Idaho Matters

(Idaho Statesman) There's a lot to cover this week on the Reporter Roundtable: Boise State Football will be competing this fall after all ( so it seems ), K-12 schools have seen their first death among an employee from COVID-19 as cases of the virus to the public remains opaque in many districts, and absentee ballots are being delayed in some parts of Idaho. Joining the Idaho Matters  to discuss a...

(Matthew Wordell / Treefort 2016)   Boise’s Treefort Music Festival is postponed until September 2020 . But while we wait, “Filmfort,” Treefort’s film festival, is hosting a mini fest this weekend .  While all of the films will be available to stream for free online this weekend, the main event, in partnership with the Flicks Theatre in downtown Boise, is – get this – in person!   Joining Idaho Ma...

(Katherine Jones / Idaho Statesman)   Alhough a lot of attention is paid to the growth Boise has seen in recent years, the prize for the fastest growing city in Idaho belongs to its neighbor to the west: Meridian. As family farms have turned into single family homes and retail space, the community's identity has shifted with the growth. Perhaps one of the best examples of the rapid change in Merid...

( Darin Oswald / Idaho Statesman)   As part of our "Growing Pains" series on Idaho Matters, today we’re looking west to Idaho’s fastest growing city: Meridian. What used to be a quiet bedroom community with homes spread out between family farms has become the second largest city in the state. Meridian has outpaced estimates and tripled in size in the last 20 years.  Mayor Robert Simison was electe...

(Michael Lycklama / Idaho Statesman)   As Meridian's population swelled in recent years, that’s created some challenges for what is now the largest school district in the state: the West Ada School District. Schools are overflowing with students while the district looks to taxpayer funded bonds and levies for support.    Idaho Matters talks with Idaho Press reporter Ryan Suppe who reported this su...

(Darin Oswald / Idaho Statesman) As the U.S. surpasses 200,000 deaths from COVID-19 with no signs of the pandemic coming to an end, Idaho Matters brings you medical experts to get us up to date on the latest regarding the virus and to answer your coronavirus questions.  If there's a question you'd like our panel of doctors to answer, send us an email at idahomatters@boisestate.edu. Today, our pane...

(Idaho Statesman) The Treasure Valley is a popular place to live these days , and the pace of new folks moving to the region is driving housing prices to new levels. At the same time, the need for new or improved schools, sewers, highways, fire departments and other services also grows. Those services are paid for by property taxes, which are on the rise in many parts of the valley. This perfect s...

(Katherine Jones / Idaho Statesman) We’re continuing our deep dive into property taxes in the Treasure Valley, and how this tax is contributing to the lack of affordable homes in the region. Previously, we talked about how much rising property values contribute to tax bills. But behind those numbers are individuals and families who live in the Treasure Valley, and who may be struggling to keep up...

(Darin Oswald / Idaho Statesman) When it comes to giving property tax relief to low-income or fixed income residents in the Treasure Valley, there's no easy solution. But according to Idaho Matters guests Margaret Carmel of BoiseDev and state Sen. Maryanne Jordan (D-Boise), there are several ideas worth considering. As part of our three-part conversation on this issue, we're exploring a few of the...

(Darin Oswald / Idaho Statesman)   The Treasure Valley is a popular place to live these days. With a relatively low cost of living, access to recreation in Idaho’s great outdoors and a metro with new food, arts and entertainment options every year— it’s no surprise why folks are flocking to the region. But while the population grew by 21.5% since 2010 , pitched arguments about how to manage growth...

(Darin Oswald / Idaho Statesman)   We hear it all the time: houses in the Treasure Valley getting snapped up with cash offers as a line of people compete for the home. Seniors struggling with rising property taxes as young professionals are priced out of the market, while low income wage earners can't pay their rent. What's going on, and what can be done to fix the problem in the Boise metro?   As...

(Eric Risberg / AP Photo)   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 management Felice Klein joins Idaho Matters today...

(Samantha Wright / Boise State Public Radio) The non-profit “ Friends of the Boise Public Library ” has been selling donated books to raise money for library projects for the last 50 years. “The Friends” as they’re known, have been renting more than 11,000 square feet in a warehouse next to the downtown Library to store, sort and sell the 30 boxes of donated books they get every day, all year, eve...

(Sawtooth National Forest / X) Fires in Oregon, Washington and California have blanketed the northwest in smoke . We're also six months into the coronavirus pandemic.  On today's Idaho Matters Reporter Roundtable, Boise State Public Radio News's Rachel Cohen , BoiseDev's Don Day and Idaho Public Television's Bill Manny join to talk about these headlines and more, including CenturyLink's new plan ,...

(Charles Sykes / Invision/AP)   Latino USA is an award-winning public radio show led by journalist Maria Hinojosa, which is celebrating its 25th year as an hour-long program. Boise State Public Radio is proud to announce we’re adding Latino USA to our lineup.  Starting this Saturday, September 19, you’ll be able to hear the show Saturdays at 6 p.m. right here on Boise State Public Radio. Maria Hin...

(Ted S. Warren / AP Images)   This interview originally aired Apr. 23, 2020.   Almost as soon as COVID-19 was identified as a unique threat caused by a particular strain of the coronavirus, researchers around the world got to work. From finding a way to test for the presence of the the virus, to finding a vaccine that will prevent the disease, there’s much researchers have already learned and stil...

(David Goldman / AP Images)   The coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll, not just on people’s physical health, but also their mental health. For some people, long-term planning or routine tasks that were easier last year are now road blocks that are hard to get around. Others are suddenly overly focused on cleaning or washing their hands.   Boise State Public Radio reporter James Dawson spoke with...

( Boise Public Library)   The Boise Library’s Comic Arts Festival has become an annual tradition over the last eight years. But this year, like so many events, the summer event has been reformatted.  Daily Dungeons and Dragons games this week lead up to the main event Saturday, Sept. 19 where panelists and presenters will share about their comic art and how the industry has been affected by COVID-...

(Ross D. Franklin / AP Images) While Idaho has reported a week of relatively consistant new daily case numbers, that number is still in the hundreds each day. Today, a panel of Idaho medical experts join Idaho Matters  to talk about this and other trends, and to answer your listener questions about COVID-19.  Today's panel is:  Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke's Health Systema and a current...

(Boise Parks & Recreation / via Facebook)   As the coronavirus forced people inside this spring and asked them to isolate themselves at home, in some case from loved ones and friends, experts across the country raised concerns about the possible mental health crisis to come. In Idaho, pre-existing rates of suicide put folks here on high alert for an increase in anxiety, depression and other di...

(screenshot / via AirNow)   For folks in the fire science world, the smoke that has engulfed most of the western United States is not surprising. As climate change, years of poor forest management and home development practices come to a head, this could be the new normal in the West. But what no one could predict before 2020 was how a global pandemic would exacerbate the health effects of wildfir...

(screenshot / via Downtown Boise Association)   Even though downtown Boise is made up of brick and mortar buildings, it’s the people and their stories who make up the the atmosphere and personality of downtown. And that’s the vision behind "Upside Downtown," a new project from the Downtown Boise Association to highlight the business owners and residents of downtown.   Joining Idaho Matters live to...

(Discovery Center of Idaho / via Facebook)   After being closed for months due to the pandemic, the Discovery Center of Idaho is back open, and museum leaders say their featured King Tut exhibit is a must see. Discovery Center Education Director Emily Mahon joins Idaho Matters to tell us more about how to keep learning during the pandemic.     Have a question or comment for the show? Tweet  @KBSX9...

(Margaret Carmel / Boise Dev)   As wages in Boise struggle to keep pace with rising rent costs and businesses lay off more employees due to COVID-19, more people are facing homelessness. Some are seeking shelter in their recreation vehicles and campers. That issue has come into sharper focus as the pandemic has changed how and where folks experiencing homelessness spend their days and nights. Bois...

(Steve Helber / AP Images)   Grassroots voter engagement organization What the Vote Idaho was started by friends Chris Stokes and Nancy Viano. They wanted to figure out how to get high school and college students to vote. They've registered 5,200 young people in advance of the November 3 election. Now with the election less than two months away, they're making a final push to get as many young eli...