Idaho Matters

(Darin Oswald / Idaho Statesman) The Mountain West is growing at a rapid rate. We know this firsthand in Idaho , as more and more people move here to experience what the Gem State has to offer. But with growth comes conflict. The Mountain West News Bureau is exploring this issue in their new podcast called “Facing West.” Reporter and host Nate Hegyi took a cross-state bike ride earlier this fall,...

(The New York Times) This interview originally aired July 27, 2020. “The Daily” is a five day a week audio show from the New York Times. It’s heard by more than two million listeners each week and carried by more than 200 public radio stations. It began as a podcast that launched after the 2016 election. Boise State Public Radio began airing "The Daily" Monday-Thursdays at 6:00 p.m . Idaho Matters...

(St. Luke’s Health System) With record breaking numbers of new COVID-19 cases and fatalities, Idaho is in the worst phase of the pandemic so far. The coronavirus is having an effect on all aspects of life. Even if you or your loved ones never get sick with COVID, there's no way to avoid the economic, political and public health effects in Idaho.  Joining today's  Idaho Matters Reporter Roundtable...

(John Kelly / Boise State University) This interview originally aired Oct. 15, 2020. When the pandemic hit in March, businesses suffered. And all those people who were going to start new jobs or internships were suddenly left hanging. But Boise State’s College of Business and Economics saw an opportunity. They’re matching students with local nonprofits and small businesses for internships supporte...

(Emilie Ritter Saunders / Boise State Public Radio) It’s official: more registered voters turned out to vote this year than in any general election since 1980 . 81.2% of registered voters cast their ballots, which totals more than 878,000 people in Idaho.  In a year where Indigenous voters helped swing the election for President-elect Joe Biden, Idaho Matters talks with Dakota Kidder about her exp...

We are about nine weeks away from a new president taking office in the U.S., and many leading experts concerns that our democracy is vulnerable. Larry Diamond is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford and he will be the keynote speaker at Friday’s Frank Church Institute’s Annual Conference. Diamond joins Idaho Matters to talk more about the fragility of our democracy. As COVID-19 ca...

( Ed Cannady / Idaho Salmon Partnership) This interview originally aired on Sept. 3, 2020. North of Ketchum and south of Stanley is a large alpine lake full of cobalt blue water. The beauty of Pettit Lake is stunning, but under the water lies a long and deep struggle for the survival of Snake River sockeye salmon. In August, nine of the endangered fish returned to Pettit to spawn, marking a bright...

(Saint Alphonsus Hospital ) The Saint Alphonsus Festival of Trees has kicked off the holiday season in the Treasure Valley. However, just like so many things this year’s event is going to be experienced virtually .  Joining  Idaho Matters today to talk more about this year’s festival is Jill Aldape, the Saint Alphonsus Foundation Executive Director and Gary Raney, the foundation board president. ...

( Intermountain Healthcare) Idaho set new grim COVID-19 records Tuesday . Our state recorded 35 deaths and more than 1,400 lab confirmed cases of the virus. As our state basically continues a free fall into the worst phase of the pandemic, we gets answers to your questions about the disease and how to keep your family safe.  Physicians joining Idaho Matters this week:  Dr. David Pate, former CEO o...

(Darin Oswald / Idaho Statesman)   The pandemic, which could conceivably have brought our country together, has instead contributed to our growing political divides. According to a paper by the Brookings Institute , partisan affiliation is often the strongest single predictor of behavior and attitudes about COVID-19. Political affiliation is even more powerful than local infection rates or demogra...

(Carrie Quinney)   Between 1983 and 1997, dozens of women went missing across the Great Basin region. Some of them were found, but their murders to this day remain unsolved. In a tribute to these women whose bodies were found along roadsides, Boise State art professor Lily Lee created the “ Great Basin Murders ,” a collection of art now on exhibit at the Northeastern Nevada Museum in Elko. Lee joi...

(Boise Bicycle Project / Facebook)   It’s fair to say this has been a difficult year for all of us, perhaps especially for kids. The Boise Bicycle Project wants to make sure that children in need still get a magical holiday season with the annual BBP Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway. Jimmy Hallyburton is the founder of BBP and is joining Idaho Matters live today to talk how they’re planning on pulling o...

(Wish Granters via Facebook)   The Wish Granters foundation began in Idaho 2010 as a way to help terminally-ill adults. Similar to the Make a Wish Foundation, Wish Granters helps make end-of-life requests happen, but for those over age 18. This Idaho organization is growing by the year and while their fundraising efforts were thrown off by the pandemic, they have plans to expand into more Idaho co...

(Andrew Harnik / AP Photo)   Since election night almost two weeks ago, some folks in the national media are pointing to what they see as a surprising turn toward President Donald Trump among the Latino population. The “ Latino vote ” is a refrain used by political pundits, polling experts and journalists.   But what is the “Latino vote?” Is it even accurate to use this phrase? What are we missing...

(Darin Oswald / Idaho Statesman )   As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on into its ninth month, the recession that comes with it continues to create economic uncertainty for many Idahoans. Just like in previous recessions, people who were already struggling to pay the bills are feeling the worst economic pain.  According to a  new report  from the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy, nearly half of househo...

(Eric Risberg / AP Photo)   This interview originally aired Sept. 21, 2020. Dollar for dollar, American women make a fraction of what men make in the workplace. But lower pay is not the only thing that affects the financial security of women. According  to new research,  equity based awards are given out differently to female employees at tech startups. Boise State University professor of business...

(St. Luke's Health System) COVID-19 continues to ravage the state of Idaho, with climbing hospitalizations and deaths . At the same time, local and state government officials are struggling to get folks to follow mask mandates where they do exist and encourage mask use where they are not required .  That's the big topic today on the Idaho Matters Reporter Roundtable with Boise State Public Radio's...

(Lynda Giddens / Flickr Creative Commons) For over 25 years, the Boy Scouts of America have been hosting a holiday food drive called “Scouting for Food." Now in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the drive looks a little different. But the Idaho Foodbank is still counting on the scouts to continue their annual tradition and bring in a bunch of donated food.  Joining Idaho Matters to talk about th...

(Andrew Harnik, Pool / AP Photo) Last Saturday, history was made as Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) became the first woman to become Vice President-elect. When the Biden presidency begins in January, she will also be the first Black and South-Asian person to occupy that position. Joining Idaho Matters to talk about the political and social context leading up to this moment is Boise State Universi...

(Lauren McLean / via Facebook) Local officials across the country are continuing to battle the health and economic fallout from COVID-19. In Boise, Mayor Lauren McLean was just two months into her tenure when Idaho had its first confirmed case of the coronavirus. Our Morning Edition host George Prentice spoke with Mayor McLean this week about the pandemic, her hopes for a statewide mask mandate, t...

(Alexa Rose Foundation / via Facebook)   Every year, the Alexa Rose Foundation awards over $100,000 in small grants to local Treasure Valley artists, many early in their careers. New this year, the nonprofit has created a fellowship to sponsor established local artists. The foundation just announced two recipients who each recieved $25,000 in the inaugural year of the fellowship.  One of the recip...

(Rick Bowmer / AP Photo) Idaho set records again this week with number of new daily coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. Now, hospitals across the state are turning patients away, as the bed shortage here and in neighboring states is realized.  Joining Idaho Matters live today to talk about the real danger of our current situation are: Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke's Health System and...

(Rick Bowmer / AP) As COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the Mountain West, Utah’s Governor Gary Herbert reversed course Sunday night and imposed a statewide mask mandate. Meanwhile  in Idaho , we hit a new record of daily confirmed cases Monday, bringing Idaho’s total case count to almost 64,000. Idaho medical experts are urging a statewide approach as hospitals reach capacity . To top it of...

(Boise State Esports / via Twitter (@eSportsBSU)) Esports, or competitive video gaming, is taking off at universities worldwide. And Boise State University's own varsity team is no different. Even as some remain skeptical about the legitimacy of the sport, Boise State’s Esports team continues to grow, play in big conferences and rack up awards.  Doc Haskell is the head coach for the Boise State Es...

(Idaho Women's Business Center / Facebook) Many people have heard the term 'crowdfunding.' But what is it and how can it help businesses and entrepenuers in Idaho, especially during the COVID economy? Joining Idaho Matters live today to talk more about this are Kathleen Minogue, founder and CEO of Crowdfund Better and Sayrd Iverson, the Director of the Idaho Women’s Business Center.  Have a questi...