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A public safety forum and officer training hosted by the parents of Gabby Petito and Dylan Rounds">A public safety forum and officer training hosted by the parents of Gabby Petito and Dylan Rounds

A public safety forum and officer training hosted by the parents of Gabby Petito and Dylan Rounds">

Idaho Falls, ID (KIFI) – On December 1st from 7-8 pm, a joint public safety forum will be held at Eastern Idaho College, organized by the parents and loved ones of Dylan Rounds and Gabby Petito. This event aims to enhance public safety awareness and will feature Nichole and Jim Schmidt, the parents of Gabby Petito, as well as Candice Cooley, the mother of Dylan Rounds.

Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old woman, lost her life during a cross-country trip, with her remains discovered in September 2021 in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. This tragic event has led the Schmidts to establish the Gabby Petito Foundation, which focuses on public awareness and safety.

Dylan Rounds, a 19-year-old, went missing in May 2022 from a remote area in northern Utah, and his remains were found in April 2024. Following this tragedy, Candice Cooley started the Dylan’s Legacy Foundation to honor her son’s memory and support public safety initiatives.

Prior to the forum, there will be training sessions for local law enforcement officers, focused on enhancing their skills in digital forensics, cell phone data analysis, and other technology-based investigative tools. These sessions will be led by law enforcement experts, including Detective Aaron Benzick from Plano, Texas, retired FBI agent Jeff Ross, and Matthew Anderson, Deputy Director of the Intermountain West Regional Computer Forensic Lab.

This training is sponsored by the Dylan Rounds Foundation and is open to law enforcement officers from across the state. Those interested in participating can find more information and apply for the training online.

The public safety forum is open to all community members and will take place in rooms 150-152 of Building 6 at the College of Eastern Idaho, located at 1600 South 25th East. Everyone is encouraged to attend and engage in discussions to improve community safety awareness.

For more information about the event and Dylan’s Legacy, click here.

11.26.2025 – Pre-Thanksgiving, Who is Defend & Protect Idaho?, Chemtrails, and Neal’s Thanksgiving message of gratitude">11.26.2025 – Pre-Thanksgiving, Who is Defend & Protect Idaho?, Chemtrails, and Neal’s Thanksgiving message of gratitude

11.26.2025 – Pre-Thanksgiving, Who is Defend & Protect Idaho?, Chemtrails, and Neal’s Thanksgiving message of gratitude">

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On this pre-Thanksgiving edition of the show, Neal held down the fort while Julie Mason was away enjoying some well-deserved family time with her new grandson. We dove deep into the local Idaho Falls runoff elections, specifically focusing on the “dark money” mailers that have been circulating. We examined the mysterious political action committee “Defend and Protect Idaho,” questioning its true motives after discovering its funding comes from out-of-state PACs. When we put out the call to our listeners in the farming community—a group the PAC claims to represent—we found that none of them had ever heard of it, confirming our suspicions that their good name is being exploited for political gain.

The conversation wasn’t all serious politics, though. We had some fun listening to the Idaho governor’s awkward attempt to answer a citizen’s question about “chemtrails,” and we took several calls from passionate listeners who weighed in on the local City Council race. Neal wrapped everything up with a heartfelt Thanksgiving message, reflecting on family and the importance of gratitude, reminding us all to focus on what’s right in the world before heading into the holiday weekend.

### Show Highlights:

*   A deep dive into the “dark money” mailers in the Idaho Falls runoff race, specifically investigating the political action committee “Defend and Protect Idaho” and its questionable claims to represent local farmers.
*   We played a clip of the governor’s awkward response to a citizen’s question about “chemtrails,” which sparked listener feedback and a bit of comedy.
*   Listener calls drove the conversation about the City Council runoff, with many expressing concerns about candidate transparency and potential conflicts of interest.
*   Neal shared a personal Thanksgiving message, encouraging everyone to focus on gratitude and what’s right in the world before the holiday break.

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Seasoned journalist David Pace joins Local News 8 team">Seasoned journalist David Pace joins Local News 8 team

Seasoned journalist David Pace joins Local News 8 team">

Experienced reporter David Pace has joined Local News 8 as a Multimedia Journalist, KIFI General Manager Kalvin Pike announced Wednesday.

David may be a familiar name to many in Eastern Idaho. He worked as a writer and editor for East Idaho News, was a senior reporter for the Idaho Falls Post Register newspaper, and reported for the Upper Valley Standard Journal in Rexburg. He most recently served as Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Mike Crapo.

“We’re delighted to add a journalist of David’s caliber to our team,” Pike said. “David has covered many of the biggest issues facing Eastern Idaho and Western Wyoming. We look forward to his shining a light on the stories our viewers care about.”

David has won numerous awards throughout his career, including a first-place award from the Idaho Press Club. He was also honored as “Distinguished Under 40” by the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce.

“I’ve worked alongside David covering numerous East Idaho events, elections, and stories,” said Stephanie Lucas, Local News 8 Assistant News Director. “I was always consistently impressed with his drive, quick thinking, and ability to stay up to speed with major happenings and make important contacts within the industry,” Lucas said.

Joining Local News 8 is a full-circle moment for David, as he started his career as an editor for our sister station KIDK in 2008. David grew up in Idaho Falls and graduated from Idaho Falls High School. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout. David then served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves. He earned the Army Achievement Medal while serving as an Arabic cryptologic linguist for the Utah National Guard. He served a full-time mission in Rome, Italy, and later interned with the Public Affairs Department for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He graduated from Brigham Young University in 2017 with a B.A. in Communications, Public Relations emphasis, and a double minor in Middle East Studies and Business Management. David also studied at Saïd Business School at Oxford University.

Viewers can look for David’s reports Monday through Friday, starting next week.

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