Idaho Matters

ISDA staff decontaminate a boat that's been in the Snake River searching for mussels. (Rachel Cohen / Boise State Public Radio ) A look at the open primaries initiative , invasive mussels in the Snake River are being treated, Idaho students aren't reading at grade level and the mayor of Kuna is looking for another term. It’s Friday, which means it's time for our Reporter Roundtable when Idaho Matt...

( Thomas Hawk / Flickr) Hispanic Heritage Month started as a weeklong observation in 1968. It was expanded to 30 days under President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The month was designed to celebrate the "histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America." In the Wood River Valley, three women are leading three...

Money (Pictures of Money / Flickr) In today's economy, many of us are on a budget, so when we decide to splurge on an item we often try and rationalize the purchase - which is a common theme we see on social media, the latest trend being "girl math." It works something like this: if you use cash to pay for something its free, if you don't buy an item on sale you're losing money, if you skip your m...

(Ronald S Woan / Flickr) There's been some movement on the actors strike and now that the writers strike is over one of tv's most popular shows is back. Plus several movies are about to open, including the biggest concert film, a probable Best Picture nominee and a must-see documentary. Resident Movie Critic George Prentice joined Idaho Matters to help us figure out What to Watch.

Novavax says its vaccine is 100% effective against the original strain of the coronavirus and had 93% efficacy against more worrisome variants. (Alastair Grant / AP) Earlier this week vaccine maker Novavax said it had shipped millions of doses of its updated COVID-19 shots to distributors around the United States. So what does that mean for folks looking to get this latest vaccine? Dr. David Pate...

A graphic comparing Idaho’s births by year with public school enrollments by grade in the 2022-23 school year. ( Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Idaho Department of Education) According to the Idaho Department of Labor Idaho had the number one growth rate in the nation over the last 10 years, jumping up by over 21%. We've talked a lot about how all this growth has created a housing crisis...

(Creative Commons Courtesy: @thekevinchang ) Fall means it's hunting season for many residents in our region. One popular way to hunt and fish is to lease land from private property owners for a more one-of-a-kind experience. As the Mountain West News Bureau's Will Walkey reports, technology is changing the way people find these opportunities.

“Dancing Creatures Preying on History” by Veiko Valencia. (Veiko Valencia) Each year, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the country celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month which was established to honor the many contributions that Latino Americans have made to the fabric of our society. From the economy to politics to medicine the impact is immeasurable, especially when it comes to the creative community. As t...

Fire and smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea, killing dozens and stunning the country. (F...

( Boise School District) This episode of Idaho Matters originally aired on August 17, 2023. Across the nation, kids are suffering from a mental health crisis, experiencing increasing levels of anxiety and depression. And when it comes to looking at groups that are most at risk, reports found that students attending high performing schools fell into this category. This is an issue that Jennifer Wal...

(Pamela Dorman Books<br/>) This episode of Idaho Matters originally aired on August 16, 2023. The New York Times Bestselling author of "The Couple Next Door" is back with her latest domestic suspense novel, " Everyone Here Is Lying ." Shari Lapena sat down with Idaho Matters to talk more about her most recent nail-biting thriller.

(Berkley) This episode of Idaho Matters originally aired on August 9, 2023. Last year, author Carley Fortune came out with her debut novel "Every Summer After." Her book climbed the New York Times Bestseller list for more than 13 weeks and was named one of the hottest reads of summer 2022. Now, she is out with her latest beach read, " Meet Me at the Lake ." Fortune joined Idaho Matters to talk mor...

( Kirsten Lara Getchell) Author Beth Piatote grew up on a farm in Idaho, teaches English at Berkeley, studies the Nez Perce language, chairs the Graduate group in Indigenous Language Revitalization at UC and in her spare time she writes short stories and poetry drawing on her Native American background. She weaves her Nez Perce culture with themes of love, loss, grief, childhood and longing into h...

(sniggitysnags / Flickr) Underneath our feet are what's left of the bones of millions of animals that roamed the Rockies long before we were born. The fossils of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures can be found from Idaho to Wyoming to Canada, if you know where to look for them. So where are the best parks and trails to find fossils or to learn more about their history ? To answer those ques...

Hemingway's House in Ketchum, Idaho. (Jake Putnam / Flickr) This fall, the Sun Valley Playwright's Residency is in its third year of a new approach to supporting playwrights, including a residency at the Hemingway House and events inviting the public to hear a new generation of dramatists in America. Rajiv Joseph is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and he's spending his October in the Sun Valley area. He...

Aaron Reis (left) spoke at the mayoral candidates forum organized by City Club Boise. He was joined on stage by former Boise police chief Mike Masterson (center left), Joe Evans and incumbent Mayor Lauren McLean (right). Student ID cards can no longer be used at the polls, COVID levels are on the rise , a look at the mayoral candidates most recent debate and trout ecosystems are changing in the al...

(Emily Files / NPR) When you look at a flower, you can usually tell if it looks healthy or is on its last leaves. But what exactly makes it a good flower, and how does it stand out from the rest? Some experts in our region have it down to a science. The Mountain West News Bureau's Emma VandenEinde visited their garden to watch the process.

The cast of "Abortion Diaries" during rehearsal. (Pro-Voice Project / Jim Max) Last week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said Idaho could enforce its abortion ban despite a legal challenge against it. That lifts a partial injunction on the ban and puts the law back into effect. Jen Jackson Quintano, who lives in Sandpoint, has been watching the abortion debate since 2022 when the U.S. Supreme...

(raymondclarkeimages / Flickr) You may have heard the phrase, "if you bought it, a truck brought it." Long-haul trucking is a major part of American commerce and greenhouse gas emissions. The Mountain West News Bureau's Will Walkey reports on efforts to electrify long-haul trucking and the barriers these efforts face.

( Idaho Treasure Valley YMCA) When it comes to staying healthy physical activity is important, especially as we start to get older. The benefits of staying active include lower risk of disease, more mental clarity, better sleep, increased energy ... the list goes on. However, according to the CDC, over 60% of adults in the U.S. are not getting enough exercise, which can negatively impact their lon...

( Atmosphere Press) When Boisean Scott Looney found himself divorced after 16 years of marriage, he was adrift spiritually and emotionally and through spontaneous travel and unexpected friendships he was able to reset his life. He chronicles of this in his new book, "Finding the Elixir" and joined Idaho Matters to talk more.

Syringes filled with the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine. (Carsten Koall / Getty Images) There is now another option for folks looking for the latest COVID-19 shot. On Tuesday, Sept. 3 the FDA approved the Novavax COVID-19 booster. So what does that mean for folks and how important is it to get this latest shot? Dr. David Pate , former CEO of St. Luke's Health System, joined Idaho Matters to help answer...

Failure on board. (contrastwerkstatt/contrastwerkstatt) You may know Patrick Hinds as one of the voices behind the tremendously successful podcast " True Crime Obsessed ." What you may not know is that Patrick is also a self professed failure, something he looks at in his new book " Failure is Not NOT an Option ." He joined Idaho Matters to talk more about his new book and tour.

Bouquets of flowers sit on the ground in front of the University of Idaho sign after four students were found dead. (Richard Rodriguez / Boise State Public Radio) Just after Christmas last year, Pennsylvania Police arrested Bryan Kohberger and charged him with the murder of four University of Idaho students. The case sparked shock and fear in students and parents alike and Idaho became the focus o...

( Grand Central Publishing) Many Americans may remember Polly Klaas. It was 30 years ago this month the 12-year-old girl was kidnapped at knifepoint from a slumber party, triggering one of the largest manhunts in FBI history. For Idaho-based journalist and New York Times bestselling author Kim Cross , chronicling the case was not an assignment, it was a calling. Her book, In Light of All Darkness...