Idaho Matters

Despite their best laid plans, the Idaho Legislature did not go home on Friday after some stumbling blocks, like the budget for the Idaho Transportation Department, which got shot down by lawmakers. So what happens now? Legislators plan to come back to the Statehouse Tuesday, April 2, and Idaho Matters sat down with political reporter James Dawson to find out more.

Last month, we learned that the popular Braun Brothers Reunion Festival would celebrate its 40th anniversary in Idaho in August. It was back in 1984 when Muzzie Braun and his wife launched the popular music festival, and it's been going strong for four decades. The festival started in Stanley, then moved to Challis, where every year the small town is inundated with over 3,000 fans of the brothers...

Child Abuse Prevention Pinwheel. (Phil Roeder / Flickr ) For the last 40 years, Child Abuse Prevention Month has been observed during April here in the United States. As today kicks off this month of awareness, Idaho Matters sat down with Roger Sherman, the Executive Director of the Idaho Children's Trust Fund , and Kim Hemmert, the Grants Manager for the trust fund, to talk more about the importa...

(timber1212 / Flickr) Though Idaho is still experiencing a bit of cold weather, the song of migrating birds is proof that spring is in the air. And as the days continue to get longer, we'll start to see more of these returning travelers in larger numbers. From cranes to swans to swallows, birds big and small are making their way back to the Gem State, some traveling thousands of miles—a journey th...

(iStockphoto) Postpartum Medicaid coverage has been extended, the Idaho Senate has passed an anti-racism resolution , there's an effort to limit special legislative sessions and the future of the IDT campus is still unknown. It’s Friday, which means it's time for our Reporter Roundtable when Idaho Matters gets you up to date on all the news that made headlines this past week. Our journalist panel...

Grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. (Kim Keating / USGS ) Idaho is considering its options after a federal court decision last week forcing the state to change its rules for wolf trapping over concerns that grizzly bears could be caught in the traps. Susanne Asha Stone, Director of the Idaho-based International Wildlife Coexistence Network, and Dallas Gudgell, Tribal Outreach and Environmen...

(Melodie Edwards / Wyoming Public Media) This story is part of our ongoing I Respectfully Disagree series. You can also hear a longer podcast version of this story on The Modern West coming in April.  A recent decision to reintroduce wolves has created division between rural and urban Coloradoans. But wolves have actually been there a while. A few years ago, a couple migrated down from Wyoming to...

(Murphy Woodhouse / Mountain West News Bureau) When it comes to Boise, there are many things that make the city special, from its diverse culture to its unique historical sites, but one of the main attractions has to be its outdoor recreation. With the Boise River, foothills and surrounding mountains, it's no wonder why people are drawn to the area. But did you know that these landmarks played an...

Craters of the Moon by ICL 2019 Artist in Residence, Carl Rowe. (Carl Rowe / ICL) Have you ever looked at a painting of an Idaho landscape and been transported there in your mind? If so, you're not the only one. Art is a powerful medium with the ability to draw you closer to topics you may not have known you were interested in, like the environment and how we can take better care of it. That's par...

A computer rendering of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. (Radoslav Zilinsky / Getty Images) As we enter the fourth year of a world with COVID and the disease continues to spread, scientists are looking at how the virus works and why it's different from diseases we're used to, like influenza. Dr. David Pate  is the former CEO of St. Luke's Health System and has been taking a deep dive in...

(Jaakko Laurila / Flickr) Police and the FBI are investigating racial harassment allegations in Coeur d'Alene after an incident reported by basketball players and staff from the University of Utah. The team was in the city as part of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in Spokane. The story gained traction this week and is now making national news. Troy Oppie, reporter and host of All Things Co...

( Canva) Idaho is back in national headlines after the Utah women's basketball team experienced a racial harassment incident in Coeur d'Alene while participating in the NCAA tournament. This isn't the first time Idaho has made national headlines for racist incidents. And some are now asking: How did we get here? When did Idaho's racism begin? How has the Aryan Nations in north Idaho been allowed t...

(Luis / Flickr) For many, spending time outside can be a relaxing experience, but did you know it can also be therapeutic? While forest therapy may not be as well known as other healing practices, it is one that is growing in popularity, offering both physical and mental benefits. And starting in April, certified nature and forest therapy guide Casey O'Leary will be leading weekly forest bathing w...

Douglas Hickey of Sun Valley is the United States Ambassador to Finland (U.S. Department of State, 123rf) When President Biden selected Idaho’s Douglas Hickey to be the United States Ambassador to Finland, Hickey knew it would be honor and challenge. But those challenges mount with every day, beginning with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the fact that Finland shares NATO's largest land border...

(Penguin Random House ) This episode of Idaho Matters originally aired on July 10, 2023. Could your clothes be making you sick? The new book " To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick -- and How We Can Fight Back " by award winning journalist Alden Wicker answers this question.

( Viking Publishing) This episode of Idaho Matters originally aired on June 1, 2023. It's probably fair to say that, at some point, we all need a little bit of advice and guidance in our lives. New York Times Bestselling author Kevin Kelly has written a new book that offers just that. It's called, " Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I'd Known Earlier ." Kelly Joined Idaho Matters to talk...

( G.P. Putnam's Sons) This episode of Idaho Matters originally aired on July 25, 2023. Laura Sims is the critically acclaimed author of the novel " Looker ," which is now in development for television. And now she is out with her latest book " How Can I Help You ." Sims sat down with Idaho Matters to talk more about new book and more.

( Idaho State Museum) Last November , we told you about an exhibit at the Idaho State Museum called " So Ready for Laughter: The Legacy of Bob Hope " that explores Hope's tours during WWII. That exhibit is now about to close with a big live show. The museum is bringing hope to the stage for three special performances, along with live music and a fashion history show. Nicole Inghilterra, curator of...

( National Youth Science Camp Facebook) This summer, Idaho high school students Geneva McClory and Anna Grace Aiello will be spending their free time in West Virginia at the National Youth Science Camp . The invitation to attend this program is a prestigious one and is only given to two students from each state. So before they take off, we wanted to talk with them about this exciting opportunity....

(Rob Appleyard / Flickr) For many, writing, especially handwriting, a letter is a lost art. While some romanticized the idea of receiving a letter, others could be quite nasty. The book " Penning Poison: A History of Anonymous Letters " looks at the history of nasty letters. The author is Dr. Emily Cockayne, an associate professor at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.   She joined Morning E...

Cats warm up on the cover of a maintenance hole. (Andreea Alexandru / AP) The latest on the Saint Alphonsus inmate escape , an important bill was recently passed by the Idaho Senate, what we know about Chad Daybell's upcoming trial , a look at how one coach is inspiring students in the Gem State and why an east Idaho man is using camping signs to help feral cats . It’s Friday, which means it's tim...

Douglas Hickey of Sun Valley is the United States Ambassador to Finland (U.S. Department of State, 123rf) When President Biden selected Idaho’s Douglas Hickey to be the United States Ambassador to Finland, Hickey knew it would be honor and challenge. But those challenges mount with every day, beginning with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the fact that Finland shares NATO's largest land border...

Trash is unloaded at a landfill. (Damian Dovarganes / AP) When it comes to addressing environmental issues, plastic pollution is one of the worst. According to a 2021 report from The Last Beach Cleanup and Beyond Plastics , more than 90 percent of the United States’s plastic waste ended up in a landfill, an ocean, or an incinerator. And as the pollution from single-use plastics continues to rise,...

Well, it's only March, and our resident movie critic George Prenticealready has his favorite movie of the year! Idaho Matters takes a look at that, as well as a new documentary that you won't want to miss.

A dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Earlier this week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory to all physicians concerning the increase in measles in the U.S. and internationally. 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.