Idaho Matters

(Cosmos Photo / Flickr) Across the country, animal shelters are finding themselves in need of support as they continue to deal with overcrowding, a problem that many pet rescues in Idaho are familiar with. Tackling the issue can be hard, though, especially if you don’t have enough resources or volunteers. Which is why one organization is working to connect the community with local rescue groups at...

(Dawn Evans / Flickr) NPR is spending this week looking at climate solutions and how food and agricultural systems are tackling climate pollution and adapting to a changing planet. So Idaho Matters wanted to bring together a panel of local farmers and organizations implementing climate-smart practices in the Gem State. Specifically, we wanted to know how they are adapting to changes in climate and...

This colorized electron microscope image shows avian influenza A virus (bird flu) particles, red/yellow, grown in cultured cells. (CDC, NIAID via AP) (AP / CDC, NIAID) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a new human case of avian influenza has been reported in the state of Missouri. And here in Idaho, we are seeing a rise in whooping cough. Dr. David Pate , former CEO of S...

Leslie Hagenstein indicates where the New Fork River flows through her property on Mar. 27, 2024. She signed up for a program that pays her to pause irrigation on her land in order to save Colorado River water. Some experts say the System Conservation Pilot Program, or SCPP, is costly and may not be the most effective way to save Colorado River water. (Alex Hager / KUNC ) Wyoming native Leslie Hag...

Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director for the Center for Biological Diversity, finds a small cluster of Carson Valley monkeyflowers outside of Carson City, Nev., on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Kaleb Roedel / Mountain West News Bureau ) It’s a sun-soaked afternoon in Carson City, Nev., and Patrick Donnelly is walking down a brush-covered slope between a highway and a large shopping center. Just over a...

NASA astronaut Steve Swanson, Expedition 37 backup crew member, attired in a Russian Sokol launch and entry suit, takes a break from training in Star City, Russia to pose for a portrait. (Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center / Flickr) Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit space? Well, Dr. Steve Swanson has a pretty good idea. He's been there three times, serving different missions, on...

( Canva) 2024 marks a historic election year. In November, voters will decide the future of our country for the next four years, as well as many key state and local races. Because it’s a presidential election year, there’s been a lot of focus on not just who gets elected but also on how our election system works at both a national and local level. To answer the questions that have come up this ele...

(<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/schill/">Scott Schiller</a> / Flickr) Giving the environment a voice is something that has motivated Aparna Dial. She’s the Senior Director of Facilities, Engineering and Sustainability for the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. OSU has a huge footprint—29,000 employees and 65,000 students — and a medical center complex that uses a huge...

Are you planning to watch the debate Tuesday between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris? How do you feel about the candidates? That’s a question that scientists who study human behavior would really like to answer. But you can’t measure feelings ... or can you? Dr. Paul Bolls of the Murrow College of Communications at Washington State University will spend tonight measu...

(Robert Val / Flickr) This episode of Idaho Matters originally aired on September 11, 2023. NPR is spending this week looking at climate solutions, and as part of this series, we'll be bringing you stories on our climate throughout the week. When it comes to learning about climate change, there’s lots of information out there. And figuring out how to address the problem can be overwhelming, especi...

Farmer Melissa Gilbert (left) and therapist Caitlyn Wallace lead climate cafes in Reno, Nev., where people can share their feelings about the effects of human-caused climate change. (Kaleb Roedel / Mountain West News Bureau ) It’s a Saturday morning on a small urban farm tucked into a residential neighborhood in Reno, Nev., and Melissa Gilbert, holding a dark gray meditation bowl, is standing in f...

Water levels in Lake Powell are at record lows as the Colorado River is strained by climate change and steady demand. But as the nation's second-largest reservoir recedes, its making way for thriving ecosystems. Alex Hager with KUNC in Northern Colorado tagged along with a team of scientists trying to figure out what's coming back.

A wooden gavel. (<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/115595130@N03/">Paul and Kami McGuire</a> / Flickr) Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s challenge to the open primaries ballot initiative has been denied, hormone therapy will remain available to inmates for now, Chad Daybell's home is now owned by a nonprofit and an update on the FTC's case against Kroger and Albertsons. It’s...

Idaho's Muffy Davis was a torch bearer at the 2024 Paralympic Summer Games in Paris ( Muffy Davis, International Paralympic Committee) Muffy Davis has been an Idaho public servant for a while now – as an Idaho House representative and as the current Chair of the Blaine County Commission . But much of the rest of the world knows her as a gold medal-winning Paralympian in the summer and winter games...

(<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/torgheledentistry/">Torghele Dentistry</a> / Flickr ) When we think about taking care of our health, dental hygiene isn't usually the first thing that comes to mind, but as it turns out, it plays a big role in our overall wellbeing. One program is offering free dental care to elementary and middle schools throughout the state. For more than a dec...

Boise Fire Department Captain Jesse Clark and his daughter Blakely. ( Jesse Clark) First responders can face huge obstacles on the job, both physical and mental, that can take a big toll on both mind and body, and it can be hard to find the resources they need to cope. A new movement called Forging Wellness provides those physical and mental resources to first responders in the Treasure Valley and...

(<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/102849594@N07/">Kenny Simpson</a> / Flickr) Fall can mean a lot of things, but in terms of what to watch, it's football, good tv plenty of movie recommendations! Resident movie critic and Morning Edition host George Prentice joined Idaho Matters to give us an update on What to Watch.

A health worker administers a polio vaccine to a child at a hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip. (Abdel Kareem Hana / AP) As the Israel-Hamas war rages on, the World Health Organization and Palestinian health authorities are working together to vaccinate Palestinians for polio. Gaza recently reported its first case of polio in 25 years in a 10-month-old boy whose leg is now paralyzed. As...

(<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/134507614@N08/">Vicki Lares</a> / Flickr) The campaign for the United States head of government is in its final push as people get ready to vote for our nation's 47th president. This Thursday, Dr. David Adler, President of the Alturas Institute, will be hosting another Constitutional Conversation, and he joined Idaho Matters for a preview.

The 9/11 Miles of Remembrance Run event kicks off at 5:00 pm on September 11th. ( Mission43) Next week, communities around the country will come together in honor of those lost during the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Among those paying their respects will be Mission43, an organization that helps service members adjust to life after the military. They'll be hosting their annual 9/11 Miles of Remembra...

A photo from the stage play, "<i>The Nisei Paradox." </i> ( Idaho Public Television) We’ve heard many stories of what happened after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, when more than 100,000 Japanese Americans were rounded up and sent to what were known then as relocation centers, including the Minidoka camp in eastern Idaho. However, one story you may not have...

A recent wish list delivery made to CATCH. ( CATCH) Last year, more than 200 families experiencing homelessness were able to find stable housing through CATCH . This year, the nonprofit is aiming to make the same impact, and part of that impact includes providing things like bedding, towels and dishes. Small things that make a house feel like home, and many of these items Catch is in desperate nee...

(Boise Art Museum / Facebook) If you're looking for art in downtown Boise, you won't have to search very hard. From murals to sculptures to traffic boxes—it's everywhere. This weekend there will be even more of it as Art in the Park kicks off its 70th year. Melanie Fales, Boise Art Museum's executive director, joins Idaho Matters to talk more about the popular event.

An orange sky descended on Stanley on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, as the Wapiti Fire burns west of town. (James Dawson / Boise State Public Radio ) A look at the fire near Stanley and how it's affecting the small mountain town, AG Raúl Labrador is being investigated by the Idaho State Bar, a possible black market hunting scheme has been uncovered in Twin Falls and an update on the Thomas Creech case...

Saalt Menstrual Cup & Saalt Period Underwear (Ampersand Studios / Saalt ) When it comes to period products, tampons are one of the most popular, being used by up to 80% of women here in the United States. Which should mean their safe, right? Following a recent study , the answer may be no. According to researchers, toxic metals, including lead and arsenic, have been found in 14 major brand...