Seth Ratliff
AMMON, Idaho (KIFI) — The City of Ammon is ready to officially launch into the summer season with its highly anticipated Ammon Summer Kickoff event, Saturday, June 7th.
This annual community gathering promises an afternoon of family-friendly entertainment and activities, including free swimming, a giant water slide, music, vendors, food, and giveaways
The summer celebration runs from 12 PM to 3 PM.
Zach Glancy
FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI) – Andy Grammer is performing at the Shosone-Bannock Casino Hotel Friday June 6th at 7 p.m. and Local News 8 is partnering with the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce to give away 2 pairs of tickets.
You can enter our giveaway here.
Local News 8 will announce the winners during our Noon newscast Thursday, June 5.
Phillip Willis
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Early Tuesday morning, there was seismic activity detected 9 – 10 miles northwest of Stanley. This was the latest in a series of over 20 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 2.0 since Saturday.
The first of the quakes was shortly after 1:30 a.m. with a magnitude of 4.0. This is the largest quake so far in this cluster.
After that, two more quakes measuring magnitudes of 3.5 and 3.9 occurred just before 6 a.m. A magnitude 3.9 tremor happened just after 7 a.m., and a smaller magnitude 2.5 quake hit just before 8 a.m.
Shortly after 4:35 p.m. on Tuesday, there was another earthquake with a magnitude of 2.7.
It’s a common misconception that after a quake that the tension in the earth has been completely relieved from the area. That’s not entirely true.
Earthquakes occur because of shifting tectonics or forces deep within the earth causing pressure to build up.
The underlying cause of earthquakes, tectonic shift, can build pressure on the same fault lines over and over, causing several earthquakes in the same spot.
It’s also possible that these quakes in Stanley were not part of a ‘series’ , but instead part of an earthquake ‘swarm’.
A series has an identifiable main quake that the procession occurs before or after. A swarm is a bunch of earthquakes with no main quake.
You can’t tell whether it’s a series of foreshock quakes followed by a large quake, or a swarm without a large quake until after either the quakes stop, or a there’s a quake large enough to be identified as the main quake. If it is a swarm, without that clear climactic event, it’s tough to tell when it will die down.
Several counties, including Lemhi and Custer, have sent out Facebook posts providing instructions to prepare for an earthquake.
Custer County Emergency Management’s Facebook post
Lemhi County Emergency Management’s Facebook post
If you feel an earthquake, remember to DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON.
We’ll continue to keep an eye on the sky as well as the ground below in an effort to keep you informed and safe.
CNN Newsource
By Misti Reed
Click here for updates on this story
COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (KXLY) — A judge dropped a defamation lawsuit against Kootenai County Sheriff Robert “Bob” Norris due to a technicality involving an Idaho statute.
Pennie Collinson retained attorney Mark Ellingsen with the law firm Witherspoon Brajcida McPhee last fall to sue Sheriff Norris over claims he pointed at her during a Kootenai County Republican Party candidate forum in Cataldo and said she likes to give oral sex and photograph child pornography at the library.
At the time, Sheriff Norris frequently claimed libraries in North Idaho contained pornographic books in the children’s sections.
Ellingsen told KXLY Tuesday that Judge Lamont Berecz dismissed the case, citing an old statue that mandates anyone suing an active law enforcement officer must post a bond before filing a suit.
Ellingsen said it was impossible to know the bond amount, but later discovered the acceptable bond amount was $500, which the firm paid.
Judge Berecz had to toss the case because the proper protocol wasn’t followed, but he would allow Collinson to refile the case.
Ellingsen said the firm plans to refile the defamation case as soon as early next week.
KXLY contacted the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office for comment on the status of the lawsuit. The Sheriff’s Office has yet to respond.
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Sam Ross
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Valley Mission, a Pocatello-area nonprofit organization that provides resources for the homeless, is dealing with unique challenges in its work to serve the area’s growing population of people living on the streets.
Karl Pettit, director of Valley Mission, said Pocatello’s homeless population remains relatively out of sight when compared to larger cities, and it’s making outreach efforts difficult.
“The challenge we have is Pocatello’s homeless population is what we call concealed,” said Pettit. “We have a large number of people on the streets, in the cars, in the parks, but because of our surrounding parks, campgrounds and such, they’re hidden.”
Pettit and his team do regular deliveries of food and other necessities to known homeless encampments in the Pocatello and Chubbuck areas. Valley Mission also organizes events for their ‘Reach Access Mobile Partnership’ (RAMP) program to bring medical treatment and other services to public places for homeless people in the community.
But Pettit said information collected in collaboration with the Pocatello Police Department indicates the area’s homeless population is expected to grow as more people move from the streets of other states looking for help in Idaho.
In preparation for the influx of people in need, Valley Mission is expanding their services with a brand new shelter located in the old Metropolitan Health Spa building.
“Once it’s completely open, that is going to really be a game changer,” said Pettit. “We believe in this community for a lot of folks; so, again, just helping us reach that goal would be the best thing we can do today.”
Valley Mission is accepting financial donations to help them complete their new shelter space. Pettit said they are also looking for donations of socks, sunscreen, and non-perishable food items to distribute to people through the summer.
Donations for Valley Mission can be dropped off at the First Baptist Church at 408 N Arthur Ave in Pocatello. For more information, you can visit the Valley Mission website.
Ariel Jensen
FREMONT COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — The Fun Farm Bridge in Fremont County has officially been removed. The bridge is pushing to be a hundred and ten years old, and it was time to be replaced.
Fremont County road and bridge supervisor Rowdy Rigby tells Local News 8 the bridge was starting to become a liability for the county. For many years, it was been a land park in the area, but it was time to say goodbye.
“We’re even at the county level, We’re Sad to see it go. It was a community icon. But unfortunately, the hazards it poses… It’s just time to time for an upgrade,” said Rigby.
The new bridge is expected to have two lanes as opposed to the old bridge, which was one lane.
The new bride is expected to be done late fall or early winter.
News Release
The following is a press release from Idaho Governor Brad Little:
BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Governor Brad Little announced today his appointment of Brendon Taylor as District Judge to the Seventh Judicial District.
Taylor is a Magistrate Judge in Bonneville County, serving since 2022. Taylor serves as the presiding judge for the Domestic Violence Treatment Court program. He previously practiced civil and criminal litigation for 22 years at Merrill & Merrill in Pocatello. Taylor earned his undergraduate degree from Idaho State University, and juris doctorate from Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas.
“I am incredibly grateful that Governor Little selected me to continue to serve the people of the Seventh Judicial District as the next Bonneville County District Judge,” Taylor said. “I look forward to the challenging work ahead, and I will strive to uphold the integrity and honor of the Idaho Judiciary.”
The position Taylor will fill is chambered in Bonneville County. He will fill a vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Bruce L. Pickett. The Seventh Judicial District encompasses Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, and Teton counties.
Seth Ratliff
TETON COUNTY, Wyo (KIFI) — A group of seven is safe this afternoon after their family float down the Snake River took a turn towards dangerous waters. According to Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR), the party of seven had been traveling downriver from Moose to Wilson, Wyoming, when their raft became stuck on the rootball of a downed tree near Grand Teton National Park.
As their raft took on water, several of the children and an adult became stranded on top of the downed tree, while the rest of their group were able to stay in the raft and make it safely to a nearby riverbank.
The group was able to call emergency responders just before 1 PM, who learned the boaters were near a private river access at Snake River Ranch. Using the access, volunteers launched a jet boat and navigated to the site downstream, where they were able to safely rescue the stranded group.
“This incident is a reminder of the hazards present on the Snake River, especially during spring runoff,” said TCSAR in a post on Facebook. “The river can split into braided channels with shifting logs, strainers, and debris. Combined with swift, cold water, these factors create dangerous conditions that can trip up even the most skilled boaters.”
TCSAR extended its gratitude to all responding personnel and Snake River Ranch for providing crucial river access, which enabled a swift and safe resolution to the incident.
Ariel Jensen
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — High school-aged students are getting an inside look at what it takes to work in law enforcement at this year’s fourth annual ‘Law Enforcement Teen Career Leadership Camp.’
“I learned that it’s not all fun and games, but even though it’s hard, you can still push through it because you have teammates on your forces that will help you through,” said High School Sophomore Ashley Palmer.
A lot of the activities at the camp are team-based. Students got to visit the Bonneville County jail, learn how to scuba dive, and how to properly use a firearm.
The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office says there is a need to bring on recruits and this is a great way to show the next generation what they are all about.
“There’s always a need. We’ve got people retiring, and we want to encourage a younger generation to explore the career. It’s a great, rewarding career, and we want to give them the opportunity to learn about it,” said Sergeant Daniel Sperry with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.
The Camp has a capacity of 24 students per week, and they are completely full for this year. They even have a waitlist. If you are interested in signing your child up, you will have to wait till next year.
News Team
BOX ELDER COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — 27-year-old Collin James Hawkins of Box Elder County was arrested on Monday, charged with 20 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Hawkins was previously employed as an adjunct Professor at Brigham Young University–Idaho. In a statement to Local News 8, the school confirmed Hawkins is no longer an employee at the university.
Hawkins is accused of downloading several videos containing child sex material (child pornography), allegedly distributed through the Kik messaging app. Officials at Kik contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about the explicit videos used on the account, according to the probable cause statement.
The case was originally assigned to the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children task force, then transferred to Utah after Hawkins’ name and Tremonton address were linked to the Kik account.
During the arrest, Hawkins asked to speak privately with an officer, who informed the 27-year-old of the search warrant and evidence of CSAM. The officer asked Hawkins if that was surprising to him, and according to the probable cause statement, Hawkins said it was not.
The document states that Hawkins’ two phones contained several videos and photos portraying young children and late teens engaging in sexual activity.
Hawkins was booked into the Box Elder County Jail.
