The Connector: Idaho Daily News

We've got new data regarding reported hate crimes in Idaho; the Trump White House is telling Blaine County lawmakers that they have to remove certain words from a grant application; and there's a new Idaho census of... turkeys.

Trump White House holdbacks of education grants threaten Idaho after-school programs; the Boise City Council will once more take up the issue of which flags are "official;" and one group in our region has decided to take something into their own hands - barbed wire.

On today's Connector, details on the dangers faced by cyclists in the city, recent changes to child care in Boise and a crisis help for LGBTQ youth. 

We have full reaction from the Ada County Courthouse where Brian Kohberger pleaded guilty to four murders; there's big news concerning the College of Western Idaho; and just before the big bang comes a big caution regarding fireworks.

The man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students is expected to deliver a plea at the Ada County Courthouse today; we've got the scoop on 4th of July travel expectations; and we examine the impact of fireworks on Idaho wildlife.

There are significant updates on two tragedies - the murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022, and the ambush shootings of firefighters this week in north Idaho; a flurry of new laws go into effect today in Idaho; and this summer may bring some troubling news for our region's resort communities.

On this episode, we’ve got details on the fatal shooting Sunday of firefighters in North Idaho. Also on the show, an ACLU lawsuit over an Idaho bill that cuts health care access for undocumented immigrants and a public meeting this evening about Caldwell’s animal shelter contract.  

A lawsuit to stop mining exploration near the headwaters of the Boise River, abortion rights advocates gear up to get a ballot initiative to next year's general election, a slight delay in the capital trial of Bryan Kohberger, and a partial reversal from the Idaho Supreme Court on the liability of local ski areas when patrons get hurt or die.

The effort to shore up firefighting personnel at Boise Fire stations continues to be a challenge; federal funding for victim services organizations continues to decline; and Idaho families continue their watch on the homefront as their loved ones continue their Middle East deployment.

There's a lot of attention of late on Idaho's "roadless rule," and with good reason; Boise officials are spending a lot of time drilling into their next proposed spending plan; and we'll tell you why this so-called "water year" is one of the driest on record.

The City of Boise is prepping to update its "anti-camping" rules to align with the new so-called "Galloway Law," more Idahoans are weighing in on a proposa which could see more than 21 million acres of public land in the Gem State sold, and new budget cuts are threatening geological survey offices across the Mountain West.

We'll bring you the latest on an investor lawsuit against a soon-to-be reopened gold mine in Idaho. The recent Measles outbreak is seemingly tapering off in Mountain West States.  And researchers are making progress on being able to better predict harmful algae blooms.

We'll have reactions to the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week upholding a ban on gender affirming care for minors across the country -- including in Idaho.  A Congressional Republican spending package could sell off up to three million acres of public land. We'll take a look at exactly what could be up for auction. And Wyoming transportation officials are pushing back a major closure of Teton P...

Tensions mounted Tuesday in the latest contract bargaining session between the City of Boise and Boise Police; the official launch of float season on the Boise River has been announced; and this has been a celebratory week for a regional chef who is bringing home a top award from the James Beard Foundation.

The Idaho Supreme Court has handed down a ruling on a proposed ballot measure that could give Idahoans a voice on abortion rights; a new study confirms what a lot of people already know... that Idaho's population is increasing rapidly; and with the 4th of July quickly approaching the debate over fireworks returns to the front burner.

On Today’s Connector: a dispatch from the “No King” protest at the state Capitol on Saturday, where thousands of Idahoans gathered peacefully to protest the Trump administration’s policies. A summer school program to combat childhood hunger and a report on new research challenging beliefs on the rising number of trees in the West. An update on the human made fire on the Columbia River Gorge in Ore...

An emergency water conservation order in Horseshoe Bend, The Trump Administration pulls out of an agreement that could have led to the removal of four dams on the lower Snake River, Congressional Republicans are trying again to codify the right to sell off public lands in the west, and a tribal blessing at the site of a proposed resort-casino for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribe.

SNAP recipients in Idaho will no longer be able to use benefits for candy or soda under a waiver approved by the Trump Administration Wednesday. Plus, Lori Vallow awaits another verdict in the state of Arizona, potential wildfire fuels worry Boise firefighters and a new community center opens in advance of the Juneteenth holiday.

A tweet may have kicked off the 2026 Governor's race in Idaho, plus a lawsuit has led to proposed changes in Boise's noise ordinance, US Forest Service retirees being asked to return, big changes coming to the Latah County Jail and Boise State and local connections to watch at the NCAA Track & Field National Championship Finals this week.

From near-record heat to thunderstorms, there's plenty in the weather outlook; we'll tell you about a "moon tree" being planted in Idaho; and we've got details on how the City of Boise is partnering with the "airbnb of cars," though the company came under scrutiny earlier this year.

As temperatures rise across the state, the National Weather Service issues an extreme weather warning for Idaho. High temps also mean this fire season could be historic. A touring exhibit highlighting artists' efforts to counter hate is making a stop in Boise. And Idaho Fish and Game is looking for volunteers to adopt milkweed patches for the summer to count migrating butterflies. 

Idaho will transport and turn over hundreds of state and local inmates in the country illegally to ICE, the latest on the end of University of Idaho's bid to buy the University of Phoenix, rural Treasure Valley residents get more time to weigh in on the healthcare needs of the community, and a four-time Olympic women's hockey medalist, reigning USA women's hockey player of the year and Idaho nativ...

As bird flu continues to spread to chickens and dairy cows, scientists are testing the first MRNA bird flu vaccines for calves. And a traffic alert for you on Highway 55 for the next weeks.

The water company serving most of the Boise area just won approval to raise its rates. Plus, after two years of controversy, the University of Idaho will not be acquiring the for-profit University of Phoenix. And the Idaho State Department of Environmental Quality is giving nearly $10 million to two water projects in the Gem State.

A federal judge extends a preliminary injunction blocking an Idaho law that forbids public money going to pay for gender-affirming care.