Author: KIFI

News Team

CASSIA COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho State Police is investigating a police pursuit that ended in a fatal crash early Tuesday morning, June 24, killing one man. The incident began after Idaho State Police (ISP) troopers were called to assist Cassia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) deputies at the Sublett Campground off U.S. Highway 84, responding to reports of shots fired.

ISP troopers and CCSO deputies coordinated to locate a suspect driving a 2005 Volvo XC90. When a deputy found the Volvo parked on the roadside, the man sped away. The deputy then initiated a traffic stop, but as the deputy approached the vehicle, the suspect fled once again.

Troopers pursued the Volvo, but lost sight of the vehicle due to its high speed and dusty conditions. Minutes later, troopers discovered the Volvo had crashed and rolled.

The driver was located nearby. Troopers immediately began life-saving measures, continuing until medics arrived. Despite their efforts, the suspect died at the scene.

Investigators recovered a loaded rifle and a shotgun from the Volvo, along with additional ammunition. However, no corresponding firearm was found for the additional ammunition.

The Cassia County Coroner’s Office has taken custody of the deceased. The individual’s identity and the official cause and manner of death will be released pending further investigation by the coroner.

ISP is overseeing the agency’s involvement and investigation into the pursuit. CCSO has secured and impounded the firearms recovered from the vehicle. The Minidoka County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into the fatal crash itself.

No further information will be released at this time, according to the ISP.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Community volunteers and members of Idaho State University’s Theatre Department are bringing Andrew Lloyd Weber’s hit musical “School of Rock” to the stage for the Farm Bureau Summer Theatre 2025 season.

The play is based on the 2003 comedy movie starring Jack Black as a rock musician turned substitute teacher who recruits students at a private school to be part of a band where the kids learn confidence through rock music.

“It’s funny, but it also shows the battles that children can face and how they feel like they can’t be heard,” said Hannah Christensen, a Pocatello High School freshman with a leading role as Summer Hathaway in the musical. “I think that’s really important, and I think the story can convey it to the audience.”

The ISU Farm Bureau Summer Theatre performance of “School of Rock” features a 74-person cast, crew, and production team. Dozens of community volunteers started preparations earlier this spring to star in roles on stage and in the live rock band performing the musical’s 20-song setlist.

ISU Theatre Department students and staff stepped in to help make costumes, design and build sets, and choreograph original dance numbers for a wide age range of cast members.

“This play has the full community; we have kids, we have parents, some mother-daughter duos,” said Cedar Lemrick, the show’s choreographer. “…it’s been really cool just to see the collaboration between all age levels and just everyone who has such a passion for the arts to be able to come and show that to the audience.”

The 2025 ISU Farm Bureau Summer Theatre performance of “School of Rock” marks the first season since Farm Bureau signed on to fund the program for another five years. The musical debuted under the direction of Jef Peterson, Assistant Professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, on June 20.

You can see “School of Rock” from June 26-28, shows start at 7:30 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Idaho State University Department of Theatre and Dance website.

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Center Stage Theatre is drawing back the curtain and shining a spotlight on their 2026 Season of shows. The theatre says they are thrilled for their fourth season.

Winter – Guys and Dolls

“We are so excited to bring this classic Golden Age musical set in the early 1950s in New York City, to Center Stage Theater right here in Idaho Falls,” said “It is such a fun story about vice and virtue and love and love, and we are excited to bring that to life.”

Spring – The Sound of Music

Center Stage will bring the Rogers and Hammerstein classic to life in Spring 2026. Theatre owner Justin DaBell says this is his favorite show. This classic musical is well loved by audiences of all ages.

Summer – Shrek: The Musical

Center Stage is taking on this Dreamworks musical that took Broadway by storm like a “fat kid would take on cake,” as Donkey would say. The theatre promises endless entertainment with this “big, bright, bold, and beautiful show,” says DaBell

Fall – The Addams Family

Just in time for Halloween, Center Stage will bring the creepy and kooky family to life.

“We have been trying to do this show for a couple of years now, and we are so excited to tell this tale of the most famous, unconventional family. And we think that you might have a little bit more in common with them than you think,” says DaBell.

Christmas – A Christmas Carol

Center Stage will revive a show for the first time with this modern take on the Charles Dickens classic. The theatre plans to perform the show triannually,” going forward.

“This is the classic Charles Dickens story that we all know and love, and there is no better way to get in the Christmas spirit than bringing your family and coming and watching A Christmas Carol,” says DaBell.

Shows will begin next year. To buy tickets for the 2025 Season, click HERE.

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News Team

BANCROFT, Idaho (KIFI) — The community of Bancroft is picking up the pieces after a fire swept through Main Street Friday, affecting two homes and damaging a nearby shed and apartment building.

Ellis and Elizabeth Call had just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary weeks before, when the fire devastated the home. They say their “belongings, keepsakes, and all the comforts they built over five decades together,” were gone in an instant.

Courtesy: Emma Stanger

Ellis was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for burns to his left hand. On Saturday, Emma Stanger, the couple’s daughter, says Ellis underwent surgery for his injuries.

“He’s doing better, (but) he is in a lot of pain still,” Stanger told Local News 8. “It looks better each day.”

Their family has started a GoFundMe to help the couple rebuild. As of Monday afternoon, the fundraiser has raised nearly $8,000. For more information, click HERE.

The fire began in the Call’s yard, where Ellis had been burning some cardboard. He reportedly put the fire out and left the fire pit, but the high winds picked up the embers, re-igniting the blaze.

“Some ash just landed on the back porch,” said Stranger. “With the wind, it was so fast, It took only seconds to catch fire, and the house was gone within 15 to 30 minutes from the time it started.”

Video of the chaotic scene shows the fire engulfing the Call’s home, which Stranger says was a total loss.

Mrs. Koefed, whose historic home was damaged by the blaze, told Idaho Enterprise Caribou County the fire “felt even closer than it was…it was blowing big chunks of stuff.”

Mrs. Koefed and Bancroft fires aftermath, Courtesy: Idaho Enterprise, Caribou County

Both homes that were damaged were built by Ira Call, Stanger’s great-great-great-grandfather.

Of the Call’s home, all that remained was the central fireplace. Stanger said on the GoFundMe that the family is “taking it one day at a time” and waiting until they know it is safe before they return to the home and “start moving the ashes around.”

“We are very appreciative of all the love and support the community has provided,” Stanger told Local News 8. “We have a long road ahead. My parents have a temporary place to stay for the next 3 weeks…They will be able to start taking donations after they have a more permanent place to stay.”

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News Team

JACKSON, Wyo. (KIFI) — After weeks on display at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, the Giant Elephant Migration is back on the road. To send them off, the museum hosted a colorful farewell party over the weekend.

Each elephant is sculpted in India out of an invasive weed called Lantana Camara. Which means that with each elephant sculpted, more of the Asian Elephants’ habitat is restored. Each sculpture is modeled after a real elephant that lives in the Nilgiri Hills of India.

The life-sized elephant sculptures are on the last leg of their journey to Los Angeles, completing a 1,000-mile trek across the country.

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News Team

UPDATE:

Israel and Iran have agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire,” set to begin at 10 PM Mountain Time tonight, Monday, June 23. President Donald Trump announced the deal Monday afternoon in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

The agreement includes two 12-hour ceasefires, starting with Iran. Israel will follow with the second 12-hour ceasefire, “at which point the War will be considered ENDED,” said President Trump.

“On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end what should be called ‘THE 12 DAY WAR,'” said President Trump in the post. “This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will.

The announcement comes two days after the United States struck Iranian nuclear facilities and only hours after the Iranian Government responded by targeting U.S. bases in Qatar and Iraq. No injuries were reported in the attack, and the nation of Qatar and the Trump administration were reportedly made aware of the attacks beforehand.

ORIGINAL:

Iran has reportedly launched missile attacks targeting U.S. bases in Qatar and Iraq. The move comes after the U.S. bombed three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend.

President Donald Trump had visited the very same base last month.

The strike has been confirmed by the Qatari government, which said its air defenses “thwarted the attack and successfully intercepted the Iranian missiles.” 

“The State of Qatar strongly condemns the attack that targeted Al-Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. We consider this a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar, its airspace, international law, and the United Nations Charter,” a spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on X. “We affirm that Qatar reserves the right to respond directly in a manner equivalent with the nature and scale of this brazen aggression, in line with international law.”

A senior White House official said the White House and the Department of Defense are aware of, and closely monitoring, potential threats to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, according to a report by CBS. The base serves as the forward headquarters for CENTCOM, and about 10,000 U.S. troops are based there and are sheltering in place.

This is a developing story. Local News 8 is following the response from our national partners and will update with more information.

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Seth Ratliff

UPDATED:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Bonneville County School District 93’s network is fully operational again after experiencing a cybersecurity attack. The district announced the successful restoration to parents via its Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon.

D93 had previously communicated that they were working closely with cybersecurity professionals to identify the source of the breach and ensure all systems were secure before network access was restored.

D93 expressed gratitude to Bonneville County residents for their patience and flexibility while they worked to resolve the outage.

ORIGINAL:

BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — Bonneville County School District 93 (D93) is currently investigating a cybersecurity attack that has breached its network. As a precautionary measure, the district has completely shut down its network, which includes all phone and internet access in every school and district building.

“This action was taken to protect sensitive information and prevent further disruption while we work with cybersecurity experts to investigate and respond to the situation,” D93 announced in a Facebook post to parents. The shutdown means staff may have limited access to internal platforms like email, Google Workspace, and student information systems.

This isn’t the first time a cyberattack has impacted local schools. Earlier this year, in February, neighboring Jefferson County School District 251 experienced a similar network attack, which led to canceled classes as teachers quickly adapted to teaching without technology.

D93 states that they are working closely with cybersecurity professionals to identify the source of the breach and ensure all systems are secure before network access is restored.

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Chris Nestman

UPDATE:

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — An Idaho mother is desperately searching for her two missing teenage children, fearing they may have been abducted by members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS). Elizabeth Roundy of Monteview, Jefferson County, reported her 13-year-old son, Allen Larand Fisher, and 15-year-old daughter, Rachelle “Shelly” Leray Fischer, missing on June 22.

The children were last seen wearing traditional FLDS attire. Rachael was in a dark green prairie dress with braided hair, and Allen was wearing a light blue shirt with blue jeans and black slip-on shoes, similar to Crocs. Roundy believes her children were traveling in a gray Honda sedan, en route to her sister’s home in Mendon, Utah, approximately 10 miles outside of Logan.

Authorities have issued an amber alert for the missing children, instructing anyone who spots them or the suspected vehicle to contact the Jefferson CSO at 208-745-9210.

Roundy, a former FLDS member, reportedly told law enforcement she believes her children were taken in response to recent, alarming statements made by imprisoned FLDS leader Warren Jeffs. Jeffs, who is serving a life sentence in Texas for child sexual assault, has reportedly claimed recent “revelations” directing that FLDS children must die to be resurrected as “pure beings.”

Holding Out HELP, a Utah-based non-profit helping people escape polygamous backgrounds, says that Jeffs and other FLDS church leaders have instructed followers to retrieve their children by “any means necessary” and prepare them for an impending “end of times.” FLDS children are reportedly intended to “gather” to assist in building Zion, where they will then “die and become ‘pure’ and ‘translated beings.'”

“There are some revelations out that are really concerning from the FLDS church, that talk about becoming translated beings, but they must die first,” Tonia Tewel, Executive Director of Holding Out HELP, told Local News 8. “…And they’ll be risen like Jesus Christ in two and a half, three days. It’s a five-year revelation. We’re three years into it. And so I think she’s(Roundy) worried that her kid’s life may be taken at the end of the day.”

FLDS members reportedly believe the current church leadership is leading faithful followers to the same fate as those who died in historical tragedies like Jonestown and Waco.

Understanding the FLDS Church

While the FLDS religion asserts a shared history and origin with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church), the two groups have no formal or official connection. The FLDS church leadership has faced numerous charges for illegal activities, including child marriages, child abandonment, sexual assault, and human trafficking, including child sexual abuse.

ORIGINAL:

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) – Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is looking for two teens reported missing on Sunday.

According to a news release issued Monday morning, they are looking Allen Larand Fisher, 13 and Rachael Leray Fischer, 15. They are believed to have left Monteview to return to Trenton, Utah, where they previously lived due to religious beliefs.

The are possibly traveling ina gray Honda or Hyundai sedan with Utah license plates.

Allen is described as 5’9”, 135 pounds with longer sandy blonde hair and blue eyes.

Racheal is 5’5”, 135 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.

The sheriff’s office also said their sister, Elintra Dee Fisher, was reported missing on January 1, 2023, and has not been located. Elintra would be 18 years old now, they said.

Elintra Fischer was reported missing on January 1, 2023, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

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Curtis Jackson

UPDATE:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred yesterday morning, Monday, June 23, on N. River Road, north of Idaho Falls. Daniel William Leary, 34, died after being found with a gunshot wound near the West Snake River Boat Ramp.

Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies and an Idaho Falls Ambulance were called to the scene around 7:18 a.m. Monday. Leary was found in the roadway and rushed to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

Deputies spent Monday gathering and processing evidence at the scene, leading to a multi-hour closure of the area around the boat ramp. They also worked to locate and notify Leary’s family.

The sheriff’s office assures the public there are no known threats to the community at this time. Detectives are asking anyone with information to contact them through dispatch at 208-529-1200. Tips can also be submitted anonymously online via East Idaho Crimestoppers at www.IFcrime.org.

ORIGINAL:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a shooting on N. River Road, north of Idaho Falls, Monday morning.

They have closed N. River Road between 81st North and 113th North. Drivers will need to find an alternate route around the area, they said.

They said there is no threat to the community and no further information is available now.

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Stephanie Lucas

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Local News 8 had the opportunity to speak with Senator Jim Risch Saturday morning, just hours before the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear facilities.

Not only is Senator Risch the Senior Republican on the Intelligence Committee, he is also Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He spoke to the president Wednesday before the attacks.

“We talked about the various options and what they were. But I’m going to keep that right now to myself. I am going to support the president. I know what his options are. He will take one of those options. And I have every confidence it will be the right road that he’s going to go down,” Risch said.

Senator Risch also clarified that the Iranian people are not the same as the Iranian regime.

“When I talk about the Iranians, I’m not talking about the Iranian people. I’m talking about the regime. The Iranian people are a very different… group from the from the regime. Don’t want anything to do with the…what the regime wants. But you cannot trust the regime.”

Risch says the Iranian regime has their own agenda.

“They are motivated by a radical religious view of the world where they will be in charge of the world. They believe their path is to get a nuclear weapon,” he said. “They’re going to do everything they can to get a nuclear weapon. And they will they will make agreements. They’ll do whatever it takes.”

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