Idaho Matters

When Treasure Valley kids cry "I'm bored," author Rick Just has the answers. Just will join us to talk about his new book, 'A Kid's Guide To Boise.'

(Ada County Sheriff’s Office) Idaho Statesman reporters Ruth Brown and Katy Moeller filed  stories about sexual abuse  in a Boise parish that goes back nearly 50 years. They join  Idaho Matters  on Monday to talk about the story.

( Discover McCall) The town of McCall, Idaho is looking to bolster its economy and facilitate responsible and sustainable growth models as residents pour into Idaho. We speak with Andrew Metzner of the West Central Mountains Economic Development Council and Steve Stuener of Cable One about using the region's outdoor attractions to encourage economic growth as well as preserving McCall's natural se...

(stock) Everybody is familiar with games like Monopoly, Sorry and Clue - but hundreds of new table top games hit the market every year and while the video game industry commands more than $36 billion in annual revenues, there is still a high demand for the type of table top games that have drawn families to the kitchen table for decades. We talk with Ken Sommerville, owner of the All About Games h...

For four years,  a group from Northwest Nazarene University has been using drones  to map out burn areas to aid firefighters and research the behavior and environmental impact of wildfires. This summer, the group led by NNU professor Dale Hamilton will use drones to create ariel photo-mosiacs of the Boise Basin and Boise National Forest to help archeolgists research the 150-year-old mining history...

We assemble our team of Idaho journalists to discuss the week's events in Boise, the Treasure Valley and beyond. This week we have Bill Manny of the  Idaho Statesman , Betsy Russell of the  Idaho Press-Tribune  and Kevin Richert of  Idaho Education News  join host Tom Michael.

(stock) Four Idaho women filed suit in federal court against the state's attorney general, secretary of state and director of Health and Welfare. At issue is a law that invalidates a woman's living will should she become pregnant. The plaintiffs allege this is a sexist law and point to other states where similar laws have been overturned. We discuss the case with Chelsea Gaona-Lincoln, one of the...

(lagoonpress.com) While most are drawn into theaters by movie posters , Caldwell's  Mike Kaplan  sees the art that exemplifies the period of the film, the emotions elicited by the filmmakers and the high achievement of the artists themselves. Kaplan joins Idaho Matters to discuss his collections and why these posters tell us much more than just a catch phrase and a cast.

(iStockphoto.com) Health experts are now finding  deleterius correlations between loneliness and human health . With advances in the virtual world, Americans are finding themselves increasingly isolated, creating cocoons of insularity. Studies link loneliness to increased levels of stress and inflammation - the kind that leads to diabetes and heart disease. Idaho Matters  discusses the physical an...

(Joe Raedle/Getty Images) In the wake of yet another school shooting, parents around the country are wondering how to discuss this topic with their children. Mass shootings have become a way of life, but the discussions are brand new. We look at ways of discussing this topic without cultivating terrified youth.

(Metro Community Services) Homebuyers are looking for something more practical than the 'McMansions' of the 2000s and tiny houses seem to be a viable solution to urban/suburban housing crunches. Small on the outside, roomy on the inside, affordable with a minimal carbon footprint, these houses are becoming the preferred option in growing communities like Boise's. We look at this trend and talk abo...

(birdsofpreyncapartnership.org) The  Birds of Prey NCA Partnership  is committed to "support the management and conservation of the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds Of Prey National Conservation Area through science, education, outreach, and partnerships." On Thursday's  Idaho Matters , we discuss efforts to preserve eagles, hawks, falcons and other native birds of prey.

(ILLINOIS REVIEW ) The organization  Save Idaho Horse Racing  wants to put historical horse racing machines at horse racing tracks. The machines allow the player to bet on the outcome of a randomly chosen race from the past, which is shown on the machine's screen. We discuss the state's inactive horse racing industry and how these machines might save it with Bruce Newcomb, chairman of Save Idaho H...

(thinkstock) The Better Business Bureau Northwest + Pacific warns if you see a housing rental ad that looks too good to be true - it probably is and it might steal your identity as well. Veronica Craker of the BBB joins  Idaho Matters  to parse out some of these scams, what to look for and what's at stake.

(BSPR) Every day, you drive by hundreds of businesses you've never stopped at, shopped at or (sometimes) even noticed. That's where we come in. From reptile markets to running groups, bead stores to bodegas, natatoriums to nude retreats,  You Know The Place  explores the Idaho stores, shops, clubs and pubs you always pass by, but never seem to visit. Podcast co-hosts Lacey Daley and Joel Wayne joi...

(City of Meridian) Meridian is the second-largest city in Idaho and  one of the fastest growing in the nation . Mayor Tammy de Weerd joins Idaho Matters to talk about how that community is handling the influx of residents.

(Boise State University) University of Idaho president Chuck Staben shocked  the educational community when he announced his resignation at the conclusion of the 2018-19 academic year. The presidents of the  state's three public universities  will all have departed within a year of each other. On Tuesday's Idaho Matters , we discuss the changing face of leadership in the Idaho secondary education...

(Institute for Local Self Reliance) High speed broadband net access is vital in today's culture. Businesses rely on it for supply, sales, research and promotion. It connects students to classrooms and educational opportunities unheard of just 20 years ago. On Tuesday's Idaho Matters , we discuss efforts to connect rural Idahoans via broadband.

(Treasure Valley Family YMCA) Meridian keeps growing and a new YMCA is opening  this month to provide healthy activities and modern facilities for young and old in Northwest Ada County. We talk about the amenities available at the new Y, called "The Hill."

(stock) Gemma Gaudette discusses the week's events with a roundtable of Idaho journalists including Kimberlee Kruesi of the  Associated Press-Idaho  and Kevin Richert of  Idaho Education News .

(Boise State University) Boise State University's Owen McDougal has been researching how acralymides develop in cooked foods. Acralymides can have carcinogenic effects on the human body and  in California, a judge recently ruled  coffee growers need to label the acralymide content of their beans.  Idaho Matters  will talk with McDougal about his work on acralymides and potatoes.  

(Magnolia Pictures | WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. | Universal Pictures | Disney / Lucasfilm) The theaters will be filled with action movies this summer - 'Solo,' 'Deadpool 2,' 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' and 'Oceans 8' will keep the lucrative franchises alive for another year and on Friday's  Idaho Matters  we talk with  Boise Weekly  film critic George Prentice about which films to pick a...

(BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO) The growth in the Treasure Valley can definitely be felt in Garden City and on Thursday, Garden City mayor John Evans joins Gemma Gaudette to talk about how his community is working to accommodate the influx of residents.

(AMANDA PEACHER / MOUNTAIN WEST NEWS BUREAU) Idaho Matters presents two pieces from " Faces Behind the Fires ," the Mountain West News Bureau's series about the people who work to put out wildfires - from the fireline to the support staff to the scientists. (NATE HEGYI / MOUNTAIN WEST NEWS BUREAU) Today, we hear about  a crew of Native American hotshots  from Yellowstone Public Radio's Nate Hegyi...

(Boise Bicycle Project ) The  Boise Bicycle Project  is spending the month of May encouraging kids to get on their bikes and explore their communities. The project manages  programs  that provide bikes for low income Idahoans and  teach bike maintainance  to all. The BBP also organizes rides for all levels and looks for opportunities to combine biking with community outreach. We talk with the Bois...