Idaho Matters

  Last year, the impact of COVID-19 was just starting to be felt in Idaho. People were staying at home, and everything from concerts to a night out at the theater was being cancelled. Many of them — like Boise Contemporary Theater — are built around having an audience. The Idaho Botanical Garden was one of many organiztions that had to cancel their fundraising events, leaving gigantic holes in the...

(Emilie Ritter Saunders / Boise State Public Radio) Idaho is preparing to vaccinate Latino farmworkers against COVID-19 while the state legislature confirms another lawmaker has tested positive for the disease. Plus, some new information about a complicated land swap proposal in McCall could make for an interesting land board meeting next week. Idaho Matters covers all this an more on this week's...

Since 2012, Pabst Blue Ribbon has added unique art to its cans of beer each year, with designs chosen in an annual contest. Last month, the beer company announced Boise artist Ashley Dryfus as the 2020 winner — she received a $10,000 prize, and her art will appear on 30 million cans later this year. Idaho Matters spoke with Dryfus to learn more about her illustrations.  

(FRANKIE BARNHILL / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO)   This year has been challenging for public school teachers navigating the pandemic. As the Idaho Legislature picks up speed in it’s final few weeks this session, we take a look at policy through the lens of educators.  The Idaho Education Association is calling attention to what they say is a lack of funding for public education and continued problems...

(Idaho State Historical Society )   If you’re ready to visit public places in person again, the Idaho Historical Society has a new exhibit opening Saturday, celebrating the “Trailblazing Women of Idaho.” The exhibition illustrates the stories of more than 100 Idaho women — including 20 living trailblazers. These women have influenced Idaho’s past, present, and future through their courage, creativ...

  Filmed by Bike is Portland’s famed bicycle themed festival is once again making a stop in Idaho. This time, it's virtual due to the continued COVID-19 pandemic. The festival will take place tomorrow, with the virtual showing being divided into two parts: bike love and adventure sports. The event is presented by the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance.   Idaho Matters checks in with Cynthia Gibson, the Exec...

  Poet Jasmine Mans caused a stir when a video of her performing her poem “ Footnotes for Kanye ” went viral on YouTube. Since then, she’s built a big following through live performances and is being featured in national ad campaigns for Ulta Beauty and Secret. Mans' new book, "Black Girl, Call Home" is inspired and informed by her own life and offers important perspective on the world we live in....

(David Zalubowski / AP Photo) Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Idaho. One year later, Idahoans are still dying and getting sick from the disease. But as the state opens up vaccine eligibility to more groups and the state's supply of doses increases, there is reason to hope. [ How Has Your Life Changed Since the Pandemic Began? ]  Idaho Matters spea...

  A global pandemic has a way of bringing our mortality into focus. How do we want our lives to go at the end of them? There’s an emerging profession that may help you and your family answer that question: death doulas. Idaho Matters spoke with the Mountain West News Bureau’s Madelyn Beck about her reporting on this topic.    

(Kyle Green / Idaho Statesman)   Last week the Idaho House killed a bill that would allow the State Board of Education to receive nearly $6 million in federal grants for early childhood education and child care. A group of mostly women protested this rejection and are trying to pressure the legislature to change their mind and accept the grant funding. But what kind of programs are dependent on th...

  Author Jill Santopolo’s first novel for adults called "The Light We Lost" struck a chord with readers around the world. It was a New York Times Bestseller, and it earned a spot as a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. Idaho Matters spoke with the author about her latest novel, "Everything We Lost," which is out now.    

(Frankie Barnhill / Boise State Public Radio)   Since 2004, the state of Idaho has lost eight cases involving a law passed by the legislature that was challenged for being unconstitutional. And at least one bill passed during last year’s session is currently in legal limbo. The fees for these court cases are paid by Idaho taxpayers through the Constitutional Defense Fund, which was created in 1995...

(Roam Yocham / Boise State Public Radio)   After Idaho House lawmakers rejected a $6 million federal grant to support child care and pre-k education last week, a group of mostly women gathered at the statehouse steps to protest. The measure failed by two votes last week, but it could be taken up again and passed through the legislature if enough lawmakers change their minds.   Emily Walton and Han...

  City Club of Boise recently celebrated 25 years of championing civil discourse in the Treasure Valley. The nonprofit, non-partisan organization was founded in the 1990s to bring community members together for civil and informative conversations on a broad range of topics: from politics, to arts and literature, to the environment. Since that time, the organization has embraced its motto that ‘[t]...

Idaho Statehouse Dome (Samantha Wright / Boise State Public Radio)   State lawmakers kill budgets, moms protest after a House Republicans rejected an early education fund, and the City of Boise is easing up on COVID-19 restrictions for some gatherings.  Idaho Matters  gets the rundown on these topics and more on this week's Reporter Roundtable.  Today's panel:  Melissa Davlin with Idaho Public Tel...

(Idaho Statesman)   Trying to buy a home in Idaho’s capital city is getting harder by the month. The Boise housing market was soaring pre-pandemic. Now? It feels like a runaway train that few are able to catch. As more and more homes approach prices never seen before in the region, the question of who exactly can afford to be a homeowner in the valley becomes more pressing.     Idaho Statesman rep...

  Beginning October 1, you will need a current U.S. passport, military identification, or some other form of federally accepted ID to board a commercial airline flight or access a federal building. Idaho officials are urging as many people as possible to update their drivers license to a "star card" so they won't be caught flat-footed when the new federal regulation goes into effect. ( Here's a ch...

  So many of us have made our living rooms into our “home theaters” during the pandemic. With so many streaming services, there’s plenty to choose from. But the question remains, what should you watch?  Our resident film and TV critic George Prentice is back with Idaho Matters to tell us what we need to know.    

  Many of us know the joy of opening up a book with our child, niece or grandkid and exploring a new story with them. But sharing a good book with a young person can also be done a community-wide basis. And although we can’t gather in-person as easily today, virtual reading communities can help fill that void.  That’s where “Turning Pages” comes in. It’s a new video project featuring Idaho adults...

(Intermountain Healthcare) As Idaho prepares to expand its vaccine availability to priority group 2.3, confusion and frustration persist over who qualifies for the shots. In this week's discussion with our panel of medical experts, we hear answers to your questions about COVID-19, the different vaccines, and why now is not the time for society to let down its guard. On the panel today:  Dr. David...

The country’s pandemic-induced recession and subsequent job losses have been hard on women. Particularly among Black and Latino working mothers, the number of women who have left the job market or reduced their hours is staggering. It's revealed lingering inequity in the home — and workplace. The December job numbers were especially brutal. M ountain West News Bureau reporter Maggie Mullen gets Id...

(Darin Oswald / Idaho Statesman)   A bill that would issue driving privileges to undocumented immigrants — and any Idahoan who doesn’t want the federal star card — is back at the statehouse this session. Under current Idaho law, if someone does not have documentation that proves they are a U.S. citizen, the person can’t get a driver’s license, register a vehicle, or get a vehicle insured. The bill...

  Public health has been the leading issue for the last year since COVID-19 first came to U.S. And for the 48 million Americans with hearing loss, this pandemic has its own set of challenges. To mark World Hearing Day, Idaho Matters speaks with Dr. Theresa Trimarco of Idaho Elks Hearing and Balance and patient Todd Daugherty.

(Boise State University)   Boise State University hired Jeramiah Dickey to lead the school’s athletic department late last year. Dickey came to Boise State after a leadership role at Baylor University in Texas.  Dickey spoke with our Morning Edition host George Prentice who began by asking him about BSU’s successful basketball season.   

  On March 13, 2020, the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported in Idaho. As we approach this grim anniversary, we want to hear from you.    How has your life changed in the last 12 months?   What lessons have you learned about yourself, your family, your community — your state?    What are you hopeful for today, and what keeps you up at night?   We want to hear your story. Leave us a voice...