Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here (Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ammon Bundy at his workshop in Cedar City in March Bundy offered his thoughts to The Salt Lake Tribune on Trump the Book of Mormon and the "White Horse Prophecy." Note to readers • This is the last of a two-part series from an exclusive interview with Ammon Bundy, who is wanted in Idaho and living in Utah. Read the first installment here Cedar City • As a wanted man leading a quieter life in southern Utah anti-federal government zealot Ammon Bundy is no longer bellowing from bullhorns or preaching from protest lines but that hardly means he is silent on a range of hot topics — from Donald Trump to Elon Musk Bundy finds plenty of upside in the president’s effort to downsize the federal government and end the war in Ukraine But he sees frightening downsides in some supporters’ almost idolatrous worship of Trump and frets about perilous parallels between the current administration and 1930s Germany Bundy further praises Elon Musk’s intelligence and budget-cutting ways while scolding the Trump team for crossing the line when it characterizes everyone who crosses the U.S who sometimes defies easy labeling and dispenses surprising views Bundy has been living in Utah for nearly 18 months evading an arrest warrant out of Idaho over a contempt of court charge as well as a $52.5 million judgment for defaming staffers at Boise area hospitals The Salt Lake Tribune recently caught up with Bundy to talk about his life on the lam and issues of the day This conversation has been edited for clarity and length: He is very much for building the power of the United States but that may or may not include what is best for individuals in the nation or in the world he has put in a director who he thinks will bring accountability to the FBI the FBI should be eliminated because federal law enforcement is not authorized by the Constitution I do like … [his] effort to downsize and hold government accountable … because there is no way that we can continue with the growth and expansion … of the federal government and expect it to be anything but what Rome became which is basically a centralized dictatorial power So if Trump is truly minimizing the size of government he has a huge job in front of him [and] I applaud him for it (Will Matsuda | The New York Times) A Donald Trump supporter outside the Capitol in Washington on his Inauguration Day " … function more like kings now." I believe they have done this because liberty has been under such threat that they feel Trump is the way [for them] to preserve that liberty The jury is certainly out on Trump because you see similar things happening now that happened in the 1930s in Germany But you also see Trump … trying to stop a war [in Ukraine] But to give a person that much unchecked power politically almost [to the point] of worshipping [him] and our Constitution never authorized a president to give executive orders outside the executive branch that affected everybody else He’s an extremely intelligent person who basically went from being a liberal Democrat to someone who understands that the ideas that the Democratic Party or the liberals put forth are not going to work He’s also been subject to government regulations and seen how hard it is to invent create and develop when you have the government constantly regulating and trying to control you So if he is trying to deregulate and lower the size of government (Charlie Riedel | AP) A Customs and Border Protection patrol on the U.S side of a razor-wire-covered border wall near Nogales would stop giving "handouts," there would not be "much need for a border wall." I don’t look at people who come into another land or cross some line as criminals if someone comes into this land and commits a crime I think they should be … punished and required to restore the damages back to the victim And if they can’t restore the damage back to that person then that’s where capital punishment comes in … [But] I believe that any person can come into this country contribute and be good people and good neighbors and be beneficial to everybody — as long as they don’t commit crimes I don’t believe that people should come [to] this country and receive handouts What we do is showcase the handouts everyone can get and then wonder why everybody comes across the border … There’s not much need for a border wall or anything else beyond that I align with the idea of being a political conservative But people use conservative in so many different ways that it is hard for me to say that I believe that freedom is the ability to do whatever you want as long as you do not infringe upon another person’s rights That is the same definition Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson had Democrats want to take the fruits of people’s labor and then have it redistributed to whoever they want It destroys nations [and] people’s drive to produce And then you have Republican[s] … and the ultra-nationalists going on where the nation is more important than the individual and the health of a nation somehow trumps the health of individuals — that the purpose of government is not to protect individual rights but to become a powerful entity … I don’t agree with that either (Rick Bowmer | AP) Bundy during a news conference at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters in 2016 Bundy is avoiding public microphones now as he lives in Utah while being wanted in Idaho If you can control the land and the resources you have ultimate control over everybody and everything So for Utah to allow a centralized power to control … almost 70% of its land and resources … it is baffling to me that people are OK with that Then we wonder why we are scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to pay our bills has the right to tell me that I have to wear a mask there was a lockdown order [issued] that I can’t go to church I do not believe any person has the right to restrict those for me or anybody else I would say most people were there just to protest and participate in all that was going on But … did they really think that they were going to take over the government I think there were a lot of emotions and feelings going on and it got out of hand not with my extended family like my brothers and sisters I have to ask the question of what is right and wrong and if I did the best I could (John Locher | Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) Ammon Bundy's father There was a fairly strong base of militias in the United States and we saw that strength and organization in 2014 at the Bundy Ranch [standoff] I have watched the FBI attack and destroy every single militia organization across this country the FBI has done to the militias in this country just like the CIA has done to many governments across the world You have to ask yourself why the [FBI] would attack and try to destroy these organizations And I think the answer is in the Second Amendment of the Constitution the very first part of it [that says] “a well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state.” The founders believed that you cannot be free unless you have a militia [members] were peaceful … organizing under a certain religion and we were driven out of the United States … [and the] federal government was not protecting the people Even when [church founder] Joseph Smith went to the president of the United States [and asked] for relief (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Church founder Joseph Smith sought redress from a U.S president for persecution suffered by early Latter-day Saints — to no avail I actually have a copy of the Constitution in my front pocket I hadn’t carried it for a long time — not because I honored or dishonored it any different than I did before but … because I almost feel it is not worth trying to enforce or promote anymore the Fourth Amendment restricts the government from [unlawfully] seizing your property they have [created] over 450 exceptions to the Fourth Amendment … Everything is about people So we are talking about a person with a badge who …might think they have the authority to go raid someone’s home take their property and have all these exceptions I believe that the scriptures are accurate … I believe [the last days] could be a long period of time Moroni said he has been commanded to write about [the last days] … in order that evil may be done away with It almost seems like he is saying that we have a duty to clean things up so the millennium can come… I believe that we have a duty to … clean up our government to try to call each other to repentance … and do our best to uncover the darkness so that light can take its place I’ve had a lot of people ask me about that, and I don’t really know that I have read the White Horse Prophecy. I do hope that there are enough good men and women in the church that if it came time that we needed to defend our families, defend our liberty [and] defend our neighbors, … that we would come to that defense. (Tribune archives) Captain Moroni, in this painting by Arnold Friberg, is seen as a great Book of Mormon warrior by Latter-day Saints. Those men are much better than me. … But I have been through trials before. There was a time [during] my many months in solitary confinement where my family was suffering and barely able to make ends meet, and [we were] wondering if we would ever see each other again. I watched how the Lord took that situation, and the very people who dug that pit [for me and my family], ended up falling into their own mire. When powerful people attack you, it takes a long time … for things to turn around and for you to be somewhat vindicated and restored. My cause [has] never changed. It is to raise my family and help my community. If there is something or someone who needs my help, I’m going to do it. That’s all I have ever done. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) In this scene from the church's "Book of Mormon Videos" series, Moroni, as the only survivor his people, is depicted as a lonely wanderer. Note to readers • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism. For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support 801-237-2900 or email subscribe@sltrib.com sltrib.com © 1996-2025 The Salt Lake Tribune IDAHO FALLS — A year after selling its initial proposed location in Ammon Gem Prep Charter School will now be built in Idaho Falls the charter school will be located on six acres and have its campus spanning 45,000 square feet at the corner of North 5th East The school is slated for completion in 2026 RELATED | Proposed charter school in Ammon neighborhood likely no longer happening The release states the Idaho Falls location will be the second Gem Prep charter school in eastern Idaho with plans to open another in Rexburg in 2027 The original location for this charter school was planned for 3445 Greenwillow Lane a corner lot at the entrance of the Bridgewater subdivision in Ammon The two-story building would’ve had the same footprint of 45,000 square feet but on 4.5 acres What sparked the move began in February 2024 when residents spoke against the charter school during a planning and zoning meeting RELATED | Ammon Planning & Zoning recommends against building new charter school on city street Many of the concerns revolved around traffic and safety concerns at the subdivision’s entrance the commission members voted against the charter school’s conditional use permit the Ammon City Council voted to require the school to conduct a traffic study before the project could proceed and the charter school posted on Facebook it was “no longer a feasible location for our future school.” The Greenwillow property is now under the ownership of Caliber Customs LLC RELATED | Ammon City Council denies rezone of lot on Greenwillow Lane SUBMIT A CORRECTION We hope you appreciated this story.  A small team of local journalists runs EastIdahoNews.com – not a big business or corporation Our stories are produced to inform and serve the public We don't have a paywall or require a subscription to use EastIdahoNews.com but there is a cost associated with bringing you stories every day Please consider supporting us just once for $1 or contribute a little more monthly or annually We sincerely appreciate your consideration © 2015 - 2025 EastIdahoNews.com LLC The requested resource could not be found but may be available again in the future Game Recap: Softball | 5/2/2025 11:02:00 PM | Jake Freelund Thanks for visiting Idaho (KIFI)– Broulim's in Ammon has raised over $37,000 and presented a check to the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission.  "Broulim's is a very community-organized corporation They really like to give back to the community," said Kelly Allen "This is just one little piece of goodness we can give back is to help feed the homeless and the hungry and all the things that Broulim's does. Again this is just one little thing that we can do So we are definitely very glad and very happy to do it." The store was able to raise that money in a little under a month Through donations and setting aside a percentage of some of the items that were purchased in the store The Idaho Falls Rescue Mission tells us this money will help fill a lot of hungry bellies.  So this is going to go a long way to help our organization serve the community and those who are more needy Food Service Coordinator for Idaho Falls Rescue Mission  Himmelstein tells local news 8 that they serve about 80 to 90 meals a night and this funding should help them continue to feed those numbers for about two months.  Ariel Jensen is a reporter for Local News 8 KIFI Local News 8 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Do Not Sell My Personal Information Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Udo immigrated to the United States in 1952 He graduated from Proctor High School in 1960 Army and served his country honorably as a Tank Commander and an MP while stationed in Germany They were married in May 1963 and remained devoted to one another for over 61 years As Udo's health declined in recent years Heidi's actions embodied the meaning of 'in sickness and in health,' ensuring his every need was met with love and care After receiving an honorable discharge from the Army Udo returned to New York in 1964 and lived in Schenectady for the rest of his life Udo worked as a weaver at Albany Felt/Albany International for many years He operated a senior bus for a local nursing home Udo was well-liked by everyone who knew him and his children and grandchildren were his pride and joy from Boy Scouts to Little League and other youth activities; he always prioritized his family and he relished the role and time spent with each grandchild Udo was an avid stamp collector and member of various stamp clubs He enjoyed simple pleasures: Saturday trips to local bakeries and grocery stores; garage sales: reading and working on his stamp collection Rosina Heidi Marie Ammon ('Heidi') Udo(Donnalyn) Allain Ammon and Christopher Georg (Christine) Ammon His surviving grandchildren include Emily Catherine Udo loved dogs who were treated as adored four-legged family members throughout the years Udo's family is forever grateful for the support and assistance from the Albany Veteran's Administration Hospital  Calling hours 10:00am-12:00pm followed by 12:00pm service will be held Friday February 14 2025 at New Comer Cremations & Funerals Gerald B.H Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery 200 Duell Road Schuylerville NY 12871 In Lieu of flowers memorial donations in Udo's honor can be made to Community Hospice.  Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors The Pittsburgh Penguins today announced a $500,000 investment to support a full refurbishment of the Ammon Recreation Center in the Hill District ensuring the facility continues to serve as a vital hub for youth and community programs The funding will contribute to a city-led renovation project that will modernize the center “We know Ammon has been a cornerstone of the Hill District for generations and we want to make sure it stays that way,” said Penguins Alternate Governor Teddy Werner “Strong communities are built around places like this – where kids play This investment is about preserving an institution that means so much to this neighborhood and ensuring it continues to serve future generations.” Located just a few blocks from PPG Paints Arena the Ammon Recreation Center has long been a cornerstone of the Hill District Built in the 1940’s on the site of the historic Ammon Field the facility has provided generations of residents with opportunities to grow This latest investment builds on the Penguins’ previous $100,000 contribution in 2020 which helped establish a Rec2Tech computer lab to bridge the digital divide for local students and families The Penguins’ commitment to Ammon is part of a broader strategy to support economic and community development in the region the team has worked with partners to help secure funding for Frankie Pace Park contribute millions to the Greater Hill District Reinvestment Fund and allocate significant contracts to minority- and women-owned businesses through major projects like the recently-opened FNB Financial Center and the forthcoming Music Venue development Note to readers • This is the first of a two-part series from an interview with Ammon Bundy Ammon Bundy isn’t all that difficult to find these days the 49-year-old fugitive emerged from behind his pickup truck sporting his trademark beard and cowboy hat Despite being on the run from Idaho police after fleeing trial on a contempt of court charge and on the hook for part of a $52.5 million judgment he is surprisingly relaxed and blithely unconcerned about the ever-looming threat of arrest I don’t even have the location-share off on my phone anti-federal government movement in the West Bundy rose to prominence when he joined his father and hundreds of supporters in an armed standoff with agents from the Bureau of Land Management in 2014 the elder Bundy refused to pay fees to graze his cows on public lands and the government relented and released the Bundy family’s cows Bundy led a monthlong occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in rural Oregon in an attempt to force the government to hand over the land to area ranchers one of the occupiers was shot dead by police while Bundy and several others were arrested for their role in the takeover the crusader who ran as an independent for Idaho governor in 2022 is fleeing from that government — sort of Since bolting across the border before his trial in November 2023 Bundy has been lying low in the Beehive State Even with an Idaho warrant out for his arrest Bundy said he is cautious but not overly concerned about being collared by police holed up with some of their six children and a grandchild in a friend’s attic apartment in southern Utah not far from family and his boyhood home in Bunkerville Moreover, after abandoning his Idaho truck repair company when he fled to Utah, Bundy is back in business, manufacturing and selling truck parts online from the cramped confines of his workshop in Cedar City. He said he is back as a member in good standing of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, holds a temple recommend and enjoys attending the temple and Sunday services at his ward he has paid a heavy price for absconding to Utah courts stripped him and his family of their $1.5 million home in Emmett and seized his commercial properties and bank accounts to help satisfy the judgment against him Bundy said he also is constantly contacted by Idaho attorneys trying to collect on the debt from a defamation lawsuit an Idaho hospital won against him. And leery of drawing too much attention to himself, he no longer feels comfortable voicing his views to large crowds at speaking engagements (Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ammon Bundy has so far lived a quieter life in southern Utah — despite still being subject to an arrest warrant in Idaho Hoping to find a fresh start and peace in Utah Bundy said he stays busy and does not spend much time looking over his shoulder Bundy may have little to worry about in Utah sheriff’s spokesperson for Idaho’s Ada County confirmed that the warrant for Bundy’s arrest allows for extradition but said the office lacks jurisdiction “of any attempt made by our agency to request the appropriate Utah agency to serve the warrant.” believes police are not pursuing Bundy because the risk of provoking an armed standoff or similar confrontation in Utah outweighs the justice that would be served by arresting and extraditing him “I can tell you that 99 out of 100 people in Idaho are just happy he is in Utah,” Raney said “There’s a sense of at least he’s not here in Idaho pulling stunts…with his little band of merry men.” Bundy has no plans to return to his former haunts “If I was to go into Idaho … they probably would [arrest me] “But I’m outside their jurisdiction … [and] extradition is very rare unless it’s [for] a violent crime or a felony.” Bundy suspects they show little interest in arresting him because “They understand [that the government] did that once before [to me and family members for the standoffs in Nevada and Oregon],” he said The feds “arrested us and put us in prison for two years So why would they want to do that over this deal?” (Rick Bowmer | AP) Ammon Bundy speaks to reporters during the takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in January 2016 near Burns said he has not heard from Idaho authorities but added that he reached out to them after learning that Bundy was in southern Utah “It’s a civil rather than a criminal warrant,” he said “so they really are not interested in getting him back [he or she] would arrest him as long as Idaho is willing to extradite But if Idaho isn’t willing to extradite him Upon learning that Bundy was living in Washington County several months ago Carpenter said he sent the fugitive’s address to Washington County sheriff’s officials but never heard back Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby did not respond to multiple Salt Lake Tribune requests for comment As for Bundy’s current line of work — which he said he operates through Bundy Motors his brother’s business — Carpenter said it falls within Cedar City’s jurisdiction Cedar City Police Chief Darin Adams said he is unaware of Bundy’s business or whereabouts and we are focused on criminal investigations and things of that nature But it certainly would not be at the top of our priority list.” he has already had encounters with police in the Cedar City area He said he was pulled over by the Utah Highway Patrol recently and cited for not wearing a seat belt “They gave me a ticket … and then they left.” The Utah Department of Public Safety did not respond to requests to confirm that citation That followed an incident last summer when Bundy said he witnessed an accident on Cedar City’s Main Street and came to the aid of an injured driver putting her in his truck and helping direct traffic around the crash until police arrived he filed a report and “went on my merry way.” Bundy is not surprised he was not arrested either time “It’s a political nuclear bomb if they want to make something of it,” he said noting there is no warrant for his arrest in Utah “I hope that they would look at really what happened [in Idaho] … and determine for themselves that it was wrong.” Washington County Attorney Eric Clarke believes the reason Bundy was not arrested for the Utah traffic stop is that the Idaho civil warrant was probably not entered in the National Crime Information Center “I’ve never heard of an instance,” Clarke said “where someone was extradited for a civil warrant.” stands on the Idaho Capitol steps in Boise in August 2020 Bundy is seemingly as adept at dodging discipline from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as he is from the law — at least in connection with the Idaho case. Asked how he can square being a fugitive with the faith’s teachings that instruct members to be “subject to kings honoring and sustaining the law,” he has a ready answer “We believe in being subject to them and in obeying honoring and sustaining the law,” he explained “We don’t believe in being obedient to them when they are not obeying honoring and sustaining the law…So when they are [acting] way outside the Constitution Familiar, as he said he is, with Latter-day Saint doctrine, Bundy is not a stranger to church discipline. He logged nearly two years in federal prison after the armed standoff at the family ranch in Nevada and the takeover of the wildlife refuge in Oregon Even though he was acquitted of all charges in the Oregon case and the charges for the Nevada skirmish were dropped due to prosecutorial misconduct Bundy said a regional Latter-day Saint leader put him under church discipline when he was released from prison and moved with his family to Idaho in 2018 That prevented him from attending the temple baptizing some of his children and ordaining his sons to the all-male priesthood When those religious limits were lifted about 18 months later Bundy said he asked his stake president “why he put me on church discipline The only answer he gave me was that he wanted to know which side [I] was on.” Bundy again fell out of the church’s good graces During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he organized the People’s Rights Network, a coalition of about 20,000 followers spread over 16 states that the Institute for Research & Education on Human Rights and the Montana Human Rights Network characterized as a “dangerous new network of militia members He soon ran afoul of the law when he and his followers protested mask mandates at the Idaho Capitol and disrupted the Gem State’s special three-day legislative session the second time handcuffed to a wheelchair (Darin Oswald | The Idaho Statesman) Ammon Bundy is dragged from the Idaho Senate chambers gallery by state troopers after returning to the Idaho Capitol in August 2020 Bundy said that prompted his regional leader to put him on church restrictions again three years later by a new stake president ‘I would like to take the sacrament [or Communion] again…and I also would like to baptize my son,” Bundy recalled he gave me my temple recommend and lifted all of the church [restrictions] The faith leader “said he had called church headquarters and asked what standing [I] was in,” Bundy continued ‘Are you asking ecclesiastically or politically?’ And he said I’m a stake president so I am asking ecclesiastically.’ She said Ammon Bundy has always been in good standing in the church.’” the church does not comment on membership discipline Bundy ultimately has beaten most legal raps But his fortunes took a turn during his failed run for Idaho governor was put into protective care after staff at Boise’s St Luke’s Medical Center found the child to be suffering from severe malnutrition An emergency room physician later testified that the 10-month-old’s stomach was distended Three other doctors concurred with that diagnosis testifying that the infant was so malnourished and dehydrated that the baby would have died within days without protective care Luke’s saved the infant,” said attorney Erik Stidham Luke’s in the defamation case the hospital later brought against Bundy and Rodriguez “And the Idaho court system was working as it should to reunite the infant with his parents when stabilized and under proper conditions for care.” Bundy disputes that assessment and calls the removal of his friend’s grandson another egregious example of government overreach “How could I see my friend’s baby kidnapped … when I know they are just this wonderful beautiful family who loves the baby and has never neglected it?” he asked “...When I see somebody take that baby away from them wrongfully by force and I have a voice … I have to respond.” was to orchestrate a smear campaign against the hospital nurses and protective care workers to intimidate them into returning the baby to the parents Bundy and hundreds of his supporters — many of them armed — surrounded St (Darin Oswald | The Idaho Statesman) Protesters encouraged by Ammon Bundy gather outside of St forcing the facility into a security lockdown ambulances carrying emergency patients had to be diverted to other medical facilities doctors and nurses were hindered from entering or exiting the buildings and the Boise hospital was locked down at one point Protesters also jammed phone lines with menacing messages and overwhelmed hospital servers with spam emails Rodriguez and their supporters spread false narratives on social media and extremist websites accusing hospital doctors and nurses of mistreating the infant being pedophiles who were involved in sex trafficking and conspiring with health authorities to kidnap children from “godly Christian families” to traffic them to “homos” who were likely to abuse and kill them Bundy’s true aim was to raise his media profile recruit more members to his People’s Rights Network enrich himself and raise money for his gubernatorial campaign was arrested a month after the verdict for contempt of court after he refused to appear for the defamation lawsuit proceedings He was released on $10,000 bail Just before his contempt trial was to begin in November 2023, Bundy skipped town. In lieu of a personal appearance, Bundy sent the court an email explaining why he was a no-show “My entire life has been consumed by political prosecutions,” Bundy wrote “I must now do what is necessary to sustain my family.” A state judge then issued a warrant for his arrest and set bond at $250,000 Bundy maintains the “harassment” he and his family endured from the courts and law enforcement left him little choice the court directed the sheriff to escort St Luke’s attorneys as they rifled through his home the legal tangles got so bad that he had to decide whether to stay there and “stand on the front porch” armed with a shotgun or flee (Darin Oswald | The Idaho Statesman) Supporters of Ammon Bundy gather at his property in Emmett in April 2023 after they were told his arrest was imminent scoffs at Bundy’s assertion that he is a victim whose chief desire is to be left alone to pursue a life of peace “That’s the most hypocritical statement I could imagine,” Raney said Stidham characterizes Bundy’s exodus as an act of cowardice Bundy had a full and fair opportunity to defend himself in the lawsuit and any subsequent trial for contempt,” Stidham said Bundy ran from the litigation not because he lacked funds for an attorney but because he knew that an Idaho jury would reach a just verdict against him.” Thus far, St. Luke’s attorneys have been able to acquire some of Bundy’s properties worth a combined value of about $2.5 million but say they have been hampered in collecting more because Bundy is concealing his assets. Last July, Bundy filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Utah asking the court to discharge the $52.5 million judgment Bundy shows little remorse over the hospital protests although he concedes some may have been hurt against arguments that he defamed doctors and hospital staff “I don’t believe those people are innocent because of what they did,” he said “but I never intentionally tried to hurt anybody.” have one regret: not communicating better to help people understand that his anti-federal government activism is about fighting to uphold freedom for everyone including his grandchildren and great-grandchildren history proves that it takes hundreds of years and bloodshed to return if it returns at all,” he said “And if you lose the ability to control the land and resources Bundy said he grappled with that question when he was imprisoned in Nevada Would he still square off against federal officers over public lands or involve himself in other disputes Bundy said he didn’t have an answer until he rushed to the aid of a young man who was being brutally beaten by several other inmates that he realized that he was still willing to put himself at risk to help others For now, Bundy strives to minimize those risks. He insists he has not had any contact with Oath Keepers USA a far-right group that now claims to be headquartered near Cedar City and has ties to protesters who took part in the Jan he is considering a speaking invitation he received from the People’s Rights Network Bundy said he prayed for guidance and received a revelation from God telling him to live as normal a life as possible Bundy insists he and his family are prepared “I guess it’s been said before,” Bundy stated “but we’ve learned how to swim in deep waters.” Part two • Ammon Bundy shares his views on a range of topics — from Donald Trump to Elon Musk, militias to MAGA, and the Book of Mormon to the so-called White Horse Prophecy. AMMON — A local city is finding a unique and fun way for the community to explore its multiple parks The “Ammon Parks Spring Scavenger Hunt” kicks off this Thursday You do not have to do it all in one day or one time,” said Randal Miller The first clue and instructions for the scavenger hunt will be posted on the city of Ammon’s Facebook page by 8 a.m Participants can find subsequent clues at each park You scan the QR code and the clue for the next park will come up you have to take a picture,” Miller explained Everyone who finds the clue at all 13 parks will be entered to win prizes donated by local businesses which have been spotlighted on the city’s Facebook page Some prizes include a 60-minute massage and 60-minute facial gift card from BodyWorx Massage Therapy & Esthetics a two-hour limo service from Blacknight Limousine a gift certificate for two dozen gourmet cupcakes from The Cake Box and more “The big grand prize is a hot air balloon ride for two passengers on Ammon Days weekend (in August) and it’s weather permitting,” Miller said The idea behind the scavenger hunt was to introduce the community to the 13 parks Ammon has to offer Miller said most people often think of McCowin Park especially since many events take place there and it’s a central location “…a lot of people that we talk to that want to schedule something … the first thing they ask about is always McCowin Park but over the last couple of years when we’ve talked to people and said do you know about this park or this park?’ and the response usually is I had no idea that Ammon had a park here or that Ammon had a park there,'” Miller said He hopes that this first-time event will get people excited and help them learn about Ammon’s offerings check them out and we appreciate the businesses helping us out with prizes,” Miller said Miller added that if any local businesses want to be a part of the scavenger hunt by donating a prize and being spotlighted on Facebook, email him at rmiller@cityofammon.us SUBMIT A CORRECTION There are no statistics available for this player Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting AMMON — Looking to get rid of your Christmas tree One city wants you to dispose of it at a local park to help create a roaring bonfire This will be the city of Ammon’s fifth year of the “Icy Inferno Christmas Tree Bonfire and Fireworks” presented by Lookout Credit Union “The highlight of the night is the fire You don’t have to haul (your tree) to the dump Bring it on over and throw it onto the pile!” said Ammon Recreation Director Randal Miller People in the community can dispose of their live undecorated Christmas trees starting now until the afternoon of Jan The trees can be dropped off at the southwest corner of McCowin Park at Targhee Street and Williams Street There’s already a big pile,” Miller said Miller told EastIdahoNews.com that last year the flames were about 50 to 60 feet in the air and the pile of trees was around 25 feet high A question that gets asked frequently about the bonfire is whether the fire department is aware of the event The fire department is involved in every step of the process The fire department will be out there all night They start the fire and they supervise it the whole evening,” Miller said Many prizes will be given away by different businesses and Kneaders will have free chocolate chip cookies “Cabela’s is going to be out there with a portable heater Ammon Arts Community Theatre will be giving tickets away and Elite Comfort Systems will be out there with some Amazon cards,” he said Miller encourages people to get there early for the Icy Inferno and to be patient if they have to park a bit farther and walk A couple thousand people are expected to attend “Just come out and enjoy a fun and very unique activity for this area,” he said SUBMIT A CORRECTION finished his battle with heart disease on February 1 at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City to Tristan Lance John and Julie Ann Waite John He grew up and attended schools in Ammon and graduated from Thunder Ridge High School in 2024 He was currently attending BYU-I where he was studying data analytics Tyce was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints He enjoyed playing baseball since he was five and spent many summers traveling around southeast Idaho and northern Utah playing in tournaments and then he pitched for Thunder Ridge High School He worked as a landscaper at the Ammon Cemetery and was an umpire for Ammon Little League since he was 13 years old Although Tyce has faced many health challenges related to his heart in the past couple of years he never stopped living life to the fullest He had a testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel Tyce had a desire to serve a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but we know he is serving a mission in heaven now.         ID.             The family would like to thank the countless medical professionals and ambulance and life flight EMTs for the upmost care they gave to Tyce up until his last minute on earth Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m The family will visit with friends Friday from 6:30-8 p.m Burial will be in the Ammon Cemetery.  we are inviting all attendees to wear mismatched socks (which was his signature look and was what he was wearing at the time of his death) If you need inspiration about which socks to buy his favorite sports teams were the Seattle Mariners In lieu of flowers, you may donate to the Ronald McDonald Charities and dedicate your donation to Tyce John it can be sent to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Idaho Services will be broadcast live here The moment Donald Trump’s election became clear, Wyoming U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis tweeted, “WE ARE GOING TO BUILD A STRATEGIC BITCOIN RESERVE.” Lummis is the sponsor of a federal bill, the “BITCOIN Act of 2024,” which has received a nod from Trump—and which supporters argue could help pay down the national debt the secretary of the treasury would purchase 1 million Bitcoin—about 100 billion U.S dollars—and hold it for not less than 20 years Lummis’ reserve will pay down 36 percent of all U.S national debt in 2050 if Bitcoin compounds at 25 percent Bitcoin has had an average annual return of 77 percent Inspired by Lummis’ bill, New Hampshire state Rep. Keith Ammon has introduced a bill to create a Bitcoin strategic reserve in New Hampshire. Under Ammon’s more modest bill the state treasurer would be empowered to invest not more than 10 percent of public funds in Bitcoin Ammon’s bill is enabling legislation that would not mandate the purchase of any assets A real-life example of a strategic Bitcoin reserve can be seen in El Salvador—a longstanding international partner of New Hampshire’s National Guard After President Nayib Bukele began purchasing Bitcoin in 2021 El Salvador’s Bitcoin assets experienced a 122 percent increase in value with unrealized gains in the hundreds of millions El Salvador would have lost value as inflation outpaced the yield on the bonds During a House Commerce hearing on Ammon’s bill one legislator pressed him on the volatility of Bitcoin—pointing out that it lost three-quarters of its value in 2022 New Hampshire shouldn’t buy Bitcoin because it’s a bad investment critics of Lummis’ bill make essentially the opposite claim scholar Brendan Greeley said he opposes a federal Bitcoin reserve precisely because it will hasten Bitcoin’s appreciation—enriching the U.S Bitcoin’s growth at the expense of the U.S dollar will limit the federal government’s control over the economy Whatever the merits of these arguments against Lummis’ bill an issuer of its own currency—it is an investor like a firm or a household And it has a duty to make the wisest investments it can with the money it collects in taxes New Hampshire would benefit if it purchases Bitcoin and would benefit most if Trump and Lummis follow through on their federal reserve New Hampshire would have more to invest in its communities would mark itself as a first-in-the-nation innovator and would signal to the technology sector that we are stepping into a new era Under Bukele’s innovative style of leadership our partners in El Salvador have risen from a den of crime to an emerging first-world nation—with many commentators calling the country “the next Singapore.” That kind of dramatic transformation is every bit as attainable here New Hampshire is the same size as El Salvador and With New Hampshire’s distinct political climate and proximity to Boston’s tech industry we are uniquely positioned to unlock our own Singaporean revolution and reshape the political economy of New England For Comments, Questions, Or Complaints aboutour articles please contact us Thanks for visiting A Utah bankruptcy judge is ordering anti-government activist Ammon Bundy to comply with subpoenas and depositions from St Luke’s Health System regarding his finances Bundy filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in July to discharge a $53 million civil judgment levied against him after defaming St its CEO and other healthcare providers with the system in 2022 You can read more about Bundy's filing and the Chapter 7 bankruptcy process here said Bundy refused to produce details of his finances during that lawsuit nor did he ever sit for a deposition despite their attempts Bundy’s bankruptcy application lists the legal judgment as his only debt which he estimates to be worth $1.4 million to his Idaho gubernatorial campaign treasurer who then leased it back to Bundy before he moved to Utah in 2023 Bundy described the transaction in his bankruptcy application this way: “sold house to my friend Aaron Welling to try and avoid losing our home to St Since the transaction happened less than two years before he filed for bankruptcy, it’s possible the trustee handling the case could recover the home and sell it During a required meeting with creditors last month attorneys for the hospital said Bundy invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination about 40 times when asked questions They said he also “ran his personal financial activities through a closely-held corporation,” “diverted personal assets to corporate entities,” and passed some assets to political allies while being pursued by creditors he must produce discovery to lay bare his long-obscured finances,” attorneys wrote in their motion to the Utah Bankruptcy Court Judge William Thurman granted the motion Monday Luke’s allowing them to subpoena documents and depositions from Bundy’s wife Luke has done everything they could to try and make my family and I as miserable as possible "They are opposite of a Christian organization even though they carry the name of Luke," he said Anti-government activist Ammon Bundy wrote in court filings he hasn’t paid income tax to state and federal governments since 2018 The amended application in his Chapter 7 bankruptcy case shows Bundy owes the Internal Revenue Service and the states of Arizona and Idaho $87,434 in back taxes The bulk of that money – $69,100 – Bundy said is owed to the federal government Arizona and Idaho are owed $13,626 and $4,708 respectively The reason he refuses to “voluntarily” pay these income taxes is due to his arrest and subsequent detention after seizing control of a federal wildlife refuge in 2016 “[Bundy] intends on abstaining from paying into coffers that are used to destroy his family Bundy has personal knowledge through experience that the DOJ (especially the FBI and the U.S Attorneys Office) is a cesspool of conspiracies corruption and murders and the thought of paying a dime to support such institutions is repulsive to him.” A jury acquitted Bundy, one of his brothers and several followers for their actions during the takeover Officials subsequently held him for two years in another case involving a 2014 standoff with federal agents related to his father’s Nevada ranch and grazing rights A judge later declared a mistrial and set Bundy free Bundy’s main reason for filing for bankruptcy earlier this summer is to discharge a $53 million civil judgment levied against him by an Idaho court for defaming St The case stems from 2022 when Bundy and his followers staged protests at two St Luke’s hospitals after police took friend’s grandchild in for medical evaluations One protest caused the downtown Boise hospital to go into lockdown and forced ambulances to reroute to other locations Healthcare workers also received threats during the protests Luke’s objected to Bundy’s bankruptcy application in October saying he had maliciously and knowingly defamed the health group which is a reason outlined in federal law that can be used to deny a debt from being discharged A Utah bankruptcy judge will consider rejecting Bundy’s request to lift the judgment Jan AMMON — An annual holiday light event in Ammon will have a major change this year but organizers promise it will still be festive and a lot of fun for the community The Holiday Lightapalooza will be on Saturday “We will have free hot chocolate and cookies They usually go pretty quick,” said Randal Miller This year’s theme will be a little different “The big change is that there is no parade route They are all going to be stationary over at the park,” Miller said “You can see the floats and vote on your favorite.” There will be prize money for the best floats, ranging from $300 to $1,000. Floats must have a minimum of 1,500 lights. If you are interested in entering a float, you have until Dec. 2 to register. Click here to register. If you have any questions, email Miller at rmiller@cityofammon.us The reason behind the stationary floats is safety “We met with the streets department and the sheriff’s office We have had some close calls here in the last few years the streets are icy and even after we discontinued throwing candy there’s still been some close calls with people almost getting hurt,” Miller said Miller told EastIdahoNews.com that throwing candy during the light parade has been discontinued for the last two years for safety reasons but handing out candy and goodies will be coming back since the floats are all staying in one place He added that it’s easy to search for “parade accidents” or “parade injuries” online and find a list of stories about incidents from around the country EastIdahoNews.com found two recent fatalities. An 8-year-old died in a Utah Fourth of July parade accident in 2022 The girl was reportedly performing with a cheer team when she was hit by a vehicle that was with the group There was also an 11-year-old girl in North Carolina who died after being hit by a float during a Christmas parade in 2022 Miller made it clear that nothing like this has happened in the city of Ammon but wanted to make sure it was prevented “We are trying to be proactive,” Miller said The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive about the change but there have been some concerns and disappointments because it’s different from previous years But I would say that you can still see the floats Bryan Lovell said having a moving parade in the dark is a different dynamic than in the daylight but what lighting is there limits your visibility in other areas where you just have a higher concentration of moving vehicles and people in and around that You have a fair risk of somebody getting injured and they (the city of Ammon) just want to avoid that but still have an event where everyone can come and enjoy,” Lovell said Lovell said parents and their kids need to be extra mindful Watch for people getting in and out of cars and use crosswalks Since there is limited parking at McCowin Park there will be free shuttles at Hillcrest High School running all evening Park on the east side where the main office entrance lot is and shuttles will go from Owen Street to the event “We just really want to emphasize: Please come out and enjoy the night we know it’s a change but it’s still going to be a lot of fun It’s just going to be a great event,” Miller added SUBMIT A CORRECTION We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Ammon L. “Smitty” Smith, 91, of Mount Joy, passed away on September 8, 2024 at Masonic Village. Born in Mount Joy, he was the son of the late Samuel and Mabel (Lehman) Smith. Ammon was the husband of Patricia (Hollinger) Smith with... View Obituary & Service Information "Smitty" Smith created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Made with love by funeralOne IDAHO FALLS — As construction of a new mosque nears completion the Islamic community in Idaho Falls is preparing for its annual Ramadan festival on Feb The public is invited to a celebratory feast Ramadan is the name of the ninth Islamic lunar month, according to a website about Islam It’s the month Muslims believe God revealed the Quran (their book of scripture) to Muhammad and “all the worldly pleasures that exist.” “It’s a month of cleansing your mind and cleansing your soul,” Mohannad Elabed a practicing Muslim in Idaho Falls and spokesman for the local faith Muslims traditionally eat a date and drink water before praying to officially end the fast Elabed says the ritual is rooted in centuries of tradition dating back to the time of the ancient prophets Muslims meet with family and friends for a celebratory feast They bring traditional food and socialize together These gatherings are a Muslim tradition open to anyone wanting to participate The Idaho Falls event will be held at sunset on Feb 28 and every weekend thereafter until the end of March “We usually rent out (a local venue) for three or four hours,” says Elabed “A lot of us will stay until the last prayer of the night — around 7:30 If you’re interested in attending, reach out to Elabed on Facebook for a location A group of Muslims pray during a worship service at the Idaho Falls Activity Center in 2019 Muslims meet on Friday for Sabbath worship services They meet in the basement of a medical office building across from The Ivory apartments at 1956 South Woodruff The prayer service usually happens midday between noon and 1 p.m The worship service coincides with the third prayer The exact time depends on the sun’s position in the sky “It changes daily,” Elabed explains RELATED | Finding Faith: The truth about Muslims, what they believe, and how they’re treated by locals Finding a permanent place to worship has been an ongoing effort for years. A Muslim mosque is currently under construction in Ammon. At Elabed’s request, we are not revealing the exact location due to fears of vandalism. Upon completion, it will be named Hanni Mosque in memory of Elabed’s brother, who passed away in 2012 Construction on the 1,800-square-foot building began in December and is estimated to be completed in May or June is paying for the building out of his own pocket Mosque under construction in Ammon | Rett Nelson More than 100 Muslims are living in the Idaho Falls area A small group of them started worshipping together around 2008 Islam’s roots in eastern Idaho date back to the 1980s. The Idaho State Journal reports it began as a student organization at Idaho State University. The Islamic Society of Southeast Idaho later built a mosque in Pocatello, which was completed in 2014 Mohammad came to eastern Idaho in 1973 and was the first Muslim in Idaho Falls as far as members of the faith have been able to document He applied for an immigration visa and worked his way from Puerto Rico to New York and Nevada before eventually settling in Idaho Falls “It took him 15 years to bring my mother here because he decided to proceed the legal way,” says Elabed Mohammad sold a lot of products related to agriculture and that’s how he ended up in Idaho Falls “He felt very welcomed in this community,” says Elabed “His family and religious values aligned a lot with the religious communities here in eastern Idaho He later established a car dealership in town but he says many people are misinformed about Islam’s values RELATED | In the wake of chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan, locals want to make sure 9/11 is not forgotten He recalls several fights in high school over comments that associated him and his family with terrorists Elabed says there have been occasions when people have refused to do business with him when they discover his name is Mohannad Elabed says terrorism is forbidden under Islamic law and his loyalty is to the United States of America it’s as though you’ve killed all of humanity,” he says Today, Islam is the third-largest religion in America, according to the latest census data There are more than 4.4 million Muslims nationwide Many of the Muslims living in eastern Idaho are well-educated Some are engineers at the Idaho National Lab Elabed says they come from all walks of life and make meaningful contributions to society After nearly 40 years of utilizing someone else’s space to worship Elabed is excited at the prospect of having a mosque He’s proud to call Idaho Falls his home and welcomes anyone who wants to attend prayer service or enjoy a meal during Ramadan “We don’t care what color you are or what religion you are; you are welcome to attend any of our gatherings,” he says “We’re open to answering any questions.” SUBMIT A CORRECTION AMMON — An Ammon man missing since Sunday has been found deceased was located in Clark County Wednesday night according to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office McNett’s two sons discovered him around 10:30 p.m after receiving a tip from someone who had seen a social media post from the McNett family “Though the outcome was not what we had hoped we are so grateful he was found before the storms that are expected today,” McNett’s wife “It was due to the prayers and shares that this was possible and our family is eternally grateful for the love law enforcement and complete strangers.” McNett’s family reported him missing on Monday evening after learning he did not show up to work If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, EastIdahoNews.com encourages you to call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 SUBMIT A CORRECTION An official website of the United States government Office of Environmental Management EM highlights former service members who have joined EM on their journey in civilian work-life I am currently the Waste Area Group 10 work package manager and the facility manager for environmental restoration at the Idaho Cleanup Project What branch did you serve in; when; where stationed I joined the Army Reserve in 2008 as a Combat Engineer (12B) and was assigned to the 744th Engineer Company in Ogden We deployed to Afghanistan (Regional Command East) from 2010-2011 as a route clearance package I transferred in 2012 to the 704th Engineer Company in Hot Springs Arkansas and we deployed to Afghanistan (Regional Command West) from 2012-2013 again as a route clearance package I transferred back to the 744th Engineer Company through 2016 for a total of eight years both active and reserve Most memorable event/moment during your service The most memorable moments happened many times where I was able to witness first-hand the remarkable courage and fearlessness of those around me Men willing to put their life on the line in the war on terror for both our country and the citizens of Afghanistan I’ll never forget many of the incredible brothers in arms I had the honor to serve with How has your military service helped prepare you for the job you do in EM I am able to perform efficiently in a changing environment and work well with others to accomplish project goals When did you begin working for EM and what got you interested in the cleanup mission and my love for the outdoors and education in geology and environmental science led me toward the environmental remediation (ER) industry I gained the opportunity to Intern at the Idaho Cleanup Project and was hired on full-time with the ER group in 2017. I really enjoy working with the ER/CERCLA team and look forward to many more years to come Read more EM Veteran Interviews The following is a news release from the City of Ammon Curlew Drive between 17th and Sawtooth Street will be closed until Wednesday 27 to prepare for changes to traffic patterns The intersection of Curlew Drive and 17th Street will have traffic restrictions between Monday and Wednesday as adjustments to lanes and traffic signals are made there will be no access to southbound Curlew Drive from 17th Street Only vehicles traveling north toward Walmart will be permitted access on Eagle Road at the intersection with Salmon Street will be restricted to southbound traffic only There will be no northbound access on Eagle Road toward 17th Street This change is being made based on the impact of an overwhelming amount of non-local traffic using the small neighborhood streets for access to businesses Bonneville County Sheriff Deputies will be in the area monitoring the new traffic patterns Please drive with caution and respect all road signs SUBMIT A CORRECTION Former Idaho gubernatorial candidate and anti-government activist Ammon Bundy is undergoing bankruptcy proceedings as he tries to discharge $53 million in civil penalties from a defamation suit filed by St A Utah bankruptcy judge just ordered him to comply with subpoenas and depositions from St. Luke’s regarding his financial details But what does it mean to file for this particular type of bankruptcy and how did we get here As previously reported by Boise State Public Radio and the Idaho Capital Sun Luke’s Health System said hundreds of people attended a protest outside its downtown Boise hospital Demonstrators protested over the hospitalization of the grandson of Diego Rodriguez who was also named in the lawsuit filed by St The hospital eventually went into lockdown for roughly two hours and diverted ambulances to other medical facilities during that time Bundy and Rodriguez then continually issued statements released videos and posted blog entries accusing St its executives and some of its providers of being complicit in child trafficking After months of hearings, several of which Bundy didn’t attend 4th District Court Judge Nancy Baskin entered a default judgment against the men and their respective companies totalling $51.8 million There are multiple paths individuals and companies can choose when filing for bankruptcy involves liquidating assets to pay off creditors while discharging debts that aren’t exempt under the law Once someone files an application for bankruptcy an automatic stay goes into effect to prevent creditors from collecting on debts while proceedings are ongoing the assets he reported combine to about $1.6 million Most of that comes from his former home in Emmett Bundy wrote he “sold house to my friend Aaron Welling to try and avoid losing our home to St Since the transaction happened less than two years before he filed for bankruptcy, it’s possible the trustee handling the case could recover the home and sell it that’s after selling any nonexempt assets to pay off creditors personal loans and medical bills are common things people relieve themselves using Chapter 7 bankruptcy There are, however, some types of debt that can’t be wiped clean using bankruptcy. That includes student loans, alimony and child support, as well as certain taxes and debt acquired via fraud That leads us to the big question: can civil court judgments be discharged through bankruptcy As with just about everything in the legal system One section of the bankruptcy code lawyers I’ve spoken with said exempts debt from being discharged if it involves “willful and malicious injury by the debtor to another entity or to the property of another entity.” Luke’s could argue Bundy’s actions over the past two years – before during and after the lawsuit – constitute “willful and malicious injury” to the organization that question could turn into a separate lawsuit within the bankruptcy case and could drag on for months or even longer filing for bankruptcy can give them a fresh start lifted after the applicant’s assets are sold and used to pay off their creditors as much as possible The average case takes between four to six months to process that bankruptcy mark will stay on a person’s credit file a professor at University of Montana’s Alexander Blewett III School of Law who specializes in commercial law said the federal bankruptcy law is part of the American social safety net “I anticipate this case will illustrate parties arguing over where the limit of that social safety net should be,” Byington said That wasn’t always the case throughout history Prior to the 18th century, Britain’s early bankruptcy laws required all debts to be repaid before a person could be released from bankruptcy Those laws eventually evolved to become more debtor-friendly In a presentation to the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta a professor emerita at University of Colorado Boulder concluded these changes “had the potential to increase the rate of investment and the retention of entrepreneurial talent in the economy.” The ancient world offered more extreme solutions The Code of Hammurabi, which governed Babylonia in 1700 BC, allowed one to sell themself or family members into slavery for three years as a way to repay a debt Egyptians, according to the Greek historian Herodotus would borrow money using their father’s mummy and family burial chamber as collateral Among the many issues to consider this election season Ammon residents have one extra issue to vote on It's whether they approve a $1.25 million annual street levy for the city to use on road maintenance "I think a lot of residents would recognize that there are a lot of road needs," said Mayor Sean Coletti "But we actually have no consistent source of revenue for streets in the City of Ammon Coletti says the city gets its road maintenance funds from the state's highway user fees and some funds from developers when they work on new projects within the city is that those funds aren't enough and are not consistent enough to pay for major road construction projects All current property taxes go to primarily funding the police department with the remaining portion going towards the parks system "So what we're trying to do is create that consistent year-after-year source of revenue for streets so that we can adequately take care of our roads," said Coletti the proposed levy is set to cost homeowners $56.07 per $100,000 of taxable value annually homeowners need to take their home's value subtract $125,000 for the Idaho Homeowner's Exemption to find their taxable value then multiply that taxable value by the $56.07 Subtract $125,000 to get a taxable value of $275,000 Then multiply 56.07 by 2.75 (from the $275,000 taxable value) to get an annual cost of $154.19 Another example: a home is valued at $675,000 Subtract $125,000 for the Idaho Homeowner's Exemption to get a taxable value of $550,000 Coletti says his hope for this levy is it will be a long term investment for the city and ultimately make the city better for people and drivers The levy will be on a two year renewal plan meaning if it passes voters will have to approve it again every two years Chris Nestman is a weather anchor and reporter for Local News 8 Keith Ammon (R) is a freedom-loving member of New Hampshire’s House of Representatives — and he’s doing his damnedest to orange pill the state’s legislative body On Tuesday, Rep. Keith Ammon addressed a New Hampshire House Ways and Means Committee on House Bill (HB) 302 which would permit the state’s treasurer to invest in bitcoin he brought up the United States’ excessive debt and made the case for the state of New Hampshire to invest in bitcoin as a means to mitigate the ravaging effects of inflation someone inside of the system doing his best to get members of the legislature of the state he calls home to see in bitcoin what he likely saw in it many moons ago The software developer and self-described “Bitcoin maxi” (who admits to also seeing some value in other blockchains and crypto projects) found Bitcoin two years after its inception and has been spreading the word about it in New Hampshire ever since As the founder of the New Hampshire Blockchain Council and a state representative who is the lead sponsor on the three current Bitcoin- and crypto-related bills in the state that are currently working their way through the legislative process Ammon is perhaps the most notable Bitcoin advocate in The Granite State And the story of how he found Bitcoin is bad ass to boot Based on how you spoke at Tuesday’s committee hearing about HB302 I got the impression that you’re a long-time Bitcoiner but it was some kind of system of nodes and you would lend people money and IOUs would flow back and forth But I kept in touch with that small group of people the idea of Bitcoin popped out of another discussion with them This is the thing that is going to change the world.” I come from a software development background, and I read books like The Creature From Jekyll Island in my early twenties so my brain was primed to receive the concepts related to Bitcoin and the light bulb went off very early But then also the game theory behind it is just amazing Bitcoin is like a virus that inhabits the human mind and spreads from person to person What has it been like trying to spread it to other members of government fast forward to 2015 — I was elected to the state legislature We tried proposing a few Bitcoin-related bills around that time and now it’s at the point where I’m a subject matter expert within our legislature Other politicians in New Hampshire reach out to me whenever they hear something positive about Bitcoin I’m finding it a little easier to bring the legislature up to speed You’ve done a lot of work shifting the Overton window regarding Bitcoin in New Hampshire you talked about using bitcoin as a tool to hedge against U.S federal government is $36 trillion dollars in debt and that it will have to print more money to meet its debt obligations How do people in government react when you bring up tough truths like this and propose bitcoin as a solution Our national debt is a very harsh reality that people often just overlook there are quite a few gold bugs in our legislature and they’re from the sound money school of thought view the national debt like an asteroid that’s coming — we can see it coming but we still have to get up and go to work every day unless you really fixate on what’s happening you tend to not focus on it because it’s such a big problem and we can see that there is an alternative with bitcoin You can pick up your marbles and switch teams You don’t have to suffer the consequences you’ll be affected on some level if society starts crumbling but you can limit some of the consequences or at least protect your personal sovereignty and wealth The conversation on Tuesday was about enabling the state treasurer to invest in digital assets that have a market cap of $500 billion or more We’re trying to get all these conversations moving within the state government so that when it becomes a little more obvious that bitcoin is a solution to inflation the state government’s members are primed to receive this message I’m sure it’s easier to get politicians to see the problem than it is to convince them that bitcoin is a solution Are you getting a lot of pushback on HB302 With that particular bill, we worked with the Satoshi Action Fund I’ve gotten to be buddies with Dennis Porter and Eric Peterson We started with one of their pieces of model legislation The first thing we did was we met with the state treasurer Dennis and his team showed up and I had a couple of people there from the Blockchain Council We sat in the treasurer’s office and talked with her about it but was open to the idea of learning more about it She also commented that her colleagues around the country are beginning to talk about digital assets which is the first committee it went through we talked to the state treasurer again about the amendments She said that the state treasury department may not invest in bitcoin right away but that it would be nice to have another tool in the toolbox HB302 stipulates that only digital assets with a market cap of over $500 billion can be included in the reserve How did you come up with this number and do you foresee a number of other digital assets eventually being added to the reserve because we don’t want anyone to get the idea that the state treasurer might invest in meme coins we can’t explicitly say “bitcoin” in the legislation It would be seen as picking winners and losers Good legislation should be rational and unbiased so it’s likely going to pass the House I think there’s a higher than 50% chance that it passes the Senate The problem is when the House passes some bills and the Senate knows that there’s a priority on the House side they attach their stuff to it when the bill comes over sometimes bills can die in that crossfire between the two chambers Are politicians in New Hampshire’s government now taking the idea of a bitcoin or digital asset reserve more seriously because they’re seeing members of other state governments put forth bills that propose the creation of such reserves in other states There are really only a handful of members of New Hampshire’s legislative body that are paying attention to this I try to stress when I testify that the last one in the pool when it comes to bitcoin loses we don’t want to be the last state to buy bitcoin because its price will rise significantly in the meantime especially if other states start buying first There’s still some skepticism about Bitcoin All these false narratives — like that its energy use is going to melt the planet or that it’s only used by criminals As new people try to wrap their head around it they often default to discrediting it as quickly as possible they don’t have to think about it anymore these same arguments just keep being brought up by new people who are still trying to figure it out now that the Trump administration is talking seriously about it talking about how we’re going to be a Bitcoin country even if they don’t fully understand it they’ll at least take it more seriously If HB302 is passed and the state treasurer begins buying bitcoin what sort of custodial setup do you imagine the state creating One issue that hasn’t been coming up in a lot of Bitcoin- and crypto-related legislation is crypto mixers and their legality. Plus, the Samourai Wallet and Tornado Cash developers are still on trial despite many other crypto cases being thrown out under the Trump administration It’s bad if you purchase a cup of coffee and the merchant that owns the shop that you spend your couple of sats at can see your entire bitcoin balance and it’s something that we can’t give up there’s a lot of scamminess in the crypto space It gets kind of old to always have to dodge these scammy bullets from the larger crypto ecosystem Many other projects in the space are just noise — a big smoke screen Bitcoin Magazine is the oldest and most established source of trustworthy news information and thought leadership on Bitcoin This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page AMMON – Two people are in custody after a knife fight at an Ammon home Tuesday night EastIdahoNews.com reported it happened around 4:30 p.m The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is now releasing names of some of the people involved RELATED | Knife fight in Ammon home leads to one man being hospitalized Thirty-six-year-old Felicitas Irene Negrete and 20-year-old Grason Rai Schneider have been arrested in connection with the dispute In a Wednesday afternoon news release from Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office law enforcement provide more details about what happened Authorities say Schneider and Negrete were fighting when deputies arrived Another man received non-life-threatening wounds and Negrete was injured while fighting with someone else in the house There were other adults and kids inside at the time They saw what happened and deputies questioned them during the investigation the fight was about comments made back and forth on social media Negrete and another unidentified man went to the house on Robison Drive to confront them Negrete immediately engaged in a physical fight with the female who opened the door causing them to attempt to retreat back outside.” along with the person fighting with Negrete The man was taken by ambulance and the other female was taken in a separate Negrete and Schneider have been charged with felony aggravated battery and are in custody at the Bonneville County Jail Idaho Falls police officers and firefighters were on scene helping with the response The SWAT team was there for a short time as well until authorities confirmed everyone involved had been located EastIdahoNews.com will continue to provide updates as we receive them SUBMIT A CORRECTION The following is a news release from Teton Music a cornerstone of the Eastern Idaho arts community regretfully announces the closure of its retail location at Teton Spectrum in Ammon What began in 1999 as an online platform for co-founder Michelle Willis’ original music compositions—performed in schools and concert halls worldwide—has grown over 26 years into a full-service music company cherished by musicians and families alike Teton Music expanded to offer string rentals and sales eventually becoming a comprehensive retailer of band The company established a location in South Jordan bringing its passion for music back to the region where owners Spencer and Michelle Willis were born and raised in Idaho Falls the Willises built a legacy of supporting the arts in Eastern Idaho “We’re incredibly proud of what our family and company have done to bring more of the arts to this community,” said Michelle Willis “When others said ‘no,’ we always strived to say ‘yes,’ supporting families Teton Music earned a reputation for putting that commitment into action quietly and often anonymously donating tens of thousands of dollars in pianos They were among the first sponsors of Idaho Falls’ Center Stage Theatre during its inaugural season and provided pianos free of charge for events like high school graduations The decision to close the Ammon location stems from prohibitive including recent tariffs and material expenses “This wasn’t an easy choice,” said Spencer Willis “But while our brick-and-mortar store is closing our commitment to Eastern Idaho continues.” Teton Music will maintain its service to the community through its online store at TetonMusic.com where it will continue offering string instrument rentals and its renowned piano tuning services a final in-store sale begins immediately: until March 31 all upright pianos will be priced at $2,500 and all remaining grand pianos at $4,500 Every world-renowned piano sold carries Teton Music’s signature 10-year warranty Eastern Idaho customers can shop online and enjoy an exclusive 20% discount on all instruments and sheet music using the promo code IDAHO “This is our way of saying thank you to our roots and ensuring our community still has access to quality products and services at unbeatable prices,” added Spencer The Willises invite the community to visit the Ammon store at 3025 South 25th East before March 31 to take advantage of the closing sale and celebrate a legacy of music and generosity Utah location and online platform will continue to serve customers nationwide SUBMIT A CORRECTION Ammon Simon has been appointed Chief Counsel for the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, according to his LinkedIn announcement Simon previously served as counsel to SEC Commissioner Hester M where he focused on regulatory policies for crypto assets and emerging financial technologies he worked to facilitate dialogue between the agency and industry stakeholders on matters including advisory client asset protection His prior roles include serving as Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel to the General Counsel at the Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Trump Administration He also worked as Banking Counsel for Senator Ben Sasse where he provided guidance on financial market regulations in Political Science and Economics from Wheaton College The Senate Banking Committee is currently working on legislative initiatives to integrate digital assets into traditional financial systems Simon’s appointment comes as the committee addresses regulatory frameworks for the crypto sector Don’t have an account? Create one Already have an account? Sign In Sign In ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " AMMON, Idaho (KIFI)—Café Zupas announced Wednesday that it will open a restaurant in Ammon. It will be located in a new retail development called Foothills Square, just south of Culver's restaurant and Bass Pro Shops (formerly Cabela's) on 25 East. This will be the first Café Zupas restaurant in eastern Idaho. The restaurant offers sandwiches, soups, and salads. Ball Ventures is developing Foothills Square. The company also announced Cafe Zupas will be joining Promontory Point and soon to open Les Schwab tire store. "We're excited to welcome Café Zupas to Foothills Square and to introduce such a beloved brand to the community," said Tahri Molifua, Ball Ventures' President of Real Estate. "As the first Café Zupas on this side of the state, this opening highlights our vision for Foothills Square as a hub for exciting, diverse, and high-quality retail experiences." Café Zupas is expected to open sometime in 2026. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ball Ventures (@ballventures) Susan Parrish Ammon passed away at Lakes of Monclova surrounded by her family following a long illness Susan was the first child born to Marvin and Barbara Parrish on April 6 Crest Drive and had a friend in almost every home in her neighborhood her family moved to Ginger Trail in Sylvania Township where Susan attended Burnham Junior High and Sylvania High School Susan made many close friends and also acquired a life-long passion for horseback riding Susan exhibited exceptional skill as a vocalist in the school's acapella choir at the National Fine Arts Competition in Raleigh and won the national title for female vocal solo and subsequently joined her father's company Both JB and Liz were always the center of Susan's life and brought her enormous joy for the remainder of her life During the 1990's Susan took over operations of her father's business and formed Susan Parrish Associates Susan also found time to create and run a boutique entitled "The Sisters' Dream," comprised of Susan and two of her sisters Susan decided to make a major career change she obtained a position as an RN in OB/GYN at The Toledo Hospital she continued her education to obtain a BSN/MS with the hope of eventually becoming a nurse practitioner she was stricken with ovarian cancer in 2010 and she simply did not have the energy to continue her education while simultaneously working as an RN Susan enjoyed pursuing her life-long interest in gardening She also began taking formal piano lessons reading and watching British detective stories on TV She also was able to travel twice to Scotland and take a trip with Liz on the Hogwarts Express She was diagnosed with another type of cancer which eventually resulted in her liver ceasing to function.  No life description of Susan would be complete without mentioning her extensive love of animals Nor would any description of Susan do her justice without noting that her smile was as big as her heart People liked being around her; they just did Susan is survived by her beloved husband of 25 years Jonathan (Arienne) Walters and Elizabeth (Chad) Walters and grandchildren Camden she is survived by two of her beloved Scotties The family would like to thank the Lakes of Monclova staff and the Northwest Ohio Hospice staff for their loving care during Susan’s final days Visitation and a funeral service will be held on Saturday Visitation will be from 10 am until 12 noon with a Celebration of Life Service at noon.Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to:STCGD Rescue (Scottish Terrier Club of Greater Dayton) and mailed to:PO Box 3344 Dayton Ohio 45401-3344.  Idaho (KIFI) - The Ammon Fire Department responded to a garage fire at a home on East Wayne Avenue Firefighters were able to enter the home and quickly extinguish the fire by cutting through the garage door The Ammon Fire Department says that two dogs were in the home at the time of the fire Firefighters were able to rescue the dogs from the home The Ammon Fire Department is investigating to find the cause and ensure the fire didn’t spread anywhere else in the home Idaho (KIFI) - Two people were injured in a two-car accident on Monday night near the intersection of Ammon Road and Woodside Drive Bonneville County Sheriff's office said the 32-year-old driver of a 2008 Ford Fusion struck a 1997 Honda Civic Both cars were heading south on Ammon Road Deputies said the driver of the Ford Fusion was reported earlier by Jefferson County Sheriff Deputies as possibly being intoxicated Deputies took a blood sample from the man to determine his impairment Both drivers were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries Deputies are continuing to investigate the accident AMMON – The Ammon City Council voted not to rezone a 4.467-acre lot in the Bridgewater neighborhood due to proposed plans to build higher density homes not fitting the surrounding properties The lot at 3445 East Greenwillow Lane has been the subject of debate regarding its future use GEM Prep Charter School bought it with plans to break ground on a 45,000-square-foot building The land was later sold to Caliber Customs LLC a home construction business that hopes to build 17 units on the property RELATED: Proposed charter school in Ammon neighborhood likely no longer happening Ammon’s City Council voted to rezone the lot from Parks According to the city’s codified ordinances R-1 allows for traditional single-family style homes where up to four units can be within one acre R1-A allow more higher density units like townhomes to exist with five being R-1 and 12 falling under R1-A units Council members Heidi Boyle and Kris Oswald voted against the initial rezone in November due to concerns the proposed homes would not match the rest of the neighborhood RP-A allows for bigger single-family homes Council President Russell Slack said there had been two public hearings to ensure the public could express their concerns with about 2% of residents who live in the affected area giving feedback Slack told the other council members that it’s their job to hear from neighbors when reviewing applications and to ensure they are harmonious with the city’s comprehensive plan He said the proposed rezoning does not violate that plan and is in compliance He said concerns about traffic or construction can be addressed within the development agreements and any concerns about the construction can be mitigated in our development agreement,” Slack said Councilman Scott Wessel did not see this in the same light as Slack “I don’t believe it’s fair to drop this zone right in the middle of a zone that has been established,” Wessel said He argued the proposed rezoning would not work as it functions more as a spot zone than a transitional zone which he claims is a vital part of the city’s comprehensive plan He said transitional zoning allows for density leveled out the further into the development is Slack disagreed with this idea and said density doesn’t play a factor “Having an R1 or RP or these gradations inside of residential zonings that are mutually compatible with each other is not spot zoning,” Slack said Mayor Sean Coletti agreed that the comprehensive plan encourages infill development “What you have here is a development that’s compact economic and efficient,” Coletti said “The other thing that we do in new developments … density declines as development moves further away from the arterial collector streets with higher densities transit transitioning to lower densities.” He said that while the higher density is on the arterial road “I would uphold the decision of Planning and Zoning,” Coletti said Slack made a motion to approve the rezoning application to R1 and R1-A finding it incompatible with the city’s comprehensive plan due to its original designation of PSC She also stated that the lot should revert to RP-A and any discrepancies need to be fixed to support the surrounding properties Boyle and Sid Hamberlin voted to pass the denial the City Council voted unanimously to approve a finding of facts in which it details its denial of the rezone SUBMIT A CORRECTION