Category: kifi-local-news

Curtis Jackson

BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) – An Idaho Falls man was killed Monday morning in an accident involving a cow and two vehicles.

Idaho State Police said the accident happened at approximately 6:55 a.m. on US 26 at mile marker 265.

ISP said the Idaho Falls man was driving east in a 2010 Volkswagen CC when it struck a cow that was on the roadway. Due to thick fog and darkness in the area, a Ram Pickup, driven by a 19-year-old Idaho Falls man, hit the Volkswagen from behind.

The driver of the Volkswagen passed away at the scene and the driver of the pickup was not injured.

The road was blocked for nearly 4 hours as they investigated.

ISP continues to investigate the crash.

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Noah Farley

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — As the temperatures drop in Eastern Idaho, pests are looking for a warm place to spend the winter—and that’s often inside your home. Taking action now can save you from costly damage and health risks.

Experts say one of the main concerns this season is rodents. Mice and rats are known to chew through wires, insulation, and pipes, which can lead to fire hazards and structural damage. Beyond the damage to the home, rodents can contaminate food with their urine and droppings or even bring other pests into the home.

Cockroaches are common pests in Idaho that can be very resilient. Not only can they thrive throughout the year, but they also present a serious health issue. Cockroaches are notorious for spreading bacteria and triggering people’s allergies.

You can decrease the chances of cockroaches and other pests coming into your home by keeping your home clean. Make sure not to leave food out for too long and take out the garbage before it piles up.

Experts also advise looking around your home for any openings in your walls, doors, or windows. Mice only need a space the size of a dime to squeeze through, so try to plug up any gaps or cracks you find in your home.

If you have concerns about pests in your home, contact a professional exterminator.

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Seth Ratliff

UPDATE:

SWAN VALLEY, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Transportation Department has now cleared both lanes of U.S. 26 after a serious crash brought traffic to a halt between Swan Valley and Ririe. The crash was first reported around 7:40 AM on Monday morning, near milepost 365.

As of yet, ITD has not released any information on the cause of the crash, potential injuries, or the vehicles involved. For updates, click HERE.

ORIGINAL:

SWAN VALLEY, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Transportation Department is responding to a “serious crash” on U.S. 26 that has closed both lanes of traffic near milepost 365, near Granite Hill and Antelope Flat Road.

“We’re working with law enforcement to clear the area and be able to get traffic through again, though it could be some time until that’s possible,” ITD posted on social media.

Drivers are being told to avoid the area and use alternate routes, specifically U.S. 20, State Highway 33, and State Highway 31.

As of yet, ITD has not released any information on the cause of the crash, potential injuries, or the vehicles involved. For updates, click HERE.

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Noah Farley

MADISON COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — Yellowstone Bear World is wrapping up its season with its annual Hibernation Hoedown. To thank its visitors, the park offers everything for half price during the event, including admission, food, and gift shop items.

“It’s just a great time to get everybody out and having a good time at the end of the season,” said Yellowstone Bear World President, Courtney Ferguson.

Visitors from around the world enjoyed the rides, feeding the petting zoo animals, and of course, seeing the bears.

The park has delivered new things for its visitors to enjoy this year, like opening phase two of Jurassic Creek, adding a new carousel, and building their new dancing water fountains.

“Just a nice expansion for everybody to spread out a little bit and enjoy a little bit more,” Ferguson said.

The Hibernation Hoedown is also how Bear World wraps up its season and prepares for the bears to hibernate. The bears have been bringing joy to visitors for another year, and it’s almost time for them to take a long winter’s nap.

“Their appetites have been increasing over the last two or three weeks,” Ferguson said. “And so we’re feeding more than we do during the regular season. And so they’re getting themselves ready for hibernation.”

Yellowstone Bear World will close on Sunday, October 19. The bears should be back in March or April.

“Generally, it’s [the] middle of March when we start seeing noses poking out of dens,” said Ferguson.

The park thanks everyone who came to visit this year, and its employees look forward to opening the doors again in the spring.

Yellowstone bear world will have its last hibernation hoedown weekend of the year October 11-12.

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Chris Nestman

EASTERN IDAHO (KIFI) — “From the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, this is the one hundred ninety-fifth semi-annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

It’s a familiar sentence to many members of the Church of Jesus Christ in eastern Idaho. The voice of the man who does it, may be familiar to some eastern Idahoans too.

As of the last three conferences, Dale Spaulding of Idaho Falls is the official conference announcer.

“So I was born in Rexburg, raised in Idaho Falls. We spent about, I don’t know, two or three years in Logan, Utah, then we moved back,” said Spaulding. “Essentially, I grew up [here]. I was baptized in a ward on the west side of Idaho Falls.”

Spaulding said he’s always wanted to be the new “Lloyd Newel” when Newel decided to retire. When the opportunity finally came, Spaulding said it happened pretty fast.

“There was a casting call sent through the talent branch of the church, and they were looking for a replacement voice for Conference,” said Spaulding. “My family and I were traveling on the road that day, so I didn’t even see the announcement until two days later. And we got home an hour before the deadline was to close that audition down.”

Spaulding says the process was as simple as him recording an intro to the conference and sending it in.

“They literally texted me and said, ‘Congrats. You got the part.”

The October 2025 General Conference is the third conference that Spaulding voiced over. He said it was a lot more difficult than previous conferences due to the passing of Church President Russell M. Nelson.

“With the passing of President Nelson, with the dissolving of the First Presidency, I had the recordings done two weeks ago,” said Spaulding. “It meant that I had to go back and do it over again.”

Spaulding says his part is just a small piece of the vast team of people that makes General Conference work, but he says he hopes it makes a difference for someone watching or listening in.

“I hope that those who tune into Conference can feel the love of the Savior. Whether it’s by me, or the voice of the prophets.”

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Noah Farley

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Snake River Animal Shelter is celebrating its 10th anniversary. For the occasion, it is holding an event featuring vendors, raffles, and fun for families and their fluffy friends.

In the last decade, the shelter has saved about 10,000 animals, all thanks to support from the community.

“The feeling is indescribable,” said the shelter’s Executive Director, Michelle Ziel-Dingman. “To think about all that we’ve accomplished with the support of so many donors, adopters, medical professionals, so many groups of people who have made this possible,”

Ziel-Dingman says it’s amazing to look back and see how the shelter has changed. Now, it has a full-time veterinarian, a low-cost spay and neuter clinic, free pet microchipping, and more.

The Snake River Animal Shelter thanks everyone who helped so many pets find happy homes.

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Noah Farley

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Classic cars revved into Idaho Falls Saturday, October 4, for the Nice Spot’s 4th annual car show.

Nice Spot celebrates its anniversary with a car show every year for the community to come together and have fun.

Several people showed off their classic cars they put years of effort into. Since the colder months are rolling in, this is the last time a lot of the cars will be featured at local shows. That’s why visitors enjoyed the beautiful cars while they still could.

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Seth Ratliff

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) officials successfully captured and relocated a young bull moose early Friday morning after the animal was spotted wandering through neighborhoods in Rexburg.

The moose was released into the Gem State backcountry, where an IDFGA video on the agency’s Facebook page shows the healthy moose trotting away into its new, wilder home.

“Although Rexburg is a really nice place to live, we decided to take him on a road trip to show him some lower traffic areas to call home,” IDFG posted, injecting a bit of humor into the successful relocation.

Moose sightings are not uncommon in the area, and IDFG reminds residents to never approach wildlife and to report wandering animals immediately. “Though moose can look a little awkward and clumsy, they are quick animals known to charge when people and pets get too close, so always keep your distance,” IDFG stated in a July news release.

To report a moose sighting in a residential area, click HERE.

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CNN Newsource

Originally Published: 03 OCT 25 18:30 ET

By Lauren del Valle, Nicki Brown, Kara Scannell, and Elizabeth Wagmeister

New York (CNN) – Sean “Diddy” Combs has been sentenced to 50 months, or just over four years, in prison for his conviction on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

Federal District Judge Arun Subramanian announced the decision on Friday, Oct. 3, saying “a substantial sentence must be given to send a message to abusers and victims alike that abuse against women is met with real accountability.”

The judge noted that this is “hard time” away from Combs’ family, but also noting Combs will have a life after prison.

The judge said outpatient treatment and mental health programs were warranted. Subramanian also ordered Combs to serve five years of supervised release.

Combs’ lawyers had argued he should be released almost immediately, asking the judge to sentence him to no more than 14 months including time served. Prosecutors said he should’ve faced more than 11 years in prison.

Combs was found guilty of two counts of transporting individuals for prostitution in July but was acquitted of more serious sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have led to a life sentence.

Subramanian said Cassie Ventura and “Jane” have “been through abuse and trauma that most of us cannot imagine.”

Subramanian thanked the victims for coming forward and said “I want to say first we heard you.”

“To Ms. Ventura, Jane, and the other victims here who came forward, I can only say — your families are proud of you and your children, when they’re old enough will be proud of you, and I am proud of you for telling the world what really happened,” Subramanian said.

“You were speaking to the millions of women out there who have been victims but feel invisible and powerless and had to suffer in silence,” he said. “You told those women and the world that violence behind closed doors doesn’t have to stay hidden forever. The number of people who you reached is incalculable.”

Arick Fudali, a lawyer who represents others who have filed lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs, said he hope’s today’s sentencing encourages other victims to come forward.

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CNN

CNN

By Abeer Salman, Oren Liebermann, Kevin Liptak, CNN

(CNN) — Hamas announced that it had agreed to “immediately” enter negotiations for the release of all hostages according to President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan — a potential breakthrough after months of failed efforts to end the war.

Hamas stopped short of accepting the Trump proposal unconditionally. The militant group said it is ready to immediately enter negotiations through mediators to discuss the details of the exchange and said it is ready to hand over the governance of Gaza to “a Palestinian authority of independents (technocrats) based on Palestinian national consensus and with reliance on Arab and Islamic support.”

The response to the Trump proposal, which was sent to the US through mediators, was obtained by CNN.

Trump — who earlier Friday had issued an ultimatum for Hamas to respond by Sunday evening — responded positively to the announcement, writing on Truth Social that he believes Hamas is “ready for a lasting PEACE.” And he called on Israel to halt its bombardment of Gaza in order to extract hostages.

“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out,” Trump added.

In a subsequent video posted to Truth Social, the president called it a “big day,” while cautioning: “We’ll see how it all turns out. We have to get the final word down in concrete.”

The release of the remaining 48 hostages within 72 hours and the agreement to relinquish power in Gaza were two of the key demands of the Trump proposal but were viewed as potential red lines that would lead to Hamas’ rejection of the plan.

The stated agreement of Hamas to these two conditions provides a pathway forward for a ceasefire proposal that has international backing, especially amid growing calls for an end to the war. But a finalized ceasefire deal is far from certain, even with Qatar, Egypt and Turkey pressuring Hamas to accept the proposal.

The Hamas response makes no mention of disarmament or the decommissioning of weaponry, another critical part of the Trump proposal that Hamas has repeatedly rejected. Nor does the Hamas response address the creation of an international oversight committee led by Trump — which he’s dubbed the “Board of Peace” — to supervise the governance of Gaza.

Instead, Hamas broadly said the remaining issues mentioned in the American proposal “related to the future of the Gaza Strip and the inherent rights of the Palestinian people” will be discussed in the future. Hamas also insisted that it “will be included and will contribute with full responsibility” to a “comprehensive national Palestinian framework.” That statement defies the Trump proposal’s demand that Hamas and other militant factions in Gaza play no role in governing the battered territory “directly or indirectly.”

Trump had been waiting since Monday to hear a response to the 20-point plan he unveiled at the White House alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said at their joint appearance that he agreed to the framework.

Earlier Friday, Trump had said if the terror group hasn’t agreed to the proposal by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, “all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out.”

It’s unlikely mediators can reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas on such a tight timeline, but they can potentially begin the negotiations needed to bridge the key gaps in the proposal.

Egypt, one of the mediators in negotiations surrounding Israel’s war in Gaza, called Hamas’ response a “positive development.”

“Egypt hopes that this positive development will elevate all parties to the level of responsibility by committing to implementing President Trump’s plan on the ground and ending the war,” a foreign ministry statement read.

Fellow mediator Qatar also welcomed the Hamas announcement, adding in its statement that it has started working with Egypt and the US “to complete discussions regarding the plan to ensure the end of the war.”

After Hamas’ response, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said there is an “unprecedented opportunity” to free the remaining hostages and end the war.

In a statement on X, he called on the Israeli government to announce that it will join talks to finalize the 20-point proposal and said he had informed the Trump administration that Netanyahu has the political backing to reach a deal.

Lapid has repeatedly stated his willingness to provide Netanyahu with a political safety net in order to support a hostage deal, but he has avoided detailing specifics of what such an agreement with Netanyahu would actually look like.

Trump’s 20-point proposal

Under Trump’s proposal, all of Hamas’ infrastructure above and below ground would be destroyed, with the supervision of independent monitors, “and not rebuilt.”

The plan calls for Israel to release 250 Palestinian prisoners with life sentences, as well as 1,700 Palestinians detained since the start of the war, in exchange for Hamas freeing 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Hamas members can be granted amnesty after that if they “commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons.”

Israel would gradually withdraw from Gaza as a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF), led by Arab partners, takes over security in the battered territory, according to the plan. Meanwhile, a Palestinian committee, overseen by an international body dubbed the “Board of Peace,” would run Gaza until a reformed Palestinian Authority is ready to take over. The proposal recognizes the aspiration for a Palestinian state and tries to present a “credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

Trump said a day after the announcement he would give Hamas three or four days to respond. Hamas has been in discussions with regional mediators from Qatar and Egypt to discuss the plan. Trump spoke midweek with Qatar’s emir for an update on the conversations.

Communication problems with Hamas’ military leaders in Gaza could have been complicating receiving an official response, according to US officials who were advised of the difficulties by regional partners earlier this week.

The sporadic contacts, paired with divisions among Hamas leadership over elements of the plan, may have been prolonging the group’s response, the officials said before Hamas responded.

In previous attempts at securing a ceasefire, communications were halting between Hamas’ political wing, based in Qatar, and its military leaders in Gaza.

This story and headline have been updated with additional reporting.

CNN’s Ibrahim Dahman, Tal Shalev, Jennifer Hansler, Mostafa Salem and Nadeen Ebrahim contributed to this report.

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