Category: kifi-local-news

Seth Ratliff

DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI) — Teton County Fire & Rescue is getting a boost ahead of fire season thanks to new grant funding.

Last week, TCFR was awarded grant funding from the Community Foundation of Teton Valley to support wildfire mitigation efforts. The money will help build computer models that show how wildfires could spread through local communities, giving a clearer picture of where risks are highest and how to respond faster.

Officials say the data from these computers will also help fire crews reduce risk and help stop wildfires before they spread.

“With this data, we will be able to mitigate wildfire risks in a more strategic manner,” said TCFR in a Facebook post.

The funds were added to grants from Teton Springs and the Teton Valley Fire Action Community Team to further support the project. For more information, click HERE.

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Abi Martin

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — There will be no school at Skyline High School tomorrow, April 22nd, due to maintenance issues.

D91 Maintenance is working with crews including a maintenance contractor, to address issues with the AC system.

District Leaders say the safety of students and staff is their highest priority. They also recognize that this cancellation brings Skyline very close to the minimum amount of instructional hours required for the school year.

District 91 says that adjustments to the schedule are needed, that will be communicated as soon as possible.

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Par Kermani

Idaho Falls, Idaho (KIFI) — Getting in to see a doctor in Idaho is not always easy. For many, it is not just about cost, but distance, availability, and even finding a provider in the first place.

A mobile clinic from Optum is working to close that gap by bringing preventative care directly to communities across eastern Idaho.

This week, the clinic is making stops in Idaho Falls, Ammon and Pocatello, offering free visits to eligible patients through its partnership with UnitedHealthcare.

“The mobile clinic is just an opportunity for us to get out into the communities where our members live and share access to quality, preventative health care services,” said Jim Tett, Optum manager of clinical operations. “We understand people may have mobility restrictions or transportation concerns, so it’s an advantage to bring it as close as possible.”

Inside the mobile unit, patients can meet with a provider, review medications and medical history, and receive a variety of screenings in a single visit. Services include checks for conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoporosis, along with other preventative tests.

Tett said the goal is to catch health issues early, especially for patients who may not be regularly seeing a doctor.

“We know transportation and access to care can be difficult, so catching people who are not routinely following up with their doctor is a priority for us,” he said. “If we can catch something earlier and get them treated, or get them established with a primary care physician, that’s the goal.”

In one case, Tett said a patient who had delayed care received a serious warning during a visit.

“They were on a path where they likely would not have survived another year,” he said. “They were able to get the care they needed and make those changes, and now they’re in a much better place.”

Healthcare providers say demand for services like this is growing in Idaho, where rural communities and a shortage of providers can make access more difficult. Population growth combined with provider retirements has added to the challenge.

The mobile clinic primarily serves patients on UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans and coordinates care with their primary care physicians. Organizers say the service has seen increased demand since launching in Idaho and continues to expand to more locations.

Looking ahead, Optum is working to grow the program even further, including the possibility of bringing care directly to patients’ homes through a smaller mobile unit.

For now, organizers say the focus remains on meeting patients where they are and helping them stay ahead of potential health issues.

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KIVI Staff

By: Leslie Solis

Originally Posted 11:36 PM

CALDWELL, Idaho (KIVI) — On Monday evening at 9:50 p.m., Caldwell fire crews responded to a residential structure fire in Caldwell near the College of Idaho’s Marty Holly Athletic Center. Everyone in the home was evacuated, and there are no reported injuries.

Fire officials say the blaze was primarily concentrated near the rear of the home. Crews were able to quickly bring it under control, but the residence sustained extensive damage and is considered uninhabitable.

According to Canyon County public records, the home is registered to State Representative Kent Marmon, a Republican legislator representing District 11 in Caldwell, who is currently running for re-election in the 2026 Republican primary.

Marmon confirmed to Idaho News 6 that the home involved was his and shared details about what led up to the fire.He says they believe the fire started under a small refrigerator in an outdoor kitchen.

According to Marmon, the flames spread through nearby cabinets, into a patio cover, and then along the wooden portion of the home and into the attic. Marmon described the moment they realized what was happening, saying they were inside watching TV when they heard glass breaking in a nearby bathroom.

When they went to check, he says flames were already spreading along the south side of the home, with heavy smoke filling parts of the house. He says they were able to get out immediately with their dog, but their two cats did not survive.

Marmon described a large emergency response, estimating around ten fire units on scene. As a precaution, emergency crews evacuated nearby homes in the area.

All neighboring residents were reported safe and unharmed. Fire crews were also monitoring a nearby home belonging to a family member as flames spread through vegetation, but the fire did not reach that structure.

Multiple agencies assisted at the scene, including the Middleton Star Fire District, Nampa Fire District, Canyon County Paramedics, Caldwell Police Department, and Idaho Power. Marmon praised first responders, saying firefighters were able to retrieve several personal belongings, including medications, identification, and electronics, while also providing support to his family during the incident.

He also described an outpouring of support from neighbors and College of Idaho students, who brought blankets, clothing, and other essentials as crews worked the scene late into the night. Firefighters remained on scene until around 3:30 a.m., with cleanup crews securing the home hours later.

The outpouring of support and prayers from our friends and neighbors here in Caldwell is heartwarming and sincerely appreciated. We’ve been getting messages and calls from all over Idaho. Everyone’s concern, thoughts and prayers are so appreciated. We are alright. We got out unscathed, and that’s truly a blessing. We will be staying at my mom’s house as we work through this.

Idaho Rep. Kent Marmon

Officials say the cause of the fire remains under investigation. The fire was just one of two fires that Caldwell Fire battled overnight, as crews provided mutual aid just an hour earlier to the Nyssa Fire Department for a separate three-alarm commercial structure fire on Commercial Avenue.

This remains a developing story. Idaho News 6 will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

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Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Fire officials say the upcoming wildfire season in Idaho is shaping up to be a busy one, driven by an extremely dry winter and changing weather patterns.

The abnormal conditions are already raising concerns across Southeast Idaho, and wildfire season hasn’t even reached its peak yet. Earlier this month, crews battled the Snake Fire, which burned nearly 100 acres along the Snake River in Madison County and Jefferson County.

Last week, the Idaho Department of Water Resources declared a drought emergency for all 44 counties in Idaho due to a record-low snowpack, elevating concern among local fire officials. Thomas Pence, Natural Resource Specialist for USDA, says preparation is already underway for a dangerous fire season.

“This year, we are prepared using a critical fire schedule to increase our firefighter fitness and prepare our trucks and be ready in case a wildfire does start locally,” Pence said.

Pence emphasizes that prevention plays a major role in reducing wildfire risk.

“Most wildfires are started by people. The best thing you can do is make sure that any campfires you have are put out [and] they’re cold to the touch and wet, your chains are not dragging or anything,” Pence said.

For more information on how to prevent wildfires, click HERE.

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Fox13

Originally Published: 21 APR 26 15:08 ET

By Mythili Gubbi

Click here for updates on this story

    OGDEN, Utah (KSTU) — Last week’s freezing temperatures hit Utah’s fruit farms hard, with experts saying most lost their entire crop. But one farmer in Ogden credits the produce he thinks he can harvest to his homemade contraption.

On Monday, Chad Midgley visited his farm for the first time since the freeze.

“It makes me want to cry, it’s really hard to be here,” he said looking at the plants that didn’t make it, like peaches, peas and pomegranates. “It started out as a jackpot, everything was real warm, blooming early, all kinds of fruit, thought we were going to have the biggest year we’ve ever had, and then in the last two weeks, it’s all crumbled.”

He has been farming for 30 years and has multiple farms, mainly in Davis County. But a common denominator on all his farms are his “Hobbit Hole Greenhouses.”

“There are compost piles mixed in between plastic layers like a hamburger, and water mass inside, and they actually throw enough heat out that it kept everything alive, even citrus trees alive,” Midgley explained.

The tomato, lemon, grapefruit, peach, blood orange and other plants inside the greenhouses were thriving.

“We have peaches that are good, and look here, look at this grapefruit, it’s like a Christmas ornament,” Midgley pointed out in the greenhouse.

But most fruit farms across the Wasatch front didn’t do so well.

“They’ve experienced almost 100 percent loss on all fruit crops, and so that includes peaches, cherries, pears, apples, all of it,” said Taun Beddes, a horticulturist with Utah State University Extension. “I’ve been in the green industry for 25 years, and have never seen this.”

Beddes said farmers have been dealing with one blow after another.

“Not only were they dealing with drought conditions, but now, you know, we don’t have much of a fruit harvest,” Beddes added.

Midgley called his greenhouses “a miracle.” He said the doors and windows of the greenhouse were open during the freezing temperatures, but the heat from inside protected the plants.

Midgley said he hopes people support local farmers this year, more than ever.

“There’s not going to be as many farmers selling things and supply is going to be a lot lower. We need your guys’ support to get through this year,” he said.

Beddes added that it’s important to support farms in any way possible, such as visiting for events and participating in various ways.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Seth Ratliff

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — The Rexburg Police Department is notifying the surrounding community of an important training exercise scheduled for tonight at the Frontier Credit Union on 2nd E. Police say the training will draw a large group of law enforcement and emergency vehicles to the area.

To ensure a successful training, police are asking the community to avoid building until the exercise concludes.

The road and sidewalk outside will remain open during the training. For more information, click HERE.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Life Together Alliance is collecting feminine hygiene products, fabric, and underwear to send to girls in Kenya.

They focus on 3 goals: Sustainable food solutions, reusable feminine hygiene kits, and practical skills training, such as sewing.

“The people in the villages typically do the equivalent of $1.55 a day,” Laura Kelley, the organization leader, explained. “And when you’re looking at a pack of sanitary products being a dollar, there’s no way they can afford it.”

Often having to choose between food and period products, the obvious choice is food. So, instead of having these sanitary products, many of these girls would use scrap pieces of fabric or even leaves for their periods.

With the help of the community, Life Together Alliance has been creating a sustainable solution with sewing. They have 8 sewing machines in Kenya and multiple girls learning how to sew their own reusable feminine hygiene products, as well as learning to create clothes and earn money.

“They are not only learning a skill that will help them as time goes on, but they are also creating these kits to help other girls. So by the time that we go out there, they will have sewn 600 reusable feminine hygiene kits,” Kelley said. “And then, Girls Matter period, is donating another 200 to us to carry out there. So we will be distributing 800 feminine hygiene kits to the village girls’ access. And these kits last up to five years.”

Life Together Alliance is grateful to everyone in the community who has donated. They are still accepting donations for fabric, period products, and underwear, and you can find information on how to donate on their Facebook page.

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Seth Ratliff

UPDATED: 9:30 P.M. with comments from Idaho Education Association Spokesman Mike Journee. 2:10 P.M. with comments from Governor Brad Little:

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Governor Brad Little is in hot water with Idaho educators over following his signing of the controversial and heavily altered House Bill 516. The legislation, which restricts public school districts from using taxpayer resources to support teachers’ unions, has led the state’s largest teachers’ union to formally break ties with the Governor.

A Vote of No Confidence

During the Idaho Education Association (IEA)’s annual business meeting this past weekend, members voted overwhelmingly to issue a vote of no confidence in Governor Little.

“The simple fact that that he would betray public schools, signing that voucher bill, signing this union-busting bill, is evidence that the governor’s politics is changing on public education,” said Idaho Educational Association Spokesman Mike Journee.

The union said the move was in response to “union-busting legislation attacking the right of educators to organize and advocate in their workplaces.”

“Our members have spoken clearly,” said IEA President Layne McInelly. “They are angry and frustrated with the governor. They feel his choice to sign House Bill 516, when there were so many reasons to veto it, is a betrayal of his claims to be a supporter of Idaho’s educators and public schools.”

Possibly revoking the Governor’s education award

The vote marks a turning point in the Governor’s relationship with IEA members, who previously endorsed Little and ran door-to-door campaigns during his gubernatorial races in 2018 and 2022.

IEA delegates floated the possibility of revoking Little’s “Champion of Education” award, which the union presented to him just two years ago. During floor debates, members compared the Governor’s recent legislative record—including his support for the House Bill 93 “Parental Choice Tax Credit” program—to the records of past award recipients.

“The governor should not share this award with people who truly champion education and our members,” said IEA member Peggy Hoy.

Understanding House Bill 516

House Bill 516 fundamentally changes how school districts interact with teachers’ unions. The bill “forbids school districts from using public payroll systems to collect union dues, increasing teacher salaries to cover union dues, or giving teachers paid time off for union activities,” as reported by IdahoEdNews. It also includes fines for districts that violate the ban, starting at $1,500 for a first offense and $2,500 for repeat violations.

In addition to the controversial nature of the bill, its path to the Governor’s desk was unorthodox. HB 516 was originally introduced to expand Idaho’s 2025 restrictions on LGBTQ+ instruction in classrooms. However, in the closing days of the 2026 legislative session, the Senate “radiator capped” the bill—stripping it down to its bill number and completely rewriting it. The rewritten bill fell short of two-thirds support in both the House and the Senate, only passing the Senate by 6 votes.

In a news release, the IEA argued that Governor Little signed the bill despite recognizing the potential legal risks, stating, “Little signed House Bill 516 despite recognizing that the new law could lead to discrimination against union members.”

According to the IEA, more than 1,000 Idahoans contacted the Governor’s office, urging a veto before the signing.

“Governor Little had a lot of reasons to to veto this legislation,” Journee said. “The process was terrible. The bill is poorly written and and it’s simply the right thing to do for students, public schools and educators.”

Governor Little Responds

In response to the vote of no confidence, Governor Little defended his record of supporting education. He emphasized how his administration has prioritized the “critical role” of educators through increasing state support for education by nearly 70 percent since he took office, including major gains in teacher pay and benefits.

“I remain focused on building on that progress and will continue working with educators to strengthen our schools and support student outcomes across Idaho,” stated Little in an email to Local News 8.

The Governor’s office also released a comprehensive breakdown of education investments made during his tenure, including:

2019: $92 million

Increased starting teacher pay to $40,000 per year

Doubled funding for literacy

2020: $36 million

Increased career ladder funding and literacy funding

2021: $87 million

Fully funded the build-out of the advanced professional rung on the career ladder

New investments in Career Technical Education

2022: $696 million

Allowed school districts to join the state insurance plan

Additional salary increases

$1,000 bonuses for teachers

Special Session – H1 alone accounted for $410 million for public education

2023: $653 million

Raised starting teacher pay to $47,477

Additional discretionary funding

Created the Idaho LAUNCH scholarship program

2024: $1.3 billion

H521 – largest ever state investment in school facilities

2025: $119 million

Increased funding for rural school facilities

Increased teacher pay

$5 million in additional literacy investments 

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News Release

The following is a news release from the Idaho National Laboratory:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – The Idaho National Laboratory announced Monday that Jennifer Porter will be the next chief of its fire department. Porter is currently the department’s deputy chief of operations. Porter replaces Jim Blair, who has served as INL fire chief since 2022. Blair will retire April 30 after 36 years at the laboratory.

Porter has more than 22 years of experience as a fire service professional, including 18 at INL. As deputy chief of operations, she leads a team of 75 firefighters across three stations, manages line operations, helps develop the department’s operating budget, and works closely with federal, state, and local officials, strengthening community relationships and building trust in emergency services.

“Jennifer has earned this opportunity through years of exceptional leadership, technical expertise and unwavering commitment to INL’s mission,” said Shawn Hill, INL’s Facilities & Site Services executive director. “She understands this department at every level, and she leads with a steady hand and a deep sense of responsibility to her team and this site. I am confident that Jennifer will excel as chief and continue strengthening the vital services our fire department provides.”

Porter worked her way up through the ranks at INL. She was a firefighter from 2008-2014, was promoted to captain and spent five years as a battalion chief before becoming deputy chief of operations in 2022.

Porter grew up in eastern Idaho and graduated from Madison High School in Rexburg. She began her career in 2004 as a volunteer with Leadore Emergency Medical Services and the Lemhi County Fire Protection District. She then became a paramedic and firefighter for the Shelley-Firth Fire District. Porter holds a master’s in homeland security and emergency management and a bachelor’s degree in fire service administration from Idaho State University.

“Stepping into the role of fire chief is both an honor and a deeply humbling experience for me,” Porter said. “The department, and the remarkable individuals who dedicate themselves to its mission, have always meant a great deal to me personally. I am truly proud of the remarkable achievements this team has made, and I am eager to continue building on that success.”

The INLFD works with state and federal agencies to combat wildland fires and with surrounding counties on emergency responses. The INLFD has three stations located on the INL Site. The department maintains five wildland fire engines and one 3,000-gallon water tender.

INLFD is preparing for what could be a challenging fire season following one of the warmest winters on record and a rapidly melting snowpack.

“These conditions significantly increase the potential for wildland fire activity, and it is critical that we take deliberate steps now to ensure the safety of our personnel, the protection of our infrastructure, and the successful execution of our mission,” Porter said. “Fire season requires a unified effort, and with the dedication and focus of our personnel, we are confident in our ability to face these conditions and uphold the safety of our site and community.”

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