Idaho Matters

Former Idaho State Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger testifies on his own behalf during day three of his rape trial at the Ada County Courthouse, Thursday, April 28, 2022. (Brian Myrick / Idaho Press) Former State Legislator Aaron Von Ehlinger will not be sentenced this week as originally scheduled. Monday a judge granted his request to delay sentencing until a motion to either re-try or to acquit him of th...

The BIPOC Playwrights Festival is August 1st-6th in Boise. ( Boise Contemporary Theater) The BIPOC Playwrights Festival is returning for its second year with Boise Contemporary Theater . Over the course of six days, playwrights, directors and actors will workshop and perform two new plays, Being Black Outside and Fear and Wonder, ending with a special performance of Hold These Truths on the final...

(Scott Denny / Flickr) Many people may recognize Ashley Poston's name from her popular young adult novels, which have been feature in Teen Vogue and Entertainment Weekly. This summer though the author decided to switch things up, writing her first adult novel, with a bit of a supernatural twist. Poston joined Idaho Matters to talk more about her book, imposters syndrome and love.

(Boise Twilight Criterium ) For more than 20 years the Boise Young Rider Development Squad has worked with kids, here in the Treasure Valley, who are interested in cycling. They've provided support for those new to the sport as well as an opportunity for competition. This summer there's been one member of the program, in particular, who has been no stranger to competition, 13-year-old Tessa Beebe....

(Macau Photo Agency / Unsplash) Cities and counties throughout the United States are considering re-instating mask mandates as COVID-19 cases and hospitalization continue to rise. Joining Idaho Matters to talk more about this and answer your questions is Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke's Health System and a current member of the Idaho Coronavirus Task Force.

When our summer intern Jack Bevan heard rumors that Yellowstone National Park could explode soon and start a new ice age, he had to find out if there was any truth to it. First, he set out to find if Yellowstone or any other volcanic formations in the northwest, like Mount St. Helens, were likely to blow up soon and he found himself learning all about volcanoes and geysers from a Boise State Unive...

(R. Karthik / Flickr) As we all know, over the last few years, COVID-19 has put a damper on live events, from concerts to festivals to book launches. While virtual get-togethers are fun, they're just not quite the same. That's why The Cabin is holding a Belated Book Launch Party Wednesday night at Lost Grove Brewing, celebrating local authors who published their books during the pandemic. The cele...

Photos from the book cover of Jaialdi: A Celebration of Basque Culture. (John C. Hodgson / University of Nevada Press) Every five years Boise hosts one of the biggest Basque festivals in the world, bringing thousands of people to the Gem State to eat, dance and sing. Jaialdi has been described as a gift from Boise's Basque community to anyone who wants to come and take part. There's a new book out...

Smoke rises from the Black Forest Fire near Colorado Springs. (Kirk Siegler / NPR) A December wildfire tore through neighborhoods near Boulder, Colorado destroying hundreds of homes before it was extinguished the next day. The fire left its fingerprints all over the area. Months later, residents had a smoky taste and smell in their water . That required an expensive fix, one that could become more...

( Ada County Juvenile Detention Center website) There's a growing trend across the country to try and keep non-violent kids and teens out of juvenile detention by "wrapping" them in services that will hopefully steer them away from crime. Since the late 90s, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, almost every state has reduced the number of kids behind bars by working to change their behavior...

The Moose Fire, near the Idaho-Montana border, has grown to 56 square miles. 800 people are fighting the blaze and two pilots were killed last week in a helicopter accident while on the fire. Large wildfires like this one can cause people who live in or near the wilderness to worry about how to best defend their homes. With wildfire season growing longer and stronger across our region, companies t...

(Camila Gurrado / Flickr) In 2020 the Peace Corps evacuated nearly 7,000 volunteers from over 60 countries as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe. Now, two years later, the program has started to return volunteers to overseas service. Among those returning is Boise local Gregory Ripke. He joined Idaho Matters to talk more about his upcoming mission.

(Circled Thrice / Flickr) A warning, this interview does talk about shootings and gun violence. Dr. Lynne Fenton is the only psychiatrist in the history of the United States to be publicly revealed as the doctor of a mass shooter. Ten years after the deadly shooting at a Colorado movie theater, Dr. Fenton is telling her story in a new memoir, "Aurora: The Psychiatrist Who Treated the Movie Theater...

Empty classroom with no students (iStockphoto) A budget surplus in Idaho , some shakeups in the Boise School Board elections , a postponed trial for the Bingham County Sheriff , takeaways from the GOP convention and an update on alternate flyers that were passed out during the event. It’s Friday, which means it's time for our Reporter Roundtable when Idaho Matters gets you up-to-date on all the ne...

The Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, centered in one of Idahos largest African American communities, has been added to the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of their work for black American civil rights in the Gem state. For nearly 100 years the church has served as an epicenter for political activism and community engagement, its leaders and members not only providing spiritual...

( Penguin Random House) With more than one million copies of her novels sold, New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry is back with her newest novel, Book Lovers.

(louisevichie / Flickr) With the dog days of summer in full swing, some folks are staying indoors, which means you might be wondering what to watch on the big and small screens. Resident movie critic and Morning Edition host, George Prentice joined Idaho Matters with a few recommendations.

Nurse manager Lucy Golding draws up doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine March 14 in Stamford, Conn. Moderna has begun enrolling infants and young children into a vaccine trial. (John Moore / Getty Images) For people who have been waiting for a more traditional COVID-19 vaccine, health experts say that Novavax vaccine may be for you. Late last week, regulators authorized the nation's first so-cal...

High profile shootings, including one not that long ago at the Boise Towne Square Mall, have sparked concerns among Boise City officials. These officials include Boise mayor Lauren McLean, who says there are things that can be done to make people safer. McLean also wants your input as Boise rewrites its city code and recreates its library system. Our Morning Edition host George Prentice sat down w...

(Brian McKechnie / Flickr) Annabel Monaghan is best known for her young adult novels, including A Girl Named Digit, which was optioned by the Disney Channel. This summer however, Annabel released her first adult novel, which is perfect if you have plans to lounge on the beach. The author joined Idaho Matters to talk more about her newest book, Norah Goes Off Script.

(Richard Rodriguez / Boise State Public Radio) Ahead of the show, we want everyone to know that we will be talking about issues that may be upsetting to some listeners. We'll be discussing the recent controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. This episode will discuss abortion, pregnancy and medical procedures and most importantly though, we will hear from you. We will...

Three months ago, we spoke with two members of a four-women team who were embarking on a conservation campaign that would take them on a 1,000-mile journey, starting at the source of the Salmon River and ending in the Pacific Ocean. Their goal during this voyage was to advocate for the removal of four lower Snake River dams and the suspension of the Stibnite Gold project, just northeast of the cas...

(Ashley Brown / Flickr) With the explosive growth in the Treasure Valley and the rising cost of rent, it can be incredibly tough to find a place to live. As rents shoot up more and more people are financially forced to move, which means more people are signing new lease agreements. The nonprofit Jesse Tree has been looking at some of those agreements and finding questionable, sometimes even illega...

(Barbara Friedman / flickr) Monarch butterflies are in trouble. Populations of both the Eastern and Western butterflies have been dropping dramatically. Western monarchs have seen a 99 percent drop in their numbers since the 1980’s. A variety of factors are at play, including climate change, pesticides and loss of their habitat to human encroachment. In 2020 the Fish and Wildlife Service said mona...

( Poder of Idaho) This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA. This policy protects undocumented children, who are eligible, from deportation. Though the program provides certain protections it does not provide a pathway to citizenship, leaving many who are part of the DACA program with an uncertain future. According to the U.S. Citizen...