Category: kifi-local-news

Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – People are celebrating creativity and artistic excellence this weekend.

Preparations are underway right now at the Eagle Rock Art Guild’s annual Riverwalk Art Festival.

There will be a variety of items on display, including paintings, sculptures, mixed media, and photography.

This art show only comes once a year, and vendors say it’s important to support local artists. 

“Today with supply chains and tariffs and all that stuff being what they are, it’s even more important to support local artists because I have what you can give for a gift tomorrow as opposed to having to order it, you know, and wait a couple of weeks,” said Lisa Horton, art vendor.

The art show kicks off on Saturday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. and will continue on Sunday between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. 

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Skaters, city leaders, and supporters gathered to celebrate the grand opening ribbon-cutting of the new Optimist Skatepark on Friday.

The skatepark features stairs, rails, ledges, and a six-foot-deep bowl, as well as a concrete ledge feature in the shape of the State of Idaho. The park was designed by Pillar Design Studios and built by Artisan Skateparks in partnership with the Pocatello Parks and Recreation Department and local skaters who pitched in on construction.

“Skateboarding connects generations, neighborhoods, stories; it gives us a common memory, a shared past that we could build our future on,” said Darin Black, owner of Deckadence Board Shoppe in Pocatello and member of the city’s Parks and Rec Advisory Board. “This skate park is your skate park. This skate park is my skate park. This skate park is our skate park. Let’s honor it.”

Also unveiled at the ribbon-cutting ceremony was a memorial plaque honoring legendary local skater Chevy Nichols, who passed away in 2024 at the age of 17.

At the event, attended by hundreds of people, skaters shared the importance of having a new, designated place to practice their sport in the Portneuf Valley.

“It’s a good euphoric feeling,” said Dillon Jackson, a Pocatello skater who helped lay concrete during the final stages of park construction. “The whole community, and the sea of people we just seen, they all cheering because we got a park, and of course for Chevy, that was really cool, really brought a tear to my eye.”

Optimist Skatepark is located at 972 N 7th Ave in Pocatello.

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Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Transportation Department wants your feedback on what to work on next, but the clock to submit your responses is ticking.

The department has a 30-day open comment period where anyone can comment on the long-term plan for some projects across the state, but it ends Thursday, August 1st, 2025

ITD says they are seeing a lot of great feedback on their Facebook page, but if you want to see actual change, you need to submit your suggestions through the correct channels. 

“People care greatly about the roads that affect them the most. Of course, we all care about the ones we have to travel, right? So we get a lot of comments on interstates, get a lot of comments on places with the most congestion or the highest safety concerns, and many of which people will find that those projects are already in our long-term plan. But there are some, of course, that we’re happy to hear when it’s like we didn’t realize we might need to think about that, and people give us good feedback to be able to do that, said Sky Buffat, Public Information Officer, of the Idaho Transportation Department.

If you would like to make a submission, visit this link here or scan the QR code below.

2026-2032 ITIP flyerDownload

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News Team

PHOENIX, Arizona (KIFI)-A judge sentenced Lori Vallow-Daybell to two consecutive terms of life in prison for the murder of her fourth husband Charles Vallow, and the attempted murder of her niece’s former husband, Brandon Boudreaux on Friday.

She is already serving five life sentences in Idaho for the deaths of her children JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan,  and conspiring to kill her current husband’s first wife, Tammy Daybell.

The sentences will run consecutively and will also run concurrently with the Idaho case.

Larry Woodcock, the grandfather of JJ, yelled at Vallow Daybell during a video appearancem, saying “You murdered Charles, the best thing that’s ever happened in your life, for your delusional, narcissistic ways. I will never speak your name again, murderess. You are nothing.”

Prosecuting Attorney Treena Kay dismantled claims that this was a “family tragedy.”

“A family tragedy does not involve the intentional killing of a person,” Kay said. “A family tragedy does not involve working with an accomplice to commit first-degree premeditated murder. And a family tragedy does not involve conspiring with others to kill.”

Lori Vallow-Daybell also spoke before she was sentenced. “So whether I’m giving 5 life sentences or 7 life sentences, I will continue to try to uplift and help and strengthen those around me. It does not matter where you serve on earth as long as you do it with love. It doesn’t matter if I’m given 7 lifetimes or the death penalty like my husband,” said. Lori.

The judge admonished Daybell before handing down the sentences. He told her she left a trail of destruction and “it will take an act of god for you to go free.”

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News Team

PHOENIX, Arizona (KIFI) – Lori Vallow Daybell was sentenced to two life sentences with the possibility of parole after 25 years for the two conspiracy cases in Arizona.

You can watch the hearing below.

She was convicted of conspiracy to kill her former husband, Charles Vallow in April and then convicted of conspiracy to kill her niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux.  

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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Sam Ross

CHUBBUCK, Idaho (KIFI) – A young martial artist in Chubbuck is channeling his entrepreneurial spirit to raise money for a trip to a national competition.

Twelve-year-old Kimber Berger is a jiu-jitsu athlete who has trained at the gym ‘Pocatello Jiu-Jitsu’ for a few years, winning multiple titles.

But this summer, Kimber can be found behind his family’s lemonade stand on Stuart Avenue, trying to raise money for a trip to a national jiu-jitsu tournament in Las Vegas at the end of summer.

“We’ve been doing this lemonade stand for quite a while now,” said Kimber. “My mom suggested it, and I was like, oh yeah, that could be a good way. So, we just came out. We just came out like two weeks ago. That’s when we first started this summer, and it was doing pretty well.”

Kimber says he’s only around $200 away from his $500 goal.

He’s inviting everyone to stop by his stand for fresh lemonade in multiple flavors and to help him achieve his dream of making it to the national jiu-jitsu competition on August 26.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– SRD’s Traveling Animals is hosting a ‘Wild Reptile Adventure’ event at Jungle ReTreat Ice Cream in Pocatello on Saturday, July 26.

The event will give people a chance to get up close and personal with snakes, lizards, and turtles rescued from the Pocatello area, while SRD owners walk people through reptile facts and proper care instructions.

“We’re just trying to educate people on what these animals are, what they need, what they take, how to properly care for them so that maybe they won’t end up in the rescue as much,” said Nikki Jorgenson, owner of SRD’s Traveling Animals.

Jorgenson said SRD started rescuing dogs, cats, and rabbits about 20 years ago, but over the past five years they have seen an influx of rescued reptiles brought to them for help.

The Wild Reptile Adventure event will have two shows starting at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person; admission includes a scoop of ice cream from Jungle ReTreat.

For more information on the event, or to purchase tickets, you can visit: https://www.pocatelloevents.com/tickets.

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Ariel Jensen

UPDATE: After two days of testimonies from the prosecution and defense, Jeremy Best was given three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

The three sentences represent his wife, Kali Best, their son Zeke, and their unborn child.

Judge Dane Watkins, Jr. handed down the sentence Thursday afternoon at the Teton County Courthouse.

Before he was sentenced by the judge, Best apologized to his wife’s family and his own family.

WATCH THE SENTENCING HEARING BELOW:

DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI)—An emotional morning in a Driggs courtroom as the sentencing hearing continues for Jeremy Best.

He admits to killing his pregnant wife Kali, their unborn child, and 10-month-old son Zeke.

The crime happened in November 2023 and attracted nationwide attention.

Thursday’s sentencing hearing began with Jeremy Best’s defense attorneys discussing his life history. According to court testimony, Jeremy met Kali in 2010, and they married in 2022.

A clinical psychologist said Best has ADHD and a bipolar disorder.

The defense was trying to show the crime was the result of a mental disorder, and prosecutors were pushing back on the psychologist and his findings.

Several witnesses who testified Thursday afternoon said Jeremy and Kali were a loving couple, and none of them saw the murders coming. Jeremy was seen being emotional at times during the testimony.

Victim impact statements will be heard after the defense has finished presenting its witnesses.  

This story is still developing.  Please return to this page for updates later Thursday.

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Noah Farley

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Falls Police Department will host an ice cream social for the community at Reed’s Dairy Thursday night.

Idaho Falls residents who live within the city limits west of South Yellowstone Avenue are encouraged to stop by Reed’s Dairy (2260 W Broadway) on July 24 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Thursday’s event is part of the department’s 4 Beats, 4 Events, 1 Community.

This is the first of multiple community events IFPD is hosting over the next few months. Each event is held in one of the department’s police beats.

The events follow the model of Coffee with a Cup, a national initiative meant to help build better communication and trust between police and the community.

IFPD’s upcoming events and locations can be found here.

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