Author: KIFI

Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Two people were arrested Saturday after Bonneville County authorities traced a suspect vehicle seen in security footage from a storage unit burglary.

Deputies were called to a facility near 1st Street and Ammon Road on Saturday morning. Victims reported a large amount of property missing, including furniture, personal items, and a vehicle.

Through an investigation involving security video from nearby businesses, deputies identified a suspect pickup truck. They located the vehicle at a residence in the 600 block of West 19th Street with some of the alleged stolen property in the back.

While deputies were at the scene, Frank Ruben Addleman, 55, and Kelly Lynn Dean, 45, arrived in a separate vehicle. Deputies detained both after noting they were wearing the same clothes seen in the surveillance footage.

Both suspects admitted to the theft and led deputies to a second storage unit where they had hidden the stolen vehicle. Almost all property was recovered and returned to the owners.

Addleman and Dean were booked into the Bonneville County Jail.

Sergeant Bryan Lovell, of the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, said, “The good thing about this is, people were paying attention, they noticed that something was amiss, and got law enforcement involved and started working it backwards to try and track down a suspect. We’ll always tell the public to make sure they’re checking their car doors, lock the car doors, lock their storage units, lock the windows to their barns and shed doors to their sheds and garages and houses.”

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Curtis Jackson

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (KIFI) – U.S. Ski racer Breezy Johnson, of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, won gold in the women’s downhill at the Winter Olympics in Italy.

Johnson blazed down the run in a time of 1:36.01 to beat Germany’s Emma Aicher by .04 seconds to the gold medal.

Italian skier Sofia Goggia, who lit the Olympic cauldron in Friday’s opening ceremonies, finished with bronze.

Johnson’s win is the first gold medal for the United States in these games.

Teammate Lindsay Vonn suffered a heartbreaking crash moments into her run after clipping a gate. Vonn was airlifted to a hospital where she underwent surgery for a fractured leg.

Johnson offered her support. “The work that we put in, the careers, I think obviously, my heart aches for her. And it’s a tough road and it’s a tough sport,” Johnson said.

Johnson is only the second American woman in alpine skiing history win a gold medal in the downhill. The first was Vonn in 2010.

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Danielle Mullenix

While Super Bowl Sunday will remain warm and partly sunny, Monday will kick off with cooler temperatures and unpredictable weather, setting the stage for a dynamic and intriguing start. Beginning late Sunday night, the persistent high-pressure ridge over our region will break down, allowing moisture to return to the area overnight. We’ll begin Monday morning with rain and snow mixtures across Eastern Idaho and Western Wyoming.

Sunday afternoon will see skies slowly filling with clouds as the weather system moving in prepares to bring rain and snow. A large swath of clouds advances toward the Snake River Plain in the afternoon hours of Sunday, but temperatures remain above average, with many places still sitting in the mid-50s for the end of the weekend. Expect partly sunny conditions and a high near 53°, followed by increasing clouds Sunday night and a chance of rain after 11 p.m. with overnight lows around 37°. Winds will begin to pick up, with gusts up to 20 mph.

Rain showers will pass over the Snake River Plain for the start of Monday, with some snow mixing in later. Most of the snow will favor the higher terrain. No significant accumulation is expected with this snow system. 2-3 inches will be visible around places like Island Park and Jackson. Rain is likely before noon, then a rain/snow mix with scattered mountain snow showers throughout the day. The Snake River Plain tops out near 45° with little or no accumulation expected and precipitation chances around 60%.

Precipitation chances are expected to decrease slightly on Tuesday and Wednesday; however, light snow flurries may continue intermittently throughout the week. This Sunday will be the last day of unseasonably warm temperatures, as we can expect a return to more typical temperatures for this time of year in the coming week.

AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MONDAY

WHAT…Poor air quality will continue. This is due to an inversion and stagnant air near the surface, which will continue to trap pollutants.

WHERE…Franklin/Eastern Oneida Region and Lower Snake River Plain.

WHEN…Until 11 AM MST Monday.

IMPACTS…Periods of air stagnation can lead to the buildup of pollutants near the surface.

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Danielle Mullenix

Enjoy the sunshine for the remainder of this weekend, as we will begin to see a shift in the weather starting Sunday night. High pressure around the area will slowly begin to break down, bringing rain and snow to the region by the start of this upcoming week. While this weekend offers plenty of clear skies and warm temperatures, we’ll return to more seasonable conditions within the next few days.

Saturday remains a quiet and pleasant day, with a mixture of sun and clouds and a springlike feel for early February. Highs reach the lower 50s across the Snake River Plain, with south-southwest wind of 5–10 mph. Lows will fall into the upper 20s and low 30s for Saturday evening.

Sunday morning and afternoon will stay abnormally dry and warm as the high-pressure system around us breaks down and slowly weakens the moisture system into our area. Expect partly sunny conditions and a high near 53°, followed by increasing clouds Sunday night and a chance of rain after 11 p.m. with overnight lows around 37°. Winds will begin to pick up, with gusts into the 20 mph range.

Rain showers for the start of Monday, with some snow mixing in later. Most of the snow will favor the higher terrain. No significant accumulation is expected with this snow system. Rain is likely before noon, then a rain/snow mix with scattered mountain snow showers throughout the day. The Snake River Plain tops out near 45° with little or no accumulation expected and precipitation chances around 60%.

AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MONDAY

WHAT…Poor air quality will continue. This is due to an inversion and stagnant air near the surface, which will continue to trap pollutants.

WHERE…Franklin/Eastern Oneida Region and Lower Snake River Plain.

WHEN…Until 11 AM MST Monday.

IMPACTS…Periods of air stagnation can lead to the buildup of pollutants near the surface.

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David Pace

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) – Idaho and Utah have been having a not-so-quiet feud over a Utah plan to change its gas tax and share its tax burden with Idaho.

Plans by the Utah lawmakers to potentially place an export tax on gasoline shipped from Utah refineries to surrounding states – including Idaho – are drawing continued pushback from Idaho lawmakers.

In an interview with Local News 8 this week in Boise, Idaho Speaker of the House Mike Moyle said Idaho is proactively responding to the threats.

“I think that Utah will find some sanity and pull back. But we’ll see because if they don’t, we in Idaho will find ways to make it miserable for them,” Moyle said. 

Idahoans currently pay $2.90 per gallon of gas on average – 13 cents more than drivers in Utah.

The plan in Utah to impose a new tax on refineries for exported fuel could push Idaho prices at the pump even higher.

“So hopefully they do the right thing and don’t raise our fuel taxes,” Moyle said. “We’ll see though. They have control right because of the refineries. But I think we’re in good shape. I think we’re talking. We’ll find a path.”

The potential restructuring aims to cut Utah’s consumer gas tax up to 50 percent.

Moyle warned that the export tax could increase Idaho’s gas prices by twenty-five cents a gallon. 

About 75 percent of fuel exported from Utah is purchased by Idaho consumers, according to a draft Joint Memorial from the Idaho House of Representatives and Senate.

“I think that, on the front end, they thought it was going to be really easy to come tax Idahoans and make it miserable for us,” Moyle said. “But there’s more to the story, so we’ll see what they do. They’re supposed to introduce a bill. We’ll see what the next rendition is. Once we see that, we’ll know how to respond.”

However, Idaho lawmakers told Local News 8 this week they have a feeling it’s going to be water – or oil – under the bridge soon, and they are going to work things out with Utah.

“We will find a sensible diplomatic path through the conversation,” said Idaho Rep. Josh Wheeler, R-Ammon, whose district includes Bear Lake County, bordering Utah. “There are some slightly, outlandish ideas being bandied about right now – like charging more for lottery tickets in our border towns, or maybe it’s time to tax microchips that come out of Idaho, the same way they’re trying to tax fuel that comes out of Utah’s refineries.”

While the bill to restructure Utah’s gas tax has not been filed yet, Idaho legislators have introduced a joint memorial opposing Utah’s export tax.

The joint memorial states:

 “Idahoans pay Idaho fuel taxes and are not obligated to pay Utah’s fuel taxes except when in Utah;”

“Article I of the United States Constitution prohibits states from imposing ‘ any imports or duties on imports or exports’ without the consent of Congress;

“Imposition of such an export tax would result in hundreds of millions of dollars in annual costs borne by Idaho families, farmers, and businesses.”

The memorial is scheduled for debate after its third reading. 

“In the end, I think they’re going to recognize what they’re trying to do is unconstitutional, and it’s time for them to find solutions that are in their state, rather than trying to inflict damage on our Idaho citizens,” Wheeler said.

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Ariel Jensen

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — A controversial bill meant to eliminate barriers to education for cosmetology licensing is going to have to go back to the drawing board.

The bill would have decreased the mandated minimum education hours from 1,600 to 1,000 and apprenticeship hours from 3,200 to 2,000 required to receive a cosmetology license in Idaho.

A local cosmetologist and business owner tells Local News 8 why these hours of education are so important. Idaho leaders are learning it’s not as simple as holding a pair of scissors and a few snip, snip, chop, chop motions.

“It’s chemistry, biology, geometry, anatomy, physiology,” said cosmetologist and business owner Tiffany Judd of Studio 134 in Rexburg. She explains beauty licensing is an ongoing list that includes math, science, business education, communication, and cutting practice; so 600 hours to learn these skills would affect more than just the people working in the industry.

“The cost of my services within the salon will have to go up, which the consumer will have to pay for, because I have to pay for somebody to be trained to be here. And then I also have to pay my time to educate them,” said Judd.

Judd’s concerns that House Bill 547 would reduce the required hours for a cosmetology license from 1600 to 1000 were shared by many other salon owners and educators who turned out to testify against the bill in the House Business Committee. Posts were also shared on social media about the time needed to learn about chemical safety, sanitation, and infection control.

“We’re in the industry of taking care of people. And without the knowledge, I see industry professionals coming out of school [with] lower hours and making mistakes,” said Judd.

While the bill is now “effectively dead,” in its current form, according to KTVB’s interview with Representative Brent Crane of Nampa, east Idaho customers are still reflecting on what it’s like to be in the chair.

“I’ve had it happen where my hair has been cut way shorter than I wanted it to, and I wasn’t okay,” said a laughingly reflective Mattie Johnson, a customer at Studio 134. “I’d rather have someone with a little more experience who knows what they’re doing handle my hair.”

Judd wants to continue educating the public on what goes salon chair, and how cutting training hours, even for the cause of making it easier to start in the beauty industry, will impact ultimatley impact customer wallets. To learn more, visit here.

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Hadley Bodell

CHALLIS, Idaho (KIFI) – A man in Custer County was arrested early this morning on charges of grand theft, trespassing, and possession of a controlled substance.

According to court documents, Jeremy Ward of Challis was caught on business cameras on three separate occasions over February 1st-6th. Ward was seen taking wiring, a radiator, and other valuable scrap metals from Blue Mountain Refuse in Challis. These thefts, caught on camera, were all in the early hours of the morning.

At approximately 1 am on February 6th, the complainant reported Ward trespassing on the business property again, moving around the area where wiring is kept. Ward loaded the wiring into the back of his truck and drove east on Dump Rd with no headlights on.

An officer stopped Ward on the road and found many bundles of wire from Blue Mountain Refuse in the bed of his truck. The wiring totaled around $250.

Upon further investigation of Ward’s truck, the officer found drug paraphernalia in plain view around the driver’s side of the vehicle. This included torches, broken glass pipes and bowls, and small amounts of methamphetamine.

Ward was arrested for the triple theft of property value totaling over $50, as well as possession of a controlled substance. Both are felonies in Idaho.

A criminal charge is an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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Seth Ratliff

BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — A local man is facing multiple felony charges after a multi-agency investigation allegedly uncovered a massive hoard of child pornography on his Google Drive and Photos accounts.

On Wednesday, February 4, authorities arrested Anthony Price, 28, of Bonneville County, Idaho, Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced today. Price faces 1 count of distribution of child sexual exploitation material and 7 counts of possession of child sexual exploitive material.

“Every arrest my ICAC Unit makes removes another threat from Idaho streets and brings us closer to ensuring children can grow up safe from exploitation,” said Attorney General Labrador. “The law enforcement partnerships we’ve built across eastern Idaho make it possible to take swift action when children are at risk, and we’re grateful for every agency that shares our commitment to protecting Idaho’s kids.”

The Investigation

The investigation began on January 6, 2026, after the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The tip flagged suspicious activity on the messaging app Kik, linked to a username and email address registered to Price.

According to court documents, the message in question contained a video file depicting two young boys, around the age of 12, engaging in sex acts.

The investigation expanded in late December when a local man reported receiving illicit content on Telegram from an account with the same username. After obtaining warrants for Price’s Google Drive and Photos accounts, investigators reportedly uncovered 164 files of CSAM, some depicting extreme sexual violence against infants and toddlers.

On February 4, detectives with the Idaho Falls Police Department (IFPD) executed a search warrant at Price’s home. Price was later taken into custody without incident in the Ross parking lot near the Grand Teton Mall.

According to court docs, Price admitted in interviews with police to using various social media platforms to view and distribute the material. He also reportedly told the officers he enjoyed the way it made him feel when people knew he had child pornography.

Price was then booked into the Bonneville County Jail on a $1 million bond. His preliminary hearing has been set for February 18, 2026, at 1:00 PM.

The ICAC Unit was assisted by the Idaho Falls Police Department, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.

Resources and Reporting

If you have information regarding the exploitation of children, contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.  For more information and helpful resources, visit the ICAC website, HERE.

A criminal charge is an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho lawmakers introduced two bills on Friday aimed at expanding existing restrictions on bathroom and locker room access based on biological sex.

The proposals, introduced in the Friday session of the House State Affairs Committee, seek to build upon Senate Bill 1100, the 2023 law that mandated public schools maintain separate facilities based on biological sex.

Proposed Criminal Penalties

The first bill, sponsored by Rep. Cornel Rasor (R-Sagle), would make it a misdemeanor to “knowingly and willingly” enter a restroom, locker room, or shower that does not align with one’s biological sex. A second offense within five years would lead to a felony charge.

“(This legislation is) faithful to Idaho values,” Rasor stated. “Single-sex facilities have long existed to safeguard female privacy, safety, and bodily autonomy from male presence in vulnerable settings.”

The committee voted 10-3 to move the bill forward. Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen (R-Idaho Falls) broke party lines to join the committee’s two Democrats in opposition. Critics argued that the bill overreaches by criminalizing being in a restroom when no wrongdoing has been done.

“It’s a slippery slope to make laws about people being in a room,” argued Rep. Monica Church, D-Boise. “We have laws…about peeping toms, about assault, about rape, about all those things.”

Rep. Sagle argued the bill includes specific exceptions for custodial staff, emergency medical personnel, and law enforcement officers supervising an arrestee.

Allowing Citizens to Sue Facility Operators

The second piece of legislation, sponsored by Rep. Ted Hill (R-Eagle) and drafted by the Idaho Family Policy Center (IFPC), pivots from criminal law to civil liability. It would allow citizens the right to sue operators of public restrooms that fail to take “reasonable steps” to separate facilities by biological sex.

The legislation comes in response to an incident at the Sandpoint, Idaho, YMCA locker room, where a female lifeguard encountered a biological man, allegedly using the shower and getting dressed in the area frequently used by girls of all ages.

IFPC President Blaine Conzatti signaled that the goal is a total expansion of current school-based restrictions. “We’re ready to finish the work of protecting every woman in all public buildings—ensuring they never feel unsafe as a result of biological men invading their restrooms,” Conzatti said in a Friday release.

Opponents once again raised concerns that both bills criminalize or create legal liabilities for a person being in a space, when no other crime has been committed.

Both bills now move to the Idaho House floor for further debate.

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Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A local nonprofit, Aspire Services Worldwide, is partnering with law enforcement to care for children in crisis by equipping patrol vehicles with specialized comfort kits.

“A lot of us are counselors or counselors in training. And so, we really want to help people in whatever way we can,” said Katie Anderson, LCPC and founder of Aspire Service Worldwide.

After donating toys and meals to orphanages and working on projects providing similar items to communities globally, the Rigby locals set their sights on local projects.

This one in particular was inspired by a similar initiative in Florida called Operation Warm Heart, which provides first responders with tools to ease the emotional distress of children at scenes involving car accidents, arrests, or other tragic incidents.

“When they’re in these circumstances, maybe there’s like a car crash or an arrest or just a tragic accident. The children are very traumatized. And to have first responders be able to give them an item of love and care from a sincere heart does so much to decrease the trauma response and makes them feel like it’s going to be okay.” Anderson said

The kits are housed in reflective hard cases, designed to be visible in the back of a vehicle at night and built to be refilled for long-term use. Each container is packed with a wide variety of items tailored to different age groups and needs.

To address the sensory overload of an emergency scene, the kits include earplugs to muffle sirens and ambulance noise. For physical comfort, the organization included handmade blankets, stuffed animals, and hand warmers. The kits also contain practical necessities such as diapers ranging from newborn to size five, baby bottles, snacks, and electrolyte packets. To help distract children from the surrounding circumstances, volunteers also included coloring books and crayons.

Deputy Chief of Police Jeremy Galbreaith said that officers encounter child victims and witnesses in the field nearly every day.

“That’s a really wonderful gift. Our cars are equipped with some of the state-of-the-art emergency equipment and crime investigation equipment. But having this in our cars as well, that’ll be great.” Galbreaith said.

Beyond immediate comfort, the program is designed to foster a positive relationship between the youth and emergency personnel. Anderson emphasized that it is important for children not to fear police officers or firefighters, as they may need to rely on those professionals for protection later in life.

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