Author: KIFI

Hadley Bodell

YELLOWSTONE, Wyoming (KIFI) – A new crater has made its debut in Yellowstone National Park, filled with near-boiling water and caused by pressure changes just below the surface in Biscuit Basin. Monitors alerted scientists of seismic activity north of the Black Diamond Pool while park service employees saw milky water in the Firehole River downstream.

Upon checking the camera footage, geologists saw steam erupting from the ground.

The new hydrothermal pool that formed north of the Black Diamond Pool in Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone, USGS 2026

Learning from the Past

In 2024, Black Diamond Pool erupted in a historic hydrothermal event, ruining boardwalks nearby and causing the closure of Biscuit Basin. Following that explosion, scientists installed cameras and new monitoring systems including an infrasound array, which tracks low frequency acoustic energy – the kind seen from explosions. They also set up microphones that allow them to determine the direction the sound is coming from.

Black Diamond Pool has remained active with interesting spouts of energy, including eruptions of various sizes and changes in the water level associated with acoustic energy and seismic activity. It turns out, the cameras were in just the right place.

Catching an Explosion

Just after 5 a.m. on June 13, alarms on the monitoring systems blared, indicating seismic events in the basin area. Geophysicist and lead scientist with the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Michael Poland said they determined the activity was located north of the Black Diamond Pool.

Reports began to come in from park service employees of milky waters in the Firehole River downstream. Several miles away, there was evidence of an eruption at Biscuit Basin.

Milky waters in the Firehole River downstream from Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone, June 13 USGS

“We could see [on the cameras] there was clearly some steam jetting,” Poland said. “When geologists went out there to take a look, they found rocks had been thrown out. There were a couple of big cracks that are full of boiling water that had formed.”

One of the crack vents that formed was over 60 feet long. Poland called the event a “smallish hydrothermal explosion, but still impressive.” This explosion also proves the importance of monitoring data, because without it, the new pool and eruptive activity may have gone unnoticed in the already-closed area.

Fissures seen in the Biscuit Basin area following the event, Yellowstone, June 13 USGS

Between June 14 and 16, a 21-foot-wide crater formed in Biscuit Basin. Ground that geologists had walked on days prior was now caved in and covered with boiling water.

“The ground was really thin and it fell into an area that was probably growing a slightly subterranean pool,” Poland said. “Then, on June 18, we started seeing that pool go through periods where it was spouting almost like a geyser.”

Every few moments, the new pool would spout a plume of boiling water and steam into the air. Then, on June 23, scientists observed an eruption of the pool.

“It sent things up many tens of feet, just a single one-off event,” Poland said. “But, clearly the area is still evolving and is pretty dynamic.”

An “Exciting Opportunity” for Scientists

The exciting part about the newly formed pool and surrounding vents is their unexpected activity and unpredictability. Poland said they don’t have current records of this kind of event happening in a place where it’s easy to observe. Many modern hydrothermal explosions happen in the backcountry or over the winter season, where changes in geography or activity are found later.

“This particular event is a really important scientific opportunity because it happened in an area that was already closed, so it definitely doesn’t pose a hazard to the public and in an area that’s really well-monitored,” Poland said. “We can track the evolution of the features visually by going out and looking at them, but also by the monitoring data we have.”

By understanding the progression that hydrothermal explosions can go through, scientists can determine the hazard to other thermal areas in the park. Poland said Biscuit Basin is known for having explosive character, with many past events.

“It seems to have a lot of boiling water that’s right at the interface between liquid and steam, and that’s a recipe for explosions because if you increase the pressure a little bit, you raise the water above the boiling point,” he said. When the pressure releases through cracks or vents, the water instantly flashes to steam and causes an explosion.

Updated map of the Biscuit Basin area including the new pool and vent system, Yellowstone, USGS 2026

It’s more unique that a new pool formed in relation to this seismic activity. Poland said another pool formed in 2024 near the Norris Geyser Basin where flat ground collapsed.

With seismic and infrasound monitoring stations, Yellowstone scientists are opening the door to a new way of exploring the park’s thermal areas.

“It’s an opportunity to study this kind of event and then hopefully apply what we learned to other places,” Poland said. “There may have been precursors. That’s one of our goals to understand whether or not we can detect the likelihood that this might happen in the future in a certain place. We’ve never had monitoring instrumentation this close to a hydrothermal explosion.”

Poland added that geologists will likely spend the next several months to years pouring over the data collected prior to this explosion north of the Black Diamond Pool. If they are able to find warning indications prior to the event, it would open up a whole new world for forecasting explosions.

Hydrothermal explosions have caused many injuries and fatalities around the world, with volcano warning systems becoming one of the first to save countless lives in natural disasters. Now, geologists have the opportunity to study whether or not there were signals in the Biscuit Basin area before this explosion.

“If we could develop some means of anticipating them, then that could have real impact in parks, in thermal areas around the world, not just in Yellowstone,” Poland said.

Impact of Explosion

A common misconception is that one eruption must affect all other geographical sites in the area. Poland said this mini-explosion was local and didn’t effect any other features in Biscuit Basin. Scientists watched Black Diamond Pool, just a few hundred feet from the seismic area including the new pool, and didn’t see any changes.

“It doesn’t always mean something big is going to happen,” Poland explained. “If you have a leaky faucet in your house, that doesn’t mean your neighbor has a leaky faucet now. If everyone on your block has a leaky faucet, maybe there’s a bigger issue. In the case of Biscuit Basin, it’s one leaky faucet and it’s because something is wrong with it. All the others are fine.”

Individual features in Yellowstone have their own events often, but if they begin to see further activity across the basin, it could indicate a larger seismic event.

There is also potential the new pool becomes a consistent geyser, but Poland says it’s more likely it has activity for a short period of time and then calms.

“It’s possible this new feature will have it’s moment and then go quiet, but it’s also possible it will develop into another geyser,” he said. “That’s part of the excitement of Yellowstone, it’s so dynamic. Every time you go, it’s different.”

What happens next?

Poland said geologists are allowed to enter and explore the basin area, while it remains closed to the public.

“They’re documenting the changes they’re seeing, looking at the temperature of the water, the chemical composition of the water to see whether it’s cooling off or heating up,” he said. “Documenting the sizes of the features like the pool has a rim that kind of slopes away underneath it so it’s going to get bigger over time.”

They’ll track other openings and vents that monitor cameras may have not picked up and line it up with the seismic data to begin discovering whether these explosions may be predictable.

Yellowstone National Park hoped to re-open the Biscuit Basin area to the public, but with this recent explosion, it has proven too hazardous for visitors. It will remain closed while scientists explore the event.

This was Not a 2024 Repeat

When news broke of another eruption near the Black Diamond Pool, it was easy to equate it to the eruption in June of 2024. Poland says their scale is drastically different.

“The event that occured on June 13 threw rocks, but only a few tens of feet and they tended to be overall smaller,” he said. “It was smaller in terms of the energy released, and also not in the middle of a pool. It happened in an area that was previously dry and barren, and happened over a much broader area.”

The 2024 explosion happened right in the middle of the Black Diamond Pool, meaning geologists can’t see what the vent area looks like because it’s underwater. Now, they have the unique opportunity to see the effected area north of that pool from this explosion.

“Different styles, definitely, but the same underlying cause which is these pressure fluctuations that allow water to flash to steam,” Poland said.

If you’re interested in following along on the geologist’s journey to finding new information about these eruptions and seismic activity in Yellowstone, the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory posts a weekly series called the Caldera Chronicles. To see videos and read more information, visit their website at https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo.

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Par Kermani

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — A man died Tuesday after officers with the Blackfoot Police Department responded to reports of alleged stalking and a protection order violation.

According to the Blackfoot Police Department, officers were dispatched around 4:52 p.m. and located the suspected vehicle in the Taco Bell parking lot.

Police said officers initiated a traffic stop. As they approached the vehicle, they discovered the driver had sustained what investigators described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Officers immediately began providing first aid before the man was transported by ambulance to Bingham Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said no officers discharged their weapons during the incident.

The Bingham Joint Investigations Unit is investigating the death. Authorities said preliminary information indicates there is no threat to the public.

The man’s identity has not been released pending notification of next of kin.

The Blackfoot Police Department extended its condolences to the man’s family and others affected by the incident.

Crisis Resources & Support

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 to speak with a trained crisis counselor or chat at 988lifeline.org.

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Par Kermani

VICTOR, Idaho (KIFI) — Victor Mayor Will Frohlich announced he will resign from office effective July 1, saying he does not want the city to spend months fighting a recall effort while other issues remain unresolved.

In a statement released Wednesday, Frohlich said he believes voters would ultimately reject the recall petition filed against him, but decided stepping down is in the city’s best interest.

The petition for a recall met the requirements for a special election in November. The petition came after the City of Victor sued the City of Driggs over the handling of the Driggs wastewater treatment plant the two cities share.

“Additionally, after learning who is behind the recall effort and who is financing it, I believe theunfounded personal attacks will only persist,” Frohlich wrote in his statement. “Out of respect for my family, our city, the community I care deeply about, and the responsibilities of my full-time career, I have decided I am no longer willing to remain involved in this dynamic.

The recall effort was organized by a group called “Victor Watchdogs.” They are concerned about Victor building its own wastewater treatment plant, which the mayor feels will be better for the city.

You can read his full statement below.

Press release from: Will Frohlich, Victor Mayor.

Will.Frohlich.ResignationDownload

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Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Wackerli Subaru donated 40 blankets and 10 patient care kits to patients as a part of their ‘Wackerli Subaru Loves to Care’ initiative.

This donation was in partnership with Blood Cancer United, and designated for patients undergoing cancer treatments at the Idaho Cancer Center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

The patient care kits feature items intended to provide both comfort and engagement during treatments. These kits specifically include toys such as fidget toys and comfort items like slippers.

Chad Mahoney, a Subaru Love Champion, stated the initiative aligns with the dealership’s broader commitment to the region.

“The effort is part of Wackerli Subaru’s ongoing commitment to giving back to Eastern Idaho,” Mahoney said.

For more information about Subaru’s Love Promise, click HERE.

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Par Kermani

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — A Caldwell woman is among hundreds of people charged in what federal officials are calling one of the largest healthcare fraud enforcement actions in U.S. history.

On Tuesday, the Department of Justice announced charges against 455 defendants nationwide as part of its 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. Federal officials allege the schemes involved more than $6.5 billion in false claims submitted to Medicare, Medicaid and other healthcare programs.

Among those charged is 47-year-old Niki Rashel Cook of Caldwell.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, Cook was charged by indictment with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with an alleged scheme to obtain nursing jobs by falsely representing herself as a licensed healthcare professional.

Federal prosecutors allege Cook used the names and nursing licenses of other individuals to apply for and obtain jobs at several healthcare facilities, including a behavioral health hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a skilled nursing facility and businesses providing hospice services.

According to the indictment, Cook earned more than $22,000 through the alleged scheme.

The Idaho case was announced as part of a nationwide healthcare fraud crackdown involving federal and state law enforcement agencies in 45 states. The Department of Justice said the operation resulted in the seizure of more than $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry and other assets.

Officials said approximately 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals were among those charged in the nationwide investigation.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and Idaho’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit participated in the enforcement effort.

The case against Cook was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Boise Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darci Crane is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is an allegation of wrongdoing. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

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Seth Ratliff

JACKSON, Wyo. (KIFI) — Teton Interagency Fire crews are battling the Kinky Creek Fire, a fast-moving, 350-acre wildfire burning in the Bridger-Teton National Forest east of Jackson.

The fire broke out around 4:00 PM on Tuesday, June 23, in the Gros Ventre Wilderness on the Jackson Ranger District, according to a news release from the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Originally estimated at just 5 to 20 acres, the blaze grew rapidly overnight. Fire officials report that the flames are actively spreading through dense timber along a steep slope near upper Gros Ventre Falls, roughly three miles west of Darwin Ranch.

Yesterday, smokejumpers established a secure anchor point to build a fireline at the rear of the fire. Crews are now working to keep the flames on the west side of the Gros Ventre River, while additional resources set up structure protection around Darwin Ranch.

More than 50 personnel, including smokejumpers, fire engine crews, support staff, and air assets like a Type 3 helicopter, are currently on the scene. Fire crews expect additional reinforcements to arrive today to bolster containment efforts. A Type 3 Incident Management Team will arrive on Wednesday evening to assume command, bringing in a multi-agency group of specialists equipped to handle moderately complex, longer-term incidents.

According to the release, fire managers are currently using two strategies to contain the blaze. Currently, crews are using a combination of direct extinguishment, tackling the active flame front head-on, and indirect confinement, building firelines ahead of the flames to steer and trap the fire.

The public is strictly urged to avoid Kinky Creek Road; the Kinky Creek and Clear Creek trails; and Brewster, Lunch, and Chateau lakes so emergency crews can operate safely. The U.S. Forest Service is expected to announce a formal closure order for the area in the coming hours, according to the release.

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Danielle Mullenix

ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) – More than three months after an arson fire damaged Island Park City Hall, city leaders are continuing to serve residents from a temporary location while investigators work to determine who set the blaze.

Facebook / City of Island Park

The fire, which occurred in March, forced city officials to evacuate the building and disrupted normal operations. Today, city business is continuing as usual…but not from City Hall.

Island Park Mayor Bruce Ard said he and his wife were the first to discover the fire.

“We’re the ones that found it,” Ard said. “My wife and I noticed there was a light on upstairs, and I thought that shouldn’t be. When I opened the door, the smoke and the heat just came billowing out. I stepped out and yelled at her to call the fire department.”

Investigators say someone broke into City Hall, spray-painted graffiti inside the building, and then intentionally set a fire on the second floor near the porch. Damage was extensive, including all windows broken, smoke damage throughout the interior and exterior, and all technology destroyed. Federal investigators, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, have joined the investigation.

No arrests have been announced, and authorities continue to ask anyone with information to come forward. Despite the damage and disruption, Ard said the community has rallied behind the city.

“We’ve had some really good support,” Ard said. “We’ve made a lot of progress. We’ve still got some stuff to get put together and get back up and running. We’re not on a smooth tilt yet, but we’re getting there.”

Immediately following the fire, city operations were temporarily run from the mayor’s home.

“We kind of just set up at my house and tried to start piecing things back together,” Ard said.

The city has since moved its temporary offices to the Island Park Charter School while classes are out for the summer. Ard said the idea came from the city’s new clerk, who suggested using available space at the school after students left for the summer break.

City leaders say they continue working to restore services and determine the long-term future of the damaged building.

The investigation into the arson remains active. We will continue to bring the latest updates on this developing story.

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Fox13

By: Jeff Tavss

ST. GEORGE, Utah — A man who previously served as a church youth pastor has been charged with the murder of his wife, nearly 20 years after she fell to her death from Angels Landing in Zion National Park.

David Vander Meer was charged Tuesday with murder and insurance fraud by the Washington County Attorney’s Office. The charges came after the investigation into the death of Bernadette Vander Meer was reopened following a tip sent to the office.

In the early morning on August 22, 2006, the couple had hiked to the top of the popular spot in Zion to allegedly take sunrise photographs when David claimed he turned around and then heard his wife “scream as she was falling.”

David Vander Meer told detectives that he was moving backpacks when Bernadette allegedly fell, and then ran through the trail to find someone with better cell service to call 911.

Bernadette’s body was found hours later by detectives at the base of Angels Landing.

Documents from the investigation into Bernadette’s death note that the couple, who lived in Las Vegas, had purchased a home together, at which time they each had life insurance policies that totaled approximately $150,000 each. They later increased the policies to insure them for approximately $600,000.

Following the death, a coworker of Bernadette’s at the New York New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas contacted police and “was concerned with some of the circumstances surrounding” what had happened.

The coworker said that although she had worked with Bernadette for 6 years, she had only met David Vander Meer once, and only for a few minutes. She added that David never attended work functions with his wife or parties with her work friends.

According to the coworker, after the couple sold a condominium years earlier, David purchased a $50,000 Cadillac SUV, which was stolen months later, with insurance paying off the loan.

A search of the couple’s hotel room following Bernadette’s fall found no evidence of violence, and no signs of struggle appeared on the items found on her body after it was located.

In a release announcing the charges filed against David Vander Meer, the Washington County Attorney’s Office did not share additional details on what led them to pursue an arrest nearly two decades later, but asked anyone with information “relevant to this case” to reach out.

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News Release

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — The Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office is investigating potential financial irregularities at the Portneuf Valley Soccer Club following an internal forensic audit.

The PVSC Board of Directors announced the investigation in a June 17 news release, stating they forwarded the matter to Prosecuting Attorney Ian Johnson after uncovering evidence of potential misuse of assets.

After discovering the discrepancies, the board took decisive action, retaining an independent forensic accounting firm to review the club’s financial records and transactions. The findings were then handed over to the county prosecutor for evaluation and potential legal action.

The release does not name any individuals or detail the amount of money involved.

“Because the matter is under review by the Prosecutor’s office, PVSC will not make comments on individuals, evidence or potential legal proceedings,” PVSC President Mary Keller said in the release. “PVSC recognizes that all parties are entitled to due process and will not engage in further public discussion that could interfere with the investigative process.”

“The Board takes its obligation to the Club and the community seriously and is committed to protecting PVSC and its resources,” states the release. “PVSC will review all financial oversight measures and internal controls to safeguard organizational assets going forward.”

Despite the active investigation, the board assured families that the club’s daily operations, leagues, and programs will continue as scheduled. Moving forward, the board stated it intends to review all financial oversight measures and internal controls to safeguard organizational assets going forward.

“The Board is committed to our community and serving its players, families, coaches, volunteers, and the soccer community,” states the release.

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David Pace

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – With millions of eyes riveted on the World Cup, one local soccer club is taking their talents to the highest level.

The Idaho Falls Futball Club’s top squad is on its way to nationals to compete against the best eight teams in the U.S.

“We won the Saint George tournament, the I.F. Shootout, and then we took second at State Cup,” said Kai Redd, the attacking midfielder. “That qualified us to go to regionals, which was in Boise, where we played against teams from Oregon, Montana, Washington, Alaska, Wyoming. We ended up winning that, coming on top and punching our ticket to nationals.”

Eighteen young men have qualified to compete at the highest levels of U.S. Youth Soccer.

“I think it’s bigger than soccer. I think it’s bigger than futball. I think here when we step on the pitches together, we’re playing as a team together,” said Memphis Lopez, IFFC left back. “We’re playing for our brothers on our right and our left, and I think we just really want to compete for each other and represent Idaho.”

The team has been playing together for eight years and feels like a family.

“I just love the camaraderie we have. I feel like we’re all brothers out here. We play for each other,” Redd said. “My favorite thing about this team is how much heart we play with, and it’s really a special thing to be a part of that.”

Nationals brings together the best 18 and 19-year-olds in America to compete for U.S. Youth Soccer’s National Presidents Cup.

“There’s eight different regions in the U.S., and we’ll be representing the Northwest Region,” Redd said. “We’re all playing each other in Wichita, Kansas – so top eight teams.”

The team has overcome numerous obstacles, instilling resilience and critical life lessons in competition and practice.

“No matter how many times you fall down, it’s how you react to everything,” Lopez said. “I think this season especially, we went through a lot of adversity as a team – from our defense, from our midfielders to our strikers – everyone on the team. … We stuck together like glue as a team. That’s what I think I will take with me forever as I continue my journey wherever I end up going.”

The young men are seeking to raise $25,000 to cover travel costs, hotels, food and competition fees.

If you would like to help send the team to nationals, you can visit www.givesendgo.com/kansas to make a contribution.

The team is revved up and confident about competing at the highest levels of U.S. Youth Soccer.  

“We’re going to kick butt in nationals,” said center Tristan Howell.

“We’re going to win the whole thing,” Redd added.

The Idaho Falls Football Club U18 and U19 team has qualified for nationals in Wichita, Kansas on July 7.

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