Category: kifi-local-news

David Pace

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – A voter initiative to repeal the grocery tax in Idaho is gaining traction in the state.

Every time you pay for bananas, carrots, bread and other groceries, you pay 6 percent sales tax to the state government.

Stand Up for Idaho hosted a public debate to discuss the merits and drawbacks of the proposal Wednesday in Idaho Falls.

Idaho Freedom Foundation President Ron Nate said the grocery tax is an unfair burden to taxpayers suffering from inflation.

“Families are hurting, the inflation during the Biden administration (was) over 30% – and I think that was an underestimate of the cost of food going up,” Nate said.

However, Rep. Rod Furniss, (R)-Rigby, said the sales tax on food provides an important revenue stream for education.

“We have about $3 billion in sales tax that we get throughout the state. Roughly, you know, 10.7 or 12.4 percent of it is grocery tax,” Furniss said. “So that generates around $200 million (in) revenue to the state. Sixty-five percent of that money goes to education.”

Furniss pointed out that each year, in-state residents receive a grocery tax credit of $155 per taxpayer on their tax returns, meaning these education funds are paid by out-of-state individuals.

“After we collect the sales tax, we get the money,” he explained. “We then give the (grocery tax) credit back and (with) the credit – the $155 – a family of four can roughly buy $10,333 worth of groceries.”

But Nate, who previously served in the Legislature, argued that the majority of legislators would support repealing the tax if leadership would back the measure.

“It is a dumb policy. It’s an unfair policy. It’s an unpopular policy, he said. “There’s only a few key people in the Idaho Legislature who want to keep this tax in place. And unfortunately, they’re in leadership. So they stop the bill before it even gets voted on.”

Idaho is one of four states that fully tax groceries, Nate pointed out.

Furniss argued that he would support removing the grocery tax if it were replaced with a revenue stream that primarily targets out-of-state buyers.

The debate is expected to continue, as supporters work to gather 70,000 signatures to qualify the grocery tax credit repeal voter initiative for November’s ballot.

For more information, you can view the full forum here.

Rep. Rod Furniss and Idaho Freedom Foundation President Ron Nate debate over repealing the grocery sales tax.

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – The community of Pocatello is in for a treat very soon! The Chocolate Lover’s Affair, put on by the Pocatello Rotary Club at the Stephens Performing Arts Center, is next Saturday, January 23, from 6-9 pm.

The event features local bakery vendors and their decadent chocolate desserts for tasting. Guests purchase tickets in advance, and chocolate treat tasting is included. Wine will be available for purchase as well as silent auction items.

Many regional bakers have gotten their start at the Chocolate Lover’s Affair, including the owner of Shay’s Pie Place, Shay Longhurst. She provided 800 samples at the event a couple of years ago when she first began her bakery business.

“I ended up winning that competition,” Longhurst said. “It kicked my business into a whole other level. It was a risk to get out into the community, and then by winning, it became a bigger deal than I thought it was, and all of a sudden, people knew Shay’s Pie Place.”

Mersad Rezaei is the Fundraising Committee Chair for The Chocolate Lover’s affair and tells us the event provides a space for both established and upcoming master chocolatiers in the community to connect with customers.

“Our attendees over the past years have loved this event. It’s a chance for them to come and sample different chocolates, different brownies, fudge, pastries, and desserts from different vendors around town,” said Rezaei.

Some attending vendors this year include Camille’s Crepes, Woodland Orchards, and Snow Cookie Creations. The sponsors of the event, including Cole Chevrolet and others, will be in attendance.

The event is a fundraiser for the Pocatello Rotary Club. Rezaei says they aim to raise funds and do good with them.

“Some of the things the rotary club does you’ve probably seen around town,” he says. “We do the Little Free Libraries, which are especially for children and people in the community who don’t have access to cars, so they can still have access to books. Literacy is one of our core pillars we focus on at the Rotary Club, so we want to make sure to promote literacy and make it accessible for everybody.”

Miss Pocatello will also be at The Chocolate Lover’s Affair this year, and she says her personal initiative in the community perfectly aligns with the goals of the Rotary Club.

“I have a community initiative, which is Dyslexia Awareness Through Literacy, which fits right in with the Rotary Club of Pocatello. I’m so excited that I get to be a part of this with them,” said Rachele Story, Miss Pocatello 2025-2026.

Story encourages everyone in the community to purchase tickets and come to enjoy some chocolate and music next week.

“I’m looking forward to wearing a beautiful gown, eating some chocolate, and seeing all of the lovely faces in Pocatello that I represent,” she said. “Not just that I’m from this area, but that I get to know more of the 60,000 people that live here.”

“We start planning normally three to five months in advance before this event, a lot goes into it,” said Rezaei. “We’re so thankful for our Pocatello Rotary Club for putting this on, there’s nothing like it in the general vicinity of Pocatello.”

If you haven’t been to the Chocolate Lover’s Affair before, 2026 is the perfect year to start going.

“It gives people a chance to get out, go on a date night,” said Rezaei. “This is the perfect opportunity to purchase two tickets for you and your significant other as a Valentine’s Day gift.”

For more details about this year’s event and to purchase tickets, you can visit https://chocolateloversaffair.com/purchase-tickets/.

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Maile Sipraseuth

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) — Farnsworth Middle School was the center of a special celebration this Wednesday as students gathered for a special introduction. The guest of honor? A multi-ton Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) snowplow now officially christened “Catch My Drift.”

The naming is part of ITD’s second annual “Name a Snowplow” contest, a statewide initiative that turns road safety into a creative challenge for 6th through 12th graders. This year, Farnsworth Middle School rose to the top, beating out a record-breaking number of entries with their pun-filled winning submission.

The “meet-and-greet” allowed students to see the massive machine up close as it goes about its winter rounds.

According to ITD, naming the plows serves for more than just a laugh. ITD believes the name will make the plows more visible to drivers and less likely to be hit. 

“We just kind of thought it was a good way for Idaho to reach out public, get their input and feedback, and have an educational arm for trying to reach out to people about snowplow safety,” ITD’s Public Information Officer, Sky Buffet, said.

While the winter has been relatively mild so far, ITD officials say “Catch My Drift” is fueled up and ready to hit the pavement as soon as the next storm rolls through.

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Max Gershon

EAST IDAHO (KIFI) — A recent nationwide analysis of 129,825 fatal crashes by ISelect has revealed a trend: US highways, are the site of the most deadly accidents across in Idaho. The data shows over the past five years there have been 1,071 fatal crashes recorded statewide. Here’s the breakdown by road type where fatal crashes occur: State highways: 35%, U.S. highways: 40%, Interstates: 24%, Local streets: 1%.

This finding challenges the common perception that high-speed interstates pose the greatest risk. State highways often feature a mix of higher speeds, frequent access points, intersections, varying traffic types (including pedestrians, cyclists, and slower vehicles), and less separation between opposing lanes—factors that can elevate crash severity compared to controlled-access interstates.

According to the analysis, the top 10 roads in Idaho with the highest number of fatal crashes over the five-year period are:

Rank
Idaho Roads
Total Crashes

1
US-95
84

2
I-84
81

3
US-20
56

4
I-15
38

5
SR-55
35

6
US-93
31

7
US-30
24

8
US-12
20

9
SR-75
18

10
US-26
18

Local News 8 spoke with Sky Buffat from the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) about why state and U.S. highways see more fatal crashes than interstates. She explained that these roads serve as “lifelines” for communities across the Gem State.

“They are lifelines, I-15 connects Pocatello and Idaho Falls. Those are daily travel for many people in our area,” the official noted. “U.S. 20 is a major artery and lifeline, because they’re the most heavily used… This is what connects all of our communities. It’s where people live, work, play, all of it. It does fall to reason that they with us have the traffic, which gives the propensity for there to be crashes.”

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Seth Ratliff

TETON COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — A weekend excursion turned tragic in the Big Hole Mountain range after a 63-year-old man lost his life in a snowmobile crash.

The incident took place on Sunday afternoon, January 11. At around 3:00 PM, Teton County Idaho Search and Rescue (TCISAR) received an urgent call for help involving a snowmobiler who’d crashed into a tree.

Sending out a ground and short-haul helicopter team, TCISAR transported him to an awaiting ambulance. Despite the rapid response and the life-saving measures performed by volunteer rescuers and emergency medical personnel, the man succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

“We do wish to express our deepest condolences to his friends and family,” TCISAR wrote in a post on Facebook. The identity of the victim has not yet been released.

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Seth Ratliff

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Authorities in Bannock County have released the identity of the 51-year-old man killed on Tuesday after his vehicle struck a detached semi-trailer on US Highway 30.

Bannock County Coroner Torey Danner has identified the man as Bradley Bassett of Pocatello, noting that Bassett’s next of kin have been notified. “My thoughts are with Bradley’s family and friends during this time of loss,” Danner said in a statement.

RELATED: Driver killed after striking disconnected semi-trailer on US 30

The accident took place on January 13, 2026. A 2024 Freightliner semi-truck was traveling eastbound when the truck’s single trailer disconnected from the cab and came to a rest in the middle of the highway, completely blocking the westbound lane.

Bassett, who was traveling westbound in a silver Mercury Grand Marquis, slammed into the stationary trailer.

The exact cause of the mechanical failure that led to the trailer’s disconnection has not been released. The crash remains under investigation by the Idaho State Police.

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Megan Lavin

EDITORS’ NOTE: To ensure full transparency, Local News 8 notes that business owner Claudy Lavin is married to a member of our reporting team. KIFI provides no formal advertisement or endorsement for Idaho Falls Junk Removal, and this segment was selected purely for informational purposes.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Today is National Organize Your Home Day, and if you’re not sure where to start, Local News 8 talked to a local junk disposal expert to give you a few pointers.

Claudy Lavin is the owner of Idaho Falls Junk Removal, and he says a lot of people don’t get rid of things, simply because they don’t know how. Paint is one example.

“So one of the things you need to do to dispose of paint is got to make sure that it’s dried out. So you can either open the can and let it sit out to dry out, or you can use kitty litter so that it helps dry it out. That way we can properly dispose of it at the transfer station,” says Lavin.

But, he reminds us that’s not your only option with paint. “If you don’t feel like drying out your paint, another thing you can do is donate it to Habitat for Humanity.” 

If you have bigger areas in sight, he says tackling big items that take up large real estate can make a big difference–like appliances that no longer work, exercise equipment you’re no longer using, or old furniture. Once those are gone, it can really breathe new life into a space.

Claudy’s final tip: he says to go room by room, or go by category if you don’t know where to start. And, if you feel overwhelmed–call in the professionals–that’s what they’re there for. He says people don’t just enjoy the extra space, but that they often feel like a mental weight has been removed–not just the items themselves.

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News Team

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A massive network outage at Verizon Communications, the nation’s largest wireless provider, has disrupted phone and internet services for hundreds of thousands of people across the United States on Wednesday.

According to the tracking site Downdetector.com, more than 177,000 people reported service failures nationwide, including dozens of reports across southeast Idaho.

In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), Verizon confirmed the technical difficulties and apologized for the lapse in service.

“We are aware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers. Our engineers are engaged and are working to identify and solve the issue quickly,” the company stated. “We understand how important reliable connectivity is and apologize for the inconvenience.”

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Fox13

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 9:07 a.m. MST

By: Michael Martin

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SALT LAKE CITY (KSTU) — Salt Lake City police have arrested one man in connection with last week’s shooting outside a Salt Lake City church in which two people were killed and six injured.

Ryan Daniel Toutai, 32, was arrested on Tuesday and faces a charge of obstruction of justice.

According to court documents, following the shooting, detectives discovered multiple people with gunshot wounds in the church’s parking lot, and additional victims arrived at area hospitals with gunshot wounds.

Police had said they found multiple used cartridge casings and a handgun at the scene, along with a blue Los Angeles Dodgers baseball hat. Video obtained by police allegedly show Toutai wearing a Dodgers at the church.

During a police interview, Toutai claimed he had taken an Uber to the church and that he was inside when he heard gunshots from the parking lot. Toutai denied any involvement with the altercation and denied having any knowledge of what happened. He also denied having a firearm or seeing anyone with a gun that night.

When asked what happened to his Dodgers hat, Toutai told police he didn’t know.

Multiple witnesses allegedly gave a description of one of the suspects involved that matched Toutai, and officers also received numerous tips that Toutai was involved in the shooting and had a confrontation with another man in the parking lot.

After seizing Toutai’s phone, police said a search revealed video that showed him with a gun similar to the one found at the shooting scene. Additional videos allegedly showed Toutai driving a car with one of the other men involved in the altercation.

The man seen with Toutai in the video allegedly later showed up at a hospital with a gunshot wound.

Police added that videos taken by witnesses also show Toutai walking toward the church with the other man and a third man, who was also shot during the altercation.

When interviewed by police again on Tuesday, Toutai gave the same statement claiming to be inside the church, and only walking out when gunshots were heard. After telling Toutai that his hat was found at the scene and videos showed him in the lot leading up to the shooting, detectives informed him that further false statements could result in obstruction of justice charges. Toutai continued to deny any knowledge of the gun or how his hat ended up at the church.

Court documents also state that when Toutai was arrested Tuesday, they found a loaded handgun underneath the seat of the vehicle.

Investigators say they are asking the court to hold Toutai without bail due to his reported involvement in the Tongan Crip Gang and his frequent travels between Utah and California.

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David Pace

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Idaho had a strong presence at U.S. Supreme Court proceedings for the case Little v. Hecox on Tuesday.

State Representative Barbara Ehardt, of Idaho Falls, received one of four Idaho tickets to view oral arguments in person before the U.S. Supreme Court.

As the sponsor of the ‘Fairness in Women’s Sports Act’ that was challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Idaho, she had a near-front row seat as the case unfolded in Washington, D.C.

“Just – even not referencing my own legislation – just sitting in the Supreme Court of the United States was almost overpowering to me,” Ehardt told Local News 8 in an exclusive interview. “It has such significance. Then to add the fact that we were sitting there to hear the legislation that I authored and started in 2018, not done until 2020 when I brought it, it was just phenomenal.”

In 2020, transgender athlete Lindsey Hecox sued the state of Idaho in order to be able to participate on Boise State women’s track and cross-country teams.

Coed teams are allowed, but the 2020 law barred transgender individuals from participating in girl’s sports.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho Foundation provided a statement about Lindsey Hecox’s position on the case.

“In 2025, Lindsay ended her participation in any women’s athletic programs covered by H.B. 500 to prioritize finishing her degree and her personal safety and wellness,” said Rebecca De León, American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho communications director, in an emailed statement to Local News 8.

“As a result of this, her attorneys are arguing that the Court should rule her case legally moot,” she continued. “In West Virginia v. B.P.J., the U.S. Supreme Court will address a challenge to a nearly identical law. No matter what the Supreme Court decides in these cases, we are committed to defending the rights of all women and girls, including transgender women and girls.”

During the Tuesday’s arguments, Ehardt said she was ”a little bit upset” with how three female justices – Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elaine Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson – characterized her legislation.

“I never once put the word transgender in there,” Ehardt said. “… Their side really, they were arguing against having a definition of sex. They did not want to have sex defined, and instead they basically wanted guidelines – ‘What are some of the characteristics of, you know, being a female?’

“I’m thinking to myself, oh my goodness,” she continued, “and Justice Roberts then basically said that if we don’t define sex, then how shall we know if we’re discriminating?”

Ehardt said she sat next to U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) during the proceedings.

Outside at a rally supporting the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador and U.S. Congressman Mike Simpson also addressed crowds.

“The simple reality of this case is that we’re talking about simple biology,” Labrador said. “There are men and women, and Title IX and equal protection should allow boys to participate in boys sports, and girls to participate in girls sports, and should allow girls to have the safety and security of knowing that they’re going to be safe in their spaces, they’re going to be safe in their sports, and that they’re going to be protected by the law and by the Constitution.”

Simpson stated that his work desk prominently displays a mug that emblazoned with the motto, “Watch women’s sports.”

“I shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t be here. This is nonsense,” Simpson said. “We’re before the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court, arguing for common sense. That’s all we want is common sense. Men should not be playing in women’s sports. That’s the truth. That’s what the signs out there are saying. …Women have the right to compete against other women without men in the competitive process.”

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in the controversial case by late June.

Rep. Barbara Ehardt attended the U.S. Supreme Court hearing over her law on Tuesday for Little v. Hecox in Washington, D.C.

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