Full Post Style

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – As the weather warms, more children are biking or walking to school. The Southeast Idaho Council of Governments is working in partnership with other organizations to address safety concerns during childrens’ commutes.

On April 23, SICOG is leading a group of volunteers to do a “Walk Audit” of the area and neighborhoods surrounding Syringa Elementary School. The purpose of the audit is to assess the safety of the walking routes for students at Syringa. This will include looking for sidewalks, crosswalks on busy roads, traffic patterns and the speed of traffic, and more.

“So when we’re looking at the safety concerns it’s also like where are kids currently? What spaces are they using? And then are those spaces safe?” said Haley Reed, Safe Routes to School Coordinator at SICOG. “And how could we make everywhere else safe for them to walk and bike?”

The Walk Audit is part of a larger School Travel Plan project led by Pocatello/Chubbuck Safe Routes to School program, which works to promote safety for students. The plans are a collaborative effort between the city and SICOG, School District 25 and the partnering engineering firm Kimley-Horn. Simplot has also provided support for this project.

“So what we’ve collected from our surveys and travel accounts and mock audits and all of that, all gets compiled together and then we send it back to our stakeholders. We’ve got a number of, people from the city of Pocatello that are helping out on the team,” Reed said. “When they go for more funding from federal or state grants, they can use that research that we’ve done and check like we’ve already done a study here, and this is what the conditions are like.”

The team will look at areas within a mile of the school. Syringa has two busy streets nearby: Yellowstone and Hiline. Collaborating with the city for data on traffic patterns of these roads, SICOG can help determine where safety needs aren’t being met.

“We don’t really want kids crossing Yellowstone right now. It doesn’t have good infrastructure for kids to be crossing,” Reed said. “Hiline doesn’t have sidewalks on it either for a good stretch of it.”

Another of the main concern comes from auditing schools in rural areas or smaller towns. The sidewalks can often be not well-maintained and become dangerous to students.

“When we do these out in our rural areas, one of the main things that we see is just either there’s not a lot of sidewalks, or the sidewalks are in really bad repair and they’re they’re not well-maintained because a lot of cities have it where the individual is responsible for the sidewalk in front of their home,” she said.

Following the Walk Audit, SICOG is hosting a community meeting where parents can share their experiences and thoughts on their kids’ safety when commuting to Syringa. The meeting will be at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 23.

To get involved with volunteering for the Walk Audit, please reach out to Haley Reed at (208) 233-4535 ext. 1014 or email at haley.reed@sicog.org.

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) – More than 520 Rigby fifth graders belted out patriotic numbers at a dazzling Hope of America program Wednesday celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary.

“What we have planned is a bunch of cultural signs and actions to bring people in the love of America,” said student Edward Hyde.

Parents, friends and family members filled the Hart Gymnasium at Brigham Young University-Idaho, eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of their favorite fifth-grader from Jefferson School District #251.

“I know that it’s soon America’s 250th birthday, so I know that it’s going to be great to celebrate,” said student Lydia Wetherell.

The performers hailed from six elementary schools – Cottonwood, Harwood, Jefferson, Midway, Roberts and South Fork.

“I get to teach about the history of America so they can learn as well,” said fifth grader Tessa Dudley.

The students performed classic patriotic numbers, as well as “The Ride of Paul Revere,” “We Can Be a Light” and songs about the U.S. Constitution.

Students from the district’s Espanol and Mandarin immersion programs sang “My Country ‘Til of Thee” in English, Spanish and Chinese.

“These kids are the hope of America,” said Hope of America Choir Director Debbie Madssen. “They are our future, and they’ll grow up and become leaders and voters and parents and teachers, and all the adults of tomorrow.”

Idaho Falls, ID (KIFI) – With spring weather in Eastern Idaho comes unpredictable conditions, including freezing temperatures and late-season storms. With temperatures dropping below freezing again this morning, lawn care experts say preparation is key to protecting your yard from lasting damage.

According to experts at T&T Lawn Services in Idaho Falls, what homeowners do before and after a freeze can make all the difference.

“With the lack of winter that we had this year, we’re getting all the seeds that have blown in, and now it’s really causing havoc everywhere,” said Zachary Roudreau, fertilizer manager at T&T Lawn Services. “It’s important to take this into account going into the warmer seasons.”

Roudreau is one of the many workers at T&T Lawn Services who help locals repair their lawns following the harsh winter conditions in Eastern Idaho. When it comes to preparing your lawn against freezing conditions, he says simple steps go a long way.

“Obviously, somebody shouldn’t have tomatoes out right now, but if they did freeze, they’re going to die,” said Zachary Roudreau, fertilizer manager at T&T Lawn Services. “So you want to cover stuff up like that. Also, as far as sprinkler systems, you’re going to want to cover your PVB with blanket wrap—wrap as much as you can around it—because with the water that’s in it, the pipes will actually break or bust. Then you’ve got to call us to have us come fix it.”

Before the Storm

Taking preventative steps ahead of freezing temperatures can help minimize damage. Covering sensitive plants and exposed pipes not only protects them from freezing but can also prevent ice buildup. For lawns, pre-storm care can support fertilization efforts as the growing season continues into late spring.

During Freezing Conditions

Once temperatures drop, experts recommend staying off your lawn as much as possible. Walking on frozen grass can cause damage that lingers well into the season. This is also the time to make sure your sprinkler system is turned off to avoid frozen or burst pipes.

After the Storm

When temperatures rise and conditions improve, homeowners should shift focus to cleanup and inspection. Clearing debris and checking for any damage to plants, pipes, or sprinkler systems can help prevent further issues and keep your lawn on track for healthy growth.

Key Tips to Remember

• Cover plants before a freeze
• Protect PVB pipes with insulation or blanket wrap
• Turn off sprinkler systems during freezing temperatures

Experts say timing is everything. Taking a few simple steps before and after a storm or freeze can go a long way in keeping your lawn healthy throughout the unpredictable spring season. To learn more from lawn care experts at T&T Lawn Services, click here.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — With a family of five biological children, Julz Kimbro thought her family was complete. She remembers, “We were not even looking to adopt.”

But then her sister sent her a US Adoption website. As she scrolled through it, her heart ached for the profiles on the site. She came across Zyeon’s profile and something changed.

“I got to Zyeon’s profile and saw his face and my heart just swelled,” said Julz. “I could not shake him from my mind.”

Zyeon’s profile included his Wednesday’s Child segment, which was a partnership between Local News 8 anchor Jay Hildebrant and the Idaho Wednesday’s Child program. This partnership spanned over three decades and ran over 1000 stories. After seeing the children on television, many viewers over the years were touched, leading to several adoptions.

“I found the Wednesday’s Child videos… and it humanized him,” said Julz, sitting next to her son. “It brought him to life for me.” After days of the unforgettable feeling, she told her husband that she thought they were supposed to adopt him.

“I just thought… I can’t ignore this feeling. I think we’re supposed to adopt this boy.” And now, it’s been six years since they took that leap.

“I was one of those kids”: Zyeon’s Perspective

Zyeon can look back and see how it positively impacted his life. “I definitely know that I would not be in any good place right now if I didn’t get adopted,” Zyeon said somberly.

When asked if he’s glad he did Wednesday’s child, he says: “I was really happy that I did it… because I think that’s what actually helped propel me out of where I was.”

Zyeon recognizes that children in foster care and group homes need a family, and that he’s not the only one. 

 “We’re only angry at the world because they didn’t have a family to call their own. That I don’t think they belong there,” remembers Zyeon. “And I was one of those kids. They deserve families.”

Looking Back

The Kimbros say they’ve learned so much about parenting and love by saying yes.

While Julz says it hasn’t been easy, it’s definitely been worth it. “We would not change our decision to adopt our amazing son for all the money in the world. Parenting him is so rewarding.”

The adoptive father, Mike Kimbro, agrees. “All these kids deserve a home and deserve a family. And especially we’re glad Zyeon came because he doesn’t realize how much he’s taught us about him and about ourselves.”

They can’t imagine their family without Zyeon.

 “Zyeon belongs in our family… he is a very important piece of our family, and we love him dearly. We didn’t go looking for him… but God knew that we needed him,” said Julz.

Local News 8 was able to locate his original Wednesday’s Child news story. In it, he’s asked how he’d like his new family to show they love him. Zyeon had a sweet and short response:  “I really like hugs”. 

The reporter, Megan Lavin, who interviewed them, says, “I think it’s safe to say, he’s had plenty of those in the last six years.”

And the mom, Julz, agrees: “He gives the BEST hugs.”

Julz also notes: “He got thrown into a very large family and he put all his determination into making us his forever family, even when he sometimes felt very alone because he didn’t get to build those bonds at a young age.”

The Lasting Affects of Wednesday’s Child

The Wednesday Child news stories may have only been a minute or two in length, but their impact lasts far beyond the moment the story airs. 

Julz would still echo the Wednesday’s Child message for those listening today.

With tears streaming down her face, Julz commented: “If we can talk one family into changing one child’s life… imagine how beautiful this world would become.”

Even though our station doesn’t do air them anymore, if you’re interested, you can still go to the idahowednesdayschild.org to find out more about adoption and fostering.