Month: April 2015

An Idaho Falls man was arrested on warrants for attempted strangulation after an incident in February. Kelly R. Larsen, 30, battered, strangled and threatened a 31-year-old woman with a handgun on Feb. 4, police said Thursday. It was reported to police March 20. Larsen was served with the warrants on the 1500 block of West

The Pocatello Fire Department and Chubbuck Fire Department are considering merging into a single entity. On Wednesday Chubbuck city leaders held a special work session to learn more about the proposal. If the merger goes through, it’s slated to cost an initial $378,000. But Chubbuck Fire Chief Eric King said that in the long run,

The Rexburg City Council approved an ordinance Wednesday night to allow Sunday beer and wine sales. City leaders said they think this will be a good thing, as more restaurants would likely open up in Rexburg. One councilman said it’s the right thing to do. “Although I’m not an alcohol consumer, I think it’s our

It’s called the “Helping Hands for Haiti.” It’s a food-packing event – May 2, but there are some things you need to do beforehand if you would like to get involved. “I had a great opportunity to go to Haiti right after the earthquake, a couple months after the earthquake, and I saw the devastation

Scammers are calling businesses to get them to buy inferior office products. One local business got one such phone call. “These companies will call you, and they will get you to order inferior copier toner and paper, and things like that. And they send it out to you and it’s inferior,” said Lisa Calderwood of

A hotel in Yellowstone National Park has been named one of five new national historic landmarks. In a news release Wednesday, the Department of the Interior gave the following historical background on the Lake Hotel: “Initially constructed in 1891, the Lake Hotel was entirely reconceived in the first decades of the 20th century as a

Idaho Falls police arrested a man they said stole 10 truck tires Tuesday night. Officers were called to the Commercial Tire at 840 Mercury for a burglary alarm around 10:15 p.m. They saw Dennis C. Wilhelm, 20, of Idaho Falls, driving away from the compound. They followed Wilhelm and tried to pull him over, but

High winds knocked out power for thousands of customers in Franklin County Tuesday. Crews from Rocky Mountain Power worked through the afternoon to fix the lines and restore power. At one point, over 2,400 homes were without power in Preston, Clifton, Swan Lake, Dayton and Weston. As of 10:30 p.m., power was still out for

T-Mobile has cleared its first hurdle in getting permission to build an 80-foot monopole cell tower in Chubbuck’s Stuart Park. Tuesday night the city’s Land Use and Development Commission approved T-Mobile’s application over the objections of more than 50 people who turned out to speak against the tower. But the tower is far from a

H.S. BASEBALL*Madison 10Bonneville 0 F/5 Inn. GIRLS H.S. SOFTBALL*Idaho Falls 7Rigby 0 F/5 Inn.

When Yadi Gil was 12 years old, she was diagnosed with leukemia. “I was scared,” she said. “I realized why cancer is such a scary word.” It’s scary at any age- especially in the middle of your childhood. “I had to have my head shaved, and that was emotionally one of the most painful moments,”

The National Weather Service says high winds like those blowing through eastern Idaho on Tuesday are normal for this time of year. But that doesn’t mean people shouldn’t be cautious. “Certainly if you’re driving a high-profile vehicle, it gets a little more difficult and if you’re traveling north-south, today, even more difficult because the winds

Howling winds have wreaked havoc across northern Utah, causing a major pileup on a busy highway and briefly halting flights at Salt Lake City’s airport. Sgt. Todd Royce of the Utah Highway Patrol says the afternoon pileup caused one death and 25 injuries and closed a nearly 100-mile stretch of Interstate 80. Eastbound lanes have

The Pocatello Pet Lodge will no longer be moving to a new location on Pole Line Road. Many who live near the proposed site were opposed from the start, but in March, the Pet Lodge got approval from the city. Now, multiple sources, including the city planner, say they’ve been informed the Pet Lodge is

The Bingham County Sheriff’s office is investigating an accidental shooting involving a 7-year-old boy on the 1600 block of South 2600 West on Tuesday. According to Sheriff Craig Rowland, the boy’s 9-year-old brother was moving a blanket that was covering a .22-caliber firearm. The boy did not think the gun was loaded, but it fired,

NPG of Idaho and VistaWest Media, a cluster of television stations that includes ABC, CBS, The CW, FOX and Telemundo affiliates in Idaho Falls, Idaho has an opening for an Integrated Media Consultant. We are looking for an individual who can develop, along with the advertising sales team, relationships with independent and franchise businesses, assess

A Pocatello man was arrested Monday night on a charge of battery on a police officer. Nathan Victor Salley was also charged with resisting and obstructing an officer. Pocatello police said they were called to a disturbance between two men at 128 Teakwood at 8:50 p.m. Monday. Lt. Ian Nelson said Salley took a fighting

A local high school student is getting some major recognition for the work she does outside the classroom. Century High School student Angela Forhan was bestowed with the President’s Volunteer Service Award “Gold” Certificate along with a letter from President Barack Obama. Forhan said when she was initially called to the principal’s office, she thought

Good news for the Local News 8 team. We’re happy to announce that First Alert Chief Meteorologist Michael Coats and his wife, Carissa, are the proud parents of twins! Zoey and Zach were born Sunday. They weighed 6 pounds 9 ounces and 6 pounds 10 ounces, respectively, and both were 19 inches long. Congratulations, Mike

Idaho is at risk of losing millions of dollars in federal child support funding after conservatives in the Legislature killed a measure that would have brought the state into compliance with federal rules. “I am concerned that some members of the House Judiciary and Rules Committee put Idaho’s child support system at serious risk by

We hear it all the time-you might even say it- there’s nothing to do in eastern Idaho. Some people are looking to change that by bringing a huge recreation center- the Shelley-Theater-Arts-Aquatic-Recreation-Center- to Shelley. “Most people in this community wish it was built yesterday,” said Debi Wilson, executive director of STAARC. The plan is to

The Pocatello elementary teacher accused of a felony DUI was back in court Monday. The defense and prosecution filed a number of motions trying to exclude evidence and witnesses for the upcoming trial. Amy Smith was charged in May after an incident at Edahow Elementary School. Smith’s defense attorney, Rusty Hansen, told Sixth District Court

A proposal by Commissioner Brian Farnsworth that would have put Sheriff Blair Olsen on administrative leave has been rejected. Olsen is facing three felony counts of misusing public money, and Farnsworth argued the sheriff should be placed on paid leave until his court trial is concluded. Farnsworth voted in favor of the proposal and Commissioner

A girl stole a car from Rockland High School and totaled it, the Power County Sheriff’s Office said Monday. On April 7 around 11 a.m, deputies got a complaint about a 1990 Pontiac Firebird stolen from the school. They said the girl and the car had been missing for about two hours. During that time,

Southeastern Idaho emergency personnel put their disaster skills to the test Saturday. In a simulation, they had to apply information they learned at this year’s Regional Readiness Rendezvous/Spring Things conference. Local hospitals that are part of Idaho public health district 6 were tasked to deal with overwhelming patient loads caused by two different bus crashes

Four people have died after a small plane crashed Friday afternoon near Challis. The Custer County Sheriff’s office said it happened near the Loon Creek drainage just above the Diamond-D Ranch. Ranch caretakers found the crash site at the north end of the Loon Creek air strip. According to the sheriff’s office, the plane crashed

Brigham Young University-Idaho’s president looked back on what his administration calls a successful legacy Friday. “We were called here to lead this institution for a period of time, and we tried to do that. We leave feeling really good,” said President Kim Clark. During Clark’s 10 years as the university’s president, the institution has worked

Portneuf Medical Center is now offering free valet parking for its patients. The hospital has been providing the service all week as part of a test run. Friday was the official launch date. Patients can request the service by pulling in at the hospital’s main entrance where a valet will hand them a customer ID

Welcome to the profile system on KIFI/KIDK! Profiles allow you to customize your experience, helping you get the most out of this app Frequently Asked Questions How do I create a profile? Just choose a method to login and then follow the steps to sign up. How long will I remain logged into the app?

First responders from at least eight counties are in Fort Hall Friday for a two-day emergency training session. The Regional Readiness Rendezvous kicked off Friday at the Shoshone-Bannock Events Center. This year the focus is on bus crashes. Those attending will spend Friday doing an eight-county risk assessment as well as listening to speakers talk

Aimee Jackson tackles a hard calculus problem with obvious joy and enthusiasm — but that’s her approach to most challenges. “Part of it’s just the fulfillment of like, ‘oh, yeah, I just did that,’ sort of a thing, but a lot of it is just the applications,” Jackson said. Jackson especially likes putting her calculus

The Idaho attorney general’s office filed a motion to bring potential new evidence against Jefferson County Sheriff Blair Olsen. The sheriff is facing three felony counts of misusing public money to buy and pay for a cell phone for his wife. The motion claims Olsen “threatened witnesses and potential witnesses” and “attempted to extort a

A judge ruled Thursday afternoon that Brad Compher would stand trial for first degree murder in the 2004 stabbing death of Nori Jones. The ruling came around 4:30 p.m. on the fourth day of Compher’s preliminary hearing. The judge said prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence to show Compher may be guilty. During Thursday’s hearing, the

Southeastern Idaho Public Health is teaming up with several other health institutions to help people quit tobacco with its Fresh Start program. Rose Sterner completed the program nearly a decade ago and hasn’t lit another cigarette since. Before the program she smoked three packs a day for 43 years. She describes quitting as a freedom.

A Utah man was arrested on drug-trafficking charges in a traffic stop in Franklin County, Idaho State Police said. An ISP trooper stopped a car traveling northbound on U.S. 91 near the Utah border for a traffic infraction Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. During the stop, the driver, Andres Avila-Rivera, 34 of Ogden, consented to a

The Henry’s Fork Foundation has purchased property east of St. Anthony from the family of the late Harris “Huck” and Betty Moon. In cooperation with Fremont County, it will be used as a public recreational access to the Henry’s Fork. The half-acre parcel is located on the east side of the river near the Del

A car crashed into an Idaho Falls house on Thursday afternoon. The driver said he wasn’t paying attention and drove over the curb, ran over a fence post and hit the garage of the house on the 1500 block of 12th Street. Neither he nor his female passenger were seriously hurt, though they did appear

An undisclosed number of Curtiss-Wright Scientech jobs in Idaho Falls were eliminated by the company Wednesday. Curtiss-Wright Nuclear Group Vice President Scott Robuck said the employment adjustment was made based on current and projected business needs for the future. He said it was against company policy to discuss the number or type of jobs that

H.S. BASEBALL*Bonneville 7Hillcrest 6 F/9 Highland 0*Skyline 6 F *Pocatello 3 Century 1 F GAME 1:*Madison 4 Idaho Falls 3 F GAME 2: *Madison 9 Idaho Falls 0 F GIRLS H.S. SOFTBALL*Bonneville 9 Century 2 F *Hillcrest 10 Preston 3 F *Snake River 11 American Falls 0 F/5

Dionne Crozier is a wife and mother to three kids of her own. Yet, she finds the time to care for parents who have a child of their own in a very precarious position. “I should do something for the NICU. It seriously just came to me,” said Crozier. She had that thought last fall,

T-Mobile has officially filed an application with the city of Chubbuck to build a cell tower in Stuart Park. In February, Local News 8 reported the phone carrier was considering the site. The application asks for permission to construct an 80-foot monopole tower in the northwest corner of the park, according to city planning director

A thunderstorm Wednesday evening hit a Jefferson County community with inches of hail. KIFI-TV Meteorologist Michael Coats says a slow moving thunderstorm hit its peak right over Roberts around 6 p.m. unloading hail and rain over the area. Reports from viewers and weather spotters in the area say anywhere from three to six inches of

Part of the 2015 Post Legislative Tour, Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra and other state education department officials stopped at Pocatello and spoke with local educators. The point of the tour is to break down the current legislative session’s decisions regarding education. Ybarra and her staff spoke in front of a packed room

Radio and TV stations in eastern Idaho, including Local News 8 and KIDK, will be in one spot Thursday looking for those wanting a career in broadcasting. You probably know about some of the jobs, such as DJs and news anchors. But there are several positions behind the scenes you may not have thought of.

In the third day of a preliminary hearing for a man accused of killing a Pocatello woman more than a decade ago, his lawyers brought up other people of interest in the case, including Torey Adamcik. Prosecutors say Brad Compher murdered Nori Jones in her Pocatello home in 2004, and they are trying to show

Home prices in Idaho Falls increased by 6.5 percent in February of this year compared to February 2014, according to analytics provider CoreLogic. Larry Pettingill, the president of the Greater Idaho Falls Board of Realtors, said the prices are higher because more people are moving to Idaho. Pettingill said there are some reasons for that.

A second day of testimony in the preliminary hearing of Brad Compher ran almost 12 hours, finally ending at 8:25 p.m. Tuesday evening. Prosecutors say Compher murdered Nori Jones in her Pocatello home in 2004, they’re now trying to show they have enough evidence to take the case to trial. The hearing resumed Tuesday with

Blackfoot’s City Council unanimously denied a proposed ban on paper and plastic bags Tuesday night. Snake River High School senior Hayley Lemon proposed a ban on paper and plastic bags in February. It was part of the 16-year-old’s senior project. At a council meeting March 3 the proposal was tabled. Lemon wasn’t at Tuesday’s meeting,

H.S. BASEBALL*Highland 6Skyline 1 F *Hillcrest 5 Bonneville 1 F GIRLS SOFTBALL*Madison 9 Bonneville 3 F *Skyline 6 Century 0 F *Snake River 20Soda Springs 4 F

A new app at Idaho State University is letting students, staff and faculty have quicker access to the public safety department. The app, called Rave Guardian, lets public safety and other loved ones know where you’re going when traveling alone or somewhere unfamiliar. It works by setting a safety timer, where you input your starting

Pocatello and Chubbuck mayors Brian Blad and Kevin England rolled up their sleeves and filled some garbage bags Tuesday morning. Joining more than 1,600 mayors nationwide, Blad and England helped take part in a service project with volunteers from local AmeriCorps programs. This is in observance to the Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service.

Authorities have released the name of the man shot and killed by a Bonneville County deputy on Monday. Jefferson County Sheriff Blair Olsen said Tuesday the man was Tyrell J. Larsen, 31, of Jefferson County. According to court records, Larsen was a convicted felon with drug, weapons, traffic, and hunting violations. Olsen said the pursuit

A former Brigham Young University-Idaho student who altered his grades so he could get $7,000 in scholarships was sentenced Tuesday. Madison County Deputy Prosecutor Rob Wood said Jacob Mahonri Espinal was sentenced Monday by Judge Greg Moeller to two to four years for computer crime and two to five years on grand theft. He was

Eastern and southern Idaho water users are being advised to plan and operate under conservative plans in order to stretch this year’s water supplies. The Natural Resources Conservation Service Idaho Water Supply Outlook indicates water year precipitation is about 75 percent of average in the Henry’s Fork basin and about 85 percent of average for

An investigation is under way in Lemhi County after the sheriff shot a rancher Monday. Around 11:30 a.m., Sheriff Lynn Bowerman and Chief Deputy Steve Penner responded to the Leadore area, regarding an ongoing problem with local rancher Blair Kauer, the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office said. Bowerman and Penner saw Kauer on a back road.

A total of eight witnesses took the stand Monday in the preliminary hearing of a man prosecutors say killed a woman in her home more than a decade ago. Brad Scott Compher, also known as Ralph Roy Compher, is accused of stabbing Nori Jones to death in her Pocatello home in 2004. He was named

Education was one of the biggest issues this legislative session, and most of the discussion was based around funding. The career ladder was one of the biggest issues with education funding. Under the new law starting pay for teachers will go up to $37,000 over the next five years. The superintendent for school district 91

A Montana man is being charged with grand theft and eluding a police officer after a 14-mile police pursuit early Sunday. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said Daniel J. Devine, 32, of Seeley, Montana, was arrested north of Hamer. Idaho State Police and Clark County Sheriff’s deputies assisted in the arrest. According to deputies, a

Updated with names of victims. A bonfire explosion late Friday night burned four people, said Bonneville County sheriff’s deputies. Shortly after 10 p.m. Friday, deputies were called to an area of Kepps Crossing, east of Idaho Falls, after a bonfire exploded and several people were burned. Deputies said four patients were taken to the Eastern

Driving along Idaho’s major highways, drivers might notice a message along one of the state’s electronic message boards. Most of the time the boards are blank, but the Idaho Transportation Department says that will be changing. “Traditionally we’ve used these overhead reader boards to provide messages on road conditions, on traffic flow, and on Amber

Here are Easter egg hunts happening this weekend in eastern Idaho and western Wyoming. If you have information on a local hunt that isn’t listed here, email us at newsdesk@localnews8.com with EASTER in the subject line. Saturday American Falls Easter egg hunt sponsored by ABC Auto Clinic, 1 p.m. Indian Springs Resort just south of

A 23-year-old park ranger, living in Grand Teton National Park, has one of the most popular Instagram accounts in the Rocky Mountains. Christina Warburg spends summers working as a park ranger and winters working at a lodge while blogging. In her spare time, she takes photos throughout Jackson Hole and then posts them to Instagram.

Pocatello resident Jayson Tauegmai is making a call to action for his community to help his home country. The last time Tauegmai was back home in the outer islands of Yap was in 1993. His photo album is filled with happy memories with his family. Recent pictures of his island, though, show the aftermath of

Middle school students from the Pocatello/Chubbuck area put their science skills to the test Saturday at the 9th annual Eastern Idaho Regional for the Science Olympiad. About 40 students in teams of two or three competed in various science disciplines at Idaho State University. The challenges covered physics, entomology, engineering, and even covered science writing.

The Bonneville Bee’s Softball team continued its hot streak vs. Idaho Falls, as the Bee’s won their second straight game against the Tigers 9-7 on Friday.

The Diamondbacks marched into Ammon Friday and left with a big win over the Knights.

By Idaho State Athletics After 33 games on the road the Idaho State softball team made its long awaited debut at Miller Ranch Stadium against Big Sky Conference leader Weber State. The Bengals gave the 400 plus fans in attendance an exciting show. ISU rallied to beat the Wildcats 7-5 in game 1 and then

The Idaho State offense has two holes to fill in 2015. Quarterback and Offensive Coordinator. As spring practice opens up, one of the empty positions has been filled in the form of new Offensive Coordinator Sheldon Cross.

Youth Soccer players from Idaho Falls received a once in a lifetime opportunity as they were coached by one of the best in the world. A Team USA Assistant Coach.

H.S. BASEBALL*Preston 9Century 7 F/10 *Bonneville 10Skyline 2 F Game 1*South Fremont 9Bear Lake 4 F Game 2*South Fremont 7Bear Lake 2 F *Shelley 11Marsh Valley 1 F/5 GIRLS H.S. SOFTBALLGame 1Highland 2*Skyline 5 F Game 2Highland 7*Skyline 8 F *Century 13Hillcrest 2 F

The App Store says Periscope lets you broadcast live video to the world. Going live will instantly notify your followers who can join, comment and send you hearts in real time. The more hearts you get, the higher they flutter on the screen. Watch the video to see how It’s demonstrated during a newscast.

Construction of a new 24-mile transmission line is set to start next year just north of Soda Springs. But a Caribou County commissioner tells Local News 8 farmers are worried the line will encroach on prime farmland. “The line goes through some of the best barley dry farm ground in the state of Idaho. It’s

The state has issued a norovirus outbreak for southeastern Idaho after health officials say they’ve seen an increase in cases in the area this year. This is also known as the stomach flu or food poisoning. Even though people call it the stomach flu, it is not influenza. They share share similar symptoms, but influenza

The Bonneville High School student council was honored this week with the National Gold Council of Excellence Award. To get this award a student council has to submit a professional portfolio. They track all of the activities done through out the year that demonstrate leadership.Everything from community service projects to school spirit activities. Members of

About 30 elk were killed after they fell through thin ice while crossing Grey’s River near Alpine, Wyoming. Wyoming Game and Fish wildlife biologist Gary Fralick in Afton said it happened around March 1. He said a herd of 50 to 60 elk wintered near the confluence of Grey’s River and Snake River. The elk

A high school ballroom dance team from Bonneville County has been chosen to dance with a top Latin dance couple in Florida. Extreme Ballroom holds programs for children as young as 3, all the way up to a competitive high school team. The older teams travel all over to show off their fancy footwork. Recently,

Thousands of hungry Idahoans will no longer have to go without after the Idaho Foodbank’s Pocatello branch was presented with a $10,000 donation from the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation on Thursday. The foodbank is currently in the middle of campaign during which Wells Fargo and Albertson’s have agreed to match each dollar donated to the

A long-standing agreement between the Pocatello Fire Department and several federal agencies was renewed for another five years during Thursday’s City Council meeting. The Federal Cooperative Fire Protection Agreement allows the city’s fire department to pool resources with the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service in the event of large wildfires. “What

In their recent newsletter, the Bonneville County Republican Party claims Muslims are a growing problem in Idaho, saying they’re a threat to non-Muslims. Local Muslims say it’s a false and hateful message. Nazer Alnejidi moved to Pocatello from Saudi Arabia five years ago to study at Idaho State University. Also, like many other Muslims in

Several officials and businesses from Eastern Idaho returned Thursday from the annual “Community to Capital” event in Washington, D.C. For more than a decade, local officials have traveled to the nation’s capital to lobby on behalf of eastern Idaho communities. Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper joined Ammon Councilman Sean Coletti, GreaterIdahoFallsChamber of Commerce CEO Michelle

H.S. BASEBALL*Skyline 12Bonneville 10 F *Hillcrest 12Idaho Falls 1 F *Highland 8*Madison 2 F * South Fremont 2Rigby 1 F Game 1*Sugar-Salem 15Firth 0 Game 2*Sugar-Salem 11Firth 0 F GIRLS H.S. SOFTBALL*Teton 14Marsh Valley 4 F/6 Inn.

Sicilee Williams sometimes drops by the office of the Ririe School superintendent to practice her Spanish. The superintendent also happens to be her father. “My dad taught me when I was younger, and I’ve taken the college Spanish class here and all those courses help me,” Williams said. So what are the pros and cons

A local business is helping restore a bowling alley after it was heavily vandalized in March. At the time, management said it was dealing with $100,000 to $150,000 in damages. Rigby Indoor Sports and DJ AndX are hosting a human foosball tournament Friday to raise money to help pay for damages. You’ll need seven to

Smith’s Food and Drug Stores said Thurssday it is recalling select Smith’s Bakery Fresh Carrot Cake sold in seven states including Idaho and Wyoming. The store says it’s because the product contains walnuts that may not be listed on the label.The following items are included in the recall: Smith’s Bakery Fresh Carrot Cake, 1/4 sheet

The Bonneville Power Administration has decided to build a new 115-kilovolt transmission line near Soda Springs. Construction of the $65 million project will begin in spring 2016. According to BPA, the 24-mile line will extend east from the Hooper Springs substation to a new BPA connection facility. From there it will connect the new line

A Sugar City company has agreed to pay a $20,150 fine for violating federal environmental protection laws. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday that Dickinson Frozen Foods released 500 pounds of anhydrous ammonia and failed to immediately notify federal and state authorities. The release occurred on February 15, 2014. EPA said the Emergency Planning

A panel made up of three police officers and Madison Junior High’s principal fielded questions about vaping from the public Wednesday night. Madison Junior High and Madison High School have seen more students using e-cigarettes or vape pens. At the forum, hosted by the City Council, parents asked questions about the liquids used, how to

H.S. BASEBALLBonneville 1*Skyline 7 F *Blackfoot 5Pocatello 3 F GIRLS H.S. SOFTBALL*Bonneville 7 Idaho Falls 6 F/8 *Skyline 6 Blackfoot 5 F *Skyline 11 Blackfoot 10 F/6 (Called due to darkness)

Portneuf Medical Center unveiled its new emergency helicopter Wednesday after its agreement with Life Flight expired at the end of March. The helicopter, operated by a company called Air Methods, will be known as Portneuf Air Rescue. Air Methods is the same company that operates helicopters at EIRMC and the University of Utah. The chopper

Madison County is hitting its stride and its growing fast. Although many welcome new businesses, restaurants, and stores, most don’t welcome the increase in traffic congestion. That’s why county, city, and state leaders are all working with engineers from Horrocks Engineering to create a master transportation plan. “We’re looking at alternatives, looking at impacts, looking

The Idaho Senate is urging Congress to re-designate Craters of the Moon National Monument as a national park. Sponsored by Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton, the resolution would create the nation’s 60th national park. It would be the first national park located completely within the borders of Idaho. A small sliver of Yellowstone National Park slices

The federal government is declaring one of North America’s most widely distributed bats a threatened species because of the spread of a deadly fungal disease. White-nose syndrome first was first discovered among bats in a cave near Albany, New York, in 2006 and has since killed millions of the flying mammals in the eastern U.S.