Category: kifi-local-news

Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)— The Bank of Commerce has donated $12,000 to the Community Food Basket of Idaho Falls to help address food insecurity in eastern Idaho.

“Food insecurity affects more families in our community than many people realize,” Bank President and CEO Mike Morrison said. “The Community Food Basket provides an essential service by ensuring our neighbors have access to food during difficult times.”

Morrison presented the donation, which will help the nonprofit continue providing food assistance to local individuals and families.

According to the Community Food Basket, the funds will help fill critical gaps in funding and food supplies throughout the year as demand for services continues.

Ariel Jackson, executive director of Community Food Basket of Idaho Falls, says that this donation helps keep their shelves stocked all year long.

“We can spread those out throughout the whole year, That way we can get the best deals on food and and keep stocked up,” Jackson said.

The Community Food Basket serves thousands of people each year, providing food assistance and other resources to families facing hardship.

“We are incredibly grateful for The Bank of Commerce’s generous support,” Jackson said, “Partnerships like this allow us to continue filling shelves, meeting increased demand, and ensuring that no one in our community has to face hunger alone.”

A statement from Bank Of Commerce says supporting local organizations remains an important part of the bank’s mission through charitable giving, volunteer efforts and community partnerships.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) – A man in Madison County is charged with a felony aggravated battery after police say he inflicted willfully caused injury to his three-month-old child.

The Rexburg Police arrested Leonardo Santiago Jara Saltos after being alerted by Child Protective Services that Saltos had confessed to his wife to shaking their newborn son.

According to court documents, Saltos claimed his newborn son had fallen off the changing table/dresser and was taken to the Madison Memorial Hospital for evaluation. The hospital found the newborn had a skull fracture and past bleeding in the brain.

However, after being alerted by the CPS, the Madison County authorities spoke with a medical professional over the incident who stated “the injuries (the newborn) has are consistent with a shake, impact, or severe impact,” according to court documents.

Based on this information, Saltos was placed into custody at the Madison County Jail where his bond has been set at $150,000. He is set to appear for a preliminary hearing today at 1:30 p.m in the Madison County Courthouse.

We will continue to monitor this case and keep you informed.

These charges represent a formal accusation of a crime. All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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KIVI Staff

Originally Published: 17 JUN 26 14:18 ET

By Victoria Rodriguez

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    CANYON COUNTY, Idaho (KIVI) — A bull briefly escaped the arena during a signature competition at this year’s Parma Inferno event Saturday night before being quickly recaptured, according to organizers and spectators.

The incident happened during the rodeo’s bull poker competition, one of the event’s featured attractions, when a bull broke through a gate and ran into a nearby field.

Spectator David Moore, who has attended the event for several years, said the bull appeared to circle the arena before forcing its way out.

“He kind of circled the arena and then went back and hit the arena gate and kind of bounced the chain or something, and then out he went,” Moore said.

Moore said cowboys on horseback moved in quickly once the bull got loose.

“The cowboys went out there with their horses, and they were able to catch him,” he said. According to Parma Inferno organizers, the bull was safely recovered, and there were no injuries requiring medical attention outside the arena.

Despite the unexpected moment, Moore described the event as a strong community gathering that continues to grow each year.

“This is my third year attending the Parma Inferno. I think it’s a great community event. It seems to be getting bigger every year,” he said. He also said he felt organizers handled the situation appropriately.

“I think they handled it perfectly. The cowboys and the horses were on that. Everybody had a rope,” Moore said.

Following the event, some attendees raised concerns on social media, including a Facebook post from spectator Michelle Serratos, who shared photos appearing to show a bull poker participant receiving medical attention for a bloody nose.

Serratos told Idaho News 6 that the man pictured was participating in the event and said she was standing nearby when he was escorted from the area.

Idaho News 6 has not independently verified the extent of any injuries shown in the photos before publication.

Organizers say the bull was contained quickly and the event continued without further incident.

The Parma Inferno has grown in popularity in recent years, featuring multiple rodeo-style competitions and drawing crowds from across the region.

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

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. 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.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Par Kermani

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — A Cassia County man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material, according to the Idaho Attorney General’s Office.

Theodore Prevost, 49, was convicted of one count of sexual exploitation of a child for distributing sexually exploitative material.

District Judge Blaine Cannon sentenced Prevost on June 8 to a unified 30-year prison sentence, with nine years fixed and 21 years indeterminate. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

According to the Attorney General’s Office, the investigation began after the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip originated from a messaging application and reported that a user later identified as Prevost was seeking out and distributing child sexual abuse material.

Investigators obtained a search warrant for the account and discovered more than 90 files containing child sexual abuse material.

During an interview with law enforcement, Prevost admitted the account belonged to him and acknowledged that he had viewed, downloaded and distributed child sexual abuse material, according to court records.

Attorney General Raúl Labrador said the conviction reflects the state’s ongoing efforts to investigate and prosecute crimes involving the exploitation of children.

The investigation was led by the Idaho Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit with assistance from the Cassia County Sheriff’s Office, Rupert Police Department, Idaho Falls Police Department and Meridian Police Department.

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Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)— Wackerli Subaru will presented a $12,345 donation check to The Food Basket of Idaho Falls as part of Subaru’s annual Share the Love program.

The Share the Love program is Subaru’s annual charitable-giving campaign, supporting national and local nonprofit organizations through vehicle sales and community partnerships. The Food Basket of Idaho Falls was selected as the local recipient of this year’s donation.

“There are so many worthy charities out there but one of the things that’s wonderful about them (The Food Basket) is every dollar that we raise turns into $4 worth of food that they can actually utilize. So the money that we can give them goes a lot further,” Chad Mahoney, Love Champion of Wackerli Subaru, said.

The event included a check presentation featuring Wackerli Subaru employees, followed by a group photo commemorating the donation. Farrs Ice Cream Truck was in attendance and away free ice cream.

Ariel Jackson is the Community Food Basket’s Executive Director. She says the money will be used for their kid kit program which provides easy to cook and easy to eat foods for kids who are at home during the summer.

“This comes at a great time. There’s no food drives during the summer. And so when funding comes in the summer we’re very excited,” Jackson said.

The Food Basket provides food assistance to individuals and families throughout eastern Idaho, helping address food insecurity in the community.

During the Share the Love event, Subaru will donate $250 for every new car purchased or leased to the buyer’s charity of their choice:

ASPCA

Make-A-Wish

Meals on Wheels

National Park Foundation

Community Food Basket of Idaho Falls

Wackerli Subaru will also donate $75 for every new car purchased or leased and an additional $5 for every routine service visit to the Community Food Basket.

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KIVI Staff

Originally Published: 16 JUN 26 14:29 ET

By Leslie Solis

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    CALDWELL, Idaho (KIVI) — Two Canyon County men say they were targeted, chased, and beaten by a group of men in downtown Caldwell Saturday night — and because of a gap in Idaho law, the attack cannot be prosecuted as a hate crime.

Juan Olvera and his partner, Eric Reed, say they were dining downtown when a group of men began directing homophobic slurs at them. The couple says they got up and left, but the men followed them and attacked them.

Reed says he suffered a split lip. Olvera says he was punched to the ground, kicked, and left with a black eye.

“I thought I was going to die,” Olvera said.

“Wound up getting attacked, thrown in an ambulance, and now it makes me question… can I really go outside at all?” Olvera said.

“I don’t want to go to Caldwell ever again,” Olvera said.

Caldwell Police Lieutenant Jeffrey Peterson says officers responded quickly and made an arrest.

A man was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor battery.

Olvera and Reed say they believe they were targeted because of their sexual orientation and hoped the case could be prosecuted as a hate crime. But under Idaho law, hate crime statutes only apply when the motive is tied to a victim’s race, ethnicity, or religion — not sexual orientation or gender identity.

Peterson says investigators pursued every available avenue under the law.

“We do every step, everything that we can within and under the law to be able to bring justice for those individuals,” Peterson said.

The couple says they hope sharing their story will bring awareness to the years-long “Add the Words” campaign in Idaho, which seeks to expand discrimination protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

“And I think laws like this by putting them in the code will allow to protect people like me who are affected by things that happen like this,” Olvera said.

Caldwell Police are asking anyone who witnessed Saturday’s confrontation to contact the department.

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

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. 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.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – The Pocatello Animal Shelter is expanding their reach in the community this summer by offering story times from 1-2 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. “Once Upon a Paw” is part of the Children’s Story Time Program designed to educate children about animals and introduce them to the shelter through interactive storytelling.

The sessions will include the reading of an animal-themed story as well as a fun craft for kids to complete and take home. Tuesday story times are for kids aged five and under, while Thursdays are for ages six to 10.

Through the stories and other educational activities, the kids will learn about animals and pet care.

“It’s a good way to get the community out here and aware of the shelter and what we do here,” said Courtney, the Educational Outreach Specialist at the Pocatello Animal Shelter. “We’re going over some safety things and just incorporating some education about animals and how to care for them into the story time. We’re also doing some crafts.”

Courtney also said the kids and families can enjoy seeing all the animals waiting for adoption at the shelter. “It includes a little information on the animals within the community, how to go about handling them in our community, how to care for them, so it’s a bit of education as well,” she said.

Story time is free for the public to attend every Tuesday and Thursday from 1-2 p.m. at the Pocatello Animal Shelter located at 3100 Avenue of the Chiefs, Pocatello ID 83204.

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Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho continues to rank last in the nation for pediatricians, creating challenges for families seeking health care for their children.

According to Full Circle Health, Idaho has less than half the national average of pediatricians per child, with just 50 pediatricians for every 100,000 children in the state.

The first pediatrics residency program in Idaho was introduced in July 2023 by Full Circle Health and was created to help address the state’s pediatrician shortage.

Dr. Perry Brown, a general pediatrician and program director for the Full Circle Health Pediatrics Residency of Idaho, said the program is focused on building a pipeline of pediatricians who are more likely to stay and practice in Idaho long-term.

Why is Idaho facing a pediatrician shortage?

Brown said relying solely on recruiting physicians from other states can be difficult, contributing to the shortage.

“One of the things we run into is if you don’t train people nearby, you entirely depend upon people moving here. And that often is a harder sell,” Brown said.

Brown added that some pediatricians consider state policies and the overall health care environment when deciding where to practice.

“A lot of pediatricians are hesitant to move to places that do not have child-health-friendly policies and politics, and that has historically and recently been a little bit of a challenge for our state,” Brown said.

What’s next?

Brown believes residency programs can help change that by creating a pipeline of doctors who are more likely to stay after completing their training.

“The advantage of having a training program within the state of Idaho is that, traditionally about 50 to 60%, sometimes as high as 70% of graduates will stay in-state,” Brown said. “So it’s a way of actually training people to remain in the state of Idaho and hopefully gradually increase the presence of pediatricians in our state.”

Brown said Idaho’s first pediatric residency program is already showing early signs of success. In its first graduating class, two of the four residents chose to remain in Idaho and practice medicine.

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – The annual Constitution Camp in Pocatello is officially underway at Calvary Chapel. Nearly 100 campers ages 7 to 12 are participating in interactive activities about U.S. history and learning patriotic songs.

The camp usually focuses on the Revolutionary War, but this year, board members created an entirely new curriculum in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. Campers take part in a time-traveling adventure throughout the week, beginning with the Mayflower and following history through the Oregon Trail, the Civil War and World War I.

“It all accumulates into what we call Freedom Fighter Friday, which is where we have men and women from the community come and act like different people from those times throughout history,” said Michele Holyoak, Constitution Camp director. “People like Clara Barton, Abraham Lincoln, Meriwether Lewis and even Ronald Reagan.”

The week also culminates with a performance open to the public Friday at 6 p.m. at Calvary Chapel, where campers will perform a musical featuring patriotic songs. In honor of America250, the musical has changed this year as well.

“We will take our audiences on a journey, just like our kids took a journey throughout this week,” Holyoak said. “We will show them the patriotic songs and hope to be able to build a spirit of freedom and camaraderie in our community so they can remember the principles of freedom and what our country stands on.”

Constitution Camp is typically capped at 60 campers, but this year organizers are teaching 98 children. The camp also has 68 volunteers, including many teenagers who attended the camp as children and now give back to the community.

“I like seeing the kids have a good time, and it’s really important what they’re doing here,” said Trevor Martinez, a fourth-year volunteer. “Teaching kids about the Constitution is important, and it’s an incredible experience to be a part of.”

“Our 13- to 18-year-old teen volunteers are literally the heart of the camp,” Holyoak said. “They are the reason why kids love camp. They look up to those teenagers, they look up to the values they’re instilling and they are definitely role models.”

Martinez helps run the games station, including his personal favorite on Friday: dodgeball. Other volunteers include local school teachers who spend part of their summer educating campers at various stations.

“I love seeing my friends and teaching the little kids,” said Sadie Baker, a teen chaperone volunteer. “I grow really cool, special relationships with all the kids and teen helpers.”

Four local musicians and Idaho State University music education majors help campers learn patriotic songs throughout the week for Friday’s performance.

“It’s really special to see all of the kids and what they’ve learned and to show their parents and the community through their songs,” Baker said. “It’s just a really spiritual and cool experience.”

Martinez and Baker both said they would like to continue volunteering with Constitution Camp in the future.

“I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to celebrate where we have come from, to celebrate the freedoms that men and women who have come before us fought for,” Holyoak said. “We always take the opportunity during our musical to honor all of our servicemen because we know where these freedoms come from.”

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Par Kermani

TWIN FALLS COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho State Police say more than 11 pounds of methamphetamine were seized during a traffic stop in Twin Falls.

According to ISP, a Domestic Highway Enforcement trooper stopped a northbound Ford F-150 on U.S. Highway 93 just south of Twin Falls around 4:30 p.m. on June 11 for an equipment violation.

During the stop, one of the vehicle’s occupants admitted to possessing contraband inside the truck.

A vehicle search led troops to find 11.6 pounds of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and prescription medication.

Three people were arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. One of the suspects was also charged with unlawful possession of a prescription drug.

ISP estimates the street value of the methamphetamine at approximately $90,000.

“Our DHE team patrols throughout Idaho to identify and disrupt the trafficking of illegal drugs on our highways and in our communities,” Sgt. Curt Sproat said. “By proactively targeting criminal activity and working alongside our local law enforcement partners, we help stop the transportation of dangerous drugs and hold traffickers accountable.”

The Idaho State Police Domestic Highway Enforcement team is a multijurisdictional narcotics task force that works across the state to identify and disrupt drug trafficking operations.

The team is part of Gov. Brad Little’s Esto Perpetua initiative and is supported through the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program and other federal counterdrug partnerships.

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