Author: KIFI

Kaeden Lincoln

Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on March 24, 2026

By: Kaeden Lincoln

Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of candidate profiles Idaho Education News will publish ahead of the May 19 primary election. We’re highlighting competitive races impacting education policy. Click here to see our Elections webpage featuring a list of all candidates and much more. Click here to see your voter information. Follow our elections blog for breaking news and insights.

AMMON, Idaho — A first-term lawmaker and a former representative are on a collision course in District 35 — with different ideas about what should drive Idaho policy.

Incumbent Rep. Mike Veile is defending his seat against former lawmaker Chad Christensen in the upcoming Republican primary.

Veile is centering his campaign on education and collaborative policymaking, while Christensen is returning with a focus on law-and-order conservatism and support for school choice measures like Idaho’s new private school tax credit.

“One size doesn’t fit all for our kids,” Christensen told EdNews.

But Veile says he’s just settling in as representative of the district covering a large swath of Bonneville County and Teton, Caribou, and Bear Lake counties.

He hopes to continue focusing on education. 

“I just love getting in the middle of some of these bills,” he said. 

Incumbent: Mike Veile

Occupation: Engineer
History of elected service: One term in Idaho House. Appointed in 2025.
Campaign website: mikeveileforidaho.com

 

 

Gov. Brad Little appointed Veile to office last year after former Rep. Kevin Andrus was tapped by the Trump administration for a U.S. Department of Agriculture role.

As a former Soda Springs School District trustee, he said education tops his priorities if reelected — and he values including as many people as possible in the legislative process.

“I love sitting down in a room with different stakeholders and trying to get to a result,” he said.

This session, his priorities have revolved around several education-focused bills, including:

House Bill 883, which gives state funding flexibility to districts that meet certain academic benchmarks.

House Bill 712, which would create a state seal of excellence in civics to appear on high school diplomas for qualifying graduates.

Senate Bill 1339, which Veile sponsored alongside Sen. Dave Lent, R-Idaho Falls, to create a requirement for school districts to adopt strategic performance improvement plans with measurable goals.

Rep. Michael Veile at the House Education Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Sean Dolan/EdNews)

He finds charter schools innovative and a model Idaho public schools can learn from, but he worries they divide families between haves and have-nots depending on things like at-home support and special needs.

“We cannot turn our backs on those students,” he said of students with special needs. “They will become members of our society. It’s in all of our best interests to make them as successful as possible.”

He wants to increase special education budgets, especially in smaller districts, to support paying for things like speech pathology and to boost support for undertrained paraprofessionals.

Veile opposes private school tax credits. Idaho doesn’t have the funding to support multiple education systems, he said. He worries directing dollars to private schools reduces the effectiveness of money for public schools. 

He’s unsure what kind of funding model would solve problems in school budgets, but he doesn’t think it’s as simple as keeping the state’s average-daily-attendance model or even shifting to an enrollment-based approach.

“I think there’s other factors that are rapidly changing in how students do their learning through online avenues and things like that, which don’t make it an easy answer,” he said. “So that would be something that I think needs to be looked at differently.”

He believes Idaho is typically fiscally responsible, but some recent decisions unsettle him.

“Fiscal responsibility is also not passing costs on to our local governments,” he said about bills that impact property taxes. “I’m here to push bills that advance. I’m interested in making things better. I’m not interested in punishing.”

Challenger: Chad Christensen

Occupation: Real estate agent
History of elected service: District 35 representative, 2018-22.
Website: chadforidaho.com

 

 

Christensen lost his House seat to former Rep. Josh Wheeler by 362 votes – a 4% difference – in the 2022 Republican primary. He withdrew the following cycle because he supported Andrus, who left for the Trump administration.

If elected, Christensen said he would prioritize issues of welfare recipient fraud and would seek harsher penalties for sex offenders, issues he focused on during his previous tenure in office.

Chad Christensen (Photo courtesy of Chad Christensen for Idaho)

His children once attended public schools, he said. But when his son suffered an ankle injury, he switched to an online school. The experience left Christensen feeling that public schools should be funded based on enrollment, rather than average daily attendance.

Education isn’t his primary focus, he said, but he supports school choice, public schools and career-technical education. He said he doesn’t want people to think he’s against traditional public school because he supports school choice.

“I support all education avenues,” Christensen said. 

Consolidating some school districts is an area he would like to explore, he said, as long as it is economically feasible. Consolidation proposals have gained traction in recent years, including in Vermont, where enrollment has shrunk in the last two decades.

Christensen expressed concerns about a lack of conservatism in the Statehouse. 

“The people in Idaho are conservative. I think the Legislature doesn’t mirror that,” he said.

He feels some representatives campaign on conservative platforms and then vote more liberally.

“I’m a true conservative,” he said.

Fundraising –  2026 election cycle

Chad Christensen

Beginning cash balance: $5,083
Total contributions: $17,130
Total expenditures: $11,975
Ending cash balance: $5,539

Mike Veile

Beginning cash balance: $7,342
Total contributions: $8,750 (+$16,000 loan)
Total expenditures: $7,155
Ending cash balance: $17,595

Source: Idaho Sunshine, as of March 23

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Kaelyn Blessinger

Boise, Idaho — Idahoans are being warned about another wave of scam text messages circulating across the state. These messages include links to pay for traffic tickets or vehicle registrations that are not real.

The Idaho Transportation Department stress, these text messages for unpaid traffic fines are NOT from them or the Department of Motor Vehicles.

“Scammers are still targeting Idahoans with messages that look official but are completely fraudulent,” said Lisa McClellan, DMV Administrator. If the link does not end in a dot gov address, it’s a scam.”

If you receive one of these messages, do not click any links and do not provide personal or payment information. Report the message to your mobile carrier and delete it. 

For accurate and secure information about DMV services in Idaho, always visit www.dmv.idaho.gov.

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Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Ticks may be tiny, but they can carry serious diseases, making prevention especially important during outdoor activities like hiking, camping, or even working in your yard.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare warns that local insects carry several diseases of concern. In southeast Idaho, ticks are known to spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tick-borne relapsing fever, and tularemia.

One way ticks jump into your home is through your pets.

“So normally ticks are outside and are brought in from pets going outside and coming inside. Most commonly grassy areas, wooded areas, places with high grass such as fields. But they can get into your yard,” Elise, a Certified Veterinary Technician at the Idaho Falls Veterinary Hospital, said.

“A bite can cause a disease that might seriously impact your health. It’s important to do everything you can to avoid getting bitten,” said IDHW in a 2022 news release.

This year can be especially bad for ticks in Southeast Idaho due to the unusually warm winter, and it’s taking a toll on veterinary clinics.

“The fact that we had such a mild winter does give them a longer breeding season, and we do expect to see a lot more ticks this year,” Elise said.

Removal is important especially to ensure that the tick is successfully removed.

“If you find a tick on your pet, stay calm [and] ideally, you want to get tweezers and then you want to grasp it firmly where it meets the skin and then pull with constant pressure,” Elise. said

The CDC recommends several simple steps to reduce your risk:

Before going outside

Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or similar ingredients

Wear long sleeves and long pants when possible

Treat clothing and gear with permethrin for added protection

While outdoors

Stay in the center of trails and avoid tall grass and brush

Be cautious in wooded or shaded areas where ticks are common

After coming inside

Check your entire body for ticks, especially under arms, behind knees, and around hairlines

Shower within two hours to wash off unattached ticks

Put clothes in the dryer on high heat to kill any ticks

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Seth Ratliff

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — A crash along Southbound I-15 is causing significant delays for travelers north of Blackfoot.

According to the Idaho Transportation Department, the crash took place around 9:57 AM near W 450 N. Details surrounding the incident are limited, but ITD has confirmed that there are several large hay bales on the roadway.

The right lane is currently blocked, and the left lane is partially blocked. ITD is directing drivers to expect delays and use caution. For updates on traffic and road closures, click HERE.

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — After more than a century of bottling Coca-Cola products in Southeast Idaho, two local bottling facilities are closing their doors.

Swire Coca-Cola, USA, the regional bottler for the western United States, announced that both its Pocatello and Idaho Falls facilities have reached the end of their operational lives and must be replaced. The news comes on the heels of the company’s February announcement that it will build a new, unified bottling facility in Eastern Idaho.

“This investment will provide a modernized working environment for our employees and additional capacity to service our customers,” Swire Senior Director of Communications Carl Foster said. “We remain committed to Pocatello and the local community, our customers, and our employees – some of whom will continue to live and work in Pocatello.”

The new facility is set to be built along Jameston Road near the Anheuser-Busch plant. Swire Coca-Cola anticipates it will open in 2027.

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Megan Lavin

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Two local homeschooling families teamed up to form a LEGO robotics group, and their project is really clicking into place.

After competing at the regional and state level, they’re headed cross country to their biggest competition yet.

Fun in Massachusetts

Team member Steve Eastman has been eagerly building up to this moment. “I’m really excited because it’s our first time going to nationals and it’s all the way in Massachusetts…it’s just going to be really fun. There’s going to be a lot of teams.”

MORE THAN PLASTIC

Their robot may be made of plastic bricks — but the technology behind it is serious. It’s powered by multiple motors, guided by sensors, and programmed to follow a map across the competition board. The engine powdered robot has to complete up to 15 tasks per competition.

Eastman claims he’s built up a serious log of hours working on it to get it battle-ready.

“Over 100. Definitely worth it.”

MULTIPLE COMPONENTS

The kids have to assemble the LEGO parts and code the movements. And the robotics challenge is only part of the competition. Teams also present an innovation project, and Team Packman built an archaeology website to help people find dig sites and learn about the past. They’ve even traveled to places like Chicago to get hands-on learning experiences to be able to enhance the app–something they feel might not have been possible if they weren’t homeschooled and had the flexibility in their schedule.

KIDS BUILD CONFIDENCE TOO

Even though both of their dads have STEM backgrounds–a civil engineer and a software engineer–the kids didn’t take the easy way out.

Proud Dad, Michael Packer says, “One thing great about this year was the kids really did everything themselves. I remember leading up to state, my son came to me, and he was having trouble with some of the code. And I go to help him, and like, I don’t know this code any better than you do. The kids wrote every line of code. They built the robots themselves, which was awesome.”

Along the way, parents say the kids built something else, too — confidence.

Packer beams, “Throughout the fundraising, I’ve seen the kids come a lot more comfortable with going out there talking to adults, pitching their ideas, sharing their projects. And it’s been really cool to see their confidence grow as well.”

The group ranges in age from 9 to 14, with older students teaching the younger ones.

Packer explains, “It’s also been a good opportunity for the older kids to mentor and guide the younger kids.”

FUNDRAISING: ANOTHER BRIDGE TO BUILD

The entrance fee for the competition is $2000, not to mention the plane tickets and travel expenses. So, everyone is pitching in. The kids have done odd jobs around the neighborhood and baked bread.

They’ve also got several sponsors and will be hosting a fundraiser at Homestead Bowling on March 30.

You can learn more about their fundraising and their club at their website or see the flyer below.

HOPING FOR A GOOD TIME

The national competition will be three days, and when asked what they hope to have happen, Eastman’s answer was simple and sweet: “I just hope we have a really good time.”

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Danielle Mullenix

Some record-high temperatures could occur this afternoon and tomorrow as we welcome a warm start to springtime in Eastern Idaho and Western Wyoming. Winds will pick up throughout the afternoon, with an advisory in effect surrounding the Gallatin National Forest in Montana.

High clouds will drift through the region and push North as we jump into Tuesday afternoon. No weather hazards or impacts are expected. Winds in the Upper Snake Plain could bring a small amount of blowing dust today, but not nearly what we saw two weekends ago. Highs will reach the mid- to upper 70s this afternoon, breaking records and creating seasonal serotonin (for those who prefer warmer seasons).

A similar pattern will carry over into Wednesday morning and afternoon. Expect winds, especially North of the Snake River Plain, to increase with gusts hitting around the 35 mph mark. Little to no amount of precipitation is expected. High temperatures will sit in the 70s once again around the region, making it feel like a warm fast-forward through the spring.

Thursday is when a minor cold front will advance into our region, dropping temperatures to be with highs in the upper 50s. Chances of precipitation are limited mainly to the Island Park region. Winds will shift mainly into the Magic Valley at this time, as our region’s wind speeds will fall back down into the teens and 20s. Dry cold front finishes out the week ahead.

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David Pace

ROCKFORD, Idaho (KIFI) – Rising costs from the conflict in Iran are putting the squeeze on Idaho farmers.

“The farmers are very much concerned about this war in Iran because it is impacting our fertilizer prices and also our fuel prices,” said Brian Murdock, a prominent advocate for agriculture. “All energy and all production of oil and gas has an impact back to the farmers.”

The Strait of Hormuz, a thirty-mile wide stretch of water bordered by Iran and Oman, provides Iran with a strategic chokepoint for global trade.

The strait’s partial closure has cut off half of the world’s exports of urea, thirty percent of ammonia, and twenty percent of the world’s oil. 

Urea is a major component in nitrogen fertilizer used for potatoes, wheat, and other crops.

“We all very much will feel this war,” Murdock continued. “…We could definitely see higher fertilizer prices and we will see higher diesel prices, and that will just cut down the margin of any profitability we have a chance of making this year.”

While fertilizer costs eight to ten percent more than last year, rates could increase dramatically once current stockpiles in Idaho run out.

“Just mainly getting nervous,” said Mark Morgan, a crop advisor. “We know that prices are increasing, so it could have an impact later on. But as far as this spring now, we’ve got most of what we need already here, already ordered.”

Meanwhile, the American Automobile Association’s Idaho office reports that diesel has jumped from $3.67 a gallon in February to $5.24 a gallon today.

The sudden spike directly impacts farmers’ production, inputs, and shipping costs.

But despite the uncertainty with prices and in Iran, farmers are already hard at work planting their crops in this year’s warm weather.

“This is farming, and every farmer that’s doing it – they know the game,” Murdock said. “This is not a new drill. They’ve been through this more than once.”

Mark Morgan talks about how rising urea and nitrogren prices are impacting the fertilizer industry.

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LocalNews8-Newsroom

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho Falls High School has a new head football coach. Dustin Medellin, a local coach with 18 years of experience, will lead the Tigers starting this fall.

Medellin most recently served as defensive coordinator at Hillcrest High School, helping the team win two conference titles and reach three straight state championship games, including a 2024 state title.

He also helped Idaho Falls teams reach the playoffs for three consecutive years from 2016 to 2018. 

In a news release sent Monday, Idaho Falls Athletic Director Nick Birch said, “From the beginning of this search, it was clear that we were seeking a leader who embodied integrity, competitiveness, and a relentless commitment to the development of our student athletes at IFHS.” “Coach Medellin is that leader. He has demonstrated the ability to develop talent, to build strong community relationships, and to lead programs with discipline and with purpose. His track record of success on and off the field speaks for itself,” Birch said.

Selected by a committee of administrators, coaches, parents, and community members, Medellin hopes to guide the Tigers into a new era of football.

 

Courtesy: Idaho Falls School Distict 91

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Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — While major travel hubs across the country grapple with operational delays due to the partial government shutdown, airports in Eastern Idaho remain steady, thanks in large part to federal security screening teams (TSA) working without pay.

Officials at Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA) and Pocatello Regional Airport (PIH) confirmed this week that local operations are functioning normally, even as the national aviation system faces mounting pressure.

In Idaho Falls, city officials reassured the public that the travel experience remains consistent with standard expectations.

“IDA is functioning as normal. We recommend that travelers arrive 2 hours before their scheduled departure time,” said spokesperson Kimberly Felker. “We extend our thanks to the incredible TSA workers and IDA staff who work hard to keep IDA running smoothly.”

In Pocatello, the response was similar:

“The Pocatello Regional Airport has not experienced the same level of disruption seen at larger airports, but we recognize the challenges this situation has created nationwide. We are especially grateful for our dedicated TSA team, who continue to show up and serve our community with professionalism despite many not currently receiving pay. Their commitment does not go unnoticed, and we are hopeful for a swift resolution,” said Pocatello Regional Airport Manager Alan Evans.

Travelers are encouraged to show patience and appreciation for the federal staff, keeping the region’s connection to the national airspace intact even without pay.

How to Help

In response to the shutdown, the Pocatello Regional Airport has reopened its donation table to support TSA workers during the shutdown. Donations can be dropped off daily between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. inside the airport terminal.

Accepted donations include:

Non-perishable and perishable food

Personal hygiene items, laundry and cleaning supplies, and other household necessities (such as toilet paper and paper towels)

Grocery, gas, and coffee shop gift cards (must be to a specific store or gas station — general prepaid cards like Visa or Mastercard cannot be accepted)

Cash, checks, and prepaid cards (such as prepaid Visa/Mastercard) cannot be accepted.

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