Author: KIFI

David Pace

POCATELLO and REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) – As the conflict in Iran stretches into its seventh month, politicians on both sides of Idaho’s key U.S. Senate race are weighing in on the fight impacting prices at the pump across America.

Local News 8 spoke with the two leading candidates recently on foreign policy and issues close to home.

‘Everybody wants this over as soon as possible’

U.S. Senator Jim Risch, (R)-Idaho, currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and as the senior Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

In a September interview with Local News 8, he defended President Trump’s decision to enter the war, but issued a call to bring it to a close.

“The president had to make a decision at the time that he did. He had information in front of him, which I know because I saw the same information, that caused him to take the action that he did against Iran to stop them from having a nuclear weapon,” Risch said. “Decades from now, when this information is made public, when it is no longer classified, people will see and understand. Vast numbers will agree that the president had no choice but to take the action that he did. Obviously, everybody wants this over as soon as possible.”

‘There’s no path to win’

Independent candidate Todd Achilles is challenging Risch in the race for U.S. Senate.

Achilles, who previously represented Boise for two years in the Idaho Legislature, served as a tank commander during Operation Desert Storm.

“We all agree that Iran with nuclear weapons is an unacceptable risk. But if we’re going to do something against Iran, let’s make sure we do it the right way. The problem is the current action,” Achilles said. “There’s no clear objectives. There’s no path to win. Unfortunately, it seems that we’ve really just emboldened the Iranians rather than getting them to step back. So we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. We’ve got to get our allies involved. We got to keep the Strait of Hormuz clear., and we need a real plan to how we resolve this in a way where the Iranians don’t get nuclear weapons.”

At Home in Idaho

The candidates also responded to questions about the top concerns facing Idahoans today.

“Two things – Congress isn’t working. Frankly, it’s an embarrassment, and there’s a rigged economy,” Achilles said. “It’s too hard to get by, and my kids don’t have a chance at the American dream. So those are the two things I hear from Idahoans across the political spectrum, and that’s what I’m focused on.”

“I think anybody watching TV right now would say it’s gas prices. Look, it’s affordability. That includes housing. It includes food,” Risch said. “But, gas is the thing that people are most concerned about.”

With the November 3 election less than three months away, voters will make the final selection between the two frontrunners, independent Natalie Fleming and Libertarian Matt Loesby.

You can watch our full interviews with both frontrunners in the U.S. Senate race below.

Click here to follow the original article.

Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – The Friends of the Marshall Public Library are hosting their final book sale of 2026, as well as their final celebration of the 30th anniversary for the organization. The final book sale is this weekend, October 16 and 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Representatives from the FOMPL say they’ve gathered some exciting new items through donations as well as discards from the Marshall Library. This sale will include everything from puzzles and video games, to bags of books for $3 each.

“We have groups of manga and comic books as well as some true crime,” said Melanie Gygli, Secretary of the FOMPL. “We also have mystery bags of mass market paperbacks in all sorts of genres like science fiction, cozy mystery and some romance and adventure.”

In honor of the 30th anniversary, visitors can enter to win raffle baskets of different themes. Some have prizes for kids, another is Disney-themed and another is a spa night basket. The library also donated book club sets for this book sale, which makes it easy for people looking to involve their book club in the community at the sale.

“We also are encouraging membership in the Friends of the Library so if you want to join, you’ll be entered to win in a special raffle and gift,” Gygli said. “We also have a large selection of Black History content and video games.”

There will be about 20 books per mystery bag for $3. All the money raised by the book sale goes back into the FOMPL helping support library programs and events.

“We help with things their usual budget doesn’t cover,” Gygli said. “We help with the cozy mystery series, some of the kids programs, allocating funds for new toys in the kids area, we buy shelves for the exploration and of course providing books.”

Hardbacks will be $2 and paperbacks will be just a dollar. Video games will be $5 at this weekends’ event.

Click here to follow the original article.

KIVI Staff

By:Riley Shoemaker

Originally Posted 6:05 PM, Oct 12, 2026

IDAHO (KIVI) — Two Idaho women whose experiences with pregnancy and loss have shaped their views on abortion are preparing to cast opposing votes on Proposition 1.

The Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act would restore abortion access to a standard similar to what existed before Idaho’s near-total ban took effect in 2022. The citizen-led initiative would protect abortion before fetal viability, as determined by a physician, and afterward in medical emergencies involving threats to the pregnant patient’s life or physical health.

For Rebecca Crozier, who plans to vote yes, the debate brings back memories of a pregnancy she and her husband had wanted for years.

In their home sits an urn containing their daughter’s ashes. Her name was Haven.

“I have always wanted children. My husband’s always wanted children,” Crozier said.

The couple tried to conceive for 19 months before Crozier became pregnant.

“I called my mom and I was like, what do you do when you find out you’re pregnant?” she said.

At 11 weeks, Crozier said, doctors diagnosed Haven with anencephaly, a condition in which the brain and skull do not develop properly.

“They told us from the very beginning, and they were like, this is not a survivable condition,” Crozier said. “You will not be bringing this baby home.”

RELATED| Abortion rights initiative qualifies for Idaho’s November ballot

Crozier said her own health problems also made continuing the pregnancy more complicated. After discussing her options with her husband and care team, she decided to end the pregnancy.

She called clinics in several states before finding an appointment in Utah, where she stayed with family and received an abortion.

Crozier said sharing her story is a way to help other Idahoans understand a decision she never expected to face.

“I was a person who, up until this point, was like, I would probably never have an abortion. I just don’t think I could do that,” she said. “And I mean, things change. Things change very quickly.”

Amy Haycock also brings personal experience to the ballot box, but the southeastern Idaho mother of five plans to vote no.

Haycock works in medical staffing, helping staff OB-GYNs at hospitals across the country, including Idaho. She questions whether Idaho’s abortion laws are driving staffing shortages, saying she has not seen an increase in demand through her own work.

A study published in July 2025 in JAMA Network Open, an American Medical Association journal, found a 35% net decline in OB-GYN physicians practicing obstetrics in Idaho between August 2022 and December 2024. The figure accounts for new arrivals and physicians who moved, retired or stopped practicing obstetrics. The study did not establish the reason for every departure.

Haycock’s opposition to abortion is also rooted in her faith and her family’s experiences.

She said she has had four miscarriages, and two of her children were born prematurely. Her daughter was born at 28 weeks, and Haycock said doctors warned that she might not survive.

“She’s 5 now and doing great,” Haycock said.

Her 3-year-old son was born at 24 weeks. He has cerebral palsy and uses a cochlear implant.

For Haycock, those experiences reinforce her belief that a prenatal diagnosis should not determine whether a pregnancy continues.

“My other kids being able to be around him, you know, and be older siblings to him and help him with his physical therapy, it’s just blessed our whole family dynamic,” she said.

Crozier, who still hopes to have children, wants Idaho families to be able to make the choice she did without traveling out of state.

“I think ultimately that’s what it boils down to is you and your family and your doctor talking about what’s best for us,” she said.

RELATED| A federal judge blocks Idaho from prosecuting doctors for health-protecting abortions

The women’s pregnancies involved different medical circumstances and outcomes. Their disagreement centers on what Idaho law should allow.

Proposition 1 would change state law, rather than amend the Idaho Constitution. Voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to adopt its protections or leave existing state law unchanged. For more information, visit https://voteidaho.gov/.

Click here to follow the original article.

Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – The American Red Cross works with local hospitals to alleviate pain and suffering by providing life-saving blood donations. This season, the Red Cross branches across Eastern Idaho are hosting dozens of blood drives to collect all types of blood and save lives.

Tracy Lund, accounts manager with the Red Cross, said they get their numbers from the local hospitals, who tell them how much blood they need daily. Lund said they have anywhere from 30 to 35 blood drives per month.

“The greatest gift of all is the gift of life, and that’s what you give when you donate blood,”

– Tracy Lund, American Red Cross

The drives usually last about five hours and are sponsored by local businesses. The sponsors and the Red Cross spread the word about upcoming drives and gather people from their business and community to participate.

“My team comes in and sets up the drive out of our Red Cross truck, they take the blood and then we ship it to the lab,” said Lund. “Then it goes to the hospital.”

The blood drives are organized by zip code, so to find one near you, visit the Red Cross website and type in your code. The Red Cross says your life expectancy can increase by regularly donating blood.

Lund says the Red Cross always needs more blood, no matter the type, time or season.

“I have people tell me all the time it’s an emergency or it’s critical or a shortage, and I say it always is,” she said. “No matter what, we need it. Out of every 100 people, three donate blood. But out of those three, one needs blood. So if you do the math, we’re never catching up.”

Hospital patients are at severe risk if the institution is low on blood. Having one to three days worth of blood samples from the Red Cross is dangerous if winter weather causes crashes and more patients in need.

“If there’s a big wreck on the highway and those people go to the hospital, they won’t have the blood they need. So it’s really important to donate,” Lund said.

She added any kind of natural disaster makes it harder to find blood donors in specific areas. Winter weather and flu season also make it more difficult for people to travel and donate. The Red Cross accepts all types of blood.

“If you think about our culture, we are diverse and we need all kinds of different blood because different people need different blood,” she explained. “Some patients who need transfusions need lots of blood every few weeks, but we take all the negatives and positives because people need it.”

All kinds of patients need blood, including those who need transfusions, cancer patients, women in childbirth and people who have been in traumatic accidents. Hospitals rely on the Red Cross to provide that necessary blood through their donation drives.

Click here to follow the original article.

Curtis Jackson

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) – Grammy Award-winning rock band Train is headed to Rexburg. BYU-Idaho announced Tuesday that the group will perform at the BYU-Idaho Center on Jan. 22, 2027.

The Grammy Award-winning group has performed for more than three decades and has sold more than 10 million albums and 30 million tracks worldwide. Fans may recognize hits including “Hey, Soul Sister,” “Drops of Jupiter,” and “Drive By.”

Tickets will go on sale for students on Wednesday, Oct. 14, and to the general public on Friday, Oct. 16, at 10 a.m. both days.

“Train has created some of the most recognizable and lasting songs in popular music,” said Tanner Christensen, entertainment promoter for BYUI Live! “Their music connects with people across generations, and we are excited to bring their incredible live show to BYU-Idaho.”

The concert is the latest event announced as part of the university’s BYUI Live! series, which brings concerts, comedians and other special performances to campus.

Tickets and additional information are available here.

Click here to follow the original article.

Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Compass Academy has been named the #1 high school in the Idaho Falls area, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The rankings are based on several factors, comparing 14 regional high schools. These include college readiness, curriculum breadth, state assessment scores and performance, underserved student performance, and graduation rates.

According to District 91 Chief of Communications Maren Archibald, Compass Academy has an 81.6 percent proficiency rate on the English Language Arts state assessment, more than 27 percentage points above the state average.

Click here to follow the original article.

Curtis Jackson

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) – The Idaho Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Eastern Idaho this week. The hearings will be held in Idaho Falls on Wednesday, Oct. 14 and in Pocatello on Thursday, Oct. 15.

The Idaho Constitution and state law require the Supreme Court to travel to communities outside of Boise periodically to provide Idahoans the opportunity to see the judicial process firsthand.

Justices will hear oral arguments on five cases, three in Idaho Falls and two in Pocatello. The cases are civil, including one involving a public records request through the Soda Springs School District.

The hearing will be held in the Bonneville County Courthouse and Bannock County Courthouse beginning at 8:45 a.m.

You can find information on the cases to be heard at isc.idaho.gov.

Click here to follow the original article.

Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Three Idaho Falls School District 91 students have been named semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

The students are Isaac Kingma of Idaho Falls High School, Audrey McCartin of Compass Academy and Benjamin Baczuk of Skyline High School.

According to District 91, 14 students from the district have qualified as National Merit semifinalists out of 31 in the area since 2022.

“We are incredibly proud of our National Merit semifinalists,” said Superintendent Karla LaOrange in a news release. “Their success reflects the strong academic foundation that supports all our D91 schools and the tireless commitment of our students, teachers, and administrators. We are excited to add their names to our growing legacy of excellence.”

The honor recognizes 16,000 students nationally each year for top academic achievement.

Scholarships are awarded to about 7,000 finalists out of a million students participating in the National Merit Scholarship competition.

Click here to follow the original article.

Curtis Jackson

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Early voting has begun in some counties across Idaho. They include Bannock, Caribou, Clark, Custer, Franklin, and Teton Counties in Eastern Idaho. That means registered voters can go to their county’s election office now and cast a ballot, rather than waiting until Election Day on November 3. Other counties will begin in the coming days.

Absentee ballots are also available and must be requested before 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23. To request visit voteidaho.gov.

If you vote early, you cannot vote on Election Day.

If you need to register to vote, you have until Oct. 23. You can register at voteidaho.gov.

Other counties will offer early voting starting next Monday, Oct. 19. Below is a list of when each county begins.

COUNTY EARLY VOTING STARTS Ada Oct. 19 Adams Oct. 19 Bannock Oct. 13 Bingham Oct. 19 Blaine Oct. 13 Boise Oct. 19 Bonner Oct. 19 Bonneville Oct. 19 Camas Oct. 19 Canyon Oct. 19 Caribou Oct. 13 Cassia Oct. 19 Clark Oct. 13 Clearwater Oct. 13 Custer Oct. 13 Elmore Oct. 19 Franklin Oct. 13 Fremont Oct. 19 Gem Oct. 13 Gooding Oct. 19 Idaho Oct. 13 Jefferson Oct. 19 Jerome Oct. 19 Kootenai Oct. 19 Latah Oct. 19 Lemhi Oct. 19 Lewis Oct. 13 Lincoln Oct. 13 Madison Oct. 19 Minidoka Oct. 19 Nez Perce Oct. 13 Oneida Oct. 19 Owyhee Oct. 13 Power Oct. 14 Teton Oct. 13 Twin Falls Oct. 13 Valley Oct. 19 Washington Oct. 13

Some counties will not offer Early Voting. Instead people can request an Absentee Ballot. They include Bear Lake, Benewah, Boundary, Butte, Payette, and Shoshone counties.

Click here to follow the original article.