2+ day, 13+ 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....

5+ day, 16+ 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…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago (202+ words) BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) " The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is offering Idahoans an early cup of holiday cheer! Through December 24, 2025, the BLM is issuing $10 Christmas tree permits, allowing the public to harvest one tree per family from designated BLM-managed public lands in southeastern Idaho. These permits are valid for BLM-managed public lands within the boundaries of the Pocatello and Upper Snake field offices, including traditional Christmas tree harvest areas such as the Deep Creek, Pleasantview, and Samaria Ranges. Permits can be purchased online at forestproducts.blm.gov or over the counter at the BLM Pocatello Field Office, located at 4350 S. Cliffs Drive. In-person purchases are available Monday through Friday, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Trees may not be harvested in the following areas: You must have a valid permit to cut or remove trees from public lands. Please note that tag prices and restrictions…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago (250+ words) Eastern Idaho (KIFI) " The Idaho State Police (ISP) is recognizing Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW) from November 17 to 21, 2025, and urges Idaho drivers to do their part in protecting those who respond to crashes, stalled vehicles, and roadway hazards across the state. The 2025 theme is "Safety Starts With You " Slow Down and Move Over!" Every day, Idaho responders place themselves in harm's way on highways and rural roadways to keep traffic moving. CRSW serves as a nationwide reminder that every driver shares responsibility for keeping these responders safe. CRSW emphasizes the importance of safe and swift roadway clearance, urging drivers to slow down, move over, and remain alert. It also reinforces that traffic incident response includes not only crash scenes but stalled vehicles, roadway debris, and other hazards that put responders and stranded motorists at risk. Idaho law requires drivers to…...

2+ week, 1+ day ago (486+ words) IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) " Five people from Eastern Idaho have received the 2025 Spirit of Freedom: Idaho Veteran Service award. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo'created the award in 2002 to recognize the invaluable contributions of Idaho veterans, as well as to those who volunteer in service to veterans. The five East Idaho recipients include:' These five make up a total of'10 veterans and 14 volunteers who were honored in local ceremonies across the state." Larry Auman served our country in the Navy during the Vietnam War.' After six years in the Navy, Larry worked for more than 40 years in the nuclear industry as a health physicist in nuclear power operations at U.S. Department of Energy facilities across the United States, including the Idaho National Laboratory.' Since retiring, Larry has dedicated considerable time to supporting veterans and various veterans service organizations. An example of his service…...

2+ week, 1+ day ago (200+ words) TREASURE VALLEY, Idaho (KIFI) " An out-of-state cocaine dealer is facing a lengthy prison sentence after being caught drug trafficking in Idaho. William Charles Jones, 34, of St. Louis, Missouri, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on Thursday, November 13, for distributing cocaine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Following his release, Jones must also serve four years of supervised release. Court records show Jones was a high-volume cocaine distributor in the Treasure Valley area. Investigators say the 34-year-old would travel to Missouri to purchase several kilos of the drug and have it shipped to himself at a residence in Idaho. He would then distribute the cocaine into the community through several mid-level dealers. On one occasion, Jones travelled to Canada, purchased two kilos of cocaine, and shipped it tohimself in Idaho, following the same process. However, through the efforts of Customs and Border…...

2+ week, 2+ day ago (549+ words) IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) " The rate of women receiving mammograms in Idaho is significantly lower than the national average, with some measurements ranking it near last. Considering that approximately 1 in 8 women will face a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, this concerning trend is prompting Idaho doctors to speak out. "Idaho has about average incidents of breast cancer, but the number of women who actually decide to have mammograms performed is one of the lowest in the nation. Last year, I think ranked 50th in the nation," said Dr. Enslow, MD, a lead radiologist. Dr. Enslow sat down with Local News 8's Megan Lavin to explain his worries and clear up several common misconceptions that are preventing women from seeking this life-saving screening. Dr. Enslow highlighted several of the most common misinterpretations or errors in thinking that are keeping Idaho women…...

2+ week, 2+ day ago (230+ words) BONNERS FERRY/IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) " The Idaho community is rallying to support a local family following a devastating tragedy in Southeast Asia, where a Bonners Ferry woman's husband and young son were attacked and killed by a swarm of what are believed to be Asian giant hornets. Daniel Owen, 47, a native of Idaho Falls, and his 15-year-old son, Cooper Owen, died on October 15th after being stung hundreds of times by the aggressive insects while on vacation. The father and son were rushed to the Phakan Arocavet Clinic for emergency care following the attack, but did not survive. RELATED: Idaho Falls Native and son die in "Murder Hornet" attack while zip-lining in Southeast Asia A wave of support has begun in Northern Idaho for Daniel Owen"s widow, Jessica Owen, and her mother, Nancy Wycoff, both natives of Bonners Ferry....

2+ week, 3+ day ago (137+ words) BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) " A federal court has definitively dismissed a lawsuit challenging Idaho's abortion laws, concluding that the claims lacked legal merit and could not be corrected. U.S. District Judge David C. Nye initially dismissed the case in 2024, questioning the group's legal standing and describing TST's arguments as "absurd" and "outlandish." TST appealed this decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Ninth Circuit agreed that TST lacked legal standing but remanded the case back to Judge Nye, asking for clarification on whether any amendment to the complaint could rectify the legal shortcomings. On Monday, November 10th, Judge Nye issued his final response, dismissing the case with prejudice, meaning the plaintiffs cannot file the same claim again. Attorney General Ra'l Labrador applauded the decision, hailing it as a significant legal victory for the state....

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…...