REXBURG—East Idaho’s only Friday evening market returns to the Madison County Fairgrounds on May 9 for its 2025 season the market offers an excellent mix of food One special Friday — May 30 — the market will temporarily move to Porter Park’s south side for a “Carousel Kick-Off” celebration RELATED | Portneuf Valley Farmers Market returns on Saturday with new perks for shoppers “We chose Friday evenings to serve our community avoiding competition with larger city markets It’s the cool place to be on a Friday night,” said market manager Jamie Ashcraft Rexburg’s Farmers Market prides itself on showcasing locally grown and handmade products Shoppers can expect various seasonal fruits and vegetables with vendors offering everything from crusty breads and cookies to fudge food trucks and local chefs serve various cuisines “We make sure every vendor is someone who grows it you directly support people in your community.” RELATED | Idaho Falls Farmers Market kicks off on Saturday with larger space and more vendors The market is also home to a lineup of weekly community events Opening Day will feature free daffodils for Mother’s Day families can look forward to foam sword battles from the Belegarth medieval combat group and a Bee Box Honey Day local businesses that do not regularly vend at the market will each get a chance to host a free event every week bringing even more variety to the Friday fun While cash is the most common payment method SNAP (EBT) benefits are welcome; the market even offers a matching program to earn “food bucks” for produce “We want everyone to have the opportunity to put healthy fresh food on their table,” said Ashcraft the market will be closed on July 4 and August 15 To stay in the loop, visitors can scan a QR code at the market or on Facebook to sign up for weekly text message reminders, or keep updated on the Rexburg Farmers Market on Facebook or Rexburg’s Fresh Farmers Market website 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 BYU-Idaho’s Center Stage is set to host Jenny Oaks Baker’s “The Redeemer” on Friday at 7:30 p.m Baker says putting this performance together has been one of the most spiritually uplifting experiences she has had She added that this is an interfaith event and welcomes all who want to grow a connection to Jesus Christ “This is an interfaith event where Christians from all churches can come together and worship the Savior as one,” Baker said “It’s the most spiritually impactful production I’ve ever been a part of I know God is behind it and is directing every aspect and it’s just a privilege to partner with him to bring this to the world.” Baker wrote an album entitled “The Redeemer” and performed its songs live for BYU-Idaho in 2022 Together they decided to add more moments from the life of Jesus Christ including His baptism the Sermon on the Mount and the beatitudes In addition to more moments from Christ’s life a choir and additional orchestral movements Baker says she hopes this performance has a spiritual impact on those who attend “I hope it helps them to grow closer to the Savior; that’s really the point,” Baker said “I hope it helps them feel closer to God and feel of his love and have an increased appreciation for the Savior’s atoning sacrifice.” To listen to Jenny Oaks Baker’s full interview about “The Redeemer” go to BYU-Idaho Radio’s Podcast on Spotify Podcast Idaho Transportation Department Highway 20 Exit 333 in Rexburg will re-open Thursday night with a new diverging diamond interchange in place This exit has been closed since late July so the Idaho Transportation Department and contractors could construct the new road design and complete vital underground infrastructure work The re-opening comes in time for an increase of traffic as university students arrive in Rexburg for the fall semester All lanes of traffic will be open and construction efforts remain off the roadway at both Exit 332 (University Boulevard) and Exit 333 (Main Street) through this weekend to accommodate this influx “There really is a light at the end of the tunnel in Rexburg,” ITD Project Manager Conner Huffaker said “We’re excited to be giving people some relief from construction and know that these new exits will do a great job of keeping everyone safe and moving better Motorists and citizens should be aware that construction efforts will continue again next week and through the month of October. Intermittent single-lane closures will be in place, with traffic still able to move through the interchanges. Impacts will be noted on 511.idaho.gov University Boulevard Exit will fully close again during the week of September 30 through October 4 to allow crews to add a final layer of pavement This timeframe has been selected in coordination with when Madison School District is out of school for harvest break Work on both exits is on track to be completed late this Fall For further details about this project and to watch a video on how to drive the new diverging diamond traffic pattern visit itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/us20rexburg REXBURG — A Brigham Young University-Idaho student is in critical condition after an industrial accident happened on campus Wednesday morning The 26-year-old was in a storage room of the machine fabrication shop in the Mark Austin Building when the incident occurred around 11 a.m. according to Madison Fire Department Deputy Chief Troyce Miskin “Several students were attempting to move some large steel beams when a stack collapsed on the patient causing significant injuries and trauma,” Miskin tells EastIdahoNews.com Rexburg police officers and university officials rushed to the scene of the accident The student was taken by ambulance to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls where he was in critical condition as of Thursday morning “BYU-Idaho invites the campus community and friends to join us in praying for the student and his family,” BYU-Idaho Public Affairs Director Brett Crandall says in a statement to EastIdahoNews.com We sure just hope and pray that all will be well,” Miskin says SUBMIT A CORRECTION Highway 20 Exit 332 for University Boulevard in Rexburg will fully close starting Monday for crews to complete final paving and striping operations Work is not expected to take more than a few days and the exit will be re-opened as soon as it is completed This closure was purposefully scheduled during Madison School District’s harvest break to least affect traffic Exit 333 (Main Street) and Exit 337 (North Rexburg) construction work at Exit 332 will be minimal and off the roadway These projects to create safe and efficient diverging diamond interchanges at both Rexburg exits are still expected to be complete later this fall For more information about this project, visit itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/us20rexburg Drivers can also use the 511 app to see current status on this and other Idaho projects Do you want to know what’s happening in the eastern Idaho business scene Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley Employee at Custom Creatures in Rexburg poses for a photo with a snake REXBURG – It was a pet leopard gecko about 30 years ago that sparked Jordan and Maureen Moores’ interest in exotic animals After running an exotic pet store in Phoenix for more than two decades the Rexburg couple now own a similar business in eastern Idaho Custom Creatures Pet Club opened April 2 at 28 College Avenue in Rexburg Watch Jordan and an employee feed a black-throat monitor lizard in the video above A tarantula in its cage at Custom Creatures in Rexburg Jordan tells EastIdahoNews.com there seems to be a lot of interest from locals “We’ve been pleased to see a lot of families a few familiar faces coming and going,” Jordan says “There’s been a few college kids in and out of here as well.” The Moores have lived in Rexburg their entire lives and Jordan says there’s never been a pet shop in town That was part of the reason they wanted to open one It’s something they first considered about 15 years ago but didn’t start actively pursuing it until about five years ago Jordan says Rexburg has finally grown large enough to support a business like this and he and his wife have high hopes for it “Once we get the bugs worked out here we’ll start hiring folks and be able to take a step back and help manage it,” he says They opened a Custom Creatures store in Phoenix around 2003 while Jordan was attending DeVry University Their interest in this type of venture began after owning the leopard gecko and other exotic creatures “My grandparents were farmers … so I’ve always been around animals,” says Jordan “We didn’t have a lot of land or an ability to keep cows and horses so we tried something else and it just clicked.” Educating customers about how to properly care for these kinds of pets is one aspect of the business Jordan finds particularly rewarding A lizard inside its cage at Custom Creatures The Moores have been back and forth to Arizona many times over the years but now that their kids are older and can help run the Phoenix store they’re glad to focus their efforts on the Rexburg location exclusively He expects the types of animals they sell to grow and change They’re looking forward to serving patrons going forward “I think everybody’s excited for us to be here and we’re just excited to provide the service for the community,” Maureen says Eastern Idaho earned nearly $2 million in lodging tax revenue. How businesses can benefit Non-stop flights to Chicago will soon be offered at Idaho Falls Regional Airport Retired art teacher who runs a comic store in Pocatello has 2 new books to his name Here’s who will be performing at the 123rd annual Eastern Idaho State Fair If you have a Biz Buzz item you want to share, send it to rett@eastidahonews.com. Remember to use 'Biz Buzz' in the subject line. Also, don't forget to sign up for the free Biz Buzz email newsletter SUBMIT A CORRECTION Highway 20 Exit 333 for Main Street in Rexburg will fully close beginning tomorrow This closure allows crews to complete final paving operations and marks the last time Rexburg exits are expected to close for the construction of new diverging diamond interchanges Exit 333 will be re-opened as soon as paving and striping work is finished “Our goal was to have these projects completed by late fall and that really is going to happen,” Project Manager Conner Huffaker said “We’re so grateful to the Rexburg community for their support and patience.” construction efforts at Exit 333 will be largely off the roadway with only limited lane closures from that point on Motorists can expect some interruptions as work continues toward final completion motorists will also see improvements to timing for the traffic signals at both Exits 332 and 333 Engineers will make signal adjustments until the movement of the new interchanges is ideal for typical traffic flow the Idaho Transportation Department and contractor partners have been working to complete the massive undertaking of rebuilding Exits 332 and 333 in Rexburg Both exits are now operating diverging diamond interchanges that are expected to resolve former traffic concerns in the Rexburg area Scott Johnson is the city of Rexburg’s economic development director He’s in charge of the growth of the city and encourages businesses to come and do work here City Councilman Robert Chambers announced WinCo Food will come to Rexburg during his state of the city address Tuesday at BYU-Idaho Scott Johnson said the announcement comes after months and even years of work behind the scenes which can get frustrating for people who look forward to seeing new businesses in town "I know our citizens get excited and then get frustrated and then excited again,” Johnson said We think they'll be a great addition to the city.” it will be located just south of Walmart on the opposite side of Moody Rd and construction is expected to start in the spring The city is also working on other projects like building a new airport by 2033 renovating the Rexburg Tabernacle Civic Center connecting the city to fiber and redeveloping downtown GRAPHIC WARNING: This article and the video above include graphic details and audio recordings REXBURG — A 33-year-old man wept heavily throughout his sentencing Thursday as he was dealt the consequences for killing a mother of four in front of her children District Judge Steven Boyce sentenced Fabian Hernandez to life in prison He will be eligible for parole after 35 years and receive credit for seven months already served in jail RELATED | Man pleads guilty to murdering Rexburg mother of four Hernandez was initially charged with the first-degree murder of 35-year-old Ariana Ramos Chavez felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor use or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia Hernandez shot and killed Ramos Chavez at their home in front of her children Hernandez was the biological father of two of the children and the stepfather of the other two Obituary for Ariana Chavez | Flamm Funeral Home he accepted a plea agreement where he agreed to plead guilty to an amended charge of second-degree murder with an underlying life sentence in exchange for the remaining counts to be dropped First-degree murder involves premeditation This means Hernandez admitted to killing Ramos Chavez but said he did not plan the murder before it happened The prosecution also agreed not to file charges for the alleged trafficking of methamphetamine Hernandez’s sentencing began with a heart-wrenching 911 recording from the night of Ramos Chavez’s murder One of Ramos Chavez’s daughters frantically called 911 after reportedly watching Hernandez shoot her mother multiple times because the emotions and cries in the courtroom from both Hernandez and the victim’s family were so loud that the recording was difficult to hear RELATED | Rexburg man reportedly admits to killing woman after argument over infidelity and drug use Boyce noted the recording was essential to play in open court for sentencing purposes and played it again in its entirety stated to the court before being sentenced to life in prison with the chance of parole after 35 years You can listen to it in the video player above but EastIdahoNews.com urges extreme caution as it can be very upsetting to some viewers The prosecution then allowed multiple family members of Ariana Ramos Chavez to speak One of Ramos Chavez’s brothers spoke directly to Hernandez reminding him that he took away his own children’s mother Your own kids’ mom,” said the brother “They don’t have a mom anymore Ramos Chavez’s sister described the night she found out her sister had been murdered and the toll it’s taken on their family “The night I got the call that my sister died … every day I pray that it was just a nightmare,” said the sister it set it that my sister wasn’t coming back due to an act of selfish rage.” argued his client does not have an anger problem and said the murder occurred because of his methamphetamine addiction Ramos Chavez had tried to kick Hernandez out of the home on the night of the killing to try and keep her children away from the drugs he possessed and was actively using Archibald said Hernandez shot her in the “heat of passion” and asked Boyce to give his client a life sentence “This case is not the worst of the worst and it’s not the most justified either So what do we do now?” said Archibald by all accounts these reference letters that the court has received Archibald also stated that Hernandez has never denied he committed the crime and did not want to take it to trial to spare the children from being further traumatized by having to testify Madison County Prosecutor Rob Wood recommended that Hernandez face a sentence of life imprisonment with no chance of parole until he has completed 45 years in prison the average life span of a woman in the United States is 80.2 years Hernandez stole 45 years of Ramos Chavez’s life which is how much prison time he should spend crying during his sentencing when 911 audio was played after he shot Ariana Ramos Chavez RELATED | Man arrested after woman is shot to death in Rexburg The use of drugs is not a defense; it is a non-mitigating factor,” said Wood “This crime arose absolutely out of an angry confrontation between a mother who wanted to protect herself and her children from the defendant’s drug use Hernandez then addresses the victim’s family and the court through sobs apologizing for his actions and saying he regrets them every day and wants to be punished “I realize that today is not a court date for me I gotta pay for what I did,” said Hernandez How you would show up with the kids at the job site to bring me food.” Boyce explained to Hernandez that while he does now have an extensive criminal record there are many aggravating factors to this case such as the fact that the crime occurred in front of children and that Ramos Chavez was shot multiple times “I think other than what happens when you are using controlled substances you’re a good productive member of society and you had a good relationship with a good person,” said Boyce “What you did do can’t be forgiven These children don’t have a mother.” SUBMIT A CORRECTION The Rexburg Tabernacle Orchestra is manifesting an early summer with concert “Dreams of Summer.” Featuring two pieces from romantic composers the orchestra will play Les Nuits d’ete (Summer Nights) composed by Hector Berlioz and A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Felix Mendelssohn Orchestra conductor Mark Seare hopes the concert will lift spirits of those who are tired of the winter weather “Both these pieces speak of summer and kind of the dreams that associate themselves with a lazy afternoon when you can try to relax and you’re not worried about having to be inside and you’re so cold,” Seare said takes the audience through a journey of love while A Midsummer Night’s Dream has characters who tell the story “There's a character in the play that had turned into a donkey,” Seare said “There’s a string in the orchestra that sounds like a donkey bray there’s a theme that sounds like a little fairy dancing.” the conductor’s son and BYU-Idaho vocal performance alumnus and the rest of the orchestra volunteer their talents and contribute to the orchestra’s sound “We have even some professional musicians who normally charge a fee to play but in the interest of the community and in the interest of bringing beautiful music to Rexburg this is a completely volunteer orchestra,” Seare said “There is nothing that beats a life performance or a CD and you can hear some beautiful music on those but there's just something about the live performance.” Seare said “I think that it'll change perspectives of what classical music is.” Highway 20 will fully close beginning next Monday The closure at Exit 333 will allow the Idaho Transportation Department to efficiently construct a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) like the one now operating at University Boulevard (Exit 332) The closure is expected to last through the month of August will be closed to traffic and detoured to nearby interchanges Through traffic on US-20 will be unaffected during construction A new permanent traffic signal will be in place and operating to aid the flow of traffic at the North Rexburg Exit prior to this closure One-lane closures are in effect at the University Boulevard Exit while construction efforts continue there “We thank everyone for their patience and understanding in dealing with road construction in Rexburg this summer,” Project Manager Conner Huffaker said “We really are trying to keep traffic flowing and minimize the impact on people as much as possible There’s a lot to get done in a short amount of time and all of it will make travel in Rexburg better once it is.” Businesses near the Main Street Exit remain open with alternate access available and signed Construction crews will also coordinate with emergency responders to ensure access through the closed work zone when needed The city of Rexburg and ITD completed a cooperative agreement during the planning phase of this project to have the contractor complete city requested work items including a sewer repair during road construction Crews will insert a manhole and repair a damaged sewer pipe so that additional closure for this needed infrastructure work won’t have to occur in the future Construction of all Rexburg US-20 interchanges is expected to be fully complete in late October. More details about this project can be found at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/us20rexburg REXBURG – The rumors are true — WinCo is coming to Rexburg Rexburg City Councilman Robert Chambers confirmed the news during the annual State of the City address Tuesday morning The supermarket chain has submitted its plans to build a store on property in the north of town across from Walmart RELATED | Madison County officials highlight growth, development projects during State of the City event Chambers said the company’s plan is to build on the northeast side of 2nd East Additional details about the project were not specified Documents obtained from the city of Rexburg indicate the company is planning to build an 84,000-square-foot single-story building on North 2nd East and East Moody Road on an 11-acre lot It’s part of a larger development in an area called the Squires subdivision seven days a week and employ 150 to 200 people It’s not clear when construction will get underway or be completed Rumors about a store opening in Rexburg have been swirling for months WinCo Foods is a certified employee-owned company founded and based in Boise, according to its website warehouse-style grocery store in 1967.” The Rexburg store will be the company’s 12th store in Idaho and the third on the eastern side of the state The Idaho Falls store at 333 North Woodruff has been in operation since April 1999, according to its Assistant Manager Josh Porter. A Pocatello store opened in 2013 EastIdahoNews.com has reached out to the corporate office for additional information We will update this story if we get a response SUBMIT A CORRECTION The Kiwanis Club was established to help children to have good and safe lives and here in Rexburg the club and the Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce are organizing an Easter egg hunt this weekend at Porter Park for children but we like to help to make that a little better especially around Easter time,” said Rick Excell one of the leaders of the Kiwanis Club in Rexburg it's just one more project that helps Rexburg be one of those places that people want to have a family Excell says there are about 20,000 eggs laid at the park in sections divided up by age group there are 50 bikes that are donated by various businesses to be given away as prizes The carousel will also be open before and after the event Volunteers will set up the hunt on Friday but the eggs will be spread out Saturday morning “And we get several drums full of Easter eggs that have to be spread out kind of evenly across the fields and things we could use some help there,” Excell said The city of Rexburg is hosting a competition for small businesses on March 13 at the Rexburg City Hall from 10:30 a.m The event is to help grow small businesses in Rexburg and help develop them in the near future There's no other requirements other than that zero to three years in operation and less than $500,000 in revenue So even if you haven't started a business and you just have an idea for a business submit that business plan and you might get a chance to compete for all that money,” said Aaron Denney the money is a cash prize that is given out to the winners of the contest The total amount of money being given out is $10,000 with first place having $5,000 second place as $3,000 and $2,000 for third place This money is to help jumpstart the small business here “This is the first year that we've held it since COVID A lot of the entrepreneurial stuff shifted a little bit during COVID And so we're bringing back this business competition that we've done for several years So there's a chance for a lot of people that probably never even heard about this event that we used to do in the past They get to participate this time,” Denney shared REXBURG – A popular discount clothing store is coming to Rexburg Ross Dress For Less is slated to open at 125 Valley River Drive inside the old CAL Ranch building Ross will occupy the south side and share the space with Hobby Lobby according to public documents obtained from the city of Rexburg RELATED | Two retailers opening new locations in eastern Idaho Details about the store’s size and completion date are not available The owner listed on the permit is CKC Rexburg LLC EastIdahoNews.com has reached out for more information Rendering of store location taken from public documents through the city of Rexburg Ross is a discount department store chain that sells clothing, accessories, footwear, and home goods. It was founded in 1950 by Morris Ross in San Bruno, California, according to an industry website It grew into a nine-unit chain under his leadership a group of investors bought six of the stores in San Francisco and turned it into a discount chain Today, Barbara Rentler is the company’s CEO. It’s the largest off-price retailer in the U.S., according to its website “Our focus (is) bringing our customers a constant stream of high-quality department and specialty store brands at extraordinary savings fun and organized shopping experience,” the website says The Rexburg store will be the franchise’s 10th Idaho location Additional details will be provided as we receive them Building at 125 Valley River Drive in Rexburg where Ross will be built SUBMIT A CORRECTION The Rexburg Tabernacle will host well-known singer Nathan Pacheco for a concert celebrating Easter This is his first time coming to Rexburg since 2017 and also his very first-ever Easter concert “I started out my career not focusing on religious repertoire but just focusing on the classical crossover style of music that Andre Bocelli and Josh Groban have done,” Pacheco said I wanted to focus also on this side of this part of my life that's such an integral part of my life I wanted to put a few albums out there that allowed me to express my belief in God and hopefully spread some light and goodness as a result of these songs.” Pacheco will sing with Jared Pierce at the piano and Nicole Pinell on cello He will sing “The Lord’s Prayer,” some of his songs from his albums like “Forever,” “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and more He is often inspired to sing the songs he has chosen with the Holy Spirit and with some practice as well “My hope is that as I share songs either through recordings my hope is that gap between us and heaven can be shortened and that whatever 100 foot ceilings that we feel at times stand between us and heaven that that can just kind of go away and we can kind of just feel this communion with the Lord as a result of the music that we can feel close to Him and as a result we can have our burdens lifted and even through music we can we can even receive healing in different ways,” Pacheco said REXBURG — A local woman was arrested Tuesday evening after a standoff with police at a neighborhood in Rexburg Rexburg Assistant Police Chief Gary Hagen tells EastIdahoNews.com that a process server arrived at a residence in the 900 block of the Summerfield Subdivision to deliver legal documents to the occupants came out and got into a physical altercation with the woman Hagen said the process server left the scene and called 911 to express concern about the house’s occupants Officers arrived at the home at about 4:55 p.m and discovered the woman had barricaded herself inside and was refusing to leave and nearby residents received a mobile alert to avoid the area and lock doors and windows Officers repeatedly attempted to contact residents in the home by phone but were unsuccessful Officers loudly announced their presence and knocked on the door with no response officers determined to make entry into the home and ensure the safety of victims Officers breached the front door and made contact with the suspect and victims Hagen said the woman was acting erratic and violent and would not comply with officer commands officers entered the home and arrested the woman She continued to fight officers after being taken into custody The victims inside the home were removed from the situation The woman’s identity has not been released She is expected to be charged with aggravated assault and resisting officers Officers were still on the scene at 6:30 p.m EastIdahoNews.com will update this story if more details are released SUBMIT A CORRECTION the annual Rexburg Children’s Choir Christmas Concert will have a Hawaiian twist with the special guest performer and season 21 “American Idol” winner Iam Tongi The concert will feature combined songs along with arrangements just for Tongi and the choir The children’s choir is made up of 92 children aged 9 to 17 and this year marks their 7th annual Christmas concert thanks to their sponsors Choir director Ben Watson looks forward to performing Hawaiian style songs with Tongi “When I announced to the kids that by the way the artist that we're singing with is ‘American Idol’ winner Iam Tongi and I showed them a video “The first song that they sing together with Iam is ‘Mele Kalikimaka’ which is a Hawaiian Christmas song We also have another song in there where the children will all be playing ukuleles and singing a Christmas song.” at the Madison Performing Arts Center and tickets are going fast “The motto of the Rexburg Children's Choir is ‘Seek to express not to impress,’” Watson said and they sound wonderful and their music videos when we put them out are always a hit and we've had millions of views when you combine them all together We're out to express something to the world and so that really comes across in the live concert especially this live concert that happens at Christmas time It's truly an inspiring experience for everybody.” by | Nov 13, 2024 | Latest News, Rexburg | 0 comments Could Rexburg be the location for the 906 Olive Garden in the United States Recent social media posts on the Rexburg Life Facebook page have locals speculating Olive Garden is a beloved local eatery for people across America The Facebook post cites its source as a Collier's brokerage sign situated on a property near the newly constructed Chipotle on Tamana Drive and University Boulevard The sign has resulted in a large number of Facebook comments both showing support and excitement for the development and uncertainty for its potential "That would be fantastic” and “Finally a nice restaurant” are some of the comments on the post The recent surplus of media attention has caught the attention of Local News platform East Idaho News who reached out to the company listed on the sign a member of the Colliers brokerage service team "Olive Garden doesn’t have anything to do with their listing and they have only been told the restaurant is proposed,” said Andrea Olson while addressing Mike Zebe’s comments Rexburg’s local planning and zoning committee has also not confirmed the restaurant’s development as a zoning map is unavailable for this area East Idaho News also reached out to Olive Garden’s Communications Manager Brittany Baron who was not able to confirm the speculations Only addressing that the new location has been proposed but not approved As a result of both the sign and social media buzz many individuals believe that a new Olive Garden is a finished and definite possibility The signage includes placeholders and a section explicitly stating "Proposed restaurant" alongside the iconic Olive Garden logo locals are holding out hope that the rumors will come to fruition creating another sit-down option for family dinners and nights out "I really hope it happens,” said Morgan Hurley Time will tell if Rexburg will be the next location for an Olive Garden as the restaurant chain has not officially confirmed the development For more information, and to stay updated on the status of the Olive Garden development, visit Rexburg’s Planning and Zoning website Feature Image: Sign near Chipotle featuring proposed development BYU-Idaho Scroll displays advertisements but is not responsible for their content or claims Ad revenue supports our operations and helps keep our content accessible I-Comm Student Media is an academic program tied to the Communication Department of BYU-Idaho and is committed to representing BYU-Idaho and its parent institution The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Idaho (KIFI) - A two-vehicle car crash in Rexburg blocked traffic along two lanes near the intersection of Main Street and Pioneer Rd According to a post on the Rexburg Police Department Facebook page one vehicle was heading eastbound on Main St. Police say one westbound lane of Main Street had standstill traffic as cars stopped on the other side of the intersection The vehicle proceeded to turn without seeing the second westbound land police said a vehicle heading westbound in the second lane went straight through the green light and hit the first vehicle as it turned there were no serious injuries to any involved parties," writes Rexburg PD in the post Seth is the Digital Content Director 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 recently went to Carriage Cove Short Term Rehabilitation Center with two dogs to help brighten the day of patients Animal Control Officers Scott Chapman and Holly Wolfley visited the care facility where they say they had great success "We haven't taken (animals) to any of the homes like that but I thought it'd be a good opportunity to do something different Chapman says the patients had a great time with the dogs and he hopes to do it again with other facilities in the future The idea came from employees at Carriage Cove Chapman and Wolfley urge the community to take care of their pets The animal shelter does take surrendered animals they ask people to understand that when they adopt an animal it’s a big decision because the relationship will last the life of the animal The cost to surrender an animal is $65 for dogs and $30 for cats and is only available for residents of Rexburg “I think one thing to keep in mind is it's called a shelter because we take really good care of them I think it's just something to think when you go there like because they're getting taken care of pretty good and eventually they're going to get a good home,” Wolfley said A week filled with activities brought warmth and excitement to campus during the winter semester the week-long SnowFest event help on campus the first week of February offered BYU-Idaho students dozens of indoor and outdoor activities inviting them to embrace the Rexburg winter SnowFest started with different service opportunities featuring a service night at the I-Center Counts Students came with their Home Evening groups to color books “There are a lot of people in the world who are struggling and suffering and it's really easy to feel alone,” said Wilford Hester “Things like this provide opportunities for people to connect with others around them and be reminded that they are needed.” The completed items were delivered to the local animal shelter Tuesday’s schedule was packed with outdoor activities as BYU-Idaho partnered with different businesses in the region Students crowded Gateway Parks for a tube night “The main goal is getting people outside,” said Casey Cruz there's something going on outside in the snow or in the cold making sure people know that you can still have fun here in Rexburg pond skimming made its comeback to BYU-Idaho but postponed due to windy weather conditions the activity took place at the Upper Fields In costumes and equipped with skis or snowboards trying to make it across the pond at the bottom of the hill said the experience was worth it—the run was super fun He highlighted the excitement created by the commentators The event was also accompanied by a carnival with different games took the Hart Auditorium’s stage on Friday night for a Center Stage concert The two singers got to know each other during their journey on the 22nd season of the TV show and have been close friends ever since Singing covers and original songs about their personal stories and struggles McKenna and Kabrienne’s voices complimented each other and made for a great concert The last day of SnowFest started with a 20-degree morning—when BYU-Idaho hosted its first polar plunge Hundreds of students gathered at the Upper Fields in their swimsuits and towels they warmed up in hot tubs lined up at the back of the field and enjoyed fresh pancakes and hot chocolate it was time for the highly anticipated exhibition basketball game between a BYU-Idaho intramural team and select men’s basketball team out of Provo and community members packed the Hart Gymnasium for the white-out-themed game and different performances made for a memorable night leading up to BYU-Idaho’s victory—with a final score of 96 to 79 Students loved watching it—with one commenting that it was their favorite SnowFest activity and another saying the game was the most fun event they had ever attended at BYU-Idaho Student Activities Managing Director Allen Jones hoped that throughout Snowfest students grew a greater love for BYU-Idaho and the associations they have—feeling a stronger connection to the university and its community BYU-Idaho plans to make SnowFest an annual tradition bringing students a fun week-long event every semester REXBURG — Rexburg is getting an adult community choir to produce music videos the force behind the Rexburg Children’s Choir—whose music has reached millions through music videos and national broadcasts—has announced the formation of a new adult choir for singers in east Idaho with rehearsals beginning in September “It’s time to expand what we do and create an experience for adults as well,” Watson said “I’ve had many parents and others in the community ask if I’d ever start a choir for adults The choir season will run for eight months the choir will perform a major Christmas concert and also film one or two cinematic-quality music videos—similar in concept to what Watson has done for years with the children’s choir including their most recent video with American Idol winner Iam Tongi One of the choir’s earlier videos was featured nationally on “NBC Nightly News” and “Inside Edition.” “One of the key aspects of this new choir will be using 21st-century tools to help share our music far beyond our corner of Idaho,” Watson said As we focus on creating music through that lens and powered by the latest in today’s technology this ensemble will reach homes and hearts around the world.” Auditions are not required and singers ages 18 to 118 are welcome. Monthly participation is $70. Interested singers can pre-register now at no cost by clicking here. SUBMIT A CORRECTION REXBURG — 12 contestants are gearing up to grace the state at the Miss Madison pageant in Rexburg on Saturday founder and co-director of the pageant has been working with the girls the last few months to prepare for the big night “I think the coolest thing is just putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation makes you a better person and every time we put ourselves in an uncomfortable situation we become a better version of ourselves… an even better human as you continue to do it throughout your life,” Kesler says The high school pageant showcases Madison High School girls who fall within the grades of Sophomore to Senior Kesler says she started the pageant 6 years ago after working on the Distinguished Young Woman program 10 years prior   “When I was done with DYW I decided that Madison needed a high school pageant and it just gives more girls opportunity to get scholarship money and maybe some different girls to win the opportunity to get a scholarship,” Kesler says Ava Sampson is a Madison High senior competing for the first time She’ll be doing a dance number for her talent “I decided to do this pageant to really challenge myself and try to put myself out of my comfort zone I wanted to grow in different areas like interview and self-expression— and I thought that it would help me in my future life and also with my personal dance journey because I’m on a competition dance team,” Sampson says So far Sampson has learned to have more confidence when she’s speaking to people and increased self-discipline while attending 6 a.m “It’s been hard to get up at 6 in the morning but I’ve actually liked it because it’s taught me a really good skill to learn and self-motivation to get up and going,” Sampson says the current Miss Madison has been working with the contestants during morning practice and I can’t wait for everyone to see them,” Sutton says The Miss Madison pageant will be held at the Madison High School Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m Diane Bruce has become the newest president and CEO of the Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce with years of experience behind her her great grandfather served as a Madison County Commissioner and she attended Rigby Elementary School After Serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hartford she went to cosmetology school and worked at a salon She later went into beauty school education She returned to Rexburg after spending time in Manhattan she’s the president and CEO of the Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce and ready to connect with the community they understand when you support local business Already behind the heels of her predecessor Bruce intends to keep Rexburg businesses flourishing She also intends to reach out to the students in Rexburg of all kinds Not just BYU-Idaho students but local students and those pursuing the trades We want the businesses here to thrive and succeed the Rexburg Tabernacle Orchestra will transport the audience back in time while raising funds to preserve history To celebrate the 100th anniversary of “Rhapsody in Blue,” the Gershwin Gala Benefit Concert will have a 1920s theme The orchestra will perform with soloists Claire Tueller Thueson and Mark Seare along with Madison High School’s Vocal Spectrum Kevin Call is returning as a guest conductor after retiring from the orchestra two years ago “We wanted music that a lot of people can relate to,” Call said “And Gershwin has led a lot of people to classical He's quite the eclectic American composer.” Proceeds from the concert will go to help support the Rexburg Tabernacle which is currently closed for renovations “We help bring awareness to people about what the project is,” Call said “And of course the orchestra is called the Rexburg Tabernacle Orchestra and the tabernacle is their home where they perform And there are some needs in there for the orchestra And our goal is just to kind of do our part to try and help the community realize what the project is and to have them enjoy some great music.” Tueller Thueson has performed as a pianist for many years but this is the first time she will perform “Rhapsody in Blue.” “I've known the piece and really liked the piece since I was a little kid,” Tueller Thueson said “And as a student and as a performer I just never really took the time to learn it It was never one that I got to in the course of my education and my career be able to go back to it and learn it because I've known it for so long but never really taken the time to sit down and be able to play it So that's been fun for me to have a reason to play it.” Idaho Transportation Department and Idaho State Police are teaming up to offer a free winter driving class Taught by a local ISP trooper and snowplow operator the class will cover material like ideal speeds and how to steer if you start to slide ITD public information officer Sky Buffat believes the class is beneficial to drivers navigating eastern Idaho’s snowy roads It's not just a sort of kind of gets cold,” Buffat said I think particularly insightful for new drivers or people that are new to Idaho anyone who's moved from out of state recently but even those of us that have been doing it for a while.” The class is this Wednesday starting at 6:30 p.m at the Madison Library District on Center Street Registration is encouraged but not required “Idaho State Police and Madison County Sheriff and the Rexburg Police Department are all involved as well,” Buffat said trying to give people the best expert input that we can and actually be giving information that's really helpful and we really feel like what you will get from this class will legitimately help you be able to be more safe this winter.” The Rexburg class is the final class of the season after the success of many other classes in various locations of Idaho “This is the first year that we've hosted them locally we did learn a lot and next year we'll try to offer several different classes,” Buffat said University Boulevard Exit 332 in Rexburg will re-open by Wednesday morning The exit has been closed since May 29 to allow the Idaho Transportation Department and contractor partners to efficiently construct a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) that will improve traffic flow and safety Motorists should be aware that work to finish construction at Exit 332 will be ongoing until mid-October and beautification efforts will create the need for occasional lane closures One lane of traffic in each direction will remain open during these instances Rexburg Main Street Exit 333 will be fully closed beginning in late July so the same DDI traffic flow can be built there More information about that closure will follow in the future Stay up to date on further status of this project and others by visiting 511.idaho.gov