Author: KIFI

Par Kermani

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Governor Brad Little is celebrating the success of a recent trade mission to Japan aimed at strengthening Idaho’s role in global innovation and supply chains.

Representatives from the Idaho Department of Commerce, along with the Boise Valley Economic Partnership and the City of Boise, traveled to Japan on April 21-25, 2026.

The delegation met with companies involved in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, food technology, aerospace and logistics.

“Japan is a valued partner and an increasingly important market for Idaho’s growing economy,” Little said in a statement. “As Idaho continues to lead in innovation, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, and technology, strengthening our relationships in Japan opens new doors for investment, trade, and job creation for Idaho families.”

As Idaho’s fourth-largest trading partner, Japan plays a key role in the state’s economy. Governor Brad Little said the partnership helps position Idaho as a global leader in critical industries.

During the trip, Idaho Commerce representatives met with several major suppliers and corporations, including Sumitomo Corporation, Hitachi Ltd., Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation and Stella Chemifa Corporation.

The delegation also met with organizations including the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, the Japanese External Trade Organization, the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan and the Japan Institute for Overseas Investment.

“We are grateful to our Idaho Japan Trade Office and Micron Technology for their work in securing these important meetings,” Idaho Commerce Director Tom Kealey said. “Our in-person engagement with these business and economic leaders increases credibility and trust with Japan’s critical semiconductor, aerospace, food tech, and energy industries.”

Governor Little is expected to lead another trade mission to Japan this fall, with additional visits planned in Taiwan. Idaho officials are currently recruiting businesses interested in joining the Asia mission.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — Rows of flowers will soon line Rexburg’s Main Street, bringing fresh spring color to the heart of downtown.

Flow-Bor Day is an annual community service event where residents gather to plant flowers in boxes and beds along Main Street and Center Street, helping showcase the beauty of summertime in the downtown area.

The event, hosted by the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Group, brings volunteers together to plant flowers throughout downtown. Flowers and plants are provided, but some residents choose to bring their own.

And if you’re curious about the name, it combines the words “flowers” and “Arbor Day.” Former Mayor Jerry Merrill coined the term to blend the traditional planting of trees with the community flower-planting initiative.

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Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho Falls’ historic drive-In is kicking off the summer season this Memorial Day.

The Motor Vu Drive-In is stepping into summer with a double feature lineup featuring the premiere of The Mandalorian and Grogu, followed by The Devil Wears Prada 2.

According to an official Facebook post, the movies will play Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 24. Gates open at 8 p.m. each night, with movies beginning about 30 minutes after sunset.

Tickets will be available at the gate and can also be purchased online through the drive-in’s new ticketing system.

Motor Vu says they are excited to welcome moviegoers back for another summer season.

“We love drive-in season, and we cannot wait to see you at the movies this summer,” the post said. “Let’s get this party started with a Memorial Day weekend that cannot be beat.”

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CNN Newsource

Originally Published: 21 MAY 26 15:20 ET

By Pat Reavy

Click here for updates on this story

    PANGUITCH, Utah (KSL) — A Garfield County man who police say works at an elementary school and was arrested and accused of uploading child sex abuse material was charged Wednesday with 22 first-degree felonies.

Dallen Benjamin Platt, 20, of Henrieville, is charged in 6th District Court with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, 18 counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and sodomy on a child, all first-degree felonies.

The investigation began a week ago when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children task force that suspected child sex abuse material was being uploaded to an IP address in Utah. On Thursday, investigators served a search warrant at Platt’s residence.

Platt admitted to sexually abusing two young children under the age of 5 and secretly recording two teens naked, according to charging documents. He claimed he would then send his videos to a 13-year-old girl in Texas. Platt allegedly told investigators he is in a “relationship” with the 13-year-old.

“Platt stated that he works at a local elementary school. He admitted to taking photos of children at the school and sending the photos to (the 13-year-old) to rate their attractiveness. He also admitted to using AI to manufacture nude images of the children,” charging documents state. “Law enforcement is conducting additional investigation into these files.”

Neither the charging documents nor the arrest report indicate which school Platt works at or what he does there. The crimes Platt was charged with on Wednesday happened at his residence and not the school, the charges say.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Par Kermani

Update:

ALPINE, Wyo (KIFI) — The Town of Alpine has lifted the boil water advisory that was issued earlier this month from a water main break near Trail Drive and Stoor Drive.

According to a social media post, the repairs to the water system were completed and testing confirmed the water meets safe drinking water standards.

Residents in the affected area can now resume normal water use for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, ice making and other household purposes without boiling water.

ALPINE, Wyo (KIFI) — A boil water advisory is now in effect for parts of Alpine following a water main break near Trail Drive and Stoor Drive.

According to the Town of Alpine, the advisory only applies to properties within an affected area. Residents who did not receive a door notice are not impacted.

Due to the Memorial Day holiday weekend, required bacteriological testing and confirmation sampling will take longer than normal to complete.

At this time, the town expects the advisory to remain in effect until approximately Thursday, May 28, pending water quality test results and approval from regulatory agencies.

Residents in the affected area are advised to boil water for at least three minutes before drinking, brushing teeth, making ice, cooking or washing dishes.

Bottled water is available at the Town Shop located at 289 Buffalo Drive in Alpine.

ALPINE, Wyo (KIFI) — Residents between Trail Drive and Stoor Drive are without water as crews respond to a water main break in the area.

According to a notice from the Town, water service is expected to be interrupted for about four hours while repairs are completed.

In a Facebook post, town officials said “Our crews are working as quickly as possible to restore service, and we will provide updates as soon as the repair is complete.”

This is a developing news story. Local News 8 will provide more updates as we learn additional information.

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Par Kermani

BINGHAM COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — A vehicle pursuit near Pocatello led to Idaho State Police seizing a large quantity of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. 

According to the Idaho State Police, the incident happened just before midnight on May 18 when a Domestic Highway Enforcement trooper spotted a sedan with California license plates failing to signal while turning from Interstate 86 onto Interstate 15.

When the trooper attempted a traffic stop near milepost 74 in Bannock County, police say the driver refused to stop, leading troopers on a pursuit.

With assistance from the Fort Hall Police Department, officers deployed spike strips that brought the pursuit to an end.

Police identified the driver as a 40-year-old man from Fargo, North Dakota. He was arrested without further incident. 

According to troopers, a search of the vehicle uncovered approximately one pound of fentanyl powder, two pounds of methamphetamine, more than two pounds of cocaine, and a half pound of marijuana.

The suspect was booked into the Bingham County Jail on probable cause charges including trafficking fentanyl, trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking cocaine, felony possession of marijuana, and felony eluding.

“This seizure highlights the value of having a dedicated team focused on disrupting drug trafficking across Idaho,” Lt. Ryan Hoxie said in a statement.

The Idaho State Police Domestic Highway Enforcement team is part of Gov. Brad Little’s Esto Perpetua initiative aimed at combating drug trafficking and organized narcotics activity across Idaho.

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David Pace

FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI) – The first Native American to travel in space, John B. Herrington, brought students and guests into his orbit Wednesday at the Shoshone-Bannock Hotel and Event Center.

The astronaut, with Idaho connections, blasted off aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor to visit the International Space Station in November 2022.

“I went to the space station. I did three spacewalks and helped assemble the first truss on the left side of the space station,” Herrington said.

During the 13 day and 18 hour mission, Herrington performed three space walks for about 20 hours.

“I’m a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. I was considered the first citizen of a recognized tribe to be a member of the Astronaut Corps and to fly in space,” he said.

Herrington graduated from Aviation Officer Candidate School in 1984 before joining the Astronaut Corps in April 1996.

“I used to sit in a cardboard box and dream I was going to the moon,” Herrington said. “But, you know, is that going to happen? I didn’t go to the moon. I was really envious of the people that just went to the moon. But I was very fortunate I got to do something I dreamed about as a kid.”

On Wednesday, Herrington shared his story and answered questions from Shoshone-Bannock students.

“It inspired me to know that like other natives can get that high up with their careers and do that much stuff, because I haven’t seen a lot of that,” said 13-year-old Chloe Thomas said.

“I probably will want to be an astronaut as well, to prove, like, anybody could really do anything – especially natives,” said 13-year-old Taetyn Taggart.

The first Native American astronaut, John Herrington, discusses his three space walks on the International Space Station at the Shoshone-Bannock Event Center.

The face-to-face encounter with an astronaut may prove a launching pad for Shoshone-Bannock students with big dreams.

“Believe in yourself. If there’s something you want to do, talk to somebody doing it,” Herrington said. “If you have a desire to be an astronaut, a desire to be an attorney or an engineer. Go talk to somebody, and certainly talk to somebody that’s from where you’re from. Make identification with people that you admire, that you understand. Maybe it’s a path you can go down some point in time.”

Shoshone-Bannock students stand side-by-side with NASA astronaut and fellow native John Herrington.

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Seth Ratliff

UPDATE:

THORNTON, Idaho (KIFI) — Madison Fire Department says the fire has now been contained, and residents at the Wind Willows RV Park are allowed to return at this time.

Firefighters continued working through the night, putting out hot spots around the property and nearby vegetation.

Surrounding roadways near the fire scene also remain closed as crews continue cleanup and monitoring efforts.

Officials say five buildings have now been ruled a complete loss.

Power restoration for the Thornton area is still expected around 5 p.m. Friday.

THORNTON, Idaho (KIFI) — The Madison County Fire Department is urgently evacuating the Wind Willow RV Park as crews battle a large, spreading structure fire at the old Thornton Merc near along Yellowstone Hwy. and the exit 328 (Thornton) off-ramp.

So far, five structures have been declared a total loss.

Power is also out in the general Thornton area. It is expected to return May 21st at 5 p.m.

Courtesy: Madison County Sheriff’s Office

Over 15 Madison County Sheriff’s deputies are on scene assisting firefighters. Residents near the area are being directed to follow evacuation instructions from law enforcement and fire personnel on scene.

Drivers should avoid the area and, if possible, use alternate routes to allow first responders to work safely.

The off ramp for Exit 328 on Highway 20 was closed, but is now open.

Temporary Shelter Established

A temporary shelter and resources have been established for any residents displaced by the evacuation. The shelter location is at the LDS Stake Center at 2041 W 5200 S, Rexburg.

According to an alert from the Madison Fire Department, Madison CERT members and chaplains will be on scene to assist with resources.

This is a developing news story. Local News 8 has a crew on the scene and will provide more updates as we learn additional information.

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Stephanie Lucas

ARCO, Idaho (KIFI) – The Experimental Breeder Reactor-I Atomic Museum will open for the 2026 season on Friday, May 22. Located 50 miles west of Idaho Falls on U.S. Highway 20, the museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Labor Day. Admission is free.

This year will mark the 75th anniversary of EBR-I’s historic first generation of usable electricity from nuclear energy at the National Reactor Testing Station, now known as Idaho National Laboratory.

A popular stop for travelers exploring eastern Idaho, EBR-I offers a unique opportunity to explore the world’s first nuclear power plant. The atomic museum provides a hands-on look at a pivotal moment in scientific history, making it an ideal addition to a summer road trip.

“I’m always surprised when I find out local people have never been to EBR-I. I used to take my kids every summer,” said Liza Raley, INL ambassador. “We’d drive out, spend a couple hours pushing buttons at the museum, get some lunch in Arco, and then explore Craters of the Moon and Hell’s Half Acre. It’s such a fun way to learn about INL and fill a summer day.”

The reactor operated until late 1963 and was decommissioned in 1964. It was designated a National Historic Landmark on Aug. 25, 1966, by President Lyndon B. Johnson and Glenn Seaborg, then chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.

Some new features and special events coming up this season include:

America 250 posters featuring the theme “Moments That Made Us” will also be available for visitors during the 2026 season.

The museum will offer a penny press this year. Visitors are encouraged to bring loose pennies to create a souvenir keepsake.

On June 5, June 19, July 3, July 17, July 31, Aug. 14, and Aug. 28, architectural historian Libby Cook will be on-site from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to answer questions. Cook will also lead a guided tour each of those days at noon on understanding EBR-I’s evolution and the decisions of the people who built it.

Visitors can enrich their EBR-I trip by watching the “I Explored the World’s First Nuclear Power Plant (and How It Works)” episode on the “Smarter Every Day” YouTube channel.

Visitors can download the free TravelStorys app and listen to an on-demand tour of INL on their drive across the desert.

National Parks Passport holders can also bring their booklet to the museum to collect a stamp.

No reservations are necessary for the available guided and self-guided tours. Send questions to tours@inl.gov or call 208-526-0050.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

SODA SPRINGS, Idaho (KIFI) – Could a game of chance – the flip of a coin – determine the next County Commissioner of Caribou County?

According to the office of the Secretary of State, it can, but only after a tie is confirmed.

The county board has to meet first to “canvass,” when the county will recount and verify the votes. The official results won’t be known til May 28th.

If the tally remains even, there will be a coin flip. It is scheduled for May 29th.

“Yeah. So Vegas style. Right?” Caribou County Commissioner candidate, Tracy Davis, said. “You look back at some of the things and, you know, there have been other counties that have come down to a tie and the traditional coin flip conducted by the county clerk. So it is an uncertain feeling. But, you know, ultimately it is [uncertain]. We are going against a great guy. And either way, let’s flip the coin and let’s move forward.”

“I think [Caribou County] is going to have to do just like me. Wait and see,” Caribou County Commissioner candidate George Hulse said. “It’s going to be interesting. And, you know, you can’t change it now. So if you wanted to make a change, it wouldn’t be with this election. It would be with future elections.”

Coin flip or run-off election?

A coin flip determining the winner, of course, leaves the outcome to chance. Both Davis and Hulse were asked if they would prefer a runoff election instead.

“The only time I’ve ever seen anything decided by the flip of a coin that I thought was important? When I was in high school, I pole vaulted, and I tied with one of the other contestants,” relates Hulse. “It was decided by the flip of a coin who had first. I just thought, that’s quite a way to decide something like that or an election. But I don’t think that’s fair.”

“I think runoff elections are probably the more better bet,” says Davis. “I just feel like, you know, especially in a three-way race, it can change a lot of dynamics in the voting system.”

The election results remain to be seen, but once the winner is announced – whether by vote or chance – you can count on Local News 8 to deliver the results.

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