1+ mon, 4+ week ago (335+ words) As election season intensifies for local offices in Idaho Falls, candidates for mayor gathered at a public forum hosted by Stand Up for Idaho to share their visions for the city's future. Lisa Burtenshaw, Christian Ashcraft, and Jeffrey Aldridge fielded questions from residents, focusing on the challenges of rapid growth, housing affordability, infrastructure strain, and the need for better communication between city hall and the public. Idaho Falls is experiencing significant growth, which brings both opportunities and challenges. Candidate Lisa Burtenshaw, acknowledged the inevitability of this growth, stating, "There's no way that we're going to be able to stop the growth. It's coming, and we have some great reasons why we're growing, but we have been discovered." The candidates recognized that with growth comes rising housing costs, traffic congestion, and strained infrastructure. Christian Ashcraft emphasized the city's role in managing…...

5+ mon, 3+ week ago (127+ words) An police investigation is confirmed at a home in Idaho Falls at 7th and Lee. There is no ongoing threat to the public, according to Public Information Officer Jessica Clements. IDAHO FALLS (KIFI)- An active police investigation is confirmed at a home in Idaho Falls at 7th and Lee. There is no ongoing threat to the public, according to Public Information Officer Jessica Clements. Lee Street is closed in between 7th and 8th Street.The Idaho Falls Police Department is asking the general public to stay away from the area, but if there are residents who need to access the neighborhood, the police department will work with them.Local News 8 will continue to provide updates throughout the day. Travis is a producer for Local News 8....

5+ mon, 2+ week ago (159+ words) IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) " The friend of a family who lost everything in a house fire Monday night, June 9th, has organized a GoFundMe on behalf of the family. The fire tore through a home on Lornwood Avenue in Bonneville County Monday afternoon, destroying the garage and back deck. Dawn Barber of Blackfoot, who created the fundraiser, says the home belonged to a single father and his young son, who were not home at the time. The fire caused an estimated $200,000 in damages. Barber says the father and son had insurance, but are facing a "pretty hefty deductible." "They are displaced but able to stay with family right now, so the immediate needs will be personal/hygiene items like clothes, as well as the deductible. Plenty of worries right now, money shouldn't be another," said Dawn Barber of Idaho Falls in…...

3+ week, 1+ day ago (188+ words) Idaho Falls, Idaho (KIFI)- Roughly three-quarters of American cities hold non-partisan city council and mayoral elections, or, where candidates do not provide a political party affiliation beside their names on the ballot. But in Idaho, that could soon change. Idaho Republican Party Chairwoman Dorothy Moon says it is time to put an "R" or "D" by candidates' names, and ending nonpartisan municipal elections will be a topic in the 2026 Legislative Session. Chairwoman Moon argues that local races are already partisan in practice, despite the current format, asserting that numerous conservative groups are already vetting and rating local candidates based on their perceived Republican alignment. According to Moon, State Representative Chris Bruce from District 23 A plans on sponsoring a bill in the upcoming session that calls for partisan elections for local offices. The issue is also scheduled for discussion at the…...

6+ mon, 3+ week ago (176+ words) Some Idaho Falls Power customers may experience brief power outages in the coming weeks as crews work to upgrade infrastructure. Over the next 6 weeks, crews will be upgrading power poles and overhead lines in the Falls subdivision to improve long-term service reliability. IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) " Some Idaho Falls Power customers may experience brief power outages in the coming weeks as crews work to upgrade infrastructure. Over the next 6 weeks, crews will be upgrading power poles and overhead lines in the Falls subdivision to improve long-term service reliability, according to a post on the Idaho Falls Power Facebook page. Work is scheduled to take place weekdays from 8 AM-4:30 PM. According to the post, people living near the subdivision can expect occasional brief outages, temporary access restrictions, and construction noise during work hours. "Please stay clear of work areas for everyone's…...

5+ day, 19+ hour ago (176+ words) IDAHO (KIFI) " Ahead of the Thanksgiving travel surge, the Idaho State Police is increasing patrols on the Gem State's roadways, reminding drivers to slow down, buckle up, and drive sober during one of the busiest travel holidays of the year. AAA of Idaho predicts an astonishing 81.8 million Americans will'travel'for the holiday, including 478,000 Idahoans.'With record numbers of drivers expected to hit the road, motorists can expect the largest presence of law enforcement on the day before Thanksgiving, which ISP projects to be the heaviest travel day. "Thanksgiving weekend can often turn deadly as it combines heavy traffic with winter weather, and that means drivers need to slow down and give themselves extra time," Lieutenant Tyler Barrett said. "We just want everyone to get to their destinations safely and return home safely, which is why this operation focuses on visibility and…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago (231+ words) EASTERN IDAHO (KIFI) " The Idaho Transportation Department is seeking input on long-range planning for transportation across the state through a series of public meetings in the next month." Open houses will be held in each region of the state with upcoming local dates to include:" Both events will take place 3 " 7 p.m. The same material will be sharedonline, with comments sought throughJan. 10. ITD's Long-Range Transportation Plan will look at the needs of the transportation network out to 2050 and consider a variety of factors including growth, travel demands, land use, safety, economic development, system reliability and anticipated revenue." The plan comes at a time of extraordinary growth and funding uncertainty. Besides seeking public feedback, ITD is engaging with other planning organizations as the plan will look at the transportation network as a whole, which extends beyond state-managed highways to locally owned routes and…...

2+ day, 15+ hour ago (140+ words) IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) "Tragedy can strike at any moment, and the city of Idaho Falls is offering a service to reduce that risk. Starting the day after Thanksgiving, the Greater Idaho Falls Transit is providing the "gift" of free late-night public transportation as part of a grant-funded initiative to promote safe and sober travel over the holidays. The complimentary service runs through December 31, 2025, including Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Free rides are only available after 7:00 P.M. on Fridays and Saturdays. "What this does is it allows people to have a free, safe, sober ride to make just better decisions. Give people the gift of getting home safely for the holiday season," said Kade Marquez, transit coordinator for the city of Idaho Falls. Ariel Jensen is a reporter for Local News 8....

10+ mon, 1+ week ago (249+ words) POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) " People gathered at Zoo Idaho to enjoy warm drinks when the zoo hosted its third annual 'Poke Fest' on Saturday, Jan. 18. Visitors enjoyed bonfires, s'mores, music, and of ... POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) " People gathered at Zoo Idaho to enjoy warm drinks when the zoo hosted its third annual 'Poke Fest' on Saturday, Jan. 18. Visitors enjoyed bonfires, s'mores, music, and of course, warm beer and cider. The event is called 'Poke Fest' because a red-hot metal rod was poked into the beer glasses, causing the'the beer's sugars to instantly caramelize. "We're really happy to have the third year under our belt and so many people that come out, even though it's pretty cold today. But, it's just fun to get out in the winter and support the community," said Zoo Idaho Volunteer, Rachael Daniels. The zoo will reopen on…...

8+ mon, 4+ week ago (524+ words) After several beautiful days, a pattern change will take us back to more typical early march weather with scattered rain/snow showers to boot." Tonight, mostly clear, and chilly. Overnight lows will generally be in the teens and 20s." Sunday, mostly sunny in the morning with some scattered afternoon clouds. Highs generally in the 40s and Chris Nestman is a part-time Meteorologist and Reporter for Local News 8." After several beautiful days, a pattern change will take us back to more typical early march weather with scattered rain/snow showers to boot." Tonight, mostly clear, and chilly. Overnight lows will generally be in the teens and 20s." Sunday, mostly sunny in the morning with some scattered afternoon clouds. Highs generally in the 40s and 50s." Monday-Tuesday, our first storm in the pattern. Count on scattered rain/snow showers across the region with daytime highs much cooler…...