Author: KIFI

Seth Ratliff

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — An early morning crash has stalled traffic on I-84 Westbound north of Hagerman. According to the Idaho Transportation Department, the crash happened near milepost 156 around 9:36 a.m. Monday morning, May 11.

All lanes are currently blocked. Details regarding the nature of the crash remain limited. Authorities have not yet confirmed the number of vehicles involved or any potential injuries.

Travelers heading in that direction may need to take an alternate route. For traffic and closure updates, click HERE.

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Maile Sipraseuth

RIRIE, Idaho (KIFI)— A Ririe man is in custody after reports of shots being fired Friday night, May 8th, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Dispatchers received multiple calls just before 9:30 p.m. reporting gunshots in the area of 1st East in Ririe.

Deputies responded to the area and took 35-year-old Isreal Joel Hughes into custody without incident. The motive remains unknown, and the investigation is still ongoing.

One minor injury was reported.

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Megan Lavin

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — At Moreland Elementary in Blackfoot, there’s someone so special she no longer goes by Mrs. Ramos, but rather, Grandma Ramos. For over a decade, Adela Ramos has been a familiar face—helping students learn and making the kids and staff feel like she’s family.

One student smiled as he said, “I love that she’s always really nice.” Another chimed in, “I like it when she reads with me.”

But more than that, Grandma Ramos is a warm, smiling presence who helps them feel seen and loved, as any good grandma does. And like the quintessential grandma who always has a sweet to hand out, she even gives Starbursts to students—not just to the ones who get the answers right, but to everyone she works with.

How It All Began

Grandma Ramos works through the “Adopt-a-Grandparent” program. She remembers how nervous she was to try it out. It took some convincing from a friend.

“I was scared,” Ramos admits. “But I said, okay, I’ll try it. And I’ve been here for a little over 15 years—and I love it.”

Now, she spends her days working with kindergarteners and first graders—turning lessons into games and building connections that last far beyond the classroom.

Her co-worker, teacher Carrie Godinez, gushes, “She’s a gem. She just brings a light everywhere she goes…the smiles, the hugs, just the love she brings to everybody.”

Local Celebrity

That love transcends learning and makes her memorable for years to come—making her almost like a local celebrity in Blackfoot.

Ramos recounts, “When you go to Walmart, and this big kid comes up and says, ‘Oh, hi, Grandma!’ and gives you a hug, then you think, oh my gosh, I can’t believe they’re all grown up.”

Sometimes, the payoff comes immediately. Ramos still recalls a touching moment she’s never forgotten.

“This little boy gave me an envelope… with just some pennies and nickels… and he wrote, ‘I hope this will help you.’ I still have that. I’ll never forget that.”

Moments like that are why she keeps coming back.

“It makes me feel good. I feel excited when I come into work,” Ramos says with a big smile on her face.

More Volunteers Are Needed

The volunteer coordinator, Cheiska Motloch, is hoping Ramos’ example will inspire others to help.

“We have a lot of places where we can put volunteers… we just don’t have enough right now.”

Grandma Ramos wholeheartedly recommends it. “It’s a lot of fun… and it gets you out of the house… and it makes you feel so much better.”

Motloch notes that the program works with anyone’s schedule and comfort level—whether that means helping younger children or older students. You don’t need a teaching background, either. Volunteers come from all kinds of careers and life experiences.

The Adopt-a-Grandparent program needs help across 24 counties, from Twin Falls to Teton Valley. If you’re interested, you can find out more about the program HERE.

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Megan Lavin

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Upper Valley SAFE Initiative aims to protect families on the internet.

They recently held a free workshop with the Rexburg Police where they gave tips for protecting children online.

In case you missed the workshop, or haven’t heard of this non-profit before, the co-founders came in the studio to share their mission and best tips.

You can find out more about their mission, or learn more tips on their Facebook.

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Curtis Jackson

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Crews will be working over the weekend at Skyline High School to clean water tanks associated with the school’s air conditioning system.

In a letter to parents, Idaho Falls School District 91 superintendent Karla LaOrange said they have contracted with Bio One to clean the tanks on Saturday, May 9, and Sunday, May 10. It all part of making sure the system is safe to return to service.

On Monday, May 11, the tanks will be refilled with water and treated with the appropriate recommendations. Once the tanks are filled, the AC system will be turned on around 4:30 p.m.

LaOrange said they will continue to test and monitor the system to make sure it is running properly.

Last month, classes were canceled for several days after the AC system began emitting an odor caused by stagnant cooling water.

The school district said they will be working with an engineer from Project E to develop a comprehensive maintenance plan for all district HVAC systems. It said once completed, all systems will operate according to the new plan, which will also be posted on the district website.

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David Pace

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Idaho colleges and universities are still reeling from the impact of a massive cyberattack that hit schools around the country just as classes are finishing up critical work. Students were locked out of their Canvas accounts, unable to take final exams or access critical campus systems.

One day after the crippling cyberattack took down the premier learning platforms across America, Idaho State University (ISU) continues not to use the Canvas learning management system (LMS) due to security concerns.

“This is like a huge drawback and a huge setback because even though some exams were canceled and they said some grades would not be counted, we still do not know how the grades are going to come out,” said Mary Chamda, a sophomore studying computer science.

Authorities are still assessing the damage of the hostile takedown of the learning system, in which ShinyHunters hacked into the system and compromised student information.

“We know that it took down Instructure’s Canvas instance for thousands of institutions, including virtually all the institutions in the state of Idaho, as well as Idaho State University,” said ISU Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Adam Bradford. “Other than that, Canvas has been working to restore accessibility, but at this point in time, that’s a very dynamic situation.”

The Canvas system includes students’ course materials, tests or quizzes, assignments, and grading.

“The nature of the data that was compromised was not financial – Social Security numbers, bank accounts, [or] those types of things. It was demographic data – names, physical addresses, things like this,” Bradford said.

More than 8,000 institutions and 30 million people use Canvas worldwide – including students at Boise State, Brigham Young University-Idaho, College of Eastern Idaho, and University of Idaho.

ISU still advises students not to log in, accept messages, or open links from Canvas and has disabled access to the platform.

“I’m hopeful that it gets resolved quickly, but it does concern me that information might be just floating out there that I was hoping would be confidential and private, ” said James Cannon, an MBA graduate, completing his education on Saturday.

All finals planned for after the cyberattack occurred on Thursday at noon have been canceled at ISU and won’t be rescheduled.

“What we wanted to ensure was a fairness and equitable treatment for all of our students. That was really important to us,” Bradford said. “We did not want the collapse of the LMS system and Canvas’ inaccessibility to negatively impact our students – in terms of their final grades or their ability to complete the semester in any way.”

In spite of the attack, Idaho State University continues to press forward towards graduation on Saturday.

“We’re going to put all this aside. We are going to go over to Holt Arena, and we are going to graduate our students,” Bradford said. “That is going to be absolutely fantastic!”

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Seth Ratliff

DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI) — Fall River Electric is alerting Teton County residents to a planned power outage scheduled for this Sunday, May 10. The interruption is expected to affect most of the area, excluding Victor.

The outage will begin at 10:00 p.m. and is anticipated to last approximately two hours, allowing Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) crews to perform essential maintenance at the Targhee substation. The substation is co-owned by BPA and the Fall River Electric Cooperative.

For more information or to track outages in your area, click HERE.

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Par Kermani

IDAHO (KIFI) — Idahoans will be able to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States with free access to state parks across the Gem State this year. Governor Brad Little announced Thursday that day-use fees will be waived at all Idaho State parks this Independence Day.

“As we prepare to mark 250 years of American independence, there is no better way to celebrate than by getting outside with our loved ones and enjoying the freedoms and natural treasures that define our great nation. Idaho’s state parks showcase the very best of our state, and we are proud to welcome families, friends, and visitors to explore them free of charge during this special occasion,” Governor Little said.

The waiver applies to all Idaho residents visiting state parks for the day; However, standard fees for camping, reservations, and other services will still apply.

The Governor’s office says Idaho’s parks offer opportunities for everyone, including hiking, boating, camping, fishing, and viewing wildlife during the holiday weekend.

In a statement, Governor Little encouraged every Idahoan to “spend time outdoors” and “reflect on our nation’s history” as we commemorate America’s 250th anniversary.

“America’s story is one of freedom, opportunity, and enduring resilience. Here in Idaho, we are proud to carry those values forward,” Governor Little said.

Visitors are encouraged to plan, recreate responsibly, and follow park guidelines to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all during the busy holiday weekend. For more information on Idaho State Parks, click HERE.

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO (KIFI) — Starting next week, the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety is partnering with law enforcement agencies across the state for the 2026 Click It or Ticket campaign.

From May 11 through May 31, 2026, the Idaho Transportation Department’s (ITD) Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is joining forces with local police departments, sheriff’s offices, and the Idaho State Police. The program aims to educate Idahoans and strictly enforce seat belt laws during one of the year’s busiest travel periods.

Despite rising awareness, ITD confirms that people not wearing seatbelts continue to make up a disproportionate share of Idaho’s traffic deaths. Of the 160 passenger vehicle occupants (ages 7 and older) killed in Idaho crashes in 20204, 98 individuals—over 60%—were not wearing seat belts.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of death or serious injury by 50%.

“More Idahoans are buckling up, but we need to do better to prevent fatal and serious injury crashes,” said Josephine Middleton, Highway Safety Manager. “Taking two seconds to buckle up makes you 50% more likely to survive a crash.”

ITD reminds drivers that safety starts before the engine turns over. They’re urging drivers and passengers to buckle up every trip and ensure children are secured in the proper car seat or booster. For more information, click HERE.

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Par Kermani

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — A new life-saving helicopter is taking flight in southeast Idaho. On Thursday, May 7, Portneuf Air Rescue —a partnership between Global Medical Response (GMR) and Portneuf Medical Center— officially unveiled its new Airbus H-130 helicopter that will help critical patients get the care they need faster.

The hospital says the helicopter is equipped with advanced medical technology designed to transport critically ill or injured patients to care quickly.

The highlight of the unveiling ceremony was the announcement of the helicopter’s new name: Rio.

The name was selected following a statewide youth contest held in April. Out of dozens of entries from children across Idaho, a committee chose the submission by five-year-old Ellie F. of Pocatello.

Ellie and her family help cut the ribbon on “Rio”: Courtesy Portneuf Medical Center

Ellie chose the name Rio because it’s Spanish for river, and the hospital is named Portneuf after the river that flows through our community. 

“Having the aircraft named by a local child also reflects the community’s connection to the program and the role it plays in the region’s emergency response,” said Matt Strauss, regional director for Global Medical Response.

To celebrate the win, Ellie and her entire class from Mother Goose Daycare were invited to the helipad to cheer for their classmate, tour the aircraft, and take home custom PAR t-shirts emblazoned with the name “Rio.”

Editor’s Note: This story was originally written by a real journalist. AI tools were used to research and convert this story to this platform. Local News eight editorial verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness, accuracy, and quality.

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