Category: kifi-local-news

Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– A 70-year-old Bingham County man was found dead along the Snake River south of Idaho Falls on Friday evening, according to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.

The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office and Idaho Falls Fire responded to the west bank of the Snake River near south of 65th South around 6:35 p.m. on Saturday after receiving a report of a man found along the riverbank.

Emergency responders from both Bonneville and Bingham counties, who were already assisting with search efforts related to a separate incident upstream, also responded to the scene.

Deputies determined the man had likely been at the location for several hours and say he suffered fatal injuries after falling down a rocky embankment near the river. The incident appears to be accidental.

The man’s identity has not been released.

The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office say the investigation remains ongoing, and no additional information is available at this time.

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Hadley Bodell

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) – Rexburg held events all week in honor of the anniversary of the Teton Dam flood as part of the Flood 50 “remember. connect. serve.” initiative. The week culminated on Saturday night with the commemoration program at the BYU-I Center.

Thousands flocked to the BYU-I campus for the performances on Saturday evening. During the welcome speech by Brett Cook, audience members who experienced the Teton Dam flood were asked to stand. Nearly half of the amphitheater audience stood, remembering the tragedy and the community effort that followed to rebuild Rexburg and other towns in the flood zone.

“These are the ones who have the stories,” Cook said. “They’ll tell you additional facts about the flood than what you’ll learn tonight.”

Cook described how he watched the waters ravage through the town of Rexburg, hanging onto only what he owned– the clothing on his back. “But I also personally witnessed the days, the weeks, and months and years afterwards, how the area came together,” Cook said. “We pulled together and did some great things.”

The Flood 50 Dancers performed “Waist Deep in June,” a moving contemporary piece to a song describing the flood. Dancers carried large strips of blue fabric to emulate the water, even dancing through the audience.

Several video presentations played during the program where audience members heard from those effected by the flood. Narrators also described how “80 billion gallons of water surged through the Teton and Snake River valley.” Over 15,000 livestock were also drowned and scattered across the valley.

Though the tragedy of the Teton Dam remains unthinkable, the theme of tonight’s celebration was to remember the service and community that came together to rebuild the towns from the mud up.

“Within moments, their home filled with filthy floodwater from nearby feedlots, their cars floated away,” said narrator Daris Howard, recounting a story of a resilient couple caught in the flood. “Through the window they saw cattle swimming with just their noses above the water.”

The Flood 50 Orchestra and Choir performed several pieces, following the hopeful theme of the evening, donning blue “Flood 50” shirts. The program followed the “remember. connect. serve.” outline, in which the organizers aim to allow audience members to understand the hardships that came with the flood, connect with one another over the memory, and work to continue serving friends and neighbors.

“This story is not only about loss, it’s also about neighbors,” continued secondary narrator Rachel Horner. “Friends opened their homes, volunteers came with chainsaws, shovels and helping hands. Years later, when asked what mattered most, the weary wife did not speak first about what was destroyed. She said simply, ‘we must not forget to appreciate our neighbors and friends.'”

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Maile Sipraseuth

FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI)— Firefighters are working to contain a wildfire that has burned more than 1,000 acres in Power and Bannock counties.

This fire began Friday at noon and burned nearly 30 acres near the 2000 block of W. Michaud Road.

At 2:00 p.m. yesterday, the National Interagency Fire Center declared the Michaud Creek fire to be fully contained.

RELATED: Brush fire contained Pocatello Regional Airport

Just before Saturday afternoon, the NFIC reported that the fire has been reactivated and is at 1,000 acres.

The cause of the fire is still unknown. Local News 8 will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.

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David Pace

NEWDALE, IDAHO (KIFI) – Dozens of Idaho leaders honored the men and women who overcame unbelievable devastation unleashed when a wall of water 80 feet high surged out of the Teton Dam 50 years ago.

“In Sugar City there wasn’t much left,” said Idaho Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke, who at the time was a recent high school graduate assisting in recovery efforts. “We spent a lot of time in people’s homes closer to Rexburg, just literally shoveling mud into buckets and carrying them upstairs and dumping it into wheelbarrows or dump trucks.”

As a teenager, Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke left Oakley, Idaho, to assist with recovery efforts.

Family members of the eleven people who lost their lives as a result of the flood were invited to a commemorative ceremony at the site of the dam Friday.

“Loved ones were taken suddenly without warning,” said Bureau of Reclamation Senior Advisor Linnea Melbye. “Homes, farms and ways of life built through generations were sucked away in minutes as the torrent of floodwaters surged through the Upper Snake River Plain. Entire communities including Sugar City, Rexburg and Wilford were forever changed.”

Bureau of Reclamation Senior Advisor Linnea Melbye offers a moving tribute to victim’s families.

Others recalled the flood’s immense power and the ensuing devastation.

“We stood at water’s edge and watched all the commotion that was happening that day,” said Idaho Water Resource Board Chairman Jeff Raybould. “Saw the house float through Smith Park and down Main Street pretty much intact.”

Idaho Department of Water Resources Chairman Jeff Raybould recollects memories and lessons from surviving the Teton Dam flood in Rexburg.

Bureau of Reclamation Regional Director Roland Springer shared a letter from State Representative Rod Furniss recollecting the flood.

“We could hear the roar of the oncoming water, punctuated by the sharp explosions of breaking infrastructure,” he said.  “Then came a sound I will never forget. An eerie, agonizing screech of twisting metal. It was the sound of immense friction, like giant sheets of iron rubbing together under unimaginable force. Sensing the immediate peril, my father yelled, ‘We better get the hell out of here!’ As we fled, a police officer at the perimeter informed us we had escaped by the narrowest of margins. The wall of water was only a mile behind us.”

Bureau of Reclamation Columbia-Pacific Region Acting Regional Director Roland Springer oversees 54 reservoirs and more than 70 dams and dikes in the Northwest.

Following the disaster, the Bureau of Reclamation evaluated the failure and transformed its Dam Safety program.

“What emerged – this aftermath was a profound transformation in how we design, how we evaluate, and how we manage dams,” said Bureau of Reclamation Dam Safety Engineer Peggy Mott. “The Teton Dam failure became the catalyst for building the Bureau of Reclamation’s modern dam safety program. This is a program that today is recognized across the nation and around the world for its rigor, its transparency, and its commitment to protecting the public.”

Bureau of Reclamation Dam Safety Chief Peggy Mott has invested her career implementing the Dam Safety Program created after the failure of the Teton Dam.

Fifty years later, the legacy and impact of the Teton Dam lives on.

The War Birds from Rexburg’s Legacy Flight Museum perform a “Missing Man” formation Friday over the Teton Dam site.

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — An Idaho National Laboratory employee was hospitalized Friday morning after a weapon carried for their job discharged, INL officials confirmed.

The employee was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where they were treated and released, according to INL spokesperson Lori McNamara.

Details regarding the employee’s identity, the type of weapon involved, and the circumstances surrounding the discharge have not been released.

“The incident is under investigation, and we cannot comment further at this time,” McNamara stated in an email to Local News 8.

This is a developing story. Local News 8 will update this article as more details become available.

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Par Kermani

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Staffing changes are underway in Gov. Brad Little’s administration as the governor names a new director of operations and policy adviser.

Lauren Smyser has been named director of operations in the Office of the Governor after serving as deputy general counsel and leading the governor’s regulatory reform efforts for nearly two years.

As director of operations, Smyser will advise the governor on healthcare, workforce development, economic security and insurance issues.

Little also announced the departure of Deputy Chief of Staff Sara Stover, who has left state government to work in the private sector.

“Sara Stover is deeply respected for her extensive knowledge of healthcare policy in Idaho, and she has been a valuable member of our team for many years,” Little said in a statement. “Her steady leadership and strong commitment to serving Idahoans have made a lasting impact on this office and our state. While we miss her greatly, I am excited to welcome Lauren Smyser into her new role. Lauren has already proven herself as a trusted adviser and effective leader, and her deep understanding of policy, operations and state government will help ensure we continue delivering results for the people of Idaho.”

In addition, Niko Lostra has joined the governor’s office as a policy adviser overseeing transportation and environmental issues.

Lostra replaces Darren Damon, who has been named regulatory and legislative affairs bureau chief for the Idaho Division of Financial Management. Damon joined the governor’s office in 2023 after working in journalism and public affairs.

Little also thanked Damon for his service and said he looks forward to working with Lostra as the administration advances priorities related to transportation, infrastructure and natural resources.

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News Team

UPDATED:

FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI) — As of 2:00 p.m., the Michaud Creek Fire has been fully contained according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

ORIGINAL:

FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI) — The Fort Hall Fire Department is advising residents of an active brush fire burning the Michaud Creek that has already consumed an estimated 30 acres.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, the Michaud Creek Fire was first reported at 12:02 p.m. today, Friday, June 5. The blaze is located near the 2000 block of W. Michaud Road near the Pocatello Regional Airport.

Multiple agencies are on the scene.

This is a developing story. Local News 8 will provide additional details as new information becomes available.

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Linda Larsen

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — It was a warning that felt impossible until it wasn’t.

Fifty years ago, a 305-foot-tall wall of earth and rock promised to bring irrigation, power, and progress to eastern Idaho. But on a quiet Saturday morning, that promise dissolved. In less than five hours, 80 billion gallons of fury were unleashed onto populated valley cities below.

On June 5, 1976, the Teton Dam disaster permanently reshaped our landscape, our laws, and our communities. It remains one of the most cataclysmic engineering failures in U.S. history.

Using rare footage from Local News 8’s original broadcasts, newly uncovered survivor testimonies, and modern forensic mapping, we reconstruct the day the Teton Dam fell—and the ripples still felt to this day across southeast Idaho.

Watch “Teton Dam: The Failure and Future” below or on our CTV App. For more information, click HERE.

Minute By Minute – The Day the Dam Fell

On the morning of Saturday, June 5, 1976, the hidden internal erosion finally reached its tipping point, triggering an unstoppable countdown.

The following timeline shows how the day the dam fell played out minute by minute:

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Par Kermani

NEWDALE, Idaho (KIFI) — Federal and state officials are gathering at the Teton Dam Overlook today to mark 50 years since the collapse of the Teton Dam.

The Bureau of Reclamation hosted the invitation-only commemoration event on June 5, the anniversary of the disaster that sent billions of gallons of water rushing through the Upper Snake River Valley in 1976.

The event will feature a ribbon-cutting for a new overlook and interpretive panels detailing the history of the Teton Dam and its lasting impact on eastern Idaho.

The new overlook features information about the construction, failure and aftermath of the dam collapse, which killed 11 people and caused widespread damage across eastern Idaho.

The commemoration comes as communities throughout the region continue to mark the 50th anniversary of one of the most significant disasters in Idaho history.

This is an invitation and media event only, the public will have access to the new overlook and panels after the ceremony.

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Par Kermani

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — Construction on the Riverton Road Bridge north of Blackfoot is expected to continue through November, according to the Idaho Transportation Department.

The bridge replacement project began last month after the overpass was damaged in October.

According to an ITD social media post, demolition of the bridge began May 18.

During construction, the Riverton Road Bridge over Interstate 15 will remain closed to traffic. Drivers should also expect reduced speeds through the work zone, with speed limits restricted to 65 mph.

The bridge closure has forced drivers to use alternate routes while crews remove the old structure and prepare for its replacement.

ITD is encouraging drivers to plan ahead, watch for construction crews and check road conditions before traveling.

The latest traffic information is available through Idaho 511.

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