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POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – The Pocatello Police Department recognized more than a dozen graduating citizens from its Citizen Police Academy on Tuesday.

Participants attended more than 25 hours of training over 8 weeks to learn about the duties and responsibilities of police officers and the inner workings of the department.

“This gives us an opportunity to do one of the most important things that it can do for any leadership group – and that’s building relationships,” said Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei. “This program helps us build relationships with members of our community, with us and with the members that were entrusted to serve.”

During the course, participants experienced or learned about hands-on firearms training, an emergency vehicle operations course, SWAT training, DUI investigations, explosive breaching, use of force and more.

Idaho State University’s Instructional Technology Resource Center Director and Citizen Police Academy Graduate Bob Houghton said his favorite part of the program was the gang task force.

“We have a lot of trafficking that happens here. It’s not the usual suspects that you would think,” Houghton said. “There’s a lot of influence from China, and there’s a lot of influence from motorcycle gangs and those kind of things that are moving a lot of of drugs and humans around.”

He enjoyed learning how Pocatello officers’ responsibilities differ significantly from typical depictions on TV crimes shows like Law and Order and CSI.

“One thing I’m going to take back is a truly new respect for the police and what they do here in Pocatello, and all of the resources that they pour into making sure that we are a truly safe community,” Houghton said.

Pocatello Mayor Mark Dahlquist honored graduates for investing their time to better understand law enforcement and their community.

“I understand this is the biggest class in quite some time in a few years, and I hope you’ve grown too,” Dahlquist said. “… That’s one of the goals is just to expose you to all of this and see what our police officers go through. They’re so super dedicated, and they’re putting their life out there every day protecting the community.”

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Construction continues onward within the walls of Willow Creek Elementary, the district’s newest elementary school, which is scheduled to welcome its first students when doors open in September 2026.

The school represents a significant investment in the future of education in eastern Idaho and comes as District 93 works to accommodate continued population growth and increasing student enrollment throughout the region.

“It’s always fun to open a school and be part of that and be part of the original crew that started,” Willow Creek Elementary Principal Steve Cziep said. “And I think the kids are going to be just as excited.”

Although crews officially broke ground on the project in September 2024, district leaders say planning for Willow Creek Elementary began much earlier. Initial design work dates back to 2019, as school officials evaluated long-term enrollment trends and future facility needs.

“I started the design for this school back in 2019, and it’s been a long but rewarding road to get here,” shared Tucker Hatley, project manager of NBW Architects. “There are features of this building that are unique only to this structure, including individualized bonus rooms for music or special needs programs… we’ve been really impressed with the work that has been done.”

As new housing developments and neighborhoods have expanded throughout the Idaho Falls and Ammon area, district leaders have identified the need for additional classroom space to reduce overcrowding at existing elementary schools and accommodate future growth.

To see the updated 2026-2027 D93 Boundaries Map, click here.

Willow Creek Elementary will be the first completely new elementary school design utilized by District 93 in approximately 30 years. School officials say the building is being designed with modern learning environments that support both academic achievement and student collaboration.

In addition to creating additional classroom capacity, district leaders say the new facility will offer updated educational spaces designed to meet today’s students’ needs.

“The classrooms are amazing,” Principal Steve Cziep shared. “The teachers that I’ve brought through love the setups and the technology that’s going in, just a lot of excitement to be shared.”

Construction progress has become increasingly visible in recent months, with the school’s structure taking shape. District officials remain on track for a fall 2026 opening and have already started preparing for the school’s future operations.

“It’s a beautiful, beautiful elementary,” Logan Bingham, senior director of Headwaters Construction, said. “They’ve incorporated many features that will really help with the learning process. And that’s been impressive to watch.”

For many families in this rapidly growing area of Bonneville County, the new school represents more than just another building project. It reflects the district’s efforts to stay ahead of growth while continuing to invest in educational opportunities for future generations.

District 93 plans to provide additional updates as construction progresses toward the school’s anticipated opening in September 2026. To find more resources with the district, click here.

LATAH COUNTY, Idaho — A federal judge has set a September 2027 trial date in a lawsuit filed by the families of four University of Idaho students killed by Bryan Kohberger, a former graduate student and teaching assistant at Washington State University.

U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson signed the scheduling order June 1. The jury trial is set to begin Sept. 13, 2027, in federal court in Seattle and is expected to last about 20 days.

The lawsuit, filed in January, was brought by the personal representatives of the victims’ estates: Steve Goncalves for Kaylee Goncalves, Karen Laramie for Madison Mogen, Jeffrey Kernodle for Xana Kernodle and Stacy Chapin for Ethan Chapin. The four students were killed in November of 2022 at an off-campus home in Moscow.

The families allege Washington State University knew or should have known about troubling behavior by Kohberger before the killings and failed to take appropriate action. The lawsuit claims the university’s actions, or lack of action, contributed to the deaths.

According to court filings, dozens of faculty members, staff and students witnessed or reported concerns about Kohberger’s behavior. The families say they have identified nearly 90 witnesses who could provide information supporting those claims.

As the case moves forward, both sides will exchange evidence and records related to university policies, threat assessment procedures, hiring practices and the handling of complaints involving Kohberger. The lawsuit also seeks information from the Washington State University Police Department, including records involving safety escorts provided to female students and employees before the killings.

The families have indicated in the court documents that they do not expect to settle the case before trial, with neither side planning to pursue mediation at this stage, though that could change after evidence gathering is complete.

Several deadlines are scheduled before trial. Additional parties may be added to the lawsuit by June 29, 2026. Expert witness reports are due in February 2027, evidence gathering must be completed by April 2027, and requests to resolve the case before trial are due in May 2027.