Author: KIFI

Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 (PCSD 25), Rails West Credit Union, and Pocatello Thunder Baseball broke ground on brand new baseball facilities on Wednesday, May 21.

In a May 14 press release, PCSD 25 said: “The upgrades are set to transform the facilities, providing athletes with state-of-the-art amenities that reflect the community’s commitment to excellence and growth. The enhancements will not only benefit local learners but also foster a spirit of unity and pride within the sports community.”

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News Team

JACKSON, Wyo (KIFI) — Teton County residents might be in for a jarring wake-up call on Friday, May 23, 2025, as emergency sirens blare across the county during a full-system test.

Teton County Emergency Management wants to assure everyone living in the area that the drill is just a test of their system. They’re asking residents not to call dispatch.

“We want people to hear a siren and know it means, ‘Pay attention—something important is happening,” said Teton County Emergency Management Coordinator Rich Ochs. “Sirens are a critical part of our layered alert system, especially when power or cell networks are down.”

The testing drill is intended to begin at 9 AM and continue periodically throughout the day. At noon, emergency services will conduct a full system test, when all sirens will sound simultaneously using the Hi/Lo wail tone.

Outdoor warning sirens are used in Teton County for all hazards, not just tornadoes. They may be activated for events like hazardous materials incidents, severe weather, or wildfire evacuations.

If a siren wail goes on longer than 3 minutes, then it is an actual emergency.

The public is being asked to assist in evaluating the effectiveness of the system by submitting feedback:

To complete the siren audibility survey, click HERE.

“Our community’s input is what helps us make this system better,” Ochs added. “Taking 30 seconds tocomplete the survey gives us real-world data that we can’t get any other way.”

To learn more about Teton County’s outdoor warning sirens and alert systems, click HERE.

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Seth Ratliff

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — A Local News 8 investigation into the Pocatello Police shooting of Victor Perez has uncovered significant new details surrounding the shooting of the disabled teen.

One of the revelations learned from police reports indicates that several members of the Pocatello Police Department were aware of Victor’s disabilities before the April 5th shooting. Our investigation also reveals police had been called to the property on previous occasions to intervene in the 17-year-old’s violent outbursts.

Local News 8 requested the incident reports shortly after the shooting, after receiving a tip from an anonymous source familiar with law enforcement that Pocatello PD had interactions with Perez and his family in the past.

The first recorded interaction between officers and the Perez family occurred on December 2nd, 2024. According to the report filed by Officer T. Anderson, police were called to the Perez home after Victor had pinned his mother to the ground by her hair. Officers were able to de-escalate the situation, convincing Victor to release his mother and subsequently placing him in handcuffs.

Officer Anderson’s report notes that Victor’s mother, speaking in Spanish, informed him that Victor was “mentally disabled and suddenly became violent.”

She also disclosed Victor’s history of violent outbursts, including an incident just weeks before in Chicago, Illinois, where he had strangled her. Victor’s mother ultimately chose not to press charges in this case.

On February 25 of this year, less than two months before the shooting, police were called to the home once again. This time, Victor’s grandfather, Luis Armando Alicea, told Officer Forburger of the Pocatello Police Department that the family was struggling to control the teen. Officer Forburger observed that Victor appeared to be non-verbal autistic and, according to the family, he had been acting out at school. . According to the police report, the family told Officer Forsburger they’d had trouble obtaining Victor’s medication, and they blamed that for Victor’s aggressive behavior.

During the February incident, Victor’s mother asked police to take her son to the hospital for evaluation, but Officer Forburger stated they couldn’t without legal grounds for action. However, the police did forward the report to Child Protective Services, advising them to visit the home and conduct an evaluation.

While much of the information in these reports remains redacted, the available details raise critical questions: Were the responding officers on April 5th aware of, or informed of, Victor’s condition? And if so, why not? And how will these newly uncovered details impact the ongoing investigation into their use of force?

Local News 8 reached out to the Pocatello Police regarding these questions. City spokesperson Marlise Irby indicated that the police department would be unable to answer the questions due to the ongoing litigation and investigation by the Idaho Critical Incident Task Force.

In past press conferences, city officials did release the 911 call to dispatch, indicating what the responding officers were aware of at the time. According to the call transcript, dispatch was told that the incident was taking place in the backyard of a home near a shop on 658 North Main. Perez’s name and address were not mentioned.

The documents also suggest that Victor’s family had been struggling to manage his behavior for some time. This, in turn, prompts another important question: Why didn’t they seek outside help or resources to address these ongoing challenges?

We’ll continue to follow this developing story and bring you the latest information as it becomes available.

The individual police reports have been included below:

24-p27827Download

25-p03674Download

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Sam Ross

POWER COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — A close victory in Power County elections last night will bring a budget boost to the American Falls rural fire district.

The fire district had a permanent override on the ballot to increase its levying capacity by $200 thousand.

Of the 132 voters who turned up to the polls yesterday, 88 voted in favor of the fire district, passing the permanent override by only one vote.

“You always hear your vote matters. That was very proof positive that the vote matters. I mean, every vote matters,” said Power County clerk Sharee Sprague.

The Power County rural fire district put the permanent levy override on the ballot to fund upgrades to their fire station and hire a full-time chief.

Clerk Sprague says if you have any questions or concerns, you can contact the Power County clerk’s office. For more information, click HERE.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — The Friends of Edson Fichter Nature Area and members of the National Pollinator Pathways Organization are hosting a week of events in June celebrating Pocatello’s pollinators.

The events during National Pollinator Week will highlight all of the insects and animals that help plants reproduce and grow, and teach people how to grow their own pollinator-friendly gardens, while stoking appreciation of all the things pollinators do for people.

“Without pollinators, we wouldn’t have most of the food we eat every day. Insects are going through a really large decline. And so whatever we can do to help pollinators is really important,” said Hannah Clawson of the Friends of Edson Fitcher Nature Area.

The National Pollinator Week events will start on June 17th.

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News Release

Update May 22, 10:50 p.m.: Idaho Falls Police report Kenworthy has been located and is safe.

The following is a press release from the Idaho Falls Police Department:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Falls Police Department is looking for a juvenile runaway, Cordell Kenworthy. Cordell is a 17-year-old white male with brown hair and hazel eyes. He is 6 feet tall and approximately 160 pounds. Cordell was last seen wearing a black hoodie and plaid coat and was carrying a yellow backpack. Cordell was last seen around 9:30 p.m. on May 19th, at his residence in Idaho Falls.

As a reminder, it is considered a crime to harbor a runaway. Anyone who has information about Cordell’s current whereabouts, or over the past two days, is encouraged to call Idaho Falls Police Dispatch at (208)529-1200.

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News Team

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — The defense team of Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in 2022, is pushing to delay the fastly approaching murder trial, citing the apparent leak that made its way into a recent episode of “Dateline NBC.”

In recently published court documents, Kohberger’s lawyers argue that the case details mentioned in the Dateline special, “The Terrible Night on King Road,” violated the court’s gag order, but may have created an unfair basis against their client.

“The apparent leak is not only an egregious violation of the Court’s non-dissemination order; it enabled Dateline to gild rampant speculation with a veneer of credibility,” argue Kohberger’s defense team. “When purportedly ‘exclusive’ information surfaces through a media broadcast shortly before trial -particularly information attributed to unnamed sources with access to the investigation, it carries a heightened aura of credibility and secrecy that can deeply influence public perception.”

The 40-page legal filing, filed and signed by Kohberger’s lawyer Ann Taylor, calls for a delay just two-months before jury selection is set to begin.

“While prompt administration of justice is important—to both the State and Mr. Kohberger—the constitutional guarantee of a fair trial outweighs modest delay,” contend Kohberger’s legal team. “And, because the majority of cases ending in the death penalty are later overturned for error, the public interest lies in ensuring a fair trial in the first instance. A continuance will ensure that Mr. Kohberger’s fundamental constitutional rights are honored, and that any verdict rendered rests on a fair and complete presentation of the facts, not on forced haste.”

As of now, the prosecution has not yet formally responded to Taylor’s motion.

Kohberger, 30, faces four counts of first-degree murder related to the fatal stabbings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin at an off-campus residence in Moscow, Idaho, during the early hours of November 13, 2022.

He was apprehended in connection with the killings over a month later in his home state of Pennsylvania. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf in May 2023.

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Maggie Moore

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Falls Rotary Club is making waves as they gear up for the annual Great Snake River Greenbelt Duck Race. On Wednesday, the club officially launched its yearly fundraiser, giving the community an exciting sneak peek at this year’s prizes.

This year’s event promises high-flying thrills with a World War II military “warbirds” flyover, alongside speedboat races and an escort down to the greenbelt.

The grand prize is a 2025 Kia K4, while the first prize offers a 2025 4-wheeler ATV, generously provided by Idaho Central Credit Union.

“Over the past 33 years, the Idaho Falls Rotary Club has raised more than $7 million through duck adoptions, with matched funds by the City of Idaho Falls. After event expenses, all of the remaining funds go into making improvements along the River Walk/Greenbelt,” said the rotary club.

For the past nine years, the funds have gone toward the development of the city’s newest park along the River Walk – Heritage Park.

The Rotary Club is quacking with ambition this year, aiming to sell a whopping 30,000 ducks to support these community improvements. To adopt a duck, click HERE.

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News Release

The following is a press release from the City of Pocatello:

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — The City of Pocatello Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), in coordination with the Friends of the Brady Chapel, will be hosting the Brady Chapel Memorial Day Open House Monday, May 27, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Mountain View Cemetery.

A special presentation will take place at noon, highlighting the historical significance of the Chapel and ongoing preservation efforts.

“The Brady Chapel has been a part of the Pocatello community for over a century,” said Jim Anglesey, City of Pocatello Long-Range Planner and staff liaison to the HPC. “The open house gives the community a chance to celebrate Pocatello’s history, explore the Chapel’s significance, and learn about the efforts underway to preserve this historic landmark.”

In 2024, the City received funding to initiate Phase I of the Chapel’s restoration, which included cleaning and repainting the limestone exterior and installing reconstructed pinnacles. The HPC and Friends of the Brady Chapel continue to raise funds for future restoration phases. These improvements include exterior repairs to the roof, windows, and doors, along with interior restoration such as masonry repairs, pew and woodwork refinishing, updated flooring, enhanced ADA accessibility, and the addition of climate control systems to help reduce humidity and protect historic materials.

“Community support is vital to preserving the Brady Chapel,” said Anglesey. “Our hope is that, through these restoration efforts, the Chapel will be available for more frequent use and allow future generations to enjoy its historic value.”

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is the policy of the City of Pocatello to offer its public programs, services, and meetings in a manner that is readily accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities.  If you are disabled and require an accommodation, please contact Skyler Beebe with two (2) business days’ advance notice at sbeebe@pocatello.gov; 208.234.6248; or 5815 South 5th Avenue, Pocatello, Idaho.  Advance notification within this guideline will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility.

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Stephanie Lucas

UPDATE:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Funland in Idaho Falls kicked off its 2025 season May 23, just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.

Located next to the Idaho Falls zoo at Tautphaus Park, Funland has classic rides geared towards kids and fun for all ages.

“Funland adds something extra special to a day in Tautphaus Park or your zoo experience,” said PJ Holm, Idaho Falls Parks and Recreation Director. “It’s the perfect way to end a day of animal adventures by enjoying a few rides, sharing some treats, and making more memories together.”

This is the second year the park has been open since its restoration, and loyal fans have been waiting months to come back.

“We weren’t too surprised being the first people here this season because she has been waiting all season long to come to Funland,” said mother and daughter Kaitlin and Stella Miklos. “Every time we’ve driven by or come to the zoo…she points to Funland and wants to come. And I have to tell her it’s not open until Memorial Day weekend.”

Funland will be open Mondays from noon to 8 p.m. and Thursdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will remain open through Labor Day weekend before closing for the season. The park is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

For more information about Funland, ticket prices, and ride details, click HERE.

ORIGINAL:

The following is a news release from the City of Idaho Falls:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Funland at the Zoo opens for the season on Friday, May 23, inviting visitors to extend their trip to the Idaho Falls Zoo with classic rides, snacks and family fun.

Located just steps from the Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park, Funland offers a unique opportunity to turn a zoo visit into a full afternoon of excitement. Whether you’re flying high on the Octopus, taking a leisurely ride on the carousel or enjoying a snack around the original log hut, Funland makes it easy to keep the good times going.

“Funland adds something extra special to a day in Tautphaus Park or your zoo experience,” said PJ Holm, Idaho Falls Parks and Recreation Director. “It’s the perfect way to end a day of animal adventures by enjoying a few rides, sharing some treats, and making more memories together.”

Funland will be open Mondays from noon to 8 p.m. and Thursdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will remain open through Labor Day weekend before closing for the season. The park is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

“We’re excited to welcome visitors back to Funland for the summer season,” Holm said. “Whether it’s your first visit or a family tradition, we can’t wait to see the park filled with laughter and fun all summer long.”

Funland at the Zoo was professionally restored by trained experts and the City of Idaho Falls and reopened in August 2023. This historic community treasure, part of Idaho Falls since 1947, will be welcoming visitors for its second summer season since restoration, offering the community and visitors the chance to enjoy its nostalgic charm all season long.

For more information about Funland, ticket prices and ride details, click HERE.

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