Idaho
Community celebrates completion of new bike trail in Idaho Falls – East Idaho News
The following is taken from a news release from the city of Idaho Falls.
IDAHO FALLS — Idaho Falls community members can now enjoy new pathways as the Meppen Canal Trail opens, enhancing the city’s expansive trail system.
The city celebrated the two-mile trail’s grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday afternoon. Local officials gave some remarks at the trailhead at 900 Northwest Bonneville Drive and community members brought bikes and scooters to ride on the paved trail.
The Meppen Canal Trail is designed to boost recreational opportunities and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists throughout the area.
“The Meppen Canal Trail is a key step forward in our efforts to improve community connectivity and safety,” said PJ Holm, City of Idaho Falls Parks and Recreation Department Director of Idaho Falls. “This trail not only enhances local recreational opportunities but also aligns with our broader vision of integrating our community through well-planned infrastructure. We are proud to offer a pathway that will serve residents and visitors alike.”
The Meppen Canal Trail is a significant component of the City of Idaho Falls’s broader initiative to enhance accessibility and connectivity for its residents. Among the more than 30 miles of paved trails in Idaho Falls, the Meppen Canal Trail provides direct access to the 3 miles of canal trail that opened in 2021. The full canal trail system provides direct access from the College of Eastern Idaho to the heart of Idaho Falls.
This newly paved section features advanced safety measures, including:
- HAWK Beacons: Two High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) beacons at Woodruff and 1st Street, equipped with overhead lights that stop traffic to ensure safe crossings for pedestrians and cyclists. These beacons were funded by the City’s Signal Fund.
- RFBs: Two Rapid Flashing Beacons (RFBs) at Kerney and John Adams, which use side-flashing lights to alert drivers but do not require a full stop. These were funded by Local Highway Technical Assistance Council Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant, along with the remainder of the project.
The Meppen Canal Trail is part of the City of Idaho Falls’ “Connecting Our Community” plan, a comprehensive strategy aimed at linking Idaho Falls with neighboring communities, including Ammon, Iona, Ucon, and the Bonneville Metropolitan Planning Organization service area. This plan focuses on creating a cohesive network of pathways to facilitate safer and more accessible multi-modal transportation alternatives.
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PAYETTE — A Payette mom’s bond was revoked Tuesday after she was charged with suffocating her twin children earlier this month and is believed to pose a danger to the life of her newborn child.
The case, which has drawn national headlines, concerns Andrea Renee Shaw, a 23-year-old Payette mother who in May 2025 said her 18-month-old fraternal twins died the same day, after receiving routine childhood vaccinations. In January, Shaw joined as a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit filed by Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine organization founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with several other plaintiffs claiming vaccine injury or death.
Kennedy, who now serves as secretary of Health and Human Services, is no longer part of the group after taking on the cabinet position, as was reported by the Associated Press.
In Idaho, the twins’ deaths prompted a 14-month investigation by the Payette County Sheriff’s Department. On June 29, the investigation yielded a grand jury indictment of Shaw on two counts of first-degree murder by suffocation. If convicted, Shaw can be punished by up to life in prison or the death penalty, and the court would have the ability to order the penalties be served consecutively, or back to back.
Tuesday’s arraignment at the Payette County Courthouse was primarily attended by Shaw’s relatives and members of the media. Payette County Judge Kiley Stuchlik, who serves Idaho’s Third Judicial District, presided.
A key consideration for Stuchlik on Tuesday was a request from Joseph Filicetti, the legal counsel for Shaw, to have her bond reduced from $2 million to $100,000. Filicetti said this would allow for Shaw to care for a newborn girl, who, according to court documents, was born by caesarean section on June 25, four days prior to Shaw’s grand jury indictment.
State prosecutors objected to the motion for bond reduction, noting at hand was a potential death penalty case and asserting, unlike her husband, Shaw’s story repeatedly changed during questioning. Prosecuting Attorney Mike Duke said releasing Shaw would ultimately put the newborn’s safety at risk.
“That child is the most at risk. We do not think she should be allowed to be anywhere near any children, let alone her own children,” Duke said.
Stuchlik decided to revoke bond entirely, stating Shaw posed a “risk of safety” to the newborn child that was not known to Stuchlik or prosecutors when the $2 million bond was initially set.
Also for consideration Tuesday was a request to have grand jury transcripts of witness testimony provided to prosecutors and defense counsel to prepare their respective cases.
Idaho
Idaho is home to the nation's first DarkSky Reserve. Now it's home to the nations first DarkSky Certified Resort
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – A controversy is brewing as the City of Idaho Falls reviews its alcohol ordinance.
The goal is to consolidate four existing ordinances for beer, wine and liquor into a single law and ensure compliance with state code.
However, at its meeting last Thursday, the Idaho Falls City Council unanimously voted to remove the proposed ordinance from its agenda, in order to receive and consider additional public comment.
The proposed ordinance would:
1. Require commercial establishments selling, dispensing or permitting consumption of alcohol – including beer, wine or liquor – to have an alcohol license, alcohol catering permit or a charitable event permit.
2. Business events with 20 or less employees consuming alcohol at the business would be allowed.
3. Require alcohol servers to complete training every three years.
4. Individuals who violate the law could be charged with a misdemeanor.
Idaho Falls City Council President Jim Francis said the changes were the culmination of months of collaboration between law enforcement, business owners and city attorneys.
“We wanted to provide a safe environment – the primary point here – for public gatherings,” Francis said. “We recognize that certain antiquated elements of the current code are overly restrictive and needed to be addressed. We wanted to make the code more accessible to the public. We needed to address over-pouring issues. We wanted to reduce penalties where possible for violations, particularly the first offenses, and yet make the code clear enough to be enforceable consistently by law enforcement.”
But City Council Member John Radford said the changes represent an overreach by city government.
“I believe it’s a bad policy. What problem are we solving in the name of trying to solve a non-problem?” Radford said. “We’re becoming big brother around alcohol in your private property. I’m concerned that landlords will be at risk of being charged with a misdemeanor if they knowingly, which I made sure that was in there, because that is what we’ve been talking about, allowed people to drink in our business. We will be outside the norm of Idaho cities. This is a big step, and I don’t think the public has weighed in on this.”
At a City Council Work Session on June 1, Idaho Falls Chief of Police Bryce Johnson cited an increase in alcohol-related crime – particularly downtown – as a reason for the changes.
“DUI is there, but this would include sexual assaults, assaults, batteries, disturbances, urination, public vandalism, shooting – all sorts of crimes,” Johnson said.
But business owners are concerned about the potential impact on commercial enterprises.
“The ordinance doesn’t address the real problem – which is people drinking … at one event and then showing up in a bar or restaurant already hammered and causing problems anyway,” ” said Terri Ireland, representing the Idaho Falls Downtown Merchants Association. “The industry is really well-regulated by state and local laws already.”
The City of Idaho Falls began the process of updating its alcohol ordinance in January 2026, seeking input from community stakeholders.
Multiple community members spoke out about the ordinance.
For more in-depth information, you can read the full 39-page proposed alcohol ordinance here.
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