Idaho Falls

Harmony Counseling Center recently opened a new office in Idaho Falls to address the state’s limited access to mental health care by offering therapy services for individuals of all ages.

Two local drivers were taken to the hospital Friday afternoon after a collision blocked northbound traffic on US-91 for nearly two hours.

“The BEA Applied STEM Institute represents an exciting new chapter for STEM education in our region,” said Mary Stephenson, associate vice president of K-14 and Rural Initiatives at CEI. “Through our partnership with BEA, we are creating meaningful opportunities for students to explore STEM fields, build confidence through hands-on learning and prepare for high-demand, high-wage careers in Idaho.”

“Friendship and youth is just like a very universal experience. We’re all laughing at the same things, we kind of all just listen to the same music – similar pop culture even though we’re from different nations,” said Idaho Falls Sister Cities Youth Association Student President Caroline Combs. “We’re just teenagers.”

Drivers traveling between Idaho Falls and Rigby should expect nighttime traffic shifts and temporary exit closures beginning this week as the Idaho Transportation Department enters the next phase of its U.S. Highway 20 resurfacing project.

According to the Idaho Transportation Department, overnight work is expected to begin Tuesday evening at Hitt Road. Crews will remove a portion of the existing pavement. Speed limits will be reduced through the work zone, with repaving scheduled for next week.

Dozens of local families lined up at the Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership (EICAP) this afternoon to get some much-needed relief for their youngest family members. The Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership in Idaho Falls began distributing free diapers to local families this week.

“It’s been amazing to me how many people have come out looking for help,” said Brenda Jackson, EICAP Family Services Director. “We didn’t anticipate this turnout.”

Friday, July 24th, the Utah-based non-profit health network announced plans to buy out Surgery Partners’ ownership stake in a network of healthcare facilities in Southeast Idaho, including Mountain View Hospital, Idaho Falls Community Hospital, and 60+ affiliated clinics.

“Don’t forget where you came from, because that’s what we are – a bit of history,” Snake River Homestead Vice President Lynn Cramer said.

The City of Idaho Falls says a local man must use “standard rules of civil procedure,” rather than his public records request, to obtain documents from the City in his battle over Flock Safety Cameras.

Bonneville County will close the intersection of 5th East and 49th South starting July 22 for the installation of a new traffic light.

A 25-year-old Pocatello man lost his life Tuesday morning after police say he was struck by a semi-truck while running through traffic on Interstate 15.

A motorcyclist is recovering after an accident Sunday night left him unconscious in a canal along Sunnyside Road. Thanks to the quick action of several bystanders and an off-duty first responder, both the driver and his passenger are safe.

“The Youth Rally gave me two years of real leadership experience I didn’t get in a classroom: public speaking in front of the whole camp, handling conflict and high-pressure situations, and learning how to delegate and trust the people around me instead of doing it myself,” said Croft. “I’m walking away much more confident and a better leader because of it.”

HomeGoods has obtained a building permit to open a new store in the former Joann Fabric and Crafts location in Idaho Falls.

“There’s more and more need for healthcare,” said Bingham Healthcare CEO Jake Erickson. “We’re grateful to be able to provide that service here seven days a week, and to have such wonderful, high-quality providers and physicians right here in this location.”

U.S. Department of Energy leaders visited the Idaho Cleanup Project last week to review cleanup work supporting nuclear research and development at the Idaho National Laboratory Site.

Assistant Secretary of Environmental Management Tim Walsh and members of his leadership team toured several facilities involved in radioactive waste treatment, used nuclear fuel storage and the removal of older nuclear structures.

Local law enforcement and first responders are trading their badges and gear for bats and gloves this week, all for a great cause.

This Friday marks the 15th annual Guns vs. Hoses Charity Softball Game. Deputies from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 8 will face off against the Idaho Falls Firefighters in a friendly game at Melaleuca Field.

All proceeds will support Make-A-Wish Idaho, helping grant life-changing wishes for local children.

Carrie Getty Scheid was a driving force behind the restoration of Colonial Theater, the establishment of College of Eastern Idaho, the founding of Snake River Animal Shelter, and the renovation of the Frontier Arts Center for the Performing Arts.

“There was no idea too big – nothing that she didn’t think we could accomplish,” said friend and retired Hartwell Corporation Insurance Executive Mary Lynn Hartwell.

“It’s finding people almost every day that have warrants – warrants for felony activity, warrants for domestic violence, drug trafficking,” Idaho Falls Police Chief Bryce Johnson said.

“A lot of people are concerned about ‘Big Brother’ and surveillance,” said Idaho Falls resident Finn Garren.

A controversial alcohol ordinance seeks to balance the need for public safety with concerns about city overreach.

“Someone’s bleeding to death because of a significant trauma, childbirth – anything that happens in a hospital, we have to be prepared to take care of in the field,” new Idaho Falls Fire EMS Division Chief Chase Mills said.

Heated community debate over Flock cameras continued during an Idaho Falls City Council meeting Thursday.

s e-bikes continue to surge in popularity, safety experts and medical professionals are raising concerns about the risks associated with the high-speed bicycles, particularly for children and teenagers.

The renewed focus on e-bike safety comes after two recent fatal crashes in Idaho. A Boise teenager was killed in an e-bike crash, while just a week earlier, a North Idaho man died after losing control of his e-bike near Spirit Lake.

Thousands of people are expected to gather along the Snake River on Saturday for the Annual Melaleuca Freedom Celebration, one of the largest Independence Day celebrations in the West.

Organizers anticipate more than 220,000 people will attend this year’s event as the nation celebrates America’s 250th anniversary and the Fourth of July falls on a Saturday.

Who was George Washington – a general, Commander in Chief, slave owner, and monument in U.S. history?

The Idaho Falls Public Library has launched a new program called Music and Movement, which invites parents with children aged 0-5 to learn while singing and dancing. The program is designed to develop core skills for children but it also provides a great way for parents to build a community and support system. The creator of the program, Sarah Carr, has made it her mission to help lonely parents find their community by providing a space for them to connect and build relationships.

Throughout the Independence Day weekend, firefighters were called out to multiple fires across the Bonneville County area. While the holiday is over, the IFFD is urging the community to remain highly vigilant as the dry season continues.

The morning celebration begins with an opening ceremony at 8:30 AM, and the parade officially gets moving at 9:00 AM. For those planning to celebrate from home, Local News 8 will provide live television and digital broadcast coverage of the entire event.

Idahoans across the state are reflecting on the magnitude of America’s semiquincentennial anniversary.

“I can be whatever I like as long as I put the work in,” said Carson Campbell.

Paul Baker has resigned as CEO of the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce amid speculation of his involvement in financial irregularities at the Portneuf Valley Soccer Club, though no charges have been filed against him.

The Chamber’s press release appears to directly address the ongoing rumors, reassuring members that its own finances remain secure.

“To date, the Board has not found any evidence that Chamber funds have been misappropriated,” the statement read.

Local firefighters are responding to a grass fire along S Packbridge Lane near the Comore Loma subdivision.

Idaho Unites for Venezuela is collecting donations and emergency supplies to send to the areas hardest hit by the recent double earthquake in Venezuela.