Month: May 2017

After nearly five decades in education, the superintendent for the American Falls school district, Ronald Bolinger, is retiring. He will officially step down as superintendent on July 1. On Wednesday, he sat down with KIFI/KIDK to think back on his long career in education. “Twenty-two years as a superintendent is a pretty long time,” Bolinger

In theory, maple and pine trees would be ideal for creating a beautiful landscape across the new Portneuf Wellness Complex, which is exactly what everyone thought during the landscaping phase of the project. However, out of the numerous contractors and project managers involved in designing the facility’s landscape, nobody predicted the unexpectedly wet and windy

Arguably, there aren’t many places around town that will give anyone and everyone free chili that has been stewing over an open flame in the middle of a town square – but come to Saturday’s seasonal grand opening of the Fort Hall Replica and that’s exactly what you’ll find. Doors open at 10 o’clock in

Federal authorities in Utah say they’ve busted a multimillion-dollar opioid-drug ring based in a suburban Salt Lake City basement, underscoring how a small operation can quickly turn out hundreds of thousands of potentially fatal fentanyl pills to eager buyers. U.S. Attorney for Utah John Huber said Wednesday that the seizure of nearly 500,000 pills ranks

Wyoming U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi has been released from a hospital after undergoing emergency gallbladder surgery over the weekend. Press Secretary Max D’Onofrio says the 73-year-old Republican was discharged Wednesday from Campbell County Memorial Hospital in Gillette. He says Enzi is feeling much better and is back to work, although with a lighter schedule than

People throughout the Teton Valley got a surprise viewing of the Northern Lights Saturday night. Josh Myers from Trekking Photography captured the incredible sight outside Driggs. “I am still in awe from last night,” Myers wrote on Facebook. “Words can’t describe what I saw.” According to SpaceWeather.com, “energetic particles poured through a crack in Earth’s

A new agreement will make it easier to transfer academic credit from Brigham Young University-Idaho to Arizona State University. The new partnership through BYU-Pathway Worldwide will allow students who began their education through one of BYU-Idaho’s programs to have access to a wider array of classes, majors, and degrees offered by ASU. The program offers

A Lakota Medical Evac helicopter landed at the Blackfoot Airport on Wednesday. It flew in from Gowen Field in Boise. The Idaho National Guard flew this in for the pilot to measure the Jensens Grove area — to see if it is safe to land Blackhawk helicopters there for Celebrate Blackfoot. This is in preparation

A new Idaho State University adult success center opened in Blackfoot on Wednesday. This free resource center is located on Pacific Avenue. This is a transitional option for people who want to continue their education before heading to colleges or universities. People can complete their GED, and enroll in language, reading, writing and math classes

The State Board of Education has revised its process for selecting the first Board of Trustees for the College of Eastern Idaho. The board said it took the action based on community interest and feedback from local leaders. The action is aimed at speeding up the process so that the new community college can begin

Scattered showers and thunderstorms move in as our ridge of high pressure heads east, allowing for the cooler weather to take hold for the next couple of days. A Break in the showers is expected for Friday and Saturday, before another area of low pressure slides in for Sunday. The flood warning for the Big

The Idaho Supreme Court has ruled the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is not liable for Bryan Henrie’s injuries. In a lower court case, Henrie argued the church was responsible for knee injuries he suffered after his Bishop asked him to mobilize a “Helping Hands” group during the Charlotte Fire in late

The Eastern Idaho State Fair is back this year bigger and better than ever and one day longer than usual. With the theme “Bigger is Better,” you can see performances by popular acts like Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. The fair runs September 1 – 9. You can check out

Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter has appointed Russ Barron, deputy director at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, to take over the state’s largest agency. Otter announced Wednesday Barron will replace outgoing Director Dick Armstrong – who is retiring in June. Armstrong has overseen the Health and Welfare agency since 2006. Barron has served as

A 3-month-old male African lion cub has been reunited with his parents. Idaho Falls Zoo employees say the reintroduction went extremely well. The cub was moved to the zoo’s hospital for treatment of a life-threatening medical issue back in early March. Zoo Executive Director David Pennock says the reintroduction could potentially have been dangerous, and

A 15-year-old Jackson girl was killed in a weekend all-terrain vehicle crash in western Colorado. The Montrose County coroner says Georgia Smits died at the scene of the crash in a rural area west of Montrose, Colorado, on Sunday afternoon. Thomas Smits tells the Jackson Hole News & Guide his daughter was visiting friends in

A man authorities are investigating in connection to a fatal shooting outside his home has been charged with illegally owning a gun as a convicted felon, but prosecutors say he could face more serious charges. The Times-News reports 45-year-old Billy Duane Johnson is suspected of fatally shooting 38-year-old William Newton Scott on Friday. Scott was

Wyoming U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi is recovering from emergency gallbladder surgery and a spokesman says the Republican hopes to be back on the job soon. Enzi tells the Gillette News Record he had been feeling a little bit off, and on Sunday, he felt increasingly worse and went to the hospital where doctors removed his

Utah’s liquor control department says a reporting delay and a new computer system are behind a new audit that shows the department did not record millions in revenue from alcohol sales. An audit released Tuesday shows the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control did not record about $216 million in revenue during a six month

Bonneville County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Joshua J. Woodbeck,35, at around 11 p.m. Tuesday after a fight with a woman. Deputies were called to a home on North Yates Ave. on a report of a man in possession of a gun. According to deputies Woodbeck and his wife were having an argument that ended in a

A man who tried to run away from Pocatello Police was caught and arrested Tuesday. Pocatello Police said they spotted Carlos Nicholas Torres, 38, driving a vehicle in the 300 block of West Bridger at around 11:42 a.m. An officer attempted to pull Torres over on a traffic stop, but Torres attempted to drive away.

One more day with high pressure dominating over the Intermountain West, giving us HOT temps! Daytime heating will continue to spark off a few isolated storms over the mountains during the late day hours. A weak disturbance will swing through the Northern Rockies on Thursday bringing in more clouds and some scattered showers and storms.

With boating season underway the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is warning of a rising danger this year. “Watch out for floating debris,” Marine Deputy Michael Vasquez said. Vasquez said Palisades Reservoir is the area of most concern right now. With a high snowpack runoff, the recreational waterway is high and that is creating a significant

Wells Fargo is launching its first state-wide program to help homeowners in Idaho. It is investing $3.55 million to help boost homeownership. One group that is participating in the program is NeighborWorks Pocatello. The program is called NeighborLIFT and aims to help low to moderate income families be able to afford to buy a home.

The Bingham County Sheriff’s Office has released the preliminary results of an autopsy done on Kelley Haney. The early results show she died from drowning. At this point, a full autopsy of the body has not been completed but preliminary findings indicate she died from drowning. Sheriff Craig Rowland says at this point they will

The birds and bike trails, home to the vast, rolling hills surrounding the top of Center St., could soon be sharing space with a new park tailored for veterans and their families. On Thursday the Marine Corps League of Pocatello will meet to consolidate efforts in another push toward making the new park a reality.

Fourteen eastern Idaho high school students were awarded more than $120,450 in scholarships from Idaho State University. The students from Skyline, Hillcrest, Blackfoot, Pocatello, Century, Highland, American Falls, Marsh Valley, Snake River and Independence learned about the scholarships through the College of Arts and Letters Road Scholars program. The program was started in 2016 when

A strong ridge of high pressure in place over the West keeping us mostly dry and very warm! Daytime heating will continue to spark off a few isolated storms over the mountains during the late day hours. A weak disturbance will swing through the Northern Rockies on Thursday bringing in more clouds and some scattered

Yellowstone National Park is now offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information about the death of a gray wolf on the north side of the park. The wolf was shot and killed sometime between 1 a.m. on April 10 and 2 p.m. on April 11 near Gardiner, Montana. “Due to a tremendous desire

When you hear sirens Wednesday morning, don’t be alarmed. It is only a test. Bonneville County Emergency Management will be testing the emergency alert system sirens throughout Idaho Falls and Ammon on Wednesday, May 31 10:00 a.m. Each siren will sound for no longer than 30 seconds. In the event the emergency alert sirens are

Idaho State Police are investigating a single motorcycle crash on Highway 34 that left one man dead Tuesday morning. According to ISP, 69-year-old Ronald Robinett, of Soda Springs, was driving eastbound on Highway 34 on a 1997 Harley Davidson motorcycle when he failed to make a curve and the motorcycle crossed the center line and

The Idaho State Archives is making more than 27,000 records available to the public by digitizing the documents in collaboration with http://Ancestry.com. The Idaho Press Tribune reports that birth, death, prison and other records are currently being scanned – a process expected to be completed in the next six months. The records will then be

The Teton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a bomb threat that was made against the Victor Health Clinic Tuesday morning. Staff members at the clinic received a threat that a bomb had been placed at the clinic this morning. They promptly evacuated the building and notified the sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office responded along with

UPDATE 10:47 am: Idaho Falls Police say Tucker Mertz has been found safe. He was found near Hawthorne Elementary School. Police think that Tucker thought he was supposed to be in school today and walked there on his own. The Idaho Falls Police thank everyone for their help. We are still following the story and

Authorities say a wounded black bear attacked and injured an Idaho hunter, who was able to shoot the animal after the two tumbled down a hill. Evin Oneale of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game said in a statement Monday that the bear bit 43-year-old Marvin Jennings of Boise multiple times on an arm

Police are asking for your help in locating a man connected to a drug investigation. The Aberdeen Police Department says 59-year-old Charles D. Helmick of Aberdeen knows he is wanted by law enforcement and is most likely armed. The South East Idaho Special Tactics and Response Team (S.T.A.R.) and the Bear River Drug Task Force

Pocatello Police have charged Jessica Sky Repass,40, with aggravated battery after a disturbance in the parking lot at 1070 McKinley shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday. According to police, Repass was causing a noise disturbance with loud music and by honking her vehicle horn. She was approached by another female who complained about the noise. Repass

Strong ridge of high pressure in place over the West keeping us mostly dry and very warm! Daytime heating will continue to spark off a few isolated storms over the mountains during the late day hours. A weak disturbance will swing through the Northern Rockies on Thursday bringing in more clouds and some scattered showers

On Tuesday, most places will see sunshine and temperatures in the high 70’s and even into the 80’s. Wednesday night, a weak storm system will move through the region. A chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible on Thursday. Expected slightly cooler temperatures on Thursday as well. The flood warning for the Big Wood

Although Memorial Day saw nothing but sunshine, the sound of thunder still filled the air in Bannock County. More than 100 bikers revved through Pocatello, Inkom, and Lava Hot Springs on Monday for the 14th annual Thunder Run. POW-MIA Director Reverend Jim Jones said this event is a way to honor the fallen soldiers, along

Bingham County Sheriff’s Office says the body of Kelley Haney was recovered from the Snake River about 6 miles south of Rose Pond at about 1 p.m. Monday. Bingham County Sheriff Craig T. Rowland says an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday to determine the cause of death. The Bingham County Sheriff’s Office thanks the public

Update 05/29/2017 2:27 pm: The Twin Falls County Coroner’s Office has identified a Twin Falls man as the victim of a fatal shooting.  The Times-News reports William Newton Scott died Friday night in what authorities are calling a homicide. City Spokesman Joshua Palmer says Billy Duane Johnson, also of Twin Falls, is being held on suspicion

Creatures at Zoo Boise get yearly wellness checks and, like humans, cancer is a particular scourge. The Idaho Statesman reports in the past four months, the zoo has seen three cancer cases, ending with the deaths of two animals. Wild animals are good at hiding symptoms of illness but keepers knew something was wrong with

Four Republican candidates are vying to be Idaho’s next governor in what is expected to be a competitive 2018 race. All hope enough voters will flock to the polls and choose their name on the ballot. Voter participation records requested by The Associated Press show three of the GOP candidates have a strong history of

Authorities are looking for a driver they say hit a jogger with his car and then choked him. The Idaho Statesman reports a man was jogging Friday evening when he was sideswiped by a small car. The Ada County Sheriff’s Office say in a release the jogger told police the driver of the car got

Over the last 20 years, the Grand Teton National Park Foundation has raised more than $65 million for Grand Teton National Park in northwest Wyoming. The foundation was created in 1997 as the primary fundraising partner for the park. The projects and initiatives it has funded have aimed to improve visitor services, preserve park resources

Wyoming Game and Fish Department wildlife managers have trapped and relocated a young female grizzly bear in the northwest part of the state. The agency says the sub adult bear was captured on May 22 for frequenting residential areas and livestock calving pastures on private lands on the South Fork of the Shoshone River west

A judge has blocked actor Bruce Willis’ plan to build a private airstrip in central Idaho. The Idaho Mountain Express reports that 5th District Judge Robert Elgee ruled that Camas County commissioners violated state law when drafting an ordinance allowing individuals to obtain conditional-use permits to build a private airport in agricultural-zoned county lands. Willis

Diners at Chubbuck’s Chipotle Mexican Grill may have recently fallen victim to identity theft after the company was hit by a cyber hacking earlier this year, the company said. According to the company’s website, the Chubbuck location fell victim to malware between March 27 and April 18. The company announced Friday it had identified and

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Preston is investigating a missing person report. They are looking for 19-year-old Bailand Johnson who was last seen in the area of Albert Moser Campground at around 5:30 p.m. Thursday. and did not return as expected. Johnson was last seen wearing blue jeans and a gray sweatshirt. He had

On July 1, Wyoming will become the 16th state in the nation to enact a law against people misrepresenting pets as service animals. The new law makes it a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $750. The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports federal law requires people with service animals be admitted to public facilities and

Two Rigby motorcyclists were hospitalized after a crash with another motorcycle at 7:31 p.m. Saturday on Interstate 84 near mile marker 173 on a Jerome County off-ramp. According to Idaho State Police, Aaron D. Keele, 43, of Idaho Falls, was driving a 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycle eastbound on I-84. They said he made an unsafe

Another beautiful day on tap for your Memorial Day and the start of the workweek. For most areas across our region, expect dry conditions and light winds. There are more concerns for snowmelt and flooding once again as a result of warmer temperatures this week. The flood warning for the Big Wood River in Hailey

More sunshine is on its way for Memorial Day and the start of the work week. There is some concern over snowmelt and flooding as a result of warmer temperatures this week. For most areas across our region, expect dry conditions and light winds. The flood warning for the Big Wood River in Hailey continues,

The Mountain View Cemetery came alive once again, but it was because of a group of young volunteers, who gave up their Saturday morning to draw attention to those who were forgotten in one unique way. “There are a lot of untold stories in cemeteries,” Pocatello Community Charter School Venturing Crew founder Kestrel Hulet said,

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office says it recovered the body of a missing teenage hiker last seen Thursday around 5:30 p.m. Sheriff David Fryar said they found the body of Bailand Johnson, 19, in the Cub River. around 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon. The body was found about a quarter of a mile from the Albert

A Burley man was killed Saturday afternoon in a boat crash on the Snake River west of American Falls. According to the Power County Sheriff’s Office, Willard Cranney, 79, and his son were on a boat near the Pipeline Boat Launch when they hit a rock in the water and were thrown out of the

This Memorial weekend should be mostly sunny. There is only a slight risk of showers and thunderstorms in the Central Idaho Mountains and along the border with Wyoming. If there are thunderstorms, they will happen mainly on Sunday and Monday. Temperatures in the Snake River Plain will continue to rise into the upper 70’s this

Idaho’s Field of Heroes in Pocatello has organized several events throughout Memorial Day weekend. On Saturday, things kicked off with the “Run to Remember” event. People from the community can show up to run, or walk, a mile for each of Idaho’s casualties. According to Susan Thurm, the chair of “Run to Remember,” Idaho has

The Ross Park Aquatic Complex in Pocatello is officially open for the season. Opening day for the park was Saturday. The park opens on Memorial Day weekend every year. Staff members at the park said it’s not usually super crowded and business is a little slower around Memorial Day and the first of the season.

One of many Memorial Day celebrations in the area happened at Mountain River Ranch in Ririe to honor veterans past and present. “It’s about saying, ‘Thank you’ and every year there gets to be more people and more people that are really excited about being here and doing this,” Tran King, Mountain River Ranch owner

The death of Skyline High School students from the car crash on the intersection of 45th West and 17th South in Idaho Falls has the community coming together in multiple ways. On Saturday, Grizzly Youth Football teams put on a car wash fundraiser for the families affected by the deadly car accident. “It’s kind of

Several celebrations across the area will take place in the next few days to honor our loved ones who have died. Volunteers set up 1,000 flags at Freeman Park in Idaho Falls Friday morning in preparation for Memorial Day. The tribute benefits local veterans, child abuse prevention agencies, and crime prevention efforts. You can sponsor

There are girls all over the world who miss school because of their periods. Local groups are helping this issue by giving girls from different countries the sanitation supplies they need. Days for Girls is the international organization that several east Idaho-made teams are helping. They gather and create supplies to help the girls manage

Memorial Day marks the beginning of the “100 deadliest days” on Idaho roads. It is the time of year when there are more deaths and serious injuries because of dangerous driving behaviors. Idaho State Police is partnering with the Idaho Transportation Department to stop impaired driving. The ITD is providing grant funds that will allow

Holt Arena in Pocatello was filled with caps and gowns on Friday as local high schools held their graduation ceremonies there. Century High School, Pocatello High School and Highland High School all held ceremonies inside Holt Arena. New Horizon High School also held its graduation ceremony on Friday, but at the PHS auditorium. Hundreds of

The City of Idaho Falls settled a lawsuit this week filed by seven police officers. All of them are current employees of the Idaho Falls Police Department. Tim Downs, Spencer Steele, Josh Deede, Eric Anderson, Kyle Christopherson and Stephen Avery. The seventh Plaintiff, Leendert Van Hulten, passed away during pending action. In August of last

An Idaho judge says a 19-year-old man must pay more than $391,000 in damages for starting a 2016 wildfire in the Boise foothills. Ada County Magistrate Judge James Cawthon on Friday also sentenced Taylor Kemp to spend at least four days in jail and spend another 16 days either in jail or on a community

UPDATE: 4 p.m. Rocky Mountain Power crews have restored power to most of those affected by outages Friday afternoon. About 212 customers are still without power west of Grant. Crews now expect to restore power to all of those affected there by 6:30 p.m. 42 customers are affected by an outage in Rigby. Crews are

Expect widespread showers and thunderstorms today, with snow above 8500 ft. Winter Weather Advisory in effect for the high country in western Wyoming. Temperatures running much colder than average for Friday, but warming up into the holiday weekend. High pressure takes control starting tomorrow, meaning sunshine across the state. Tonight, mid 30s and cloudy with

Federal officials have released a cattle grazing plan for central Idaho’s Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve that immediately came under fire from an environmental group. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Final Environmental Impact Statement released Friday allows cattle grazing on nearly all of the roughly 275,000 acres it administers in the

There are about 1,400 children is foster in Idaho – 250 right here in Eastern Idaho. During foster care awareness month, The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare wants to get the word out that there is still an urgent need for foster families. Rexburg residents David and dawn Pulsipher have had a bout 30

The Humane Society of Utah is crying foul over a judge’s order to kill a family dog after police said the animal bit a teenage girl. Lindsy Bray of Santaquin said Thursday she was shocked to hear her dog Dexter had to be euthanized after the bite that she says didn’t break the girl’s skin.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office is stepping up patrols around a section of property that has drawn some widespread interest from the curious. It’s located on Walker Road near the intersection of 750 South 2nd East on the Rexburg Bench. Known variously as “The Haunted Swing” or “The Webster Swing”, Madison County Sheriff’s Lt. Mike

The Idaho Transportation Department will temporarily open all lanes of a work zone between the Fort Hall Reservation Boundary and Burns Road in Blackfoot for the Memorial Day weekend. Crews have completed the first phase of construction on the six-mile work zone. Traffic will shift to the newly paved northbound lanes on Wednesday, May 31

An Idaho county’s taxpayers will need to cough up about $2.7 million to cover a lawsuit its officials lost against a former employee who had been fired. The Idaho Statesman reports Ada County’s last-ditch effort Wednesday to not pay $664,527 of the former employee’s legal fees had been denied. The former employee, Rich Wright, had

A program has been introduced this week in Utah allowing residents to pay a small fee to have any potential search and rescue costs waived. An individual can purchase a $25 annual insurance so they won’t have to pay expensive rescue costs if a hiking trip goes bad. Families can pay $35 to cover more

Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi (R) is co-sponsoring legislation to lift the Cuban trade embargo. The law would eliminate the legal barriers to Americans doing business in Cuba. Enzi said it would pave the way for new economic opportunities for American businesses and farmers by boosting U.S. exports. It would also allow Cubans greater access to

Conservationist and millionaire Jennifer Speers has paid $2.5 million for 640 acres (2,589,990 sq. meters) of land within Bears Ears National Monument. The Deseret News reports (http://bit.ly/2r2EAHQ ) Speers paid about $1.5 million above the starting bid Wednesday for a spot called the Needles Outpost. The outpost was on property owned by the Utah School

The Wyoming Attorney General’s office has declined to consider the state Republican Party’s complaints against an organization that sent voters mail last year praising Democratic legislative candidates and criticizing their GOP opponents. Recent letters sent by Senior Assistant Attorney General Michael Robinson to people involved in the grievances say the office won’t investigate the complaints

A home once owned by Walt Disney and his wife Lillian is in escrow. The Disneys built the four bedroom, four bath home on S. El Camino Real in 1962. “It was supposedly used for the Imagineers to come and get inspired,” said realtor Klint Watkins of HK Lane. The home was also used by

Expect widespread showers and thunderstorms today, with snow above 8500 ft. Winter Weather Advisory in effect for the high country in western Wyoming. Temperatures running much colder than average for Friday, but warming up into the holiday weekend. High pressure takes control starting tomorrow, meaning sunshine across the state. Friday, Mostly cloudy with scattered rain

On Thursday, The Idaho State Police held a drone demonstration in Pocatello. The ISP has been utilizing drones for close to a year. They said it has helped with evidence collection and gives them aerial footage of crime scenes and crashes. While the ISP hopes to expand their unmanned aerial systems program, they want to

While many of the rivers and streams in Idaho have seen high water levels lately, that should not stop you from fishing on Memorial weekend. “Water years like this, the fish are still there, they are still active. You just want to use some reservation when it comes to boating and approaching those waters,” commented

One local student is on her way to Harvard University, but before she made her final decision, she was accepted to six of eight Ivy Leagues schools — and wait-listed for the other two. “It was a surprise every single time I was opening one of the emails,” Camilla Ramazzini said. “It’s unbelievable. I wouldn’t

School is letting out for the summer and the Arby’s Foundation is helping Idaho Falls’ at-risk kids from going hungry during their break from the classroom by giving them free meals through Arby’s “School’s Out, Food’s In” program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says 1 in 5 kids in the Gem State do not know

After three years of drought, Idaho’s premier and nationally renowned fly fishing destination could get could get its groove back this season as abundant water fills its channels. With the fishing season opening this weekend, anglers hope the resurgence draws brown and rainbow trout to bite artificial flies dancing on the stream’s mirror-smooth surface. The

Idaho’s city-based population grew by 30,312 people between mid-2015 and mid-2016. According to a new U.S. Census Bureau report released by the Idaho Department of Labor, 41 percent of the state’s growth was in the state’s seven largest cities including Boise, Meridian (95,623), Nampa (91,382), Idaho Falls (60,211), Pocatello (54,746), Caldwell (53,149), and Coeur d’Alene

Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms thanks to our Canadian low pressure. Nicer weather coming up for the holiday weekend. Friday, Mostly cloudy with scattered storms. Highs into the low 60’s and a 60% chance of thunderstorms. Saturday, Mostly sunny, with a high near 70°. Sunday, Highs in the mid 70’s and sunny. Memorial Day, Sunny

A southwest Idaho woman whose grandmother received benefits as the wife of a deceased veteran has admitted to collecting about $91,000 by not reporting her grandmother’s death. Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael Gonzalez announced Thursday that 51-year-old Wendy Ann Payne of Emmett pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to theft of government money. Authorities say Payne’s

Idaho officials say a man accused of convincing more than 40 boys across various states and countries to send him pornographic videos is facing new charges. The Times-News reports 44-year-old Judah Lyda of Twin Falls was charged with seven felony counts of possessing and inducing children to engage in sexually exploitative material. He was previously

State forester Bill Crapser says most of Wyoming is predicted to have slightly below average to average large wildfires this year. Crapser says there could be a lot of wildfires started by lightning but most are not expected to grow into large fires. The predictions come from the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center in Denver.

Officials with the University of Idaho say they have identified 14 recommendations to improve safety and emergency response policies as part of a review of an explosion in a school parking lot that injured four students. In April, an explosion occurred when students had gathered to test a fuel system for an experimental rocket. The

Idaho State University plans an upgrade of the Holt Arena lighting systems this summer. According to ISU Director of Events George Casper, the $536,000 project will replace two older light systems with 85 LED lighting fixtures. “The new lights will reduce electricity and maintenance costs and improve the quality of lighting for athletics and spectators,”

Bonneville County Commissioners have certified the results of the county’s Community College election. Voters approved the proposal in a special election May 16. Commissioners approved a resolution officially establishing a new College of Eastern Idaho district and outlining its boundaries. The State Board of Education is now charged with selecting the district’s first trustees. The

Utah lawmakers say they hope a new, unique law cuts down on the expanding and increasingly troubling forms of cyber harassment by giving authorities the ability to send the online bullies to jail. But some lawyers and a libertarian-leaning group say they are concerned with the law’s vague language, which they say could be unconstitutional

Some homeowners in northern Utah are facing staggering bills to repair flood damage because they, like most Utah residents, don’t have flood insurance. The Salt Lake Tribune reported Wednesday that less than 1 percent of homeowners in the state have federal flood insurance. Barbara Denver, of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, says there are more

The parents of a 2-year-old Utah boy who was shot and killed by his 3-year-old sister in 2014 weren’t charged after investigators determined it was a horrible accident. Research by the USA TODAY Network and The Associated Press found that the Utah couple was not alone in avoiding criminal punishment. In the 152 cases across

A legislative committee’s task of finding new sources of revenue for Wyoming coffers includes looking at new taxes or increasing existing taxes. Republican Sen. Ray Peterson of Cowley is co-chairman of the Legislature’s Joint Revenue Interim Committee. Peterson tells the Wyoming Tribune Eagle that the panel is looking at everything related to increasing revenue. Peterson

A new Jefferson County substation is ready to go online Thursday morning. It is said that the Jim Westwood Substation will help lighten the Goshen substation’s load a little bit. KIFI/KIDK was at Wednesday’s celebration of the new power source, where Rocky Mountain Power also dedicated it to a worker who was killed on the