McCammon Man Charged With Sexual Abuse
(MCCAMMON) – A McCammon man has been charged with felony sexual abuse. 41-year-old Jerry Belnap was arrested shortly before noon Wednesday. Authorities did not offer details about Belnap’s arrest, but note that the alleged victim was under the age of 16. Belnap was later booked into the Bannock County Jail, but has since been released [...]
INL Workers File Complaint
(IDAHO FALLS, ID) – Two nuclear operators at the Idaho National Laboratory have filed a lawsuit against Battelle Energy Alliance, claiming that the company retaliated against them for raising health and safety concerns. Brian Simmons and Ralph Stanton were among sixteen workers exposed to radiation during a fuel-packaging accident in November of 2011. The men [...]
Attacker Facing Additional Charges
(IDAHO FALLS, ID) – An Idaho Falls man accused of trying to attack police officers with a screwdriver is facing additional charges. 44-year-old Ronald Mencer allegedly threatened three people, including two Mormon missionaries, during an earlier incident April 7. Police say the missionaries were being dropped off at their apartment when Mencer approached all three [...]
Wyo. National Guard to Build Facility in Afton
(AFTON, ID) – The Wyoming National Guard has announced plans to build a $13.6 million readiness center in Afton. The facility, which will include a 12,000 square foot storage building, will replace the Lincoln County armory and provide key resources in the event of a disaster. Officials hope to have a contractor selected by September. [...]
Pit Bulls Could Be Adopted
(BOISE, ID) – About a dozen pit bulls taken from a murder scene earlier this month will be eligible for adoption in the next few weeks. The Idaho Humane Society is still in the process of screening more than 60 animals that were used in an illegal dog fighting ring in Holbrook, about 20 miles [...]
City Council Rejects Anti-Discrimination Ordinance
(POCATELLO, ID) – The Pocatello City Council has rejected an amended version of an anti-discrimination ordinance. In a 4-3 vote, council members voted down the controversial measure, which would’ve targeted those who “willfully commit” discriminatory acts. The ordinance would’ve also provided protections using language that included gender identity, sexual orientation, or expression. Opponents say the [...]
Labrador Fighting Executive Power For Natl. Monuments
(BOISE, ID) – U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador has reintroduced a bill that would require congressional approval before the president creates new national monuments. Federal law gives presidents the sole power to set aside certain lands for protection, such as Craters of the Moon. Labrador says that the president shouldn’t create new monuments without congressional oversight. [...]
Electrical Fire Forces Evacuation of Century High
(POCATELLO, ID) – An electrical fire prompted an evacuation at Century High School Wednesday. Investigators say an amplifier in the band room caught on fire just before 1 p.m. Crews were able to put out the fire within a few minutes, and most students were able to return to their classes. No injuries were reported.
Idaho Falls Schools Dealing With $4 Million in Cuts
(IDAHO FALLS, ID) – Idaho Falls School District 91 is one of several districts across the state struggling to make ends meet. Administrators tell KIDK that the district will have to make cuts of up to $4 million for the next school year. Superintendent George Boland says it’s the third major reduction in spending the [...]
Murder Suspect Made Jail Weapon
(IDAHO FALLS, ID) – A Blackfoot man charged with the murder of Kristy Aschilman in January is facing additional charges after he made a weapon in the Bonneville County Jail. 23-year-old Adan Arroyo was arraigned Wednesday on felony charges vandalism and possession of contraband. Authorities say Arroyo, along with two other inmates, fashioned makeshift knives [...]
Wilson Speaks Out About Horse Abuse
(IDAHO FALLS, ID) – A Bonneville County woman accused of neglecting dozens of horses, allowing some to starve to death, is speaking out about the animal neglect charges against her. Sharon Wilson, who owns a farm south of Ucon, says she feeds her horses twice a day and doesn’t deserve any fines or jail time. [...]
Coroner Points to Carbon Monoxide For Deaths
(OROFINO, ID) – A coroner in northern Idaho is pointing to carbon monoxide as the cause of five deaths in Orofino last weekend.Clearwater County Coroner Will Rambeau says a slow burning fire allowed carbon monoxide to fill the home, killing two adults, three teenagers, and two dogs in their sleep. At least two smoke [...]
State Board Approves Tuition Hike
(BOISE, ID) – The state Board of Education has approved a tuition hike for Idaho’s public universities. Students at Idaho State will see a tuition increase of 4.5 percent this fall, while students at Boise State will face a 6.9 percent increase. Officials say the adjustment will raise an additional $10.6 million in [...]
Jef Holm comes to Rexburg
(REXBURG) – Jef Holm, winner of season eight of The Bachelorette and co-founder of People Water, will be speaking at the Madison High School auditorium on Dec. 7. He will be speaking about People Water and the Preserving Heritage Foundation, two organizations dedicated to bringing clean water to those in need. People Water is a [...]
Fire Destroys Trailer in Fort Hall
(FORT HALL) – A fire destroyed an unoccupied trailer home in Fort Hall Wednesday night. Fire crews from Chubbuck and the reservation responded to the blaze, which was near the intersection of Ballard and Philbin roads. Officials say the single-wide mobile home was being used for storage and was a complete loss. Investigators are still [...]
U.S. Supreme Court Tosses Idaho Insanity Case
(IDAHO FALLS) – The U.S. Supreme Court has tossed out a case challenging the constitutionality of one of Idaho’s criminal statutes. Under Idaho law, defendants can’t plead insanity. Similar laws are on the books in four other states. 27-year-old John Delling of Boise, a paranoid schizophrenic, was given life without parole in 2007 for [...]
Blackfoot District #55 Denies Request for Documents
(BLACKFOOT) – The Blackfoot School District has denied a request from a former teacher and the press to release documents detailing a contract payout for ex-superintendent Scott Crane. Petitioners claim that Crane received a payout valued at $105,000 when he retired June 30. The hefty paycheck has since raised concerns about an alleged violation of [...]
Today On Idaho’s Midday News With Jolyn Thomas: Mom Transfers Son from Declo Following Incident With Teacher
A Cassia County fourth grade teacher’s decision has pushed Idaho into the national spotlight. Summer Larsen gave students markers and allowed them to draw on the faces of “slow readers.” Coming up at 11 a.m., Jolyn will be talking with a mom who transferred her son out of the school following this incident. Jolyn will [...]
Allstate Celebrates 1 Year In Chubbuck
(POCATELLO) – It’s been a year since Allstate’s customer service center opened up in Chubbuck, and officials say they look forward to many years to come. KPVI reports that Allstate is now Chubbuck’s largest employer and has contributed more than $7.5 million to the local economy in salaries alone. Nearly 250 people have [...]
Pocatello Call Center Closing
(POCATELLO) – A Pocatello call center is closing its doors. Teleperformance USA confirmed Monday that it was shutting down its Pocatello branch. As many as 80 employees will be out of work by Jan. 15. The closure comes after another call center, Mountain West Research, unexpectedly laid off dozens of employees [...]