Category: kifi-local-news

News Team

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Falls Police Department has released new details regarding a tense, hours-long standoff that unfolded last night, October 13, at an apartment complex near the intersection of Lomax Street and Wabash Avenue.

RELATED: Standoff ends peacefully: Idaho Falls woman in custody after SWAT response

Police took 56-year-old Wendy Burke of Idaho Falls into custody following the incident. Burke was arrested on two outstanding warrants out of Bingham County—one felony and one misdemeanor—as well as additional charges including Assault on Certain Personnel, Resisting and Obstructing Officers, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

Welfare Check Sparks Dangerous Encounter

According to IFPD, officers were called to the area around 3 p.m. to perform a welfare check at an apartment in the 600 block of Lomax Street. The caller was concerned that Burke may have been harmed by a man staying in the residence, saying she hadn’t been seen in some time.

When officers arrived, they found the man in question outside the apartment. He spoke with the officers but reportedly seemed evasive, claiming he worked at the residence but did not live there.

Due to the nature of the welfare check and concern for Burke’s safety, officers entered the apartment, calling out her name and repeatedly identifying themselves as police. During the search, an officer opened a closet door and found Burke inside, holding what appeared to be a handgun and pointing it directly at him.

Fearing for his life, the officer backed out of the apartment, and IFPD secured the surrounding area. They then called the IFPD SWAT team to the scene.

At this point, the officers learned of Burke’s outstanding arrest warrants.

As SWAT arrived on the scene, they called over a PA system for Burke to exit the apartment and surrender. When she did not respond, they deployed an irritant gas, similar to tear gas, into the apartment.

Shortly afterward, Burke exited the apartment and surrendered without further incident.

Fake Gun, Real Charges

After being read her Miranda rights, Burke told investigators she had hoped police would shoot her because she “did not want to go to jail.” She also admitted the weapon she pointed at the officer was not real but a toy gun, which she had left on the bed.

Officers later recovered the item—a wooden and metal toy replica that looked realistic, but was non-functional.

While conducting a further search of the apartment, officers also discovered a .22 caliber rifle hidden in the bathroom. The firearm had not been there during the initial welfare check, and officers believe Burke may have retrieved the weapon before she was taken into custody.

Because Burke is a convicted felon and legally barred from possessing firearms, officers obtained a search warrant to seize the rifle. The warrant was approved, and the weapon was recovered.

Burke was evaluated and medically cleared by emergency personnel at the scene before being transported and booked into the Bonneville County Jail.

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Five people are recovering tonight after a crash early Tuesday morning in front of Lowe’s on 17th Street in Idaho Falls.

According to the Idaho Falls Police Department, the crash happened around 8:13 a.m. and involved a grey Ford Expedition traveling west in the inside lane. The SUV was carrying an adult and four children.

At the same time, a white truck was also heading west in the outside lane. Witnesses say the truck suddenly swerved across traffic to attempt a U-turn in order to assist a motorist with a broken-down vehicle.

To avoid hitting the truck, the driver of the Expedition swerved and struck a light pole on the side of the road. All five people inside the Expedition were transported to the hospital as a precaution.

The driver of the truck was cited for making an unsafe lane change, according to IFPD.

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News Release

The following is a news release from the Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane:

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Early voting for the November 4, 2025, local elections begins as early as today in some counties in Idaho and runs through October 31. To see if early voting is offered in your area and to find your county’s schedule, visit voteidaho.gov/election-information or contact your local elections office.

“Early voting is now underway in many Idaho counties ahead of the November 4 local elections. Whether you vote early, absentee, or on Election Day, I encourage every eligible Idahoan to participate. Local elections play a critical role in shaping our communities,” said Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane.

Any eligible resident of a county may vote at any early voting location in that county. If you are not yet registered to vote, you can register and cast your ballot at early voting by bringing an accepted form of photo ID and proof of residence. For many voters, a current Idaho driver’s license will meet both requirements.

Before heading to the polls, check your sample ballot at VoteIdaho.gov. Not every Idahoan will have something on their ballot this November. Local taxing districts operate on different schedules, and their boundaries don’t always follow neighborhood lines. You might have an election, even if your next-door neighbor does not. More information about the upcoming election can be found at VoteIdaho.gov.

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CNN Newsource

By Clare Duffy, CNN

New York (CNN) — Instagram is further cracking down on what millions of young people can see on the platform, aligning its “Teen Accounts” safety settings with the guidelines for PG-13 movies.

The Meta-owned platform launched teen accounts last year, its most dramatic effort yet to protect young people following years of criticism from parents and lawmakers over the app’s impact on teens’ mental health and well-being. The settings implemented default privacy protections and content limits for many of Instagram’s teen users, restricting posts related to violence, cosmetic procedures or self-harm.

Tuesday’s update goes a step further. Instagram will not promote and may even hide posts featuring strong language, or those which could encourage “harmful behaviors” such as content featuring risky stunts or marijuana paraphernalia, the company said.

Teens also won’t be able to follow accounts that regularly share age-inappropriate content. If they already follow such accounts, they will no longer be able to see or interact with their content, send or receive direct messages from them or see that account’s comments under other posts. Instagram will block a wider range of search terms for teens, such as “alcohol” and “gore.” And Meta’s AI chatbot “should not give age-inappropriate responses that would feel out of place in a PG-13 movie,” the company said.

“Just like you might see some suggestive content or hear some strong language in a PG-13 movie, teens may occasionally see something like that on Instagram – but we’re going to keep doing all we can to keep those instances as rare as possible,” Meta said in a blog post.

The update follows a series of reports calling into question the effectiveness of the “teen accounts” protections. One study published earlier this month by a group of online safety and child advocacy organizations, for example, found that nearly 60% of 13- to 15-year-olds using Instagram’s teen accounts settings reported seeing “unsafe content and unwanted messages” within the last six months. Meta disputed the report, calling it biased and telling Time magazine that it ignored teens who have positive experiences on the platform.

Reuters and the Wall Street Journal also reported earlier this year that Meta’s AI chatbot would flirt and engage in romantic or sexual roleplay with young people. In response, the company said it was updating how its chatbot can interact with teens and limiting the AI characters young users can interact with on its platforms.

It also comes as a growing number of states and countries move to restrict or outright ban access to social media for some teens. Denmark’s prime minister announced last week that the country will ban social media for children under 15, although parents would have the option to approve its use for teens 13 and up.

Meta said the changes are a response to parents who have asked for clearer guidelines and more control over their children’s experiences on Instagram.

“We decided to more closely align our policies with an independent standard that parents are familiar with,” the company said.

The Motion Picture Association, which distributes film ratings, distanced itself from Meta’s announcement in a statement on Tuesday.

“The Motion Picture Association was not contacted by Meta prior to the announcement of its new content moderation tool for Instagram Teen Accounts,” Motion Picture Association Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin said. “We welcome efforts to protect kids from content that may not be appropriate for them, but assertions that Instagram’s new tool will be ‘guided by PG-13 movie ratings’ or have any connection to the film industry’s rating system are inaccurate.”

Meta’s new content restrictions will be automatically applied to all users under 18, although teens can return to the previous settings with their parent’s permission if they have their accounts linked. (Previously, 16- and 17-year-olds could opt-out of all teen accounts’ protections without permission; they’ll still be able to do so for the default privacy settings.)

Meta says it uses artificial intelligence to estimate the ages of users, regardless of the birthdate they sign up with, in an effort to identify teens who might be intentionally skirting the protections.

Tuesday’s update will also allow parents whose accounts are linked to their teen’s to turn on a more restrictive setting called “Limited Content,” which will filter more types of posts and remove the child’s ability to see, leave or receive comments under posts. The setting will also restrict the types of conversations teens can have with AI, starting next year.

The restrictions will roll out gradually to teens in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada starting on Tuesday, and to the rest of the world in the coming months.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Danielle Mullenix

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) — Thursday morning, Rigby High School teacher Laron Johnson received the surprise many educators only dream of: he was named the 2026 Idaho Teacher of the Year. The prestigious award was presented by the Idaho Department of Education and sponsored by the CapEd Credit Union.

Johnson was chosen from a pool of over 200 nominees of the most esteemed educators in the Idaho education system. After sitting in his classroom, it’s no wonder why.

After 28 years in the Jefferson School District, Johnson has taught thousands of students, building a reputation for his incredibly engaging teaching style and his genuine desire to connect with every person who walks into his classroom.

“I’ve had 9,000 kids, for goodness sake,” Johnson said, reflecting on his long career. “It’s cool to be kind of in a dad mode for that many.”

Rigby High School Principal Bryan Lords believes Johnson’s impact comes down to the deep relationships he forges, paving a way to success.

“The relationships he builds with students in class are what make those kids want to go back and take more classes,” Principal Lords told Local News 8. “Plus, he makes them feel like they’ve been heard. As kids are becoming adults, they don’t always get that. He gives that to them. And when he tells them he loves them, they know it and they feel it.”

Over his nearly three decades as an educator, Johnson has taught a variety of classes, including history, economics, and personal development. He says his greatest passion is for using historical events to enlighten young minds about the past.

Students Rowan Reese and Joshua Squires agree that Johnson has made a profoundly positive difference in their school experience.

“I look forward to coming to Mr. Johnson’s class because he really brings, like, everything,” said Reese. “He’s super nice. He calls everyone his friend. He makes sure he really greets everyone with kindness.”

Squires added, “He teaches things that surround the curriculum to build you up.”

Mr. Johnson’s lessons encourage students not just to accept education, but to explore it with curiosity, creativity, and a genuine love for learning.

As the newly named 2026 Idaho Teacher of the Year, Laron Johnson will now serve as the state’s representative in the National Teacher of the Year program. The program, which began in 1959, “focuses public attention on excellence in teaching that has a real impact on the students of Idaho.” For more information, click HERE.

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News Team

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — Jason Chad Fleming, the man arrested September 11, 2025, for Felony Lewd Conduct with a Minor, has had his preliminary hearing pushed back to November 12, 2025.

The preliminary hearing was originally scheduled for October 8, but was changed to the 12 due to a scheduling issue with a witness.

Jason is currently facing two counts:

Count 1: Felony Lewd Conduct with a Child under the age of 16

Punishable by up to life in prison, and up to a $50,000 fine

Count 2: Felony Sexual Abuse of a Child under the age of 16

According to court documents, the 6-year-old victim told investigators that 19-year-old Jason Fleming had touched his genitals. He also told the detectives that after the molestation, Fleming said they had to wash their hands because they were “dirty.” Fleming and the victim then prayed together.

When Fleming was questioned, he admitted to touching the victim, as well as masturbating in front of them.

Fleming is out on bond after his parents put up $250,000. The conditions of the bond include a No Contact Order (NCO) for the victim, as well as any minor children, which has forced Fleming to find a new place of residence. The NCO is in place for a period of 3 years from September 12. The bond was reduced to $75,000, with the extra $175,000 returned to Fleming’s parents.

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CNN Newsource

Originally Published: 09 OCT 25 15:17 ET

By Don Nelson

Click here for updates on this story

    EAGLE, Idaho (KIVI) — It’s that time of year to be on the lookout for wildlife crossing the highway as animals migrate from higher elevations into the valleys. So, what should you do if you come across roadkill?

If you’re an enterprising outdoorsman, you may consider “salvaging” the animal for its meat.

Close to Shadow Valley Golf Course, our crew noticed someone had just hit and killed a deer on Highway 55.

“My buddy makes dog treats out of roadkill,” said a driver who stopped at the site to salvage the deer carcass. He says that he regularly harvests roadkill.

This gentleman was not the one who hit the deer, but under Idaho State Law, he is legally within his rights to claim the carcass.

“I have carried deer bigger than this out of the woods myself,” he recounted.

Rick Ward, Fish and Game’s state wildlife manager, says if you happen to be involved in a roadkill accident, here’s what you do. “If everybody’s OK, pull off [to] the side of the road. Check to make sure everything is okay,” said Ward. “If that animal is dead and in the middle of the road, that’s creating another safety hazard.”

An Ada County Sheriff’s deputy stopped by to ensure the deer was completely off the road, which it was. The officer told us that drivers who hit wildlife on the road should call non-emergency dispatch immediately if the carcass is still in the roadway, so someone can come and pull it off to the side.

If you’re interested in salvaging the roadkill, you must fill out a salvage report with Idaho Fish and Game.

The man we met, who was salvaging the roadkill, followed all the right steps. “Me personally, I filled out a salvage report off IDFG’s website, which is Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and I just filled out the salvage report with the sex and time of day and everything like that, and I’m allowed to come out here and collect it.”

Another driver stopped and helped him load the roadkill into his jeep.

With deer season opening this weekend, Ward says Fish and Game will have check stations throughout the state for hunters to identify C.W.D. Chronic Wasting Disease in their harvested wildlife. “It’s great to get CWD samples from roadkill animals because we know CWD animals are more susceptible to roadkill just because of the condition they’re in.”

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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News Team

UPDATE:

SWAN VALLEY, Idaho (KIFI) — All lanes of U.S. Highway 26 are currently shut down west of Swan Valley following a serious motorcycle crash near the Snake River Bridge.

Emergency crews are on the scene, and traffic is stopped in both directions.

The crash involved a motorcycle with two occupants. A man, identified as being over 60 years old, was life-flighted from the scene by air ambulance, according to the Swan Valley Fire Department. The motorcycle passenger was transported by ground ambulance to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC).

There is no indication at this time as to the cause of the crash. Motorists are being advised by ITD and law enforcement to expect delays and to use caution in the area.

This is a developing news story. Local News 8 will update this story with more details as they become available.

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Abi Martin

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) — Every year, the Idaho Library Association awards the men and women working to support and improve libraries across the Gem State. This year, a woman from Rigby was named as Idaho’s top school librarian.

Heidi Robbins, librarian for Rigby High School, has spent the last three years working tirelessly to apply for and receive numerous grants to provide new books for students to read. 

“I get there early in the morning before I even need to be there,” Robbins said. “And I always have kids waiting outside. They come in, they get books, but they also play games and they interact. And it’s great.”

And now, she’s using that experience to run a writing conference in East Idaho this Saturday, October 11. Robbins hopes the conference will help anybody who’s interested in writing find more resources.

Her desire to run a conference like this originated with her students.

“A lot of my students are readers.” Robbins said. “And because they’re readers, they want to be writers. I just want to facilitate that for them. I think it’s a need for our community. It’s the need for our side of the state. And I’m really excited to provide it.”

Keynote speakers at the Idaho Storytellers Summit will include Cynthia Hand, author of the My Lady Jane Series, and Jeff Wheeler, a Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over 30 fantasy novels.

The event will also feature over 30 other local published authors.

Beginning at 9:00 am, those attending can expect over 30 classes on a variety of topics from all steps along the writing journey, including how to develop ideas, writing exciting action scenes, and working with a publisher.

Aspiring authors will also be able to attend a writing lab, where authors and editors can help their story seeds flourish.

And Robbins has included a benefit for teachers attending the conference as well. By attending the Idaho Storytellers Summit, you can earn 1 – 2 credits from Northwest Nazarene University. 

Registration is still open. Tickets are $25 dollars and can be purchased here or be bought at the door.

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News Team

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — After a four-day jury trial, a Rigby man has been found guilty of a serious sex crime in Bonneville County.

23-year-old Eden Avery Danvers was convicted of one count of Forcible Penetration by Use of Foreign Object related to sexually assaulting someone back in November 2024, Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal announced late Thursday night.

The jury found Danvers *not guilty on a separate count of rape.

Danvers will be sentenced on December 15th and could face up to life in prison, a $50,000.00 fine, and restitution

He’ll also be required to register as a sex offender.

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