Author: KIFI

Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce 4th of July Parade kicks off at 9 AM, marking the 249th birthday of the United States of America. The parade will start near Idaho Falls High School, continue down 4th Street, and make its way south on Boulevard to Tautphaus Park.

Local New 8’s Livestream of the pareade is recorded above.

For information on road closures and safety guidelines, click HERE.

The City of Idaho Falls will once again be teaming up with the Community Food Basket in the 4th of July parade this year. Mayor Rebecca Casper, members of the city council, and volunteers will be collecting donations along the parade route tomorrow.

They are asking for monetary donations this year, in place of canned food donations. The team will accept cash and digital contributions through Venmo. For more information, click HERE.

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News Team

AMMON, Idaho (KIFI) — Falls Water customers in Ammon and Iona are boiling mad over a proposed rate increase that could see their bills jump by nearly 50%. This significant hike comes even as residents are reportedly using less water, fueling widespread frustration among the 6,833 residential and commercial customers northeast of Idaho Falls in Bonneville County.

Barbra Summerhill is a Falls Water customer. She says this would be the second rate hike in as many years, “I have been extremely upset about Falls Water’s plan to raise water rates again, just a year after doing a price hike. Last year, they raised our rates while at the same time lowering our allotted water usage.  Here we go again.  I have a family of four and we hit our allotment each month plus some.  That leaves us zero room for watering our lawn.  Before, we were allotted 12,000 gallons a month.  They cut us down to 8,000.  With this proposed rate hike, they want to raise rates another 34%.

Summerhill goes on to say Falls Water was sold and that’s when the water woes started. “Falls Water sold to NW Natural Water, which is part of NW Natural Holdings, all based in Portland. A greedy utility conglomerate that only cares about profit and not the locals here. Why should we allow this rate hike when they can’t maintain our water as it is? We’ve had multiple drops in pressure requiring boil orders and when I’ve called to discuss it with the local management, I was met with anger from them simply because I was upset.”

She hopes people in the Ammon area who are under the Falls Water utility will show up at the public hearing and make their voices heard. “Please show up and fight this with the Public Utilities Commission at the open hearing for the public.  It’s the only way our voices are heard to fight utility companies. This rate hike needs to be declined by the PUC.”

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has stepped in to address the public outcry. They’ve scheduled a public hearing for next Thursday, July 10th, to hear directly from affected customers.

The meeting will be held at the Idaho Falls Regional Fish and Game office, located at 4279 Commerce Circle, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

If you wish to testify in person, plan to arrive by 3:45 PM. The hearing will conclude once all customer testimony has been heard, so early arrival is encouraged.

For those unable to attend in person, written comments are being accepted until the end of today, July 3rd. Make sure to submit your feedback promptly to ensure it’s considered. To comment electronically, visit puc.idaho.gov and click on the “Case Comment Form” link on the upper left side of the page.

If you’d like to listen to the hearing remotely, you can do so by calling 1-415-655-0001 and entering meeting number 2866 747 4789 when prompted.

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Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – The city of Idaho Falls has agreed to support the Community Food Basket in the 4th of July parade again this year.

Mayor Rebecca Casper, members of the city council, and volunteers will be collecting donations along the parade route tomorrow.

They are asking for monetary donations this year, in place of canned food donations. 

The team will accept cash and digital contributions through Venmo. 

The community food basket says this year, they really need the donations.  

“We just run some numbers last week, and we are down 160,000 pounds last year the same time frame to this year, but serving more people. And we’re just struggling. We never want to have to tell someone who really needs food that we don’t have it,” said Ariel Jackson, executive director of the Community Food Basket. “Donations from grocery stores are down, donations from the community are down because people are just trying to maintain themselves. And it’s hard to give. But we could really use the support of the community right now.”

Volunteers will also hand out flyers featuring the community food basket’s “most needed items,” along with a QR code linking to their Venmo for quick and easy electronic giving.

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News Release

The following is a press release from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Bonneville County Sheriff’s Deputies are mobilizing through the holiday weekend to intercept intoxicated motorists. Partnering with the Office of Highway Safety for this event helps place extra Deputies on our roads during the 4th of July weekend who can look for and respond to reports of drunk drivers. 

 Far too many of area fatalities and serious injury crashes involve impaired drivers. Tragedies that can be avoided if people celebrate responsibly and avoid getting behind the wheel if they’ve been drinking or using drugs. Making the smart choice to plan for a safe ride home in your weekend events only takes a moment, which could mean the difference between enjoying more life moments in the future and permanently stopping them. 

Don’t risk it, celebrate responsibly, help your friends and family celebrate responsibly. If you suspect someone is driving a vehicle while impaired, contact your local Law Enforcement and be a good witness. 

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Ariel Jensen

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) – The fourth of July will be a busy day for a lot of people, but especially for 9-1-1 dispatchers.

Every year on the Fourth of July, the number one 9-1-1 calls are about fireworks complaints. 

This is a real issue for the officers in dispatch. The 4th of July is a day when they also get a lot of calls for life and death emergencies. 

Jefferson County says there are only so many 911 lines that come through the dispatch center. So, if you are calling 9-1-1 and there’s a major emergency, those 9-1-1 lines could be tied up, preventing you from reporting the emergency.

“It’s always a big deal around here. We have a huge celebration in Menan. There are celebrations all throughout the valley. And if you don’t have an emergency, please don’t call 911. We don’t want to discourage anybody from calling in reporting things, but we also don’t want to tie up those 911 lines and cause problems for real emergencies,” said Jennifer Fullmer, Jefferson County Sheriff PIO.

If you absolutely need to make a complaint about fireworks noise, they ask that you call their non-emergency line.

That number is 208-745-9210 ext.7

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News Release

The following is a news release from Grand Teton National Park:

MOOSE, Wyo.— A 30-year-old man from El Paso, Texas, drowned in Jackson Lake near Swim Beach in the Colter Bay area of Grand Teton National Park on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 2.

Rangers responded around 5 p.m. after Teton Interagency Dispatch received a 911 call reporting a person in distress in the water. CPR had been initiated when rangers arrived on scene. Rangers continued CPR for approximately one hour but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

The man was stand-up paddleboarding when a storm moved through the area, producing strong winds and waves. He was not wearing a life jacket and became separated from his paddleboard.

The incident serves as a reminder of the hazards of recreating on open water in mountain environments. Park officials urge all visitors to:

·                     Always wear a life jacket, regardless of your swimming ability.

Be prepared for cold water temperatures, even in summer.

Keep a close eye on the weather. Conditions can change quickly in the mountains.

The incident remains under investigation. No additional information is available at this time.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– United Way has released its updated 2025 report cataloguing the number of people in Idaho classified as ‘asset limited, income constrained, and employed’ (ALICE) around the state.

Mikala Peterson, director of donor and community engagement with United Way of Southeastern Idaho, said ALICE households live above the Federal Poverty Line (and do not qualify for federal or state aid) but are at risk of financial ruin if faced with a major expense like an unexpected medical bill or car repair.

“ALICE is the backbone of your community,” said Peterson. “Those are going to be your teachers, your childcare providers, people who work at gas stations, your grocery store clerks, anybody who is struggling to survive, and those types of jobs have to be in place.”

According to United Way’s ‘State of Alice: 2025 Update on Financial Hardship’ report, out of Idaho’s 721,351 households, 10% make below the Federal Poverty Line ($30,000 annually for a family of four) based on report data from 2023.

Another 31% of Idaho households fall into ALICE, making less than the estimated $80,000 required annually to support a family of four based on costs of housing, childcare, food, and other necessities.

A total of 41% of households in Idaho live below the ALICE threshold as of 2023.

To view the full report and find links to area resources, you can visit United Way of Southeastern Idaho’s website.

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho Falls Firefighters are raising funds to support the families of the North Idaho firefighters gunned down while responding to a brush fire on Canfield Mountain, near Coeur d’Alene.

“Our thoughts are with those affected, and we stand with our fellow firefighters during this incredibly difficult time,” said the Idaho Falls Fire Department in a post on Facebook.

The fundraiser, created on GoFundMe on July 1st, has already raised over $600 as of Thursday, July 3rd. Their goal is to raise $25,000 for the families of Frank Harwood and John Morrison.

Left: John Morrison, Battalion Chief with Coeur d’Alene Fire Department, Right: Frank J. Harwood, Battalion Chief with Kootenai County Fire & Rescue

“If you’re able, please consider donating or sharing the fundraiser to show your support. Every contribution helps these families and honors the bravery and sacrifice of those who serve,” said the post.

For more information or to donate to the Idaho Falls Firefighters I.A.F.F. Local 1565 fundraiser, click HERE.

Tunnel to Towers Foundation Offers Major Support

In another significant show of support, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation announced on Thursday its plans to pay off the mortgages for the homes of both Harwood and Morrison’s families.

The foundation, established in honor of Stephen Siller, a New York Fire Department firefighter and 9/11 first responder, has a long-standing mission of providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children since 2001.

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News Release

The following is a press release from the Idaho Environmental Coalition:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) crews recently completed a significant achievement by successfully transferring 40 spent nuclear fuel baskets into safer, long term storage vaults.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) contractor Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC) finished the final transfer — moving spent nuclear fuel from older, first-generation vaults to new, second-generation vaults — several months ahead of schedule.

Former IEC Senior Project Director Ken Brewer, who retired late last month, attributed this achievement to the project’s highly skilled and experienced workforce. He also noted the team’s ability to work efficiently and at a well-managed pace, helping ensure worker safety.

“I am incredibly proud of our team for completing this project. Their professionalism, technical skill and relentless commitment to safety made all the difference,” Brewer said. “By completing these transfers, they have fulfilled a vital commitment to the DOE and add to a legacy of stewardship that Idahoans can be proud of.”

The baskets contain spent nuclear fuel from the Peach Bottom Atomic Station, Unit 1, which was shipped to the Idaho National Laboratory Site from Pennsylvania following the station’s closure in 1974.

The Peach Bottom transfer project was Brewer’s final endeavor at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC). He worked there for 40 years before retiring and was involved in the Peach Bottom transfer project from its inception.

“The completion of this project continues to demonstrate the Department’s commitment to the state of Idaho and our ability to be a leader in President Trump and Secretary Wright’s mission to reinvigorate the nuclear industrial base,” ICP acting Manager Nicholas Balsmeier said. “Mr. Brewer completed his career at INTEC, leaving behind a culture focused on safety and progress that will continue well beyond his retirement.”

EM initiated the transfers in 2021 after routine monitoring of the fuel revealed elevated hydrogen levels in the first-generation vaults, raising concerns about potential corrosion to the fuel baskets.

The second-generation vaults mitigate that risk through engineered improvements, including sumps that purge water and a support rod-and-plate system that reinforces the fuel baskets. The result is a more stable and controlled long term storage configuration that enhances safety.

The Peach Bottom fuel will remain in dry storage until it is packaged and shipped from Idaho for permanent disposal.

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