Month: August 2026

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Idaho Falls Chukars broadcaster John Balginy called his final game before retirement during the team’s last home game of the season. His retirement concludes a 41-year career in the booth.

Balginy has been a staple of Chukar’s baseball, working from the same seat for 41 consecutive summers. After the final out of the game, Balginy reflected on stepping away from the microphone.

“You know, bittersweet. I still love doing the ball games. You know, I had great friendships over the years, but, you know, all good things must come to an end. And I get to hang with my granddaughters. now, after my retirement. So it’s been a good run 41 years. Same seat for 41 straight summers. So it’s been good,” Balginy said.

Balginy’s connection to baseball began long before he entered the broadcast booth. He started in the sport as a bat boy and clubhouse boy in El Paso as a child. His father was a trainer for the Albuquerque Dodgers, giving Balginy the opportunity to spend his teenage years around major league players like Steve Garvey.

“Just being at the ballpark. You know, I was a bat boy when I was a kid in El Paso. I was a clubhouse boy. I did a lot of things with baseball. My dad was a trainer for the Albuquerque Dodgers. And during my teenage years, I got to hang around with Garvey and the Dodger greats. And it’s just been, it’s been part of my life since I was 12 years old. So I’ll miss it. But also, I’ll come to a few games and, you know, root the Chukars on from here on out,” Balginy said.

Over his four decades behind the microphone, Balginy accumulated numerous memories and key moments. He highlighted the Chukars’ 2019 championship as a standout memory and the last title he called. During that series, the Chukars dropped the first game at home before winning two consecutive games in Ogden to defeat the Ogden Raptors.

John also reflected on some of the people he had the pleasure of speaking with over his long broadcasting career. “I’ve had some great celebrity guests in the booth with me, Geena Davis from ‘A League of Their Own’, George Brett, Willie Stargell, I mean, it goes on and on, but, yeah, it’s just been a pleasure.” John then went on to add, “I mean, they actually pay me to watch baseball! You can’t beat that.”

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Roughly 13 people die each die while waiting for a kidney donation match. And there are currently more than 100,000 people across the United States waiting for a match on the kidney donation list.

Living organ donors can make a life changing difference and give those in need a chance to get the transplant they need to live.

One of these people searching for a Kidney match is Mark Thiel, who’s family has a a genetic kidney disease called Polycystic Disease.

“My dad had it, my brother had it,” Mark said. “My dad’s mother died of it. Almost all of her aunts and uncles all died before the age of 60 from it. And thankfully, you know, kidney transplants came along in time to save my dad and save both my aunts and save my brother. Unfortunately, my grandmother was too early, and she died at 53.”

The National Institute of Health says Polycystic Kidney Disease is a genetic condition that causes fluid-filled cysts to grow in the kidneys. Overtime, those cysts can make the kidneys much larger, reduce their function, and even lead to kidney failure.

“He has one cyst on his kidney that’s the size of a regular kidney,” Shannon Thiel, Mark’s wife, said “They say I think his are about 10 pounds each.”

Mark’s dad and brother received their kidneys from living donors. Living donors are able to donate a kidney or a portion of their liver to a person in need. To become a living donor there are some tests you must undergo to ensure you would be healthy enough to donate.

A kidney from a living donor tends to have a longer life span. The National Institute of Health found, on average, a living donation could last 5-10 years longer than a deceased donation. And Mark’s father was able to live for 27 years on his donated kidney.

For the Thiel family, a donation or simply getting tested, could mean more time to spend together. And for the thousands of families waiting for their match, it could mean a second chance at life.

“I know it’s a big ask,” Shannon said. “But if people are just willing to take the first step and get tested, that’s huge.”

“Even if it doesn’t find a match for me just to raise awareness about kidney donation in general, because there’s hundreds of thousands of people waiting on kidneys,” Mark added.

Here is a link to the University of Utah’s kidney donation site. When you sign up for screening, the family asks you mention Mark Thiel in your application.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Multiple law enforcement teams, including divers from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, are searching the Snake River in Idaho Falls after an out-of-town man fell into the water. The incident occurred near Broadway and South Tourist Park.

Emergency services received a call regarding the incident at approximately 2:30 p.m., with first responders arriving at the scene shortly after.

According to the Idaho Falls Police Department, the missing individual is a man from out of town.

Dive teams with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office are actively searching the water. Additionally, multiple rescue teams are searching along the rocky shoreline for any sign of the missing man. Law enforcement officials have asked members of the public to stay away from the scene near Broadway and South Tourist Park while search efforts continue.