Skip to Content

Pocatello

Contract issues between Portneuf Medical Center and Regence BlueShield of Idaho could cost 5,700 patients their health care

Several thousand southeast Idaho residents could lose in-network access to Portneuf Medical Center, along with their affiliates —Pocatello Health Services, PHS Ambulatory Services, and Portneuf Ambulatory Surgical Center — this June as contract negotiations with Regence BlueShield of Idaho fail to produce an agreement.

Continue Reading

Honoring a Namesake: Local artist gifts historical tribute to City of Pocatello

Last week, city leadership gratefully accepted a print of a young Chief Pocatello, the city’s namesake. Local artist Tal Sampson donated the print last week, adding to the city’s permanent art collection.

Chief Pocatello was a prominent leader of the Shoshone people who guided his people as they settled the Shoshone-Bannock reservation following peace negotiations with the U.S. Government.

Continue Reading

Small plane damaged after landing at Pocatello Airport; High winds suspected

A small plane was damaged after landing at the Pocatello Regional Airport Thursday, by what officials speculate may have been a large gust of wind.

Airport Director Alan Evans confirmed Friday that incident took place around 4:20 PM involving a small single-engine plane. Evans says the plane had landed and come to a stop on the runway without incident, when it experienced “some kind of issue” while it began to taxi toward the hangar.

Continue Reading

“Through the Eyes of Our Learners:” School District 25 invites community to special America 250 fine arts exhibition on May 1st

Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 is inviting the community out to a special Fine Arts Exhibition celebrating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States.

Friday, May 1st, 2026, District 25 will host “America Through the Eyes of Our Learners,” featuring more than 200 original works of art and live performances. According to D25, the event invites the community to explore national history and ideals through the eyes of local students.

“This event is about more than art—it’s about giving our learners a voice,” said Courtney Fisher, Director of Communications, Community Relations, and the Education Foundation. “Through their work, our learners are sharing their perspectives, their creativity, and what America means to them during this once-in-a-generation milestone. We’re proud to showcase that with our community.”

The special event will take place during the Historic Downtown Pocatello First Friday Art Walk from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Gate City Coffee (320 W. Center Street).

The event also features more than $2,000 in prizes, sponsored by the School District 25 Education Foundation, to recognize student achievement and creativity. Visitors are encouraged to participate by voting for the People’s Choice Awards during the gallery walk to help select the winning entries.

Continue Reading

Pocatello Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography

A 34-year-old Pocatello man faces up to over a decade in federal prison for receiving child pornography following a joint undercover operation between the FBI and Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Clint Lusk to 135 months in federal prison to be served consecutively to any future sentence stemming from pending state charges. In addition to his prison time, Lusk must pay $45,000 in restitution, serve 15 years of supervised release, and register as a sex offender.

Continue Reading

Downtown revitalization: City of Pocatello invests in urban forest improvements with grant funding

The City of Pocatello is continuing efforts to improve the health and safety of its urban forest, with work taking place in Historic Downtown and other areas throughout the community.

Residents will begin to see improvements as crews remove unhealthy trees, replace missing or damaged trees, and address locations where trees have outgrown their space or are causing sidewalk and safety concerns. Nearly all trees that are removed will be replaced.

Continue Reading

Driver killed in semi-truck rollover on I-15 south of Pocatello

Idaho State Police is investigating a crash along I-15 south of Pocatello near the N Old Highway 91

According to the Idaho Transportation Department, the crash happend in the northbound lanes of I-15 near milepost 63 just before the Portneuf exit. The crash happend around 1:27 p.m.

It’s unclear at this time how many vehicles were involved or whether there were any potential injuries. ITD is directing drivers to keep left, expect delays, and use caution.

This is a developing story. Local News 8 will provide additional updates as we learn new details.

Continue Reading

Portneuf Valley Environmental Fair returns to Pocatello this weekend

The Portneuf Valley Environmental Fair is returning to Pocatello this weekend, offering a full day of free, family-friendly activities focused on the environment and community.

“The Portneuf Valley Environmental Fair is the largest in southeast Idaho. It’s free. We’re going to have free food, live music..” Irby-Facer said. “You can learn about composting, get a free tomato plant. You could find out if you have toys that might have lead in them. There are so many things to do.”

Continue Reading

Historic building in downtown Pocatello set for demolition

The Monarch building, A historic brick building in downtown Pocatello, is set to come down this summer after years of decay, despite efforts to revive it.

The building was believed to have been built around 1909, and has sat open to the elements for more than a decade after a fire left it roofless and unsafe. The Pocatello Development Authority, which now owns the property, says demolition is necessary to protect public safety and make way for new development.

Continue Reading

‘The First Responder You Never See:‘ Pocatello 911 Dispatcher Highlights Demands, Rewards of Life on the Line

When someone in Bannock County dials 911, the first person they talk to isn’t a police officer, firefighter, or paramedic. It’s a dispatcher like April Neal, who has spent nearly a decade on the other end of the line.

Neal, a 911 dispatcher for the Pocatello Police Department, says one of the biggest misconceptions about her job is that dispatchers are “just secretaries.”

Continue Reading
Idaho State University in Pocatello, ID

Idaho State University to launch Bachelor’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence Sciences this Fall

“This program reflects the strong collaboration between the mathematics & statistics and computer science departments,” said Emanuele Zappala, assistant professor in the mathematics and statistics department. “It is designed to give students both the theoretical background and the applied skills necessary to contribute meaningfully to the rapidly growing field of artificial intelligence.”

Continue Reading

Brief lockdown lifted at Pocatello City Hall after reports of armed individual

Pocatello police responded to a report of an armed individual in the City Hall parking lot at around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 8.

According to City of Pocatello Public Information Officer Marlise Irby, employees in the City Hall were instructed to lock down and stay inside while police investigated the threat. Any people in the parking lot were taken inside the building by officers.

Continue Reading

Pocatello man killed in head-on collision with semi-truck on I-15

A crash involving a semi-truck and a passenger car has stalled traffic along I-15 Southbound near E Center St. in Pocatello. Authorities are reporting the crash was fatal.

According to the Idaho Transportation Department, the crash took place sometime before 7:20 AM Thursday near mile marker 69. All lanes and the Pocatello Creek Rd. on ramp to I-15 southbound are currently blocked.

Continue Reading

One year later: Pocatello community to gather in honor of non-verbal teen killed in police shooting

Civil rights attorneys will host a public vigil on April 4 to honor Victor Perez, a non-verbal autistic teen who was shot and killed by Pocatello Police nearly one year ago. The memorial vigil will take place at 11:00 a.m. at 703 N. Harrison Ave. in Pocatello.

“Victor was shot by Pocatello police on April 5, 2025,” the firm stated in a news release. “In the year since, his family has continued to live with the profound loss of his presence in their daily lives.”

Continue Reading

Two historic southeast Idaho Coca-Cola bottling plants set to close, new facility opening 2027

“This investment will provide a modernized working environment for our employees and additional capacity to service our customers,” Swire Senior Director of Communications Carl Foster said. “We remain committed to Pocatello and the local community, our customers, and our employees – some of whom will continue to live and work in Pocatello.”

Continue Reading
Idaho State University in Pocatello, ID

Pocatello Police warn ISU students of campus public safety phone scam

The Pocatello Police Department is warning Idaho State University students to be on high alert after reports of scammers impersonating campus Public Safety officers.

According to police, the scammer or scammers are calling students by phone, claiming that “evidence” has been found in their vehicle and threatening them with an immediate investigation unless they take swift action. This typically involves a demand for payment or personal information.

Continue Reading

Pocatello-Chubbuck D25 trustees adjust budget to account for lagging enrollment

Lower enrollment led Pocatello-Chubbuck trustees on Tuesday night to adopt an adjusted budget with a $1.3 million decrease in state revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30.

The district budgeted for a decrease in three support units this school year, but the district’s enrollment has decreased to the equivalent of 11 units, said Jonathan Balls, the district’s director of business operations, in a Tuesday interview.

Continue Reading

Critchfield outlines second-term vision, vows to protect school funding amid state budget crunch

As the 2026 legislative session enters its final stretch, the race for Idaho’s top education post took center stage in Pocatello on Wednesday. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield met with parents and educators at the Magnolia Mansion to outline a second-term vision focused on “the basics,” even as school districts brace for a tightening financial belt.

Continue Reading

Community rallies to give Pocatello’s ‘Ambassador of Smiles’ a new set of wheels

If you’ve grabbed a coke or a burger at the Pocatello McDonald’s at any point over the last three decades, chances are you’ve been greeted by the city’s unofficial ambassador of smiles.

Delynn Wilson is known for his pristine and his infectious optimism, but recently a hurdle with his transportation threatened the independence he has worked so hard for.

Continue Reading

Bomb Squad Investigating: Bannock County shop explosion hospitalizes local man

The Idaho Falls Bomb Squad team is currently on the scene of a small explosion in Bannock County that sent a middle-aged man to the hospital with serious bodily injuries.

The explosion took place around 8:30 Wednesday morning, March 4th, at a shop at 11621 N. Nelson Lane. Bannock County Sheriff and North Bannock Fire rushed to the scene, where first responders found the injured 44-year-old man. The man was rushed by ambulance to the hospital; his current condition is unknown.

Continue Reading

Jurassic toe: Idaho State paleontologists investigate possible new dinosaur

Turns out the key to discovering a new type of dinosaur might be a weird toe in an Idaho museum. 

Or a skull in Switzerland. 

Idaho State University paleontologists are examining whether these and other fossils represent one or more previously unidentified dinosaur species. They’ve laid their research out in a new study that has scientists rethinking long-confusing plant-eating Jurassic dinosaurs known as ornithopods.

Continue Reading

Pocatello business under repair after SUV crashes into storefront

Restoration crews are working rapidly to repair Marshall’s Tile in Pocatello after a speeding SUV crashed through the building’s storefront early Tuesday morning.

The incident took place around 12:30 AM, after a silver Audi SUV ran a stop sign, going 80mph, flew over the curb, and crashed into the front of the building on 215 East Cedar Street. Following the crash, the driver fled the scene on foot. The driver has yet to be identified, but the incident remains under investigation by the Pocatello Police.

Continue Reading