Author: KIFI

Danielle Mullenix

ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) – After years of planning and construction, the curtain is drawn back tonight on a new chapter for one of East Idaho’s most beloved summer traditions. The Playmill Theatre celebrates its brand-new home in Island Park with the official opening of its 2026 season.

The opening of the new venue marks a significant milestone and realization of a long-held dream for the theater, which has entertained countless locals and visitors to Yellowstone for generations. This new venue replaces the original Playmill theater in West Yellowstone, which served audiences for many years. The modern space is designed to continue The Playmill’s legacy for years to come.

The 2026 season begins with opening night performances and features a lineup that includes Disney’s Frozen, Les Misérables, and Disney’s Newsies throughout the summer.

Playmill 2026 Inaugural Season Lineup

Excitement has been building among longtime patrons eager to experience the new space.

“I return to Playmill again and again because of the magic that’s on stage and off,” said longtime supporter Annie Dalling.

For Phillip and Catherine Richards, along with granddaughter Kyndal Baker, attending The Playmill has become a cherished tradition since its 1964 opening.

“Well, it’s always been just terrific talent and great fun,” Phillip Richards said. “We’ve been going ever since we were married,” Richards said, beaming across to his wife Catherine. The couple first saw productions at the theatre in 1969 and have been loyal patrons since.

Others say they’re looking forward to seeing how the new theater enhances the productions they’ve loved for years.

“I’m excited to see the new stage, their new space, and what they’re going to incorporate,” said Erin Madsen, joined by her husband, Aaron Madsen. “We want The Playmill to be something that everybody has to experience and see how awesome it is,” Aaron added.

The theater is prepared to welcome audiences, but Playmill officials kindly ask guests to be patient and open-minded as construction continues outside the building. Some exterior work, including landscaping and parking lot improvements, will take place over the next several weeks as crews put the finishing touches on the property. Additionally, new amenities, including a restaurant called Steakhouse 64 and the Mill Creek Mercantile gift shop, are expected to be completed later this year.

Despite the remaining work, Playmill theater owners Roger and Heidi Merrill say they are thrilled to finally open the doors to a space designed to carry The Playmill tradition into the future.

“Construction on the new building has been nonstop during the day,” Roger Merill said. “And during the day is when the problem-solving process happens. But the minute we walk into rehearsals at night, that’s when all day problems go away. We’ve been blessed with such a prepared cast. They’re ready to go, and we are to.”

“That is why we do what we do,” Heidi Merrill added. “It has nothing to do with the space or the building. It’s about what we are able to give back to the audience.”

In the spirit of this special transition year for the theatre, The Playmill has created a mini-documentary series intended to take audiences behind the magic of building the 23,000 sq ft theatre. To watch the first episode, click here.

The 2026 season begins with its opening weekend to sold-out audiences and features a lineup that includes Disney’s Frozen, Les Misérables, and Disney’s Newsies, giving audiences plenty of opportunities to experience the theater’s new home and family entertainment throughout the summer.

To see the progress of their new space at Island Park during the 2026 inaugural season, audiences can purchase tickets here.

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News Team

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho Falls Community Hospital is safe and operating normally this morning after a phoned-in threat triggered a brief lockdown. The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office quickly responded and assessed the situation, determining there was no imminent danger to patients, staff, or the public.

According to Sgt. Bryan Lovell, hospital staff, alerted on-site security deputies just before 8:00 a.m. after receiving a troubling phone call. The caller claimed they were heading to the hospital with the intention of causing harm.

Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies responded immediately, placing the facility on a temporary lockdown. Staff and patients were instructed to remain in their rooms while law enforcement cleared the building and the surrounding area.

“Working with hospital administration, deputies quickly determined there was no active threat to the facility and resumed normal operations within the hour,” said Lovell in a news release.

While the lockdown has been lifted, Lovell says deputies are continuing to work with hospital administration to investigate. As a precautionary measure, law enforcement extra deputies will be patrolling the complex throughout the day.

In a joint statement, Idaho Falls Community Hospital (IFCH) administration and the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office expressed their gratitude to patients and the public for their patience and cooperation during the brief disruption. IFCH leadership also extended a special thank you to local law enforcement for their rapid response in ensuring the safety of everyone on campus.

Anyone with information about this or any other criminal activity can report tips anonymously online through East Idaho Crime Stopper at www.IFcrime.org or through the P3tips app on your mobile device. 

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Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Hundreds of people came together at the Brickyard Event Center to remember a local woman who saved their lives. Jenefer Mitchell passed away June 20, 2026, in a tragic car accident along Highway 26 near Ririe, Idaho.

Although Jenefer has passed on, her legacy has not, and many came out to speak about how she changed their lives.

“If you look around this room today, you’ll probably notice something,” said Jenesa Sasinouski, Jenefer’s sister. “They are softball friends, people from recovery, coworkers, friends, family, neighbors, kids she cheered for, people she argued with, people she laughed with, people from the different parts of her life. She had this incredible ability to make you feel like you matter. She believed in people long before they believed in themselves.”

Recovering from Addiction

Friends and family said one of Jenefer’s greatest passions was helping people overcome addiction and find recovery.

Jenefer believed anyone could find the courage to recover from addiction, and she fought every day to show others who struggled with addiction that they could overcome it too. She answered phone calls, gave rides, sat with people through difficult times and reminded them they were capable of more than they believed.

Anyone who hasn’t experienced addiction may struggle to understand how someone could become addicted. They may believe those who use drugs lack moral principles and willpower when, in reality, addiction is a complex disease. These substances can rewire the brain in ways that make quitting extremely difficult, but not impossible.

Most addictions affect the brain’s reward circuit, causing increased levels of dopamine to flood the brain. As a person continues to use drugs, the brain adapts by reducing the ability of cells in the reward circuit to respond. This can lessen the feeling of pleasure or the “high” the person once experienced. To try to regain that feeling, a person may begin using larger amounts of the substance and fall deeper into addiction.

Much like other chronic illnesses, there is no cure for addiction. However, it is treatable and can be successfully managed by people in recovery. Getting help and support and knowing you are not alone can make a difference.

Jenefer was heavily involved with The Center for Hope Peer Recovery Center.

The Center for Hope is a non-profit Community Recovery Center in Idaho Falls providing free addiction and mental health recovery support services to adults.

They offer:

Conversations and Connections Discussions

Community Support Groups

Recovery Coaching

Peer Support

Access to computers, internet, WIFI

Social Activities

QPR 90 minute suicide prevention training

Community Resource Training

Educational Opportunities

Re-entry services following incarceration

Help is always available. If you are in crisis, call the Suicide and Crisis line at 988. You can speak with someone anytime.

Idaho Falls Recovery Centers:

Brick House Recovery

Beehive Rehabilitation and Counseling

The Center for Hope Peer Recovery Center

Rexburg Recovery Centers:

Stewards of Recovery

The Center for Hope Peer Recovery Center

Pocatello Recovery Centers:

Freedom Recovery Center

Hope and Recovery Resource Center

Raise the Bottom

Jackson Hole Recovery Centers:

Legacy Healing Center

Curran Seeley Foundation

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Stephanie Lucas

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Legislature passed more than 350 laws during its 2026 session, bringing sweeping changes to everything from transportation to school AI policies. The vast majority of these laws officially take effect tomorrow, July 1.

Local News 8 has compiled the following breakdown of the most talked-about laws going into effect tomorrow.

House Bill 752 – Restricting restroom/lockeroom access by biological sex

Commonly known as the “bathroom bill,” House Bill 752 makes it a crime to knowingly use a restroom, changing room, or locker room that does not align with a person’s biological sex. However, earlier this month, a judge issued a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking a section of the law regarding single-use restrooms and multi-use restrooms where no single-use option is available. The rest of the law will take effect on July 1.

RELATED: Federal Judge halts Idaho law enforcing restroom access by biological sex

House Bill 664 – Semi-Truck Speed Limits

A new law allowing semi trucks to travel the freeway at 80 miles per hour goes into effect in Idaho on July 1. House Bill 644 states semi-trucks can travel at the same speed as passenger vehicles on interstate highway – up to 80 mph when the posted speed allows it. The bill’s text claims, “Research has shown that speed variance (differences in speed between vehicles) causes more accidents than absolute speed, with a 10 mph difference creating as much as a 227% increase in interactions. When variances in speed occur at excessive speeds, such as on interstate highways, the severity of crashes increases dramatically.”

RELATED: Speeding up: Semi trucks in Idaho can travel at 80 miles per hour starting July 1

Senate Bill 1227 – AI in K-12 Education

This bill addresses the rapid rise of AI in K-12 education, directing the State Department of Education to build a statewide framework for responsible AI use. Additionally, local school districts and public charter schools must now adopt formal policies governing how both students and staff can use AI tools.

House Bill 516 – Teachers Union Restrictions

This law heavily restricts how teachers’ unions interact with school district resources. It prohibits unions from using a school district’s payroll system to automatically deduct member dues, holding union meetings on district property, and bars teachers from using paid leave for legislative advocacy.

House Bill 895 – Data Center Water Restrictions

This law places restrictions on future data centers to be designed for the non-consumptive use of water, or uses water for such purposes from a municipal water district, or water and sewer district system, to “help ensure that Idaho’s limited water rights resources will continue to be available for existing uses, such as agriculture and industry.”

House Bill 538 – Protection for Short-Term Rentals

Starting July 1st, local governments face new limits on how heavily they can regulate short-term rentals like Airbnbs and Vrbos. The law aims to protect “the private property rights of Idaho homeowners by ensuring the right to rent their property is maintained.”

RELATED: Idaho Senate passes bill limiting local regulations on short-term rentals

House Bill 37 & House Bill 803: Firing Squad Executions

Passed in 2025 but officially taking effect July 1, HB 37 establishes a firing squad as Idaho’s primary method of execution. A companion law passed in 2026, HB 803, ensures that the identities of all firing squad members will remain strictly anonymous.

RELATED: Idaho DOC releases detailed firing squad execution protocols ahead of July 1 transition

House Bill 681: No Statute of Limitations for Child Abuse

This law removes the statute of limitations for two major offenses: aggravated lewd conduct with a child and the production of child sexually exploitative material. Prosecutors can now bring charges against perpetrators at any point in time, no matter how many years have passed since the crime.

House Bill 696: Prison Staff Sexual Misconduct

This legislation amends and expands the state’s legal definition of prohibited sexual contact between correctional staff and inmates. The changes are designed to eliminate legal loopholes and make it easier to prosecute prison workers accused of sexually abusing incarcerated individuals. The legislation was in response to InvestigateWest’s reporting that found few Idaho prison workers accused of sexually abusing incarcerated women were ever charged.

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Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho Falls residents are being encouraged to celebrate Independence Day by helping local families facing food insecurity.

The City of Idaho Falls and the Community Food Basket – Idaho Falls are partnering for an online giving campaign called “25,000 in 25 Hours,” with a goal of raising $25,000 to support the food bank’s services across eastern Idaho.

The fundraiser begins at noon on July 3 and continues through 1 p.m. on July 4. Donations can be made through the Community Food Basket’s Venmo account or website.

City officials say the campaign is part of local efforts to recognize America’s 250th anniversary while encouraging community members to give back.

“America 250 is a celebration of our nation’s history, but it’s also an opportunity to reflect on the values that continue to bring us together,” Mayor Lisa Burtenshaw said. “Whether you can give $2.50 or $2,500, every contribution is meaningful and will make a difference.”

According to the Community Food Basket, all money raised during the 25-hour campaign will go directly toward providing food assistance to individuals and families in eastern Idaho.

Executive Director Ariel Jackson said community donations are critical to meeting the growing need for food assistance.

“Even small donations can have a big impact — just $1 can be turned into $4.80 worth of food helping provide meals to families in our local community,” Jackson said.

The Community Food Basket relies on donations and community support throughout the year to stock its shelves and provide resources to local residents.

Donations can be made beginning July 3 through the Community Food Basket – Idaho Falls Venmo account or on the organization’s website.

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Curtis Jackson

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI)—Yellowstone Bear World was closed for a time Tuesday afternoon after receiving a bomb threat.

The threat was reported at around 1 p.m. Owners evacuated around 300 guests to the parking area while Madison County Sheriff’s deputies searched the area. No devices or explosives were found, and the park was reopened shortly after 3 p.m.

On Sunday, Zoo Idaho received a similar threat and was closed for two days. It reopened Tuesday morning.

The FBI reported it has been investigating several bomb threats towards zoos and aquariums around the United States in recent months.

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Par Kermani

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — More than three years after a fire heavily damaged Highland High School, the next phase of the school’s rebuild is nearing completion.

Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 says construction remains on schedule for students and staff to move into the first phase of the new campus following winter break on Jan. 4, 2027.

Construction crews have also started work on a new six-court tennis complex and parking lot across Bench Road. The courts will be used by Highland High School student-athletes and the community through a partnership between School District 25 and the City of Pocatello.

The rebuild follows an accidental electrical fire in April 2023 that damaged about 75,000 square feet of the school.

The first phase of the project, set to open in January, includes six classrooms, a cafeteria, kitchen and commons area, along with a multi-level gymnasium, weight room, indoor track, wrestling room, locker rooms and athletic offices.

Additional facilities are expected to open in July 2027, including choir, band, orchestra and drama classrooms, as well as performing arts spaces.

“This project has always been about restoring more than a building,” Superintendent Dr. Douglas Howell said. “Highland is a place where generations of learners have built friendships, discovered their passions, and created lifelong memories. Every milestone brings us closer to welcoming learners and staff back into a campus that honors that legacy while providing exceptional learning spaces for the future.”

While the first phase is set to open after winter break, construction will continue on the remaining portions of the campus, including performing arts spaces and music and theater classrooms.

The district says the full rebuild remains on schedule for completion by August 2027, allowing students to begin the 2027-28 school year in the finished campus.

Those interested in following the project’s progress can find updates, renderings and time-lapse videos on the district’s Highland High School rebuild website.

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News Team

BANNOCK COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — The former President of the Portneuf Valley Soccer, Cristie Stone, has been charged with Felony Grand Theft following an investigation into the organization’s finances.

Stone served as the President of the PVSC from 2020 until late 2024. The charges, filed by the Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office, came after an internal forensic audit uncovered significant financial irregularities.

The Accusations and Timeline

According to the criminal complaint filed on June 16, 2026, Stone is accused of one count of grand theft involving more than $219,000 from the PVSC between March 1, 2022, and December 30, 2024.

The investigation began on February 25, 2025, when the Pocatello Police Department received a call from a PVSC finance administrator about possible fraud in the organization. An incident report from the PPD says the financial administrator was reconciling multiple existing copies of financial records in QuickBooks and similar software in October 2024 into one single record. That’s when she noticed the PVSC would be reporting a loss for the first time in her memory. This led to her gathering transaction data from the organization’s bank accounts.

The administrator flagged over 16 suspicious transactions at Idaho Central Credit Union between January 2023 and April 2024. She also found suspicious transactions from their Citizens Community Bank account from August 2023 to January 2025, totaling $219,884.38 between both accounts.

The incident report says that after the transactions were discovered in October 2024, “the Board of the Portneuf Valley Soccer Club met several times regarding these transactions and specifically asked Cristie Stone about these transactions, what they were for, and substantiating documentation that these were legitimate expenses. [The financial administrator] reported that Stone offered varying explanations and alleged that her personal credit card had been linked to the PVSC checking account by mistake and that she had not noticed.”

It was also reported that the Soccer Club Board called an emergency meeting on February 25, 2025, with the “intent to restrict or remove Stone as Club president.”

Investigators served a search warrant to ICCU to gain access to the transaction history. Further investigation determined that the funds had been transferred from a PVSC account into a personal ICCU credit card account belonging to Stone.

Internal Audit Uncovers Discrepancies

The PVSC Board of Directors publicly announced the investigation in a news release on June 17. According to the board, leadership took decisive action after discovering initial financial discrepancies, immediately retaining an independent forensic accounting firm to review the club’s financial records and transactions.

The findings of that audit were subsequently handed over to Bannock County Prosecuting Attorney Ian Johnson for evaluation and legal action.

“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.”

What Happens Next?

Stone’s formal arraignment is scheduled to take place on July 7, 2026, at 1:15 p.m. at the Bannock County Courthouse. If she’s found guilty, Stone faces up to 14 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5000.

EDITOR’S NOTE: As in all criminal cases, charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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Curtis Jackson

ALPINE, Wyo. (KIFI) — A man escaped serious injuries after his truck rolled down an embankment and into the Snake River along U.S. Highway 89 on Monday.

According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the driver was heading south in a Ford F-250 when he lost control, crossed into oncoming traffic, struck a car hauler semi, and crashed through a guardrail. The truck then rolled two to three times down the embankment before landing in the river.

Courtesy: WHP

Officials say the driver was wearing a seatbelt, which likely saved his life. He managed to get out of the vehicle before emergency crews arrived and suffered only minor scrapes and bruises.

Courtesy: WHP

The crash occurred near mile marker 124 on U.S. 89, causing traffic delays.

The driver was cited for failing to maintain his lane.

Courtesy: WHP

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Curtis Jackson

UPDATE: The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office reported that Jordin Elain Achord has been located and is safe. Deputies made contact with her in the Ammon area after receiving a tip from the community. No other details have been released.

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IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – The Bonneville County Sheriff is looking for 34-year-old Jordin Elain Achord who was reported missing by her family on June 28. The family has not heard from her since June 12th, but friends has last contact with her on June 20th in Idaho Falls.

Achord is described as having Hazel eyes and blond hair, 5’5” tall, and approximately 130 pounds. She may be traveling in a 2010 Black Ford Escape with Idaho License Plate 8BVC69U. 

If you have seen Jordin or know of her whereabouts, you’re asked to contact the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office at 208-529-1200.

Courtesy: Bonneville County Sheriff

Tips and information about this and other cases can also be made anonymously online through East Idaho Crime Stoppers at www.IFcrime.org or through the P3tips app on your mobile device. 

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