Category: kifi-local-news

Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho House of Representatives approved legislation Thursday that would strip 13 cities of their ability to enforce local anti-discrimination ordinances protecting LGBTQ+ residents. House Bill 557, titled the “Uniformity in Local Antidiscrimination Ordinances Act,” passed in a 53-16 vote and now heads to the State Senate for consideration.

If passed, the bill would prohibit cities and counties from enforcing civil rights protections that exceed those recognized under state law. Because Idaho’s state-level Human Rights Act does not currently include sexual orientation or gender identity as protected classes, the move would effectively nullify existing local protections across the state.

RELATED: Idaho Bill seeks to nullify local LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination ordinances

Religious Freedom vs. Public Accommodations

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Bruce Skaug (R-Nampa) and drafted by the conservative Idaho Family Policy Center, was framed by supporters as a necessary shield for religious liberty and local business owners.

In debate, Representative Barbra Ehardt (R-Idaho Falls) reflected on her time running for the Idaho Falls City Council in 2013, as the City first passed a non-discrimination ordinance protecting against LGBTQ+ discrimination. She argued that while original advocates for these ordinances focused on housing and employment, the real goal was forcing business owners to violate their beliefs in the public sphere.

“As it was being pushed forward, everybody pushing it only addressed employment and housing because they wanted us to believe that somehow those of our friends who are LGBT would be kicked out of their housing or removed from their employment,” said Ehardt. “What they really wanted was public accommodations.”

Public accommodation laws ensure that businesses providing goods or services to the general public—such as restaurants, hotels, and retail shops—must provide equal access regardless of disability, race, color, religion, or national origin.

In the case of LGBTQ+ protections, public accommodations laws became the central issue in the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court case involving Colorado’s Masterpiece Cakeshop, where a baker refused to create a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. The Supreme Court found that Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act violated the store owner’s constitutional rights.

Ehardt’s arguments echo statements by the Idaho Family Policy Center, arguing that such ordinances are frequently weaponized against small business owners who don’t want to participate in events that violate their sincerely held religious beliefs.

“That’s what public accommodation does. It raises rights that I would say are not there to usurp a person’s deeply held religious beliefs,” Ehardt told lawmakers.

Perceived Hostility to the LGBTQ+ Community

Opponents warned that the bill sends a damaging message to those outside the state. House Democratic Rep. Ilana Rubel argued that her contacts in the business world have struggled to recruit top talent to the state because of perceived hostility to the LGBTQ community.

“One of the things that gives them that comfort is that we have these municipal nondiscrimination ordinances. This is actually extremely helpful to our business community in being able to recruit and retain top talent,” Rubel told lawmakers. “Stripping these protections away at the municipal level will send a very hostile message.”

Debate over Local Control

All nine house democrats and a handful of republicans opposed the bill. Dissenting House Republicans expressed concerns over a perceived overreach of state power. Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, argued that “local control is a pillar of our state.”

“It just feels like this bill is really using a sledgehammer to kill a fly. And honestly, I don’t feel like we need to have a belt and suspenders,” Sauter told lawmakers.

According to reports by the Idaho Capital Sun, Sandpoint repealed its own anti-discrimination ordinance in November after complaints about a transgender woman allegedly using the women’s facilities at the local YMCA. He noted the city recently managed the difficult choice through community hearings and a council vote.

“We have local control. Sandpoint showed that it worked,” stated Sauter.

Rep. Skaug defended the measure by stating that local governments only hold the authority delegated to them by the state. He argued that the Idaho Legislature has already established a comprehensive framework and that local governments “should not independently meddle with that framework.”

State Democrat, Rep. Monica Church, called the argument for the supreme authority of the state by state Republicans, a “Fever Dream.”

“If we are truly worried that Idaho would fall prey to the urban majority rule, as many of our neighboring states have done, this is literally the worst thing that we could do,” said Church. “Removing local power. This kind of law makes statists and communists salivate.”

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Ryan Suppe

Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on February 5, 2026

by Ryan Suppe, IdahoEdNews.org

BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Supreme Court upheld the state’s private education tax credit Thursday. 

The five-member court unanimously agreed that challengers failed to show the Parental Choice Tax Credit violates the state constitution’s mandate that the Legislature fund public schools. The credit is Idaho’s first private school choice program, enacted last year through House Bill 93.

The court also granted attorney fees to the Idaho State Tax Commission, which defended the credit and was represented by Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s office. 

Chief Justice G. Richard Bevan wrote Thursday’s opinion. Justices Robyn Brody, Colleen Zahn and Cynthia Meyer concurred. While Justice Gregory Moeller also concurred, he wrote a separate opinion.

Chief Justice G. Richard Bevan listens to oral arguments at the Idaho Supreme Court on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in Boise. (Sean Dolan/EdNews)

The court ruled that a coalition of challengers — including the Idaho Education Association (IEA) and Moscow School District — failed to show that the tax credit violated Article IX Section 1 of the Idaho Constitution. The provision says that the Legislature has a “duty” to “establish and maintain a general, uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools.”

The coalition argued that taxpayer funding for private education creates a separate system that’s tuition-based and not open to all students. 

The court concluded that this reading of the constitution is “inapt.” The interpretation is “unduly restrictive” and disregards the Legislature’s “plenary power” to enact laws that aren’t prohibited by the state or federal constitutions, Bevan wrote in the opinion. 

“Rather, it establishes a floor, and not a ceiling,” Bevan wrote. “When a constitutional provision mandates the legislature do something that it has authority to do, it is not reasonable to read that mandate as restricting the legislature’s broader power to do something more.”

The opinion comes less than two weeks since the court heard oral arguments in the case.

In a joint statement Thursday, the coalition said that while the court found the tax credits “are not unconstitutional,” this “does not mean that they are good policy.”

“Despite this setback, our organizations will continue to advocate for Idaho’s students and public education and believe the Legislature and the voters of Idaho should look critically at this program,” the coalition said.

Justices also rejected the coalition’s argument that the tax credit violates the “public purpose doctrine” implicit in the Idaho Constitution. This legal principle requires that the state spend taxpayer dollars in the public interest, not in private interests. 

The tax credit may “incidentally benefit private enterprise,” Bevan wrote, but this doesn’t transform its purpose into a private one. The chief justice noted that the credit covers more than private-school tuition — it also can be claimed for books, curriculum and other expenses in private- and home-school settings. 

“The fact that some educational services are provided by private actors who may limit the scope of admission to their schools does not make the educational services less beneficial to the public as a whole,” Bevan wrote.

Justice Gregory Moeller speaks during oral arguments at the Idaho Supreme Court on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in Boise. (Sean Dolan/EdNews)

Moeller agreed with the other four justices. But he also penned an addendum directed at court-watchers who might call the decision a “landmark” or “watershed” that would make a “fundamental change in the constitutional landscape.”  

“I wish to stress that I do not believe that is what has occurred today,” Moeller wrote. 

He went on to write that the “constitutional foundation for public education…remains firmly intact.” The coalition brought its challenge before the tax credits have been distributed, and the harms they claimed were “hypothetical and speculative.” 

“(Y)et they may be reexamined in the future when the impact of this legislation can be properly ascertained,” Moeller wrote. 

This is a breaking story and will be updated.

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Seth Ratliff

ADA COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — Health officials in West Idaho are investigating a slew of serious illnesses after several Ada County residents were hospitalized this week, after consuming raw milk. Central District Health (CDH) confirmed this week that nine residents, including two children, are suffering from foodborne illnesses.

The CDH is currently interviewing the affected individuals and testing raw milk samples as part of the ongoing investigation.

After interviewing the affected individuals and testing raw milk samples, laboratory results have confirmed several cases of Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC). This bacteria cause severe symptoms, including bloody diarrhea and vomiting, and may lead to serious complications, particularly in children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.

According to CDH, the two children are currently hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication of E. coli that can lead to kidney failure and long-term health problems.

While the investigation remains active, every individual affected reported consuming raw cow milk from R Bar H before falling ill. In response, the dairy has voluntarily pulled all products from stores and suspended production while the investigation continues.

“Out of an abundance of caution, consumers who have purchased these products should avoid consumption and discard any remaining product immediately,” CDH stated in a news release. “Anyone who has consumed raw milk and develops symptoms such as severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, or vomiting should seek medical care and report the illness to their local health district.”

While Idaho law allows the sale of raw milk, health officials emphasize that it carries inherent risks, particularly for vulnerable populations such as young children, pregnant women, and the elderly.

If you choose to consume raw milk, it is important to follow these guidelines:

Always refrigerate raw milk within 30 minutes of purchase

Raw milk should be kept at 32-36°F in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth

Check for signs of spoilage, such as changes in smell, texture, or taste, and discard any milk that shows signs of spoilage

Wash your hands thoroughly before handling raw milk and minimize splashing when transferring it to another container

For more information, click HERE.

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News Release

The following is a news release from the City of Idaho Falls:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — After a comprehensive recruitment process, the City of Idaho Falls has selected Johan Olson to serve as the next Fire Chief of the Idaho Falls Fire Department, pending City Council confirmation.

“Chief Olson brings years of prior experience at the Idaho Falls Fire Department, combined with broad leadership experience and a clear commitment to public service,” said Mayor Lisa Burtenshaw. “He has demonstrated the ability to lead complex operations, support firefighter development and engage meaningfully with the community. His experience, both here in Idaho Falls and in leadership roles elsewhere, positions him well to guide the department into the future.”

Olson currently serves as Deputy Fire Chief for the Grand Junction Fire Department, where he oversees department operations, participates in countywide emergency management, leads strategic planning efforts and manages multiple divisions, including training, EMS, technical rescue teams and hazardous materials operations, while also engaging in public outreach. Previously, he served as Assistant Fire Chief for the Buckley Fire Department, where he managed daily operations, developed and maintained training programs, served as the city’s emergency manager and played a key role in regional emergency response efforts, including participation on a Type 3 Incident Management Team.

From 2007 to 2021, Olson served with the Idaho Falls Fire Department, holding roles ranging from firefighter to captain and move-up battalion chief. During his tenure, he participated in numerous specialty teams, including swift water rescue, hazardous materials and aircraft rescue and firefighting. He also served as a state hazardous materials instructor and led the department’s swift water team.

Olson holds a master’s degree in emergency management and a bachelor’s degree in fire administration, along with multiple associate degrees in fire science and related fields. He also holds numerous professional certifications, including Fire Officer, Instructor, Driver Operator and advanced incident command qualifications.

“I am honored to return to Idaho Falls and serve as Fire Chief for a department that means so much to me and to serve a community that truly feels like home,” Olson said. “I look forward to supporting our firefighters, continuing to strengthen safety and operational excellence, and building on the strong relationships the department has within the community.”

The appointment will be presented to the Idaho Falls City Council for consideration at the City Council meeting on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 6:30 p.m.

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News Release

The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Regional Airport:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — The City of Idaho Falls has secured $12 million in federal Community Project Funding to support the Idaho Falls Regional Airport terminal expansion, a critical infrastructure project focused on improving safety, efficiency and capacity at the airport.

The funding, included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 at the request of Congressman Mike Simpson, will support the first phase of a multi-phase terminal expansion project at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport.

“This investment allows us to address some of the most pressing space and operational challenges inside the terminal,” said Idaho Falls Regional Airport Director Ian Turner. “We are grateful for the support of Congressman Simpson and our federal partners. This phase of work improves safety and efficiency today while positioning the airport to adapt to growth we anticipate to continue.”

Current improvements focus on improvements to baggage screening and ticketing operations. The project includes an expanded baggage screening area, safer loading areas for baggage carts, expanded ticket counter and queueing space, and structural modifications that allow for future growth.

The improvements planned under this terminal expansion are estimated at $60 million and will be funded through a combination of federal aviation grants, passenger facility charges, and airport revenue sources. Construction is anticipated to take approximately 27 months, pending the final design and project phasing.

The Idaho Falls Regional Airport terminal expansion is included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President in February 2026.

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Sean Dolan

Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on February 4, 2026

by Sean Dolan, IdahoEdNews.org.

BOISE, Idaho — The middle school teacher who was forced to remove a classroom sign that read, “Everyone is Welcome Here,” filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday seeking a declaration that an Idaho flag and banner law is unconstitutional.

Administrators for West Ada School District last year forced teacher Sarah Inama to remove the banner from her classroom. She quit her job in West Ada and now works for Boise School District.

Inama is asking the United States District Court of Idaho to declare that a state law passed last year that prohibits the display of certain flags and banners violates the U.S. Constitution and the Idaho Constitution.

She is seeking damages, attorney fees, a jury trial and an injunction to stop state and district officials from enforcing the state law.

Inama’s lawsuit names multiple defendants:

The Idaho State Board of Education

The Idaho Department of Education

Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador

The West Ada School District

West Ada Superintendent Derek Bub

Monty Hyde, principal of West Ada’s Lewis and Clark Middle School

In January 2025, West Ada administrators asked Inama, a sixth-grade teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Meridian, to take down two signs promoting inclusivity. In addition to the “Everyone is Welcome Here” banner — which included hands of several skin colors with hearts in their palms — she displayed on her wall a sign that said everyone in the room is welcome, important, accepted, respected, encouraged, valued and equal. Each word shows a different color of the rainbow.

Sarah Inama stands for a portrait after speaking at an “Everyone is Welcome Here” rally at the Idaho Statehouse. (Kaeden Lincoln/Idaho EdNews)

A district official told Inama in an email that her signs were out of alignment with a district policy that prohibits the display and teaching of “controversial issues” and the “advancement of individual beliefs.”

Click here for a timeline and stories related to the controversy surrounding Inama’s poster.

Around the same time, the Idaho Legislature was in the process of passing House Bill 41. Signed into law by Gov. Brad Little on March 19, the law prohibits K-12 public schools from displaying flags or banners showing opinions, emotions, beliefs or thoughts about politics, economics, society, faith or religion.

Labrador in June issued an opinion that HB 41 found schools cannot display the “Everyone is Welcome Here” banner.

Labrador wrote in a July 14 op-ed for Fox News that the message behind Inama’s classroom posters appear to be “simple, positive words that seem apolitical,” but the rainbow colors are actually “progressive symbols” aligned with diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.

“These classroom displays reflect a broader ecosystem of political resistance groups launched in protest of the political rise of President Donald Trump,” Labrador wrote.

The lawsuit argues that Labrador deprived Inama of her constitutional right to freedom of speech when he stated that the “Everyone is Welcome Here” poster violated HB 41.

“Ms. Inama’s First Amendment rights are and were infringed by the Speech Regulations and will continue to be threatened absent relief from this Court,” Inama’s lawyers wrote in the 43-page complaint.

The lawsuit includes seven clauses of action, one of which targets the West Ada School District, Bub and Hyde.

Teachers do not shed their First Amendment rights when they enter the schoolhouse, the lawsuit argues. District officials told Inama that the hands with different skin colors is an improper political message, according to the lawsuit, but the integration of ethnicities in public schools has been settled law for decades.

“Ms. Inama is legally obligated to welcome students of all races and ethnicities into her classroom,” the lawsuit states.

The defendants have 21 days to respond to the complaint.

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KIVI Staff

Originally Published: 05 FEB 26 12:55 ET

By Roland Beres

Click here for updates on this story

    BOISE, Idaho (KIVI) — Ron Martinez crashed his Porsche during a speed run at the annual Tour De Force event outside Sun Valley in 2024.

The fact that Martinez is alive — much less practicing martial arts at a high level — is remarkable.

We spoke with Martinez at his gym, Boise Cities Krav Maga, about the crash and what happened that day.

We watched Martinez teach and practice Krav Maga, and it is hard to imagine that he and his nephew survived the unthinkable less than 2 years ago.

“We’re the only people to survive a 200-plus mile per hour crash in a convertible with the top down,” Martinez said.

The convertible was a 9-11 Turbo S, which can go 0-60 in just over 2 seconds.

Martinez had participated in the annual charity speed run three times before. His fourth run, however, ended in disaster.

“That year the road was pretty bumpy,” explains Martinez, “and one of the tires on the Porsche turbos came off and I flipped 14 times, going 200 mph with my nephew, Zach.”

Both he and Zach are nearly back to normal now.

Martinez just had another surgery on his hand, and his right forearm is missing a chunk of flesh, but considering he broke 54 bones, collapsed both lungs, and had a brain bleed, lucky is hardly adequate to describe his survival.

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.

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Danielle Mullenix

Idaho Falls, ID (KIFI) – Sunnyside Elementary is hosting a fundraiser today that gives community members a chance to support local students while picking up free fresh Idaho-grown potatoes.

Northwest Biotech Inc. is partnering with the Sunnyside Elementary PTO for the fundraiser, which runs today from 12:45 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the school.

Organizers say 100 percent of the proceeds will go directly back to Sunnyside Elementary to support student programs and school needs. Sunnyside Elementary Principal Kylie Dixon shared that the fundraiser has already had a great impact on surrounding neighborhoods and the student body.

“The students have been bagging up potatoes for families and people in the community, and people in the neighborhood have been coming by,” Principal Dixon said. “We also had a handful of students who were like taking backpacks full and wagons full around the neighborhood and selling them, and that way, too. So, it was kind of a last-minute fundraising decision, but it ended up being a really fun community event.”

The event features farm-fresh Russet Burbank potatoes, and organizers say the fundraiser is an easy way for families and community members to give back.

Community members are encouraged to stop by Sunnyside Elementary during the afternoon to support the school and take home locally grown potatoes.

Editor note: This story was updated by removing a line about the school district will match the donations. That is not the case.

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) —A high-speed chase from Blackfoot to Idaho Falls ended in a crash and two arrests Tuesday after a wanted man allegedly fled a rest area to avoid a narcotics search warrant.

John Geyer, 29, and Alyssa Massey, 27, now face multiple felony drug trafficking charges after their vehicle careened through a fence near the Broadway I-15 off-ramp.

RELATED: Police chase ends with 2 people arrested in Idaho Falls

The incident began at the Hell’s Half Acre Rest Area, near mile marker 101 north of Blackfoot. Idaho State Police (ISP) attempted to contact Geyer at the rest stop to serve a search warrant related to an ongoing narcotics investigation. Geyer also had an active felony Failure to Appear warrant from Bingham County.

As ISP attempted to contact him, Geyer allegedly fled the scene in his white SUV, leading to a high-speed chase along I-15.

According to IFPD Spokesperson Jessica Clements, Geyer took the Broadway exit and crossed the intersection, running his vehicle through a fence near the Idaho Falls welcome sign, coming to rest on the sidewalk just outside the Shari’s building.

Geyer and his passenger, Alyssa Massey, abandoned the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot but were quickly taken into custody.

Geyer was booked into the Bingham County Jail on charges of trafficking fentanyl, trafficking methamphetamine, felony eluding, and destruction of evidence, in addition to his outstanding warrant.

Massey was booked into the Bonneville County Jail for trafficking fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. During the booking process, deputies discovered marijuana on her person, which led to an additional charge for introducing contraband into a correctional facility.

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Fox13

Originally Published: 05 FEB 26 13:04 ET

By Michael Martin

Click here for updates on this story

    SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah (KSTU) — If you wanna be the very best, like no one ever was, you know you have to collect all the Pokémon you can. But for some people in northern Utah, their efforts were allegedly squashed after they say they purchased fake Pokémon cards.

Hely Alejandra Hayward, 29, was arrested on Tuesday for theft charges, but is being held without bail after investigators stated this wasn’t her first arrest for similar charges.

According to court documents, on January 28th, an officer with the Saratoga Springs Police Department were called by a victim in West Valley City after he allegedly bought counterfeit Pokémon cards.

The victim told police that he saw a listing on an online marketplace for the cards and communicated with the seller through the marketplace. The victim stated he met the seller at a Costco in Saratoga Springs.

Investigators say the victim recalled the seller showing up in a white Mazda CX-5. In the transaction, the victim allegedly paid $3,000 in cash for two graded trading cards and a men’s watch.

However, when the victim sold the items on eBay, they had to be authenticated at a California facility. When the facility received the cards, they found them to be counterfeit and returned the cards to him.

Saratoga Springs police met with the alleged seller, Hayward, who told them that she sold the Pokémon cards that day but denied knowing they were fake.

Hayward was arrested on Tuesday and faces a theft charge for something between $1,500 and $5,000 in value. However, she is being held without bail as police say this is her third arrest for similar charges.

On December 15, 2025, Hayward was arrested for theft charges after selling a victim $4,500 in Pokémon cards. When the victim later inspected the cards, they were found to be counterfeit, and the victim stated they couldn’t get in contact with Hayward.

On January 6, 2026, Hayward was again arrested for a theft charge after selling another victim what was later deemed to be a counterfeit Pokémon card for $1,500.

In relation to the two previous charges, the court allowed Hayward to be released with conditions, including not committing any criminal offenses.

She is now being held without bail.

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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