Idaho Matters

( Idaho Foodbank) There are more than 100,000 people in Idaho struggling with food insecurity, unsure of where their next meal will come from. And as we head into the holiday season, many nonprofits are making it a priority to address this issue. Which is why the Idaho Foodbank will be hosting its 26th annual Empty Bowls event to help fight against hunger. Randy Ford, CEO of the Idaho Foodbank, jo...

(Towfiqu Photography / Getty Images) Last month, Idaho joined 42 other states in a lawsuit against Meta, alleging the tech company’s platforms have significantly contributed to the youth mental health crisis by making their social media platforms addictive. So outside of this lawsuit, and in light of recent youth suicides in the Treasure Valley, what’s being done locally to address this crisis imp...

Ashley and her Mustang Boo. ( Ashley Ahearn) Journalist Ashley Ahearn gave up the city life when she and her husband moved to the rural sagebrush country of Washington state. And things took a significant turn when she opted to adopt a wild mustang named Boo. She brought her recorder with her and began documenting her time training Boo, which led her into an exploration into the world of Mustangs....

Sometimes aerial performers attach their rigs to trees. Cuream Jackson practices skills on a maple tree in Julia Davis Park, Boise. (Arlie Sommer / Expressive Idaho) Boise circus performer Cuream Jackson is taking a very old art and using it to contemplate race and gender identity. He comes to the circus as an aerialist, performing with silks, hoops, trapeze and his favorite, straps, considered th...

( Boise School District) The debate on whether or not to refuse federal funding for schools has resurfaced, an update on U of I's purchase of the University of Phoenix , the Zombie deer disease has spread to McCall, there's controversy over a new park in Boise and a look at why three Idaho Freedom Caucus members were reprimanded. It’s Friday, which means it's time for our Reporter Roundtable when...

(Practical Cures / Flickr) With ADHD and other diagnoses on the rise, today's youth are experiencing chronic levels of anxiety and depression. That's why it's important to make sure these children feel supported and understood.   Dr. Sharon Saline is a licensed clinical psychologist, an award-winning author, and a top expert on ADHD, anxiety, and mental health challenges. She joined Idaho Matters...

( Roadsidepictures / Flickr) When Nicole McKay took the job as Director of the city of Boise's Office of Police Accountability, she soon discovered that there was correspondence dating back to a year ago. McKay visited with Morning Edition host George Prentice to talk about that backlog, a need for more internal training and the essential nature of the OPA.

( Shane Sato) For over 20 years, Shane Sato has been taking pictures of Japanese American veterans from World War II, capturing images of men who were fighting a war both abroad and at home as they strove to prove their loyalty to the country. These were the members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the 100th Battalion and the Military Intelligence Service, all of whom in the face of segregatio...

Players braved chilly winds to play the first home game hosted by the Toofan FC at the Boise High Athletic Complex. Their challengers traveled from Seattle for the meet-up. (James Dawson / Boise State Public Radio ) Six years ago, a group of Afghan Refugees in our region started a soccer club. They hosted their first home game recently - a chance to feel at home in their adopted country. ulie Luch...

(Focal Foto / flickr) November marks a disturbing increase in the number of syphilis cases around the country and that has led to an even more disturbing rise in the number of babies born with the sexually transmitted disease. Last year alone, over 3,700 babies got the illness, which is more than ten times the number from a decade ago. Dr. David Pate , former CEO of St. Luke's Health System, joine...

Some of the items on your turkey day menu may be higher, or lower, than you expected. (Nick Olejniczak / flickr) Thanksgiving is fast approaching and many families are preparing for a traditional meal of turkey and all the trimmings. So Idaho Matters wanted to know how much that meal might cost and how prices have changed from last year’s delicious dinner. Knowing the prices of key ingredients can...

(Christine Tanner / flickr ) With one election down and another, bigger one in the wings, more than a few pundits were taken aback by a New York Times/Sienna College series of polls showing former President Donald Trump leading President Joe Biden in five of six battleground states. But one of Idaho's best and highest-profile analysts says polls don't vote, people do. Dr. Sam Martin is the Frank a...

This was the scene in August as the Boise Airport opened its new long-term parking garage. (Boise Airport) It's been a busy year for the Boise Airport. It opened a new parking garage in August, which increased long-term parking capacity by more than 50% and passenger numbers are up and more airlines are signing up to fly in and out of the facility. An employee parking garage should open next year...

Then-President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives to speak at a rally in Washington, on Jan. 6, 2021. (Jacquelyn Martin / AP ) It’s been making big news. Former president Donald Trump is on trial in several states, he’s also under a gag order and there are attempts to keep him off the presidential ballot in some states. Also in the news is a law that disarms people who are under domestic violence...

When it comes to adopting a pet, finding the right fit is important but quite often many animals are ruled out before they’re ever given a chance simply because of their age. Which is why November is “Adopt a Senior Pet Month.” Despite being older, these pets make wonderful companions and let's be honest they usually have better manners - what’s not to love? Also, the senior pets pictured above ar...

(The Spokesman Review) In 1992, U.S. Marshals were investigating Randy Weaver for federal firearms charges. A tragic series of events led to a shootout near Weaver’s isolated Ruby Ridge cabin in north Idaho, which left Marshal William Degan and Weaver’s son Sammy dead. This led to an 11-day standoff between Weaver’s family and the FBI and to the death of his wife Vicki who was shot by an FBI snipe...

Before heading back to Boise, Tyler King snagged a water sample full of what he thought could be cyanobacteria with his personal water bottle. ( Murphy Woodhouse) Harmful algal blooms are a major problem in water bodies across our region. Detecting them can be complicated. Using the power of satellites, researchers in Idaho have developed a tool that could make detection more efficient – not just...

Damian Rodriquez plays guitar in his home office, Paul, ID. Photo by Arlie Sommer, October 28, 2022. (Arlie Sommer/Photo by Arlie Sommer for Expres) The voice of Damian Rodriguez can be heard on the airwaves regularly in the Burley area. He’s a volunteer DJ for a show featuring Tejano music on the local bilingual radio station, 91.9 FM Voz Latina. He plays guitar and sings traditional Mexican musi...

(iStockphoto.com) How lawmakers are responding to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare audit , an update on Emergency Medical Services in Valley County, next steps for Highland High Schools rebuild and two Idaho newspapers are closing . Our journalist panel today: Scott McIntosh, Opinion Editor at the Idaho Statesman Carly Flandro, Reporter with Idaho Ed News Kyle Pfannenstiel , reporter for...

The house from Alfred Hitchcock's movie "Psycho." (Layenie / Flickr) Some people love some buildings. But a lot of people are a lot more passionate about familiar buildings, particularly iconic buildings that are centerpieces of classic films. Author Christine Madrid French says, whether it’s the Bates mansion from Hitchcock’s Psycho or the Preston, Idaho, high school in Napoleon Dynamite, people...

(College of Western Idaho / Facebook) Congress passed the "CHIPS Plus Act” last year to provide subsidies to American computer chipmakers in an effort to bring more chip manufacturing back to the United States. BoiseDev.com reported Micron Technology would build a $15 billion dollar manufacturing plant in Boise. The plant will make chips for everything from computers to cell phones, and Micron’s p...

Janet Tweedle's dog, Cooper. ( Janet Tweedle) World Diabetes Day is next Tuesday, Nov. 14 which focuses on educating people about the disease.   While more people are learning about the illness, there's still a lot they don't know, including the fact that diabetes is not a human-only disease. Other animals can be affected, including dogs .  According to Cornell's Veterinary School, up to 1% of all...

Bridgette Gan and Camron Gray perform in "The Falling and the Rising." (Jonathan Collins<br/> / Opera Idaho) Opera Idaho will be premiering a special production of The Falling and the Rising on Friday, Nov. 10. The production tells the story of a soldier who has been injured in the line of duty and her journey to finding new hope for the future. Bridgette Gan , the lead performer of the show...

George Prentice (left) and Gemma Gaudette (right) sit in the studio for What to Watch. (Samantha Wright / Boise State Public Radio) The actors strike is over, finally. But the repercussions of the labor action will likely be felt for at least the next few years and two fabulous movies are about to open up at the theater. Morning Edition host George Prentice joined Idaho Matters to help us figure o...

Boise Mayor Lauren McLean ( Lauren McLean) Boise keeps its current mayor , Eagle will see a runoff election when it comes to the city’s top job, most voters said yes to expanding the Ada County Jail, but it still wasn’t enough to pass the $49 million bond. It was a mixed bag for the other bonds and levies on the ballot around the state, with some bonds failing and most school levies passing and in...