforcement officer. 18 of those years, I owned and operated a large private investigation firm. I’ve managed dozens of employees, and I conducted surveillance operations throughout the United States and Canada. I’m an expert in fraud investigations. I’m an expert in law enforcement and background investigations, and I’ve done hiring for some of the largest law enforcement agencies in the country. I’ve also been contracted by the Department of Justice and involved with them in investigations as well.”

He says the city deserves strong leadership, and his experience can provide that. “I’m going to bring that expertise and my life experience to the City Hall, where I’m going to use that to figure out what’s going on with our city and make it a better place for all of us to live,” said Cates.

9:06 — Linda Larsen asks Cates, “Voters sent a clear message in the general election that they wanted to see a change in city leadership. What kind of change do you believe the public is looking for, and what will be your agenda in your first 100 days?”

9:07 — Cates responds: “The people in our community are being crushed by high taxes. I believe that we need a leader who’s going to get into office and figure out where our taxpayers’ money is going.” Dahlquist points to how the City doesn’t have a current CFO and that the city has had 3 CFO’s in the last few years. He went on to emphasize making Pocatello a cleaner, more business-friendly environment.

9:09 — Dahlquist: “Pocatello did need a change…I’ve got my own ideas and my own unique way of doing things. I was the first candidate to come out with a 100-day plan. One of my top platforms is housing.” He points to the lack of housing supply and how the city needs to develop more housing.

“I think housing really is the bedrock of the community’s success since 2015, since the last 15 years, I should say that our housing prices have gone up 187% in Pocatello. That’s unacceptable,” said Dahlquist.

Doug Long asks, “There have been repeated calls for greater fiscal transparency in city government. How will you ensure city finances are open and available for public inspection, specifically regarding the annual budget process?”

9:12 — Dahlquist responds that the question has been on peoples minds as he went out to speak with the community. “At my workplace, what we do, it’s really effective for my board of directors is we have dashboards,” Dahlquist says the city needs to make the multi-million-dollar budget readable for the average citizen. “In my 100-day plan we do talk about doing the dashboards and making those available.”

9:14 — Cates began his response, agreeing with Mr. Dahlquist’s postition on using dashboards to make the information available. “I think there’s a lot of things we can do with technology where we can put our budget onto social media and put on, the city website, where it’s easier to read,” said Cates. “Right now if you were to try to go through our city budget, it’s over 300 pages long and over 5000 line items in a particular week of spending.”

Cates goes on to highlight the importance of a CFO, pointing to the ‘accounting by chaos’ of the last handful of city budget sessions. “We need to get a CFO in line. We need to go line by line through everything,” said Cates.

9:16 — In rebuttal, Dahlquist adds that Pocatello has a revenue problem, pointing to the importance of getting the city’s expenses in check.

9:17 — Larsen asks, “What is your budgeting process approach that you favor, and what would you do to assure efficiency and fiscal responsibility during your administration? We’ve touched on that some, but a little bit more about what you would do. And if there are other revenue streams that we can use to ease the burden on property tax holders?”

9:18 — Cates draws back to the last budgeting session where the city had a CFO on the payroll, saying that all the suggestions on spending and maintaining the budget were discounted by Mayor Blad and the City Council. “It led us on a trajectory of unsustainability in our budget,” said Cates. “I did meet with our CFO after he left. He told me that 2027 is going to be a very difficult year for us in the city. We are facing a 30% increase in our health insurance premiums for the city employees. That’s going to be a $2.7 million expense that we’re not prepared to handle.”

Cates concludes that going into 2027, “we’re going to have to tighten our belts and start streamlining things. And figure out how we’re going to make this, this, financial situation work for our citizens.”

9:20 — Dahlquist responds that “we’re always fighting over the slices, but we don’t want to talk about making a pie.” He went on to say that every budget cycle is a grind and a grueling process. “My plan is to get with the department directors right away, within the first 30 or 60 days. And I need all hands on deck with our department directors.”

9:22 — In rebuttal, Cates responds that he would also sit down with the city department heads. “It’s important that as we move forward, after we get our financial situation clarified, we’re going to just meet up and we’re going to decide how we’re going to move our departments forward,” said Cates.

9:24 — Long asks, “The shooting of Victor Perez and the lack of communication from city hall created deep divides in Pocatello, causing widespread community distrust in the city’s leadership and its police department. As mayor, how will you restore public confidence in City Hall and the police department?”

9:25 — Dahlquist responds that early on, he said the city needed a response right away from the mayor’s office. “I know that shootings that there are the the investigations both internally and externally,” said Dahlquist. “You have lawyers that are telling you you shouldn’t say anything, but I think a good message could have been delivered within those first six hours of what’s going on, at least with some reassurance that we’re looking into this.”

He went on to say that in leadership, he will be the buck-stops-here-guy. Addressing the trust and confidence problem with the Pocatello Police Department, Dahlquist says there is probably a training problem as well. “I’ve never been a police officer,” said Dahlquist. “I can’t go in and say, you take this step in this step, in this step. Thats where the police chief and I have to sit down (and say) ‘There’s a problem here, police chief. There’s a perception, a trust problem. How are we going to work past that?'”

9:27 — Cates addressed that he was a former police officer and the father of a child with autism, saying that the shooting of Victor Perez, an autistic teenager, was difficult for him to deal with. “That shooting was it was tragic and our community was devastated,” said Cates. “In 20 seconds, the relationship between the community and our police department was shattered. And it really hasn’t recovered since April 5th.”

When asked if he would make changes in the Pocatello Police Department, Cates said he’s assured people he would. “My promise is this. When I get into the police department, we’re going to make changes. We’re going to make changes in administration. We’re going to start relooking at our hiring. We’re going to make changes in our training,” said Cates.”

Concluding Statements:

In his concluding statement, Greg Cates focused his message on the year he’s spent on the campaign trail and the key areas he’ll focus on in office. “I have people willing to start developing and working on improving our airport. I have a plan for police reform,” said Cates. “I’m going to clean up the city, and I’m going to have people come in. I have a CFO who wants to come by and help us get our finances in order.”

He concluded that the city of Pocatello has been in trouble for a long time, and now they’re at a crossroads. “We have an opportunity to do something great together. I’m hoping that you vote for change. I’m hoping on December 2nd, you vote. Greg Case for mayor.”

In his statement, Mark Dahlquist focused on his love for the city of Pocatello. “I’ve just done everything that I can to uplift that community, whether it be the Beautification Committee or Important Valley Partners, or the Chamber of Commerce,” said Dahlquist. “I have 30 years’ worth of management experience. I have several years of CEO experience. I know how to handle personnel issues. I have a $2 million budget. I understand grants. I understand government and government and compliance with all of that funding. So vote Mark for mayor on December 2nd. Vote Mark for a change.”

ORIGINAL:

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — The Dec. 2nd Pocatello Mayoral Run-Off election is rapidly approaching. Tonight, November 19, Local News 8 is bringing you the Pocatello Mayoral Run-Off Debate, your chance to hear candidates Greg Cates and Mark Dahlquist answer the tough questions on the issues facing your community.

Local news 8’s Doug Long and Linda Larsen will be moderating the event. Tune in tonight at 9 p.m. on channel 3.2 or watch live below:

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