Category: kifi-local-news

KIVI Staff

By: KIVI Staff

Originally Posted 10:37 AM, Apr 15, 2026

PAYETTE COUNTY, Idaho (KIVI) — A September trial date has been set for Stacey Wondra, the man accused in the disappearance and death of 5-year-old Michael Vaughan.

During a hearing on Wednesday morning, a Payette County judge scheduled a status conference for June 2 and a pretrial conference for Aug. 4. Jury selection and the trial are set to begin Sept. 14 at 8:30 a.m., with the trial expected to last roughly four weeks.

Wondra appeared in court on Wednesday wearing yellow jail-issued clothing. The hearing lasted roughly five minutes. Michael Vaughan’s mother, Brandi Vaughan, was also in attendance.

Wondra has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, kidnapping, and destruction of evidence in connection with the 2021 disappearance of Michael “Monkey” Vaughan. Investigators have never found the child’s body.

READ MORE | Stacey Wondra pleads not guilty to murder, kidnapping during arraignment

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Seth Ratliff

FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI) — After a nearly two-week search involving federal authorities, the Fort Hall Police Department has arrested 28-year-old Sean Tindore.

According to Fort Hall Police, Tindore was arrested without incident on April 16, 2026, at around 9:20 a.m. at a residence on Hawthorne Road. His arrest marks the end of an intensive search that began following a violent aggravated assault earlier this month, where he allegedly hacked off a man’s hand with a machete.

Case Background

The investigation stems from an incident on the morning of April 4. According to Sho-Ban News, officers responded to a residence at approximately 6:51 a.m. following reports of a domestic disturbance.

Witnesses at the scene stated that Tindore assaulted several individuals before entering the bedroom of Clinton Ricker. During the ensuing attack, Tindore allegedly used a machete to sever Ricker’s hand. Tindore fled the scene before law enforcement arrived. Ricker was immediately rushed to a local hospital.

Following the alleged attack, Fort Hall Police Department issued a tribal warrant for Tindore for Aggravated Assault. According to Sho-Ban News, Tindore now faces tribal and federal charges.

In a Facebook update, the Fort Hall Police thanked the public for their assistance in the search. Tindore is currently being held pending his initial court appearance.

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KIVI Staff

By: Sahana Patel

Originally Posted 5:00 PM, Apr 15, 2026

MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho (KIVI) — It has been a tough year for Idaho farmers dealing with less water, higher fuel costs, and fewer workers in the fields.

Bethany Gotts owns Quey’s Farm in Mountain Home, a 500-acre family operation she took over after her father passed away. With fewer workers, a lot of the manual labor is left up to her.

Gotts said a crackdown on immigration enforcement is making it even harder to find help.

“It’s just been harder and harder and harder to find those people to work,” Gotts said.

She told me she has tried hiring locally, but it has been difficult to find people willing to do the hard work. She posted job openings on Facebook, but said interest dropped quickly.

“I had seven people contact me about it, and when I sent them the description, I had no people respond,” Gotts said. “Finding a legal American here that is going to work as hard as an immigrant is nearly impossible, and I don’t know how to say that kindly or well.”

RELATED | ‘It’s been tough’: Farmers concerned about low snowpack

Gotts said the increase in immigration enforcement has made it harder to find migrant workers.

“The community has definitely been on edge around here. It’s heartbreaking cause they are living in fear here,” Gotts said.

Hiring undocumented workers is not an option, with serious risks for both sides.

“I do respect the laws of the country, and I want everybody that I work with to respect the laws of the country too,” Gotts said. “The repercussions are too bad, because one, you’re going to get fined. You have, unfortunately, an employee living in fear, and I don’t blame them, but they could get picked up at any moment, and then you’re without an employee.”

To keep her farm running, Gotts is hiring high schoolers and is now looking into the federal H-2A visa program, which allows temporary agricultural workers into the U.S.

“I have endeavored to spend $200,000 to build a small, small worker housing, so that I can get H-2 workers next year,” Gotts said.

RELATED | Twin Falls farmers face rising fuel and fertilizer costs ahead of the 2026 spring planting season

Without a stable workforce, the impact could extend beyond the farm.

“You probably won’t see higher grocery prices immediately, but it will kind of have a residual effect over the next two to three years, actually, because the crops that are getting grown this year are going into foods that are being produced that you will see on the shelves next year and the year after that,” Gotts said.

Gotts hopes for long-term solutions that support both farmers and workers.

“The misnomer that farmers exploit immigrants is just so sad to me because, like I said, my friends and neighbors, we love our workers, they’re our family,” Gotts said. “They want to work, and they will work hard. There needs to be a path for these people in our country to get a green card and be able to live here and work, because our government has failed them, and it is failing, I feel, the farmers in a way, too.”

Gotts is still looking for workers. If you’re interested, you can contact Quey’s Farm on Facebook. 

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — As a severe drought emergency grips the region, Idaho farmers are facing a grim ultimatum: plant as usual and risk total failure, or reduce the number of crops they will plant this year to survive.

For multi-generational operations like Young Family Farms, the decision isn’t just financial—it’s a matter of long-term survival. Adam Young, whose family has farmed the land for decades, has already cut planting on approximately 100 acres this year to conserve a dwindling water supply.

“We’ve cut back, actually, fairly significantly on what we do water, just to make sure that we have a buffer and that we’re not using so much water that we’re running up against, our four year allocation that we have under a plan that we, negotiated with surface water users two years ago,” Adam Young, of Young Family Farms, said about their decrease in water.

The drought is hitting “thirsty” crops the hardest. Alfalfa, a staple for Idaho’s livestock industry, needs more water to produce a profitable haul. However, low market prices combined with water scarcity are making the crop a liability.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of pressure to take alfalfa out because prices have been low,” Young explained. “This water pressure just adds to that, particularly for those irrigating on canals who may not have enough water for a third or fourth cutting later in the season.”

To adapt, Young is pivoting toward grains to allow a buffer in their water allocation.

If next year’s snowpack is as low as this year’s, Young says farmers may have to band together to share their water supply, or risk losing all of next year’s profits.

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Megan Lavin

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — With a family of five biological children, Julz Kimbro thought her family was complete. She remembers, “We were not even looking to adopt.”

But then her sister sent her a US Adoption website. As she scrolled through it, her heart ached for the profiles on the site. She came across Zyeon’s profile and something changed.“I got to Zyeon’s profile and saw his face and my heart just swelled,” said Julz. “I could not shake him from my mind.”

Zyeon’s profile included his Wednesday’s Child segment, which was a partnership between Local News 8 anchor Jay Hildebrant and the Idaho Wednesday’s Child program. This partnership spanned over three decades and ran over 1000 stories. After seeing the children on television, many viewers over the years were touched, leading to several adoptions.“I found the Wednesday’s Child videos… and it humanized him,” said Julz, sitting next to her son. “It brought him to life for me.” After days of the unforgettable feeling, she told her husband that she thought they were supposed to adopt him.

“I just thought… I can’t ignore this feeling. I think we’re supposed to adopt this boy.” And now, it’s been six years since they took that leap.

“I was one of those kids”: Zyeon’s Perspective

Zyeon can look back and see how it positively impacted his life. “I definitely know that I would not be in any good place right now if I didn’t get adopted,” Zyeon said somberly.

When asked if he’s glad he did Wednesday’s child, he says: “I was really happy that I did it… because I think that’s what actually helped propel me out of where I was.”

Zyeon recognizes that children in foster care and group homes need a family, and that he’s not the only one. 

 “We’re only angry at the world because they didn’t have a family to call their own. That I don’t think they belong there,” remembers Zyeon. “And I was one of those kids. They deserve families.”

Looking Back

The Kimbros say they’ve learned so much about parenting and love by saying yes.

While Julz says it hasn’t been easy, it’s definitely been worth it. “We would not change our decision to adopt our amazing son for all the money in the world. Parenting him is so rewarding.”

The adoptive father, Mike Kimbro, agrees. “All these kids deserve a home and deserve a family. And especially we’re glad Zyeon came because he doesn’t realize how much he’s taught us about him and about ourselves.”They can’t imagine their family without Zyeon.

 “Zyeon belongs in our family… he is a very important piece of our family, and we love him dearly. We didn’t go looking for him… but God knew that we needed him,” said Julz.

Local News 8 was able to locate his original Wednesday’s Child news story. In it, he’s asked how he’d like his new family to show they love him. Zyeon had a sweet and short response:  “I really like hugs”. 

The reporter, Megan Lavin, who interviewed them, says, “I think it’s safe to say, he’s had plenty of those in the last six years.”

And the mom, Julz, agrees: “He gives the BEST hugs.”

Julz also notes: “He got thrown into a very large family and he put all his determination into making us his forever family, even when he sometimes felt very alone because he didn’t get to build those bonds at a young age.”

The Lasting Affects of Wednesday’s Child

The Wednesday Child news stories may have only been a minute or two in length, but their impact lasts far beyond the moment the story airs. 

Julz would still echo the Wednesday’s Child message for those listening today.

With tears streaming down her face, Julz commented: “If we can talk one family into changing one child’s life… imagine how beautiful this world would become.”

Even though our station doesn’t do air them anymore, if you’re interested, you can still go to the idahowednesdayschild.org to find out more about adoption and fostering.

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Danielle Mullenix

Idaho Falls, ID (KIFI) – With spring weather in Eastern Idaho comes unpredictable conditions, including freezing temperatures and late-season storms. With temperatures dropping below freezing again this morning, lawn care experts say preparation is key to protecting your yard from lasting damage.

According to experts at T&T Lawn Services in Idaho Falls, what homeowners do before and after a freeze can make all the difference.

“With the lack of winter that we had this year, we’re getting all the seeds that have blown in, and now it’s really causing havoc everywhere,” said Zachary Roudreau, fertilizer manager at T&T Lawn Services. “It’s important to take this into account going into the warmer seasons.”

Roudreau is one of the many workers at T&T Lawn Services who help locals repair their lawns following the harsh winter conditions in Eastern Idaho. When it comes to preparing your lawn against freezing conditions, he says simple steps go a long way.

T&T Lawn Services is located in Idaho Falls

“Obviously, somebody shouldn’t have tomatoes out right now, but if they did freeze, they’re going to die,” said Zachary Roudreau, fertilizer manager at T&T Lawn Services. “So you want to cover stuff up like that. Also, as far as sprinkler systems, you’re going to want to cover your PVB with blanket wrap—wrap as much as you can around it—because with the water that’s in it, the pipes will actually break or bust. Then you’ve got to call us to have us come fix it.”

Before the Storm

Taking preventative steps ahead of freezing temperatures can help minimize damage. Covering sensitive plants and exposed pipes not only protects them from freezing but can also prevent ice buildup. For lawns, pre-storm care can support fertilization efforts as the growing season continues into late spring.

During Freezing Conditions

Once temperatures drop, experts recommend staying off your lawn as much as possible. Walking on frozen grass can cause damage that lingers well into the season. This is also the time to make sure your sprinkler system is turned off to avoid frozen or burst pipes.

After the Storm

When temperatures rise and conditions improve, homeowners should shift focus to cleanup and inspection. Clearing debris and checking for any damage to plants, pipes, or sprinkler systems can help prevent further issues and keep your lawn on track for healthy growth.

Key Tips to Remember

Cover plants before a freeze

Protect PVB pipes with insulation or blanket wrap

Turn off sprinkler systems during freezing temperatures

Experts say timing is everything. Taking a few simple steps before and after a storm or freeze can go a long way in keeping your lawn healthy throughout the unpredictable spring season. To learn more from lawn care experts at T&T Lawn Services, click here.

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David Pace

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) – More than 520 Rigby fifth graders belted out patriotic numbers at a dazzling Hope of America program Wednesday celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary.

“What we have planned is a bunch of cultural signs and actions to bring people in the love of America,” said student Edward Hyde.

Parents, friends and family members filled the Hart Gymnasium at Brigham Young University-Idaho, eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of their favorite fifth-grader from Jefferson School District #251.

“I know that it’s soon America’s 250th birthday, so I know that it’s going to be great to celebrate,” said student Lydia Wetherell.

The performers hailed from six elementary schools – Cottonwood, Harwood, Jefferson, Midway, Roberts and South Fork.

“I get to teach about the history of America so they can learn as well,” said fifth grader Tessa Dudley.

The students performed classic patriotic numbers, as well as “The Ride of Paul Revere,” “We Can Be a Light” and songs about the U.S. Constitution.

Students from the district’s Espanol and Mandarin immersion programs sang “My Country ‘Til of Thee” in English, Spanish and Chinese.

“These kids are the hope of America,” said Hope of America Choir Director Debbie Madssen. “They are our future, and they’ll grow up and become leaders and voters and parents and teachers, and all the adults of tomorrow.”

Fifth graders from Rigby hold up their lights as they form the U.S. flag at the Hope for America concert.

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – As the weather warms, more children are biking or walking to school. The Southeast Idaho Council of Governments is working in partnership with other organizations to address safety concerns during childrens’ commutes.

On April 23, SICOG is leading a group of volunteers to do a “Walk Audit” of the area and neighborhoods surrounding Syringa Elementary School. The purpose of the audit is to assess the safety of the walking routes for students at Syringa. This will include looking for sidewalks, crosswalks on busy roads, traffic patterns and the speed of traffic, and more.

“So when we’re looking at the safety concerns it’s also like where are kids currently? What spaces are they using? And then are those spaces safe?” said Haley Reed, Safe Routes to School Coordinator at SICOG. “And how could we make everywhere else safe for them to walk and bike?”

The Walk Audit is part of a larger School Travel Plan project led by Pocatello/Chubbuck Safe Routes to School program, which works to promote safety for students. The plans are a collaborative effort between the city and SICOG, School District 25 and the partnering engineering firm Kimley-Horn. Simplot has also provided support for this project.

“So what we’ve collected from our surveys and travel accounts and mock audits and all of that, all gets compiled together and then we send it back to our stakeholders. We’ve got a number of, people from the city of Pocatello that are helping out on the team,” Reed said. “When they go for more funding from federal or state grants, they can use that research that we’ve done and check like we’ve already done a study here, and this is what the conditions are like.”

The team will look at areas within a mile of the school. Syringa has two busy streets nearby: Yellowstone and Hiline. Collaborating with the city for data on traffic patterns of these roads, SICOG can help determine where safety needs aren’t being met.

“We don’t really want kids crossing Yellowstone right now. It doesn’t have good infrastructure for kids to be crossing,” Reed said. “Hiline doesn’t have sidewalks on it either for a good stretch of it.”

Another of the main concern comes from auditing schools in rural areas or smaller towns. The sidewalks can often be not well-maintained and become dangerous to students.

“When we do these out in our rural areas, one of the main things that we see is just either there’s not a lot of sidewalks, or the sidewalks are in really bad repair and they’re they’re not well-maintained because a lot of cities have it where the individual is responsible for the sidewalk in front of their home,” she said.

Following the Walk Audit, SICOG is hosting a community meeting where parents can share their experiences and thoughts on their kids’ safety when commuting to Syringa. The meeting will be at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 23.

To get involved with volunteering for the Walk Audit, please reach out to Haley Reed at (208) 233-4535 ext. 1014 or email at haley.reed@sicog.org.

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Seth Ratliff

BUTTE COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho’s Surface Water Coalition is applauding efforts to find a potential path toward ending water shut-offs in Butte County.

On Wednesday, the Idaho Department of Water Resources launched a collaborative technical review to determine if three “junior” groundwater districts can join a statewide mitigation plan, potentially bringing an end to an active curtailment order.

The Path to Resolution

The negotiations involved the SWC, the Idaho Ground Water Appropriators, and three districts currently facing shut-offs: the Big Lost River Irrigation District, the Upper Big Lost River Ground Water District, and the Little Lost River Groundwater District.

Under the state’s “prior appropriation” doctrine—the “first in time, first in right” legal framework—senior surface water users must receive their water before junior groundwater pumpers. Following the passage of Senate Bill 1341 in 2024, water users in these areas were required to join a mitigation plan to avoid shutdowns. Because these three districts failed to join an approved mitigation plan by the November 2025 deadline, they were subject to IDWR curtailment orders to protect senior rights.

RELATED: Butte County farmers face possible water shutoffs amid curtailment enforcement

Technical Review and the “Stay” Decision

Following today’s discussion, all parties agreed to move forward with a technical review process of the proposed First Addendum to add the three groundwater districts to the 2024 Mitigation Plan. Over the next three weeks, technical experts from all sides will evaluate data and the terms of a “First Addendum” to the 2024 plan to ensure that adding these new districts won’t negatively impact the users already enrolled in the plan.

The IDWR will facilitate technical meetings throughout April. All parties are scheduled to reconvene on May 4, 2026, for a follow-up status conference to review the experts’ findings and determine the next steps for the 2024 Mitigation Plan.

In a news release, the SWC President Alan Hansten applauded today’s progress, voicing the SWC’s support for additional groundwater districts to join the 2024 Mitigation Plan but emphasized that the process must be “done right,” following legal requirements and ensuring fair treatment for those already in the plan.

“The 2024 Mitigation Plan was the result of months of negotiation between senior surface and junior groundwater users, with the goal of protecting all Idaho water users. The process to adjust this plan needs to be done right,” Hansten said. “We are committed to moving forward with decisions based on sound data and consistent standards to ensure the success of the 2024 Mitigation Plan and the longevity of practical water management.”

A Potential “Stay” in Butte Curtailment Order

In addition to the discussion over the technical review, another major point of discussion during the conference was whether to pause the curtailment order while these “good-faith negotiations” take place.

IDWR Director Mathew Weaver is expected to announce a final decision on a potential “stay” of the curtailment order in the coming days.

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Seth Ratliff

OREM, Utah (KIFI) — The snowboarding world is mourning the loss of Paul Alden, one of the behind-the-scenes architects of competitive snowboarding and former General Manager of Idaho’s Soldier Mountain Ski Area.

Alden passed away peacefully on April 9, 2026, in Orem, Utah, surrounded by his family. He was 89.

Soldier Mountain leadership said in a news release: “Snowboarding has lost several of its earliest pioneers in recent years — among them Jake Burton in 2019 and Tom Sims in 2012. Paul Alden’s death adds another name to that list — one of the people who were present at the creation, who made the calls, attended the meetings, and did the structural work that turned a fringe hobby into an Olympic sport.”

A Catalyst for the Industry

Alden’s journey into snowboarding began through his son, David Alden, a Burton Snowboards team rider in the 1980s. Paul worked closely with Jake Burton from 1984 to 1990, serving as a vital “catalyst for all things in the snowboard industry.”

Snowboard industry pioneer Paul Alden died on April 9, 2026, at age 89. He is pictured here (back row, far left) with Jake Burton Carpenter (back row on the right sitting in the helicopter), considered the father of snowboarding, and a crew from Burton Snowboards during Alden’s stint there from 1984-1990. (Photo courtesy of the Alden family)

One of his earliest and most impactful contributions was his work with Jake Burton to convince insurance companies to cover snowboarding. This moved the sport from 40 resorts in 1984 to 476 resorts in 1990, providing the legal and financial footing for the industry to explode.

OREM, Utah (April 15, 2026) — Snowboard industry pioneer Paul Alden died on April 9, 2026, at age 89. He is pictured here attending the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan — the first to include snowboarding and a milestone he nurtured behind the scenes. (Photo courtesy of the Alden family)

In 1986, Alden was part of the effort to convince Breckenridge Ski Resort to host the World Snowboarding Championships and accept the halfpipe as a legitimate competition format.

In 1987, Alden headed up the North American Snowboard Association the day after the second Breckenridge World Championships. The organization eventually partnered with European counterparts to create the first unified international World Cup circuit.

Finally, in 1992, Alden worked behind the scenes on merger negotiations between snowboarding associations and the U.S. Ski Association in an attempt to bring snowboarding under the established Olympic sports umbrella.

“Back then, I thought he was wasting his time,” his son David recalls. “Little did I know.”

Though those negotiations ultimately failed, his efforts laid the groundwork in the long process that led to snowboarding’s Olympic debut in 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Snowboarding has been included in every Games since.

A Legacy at Soldier Mountain

In his later years, Alden brought his expertise to Fairfield, Idaho, serving as the General Manager of Soldier Mountain.

“He took great pride in working with a close-knit collaboration of owners, management, and staff that included his son David and grandson Dan Larkin, along with a group of longtime friends and colleagues,” states the release.

Paul Alden is survived by his wife of 66 years, Sharon; five children; 25 grandchildren; and 37 great-grandchildren.

A viewing will be held on Friday, April 17, from 6-8 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse at 135 East 2000 South in Orem, Utah. Funeral services will follow Saturday, April 18, with a viewing before the 11 a.m. services from 10-10:45 a.m. Afterwards, Alden will be laid to rest in the Alpine City Cemetery.

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