Idaho Matters

(IIP Photo Archive / Flickr) The GOP convention kicks off in Twin Falls, changes to Idaho ' s behavioral health system , the possible involvement of the U.S. Supreme Court in redistricting the Gem state and resignations at the Middleton police department – it’s Friday – which means it's time for our Reporter Roundtable when Idaho Matters gets you up-to-date on all the news that made headlines this...

Well, it's no secret that our Morning Edition host George Prentice loves Shakespeare and the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. So when he found out that Sara Bruner was going to direct Romeo and Juliet, which opens this weekend, he had to sit down with her and Angela Utrera, who plays Juliet in the the production.

Last month, Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas were hit by historic flooding, though much of our region remains in a severe drought. How can those extremes occur side-by-side? Wyoming Public Radio's Caitlin Tan reports for the Mountain West News Bureau.

Before Russia invaded Ukraine, Steven Wright lived and worked in the country with his wife and two daughters. Needless to say life has been very different since then. Wright will talk about his experience before and after a new film at the Flicks in Boise is aired. It's called "The Earth is as Blue as an Orange." The movie chronicles the life of another family and their day-to-day struggles in Ukr...

(City of Ketchum / Facebook) Back in June, Idaho Mountain Express published a story about one woman's perilous journey from Peru to Idaho in the hope of finding a better life for herself and her children. Her story is one that has been experienced by countless immigrants south of the border. The article follows Simona as she faces dangerous landscapes, kidnapping and even the threat of death, befo...

Poet Marie Fuhrman is Idaho's current writer in residence. She uses nature soundscapes to inspire her writing that often focuses on issues affecting native people in the west. In this seasons final episode of Expressive Idaho, Arlie Sommer follows Fuhrman for a walk in the forests around McCall where the author lives.

(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) Its been nearly two and half years since the coronavirus pandemic started and health officials around the world are saying the most infectious and transmissible variant to date has arrived. Joining Idaho Matters to talk more about this and what it means for Idaho is Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke's Health System and a current member of the Idaho Coronavirus...

It's not everyday you can take a journey to Devils Hole, Nevada, the Great Barrier Reef, the Mississippi Delta, the Chicago River and Southern Iceland with a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. However, that is exactly what Elizabeth Kolbert does with her new book, "Under a White Sky, the Nature of the Future." Our Morning Edition host George Prentice chatted with Kolbert just before her appearance at...

Baratunde spent some time on an Idaho ranch for his program America Outdoors. (Part 2 Pictures/Twin Cities PBS) “The outdoors can be a source of escape, of freedom from all the stresses of our lives,” says New York Times best-selling author and podcaster Baratunde Thurston. “It determines how we work, where we live, and ultimately who we are.” Thurston is an outdoor enthusiast and he has been trav...

University of Idaho College of Engineering therapeutic robots used for physical therapy and rehab in Spokane at St. Luke's Rehabilitation Medical Center. (Melissa Hartley/University of Idaho Photographic / Photos by Melissa Hartley, University Creative Services.) According to the World Stroke Organization , 14 million people each year have a stroke which can cause varying degrees of disability. Pa...

Over the years, the River Street Neighborhood in Boise has seen many changes. According to the Boise City Department of Arts & History, River Street, for the better part of a century, was the most ethnically and culturally diverse area in Boise. Home to immigrants from around the world and later, due to housing segregation, home to many of the city’s African American residents. Despite the cha...

Trey and Sophie read Holland. (arrathoonlaa@att.net / Flickr) An update on the highway 55 project , a fiber-optic revolution , affordable housing in Meridian , an increase in reading scores , repealing federal tax on guns , another project at the Boise Airport and Reclaim Idaho is working to get a new initiative on the ballot . It’s Friday, so it's time for our Reporter Roundtable when Idaho Matte...

This form, to remove racial covenants from homes, is available at all county clerk offices in Idaho (Ada County Clerk) Idaho has a long history with racial injustice and one of many examples was discriminatory housing practices with racial covenants and redlining. This practice wasn’t unique to Idaho. The language was widespread in the United States with massive subdivisions built following World...

Daniel Kang receiving his award at the US Invention Convention Nationals. (Jacob for J. Lindsey Photography/Photo by Jacob for J. Lindsey Ph / Ingu Kang) For many parents, it is not uncommon to worry about their child's safety, especially when it comes to protecting them from things like cars and bikes. Well, one first grader had the exact same worries and invented a watch to prevent kids from get...

(Richard Rodriguez / Boise State Public Radio) This afternoon our meet and greet series, Another Round , was in Twin Falls with All Things Considered host Troy Oppie. Troy sat down with the College of Southern Idaho Center Director and Hispanic community liaison, César Pérez, to give Idaho Matters a preview of an upcoming panel event that will be looking at issues facing the Hispanic community.

A computer rendering of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. (Radoslav Zilinsky / Getty Images) Could Idaho be in another surge? According to CDC guidelines, COVID-19 transmission levels in Ada County are high once again. Joining Idaho Matters to talk more about what that means and answer your questions is Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St Luke's Health System and a current member of the Ida...

Rosemaling is a decorative painting that adds colorful embellishments to things like wooden platters, containers and furniture of Norwegian homes. Immigrants came to the U.S. with their most precious possessions stored in hand-painted trunks. On this edition of Expressive Idaho , we hear from Joanne Hultstrand, a Rosmaler in Boise who's carrying on this painting tradition. She received the 2020 go...

(supremature / Flickr) When you open up Facebook, you could see a friend request from someone you don't know, and that someone could be a debt collector. A new rule by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau went into effect last November that changes the way debt collectors can try and contact you. Those changes include things like Facebook, email and even text messages. This could make it easie...

The recent flooding around Yellowstone National Park also created challenges for gateway towns like Gardner, Red Lodge and Cooke City in Montana. That includes lost homes and possibly lost livelihoods. For travelers who can no longer access the park through those towns, there's another Montana entrance: West of Yellowstone, the most popular gateway to the park. Mountain West News Bureau Reporter M...

(Andrea Duenas / Flickr) Now that summer is here outdoor markets are officially in full swing and one of those markets is focused on providing free local produce to seniors. Last year Caldwell became the first in the state to offer a senior nutrition program through its farmers market, which is now offering benefits beyond produce. The Program Manager for University of Idaho Extension and Co-facil...

The Chabad Jewish Center ( Chabad Jewish Center) In 2004, the Chabad Jewish Center in Boise opened its doors to serve the community. A few years ago, as the need for more services grew, it continued to grow and moved to a building on Maple Grove road. Now the center is expanding to add Idaho's first kosher kitchen, children's library and the state's first Jewish ritual immersion pool. Wednesday is...

A picture of the November 2021 rockslide on State Highway 55 20 miles south of Cascade. ( Idaho Transportation Department) The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs Wade and how that will impact your medical information and access to abortion care , safety issues with a construction project on Highway 55 , the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee is being accused of violating Idaho’s...

Idaho has a new Episcopal Bishop. He was ordained last Saturday in an elaborate ceremony at the Cathedral of the Rockies in Boise. Before the ceremony, our Morning Edition host George Prentice sat down for a fascinating conversation about faith, hope and the search for God when tragedies happen.

The art of hunting demands close attention to wildlife. In the fall, waterfowl hunters lure their prey by mimicking calls and setting out decoy birds. Some hunters go the extra distance, carving and painting decoys by hand - a stunning homage to the living animal. In this edition of Expressive Idaho, we hear from hunter and decoy carver Tom Matus and his apprentice Justin Seelig, who are participa...

The Schick Barn. ( Frank Eld) “It's really quite an interesting story about the oldest barn in Ada County and possibly in the state. Undoubtedly one of the oldest still standing, having been built in c. 1865,” says Frank Eld, also known as 'The Barn Whisperer.’ Eld is talking about the Schick Barn in the Foothills north of Boise, just 15 minutes from downtown. It sits on a piece of Idaho's agricul...