Category: kifi-local-news

Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – The Friends of Edson Fichter Nature Area and the Idaho Master Naturalists Program, in partnership with Idaho Fish and Game, are hosting a pollinator appreciation event on Saturday, June 21, in honor of National Pollinator Week.

Pollinators include insects or animals that spread pollen between plants and assist in plant reproduction; they are critical in maintaining healthy ecosystems and are vital factors in the agricultural industry.

“Without pollinators, there are a variety of crops, food that we would not even be able to eat; the pollinators are really critical,” said Sarah Jackson, member of the Idaho Master Naturalists Program. “Native bees and the other types of insects are just a foundation of our health for our environment.”

According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, pollinators, especially honey bees, are worth an estimated $34 billion to agricultural industries, and about 35% of the world’s food crops rely on pollinators for propagation and production of vegetables and grains.

The ‘Promoting our Pollinators’ appreciation event will be held at the Edson Fichter Nature Area from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature activities and information provided by the Friends of Edson Fichter Nature Area, the Idaho Master Naturalists Program, the Idaho Museum of Natural History, Idaho State University’s Biological Sciences Department, and others.

For more information, you can visit the Friends of Edson Fichter Nature Area website.

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News Release

The following is a news release from the Idaho Transportation Department:

INKOM, Idaho (KIFI) — Due to bridge demolition, the northbound Inkom entrance ramp onto I-15 (Exit 58) will be closed for two nights. The closure will take place from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Monday, June 23, and Tuesday, June 24, weather and other factors permitting.

Traffic will be detoured to Old Highway 91 and then to Exit 63 to head north on I-15. Please watch for crews, use caution, and drive safely.

Due to the nature of the work, considerable noise is expected during the bridge demolition.

The Idaho Transportation Department is in the process of replacing bridges on I-15 at Inkom:

Over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and Old Highway 91.

Over Rapid Creek Road (Main Street).

I-15 bridges and reconstructing the West Interchange.

ITD combined and streamlined the projects to reduce the construction timeline to approximately two years rather than doing one location at a time over three years. This approach minimizes disruption to the local community and the traveling public and efficiently uses construction funds.

To learn more about the project or sign up for construction updates, click HERE.

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Noah Farley

AMMON, Idaho (KIFI) — The Bureau of Land Management says one way you can protect your home from fires is by having fire-resistant plants in your yard.

Plants that have a lot of moisture in them and grow lower to the ground will take longer to catch fire.

Some plants like trees can drop leaves and needles, which burn very easily. That’s why it’s important to keep your yard tidy.

“Getting rid of dead foliage, getting rid of needles on the ground, getting rid of tall grass, keeping things mowed and trimmed is a great way to defend your home from fire,” said Sunnyside Gardens Owner, Aaron McCracken.

BLM recommends avoiding plants with volatile oils and resins like juniper and pine. Some fire-resistant plants include succulents like cacti, Blanket Flower, Soapwort, and Redflower Currant.

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Abi Martin

CUSTER COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — Firefighters are still working to contain the Joe’s Gulch fire in Custer County, just north of Stanley. The fire has now grown to about 62 acres — up from just 10 to 15 acres on Thursday. However, fire crews in the area have reportedly continued to make good progress with suppression efforts throughout the day, Friday. 

Officials are asking the public to avoid the area.

They are also reminding everyone: “If you fly a drone, crews can’t fly aircraft in, which can delay critical firefighting efforts.”

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Doug Long

Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a leak of approximately 16 billion login credentials, exposing the passwords in the largest leak ever reported. Researchers with Cybernews were the first to discover and report on the leak. In the last two days, multiple source,s including Forbes and TechRadar, have confirmed their report.

Researchers are calling this “Weaponizable intelligence at scale.” Which means the leak isn’t static, but that cybercriminals are actively distributing and monetizing from the information.

“This is not just a leak – it’s a blueprint for mass exploitation. With over 16 billion login records exposed, cybercriminals now have unprecedented access to personal credentials that can be used for account takeover, identity theft, and highly targeted phishing,” said researchers.

What was leaked? Emails, usernames, passwords, login URLs, session tokens, authentication paths, patterns of behavior, and the exact backdoors that keep your accounts open.

If you use email, social media, online banking, cloud storage, delivery apps, subscriptions, or even just a mobile phone — you are compromised. This is not some elite hack targeting CEOs and politicians. This is everyone.

Act now! Change and protect your passwords

These steps should be taken as soon as possible.

Chang every password. Email, banking, cloud storage, social media, everything. Start with what matters most. Use long, unique, complex combinations.

No password is truly “hack proof,” but a strong password significantly reduces risk. Cybersecurity experts, including NIST and CISA, recommend a minimum of 12 characters for robust security. Longer passwords, ideally 16 characters or more, are even better, as they increase complexity and resistance to brute-force attacks.

Key Points

Use a password manager: Stop using browser-saved logins. They can be stolen in milliseconds. Get encrypted storage. Protect every key. Tools like Bitwarden or 1Password can generate and store long, unique passwords securely.

Length over complexity: A longer password (e.g., a passphrase like “sunsetmountainblueberry”) is more secure than a short, complex one (e.g., “P@ssw0rd!”).

Avoid common patterns: Don’t use predictable words, phrases, or personal info (e.g., birthdays, names).

Randomization helps: Use a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols, or better yet, a random string generated by a password manager.

Enable 2FA: 2 Factor Authentication – Enable this immediately. Pair a strong password with two-factor authentication for added protection. This is a firewall you can control.

Alert your circle. This isn’t just about you. If your contact gets hacked, so do you. Mobilize your family. Your teams. Your networks.

For more information on creating a passkey on Facebook, click HERE.

For more information on creating a passkey on Apple devices, click HERE.

For more information on creating a passkey for Google accounts of devices, click HERE.

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Stephanie Lucas

ALPINE, Wyoming (KIFI) — An 89-year-old Rigby woman died Wednesday after reportedly falling 100 feet into the Snake River near Alpine, Wyoming.

Star Valley Search and Rescue Captain Clint Erickson told Local News 8 that the victim, identified as Joyce Balls, was picnicking with her sister and niece along U.S. Highway 26, overlooking the Big Kahuna rapid, a section known popular among white-water rafting enthusiasts.

Erickson says the 89-year-old stood up but lost her footing, “stumbled forward and went off the edge.”

Star Valley Search and Rescue, along with Alpine Fire, searched the riverbank for her. Eventually, a drone operator located her body downriver using a drone.

“This was truly a tragic accident and a reminder just how unforgiving the river can be,” Star Valley Search and Rescue said in a Facebook post, extending their thoughts and prayers to the family.

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Doug Long

UPDATE: The Idaho High Schools combined debate team competed in the final debate on Friday, June 20th against the China Gold team. The Idaho Mountain River Green team took second place in a split decision with eight judges voting for China Gold and 5 judges voting for Idaho Mountain River Green a team made up of five Southeast Idaho students.

Two other Idaho teams reached the quarter finals. An Idaho team has never reached this level of the competition before in the 100 year history of the event.

Congratulations Idaho delegation for representing the state in magnificent fasion!

DES MOINES, Iowa (KIFI) — An Idaho debate team made up of five southeastern Idaho high school students has made its way to the finals of the World Schools Debate Competition.

This is the first time in the 100-year history of the competition that any team from Idaho has made it this far.

Three teams from southeast Idaho made it to the quarter finals with one team reaching the finals.

Students participating in the finals include:

Josephine Preucil, Twin Falls High School

Madilynn Evans, Madison High School

Kasey Wheeler, Blackfoot High School

Sammy Mowrer, Highland High School

Olivia Wakeman, Thunder Ridge High School

The Idaho students will compete against the Chinese team Friday morning, June 20th, at 8:00 a.m. Mountain time. If you’d like to watch the debate LIVE, you can livestream it here: https://live.speechanddebate.org

However, today these students witnessed a disruption, causing a lot of panic this afternoon.

A Wyoming man was arrested after he entered the stage area during events earlier today at the EMCW Expo Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

As reported by WOI in Des Moines, 22-year-old Jayden Michael Roccaforte from Cheyenne, Wyoming, is charged with one count of disorderly conduct and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.

Roccaforte went up on stage carrying a backpack and asked the audience if they wanted to hear a joke.

At that point, another person at the microphone stand told everyone to “run and get out.”

No weapons were found, and no one was injured. 

More than 10,000 people from schools across the country are in attendance at the event, which ends on Friday.  

This includes teams from 31 Idaho high schools, including 14 high schools from southeastern Idaho.

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Abi Martin

UPDATE January 21, 2025: ROBERTS, Idaho (City of Roberts News Release) — The City of Roberts is pleased to announce that the Do Not Drink/Do Not Boil Water Advisory, issued on June 19, 2025, has officially been lifted as of today, following confirmation from certified laboratory testing. The advisory was a precautionary measure following a temporary loss of water pressure caused by a power outage and a backup generator malfunction. At no time was water quality compromised. However, due to the loss of pressure, the advisory was issued in accordance with public health guidelines to ensure the continued safety of residents.

Recent test results confirm that the municipal water supply is safe for all uses, including drinking, cooking, and bathing. Water quality has been restored to meet all federal and state safety standards.

City officials and staff have worked diligently to identify and resolve the issue that led to the advisory. As a result, water system operations have returned to normal, and the public can resume regular water use.

What Residents Should Do Now:

Run cold water taps for a few minutes to flush household pipes.

Discard any ice made during the advisory.

Replace water filters as recommended by the manufacturer.

We thank residents for their patience and cooperation during this advisory. The health and safety of our community remain our top priority.

UPDATE January 20, 2025:

ROBERTS, Idaho (KIFI) — As of Friday night, residents in Roberts are still advised not to drink city water, even after boiling it. City officials confirmed a water sample was collected Friday morning for testing, but results are not expected until at least Saturday.

This advisory does not apply to homes using private wells. City officials have also stated it remains safe to shower and do laundry with the water.

Local News 8 is continuing to monitor the situation and will provide updates as soon as the City of Roberts declares the water safe to drink.

ORIGINAL:

ROBERTS, Idaho (KIFI) — City officials in Roberts are urging people not to drink or boil tap water until further notice.

A power outage caused a major drop in water pressure, which may have contaminated the supply.

The outage was caused by high winds knocking over some power lines, leaving some 1500 people without electricity. 

Officials say boiling the water could make it worse because there may be contaminants in the water that boiling won’t get rid of.

Residents are told to use bottled water only — for everything from drinking to brushing teeth.

Water pressure is back, but testing is still underway.

The city hopes to lift the advisory within two to five days.

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CNN Newsource

By Michael Martin

Click here for updates on this story

    BRYCE WOODLANDS, Utah (KSTU) — A southern Utah man is out of the hospital after he was attacked by a black bear while trying to sleep on a cot outdoors near Bryce Woodlands.

According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the attack happened Tuesday at around 10:30 p.m. Officials say the man had been on his cot when he was awoken by the presence of a black bear.

Initially, the man attempted to stay still, hoping the bear would move on, but instead, the bear approached him and bit the man on the arm.

Biologists with the Division of Wildlife Resources responded to the scene Wednesday, using tracking hounds to locate the bear in the afternoon.

Officials said that because the bear had shown aggressive behavior and injured a person, it had to be euthanized per DWR policy. The bear’s corpse has been submitted for disease testing.

The Division of Wildlife Resources reminds people that black bears can be found across Utah, and there are certain things you can do if you encounter one:

Stand your ground: Never back up, lie down or play dead. Stay calm and give the bear a chance to leave. Prepare to use your bear spray or another deterrent. Don’t run away or climb a tree. Black bears are excellent climbers and can run up to 35 mph — you cannot outclimb or outrun them. Know bear behavior. If a bear stands up, grunts, moans or makes other sounds, it’s not being aggressive. These are the ways a bear gets a better look or smell and expresses its interest. If a black bear attacks, always fight back. And never give up! People have successfully defended themselves with almost anything: rocks, sticks, backpacks, water bottles and even their hands and feet.

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.

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Curtis Jackson

UPDATE:

BANNOCK COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — Fire crews battled to contain the Rock Creek Fire near Inkom Thursday despite steep terrain and gusty winds. The latest report from the Inkom Volunteer Fire Department confirms the fire was contained last night, June 19.

Their swift response, aided by the McCammon and Lava Hot Springs Fire Departments, protected five structures, including nearby homes.

The Inkom Volunteer Fire Department says that a 20-person handcrew and four engines were on-site Friday morning, monitoring and mopping up hotspots. No injuries have been reported.

However, the cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, as there was no lightning activity in the area.

In a recent press release, Fire Chief Johnny Ketner urged caution for property owners considering burns: “Always contact your local fire department, get a permit, ensure you have plenty of water, and closely monitor wind conditions.” He also warned against leaving fires unattended, as hidden heat can reignite.

Crews will likely remain in the area through Saturday, anticipating strong, gusty winds.

ORIGINAL:

BANNOCK COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — A second fire is burning in Bannock County right now, this one near Inkom.  The Bannock County Sheriff’s Office tells Local News 8 a fire was called in around 11:40 Thursday afternoon in the Upper Rock Creek Area, near Jackson Creek and Nestor Road.  The Sheriff’s office says Inkom, McCammon, and Lava Fire Departments are working to control the flames. Search and Rescue is on hand for traffic control.

No evacuations have been reported, but we’re told several homes are on standby. The cause is under investigation.

Ryan Perrigouge says the fire crews were able to protect his home in an area near the blaze. He shared the following photos with Local News 8.

“These guys deserve a grand round of applause. And they let me in as much as I could without a word. I just kept as clear as possible,” Ryan Perrigoue told Local News 8 over Facebook.

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