Month: October 2019

Teton County Commission Chair Natalia Macker has been recognized as Wyoming’s “Commissioner of the Year”. Macker was presented the Wyoming County Commissioners’ Association (WCCA) “Riding for the Brand” honoree during its annual meeting in Casper last week. WCCA President Troy Thompson said, “Commissioner Macker is a mentor, inspiring current and future trailblazing, community-minded women and

Idaho’s State Department of Education plans to award $1.5 million in five-year grants to help operate after-school programs across the state next school year. The “21st Century” Community Learning Center program currently supports 38 grants serving 87 schools across the state. It provides academic enrichment opportunities and a broad array of other services including STEM,

The Wyoming Department of Transportation will close Teton Pass to eastbound trailer traffic a month earlier than usual this year. WYDOT took the action because of an extended closure of a vehicle arrestor system on Wyoming Highway 22. The early closure will only affect eastbound traffic beginning October 15. Westbound traffic will be allowed to

A man is behind bars after leading authorities on a slow-speed chase for more than 20 miles. The chase started in Clark County on I-15 approximately 12 miles north of Dubois. Several people called 911 to report a truck swerving all over the road. A Clark County sheriff’s deputy located the truck but the driver

A juvenile driver was hospitalized after a crash at State Highway 39 and 1900 south, south of Aberdeen at around 12:14 p.m. Thursday. Idaho State Police said the juvenile was driving a 1992 Ford straight-truck hauling potatoes. He slowed to turn west onto 1900 South, but lost control of the truck and overturned on the

A local group of six separate offices is in the midst of a competitive food drive to see who can collect the largest total of goods before Friday. The group, consisting of Heritage Home Health Services, Quinn Meadows Rehabilitation, Copper Summit Assisted Living, TanaBell, Meadowland Physical Therapy and Kulak CrossFit, wanted to find a way

After a massive clean up effort to remove debris, log jams and trash, the City of Pocatello says you can float the lower parts of the Portneuf River “without a saw.” The lower parts of the river are accessible through Sacajawea Park and the Abraszewski Trailhead. Although the temperatures may be taking a dip, people

First Lady Melania Trump is in Jackson, Wyo. promoting U.S. national parks and her youth initiative. She touched down in Jackson Thursday morning and plans to visit national parks and landmarks and spread the child well-being message that’s a key component of her year-old “Be Best” initiative. “Today was full of adventure, exploring different parts

The Idaho Transportation Department will begin making repairs to the Blackfoot Bridge at Exit 93 of Interstate 15 beginning Monday. The work should be complete by October 17. Crews will be sandblasting and resurfacing the bridge deck, replacing guard rail and completing shoulder work. The repairs are temporary, until ITD is able to begin a

Police say a car t-boned another car heading west on Chubbuck Road on Wednesday around 1 p.m. The driver of the first car ran the stop sign on Burley Drive, said police. Both drivers were transported to the Portneuf Medical Center with severe injuries. Chubbuck Police are not releasing the names of the two victims.

The Town of Alpine has been awarded a $2,300,370 grant to construct a modular wastewater pretreatment system and sludge handling facility at the town’s wastewater treatment plant. The system will have the ability to accommodate current and future organic waste from the Melvin Brewery. It will also be capable of handling future and industrial developments.

Fluor Idaho crews recently removed a 1950’s era nuclear reactor used to create neutron fields that exposed materials to a radioactive environment. Environmental Management crews demolished the legacy research reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory. They used innovative tools to break down its 4.5 foot-thick concrete shield. The Argonne Fast Source Reactor’s operations ended in

Close the Gap Idaho is denouncing an Idaho Department of Health and Welfare proposal that would put new restrictions on Medicaid. According to the group, the 1115 application does not address any concerns or flaws highlighted in 700 pages of public testimony, concerns, technical flaws, and stories from people who will suffer if it is

UPDATE: The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim of a Tuesday night crash as Leticia Ponce. Investigation of the incident is continuing. ___ ORIGINAL STORY: A 39-year-old St. Anthony woman was killed in a vehicle crash Tuesday around 8 p.m. Officials say the vehicle ran off the road and hit a power pole

Another “non-target” grizzly bear was captured and relocated by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Tuesday. The bear was caught while personnel were attempting to mitigate human-bear conflicts on private land east of Wapiti, Wyoming In cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the bear was relocated to Blackrock Creek drainage, about 20 miles

First Lady Melania Trump will promote U.S. national parks and her youth initiative later this week in Wyoming. The White House says the first lady will visit national parks and landmarks Thursday and spread the child well-being message that’s a key component of her year-old “Be Best” initiative. Last month, Mrs. Trump and fourth-grade students

Two nuclear scientists have been named to lead a research center at an eastern Idaho nuclear laboratory as part of an effort by the U.S. to revamp and increase the use of nuclear power. The U.S. Department of Energy announced Thursday Ashley Finan is the director and Nicholas Smith deputy director of the National Reactor

That buck or bull standing next to the road might be a tempting target, but it might not be what you think it is, and it could be a very costly mistake. Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers deploy “artificial simulated animals” during hunting season to catch law-breaking hunters. Commonly called ASAs, they are life-like

Bonneville School District 93 has canceled school at Tiebreaker Elementary School for Thursday, October 3rd. There was a main water line break into the school. According to a message sent to parents from Superintendent Scott Woolstenhulme, crews have not been able to repair the line and restart the water service. The school will update parents

U.S. officials on Wednesday announced protections for woodland caribou and their habitat in parts of Idaho and Washington. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated the southern mountain population of woodland caribou as endangered and confirmed 47 square miles in Idaho and Washington as critical habitat requiring special protection. The agency’s decision came after environmentalist

Due to winter weather conditions, all wildfires in Yellowstone have been declared out. Fire danger is low. You can view Current Fire Activity HERE. KIFI 2019

Biologists have confirmed chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer hunt area 152, about 12 miles west of Bondurant on Willow Creek. A buck, harvested by a hunter, tested positive. It is the first time CWD has been found in that area, which is part of the Sublette mule deer herd. It is close to wintering

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will now allow women to be witnesses for temple sealings and baptisms. This historic change was announced Wednesday by the Church. You can read the full announcement below: “I testify of the importance of the work that the Lord has entrusted to each of us,” said Church

The Idaho Department of Insurance projects 2020 premium rates will increase by an average 6% in the individual insurance market and 4% in the small group market. “The cost of individual health insurance is too expensive,” said Director Dean Cameron. “Although the rate of increase is smaller this year, a 6% increase on an expensive

Wyoming Senator John Barrasso made a quick trip overseas to visit Wyoming National Guard Troops in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Kosovo. Barrasso says there are about 370 Wyoming National Guard soldiers deployed in the Middle East and Europe, making it one of the largest deployments of the Wyoming National Guard since 2009. The

The Idaho National Laboratory has established INL Wireless Security Institute to lead and coordinate research of 5G wireless technology. The effort will involve a government, academic, and private industry effort to develop and validate 5G security protocols and data protection technologies. The new institute will draw on INL’s expertise and facilities that have been used

The Power County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was airlifted after a rollover Tuesday around 8:20 p.m. Officials say there were six occupants in the car, and one person was ejected. There were no fatalities.​​​​​​ T​he cause of the crash is unknown at this time and is still under investigation. The sheriff’s office says no

There will be a new attraction in Teton Village. “Major Bison,” the large, bright red bison sculpture that stood along the Moose Wilson Road has been moved to a green field along McCollister Drive. Local artist John Simms, in collaboration with the Teton Village Association and Diehl Gallery, found the site. It’s part of the

The Securities and Exchange Commission is suing a defunct Idaho investment firm contending that two company officers purposely overbilled clients. The lawsuit filed in Idaho’s U.S. District Court on Monday names Yellowstone Partners LLC and former CEO David Henry Hansen. Another defendant, investment adviser Cameron G. High, was also named in the lawsuit but has

Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Fire Marshal Kathy Clay says candles were probably the cause of an accidental fire at the Forget Me Not Thrift Store last week. The fire was first reported at 12:26 p.m. Thursday in the back of the building at 410 West Pearl Ave. Firefighters found people inside attempting to put the fire

International potato equipment manufacturer, SPUDNIK, of Blackfoot has announced it has entered an agreement to purchase another Blackfoot firm, STC Trailer LLC. STC also serves the potato industry, building top quality trailers and stainless steel bulk beds. SPUDNIK said the addition of trailers and beds would help complete the company’s field of products. STC Trailer

The Idaho Falls Fire Department was called to the Three Foundations condominium development near the intersection of 17th and Woodruff at 7:47 p.m.. Monday. Firefighters found a tree and some vinyl fencing on fire, but put it out before it could spread to any of the housing units. The cause of the fire remains under

The first phase of Pocatello’s phosphorus removal project has been selected as Region 8’s Top Project of the Year by the Board of Governors for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The award highlights a more-than $10 million project that “improves or has the potential to improve the quality of life of people impacted