Idaho
Idaho SNAP recipients face new candy and soda restrictions starting Feb. 15
Starting February 15, Idahoans using SNAP benefits will no longer be able to purchase candy and soda with their food assistance cards, following a statewide ban signed into law by Governor Brad Little last year. But the new rules are creating confusion among shoppers who are struggling to understand which items will be restricted.
“It’s gonna be a mess,” said Amanda Chester, a former SNAP recipient.
The restrictions aren’t as straightforward as they might seem. While gummy bears will be denied at checkout, Kit Kat bars will still be approved for purchase with SNAP benefits.
“Like we don’t even know what’s gonna get denied and what’s not once we go to the store,” Chester said.
WATCH: A Guide to identifying SNAP-eligible items
What you can still buy under Idaho’s new SNAP candy, soda ban
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has created candy and soda guidance sheets to help shoppers navigate the new rules, which reveal that not all candy is treated equally under the law.
A Kit Kat bar, which contains sugar and comes in bar form, remains SNAP-eligible because it contains flour. Gummy bears, however, contain sugar and come in small pieces but have no flour and require no refrigeration, making them ineligible for SNAP benefits.
RELATED | Idaho Health & Welfare clarifies eligible SNAP purchases after junk food ban
The drink restrictions also have nuances. Bottled Gatorade no longer qualifies for SNAP benefits, but the powdered version does.
“There are ways to go around it. You can make your own candy, your own cupcakes, you can do all of that on your own. It’s just very time consuming,” said Emina Sadiki, a SNAP recipient.
Sadiki said she understands the push for healthier choices but doesn’t understand why small indulgences for her children are now completely restricted.
Her 12-year-old son has expressed frustration with the limitations. “He says, ‘that just sucks. I can’t wait to get a job that way we don’t need food stamps anymore.’ He’s 12 years old. He shouldn’t be thinking about that,” Sadiki said.
The Department of Health and Welfare said the definitions for candy come directly from the state legislature, House Bill 109.
Idaho grocery stores are already posting signs about the new restrictions.
Sahana Patel, Idaho News 6
When a SNAP card is used for a restricted item, the purchase will be denied, but customers can still pay with cash, debit, or credit cards.
Some families worry the restrictions will create chaos at checkout lines.
“I can’t imagine how bad it’s gonna be and how people are gonna be so confused and so unsure,” Chester said. “I feel bad for the people that work at the grocery stores, like it’s gonna be a mess.”
Idaho
Cattle ‘suffered’ after being shot, left to die on Idaho rangeland, police say – East Idaho News
GOODING (Idaho Statesman) — Idaho law enforcement agencies are investigating the killing and mutilation of livestock across southern Idaho in recent weeks, according to a news release that Idaho State Police shared Friday.
The agency said the State Brand Inspector, which verifies livestock ownership through brands, and multiple county sheriff’s offices are investigating incidents of cattle shot and killed in Jerome and Gooding counties. Officials said three cattle deaths have been confirmed as illegal killings, while five others are under investigation.
The news release said the killings happened in “remote grazing areas” and included multiple incidents near Wendell, and cases in Jefferson and Payette counties.
Idaho State Brand Inspector Cody Burlile told the Idaho Statesman in an email that investigators don’t believe the killing of a calf that was found “dead and partially mutilated” near New Plymouth in late April or the killing of a calf in Jefferson County are related to the other cases.
RELATED | ISP investigating after 3-month-old calf is reportedly stolen and ‘maliciously killed’
Killing livestock that are valued at $1,000 or more is a felony under Idaho law.
“This is a serious crime that directly impacts Idaho ranching families and their livelihoods,” Burlile said in the Idaho State Police news release. “These producers invest significant amounts of time, money and effort into caring for their livestock. The losses associated with these incidents are in the thousands of dollars.”
Burlile told the Statesman that five ranchers have reported suspicious cattle deaths, and the three confirmed illegal deaths were each linked to a different ranch.
“The other deaths were suspicious and in near proximity to the confirmed deaths in Gooding County, but we have not been able to positively determine foul play was involved,” Burlile said in an email.
Officials said some of the cattle were partially butchered, while others were left untouched where they died. They said it appeared some of the animals suffered before they died. Some of the cattle were cows with calves.
“When people hear about livestock being shot, they often think only about financial loss,” Burlile said in the news release. “What they don’t see is the suffering these animals endure, the impact on calves that depend on their mothers, and the effect on the livelihood of those who care for them. These aren’t just property crimes we are investigating.”
Anyone with information related to the killings is urged to contact local law enforcement or the State Brand Inspector at 208-884-7070 or ContactBrands@isp.idaho.gov.
The Idaho Cattle Association is offering a reward for tips that lead to the successful identification and prosecution of the person or people responsible, officials said.
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IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — Three people overdosed from suspected fentanyl on Tuesday.
The Idaho Falls Police Department reports three people on the 500 block of Ridge Avenue and the 200 block of Short Street overdosed on fentanyl on Tuesday. Two of the overdoses were deadly.
East Idaho News reports police say the deceased individuals were identified as two women, a 24-year-old and a 63-year-old.
Police say they do not believe that the overdoses were connected to a “bad batch” of fentanyl, but rather that the users believed the substance to be a different drug.
It is not clear what drug the fentanyl was mistaken for or made to look like.
According to the release, fentanyl can be found in several forms, including powder, and may appear in different colors and consistencies, making it difficult to identify.
“Because of this, individuals may unknowingly ingest fentanyl while believing they are using a different substance,” according to the release. “These incidents serve as a stark reminder of the dangers fentanyl poses within our community.”
Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid that is often mixed into other narcotics, sometimes without the user’s knowledge, says police. Even a very small amount can be deadly.
The Idaho Falls Police Department, along with community partners, is continuing to investigate these incidents and work to identify and disrupt the distribution of dangerous narcotics in our area.
“We encourage anyone struggling with substance abuse to seek help immediately and urge friends and family members to check in on loved ones who may be at risk,” says the release.
Important safety reminders:
Never take pills or substances that are not prescribed directly to you.
Be aware that counterfeit pills may contain fentanyl.
Call 911 immediately if someone is experiencing signs of an overdose, including slowed breathing, unconsciousness, or blue or gray skin coloration.
Carrying and administering Narcan (naloxone) can save lives during an opioid overdose emergency.
Anyone with information related to narcotics distribution in the Idaho Falls area is encouraged to contact the Idaho Falls Police Department at (208) 529-1200 or submit anonymous tips through East Idaho Crime Stoppers.
BOISE COUNTY, Idaho (CBS2) — A traffic stop along the Highway 21 corridor in Boise County led to the arrest of an Idaho City woman on methamphetamine and other drug-related charges, according to the Boise County Sheriff’s Office.
On May 21, 2026, at about 6:40 p.m., a Boise County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducting traffic safety enforcement saw a gray car traveling at a high rate of speed and initiated a traffic stop. While speaking with the driver, the deputy recognized behaviors associated with drug activity.
K9 Sage was deployed for a free open-air sniff and alerted on the vehicle, the sheriff’s office said.
Rochelle Kinney, 46, of Idaho City, was arrested on charges of felony possession of methamphetamine, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
“This arrest demonstrates our commitment to traffic safety enforcement and addressing drug possession that endangers public safety within Boise County,” the Boise County Sheriff’s Office said.
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