Author: KIFI

Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Pocatello Parks and Rec is addressing online complaints of dry grass around the city and in the Mountain View Cemetery.

According to Parks and Rec and a post on the City of Pocatello Facebook page on Sunday, June 15, the city is aware of the dry grass and has repaired leaking sprinkler lines and timers causing dry grass in the area. People can expect to see greener grass in the next week.

The Mountain View Cemetery is currently undergoing a major waterline replacement project, which is affecting some sprinkler systems and could last through the summer.

For more information and updates, click HERE.

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Ariel Jensen

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI)– Dozens joined the special needs lunch at Potter Park in Rexburg, hosted by the Rexburg Police Department. Those who came out got to eat hot dogs with cops, ride in golf carts, and a fan favorite was getting to drive a Segway.

Juan Leyva of Rexburg attended the event with a group. When asked what he thought of the event, he said, “I think hanging out with them, talking to them, getting to know them.” That was the goal of the Rexburg police department; they wanted to get to know the people in the area with special needs.

The Rexburg police department says they host this every year, and it’s a great way to serve the community. 

“The biggest thing, I think, is just that they know us. They know that we’re here for them. We’re willing to help them. We interact with them. I think just having that connection, knowing that they have the support from us and that we understand, and what needs they have. So it’s it’s not only for them, but it’s also for us as officers,” said Chief Joshua Rhodes.

A lot of the attendees told local news 8 they had so much fun at this event that they plan to do it again in the years to come. 

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Seth Ratliff

POWER COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — K9 Zeus of the Power County Sheriff’s Office just got a major upgrade in safety for patrolling the streets. The loyal four-legged officer of the Sheriff’s Office has been outfitted with a bullet and stab protective vest from the non-profit Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.

According to a post by the Sheriff’s Office, K9 Zeus’s custom-fitted vest was sponsored by Dacra Tech of Itasca, IL, and embroidered with the sentiment ‘This gift of protection provided by Dacra Tech.’

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. has provided over 6,120 vests valued at $6.9 million to K9s in all 50 states.

For more information on the program, click HERE.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– The Idaho State Board of Education is holding a regular Board meeting at the ICCU Alumni Center on the Idaho State University campus this week.

The meeting started on Tuesday morning with an executive session to conduct performance evaluations of the presidents of Idaho’s public four-year universities. Following the executive session, an open session will start at 1:30 p.m. and continue to Wednesday, June 18, starting at 9 a.m.

Agenda items for the meeting include a bond request from the University of Idaho to fund student housing projects, consideration of contract extensions for three presidents of Idaho institutions, and discussion on strengthening university dual credit programs across the state.

For a full agenda for the meeting, click HERE. The regular Board meeting will be livestreamed HERE.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– The Idaho State University Robotics Club will return to the SkillsUSA student workforce development championships in Atlanta, Georgia, next week to defend its national title in electronics.

ISU Robotics Club student Joshua Makuch won the national gold medal in the electronic technologies category at the championship last year. Earlier this year, ISU Robotics Club members swept the state competition in electronics and related math, placing in the top three spots in both categories, and qualified for another round at the national level against hundreds of competitors from universities across the country.

“I couldn’t be more proud of them,” said Brody Holyoak, senior clinical instructor for ISU’s Robotics Program. “I like to push my students, and this is a great way to help push them to get to something that’s like, ‘this isn’t just the end of a test, it isn’t just a section, it isn’t just this module, it isn’t just this semester.’ This is kind of the culmination of everything that we teach here in the program.”

Holyoak said the team will leave for the national competition on Sunday, where they will compete for the whole week and return to Pocatello on Saturday, June 28.

For more information, you can visit the Idaho State University website.

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News Team

IDAHO/WYOMING (KIFI) — Up to 22 million acres of public land in Idaho and nearly 15 million acres in Wyoming could be sold off if a controversial proposal in Congress moves forward. The legislation, introduced by Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, would sell BLM and Forest Service Land across 11 states to reduce the national deficit.

“This is President Trump’s agenda: cut the Green New Scam, reduce the deficit, and unleash American energy,” said Chairman Lee in a press release earlier this month. “We’re cutting billions in unused Biden-era climate slush funds, opening up energy and resource development, turning federal liabilities into taxpayer value, while making housing more affordable for hardworking American families. This is how we make government smaller, freer, and work for Americans.”

The proposal to Senate Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill would require 2.2-3.3 million acres of public land across 11 western states to be sold off over the next five years. The legislation has gained notable backlash and concern from the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and Idaho Conservation League.

“Public lands belong to all Americans and are vitally important to the communities of Greater Yellowstone and other iconic western landscapes,” said Greater Yellowstone Coalition Executive Director Scott Christensen. “Our national public lands are not a luxury, they’re our legacy. These are outdoor spaces that connect us to each other, fuel the economies of western states, and provide clean drinking water to millions of Americans downstream. Once these lands are sold off, they’re gone forever.”  

The Wilderness Society, a group organized in 1935 to permanently protect America’s public lands, has created the following chart to illustrate the total amount of land that would be for sale in each state.

For the Wilderness Society’s interactive map of the potential lands that could be sold, click HERE.

Chairman Lee has indicated that the sale of land would “unlock underutilized federal land for affordable housing.”

In an interview with Idaho News 6, Justin Hayes, Executive Director of the Idaho Conservation League expressed his concerns over the potential sale, stating “You’ll lose access to these areas that you have taken your family to for years and so it’s really about keeping these public lands that we all treasure in public hands.”

The Idaho Conservation League and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition are urging residents in Idaho and Wyoming to contact their representatives and ask them to oppose the proposal as lawmakers continue to negotiate the budget package.

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News Team

MADISON COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — The Madison County Sheriff’s Office has released new details regarding Sunday’s stabbing incident along Highway 33, leading to the arrest of Daytona “Tony” Travis, 34, of Rexburg.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, their deputies, along with the Rexburg Police and Madison Fire Department, were called to the intersection of 6000 West and Highway 33, where they found a 34-year-old woman who had reportedly been stabbed. Her injuries were determined to be non-life-threatening, and she was transported to Madison Health for treatment. She has since been discharged.

Law enforcement identified 34-year-old Travis as a person of interest and issued a warrant for his arrest. He was caught by Idaho Falls Police along 16th Street in Idaho Falls on the following morning.

Travis has been charged with Aggravated Battery and Second-Degree Kidnapping. His bond has been set at $500,000.

In a statement released via a Facebook post, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude for the collaborative effort: “The Madison County Sheriff’s Office extends sincere appreciation to the Idaho Falls Police Department, Rexburg Police Department, and members of the public for their cooperation and assistance in this matter.”

All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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News Team

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — On Monday, the Idaho Supreme Court ordered Attorney General Raúl Labrador and the Idaho Division of Financial Management (DFM) to revise the language used in the short ballot title and fiscal impact statement for the Reproductive Freedom & Privacy Act. The ballot initiative, proposed by Idahoans United for Women and Families, aims to restore access to abortions and other reproductive health services across Idaho.

“This unanimous ruling is a significant victory for fairness and transparency in Idaho’s elections and a strong defense of our ballot initiative rights,” stated Melanie Folwell, Executive Director for Idahoans United for Women and Families. “In their ruling, the Court recognized the importance of supplying voters with clear, accurate, and impartial information on their ballots.”

The ruling comes after Idahoans United filed a lawsuit against state officials, including the Attorney General and the DFM, arguing that both the ballot titles and the fiscal statement contained unnecessary and prejudicial information.

Under Idaho law, the Attorney General is responsible for drafting summary titles for ballot initiatives, outlining what the legislation would accomplish if passed. However, Idahoans United argued that the inclusion of information regarding the Medicaid budget and potential cost impacts on the state’s prisoner population in the fiscal statement was both unnecessary and biased. They further argued that both the short and long ballot titles failed to provide clear, concise, and accurate information to voters.

The short ballot title submitted by the Attorney General states, “Measure establishing a right to abortion up to fetus viability and to make reproductive decisions regarding one’s own body.”

In a ruling authored by Justice Colleen Zahn, the court partially granted Idahoans United’s petition. It specifically ordered the Attorney General to submit a new short ballot title that complies with Idaho Code, and the DFM to draft a revised fiscal impact statement.

“The Court’s decision to direct Attorney General Labrador and the State of Idaho to make ballot titles and fiscal impact statements clear and fair is a win for all Idahoans who value a government that respects the will of the people, not just the power of politicians and bureaucrats,” Folwell said. “Voters deserve to know exactly what they’re voting for and how much it will cost, and we are proud to have held that line.”

However, the court ruled that the long ballot title sufficiently complied with Idaho code. The group’s request to replace the term “fetus viability” with “fetal viability” in the short ballot title was also denied, with the court stating the phrases were not “substantially” different.

“I’m pleased the Court upheld the majority of our ballot title work, especially rejecting the unfounded claims of bias and acknowledged the challenging task of summarizing a 1,226-word initiative in just 20 words,” said Attorney General Labrador. “We will move swiftly to revise the short title in accordance with the Court’s guidance.”

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Seth Ratliff

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) — A Rigby man is in custody after allegedly violating a no-contact order. On Monday, June 16, Bryce D. Larson, who was out on pre-trial services for an aggravated battery charge, was arrested after being found inside a protected party’s home.

Just before 5 PM, Rigby Police officers were called to the 200 block of 4th West on a report that Larson had been seen entering the victim’s residence. Upon arrival, the officers heard noises from the garage but were unable to get anyone to answer the door.

However, video evidence provided by the caller confirmed that Larson and a juvenile male had entered the home through the garage. The officers also confirmed that the protected party had left the residence on foot shortly after Larson’s arrival, with no indication that Larson had left the home.

Authorities attempted to contact Larson by phone multiple times. When they were finally able to reach him by phone, Larson reportedly refused to exit the residence and even denied being there.

Law enforcement then issued an arrest warrant for Larson, and the Rigby Police were able to enter the home around 8 PM, finding him inside. He was arrested on charges of violating a no-contact order and resisting and obstructing officers.

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News Release

The following is a news release from Idaho Falls Power:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Bear Prairie, who has served with distinction as the General Manager, and Assistant General Manager, at Idaho Falls Power and Fiber since 2010, has resigned to accept a new role within the utility industry.

“During his nearly 15-year tenure, Bear has made an indelible mark on our organization and community. His leadership, technical expertise, and commitment to public power have served to strengthen Falls Power and Fiber,” said Mayor Rebecca Casper. “He successfully led the implementation of the City’s Fiber Optic program as well as the construction of significant utility infrastructure —including a new substation and a natural gas generation peaking plant scheduled to go online later this year. We wish him well in his new endeavor and know he will excel there as well.”  

Assistant General Manager Stephen Boorman will serve as the interim general manager at Idaho Falls Power while a search is conducted for a new general manager. The national search is expected to take several months.

“Idaho Falls Power turns 125 this year and I am proud to have had the opportunity to be part of this rich history. I am going to miss working with this talented and dedicated team who are committed to reliable service and keeping our rates low,” said Bear Prairie, Idaho Falls Power General Manager.

Prairie’s leadership has strengthened Idaho Fall’s energy portfolio, which includes development of the Idaho Falls Peaking Plant. When completed, this plant will allow Idaho Falls Power to exercise more autonomy and control over energy prices to ensure reliable and affordable energy rates into the future.

Prairie’s vision was also critical to the development and construction of the citywide fiber network that enables high speed broadband at an affordable price for homes and businesses.

Prairie also made key improvements to ensure Idaho Fall’s electric grid can withstand additional pressures. With the construction of the Sugarmill to Paine transmission line, completing major hydro upgrades and navigating the nuances of long-term energy contracts, the utility will benefit for years to come. 

“Prairie has been committed to this community and public power values which emphasize people over profits. Idaho Falls Power customers will see a low single digit rate increase for 2025 while investor-owned utilities in the area are looking at double digit rate increases,” said City Councilman Jim Freeman, a longtime liaison to Idaho Falls Power.

“Bear’s most impactful legacy is the IFP culture of excellence, safety, and accountability that he fostered, a culture that will allow IFP to continue to be a leader in the utility industry for many years to come,” said Stephen Boorman, Assistant General Manager.

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