Author: KIFI

Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Whether you’ve seen them in Pocatello, Idaho Falls, or interstate interchanges elsewhere, Flock cameras have become as commonplace as they are controversial in eastern Idaho. Now Pocatello residents are getting their chance to weigh in.

The City of Pocatello and the Pocatello Police Department will host a public town hall session on Oct. 21 to gather community feedback regarding automated license plate scanning cameras.

Mayor Mark Dahlquist and the City Council will be present for the meeting, having already heard a separate presentation from the police department about Flock camera procedures in August. The police department will give a similar presentation to the attending public at 6 p.m. on October 21.

Following the presentation, the City will host a question-and-answer session for residents to clarify anything about Flock cameras in the area. According to DeFlock, there are 46 Flock cameras in the Pocatello-Chubbuck area.

At the August City Council work session, Police Chief Robert Schei confirmed none of those are used for immigration purposes. Schei also confirmed Flock cameras have increased the workforce for police, stating they can use the cameras in lieu of sending multiple officers on a chase for a criminally active vehicle.

The press release from the City of Pocatello states there will be a sign-in sheet available at the Council Chambers entry table by 5:30 p.m. on the day of the town hall meeting. Anyone wanting to speak is encouraged to sign up prior to the start of the meeting and each person will be given three minutes on the mic.

If you’re unable to attend, the City says you can watch the meeting the following day on the City of Pocatello YouTube channel.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Local toddler Bootsey Darrington has just earned a Guinness World Record for being the youngest person to visit every Disney Theme Park. The award was not planned by the family, simply a lucky coincidence as they travelled the world for her mother’s job.

“I will be completely honest, it was not a purposeful attempt to gain this world record,” Jess Darrington, Bootsey’s mom and long-time travel blogger, said. “Throughout the course of the last several years, we’ve just happened to be in places that a Disney is present for my job and work assignments.”

Jess had been a travel blogger for years as part of her career. When she had children, some people thought she wouldn’t be able to go on these adventures anymore. But she had a different idea.

“The whole goal when I created my second page, when my baby was born, was to help parents feel confident to get out of the house with their babies,” Jess said.

Jess began her travel blogs, where.is.briggs (TikTok) or whereisbriggs (Instagram) as a way to prove to other parents traveling is possible. Her goal is to share all of the tips and tricks she’s learned from her travels with other parents.

“I’m not going to beat around the bush. It’s definitely more challenging traveling with little babies and toddlers on airplanes, especially those long haul flights,” Jess said. “But the memories that we’ve made have been absolutely worth the long flights.”

Although there are some who question whether or not young children should even have these adventures because they will forget them, having these experiences could help with a child’s development. And, at the end of the day, the parents can keep these memories with them.

“I will say the memories that my husband and I have made, I hope to remember them forever,” Jess said.

Some advice on traveling with your toddlers from where.is.briggs and from many online parents is to:

Pack a variety of snacks Bring different forms of entertainment Toys Games A tablet with pre-downloaded shows Coloring books Pack extra clothes, diapers, wipes, and medicine Don’t worry about judgement Toddlers and babies cry, make noises, throw fits; people will understand

You can find more travel hacks at where.is.briggs or whereisbriggs.

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Seth Ratliff

CUSTER COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — A multi-agency search and rescue operation is underway for an overdue hunter in Custer County.

The Custer County Sheriff’s Office reported missing hunter Kelly King on Tuesday after he failed to return from a trip in the Morgan Creek and Gooseberry areas. King was last seen driving an all-terrain vehicle, which deputies shared a photo of on Facebook.

Courtesy: Custer County Sheriff-Idaho

The search intensified Wednesday morning as the Idaho National Guard, Civil Air Patrol, and Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue Unit provided aircraft, ATV, and UTV teams to sweep the area from above and on the ground.

Authorities are directing the public to steer clear of the search area to avoid disrupting the search and to preserve any tracks that may belong to King.

Anyone with information regarding Kelly King’s whereabouts or who may have seen his vehicle in the Morgan Creek or Gooseberry areas is urged to contact the Custer County Sheriff’s Office.

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Maile Sipraseuth

DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI)– The iconic Spud Drive-In has been closed since a 2022 windstorm destroyed its movie screen. Now, developers are moving forward with plans to rebuild the theater and transform the property into a larger entertainment destination.

Tom Hedges, an owner and developer with MD Spud, says crews could break ground as early as October 1, weather permitting, and the redevelopment will happen in phases.

“The first phase is prioritizing getting the theater back up and running for the community,” Hedges said.

The second phase will add a new concession and restaurant building, called Murphy’s Mountain Diner.

Developers also plan to add 10 overnight cabins on the back portion of the property, turning the Spud into what Hedges describes as a drive-in theater and resort.

The project is designed to keep some of the features longtime visitors remember while adding new amenities.

One of the biggest changes will be the construction of a new movie screen designed to better withstand Teton Valley’s weather.

“Under the new special use permit, we can use steel to build the structure for the screen. And so it will be fully wind proof, climate proof, blizzard proof. The actual front of the screen will be a wooden facade instead of a screen. So it will be, as burly as you can make build a drive in movie screen,” Hedges said.

The redevelopment has also brought concerns from nearby residents about noise.

“They’ve had a lot of quiet time over the last four years, which I’m sure they enjoyed,” Hedges said, “We’ve agreed to some conditions to do so, including making sure that we do a really good job of screening the theater, all around the property with both fencing and landscaping, big trees, and face the speakers downwards and centered.”

Hedges says the new and improved Spud Drive-In will be fully open by early to mid Summer 2028.

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – A beloved furniture store from Idaho Falls has officially expanded to Pocatello. On September 23, members of the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce and employees and owners of Modern Home cut the ribbon on their new location.

Modern Home started ten years ago in Idaho Falls, when the Sparks family moved to Idaho. Owner Alan Sparks said they loved the colder weather and mountains of the area and opened their first Modern Home store in Idaho Falls.

The pinnacle of Modern Home is their family-oriented style of business. Sparks’ two sons operate the stores across the state. Sparks also mentioned the Bank of Commerce was essential in expanding to Pocatello, as was Construction Solutions.

Sparks Family cuts the ribbon on Pocatello Modern Home, September 23

“We looked at the numbers and realized there was a lot of people coming to Idaho Falls from Pocatello in our store shopping for furniture,” Sparks said. “There was just a lot of demand that we saw for what we think is a nice furniture store in Pocatello.”

When asked how he best describes his company, Sparks said, “It’s a family company.” The ability to expand to the Gate City was only possible because his son Danon and family were willing to manage the new location. “It’s key for us to be able to give really good service, and to have our family and sons as part owners and have people who really care about the business and the consumer in store is really important to us.”

After successfully running Sparks Furniture stores in Arizona, the owner said Modern Home better described the goal of the Idaho Falls and Pocatello stores.

“We’re trying to bring furniture that’s current, modern and fresh to style today,” Sparks said. “The entire store is tagged on sale for the grand opening. We also have a lot of stock, we’ve tried really hard to stock the product that we have now.”

Sparks also said there is custom order availability at the Pocatello location to change aspects of the pieces.

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Curtis Jackson

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Pet owners in eastern Idaho will have the opportunity to get free vaccinations and microchips for their dogs and cats this weekend through a community clinic hosted by the Snake River Animal Shelter.

The shelter will provide free pet vaccines on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the Idaho K9 Academy building next to the Snake River Animal Shelter. The clinic is part of Petco Love’s “Vaccinated and Loved” initiative, a nationwide effort to prevent deadly but avoidable diseases in pets.

According to Snake River Animal Shelter, the free vaccines are made possible through Petco Love, a national nonprofit that has distributed more than 4 million free pet vaccines to animal welfare organizations across the country.

The clinic will offer DAPPv canine vaccines for dogs and HCP feline vaccines for cats on a first-come, first-served basis. Shelter officials said they hope to vaccinate about 200 pets during the event.

In addition to vaccines, free microchips will be available for dogs and cats. The shelter said pets that do not already have a microchip will be required to receive one before being vaccinated.

Low-cost vaccinations will also be offered, including $20 rabies vaccines for dogs and cats and $15 Bordetella vaccines for dogs. Organizers said only cash or Venmo payments will be accepted for those services.

Snake River Animal Shelter Executive Director Michelle Ziel-Dingman said the partnership helps remove barriers that can prevent pet owners from accessing preventive care.

“Petco Love’s partnership allows us to bring lifesaving vaccines directly to pet parents at no cost,” Ziel-Dingman said in a statement. “Access to preventive care is critical. When we remove access barriers, more pets stay protected, and that benefits our entire community.”

According to Petco Love, diseases such as parvovirus and distemper in dogs and panleukopenia in cats are among the most common deadly illnesses affecting pets and can be prevented through vaccination.

The organization said survey data from attendees at previous free vaccine clinics found that only 38% of pet owners reported their pets had previously received similar vaccines, underscoring the need for free vaccination programs.

Petco Love President Chelsea Staley said the clinics often serve as an entry point for families who have not yet established routine veterinary care.

“For nearly half of the pet parents we surveyed at free clinics powered by Petco Love, these events are how they make sure their pets get vaccinated,” Staley said. “It’s more than just a single shot. It’s about preventing disease in the long term, protecting communities, and opening the door for families and pets to a lifetime of care.”

Pet owners planning to attend are asked to bring dogs on leashes and cats in carriers. The shelter said it cannot vaccinate pets that are sick, injured, unowned, or known to have adverse reactions to vaccines or people.

For more information, contact the Snake River Animal Shelter at 208-523-4219.

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News Team

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Optimist Skate Park, located across from City Hall in Pocatello, is closed this week for routine maintenance. Beginning on Wednesday, September 23, crews from Artisan Skateparks will complete the work.

The scheduled repairs are under the warranty portion of Artisan Skateparks’ contract with the City of Pocatello, according to the Pocatello Parks and Recreation Department. The repairs include addressing minor chips and cracks as well as wear and tear from weather exposure to the skate ramps.

The Parks and Rec Department said the work is expected to take five to seven days and the skate park will remain closed throughout the maintenance. It will reopen when the area is fully safe for public use.

The City is also asking the public to avoid the area of Optimist Park during the closure to help ensure work can be completed safely and efficiently by repair crews.

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Seth Ratliff

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — A local man is facing felony charges after allegedly stabbing someone Saturday night, leaving the victim with significant injuries, according to Rexburg Police.

Officers with the Rexburg Police Department responded to a reported stabbing at a residence on South 2nd East around 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 19. Upon arrival, officers found the victim suffering from significant lacerations. The victim received emergency medical treatment and was stable.

Following an investigation, officers identified Gerardo Mendoza as the suspect and obtained both search and arrest warrants for his residence.

Due to the nature of the incident, the Upper Valley Special Response Team (SRT), a specialized unit comprised of authorities from area law enforcement, was deployed to execute the warrants

SRT members took Mendoza into custody without further incident. He was booked into the Madison County Jail on charges of Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon.

“We want to thank our partners from these agencies for their assistance in completing this investigation,” the Rexburg Police Department said in a statement.

Mendoza made his initial court appearance on September 21 before Judge David Hunt. Bond was set at $150,000, and he was appointed a public defender. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 30 at 1:30 p.m. If convicted, Mendoza faces up to 15 years in state prison.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Charges represent a formal accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A local freelance journalist has been found guilty of felony domestic violence following a two-day jury trial in Bonneville County.

A jury found David Helaman George, 36, of Idaho Falls, guilty of one count of felony domestic battery inflicting traumatic injury on Sept. 15, according to a Tuesday release from the Bonneville County Prosecutor’s Office. George was acquitted on a second count.

The conviction stems from an investigation conducted by the Idaho Falls Police Department. George was charged in February 2025 and pleaded not guilty the following April.

George previously worked as a freelance reporter for East Idaho News. In a statement, Managing Editor Nate Sunderland confirmed the outlet was aware of the verdict.

“As a result, he will no longer be freelancing for our publication,” Sunderland said. “We don’t generally write about domestic incidents, and when we do, we wait until after sentencing, which has not yet happened in this case.”

George is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 16, 2026 before Judge Joel Tingey. He faces up to 10 years in state prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

AMMON, Idaho (KIFI) — Bonneville High School and surrounding buildings were briefly placed under a hall check Wednesday morning while law enforcement investigated a report of a weapon on campus.

Deputies with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office were sent to the area around 11:00 a.m. to search as a safety precaution. Sergeant Bryan Lovell with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that deputies searched the building, found no weapon, and cleared the scene within the hour. Bonneville County School District 93 has since returned the school to normal operations.

In an update to parents, district officials and the Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the incident appears to be part of a “swatting” call—a hoax designed to trigger a heavy emergency response. Investigators believe the call originated from outside the area, has no connection to Bonneville High School.

“Deputies have since learned this threat is similar to swatting calls to schools in other parts of the region,” said Lovell in a news release.

The investigation into the call remains ongoing.

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