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IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Today is October 24. On this day in 1901, Annie Edson Taylor was the first person to survive going over Niagara Falls in a barrel.

A school teacher, with a school teacher’s salary, historians say Annie had been ill-prepared for both her home and investments to go up in flames. Obsessed with youth and wealth, at the age of 62, she claimed to be only 42. She believed she was past her prime in terms of economic opportunity, but she saw a glimmer of hope, a Hail Mary that could lift her out of poverty. She figured she’d try her hand at going over Niagara Falls, because either by fame or a sudden impact, she’d have enough money for the rest of her life.

She decided to use a custom-made barrel for her trip. It was made from oak wood and bound by iron. She used a mattress as padding. I’m sure she anticipated it would be easier to find people who would support her venture – especially considering how much work she put into the barrel – but there was delay after delay on the drop when she couldn’t find anyone who wanted to be involved in her adventure. Eventually, she found some friends who were willing to help her friend in her quest, and they were off.

Taylor decided that she needed to run an experiment. In an effort to see if the barrel’s structural integrity would hold, she sent it over the falls. But of course, a stress test on the barrel wasn’t enough. There had to be stakes. So, before she sent the barrel off, she placed a cat inside.

Seventeen minutes after the plunge, the cat, bleeding from it’s head, but alive, posed for a picture with Annie.

Two days later, Annie felt the pull of time clawing at her. Surely she felt it, as October 24th was her 63rd birthday.

She climbed into the barrel with her lucky heart-shaped pillow, and at that point, it was all in fate’s hands. Her friends screwed on the lid of the barrel, and used a bicycle tire pump to compress the air in the barrel, and that hole was then plugged with a cork. The barrel was rowed out into the Niagara River, and was released just south of Goat Island.

She went over the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, a tradition that future daredevils haven’t yet broken. Taylor was collected by rescuers, and after some time, they got the barrel open.

Taylor was relatively uninjured inside, besides a small gash on her head – karmic retribution for the cat for sure.

“If it was with my dying breath, I would caution anyone against attempting the feat…”, said Taylor to the press after the journey, according to archives from the Bay-Journal, a Bay County, Michigan-based newspaper. “… I would sooner walk up to the mouth of a cannon, knowing it was going to blow me to pieces, than make another trip over the Fall.”

Taylor earned some money at speaking events, but was never able to earn much from that avenue. She wrote a memoir and tried to sell it at Niagara Falls, but most of that money went to tracking down her barrel after her manager stole it. It was eventually tracked down in Chicago, but was stolen again by her new manager.

She claimed to be 57 when she was admitted to the Niagara County Infirmary, but documents show she died at the age of 82, penniless, and public donations were used to pay the costs of her funeral.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Governor Brad Little’s 3% budget cuts are affecting several colleges and universities across the Gem State, including College of Eastern Idaho.

CEI says they have to cut over $500,000 from their 2026-27 budget. They pointed out, while this amount of cuts isn’t as high as some universities, it still puts a pause on many of their projects like expanding the college’s classes and buildings to keep up with its large growth over the last few years.

“Which is very difficult because we have students that want to be here,” said CEI’s Chief Financial Officer, Penny Lyon. “We have employers that want to hire them. So where do you cut? It’s tough.”

Lyon says CEI was planning to hire more instructors to support its rapid growth, but that will have to be put on hold. The college will likely need to also cap some of its enrollment due to the budget cuts.

“What that will mean is the pace that we deliver students is going slow, which is unfortunate,” Lyon said. “It’s unfortunate for the students that want to be here and can’t get into those classes. It’s unfortunate for the employers that are ready to hire students that are coming out because they won’t have enough.”

Lyon says these budget cuts are frustrating, but CEI will follow them and do the best they can so they can deliver quality education to its students and quality graduates to employers. 

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho Falls Mayoral candidate Jeff Alldridge is publicly addressing what he calls “wild rumors” following a controversial moment at a recent mayoral forum.

Alldridge, the sole mayoral hopeful in the race who is not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was asked a pointed religious question. The incident has since sparked online rumors about his thoughts on “others’ beliefs…and intentions as Mayor” and debate surrounding religious bias in local politics.

The incident occurred during a mayoral forum and debate hosted by East Idaho News, moderated by reporter Nate Eaton. The questions were sourced from the audience and relayed by reporter Nate Eaton; however, Alldridge was the only candidate asked a pointed religious question: “Are Mormons Christians?”

The confrontation took place around the 36:52-minute mark of East Idaho News’ livestream. To view the video, click HERE.

“I heard Jeff Alldridge removed his religious affiliation from his website, and does not believe Latter-day Saints are Christians. Is this true?” relayed Eaton.

“Uh… I never had my faith on my website. But I am Christian. And I’ll leave it up to Latter-day Saints, if they believe that they’re Christian, then they’re Christian,” answered a clearly uncomfortable Alldridge.

“Do you believe they are?” drilled Eaton.

“I don’t know,” answered Alldrigde.

Alldridge’s Response and Clarification

Alldridge expressed his surprise at the question, telling Local News 8 he didn’t see how it was relevant. He later issued a public statement on Facebook to clarify his response, which he admitted was “truthful” but vague.

He elaborated on his reasoning in the post, saying, “I cannot make a blanket judgment over an entire group of people. That would be foolish. Similarly, the right to judge who is and isn’t saved is reserved for God alone. My opinion is irrelevant.”

Alldridge continued that although he is not a member of the LDS faith, which makes up an estimated 20% of the Idaho Falls population, he loves and respects “each and every one” of his many friends, neighbors, and supporters who are.

“Freedom of religion is the very first right listed and protected in our Bill of Rights. It is the right to choose what you believe, and that right shall not be infringed upon…As Mayor, I will always work to protect others’ freedom to worship as much as I work to protect my own,” concluded Alldridge.

Local News 8 has reached out to the additional candidates present at the forum for their take on the controversy and will update this article accordingly.

East Idaho News Response

Local News 8 reached out to East Idaho News editor Nate Sunderland for clarification. He claims the question was chosen from over 200 the outlet received in preparation for the forum.

“One question dealt with a claim that Mr. Alldridge had removed his religious affiliation from his website, and that he had viewpoints that suggested the Mormons were not members of the Christian faith,” Sunderland said in a statement to Local News 8. “Given the frequency of the question, it was incorporated into the debate.”

Alldridge told Local News 8 the claim that he removed his religious affiliation from his website is not true, as he never included any information about his religious affiliation on his website in the first place. He also says he has proof, as he has been archiving the website.

Historical and Current Context

The question draws back to a theological debate that has persisted since the inception of the LDS Church. While the church officially identifies as Christian and centers its doctrine on Jesus Christ, some other Christian denominations historically have not recognized it as such, often citing differences in scripture and core beliefs. The question also came on the heels of a violent attack on an LDS branch in Michigan, which had brought the issue of acceptance within the Christian community to the forefront of online debate.

Article VI, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution forbids any kind of religious test for public office. It states: “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”