Idaho Matters

(Julochka / Flickr) COVID-19 has upended many sectors of the economy in Idaho, including the food industry. But before the pandemic there wasn’t a trade association that represented all aspects of this sector — from farmers and ranchers, to food and beverage producers — to independent restaurants and bars. That’s how FARE Idaho came to be. The group’s goal is to advocate on behalf of almost 200 fo...

( Spacebar Arcade) Small and mid-sized businesses in the U.S. have felt a disproportionate impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. In Idaho, numerous small businesses have had to close permanently. However, there are programs available to help small businesses rebound. Idaho Matters checks in with Will Hay and Zach Rowland who own Spacebar Arcade in downtown Boise, along with Gina Bessire who manages Z...

This map shows the April 2021 snow picture in southern Idaho, which shows variance across different basins as a percent of median from a 30 year period. ( Natural Resources Conservation Service) As we make the turn in the seasons toward warmer months, Idaho’s current snowpack can help us better predict what’s in store for us this summer. Water scientists measure mountain snow around the state to h...

(via Facebook / Ridge to Rivers) If you’re planning to walk or bike some trails in Boise's Hulls Gulch, you’ll have to check the calendar first. Starting Wednesday, some Boise Foothills trails will alternate either days or directions between hikers and bikers. For example, on odd numbered days the Lower Hulls Gulch Trail Number 29 will be closed to all but downhill bike traffic. Sound confusing? I...

( Spacebar Arcade) Small and mid-sized businesses in the U.S. have felt a disproportionate impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. In Idaho, numerous small businesses have had to close permanently. However, there are programs available to help small businesses rebound. Idaho Matters checks in with Will Hay and Zach Rowland who own Spacebar Arcade in downtown Boise, along with Gina Bessire who manages Z...

FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2018, file photo, protesters gather at the Grand Park in Los Angeles for a Women's March against sexual violence and the policies of the Trump administration. As the #MeToo movement marks the third year since it received global recognition, movement founder Tarana Burke is working to make sure it remains inclusive and reclaims its original intent: A focus on marginalized vo...

Idaho’s higher education budgets are in limbo as lawmakers debate whether or not things like social justice and critical race theory should be taught at colleges and universities. As the Gem State’s four-year colleges and universities wait to see what will happen to their budgets, Idaho’s community colleges have quietly taken a back seat to the drama and as their budgets have already been approved...

(Peter Lovera / Treefort Music Fest) Last week, Boise’s Treefort Music Fest announced 369 bands and musical acts set to play the event this September. It’s been a very tough period for musicians and live events. After Treefort cancelled their March 2020 event due to COVID-19, last week's announcement gave indie music lovers in the Treasure Valley something to look forward to soon. But the pandemic...

The Idaho House of Representatives debates House Bill 135 Wednesday, April 21, 2021after Gov. Brad Little vetoed the legislation that would curb the Governor’s emergency powers. (Darin Oswald / Idaho Statesman) The 2021 Idaho legislative session has passed the 100 day mark , the state sets a lofty COVID-19 vaccination goal, sharply rising lumber costs contribute to Boise's housing squeeze, and an...

Time flies when you're telling Idaho stories! Idaho Matters is celebrating three years of broadcasting on Boise State Public Radio. Thanks to everyone who has ever shared their story with us, and to all our listeners who engage with us online and on-air. We wouldn't be here without your support.

(BES Photo / Flickr Creative Commons) Idaho’s need for youth mental health support is extensive, and it’s even more urgent with COVID-19. However, access to this kind of support isn’t universal across our state. In fact, the Gem State is consistently ranked at the top of national lists for youth suicide and at the bottom when it comes to access to mental health care for youth. And that was before...

Amy Pratt, a volunteer for Reclaim Idaho, gathers signatures by going door-to-door in Idaho Falls in October 2018 to encourage voters to expand Medicaid eligibility in Idaho. Social distancing measures are making the kind of campaigning needed for ballot measures nearly impossible. (James Dawson / Boise State Public Radio) On Saturday, Gov. Brad Little signed a bill into law that adds new rules to...

(Kirk Tubbs / Tubbs Berry Farm ) Bees and other pollinators are on the decline in southern Idaho. Idaho Matters is continuing our look at this issue with a special focus on bees and their importance to our ecosystem. Tubbs Berry Farm in Twin Falls is well-known for it's beekeeping, and we hear from owner Kirk Tubbs about the secrets to being a successful beekeeper.

A crowd gathers at George Floyd Square after a guilty verdict was announced at the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin for the 2020 death of Floyd, Tuesday, April 20, 2021, in Minneapolis. Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has been convicted of murder and manslaughter in the death of Floyd. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (Julio Cortez/AP / AP) After former Minneapolis p...

(Damian Dovarganes / AP Images) As folks in Idaho begin to look forward to summer vacations, two doctors weigh in on your questions about air travel, hotel stays and more. Plus: a recap of what we know about different COVID-19 variants and how they may affect vaccination efforts, and the doctors explain why people who have had the coronavirus should still get vaccinated. Doctors joining us today o...

(James Dawson / Boise State Public Radio) The far-right in Idaho is becoming mainstream. Groups like Ammon Bundy’s “People’s Rights” group have gained steam during the pandemic, using tactics including forcing their way into a special session of the legislature last August to protest COVID-19 restrictions. Meanwhile, far-right lawmakers in the statehouse are getting the thumbs up from the Idaho Fr...

Policing continues to be a major theme across our country. In Boise, City Council Pro Tem Lisa Sanchez is taking a leading role in that conversation. Sanchez spoke with our Morning Edition host George Prentice about how the city is approaching issues of trust and accountability.

(BumbleBCons / Flickr) Thursday is Earth Day and the Treasure Valley pollinator project is inviting everyone to talk about bees, weeds and citizen science in a Zoom workshop on Thursday. The project is from the Ada Soil and Water Conservation District, which wants to promote pollinator habitat in the Treasure Valley. That includes getting homeowners to put 64,000 flowering plants in their yards th...

(Seth Perlman / AP) The Idaho House voted last week to kill the K-12 budget, which includes a raise for teachers, far right conservatives lauded the move. Some Republicans are focused on rooting out what they say is social justice curriculum in Idaho schools. Kevin Richert with Idaho Education News reports this comes at the same time that measures have begun to emerge in other states limiting inst...

Have you heard of the long-billed curlew? It’s a native bird to Idaho, making its home in the grasslands of the state. But humans have altered their habitat so much that it’s all but gone, creating industrial challenges for the bird as it tries to adapt. Idaho Matters is featuring a special episode of the “Threatened” podcast from our friends at Bird Note, all about the struggling curlew.

(Joshua Lindgren - BSPR) The Idaho Legislature is nearing the 100-day mark, with much work still to be done and multiple bills addressing perceived 'social indoctrination' of Idaho students with liberal social justice ideology or critical race theory. Our Friday reporter roundtable discusses the various efforts to legislate content in schools, other statehouse news, street parking changes in Boise...

(Emilie Saunders / Boise State Public Radio ) Home prices in Boise continue to soar, pricing many buyers out of the market. Simultaneously, city leaders are concerned about an increase in family homelessness, and have set a goal of eliminating family homelessness in five years. How will they get there? Two people trying to meet this goal are Sara Busick and Jeanette Curtis of ‘Our Path Home,’ a pu...

(Adobe Stock / Adobe Stock) As of the morning of this post, more than 380,000 Idahoans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. While encouraging, Idaho still has a long way to go to meet its goal of vaccinating 80% of the population by September. Now that every person over the age of 16 is eligible to get the vaccine, will they choose to? A January report from the Kaiser Family Foundation suggests...

Learning to read is a foundational skill critical to success in school and life. Idaho’s Lee Pesky Learning Center created a pilot program to address students with bilingual learning needs at risk of being left behind as the pandemic altered education this year. The program, called Pathways to Literacy, is meant to support beginning readers who are latinx and english learners. Today’s guests: Evel...

(CREDIT MUYAMBI MUYAMBI / PROVIDED TO WYOMING PUBLIC MEDIA) Muyambi loved biking, so when his friends asked him to plan a cycling trip across his home country of Uganda he was thrilled. But challenges arose one late night when they had to get creative for dinner. From Wyoming Public Media's 'HumaNature' Podcast, Erin Jones shares his story.