Category: kifi-local-news

Ariel Jensen

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — Area photographers are looking forward to some of their photographs being displayed in the USS Idaho.

The commissioning of the new Navy submarine is scheduled for April. Event planners asked Idahoans to send them their best photos representing Idaho to be a part of history. Over two-thousand photos were sent in. Out of those, about 40 were chosen to be displayed in the USS Idaho submarine.

One of the winning photographs is of Mesa Falls, taken by local photographer Jordan Jensen of Rexburg.

“I’m from Idaho. I love the state,” said Jensen. “It’s exciting to know that there’s a nuclear submarine out there, that it’s the USS Idaho. And it’s even more exciting knowing that I, as a native of Idaho, have a picture that I took representing our state that’s floating around in the ocean for the next 30-plus years,” he continued.

Big congratulations to Jordan Jensen for representing East Idaho. 

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Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Record-breaking demand is pushing the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission to its limits this winter, with officials reporting that all three of its shelters are currently operating at maximum capacity.

Despite warm temperatures, the mission has seen a surge in those seeking both shelter and food.

“As we have vacancies, they are filled immediately,” said Tony Anderson, program coordinator at the mission. “We are at capacity on all three of our shelters right now”.

The organization is currently housing 25 men at its men’s shelter. However, the most dramatic increase has been observed in the mission’s meal program. The evening meal, which averaged 80 to 100 people at this time last year, is now serving between 130 and 150 people per night. Last week, the mission hit an all-time peak of 200 people for a single dinner service.

Staff members attribute the rising numbers to a combination of population growth and economic hardship. Anderson pointed to the skyrocketing cost of living in Idaho Falls as a primary driver of the crisis.

“You used to be able to rent a room for a couple hundred dollars a month, and that’s not possible anymore,” Anderson said. “A lot of our population in general is just one misstep away from being homeless. One car accident takes you out of work for two weeks, and now you’re behind on your rent”.

To support these operations, the mission will host its annual “A Walk in the Cold” on March 14.

Director of Development Chris Aspinall said, “So you can do both running or walking, whichever you want to do. But the idea is that you’re going to spend some time out in the cold weather, and this year may not be real representative of how it normally is. But the idea is that you’re going to spend some time out in the cold weather, experiencing what our guests are experiencing every day.”

The 5K run and fun walk serves as both a fundraiser and an awareness event. Organizers expect more than 500 participants this year.

Registration is available at https://www.walkinthecold.com/

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Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Bonneville County Democratic Party says U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could be a problem in East Idaho.

The Bonneville County Democratic Party hosted a brunch serving pancakes to establish a warm environment for a heated topic, I.C.E.

Dozens came together to eat pancakes, build whistle kits, and listen to speeches.

“We’re seeing across the country, law enforcement, setting aside normal policing norms, have unidentified officers wearing masks, taking people off the streets, lots of violence, and we want to make sure that our laws are enforced, but that we follow the law while enforcing the law,” said David Roth Democratic candidate for United States Senate for the state of Idaho.

This lunch also served as a platform for some candidates running for local and state positions. They addressed their concerns about I.C.E

“We believe that the presence of ice is unacceptable and unnecessary in our community. We welcome all members of our community, and we feel that they should be, safe and comfortable in this, in this, city,” said Chance Marshall, candidate for state legislator in Idaho Falls, district 33 seat A.

“Think that it’s about making sure that people feel safe in their communities. I think that what we’ve seen with ice proves that this is far from any kind of legitimate immigration control effort. This is purely terrorizing people for the sake of spreading fear,” Maxine Durand, Candidate for Governor of Idaho. 

Roth says the point of the event was to bring people together and build some community.

“I just think it’s really important for all of us as community members to decide what type of community we want. Idaho Falls has always been a welcoming and open community, and I think we want to keep it that way,” said Roth.

If you would like more information, visit here.

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Curtis Jackson

UPDATE:

EASTERN IDAHO (KIFI) — As of 11 AM, Tuesday, both roads have been reopened on US-26 between Ririe and Swan Valley and SH-33 between Newdale and Tetonia.

ORIGINAL:

EASTERN IDAHO (KIFI) — A winter storm that brought high winds and snow is causing icy roads and power outages across the region on Tuesday morning.

US 26 between Ririe and Swan Valley is closed.

US 33 between Newdale and Tetonia is closed. They also report several slide-offs along the road.

Blowing snow can be seen on the ITD camera located on US 26 at Antelope Flats on Tuesday morning.

Rocky Mountain Power is reporting several small localized power outages from Firth to St. Anthony. You can check their power outage map here.

Idaho Power is also experiencing small power outages affecting a few homes. To check their latest outage map click here.

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Maile Sipraseuth

UCON, Idaho (KIFI)– A crash involving a power pole has shut down a stretch of road in Ucon area.

Bonneville County Sheriff deputies and Rocky Mountain Power are on the scene on 45th East, between 81st North and 97th North. The road is closed while crews work to make the area safe.

Motorists are being advised to avoid the area, and some nearby power outages have been reported as a result of the crash.

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David Pace

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) – For Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic fans looking for local skating opportunities while dreaming big, a world-class ice rink celebrated its grand opening Monday in Rexburg.

“My dreams are, for hockey, to play for Team USA and win or play for the NHL Colorado Avalanche,” said 11-year-old Clark Prince, a goalie for the Rexburg Wildcats.

The Neutral Zone, a $5.5 million National Hockey League-sized ice staking and hockey rink, was gifted to the city of Rexburg at the start of February by an anonymous Canadian man who wanted to provide a fun, winter destination for skaters and winter sports enthusiasts of all ages.

“It’s nice because this guy built the rink, and I like it,”said Prince. “It’s better than IF’s rink.”

Monday featured a ribbon cutting, figure skating performances, games with the Spud Kings, ice bocce, a youth hockey scrimmage and public skating all evening long.

“We’re excited to have something else for people to do in the wintertime here in Rexburg,” said Mayor Jerry Merrill. “ We’ve got lots of kids here playing. They’re playing ice bocce right now. That’s one of the games we’re going to be able to offer, along with figure skating, hockey, leagues, tournaments and all that kind of thing. We’ve got something for everyone.”

Merrill said young kids and even adults can use red skating stands to learn how to skate.

The city hopes to be able to offer skating and hockey all year long, right next to Rexburg Rapids, provided it’s economically feasible.

Currently, the nearest 365-day ice rink is located in Logan, Utah.

With lots of little eyes focused on the Olympics in Italy and a brand-new, world-class facility in the Upper Valley, who knows whether the next generation of future Olympians might get their start in Rexburg, Idaho?

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Max Gershon

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — Powerlifitng isn’t as well known as a lot of high school sports, but more students are getting into the action and the local interest is growing. 

Today in Blackfoot, the first event of the season was a fundraiser to help bring new equipment to the schools weight room.

In powerlifting, athletes test their maximum strength across three lifts. The squat, the bench press, and the deadlift. Each successful lift counts toward a combined total that determines placement.

Organizers say the meet gives a wider range of students the chance to compete, including those who may not participate in traditional school sports. This year would be the first ever sanctioned powerlifting meet to take place in a high school in the state of Idaho. 

The competition also serves as a fundraiser for the School Strength program, which supports hundreds of students each day and relies on shared equipment to host events. 

“We get a lot of kids, that play sports for the school, but then we get a lot of kids who don’t play sports for the school, and it’s an opportunity for them to compete and demonstrate their strength as well.” said Geoff Roberts, the Strength Coach for Blackfoot High school.

For athletes, the platform is a chance to showcase years of training and measure progress in a sport built on discipline and consistency.

“I’ve been competing for a year, officially, but I’ve been lifting six years,” said Kyler Sanders, a senior powerlifter who’s on the football team. “I just like the competitiveness to it. I just like lifting. And it’s just a way to come show everybody what I can lift.”

As participation grows, organizers hope more students and the community discover the sport’s impact both on and off the platform. 

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Maile Sipraseuth

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– The Pocatello Police Department is investigating a stabbing that left two women injured late Sunday night.

At approximately 10:06 p.m. on February 15, 2026, officers responded to the 700 block of South Arthur Avenue after receiving reports that two women had been stabbed by an unknown man.

Both victims were taken to the Portneuf Medical Center for treatment of their injuries. Their current conditions have not yet been released to the public.

The suspect is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, short hair, wearing a hat and a dark jacket, and the Pocatello Police Department is working on gathering more information.

Police believe this is an isolated incident and are currently reviewing the victim’s cell phones and surveillance footage for further information.

The Pocatello Police Department is requesting assistance from anyone who may have information about the suspect and/or surveillance or doorbell camera footage from the area of 700 South Arthur around the time of the incident.

Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact the department at 208-234-6100.

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Curtis Jackson

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)— Idaho Falls Police are investigating an accident involving a motorcycle and pickup on Broadway at the I-15 underpass.

As they investigated, the westbound lanes of Broadway were closed from the KJ’s Gas station to the west side of the underpass, along with I-15 onramp. The road has reopened.

The accident happened just before 7 a.m. on Monday morning.

Jessica Clements, the PIO for Idaho Falls Police, said the cause of the crash is still under investigation. She said the motorcyclist was taken to the hospital with significant injuries.

This is a developing story and will be updated when more information is available.

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News Team

 BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is sounding the alarm following a surge in reports of jail inmate bonding scams targeting the area. This warning comes just days after the Idaho Attorney General’s office flagged the scheme as a growing threat to local families with loved ones in jail.

According to the AG’s Office, scammers are harvesting names from public jail rosters to identify potential targets. In the greater Idaho Falls area, the scammers have been identifying themselves as sheriff’s deputies, court officials, or a bonding entity. BCSO says the scammers then convince victims to pay money over the phone for their friend or family to be released from jail.

The Sheriff’s Office is reminding residents that law enforcement and jails will never solicit money over the phone for the bonding process. Also, legitimate government agencies will never accept payment in the form of cryptocurrency, money card, gift card, or online transaction.

“Instructions of this nature by scammers is ALWAYS a tell-tale sign of a scam, not just scams of this nature but also scams related to jury duty, missing court dates, or paying fines to avoid arrest or criminal charges,” said BCSO Sgt. Bryan Lovell in a press release.

If you get a call like this, hang up and contact the jail directly. To report a scam, click HERE.

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