Author: KIFI

Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — An Idaho State Police Officer is being honored for a career that defines “going above and beyond.”

On Thursday, February 5, ISP Sergeant Amanda Ward will be recognized with the MVP Award during the 2nd Annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Luncheon. Hosted by the Greater Idaho Falls Police Foundation, the event celebrates the efforts of local law enforcement from the Idaho Falls Police Department, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, and the ISP.

“Ward’s recognition highlights her exceptional commitment to service,” said ISP in a news release. “In addition to her work as a trooper, Ward is an active member of the Honor Guard and serves on the peer support team — roles that extend her impact well beyond traditional enforcement duties.”

The luncheon serves as a bridge between law enforcement and the citizens they protect. Members of the public are invited to attend, with all proceeds supporting ongoing community and law enforcement initiatives led by the Greater Idaho Falls Police.

The luncheon will take place on Thursday, Feb. 5, at noon at Melaleuca Headquarters. For more information, click HERE.

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Seth Ratliff

CHUBBUCK, Idaho (KIFI) — A 37-year-old Idaho woman faces serious felony charges after allegedly stealing an SUV with a sleeping infant inside on Sunday night.

Rikki Johnson was arrested on January 25 by Chubbuck Police and charged with felony grand theft. She also faces charges related to an outstanding misdemeanor drug warrant. Additional charges are currently under review by the Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office.

The investigation began after a silver Kia Sorento was stolen from a Chubbuck residence at about 7:56 P.M. At the time of the theft, a one-year-old infant was asleep in the back seat.

Fortunately, police say a family member quickly found the abandoned SUV on Hiline Road. Chubbuck Police Department confirmed the child was still asleep in the vehicle and was unharmed during the ordeal.

Following a multi-agency search, officers identified and apprehended Johnson. She has been booked into the Bannock County Jail and is set to appear for a video arraignment on the drug charges later today, January 26, 2026.

“It’s important to point out that we’re a relatively safe community, and things like this don’t happen a lot,” said Chubbuck Police Chief Nick Sasser. “I think we can all say we’re glad it ended the way it did.”

Sasser emphasized that while the child was left in the vehicle for only a short period, and the incident occurred at a private residence, not a shopping center, it is still important for one parent to remain with children in a vehicle when possible.

“When you’re talking hypotheticals to people and you’re trying to explain to them that they shouldn’t leave a child in the vehicle, it’s a hypothetical situation, so it’s not real,” he said. “In this case, it was very real to this family.”

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News Team

The following is a news release from the Caribou-Targhee National Forest

ASHTON IDAHO, January 25, 2026 – The Caribou-Targhee National Forest has confirmed a fire in the historic Bear Gulch railroad tunnel, located approximately 0.4 miles from the Bear Gulch parking area along the Railroad Right-of-Way Trail.

The incident remains under investigation, and the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. For public safety, the Forest Service is asking visitors to avoid this section of the trail until further notice.

This incident is not related to the pile burning the Forest conducted Thursday, eight miles northwest of Bear Gulch on Ashton Hill.

Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Forest Service Patrol Captain Rayce Angell at 208-313-5829 or rayce.angell@usda.gov.

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Danielle Mullenix

We are still sitting in the cold front’s pocket from this weekend, but many residents will start to experience a subtle rise in temperatures over the coming days. The cold air boundary that has sat near our region will move towards Montana and Nebraska, allowing high pressure to return and continue the chain of dry weather.

Early morning patchy fog still impacts the early mornings around the region. But as the day begins and the sun rises, no precipitation is in the forecast for Eastern Idaho on Monday morning. There is a slight possibility of snow brushing across Fremont County and Western Wyoming later in the evening, but not much accumulation will arise from this snowfall. Our forecast for the coming days indicates a large dry weather pattern.

Low clouds bringing patchy fog to the valleys and plains continue to pose a slight advisory for the early morning hours. A weak trough on Monday evening will bring clouds and light precipitation to the upper Snake River highlands. Once high pressure begins to reenter our area by the end of the upcoming week, we expect to return to a gradually rising temperature trend.

High temperatures will start to rise back into the lower 40s by the end of the week, offering unusual winter-like numbers. Wind speeds will also remain mild over the coming days, with gusts not exceeding 20 mph.

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Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Nearly 200 people gathered outside the Bonneville County Courthouse on Sunday, Jan. 25th to remember lives lost due to ICE violence.

The event began with speeches, followed by the crowd singing “My Country, ’Tis of Thee.” A moment of silence followed, as attendees stood quietly holding candles near the courthouse steps

The vigil brought together community members from across the area, many braving the cold to stand in solidarity and reflect on the loss. Vigil organizer Chance Marshall said the tragedy resonated deeply with the community.

“We resonate with that here in this local community,” Marshall said. “We see it as a reflection of what could happen in our community.”

While many participants focused on remembrance, some also held signs calling for peace and justice.

“I feel like this country is just slowly turning into a dictatorship,” vigil attendee Roxy said. “Seeing so many innocent people get detained, killed, or abused by ICE is just so inhumane and gross.”

Another attendee, among others, felt touched by the event.

“I kind of got emotional when we sang My Country, ’Tis of Thee, because this is a sweet land of liberty for everyone,” Nelson said. “The Constitution says all men are created equal. That does not mean just legal immigrants, the rule of law applies to everyone and should be followed regardless.”

Attendees all shared a similar connection as to why they came together as candles lined the courthouse steps as flowers were placed in memory of Good and Pretti.

“I’m really hoping that things slowly start turning toward the better, I feel like there’s so much negativity in the world,” Roxy said, “I just really hope everyone can just spread positivity instead of policing every little thing anyone does and being hateful for no reason. Like there’s really no reason, we’re all human. I feel like everyone deserves love.”

“I have a lot of hope for the future,” Nelson said. “That hope comes from my faith in our governmental system — that it will be fixed. Right now, it is not.”

The vigil concluded peacefully as everyone spoke until the sun set. Leaving behind candles and flowers as a symbol of remembrance and unity.

“It’s important to say their names,” Marshall said. “They’re not just strangers who lived in Minnesota. They are community members. They’re family members. They’re neighbors.”

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Danielle Mullenix

As the cold front moves through our region this weekend, we expect a continuation of the cooler temperatures and the mild conditions we’ve observed over the past few days. There is a slight chance of mountain snow near the Western Wyoming border this Sunday evening due to a large low-pressure system over the northern plains.

Low clouds that are bringing patchy fog in the valleys and plain continue to pose a slight advisory for the early morning hours. A weak trough on Monday evening will bring clouds and light precipitation to the upper Snake River highlands. Once high pressure begins to reenter our area by the end of the upcoming week, we expect to return to a gradually rising temperature trend.

Sunday low cloud coverage is expected to be dominant in the early hours of the day, with sunny skies for a nice Sunday afternoon and early evening. We remain under high pressure, with clear skies and cold air blowing in from the north. Afternoon highs will barely reach around freezing before cooling back into the lower 20s and teens for evening lows. Wind gusts will be mild, with gusts getting up to 20 mph in more highland areas in the early morning hours.

By Monday, we will begin to see a warming trend reenter our region. High temperatures in the Snake River Plain will be getting back up into the low 30s, and widespread lows in the 20s and teens for the evening. These numbers will continue to rise throughout the following days.

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Zoo Idaho hosted their annual Poke Fest earlier today where guests enjoyed beer on tap with a special twist.

The beer was provided by Wanderlust, who offered several kinds of high-sugar content beers. A crowd favorite was the peanut butter stout. Zoo Idaho members poke the beer with hot iron rods to enhance the flavor.

Zoo manager Pete Pruett told us the heat from the rod instantly caramelizes the malt in the beer. This gives the foamy top a marshmallow-like taste.

“You can really tell the difference, it changes the flavor,” said Pruett.

The event serves as a fundraiser for Zoo Idaho. Guests look forward to making s’mores around the campfire and enjoying the mugs of beer every year.

“It’s great for the community to get out there and enjoy the zoo, try some great beers,” said Kevin Busick, owner of Wanderlust. “Just to get out here and have a great time.”

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – This morning was the annual Potato Cup: a variety of cross country ski races hosted at the East Fork Mink Creek Nordic Center outside of Pocatello. Racers traveled from around the region to participate in the races.

Participants under 18 years old can race in a 3K, while other cross country skiers can sign up for a 5K, 10K or 15K race. The races began over 20 years ago. Race Director Valerie Gill told us she remembers racing as a kid back in 2005. Now, she directs and participates in the Potato Cup every year.

The event serves as a fundraiser for the Pocatello Cross Country Ski Foundation, which is a local non-profit that puts on cross country ski events. They host races and ski potlucks every other Wednesday at the yurt at the nordic center. They also work with the City of Pocatello to keep the trails groomed.

“The Potato Cup is always hard, but always a little nerve wracking,” said Gill. “Some years we have a lot of snow and there’s no nerves, but this year has been a real white knuckler right up until last week. I thought we were going to have to cancel the race as soon as last Monday.”

The organizers were relieved that snow was coming down during the races today and provided enough for the trails. The lap at the nordic center is 5K and features plenty of uphills and downhills to challenge the skiers.

Some years, the Potato Cup draws up to 65 racers. This year, there were between 40-50 competitors. Because of the addition of the children’s 3K race, there is a large age range of skiers.

“I know we had one kid here that just learned how to skate today,” said Gill. “He did his first skating on the race course which I thought was awesome.”

The Potato Cup is a freestyle race, which means they accept both skate and classic skiers. Gill says this is because they want everyone to come and feel welcome. The winners of each race also won various prizes.

For more information about events at the nordic center, visit pokyxc.org.

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Danielle Mullenix

A weak cold front moves through the region this weekend, with dry cold air moving down the Snake River Plain. We’ll see some temperatures in the single digits for morning lows and teens elsewhere, and some negatives in some mountain locations, particularly where it’s clear. Some pockets of snowy weather will pop up this Saturday just toward the south of Eastern Idaho and East of the Jackson, Wyoming area.

We remain on the edge of the massive winter storm that covers the bulk of the Eastern United States this weekend. As a result, we’re only seeing portions of that extensive low-pressure system in our area, with dry, cold air pushing south. For the remainder of this Saturday, the Snake River Plain will see mostly sunny skies with just a slight chance of mountain snow.

A small pocket of snow hovers over the lower Snake River Plain area, creating a light dusting in portions of Pocatello. Highs reach only about 25°, and winds will lighten and shift to the southwest by afternoon. Cloud cover returns Saturday night, bringing a low near 10°. Overall, Saturday’s temperatures are expected to be the coldest.

On Sunday, we can anticipate plenty of sunshine and a slight increase in temperatures, reaching around 28°, accompanied by a gentle west wind. The warming trend will persist into Monday, with partly sunny conditions and a high of approximately 32°. Although the temperatures won’t be especially warm, the start of the week will feel warmer and brighter.

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Hundreds enjoyed a Valentine’s Day themed night at the annual Chocolate Lover’s Affair at the Stephen’s Performing Arts Center at ISU, where guests enjoy a variety of sweet treats provided by local bakeries in support of the Pocatello Rotary Club.

The event is a favorite amongst the Pocatello community. Guests enjoy sampling the vendors’ baked goods, which range from handcrafted chocolates, to cheesecakes, caramel apples, hot chocolate, banana breads and even crepes.

Camille’s Crepes, a beloved food truck and crepe business in the community, made red velvet crepes on site tonight so that guests could watch the cooks in action. One vendor, CreeAnna’s LLC, told us they’ve been to the Chocolate Lover’s Affair before and felt the effects.

“Especially around the holidays, I’ve had customers come in and tell me they’ve found us from the Chocolate Lover’s Affair,” said Tiphanie, owner of CreeAnna’s LLC. “It makes me feel good and I love it because it makes it feel like this is worth it.”

Live jazz music was performed throughout the evening by students of Idaho State University. There was also a silent auction for guests to bid on items like a free trip for two, paintings, handmade crafts, a photography session and more.

The event serves as a fundraiser for the Pocatello Rotary Club, and wouldn’t be possible without the sponsors of the event like title sponsor Cole Cheverolet. They’ve been sponsoring the Chocolate Lover’s Affair for the past five years.

“It’s a great organization, the Rotary Club of Pocatello,” said Ryan Cole, General Manager of Cole Cheverolet. “They do a lot for our community and I’m really excited and happy I can help in any way. The best part about this entire event is just experiencing the people come in, eat the chocolates, see all the different vendors that this town has to offer and really kind of open their eyes to what we have here in Pocatello.”

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