Idaho Matters

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Toys are flying off the shelf - and you may be surprised who they're being bought for Jan 04, 2023

Show notes

When the pandemic started, many items flew off the shelves – including toys. Now, years later, toy stores are still seeing their sales grow, and consumer bases expand.

The Mountain West News Bureau’s Kaleb Roedel reports.

A red brick structure with the University of Idaho on it in gold letters. There is a planter in front with dead plants and snow in it. — **Suspect arrested in University of Idaho murders** Jan 03, 2023
Show notes

(James Dawson / Boise State Public Radio)
On Friday, police in Pennsylvania arrested a suspect in the murder of four University of Idaho students. Bryan Kohberger is a student at Washington State University, which sits around eight miles away from the U of I in Moscow.
Kevin Richert, Senior Reporter and Blogger with Idaho Education News, has been following the story closely and he joined Idaho Matters for an update.

**School vouchers, school choice and the 2023 Idaho legislative session** Jan 03, 2023
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(Thomas Hawk / Flickr)
The Idaho Legislature starts next week and the topic of school vouchers will likely take up a large chunk of time and effort. For many people on both sides of the school choice debate, "voucher" can be a dirty word, which can carry negative assumptions along with it.
Kevin Richert, Senior Reporter and Blogger with Idaho Education News wrote an article about "the v-word," as he calls it and joined Idaho Matters to tell us more about it.

**New program helps support mental health of Idaho students** Jan 03, 2023
Show notes

( Boise School District)
Here in Idaho and around the country, students are struggling with their mental health and schools are in short supply of professionals that are equipped to handle their needs. That's why resources like The Student and Family Assistance Program are so important.
Joining Idaho Matters to talk more about the program are Idaho's Central District Health Program Manager, Rebecca Sprague, BPA Director of Business Development, Kelly Carew and Katie Azevedo, BPA's Director of Education.

**Nampa School District helps conserve water with Smart Rain program** Jan 03, 2023
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(Steve Schroeder / Flickr)
When we think about water conservation we don’t often think about schools, but that's exactly where one charity organization is focusing. Smart Rain for Smart Kids is a program committed to saving water and here in Idaho, the Nampa School District has partnered with them to help in that conservation.
The Director of Operations for the Nampa School District joined Idaho Matters to talk more about the program and how it's being implemented in Canyon County schools.

A blue sign with mountains on it reads, "welcome to Montana." — **Idaho Matters 2022 Reporter Roundtable: A year in review** Dec 30, 2022
Show notes

(<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/9372697@N06/">blawton44</a> / Flickr)
This episode of Idaho Matters originally aired on December 23, 2022.
Idaho Matters is looking back at the big stories from 2022 in Idaho politics, culture, education and more.
Our panelists:
Melissa Davlin, host of Idaho Reports on Idaho Public Television
Kevin Richert, senior reporter and blogger with Idaho Ed News
Clark Corbin with the Idaho Capital Sun
James Dawson with Boise State Public Radio News

5 years later: Life after the Las Vegas shooting Dec 29, 2022

Show notes

It’s been 5 years since a gunman killed 60 people and injured hundreds more at a Las Vegas music festival. what does life look like now, for the people affected by the shootings? We wanted to share the experiences of survivors, first responders and those who lost someone.

KNPR's Senior Producer Kristen Kidman reports for the Mountain West News Bureau.

Preserving the history of Amache Dec 29, 2022

Show notes

It’s been some 80 years since thousands of Japanese Americans were sent to live in internment camps in places like Minidoka, Idaho. Now the National Park Service is developing plans to restore one of those sites.

Emma Vandeneinde of the Mountain West News Bureau reports on the plan in the series, “Saving Amache.”