Idaho Matters

(iStockphoto) The World Health Organization is reporting there's an upswing in diphtheria cases due to under vaccination. Dr. David Pate , former CEO of St. Luke's Health System, joined Idaho Matters to talk more about this as well as other public health concerns.

The Idaho Senate gathers in the Statehouse in Boise, Idaho. (Keith Ridler / AP) The 2024 Idaho Legislative Session came to an end on Wednesday. And as lawmakers wrap up the states business for another year, our Morning Edition host George Prentice sat down with Rep. Brooke Green (D-Boise) for her take on what did and did not happen during the session, some of which was very personal for her.

(Kultura PR International LLC / Tri-Digital Group ) The new documentary " Code Red: Diaries of Madness " will be premiering Friday, April 12 to audiences across the country. The film follows Idaho native Cristy "Code Red" Nickles as she prepares to make her comeback in the world of competitive bodybuilding after nearly 20 years away from the stage. Nickles joined Idaho Matters to talk more about t...

( City of Good ) City of Good is a Boise-based nonprofit that works to build a sustainable food system by supporting local food producers as well as making sure there is equitable access to local food for everyone. Now, it has opened a restaurant. Britt Udesen, executive director of the City of Good, joined Idaho Matters to talk more.

Chad Daybell, left, sits with his defense attorney John Prior during his preliminary hearing in St. Anthony, Idaho, on Tuesday, August 4, 2020. (Joan Roark / Pool/Associated Press) A jury has been picked for the Chad Daybell murder trial. The pool of 50 people was whittled down to 12 jurors and six alternates who will sit through the two-month death penalty trial for the man accused of killing his...

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump. (Paul Sancya / AP) Former President Donald Trump has a blueprint for his transition back into the Oval Office if he wins the election in November, and it's called Project 2025. What is this project, and what would it do? Dr. David Adler, a constitutional scholar and president of the Alturas Institute , joined Idaho Matters to help an...

( Dance for Parkinson's Idaho) Each Monday afternoon, a special group of dancers gather in downtown boise for an hour of music and movement. And while the participants of this class are not training to be on stage, they are working towards something important: a renewed connection with their bodies. Something that many people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease feel they lose. Which is why the inst...

(Marco Saccardi / Flickr ) Boise is known as the City of Trees, and despite being in a desert, it has a fairly substantial urban forest. More and more researchers are finding that trees aren't just beautiful to look at: they also provide health benefits, from lowering blood pressure to helping babies grow and thrive. And cities and companies are working together to create healthier environments by...

Idaho's Superintendent of Public Instruction has been watching the Idaho legislature closely this year as lawmakers consider giving public schools a giant chunk of the state budget. Debbie Critchfield is in her second year as the head of Idaho's public K–12 school system, and now that the legislature is wrapping up, she's about to go on a statewide tour to talk with school officials about educatio...

Last year, we introduced you to a rom-com novel called "Best Men," which explored what it was like for one gay man looking for love in New York City. The book was met with much-deserved buzz, being featured on Good Morning America, the Today Show, and Bravo's Watch What Happens Live. Now Sidney Karger is back with his latest novel, " The Bump ," which comes out on May 21, and he joined Idaho Matte...

The Idaho state flag hangs in the State Capitol in Boise, Idaho. (Kyle Green / AP) OB-GYNs are leaving Idaho , the legislature has passed a bill restricting access to certain books in libraries, lawmakers have approved a new transportation budget and immigration law could be changing in Idaho. It’s Friday, which means it's time for our Reporter Roundtable when Idaho Matters gets you up to date on...

Nick Troiano is founding executive director of Unite America and author of The Primary Solution. ( George Prentice, Unite America) Idaho is inching toward another primary season. But that also means an election that is defined, in large part, by who’s inside and who’s outside. The “closed” GOP primary means a good many Idahoans don’t participate in who might end up governing the Gem State. That sa...

(National Cancer Institute / Unsplash) In February, a company called "Change Healthcare" was hit by a cyberattack . We hear about companies getting hit by hackers every day and it often becomes background noise because we aren't always directly affected. But the Washington Post has reported that as many as 50 percent of the medical claims in the U.S. go through Change Healthcare, including claims...

Bubbie holding Adam's hand and looking at photos (Getting Better Shots / Flickr) Dealing with the loss of a loved one is never easy, even when you know it's coming. And it can be even harder when you're the one leaving people behind. Which is why some families choose to enlist the help of a death doula, a person who provides guidance and support for those facing their final moments. While this rol...

(Jessica Robinson / Northwest News Network) Each winter, the sport of skijoring brings lots of money and visitors to small communities in our region. But this all depends on snow, and this year, it's been tricky. Wyoming Public Radio's Caitlin Tan reports for the Mountain West News Bureau.

(ciaraanicolee / Flickr) There are some new movies out in theaters; we'll tell you what's worth checking out and what to avoid, plus one of TV's best comedies is signing off for the last time. Resident movie critic George Prentice joins Idaho Matters to help us figure out What to Watch.

FILE - In this May 22, 2001, file photo, a worker moves children's play equipment away from a watch tower and off the property of the former headquarters of the neo-Nazi Aryan Nations, near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Nearly two decades after the compound was demolished, far-right extremists are maintaining a presence in the Pacific Northwest. White nationalism has been on the rise across the U.S., but...

(Frankie Barnhill / Boise State Public Radio) Now that the days are getting warmer, hiking trails are opening back up in the Boise Foothills. So, as more people start to spend time outside, we thought we'd invite David Gordon, the Ridge to Rivers Trail Manager, to tell Idaho Matters about the popular recreation spots that are once again accessible.

(Michael_McCullough / Flickr Creative Commons) The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed the detection of a highly pathogenic avian influenza in an Idaho dairy herd. Cows at a Cassia County Dairy operation started experiencing symptoms shortly after the farm received a shipment of cattle from an operation in Texas, where cows there later tested positive. Dr. David Pate,  the former CEO of S...

Executive Admin from the Idaho Black Community Alliance. (Andrea Dixey / IBCA) Last Friday, a group of people gathered in Meridian to help support and uplift black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in Idaho. The occasion was the grand opening of a new community space by the Idaho Black Community Alliance . We wanted to know more about the space and the Alliance, so we asked Trish Walker, the CEO...

FILE - In this May 22, 2001, file photo, a worker moves children's play equipment away from a watch tower and off the property of the former headquarters of the neo-Nazi Aryan Nations, near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Nearly two decades after the compound was demolished, far-right extremists are maintaining a presence in the Pacific Northwest. White nationalism has been on the rise across the U.S., but...

The total solar eclipse from 2017. (Mark Teufel / Flickr) Next week, millions of people across the country will be cast in the moon's shadow during the total solar eclipse . A celestial event that the United States won't experience again for nearly 20 years. Brian Jackson , Associate Professor for the Department of Physics at Boise State University, joined Idaho Matters to talk more about what to...

Chad Daybell sits during a court hearing, Aug. 4, 2020, in St. Anthony, Idaho. (John Roark/AP / Pool The Idaho Post-Register) It's been almost five years since two eastern Idaho children went missing and were later found burned and buried on the property of Chad Daybell. Now his trial has begun .  Daybell is accused of killing seven-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow,his sister Tylee Ryan and his ex-wife...

The Idaho Senate gathers in the Statehouse in Boise, Idaho. (Keith Ridler / AP) Did lawmakers at the Idaho legislature violate open meetings laws ? That’s the question swirling around the Statehouse after an impromptu and unannounced meeting of some of the members of the powerful budget writing committee last Thursday, March 28. It’s a joint committee, meaning lawmakers from both the House and Sen...

Mark and Maggie O'Connor ( Maia Rosenfeld) For nearly his whole life, Mark O'Connor has been playing music. Except for Prince, he was the youngest artist to ever sign a recording contract with Warner Brothers and went on to win three Grammys and become a seven-time CMA musician of the year. Now he makes music with his wife Maggie, who plays violin, and picked up a Grammy playing bluegrass with the...