Author: KIFI

News Team

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The family and friends of Jaiden James Snyder, the man who tragically took his own life in Tuesday’s police incident along Curlew Drive, are hosting a car meet and fundraiser in his honor to raise awareness about mental health.

The event, organized by the Highground Empire truck club, will be held on July 9, 2025, at 7 PM near the parking lot of 2404 South 25th East in Idaho Falls.

If you or a loved one is struggling with thoughts of suicide, contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

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Seth Ratliff

BURLEY, Idaho (KIFI) — First responders are on the scene of a vehicle fire on I-84 heading eastbound near Burley. The incident began around 12:43 PM. Video from witnesses on the scene shows a pillar of dark black smoke rising from what appears to be the wreckage of an overturned semi-truck.

According to Idaho 511, all eastbound lanes of I-84 are blocked from State Highway 25 (SH-25) to I-86.

The cause of the crash and the condition of the driver have not yet been released. The Idaho State Transportation Department is urging all travelers in the area to seek alternate routes until further notice.

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Seth Ratliff

UPDATE:

FREMONT COUNTY, Idaho – Idaho State Police is investigating a two-vehicle fatality crash that occurred on Friday, July 4, 2025, at approximately 11:43 AM, on US20 near milepost 380.8, south of Island Park.

 A 40-year-old, from Shelley, was travelling westbound in a 2026 Freightliner semi-truck pulling a semi-trailer.

A 42-year-old male and passengers from Idaho Falls, were travelling eastbound in a 2011 Toyota Sienna Minivan.

The Freightliner went off the westbound shoulder, then back on to the roadway from overcorrection, then crossed the median and into the eastbound lanes of travel impacting the Toyota. The Toyota overturned and blocked the eastbound lanes of travel.

The driver of the Freightliner was transported by ground ambulance to a local hospital.

The occupants of the Toyota, including four additional adults and three juveniles were transported by ground ambulance to a local hospital.

All occupants were wearing their seatbelts.

One juvenile passenger from the Toyota succumbed to their injuries.

All lanes of US20 were blocked for approximately 5 hours.

Idaho State Police was assisted by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Island Park Fire Department, Island Park Ambulance, Ashton Ambulance, and Hebgen Lake Paramedics from West Yellowstone, Montana. 

This incident remains under investigation by Idaho State Police.

UPDATE:

ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) — Traffic is now moving intermittently along U.S. Highway 20 near Island Park following a fatal crash that occurred earlier today, according to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office reported at 3:50 PM that significant delays are still expected due to the volume of vehicles in the area.

The West Yellowstone Police Department confirmed the incident as a fatal accident via a Facebook post. While official details about the crash itself remain limited, eyewitnesses at the scene have reported seeing ambulances departing the area.

The incident took place sometime before 11:55 AM today, Friday, July 4, near milepost 380.

This is a developing story. Local News 8 is actively working to gather more details and will provide updates as new information becomes available.

ORIGINAL:

ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho State Police Troopers are on the scene of a fatal crash on U.S. 20 near Island Park. The accident occurred sometime before 11:55 AM, Friday, July 4, near milepost 380.

Traffic has been blocked in both directions – Eastbound and Westbound. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office is asking travelers heading in that direction to take an alternate route.

Local News 8 has a team headed to the crash site and will update this developing story as more details become available. Keep track of accidents and traffic updates at 511.idaho.gov.

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Seth Ratliff

CHALLIS, Idaho (KIFI) — Custer County Emergency Management has issued a Flash Flood Watch for the Wapiti burn area, effective until 9:00 PM MDT on Friday, July 4th. Residents in and around the burn scar should be particularly vigilant, as the most severe weather is anticipated between 7:00 AM and 11:00 AM MDT today.

“Stay aware and be very cautious of your surroundings. Watch out for flash flooding and debris flowing,” warned Custer County Emergency Management in a recent Facebook post.

The Wapiti fire, which burned from July 24 to September of 2024, consumed thousands of acres in the area near Stanley and throughout surrounding Custer County. According to the National Weather Service, burn scars are highly susceptible to flash flooding and debris flows due to the loss of vegetation, which normally helps to absorb rainfall and stabilize the soil. Even moderate rainfall can trigger dangerous conditions.

For more information or to contact the Custer County Office of Emergency Management, please click HERE.

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News Release

The following is a news release from the Pocatello Fire Department:

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — The Pocatello Fire Department wants to let the public know about the significant dangers and operational impacts of unauthorized drone flights over active wildfires.

When an unauthorized drone enters the airspace of an active wildfire, all aerial firefighting operations are immediately grounded. This includes air tankers and helicopters vital to slowing the fire’s spread and supporting ground crews. These protocols are enforced to protect pilots who already operate in challenging, low-visibility conditions.

The grounding of air support due to drone interference has direct and significant impacts on our ability to control and suppress wildfires:

Loss of Critical Time: Wildfires spread rapidly. Every minute that air operations are halted is a minute the fire can grow unchecked, potentially expanding to threaten more homes, infrastructure, and natural resources.

Reduced Effectiveness: Air tankers deliver thousands of gallons of retardant to create firebreaks and cool hot spots. Grounding these assets significantly reduces the effectiveness in containing a wildfire.

Increased Danger to Ground Crews: Without aerial support to knock down the intensity of the fire or cut off its advance, ground crews face increased risks and more challenging conditions, putting their lives on the line.

Flying a drone near a wildfire violates Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and may result in civil fines and criminal charges. Before flying, always check for Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) and follow all FAA regulations. We urge everyone to give firefighters the space they need, both on the ground and in the air, to do their work safely and efficiently. For more information, visit faa.gov/uas.

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce 4th of July Parade kicks off at 9 AM, marking the 249th birthday of the United States of America. The parade will start near Idaho Falls High School, continue down 4th Street, and make its way south on Boulevard to Tautphaus Park.

Local New 8’s Livestream of the pareade is recorded above.

For information on road closures and safety guidelines, click HERE.

The City of Idaho Falls will once again be teaming up with the Community Food Basket in the 4th of July parade this year. Mayor Rebecca Casper, members of the city council, and volunteers will be collecting donations along the parade route tomorrow.

They are asking for monetary donations this year, in place of canned food donations. The team will accept cash and digital contributions through Venmo. For more information, click HERE.

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News Team

AMMON, Idaho (KIFI) — Falls Water customers in Ammon and Iona are boiling mad over a proposed rate increase that could see their bills jump by nearly 50%. This significant hike comes even as residents are reportedly using less water, fueling widespread frustration among the 6,833 residential and commercial customers northeast of Idaho Falls in Bonneville County.

Barbra Summerhill is a Falls Water customer. She says this would be the second rate hike in as many years, “I have been extremely upset about Falls Water’s plan to raise water rates again, just a year after doing a price hike. Last year, they raised our rates while at the same time lowering our allotted water usage.  Here we go again.  I have a family of four and we hit our allotment each month plus some.  That leaves us zero room for watering our lawn.  Before, we were allotted 12,000 gallons a month.  They cut us down to 8,000.  With this proposed rate hike, they want to raise rates another 34%.

Summerhill goes on to say Falls Water was sold and that’s when the water woes started. “Falls Water sold to NW Natural Water, which is part of NW Natural Holdings, all based in Portland. A greedy utility conglomerate that only cares about profit and not the locals here. Why should we allow this rate hike when they can’t maintain our water as it is? We’ve had multiple drops in pressure requiring boil orders and when I’ve called to discuss it with the local management, I was met with anger from them simply because I was upset.”

She hopes people in the Ammon area who are under the Falls Water utility will show up at the public hearing and make their voices heard. “Please show up and fight this with the Public Utilities Commission at the open hearing for the public.  It’s the only way our voices are heard to fight utility companies. This rate hike needs to be declined by the PUC.”

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has stepped in to address the public outcry. They’ve scheduled a public hearing for next Thursday, July 10th, to hear directly from affected customers.

The meeting will be held at the Idaho Falls Regional Fish and Game office, located at 4279 Commerce Circle, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

If you wish to testify in person, plan to arrive by 3:45 PM. The hearing will conclude once all customer testimony has been heard, so early arrival is encouraged.

For those unable to attend in person, written comments are being accepted until the end of today, July 3rd. Make sure to submit your feedback promptly to ensure it’s considered. To comment electronically, visit puc.idaho.gov and click on the “Case Comment Form” link on the upper left side of the page.

If you’d like to listen to the hearing remotely, you can do so by calling 1-415-655-0001 and entering meeting number 2866 747 4789 when prompted.

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Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – The city of Idaho Falls has agreed to support the Community Food Basket in the 4th of July parade again this year.

Mayor Rebecca Casper, members of the city council, and volunteers will be collecting donations along the parade route tomorrow.

They are asking for monetary donations this year, in place of canned food donations. 

The team will accept cash and digital contributions through Venmo. 

The community food basket says this year, they really need the donations.  

“We just run some numbers last week, and we are down 160,000 pounds last year the same time frame to this year, but serving more people. And we’re just struggling. We never want to have to tell someone who really needs food that we don’t have it,” said Ariel Jackson, executive director of the Community Food Basket. “Donations from grocery stores are down, donations from the community are down because people are just trying to maintain themselves. And it’s hard to give. But we could really use the support of the community right now.”

Volunteers will also hand out flyers featuring the community food basket’s “most needed items,” along with a QR code linking to their Venmo for quick and easy electronic giving.

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News Release

The following is a press release from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Bonneville County Sheriff’s Deputies are mobilizing through the holiday weekend to intercept intoxicated motorists. Partnering with the Office of Highway Safety for this event helps place extra Deputies on our roads during the 4th of July weekend who can look for and respond to reports of drunk drivers. 

 Far too many of area fatalities and serious injury crashes involve impaired drivers. Tragedies that can be avoided if people celebrate responsibly and avoid getting behind the wheel if they’ve been drinking or using drugs. Making the smart choice to plan for a safe ride home in your weekend events only takes a moment, which could mean the difference between enjoying more life moments in the future and permanently stopping them. 

Don’t risk it, celebrate responsibly, help your friends and family celebrate responsibly. If you suspect someone is driving a vehicle while impaired, contact your local Law Enforcement and be a good witness. 

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Ariel Jensen

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) – The fourth of July will be a busy day for a lot of people, but especially for 9-1-1 dispatchers.

Every year on the Fourth of July, the number one 9-1-1 calls are about fireworks complaints. 

This is a real issue for the officers in dispatch. The 4th of July is a day when they also get a lot of calls for life and death emergencies. 

Jefferson County says there are only so many 911 lines that come through the dispatch center. So, if you are calling 9-1-1 and there’s a major emergency, those 9-1-1 lines could be tied up, preventing you from reporting the emergency.

“It’s always a big deal around here. We have a huge celebration in Menan. There are celebrations all throughout the valley. And if you don’t have an emergency, please don’t call 911. We don’t want to discourage anybody from calling in reporting things, but we also don’t want to tie up those 911 lines and cause problems for real emergencies,” said Jennifer Fullmer, Jefferson County Sheriff PIO.

If you absolutely need to make a complaint about fireworks noise, they ask that you call their non-emergency line.

That number is 208-745-9210 ext.7

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