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ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) – Residents and officials are sounding off after Fremont County Commissioners’ decision to approve the Caldera Flats development on Henry’s Lake Flats in Island Park last Monday.

“Nobody who’s seen the flats – the Henry’s Lake Flats – will be surprised that a lot of people are concerned about what happens there. It’s a beautiful place,” said Tom Cluff, Fremont County’s Planning and Building Administrator. “It’s one of the scenic gems of Fremont County. There’s a subdivision proposed there and a lot of concern about what effect that subdivision will have – how it will impact wildlife, water quality, scenic views, those sorts of things.”

The 160 acres north of the Island Park Cemetery could soon be turned into 32 single family homes, on minimum five-acre lots.

The project is owned by Doug and Kevin Button, of DK Land LLC.

Hundreds of Island Park residents protested development on the flats, with 500 showing up at a previous Planning and Zoning meeting – most in opposition.

“The idea that they had is not bad. It’s just where they put it was a problem,” said Loy Schroeder, former Fremont County Planning and Zoning Chairwoman. “The biggest concern initially was wetlands. It is a wetland area, and when you put homes on wetlands, they tend to be destroyed. You can’t go back on them if they fail. It has antelope that have their babies there. It has elk. It has long-billed curlew that nest on it.”

She’s also concerned about the impact on the Henry’s Fork world-class fishery.

“The Henry’s Fork that runs through the adjacent property – within less than a quarter of a mile from the Button property – stands to be contaminated,” she said.

The Fremont County Planning and Zoning Commission initially denied the application for the subdivision in May.

But in a 2 to 1 vote, Fremont County Commissioners Rick Hill and Mark Chandler overrode that decision. Commission Chairman Blair Dance disagreed, stating the application should be sent back to Planning and Zoning for further consideration.

“The development code says you can have a subdivision in that zone. They felt like if we say you can have a subdivision and you follow our rules, your subdivision should be approved,” Cluff said. “There’s a property rights element that they felt was important, that whatever other concerns we have don’t outweigh that.”

The County Commissioners placed requirements on the developer – including that each home provide wildlife-friendly fencing and connect to Island’s Park sewer system rather than installing individual septic systems.

“A subdivision has to set aside a certain amount of property as open space. In this case, the requirement was 65 percent. The developer’s setting aside almost 70 percent,” Cluff said. “The subdivision has to have a plan to mitigate wildlife impacts. … They have to have a master plan. They have to address stormwater design.”

Fremont County’s Planning and Building staff has also recommended that the HOA require native vegetation in open spaces and restrict planting trees to minimize impacts on wildlife and the environment.

But for Schroeder and others, the changes don’t go far enough.

“The biggest problem right now is that the development code has not been updated since 2008,” Schroeder said. “… Adding into the development code for protection of water areas, hydrology areas – the hydrology that feeds the Henry’s Fork, [and] feeds the Buffalo. All of those things need to be added into our development code and our comprehensive plan. … It can be done in a year.”

Schroeder left the Planning and Zoning Commission in December.

“My biggest question, which I was unable to ask at the last meeting because it was not a public hearing, was what changed? I just want to know what changed. Why did they pass it the first time and deny it during the appeal?”

The project still requires final approval from the County Commissioners before construction can begin, which could be within the next two years.

Some residents in Island Park have threatened to file a lawsuit over the development.

By: Sahana Patel

Originally Posted 5:35 PM, Jul 22, 2026

SOUTHEAST BOISE, Idaho — A new Idaho law is putting guidelines in place for how schools approach artificial intelligence, and Micron is helping educators and students learn to use the technology responsibly.

Idaho lawmakers passed a law earlier this year aimed at expanding AI literacy and preparing students for a quickly changing technology landscape. The Idaho Department of Education said partnerships with companies like Micron are helping make that happen by supporting teachers and expanding AI learning opportunities for students.

While AI is already part of everyday work at Micron, many educators across Idaho are still learning how to use it.

“The conversation is more about where is that balance because we don’t want students to go from one class to another with completely different attitudes towards AI,” said Cathy Ammirati, who works on global budget and operations on Micron’s social impact and community engagement team.

Micron offers camps for both teachers and students, along with online lessons educators can use in the classroom. One of those programs is Chip Camp, which I got a look inside in June.

“The students will take a role and they are going to play part of a computer,” Ammirati said. If everybody can have a better understanding about the underlying workings of how AI is impacting our lives and how it works, then they can go forward and use it more intelligently.”

Micron is also working with teachers by providing training, AI curriculum and mentorship opportunities in schools across Idaho.

“They didn’t have that training, but you can still teach the concepts without having a degree in AI or a degree in data science,” Ammirati said.

RELATED | Micron’s Chip Camp at Boise State introduces middle schoolers to AI and semiconductor technology

As part of the White House’s AI Commitment to America’s Youth, Micron pledged to empower 40,000 learners and educators by 2029.

“We have set every single one of our grants, if there is a STEM component, science, technology, engineering, and math, then we want an AI lesson taught there as well. So we will train the grantee on how to teach that AI lesson,” Ammirati said.

Ammirati said 25 years ago, the focus was teaching computer science. Today, she said that conversation has shifted to AI, and students who don’t learn how to use it responsibly could be at a disadvantage in the future.

You can find more about Micron’s AI educator program here.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – The City of Idaho Falls says a local man must use “standard rules of civil procedure,” rather than his public records request, to obtain documents from the City in his battle over Flock Safety Cameras.

On July 13th, the City received Brian McKellar’s public records request, asking for contracts and agreements between the Idaho Falls Police Department and Flock Safety.

In a July 20th letter, the City denied that request, explaining it “appears to be a discovery request related to potential litigation as indicated by you during the City Council meeting held on July 9, 2026,” and that the Idaho Public Records Act cannot be used as a discovery tool, citing Idaho Code 74-115(3).

The City says his document request must now be filed through the courts.

In a social media post, McKellar disputed that position, arguing that he has not filed a lawsuit yet, but has filed a tort claim.

City officials confirmed to Local News 8 today that the denial letter is authentic.

Local News 8 is reaching out to both McKellar and the City for further comment as this story develops.