Author: KIFI

News Team

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Just a few weeks ago, Pocatello residents enjoyed the ISU Homecoming Parade, and this weekend they were treated again with the 4th annual veteran’s parade.

The Veterans of the American Legion Post 4 have coordinated the parade to honor veterans in the area from all six branches of the military for the past four years. The event has become a staple and a tradition for families in Pocatello.

Local Joel Holverson said it’s important he bring his children to the parade to show them the importance of honoring the veterans who served our country as well as celebrating the flag itself.

The ISU marching band and color guard led today’s parade with their performances. Color guard captain Emilia Giokas said it’s an amazing opportunity for the students of ISU to walk alongside our local veterans and interact with the community.

The parade ended at Caldwell Park, where hundreds of community members lined the street to catch the last of the flying candy.

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News Team

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The 15th annual fall bazaar and craft fair brought in thousands from around the area today at Bonneville High School.

Vendors sold everything from homemade treats to holiday home decor and clothing. Vendor Beth Milligan has been selling for 25 years. She and her family spend the year creating holiday-themed home decor and look forward to interacting with customers and selling at the bazaar.

Other artists do their work live at the craft fair, so customers can watch them create. 14-year-old Naarya Noel has been painting for two years and sells her nature and animal paintings at the fall bazaar. Another artist offered live graphite portraits, which took her just minutes to sketch.

The venue was bustling all day with families doing their holiday shopping and mother-daughter duos out for a fun afternoon. Other handmade goods included woodwork, crochet animals, baby clothing, backpacks, handbags and plenty of locally crafted wines and pastries.

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News Team

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — The Fairway Condominiums Complex in Pocatello flooded early Friday morning as a result of a main pipeline bursting.

A representative from Axium Properties, who manages the Fairway units, told us the property has experienced plumbing issues in the past because of the buildings’ old age. Only one of the units had significant water inside, leaving the tenants evacuated for a couple of hours.

Otherwise, there was only wet carpet found in the hallways of one Fairway building. By mid-afternoon, Roto Rooter Plumbing of Pocatello had pumped the water out of the building and everyone was returned to their units.

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Phillip Willis

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Winnie and Mo’s Bookshop hosted a book release party for “Energy and Nothingness” by Kevin Vallejo.

“I hope that through this book, I can invite more people into being curious about what our universe is made of,” Vallejo said.

Vallejo attained his Ph.D in Material Science from Boise State, with an emphasis on semiconductor physics. His passion for the craft drove him to write poetry about it. You can see more of his work on his website here.

Vallejo says he was inspired to write “Energy and Nothingness” by a thesis that he never finished. He reports having spent countless hours on an academic piece that tried to answer the question “What is energy?”

The thesis, as it turns out, was not required to complete the requirements for his undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at El Paso. But he cites his study of energy as something fundamentally transformative.

You can buy the book “Energy and Nothingness” at Winnie and Mo’s Bookshop, or online here.

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Stephanie Lucas

Idaho Falls, Idaho (KIFI)- Roughly three-quarters of American cities hold non-partisan city council and mayoral elections, or, where candidates do not provide a political party affiliation beside their names on the ballot. But in Idaho, that could soon change.

Idaho Republican Party Chairwoman Dorothy Moon says it is time to put an “R” or “D” by candidates’ names, and ending nonpartisan municipal elections will be a topic in the 2026 Legislative Session.

Are Idaho’s City Council Races Already Partisan?

Chairwoman Moon argues that local races are already partisan in practice, despite the current format, asserting that numerous conservative groups are already vetting and rating local candidates based on their perceived Republican alignment.

 “I think it’s obvious that they are partisan, even though they’re called nonpartisan,” said Moon. “We have a lot of groups, even within the Republican Party central committees, who do rating and vetting on different candidates. And I think it’s important if we’re already rating and putting information out for the ‘Conservatives Ofs’ groups or Magic Valley Liberty Alliance or Stand Up for Idaho, all of these different groups are already rating and identifying folks as either being Republican or Democrat.”

According to Moon, State Representative Chris Bruce from District 23 A plans on sponsoring a bill in the upcoming session that calls for partisan elections for local offices. The issue is also scheduled for discussion at the GOP Winter Meeting on January 9th and 10th, 2025.

Democrats Argue Nonpartisan Races Force Focus on Local Issues

On the other side of the political aisle, Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Nocochea defends the nonpartisan system, arguing it forces candidates to focus on local issues and solutions rather than relying on party affiliation.

“I think what was so great about the nonpartisan elections we saw in Idaho last week is that candidates focused on the issues,” she said. “They had to explain to voters what they were going to do, what solutions they proposed, and they couldn’t just use a shortcut of, ‘I’m with this party. Vote for me.’ And that was true for candidates who, you know, when it comes to voting for partisan elections, they vote Democrat or Republican.”

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Ariel Jensen

ST. ANTHONY, Idaho (KIFI) — When a fundraiser goal fell just shy, three inmates refused to let their elderly friends down. Instead, they rallied their entire work camp community to cover the gap.

A local business is recognizing these St. Anthony Work Camp residents for proving that the path to redemption won’t be shackled by past mistakes.

Three St. Anthony Work Camp residents teamed with Targhee Brands in Rexburg for a beef jerky fundraiser.

With early success in sales, they made an impromptu promise to give $1,200 of their earnings to the St. Anthony Senior Center, but fell short. 

When coming to terms with how they’d break the news to their elderly friends, Targhee Brands says the inmates refused to let failure be an option. The trio rallied support from fellow residents serving time at the work camp to make up the difference and succeeded in delivering the full amount.

“This is an incredible story of redemption and resolve,” said Targhee Brands manager Tanner Penrod. “From individuals who were previously defined by taking from society, they were inspired to go above and beyond to give back. The generosity of the St. Anthony Work Camp community was a testament to the powerful potential for change.”

The amount promised to the Senior Center is donated to give them a memorable Thanksgiving. 

In compliance with the Idaho Department of Corrections, we are not able to release the names of the three inmates at this time.

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Crews with Idaho Falls Power are responding to a power outage currently affecting 20 customers in the area bordered by Ray Street, Grace Avenue, and Lola Street following an incident involving a dump truck late Friday morning.

According to the energy provider, the truck collided with and knocked down a utility pole on Friday, November 7th, pulling down other poles, primary and secondary lines, as well as transformers in the area.

Initially, around 30 homes were without power. As of 1 PM Friday afternoon, the energy company has restored power to around 10 homes. In a post on Facebook, Idaho Falls Power estimated it would take around 10 to 12 hours from the initial outage to restore full power.

For updates or more info, click HERE.

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Danielle Mullenix

Pocatello, Idaho (KIFI) — The Federal Aviation Administration’s plan to slash airline capacity is already affecting flights in Southeast Idaho.

As of this morning, Delta Airlines has informed Pocatello Regional Airport that Delta Flight 3702 has been canceled. This cancellation is a result of the FAA’s recent decision to reduce air capacity by 10% due to the ongoing government shutdown.

According to Delta’s website, all cancellations through Sunday have been programmed, but decisions about flights on Monday and beyond have not yet been made. The federal administration’s plan to cut airline capacity may continue to impact local airports and affect travelers’ flight plans in the days ahead.

Because of the ongoing government shutdown, flight capacity will be reduced by 10% at 40 major airports nationwide, with 4% of these flight reductions starting today, affecting flights from 6 AM to 10 PM.

This is the FAA’s temporary response to the risks related to air traffic control staffing shortages. TSA workers have now entered their fourth week of work without pay.

With just three weeks remaining until Thanksgiving, airlines are working quickly to offer refunds and alternatives to millions of passengers. American Airlines and United Airlines are allowing their customers to cancel or reschedule flights if they prefer not to travel during this unprecedented time.

Travelers are encouraged to monitor their upcoming travel plans to avoid stress caused by changing flight schedules.

It’s advisable to check flight status before heading to the airport. Turn on flight alerts on your phone to receive notifications about updates regarding your flight. Be sure to read and understand the airline’s refund policy.

Additionally, the Department of Transportation Dashboard provides resources to keep you informed about TSA communications at your airport.

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Seth Ratliff

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — Drivers in Blackfoot — listen up! A major road closure is coming next week.

Starting Monday, November 10th, a section of West Bridge Street will be shut down to allow crews to upgrade a sewer lift station connecting to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The closure is expected to last through Thursday, affecting traffic from Parkway Drive, Doud Street, and the frontage road, plus drivers coming into town off Highway 39.

Courtesy: City of Blackfoot via Facebook

Local businesses will still have access, but drivers are being told to expect detours, delays, and slowdowns while that work gets done.

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CNN Newsource

By Devan Cole, Tami Luhby, CNN

(CNN) — The Trump administration is asking a federal appeals court to pause a judge’s order that requires the government to fully cover food stamp benefits for tens of millions of Americans in November.

The emergency request made Friday morning to the First Circuit Court of Appeals comes a day after a federal judge in Rhode Island said the US Department of Agriculture must find additional money to make the payments, rejecting the administration’s decision to only partially fund the food benefits program this month.

The Justice Department, which represents the USDA in court, told the Boston-based appeals court that US District Judge John McConnell had overstepped his authority when he issued his order Thursday afternoon.

McConnell’s decision, DOJ attorneys wrote in court papers, “has thrust the Judiciary into the ongoing shutdown negotiations and may well have the effect of extending the lapse in appropriations, exacerbating the problem that the court was misguidedly trying to mitigate.”

“This unprecedented injunction makes a mockery of the separation of powers. Courts hold neither the power to appropriate nor the power to spend,” they wrote. “There is no lawful basis for an order that directs USDA to somehow find $4 billion in the metaphorical couch cushions.”

Earlier this week, the USDA provided enough funding to states, which administer the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to cover partial benefits for November, after McConnell ordered the agency to do so last week. That order was also appealed to the First Circuit.

McConnell said on Thursday that the administration must provide the additional funding by the end of Friday. The administration is asking the appeals court to intervene by 4pm ET Friday.

States have been processing the partial food stamp payments on varying timelines, with several saying beneficiaries may start getting their assistance next week and others saying it could take much longer. Illinois said it will begin distributing the funds on Friday to those who were scheduled to get their benefits earlier in the month, while others will receive theirs on time.

Nearly 42 million Americans receive food stamps, with payments distributed on a staggered schedule throughout the month.

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