Month: August 2026

Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Classes are officially underway at Idaho State University in Pocatello and students are ready for another fall semester packed with events and education.

Classes began on Monday, August 24. The “Welcome Back and Orange Black” event held in downtown Pocatello had to be cancelled due to weather concerns. However, Tuesday night is “Cold Butts and Beer” hosted by Chi Alpha Christian Ministries at Bartz Field. The rest of the week holds events for incoming freshmen to meet fellow students and explore the campus.

This year also marks the first semester with the restructured university. In the Spring of 2026, President Robert Wagner announced the budget cuts were leading to university-wide changes for several colleges, including combining the College of Education with The College of Arts and Letters.

Even after a nationwide hack of the online educational program Canvas during finals week of the spring semester, Idaho State University remains a user of the software. Students find their classes, assignments, tests and quizzes through the online portal.

“This is my first semester doing in-person classes; last year I did all online,” said Lizette Gamino, a sophomore student majoring in health sciences. “I’m just excited about meeting my teachers and classmates.”

Other students on campus echoed Gamino’s sentiment, saying they’re excited to be back in the social circles of the campus.

“I’m excited, I’m getting to hang out with my friends,” said Nate Kopp, a third-year bachelor student majoring in biochemistry. “I’m going to be finishing my honors thesis on new treatments for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and I’m excited to do some new classes and learn some new things.”

For students like Kopp, the Fall 2026 semester is where they decide whether their major was the right fit.

“This is the year I get to take biochemistry, so it’s kind of like the year where I find out if I actually like the degree that I have, but it’ll be good one way or another,” he said.

“I’m excited for the labs to get to do the science; I have more science classes this semester,” said Gamino. “I also want to be more part of the institution, like all the student activities and stuff since I’ll be here every day.”

Idaho State University will have the official census for the Class of 2030 after the tenth day of the semester next week. They’ll also get a count on Census Day in October. The last several years have shown an increase in the incoming freshman class for the university, with each year beating the last. ISU took to Facebook and Instagram to welcome their newest freshman class with the iconic ISU logo filled with students.

Idaho State University AUG 2026 Class “I” Photo / SU/ Jordon Beesley

For a full list of events happening at ISU this fall, visit isu.edu/calendar.

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Seth Ratliff

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — An unidentified man will spend half a decade behind bars after prosecutors say he spent a quarter-century living under the stolen identity of a dead child and stole nearly $285,000 in government benefits.

U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced the “John Doe”—whose real identity remains unknown—to 61 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Judge Nye also ordered the defendant to pay $283,977.40 in restitution.

The sentencing follows a May 2026 federal trial in Pocatello where a jury found the man guilty of wire fraud, theft of government funds, aggravated identity theft, and related federal charges.

According to court records, the man’s scheme began in 2000 when he applied for a replacement Social Security card using the name, birth date, and parents’ names of Carlos Ramon Obregon.

The real Obregon was born in Los Angeles in 1963 and died at age 14 from a gunshot wound in 1977. During the trial, Obregon’s mother testified that her son had died nearly 50 years ago and confirmed she had never met the defendant.

Over the course of nearly three decades, investigators say the unknown man repeatedly used Obregon’s identity to acquire Idaho state identification cards, a Star Card, and a U.S. passport in 2012, which he used to travel to Mexico before being denied a renewal in 2024.

In addition to the identity fraud, prosecutors say over 25 years, the “John Doe” siphoned off $283,977 in federal and state assistance, including $177,000 in Supplemental Security Income (SSI), $91,000 in Medicaid benefits, $12,000 in SNAP food assistance, and $3,200 in federal Economic Impact Payments.

“Taxpayer funds are precious resources, and our office will fight to vigorously protect such funds,” U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis said. “This sentence should send a strong message that stealing taxpayer funds and craven identity theft will be met with a thorough federal investigation and a stiff sentence.” 

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Seth Ratliff

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) — Former Bingham County Sheriff Craig Rowland has passed away at the age of 67 following a brief illness after surgery on August 22nd, according to his online obituary.

Rowland spent decades in public service, starting as a state trooper before serving as Bingham County chief deputy, emergency preparedness director, and deputy coroner.

He was elected Bingham County sheriff in 2012, holding the office for ten years and heavily participating in regional search and rescue operations.

However, his decade-long tenure as sheriff ended in controversy. In 2021, Rowland faced felony charges after a confrontation involving a local youth group. The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, then-Blackfoot Mayor Marc Carroll, and the Blackfoot Police Department later called for his resignation following offensive comments against the Fort Hall community. Rowland ultimately stepped down in 2022 after pleading guilty to aggravated assault.

In his online obituary, family members highlighted his career of community involvement, writing in part: “His legacy can be found in the communities he helped protect, the people he helped in moments of crisis, the officers who served beside him…and the family who loved him.”

Funeral services are set for this Friday, August 28th at 11:00 a.m. at Hawker Funeral Home in Blackfoot, with a viewing scheduled Thursday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

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