Man Cited for Biking While Drunk
(TWIN FALLS, ID) – A Twin Falls man was cited for riding his bicycle drunk along a roadway Monday morning. Police say Alva Garrison was riding his bike along a sidewalk when he swerved onto the road in a construction zone just as a car drove by. Garrison was charged with a misdemeanor for being [...]
Molotov Cocktail Thrown at LDS Church
(OGDEN, UT) – Federal authorities are investigating a possible hate crime at an LDS meetinghouse in Ogden, Utah. Officials say someone through a molotov cocktail through a window some time Sunday night. The device failed to significantly damage the interior of the building, though damages to the kitchen are estimated at around $1,000 [...]
BSU Football Player Dismissed
(BOISE, ID) – Boise State football coach Chris Peterson has dismissed star defensive end Sam Ukwauchu for “violating team rules.” Peterson did not disclose the details of Ukwauchu’s dismissal. The Pearland, Texas native tallied 35 tackles in 13 games with the Broncos last season, including a team-high 4.5 sacks, earning freshman All-American honors from the [...]
Idaho Dairymen Keeping Tabs on Immigration Debate
(TWIN FALLS, ID) – Idaho’s dairy farmers are paying close attention to the ongoing immigration debate in Congress. Officials with the Idaho Dairymen’s Association estimate that 75 percent of dairy workers in the state are immigrants, though U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador estimates that number is as much as 90 percent. They say they’d like to [...]
Man Shot in Leg During Struggle
(IDAHO FALLS, ID) – An Idaho Falls man was shot in the leg during a struggle over a gun Sunday morning. Twenty-four-year-old Daniel Larsen allegedly shot 35-year-old Mickey McMurtrey in the thigh during a party at Larsen’s home. McMurtrey says a man tried to assault his wife, and when he tried to intervene, Larsen stepped [...]
Former Idaho Falls Man Pardoned
(IDAHO FALLS, ID) – Gov. Butch Otter officially pardoned two former drug dealers Monday, the first executive pardons in Idaho since 2000. Thirty-seven-year-old Eric Hinckley, formerly of Idaho Falls was one of the men given clemency. Otter praised Hinckley’s efforts to turn his life around since his conviction for selling methamphetamine in 2002. Hinckley has [...]
Rexburg Fighting for Parking
(REXBURG, ID) – If you’ve tried to find a parking spot around BYU-Idaho lately, chances are it took you a while. Rexburg City leaders are worried that the community is simply running out of enough parking spaces to properly accommodate the growth of the university. Officials are hoping to develop more parking areas within a [...]
INL Training in Nuclear Weapon Identification
(IDAHO FALLS, ID) – Nuclear experts from around the region are at the Idaho National Laboratory this week to learn how to recognize the misuse of nuclear power. Students are being trained on multi-million-dollar technology that can help monitor places like Iran, Syria, and North Korea. As part of the exercise, students will tour the [...]
Shed Fire Burns on Reservation
(FORT HALL, ID) – Fire crews from Chubbuck and Fort Hall responded to a structure fire on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation Monday night. Investigators say an empty shed near the intersection of Ballard Road and Rio Vista caught fire at approximately 6:30 p.m. The shed was completely destroyed, but no injuries were reported. The [...]
Rainy Weather Hitting Region
(IDAHO FALLS, ID) – If April showers bring May flowers, eastern Idaho may have missed the memo. Officials with the National Weather Service say the region is in for a long week of “unsettled” weather, with rain and thunderstorms forecast through at least Saturday. Some areas should see significant storm activity, with the possibility of [...]
Tax Commission Launches New Website
(BOISE, ID) – The Idaho State Tax Commission has announced the launch of a newly revamped website: www.tax.idaho.gov. The site was redesigned to make it adaptable for Smartphones and tablets, offering links to help fight identity theft and improve accessibility for senior citizens. Authorities say the makeover was needed after receiving feedback from residents wanting [...]
Region Celebrates Cinco de Mayo
(IDAHO FALLS, ID) – Hundreds of people from around the region celebrated Cinco de Mayo over the weekend. A two-day celebration drew large crowds at Tautphaus Park in Idaho Falls, highlighted by plenty of food, drinks, dancing, and live music. Organizers say it’s considered a minor holiday south of the border, and in the U.S., [...]
“Take Back the Night” Marches in Pocatello
(POCATELLO, ID) – Dozens of Pocatello residents marched through Old Town Friday night to raise awareness about domestic violence. An estimated one in six women and one in 11 men will be the victims of sexual assault in their lifetimes. Mayor Brian Blad says the “Take Back the Night” rally was meant to empower women [...]
Pocatello Man Killed in Crash
(AMERICAN FALLS, ID) – A Pocatello man was killed in a car accident in American Falls Sunday morning. Twenty-eight-year-old Phillip Pena was headed west on Falls Avenue when he hit a rock barrier with his van near the Bridge Street intersection shortly before 7 a.m. Pena, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced [...]
Dairy Abuse Video Prompts Education Push
(TWIN FALLS, ID) – A series of undercover videos showing the mistreatment of animals at a southern Idaho dairy is prompting a push for more education among dairy workers. University of Idaho associate professor Mireille Chahine says the videos will also help educate students taking animal welfare courses this summer. In January, a former Bettencourt [...]
Utah Soccer Ref Killed by Player’s Punch
(MURRAY, UT) – A Utah soccer referee has died after being punched by a teenage player. Forty-six-year-old Ricardo Portillo of Salt Lake City got into a confrontation with the 17-year-old player last week after Portillo gave the player a yellow card for a personal foul. Portillo was hospitalized in a coma for nearly a week [...]
Domestic Abuse Calls on the Rise in Polygamist Communities
(HILLDALE, UT) – Domestic violence authorities in Utah are raising concerns about a sharp increase in calls to the state hot line from polygamist groups. A spokesman for the state’s Attorney General’s office says they’ve received up to 200 calls each month from alleged victims in communities like Hilldale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona. Officials [...]
Fire Destroys Barn, Motorhome
(BOISE, ID) – A fire in southwest Idaho destroyed a barn and a motorhome Saturday night. Crews from five agencies responded to the blaze in Star, a rural community outside of Meridian. Investigators are unsure what caused the fire, but the animals inside the barn were able to escape. Firefighters had difficulty battling the flames [...]
Castle Rocks Could Be Closed
(BURLEY, ID) – The Bureau of Land Management is considering the permanent closure of a popular rock climbing location in southeast Idaho. The 400-acre Castle Rocks climbing area has had limited access since 2003, but may be shut down completely after complaints from the Shoshone-Bannock tribes, who consider the land sacred. BLM officials say Castle [...]
Resurfacing Project Begins Today
(REXBURG, ID) – Construction crews will be resurfacing a section of Highway 20 between Thornton and Rexburg today. Officials say traffic will be reduced to one lane in both directions. Drivers should expect minor delays, uneven surfaces and increased traffic. Resurfacing and seal coating work along the highway is expected to be completed some time [...]