Author: KIFI

Curtis Jackson

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Supreme Court has scheduled an appeal hearing for Lori Vallow Daybell, who was convicted of murdering her two children.

The hearing, set for November 2, will hear arguments on whether to overturn her conviction or grant her a new trial.

Daybell was convicted in May 2023 of killing her two children, Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow, and conspiring to kill her husband’s first wife, Tammy Daybell. The case gained national attention due to the Daybells’ bizarre religious beliefs that prosecutors say motivated the killings.

Daybell’s appeal argues that the judge wrongfully removed her chosen attorney and he violated her right to a speedy trial. The state denies that.

Daybell’s husband, Chad Daybell, was also convicted in the killings and sentenced to death.

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Maile Sipraseuth

DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI)– The Greater Yellowstone Coalition gathered at Wydaho Roasters on Wednesday morning to launch a statewide campaign to defend 45 million acres of public lands threatened by potential rollbacks of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule.

The Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a bedrock environmental policy established in 2001, has protected 45 million acres of America’s pristine public lands for a generation and is facing potential elimination.

Last month, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the U.S. Forest Service is proposing to end a national rule that protects roadless areas on federal forest land.

“Our forests can’t afford another decade of inaction. Across the country, we’ve watched preventable conditions – overgrown stands, insect outbreaks and disease – turn healthy landscapes into tinderboxes,” said Agriculture Secretary Rollins said in a press release, “For too long, outdated restrictions have kept tens of millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities. Today, we filed a proposal to restore authority to local forest managers who know the land best, removing the barriers that have kept them from doing the work the land demands. It’s time to turn the page on the failed roadless rule and return our forests to health and productivity.”

“It concerns the health of wildlife populations, whether that might be protecting migration routes or keeping special waterways clean, or keeping public lands in public hands. That is what we are about,” Grace Lemen, Idaho Conservation Organizer for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, said.

In response, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition is organizing a series of 13 regional postcard-writing events throughout Idaho, Wyoming and Montana to build public support and urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to preserve these protections.

“We want the communities that we serve to be involved in protecting these places as well,” Lemen said.

Following Wednesday’s launch, the coalition has scheduled several upcoming events throughout Idaho:

DriggsSept 3, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.Wydaho Roasters, 495 S Main St

PocatelloSept 3, 4:30-6:30 p.m.Jim Dandy Brewing, 305 E Lander St

Idaho FallsSept. 8, 5:30-7 p.m.Idaho Brewing Company, 775 S Capital Ave

For more information about the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and its mission, as well as future postcard-writing events in Wyoming, click HERE.

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Danielle Mullenix

It will be a breezy midweek day as storms continue to push through the Central Mountains. Expect stronger wind gusts across the upper Snake River Plain and much of the Arco Desert near the INL. Precipitation and storm chances remain about the same as yesterday, with a higher chance toward the Sawtooth Forest, as a Red Flag Warning has been extended to 3:00 pm this Wednesday afternoon for thunderstorm activity. The rest of the region, however, should expect drier conditions today.

Wednesday morning will start with gray skies as the sun rises. A broad upper trough remains in place near the Northwest Pacific, meaning a continued breezy pattern will pick up this afternoon heading into the holiday weekend. Unsettled holiday weekend weather is becoming increasingly likely as we approach Sunday and Monday’s official forecasts.

It will feel noticeably cooler today than yesterday, with high temperatures climbing only into the mid-70s, depending on your location. Humidity will also be lower than Tuesday, but winds will begin to pick up in the early afternoon, causing a slight chill in the air. Gusts will pick up and get steadily into the 30- 40 mph range across parts of the Upper Snake River Plain and near the INL. Overnight lows tonight and into Thursday morning will settle into the lower 50s and upper 40s across the region.

A few isolated thunderstorms are possible for Thursday. Otherwise, mostly sunny with high temperatures reaching the mid 70’s. Winds will be out of the south around 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Sunny for Friday with highs in the upper 70’s. Temperatures will gradually warm over the next few days.

Red Flag Warning issued September 1 at 1:05 PM MDT until September 2 at 3:00PM MDT by NWS Pocatello ID

* AFFECTED AREA…Fire Weather Zone 422 Sawtooth Range/NorthernSawtooth NF.

* IMPACTS…Scattered thunderstorms produce frequent dangerouslightning over an area that can mean extreme initial attackburdens for wildland firefighting resources.

* THUNDERSTORMS…Scattered coverage Tuesday afternoon andevening, then scattered coverage resumes Wednesday morning asearly as 6 AM. Scattered thunderstorms will continue until themid-afternoon, then move northward into the Salmon-ChallisNational Forest.

* OUTFLOW WINDS…Gusts to 45 mph are possible.A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditionsare either occurring now, or will shortly based on these criteriafor Southeastern Idaho:

– Thunderstorm coverage of 25 percent, without specific rainfallcriteria.

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David Pace

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Idaho’s November vote on a proposed state constitutional amendment on marijuana was front and center Tuesday at a Greater Idaho Falls Chamber forum.

“This measure’s a landmark moment in Idaho’s history because it would recenter authority in the Legislature exclusively – authority to regulate marijuana and narcotics and psychoactive substances,” said Alturas Institute President David Adler. “It represents an effort to deprive Idaho voters of their right to bring a citizen initiative.”

But supporters argue the amendment is needed to protect Idahoans from addiction and health risks of marijuana.

“Mounting scientific evidence points to severe health risks, including addiction, violent psychosis, and developmental issues in children. Meanwhile, neighboring states that have embraced legalization are now struggling with rising crime, homelessness, and drug-related fatalities,” said the Idaho Senate Republicans Caucus in a statement. “Idaho, however, continues to stand firm against these influences.”

House Joint Resolution Four was passed by the Idaho Legislature in March 2025, placing the amendment on the ballot. It was supported by eastern Idaho legislators Reps. Kevin Andrus, Barbara Ehardt, Marco Erickson, Ben Fuhriman, Wendy Horman, Dustin Manwaring, Stephanie Mickelsen, Britt Raybould, Jon Weber, Joshua Wheeler and Senators Kevin Cook, Mark Harris, Dave Lent, Doug Ricks and Julie VanOrden. It was opposed by eastern Idaho legislator Sen. James Ruchti.

It would give the Idaho Legislature sole “power and authority to legalize the growing, producing, manufacturing, transporting, selling, delivering, dispensing, administering, prescribing, distributing, possessing, or using of marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances” in the state.

The November ballot states that “a YES vote would support this constitutional amendment to:

“provide that only the Idaho State Legislature shall have the authority to legalize marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances; and

“remove the ability for citizens to initiate state statutes that would legalize these substances.”

“A NO vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thereby retaining the ability for citizens to initiate state statutes that would legalize or decriminalize marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances.”

The amendment’s sponsor Senator C. Scott Grow, (R)-Eagle said the proposed amendment pushes back against the deep-pocketed marijuana industry and out-of-state money.

“The reason that people push [legalization] – the marijuana lobby, whomever – is because there’s money to be made, particularly when people become addicted,” Grow said in an interview with Local News 8. “They can make it look chic, make it look wonderful, say it solves all ills. But the end game is money to be made by people that are purveyors of drugs, including marijuana.”

Adler painted the issue in a completely different light.

“If in fact, the real motive behind this measure is to preempt medical marijuana, as well as recreational marijuana, then it has the very unfortunate result of tying the hands of the future – if in fact, scientists and medical researchers determine how valuable [a] medicine medical marijuana may be,” Adler said.

The two sides disagree on whether the power to regulate psychoactive substances, like marijuana, belongs to the Legislature or the people.

Reclaim Idaho Founder Luke Mayville said the amendment’s precedent could be used to restrict other ballot initiatives in the future.

“Most people believe that same basic argument that Teddy Roosevelt made back in 1912, that we need an initiative process to give the people a voice when their legislature is out of touch with them on a specific issue that the public is concerned about,” Mayville said.

Grow argued that the Legislature has a constitutional responsibility to regulate illicit substances in the state.

“Here’s what the [Idaho] Constitution says, Article III, Section 24 declares, ‘The first concern of all good government is the virtue and sobriety of the people and the purity of the home. The Legislature should further all wise and well-directed efforts for the promotion of temperance and morality.’ That’s what we’re doing.”

The amendment requires a simple majority to pass.

Voters will make the ultimate decision at the ballot box on November 3.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Search crews are ramping up efforts to locate Teng Go, an 88-year-old Arizona man who slipped off rocks along the Idaho Falls Greenbelt and fell into the Snake River during a Sunday family visit.

To assist dive teams, officials reduced water flow from the Palisades Dam to slow downstream currents near the downtown Broadway Bridge, where search operations are concentrated.

“The current level in the river has come down fairly significantly… making some of those search efforts a little easier in the area where they are concentrating just above the Broadway Bridge downtown,” said Sgt. Bryan Lovell with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.

This marks the second time a visitor has fallen into the river along that stretch of the Greenbelt this summer. On June 4, John Green of Louisiana drowned after losing his footing while taking photographs on the riverbank rocks near the same area. Search crews hope to recover both men.

The two incidents have sparked debate in local online groups, with some community members calling for warning signs or protective fencing along the slippery rocks. Others argue that safety barriers would be impractical and unnecessary.

In an interview with Sergeant Bryan Lovell with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, he backed the latter. He believes the Greenbelt has its risks, but dozens of people visit the Greenbelt every day, and there have only been a few incidents.

In an online poll posted in the Facebook group Life in Idaho Falls, nearly 70% of respondents agreed that the Greenbelt should be left untouched. Less than 20 percent of respondents voted for additional warning signs.

One commenter stated, “More signs or a barricade will ruin the beauty.”

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Maile Sipraseuth

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — Several Rexburg women are speaking out after a week of receiving unsettling notes and uprooted flowers culminated in the arrest of a man accused of stalking local apartment complexes and exposing himself to the residents.

RELATED: Rexburg Police arrest man accused of disturbing residents while naked at apartment complexes

Ava Golde said her day started like any other until she noticed something on her windshield: a bouquet of flowers that appeared to have been pulled from the ground. But it was what came with the flowers that caught her attention.

Golde said there was a small rock with a note asking if she wanted to get to know the person who left it. The note included boxes to check yes or no.

She told her coworker, Cheyanne Xenos, who said she and her roommates had also received a similar message.

“The first time we were like, ‘Oh, this is probably just a guy who doesn’t know how to ask girls out,'” Xenos said.

Xenos and her roommate, Eden Beerman, found flowers and a note on their doorstep.

Beerman said the note also asked them to check yes or no about going on a date. She said the flowers appeared to have been pulled from the ground, roots and all.

Then, Beerman and Xenos realized there was something sinister behind the notes and flowers.

“That was when we heard from our power washers that this is happening to a couple different people, and there have been reports of a naked man walking around and leaving notes,” Beerman said.

For several days, the women said they continued receiving notes, rocks and flowers that appeared to have been pulled from the ground.

“We’re like, okay, this is getting creepy… And so we left a kind note just saying ‘hey, you’re kind of freaking out women in Rexburg,'” Beerman said.

BYU-Idaho sent a community safety alert on August 27, informing students about reports of suspicious activity in the area.

For Golde, the alert made the situation feel much more serious.

“At that point, like, I was already scared because she specifically mentioned, like, the notes and the flowers, like the exact same thing that happened,” Golde said.

Golde, Xenos and Beerman each filed police reports shortly after.

Police arrested the naked suspect early Saturday morning, August 29, 2026. He was booked into the Madison County Jail and faces multiple charges, including resisting and obstructing, stalking, indecent exposure, and malicious injury to property.

His identity has not been released.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — To promote National Preparedness Month, Verizon in Idaho Falls gave away 100 portable chargers to residents at their store.

Their goal is to help people prepare their digital go bags in the case of an emergency, such as a wildfire or many other natural disasters where evacuation has to be swift.

A digital go-bag is meant to give some peace of mind and ensure you are prepared for any unforeseen disaster. Verizon suggests:

Taking photos of essential documents and saving them to the cloud

Having power units to charge devices

Pack priceless momentos in waterproof cases

Download offline maps and emergency apps

Set up family location sharing and learn satellite messaging

“In my digital go bag, I have all my important documents,” Ernesto Guerrero, the Senior Retail Manager at Verizon, said. “I have portable chargers. I make sure that all my devices are completely charged at all times in order for me to make sure that if I need to go, I’m ready for any occasion.”

Ernesto and the Verizon stores believe it’s important to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.

“Due to everything going on in our country, whether it be fire season or flash flooding, you never know when a disaster may strike,” Ernesto explained. “So better be prepared than not, and taking the right steps to do so is the first thing that somebody should think through.”

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Curtis Jackson

PROVO, Utah (KIFI) — 23-year-old Tyler Robinson will stand trial for the killing of Charlie Kirk following a preliminary hearing, a Utah judge ruled today.

Judge Tony Graf ruled that Robinson will proceed to trial on all counts, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, tampering with a witness, and violent offense committed in the presence of a child, according to CNN.

The charges stem from a shooting last September during a Turning Point USA event hosted on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem.

At Tuesday’s hearing, prosecutors presented four main forms of evidence against Robinson during the preliminary hearing: video evidence, DNA evidence, text messages to a romantic partner, and comments posted on the social media platform Discord.

Outlining the state’s case, Deputy Utah County Attorney Ryan McBride emphasized the danger posed to the public during the event.

“Robinson shot and killed Kirk because he disagreed with him, and he did it by firing a high-powered rifle into a group of thousands who surrounded Charlie Kirk,” McBride said.

Defense attorneys pushed back strongly against the prosecution’s claims. “There’s nothing in this evidence showing that there was a great risk, that someone else was going to be killed,” said defense attorney Staci Visser.

Robinson’s defense also characterized much of the state’s evidence as narrative “speculation.”

Following Judge Graf’s probable cause ruling, the case now moves toward a formal arraignment, where Robinson is expected to enter a plea. He has not yet formally entered a plea in court.

In a statement released to CNN, the Kirk family described the judge’s decision as an “important step in [their] family’s pursuit of justice”:

“Every step in this process carries the weight of all that Charlie’s murder has taken from his family, especially his children who will grow up without their father. We are grateful to all who have continued to pray for us, support us, and stand with us through a year of unimaginable grief.

As the next phase of the judicial process begins, our family remains united in our love for Charlie, our commitment to the pursuit of justice, and our prayer for a transparent and timely process.”

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Curtis Jackson

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — A young black bear made a surprise visit to a Pocatello neighborhood on Monday morning.

Idaho Fish and Game found the bear climbing a fence and foraging for berries in a south valley neighborhood.

Crews captured the animal and released it in a remote habitat.

“We can’t be sure how or why this black bear found its way to this Pocatello neighborhood, though it is possible it had worked its way along the Portneuf River corridor as it foraged for food,” said Dressel.

The wildlife managers say drought conditions have reduced the availability of natural food sources, which may be driving bears closer to communities in search of food.

Fish and Game says bear sightings in Pocatello city limits are rare, with the last reported sighting in 2018.

Video of the bear cub being released back into the wild by team members, courtesy Idaho Fish and Game

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Danielle Mullenix

Keep a rain jacket and umbrella on hand this Tuesday morning as we start September with rain showers across Eastern Idaho and Western Wyoming. Early morning showers are already scattered across the region, and we will begin to see afternoon showers and storms settle in later today.

With thunderstorm chances increasing in the Central Mountains this afternoon, we have a Red Flag Warning in effect until 9pm. It does look like precipitation chances will persist in the Sawtooth Forest area for the next few days

A broad upper-level trough will remain in place over the next few days heading into the holiday weekend, meaning some breezy and slightly wet conditions will be blowing into the Pacific Northwest till the latter portion of this first week of September. Potentially, this also means we could have unsettled weather heading into Labor Day weekend.

A round of storm clouds is pushing across Eastern Idaho this morning, meaning some chance of precipitation across the region, primarily in the Central Mountains. Today’s high temperatures are similar to yesterday, with upper 70s and lower 80s in the peak afternoon hours. Ample moisture is in place today across the area, with a second wave of storms pushing in just after 4pm. Breezy conditions will also occur today, with winds sustaining around 15-25 mph across Eastern Idaho and Western Wyoming. We will cool off after sunset, with low temperatures settling in the 50s.

Windy and mostly sunny Wednesday, with a high in the lower 70s. Winds will be out of the southwest around 15-25 mph; winds could gust as high as 35 mph.

Red Flag Warning issued August 31 at 1:37 PM MDT until September 1 at 9:00 PM MDT by NWS Pocatello ID

The National Weather Service in Pocatello has issued a Red FlagWarning for scattered thunderstorms, which is in effect from 1 PMto 9 PM MDT Tuesday.

* AFFECTED AREA…Fire Weather Zone 422 Sawtooth Range/NorthernSawtooth NF.

* IMPACTS…Scattered thunderstorms produce frequent dangerouslightning over an area that can mean extreme initial attackburdens for wildland fire fighting resources.

* THUNDERSTORMS…Scattered coverage during the afternoon andevening period. Thunderstorms will during the late night hoursat isolated coverage.

* OUTFLOW WINDS…Gusts to 40 mph are possible.A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditionsare either occurring now, or will shortly based on these criteriafor Southeastern Idaho:

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