The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is seeking comments about what to do with the herd of elk that normally winter on the desert between Hamer and east to the Red Road. Most of that winter range was destroyed by the 99,000 acre Grassy Ridge fire. Where those elk will end up this winter is anyone’s guess.

“We have no idea where these elk will end up and we are looking for comments from anyone who thinks they know what the elk will do,” Jim White, Upper Snake River Valley Regional Supervisor for the Idaho Fish and Game’s Upper Snake Region, said last week at a meeting in Terreton. “As a department, we have discussed a lot of different scenarios and are trying to prepare for anything that might happen.”

Adding to the loss of winter range for big game is the Indian Ridge fire between Dubois and Spencer that is still smoldering and has destroyed over 13,000 acres and the numerous fires between the Menan Buttes and Market Lake Wildlife Management Area. Once the herds of elk leave Island Park and Yellowstone National Park and migrate to these burned out areas where there will be very little food and cover, they will have to move somewhere else.

We might look at the fire at Tex Creek a few years ago for answers to what might happen with this new problem. But one huge difference was that after the fire we had a very wet late summer and fall, which allowed the grass to grow, creating a food source so rich that the special hunt created to eliminate some elk was very unsuccessful.

In contrast, this late summer and fall we have only had one day of rain and there is no grass growing for any winter feed. Conflict between ranchers and elk will happen, unless we have a light winter allowing the big game to winter near the Big Bend Ridge that separates the forest and the desert.

The Department of Fish and Game is trying to be proactive and to prepare for these conflicts by stock piling hay near the Egin/Hamer Road to feed the elk if necessary.

“The legislature has passed rules to help us fund damage caused by big game by placing a fee on licenses to create more money for us,” said White. “We used to have a little money to work with and then we would have to go back to them to get more. They have even set up a fund for prevention of damage by wildlife.”

“Where we used to have enough money to help protect three or four stack yards, we now have enough to protect 18 or 19,” said Dustin Cureton, a wildlife game biologist with Fish and Game who has worked for years with depredation complaints. “We are also more apt to listen to others ideas than we used to and we encourage landowners to file crop damage reports so that we can compensate them for the damage caused by big game.”

Landowners and managers are concerned about what will happen when the elk are forced onto the devastated winter range. Several years ago, a herd of elk near Roberts created problems with traffic on the interstate and camped out on private property surrounded by hunters parked on the roads surrounding them. About 200 head of elk tried wintering in the Monteview area as well as a herd of 700 near Larson Farms northeast of Hamer.

“When 3500 to 5000 head of elk find no food on the desert, they will cross the freeway and will be a major problem to all the farmers and ranchers,” commented landowner, Rex Fullmer. “It will be a real mess.”

“Each fall we windrow a full pivot to feed for our cattle once we bring them off the range,” J. C. Neville, a farmer east of Hamer, said. “On bad years, the elk will come in and destroy and waste most of it before the cows get to it and it looks like this year is going to be one of those winters.”

The Fish and Game personnel are in constant contact with the landowners and are prepared to react to problems caused by the destruction of winter range for the big game, especially elk. So if you have any idea what might help the Fish and Game predict what the elk might do, or if you are an elk-whisperer, contact the Fish and Game – they are willing and ready to listen.

The following is a news release from the Layton, Utah Police Department.

LAYTON, Utah – On September 27, Layton Police Department was notified of an adult male having sought medical treatment in Preston for gunshot wounds. Preston PD learned the male subject had been shot while in a Layton mobile home at 2500 N. Fort Lane. Officers with Layton Police Department responded to the Layton address and contacted numerous individuals. During the course of the investigation, it was learned that two armed, masked men entered the residence in a robbery attempt. During the course of the robbery, numerous rounds were fired and the victim was hit several times. Two acquaintances of the victim then drove him to the hospital in Preston at his request. The victim died at the hospital.

The victim is identified as 26 year-old Layton resident Anthony Child.

A search of the mobile home in Layton revealed an active mushroom grow operation, laboratory equipment used in the extraction of THC from marijuana, and distribution amounts of marijuana. The marijuana was located stored in 5 gallon buckets, totaling in excess of 50 gallons.

The suspects in this incident were dressed in black clothing, wearing gloves, costume masks and carrying firearms- one long rifle and one handgun.

One of the suspects in this incident is believed to be Angel Christopher Abreu, a 22 year old male.

Abreu was last known to drive a black BMW passenger car. People who come into contact with Mr. Abreu should consider him armed and dangerous. We ask that anyone with information about this case or Mr. Abreu’s location call us at (801) 497-8300 or 911.

During the course of this investigation, three people at the Layton mobile home were taken into custody and booked at Davis County Jail.

Kevin Content (24 YOA)- obstruction of justice, possession of a controlled substance
Devon Miller (22 YOA)- possession of a controlled substance, obstruction of justice, possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, possession of drug paraphernalia
Douglas Cordova (30 YOA)- endangerment of a child, possession of drug paraphernalia.

Layton Police Department continues to investigate this incident and will update information related to this case via Facebook and twitter.

UPDATE:

HEISE – Crews are working to contain the 6.8 acre fire along the Rexburg bench.

Multiple agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management are fighting the fire. Kelsey Griffee, a spokeswoman for the BLM, tells EastIdahoNews.com firefighters are mopping up the brush and debris.

Containment is estimated at 8 p.m. Sunday night.

No injuries have been reported and no structures have been damaged.

Central Fire District has one engine and one water tender on site. There are also four federal engines.

An investigator is also on site.

ORIGINAL STORY:

HEISE — Crews are responding to a large fire burning along the Rexburg bench.

The blaze started around 8 p.m. as a campfire that burned out of control, according to Central Fire District Chief Carl Anderson. It’s unknown how many acres have burned but several witnesses say they can see flames and smoke for miles. It appears the fire is burning toward Heise and Kelly Canyon.

Crews from Central Fire and the Madison County Fire Department are responding to the scene.

EastIdahoNews.com will post updates as we learn more.

In this edition of East Idaho Newsmakers, we discuss sexual assault and harassment in east Idaho.

The topics have been in the news a lot lately and many powerful men have lost their jobs due to serious allegations and actions. Just this week, Bill Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in 2004.

The #MeToo movement has impacted men and woman in entertainment, news, media, politics, business and almost every other industry.

Nate Eaton invited Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Clark and attorney Amanda Ulrich to talk about the issue on a more local scale.

Watch the video above to see the entire conversation.

CLICK HERE for national resources for sexual assault survivors and their loved ones.

EAST IDAHO NEWSMAKERS ARCHIVES

AFTER ROBBING A CASINO, HIS FAMILY IS DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET HELP FOR HIS MENTAL ILLNESS

MADISON COUNTY CORONER RICK DAVIS REFLECTS ON 37 YEARS OF SERVICE, UNUSUAL DEATHS AND WHAT HE’LL MISS ABOUT THE JOB

YOUNG MEN MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF THEIR FRIENDS

LANCE PEKUS – THE LOCAL RANCHER WHO HIT NATIONAL FAME AS THE ‘COWBOY NINJA’

KEVIN MEEHAN, HIS DOG ISOSCELES AND THEIR STORY OF ABUSE AND RESCUE

SUPPORTERS AND OPPOSERS DISCUSS THE D91 SCHOOL BOND

DAMOND WATKINS ON HIS LIFE, CAREER, POLITICS AND SURVIVING A PLANE CRASH

IONA NATIVE JEFF SWEAT AND HIS NEW TEEN NOVEL ‘MAYFLY’

MEET THE OWNERS OF FIN FUN

AFTER TRAGEDY, LOCAL MOTHER OF 5 BOYS INVENTS PRODUCT TO KEEP HER TOILETS SPOTLESS

GRANDMOTHER OF DEORR KUNZ SPEAKS ABOUT HIS DISAPPEARANCE

DEPARTING IDAHO FALLS POWER GM JACKIE FLOWERS

ACTOR DEAN CAIN & OFFICER DARYL WILLIAMS

LOCAL FAMILY STRIKES YOUTUBE GOLD WITH ‘TRINITY AND BEYOND’

IDAHO ATTORNEY GENERAL LAWRENCE WASDEN

MICHAEL HUGHES – THE CEO OF NORTHWEST COSMETIC LABS

POCATELLO – Pocatello Fire officials say reports of a fire in a house on 7th and Wyeth Street in Pocatello, came in around 9:20 Saturday morning.

Officials say nobody was in house at the time of the fire and there were no injuries reported, however, there was what fire officials are calling a ‘near miss’ incident with a firefighter, but fire crews were able help the firefighter and the firefighter was back to work on the fire after the ‘near miss’ incident.

Fire officials say they believe the fire may have started in the kitchen area of the home.

The fire is still under investigation and the exact cause of the fire is still unknown.

This article was first published by KPVI. It is used here with permission.

POCATELLO – A pop culture convention is a beautiful thing. Such events are kaleidoscopes swirling with colorful costumes, gleaming suits of armor and faces filled with awe and wonder. For years, East Idaho has been bereft of these fan events and local pop culture enthusiasts have had to travel to Boise or Salt Lake to get their geek on.

That is until the Snake River Fandom hit Pocatello last year. The success of the con has thrown a spotlight on an undeniable fact: East Idaho nerds are hungering for more of these kinds of festivities.

It also reveals that local fans have a very exciting opportunity before them. They have an opportunity to grow and develop the geek community. They have an opportunity forge new friendships, strengthen old ones and give people who may feel out of place somewhere they can feel at home.

To build up the East Idaho fandom community, there are a few things you can do:

ATTEND CONS AND OTHER EVENTS. It’s a sad fact of life that conventions, Renaissance fairs and the like are costly to put on. Organizers have to pay talent, rent venues, post ads and other promotional materials. They need financial support to continue. So when a convention or similar event rolls into town, you need to turn out for it. Bring your friends. By supporting local cons, you can help draw more events and ensure that events we already have continue to grow and get better.

GO CLUBBING. One of the more inspiring panels I went to at this year’s Fandom Con was the skit put on the by Snake River Defenders. This group of costumers dedicated Marvel’s Defenders Superhero team has given its members friendships and a place to practice their costuming and drama skills. And they have a blast doing it!

Fan clubs like this one are terrific places to interface with like-minded folks, form friendships and develop your talents. And with social media, it’s easier than ever to reach out and find people who love the same stuff you do. So if you’ve been thinking of starting a “Big Lebowski” or “Vampire Hunter D” fan group, there’s never been a better time than now!

SHOW OFF. Some of the biggest attractions in the Fandom Con vendor hall are the “Star Wars” costuming and prop groups like the 501st Legion, Rebel Legion and the R2 Builder Club. People’s faces light up when they see these cats sporting screen-accurate costumes and armor. These costumes often are the result of a multitude of skills and abilities group members employ in building their armor, weapons and droids. Just seeing these guys all dressed up is enough to inspire lovers of “Star Wars” to want to build costumes of their own.

So if you can draw or write or make awesome costumes, don’t keep that to yourself. Let people see your skills and abilities. You’ll fire up their imaginations, inspire them to make their own costumes. You’ll also help to strengthen the geek community and maybe even make some new friends.

SUPPORT YOUR FELLOW NERDS. Nerd culture is infamous for being combative. People arguing passionately, sometimes angrily, over their opinions. But you don’t have to love what someone else loves to support them in their geeky endeavors. If you hate “Supernatural” you can still cheerlead for your bubby who’s cosplaying Castiel. If you detest “Doctor Who” you can still be impressed when the Dalek someone’s spent months building. If you know someone who’s trying to make a fan film, you can go help out without being a fan of the subject matter. A rising tide will life all nerds, so give each other some upward momentum.

We can do this, East Idaho. We now have a local fandom convention and a local Ren faire. There was a Great Geek Gathering in Rexburg this past summer. The ball is already rolling, but it’s up to us to keep it rolling. We can start our own clubs, put together our own conventions and build up our own geek community so we’re relegated to participating in someone else’s. We just need to band together and do the work. After all, a rising tide will lift all nerds.

AMMON — Teachers, staff and students in Bonneville School District 93 are in mourning Sunday after the news that a district administrator was killed in a crash.

Oliver Roberts, 42, of Ammon, was killed in a UTV crash on Boundary Trail approximately one mile north of the Pebble Creek Ski area in Bannock County Saturday evening. Roberts had been the principal at Woodland Hills Elementary School in Ammon for several years.

“We’re still all in shock,” District 93 Superintendent Chuck Shackett said. “We had meetings with him and talked to him this week and now he’s gone — it’s hard to believe.”

Police reports show Roberts was driving southbound on a UTV when he drove down a steep embankment and rolled the vehicle. Roberts was ejected and succumbed to his injuries on scene. Roberts and a juvenile passenger were both wearing helmets.

The juvenile passenger was transported by ground ambulance to the Portnuef Medical Center in Pocatello. His condition is unknown.

Shackett said all the staff at Woodland Hills Elementary will be meeting with crisis teams and counselors Sunday at 5 p.m. The same teams will be on-hand on Monday for students.

“We have to be strong for the kids on Monday, because the kids loved Principal Roberts,” he said. “He had the ability to show real empathy and love to the kids.”

In the interim, Assistant Superintendent Scott Woolstenhulme will be acting as principal at the school.

Prior to working at Woodland Hills, Roberts was principal at Iona Elementary School, assistant principal at Rocky Mountain Middle School and worked as a teacher at Taylorview Middle School in Idaho Falls School District 91.

The following is a news release from Idaho State Police.

AMERICAN FALLS – On Sunday, September 30 at approximately 4:52 a.m., Idaho State Police investigated a single-vehicle, injury crash on Borah Road, south of Lamb Weston Road near American Falls.

Brayan Garnica, 18, of American Falls, was northbound on Borah Road in a 2005 Dodge Neon. Fernando Flores, 19, of American Falls, was a passenger in the vehicle. The vehicle went off the right shoulder and rolled.

Garnica was transported to Power County Hospital in American Falls by ground ambulance. Flores was transported to Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello by air ambulance. Garnica was wearing a seatbelt. Alcohol was involved in the crash. The road was blocked for two and a half hours while crews worked to clear the scene.

The crash is under investigation by Idaho State Police.

(CNN) — Hamdi Ulukaya, who built yogurt empire Chobani in Twin Falls after immigrating to the US in the mid-90s, is challenging Americans to rethink the way they view immigration.

“I have nothing against America first, but ‘humanity first too,'” said Ulukaya in an exclusive interview with CNN on the sidelines of an event for his nonprofit, called Tent Partnership for Refugees.

Ulukaya has sought to keep his mission of assisting refugees above the political fray. But on occasion he has denounced the administration’s immigration policies and the way it enforces them. The issue is deeply personal for Ulukaya — a self-made billionaire who grew up tending goat and sheep in rural Turkey.

Ulukaya started recruiting immigrants and refugees to work at Chobani in 2010 — a strategy that drew vicious attacks from far right-wing conspiracy theorists who have spread lies about the company, including allegations Chobani embarked on a secret plot to increase America’s Islamic population.

America as a ‘magic land’

About 30 percent of Chobani’s employees are immigrants or refugees. He says his employees and suppliers are worried.

“They ask, ‘What’s gonna happen to me, will I be able to see my mother, or if they’re gonna come and visit me?’ Or if you talk to farmers in Iowa, they will say, ‘Will I be able to find workers?'”

Ulukaya calls America a “magic land,” alluding to its historic standing as a beacon of hope and opportunity.

“Above and beyond all, I hope the idea of magic land doesn’t get damaged,” said Ulukaya.

Over the last several years, Ulukaya has been making a passionate pitch to assist refugees through Tent, Ulukaya’s nonprofit dedicated to helping improve the lives of refugees. He argues that resources, especially from corporate America, should grow to match a historic migration crisis that has displaced over 65 million people worldwide, including 25 million refugees.

Ulukaya, who launched Tent in 2016, has successfully urged companies to develop solutions by “mobilizing resources, innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit of the business community.”

“They [companies] all know that if you don’t find the way to solve this problem, or make it easier, this human tragedy is going to turn into one of the biggest problems for our children going forward,” he said.

This week, Tent added 20 brands to a growing list of partners pledging to hire refugees or help them build a better life. The latest companies to commit to the cause include Hilton, pasta maker Barilla, Microsoft and Uniqlo. In total, Tent has secured promises from more than 100 companies.

Ulukaya is alleviating the plight of refugees at a time when the US government is reducing foreign aid and lowering the number of refugees the US will admit.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, President Donald Trump said the US is “taking a hard look” at the foreign aid it sends to other countries and the financial support it provides to international organizations.

“Moving forward we are only going to give foreign aid to those who respect us and frankly our — our friends. And we expect other countries to pay their fair share for the cost of their defense,” said Trump, who added that a global migration crisis could be resolved by making every country “great again.”

Earlier this month, his administration announced a refugee cap of 30,000 in 2019 — the lowest level since 1980. The move comes at a time when European leaders are grappling with an unprecedented wave of refugees and migrants over the last several years — many of them from war-torn Syria.

“Even if governments were stepping up to do the right thing, which many, including the US government, are not, the crisis is too big for government,” said Samantha Power, the former US ambassador to the United Nations from 2013 to 2017, as she presented Ulukaya the Atlantic Council’s Global Citizen Award this week.

Who is Hamdi Ulukaya?

The yogurt magnate embodies the American dream. A Kurd from Turkey, Ulukaya immigrated to the US after the Turkish government started to question his political activities advocating for Kurdish rights. The Kurds are Turkey’s largest ethnic minority. For much of the 20th century, the state oppressed the Kurdish community, referring to Kurds as “Mountain Turks” and banning the use of their language.

In 2005, Ulukaya bought a defunct food factory in upstate New York with a small business loan to start making cheese. He eventually grew that into Chobani, which has become the top-selling Greek yogurt brand in the US. Several years after opening his factory, he started hiring refugees who lived in nearby areas.

He tapped the refugee community again in Idaho when Chobani opened a plant in Twin Falls, which is close to the dairy farmers who supply the raw material for his yogurt. Because of his efforts to hire and help refugees, Ulukaya has become the target of far-right websites and bloggers. One site accused Chobani of “call[ing] on [the] biggest American companies to join [an] Islamic surge.”

Far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was forced to apologize after accusing Chobani of supporting “migrant rapists” who spread disease in Twin Falls.

The-CNN-Wire
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UPDATE:

HEISE – As of 4 p.m. Sunday, the 6.8 acre fire near Heise has been fully contained.

EARLIER UPDATE:

HEISE – Crews are working to contain the 6.8 acre fire along the Rexburg bench.

Multiple agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management are fighting the fire. Kelsey Griffee, a spokeswoman for the BLM, tells EastIdahoNews.com firefighters are mopping up the brush and debris.

Containment is estimated at 8 p.m. Sunday night.

No injuries have been reported and no structures have been damaged.

Central Fire District has one engine and one water tender on site. There are also four federal engines.

An investigator is also on site.

RELATED | Crews working to contain 7 acre fire in Heise

RIGBY — Eastern Idahoans flocked to Jefferson Lake Saturday for an event to prevent bullying.

Members of the Diesel Brothers, from the hit Discovery show, came to support the #buddiesnotbullies cause. During the event, there was a car show displaying over 200 vehicles. The Muscle from the Diesel Brothers brought two of his vehicles — a dually pickup truck and Chevrolet Camaro.

There were plenty of activities including bounce houses, a burnout contest (keeping a vehicle stationary and spinning its wheels), as well as food and business vendors with a live DJ.

RELATED: Buddies Not Bullies event in Rigby to host Diesel Brothers, car show and more

RELATED: Father behind viral post about bullied son wants other parents ‘to feel my heartbreak’

Trevor Blackburn organized the event and says he handed out at least 1,000 wristbands to spread the word with #BUDDIESNotBullies as the design.

“I gave a few bags away last night to people who wanted to take them to schools for their kids classes,” Blackburn says.

Last year, over 5,000 attended the event to support a Jackson Bezzant, a local boy suffering from Treacher Collins Syndrome. Organizers say they are still trying to calculate how much money was raised Saturday and how many were in attendance as the outcome may be more than the previous year. They’re hoping to make the event happen annually.

The following is a news release and photo from Idaho State University.

POCATELLO — Idaho State University’s A Season of Note will present Postmodern Jukebox at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 in the ISU Stephens Performing Arts Center Jensen Grand Concert Hall.

Postmodern Jukebox has become a traveling band of throwback minstrels. No experience is ever the same twice, with new songs, new sounds and new members added to the ever-growing family each time around.

The group originally blew up online, with new videos added weekly that kept finding creative new ways to put creator Scott Bradlee’s trademark vintage twist on modern pop hits. However, its onstage project has really come to shine, playing hundreds of shows to sold-out houses across the globe.

“Go see Postmodern Jukebox,” said MusicInsight.com. “Stop whatever you’re doing right now and go see them.”

Prices are $38 for main seating and $32 for upper-level seating. Tickets are available at the ISU Box Office in the Stephens Performing Arts Center (1102 Sam Nixon Dr.), by phone at 282-3595, online at isu.edu/tickets or at Vickers Western Wear.

For more information on the 2018-19 Season of Note, contact the Stephen’s Performing Arts Box Office at 208-282-3595 or visit isu.edu/stephens.

IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Falls Police Department is requesting help in identifying a suspect in a theft case.

The man, seen in the photograph above, visited Maverik County Store on South Yellowstone Highway on Sept. 30 around 11:25 p.m. He is suspected of stealing a woman’s purse before leaving the store in a black Cadillac SUV, according to a news release from the Idaho Falls Police Department.

Anyone with information on the theft or suspect if asked to contact the Idaho Falls Police Department at (208) 529-1200 or Crime Stoppers at (208) 522-1983. The case number to reference is 2018-36545.

SALT LAKE CITY — Barbara Ballard, wife of Latter-day Saint apostle President M. Russell Ballard, died at age 86 after a long battle with various health issues, including Alzheimer’s, according to officials from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Barbara Ballard was born and raised in Salt Lake City and attended the University of Utah where she studied English, church officials said. During her time at the university, she also met her husband, who now serves as the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — one of the highest governing bodies in The Church of Jesus Christ.

President Ballard often joked that it took some convincing to get her to marry him after he met her at a “Hello Day Dance” hosted by the university, KSL.com reported.

“That was the beginning of a courtship of 11 months. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to marry her, but she didn’t share the same feelings. It was a little hard convincing her. I kid her now that getting her to agree to marry me was the greatest sales job I ever did,” he said.

Shortly after they were married, President Ballard was asked to serve as a bishop in the church and remained in leadership positions ever since, including as a mission president in Canada and as a member of the Quorum of the Seventy — another high governing body of the church. Barbara Ballard accompanied and served with her husband during these assignments and held several leadership positions of her own within the church.

In 2002, Brigham Young University–Idaho honored Sister Ballard as the Exemplary Woman of the Year for her “dedication to family and her unselfish work in the church and her community,” church officials said in the statement.

She was also a mother of seven children, and “her lifelong focus was her family, and her kind nature made the Ballard home a gathering place where both her own children and their friends loved to be,” church officials said in a statement.

“I married the right daughter of God,” President Ballard once said. “Without the help and direction of Barbara, our family relationships would not have been as happy and fulfilling as they were. Barbara is a treasure for our family forever. We honor her for her constant love, good judgment and counsel.”

Funeral services will be held on Monday, Oct. 8, at noon at the Monument Park Stake Center, 1320 S. Wasatch Drive in Salt Lake City. A public viewing will be held Sunday evening on Oct. 7, from 5 – 7:30 p.m. at the same location.

REXBURG — A man on an afternoon walk made an interesting discovery inside of some candy boxes Friday afternoon.

The man was walking near the on-ramp to US Highway 20 at the center Rexburg exit around 12:45 p.m. when he noticed some packages of Dots candy.

“The candy was in a plastic bag and then wrapped with black electrical tape,” Rexburg Police Capt. Randy Lewis tells EastIdahoNews.com. “There was a suspicious substance inside the candy boxes that turned out to be meth.”

Lewis says there were around 10 plastic bags containing 30 grams of methamphetamine. Officers are unsure how the drugs ended up there but the owners are invited to contact investigators.

“If they want to claim their property, we’ll be happy to talk with them,” Lewis says. “Feel free to contact us.”

IDAHO FALLS — Bonneville Joint School District 93 is cancelling classes Thursday so students, faculty and staff can attend the funeral of a beloved principal killed in a UTV crash.

Oliver Roberts, the 42-year-old principal of Woodland Hills Elementary, died Saturday while riding in Bannock County north of the Pebble Creek Ski area.

Services for Roberts will be held at 12:00 noon on Thursday at the Ammon Foothills Stake Center, 3934 East 49th South, in Ammon. Overflow services will be broadcast at the Blackhawk LDS Ward Building, 7118 South Ledge Rock Drive in Ammon.

A viewing will be Wednesday evening from 6-8 p.m. at Wood Funeral Home East Side, 963 South Ammon Road.

Police reports show Roberts was with a juvenile passenger when they drove down a steep embankment and rolled their UTV. Roberts died on the scene and his passenger was rushed to Portnuef Medical Center in Pocatello.

Crisis teams and counselors were on hand Monday at Woodland Hills Elementary to work with students, faculty and staff. They were greeted with messages of support on rocks, sidewalks and fences outside of the school left by members of the Community Youth in Action group Sunday.

District 93 spokesman Phil Campbell says classes will not be held Thursday so those wishing to pay respects can.

Roberts impacted thousands of lives over his career as an educator. Many former students and parents left messages of condolences on social media after learning of his death:

“He was an amazing principal who really loved the kids. My daughters are devastated and my heart is broken for them and his family.”

——

“I remember him from high school. He was very kind and everyone loved him. My heart breaks for his family and all the many students who he has influenced throughout his life. Such a tragedy.”

——

Such a caring, kind, devoted man! He touched the lives of so many. His loss will be deeply felt by the community.

——

He was my son’s principal. He was so kind hearted, passed no judgement and was always trying to find the solution to any problem that occurred. My heart goes out to the family and friends of this wonderful man. May you walk with the Angels. Mr. Roberts you will be missed.

——

Such a nice and caring man. Prayers and thoughts to his family and school.

IDAHO FALLS — Four kids wandered away Sunday night and never came home. The kids, in this case, are goats.

If you were driving near Hemmert Avenue in Idaho Falls, you may have noticed the delay in traffic.

Officer Jose Abreo with Idaho Falls Police Department found the goats while patrolling the area.

“These goats were obviously not homeless, as they were well fed, but were a hazard to the motoring public,” according to a news release.

Sgt. Jon Johnson, a spokesman for the department, says the goats were detained for not having their required reflective vests.

“We got them all gathered up and took them to animal control. We put them in some lock boxes and gave them food and water,” Johnson says.

Kayla Key, an employee with the Idaho Falls Animal Shelter, tells EastIdahoNews.com officers dropped off the goats around 4 a.m. Monday.

The owners abandoned them in a pen near the jail after neighbors complained about the goats, Key says.

She says the goats are “fat and happy” and appear to be healthy.

The shelter is now looking to adopt the goats out to a new home. If you are interested, contact the Idaho Falls Animal Shelter at (208) 612-8271.

The Idaho Falls Animal Shelter is located at 2450 Hemmert Avenue.

IDAHO FALLS — Two felons suspected of attempting to kidnap a man at gunpoint are scheduled to appear in court next week.

Tyler Garcia, 23, and Rodney Maddux, 24, were arrested in September following a police pursuit after it was reported they had attempted to kidnap a man at gunpoint. Both are facing felony charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, attempted second-degree kidnapping and a use of a deadly weapon enhancement. Both are convicted felons.

Garcia is facing a felony charge of attempting to elude police and Maddux is facing a felony charge of unlawfully possessing a firearm.

According to court documents, on Sept. 4, police received a call from a man claiming two men pulled up to him with the passenger side window rolled down. The man in the passenger seat pointed a black handgun at him and said: “Get in the car or we’re going to f****** kill you.”

He told police a group of people exited the nearby apartment building and he was able to duck away into the crowd while the two men fled in a white Chevy Malibu.

The two men were later identified as Garcia, driving the car, and Maddux, in the driver’s seat.

2 convicted felons arrested on multiple charges following police pursuit

According to documents, Idaho Falls Police Officers were dispatched and quickly identified the vehicle. Garcia allegedly attempted to flee, resulting in a police pursuit that reached speeds of 80 miles per hour through Idaho Falls.

After successfully performing a maneuver that spun the suspect’s car 180 degrees, officers were able to block the vehicle in place. Garcia allegedly attempted to flee again, ramming his car into the patrol vehicles.

Once the car was immobilized, Garcia and Maddux allegedly refused to obey commands requiring officers to break the passenger side window in order to physically remove them from the car.

According to documents, after Garcia was placed in handcuffs, he began to convulse and an ambulance was called. The statement of probable cause indicates officers believe Garcia may have swallowed some form of a controlled substance prior to being removed from the car in an attempt to avoid drug charges.

A search of the suspects’ vehicle revealed a .40 caliber pistol and shotgun.

Both men are scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 10.

The following is a news release from the city of Idaho Falls.

IDAHO FALLS – The City of Idaho Falls leaf collection schedule will begin on Monday, October 15.

Find out when the Street Division will be in your neighborhood by visiting the homepage of the city’s website, clicking here or by calling the Street Division at (208) 612-8490.

The schedule will repeat, weather and time permitting, as leaves accumulate and conditions warrant.

Due to equipment limitations, leaves should be piled on the street next to the curb, and cars should be parked off the street. Please do not place tree limbs and branches with the leaves. Leaves collected will be made available to the public as mulch in the spring.

In accordance with city ordinance, property owners must keep trees trimmed 13’ above the road surface at the curb and 15′ above the road surface at the center line to allow room for the street sweepers to travel under the trees without damaging the equipment or the trees.

Residents living outside the stated boundaries may contact the Street Division to request leaf collection in their area. The schedule may vary slightly due to workload.

The following is a news release from the city of Idaho Falls.

IDAHO FALLS – A concrete cross drain will be installed at the intersection of S. Skyline Drive and Tulane Street this week. While the work will begin on Tuesday, October 2nd, the road will not close until Wednesday morning, October 3rd.

Local traffic will be permitted access from Vassar Way.

The anticipated completion time of this project is Wednesday October 10th, barring unforeseen issues or inclement weather.

For questions, call the Street Division at (208) 612-8490.

Additional information on Idaho Falls construction projects can be found on the homepage of the city’s website or by clicking HERE.