A year-in-review at EastIdahoNews.com and some of our best work in 2023
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IDAHO FALLS — It’s been an incredible year at EastIdahoNews.com. We’ve produced a lot of good journalism, and we continue to grow by leaps and bounds as a company.
During 2023, EastIdahoNews.com celebrated its eighth birthday. Although we remain the youngest news agency on this side of the state, we have been fortunate to find a large and consistent audience among our neighbors and beyond. We are grateful for that support.
EastIdahoNews.com received some 122 million pageviews in 2023, and was read and watched by more people than in any other year of our existence.
We redesigned our website thanks to the truly Herculean efforts of web manager Robert Patten and graphic designer Alex Lemoing. Similarly, videographer Jordan Wood has revolutionized how we do video work. We look great because of these three, and keeping the site clean and shiny is comment moderator Peggy Jeppesen, whose job gets busier every year!
The EastIdahoNews.com sales team, including Josh Johnson and Alaina Russell, had a great year working with local businesses who, because of their generous support, allow us to produce the news every day without charging readers.
The state of the newsroom
There were more than a few changes in our newsroom. We added two new employees, Pocatello reporter Logan Ramsey and weekend editor Mary Boyle. Both have been quick to jump in and support the team.
In June, the newsroom suffered a devastating loss with the unexpected death of longtime entertainment columnist Adam Forsgren. His quick wit and kind heart are dearly missed in the newsroom, as are his columns, stories and reviews. Read Adam’s obituary here.
But the newsroom had some wins in 2023 too.
After nearly four years of waiting, and hundreds of stories, EastIdahoNews.com was finally able to cover the trial of Lori Vallow Daybell. It’s a criminal case our newsroom has covered in depth since we reported on the disappearance of JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan in 2019. Nate Eaton has covered it since the beginning, and we sent him to Boise for the six-week trial. He was in court every day and reported to hundreds of thousands of people during his nightly Courtroom Insider program. It may have been a logistical challenge, but it was well worth the effort to bring it to our users.
This year, EastIdahoNews.com was honored with several awards for our work from the National Federation of Press Women, The Society of Professional Journalists, and the Idaho Press Club. Some noteworthy honors were Eaton’s national award for “The Hogwarts of Idaho,” a story about the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind in Gooding. Additionally, Eaton, Patten and I received the First Amendment Award for stories following a lawsuit EastIdahoNews.com filed against Jefferson County when access to public records on the Rigby Middle School shooting was denied.
That was only the tip of the iceberg. Our reporters covered stories from Malad to Salmon and everywhere in between. We published more than 4,000 local stories on a large variety of topics. Hopefully, we made a difference and kept you informed.
Among my favorite stories was Eaton’s coverage of 16-year-old Blaze Thibaudeau of Arizona, who disappeared in Idaho with family members who were acting on their beliefs in doomsday prophecies. Eaton took a deep dive on this one, and thankfully, it had a happy ending.
The horrific deaths of Kali Randall, her unborn baby and 10-month-old Zeke Best tested the reporting chops of Kaitlyn Hart. Sending her into a community that had just suffered a devastating loss would push anyone out of their comfort zone, but she came away with a fascinating insight into those who had been lost. Jeremy Best is facing charges for these murders.
Kalama Hines has spent over a year working closely with a family who is trying to find the truth about their son’s death. The way Kye Stephenson’s death investigation was handled by eastern Idaho officials is an excellent example of why investigative journalism exists. Hines’ continuing efforts are making a difference. Read the latest story on the case here.
Rett Nelson undertook a huge project in 2023 to profile historical sheriffs and coroners in eastern Idaho. It’s been a fascinating look at local history, and unveiled many stories few people had ever heard.
On the same note, Looking Back columnist Brittni Johnson dug up a fascinating historical piece on a runaway elephant.
Andrea Olson took on some of our biggest breaking news stories this year, frequently following up with features about people who had suffered extreme loss due to tragedy. One of the most poignant stories was about an ISP trooper who survived a horrific crash.
Ramsey, the newsroom newbie, took on a tough assignment about Idaho water and aquifer recharge. After several months, he crafted an insightful look at the water situation in eastern Idaho.
Boyle, our newest editor — who also does reporting — took on the tough assignment of looking into a county prosecutor who is under investigation. It was an intimidating task that turned out well. Another reason investigative journalism exists.
Those were some of my favorites, but I’ll let the reporters speak for themselves about their work and their favorites. Our reporters do good work and are making an impact on our community. I’m proud of them.
Rett Nelson
Former child actor with ties to eastern Idaho has no regrets living out of the spotlight
“For years, I’d heard that Stewart Petersen, the child actor in movies like ‘Where the Red Fern Grows’ had ties to eastern Idaho. At the same time, I always wondered what happened to him. On a whim, I decided to look into it. I tracked down his number and was surprised he actually picked up the phone. The result was one of our highest-viewed stories of the year.”
‘He shattered our dreams’: Homeowners, investors accuse contractor of fraud
“This story was rewarding because it was outside of my wheelhouse. It was challenging and I felt like I grew from the experience. It led me to pursue other stories about court cases. I understand some good things have come to the victims, which I hope to cover in a future story.”
Thousands attend gay pride festival in Rexburg
“This is a story I was assigned initially. It’s become one of the stories I’m most proud of because it’s a good example of what journalism is all about. The gay pride movement attracts opinions on both ends of the spectrum, and this story provides a balanced look at the issue. It also illustrates how messaging shapes people’s perceptions of reality. I hope it was eye-opening, regardless of where you stand on the issue.”
Nelson was also particularly proud of some investigative work into Clark County government, and an analysis of local city leaders’ salaries.
Andrea Olson
“This story was incredible. A man survived after being crushed by a garbage truck, then on the same day, he ended up helping someone after a crash! Every part of this story to me is a miracle and the man behind it is a really positive individual. It was one of those mind-blowing stories that I loved telling.”
Local doctor reflects on ‘fantastic’ career after being diagnosed with terminal disease
“This story hits close to home because I know someone personally who has been diagnosed with ALS. Meeting John and Nanette Allred was an honor, and I was grateful to tell their story. They are such wonderful people, and John has a positive outlook on life that I think we can all learn from.”
“The Wendlers are a wonderful family who graciously allowed me to follow their journey. Even though Mike’s life and his family’s lives have forever changed, they remain optimistic, which I admire. I am grateful to them and their examples.”
Olson was also proud of a feature story about a young girl that was bitten by a rattlesnake while swimming, and a story about an unlikely friendship between a legally blind 7-year-old boy and a group of kids 15 to 18.
Kalama Hines
“I have spent a great deal of time with the Stephenson family over the past year. Obviously, I have no way of knowing exactly what happened the night Kye died, but what made this story important is that many questions were not answered during the initial investigation. Because of that, the story surrounding Kye’s death remains ongoing.”
‘Last-chance’ program helps drug addicts win the ‘battle for (their) life’
“Being the Pocatello-area crime reporter, I spend a fair amount of time in court, and I cannot tell you how many times I have heard a judge or attorney mention Wood Court. I did this story as much for myself as for any of the readers. I truly wanted to know how the program works and may have learned more while doing this story than I have doing any other.”
“For this story, I spent several hours in a hospital room with Emily — who was still very much recovering from her injuries — and Kyle. In that time, I got a very brief glimpse into Kellan’s life — the boy he was and the man he was supposed to become — and I am forever grateful for that opportunity.”
Hines was also grateful for an opportunity he had to look into the workings of local food banks, and for some investigative work he has been doing about dilapidated bridges in Inkom.
Kaitlyn Hart
The only female judge in the 7th Judicial District leaves the bench for private practice. Here’s why
“I didn’t realize how proud of this article I was until I started receiving feedback. Michelle Mallard was very open with me, and I’m proud of how we painted a picture of the struggles that modern-day judges are dealing with. I hope that bringing this to the public helped them to see judges in a different way. After the article went up, Michelle told me that the media person from the Idaho Supreme Court asked if he could recommend the use of this article for Chief Justice Bevan to use in his State of the Judiciary address to the Legislature.”
Idaho Falls man accused of murder testifies, ‘I was scared out of my mind’
“This trial took a LOT of time (two trials worth) and effort to cover. By the second trial, I was in my last semester of graduate school. The reason I’m so proud of the coverage of this trial is that Andrea Olson and I were able to use teamwork to make the dream work. Because I was in graduate school, I wasn’t able to cover every day of the trial, so Andrea and I switched off every other day to be in court, which had the potential to be very complicated, but we worked together as a team and made something very informative and thorough.”
Residents are concerned and the DEQ is involved after water in Roberts comes out brown
“To be completely honest, this is a story I was very wary of completing. There’s a joke in the newsroom about “water stories” being very complex, and this one felt as if it got more complex the further it went. But as I dove into it and spoke with DEQ employees, Roberts locals, and even did an interview with the Roberts mayor, it gave me a good insight on the process of providing clean water to community members, and journalistically helped me hone in on my investigative skills, something I want to improve on further.”
Hart also expressed pride in her initial work on the Jeremy Best case, which has garnered national attention. She also wrote an expansive series on the death penalty in Idaho in 2023.
Logan Ramsey
Highland High School failed its fire inspection before April’s blaze
“This is a story that I think went relatively under the radar, even though it’s an important one for people to know. The Idaho State Fire Marshal’s Fire Investigation Report provides context to the blaze Highland experienced. It’s also important for people to understand the process of fire inspections, and that according to a fire department official, it’s not uncommon for buildings to fail them.”
Woman honored for heroism after dragging stranger out of burning home
“It’s not often that I come across stories that are as incredible as this one. When Kortnie Balls ran into a burning home to save a man she didn’t even know, she took the risk of sacrificing her life. In my time as a reporter, I’ve never talked to someone as heroic as her. A commenter on this story said it best when they said, ‘If I’m ever in a tough situation, I hope to see her coming!’ I think everyone would be inspired if they read Kortnie’s story.”
“This story involves something absolutely critical to life: water. Our groundwater has decreased over decades, and while the problem is more well known now, it’s still not on the forefront of our minds. Solving this issue is absolutely imperative to our lives, and the only way for us to do that is to better understand it.”
Ramsey also expressed excitement about a story he wrote about urban legends in Idaho, and a feature story about a local backup dancer for Michael Jackson.
Mary Boyle
‘Keeping our hopes high.’ Pocatello teen’s family determined to recover his body
“I felt lucky to be able to follow this story from day one and get to know Jayden’s family just a bit. This incident happened so soon after Baby Zeke, I was really hoping for a happy outcome. Watching the community uplift and support the Jensen family through this tragedy was, as Bingham County Chief Deputy Jordyn Nebeker said, a silver lining.”
Note: Jayden’s body was recovered Monday. Read the story here.
Local attorney faces possible disbarment over accusations of professional misconduct
“I don’t know if this story was impactful (I don’t think it had a lot of views), but it is probably my best-written story to date. I loved combing through the court documents and getting up to my ears in research. It’s not sexy, but it is solid.”
‘Baby Zeke’ found dead; father Jeremy Best taken into custody
“This story pushed me out of my comfort zone on several levels. I almost handed this story off to Nate Eaton because I knew it had gained national attention. Glad I didn’t. I made my television debut (yay?) and forged some good relationships through the search for and discovery of Zeke.”
Boyle also recalls fondly features about a local father-son team that raced through the Alps, and a story on the Madison Fire Department’s Pipe Brigade.
Brittni Johnson
The one time a ‘mad elephant’ chased a family near Downey in 1913
“I love writing the weekly Looking Back series because I never know what stories I’ll come across, like this one on the mad elephant. I searched and searched for more information on what exactly happened and finally came across information in a Utah newspaper. I’m glad I found more details and could share this wild and unique story with our readers.”
A local man saw our story, was touched and donated his kidney
“In March 2022, I wrote a story on an Idaho Falls man needing a kidney. In January 2023, I got a text from the man saying he recently received the needed kidney. It came from the first person who reached out to him after seeing the original story published on EastIdahoNews.com. I was grateful to share an update with the miraculous and good news as I know many people reached out to help this man.”
Local mom talks about living with dementia after TikTok video goes viral
“Writing this story on Jana Nelson was a reminder to me to live every day to the fullest because life can change in an instant. Nelson’s story about living with dementia is heartbreaking but the life lessons she shared with me since her diagnosis are powerful and something I think of often.”
Johnson also expressed pride in a feature story about the return of a lost dog, and her weekly You have to See This column.