Category: kifi-local-news

Stephanie Lucas

IDAHO FALLS, (Idaho) — East Idaho cities are no strangers to run-off elections, and there is a reason for that.

With the prospect of run-offs in our current local elections, Local News 8 spoke to Secretary of State Phil McGrane. He says out of just a handful of cities that require run-off elections, four are in the eastern part of the Gem State.

Not every city in Idaho requires a run-off for close elections, but it is up to each city to decide if a runoff should be part of its election process.

“The city has to actually adopt an ordinance saying they’re going to have a runoff. So the majority of cities do not have runoff provisions, but those cities that have elected to do it, they can elect to do it for mayor, and they can elect to do it for city council.”

Idaho Falls is one city that requires a run-off not only for mayoral, but also for close city council elections.

“The majority of cities in Idaho [are] whoever gets the most votes wins. There are less towns that have a runoff provision. The runoff is not the norm. It’s only in these few exceptions where a runoff will take place,” says Idaho’s Secretary of State, Phil McGrane.

Population can play a role in a city’s decision to have run-offs as part of its election protocol.

“The big cities are the ones that have the runoff provisions, which make sense to you because you’re going to get in the bigger population areas, you’re likely to get more candidates, more interest compared to some of the smaller communities. So this very much fits.”

As far as how the run-offs for close elections work, Secretary McGrane says, “So the top two candidates that finish tonight in any of these cities will advance to a runoff election where it’s head-to-head by the top two. That way, those people who voted for candidate three, four or five, however many candidates are, have a chance to recast the ballot for one of the other candidates.”

McGrane went on to add, “I will note there’s plenty of studies on runoffs in overwhelmingly the majority of the time, whoever the winner was on election night will typically be the runoff winner by a pretty healthy majority. But still, it gives voters that opportunity to cast their ballot and have a voice, where when you have a lot of different choices, you never know.

December 2nd will be the voting date for any run-offs in the state.

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Phillip Willis

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — The election in Madison County has it’s results. A bond that would have been used to cover the cost of construction for a new Rexburg police station facility failed to reach the supermajority 66.67% of approval needed to pass, only gaining 62.6% approval.

Rexburg Police Chief Rhodes had previously informed Local News 8 that the current station is severely outdated and plagued with numerous facility issues.

Mayor Jerry Merrill acknowledged the strong community support for the station but noted the hurdle the supermajority requirement presented.

“We had 63% almost that voted in favor of it, which tells you that’s a majority. But unfortunately, we needed that supermajority,” said Merrill. “So we’ve just got to, educate folks and, see what our options are and go from here.”

Merrill says the failure means city officials must now evaluate alternative plans for addressing the outdated infrastructure.

In the race for Rexburg City Council, Colin Erickson stood apart from seven other candidates, securing a seat with 21% of the votes.

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Seth Ratliff

UPDATED: NOV 5th, 2:20 PM

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Pocatello is headed for a high-stakes mayoral runoff on December 2, 2025, guaranteeing that the city will have a new leader in 2026. The final tally from Bannock County confirmed that incumbent Mayor Brian Blad failed to secure a majority, or even a spot in the top two, effectively ending his current term.

Mark Dahlquist led the field, cruising to a first-place finish with 5,135 votes, representing a strong 40.21% of the total. He will face Greg Cates, who secured the second spot with 3,938 votes (30.83%).

Mayor Blad Concedes, Congratulates Runoff Candidates

Mayor Blad finished a close third, earning approximately 1,830 votes, falling short of the runoff. In a gracious concession shared on Facebook, the outgoing mayor offered his best wishes to the candidates moving forward.

“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve Pocatello. I want to extend my sincere congratulations to Mark Dahlquist and Greg Cates as they move forward in the mayoral runoff. Running for office is no small task, and I know firsthand the time, energy, and heart it takes to campaign for the city you love. I wish them both the very best as they continue to share their visions for Pocatello’s future.”

He added, “To everyone who supported me… thank you from the bottom of my heart… Serving as your mayor has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. Pocatello will always be home… No matter who leads next, I have faith in this community’s strength, resilience, and kindness.”

City Council Race

In the race for the Pocatello City Council, incumbent Dakota Bates will retain his seat. Meanwhile, Stacy Satterfield and Ann Swanson took a simple majority, securing city council seats 5 and 6, respectively.

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Seth Ratliff

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — The official results are finalized for the Bingham County 2025 municipal elections, confirming a tight victory for Scott D. Stufflebeam, who narrowly secured the position of Blackfoot Mayor. Stufflebeam won with 55.59% of the local vote.

In a nail-biting contest for the Blackfoot School District 55 Trustee for Zone 1, Taryn J. Shoyo clinched the victory by a razor-thin margin, earning 85 votes to opponent Kevin Callahan’s 83.

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Seth Ratliff

UPDATED:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — As the final tallies are processed from Idaho Falls’ municipal election, the results show two City Council seats have been secured, while the highly contested Mayoral race and City Council Seat 2 are officially heading to a runoff election.

In the tight mayoral race, Jeff Alldridge took a narrow lead going into the runoff with 5,599 votes, or 47.17%, while Lisa Burtenshaw secured 5,537 votes, or 46.65%. Alldridge and Burtenshaw will now face off in the final runoff election scheduled for December 2, 2025.

Local News 8 caught up with Jeff Alldridge at a celebration event held at Guns N Gear in Idaho Falls as the results were finalized.

“We’re in the lead!” Alldridge excitedly told reporters to cheers of applause. “All we have to do now is the runoff. The top two. Here we go. So all we have to do is finish it out!”

Local News 8 also met with Lisa Burtenshaw at Smitty’s diner during a celebratory event.

“Well, I just super want to thank everybody who came out to support tonight and people who have supported me throughout my campaign…” said Burtenshaw. “We’re just going to gear up and get our vision and our message out there, and we’re going to work hard towards the December 2nd election.”

Idaho Falls City Council Elections

In the race for the Idaho Falls City Council seat 2, candidates Brandon Lee and Teresa Dominick head to a runoff election after neither candidate received the necessary simple majority to secure the seat. Lee ended the night with 3,671 votes, or 33.08%, with all precincts reporting. Meanwhile, Dominick trailed in second place with only 2,276 votes, or 20.51%.

Voters delivered decisive victories in two other council races, ensuring incumbents Jim Francis and Jim Freeman will retain their seats.

City Council Seat 4: Incumbent Jim Francis secured re-election, capturing 6,848 votes

City Council Seat 6: Incumbent Jim Freeman will also return to the council, earning 7,642 votes

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Two drivers fortunately walked away without injury after a late-afternoon crash Tuesday at the intersection of Broadway and Park Avenue near the Celt in downtown Idaho Falls.

According to the Idaho Falls Police Department, the incident took place around 5:00 PM. Police say the first driver was traveling westbound on Broadway and attempted to turn left onto Park Avenue but failed to yield to oncoming traffic. The turning vehicle was struck by a car traveling in the opposite direction.

The force of the impact sent the second vehicle careening into a nearby light pole.

The driver cited for failure to yield has not been publicly identified. Neither driver was transported for injuries. The incident blocked traffic along a section of Broadway for about an hour as crews cleared the scene.

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Seth Ratliff

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — As engineers continue to assess the damage and necessary repairs on Riverton Road Bridge, the Idaho Department of Transportation has taken further steps to restore the flow of traffic along Interstate 15 near Blackfoot.

After a tanker truck crash late Thursday night, October 30th, that critically damaged a support pillar, ITD partially reopened the interstate to single-lane traffic underneath the bridge. Now, as of Tuesday, ITD has shifted lanes to provide travelers with two northbound lanes and one southbound lane, separated by a temporary median, spanning I-15 between Exit 89 and Exit 93.

In the days since the accident, ITD’s contractor, Cannon Builders, put up temporary support structures made of wood and concrete to allow vehicles to safely pass underneath.

Looking ahead, ITD engineers anticipate the southbound lane underneath the structure will remain a single lane. They also expect that the Riverton Road Bridge will not fully reopen until next spring as extensive repairs are conducted.

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Seth Ratliff

UPDATE:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Two people were hospitalized after a cement truck driver reportedly fell asleep at the wheel, causing a significant multi-vehicle collision at the busy intersection of 17th Street/Pancheri Drive and Yellowstone Highway this afternoon, November 4th.

The crash took place around 3:52 p.m., according to the Idaho Falls Police Department. Police say the cement truck was traveling southbound on Yellowstone Highway when the driver allegedly lost control, failing to maintain its lane as it entered the intersection.

The truck first struck two vehicles waiting in the northbound turning lane: a Dodge Dakota and a Ford F150, which were preparing to turn left onto Pancheri Drive. The impact then sent the cement truck into a Toyota Avalon in the inside northbound lane. This led to a chain reaction, pushing the Avalon into a Dodge Dart, which subsequently hit a dark-colored SUV.

The drivers of the Dodge Dakota and the Toyota Avalon were taken by ambulance to local hospitals. IFPD spokesperson Jessica Clements reports their injuries appear to be non-life-threatening.

The driver of the cement truck told IFPD officers he had been drowsy and had fallen asleep at the wheel. The investigation is ongoing. Traffic was heavily impacted, with roadways remaining blocked for just over two hours before reopening.

The driver of the cement truck told IFPD that he was drowsy and fell asleep at the wheel. The investigation into the crash is being handled by IFPD and is ongoing at this time. Roadways were blocked for just over two hours and are now open and clear again.

ORIGINAL:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho Falls Police and Fire are currently on the scene of a multi-vehicle crash involving a cement mixer that has completely closed the intersection of 17th Street (Pancheri) and Yellowstone Highway.

The incident was first reported at 3:52 p.m. Traffic is heavily impacted, and IFPD is strongly encouraging drivers to avoid the area and seek alternate routes immediately.

At this time, there is no information available regarding the cause of the crash or any potential resulting injuries.

IFPD confirms they will issue a public update once the roadway has been successfully reopened. Furthermore, because the crash occurred on Yellowstone Hwy., the Idaho State Police may assume responsibility for the following investigation, and IFPD noted they will share further details as the situation develops.

This is a developing news story. Local News 8 will provide an update as we learn more information from investigators and first responders.

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Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– The ongoing federal government shutdown, on the edge of becoming the longest ever, has created a severe national emergency. Federal workers are going unpaid, SNAP recipients are set to only receive partial benefits this month, and the financial fallout is pushing local food banks to a crisis as they struggle to serve both affected employees and low-income families.

41.7 million people rely on SNAP benefits every month. Amid the ongoing shutdown, many are turning to food assistance.

Federal workers were also laid off, furloughed, or working without pay at the beginning of the shutdown.

According to Reuters, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that food assistance benefits will be distributed once the government shut down ends, despite a court order for his administration to make payments by Wednesday.

In Southeast Idaho, food banks are feeling the effects of the government shutdown.

“We do know that some people haven’t been getting paid that do have government jobs. This is like their second or third paycheck that they haven’t been paid. So they’re coming in a little bit more often. We suggest our clients come in twice a month, but they can come in as often as they need. And some people have been coming in weekly just because they’re just not making it right now” Kori Ellis, President of The Giving Cupboard, said.

The Idaho Falls Community Food Basket has also seen an uptick in demand for food, which is affecting the amount of food left on the shelves.

“We just finished our month-long October food drive. The food collected typically carries us through the cold winter months and into spring. That food is now being used twice as fast and will not sustain us as long as we projected. We have seen an increase in donations as we are facing this uncertain time, and we are doing all we can to meet the increased need. We are scrambling to keep up,” Ariel Jackson, Executive Director of the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket, said.

Both The Giving Cupboard and the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket said that there has been a dramatic increase in traffic since the last week.

“We saw a drastic increase between the week before last to last week, almost like a 40% increase in the amount of people that are coming. And I expect that that might keep going higher as the weeks go on, unfortunately, until the government shutdown gets taken care of,” Ellis said.

“We have seen double our regular number of families daily since the middle of last week. We are currently serving more than 100 families per day. We have seen twice the number of brand-new families in the last week as we typically see in a month,” Jackson said.

Nonetheless, both food banks are staying strong amidst the government shutdown and will persist for families that need help.

“I mean, it’s hard to gauge what’s going to happen. We hope obviously the shutdown will get taken care of as soon as possible. If it doesn’t, we’re in good financial shape. And we’re in good inventory shape, so people don’t have to worry that they are going to come here and there’s not going to be enough food,” Ellis said.

“For 45 years, Community Food Basket has been providing emergency food supplies to families facing crisis and we will continue to do that for as long as we can. This community is amazing at stepping in and stepping up when the need calls. We may have to give out a little less or different items than we typically provide, but we have absolute hope that our community will continue to do their best to support our efforts just as [we] will continue to do its best to support those who are struggling in our community,” Jackson said.

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Seth Ratliff

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) — Jefferson School District 251 announced Tuesday afternoon that Harwood Elementary will be closed on Wednesday, November 5th, due to flooding caused by a minor pipe break.

This closure only affects Harwood Elementary students. All other D251 schools will operate on a regular schedule.

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