Category: kifi-local-news

Ariel Jensen

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — Hundreds pack the Madison High School gymnasium to honor and remember those who serve our country.

“They deserve to be honored. But it’s also very important that we do it here at the high school so our young people can see and feel the spirit that was in there of respect and reverence for these individuals who’ve sacrificed and devoted their lives to our country,” Diane Bruce, Rexburg Chamber of Commerce President/CEO.

The event was open to the community and was put together by the Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce.

Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars participate by posting the colors, a time-honored military tradition.

The High school band and choir performed patriotic music, showcasing their respect for local veterans.

School staff says this was not just a chance to honor our veterans but an educational opportunity for our youth.

“This is to teach them how important it is to respect our veterans and make sure they understand that there were a lot of people who came before us to sacrifice so much for us to enjoy a beautiful, free country,” said Zach Lambson, Assistant advisor to the student council.

Bruce says the event was made possible through the collaboration of the school, volunteers, and community support.

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Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Friends and family came together today to give local Air Force veteran Jim Gyorfy of Idaho Falls’ own Collectors Corner Museum a heartfelt Veterans Day tribute. The group presented Jim with a metal American flag with the Air Force insignia on it to hang in his museum.

“We have the greatest country in the world… and it was an honor to serve it… and I know other Veterans feel the same way,” Gyorfy said, teary-eyed.

Gyorfy and his wife, partners in life for over 60 years, proudly operate the Collector’s Corner Museum, where they display a range of pop culture and military memorabilia. Today also marked the museum’s 22nd anniversary.

“You meet a lot of wonderful people, and you serve your country because it’s in your heart. I saw a lot of the world and I’m thankful for that. That’s all. And unfortunately, I’m losing a lot of friends now, but that’s a part of life,” Gyorfy said.

Jim’s friends, family, and wife all said that his kindness and humility are what make him truly deserving of this recognition.

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Seth Ratliff

CANYON COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced today that Garrett Ray Vanni, 38, of Boise, was sentenced to up to 15 years in prison for attempting to entice children online.

Vanni’s arrest earlier this year was part of a joint undercover operation targeting individuals who use the internet to entice children, coordinated by the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force.

The 38-year-old was taken into custody on February 27, 2025, as a result of a coordinated two-night undercover operation led by the ICAC task force and the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office. The operation involved law enforcement officers posing as underage children to expose adults seeking to sexually abuse children or share child sexual abuse material over the internet.

Vanni reportedly engaged in sexually explicit conversations with someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. On February 27, 2025, Vanni arrived at a Nampa hotel intending to have sex with the minor, only to find law enforcement waiting for him. He was arrested by members of the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force and pleaded guilty before trial.

On November 5, 2025, Canyon County District Judge Davis F. VanderVelde sentenced Vanni to a total unified sentence of fifteen years in prison with three and a half years fixed and eleven and a half years indeterminate. Vanni will also be required to register as a sex offender in accordance with Idaho law.

“These undercover operations protect Idaho families by stopping predators before they can harm a single child,” said Attorney General Labrador. “Our statewide law enforcement partnerships make Idaho families safer every day. When agencies work together, we remove these threats and send a clear message that if you target children in Idaho, you will be caught and prosecuted.”

The coordinated operation was brought about through multiple state and local agencies, including the Idaho Office of the Attorney General, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho State Police, Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office, United States Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and officers from local departments across the state.

The investigation was led by Bonneville County Detective Korey Payne and Canyon County Detective Bailey Wilson. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General James Haws.

The AG’s office encourages anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children to contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.

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Seth Ratliff

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) — A 16-year-old boy from Menan, Idaho, was killed in a single-vehicle car accident late last night, Monday, November 10, in Jefferson County.

According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the fatal crash took place around 10:54 p.m. near the intersection of 142 N and 3400 E, outside of Rigby.

The teen was driving a blue Ford Focus at the time of the incident. Emergency services rushed to the scene, and the boy was pronounced dead upon their arrival.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Due to the driver’s age, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has stated that the identity of the deceased will not be released.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office extended its deepest condolences to the family of the driver following the tragic incident.

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News Release

The following is a news release from Jackson Hole Fire/EMS:

JACKSON, Wyoming — Jackson Hole Fire/EMS hosted a two-day training course last week aimed at strengthening regional planning and preparedness for large-scale evacuation events.

The specialized training course, Evacuation Management for Law and Fire Service Leaders, took place at the Teton County Fairgrounds Community Building on November 5 and 6, and was led by representatives from the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). IAFC members are the world’s leading experts in firefighting, emergency medical services, terrorism response, hazardous materials spills, natural disasters, search and rescue, and public safety legislation. The course was developed to enhance readiness and improve coordination during large-scale evacuation operations.

“Building good working relationships across jurisdictions is an important part in the planning and preparedness process,” said Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Chief Mike Moyer. “Coordinating in advance allows us to respond swiftly and effectively when evacuation becomes necessary.”

Twelve agencies from across the region participated in the event, including:

Jackson Hole Fire/EMS

Teton County Sheriff’s Office

Jackson Police Department

Teton Village Special Fire District

Sublette County Unified Fire

Alpine Fire District

Teton County Fire & Rescue

Teton County (Wyoming) Emergency Management

Teton County (Idaho Emergency) Management

U.S. Department of the Interior – Grand Teton National Park

U.S. Forest Service – Bridger-Teton National Forest

Teton County (Wyoming) Transportation Manager

Participants had the opportunity to examine real-world scenarios, exchange best practices, and explore tools that support safe and effective evacuations during wildfires, floods and other major emergencies.

The training course supports a key priority identified in the 2024 Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which emphasizes the importance of developing comprehensive evacuation plans as a critical community action item. Teton County and the Town of Jackson endorsed the CWPP in March 2024. The communitywide planning document acts as a guide to help Teton County take proactive measures to reduce wildfire intensity, enhance emergency response, and community resiliency, and prepare for the next wildfire event.

To review the CWPP, click HERE.

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Bailee Shaw

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — With winter weather on the way, many Idahoans wouldn’t think twice about turning up the heat. But for one veteran in Blackfoot, the simple act of staying warm had become a battle against a failing furnace — until a generous gift of a brand-new heating system brought tears to the stoic soldier’s eyes.

Vietnam War Veteran Frank Perry of Blackfoot lives with only 28% lung capacity, and temperature has a huge impact on his ability to breathe. But his ongoing battle with a nearly 40-year-old furnace hasn’t done him any favors.

 “Because it’s all it’s got some cracks and there’s a chance of carbon monoxide poisoning and you know I’ve got breathing issues, but I don’t, I’d rather not die…so,” said Frank.

Before the new furnace came along, Frank’s daily routine was grueling — shuffling outside, oxygen tank in tow, and carefully making his way down the steep stairs to his exposed basement. He’d fight with his decades-old furnace just to coax out enough heat to make it through another freezing night.

The Division Steps In

When the Idaho Division of Veteran Services learned about Frank’s situation, they knew something had to be done.

“It’s very scary. I can’t imagine having a limited income and facing being cold,” said Robertta Matulis with the Division. “Our winters are harsh in Idaho, and it’s coming. Winter is coming.”

Recognizing that “you can’t survive in Idaho without a furnace,” the local Veteran Services partnered with Right Now Heating and Air to deliver a brand-new furnace, installation and all, completely free of charge.

The moment they dropped off the new furnace was overwhelming for the old soldier. “It made me cry at the time because I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Frank told Local News 8 as the crew worked in his home.

Peace and Gratitude

For Robertta Matulis and the veteran service team, the act of service and gratitude was profound. “It gives me a sense of peace knowing that he’s gonna at least have a warm home,” she said. “And I know that he’s so grateful, and that makes me feel grateful because he served us, and now we’re serving him.”

Frank, holding back emotion, summed up the true impact of the gift.

“What these people have done, I mean, it’s warmed my heart,” Frank concluded. “The mindless giving. The thoughtfulness of the whole thing is incredible. It’s touched my heart. Shows me there is still humanity left.”

If you are a veteran in need of assistance, you can get connected with the Idaho Division of Veteran Services by visiting: veterans.idaho.gov

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News Team

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (KIFI) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the location for the new Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, temple.

The new house of worship will be built on just under 11 acres, located at the corner of Hanley Avenue and Coeur Terre Boulevard. Current plans for the site call for a single-story temple encompassing approximately 29,000 square feet. The complex will also include an adjacent meetinghouse and a separate support building.

This temple will mark the eleventh for the Church in Idaho. It will join ten other houses of worship that are either operating or under construction across the state, including locations in Boise, Burley, Caldwell, Idaho Falls, Meridian, Montpelier, Pocatello, Rexburg (two temples, the Rexburg Idaho Temple and the Teton River Idaho Temple), and Twin Falls.

The new temple was originally announced by the late President Russell M. Nelson, the former prophet and leader of the global faith, during the Church’s general conference last year.

“Every sincere seeker of Jesus Christ will find Him in the temple,” he said at that time. “You will feel His mercy. You will find answers to your most vexing questions. You will better comprehend the joy of His gospel.”

More than 480,000 Latter-day Saints live in Idaho in nearly 1,300 congregations. The new temple will serve these members in the northern region of the state.

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Phillip Willis

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — On this day, in 1885, German Engineer Gottlieb Daimler unveild a mechanism called the ‘Einspur’, or ‘single track’.

It was essentially a wooden bicycle, with a fire-breathing “grandfather clock” engine strapped to the side. The contraption would become known as the world’s first motorcycle.

But as American Author Melissa Pierson put it, “The first motorcycle looks like an an instrument of torture.”

Daimler’s 17-year-old son made the first long distance ride, an important proof of concept to be sure, if not a little uncomfortable with no suspension system. It wasn’t as bad as a ride someone else took eight days later though, where the seat caught on fire!

Sources for this story:

The Perfect Vehicle: What It Is about Motorcycles – By Melissa Pierson

Medium.com

AEhistory

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Chris Nestman

Eliana Mackley of Blackfoot describes how she was “surprised” and “unsure” when she was contacted by the charity organization Colossal and their “Fab Over 40” contest to be a possible spokeswoman for the organization next year.

“I’ve done some acting for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” said Mackley, “but this would be something different.”

After sending in a few videos, getting response emails, and then sending in a few more videos, things proceeded slowly until just a few days ago.

“I answered a few more questions and then they told me ‘Oh, you’re number five,'” said Mackley. “Fifth place in the country.”

Being fifth place in the country means Mackley easily made the top 10 finalists that go onto the final round for the contest.

“I want to win. So I’m going to speak as if I won already,” said Mackley. “If I win, I will be like, a spokeswoman for this organization, Fab Over 40.”

Collosal’s “Fab Over 40” contest is in its fifth year. The funds raised from the competition go towards supporting the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), a non-profit that promotes cancer research, education, early detection, and supports women diagnosed with cancer. According to Colossal’s website, they’ve raised over $25 million dollars for the NBCF since the “Fab Over 40” competition started five years ago.

“To me, it’s it’s very important because I like to be able to show women that we can do these things,” said Mackley. “We can also shine, and its important that we live our dreams too.”

In order for Mackley to win, she will need support from the community in the form of votes. Those interested can click on the link HERE to vote.

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News Team

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — A Blackfoot woman received the shock of a lifetime Sunday night, after a soaking wet pilot emerged from the frigid Snake River and knocked on the door of her nearby home moments after his small plane crashed into the water. Bobette Brown, who initially mistook the crash sound for a car accident, says she was stunned when the injured man, soaking wet and shaken, appeared on her doorstep.

“We were sitting in the living room and heard the doorbell ring, and there stands a gentleman who is soaking wet,” Brown explained. “You can tell he’s kind of in shock, and he’s got some scratches on his face, and his hand is bleeding and… he’s very cold and shaken up.”

According to Blackfoot Police, the small single-engine plane went down sometime before 6:05 PM on November 9th. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, successfully swam and struggled his way out of the river and reached Brown’s home. Brown immediately called for help, and the pilot was taken by ambulance to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Plane Recovery Effort

The Bingham County Sheriff’s office, with assistance from a local wrecker service, began the complicated retrieval process this morning at 10:00 AM, successfully pulling the aircraft from the Snake River.

The pilot’s name and further details regarding the cause of the crash have not been released, pending an investigation by the FAA.

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