Category: kifi-local-news

Maile Sipraseuth

JACKSON, Wyo. (KIFI) — A Ririe man is facing charges in connection with the Teton Pass crash that killed two people in July. 22-year-old Laiton George McMinn is facing two counts of homicide by vehicle. 

Court records say a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper determined that McMinn was going too fast, overused the brakes, and did not use the runaway truck escape ramp. The probable cause affidavit stated that McMinn has held a commercial driver’s license for three years and “should have never gotten himself in this situation in the first place.”

The trooper said the crash was not the result of a mechanical error.

The crash killed two men and seriously injured three others. Homicide by vehicle is a high misdemeanor in Wyoming, punishable by up to one year in jail, a two-thousand-dollar fine, or both.

RELATED: Coroner releases names of two men killed in tragic Teton Pass crash

In response, local advocates, the “Make Teton Pass Safer Steering Committee,” say the new charges do not solve the underlying dangers on Teton Pass.

“We appreciate the new signage WYDOT has installed on the eastbound approaches. It is a real step, and it is not enough. We are asking for additional warning signage, particularly on the eastbound descent grade; a vehicle checkpoint at the Wyoming–Idaho state line; and better messaging…” states the group.

The group is also urging GPS apps like Google Maps and Waze to join Apple in adding navigation alerts for drivers approaching the steep pass.

Click here to follow the original article.

Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – A mosquito pool in South Bannock County in the Swan Lake area tested positive for West Nile Virus, but no humans have contracted the disease. The Bannock County Mosquito Abatement Office has increased its efforts in the area where the positive pool was found and will continue working to contain the population through the end of September.

Officials say they have traps set and test mosquitoes from all over the county.

“When we found the positive, we ramped up our larvicide efforts with both the drone and our backpack sprayers with our seasonal employees,” said Buddy Romriell, Public Works Director with the Mosquito Abatement Office. “We also do adulticide, which is the fogging that we do at night.”

Romriell said they’ll continue monitoring that pool carefully until the freeze eliminates the mosquito population. The department works to control the population through fogging efforts and zoning the county Mondays through Thursdays.

With only one positive case found in Bannock County, Romriell says there’s no need for concern.

“I wouldn’t stress too much about it,” he said. “Just kind of do the normal things, keep bug spray on you. If you’re in an area of water where there are mosquitoes, it’s not a bad idea to wear long-sleeved shirts and pants to avoid contact.”

Gino, mosquito tester expert in Bannock County, sometimes tests 1,000 insects per day for the virus. If the sample gauges at 50 or higher on the machine, the sample is shipped off to Boise for further testing and confirmation.

Romriell said this positive case was in the 500s on the scale, meaning an immediate positive West Nile case. The past few years have had limited positive cases, but officials say the particularly dry and hot year we’ve had in Eastern Idaho could lead to more West Nile Virus.

“The water pools are more stagnant and dirty and sandy,” Romriell said. “Mosquitoes prefer dirty water, so we usually do see an uptick in most cases.”

The team has already seen a decrease in mosquito numbers in their traps in the past week as the season draws to a close.

For more information on WNV, contact SIPH’s Epidemiologists, or click HERE. For information about Bannock County Mosquito Abatement, click HERE.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Idahoans are making a difference far beyond our nation’s borders.

The Life Together Alliance has made it its mission to support girls in Kenya by teaching them sustainable life skills.

What began as a mission to distribute much-needed reusable feminine hygiene kits to these girls in need became a journey of teaching sewing and other sustainable skills to support them.

During their prior visit to Kisii, they distributed 200 of dignity kits. During this previous visit, they quadrupled the number of these kits. 75% of these kits were handmade by their sewing students.

“We brought with us again another 200 reusable feminine hygiene kits donated from Girls Matter Period in Arizona,” Laura Kelley, Life Together Alliance’s leader, said. “And our girls had sewn 600 reusable feminine hygiene kits. And so we did four events where we distributed 200 dignity kits at each event. when we did these events our girls kind of took the lead.”

Each Dignity Kit comes with:

10 reusable pads

2 waterproof holders

A washcloth

Soap

And a bag

The organization says these kits can last upwards of 5 years. Creating a dignity kit costs only $5 USD.

The kits aren’t the only thing making an impact, Laura has noticed a very positive change with the girls.

“These girls last year they didn’t have the confidence. They couldn’t look you in the eyes. They weren’t seen, they weren’t heard. They were invisible. And now they’ve been given the voice. They’ve been given the confidence; they are empowered. You see the difference in them, and you see them grow to become the queens that they are.”

As these girls continue to grow in their learning, they are also beginning to teach other young girls the art of the trade. Inspiring a more stable and sustainable community.

“They’re not only supplying the kits to help other girls,” Laura said. “They’re also training other girls to be, you know, be the heroes in their own story.”

The Life Together Alliance’s ultimate goal is to ensure this community of young women won’t have to rely on foreign aid someday. They want to give these women the much-needed hand-up to empower their community and all of the other women in it.

“Kenya is a very patriarchal society. And for a long time even, I think up until maybe last year, they weren’t even allowed to own land,” Laura said. “To be able to show girls their worth and that they have value and they matter and they are seen and they are heard and their voices matter. I don’t take lightly. I actually feel very honored to be able to do that.”

Laura doesn’t know when their next trip to Kenya will be, but they are extremely grateful for the local communities’ continued support of their mission. They could not have made the impact they have without the love and support.

“I just want to thank our community because like I have said, every dollar, every penny, everything goes directly to our programs.”

If you are interested in supporting their mission, here is their Linktree. If you are interested in purchasing a handmade bag, headband, or skirt made by the students to support their mission, they will be featured at area craft fairs, including the upcoming Boutique in mid-September.

Laura will also update their social media with more information on where to purchase.

Click here to follow the original article.

Curtis Jackson

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — In a continuing debate over Proposition 1, the group behind the ballot initiative is back in court to challenge the language that will appear on the November ballot.

Idahoans United for Women and Families asked the Idaho Supreme Court to review the wording that would appear on the ballot for Prop 1.

The group argues the proposed ‘yes’ and ‘no’ statements are biased and misleading, particularly the ‘no’ statement, which it says goes beyond a simple explanation and could influence voters.

The statement reads: “A no vote would make no change to Idaho’s current law, which protects the life of the unborn while allowing abortion in reported cases of rape or incest, or when necessary to protect the life of the mother.”

“We propose that a no vote statement that would be compliant would simply truncate the respondents’ proposed language. It would read: ‘A no vote would make no change to Idaho’s current law.’ Period.”

Attorneys defending the ballot language argued the wording complies with state law, which requires an explanation of a vote’s effect.

“The petitioners’ proposed language would reduce the effect statements to a little more than vote yes and if the proposition passes to vote no and the law will not change. That doesn’t tell voters anything. It tells them virtually nothing. It doesn’t tell them anything about what their vote will be. That cannot be what the legislature intended.”

The court did not indicate when it would issue a ruling.

Under federal and state law, ballot content must be finalized by September 11 to give county clerks enough time to meet absentee ballot mailing deadlines.

Attorney General Raul Labrador said in a written statement after the hearing, “Our duty under the law is straightforward: to provide a clear and concise statement of the effect of a vote on an initiative. We do not tell Idahoans how to vote; we tell them what their vote will do. The Yes statement reflects the sponsors’ own initiative language, and the No statement reflects Idaho law as it stands today. The sponsors are entitled to advocate for their initiative, but they are not entitled to dictate the official ballot language. Idaho voters deserve a fair description of both choices so they can decide for themselves. That is what we provided.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Curtis Jackson

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – A fire destroyed a shop northwest of Idaho Falls on Wednesday morning.

The Idaho Falls Fire Department responded to the two-story building near 129 North around 9:45 a.m.

According to fire officials, the shop was heated by a waste-oil stove that had been used earlier that morning. The shop manager believes the stove may have started the fire, but the cause remains under investigation.

Firefighters removed sections of siding to reach the flames and eventually brought the fire under control.

The fire department said the shop and everything inside were destroyed. Damage is estimated at about $100,000.

A shop destroyed by a fire Wednesday, September 2, 2026. Courtesy: Idaho Falls Fire Department

A father and son on the Idaho Falls Fire Department help extinguish a shop fire in September 2, 2026. Courtesy: Idaho Falls Fire Department

Click here to follow the original article.

Curtis Jackson

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Supreme Court has scheduled an appeal hearing for Lori Vallow Daybell, who was convicted of murdering her two children.

The hearing, set for November 2, will hear arguments on whether to overturn her conviction or grant her a new trial.

Daybell was convicted in May 2023 of killing her two children, Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow, and conspiring to kill her husband’s first wife, Tammy Daybell. The case gained national attention due to the Daybells’ bizarre religious beliefs that prosecutors say motivated the killings.

Daybell’s appeal argues that the judge wrongfully removed her chosen attorney and he violated her right to a speedy trial. The state denies that.

Daybell’s husband, Chad Daybell, was also convicted in the killings and sentenced to death.

Click here to follow the original article.

Maile Sipraseuth

DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI)– The Greater Yellowstone Coalition gathered at Wydaho Roasters on Wednesday morning to launch a statewide campaign to defend 45 million acres of public lands threatened by potential rollbacks of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule.

The Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a bedrock environmental policy established in 2001, has protected 45 million acres of America’s pristine public lands for a generation and is facing potential elimination.

Last month, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the U.S. Forest Service is proposing to end a national rule that protects roadless areas on federal forest land.

“Our forests can’t afford another decade of inaction. Across the country, we’ve watched preventable conditions – overgrown stands, insect outbreaks and disease – turn healthy landscapes into tinderboxes,” said Agriculture Secretary Rollins said in a press release, “For too long, outdated restrictions have kept tens of millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities. Today, we filed a proposal to restore authority to local forest managers who know the land best, removing the barriers that have kept them from doing the work the land demands. It’s time to turn the page on the failed roadless rule and return our forests to health and productivity.”

“It concerns the health of wildlife populations, whether that might be protecting migration routes or keeping special waterways clean, or keeping public lands in public hands. That is what we are about,” Grace Lemen, Idaho Conservation Organizer for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, said.

In response, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition is organizing a series of 13 regional postcard-writing events throughout Idaho, Wyoming and Montana to build public support and urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to preserve these protections.

“We want the communities that we serve to be involved in protecting these places as well,” Lemen said.

Following Wednesday’s launch, the coalition has scheduled several upcoming events throughout Idaho:

DriggsSept 3, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.Wydaho Roasters, 495 S Main St

PocatelloSept 3, 4:30-6:30 p.m.Jim Dandy Brewing, 305 E Lander St

Idaho FallsSept. 8, 5:30-7 p.m.Idaho Brewing Company, 775 S Capital Ave

For more information about the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and its mission, as well as future postcard-writing events in Wyoming, click HERE.

Click here to follow the original article.

Danielle Mullenix

It will be a breezy midweek day as storms continue to push through the Central Mountains. Expect stronger wind gusts across the upper Snake River Plain and much of the Arco Desert near the INL. Precipitation and storm chances remain about the same as yesterday, with a higher chance toward the Sawtooth Forest, as a Red Flag Warning has been extended to 3:00 pm this Wednesday afternoon for thunderstorm activity. The rest of the region, however, should expect drier conditions today.

Wednesday morning will start with gray skies as the sun rises. A broad upper trough remains in place near the Northwest Pacific, meaning a continued breezy pattern will pick up this afternoon heading into the holiday weekend. Unsettled holiday weekend weather is becoming increasingly likely as we approach Sunday and Monday’s official forecasts.

It will feel noticeably cooler today than yesterday, with high temperatures climbing only into the mid-70s, depending on your location. Humidity will also be lower than Tuesday, but winds will begin to pick up in the early afternoon, causing a slight chill in the air. Gusts will pick up and get steadily into the 30- 40 mph range across parts of the Upper Snake River Plain and near the INL. Overnight lows tonight and into Thursday morning will settle into the lower 50s and upper 40s across the region.

A few isolated thunderstorms are possible for Thursday. Otherwise, mostly sunny with high temperatures reaching the mid 70’s. Winds will be out of the south around 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Sunny for Friday with highs in the upper 70’s. Temperatures will gradually warm over the next few days.

Red Flag Warning issued September 1 at 1:05 PM MDT until September 2 at 3:00PM MDT by NWS Pocatello ID

* AFFECTED AREA…Fire Weather Zone 422 Sawtooth Range/NorthernSawtooth NF.

* IMPACTS…Scattered thunderstorms produce frequent dangerouslightning over an area that can mean extreme initial attackburdens for wildland firefighting resources.

* THUNDERSTORMS…Scattered coverage Tuesday afternoon andevening, then scattered coverage resumes Wednesday morning asearly as 6 AM. Scattered thunderstorms will continue until themid-afternoon, then move northward into the Salmon-ChallisNational Forest.

* OUTFLOW WINDS…Gusts to 45 mph are possible.A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditionsare either occurring now, or will shortly based on these criteriafor Southeastern Idaho:

– Thunderstorm coverage of 25 percent, without specific rainfallcriteria.

Click here to follow the original article.

David Pace

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Idaho’s November vote on a proposed state constitutional amendment on marijuana was front and center Tuesday at a Greater Idaho Falls Chamber forum.

“This measure’s a landmark moment in Idaho’s history because it would recenter authority in the Legislature exclusively – authority to regulate marijuana and narcotics and psychoactive substances,” said Alturas Institute President David Adler. “It represents an effort to deprive Idaho voters of their right to bring a citizen initiative.”

But supporters argue the amendment is needed to protect Idahoans from addiction and health risks of marijuana.

“Mounting scientific evidence points to severe health risks, including addiction, violent psychosis, and developmental issues in children. Meanwhile, neighboring states that have embraced legalization are now struggling with rising crime, homelessness, and drug-related fatalities,” said the Idaho Senate Republicans Caucus in a statement. “Idaho, however, continues to stand firm against these influences.”

House Joint Resolution Four was passed by the Idaho Legislature in March 2025, placing the amendment on the ballot. It was supported by eastern Idaho legislators Reps. Kevin Andrus, Barbara Ehardt, Marco Erickson, Ben Fuhriman, Wendy Horman, Dustin Manwaring, Stephanie Mickelsen, Britt Raybould, Jon Weber, Joshua Wheeler and Senators Kevin Cook, Mark Harris, Dave Lent, Doug Ricks and Julie VanOrden. It was opposed by eastern Idaho legislator Sen. James Ruchti.

It would give the Idaho Legislature sole “power and authority to legalize the growing, producing, manufacturing, transporting, selling, delivering, dispensing, administering, prescribing, distributing, possessing, or using of marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances” in the state.

The November ballot states that “a YES vote would support this constitutional amendment to:

“provide that only the Idaho State Legislature shall have the authority to legalize marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances; and

“remove the ability for citizens to initiate state statutes that would legalize these substances.”

“A NO vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thereby retaining the ability for citizens to initiate state statutes that would legalize or decriminalize marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances.”

The amendment’s sponsor Senator C. Scott Grow, (R)-Eagle said the proposed amendment pushes back against the deep-pocketed marijuana industry and out-of-state money.

“The reason that people push [legalization] – the marijuana lobby, whomever – is because there’s money to be made, particularly when people become addicted,” Grow said in an interview with Local News 8. “They can make it look chic, make it look wonderful, say it solves all ills. But the end game is money to be made by people that are purveyors of drugs, including marijuana.”

Adler painted the issue in a completely different light.

“If in fact, the real motive behind this measure is to preempt medical marijuana, as well as recreational marijuana, then it has the very unfortunate result of tying the hands of the future – if in fact, scientists and medical researchers determine how valuable [a] medicine medical marijuana may be,” Adler said.

The two sides disagree on whether the power to regulate psychoactive substances, like marijuana, belongs to the Legislature or the people.

Reclaim Idaho Founder Luke Mayville said the amendment’s precedent could be used to restrict other ballot initiatives in the future.

“Most people believe that same basic argument that Teddy Roosevelt made back in 1912, that we need an initiative process to give the people a voice when their legislature is out of touch with them on a specific issue that the public is concerned about,” Mayville said.

Grow argued that the Legislature has a constitutional responsibility to regulate illicit substances in the state.

“Here’s what the [Idaho] Constitution says, Article III, Section 24 declares, ‘The first concern of all good government is the virtue and sobriety of the people and the purity of the home. The Legislature should further all wise and well-directed efforts for the promotion of temperance and morality.’ That’s what we’re doing.”

The amendment requires a simple majority to pass.

Voters will make the ultimate decision at the ballot box on November 3.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Search crews are ramping up efforts to locate Teng Go, an 88-year-old Arizona man who slipped off rocks along the Idaho Falls Greenbelt and fell into the Snake River during a Sunday family visit.

To assist dive teams, officials reduced water flow from the Palisades Dam to slow downstream currents near the downtown Broadway Bridge, where search operations are concentrated.

“The current level in the river has come down fairly significantly… making some of those search efforts a little easier in the area where they are concentrating just above the Broadway Bridge downtown,” said Sgt. Bryan Lovell with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.

This marks the second time a visitor has fallen into the river along that stretch of the Greenbelt this summer. On June 4, John Green of Louisiana drowned after losing his footing while taking photographs on the riverbank rocks near the same area. Search crews hope to recover both men.

The two incidents have sparked debate in local online groups, with some community members calling for warning signs or protective fencing along the slippery rocks. Others argue that safety barriers would be impractical and unnecessary.

In an interview with Sergeant Bryan Lovell with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, he backed the latter. He believes the Greenbelt has its risks, but dozens of people visit the Greenbelt every day, and there have only been a few incidents.

In an online poll posted in the Facebook group Life in Idaho Falls, nearly 70% of respondents agreed that the Greenbelt should be left untouched. Less than 20 percent of respondents voted for additional warning signs.

One commenter stated, “More signs or a barricade will ruin the beauty.”

Click here to follow the original article.