Category: kifi-local-news

Ariel Jensen

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — Hundreds filled the Rexburg Tabernacle on Thursday morning, November 27th, to kick off their Thanksgiving celebrations at a cherished local event.

Attendees were treated to a heartfelt musical performance by the local choir, alongside several talks focused on the spirit of the season of giving.

This annual community event is a long-standing tradition, having been hosted for over 40 years, and is entirely organized by dedicated community volunteers.

“It’s really easy on Thanksgiving to sort of get busy with the food and the family and whatever else is happening and forget that. The point is to think about our blessings and to really focus on the things that are beautiful in life,” said Heide Pyper music specialist for the Cultural Arts Department of the City of Rexburg. “So I hope that’s what people can do. They come and just sit and enjoy the beautiful surroundings, the beautiful music, focus on our blessings, and then they can go home and start really the holiday season with that in their hearts. It’s it’s a great thing.”

Many who attended told Local News 8 that they make it a point to go every year, viewing the service as an essential way to set a reflective and grateful tone for their Thanksgiving festivities. For some, the traditional gathering has firmly become a cornerstone of their family’s holiday traditions.

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Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Tragedy can strike at any moment, and the city of Idaho Falls is offering a service to reduce that risk.

Starting the day after Thanksgiving, the Greater Idaho Falls Transit is providing the “gift” of free late-night public transportation as part of a grant-funded initiative to promote safe and sober travel over the holidays.

The complimentary service runs through December 31, 2025, including Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Free rides are only available after 7:00 P.M. on Fridays and Saturdays.

“What this does is it allows people to have a free, safe, sober ride to make just better decisions. Give people the gift of getting home safely for the holiday season,” said Kade Marquez, transit coordinator for the city of Idaho Falls.

The transportation service is only available within the Idaho Falls city limits. For more information on the free rides, click HERE.

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Maile Sipraseuth

BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — First responders gathered at the Clark Hill rest stop near Ririe this afternoon after a Wyoming man, who police believe was intoxicated, survived a fall after jumping over a protective fence and rolling an estimated 50 feet down a cliff face.

Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office deputies said it appears the man was at the rest stop since the night of Wednesday, November 26th. Preliminary details indicate the man had previously hitched a ride to the location and planned to meet family at the stop.

After the family arrived, he reportedly ran away from them, jumping a protective fence, then bounced down a steep slope into some brush that prevented him from falling the entire length of the cliff face into the river below.

The individual was located and retrieved by first responders early Thursday afternoon. The Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that he is alive, though his specific medical condition remains unknown at this time. Rescue crews have concluded their search, and the man was transported via ambulance for treatment.

This incident is a reminder to use caution, obey posted safety warnings, and remain behind protective barriers while visiting local rest stop facilities.

This is a developing story. Watch for updates as Local News 8 learns new information.

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News Team

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Get ready to grab the family and head to historic downtown Pocatello to kick off the holiday season in spectacular fashion! Friday night, November 28, historic downtown Pocatello will be lit up by the highly anticipated annual Christmas Night Light Parade.

Historic Downtown Pocatello says more than 100 entries have registered this year. Topping it all off, Santa will ride on top of the City of Pocatello’s Fire Truck to officially welcome the Christmas Season.

The parade steps off from the intersection of Second Avenue and East Lewis Street. The procession will then move through downtown before concluding at West Sublette and North Main Street.

The late-November forecast indicates it will be quite cold, so officials are strongly advising all attendees to bundle up.

For convenience and safety, City Officials are asking attendees to park several blocks away from the designated parade route.

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News Team

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A familiar voice across Southeast Idaho is offering a look back at the American history that shaped his very life this holiday season.

This Thanksgiving, Local News 8’s Jeff Roper had a special chance to sit down with Marvelous Marv Hepworth, the beloved radio host and chief engineer of Sand Hill Media Group. Their conversation delved into Marv’s extraordinary and personal connection to the Pilgrims.

Marv is a direct descendant of an original Mayflower family. He is the ten-times great-grandson of Mary Chilton, the legendary settler known for being the very first passenger to set foot off the Mayflower ship upon its arrival.

“It changed the way I felt about a lot of things,” Marv told Jeff as they reflected on his lineage. “I never really thought more than back about four or five generations on where my family came from…”

Watch Jeff’s full interview with Marv’s marvelous look back at history and connection above.

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Seth Ratliff

ARIMO, Idaho (KIFI) — A Boise semi-truck driver was airlifted to a local hospital last night after his vehicle rolled over and caught fire on Interstate 15 near Arimo.

The Idaho State Police reports the crash took place around 7:30 p.m. near milepost 40, south of Arimo. A 55-year-old man from Boise was driving a 2024 Freightliner semi-truck, which was pulling three trailers loaded with mixed cargo, including foodstuffs and automotive parts.

According to the ISP, the semi-truck went off the right shoulder of the southbound lane into a field and then rolled onto its side before catching on fire.

The driver was not wearing a seatbelt and was taken by air ambulance ot a local hospital.

The crash remains under investigation by the Idaho State Police.

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Danielle Mullenix

Blackfoot, ID (KIFI) — The body of a missing Meridian woman was discovered Tuesday evening in Blackfoot, according to the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office.

Sarah Nylander, the woman who had been reported missing days earlier, was found dead inside a vehicle at approximately 6 p.m. after a pedestrian reported an unconscious woman in a parked car near 1228 Parkway Dr., and authorities were able to identify the body upon investigation at the scene.

Nylander’s body was relocated to an Ada County facility for an autopsy on Wednesday morning. The autopsy remains an ongoing investigation. According to Jordyn Nebeker of the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, the results could take a few weeks before being determined.

At this time, Nylander’s death does not appear to be suspicious, according to the Bingham County Coroner’s Office. Nylander is believed to have been dead for over 24 hours before being discovered. The cause of death remains an active case.

On Sunday, November 23rd, Nylander’s family reported her missing from her home in Montana. She had recently moved in with her family in Meridian and was driving from Montana to Meridian when she disappeared.

Authorities are currently working to determine the circumstances surrounding her death and to provide answers to her family and the community.

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Seth Ratliff

LEMHI COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — The Lemhi County Treasurer and Tax Collector’s office has issued an urgent public alert regarding a bank error that has resulted in some property tax payments being double-charged.

The County Treasurer’s office reported that a processing error by US Bank caused a Monday, November 24th, bank deposit to be run twice, double-charging some property tax payments.

The Treasurer’s office warns that the error may affect payments that were processed on late Friday, November 21st, payments made on Monday, November 24th, and payments received and processed via mail over the weekend of November 22nd-23rd.

The Treasurer’s office is urging all potentially affected taxpayers to immediately check their bank accounts for any errors or double charges, urging residents to contact their banks and alert them of the situation.

“Have your bank’s adjustment department contact US Bank’s adjustment department so they can work on correcting any issues within your account,” said the Treasurer’s Office in a Facebook post.

The Lemhi County Treasurer’s office went on to apologize for any inconvenience the error has caused.

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Max Gershon

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — There’s a new VIP at the Thanksgiving table, and she has feathers.At Lighthouse Montessori School in Idaho Falls, a wild turkey that’s been hanging around campus since early October decided last Friday that outdoor lessons were no longer enough. She wanted the full Montessori experience — including the annual Thanksgiving feast, complete with roasted turkey.

The hen — originally nicknamed “Jake” because everyone thought she was a young male — has since been upgraded to female status by the teacher’s son. A proper lady’s name is still TBD (suggestions welcome in the comments). Since then, she has joined playground time, gone on walks with the students, and even follows Laurie to work every morning alongside the family’s two dogs.

During the school’s Thanksgiving celebration, Laurie accidentally spilled turkey juices in the oven, creating smoke. When the classroom doors were opened to clear the air, the turkey walked right in.The children sat quietly in a circle and tossed her pieces of bread.

“She didn’t mind that we were eating turkey at all,” Laurie said. “She just enjoyed the company.”Laurie says this is the first wild animal to actually enter the classroom, although another turkey visited the school grounds last year.

The hen is welcome to stay. “We’re not roasting her,” Laurie promised. The school hopes she will eventually lay eggs and raise them on the property.Still no name for now, but for the time being she’s the friendliest wild turkey in Idaho Falls, and the only one with an open invitation to next year’s feast.

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Ariel Jensen

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) — A new traffic light is coming to Rigby to help traffic flow a little more smoothly.

It’s going into the intersection of State Highway 48 and  4000 East, through a partnership with Jefferson County and the Idaho Transportation Department. 

Right now, Jefferson County is doing paving work to slightly widen 4000 so it can accommodate the movement of the light signal.

“This signal has been something that Jefferson County has asked about for a long time. We have done traffic studies and tried to collect data for the last several years because it is a problematic stretch, through Rigby of State Highway 48,” said Sky Buffat PIO for the Idaho transportation department. “There are a lot of schools on that route, and we want to be cognizant and do what we can.”

The work zone is not expected to affect holiday travelers, and the speed limit will stay the same.

The street light is expected to be installed next spring. 

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