Month: January 2016

The Idaho Falls Fire Department and other city officials hosted the groundbreaking for the new fire station Friday morning. The City Council approved the estimated $4.3 million project in November. That’s not the definite price, it’s just the most the project could end up costing. The floor in the current fire station is cracking and

A local woman is completing work on a special contribution of talent to the Cloverdale Elementary School before leaving to serve a church mission. Victoria Gail Richardson Pierson has completed painting freehand murals on school walls and she’s working on another.

Update: The Idaho Falls Police Department has contacted the woman in the photos. They say the investigation is still continuing. Original Story: The Idaho Falls Police Department is asking for the public’s help to identify a pickup and its driver that were involved in a hit and run accident. In a post on Facebook Thursday

El Nino conditions have resulted in improved snowpacks across Idaho this winter. While the lowest snowfall in the state has been in the upper Snake and Bear River basins, snowpack is just below normal levels. Mid-January usually marks the half-way point of winter snowfall in Idaho. The National Resource and Conservation Service water supply outlook

Financial considerations appear to be the main reason nearly half of all Idaho high school seniors are not enrolling in post-secondary education. Those were among the results of a University of Idaho study commissioned by UI President Chuck Staben. The study found immediate financial needs were one of the main reasons graduates cited for not

Update: The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has lifted the air quality advisory and wood burning ban for Franklin County. Air quality is now in the good category bordering on moderate. Those with health conditions are advised to use caution when spending time outdoors. Original story: The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has activated local

BOYS H.S. BASKETBALLSalmon 37**South Fremont 62 American Falls 26**Soda Springs 76 Ririe 27**Teton 58 Bear Lake 47**Rich County, UT 57 **West Side 46 Grace 28 **Dietrich 70Hansen 42 Castleford 16**Carey 52 GIRLS H.S. BASKETBALL**Rigby 32Blackfoot 24 Highland 67**Hillcrest 78 **Madison 40Idaho Falls 38 **Century 49 Pocatello 37 **Salmon 40South Fremont 33 **Teton 53Snake River 49

Wall Street is off to a lousy start this year. Thursday the Dow Jones wrapped up its worst four-day annual start on record. A lot of fingers are pointing at China as trading was suspended for the second time in four days. Despite this decline a local financial adviser said there’s still some positive to

According to Epidemiologist Ian Troesoyer of Eastern Idaho Public Health, flu season ranges from October to March, and is just starting to make its climb. “There’s a small amount of influenza nationally but not much. Generally every year, the United States gets its peak of influenza and that usually causes a lot of people to

A Walmart Supercenter has made its way to Rexburg. The new location has been in the works for nearly two years. “It’s a 185,000 square-foot building,” store manager Mike Bullard said. He also says he’s happy that they will be able to accommodate shoppers along with the growing population. “Probably the biggest changes are the

Education Week has ranked the Wyoming public school system eighth in the nation with a grade of B-. the 2016 grades are based on three factors including a student’s “chance for success”, K-12 achievement, and school finance. State Superintendent Jilian Balow said, “the development of a responsive state accountability system with funding support has put

Idaho Fish and Game biologists would like to know more about a yearling mountain lion that was legally harvested by a hunter southwest of Preston December 30. When the hunter took the animal through a Fish and Game check station, the inspector noticed a strange deformity on the animal’s head. It appeared to be a

Idaho Falls Police arrested two people during a traffic stop Wednesday. One was in possession of a stolen gun, the other for unlawful entry into a residence. 27-year-old Devon M. Rowberry was arrested for felony possession of astolen firearm during a traffic stop Wednesday morning. Rowberry, homeless, was booked into the Bonneville County Jail. According

A Meridian, Idaho woman was sentenced to 30 months in prison Thursday for securities fraud. Jennifer R. Ransom, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud on April 21, 2015. Ransom appeared before Judge Edward J. Lodge in U.S. District Court in Boise. She will spend the first six months of her sentence under

Health officials say some people exposed to hepatitis C at hospitals in Ogden and Layton have tested positive for the disease. The Standard-Examiner reported Wednesday that Utah Department of Health officials won’t release how many people tested positive until the investigation is complete. A total of 7,200 patients were exposed. Angela Dunn with the U.S.

Idaho Falls Police arrested 33-year-old Brandon A. Garner for felony possession of Marijuana late Wednesday night. Garner of Idaho Falls was booked into the Bonneville County Jail. According to police reports, officers responded to the 900 block of Boise Avenue with State Probation officers to complete a home check on Garner just after 10 p.m.

The City of Rexburg has a new mayor for the first time in several years. Jerry Merrill was sworn-in along with one new council member and two re-elected council members Thursday evening. Merrill held a work session prior to the city council meeting to go over the results of a citizen survey to see what

Pocatello Regional Airport says inbound and outbound connection opportunities will increase by 111 destinations when a third weekday flight to Salt Lake City begins in March. According to a study by airport staff, a connecting opportunity is a flight that is available with a 30 minute to 3 hour layover. The Delta Connection Service is

Pocatello Police are investigating a student who made a threat indicating there was a bomb at Highland High School. Police were called to a “suspicious circumstance” on a school bus at Highland High School shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday. Even though it was after school hours, the District 25 school district ordered a lockdown of

BOYS H.S. BASKETBALL**Hillcrest 62 Century 48 Rigby 47**Madison 75 **Idaho Falls 62Twin Falls 49 **Highland 58Pocatello 53 F/OT Blackfoot 34**Skyline 67 Teton 24**Salmon 64 North Fremont 43**Sugar-Salem 52 **Firth 43Shelley 40 Bear Lake 46**Snake River 72 **Grace 59Cokeville, WY 32 Challis 50**Rockland 59 Watersprings 32**North Gem 58 GIRLS H.S. BASKETBALLMalad 30**West Side 40 South Fremont

A Rexburg lawmaker is introducing a bill that would eliminate Idaho’s concealed carry permit. Those who support the bill believe it’s not just getting rid of a current gun law. They think if it passes Idaho will finally align with a right set forth by our founding fathers. “Let’s just remember that the government granting

Idaho law enforcement will be using a new tool to try and solve the state’s cold cases– playing cards. Crystal Douglas, the woman behind East Idaho Cold Cases, designed a traditional playing card deck showing names and faces of missing persons and unsolved murder victims. When Ben Smith first saw his sister, Linda, on a

The winning Powerball numbers are 02-11-47-62-63 Powerball – 17 Wednesday’s Powerball jackpot is one of the biggest in Powerball history. With a possible grand prize of $500,000,000 many people are lining up to get their chance at loads of cash. From choosing numbers to going with the quick-pick, many people have their own methods for

We all know seat belts save lives by preventing drivers and passengers from being ejected during a crash. And yet, people still don’t buckle up. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, people not wearing a seat belt are 30 times more likely to be ejected from a vehicle during a crash. More

Mayor Brian Blad and many other city council members will take a look back at the year that was. Events and projects will be looked at and considered what was a success and what was not so successful. It will be used as a gauge for enhancing the good and getting rid of the bad

Bingham County Sheriff’s Office arrested two men who were caught burglarizing a home in Bingham County Wednesday. Sheriff’s deputies arrested Jimmy Griffith, age 44 and Robert Poletti, age 46 Wednesday morning. Both men were booked into the Bingham County Jail. At around 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, Bingham County Deputies were doing a house check at 400

Update: Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday morning that after completing their investigation, it has been determined that woman involved was attempting to commit suicide. The woman is still being treated at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. Her name is not being released at this time. Original Story: Bonneville County Sheriff’s Department and Idaho State

BOYS H.S. BASKETBALLBurley 42**Preston 59 South Fremont 47**Ririe 51 **Kimberly 68American Falls 40 **Richfield 68Mackay 30 Sho-Ban 43**Watersprings 56 GIRLS H.S. BASKETBALL**Century 52Highland 39 Blackfoot 24**Madison 65 **Idaho Falls 36Rigby 33 Preston 24**Minico 63 **Sugar-Salem 43West Jefferson 37 **Richfield 56 Mackay 35 **Sho-Ban 66Watersprings 34

Several Bonneville County Republican Central Committee members are concerned about the governor’s new fundraising Political Action Committee, the Otter PAC. “As a sitting governor, who makes appointments, who makes large decisions, who issues contracts, he has no business being involved in a PAC,” said Doyle Beck, one of the concerned members of Bonneville county’s GOP

The numbers are in and local nonprofits are top earners in the 2015 Avenues for Hope Challenge. In total, $317,469 was raised for 32 nonprofits statewide. The annual fundraising event is designed to help bring funds to Idaho nonprofits helping the homeless in their communities. Along with donations from businesses and individuals, the Idaho Housing

Scammers are at it again. The Teton County Sheriff’s Office in Wyoming says it’s received reports of a telephone scam. The caller says they are from a national agency associated with the local fire department and burn unit. They go on to say they’re doing an annual phone drive to collect donations. The Sheriff’s Office

The Pocatello-Chubbuck School District held a press conference today at 1p.m. to address the the continuation of the employment offer to food service worker Dalene Bowden. “She had until noon yesterday (Monday) to get back to us with her answer, but she never responded. We have no choice but to move now,” said District 25

Bringing more business and industry to eastern Idaho is a major priority for the region. Regional Economic Development Eastern Idaho was created specifically for that purpose. The CEO of REDI, Jan Rogers, says selling the region to potential businesses and industries is the first thing that needs to be done. “Our issue is being able

A new national survey reports that Americans spent $374 billion on prescription drugs last year. People who are either insured or uninsured still fork out the high cost for prescription medication. According to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, big price jumps can be due to anything from a product shortage to a change in

A man was tased and arrested after he attacked Bonneville County deputies during a traffic stop in the parking lot near Fred Meyer in Idaho Falls. The Bonneville County Deputies were conducting a routine stop of a car being driven by an unidentified woman. During the stop the man in the vehicle gave the deputies

Rexburg Police are investigating three burglaries reported over the New Year’s weekend. A woman living in the 500 block of Sunflower said someone found a hidden key to a safe and stole $500. She discovered the loss January 2 after returning from a two-week vacation. Police say they do have suspects in connection with the

Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office has released the names of the two people killed in plane crash near Palisades Reservoir Monday evening. The victims of the crash were 61 year old Reade Genzlinger of Bryn Athens, Pennsylvania and 17 year old Mackenzie Ruston from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The name of the teen was confirmed by

Idaho Fish and Game Department conservation officers are investigating the illegal shooting and wasting of four elk. The bodies were found about 3 miles south of Indian Creek Butte, which is west of Dubois and within a mile of Medicine Lodge Road. Two cows and a calf were left in a field and another cow

The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office has recovered two bodies from the site of a plane crash near Palisades Reservoir Monday night. First responders found a small vintage plane crashed near the Bonneville County side of the Idaho/Wyoming border near Lincoln County and the reservoir. Responders found the bodies of an adult male and a female

Rexburg Police are looking for a man who ran away from an interview room during questioning December 31, 2015. Captain Randy Lewis said 31-year-old Joey Gilbert Dunaway, Jr. of Idaho Falls, was arrested with another man in connection with a reported theft at Walmart on New Year’s Eve. While in custody in an interview room,

A policy change at the state level is impacting the number of low-income people the Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership can help pay their winter heating bill. The heating assistance programs works like this, anyone who makes 150 percent of the poverty level or less qualifies for help from EICAP. This program has been this

With Idaho’s 2016 legislative session only a week away, issues like education are expected to be big topics– but so are social issues. However, Sen. Roy Lacey says social issues are hard to settle in the statehouse because there isn’t enough support for them. With the legalization of same-sex marriage on a federal level this

What options do parents have if the don’t feel like they can care for a baby? One is Idaho’s Safe Haven Act, which is a law designed as an alternative to abandoning a baby. The whole point of it is to avoid what happened last week in Twin Falls where a deputy found a baby

Dalene Bowden, the woman who was fired after giving a free lunch to a student, met with the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District Monday morning. District 25 offered Bowden her job back at Irving Middle School in-person during the meeting, but she still hasn’t accepted or declined the offer. Bowden’s story quickly gained national attention, with an

Rexburg police are on a mission to get the word out about drug and alcohol abuse. They will be holding a drug and alcohol awareness seminar Thursday at 6:30 p.m., at the Romance Theater in Rexburg. The goal is to educate parents and adults about a growing problem in the city of Rexburg. Rexburg is

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement Monday about the occupation a federal building in Oregon by a group of armed protesters. The statement posted on www.mormonnewsroom.org reads. “While the disagreement occurring in Oregon about the use of federal lands is not a Church matter,Church leaders strongly condemn the armed seizure

Idaho Falls Police arrested 19-year-old Jordan R. Jensen on a warrant for lewd conduct with a child under 16 on Friday. Jensen of Idaho Falls was booked into the Bonneville County Jail. According to reports, Jensen’s arrest stems from an incident reported in November where he had inappropriate sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl.

On Sunday Idaho Falls Police arrested 63-year-old Larry D. Croft for aggravated assault after he threatened his neighbor with a gun. Croft was also booked into the Bonneville County Jail on two outstanding Bonneville County warrants. According to police reports, officers responded to the 600 block of John Adams Court around 6:15 p.m. Sunday after

Plans by Boise State to add 50 acres to its campus could threaten a local neighborhood. The Idaho Statesman reports the bigger campus would allow more room for academic, research and athletic facilities and more student housing. The plan also aims for a vehicle-free campus center, which could increase traffic elsewhere. The neighbors who would

Wildlife officials have divvied up how many grizzly bears could be killed by hunters in the Yellowstone region of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The move comes as the states seek control of a species shielded from hunting for the past 40 years. A draft agreement detailing the states’ plans was obtained by The Associated Press.

Former Utah lawmaker Jackie Biskupski will be sworn in Monday as the mayor of Salt Lake City, becoming the first openly gay person to hold the office. The 49-year-old is no stranger to making history in the state. In 1998, she became Utah’s first openly gay lawmaker. She served in the state House of Representatives

A local nonprofit is searching for a brick-and-mortar home in Jackson Hole to rehabilitate injured wildlife. The Jackson Hole News and Guide reports that the Teton Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is currently looking for a location to help wildlife ranging from black bears to songbirds that are regularly injured in Teton Valley, Idaho, and Jackson Hole.

Prosecutors have more time to decide whether to file their intent to seek the death penalty against a man accused of a fatal shooting in Twin Falls. Jacob Marshall, of Jackson, is charged with six felony counts including murder and murder conspiracy in connection to the July 25 death of 53-year-old Kent Storrer. The Times-News

It happens every year. People make New Year’s resolutions to join a gym and get back into shape. Consumer Reports looked into five ways prospective gym-joiners can save money in 2016. To save money consumers can try negotiating enrollment fees that fit best into their budget. Also, fewer gym perks can mean paying less. Worldgym

Tasty BBQ ribs, pulled pork, and po’boy sandwiches is what’s on the menu and up for grabs. The Lighthouse Church of Pocatello is raising money for a new bus, to be able to transport their Sunday school children. Neuenfeldt currently drives a van to provide transportation for Sunday school kids, and he says he makes

A historical building in Archer, Idaho has now reopened. The Archer General Store is now home to Hot Stuff Pizza. Owner Richard Holiday said that when the post office left Archer the community’s identity went with it. Archer became just another part of Rexburg. He hopes his store can bring back that identity. On the

After fireworks stop popping, what goals are you focused on for 2016? Making them is one thing, but staying disciplined enough to stick to them, is another…every year. According to an article in the Huffington Post, making a list, making unavoidable notifications for yourself, and even pinning it on your refrigerator can help you stick