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IDAHO FALL, Idaho (KIFI) – “It was bit of a gut punch,” says Charlie Lansche, Board Chair of the Friends of Harriman State Park. They say they remain fully committed to protecting the park and its public purpose after Senate Bill 1300 passed the Idaho House of Representatives by a 41-29-0 vote on Tuesday. It is now on its way to Governor Brad Little’s desk. The Idaho Senate approved the bill on March 2nd by a 21-14 vote.

The bill would require the directors of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, Idaho Fish and Game, and the Idaho Transportation Department to be appointed by the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation. Currently, the Parks and Recreation Department Director is appointed by a bipartisan committee based on qualifications and experience.

An attorney representing Thomas Dixon, the grandson of E. Roland and Gladys Harriman, sent a letter to state Representatives. The letter stated that the bill would break an agreement the state of Idaho made with the family when the property was donated on December 4, 1961.

The letter states that land known as Railroad Ranch was donated to the state to become Harriman State Park with some conditions. One of which states that “personnel shall be chosen on the basis of merit alone.” The Harriman Family, according to the letter, believes SB 1300 would violate those conditions.

Friends of Harriman State Park say that if the agreement is breached, it puts the park at risk. The land could be given back to the family, removing the 11,000 acres from the state park system. A statement from Averell Harriman Fisk, grandson of Averell Harriman, the park “must be protected from political whims.”

The sponsor of the bill disagrees with that assessment. Senator Doug Okuniewicz, R-Hayden, says the Governor will still appoint directors based on merit. Under the present system, the directors are appointed by a board or a commission. Those members are appointed by the governor.

Okuniewicz believes there is “zero risk” of this bill violating the agreement with the Harriman family.

“The bill is perfectly in line with the agreement and can coexist with it quite easily.” The Senator says having political appointees would improve relationships between the Legislature and the agencies.

Representative Douglas Pickett, R-27, spoke to the full House just prior to Tuesday’s vote, saying, “The language of the agreement concerns itself with the selection criteria, but not with who has the authority to make that selection and under what process that selection shall be made. And it is the consensus of a broad range of attorneys that this bill, its passage, will not affect that agreement.”

Others in the House say this bill becoming law could trigger a legal battle.

“The Harriman Family will take whatever legal steps are necessary to see that the original agreement between the state of Idaho and the Harriman family is honored.” Representative Jerald Raymond (R) District 31 added, “what’s that going to cost the citizens of the state?”

“It shows distrust in the process.” Lansche feels like this could discourage future land donations to the state. “I think it tarnishes Idaho’s reputation, integrity. A lot of people will think twice if you’ve got a lot of land out there and want to donate it.”

If signed into law by Governor Little, the next move would be up to the Harriman family and what legal action they may choose. As for your next trip to Harriman State park?

“Nothing is going to change immediately, in the near future.” However, Lansche warns, “but long term, a lot could change and a lot could be lost.”

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Rock band Foreigner brought the house down tonight at the Mountain America Center.

“I work with an amazing band with an incredible legacy –16 Top 30 songs. So our set list is like, you know, a greatest hits package,” said Foreigner Music Director and Bassist Jeff Pilson. “So it’s a great situation, and we love playing live. We love coming here.”

The group has sold more than 80 million records worldwide. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.

Vocalist Luis Maldanado, bassist Jeff Pilson, keyboarder Michael Bluestein, guitarist Bruce Watson and drummer Chris Frazier showed off some of the most famous numbers in rock and roll – including “Cold as Ice” and “Hot Blooded.”

In the second-to-last number, Rigby High School’s choir took to the stage, joining Foreigner to perform their biggest hit single – “I Want to Know What Love Is.”

“It’s way fun. It’s a honestly a once in a lifetime experience,” said Rigby High School Choirs Vice President Isabella Corbett. “It’s very fun to be singing with a band this big.”

Her twin Isaac Corbett, President of the Rigby High School Chambers Choir, emphasized the importance of public education music programs in an era of budget cuts.

“This is really big for our choir because lately we’ve been losing a lot of funding for the program,” he said. “This will really pick us back up.”

Foreigner donated $500 to Rigby’s Choir program and encouraged the singers to keep pursuing their dreams!

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – For six years, angels at the People in Need Coalition (PINC) have been providing the hungry with hundreds of free lunches – three days a week.

“People don’t have food,” said Monica Kachur, who has lived in Idaho Falls for six years. “This is the place to get something for the families.”

But the loss of Grocery Outlet in town means the non-profit is losing its primary food supplier, and the group of eight to ten volunteers are looking to the community to help fill the gap.

“I know for a lot of people, it’s the difference between eating today and not eating today,” said Rachael Christensen, a friend of the non-profit. 

On Wednesday, PINC volunteers cooked and gave out 524 Grab ‘n Go lunches with fresh, homemade Tex-Mex food, vegetables and dessert.

“Our goal is to greet them with a smile, to ask them how they’re doing, and then to find out how many meals they need,” said People in Need Coalition (PINC) Founder Bonnie Champagne.

Last year, they provided 75,394 meals to people who need it most.

“They provide food Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They have lunches at 11:30 pick up,” said Kachur, who came to visit and grab a lunch. “They also have in the front they have a table with food people donate, and people donate the clothes.”  

The nondenominational non-profit is housed at First Christian Church on 1800 12th Street in Idaho Falls.

“For something like PINC that doesn’t charge, that doesn’t make you fill out paperwork, that doesn’t demand anything from you, it really fills a tremendous gap in the people who tend to fall in the cracks,” Christensen said.

But now PINC finds itself in need as well.

“For the last several years, we have been supported by the Grocery Outlet, who just closed,” Champagne said. “They gave us their rescued food, and this worked out very nicely for us. They’re closed. We don’t know how we’re going to make up the difference, because it’s pretty substantial.”

The non-profit will have to close its doors in July without additional community support.

PINC is searching for cash donations and food contributions, and is also willing to take additional volunteers.

“Hopefully other grocery stores will donate here to help fill the gap that is going to be happening,” said Cheryl Kidd, a Pearl Health Clinic social worker.

If you’d like to contribute and keep the PINC Grab ‘n Go lunch program going, you can donate directly to PINC’s Venmo page here. You can also type in “Pinc Pinc” or search for @pincoalition on Venmo.

“We give out a lot of hugs. We give out encouragement – whatever we feel is needed at the time – along with a hot meal,” Champagne said.