Idaho Matters

(Kelsey Thomson / Boise State Public Radio) A new bill could provide $500 million in property tax relief to Idaho residents, agricultural producers are asking the USDA for relief , the Boise cruise has some new regulations and we take a look at Idaho's liquor license laws . 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 ma...

(Philippe Desmazes / AFP/Getty Images) Our region has some of the world's most famous ski resorts and there’s a push for more diversity on their slopes. Ski Utah has a program addressing an imbalance that shows just around 10% of the population on the mountains to be non-white. KUER'S Curtis Booker reports for the Mountain West News Bureau on another initiative in our region.

( Megan McCaleb) This Saturday, six Idaho innovators will take the stage at this weekend's Ovation Speakers Series to share their professional expertise, life experience and passion with the local community. It’s sort of like a TED Talk and it’s part of a training workshop that provides support and coaching for those looking to make an impact and hone their skills as a public speaker. Creator of t...

( TarcherPerigee) There are so many struggles facing parents and children in today’s world, then throw in any type of difference and those struggles can multiply. Meg Zucker, who was born with a genetic condition herself, knows those struggles and she wanted to give parents and caregivers some tools on how to support their children. And that's exactly what she did, with her new book, " Born Extrao...

Marissa Price (upper right) co-stars in, and Donna Jean Fogel (lower right) directs "Tiny Beautiful Things." ( Boise Contemporarhy Theater) “Tiny Beautiful Things” was already a runaway bestseller in 2012, before it was adapted into a play and opened in New York in 2017. It’s one of the most anticipated productions in recent memory for Boise Contemporary Theater . And the production’s director, Do...

(Alex E. Proimos / Flickr Creative Commons) It’s been a rough winter for many Americans, from RSV to the Flu to COVID-19, some folks have been hit hard. So will we soon see a slow down and what about vaccines for viruses like RSV? Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke's Health System and current member of the Idaho Coronavirus Task Force, joins Idaho Matters to help us answer these questions.

(iStockphoto) A recent New York Times article asked the question, "have women been misled about menopause?" We thought that was an important conversation to have, so we invited a local expert to help us answer the question. Jill Gustafson is a certified nurse midwife, as well as a menopause and sexual health specialist, and the founder of a private menopause practice in Boise, Quantum Women’s Heal...

(Michael Johnson / Flickr) The lifeblood of an organization, especially an arts organization, is to extend its reach. For the Boise Philharmonic has led to something called “Sonic Boom!" It’s made up of some familiar inspiration but in a very new format. To find out more our Morning Edition host George Prentice sat down with Andrew Martin, Boise Phil's Education Coordinator and Community Engagemen...

( Viking) Rebecca Makkai’s last book " The Great Believers ," was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and readers and critics alike have been anxiously awaiting her next book. Her new novel, " I Have Some Questions for You ," is out now and Makkai describes her most recent creation as, "the literary feminist boarding school murder mystery you didn’t know you needed!" Makkai joined Idaho Matters to talk more...

Former Gov. Phil Batt, right, with former governors Cecil Andrus, center, and Butch Otter, left, at a ceremony dedicating the Idaho Transportation Department headquarters in his name. Batt died Saturday on his 96th birthday. (John Miller / AP) Former Republican Gov. Phil Batt , widely viewed as one of the driving legislative forces behind Idaho's human rights laws and a respected onion farmer, has...

( Ranch Studios) One woman is challenging the way our society, for decades, has viewed anorexia. Dawn Brockett , a college professor who struggled with the disease for years has written a new book called " Unrestricted: How I Stepped Off the Tightrope, Learned to Say No, and Silenced Anorexia ." Brockett joined Idaho Matters to talk more about her new novel.

(Mel / Flickr) Idaho may be best known for its iconic potatoes, but the Gem State also has a long history of making candy and sweet treats. From Lee’s Candies to Reed’s Dairy and Idaho Candy Company, Idaho is no stranger to the sweeter side of life. Idaho Public Television decided to do a little research on the state’s candy tradition so we asked Joan Cartan-Hansen, who produced the " Sweet Idaho...

(Liz West / Flickr) Idaho legal scholar Dr. David Adler is worried about the U.S. Constitution and he wants to talk about it. On March 7 and 8, 2023, he'll be looking at women's rights in Idaho and at new ways in which the historic document is being challenged . Adler will revisit the landmark Reed v. Reed case, which changed the way our legal system looks at the fourteenth amendment. He'll also e...

(CLIVE SLACK / Flickr) Idaho is home to a large variety of birds of prey , including two kinds of eagles, eleven kinds of hawks and six falcons. Spotting them around the Gem State is fairly easy, but figuring out which one is which can be trickier , especially if you’re not a bird expert. Lucky for us though birds are Terry Rich's specialty and he has a class perfect for those interested in learni...

( Penguin Life) Author Cyndie Spiegel is back with another book " Microjoys: Finding Hope When Life is Not Okay ." The book is filled with essays about the microjoys that have kept Cyndie moving forward, even in the toughest times of her life. She joined Idaho Matters to talk more.

(Frank Schulenburg/wikimedia) The Daybell trial has been severed, a new bill could restrict minors from attending drag shows , " harmful materials " could lead to libraries being fined, the Idaho Senate voted against education savings accounts and the Idaho Legislature is looking to bring back the firing squad . It’s Friday, which means it's time for our Reporter Roundtable when Idaho Matters gets...

Along the banks of the Boise River a scrubby, weedy landscape is being transformed back to a living, vibrant ecosystem thanks to the hard work of hundreds of volunteers from across the Treasure Valley. It’s called the Boise River ReWild Project and it’s the brainchild of the Golden Eagle Audubon Society. The goal is to restore more than 50 acres of habitat along the river. Idaho Matters producers...

(Alexandre Magalhaes / Flickr) For years, police in our region have dealt with crimes triggered by methamphetamine abuse. Now there’s a surprising new problem – meth contamination in libraries. A number of libraries have closed recently for cleanup, including the main branch in Boulder, Colorado. KUNC's Leigh Paterson reports for the Mountain West News Bureau.

Oscar statues are seen backstage during the 88th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on February 28, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Christopher Polk / Getty Images) The Oscars are less than two weeks away and we have questions! Who will win, who will lose, will there be another scandal and since viewership has gone down over recent years, will it be a good show to watch? Our resident movie exp...

A computer rendering of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. (Radoslav Zilinsky / Getty Images) Earlier this week the Director of the FBI said the bureau believes COVID-19 most likely originated in a Chinese government-controlled lab and that there was a leak, which caused the virus to spread. However, the White House has said there is no consensus across the U.S. government on the virus’ o...

(istock) When Fortune Magazine published  “Waking up at 5 a.m. every day could improve your life,”  it raised more than a few eyebrows. But sleep specialists say there's a lot more to consider and that getting enough sleep is critical. Dr. Nikole Benders-Hadi is a psychiatrist and medical director at Included Health and she joined Morning Edition host George Prentice to talk about our sleep habits...

(Fiona Goodall / Getty Images) If you’ve been to the supermarket lately you’re aware of the dramatic rise in the cost of food, and Idaho is not alone in feeling this pain. A new survey shows that most of the Mountain West is paying more for food than the national average. Emma VandenEinde is the Mountain West reporter for KUNC and she joined Idaho Matters to talk more.

( Riverhead Books) New York Times bestselling author Katherine May is back with a new book, " Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age ." In this book, May explores how we can re-awaken our sense of wonder, instead of always feeling burned out. She joined Idaho Matters to talk more.

(iStockphoto) A committee that studies maternal mortality found that over a three-year period, 26 Idaho moms died while pregnant or in the year after they gave birth and those deaths could have been prevented. According to at least one committee member future moms might be saved using the knowledge they’re gathering. But the committee, and the work they do, could go away after a bill stalled in th...

(AFP/Getty Images) Spy balloons, the war in Ukraine and trade tensions are all issues that have relations between China and the U.S. at a critical point. In Idaho, there are many reasons to pay attention to the global concerns swirling around China, specifically millions of dollars in trade in and out of the Gem State. Dr. Jack Marr is a clinical associate professor of International Business and t...