Author: KIFI

News Release

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – Starting this year, Yellowstone National Park will extend the fishing season on three rivers in the park. The following waterways, located in the west side of the park, will open May 1 for fishing access, weeks in advance of the standard fishing season:

Firehole River (see map): The Firehole River and all associated tributaries downstream to the confluence with the Gibbon River at Madison Junction.

Gibbon River (see map): The Gibbon River and all associated tributaries from the bridge on the Grand Loop Road at the Norris Campground entrance downstream to the confluence with the Firehole River at Madison Junction.

Madison River (see map): The Madison River and all associated tributaries from the Montana-Wyoming state line upstream to the confluence with the Gibbon and Firehole rivers at Madison Junction.

The Madison River from the Montana-Wyoming state line downstream to the park boundary near the West Entrance in West Yellowstone, Montana, is open to fishing year-round (see map).

The fishing season on these sections of the Firehole, Gibbon, and Madison rivers will end Oct. 31, the same date as the standard fishing season in the park. Temporary, partial, or full fishing closures typically occur later in the fishing season on these three waterways due to warm water temperatures and low river flows. The earlier opening date of May 1 will align fishing access with more optimal angling and water conditions. No adverse impacts to the fisheries are anticipated with this extension. Water temperature and flow data for park waterways is available at Water Data for the Nation.

Most other fishing areas in the park will continue to be available during the standard fishing season, which is from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through Oct. 31 each year. Learn more about fishing in Yellowstone, including information about fishing areas, regulations, and permits.

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Ryan Suppe

Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on January 26, 2026

By: Ryan Suppe

BOISE, Idaho (IdahoEdNews) — State agency budget cuts could deepen to 5% for the current fiscal year and next fiscal year.

Leaders of the Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) told agency directors Monday to make plans for additional across-the-board spending cuts at 1% and 2%, according to a memo obtained by Idaho Education News. 

These would be in addition to the 3% cuts that Gov. Brad Little made through an executive order last year. 

Sen. C. Scott Grow and Rep. Josh Tanner — JFAC’s Republican co-chairs from Eagle — are “evaluating options to balance the statewide budget,” and “one of those options is to further reduce budgets,” the memo said. Keith Bybee, chief budget analyst for the Legislative Services Office, delivered the message on behalf of the co-chairs. 

Like Little’s directive last year, the additional statewide cuts would apply to fiscal year 2026, which ends June 30, and fiscal year 2027, which starts July 1. The potential reductions would also exempt K-12 public schools, but not higher education.

Sen. Scott Grow and Rep. Josh Tanner at a JFAC meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Sean Dolan/EdNews)

A 5% cut would save the state $147.2 million in FY 2026, about $31 million more than the ongoing reductions recommended by the Republican governor, according to a spreadsheet attached to Monday’s memo. Click here to read it.

During his State of the State address Jan. 12, Little proposed a hodgepodge of one-time and ongoing cuts and fund transfers to address slowing tax revenue this fiscal year and a looming shortfall next fiscal year. But he didn’t recommend increasing his 3% across-the-board cuts to agency budgets.

Tanner, the newly appointed co-chair of the budget-setting committee, criticized the governor’s proposed budget for not making enough ongoing cuts and for relying on narrow margins on the bottom lines of two annual budgets that lawmakers must balance this legislative session. Little recommended ending balances of about $32 million in FY 2026 and $25 million for FY 2027. 

Tanner told EdNews Monday that additional cuts would allow for larger carryover balances. They would also make room for the cost of conforming to federal tax changes in President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

On Friday, Idaho lawmakers introduced a bill that pegs the cost of conformity at $155 million, a mid-range estimate from the Idaho State Tax Commission. While the governor used the same estimate, he recommended implementing the tax changes in FY 2027, and the new bill would enact them immediately, cutting into state revenue this fiscal year. 

“There’s still a lot of unknowns,” Tanner said by phone. 

A spokesperson for Little did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

Gov. Brad Little delivers the 2026 State of the State address. (Sean Dolan/EdNews)

Grow and Tanner set a Friday deadline for the budget reduction plans. They told agency directors to: 

“Identify how budget reductions will affect the current workforce and whether additional reductions will necessitate formal reductions in force, furloughs, or both.

Identity when affected programs were added to the budget.

Identify if an essential service is affected.

Identify efficiencies.”

Tanner confirmed that K-12 would be exempt. But colleges and universities, along with other education-related state agencies, would not be immune.

The memo shows that colleges and universities would altogether face up to $9 million in additional annual cuts — on top of the $13.5 million reduction from Little’s executive order. 

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David Pace

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Christian nationalism was the topic of discussion at a public forum hosted by the Idaho Falls City Club Tuesday evening in Idaho Falls.

NPR podcaster and Boise State Public Radio contributor Heath Druzin has covered Christian nationalist movements in his “Extremely American” podcast since 2021.

Watch the whole forum below:

Druzin focused on Christ Church, led by pastor Doug Wilson in Moscow, Idaho, which he said meets the definition of a Christian nationalist church.

“When I’m talking about Christian nationalists, I’m talking about people who want a theocracy in America,” Druzin said. “They want the government to be explicitly run by Christian principles in the way that they interpret the Bible. In almost every case – the folks I talk to – it means that Christians and only Christians run the country. So, I’m not talking about Christianity. I’m talking about a movement, a specific movement. I’m talking about a movement that wants theocracy.”

Christ Church has risen to prominence, as U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth attends an affiliated church that is part of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. According to Druzin, Hegseth has stated Wilson’s books have influenced him.

Druzin said Christian nationalists believe that non-Christians, as they define them (including Catholics, Jews and Latter-day Saints), should not be able to run for public office and that women should not be allowed to vote in elections.

“My biggest concerns honestly, are, you know, seeing a Christian nationalist movement kind of take hold. you know, in the sense that, like, foregoing the separation of church and state that I believe our, our Constitution, our founding fathers built this country, this nation on,” said Patrik Roderer, who attended the event. ”Seeing that potentially erode into a theocracy is definitely something that I’m concerned about.”

National Public Radio’s ‘Extremely American’ podcaster Heath Druzin talks about Christian nationalism at the Downtown Event Center Tuesday in Idaho Falls.

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Par Kermani

SAINT ANTHONY, Idaho (KIFI) — For the Crain family, a casual afternoon spent scrolling through Instagram led to a journey of healing on one of America’s most iconic game show stages.

The Crains, well known in their community for local businesses ranging from a straw maze to a heating company, are staples of Saint Anthony. They never dreamed of making it on national television.

“I just filled out the paperwork,” said Kierra Barnard, who submitted the application after seeing an advertisement online. “I submitted the paperwork, forgot about it, and three weeks later, I get the email that we’re interested in you”.

Behind the excitement, a dark cloud cast a shadow of grief. A few years earlier, one of the Crain children, Garrett, tragically took his own life.

Family Feud provided a bonding moment for the family to help heal the wounds of their major loss. Barnard recalled watching Family Feud with Garrett and her other brothers at their grandmother’s house during their childhood. She even mentioned the loss in her audition, telling producers that Garrett was the one “you’d want to watch” on the show because of his humor.

“So I put it in our audition writing that my brother passed away last year. You wish you could have put him on your show. He would have been hilarious,” said Barnard.

For Misty Crain, Garrett’s mother, the experience provided a necessary reprieve from the “tremendous heartbreak” the family had endured.

“I thought, what a beautiful opportunity and blessing, that we got to do that because it was fun to laugh, to be together. Have a bonding moment.” Crain said, “It was just a wonderful experience where we all got to be together and just have some uplifting memories”.

The family brought a distinct “small-town vibe” to the set, which led to several comedic exchanges with host Steve Harvey.

“Steve Harvey kept saying, Saint Anthony, Iowa,” Kiara Crain laughed, noting they had to correct him repeatedly.

The family also joked about their local status. When Harvey asked what made someone a “big deal” in Idaho, Kiara replied that it’s when people recognize you at the local Walmart.

While the family could not reveal the results of their competition before the air date, they emphasized that the outcome was secondary to the experience.

The Crain family will host a public watch party for their upcoming appearance on “Family Feud” at 7:30 PM Thursday at FatCats in Rexburg.

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Abi Martin

BOISE, Idaho — (KIFI) A small plane crash has claimed the life of a man from the television news community.

Roland Steadham,  the chief meteorologist for CBS2 in Boise is one of two victims after a plane crashed into the Payette river.

According to authorities, the plane hit a power line, and tumbled into an icy part of the river. Both occupants of the plane died due to injuries sustained in the crash.

Steadham had a career in meteorology spanning 35 years, including work in Florida, Utah, and Idaho. He was 67 years old, and is survived by his wife and six daughters.

The other victim of the crash has not yet been identified.

The Gem County Sheriff’s Office is investigating. We will update this story as more information comes out.

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Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho Democratic leaders are condemning a directive from Republican budget chairs that orders state agencies to prepare for additional mid-year budget cuts of 1% to 2%. The move aims to offset the estimated $155 million cost of adopting tax changes from the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” championed by the Trump administration.

The proposed reductions would come on top of a 3% holdback already imposed by Governor Brad Little last August to address a $40.3 million shortfall. Combined, state agencies could face total spending cuts of up to 5%, which Democratic leaders argue will “take a chainsaw” to essential services.

Background: HB 519 and the $155M Price Tag

Every year, the Idaho Legislature must adopt an annual tax conformity bill to update references to the Internal Revenue Code. House Bill 591, Introduced by Rep. Jeff Ehlers, R-Meridian, House Bill 519 would fully conform Idaho’s income tax code to federal changes for the 2025 tax year.

President Trump’s bill includes around 39 tax code changes — for example as the elimination of taxes on worker tips and overtime. Ehlers’ bill, introduced last week, proposes to adopt nearly all the changes, excluding federal tax changes related to bonus depreciation. Ehlers’ plan also applies retroactively to the 2025 tax year.

“If we don’t allow them to take it in 2025, then they’re missing one of the four years,” Ehlers said in an interview. “So that’s like 25% of the benefit; they’re only going to take it for the three years. So, we wanted to make sure that they got the full four years of the One Big Beautiful Bill.” 

Ehlers estimates the annual cost at $155 million, though other state estimates reported by the Idaho Capital Sun suggest the price tag could climb as high as $400 million.

JFAC Directs Additional Reductions

On Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, the Republican co-chairs of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee sent a formal memo to state agency directors. The letter directs state agencies to draft plans for an additional 1% to 2% in budget reductions.

Democratic Backlash

House Democratic Leader Ilana Rubel characterized the move as a manufactured “budget mess.” She argued that the 3% holdback is already straining Idaho families and that further cuts would result in longer wait times for services and reduced public safety.

“They pass tax giveaways for the wealthy and well-connected, then stick working families with the consequences,” Rubel said in a news release Tuesday.

Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow echoed these concerns, pointing to warnings from the Idaho Sheriff’s Association regarding the loss of six behavioral health programs as a direct result of a 4% pay rate cut for Medicaid medical providers to avoid the budget deficit.

RELATED: Idaho Sheriffs to State Leadership: Mental Health Cuts Have ‘Real-World Public-Safety Consequences’

“When law enforcement warns about impacts to public safety, we should listen. When families of children with disabilities are losing access to critical therapies, we should act with care,” said Wintrow. “Idaho leaders should make thoughtful choices, not take a chainsaw to health care, education, and public safety so the biggest winners in the tax code can come out even further ahead.”

Governor Little, in his State of the State Address, maintained that Idaho is positioned to “weather the revenue challenges,” as he encouraged agencies to tighten their belts for the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years.

RELATED: Gov. Little unveils ‘ENDURING IDAHO’ plan, calls for ‘right-sized’ budget amid “demanding restraint”

“A combination of factors has shifted us from years of record budget surpluses – driven by rapid population growth, business expansion, and one-time federal funds – to a period ahead that demands restraint,” said Little during his address. “Thankfully, the way we have governed in recent years has positioned Idaho to weather the revenue challenges ahead.”

While Gov. Little characterized the budget constraints as a shift from years of massive budget surpluses to a period “demanding restraint,” according to the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy, five years of aggressive tax cuts have resulted in a $4 billion revenue loss between 2021 and 2025.

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Seth Ratliff

TETON COUNTY, Wyo. (KIFI) — A tandem snowmobile accident on Monday afternoon left one man dead and a woman seriously injured, marking the fourth backcountry fatality in Teton County this winter.

On January 26, just after 1 PM, Teton County Search and Rescue volunteers rushed to the “L” trail of the Togwotee after the pair, who were riding as part of a small guided group, collided with a tree.

The rescue operation involved a multi-agency effort. Teton County Sheriff deputies reached the site via snowmobile from Togwotee Mountain Lodge by 2:00 p.m., finding the female passenger unresponsive but breathing. While the man was initially responsive, volunteers say he later went into cardiac arrest at the scene and succumbed to his injuries.

Due to the rugged terrain and the severity of the injuries, TCSAR deployed both ground teams and a helicopter to the scene, while a sheriff’s deputy established a landing zone on a nearby highway pullout for aerial support.

Rescuers airlifted the woman from the crash site to the highway landing zone, where she was transferred to an Air Idaho and transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls for treatment.

In a statement released via Facebook, TCSAR expressed deep sympathies to the families involved and noted a sobering trend for the season, as this incident represents the second fatality in just three days.

“All of us at TCSAR offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends affected by this tragedy,” the volunteer rescue group wrote on Facebook. “We know that accidents happen and that we all make mistakes. This message is not intended to shame or judge anyone. Just please remember that when you take on a backcountry objective—no matter how big or small—the most important thing is to make sure you come home at the end of the day. Be safe out there, everyone.”

Authorities have not released the identities of the victims at this time.

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Seth Ratliff

BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — A 45-year-old Ririe man faces up to five years in prison following a felony conviction in Bonneville County.

After a three-day trial, a jury found Robert Ballard Jr. guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery, stemming from an incident in July 2025 in the Fall Creek area, according to Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Neal.

Ballard is scheduled for sentencing on March 26, 2026, and could face up to 5 years in prison; a $5,000 fine; a $5,000 compensatory fine; and restitution.

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CNN Newsource

Originally Published: 27 JAN 26 14:15 ET

By Pat Reavy

Click here for updates on this story

    SARATOGA SPRINGS (KSL) — Clothing worn by the 15-year-old son of a Saratoga Springs mother who was shot and killed in her home had gun residue on it.

That’s according to a series of search warrants recently unsealed in 4th District Court that provide more insight into the evidence collected by Saratoga Springs police in their ongoing investigation into the shooting deaths of Jessica Orton Lyman, 44, and her 8-year-old son, Eli Painter. No arrests have been made in the killings and no suspects have been named.

The four warrants also discuss a network of friends that the 15-year-old boy has online and how he has been known to spend up to 15 hours each day on messaging apps. Some of the messages sent by the teen were in regard to the double murder case, according to the warrants.

Lyman and Eli and were found in their townhome, 1244 N. Willowbrook Lane, on March 28, 2025, after her 17-year-old daughter discovered them in her mother’s bedroom. Eli, who was shot twice in the head, was pronounced dead at the scene. Lyman was taken to a local hospital in extremely critical condition and died a couple of days later. Investigators also found evidence that Lyman may have been sexually assaulted, according to court documents.

Lyman’s teenage son was found by police in the home. He said he had been sleeping and did not hear anything, according to police. When an officer asked him if there were any “weapons” in the home, the teen “responded that he wasn’t aware of any ‘guns’ inside the home,” although police had yet to use the word “gun,” according to the warrants.

When detectives searched the teen’s room, they found it “in a state of disarray. I also helped with the residence search, and observed dirty dishes, old food matter, dirty clothing, and overall clutter,” an officer wrote in one of the recently unsealed warrants originally served in October. Previous warrants say police also found two BB gun pistols, plate carriers and magazine pouches, and a handwritten note referencing “several forms of forensic evidence,” including “serology,” “DNA” and “firearm testing.” A detective also reported locating a second handwritten note stating, “This is a murder story.”

On July 15, detectives received a report regarding evidence collected from the home and sent to a forensics lab in Illinois for testing.

“Detectives had previously sent the clothing that (the teen) had been wearing when originally contacted by law enforcement on the day of the homicides. The lab report received from Microtrace Lab indicates that gunshot residue, or GSR, was present on (his) clothing. It should be mentioned that during the searches of the residence, no ammunition and/or firearms were located in the residence, and investigators still have not located the weapon that was used in the homicides. Detectives are unaware of any possible reason or explanation of why GSR would have been present on (the teen’s) clothing,” one of the new search warrant affidavits states.

In November, FBI dive teams and Saratoga Springs police searched the Jordan River and its surrounding banks for evidence. Although police declined to say what exactly they were looking for, it was noted that the murder weapon had not yet been recovered.

During the afternoon of March 28 — the day the shooting victims were discovered — the 15-year-old boy was taken to the Saratoga Springs Police Department with his father accompanying him. While at the police station, the teen repeatedly asked for his cellphone, according to investigators.

After obtaining a search warrant for the teen’s phone, detectives learned that the 15-year-old son “spends most of his time, 15 hours per day on average, on his phone talking with his friends on Discord and Snapchat” and used three different email addresses, according to one warrant.

“Other data on (the teen’s) cellphone indicates that he subscribed to channels on a social media app called Telegram,” the warrant states. “Detectives located a Telegram group chat/channel on (the teen’s) phone that shows messages where an identified person is offering a ‘dirty gun’ for sale. No further details regarding the firearm are available from the data that detectives have been able to review.”

In December, several search warrants that had been served in June during the early stages of the investigation were unsealed in 4th District Court. The warrants outlined the evidence collected to that point, but also mentioned some of the hurdles detectives were facing in interviewing family members. News stories about the warrants prompted Saratoga Springs police to release a statement saying that the warrants “provided an outdated narrative regarding the cooperation of the Lyman family” in the investigation. “We want to make clear that the Lyman family has been cooperative with our investigation in recent months.”

Search warrants were also “accidentally allowed to become unsealed” in July, police wrote in their most recent unsealed affidavit. “Several of the news outlets published articles that painted (the teen) in a negative light and indicated that he could possibly be responsible for the murders based on the information listed in the unsealed warrants.”

The warrants say the teen saw the July news stories and contacted his friends on social media apps “just to vent,” but “some of his friends had begun blocking him or refusing to talk with him due to the recent news articles that had been published.”

Investigators also found a friend that he “spent large amounts of time” chatting with on Discord, including on the night of the shootings, the warrant states.

On April 15, several weeks after the killings, the teen regained contact with that friend online. The boy “repeatedly told police, Children’s Justice Center case workers, and family that he wanted his phone to speak with his friends regarding the homicide on March 28. Detectives have learned that (he) is extremely invested in his friendships with online friends and that while detectives have been unable to speak with and/or interview (the teen), his communication with his friends … will help detectives to better understand what occurred on March 28, 2025,” according to the warrant.

Police say on April 28, the teen contacted his friend on Discord and “shared his frustration” that the friend “has not bothered to ‘research’ what happened on March 28, 2025,” the warrant says. After the friend agrees to do some quick research on the killings, the friend “continues to discuss what he has learned about the case with the teen.” Police noted that the teen “expresses knowledge of the case details and seems to question details that may not be true.”

The October warrant says, “As of July 18, 2025, detectives have still not been allowed to speak with or interview (the 15-year-old).”

Saratoga Springs police declined Monday to comment on the newly unsealed warrants.

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News Release

The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Public Works Department:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — The City of Idaho Falls Public Works Department is beginning design work on a reconstruction project focused on improving safety and accessibility along Elm Street. Proposed improvements include street and sidewalk upgrades, traffic safety enhancements, and proposed speed limit changes, including a school zone near Alturas Academy. Community members are invited to learn more about the project and share their feedback through an online open house.

The online open house will allow residents to review proposed improvements for the reconstruction of Elm Street from Yellowstone Avenue to South Boulevard, explore an interactive map, and submit comments online. Public feedback will be accepted through Feb. 15, 2026.

To view the project and proposed improvements, visit the project story map website.

“Elm Street is an important part of our community, connecting downtown with South Boulevard,” said Chris Fredericksen, Public Works Director. “The project will improve safety, accessibility, and street conditions for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and students. We encourage everyone to review the plans and provide input by Feb. 15.”

The project will reconstruct Elm Street to improve safety and accessibility for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. Key improvements include:

Reconstructing pedestrian ramps to meet ADA standards, making sidewalks and crossings accessible for all

Full-depth reconstruction of the roadway to improve street durability

Curb extensions (bulb-outs) at key intersections to improve pedestrian safety

Upgraded storm drain facilities

Relocation of the existing flashing beacon at Ridge Avenue for safer crossings

Updated signage and pavement markings to enhance traffic clarity

Proposed speed updates informed by a recent speed study near Alturas Academy. While the current posted speed limit is 25 mph, most drivers travel closer to 30 mph. The project proposes updating the posted speed to 30 mph, along with a dedicated 20 mph school zone during arrival and dismissal times to improve safety for students.

Design work is underway and is anticipated to be finalized in the spring of 2026 after receiving public input. Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2027 to minimize disruptions to Alturas Academy’s school schedule. Public input is a vital part of the process, and the city is seeking feedback from residents, business owners, and other stakeholders on how Elm Street is used today and how the proposed improvements could better support safety and accessibility. This project is part of the City’s ongoing efforts to invest in critical infrastructure and improve connectivity by creating safer, more accessible streets for all users.

How to review and comment:

Explore the story map: View project details, maps and design concepts online.

Submit feedback: Share your comments using the online form on the story map

For more questions about the project or to receive assistance in filling out the form, contact Public Works at (208) 612-8250.

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