Idaho Matters

"I Didn't Do the Thing Today" book cover. (Avery Publishing) This episode of Idaho Matters originally aired in 2022. Do you ever feel like you haven't gotten enough accomplished in the day, in the month or even the year? Well, you are not alone in those feelings. Author Madeleine Dore has some ideas on how to let go of what she calls "productivity guilt." She recently released " I Didn't Do the Th...

This episode of Idaho Matters originally aired on March 24, 2022. Dr. Rita Woods won the Hurston-Wright Legacy Award for Debut Fiction last year for her novel "Remembrance." NPR called the book "A complex story of loss and survival told across 200 years by four women, united by the color of their skin." Dr. Woods is coming to Storyfort in downtown Boise this week. She talked earlier with host Gemm...

Micron's Boise headquarters. ( Micron Technology) A look at the University of Phoenix deal , Micron is expanding in Idaho, lawmakers are trying to protect more land in the Mountain West , student loan relief is being provided to some rural health care professionals and its possible we could see an increase in wildfires this year . It’s Friday, which means it's time for our Reporter Roundtable when...

American flags flap in the in the wind. (Lynne Gilbert / Getty Images) Monday is Memorial Day and events are planned all over Idaho. On this day of remembering our fallen our Morning Edition host George Prentice wanted to spend some time finding out how Idaho veterans are doing in the Gem State.

The night sky. (Shutter Runner / Flickr) Bruneau Dunes State Park is celebrating the opening of their new observatory to give folks a chance to peek into the far reaches of the cosmos . The new telescope will be the second one at the park and features state-of-the-art technology for looking at the stars. Bryce Bealba, Manager of Bruneau Dunes State Park and Craig Quintana, Public Information Offic...

Dennis the Cat has the only marked grave inside the walls of the Old Idaho Penitentiary. ( Idaho State Historical Society) In the past, we’ve told you about some of the fascinating history of the Old Idaho Penitentiary in Boise, from haunted cells to rose gardens to notable prisoners who lived behind the stone walls. But we haven’t talked about one of the best-liked and most respected residents of...

(iStockphoto) You may have noticed a change this week if you've been using a friend or family member's Netflix login to watch your favorite movies. And Netflix is not alone, all the primary streaming services are tinkering with their deals. Plus there's a new docuseries out that you just can't miss. Here to help us figure out What to Watch is our resident movie critic and Morning Edition Host Geor...

A computer rendering of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. (Radoslav Zilinsky / Getty Images) China is facing a new wave of COVID-19 infections that could see as many as 65 million cases per week by the end of June, as a new Omicron variant has been hitting the country since last month. So what does this mean for the United States and Idaho? Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke's Health...

Dutch National Ballet dancers performing Hans van Manen's Trois Gnossiennes. (Dutch National Ballet / Hans Gerritsen) This July, the Dutch National Ballet will be taking the stage for its first U.S. tour in 40 years. The company will be kicking off its tour in Idaho with two unforgettable nights of dance at Ballet Sun Valle y. Dutch National Ballet's Director Ted Brandsen and Associate Artistic Di...

Jere Hodgin and Chantelle DeGroat in "Flowers for Hank" by student playwright Abigail Griffith. (Sarah Jessup) Next month the Seven Devils Playwrights Conference will be returning to McCall for its 23rd year, bringing together directors, actors, playwrights and more for two weeks of new plays and workshops. Producing Artistic Director Jeni Mahoney joined Idaho Matters to talk more about the upcomi...

Idaho Air Guitar Boise Championships 2022 at The Shredder with RickDICKulous the 2020 champion. ( Idaho Air Guitar) Tell the truth, have you ever played a little air guitar in the privacy of your own home? It’s a guilty pleasure many of us indulge in, but we don’t usually admit to it. Turns out there’s a national competition for folks who have no guitar, no ability to play one, but plenty of music...

These are just some of the items seized during the first month the OSS Unit was in operation. ( Caldwell Police Department) The Caldwell Police Department has created a new, specialized gang unit to reduce gang-related crimes in the Treasure Valley. The five-member unit is called “Operation Safe Streets,” or OSS. In just one month, the new unit made 21 arrests, pulling meth, fentanyl and guns off...

A hummingbird hovers above a flower drinking nectar. ( Noah Comet) Hundreds of migratory hummingbirds have already arrived in the Boise Foothills, the West Central Mountains and Treasure Valley backyards. These tiny birds are a delight to watch but it turns out that flapping their wings 80 times a second and traveling more than five thousand miles to start a family are just the start of their achi...

( The Boise Bicycle Project) This week, the Boise Bicycle Project is launching a program that will offer families a new way to purchase bikes for their kids. The goal of the nonprofit is to provide access to bikes in an affordable, reliable and sustainable way. In order to help achieve this goal, BBP is introducing a sliding-scale payment method where parents pay what they can afford in exchange f...

Lori Vallow Daybell stands and listens as the jury's verdict is read at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho on Friday May 12, 2023. The Idaho jury convicted Daybell of murder in the deaths of her two youngest children and a romantic rival, a verdict that marks the end of a three-year investigation that included bizarre claims of zombie children, apocalyptic prophesies and illicit affairs. (K...

A small herd of elk cross a busy road. ( Idaho Transportation Department) Every year, dozens of deer and other animals are hit by cars on Highway 21 between Lucky Peak and Idaho City. As the wildlife tries to cross the busy highway, animals die, people are injured or killed and drivers face thousands of dollars in damage to their vehicles. In an effort to slow the carnage, the Idaho Transportation...

A glass of water sits on a grey surface. (Zelda Richardson / Flickr) Pouring a glass of water in your kitchen isn’t always easy on tribal lands. Overall, Native American families are 19 times more likely than a White family to lack indoor plumbing. And it’s a big problem in our region. Emma Gibson of the Mountain West News Bureau takes a look at a project designed to help.

The book cover of author Sidney Karger's debut novel, "Best Men." ( Berkley) What happens when the boy meets the girl's fiance's brother? Award-winning screenwriter Sidney Karger, former writer and director with Comedy Central, MTV, AMC and contributing writer for Saturday Night Live has written his debut novel about what its like to be gay and looking for love. Karger joined Idaho Matters to talk...

Lead investigator Mike Bromwich introduces himself to the City of Boise Council Member. He and his team will be looking into the behavior of retired officer Matthew Bryngelson following revelations he had ties to a white supremacy organization and expressed racist views while still on duty. The results of the B oi se P o li c e investigation into potential racism are out, a look at Native American...

(iStockphoto.com) This week 33 out of 44 Idaho counties held elections to raise taxes for schools, sewers and libraries. Not all of them were successful, including the failure of the $500 million West Ada school levy . This week’s vote comes after the Idaho legislature made changes to when schools can hold bond and levy elections. What do Tuesday's results mean for schools, growth, and kids? Kevin...

Last year's Raptor Fest was a big hit with raptors and attendees! ( Jim Max) It’s finally springtime and that means there are baby birds, ducks and geese all over the place. If you live in Boise you will see them all over the parks and around the edges of downtown. Springtime means it’s also time for baby birds to start hatching in the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation...

If you're a fan of the Boise Foothills, you'll want to check out the most recent addition to the area's trails, located in the Hawkins Range Reserve . The added space gives the public official access to 393 acres of new recreational land. The new trail is a one-way, 5.7 mile loop with a cutoff to a shorter 1.5 mile trek. The trail will be managed by Ridge to Rivers and is subject to seasonal closu...

International Museum Day on the Basque Block May 22, 2022. ( Arlie Sommer) International Museum Day is May 18 and on May 21, museums in the Treasure Valley will be celebrating with events for the whole family. Joining Idaho Matters to talk more about what you can expect to see at Sunday's celebration are Cindy Busche, Education Manager of the WaterShed and Boise Museum Association President, as we...

A flaky red circle is shown on the body of a person with ringworm. (doctorgod.org / Flickr) There’s a nasty strain of a highly contagious, drug-resistant ringworm that is impacting a part of the United States. What does that mean for the rest of us? Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke's Health System, joined Idaho Matters to help us answer this question.

(NataKo. / Flickr) Kids are flocking to their local playgrounds as it starts to warm up. But for some kids, finding a park they can access can be challenging. Emma VandenEinde of the Mountain West News Bureau met one family trying to create a park where everyone can play at.