Month: September 2013

A new project could make Idaho Falls the leader in nuclear technology. A company out of Portland, Oregon wants to build a small modular power reactor. NuScale Power said its preferred location is at the Idaho National Laboratory site because of the expertise the INL has with nuclear technology. But the INL hasn’t signed on

A Rexburg man was found guilty of meth- and drug-related charges Tuesday. Noe Munguia-Diaz, also known as Juan Ernesto Medina-Munguia, was found guilty in federal court in Pocatello of six counts of distributing methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and two counts of unlawfully possessing firearms. During the two-day trial, Senior

Idaho State Police said an Idaho Falls man led them on a chase Monday. Around 1:30 p.m., troopers located the 1997 Ford Expedition of Floyd Long, 44, on Interstate 15 north of Idaho Falls. A welfare check issued earlier by Jefferson County, and troopers tried to pull him over. Long refused to stop when they

Search and rescue teams from two Idaho counties will remove a new sculpture above Pillar Falls. On Sunday, Shoshone Falls visitors told a park worker someone had built a rock formation on a sandbar below the observation deck in the shape of a penis. The 20-foot formation is visible to spectators, according to a news

The fair marks the culmination of many 4H projects young people have worked on all year. It’s all made possible by adult volunteers. This is what these 4H kids have worked up to all year – the sheep show at the fair with a chance at a blue.” For twenty-five years, 4H volunteer, Teresa Pratt,

The YMCA in Idaho Falls got a makeover last weekend. Lowe’s Home Improvement put together a team to redo part of the building. They chose the after-school room. The team painted the walls and a mural. They also fixed many holes throughout the room. “The kids have absolutely loved it,” said Program Director P.J. Holm.

Idaho’s Department of Education said many public schools received ground beef from a California company that’s now yanking its product on concern it may contain small pieces of plastic. Agency spokeswoman Melissa McGrath said Tuesday that the move is not technically a recall, as was announced Monday. Under U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, it is

Police said Monday afternoon that a missing Idaho Falls girl has been found. An Amber Alert had been issued for Aaliyah Esqueda, 5, on Friday, but it was canceled Monday. When the Amber Alert was canceled, police at first said Aaliyah’s whereabouts were unknown, but quickly sent out another news release saying she was with

Monday afternoon, the state of Idaho cancelled the amber alert out for Aaliyah Esqueda, 5 of Idaho Falls. She was found in Mexico with her father. Idaho Falls Police believe her paternal grandparents took her there. Now, detectives are working with other agencies to bring her back home to Idaho. The Amber Alert was issued

The Miss Shoshone-Bannock Queen is also the new Miss Indian Nations. The Shoshone-Bannock tribes announced Alexandria Alvarez, the daughter of Vernon Alvarez and Shirley Houtz-Alvarez of Fort Hall, became the 21st Miss Indian Nations on Saturday. The Miss Indian Nations is a national pageant hosted by the United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, N.D., and

Idaho Falls police are looking into a burglary at Jim Serr Automotive over the weekend. The owner reported the burglary Monday morning after he discovered cash and an iPad Mini missing from the business. The unknown suspect entered through a back window, police said. If you have information on this case, contact Idaho Falls police

Monday began the second week of a fish population survey on the Teton River, but the method used may shock you. Idaho Fish and Game and Friends of the Teton River used electrofishing in a bi-annual study of the river’s fishery. The study focused on Rainbow, Brook, Brown and Cutthroat Trout. Matt Devine works with

Bannock County will start to see more jobs popping-up in order to get the state of the county’s economy back on track to where it was before the recession hit. Today Lt. Governor Brad Little spoke on the state of the economy at the 22nd annual economic symposium at the Stephens Performing Arts Center in

Public health officials want you to tell your kids to stay away from bats. According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, three bats in eastern Idaho tested positive for rabies in 2013. In total, 20 bats in all of Idaho have been tested positive in 2013. The most recent was captured in central

A man and a woman from Idaho Falls were arrested on grand theft and drug charges in a traffic stop. Police said Monday that officers stopped a Chevrolet Suburban driven by Travis L. Peasley, 22, at the intersection of Gladstone and Higbee late Saturday morning. The vehicle was reported as stolen earlier that morning from

Yellowstone National Park officials have identified a 3-year-old girl who died from a gunshot wound at the park over the weekend. They identified her as Ella Marie Tucker, of Pocatello, Idaho. Park officials say Ella’s mother called for help on Saturday to report her daughter had shot herself with a handgun. Park officials released the

An Idaho Falls man has gotten prison time for distributing meth. John Robert Anderson, 34, got two years behind bars followed by four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute in excess of 5 grams of actual methamphetamine. He was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Terry J. Hatter Jr. at the

A 4-year-old Blackfoot boy was killed Saturday when he was struck by a car at Snake River High School. Bingham County Sheriff Craig Rowland said Connor Covington, the son of Christopher and Cindy Covington of Blackfoot, may have run out from behind another car and into the path of a 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by

Heavy rain in the Mink Creek area south of Pocatello washed debris and mud down roads and hillsides late Sunday afternoon. Eyewitnesses tell us the flash flood covered the roads and driveways forcing the sheriff’s office to close Mink Creek road for a time. It now has been reopened. Road crews are working to clear

Mike Kramer has always been very critical of his Kicker Brendon Garcia. But 2013 so far has been good for the Senior after making all 4 field goals in the opener vs. Dixie St.

Susan Miller was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 11 years ago, and she has dedicated her time toward raising awareness and money for the disease since. MS is a disease of the central nervous system. It causes tremors, speech problems, poor coordination and much more. When Miller was diagnosed she experienced difficulty speaking and walking. “Everybody

A scare at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport forced everyone to evacuate Saturday. Idaho Falls Firefighters responded to reports of smoke coming from the airport lobby around 11 a.m. Saturday. According to Division Chief Brad Pettingill, the smoke had come from a small electrical fire outside the building. He said the fire was in a

The Idaho State Defense looked downright good against Dixie State on Saturday. Helping ISU win their first game of the season.

Idaho State proved that 2013 may be different than last season. The Bengals topped Dixie State 40-14 in dominating fashion on Saturday. Led by Justin Arias the Bengals offense tore apart the Red Storm Defense on their way to their first win of the season.

Not only are there going to be several new mayors in southeast Idaho, there will be some competition for city council seats as well. AMMON MAYOR CANDIDATES Steve Fuhriman (incumbent)Dana Kirkham CHUBBUCK MAYOR CANDIDATES Craig BrainardKevin EnglandBrent Marshall BLACKFOOT MAYOR CANDIDATES Rick BiglerDan CravensJohn HooblerPaul LoomisCarlos MarcadoCarlos Martinez IDAHO FALLS MAYOR CANDIDATES Rebecca CasperTim DownsBrian

Here are scores from Friday’s high school football games. If you know of a score not listed here, please email newsdesk@localnews8.com. Go to localnews8.com/sports or the Local Sports section of the Local News 8 app to watch highlights of many of these games. *Idaho Falls 41Bonneville 38 Blackfoot 41*Skyline 47 2OT *Rigby 19Pocatello 12 Century

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game, along with the Bonneville Power Administration, unveiled a new salmon hatchery in Springfield Friday. Groups have made major advancements toward sockeye preservation, and the new hatchery is just one step in the program. The next level is to maintain current sockeye and natural reproduction. But hatchery efforts have

A missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who was in a car crash near Rockford died Friday, Portneuf Medical Center said. The hospital did not release further details. The Bannock County coroner earlier told Local News 8 that after Tuesday’s accident, Taylor Ward, 19, of Vacaville, Calif., was on life support

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a well-known treatment for decompression sickness for divers, but in eastern Idaho, treatment for other conditions is growing rapidly. Mountain View Hospital and Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center house hyperbaric chambers. Patients enjoy a movie while undergoing a treatment using pressurized oxygen. At Mountain View Hospital, three monoplace hyperbaric chambers are

Idaho Power Company reports electricity service has been restored to thousands of customers affected by an outage in the Salmon and Leadore areas Thursday night. Company spokesperson Brad Bowlin said the problem was caused by a disruption to power lines between Dillon, Montana and Salmon.Because of adverse weather and difficult terrain, a helicopter was used

Most anti-drug campaigns are targeted toward teens, but it may be time to shift that attention to a much older crowd. A report released Tuesday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows illegal drug use by children 12-17 has decreased by 2 percent in the last decade. Adults 50-64 on the other

BOYS SOCCERHillcrest 2Skyline 2 *Rigby 5Shelley 1 Idaho Falls 2Century 2 North Fremont 3American Falls 3 GIRLS SOCCER*Century 4Idaho Falls 3 *Preston 5Marsh Valley 2 *North Fremont 5American Falls 4 *Rigby 3Shelley 2 VOLLEYBALL*Challis 3West Jefferson 0

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for western, central and portions of eastern Idaho until 11 p.m. Thursday. The potential for severe storms exists through the evening hours, thanks to moisture wrapping around a large upper level low over the northwest. A tornado warning in a remote area

If you followed the city of Idaho Falls contract negotiations, you know there were debates and issues all over the place. In Pocatello, however, negotiations have been running smoothly – for the most part. Curtis Smith, representative for Pocatello firefighters, said the fire department has high job satisfaction overall. In the past 15 years, no

There is a certain excitement that comes with the Eastern Idaho State Fair, but it’s not all fun and games for everyone. A group called Raise Idaho is using the crowds generated by the fair to push the Idaho State ballot with petition signatures. They are behind an initiative to raise Idaho’s minimum wages to

The rain put a damper on a few attractions at the Eastern Idaho State Fair Thursday. The Indian Relay Races were set to start at noon, but due to the muddy track from the rain, the race was delayed. The relay may have gotten off to a slow start but took a fierce turn around

The Fish and Game Department generated a lot of excitement at the state fair Thursday. They showcased their new laser hunting games. Inside their booth, people of all ages were able to shoot laser rifles at fake wild game. Although the laser games got most of the attention, that’s not the only thing that was

Eastern Idahoans are raising their voices against a possible military strike in Syria. Wednesday a Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a resolution giving President Barack Obama limited authority to launch military action in Syria. The G-20 summit began Thursday, and though the global economy will be the key talking point, Syria will also be a

A new program at a local elementary school increased test scores so much that now almost all of the Bonneville School District is trying it. An instructional coaching program began at Falls Valley Elementary School last year. Since its implementation, Falls Valley has become a five-star school. The first coach is Rodd Rapp, who now

A statue is missing from the Pocatello Regional Airport. The statue is of Jizo Bosatsu, an “enlightened being known in East Asian cultures as a protector of travelers.” According to a news release, the statue is of Jizo Bosatsu, an “enlightened being known in East Asian cultures as a protector of travelers.” The figure sat

People in Pocatello and Chubbuck are going to see a rise in their property taxes to help School District 25. An increase in students has resulted in the school district passing an emergency levy for more than $400,000. Superintendent Mary Vagner said the school board did not make this decision lightly. In fact, the school

BOYS SOCCERTwin Falls 1Wood River 1 F *Jerome 6Minico 0 F GIRLS SOCCER*Twin Falls 2Wood River 1 F H.S. VOLLEYBALL (MATCHES WON)Idaho Falls 2*Bonneville 3 F Pocatello 0*Century 3 F

The auto industry is seeing an uptick in sales nationally, and dealerships in Eastern Idaho are feeling the growth. This August, U.S auto sales jumped 17 percent from August, 2012, according to LMC Automotive. It was also the best month the auto industry has seen since May, 2007. Mario Hernandez, general manager and owner of

Students in Idaho Falls got a lesson on the seriousness of bullying Wednesday. Country singer Morgan Frazier spoke against bullying at Taylorview and Eagle Rock middle schools. Frazier talked to students about her experiences with bullying, which she said inspired her new single “Hey Bully.” She said she wants to reach kids that may be

It’s been a little over a year since the federal government launched its healthier lunch program. Schools nationwide have been complaining that students don’t like it, leaving them with a hefty financial burden. The school lunches are now filled with less fat and more whole grains. Because of these big changes, school officials are saying

Local efforts have made a big difference overseas. The Idaho Falls Rotary Club has partnered with club members worldwide to combat polio. The club calls it the PolioPlus Campaign. Campaign efforts have closed in on most of the polio outbreak. More than 2 billion children have been immunized in 122 countries. Although the U.S. has

Roads are open after Tuesday night’s flooding in Pocatello, but the situation isn’t entirely over. “The ground is already saturated from yesterday’s storm, and more rain is expected today andtomorrow,” said Pocatello Fire Chief Dave Gates in a news release from the city Wednesday. “Sprinkler systems are adding to the saturation problem. Please turn off

Folks in Pocatello interested in Japanese culture have a chance to get involved. The Japanese Sister Cities Subcommittee needs five more people. The panel advises the mayor and City Council. Members help in fundraising efforts, cultivating relationships and coordinating exchanges. The meetings are the second Tuesday of every month at 4 p.m. If you are

Rain across much of southwestern and central Idaho’s mountains put a dent in wildfires that have kept firefighters busy for weeks. On the Weiser Complex Fire along the Snake River’s Brownlee Reservoir, Wednesday’s moisture bolstered crews’ confidence about making significant progress toward containing the blaze that’s charred some 40 square miles. And in central Idaho

With the large amount of water came large amounts of support from family, friends and complete strangers for those affected by the flood. For an update on road closures, follow this link:http://bit.ly/14hpwWSand read the text for the latest updates.

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL (MATCHES WON) *Madison 3Skyline 1 F *Lighthouse Christian 3Carey 0 F *Twin Fa;lls 3Jackpot, NV 0 F BOYS SOCCER Blackfoot 0*Hillcrest 1 F

Rocky Mt. Power has been able to restore power to about 2,500 people in the Ammon area. After a power pole fire earlier Tuesday night.

It was the first day of school for many students throughout Eastern Idaho, and while Sugar-Salem students are one week in, it was still a day of firsts. Mark Seare is the band director at Sugar-Salem Junior and Senior High. Today he guided sixth and seventh graders toward their first musical instrument. “I’ll send the

With flu season just around the corner, doctors are encouraging people to start thinking about flu vaccinations. Unfortunately, when it comes down to flu season, many people are afraid of getting shots. Immunization coordinator James Corbett works for the Eastern Idaho Public Health District. Corbett said there are several forms of the vaccine that are

Are you looking to start a business in Idaho? You may be in luck because the Gem State has been named as one of the easiest places to start one. Entrepreneur.com ranks Idaho fourth in the nation for entrepreneurs, offering online resources, top-level training and networking programs. One resource is the Idaho Small Business Development

A man was hospitalized in a crash that blocked traffic near Blackfoot on Tuesday morning. Around 7:30 a.m., Bronson Hill, 17, of Pingree, was traveling eastbound on State Highway 39 in a 1991 Nissan Sentra. Olivia Anderson, 17, of Blackfoot, was traveling westbound on State Highway 39 in a 1992 Ford Victoria. Idaho State Police

Two brothers were arrested after a scuffle with Idaho Falls police officers. On Saturday before 11 p.m., officers responded to a noise disturbance in the 200 block of 18th Street. Officers confronted a group of about 10 people including Victor Madrigal, 41, and Victor Delosant Madrigal, 40, outside the home having a party. Victor Madrigal

A man was arrested on a warrant charging him with aggravated assault and use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony in Idaho Falls. Idaho Falls police said the warrant stemmed from an June 28 incident. On June 28, a man met Michael Bemis, 22, at his home on Bear Avenue. The

Ferris wheels aren’t supposed to spin against dark stormy skies, and carnival games are usually played without a sump pump nearby, but at the Eastern Idaho State fair, the show must go on. Lyndsey Vanorden and her husband brought their two kids to the fair Monday as it rained through the morning and afternoon. “It

A recent report released by the CATO Institute shows Idaho workers are among the lowest-paid in the nation. The study ranks Idaho down to number 51 stacked-up against the rest of the country when it comes to hourly wages. It shows Idahoans working low-wage jobs, make an average of $5.36 per hour, compared to the

On Monday afternoon, drivers dealt with traffic jams and multiple crashes in the construction zone on U.S. Highway 20 on the border between Jefferson and Madison counties. As of 3:45 p.m., the southbound lane was especially treacherous. Idaho State Police were encouraging drivers to slow down and increase following distances during their travels on Labor

Free music in the park is a tradition in many Eastern Idaho communities, but it wouldn’t be possible without the efforts of great neighbors. The musicians, the organizers, even the public who attends are all important elements of summer concerts in the park. Each Wednesday local people in Blackfoot have been treated to one of

A pickup hit a tractor in Madison County on Monday morning. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened west of Teton City on State Highway 33. The tractor tipped over on impact. The sheriff’s office said one person was taken to Madison Memorial Hospital. Further details were not released.

People are enjoying this three-day weekend by heading out to Lava Hot Springs for one last hurrah of the summer season. Sam Netuschil, the owner of the Mountain Mayhem Adventure Center, said despite the recently-low water levels this year, tourism is still at its busiest. “I have not really seen it this low before, not

The Axe Women Loggers of Maine will perform four shows per day at the Eastern Idaho State Fair in Blackfoot this week. Sunday, the women showed off their ax throwing, cross-cut sawing, standing-block chopping and log-rolling skills in front of crowds. The group travels throughout North America year round performing at fairs, sports shows and

Josh Hill will be leaving Eastern Idaho for the Bayou in order to chase his dreams of playing in the National Football League. The former Idaho State Bengal survived the final roster cuts to make the New Orleans Saints for the upcoming NFL season.