Idaho Matters

(Jonathan Vowles / Flickr) The American Lung Association has just released its 22 nd annual "State of Tobacco Control" grading states across the nation, including Idaho. And Idaho didn't do very well. “This is a report that grades states and the federal government on evidence-based policies,” said Carrie Nyssen, the Senior DIrector of Advocacy for the American Lung Association in Idaho. She sat do...

(Craig Brown / Flickr) The United States is seeing a surge of respiratory viruses, which includes COVID-19 and the flu. Now, health experts are warning this could lead to a rise in cardiovascular complications. Dr. David Pate , former CEO of St. Luke's Health System, joined Idaho Matters to talk more about this and to answer your public health questions.

(Innkight / Flickr) Last week we told you about this year’s Idaho Sled Dog Challenge and we’ve learned some of the races had to be canceled this year due to warm weather , which has made for rough trail conditions. Last we checked the Warm Lake Stage Race is still going on today, Wednesday 24 and tomorrow, Thursday 25. The Idaho races are not the only place in the west where sled dog teams and the...

(Boise State Public Radio ) " Wolf/Girl " is the unlikeliest of dramas for a new year, combining fictional werewolves and echoes of real Idaho wolves. Playwright Heidi Kraay is one of two Boise writers in residence and her play is coming to the Danny Peterson Theater at the Morrison Center in Boise in February. She sat down with our Morning Edition host George Prentice to talk about monsters, myth...

( Penguin Press) NPR's Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep is coming to Boise, and he has a new book out about President Abraham Lincoln. While he was writing his book, " Differ We Must ," he realized how politics is essential to sustaining democracy, and he says that no debate is ever really settled. The Cabin is bringing Inskeep to the Morrison Center on Thursday, Jan. 25, along with two-time Pul...

(Michael Jung / iStock) One of the things that Gov. Brad Little wants to do in the Idaho Legislature this year is include a work requirement for people enrolled in the Medicaid Expansion Program. Medicaid Expansion was given the green light by voters five years ago, allowing more low-income residents to get health insurance. According to the Idaho Capitol Sun , details on the governor's work plan...

(Federal Communications Commission) Two Idaho radio stations will pay half a million dollar fine after admitting to violating federal law. KIDO AM in Boise and KLIX in Twin Falls aired a political program for a year and a half without telling listeners they'd been paid to air the program. BoiseDev.com found the show, called Keep Idaho Red, didn't feature disclosures required by federal law and tha...

Earlier this month, Scott McIntosh, opinion editor at the Idaho Statesman and frequent guest on our Reporter Roundtable , wrote a love letter of sorts in the newspaper to the Owyhee County Historical Museum . Located in Murphy, the museum is dedicated to finding and preserving the history of Owyhee County. It features a recreation of an old Murphy schoolhouse, a 1920s gas station in Homedale, a wa...

The City of Nampa’s 50-year-old water tower is no more. The iconic metal tower, which held half-a-million gallons of water, had reached the end of its useful life. Early Friday morning, the city felled the 100-foot-tall structure to make way for a new one. The tower was a landmark, visible from cars traveling on Interstate 84, and was built in the 1970s. The new tank will be made out of concrete a...

(<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/131579353@N02/">Federal Register</a> / Flickr) Inflation is falling, interest rates could be following suit and it’s a presidential election year. Idaho Matters wanted to know how all these things are going to affect your finances in 2024. We wanted to get an update on the economy so we asked Robert Spendlove back on the show . He’s the Senior Ec...

(<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/proimos/">Alex Proimos</a> / Flickr) Saltzer Health may be closing its doors and if the group’s 11 Treasure Valley clinics go away ... what will happen to their 100,000 patients? The Idaho Statesman reported last week an official at Saltzer was told by their parent company - Salt Lake City’s Intermountain Health Care - that "financial woes" would...

Transient and Strange: Notes on the Science of Life is Nell Greenfieldboyce's first book. ( W.W. Norton, Timothy Devine) NPR Science Correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce has been a reporter for almost 30 years and in that time she’s reported on everything from the space shuttle to gene therapy to pet cloning. Now she’s written her first book titled “Transient and Strange.” It’s a heartfelt collectio...

(Idaho Farm Bureau / Flickr) The Maternal Mortality Review Committee could be returning, Saltzer Medical may be shutting their doors, lawmakers have temporarily shelved the library bill , the Idaho Downwinders are continuing their fight and we find out more about JFAC's budget changes It’s Friday, which means it's time for our Reporter Roundtable when Idaho Matters gets you up to date on all the n...

(Through my windshield / Flickr) If you've been trying to drive anywhere today or in the past week, you may have noticed it's a little dicey out there! The Idaho Transportation Department has reported dozens of accidents and slide-offs over the past week. And highways from Interstate 84 to Highway 21 have been closed down at one point or another. So we wanted to get some winter driving tips from a...

(Andria / Flickr) As Idaho's wine industry continues to grow, the Gem State is being recognized for more than just its potatoes. The state has more than 1,300 acres of vineyards and over 70 wineries. With that in mind, the Idaho Wine Commission is once again hosting Winter Wine Weekends to give people a chance to taste some of the area's best varieties. Moya Dolsby, Executive Director of the Idaho...

Akasha, is an Amur Tiger. Her subspecies is used to cold climates and can be found in Far East Russia and Northeast China. ( Zoo Boise ) With all the recent snowfall in the state, Idahoans have had to find ways to adapt to the winter weather. And it turns out human beings aren't the only ones adjusting to the weather. The residents of Zoo Boise are also finding some ways to cope with the white stu...

(ida rehnsbo / Flickr) It's almost time for Oscar nominations. Who's going to be front and center? And we've got a great documentary for you, plus there's a new high-profile series that was ripped from Idaho's headlines.   Morning Edition host and resident movie critic, George Prentice , joined Idaho Matters to help us figure out What to Watch.

(PhotoAlto/Michele Constantini / Getty Images) Idaho has seen 12 flu-related deaths this season, and health officials want people to know there is an uptick in respiratory illnesses, as well as COVID-19. Dr. David Pate , former CEO of St. Luke's Health System, joined Idaho Matters to talk more.

(Shirakon / Flickr) The Ada County Highway District is responsible for more than 5,300 lane miles of road, including most Boise roads. And with just 43 snow plows, ACHD has been working 12-hour shifts trying to plow and treat the roads during the recent heavy snowstorms, but with all the recent snow, crews have at times found that plowing all those main roads, more than 4,000 cul-de-sacs and 3,000...

The Idaho Sled Dog Challenge is returning to the West Central Mountains of Idaho. Here, Scott White from Snohomish, Wash., and his team race in 2022. (Melissa Shelby/Melissa Shelby / Melissa Shelby) You may have noticed that we've had a little snow lately, and one of Idaho's best winter events is the Idaho Sled Dog Challenge in the backcountry of McCall. Dave Looney is the co-founder of the challe...

( St. Luke's Health System) If someone asked you, "What’s your top priority when it comes to health care?" what would you say? That’s the question a group of 23 different hospitals, health districts and other agencies asked the people who live in ten counties in Western Idaho. The answers are in, and now that group, known as the Western Idaho Community Health Collaborative , or WICHC for short, ha...

( Emery Davidson) Librarians from across Idaho spent their Martin Luther King Jr. Day distributing copies of a little book to every Idaho legislator. It’s a compilation of essays from people across Idaho, writing about the importance of their public libraries and why they’re against restricting what librarians put on the shelves. Dr. Jenny Emery Davidson, Executive Director of Ketchum's community...

A dog eagerly awaits adoption in an animal shelter. (iStockphoto.com) As 2024 gets underway, animal shelters across America are continuing to see an increase in pet surrenders , especially when it comes to dogs, and Idaho is no different.   With adoptions down, nonprofits like the West Valley Humane Society are working harder than ever to find forever homes for their many pups. Jennifer Adkins, th...

(iStockphoto) Approximately half of all Americans will go through menopause. However, it remains an under-discussed topic, leaving many scared and uninformed about the changes they are experiencing. It also leaves them in the dark when it comes to perimenopause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and hormone therapy. Idaho Matters spent an hour talking about this important topic with three exp...

(James Dawson / Boise State Public Radio) The Idaho Legislature is back in session, Dr. Ryan Cole's medical license has been restricted in Washington, library books are top of mind for lawmakers, Idaho State University's Holt Arena now has a new name and an update on the Chris Tapp investigation . It’s Friday, which means it's time for our Reporter Roundtable when Idaho Matters gets you up-to-date...