Author: KIFI

Par Kermani

FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI) — The Fort Hall Business Council of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes has issued a statement opposing the development of data centers on the Reservation and in surrounding treaty-protected areas.

In the statement, tribal leaders said they are concerned about the impact large-scale data centers could have on water supplies, energy resources, culturally significant lands, and tribal sovereignty.

The council said it also opposes development within ceded lands or other locations where projects could negatively affect the reservation or its residents.

“This position reflects the Tribes’ sovereign obligation to protect the health, welfare, natural resources, cultural integrity, and future of the Shoshone-Bannock people,” the statement reads.

The Tribes cited growing concerns over the amount of water and electricity required to operate data centers, especially as regional resources become increasingly strained.

“Water is not merely a commodity. Water is life,” the statement said. “Its protection is fundamental to the health of our communities, ecosystems, and future generations.”

According to the statement, tribal leaders believe any development affecting tribal lands, treaty rights, or resources should involve “early, meaningful, and ongoing government-to-government consultation” with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.

The council also raised concerns about Idaho’s energy capacity, noting the state imports much of its electricity. Leaders said increased power demand from data centers could contribute to higher utility costs and strain the regional electrical grid.

The Tribes said they support economic development projects that are sustainable and respectful of environmental and cultural resources, but warned economic interests should not come at the expense of tribal lands and water.

The Fort Hall Business Council said it will continue advocating for environmental stewardship, protection of treaty rights, and tribal sovereignty as discussions surrounding data center development continue across the region.

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Seth Ratliff

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — The City of Blackfoot has approved a name change for a portion of South Fisher Avenue, effective June 15, 2026.

The 1300 block of South Fisher Avenue, located between Clifford Street and Last Street, will be renamed S. Elderberry Avenue.

According to city leadership, the change is designed to improve public safety and emergency response times.

“This update helps eliminate addressing inconsistencies and ensures quicker, clearer response from emergency services,” city leadership stated in an official Facebook post.

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Megan Lavin

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A local group of friends went from a snowmobile photoshoot to national television. A vow renewal gone wrong landed them on America’s Funniest Home Videos.

Most people helping a friend with a photoshoot hope for a few good pictures. This local group of friends ended up with something a little bigger — a viral moment, a spot on America’s Funniest Home Videos, and a chance at winning some serious money.

OOPSIE DAISY

What started as a vow renewal photoshoot quickly turned into a moment nobody planned.

All because the bride got dumped — but not in the traditional way.

She got dumped off the back of a snowmobile while her husband attempted a wheelie… while she was wearing a wedding dress. And it was all caught on camera.

Thankfully, the snow was soft.

Bailey Clark and her husband, Red, have been married for seven years and have been snowmobiling together nearly as long. When their friend — and wedding officiant — Patricia Naumoff needed models to show off the extreme wedding packages she offers, they signed up. Or should we say revved up?

Clark and Red decided to turn the photoshoot into a vow renewal of their own, featuring snowmobiles. When they decided to take action shots, Clark had no idea just how much her husband would sweep her off her feet.

“I knew I needed to hold on because we were getting ready to pop some wheelies,” Clark recalled. “I told him to go too soon and off I went… I got bucked off.”

If you zoom in closely on the footage, you can see Clark trying to get a good grip.

While Clark was snowmobile somersaulting, Naumoff had already finished the vow renewal and was filming extra footage at just the right moment. She had a front-row seat to the bridal blunder.

“It was just so priceless to have her upside down like that,” Naumoff said. “When you slow it down and go back and forth, all you see is her feet in the air. I panicked, and all you see is snow [at the end of the clip], because I’m running toward her to make sure she was okay.”

And she was okay.

Photographer Abbey Morales said the concern quickly turned into laughter.

“She got right back on and we got more shots, and we just laughed so hard,” Morales said.

“I heard my husband kind of chuckle and then I started laughing,” Clark remembers.

AFV APPROVES

Turns out, the footage Naumoff caught was pure gold.

She immediately knew she needed to send it to AFV. She didn’t even ask permission, knowing her fun-loving friends would be on board.

Naumoff said the process was painless — just an easy form to fill out — and soon after, she received a text saying they’d made it onto the show.

She still remembers the excitement.

“I go, ‘You can’t believe this,'” Naumoff said. “I forwarded the text and of course everyone goes, ‘Oh my God!'”

When the episode aired later in the year, the group knew they had to have a watch party.

Clark grew up watching AFV and said it was surreal to suddenly be part of the show she watched as a kid.

Her two sons even wondered if she was okay after watching the crash play out on TV.

SOCIAL STORM

The fame from the marital mishap didn’t stop there.

After the clip was posted to Instagram, even photographer Abbey Morales didn’t expect what came next.

“We had no idea the number of users it would potentially get,” Morales said. “It did not get featured in any magazine, which was our goal, but it surpassed our goals of getting people to see what fun you can have out here.”

The original plan was simple: Morales and Naumoff wanted to showcase the unique weddings and elopements Wyoming has to offer — from beautiful scenery to breathtaking photos.

Instead?

The video of Clark snowmobile somersaulting in a wedding dress exploded online, earning more than 200,000 Instagram views.

“It’s hysterical that it’s become so popular,” Clark said.

MORE TO COME

And the three friends may not be done yet.

Naumoff said both Klim and Polaris have hinted they may send some kind of gift for helping show off their products, though they still haven’t heard anything official.

After the original AFV airing in November, the group was awarded a single T-shirt — which, of course, went to the bride.

But AFV says they’re still in the running for bigger prizes. They’re hoping the snowmobile snafu keeps gaining momentum.

When asked what her dream outcome from the whole experience would be, Naumoff said:

“It would be lovely if we won a hundred thousand dollars.”

But even without a prize, she says the memory itself is worth it.

“Oh my gosh. It’s forever in our memories.”

And if they did win?

When asked whether they’d buy more snowmobiles with the money, Naumoff’s answer was simple:

“Probably.”

We’ll update this story if they advance on America’s Funniest Home Videos.

To follow along with more of their adventures, you can find Patricia Naumoff, Bailey Clark and Abbey Morales on Instagram.

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David Pace

MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho (KIFI) – As a fast-moving inferno quickly engulfed 300 acres Tuesday near Mountain Home, one Idaho State University student rolled up his sleeves in a volunteer effort to repel the fire.

“It’s like 40 mile-an-hour winds and that fire is moving fast,” said Cody Rhatigan, a senior at ISU who was born and rasied in Mountain Home. “So we’ve seen that fire get really close to our house. The property right behind us, the barn started burning. So we thought it was going to creep over. We definitely thought it was going to get our house, but, thankfully it didn’t.”

Firefighters were busy tackling flames on the other side of the highway, leaving Rhatigan, his father and their neighbors on their own to battle the fire.

“My dad actually on a tractor, drove down on the property right next to us and started just drawing a line with the tractor, and it stopped the fire from reaching our property. The fire unfortunately reached the property behind us,” Rhatigan said. “It burned down a cabin and a couple other structures – didn’t burn down his house, thankfully.”

The fight against the flames was a team effort.

“I went down the road to our other neighbor, our other neighbor’s house, and got sprinklers and stuff and started helping them out, trying to keep the fire down, because down the road they were really getting close.”

One law enforcement deputy remains hospitalized Wednesday night, and five others were treated and released.

“I am pleased to announce that the deputy is recovering nicely and expects to be released from the hospital in the next few days,” said Elmore County Sheriff Mike Hollinshead.

Idaho State Police Captain Michael Winans did not elaborate on her injuries but shared that she was injured after becoming trapped by flames while evacuating residents.

“The wind had shifted, and the fire came incredibly close to where she got trapped, basically – was unable to get out [from] where she was,” he said.

No casualties have been reported from the fire.

The fire is 100 percent contained with crews continuing to put out hot spots.

“I gotta give big props to Mountain Home PD and, and everyone – all the first responders, BLM, Mountain Home Fire Department, all of them,” Rhatigan said. “They they definitely came in clutch and saved a lot of our houses.”

While he didn’t place himself in that list of heroes, Rhatigan, his Dad and his neighbors’ efforts against the blaze also saved multiple residences from devastation.

Rhatigan will return to Pocatello this fall to finish his final semester studying journalism at Idaho State University.

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Dylan Carder

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI)- The Rexburg Idaho Temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is closed due to HVAC issues. The doors were shut at 5pm Wednesday night because the air conditioning stopped working.

The temple may also be closed on Thursday while repairs are made. The current status of the temple can be found here.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – As we dive deeper into the summer, it is important to remember how to stay safe on the water. According to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, five people have needed to be rescued from the water since the start of May.

“There’s obstacles under the water,” Sergeant Bryan Lovell said. “There’s debris and things floating from the river that are hazards that people run into that can cause damage to your boat or vessel. It can flip you over. And there’s lots of things there that people need to watch out for all the time.”

When a boat flips and someone’s in danger, something as simple as a life jacket could make the difference between a rescue or death.

Hypothermia can also be a risk due to cold water, even with how warm the air may feel.

“The temperature of the water is cold year round,” Lovell said. “But this particular time of year it’s probably at its coldest. When people get into the water, the their ability to self rescue is down to just seconds.”

To learn more about boating safety near you, here are some resource links:

Bonneville County Sheriff’s Boating Safety Resource Link

Idaho Parks and Recreation’s Boating Safety Resource Link

Wyoming Game and Fish Department Water Resource Link

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Seth Ratliff

JACKSON, Wyo. (KIFI) — The Jackson Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing man who failed to report for work and may be experiencing a mental health crisis.

James McPhee was last seen around midnight on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, in the downtown Jackson area. Police note he may be wearing an “Indiana Jones-style” fedora.

McPhee is employed at Grand Teton National Park, where he recently missed two consecutive work shifts. According to authorities, McPhee has not made contact with any family members since his disappearance. His family has officially entered his name into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database as a missing person.

Anyone with information regarding James McPhee’s whereabouts is urged to immediately contact the Jackson Police Department at (307) 733-2331.

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Seth Ratliff

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — A small bathroom fire prompted a brief evacuation at Highland High School this afternoon.

Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 officials say a fire broke out in a waste bin on Wednesday. The flames were quickly put out, and the Pocatello Fire Department responded to ensure the building was safe before students and staff returned to class shortly after.

District officials thanked emergency crews for their quick response, though they haven’t yet said how the fire started.

The incident serves as a reminder of fire danger, which the Highland High School community is all too familiar with. The school is still recovering from a devastating fire on April 21, 2023, which destroyed several key facilities, including the main gymnasium, cafeteria, and music classrooms. A phased reconstruction of the school’s new wing began in March 2025 and is scheduled for completion in July 2027.

RELATED: Reconstruction begins at Highland High School two years after tragic fire

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Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– An Idaho Falls man and police is looking for answers after a horse was shot sometime between late Saturday evening, across the Sage Lakes Golf Course, near Lewisville Highway.

“This incident has been more disturbing than it has heartbreaking, in a sense. Horses pass, dogs pass. But for somebody to be this malicious just is beyond my comprehension. I just can’t understand it,” Lynn Pack, the horse’s owner, said.

Pack says he first learned something was wrong around 7:15 Sunday morning after receiving a phone call from a neighbor saying one of his horses had been injured.

“At 7:15 exactly, I get this phone call from my neighbor saying I had a horse that was injured,” Pack said. “So I jumped on a four-wheeler, came up and I looked at her… I’ve been around animals all my life and I knew it wasn’t an injury. And the minute I got close enough, I knew it was a gunshot.”

The horse was shot through the leg and had to be euthanized.

“What the heck? Why would someone do this to a horse?” Pack said.

Tonto, the horse, has been a part of the Pack family since 2018.

“All of my grandkids and all of my daughters were in tears because they’ve all ridden that horse,” Pack said. “Every one of them have ridden that horse.”

“This is certainly not something we commonly see in our community, and anytime an animal is intentionally harmed in this manner is concerning. Officers and investigators are taking the incident seriously and actively following up on leads,” Lieutenant Howell of the Idaho Falls Police Department, said.

Pack says evidence at the scene, including footprints and blood splatter, leads him to believe the shooting was intentional. He says the horse was shot from a steep angle near the roadway above the pasture.

“There was footprints going down here. We found the blood splatter. The officer took pictures of the blood splatter and everything,” Pack said. “So we know for sure that this was a malicious shooting.”

IFPD is asking anyone who may have information, surveillance footage, or who may have observed suspicious activity in the area to contact them.

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – It’s the most important week of young cowgirls’ and cowboys’ lives in Idaho at the Bannock County Farigrounds where the Junior High State Rodeo Championship is being held this week.

The tournament kicked off on May 26 with the long rifle shooting competition. On May 27, the rodeo competitions began with pole bending and goat tying. Pole bending is an event where cowgirls ride their horses in between six standing poles in a zig-zag motion, trying to get the fastest time while not knocking any poles over.

At the same time, the young cowboys were competing in goat tying, where they come out of the gate on a horse, hop off the horse and chase down a goat to tie its legs as fast as possible.

Other events include team roping, goat tying for the girls and barrel racing. The events will continue all week long. Many of the athletes have competed in large rodeos before, saying they’re excited for the opportunity to ride against some of the most talented young equestrians in the state.

“I’m competing in barrel racing and I’ve been riding since I was eight,” said Amiah Hathaway from McCammon. “I am a little nervous, I get nervous every time.”

Another cowgirl from Downey, Polly Sweat, said she’s been riding since she could walk when she was two years old. “I’m always nervous before I go in and then when I go in I’m just really confident,” she said.

The confidence and talent of the junior high athletes is apparent watching from the crowd at the Bannock County Fairgrounds. Cowgirls were putting up sub 25-second runs in the pole bending and several earned less than ten seconds in their goat tying.

Both Hathaway and Sweat said their favorite part of being in rodeo is the horses. They’ll get more chances to compete in barrel racing as the competition progresses this week. Tomorrow’s rodeo starts at 9 a.m. with final awards on Saturday, May 30 at 11 a.m.

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