Month: March 2012

Senate lawmakers have endorsed a bill to better protect Idaho firefighters who contract cancer. The Senate voted 23-10 Monday to pass legislation that would help the state’s nearly 1,000 firefighters secure workers compensation for diseases they say result from years of battling burning, smoke-filled structures. A growing body of medical research suggests the physically demanding

Teton County, Wyo, commissioners are using a new Childcare Assessment to determine how to spend $2.5 million left over from its 2006 Day Care Center SPET initiative. County voters approved a $6 million Special Purpose Excise Tax in 2005. Of it, $3.5 million was spent on Phase 1 of a Teton County Daycare Center in

There’s a chance for flooding in Wyoming because of warm weather that’s expected to break up icy rivers. The National Weather Service in Riverton says there’s an increased potential for minor flooding below 8,000 feet through midweek. Ice broken free from rivers could cause flooding if they get jammed in sharp turns or bends. Temperatures

The House voted 59-7 to require Idaho schools to develop rules governing when student athletes must be pulled from games following a possible concussion – and when they can return. In Monday’s debate, advocates said this would make athletes safer, while opponents complained it left too much decision-making up to coaches. A supporter, Rep. Mack

House members voted 49-13 to encourage private insurers to establish their own health insurance exchange, rather than having federal or state governments set one up as envisioned by the 2010 federal health care overhaul. Rep. Bob Nonini of Coeur d’Alene said Monday he doesn’t think Idaho lawmakers have enough time to pass exchange legislation, with

A House panel rejected a bid to raise Idaho’s cigarette tax by $1.25 per pack, with Republicans calling it social engineering. The Revenue and Taxation Committee’s vote Monday was 11-5, easily defeating the bill sponsored by groups including the American Lung Association. Reps. Lenore Barrett and Vito Barbieri said cajoling people to quit by boosting

The Idaho Board of Medicine is investigating complaints that a Pocatello doctor – who is also an Idaho State University faculty member – botched 10 autopsies, including one involving a highly publicized murder. The complaint contends that in one case Steve M. Skoumal of Pocatello determined a family died of carbon monoxide inhalation, but after

Even after leaping ahead an hour, it seems like Eastern Idahoans still can’t catch up to the ever-escalating price of gas. “I think they are ridiculous. There’s no need for it and no justification for them, that’s for sure,” said Nancy Goodnight. In just over a month, the average price of gas in Idaho has

Calling itself the Alliance for Property Rights and Fiscal Responsibility, a group of Bonneville County property owners is seeking a temporary restraining order against the city of Idaho Falls. They’re challenging Idaho Falls Power’s authority to condemn right of way for construction of the 161-kilovolt North Loop Transmission Line. In a news release, the Alliance

Rexburg police said 15 vehicles have been burglarized in the Hyde Park apartments parking lot on Fifth West. Police said two vehicles were entered at about 3:50 a.m. Monday. A tenant was heading to work when he discovered two men in his neighbor?s vehicle with an interior light on. The tenant approached them, and they

West Valley City police have canceled an Amber Alert for a 10-year-old girl after she was found safe. Authorities issued the alert Friday afternoon for Aliyah Crowder after she was reportedly taken from Silver Hills Elementary in West Valley City. Her mother, 38-year-old Venus Athena Barker, was suspected in the case. Police say she initially

The world’s second largest angus bull sale was held right here in Idaho Falls. Nearly 600 people attended Riverbend Ranch’s 12th annual genetic edge bull sale. Here, the best 563 bulls out of the ranch’s herd of over 1,300 were sold to cattle ranchers looking to upgrade their herd. “Over the last twenty years, we’ve

Caleb joined Local News 8 and KIDK Eyewitness News in August 2011 from his hometown of Boulder, Colorado. During his time at the University of Colorado, Caleb spent a year living in Christchurch, New Zealand studying Indigenous Development at the University of Canterbury. In the south pacific, he chased stories as far away as Thailand.

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Karole Honas underwent a medical treatment earlier today, called photodynamic therapy, or a “blue light” treatment. She had to get it done because of decades of sun damage that had built up on her face, to the point where it could have become dangerous. The belief in the 1960s was the darker the tan, the

The Idaho Board of Education wants 60 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds to have some kind of post-secondary education by the year 2020. Representatives from the board will host a forum at 7:30 Thursday night at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies. The forum will explain proposed strategies behind the Complete College Idaho initiative, and

A new agreement between Brigham Young University-Idaho and Idaho State University will make it possible for BYU-ID s tudents to complete two degrees in the same time it takes many to complete just one. Students will be able to complete both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in as little as five years. Statistics from

We have 25 pairs of tickets to give away to the West Yellowstone Snowmobile Expo. The event will be March 16 to 18. More details are available at www.snowmobileexpo.com. This contest ends at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.

The state mental hospital in Blackfoot could be in danger of losing its accreditation due to major cuts in staffing in recent years. Rep. Fred Wood of Burley, who is also a physician, told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee Wednesday that the cuts are endangering patient and staff safety, but a recent budget proposal for the

The flames have been extinguished at the Franklin County Grain Growers building after Wednesday’s fire, but now, the real work is just beginning. The board members of the Valley Wide Cooperative, which took control of the building recently, met Thursday morning to talk about moving on, and how it felt to watch the 81-year-old building

A Pocatello man was arrested on a Bonneville County warrant for grand theft Thursday, Idaho Falls police said. Police said James Drew Ridings, 45, stole about $530 in merchandise from Home Depot in Idaho Falls in January. Ridings used receipts found in the parking lot of the retail store, obtained the merchandise listed on the

Idaho Republicans have already selected a presidential nominee, but local campaigns are just starting to heat up ahead of the May primary. One of them is the race for Bingham County sheriff, and it is between the same two men who vied for it in a very close 2004 election. “It’s been a great career,”

The intersection of Hitt Road and 17th Street is often dubbed one of Bonneville County’s worst intersections. Now, that intersection spanning Idaho Falls and Ammon could soon become a little safer. If engineers from Idaho Falls and Ammon get their way, quite a bit is going to be done to improve the flow of traffic.

The Big Sky Tournament is bringing a big boost to local businesses in the Pocatello area. Members the Pocatello business community said it hasn’t been hard to spot the economic effect of the tournament. “If you were out trying to get into a restaurant yesterday you probably ran into a team somewhere and their fans.

Brigham Young University-Idaho is displaying a first-edition copy of the Book of Mormon at the school library. The book was donated to BYU-Idaho more than a year ago, but it had to undergo an extensive restoration process. It has a lot of water damage because, as scholars believe from the writing inside the book, it

When Bruce Hill filed a declaration to run for Fremont County commissioner Wednesday, he thought he was running for a seat in District 1. But Hill’s effort was voided Thursday after County Clerk Abbie Mace discovered Hill actually lives within Commissioner District 2 and is not eligible for the District 1 seat. Mace said the

A flood watch is in effect for parts of southeastern Idaho, the National Weather Service announced Friday. Areas affected include the Caribou Highlands, Southcentral Highlands, Upper Snake Highlands, the Upper Snake River Plain and the Wasatch Range in Idaho. In central Idaho, the Wood River and Sawtooth Mountains regions will be affected. Strongly increasing temperatures

Republican Ron Paul’s dismal “Super Tuesday” performance, even in states like Idaho where he predicted he could win, shows his supporters’ exuberance was no match for the well-oiled, well-funded campaign machine of Mitt Romney. It also illustrates that Paul’s message of returning to the gold standard, abolition of the U.S. Federal Reserve and loosening laws

The Jackson Hole community is grieving after an avalanche killed two well-known local skiers. The bodies of Steve Romeo and Chris Onufer were found buried Thursday in Waterfalls Canyon in the northern end of the Teton range. Many described the guys as adventurers and backcountry skiing enthusiasts who left a huge impact in Jackson. Even

KIFI began as a family company in 1947. Back then, it was a radio station started by Jim Brady, the son of J. Robb Brady the owner of the Post Register Newspaper in Idaho Falls. In 1961, KIFI began broadcasting the NBC television network with 316,000 watts at the time the most powerful television station

Some welfare recipients could be required to undergo drug tests to qualify for benefits under a bill that has passed the Utah Legislature. Republican Sen. Aaron Osmond says anyone who fails a drug test could enroll in a treatment program to avoid losing benefits. The law would apply to people who qualify for the Temporary

A Montana man will get prison for the 2010 robbery of Zions Bank in Rexburg. According to Madison County Prosecutor Sid Brown’s office, 7th District Judge Greg Moeller accepted an Alford plea agreement from John H. Green, 34, of Livinston, Mont., this week. In it, Green said he could not remember committing the crime, but

A planned Internet sales tax bill may not have made it through the legislature, but the Idaho State Tax Commission says people already owe taxes on Internet buys and most people aren’t paying up. The commission said anyone who buys online is required to pay the use tax. It is the same percentage as the

Law enforcement officials are searching for Chris Hudson, who is wanted on a $250,000 felony drug warrant. They surrounded an apartment on Eve Drive on Thursday afternoon. Police said people inside barred the door, but officers entered through the window. Hudson, 30, was not to be found, and it is suspected he fled on foot.

The bodies of two well-known backcountry skiers were recovered from the northern Teton Range of Grand Teton National Park. Park officials say an avalanche buried Chris Onufer and Steve Romeo, both of Jackson, Wyo., near the summit of 11,355 foot Ranger Peak sometime Wednesday. Onufer worked at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village and

If Tuesday night was any indication, more people may be fired up about the chance to be part of early voting. Stan Bell, the first vice-chair of the Bonneville County Republicans said people share a collective pride in the process. They get to exercise a right held sacred; the right to vote. “Many men and

A former New York City firefighter is sharing his story about being called to the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Scott Schrimpe spoke to a room packed full of local firefighters, emergency medical services crews, and police officers in Idaho Falls on Wednesday. Most watched on TV or heard it on the radio,

Moderate Republicans are retiring in droves from the House, likely resulting in a further rightward tilt during the November 2012 elections. The departures include Reps. Mack Shirley, Bert Stevenson, Sharon Block, Carlos Bilbao and Leon Smith. Though hardly liberals, these Republicans have provided a moderating influence on the increasingly conservative House in recent years. Bilbao

The United Dairymen of Idaho Distinguished Student recipient says he wouldn’t be who is if it weren’t for his good friends. Madison High School senior, Andrew Schaat takes living in harmony with his friends to a whole new level. Andrew has an unusual hobby for a young man his age – barbershop quintet singing. “I

The landslide victory for Mitt Romney across eastern Idaho and the entire state isn’t the only set of numbers in this process. As with any event, there was a cost involved. A couple of committees have provided some initial estimates of how much county GOP groups spent on their caucuses. In Bonneville County, Chairman Don

Smokers may have to think twice before they light up in a bar if a proposed Idaho Falls ordinance passes. Last month, several bar owners met with city officials to propose a city-wide smoking ban in all bars in Idaho Falls. “I think this has been a long time in coming that bars in Idaho

The bodies of two well known back country skiers have been recovered from the northern Teton Range of Grand Teton National Park. Park officials say Chris Onufer and Steve Romeo, both of Jackson, Wyoming, were buried by a large avalanche near the summit of 11,355 foot Ranger Peak sometime Wednesday. Onufer worked at Jackson Hole

It was a landslide victory in Bannock County on Tuesday night with Mitt Romney taking 79 percent of the vote. Ron Paul got 12 percent, Rick Santorum got 7 percent and Newt Gingrich got 1 percent. The final ballot count was 2039, and there were people who walked away from Tuesday’s long line, but Bannock

A man who pleaded guilty in connection with a Jackson bar fight will be able to stay out of jail if he avoids getting into more fights. A judge sentenced Joshua Anders Rae to a year of probation on Tuesday following a long and emotional sentencing hearing. The man Rae injured in the 2009 fight

Bonneville School District will be holding an informational meeting to discuss their 14-million dollar bond Wednesday night. The money would be used in part to build a new elementary school and remodel a current building into a technical high school. The meeting is being held at Ammon Elementary School’s auditorium beginning at 7 p.m. The

A 24 year old Idaho Falls man faces charges of leaving the scene of an accident and reckless driving after his pickup crashed into the Summerwood Drive LDS church. Tyson Jack Moore turned himself in to Rexburg police Tuesday. Capt. Randy Lewis said Moore admitted crashing into the building at 1 a..m. Tuesday. Lewis said

Fire fighters worked through the night to completely put out the flames at the Franklin County Grain Growers building after a fire broke out just before 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Franklin County Fire Battalion Chief Scott Martin said it was an overheated bearing on a conveyer belt that ignited some grain dust that quickly engulfed

Grace Lutheran School in Pocatello is adding a 13,000-square-foot addition to the current campus. The new facility will bring day care, preschool, and kindergarten into the campus. Kids from toddlers to eighth-graders will be under the same roof. “Having everything together is having the whole family in one house rather than two houses. There’s cost

Bear Lake School District #33 will be closed Wednesday due to blowing and drifting snow that has caused bad road conditions.

Seven Grand Teton National Park rangers were honored with the Department of Interior’s prestigious Valor Award by Secretary Ken Salazar Wednesday. The recognition came in honor of their heroic actions during the July 2010 search and rescue of 17 climbers caught in a powerful lightning storm in the park in July 2010. In addition, one

Thanks to leap day, Idaho saw a 20 percent to 25 percent boost in February’s precipitation numbers. The Natural Resources Conservation Service released its February report Tuesday depicting a bright water outlook for eastern Idaho. The central mountains are around 60 percent to 70 percent of normal snow water equivalent. The Henry’s Fork Basin and

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is praising Idaho and Montana for successful management of gray wolves. In its 2011 Annual Report for the Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Population, the service estimates the region’s wolf population at 1,774 animals and 109 breeding pairs. “These population estimates indicate the credible and professional job Montana and Idaho

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is praising Idaho and Montana for successful management of gray wolves. In its 2011 Annual Report for the Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Population, the Service now estimates the region’s wolf population at 1774 animals and 109 breeding pairs. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mountain-Prairie Regional Director Steve Guertin said,

A pickup truck crashed into an LDS church on Summerwood Drive. Police found 1990 Ford F-150 at 2 a.m. Tuesday. It was unoccupied, and several containers of alcohol were found inside, they said. The vehicle appeared to have been traveling west on Second North into the Summerwood lot. It left skid marks before jumping the

Idaho Republicans gathered throughout the state and declared Mitt Romney the winner, giving the former Massachusetts governor a landslide victory Tuesday. (See http://bit.ly/yU4hyU for exact results.) ?I congratulate Mitt Romney on his victory tonight in Idaho, and I thank all of our candidates for their work to end Barack Obama?s failed presidency,? said Republican National

Twenty workers at the Hoku Materials plant in Pocatello are losing their jobs. The polysilicon manufacturer said it is working with affected workers on severance packages. Amy Burks-Stewart, marketing and public relations coordinator for the plant, called the action an “unfortunate thing we had to do to sustain the viability of the company.” More details

A historic deal last week saw a group of water districts moving to purchase 3 Hagerman-area hatcheries. Before the deal, the hatcheries controlled water rights to the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer. The purchase relieves a lot of tension between ground water users in a large region, and the surface water users like the hatcheries.

Idaho Power Co. wants regulators to let it hike residential customers’ rates by an average of $3.56 monthly, to pay for a new natural gas power plant that’s nearly completed. Idaho’s biggest utility filed the request with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday. It could have been bigger. But the Boise-based company has also

The IRS is warning the public to be aware of bogus refund schemes. Con artists are said to be targeting seniors citizens. Scammers are encouraging taxpayers to file for the American Opportunity Tax Credit, a popular college tax credit. Scammers are requesting a large fee upfront with promises of large refunds to those with little

If you haven’t had your pet spayed or neutered, the Rexburg Animal Shelter is offering a special deal. The city received a two-year grant from Petsmart Charities to cut the cost of the operation. You must live in the city of Rexburg or an area immediately surrounding the city limits to receive the discount. Officer

We will have live local coverage of the GOP presidential caucus in southeastern Idaho starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Watch it here.

A southeastern Idaho product is teasing taste buds nationwide: Five Guys french fries. The russet burbank potatoes come from local spud fields and end up at 1,000 stores across the U.S. and Canada. “I’m pregnant and I love homemade french fries and that’s why we’re here,” said Kasey Lusk. Lusk cured a craving at Five

An internal email from the Bureau of Land Management’s deputy director discusses his concerns about credit card abuse and possible time-card fraud in the agency’s Western state offices. Michael Pool’s memo was sent to state directors of BLM offices in Utah, California, Idaho and Nevada, and obtained by the Deseret News. Prosecutors have described a

The Civic Auditorium was standing-room-only for Ron Paul’s rally Monday night, with nearly 1,900 people showing up to hear the Republican candidate’s 50-minute speech. From the minute people started showing up at 4 p.m. to the standing ovations that filled Paul’s speech, the crowd was ready for a revolution. And revolution is just what Paul

Although it claims it’s not collecting enough from its eastern Idaho customers to cover its power supply expenses, Rocky Mountain Power is not seeking a rate increase under this year’s Energy Cost Adjustment Mechanism. The utility believes its power supply costs will decrease significantly next year. In a filing with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission,

Ron Paul spoke to a full house at the Idaho Falls Civic Auditorium on Monday. The GOP presidential candidate arrived a few minutes late to the event, which began with a prayer. ?Today our personal liberty is under threat,? he said. Paul spoke about a variety of topics, including returning to the principles of the

Lincoln Day is an annual celebration and fund raising event for Republican party members around the country. With the Gem State’s first-ever presidential caucus on Tuesday, Saturday night’s Lincoln Day dinner at the Idaho Falls Shilo Inn held particularly special importance for southeastern Idaho Republicans. “We’re celebrating the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln,” said

The National Park Service has released an economic study that has officials at Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks pleasantly surprised. The study says the 3.6 million visitors to Yellowstone in 2010 spent $334 million in the area, and the 2.7 million people who came to Grand Teton National Park spent $424 million. The study

On Saturday, state and federal representatives made stops in various parts of the region. “When you don’t live at the state capital or in the Treasure Valley, you don’t get quite as much information,” said State Rep. Elaine Smith. However, from what we’ve learned in the past week, that hasn’t stopped Eastern Idahoans from making

Couples who attend pre-marital counseling would get a discount on their marriage license if a Utah legislator’s proposal becomes law. Republican Rep. Dixon Pitcher of Ogden is sponsoring the bill, which would offer incentives if couples complete approved counseling on topics including conflict management, debt and honesty. Pitcher’s bill also proposes a three-day waiting period

Lawmakers are battling over a proposed hunting regulation at the state house. The House Resources Committee is considering a bill that would strip the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s authority to limit hunting from off-highway vehicles. Fish and Game officials argue the power is an important wildlife management tool that helps prevent the over-harvest

The federal tax deadline is about a month away, so the time to get all of your receipts, w2’s and paperwork in order is rapidly shrinking. To ease that April 15th stress, an Eastern Idaho company is offering a helping hand. As a SEICAA employee, Aaron Tuckett is used to helping people in need. This

Ron Paul will talk to supporters at a rally at 7 p.m. in the Idaho Falls Civic Auditorium. Watch it live here.

An investigation into the second of two deadly grizzly bear maulings last summer at Yellowstone National Park is unable to conclude if the same bear was responsible for both deaths. But DNA evidence shows the sow that killed California hiker Brian Matayoshi in July and one of its cubs also fed on Michigan hiker John

The Idaho Republican caucuses are now only a day away. Since a Republican candidate is still undecided, those still in the running are eying Idaho and its 32 delegates. Ron Paul is coming to Idaho Falls Monday night trying to win over Idahoans. Idaho voters said they enjoy the attention. “It makes a big difference,?

The Idaho Republican caucuses are now only a day away. Since a Republican candidate is still undecided those still in the running are eying Idaho and its 32 delegates. Ron Paul is coming to Idaho Falls Monday night trying to win over Idahoans. With candidates battling over the state’s voters say they enjoy the attention.

A Blackfoot man died in a car crash Monday. Greg Steely, 57, was driving a 2001 GMC 2500 north on US 93 near Milepost 113. He was alone in the car. At about 8:35 a.m., he failed to negotiate a curve and drove off the roadway and crashed into the bank of a dry creek

A series of late-night text messages received on cell phones throughout the region have people calling the Better Business Bureau to verify if they are real. Walmart officials state the messages, which offer free Walmart gift cards to consumers are fraudulent and recipients should not click through, according to BBB Serving the Snake River Region.

Lawmakers have approved a 3.5 percent increase for Idaho’s Department of Correction, with much of the boost going to contracted medical services and community-based treatment programs. The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved the $189.4 million budget Monday, an increase of more than $6.4 million from the previous year. The department is faced with full prisons and

Bingham County sheriff officials are investigating the shooting of 19-year-old Dakota Olesen, whom they said was shot by his 16-year-old brother in their Blackfoot home. Sheriff Dave Johnson said the nature of the shooting is still being investigated and a determination has not yet been made. However, Dakota’s family is saying the incident was a

The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal single-vehicle accident. According to the sheriff’s office, Martine Nelson, 40, of Idaho Falls, died when she was partially thrown from her Dodge Durango late Friday night. Deputies responded to the scene on 5th West around 11:20 p.m, where Nelson was pronounced dead. The vehicle lost control

On Thursday night, the Pocatello City Council voted unanimously to approve splitting the Alameda plaza into five different plats in preparation for new developers to come in to the building. This station covered the story last week about the city Planning and Zoning Commission voting to recommend this move to the city council, and that

When you have to use both hands to count the number of extracurrucular activities a student is involved in, you know she’s a high achiever. That’s certainly the case with the week’s United Dairymen of Idaho Distinguished Student award recipient – Katie Bell from Highland High School. One of the activities Katie is involved in

There were more shakeups Thursday night with local legislators in Bannock and Power counties, and this time it was bipartisan. Pocatello-Chubbuck school board trustee Nate Murphy, 22, announced his candidacy for a District 29 representative seat. Murphy ran reelection campaigns for both Sen. Diane Bilyeu (D-Pocatello) and city council member Eva Johnson-Nye. Murphy said he

Idaho Falls police officers performing a welfare check arrested a woman after they said she kicked them. Amanda Nicole Rolle, 26, is charged with two counts of felony battery on an officer as well as disturbing the peace. Police said the Idaho Falls woman kicked two officers repeatedly in the knees during a welfare check

The Tautphaus Park Zoo has announced the death of a snow leopard. Panja, a 7-year-old male, was euthanized as complications from his fibrosarcoma became too difficult to manage, the zoo said this week. The zoo veterinary staff discovered the aggressive tumor in December when Panja was taken to Sun Valley for a hip replacement surgery.

Utah based SME Steel will be shutting down operations at its Pocatello steel plant. The company said that because of lost contracts layoffs have already begun. SME Steel plans on completely halting work at the facility by March 31st. But SME is keeping the lease on the Pocatello building. The company says it hopes when

Just one day after an extremely well-attended Mitt Romney rally in Idaho Falls, hype is growing over Tuesday’s first-ever Republican caucus in Idaho. Now, the Bonneville County Republican Central Committee is scrambling to accommodate a surge of voters. Don Schanz, the GOP chair in Bonneville County, is calling this a “historic” event for the Gem

March 2 is Read Across America Day for kids all over the country. Woodland Hills Elementary went all out to celebrate. Students flocked to the library, dressed in their pajamas for a day of reading. After each book, the kids would go back to their classroom to take a test on the book. Every perfect

Local governments are putting some extra effort into keeping rivers clean, and some business groups are also joining the call for cleaner water. ISU professor Glenn Thackray presented before the Pocatelo Chamber of Commerce, sharing why he believes protecting the aquifer is key to more businesses coming to the region. “It’s something we should pay

Several car dealerships in Bonneville County recently suffered thousands of dollars in damage when a number of vehicles were vandalized with what officials are calling a drive-by shooting with a BB gun, and the dealerships are saying enough is enough. A couple of cars here at East Side Auto Sales had their windows completely broken

Mormon church leaders say the church’s policy of not performing posthumous baptisms of Holocaust victims and others unrelated to its members will be reiterated worldwide during Sunday services. The announcement this week follows outrage over recent claims that Mormon temples posthumously baptized the family of Holocaust survivor and Jewish rights advocate Simon Wiesenthal, along with

Idaho firefighters who get cancer they think is caused on the job are a step closer to winning stronger workers compensation protections. Professional Firefighters of Idaho representative Mike Walker told the Senate State Affairs Committee on Friday the state’s first responders have for years fought to win coverage for a variety of cancers they say

Documents released Friday show that Josh Powell told social workers in Washington he liked to take pictures of strangers’ legs in public places. The admission came one day after his father was arrested on voyeurism charges as law enforcement officials put more pressure on Powell regarding the 2009 disappearance of his wife in Utah. The

A bill to require drug testing for participants in a state welfare program has cleared its first hurdle in the Wyoming Senate. The Senate’s Labor, Health and Social Services Committee amended the bill on Friday to require the Wyoming Department of Human Services to randomly sample at least 100 adult participants in a state welfare

A high-ranking LDS church official will address the church?s young adult members from Rexburg on Sunday. Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will speak at a Church Educational System devotional at 6 p.m. It will be broadcast from Brigham Young University-Idaho and viewed by young adults (18 to 30 years

Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot is in the national spotlight amid accusations that he threatens journalists to make negative reports about him go away. The scrutiny comes alongside VanderSloot’s role with the Mitt Romney campaign. He’s co-chair of the GOP candidate’s national finance committee and donated $1 million to the Romney Super-PAC. In an extensive article

A gun safe and several guns were stolen from a home on Easy Street, Idaho Falls police said Thursday. The victim reported that sometime between Monday and Wednesday afternoon, someone entered through the front window and stole a fireproof gun safe. Nothing else was reported stolen. Police have no suspects. Anyone with information is asked

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney visited southeastern Idaho and was greeted by what is reportedly one of the largest rallies yet on his campaign trail. The former Massachusetts governor turned Skyline High School into a political battleground Thursday afternoon. Several thousand people showing up, there was a lot of energy in two gyms at Skyline. Romney

A group is traveling the state, trying to help people understand what the Affordable Care Act means for health care in Idaho. At it’s core, Idaho Division of Welfare Administrator Russ Barron, said the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has a simple goal. “Really this whole act, the whole thing boils down to having