Author: KIFI

Maggie Moore

Idaho Falls, IDAHO (KIFI) – Over the weekend, Pocatello Animal Shelter was closed to the public after 4 puppies caught Parvovirus. The virus is highly contagious and attacks a dog’s bone marrow and small intestine. So what can dog owners do to protect their pets?

Parvovirus affects dogs that are not fully vaccinated the most. Dr. Kasey Sweeney with the Snake River Animal Shelter says that Parvovirus is very hardy, and can last for months after a dog sheds it.

With how contagious and hard to kill the Parvovirus is, the best way to protect your dog is to keep them up to date on all their vaccines. If your dog isn’t up to date or isn’t old enough to get the full vaccine, keep them away from other dogs.

“If you have a puppy between eight weeks and 16 weeks, we really don’t want them going to any public spaces meeting any other dogs. just because dogs, even if they aren’t showing signs, can still carry it and shed it, even if they’re a vaccinated, older dog,” Sweeney said.

If you think your dog is sick, contact your vet as soon as possible. With Parvovirus, the sooner you can see a vet, the better their chance at getting healthy again. But that vet treatment does come with a pretty hefty price tag.

“It can be pretty expensive, too. Sometimes I’ve seen vets charge $2,000-$5,000 for treatment, which is why we really recommend that vaccine,” Sweeney said. “Just because that price difference can really make or break families.”

Symptoms of Parvovirus include:

Lethargy

Loss of appetite

Vomiting

Severe, often bloody, diarrhea

Abdominal pain and bloating

Fever or low body temperature (hypothermia)

If your dog gets Parvovirus, it’s very important to clean every surface they’ve touched with bleach to kill the virus.

“If you have a puppy in your house that does have parvo, because it’s so resistant in the environment, you can almost never have an unvaccinated puppy in your house again. Just because it’s so hard to kill, you would have to use bleach pretty much every square inch of your house, and that’s not typically feasible for most people,” Sweeney said.

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Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Broulim’s in Ammon has raised over $37,000 and presented a check to the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission. 

“Broulim’s is a very community-organized corporation. They really like to give back to the community,” said Kelly Allen, Store assistant director, at the Ammon Broulim’s. “This is just one little piece of goodness we can give back is to help feed the homeless and the hungry and all the things that Broulim’s does. Again, this is just one little thing that we can do, but it helps tremendously. So we are definitely very glad and very happy to do it.”

The store was able to raise that money in a little under a month.

Through donations and setting aside a percentage of some of the items that were purchased in the store.

The Idaho Falls Rescue Mission tells us this money will help fill a lot of hungry bellies. 

“We’re always in need of food. So this is going to go a long way to help our organization serve the community and those who are more needy, ” said Colin Himmelstein, Food Service Coordinator for Idaho Falls Rescue Mission 

Himmelstein tells local news 8 that they serve about 80 to 90 meals a night, and this funding should help them continue to feed those numbers for about two months. 

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Ashley Chilcutt

MADISON COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — The following is a press release from Idaho Fish and Game.

Idaho Fish and Game’s Warm Slough Access Site’s status has recently changed from a 10-day camping limit to day-use only from February 1st through September 30th. Warm Slough is located in Madison County, about 5 miles north of Highway 33 along the Henry’s Fork River. 

This decision was made with public safety in mind, as there has been misuse of the site, including exceeding the 10-day camping limit, vandalism, garbage, drug use, abandoned vehicles/campers, and other disorderly conduct after daylight hours.

The access site’s boat ramps and bathrooms will still be accessible to the public; however, Fish and Game does not have the resources or personnel available to patrol and monitor this site for camping 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. 

For more information on the Warm Slough Access Site, please contact the Idaho Falls Fish and Game office (208) 525-7290. 

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Phillip Willis

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) —The Idaho Department of Transportation (IDT) is sharing its plans for Interstate 15, specifically its plans around the Blackfoot interchanges, at an open house at the Blackfoot Community Center at 1350 Parkway Drive #31,  Blackfoot.

ITD is hosting the meeting on April 30th from 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM. For those who miss this one, another meeting covering the same topic will be held May 1st, from 4:00 – 6:30 PM at the Shoshone-Bannock Convention Center at 777 Bannock Avenue, Fort Hall.

The project as a whole stretches from exit 67 near Pocatello to exit 116 at Idaho Falls. This meeting covers those aspects relating to Blackfoot specifically.

Plans include a rebuilding of the US-26 / Blackfoot interchange (exit 93), a rebuilding with a new design of the I-15 / South Blackfoot interchange (exit 89), and the widening of the stretch of road between the two exits in anticipation of future traffic demands.

It’s anticipated that the construction will take a cumulative 6-9 years of construction time. However, if the construction of the interchanges and connecting roads is done in parallel, it’s projected to take 3-6 years. Government funding plays a large role in the speed of construction, according to ITD.

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Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – April is organ donation month, and Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC) is honoring patients and families who have chosen organ and tissue donations.

EIRMC is hosting an Organ Donation Awareness Month event. They believe  Organ donation is not just about saving lives; it’s about restoring hope and giving individuals a second chance at life.

 “Organizations and opportunities to find a miracle in a tragedy. And we don’t always get to see a lot of miracles. So it’s nice when you can participate in one,” said Kristi Caldera, Vice President of Quality at EIRMC. Caldera tells us that by choosing to become an organ donor, individuals make a profound impact and potentially save multiple lives.

Those who attended the event learned about a Twin Falls man named Dylan Wormsbaker, who donated his organs after his passing.

His Father, Curtis Wormsbaker, shares his legacy and tells us that his son’s donation helped over a hundred people across the U.S.  

 “For our family, it helped us process our son’s death with life. That’s pretty much, you know, he we lost our son. It was a tragedy. And he was able to change people’s lives by donating his organs. He gave them a chance,” said Curtis Wormsbacker.

The hospital wants us to know that Organ donation is not only an act of kindness. It’s also the chance to be someone’s miracle. 

If you are interested in becoming an organ donor. There are two ways you can do so. You can go to your local DMV or visit yesidaho.org. 

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Seth Ratliff

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — The Eastern Idaho State Fair has selected six lucky high school seniors to receive support in their college education.

These scholarships are awarded to graduating seniors who have participated in and supported 4-H and FFA at the Eastern Idaho State Fair for a minimum of three years.

This year’s scholarship selection was especially challenging for the committee, with applicants representing nearly all 16 counties, writes the EISF directors. “The recipients for 2025 have significantly surpassed this requirement, collectively amassing 46 years of participation in fair events, making their counties proud!”

Eastern Idaho State Fair Board of Directors pose with Scholarship recipients, Courtesy: EISF

This year’s scholarship recipients are as follows:

Alivia Waldron, Oneida County, Malad High School

Eliana Cecil, Butte County, Cornerstone Academy

Jade Kelly, Bonneville County, Shelley High School

Jailey Jones, Bannock County, Marsh Valley High School

Jason Fleming, Madison County, Sugar Salem High School

Lydia Hamilton, Caribou County, Grace High School

For the first time in the nineteen-year history of this scholarship program, Fair directors have also announced an increase in the award amount from $1,000 to $1,500 for each winner.

Since its inception, the program has awarded $120,000 in college scholarships.

The Eastern Idaho State Fair Board of Directors and staff have invited the scholarship winners and their families to a special dinner in their honor on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.

“The youth participating in the Eastern Idaho State Fair events are crucial to preserving the hometown commitment that we value,” said Dennis Marshall, Board of Directors Chairman.

Applications for the 2026 scholarship will be open to graduating seniors from the 16 surrounding counties starting January 1. For more information, click HERE.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– The Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce and Idaho Central Credit Union hosted an ‘Idaho Gives BBQ’ lunch event attended by dozens of Pocatello area nonprofits on Wednesday.

The Idaho Gives Campaign is a program by the Idaho Nonprofit Center, supported financially by ICCU for the past 13 years, to raise money and awareness for different nonprofit organizations around the state.

“The thing I love about Idaho Gives is it’s a way for people within our community to get to know different nonprofits that they didn’t really know about ahead of time,” said Laura Smith, vice president of community development at ICCU.

So far, the Idaho Gives Campaign has raised nearly $3 million for Idaho nonprofits since they started accepting donations on April 28. The campaign will end on Thursday, May 1.

For more information, you can visit the Idaho Gives website.

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Seth Ratliff

The following is a press release from Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott’s office:

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Creston Dale Kindness, 42, of Fort Hall, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. 

According to court records, on January 21, 2024, officers observed Kindness driving at a high rate of speed. A lengthy pursuit followed, and the vehicle stopped when it became stuck in the snow. Officers arrested Kindness and took him to jail. At the jail, a sheriff’s deputy observed Kindness make a video call to a female friend. Kindness told the friend that he threw a bag with her name on it out of the car window during the pursuit. Kindness gave her the location and told her to go get the bag. Officers responded and found the bag. The bag contained a large amount of cash and 350 grams of fentanyl pills. 

Kindness pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl on June 24, 2024. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Kindness to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Bingham, Blackfoot, Shelley Investigation Unit, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Hall Police Department, and the Idaho State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Haycock prosecuted the case.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)- The Carnegie Foundation, a nationwide education organization that analyzes the effectiveness of schools and universities, has named Idaho State University as one of the top schools in the US in student accessibility and earning potential after graduation.

ISU was recently classified as a ‘higher student access-medium earnings university’ by the Carnegie Foundation. This means students at Idaho State have an easier time getting into, and staying in, a diverse selection of programs and can expect to earn more than the median average income after graduation.

The Carnegie Foundation also re-designated ISU as a ‘Research 2: High Spending and Doctorate Production institution’ in February of 2025, a classification they have held for the past 15 years.

For more information, you can visit Idaho State University’s website and the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education website.

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Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI)—On Tuesday, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in IORC v. Labrador, which blocks the enforcement of Idaho’s new immigration law.

This comes after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Idaho sued the state over the passage of House Bill 83.

House Bill 83 provides for two offenses: First, a misdemeanor charge for “illegal entry,” and second, “illegal reentry,” which would be a felony offense.

The legislation requires law enforcement to focus on illegal immigrants who are detained, investigated, or suspected of criminal activity, through which officers would record the documentation status of individuals arrested throughout their police work.

The ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project argues that H.B. 83 violates the U.S. Constitution by attempting to supersede the federal government’s oversight of immigration enforcement, by impermissibly limiting interstate commerce, and by failing to give people fair notice of what conduct it proscribes.  

“We are pleased the court recognized that enforcement of this law is harmful and unconstitutional,” said Emily Croston, ACLU of Idaho Staff Attorney, in a press release. “We are confident this lawsuit will succeed on its merits, and we hope it sends a message to Idaho’s lawmakers that passing anti-immigrant, unconstitutional legislation is not what Idaho needs.”

The news comes after two temporary restraining orders, which blocked the enforcement of the new law. The preliminary injunction applies statewide and covers everyone who would have been at risk of prosecution for the entry and reentry crimes.  

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