Author: KIFI

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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Maggie Moore

Idaho Falls, IDAHO (KIFI) – With school out and sunshine, it’s time for summertime travel. But, this year the Idaho Falls Regional Airport will be a tight squeeze as it faces the second busiest summer travel season ever.

Growth is the theme at IDA as it prepares to expand to fit the growing travel needs. They’re adding new flights, updating parking systems, and starting the groundwork for a terminal expansion.

“This building is at capacity in just about every way you can imagine,” airport director Ian Turner said. “The most critical function of that is screening bags, and so that’s kind of item number one that we’re addressing. We also have interest from additional airlines to fly to Idaho Falls, and so those are top-level pieces of this expansion that we’re looking at.”

But expanding isn’t an overnight process, and in the meantime, travelers will need to adjust their plans to fit the airport’s current capacity.

Turner said that it’s essential to get to the airport 2 hours before your flight, even at smaller airports like Idaho Falls.

“It’s not the checkpoint at this point that’s going to be constrained, it’s bag screening,” Turner said. “When you check your bag at the ticket counter, you expect it to get to your destination. If you’re not allowing it enough time to get through that screening process you run that risk of having it show up after the fact, and nobody likes that.”

Other ways to make travel easier is by checking into your flight ahead of time online, having your REAL ID out and ready for TSA before you get to the podium, and pack light. The less bags you need to check, the easier it will be to get in and out of the airport.

“Growth that we’ve had is fantastic to address, but it takes some work. It it can’t all happen all at once. We’re we’re dealing with government processes that can take months, a year, two years, or more to put into place. So we just ask for people’s patience,” Turner said.

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CNN Newsource

By Pat Reavy

Click here for updates on this story

MANORLANDS, Summit County (KSL) — The Summit County Sheriff’s Office is calling the death of a 2-year-old boy in the Uinta Mountains over the weekend a “tragic accident.”

The sheriff’s office received a report of a missing boy in the Manorlands area, about 50 miles east of Kamas, on Saturday at about 10:15 a.m.

“At approximately 11:15 a.m., a civilian in the area located the child unresponsive in a runoff or drainage channel near Highway 150. The child was transported by ground ambulance to a hospital in Wyoming and later transferred to a Salt Lake-area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased,” the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators say the boy, whose name has not been released, had been in a fifth-wheel camper trailer with family members. He was found about a mile downstream from the family’s campsite.

“At this time, there is no indication that the incident is anything other than a tragic accident,” the sheriff’s office said. “The Summit County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest condolences to the family during this incredibly difficult time. Our hearts are with them as they grieve this heartbreaking loss.”

Please note: 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.

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Seth Ratliff

JACKSON, WYO. (KIFI) — Travelers heading through the Hoback Canyon, be prepared for some brief stops starting tomorrow, Wednesday, June 18. The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) will begin essential maintenance on its avalanche infrastructure along Highway 189/191, leading to intermittent road closures.

WYDOT crews will be using helicopters to perform general maintenance on the remote avalanche control systems, known as O’Bellx units, in the Stinking Springs area of Hoback Canyon. These specialized units play a critical role in keeping the roadway safe during the winter months.

“These units use explosions to trigger smaller, controlled avalanches to prevent dangerous, uncontrolled conditions,” explains Don Lawless, WYDOT Avalanche Supervisor. “The O’Bellx units are remotely operated by computer and are installed and removed by helicopter.”

For the safety of both the public and WYDOT personnel, the road will be closed for up to 30 minutes at a time during the maintenance operations. The closures are scheduled to happen between 6:30 AM and 7:30 PM. Roadside flaggers will be on site to control traffic and guide motorists through the area.

Motorists are advised to plan for potential delays and exercise caution when traveling through Hoback Canyon during these maintenance periods.

For more information and to stay up to date on the road closure, click HERE.

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Seth Ratliff

JACKSON, WYO. (KIFI) — Wildland firefighters are actively working to suppress multiple wildfires within the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Monday, June 16, crews discovered the Ski Fire, a relatively small blaze estimated at one-tenth of an acre, burning near Ski Lake. The cause of the Ski Fire remains under investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, but the blaze is reportedly visible from the town of Jackson.

The Ski Fire: Courtesy, U.S. Forest Service-Bridger-Teton National Forest 

Late Monday evening, a crew of 10 firefighters began working to attack the fire with a single engine, aided by a type 3 helicopter. The fire has not impacted any roads or trails, and crews say the fire danger for the Bridger-Teton is Moderate.

Meanwhile, crews are continuing to battle the lightning-caused Horse Fire in another area of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. 110 firefighters are reportedly working to contain and put out the 950-acre fire.

Crews are currently working on establishing control lines and report that the fire danger is now moderate for the area.

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Phillip Willis

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Chairman of Senate Education, Dave Lent, held a meeting to discuss the future of education in Idaho. Local scholarship leaders and six Idaho State Legislators met this afternoon to re-imagine a system- a system they say currently does not meet the needs of students.

The event was hosted at the College of Eastern Idaho, and was organized by Dave Lent and Idaho State Representative Britt Raybould.

The meeting was geared toward brainstorming ideas for the future, with questions about not just how to meet current metrics, but if the current standards we use to judge our current school system are ideal.

Senator Lent lightly touched on the current state of education policy to open the meeting. He spoke on how recent legislative changes have caused a lack of oversight concerning tax dollars going toward “private and religious schools”, and on how our current education system follows the Carnegie model.

“If you were to imagine what a system in our state could be and how it would best serve our students and our public, what would that look like?” says Senator Lent.

There were school board members and other local education leaders who were in attendance. One shared a quote from a local mother who is concerned about her child:

“So one Idaho mom recently, told me- she said ‘grades are only important because they’re the vehicle to opportunity. But if my son isn’t stimulated, if he’s not seen, challenged, or inspired, he shuts down. He might be brilliant, but without the right system, he’s at a risk of becoming a shell of an unfullfilled potential.'” – Jamie Braithwaite

The first meeting of the “Idaho Public Education Coalition” was on April 2nd in Boise. There will be more meetings in the coming months. Towards the end of July, leaders will gather in northern Idaho. In September, the coalition will revisit Boise. Finally in October, they will go through the suggestions and data collected to better determine what legislative policy will best serve the community.

More information about the “Imagine Excellence” initiative can be found here.

To participate in a survey to help the initiative, follow this link.

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