Month: April 2026

Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)— Healing doesn’t always happen in a traditional setting. For some girls and women, it starts in the saddle. A partnership between Champ’s Heart and Bridle Up Hope gives women the opportunity build confidence, resilience, and inner strength through horsemanship.

“Our mission is to inspire girls and women to learn habits and horsemanship and build hope, confidence and resilience,” said Savannah Christiansen, one of the program instructors.

The non-profit goes beyond a typical riding experience. Participants learn life skills alongside horse training, forming a partnership between rider and animal.

“The fun part about Bridle Up Hope is we’re reaching a new generation of girls,” said Emily Sellers, the executive director, “We can help instill confidence, resilience, and that self-worth that sometimes feels like it’s lacking. It’s really hard to be a teenage girl these days.”

Participants begin with classroom sessions focused on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, learning principles like responsibility, goal-setting, and leadership.

From there, they head to the arena for equine-assisted learning, applying those habits in real-time with horses.

“We’re helping teach life techniques and training and helping them apply those in their everyday lives,” Seller said, “Because if you don’t have confidence, your horse doesn’t want to work for you.”

The program has a global reach, with locations spanning from Utah to Ukraine, and now a growing presence in Idaho Falls since it’s grand opening in September.

Bridle Up Hope recently had their first advancement with their girls, and is now enrolling for our second session of girls and women.

“The confidence that radiates off the girls is empowering in itself,” Emily said. “At first, they’re quiet, shy, and soft-spoken. By the end, it’s like a new flower has bloomed. That’s pretty incredible.”

For more information on this program click HERE.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Frontier Center for the Performing Arts, formerly the Idaho Falls Civic Center, has finished its expansion, making the local landmark more ADA accessible.

Wednesday, city officials and community leaders gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of a multi-year, multi-million dollar expansion designed to modernize the historic venue.

The venue has served generations of Idahoans since the early 1950s. However, as the region’s population surged, the building’s aging infrastructure became a concern for city leadership.

Today’s celebration marks the end of a decade of work that began with auditorium improvements, including new seating and carpet, acoustic enhancements, updated lighting, and a new marquee. Phase 2 brought the most dramatic change, as Frontier Credit Union bought the naming rights to the building, gifting the city $4.4 million to renovate the venue and expand the lobby.

Today, the lobby has tripled in size, growing from 2,200 square feet to 6,600 square feet.

“This is exactly the kind of project our community does best,” said Mayor Lisa Burtenshaw. “We all enjoy the shade of trees we did not plant, and the Frontier Center for the Performing Arts is one more gift we’ll enjoy for generations because people in Idaho Falls stepped forward to make it happen.”

Frontier Credit Union CEO Dan Thurman says he hopes that the facility lives up to the Civic Center’s legacy and remains a community pillar for years to come.

“I hope that the Frontier Center continues for twice as long and it continues to be a place where families can gather and enjoy the arts in our community,” said Thurman. “Our mission at Frontier Credit Union is building better lives, and I hope that this helps us build better lives in Idaho Falls for years to come.”

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Meghan Elaine

By: Meghan Elaine

Originally Posted 4:45 PM, Apr 21, 2026

WEST YELLOWSTONE (KBZK)— A vehicle crashed into a family-owned gift shop in West Yellowstone last week, sending merchandise flying and narrowly missing striking employees inside.

Surveillance video shows the moment a car drove straight through the side of the Cradleboard Gift Shop, shattering glass and sending merchandise across the store.

“It was just absolutely crazy,” said shop operator Jennifer Reinsch.

Reinsch said she received a call about the crash on Friday and has since reviewed video and photos of the aftermath.

“She calls me, and she’s just like, ‘Oh my God, a car just drove through the side of the building,’” Reinsch said.

The vehicle traveled several feet into the store, coming close to hitting an employee.

“It was all the way in the store, not even sticking out a little bit — it was a couple of feet in the store,” she said.

Reinsch said her father-in-law was behind the counter when the crash happened. Glass shattered around him, and he was briefly buried under debris.

“You can literally see it hit so hard it just tipped over and just shattered,” she said.

The shop, known for selling Yellowstone-themed souvenirs ranging from jewelry and clothing to rocks and hats, sustained significant losses as items were thrown throughout the store. The Merchandise damages totaled 17,000 dollars.

“We had so much stuff just fly everywhere,” Reinsch said.

West Yellowstone police said the driver was operating a rental vehicle and that the crash was accidental.

The West Yellowstone police chief tells MTN the vehicle was a rental car and drugs or alcohol were not factors.

As cleanup continues, Reinsch said the experience is something she will not forget.

“You watch stuff like ‘caught on camera’ and think that will never happen to you — but it can happen to anybody,” she said.

Despite the damage, Reinsch said insurance is expected to cover repairs and lost merchandise, and she hopes the business will continue for decades to come.

“People have been coming since my husband was 2 years old and he’s 50 now, so they’ve watched him grow up,” she said.

She said the incident reinforced what matters most.

“The building can be replaced — people can’t,” Reinsch said.

The store is expected to be repaired sometime in May. In the meantime, it remains open to customers through a single entrance.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — This week, 1st graders in District 91 got to experience agriculture firsthand.

From April 21–23, the Future Farmers of America at D91’s Career Technical Education Center is hosting its second annual 1st Grade Agricultural Fair.

The event is designed to offer first graders a hands-on look at the industry that powers their community. The fairgrounds were abuzz as students learned about farming and agriculture through hands-on activities, such as petting farm animals, sitting in tractors, and planting flowers.

Organizers say introducing younger students to agriculture could help them develop an appreciation for their planet, and teaching them about how food is created as a result of hard work and natural cycles.

Tomorrow, even more 1st graders will get to experience the program.

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