Author: KIFI

David Pace

ATOMIC CITY, Idaho – Idaho National Laboratory is unveiling a new way to test fuel technology for advanced nuclear reactors at the Materials and Fuels Complex, west of Idaho Falls.

“This is a capability that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world,” said National Reactor Innovation Center Program Manager Josh Gillespie. “When we look at all the different kinds of nuclear reactors that are out there in the world, molten salt reactors are the ones that we have known the least about.” 

The new research capability for advanced reactors, known as the Molten Salt Thermophysical Examination Capability (MSTEC), has a price tag of $15 million and took approximately five years to design and construct.

“It’s a new capability we have here … to examine molten salts and to work with our commercial partners to help them drive forward the commercial nuclear industry,” Gillespie said. “… Before we can go off and commercialize these [molten salt] reactors and obtain a lot of the great benefits that they provide, we need to go get a lot of data so we can do this safely, so we can go off and enable the technology.”

Part of the National Reactor Innovation Center, MSTEC is housed at the Fuel Conditioning Facility at the Materials and Fuels Complex.

The MSTEC consists of a “state-of-the-art, shielded argon glove box for irradiated and nonirradiated materials, specifically high-temperature liquids such as fuel salts,” according to an INL press release.

“The primary operation, or the primary function, of a glove box is just to keep our researchers safe,” explained MSTEC System Engineer Nathan Petersen.  “The stuff that they work on is hazardous, and so we want to make sure that they can perform their research without any kind of ill effects happening to them.”

The glove box contains eight robotic arms. It is designed to research the characteristics of molten salts deployed in certain advanced reactors – measuring up to 1000 degrees Celsius, viscosity, melting temperature and heat transfer, according to MSTEC Research Leader Mikael Karlsson.

Molten salt reactors can use special salt as a fuel, INL researchers said.

“The technology is not as well explored as a traditional reactor, right. So to be able to deploy the new reactor types, we need to be able to collect good experimental data,” Karlsson said.

Idaho National Laboratory is collaborating with partners such as Oklo, Saltfoss Energy, and others to help develop the fuel cycle.

The Molten Salt Thermophysical Examination Capability (MSTEC) is ready for its debut at Idaho National Laboratory.

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Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Many Idaho landscapers depend on snow to keep business going, and this winter has made that challenging. Idahoans are used to seeing snowplows at every corner of the street, but this year, they have become a rare sight.

“Really slow. Obviously, we would like more snow than what we’ve gotten,” said Dustin Inglett, Irrigation Maintenance Manager for T&T Lawn Services.

More snow means more work, but less snow means less to take to the bank.

“Our service time for landscape construction and maintenance is a shorter season. And a lot of your landscaping companies rely on snow plowing to bring in, you know, 20, 30, maybe 40% of their income,” said Casey Price, Landscape Design Build Manager for T&T Lawn Services.

This lack of snow is also bringing concern for the future.

“Growing up in agriculture, it’s always important to have water for your crops. We got to refill the aquifer, and hopefully we got enough still in the mountains to bring us along through the summertime,” said Price.

“It’s obviously even more important for the farmers, and where I’m an irrigation technician. Water is my job. So water conservation also plays a big factor in my day-to-day summer activities. And if we don’t have much to begin with, then that makes my job harder,” said Inglett.

These past few days of snow have been vital to the snowplow industry, and they hope it keeps on coming.

“Hopefully we get a bunch here in the next, next a little while, and we at least have a wet spring so that we can have enough moisture for the summer,” said Price.

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Seth Ratliff

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — A 45-year-old Nevada man will spend more than 17 years in federal prison for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking operation that funneled methamphetamine and fentanyl into Eastern Idaho.

U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Franklin Ryan, of Sparks, Nevada, to 210 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.

According to court documents, Ryan sold large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in eastern Idaho between March and September of 2024.

On August 26, 2025, Ryan pleaded guilty to the charges against him. Four other defendants charged as co-conspirators still face pending litigation.

The investigation into Ryan’s drug operation involved a coordinated effort between the FBI, ISP, and the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. U.S. Attorney Davis, who announced the sentencing, praised the interagency cooperation and the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe McLane in securing the conviction.

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CNN Newsource

Originally Published: 19 FEB 26 15:56 ET

By Arianne Brown

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    ST. GEORGE (KSL) — A 21-year-old Ukrainian refugee with Utah ties was killed alongside her boyfriend on Valentine’s Day, and the family is seeking to bring her body back to St. George to be laid to rest.

Kateryna “Kate” Tovmash was fatally shot alongside her boyfriend, Matthew Wade, 28, who was a soldier stationed at Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg), west of Fayetteville, North Carolina. The two were at Tovmash’s home in Vass, North Carolina, where she was living with her mom, stepdad and three younger siblings, according to area police. Reports also say that the two were allegedly killed by Tovmash’s ex-boyfriend, Caleb Fosnaugh, 25.

The family, including younger siblings were present during the shooting.

Family spokesperson Amberlyn Brown said Tovmash’s mother, Olena Brown, and stepfather Mycal Brown want to express gratitude to those who have supported them during this time, adding that they don’t want there to be animosity directed at the man suspected of killing their daughter.

“The message they want most portrayed in any of this is just to spread love,” Amberlyn Brown told KSL. “They’re very sad at the decision Caleb (allegedly) chose to make. They did have a relationship where they did know him, and they cared for him.

“Kate was known by everybody as loving, outgoing and ambitious,” she continued. “She loved her siblings more than anything. She loved children. She wanted to travel and she just had dreams as most young girls do. She had just turned 21.”

The family originally moved to the U.S. in 2023 as refugees to escape the war in Ukraine. The family first settled in St. George following Kate’s graduation from high school in Ukraine, Brown said. Following her parents’ divorce, Tovmash moved to North Carolina with her siblings, mother and stepfather two years ago. It was while out there that she met and dated Fosnsaugh, an Ohio resident, and then connected with Matthew Wade, who lived in North Carolina.

“Mycal and Olena would like everyone to know that although it can be hard not to throw hate out there, and as angry as something like this can make somebody, that they’re of the Christian faith,” Amberlyn Brown said. “They know they’ll see Kate again, and as hard as it may seem, the one request that they have, is that people don’t let hate and anger surround this situation. … They believe in forgiveness and that part of them finding peace is forgiving Caleb for what he’s done. They also want to share their love and condolences for Matthew’s family.”

Amberlyn said that at this time, the family is making plans for a funeral in North Carolina and has a goal of bringing her body to St. George to be laid to rest and have a service for her in Utah.

Brown said they have set up a GoFundMe* for the family to help with expenses related to their daughter’s death.

Tovmash’s stepfather told KSL the fundraiser was “set up by the community and has already been passed to Olena, who is the executor of Kate’s estate.”

“They came here originally to escape the war in Ukraine, and they found a lot of people that really cared for them in Utah,” Brown said. “Their overall hope is to bring Kate back to where she first came, which would be St. George. The family is hoping to eventually come to Utah, so our goal is to get the funds raised to be able to transport her body back here. Any other funds will be used for funeral expenses.

“The family believes that Kate is still with them in spirit, and they want to just carry on her legend of happiness and family and love.”

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. ­­­KSL verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — City officials are tracking a sophisticated email phishing scam where impostors are posing as the City of Idaho Falls to steal personal data and financial information.

These messages contain a link labeled “View Invoice Payment” that directs recipients to a site requesting their Google login credentials.

The City of Idaho Falls confirmed it will never request Google passwords, email credentials, or unrelated personal account information from customers.

“If you see any kind of red flags or anything makes you concerned, just take a second to pause and contact the city,” said Kimberly Felker public information officer for the office of mayor “City staff can help walk you through that and let you know whether what you’ve received is something that needs actual attention, or whether you might be a victim of a scam.”

As of this week, at least three residents have reported the fraudulent messages to the city. While no residents are currently known to have fallen for the scheme, officials warn that this is likely not the last time such a scam will appear.

Investigators believe an outside organization’s contact list, which included email addresses and ZIP codes, may have been compromised. This has resulted in the scam reaching people who have never received utility services from the city or who have moved away from the area. There is no evidence that any city-managed information systems have been breached.

The Idaho Falls Police Department identifies several “red flags” for residents to watch for:

Messages that create a false sense of urgency, such as threats of immediate service disconnection.

Incorrect grammar, typos, or language that does not make sense.

Sender email addresses that do not match official city billing records.

Requests for login credentials unrelated to utility services.

Residents who may have already provided credentials to the scammers are urged to change their passwords immediately, enable multi-factor authentication, and monitor financial statements.

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Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Students from Skyline and Idaho Falls High Schools walked out of class Thursday afternoon, joining a statewide wave of youth-led protests against recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions.

Organized through the Instagram account @skylineandifwalkout2026, the demonstration follows similar student-led actions that began earlier this month in Boise and Twin Falls. On Thursday, a crowd of students lined the Broadway Bridge in downtown Idaho Falls, waving the Mexican flag and holding handmade signs as cars passed.

School administrators in Idaho Falls School District 91 and Bonneville Joint School District 93 spoke with us last week, clarifying their stance on the demonstrations, emphasizing that while they recognize First Amendment rights, they don’t organize, sponsor, or endorse any protest or walkout activity.

“We don’t have a separate policy or procedure for walkouts,” said Bonneville District 93 Superintendent Dr. Scott Woolstenhulme. “Really, what we have is just our typical attendance policy.”

District 91 officials issued a similar warning to families, noting that First Amendment rights do not extend to conduct that “disrupts the educational process or interferes with instruction.”

According to district policy, any student who leaves campus without prior approval will be marked with an unexcused absence. Both districts have confirmed they will use automated attendance systems to send real-time notifications to parents if a student is missing from their afternoon classes.

“Maintaining a safe, orderly, and focused learning environment for all students remains our priority,” District 91 stated.

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Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Meridian Police is searching for a suspect who crashed a stolen ambulance from a local hospital late Wednesday night before crashing it into a building currently leased by the Department of Homeland Security. Police have now learned the suspect attempted to set the vehicle on fire after the crash.

In an afternoon press conference, Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea revealed new details, stating that the suspect poured accelerant both inside and outside the ambulance after crashing it into the North Portico building. Investigators believe the suspect intended to ignite the vehicle but fled when interrupted by responding officers.

Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea, Press Conference Screenshot

“This was absolutely an act of violence,” Chief Basterrechea said. “If the suspect had not been interrupted, there is no doubt that this building would have been burned, putting the lives of first responders and others at risk.”

Incident Background

The incident began around 11:10 p.m. on Wednesday when an unknown individual stole an unoccupied Canyon County Paramedics ambulance from the St. Luke’s West facility. Chief Basterrechea says the suspect then drove the vehicle through the parking lot to retrieve gas cans that had been staged in nearby vegetation before driving directly into the building housing the DHS offices.

While the suspect successfully doused the scene with accelerants, they were scared off by responding agencies before they could ignite the fuel.

Chief Basterrechea emphasized the seriousness of the criminal act, refferencing the online rhetoric surrounding the Department of Homeland Security leasing office space at this location.

“Comments on social media such as ‘Property damage isn’t violence’ are absolutely false,” said Basterrechea. “The theft and destruction of an emergency vehicle not only created risk to responding personnel, but it also temporarily removed a critical medical resource from the community.”

The Meridian Police Department is currently leading a multi-agency investigation alongside the FBI, DHS, and Idaho State Police. While authorities believe there is no ongoing threat to the public, the suspect remains at large. Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Meridian Police Department at 208-888-6678.

This is a developing story. Local News 8 will provide additional details following the press conference.

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News Release

The following is a news release from the Idaho Transportation Department:

BLACKFOOT, Idaho — The Idaho Transportation Department is moving forward with plans to replace the damaged Riverton Road Bridge in Blackfoot, which was damaged in October when a semi crashed into one of the support pillars. The Idaho Transportation Board passed a resolution today allocating $10 million to fund the project.

ITD evaluated multiple repair options, including full replacement. While many factors were considered, plans to widen Interstate 15 between Exits 89 and 93 in the future played a role in the decision.

“Though widening of the freeway between Exits 89 and 93 is not funded for construction at this time, we know that’s what will be needed in the future,” District Engineer Todd Hubbard said. “We have to fix the damage, and if we’re going to invest in the bridge right now, we need to be forward-thinking and ensure it’s compatible with future plans.”  

Work will begin this spring with the demolition of the old bridge. The new bridge is expected to be completed this fall.

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Ariel Jensen

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) — This morning, Feb. 19, around a dozen tractors made their way to Rigby High School, all driven by students. It’s the 8th annual Partnership with Producers Tractor Drive. This is an FFA student-organized event to advocate for production agriculture in our urbanizing community.

Keylee Harris, a junior at Rigby High School and vice president of the strengthening ag committee at the Rigby FFA, helped organize the event. She says it’s important that our community knows about the importance of agriculture. 

“So I think this is beneficial for me, as I’m a farmer, to let other people know what we do. But also it’s important to know, like, to grow our future generations to ensure production agriculture stays going,” said Harris.

After the tractor drive, students got to have breakfast with fellow farmers. They plan to do this again next year. 

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Seth Ratliff

CUSTER COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — A 75-year-old Custer County man will spend up to two decades in prison after being caught in the act of viewing child pornography. On February 10th, 2026, William Don Lindburg was sentenced following a multi-agency investigation led by the Idaho Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit.

Investigation Background

The investigation into Lindburg began in March 2025 after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent a “CyberTip” to local law enforcement, flagging a piece of child sex abuse material later linked to Lindburg’s IP address.

In late May, law enforcement obtained search warrants for Lindburg’s home, vehicles, and digital devices. According to court documents, investigators found Lindburg actively viewing the material on his computer at the moment they entered. Lindburg reportedly admitted to officers that they would find “thousands of images” on his devices.

The search confirmed a massive collection of files, many depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as two years old.

Sentencing Details

Initially charged with 10 counts of Possession of Child Sexually Exploitative Material, Lindburg later agreed to plead guilty on two counts in November 2025.

Judge Simpson sentenced to a total unified sentence of twenty years in prison with four years fixed and sixteen years indeterminate. In accordance with Idaho law, Lindburg will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Following the sentencing, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador praised the collaboration between Deputy Attorneys General Monn, Gourley, and Young, as well as the local and specialized investigators on the case.

“Protecting Idaho families is the driving mission of this office in everything we do,” said Labrador. “Their dedication ensures that those who are caught exploiting children in Idaho are prosecuted and put behind bars.”

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