Category: kifi-local-news

Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– As the holiday season approaches, some people are turning to a new trend to abstain from alcohol for a “Sober October.” The challenge encourages people to give up alcohol for 31 days. While some see it as a way to detox before a holiday season of indulgence, many are using this challenge as a gateway to giving up alcohol altogether.

The challenge, originally launched in the United Kingdom to support Macmillan Cancer Support, challenges participants to abstain from alcohol for the entire month of October. While some join the official fundraiser, others use the month as a personal reset, especially with the holidays approaching, to take a break from drinking for health or financial reasons.

Experts and participants point to a variety of benefits associated with a month of sobriety. According to health resources like Healthline, abstaining from alcohol for 31 days can lead to improved sleep, better memory, stronger immune function, and a reduced risk of cancer. Individuals may also notice marked improvements in heart health and weight loss. Beyond the physical, the month offers a valuable opportunity for participants to reflect on and reassess their relationship with alcohol.

For those participating in the challenge, sources like Clean.co highlight several key strategies for staying on track: For example, participants suggest healthy coping mechanisms like engaging in new hobbies or surrounding yourself with a strong support system. It is also essential to the challenge to prioritize self-care, such as having a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy sleep schedule.

Lastly, it is also important to seek professional help when needed, such as a therapist, counselor, or support group.

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News Team

The following is a news release from the Wyoming Department of Education:

JACKSON, Wyoming (KIFI) — Michelle Roundy, a 10th- and 12th-grade English Language Arts teacher at Jackson Hole High School in Teton County School District #1, has been named the 2026 Wyoming Teacher of the Year.

An educator for 18 years, Roundy has developed a deep belief that strong, authentic relationships—amongst teachers and students—are at the heart of meaningful learning. Her teaching centers on cultivating genuine curiosity about the world while nurturing student agency.

“Michelle Roundy is an inspiring leader,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder. “Her dedication to cultivating deep relationships, empowering students with agency and choice, and elevating student voices models the excellence we strive for across our state.”

Roundy is a National Board Certified Teacher and a strong advocate for literacy and student-centered practice. Over her career, she has consistently modeled the importance of being held to high standards and using leadership to elevate the voices of others.

“Everything Michelle does begins with the relationships and trust she builds with her students daily,” says Bennett Lieberman, Principal at Jackson Hole High School. “She also makes her colleagues better teachers by sharing best practices and is a master diagnostician when coaching others to improve their craft.”

Teton County School District #1 Interim Superintendent Scott Crisp adds, “Michelle embodies the very best of the teaching profession, serving as a positive cultural influence for both students and staff. Beyond her classroom, she guides colleagues in effective instruction, mentors new and experienced teachers alike, and serves as the leader of TCSD’s New Teacher Program, fostering the next generation of educators in our community.”

“I am deeply humbled and honored to represent Wyoming as the 2026 Wyoming Teacher of the Year, an opportunity to serve the students and educators of Wyoming in a new capacity,” says Roundy. “Many dedicated educators have supported my journey and modeled the importance of servant leadership for me. It is my wish that I can fill this role in a way that honors them.”

As Wyoming Teacher of the Year, Roundy will represent the teaching profession in Wyoming and serve as a spokesperson for education. She will also attend state and national education events and conferences, acting as a liaison between the teaching community, the Wyoming Legislature, the Wyoming Department of Education, districts, and communities.

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Seth Ratliff

MONTPELIER, Idaho (KIFI) — Evacuations have been lifted in Bear Lake County, hours after emergency crews rushed to the scene of a gas leak in Montpelier this afternoon.

Bear Lake County Emergency Management confirms the hazard has been mitigated, and residents are now being allowed to return to their homes.

The gas leak was first reported on N 9th Street near Grant and Lincoln Street around 1:30 PM, prompting evacuations in the blocks surrounding 9th and Grant streets and a strict order to avoid the area.

The cause of the leak has not yet been confirmed.

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Maile Sipraseuth

UPDATE:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — An Idaho Falls woman is in custody, following a large police presence and standoff at an apartment complex near the corner of Lomax Street and Wabash Avenue.

According to IFPD spokesperson Jessica Clements, police arrived around 3:45 p.m to respond to a welfare check. The armed woman had reportedly barricaded herself inside an apartment after pointing a gun towards an officer. Residents in nearby homes were quickly evacuated, while others were directed to shelter in place.

Officers and the IFPD SWAT team had reportedly tried to communicate with the unnamed woman and force her from the building using tear gas. Clements emphasized that they were working slowly through the situation to bring about a peaceful resolution.

The woman also had multiple warrants out for her arrest for a felony, misdemeanor, along with a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

This is a developing story. Local News 8 will provide more updates as they become available.

ORIGINAL:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho Falls Police Department (IFPD) is on scene for an active situation near the corner of Lomax Street and Wabash Avenue. Residents in several nearby homes have been evacuated.

Both streets are currently blocked – Lomax Street from N Freeman to Fanning, and Wabash from Gladstone to 1st Street- for the safety of the public and to give officers the space to work. Residents in nearby homes who have not been evacuated are being directed to shelter in place unless told otherwise by officers on scene. IFPD is directing all other members of the Idaho Falls Community to avoid the area.

This is a developing story, and IFPD has stated it will provide additional updates online. Local News 8 has a reporter en route and will provide updates from the scene as they become available.

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News Team

UPDATE:

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Ernie McGill Jr. has been located and returned to his family, Pocatello Police announced early Tuesday Morning.

He was reportedly located by the Idaho State Police walking along the interstate in Bingham County. The Pocatello Police Department expressed its gratitude to the Idaho State Police and Bannock County Sheriff Office for assistance in locating Ernie.

ORIGINAL:

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — The Pocatello Police Department is urgently asking the public for help in locating Ernie McGill Jr., an endangered missing man visiting the area.

The 60-year-old Native American male from Washakie, Wyoming, was visiting family in the area. Ernie suffers from a traumatic brain injury and was last seen walking south in the 1300 block of South 5th Avenue.

According to police, Ernie may be attempting to search for the legendary creature Bigfoot. Because of his condition, he is known to walk slowly and may hide in trees or wooded areas. Police warn that he may hide in wooded areas if he feels approached or startled.

Ernie is described as being 5 feet 8 inches tall and having shoulder-length salt-and-pepper hair with a beard. He was last seen wearing a gray vest with orange coloring on it, a dark-colored beanie, a black undershirt, and blue jeans.

If you see Ernie McGill Jr., contact the Pocatello Police Department immediately at 208-234-6100.

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Abi Martin

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) — For a long time, many writers in East Idaho felt they lacked a local community to connect, learn, and share their work. That all changed last weekend. Saturday, the first-ever Idaho Storytellers Summit brought together writers of all ages at Rigby High School, offering a much-needed venue for connection and creative exchange.

The summit showcased strong ties to the region, featuring two high-profile keynote speakers who call eastern Idaho home.

Cynthia Hand, New York Times bestselling author of the Lady Jane series, currently lives in Boise, but grew up in Idaho Falls.

Hand’s connection to the area is so deep that she set her book, The How and the Why, in Idaho Falls, telling the fictional story of a Bonneville High School student searching for answers about her birth mother.

“I grew up in Idaho Falls so I wanted to write a story that explored that place,” Hand said. “So I had to research how Idaho Falls has changed and it has a lot since I was a teenager, but I really was writing about places that I knew. And I went to Bonneville High School , so I wrote about Bonneville High School and about the theater department there. I knew what that looked like without having to research it again.” 

Hand was joined by Jeff Wheeler, a Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over thirty epic fantasy novels, who lives just up the road in Sugar City.

But they weren’t the only authors channeling love for the Gem State into novels. Bonnie Jo Pierson, a romance writer, has set two of her books—What Happens in Idaho and Extreme Romancing in Idaho—in the Gem State.

 “I actually decided to write the Idaho setting because I moved away to St. Louis and then we were in Florida and Virginia, and I was homesick for Idaho,” Pierson said. “The time I spent in my novel writing it, I would go home.” 

Often attending writing conferences down in Utah, Pierson was thrilled to join in a writing conference closer to home. 

“I’m hoping that we keep doing this because there’s a lot of talent in Idaho,” Pierson said. “There’s a lot of creativity here. It’s a beautiful place with a lot of wonderful people, and I love seeing, especially the creatives of Idaho, gathering in one place and seeing how many of us there actually are.” 

That excitement extended to Brecky Young, one of the many aspiring authors who attended. “It’s fun to come together and see people in my community who are also really interested in this and that there’s people who are successful that are in my community that can come and share, they’re kind of my neighbors,” said Young.

Beyond networking and learning, the summit also served to pave the road ahead for multiple young authors attending.  Attendees could purchase book-themed t-shirts and sweatshirts to help Rigby High School raise money to send students to Story Con, a writing conference in Salt Lake City next February. 

Organizers hope to hold the event again next year to amplify East Idaho’s voice and open the way for more stories based in the region to be heard around the world.

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Seth Ratliff

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KIFI) — Former Utah Supreme Court Justice and longtime LDS apostle Dallin H. Oaks, 93, has been formally set apart as the 18th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“I accept with humility the responsibility that God has placed upon me and commit my whole heart and soul to the service to which I’ve been called,” said the newly called President Oaks.

The announcement comes more than two weeks after the passing of the faith’s 17th President, Russel M. Nelson. He was 101 years old.

In a news release, the Church explained the transition of leadership:

“In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the prophet is chosen through a divinely inspired process. When the president of the Church passes away, the First Presidency is dissolved. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—led by the longest-serving apostle—assumes leadership and, through revelation and priesthood authority, confirms the next president of the Church.”

Reflecting on his predecessor, President Oaks said, “Most recently, we’ve been led by a magnificent Prophet of the Lord, President Russell M. Nelson. We have much work to do to fulfill the challenges he has given us. And there is more yet to come, of which I testify in all humility – The lord still speaks through his service. There is much to be done, for our ministry is a ministry of all the children of God upon the face of the earth.”

The announcement was made by Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, one of the Church’s leading governing bodies. President Oaks has reorganized the First Presidency—the highest leadership council in the Church—calling Elder Henry B. Eyring, 92, to serve as First Counselor and Elder D. Todd Christofferson, 80, as Second Counselor.

“I am deeply honored by this calling, and trust that it carries. At the same time, I recognize I’m not called to be honored but I’m called to serve,” shared Christoferson.

After a period of fasting and prayer, President Oaks expressed confidence in the new leadership. In addition, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, 84, has been appointed president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

ORIGINAL:

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KIFI) — Today at 1 PM, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is set to host a live broadcast, announcing the reorganization of a new First Presidency – the governing body of the faith made up of the President and two Apostles of the faith who serve as counselors. The announcement comes more than two weeks after the passing of the faith’s 17th President, Russel M. Nelson. He was 101 years old.

Church leadership is expected to make the announcement live from Temple Square in Salt Lake City, in more than 10 languages, including Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

To view the broadcast live, click HERE.

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CNN Newsource

Originally Published: 14 OCT 25 13:17 ET

By Kennedy Camarena

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    SALT LAKE CITY (KSL, KSL TV) — Search and rescue crews traveled through a snowstorm in Little Cottonwood Canyon on Saturday to find a lost hypothermic hiker, and get them back home to safety.

The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team said the four hour rescue mission began on Saturday at 7 p.m. when a hiker called for help on the south ridge of Mt. Superior.

“The hiker had set out earlier in the day, attempting to summit the mountain, and went off-trail when a snowstorm rolled in,” the search and rescue said.

Temperatures quickly dropped to around 20 degrees Fahrenheit and snow began blowing around the hiker, leading to limited visibility.

Once the hiker called for help, the search and rescue said teams met at the base of Alta Ski Resort to travel up the mountain and start looking for the hiker.

“The rescuers broke trail through several inches of snow on a technical, steep ascent for about 1.5 hours before making contact with the hiker,” reported search and rescue. “As rescue teams assessed a cliff-edge traverse through a waterfall to the subject, a break in the storm occurred.”

A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter then took the hiker via “hoist rescue” to an ambulance, which then took the hiker to a nearby hospital for treatment.

According to the search and rescue, the hiker was hypothermic but in stable condition when brought to the hospital.

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News Team

SHELLEY, Idaho (KIFI) — Two Shelley men are facing serious felony drug trafficking and weapons charges following a massive drug bust on Wednesday that yielded thousands of fentanyl pills, other drugs, and over 30 firearms. The operation, led by the Bingham County Joint Investigations Division, is considered a major victory in “disrupting drug trafficking and protecting the safety and well-being of our community,” says Shelley Police.

Mugshot: Michael Schlosser, Courtesy Bingham County Jail

Michael Schlosser, who was taken into custody immediately, is facing the most serious charges, including Trafficking Fentanyl, Trafficking Methamphetamine, Trafficking Heroin, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He is also charged with Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Stolen Property, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and as a Persistent Violator.

Mark Butler is also being charged and will be summoned to court on counts of Trafficking Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, according to Shelley Police.

What They Found

The police spent 11 hours processing the scene at 307 N Park Avenue after investigators obtained a search warrant for the home. The search uncovered a substantial cache of illegal drugs and weapons, which investigators suspected were the profits and materials used in a large narcotics operation:

Over 3,100 fentanyl pills

Approximately 10.5 ounces of methamphetamine

Multiple containers of black and brown heroin

Over 30 firearms, illegally possessed by a convicted felon

$12,000 in cash

Smaller quantities of cocaine, Xanax, marijuana, and hundreds of items of drug paraphernalia.

How the Raid Went Down

Investigators with the Bingham County Joint Investigations Division arrived at the home around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. The operation was part of a coordinated and collaborative effort by detectives from the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Blackfoot Police Department, and the Shelley Police Department.

Given the criminal history of the men involved and the potential presence of firearms, the Shelley Police say they coordinated with local members of the STAR Team (SWAT) to ensure the safety of their officers and the public.

During the initial approach to the house, police deployed a Bearcat armored vehicle. All residents were safely removed and detained without incident before allowing the detectives and a drug-sniffing K-9 to begin their search, eventually uncovering the enormous stash of drugs, firearms, and cash.

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CNN Newsource

Originally Published: 09 OCT 25 15:12 ET

By Sahana Patel

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    MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho (KIVI) — A former volunteer at NXT Dream Center in Mountain Home is sharing her experience working alongside Pastor Gregory Wayne Jones, who faces human sex trafficking and sexual assault charges.

Whitney Owens dedicated 20 hours a week at NXT Dream Center and attended Liberty Christian Fellowship Church in Mountain Home, both organizations run by Jones and his family. Jones is currently out on a $1 million bond awaiting trial.

Court records obtained by Idaho News 6 through a public records request state that Jones used his position in the church to sexually abuse women, claiming it was part of spiritual healing. The documents also said one of the victims was 17 at the time of the alleged offense.

“He was given a gift to lead in the church, and yet he used it to take advantage of many people,” Owens said.

Owens tells me she volunteered with children alongside Jones for about a year, and looking back, she says there were red flags.

“He never asked me to get a background check. I worked with these children for 20 hours a week. And I never had a background check. And I realized how many people were working with my child at this place who never had a background check,” Owens said.

She also recalls moments during church services that didn’t sit right with her. Owens said Jones would rebuke people during sermons, including a person she believed was the main victim in the case.

“He knew that somebody was watching on the video platform,” Owens said. “He said something along the lines of, ‘How dare you criticize your spiritual father’.”

In August, Idaho News 6 spoke exclusively with a group of survivors outside the Elmore County Courthouse, where we first met Owens, who was there to show her support.

“The victims that have come forward, I am so grateful [for them] because I could see that the road that I was going down with him, opening myself up, being so vulnerable, allowing myself to be there so much of the time, not asking questions about the red flags that were there, that it could have happened to me,” Owens said.

I reached out to both the defense and the prosecutor’s office for comment, but have yet to hear back.

Jones initially pleaded not guilty and in August, tried to strike a plea deal, which the judge denied.

When asked what she would like to say to Jones on behalf of the community and for herself, Owens responded: “How dare you? You stole so many good things from all of us. And you betrayed us. And you lied to us.”

Owens said she’s moving forward one day at a time but feels this case leaves a deep wound in the entire Mountain Home neighborhood.

“I do hope that our community can come back from this and we can find a way to support our children again and provide those things for them. Our kids deserve that,” Owens said.

Jones is set to appear in Elmore County Court on December 5th.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KIVI’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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