Idaho Matters

( Idaho Statesman) December is here and the temperatures are beginning to drop around our state, and programs that serve people experiencing homelessness are anticipating that more people may be living on the streets or in their cars this winter. Idaho Matters talks with joining us today to talk more about why this is happening and what can be done are two folks who work with CATCH, a Boise progra...

( Idaho Statesman) When the pandemic hit almost two years ago, everything from work to school went virtual. The United Way Treasure Valley wanted to help kids who needed assistance with reading while doing school from home, so they created the Reading Pals Program to provide online tutoring that partners adult volunteers with elementary-aged students. Idaho Matters learns from Executive Director o...

FILE - A traveler adjusts his face mask as he walks through the arrivals area at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Nov. 30, 2021. While all eyes are on the new and little-understood omicron variant, the delta form of the coronavirus isn't finished wreaking havoc in the U.S. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) (Jae C. Hong / AP) Laboratory tests are suggesting three doses of the Pfizer...

Theater kids rejoice: there’s a new program in Idaho that could send you to Broadway. Public and private high schools in the Treasure Valley are being invited to participate in the Inaugural year of the Idaho High School Theater Awards Program. The program is designed to celebrate, support and advocate for high school theater education. Idaho Matters learns more about the program from Morrison Cen...

Local members of the Idaho Climate Justice League gather at a community garden near Boise High School for a photo. They are frustrated that the Boise School District Board of Trustees hasn’t become more involved in their campaign— like considering a 100 percent clean energy goal, or shifting to electric school buses. Pictured are: Sneha Sharma, 16, Timberline High (front center), Alec Richter, 18,...

Signage at Polecat Loop Trail in Boise giving directions for trail users. The trail is one of several that have new scheduling strategies to alleviate pressure on beloved resource. (Ridge to Rivers / via Facebook ) As Boise continues to attract new residents eager to live in a community where a trail is just minutes from downtown, those same trails are getting crowded. To try to give trail users a...

(James Dawson) It's been another busy week in Idaho news. The Idaho Matters Reporter Roundtable makes it easy to get caught up on what you need to know as you head into the weekend. Our journalist panel today: Betsy Russell of the Idaho Press and the Eye on Boise blog Kelcie Moseley-Morris of the Idaho Capital Sun Margaret Carmel with Boise Dev Scott McIntosh from the Idaho Statesman

Doctors and nurses treating COVID-19 patients at St. Luke’s Health System in Boise. ( St. Luke’s Health System) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified the country's first confirmed case of the Omicron coronavirus variant in a California patient. The World Health Organization has designated Omicron a variant of concern, stating it poses a very high global risk. So what does t...

Northwest Premium Meats in Nampa has seen a big increase in customer demands during the pandemic. (Madelyn Beck / Mountain West News Bureau) The pandemic slowed food supply lines across the country as workers at major meat processing plants got sick. That meant more ranchers were turning to local butchers for processing, and consumers were turning to them for meat. Idaho Matters talks with Mountai...

(Idaho Public Television ) Idaho Matters learns about "Spud Country,” Outdoor Idaho’s newest episode on Idaho Public Television. IPTV producers Lauren Melink and Bill Manny go behind-the-scenes of the documentary and discuss the cultural and economic value of the mighty spud with Idaho Department of Agriculture Director Celia Gould. "Spud Country" airs Dec. 5 on Idaho Public Television. Have a pot...

Travelers move to a security check point at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., Monday, Nov. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (Carolyn Kaster/AP / AP) With Thanksgiving upon us, Idaho Matters learns how we can stay safe and protect our families from COVID-19 this holiday season. Our guests today: Dr. David Pate, member of the governor's coronavirus task force and former...

(Monica Gokey / Boise State Public Radio) The story of salmon is a quintessential Idaho story. Salmon are essential for the Nez Perce Tribe, as a source of food but also as a soul-deep connection to their life cycle. But salmon are on the brink, and the question of how to save them is controversial. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson has made a bold proposal to save the species by getting rid of four...

People in the House gallery listen as state representatives vote to extend the 2021 legislative session with a recess. House members must now reconvene before the end of the year. (Darin Oswald / Idaho Statesman ) The Idaho Legislature shortly reconvened ( without passing any new bills ) this week, ending a legislative session that began in January. But the House did vote to censure one of their o...

(Ada County Highway District) Pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities increased by almost 51% between 2009 and 2018, according to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. More than 7,000 pedestrians and bicyclists are killed in crashes each year in the United States. Idaho Matters talks with Idaho Walk Bike Alliance Executive Director Cynthia Gibson, safety advocate Courtney Wyatt and her son Ma...

Listen to the songs that make television so great. (shaunl / iStock) For many the holiday season is about to officially begin, with the arrival of Thanksgiving. To help get us in the spirit of the celebration, Boise State Public Radio Morning Edition host George Prentice joins Idaho Matters to give his movie and TV recommendations.

( Idaho Department of Health and Welfare) Children ages 5-11 are able to get vaccinated, prompting questions about masking in Idaho schools. Meanwhile, COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalizations are still high in Idaho, but state health officials say they are declining. Those trends are starting to relieve some pressure on our state’s healthcare providers, which remains in crisis standards of care...

(James Dawson / Boise State Public Radio) The legislature reconvened Monday to debate a long list of bills. The common theme among these bills? Challenging federal and employer COVID-19 vaccine requirements. Idaho Matters talks with Boise State Public Radio News reporter James Dawson to learn what's going on at the statehouse, and how long this extra minutes session may last.

(Ulf Andersen ) Boise is home to one of the most accomplished living novelists in the U.S. Anthony Doerr’s new book “Cloud Cuckoo Land” comes after he won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel “All the Light We Cannot See” in 2015. Idaho Matters talks with Doerr about his expansive and ambitious new book, which is set in part in a fictional Idaho town.

(James Dawson / Boise State Public Radio) Catching up on the news of the week? Idaho Matters has your back. Listen to the Reporter Roundtable to find out what you might have missed. Our reporter panel: Melissa Davlin, Idaho Public Television Don Day, Boise Dev Clark Corbin, Idaho Capital Sun Betsy Russell, Idaho Press

If you believe in fate or serendipity, a new book by New York Times bestselling author Sophie Cousens's new book "Just Haven't Met You Yet" could be up your alley. Idaho Matters talks with the author to learn more.

Idaho has the second highest rate of accidental child drownings in the nation, ranking only behind Florida according to the CDC. And that’s one of the main reasons why the Greater Boise Aquatic Foundation was started: to address the critical need for water safety in our state. Idaho Matters talks with foundation organizer to learn more.

Leah Lefkove, 9, shows off her vaccination sticker just before being the first child to be vaccinated at the Viral Solutions vaccination and testing site in Decatur, Ga., on the first day COVID-19 vaccinations were available for children from 5 to 12 on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. The U.S. enters a new phase Wednesday in its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, with shots now available to millions of eleme...

Family members of missing and murdered indigenous women in Montana gather in front of the state Capitol in Helena, Mont., Wednesday, May 5, 2021. They received colorful shawls in a traditional Native American ceremony called "wiping away of tears." From Washington to Indigenous communities across the American Southwest, top government officials, family members and advocates gathered Wednesday as p...

A now hiring sign for a vehicle mechanic is displayed outside a Conoco station Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in central Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) (David Zalubowski/AP / AP) Idaho will honor the service of local veterans on Thursday, which is Veterans Day. In advance of that we wanted to learn about an organization that’s sole focus is veterans. The Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce is a nonprof...

Election results, higher education enrollment details, campaign finance issues for the May primary and much more are on tap for this Idaho Matters Reporter Roundtable. Our journalist panel today: Kelcie Moseley-Morris, Idaho Capital Sun Kevin Richert, Idaho Education News Margaret Carmel, Boise Dev