Karole Honas announces retirement
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - Karole Honas, award-winning reporter and anchor for KIFI-TV's top-rated Local News 8 at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., announced that she is retiring this month after 30 years at Local News 8.
Karole will be retiring at the end of the month. August 28 will be her last day at Local News 8.
Karole grew up in Gooding, Idaho. She graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in Radio-TV, Communications. Right after graduation, she married her husband, Ken. They have been happily married for 40 years.
Karole started her career at KPVI in Pocatello. After 7 years, she left KPVI to raise her three sons. In 1990, Jay Hildebrandt called and asked her to fill in as an anchor for six weeks while another anchor was on maternity leave. Those six weeks turned into 30 years of co-anchoring.
Karole has been an anchor, reporter, and producer for KIFI. She has mentored new journalists who were just getting started in the news industry.
She initiated a half hour show, Tough Talk, which ran for years on Sunday afternoons. The topics were controversial in a conservative market.
In addition, Karole taught broadcast producing and writing at Idaho State University for 14 years as an adjunct instructor.
She has served as a member of the advisory board for the School of Journalism and Mass Media in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Idaho. She continues to reach out to students interested in television news, informing of internship opportunities and job openings at her station and elsewhere.
“Honas is a role model for young reporters and anchors, helping them prepare for jobs in larger media markets,” said Patricia Hart, interim director of the School of Journalism and Mass Media at the University of Idaho.
Along with her service to UI, Honas has been an active member of her community.
“I have served with Karole on a number of community boards and committees,” said Park Price, chairman of the Bank of Idaho, “She cares deeply about eastern Idaho and is a willing volunteer in a number of causes.”
You can still catch Karole’s final few broadcasts on Local News 8 every weeknight at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. and on Fox 5 at 9:35 p.m. for Newsline.
