Idaho Matters is a wonderful way to stay up to date, meet people and understand there’s much more to this great state. Hosted by Gemma Gaudette on Boise State Public Radio News, it features arts and politics, growth and education, and the interesting stories that make Idaho unique. Send us your questions, comments or story ideas by emailing idahomatters@boisestate.edu or sending us a voicemail using the “Talk To Us” feature on the free Boise State Public Radio app.
Idaho Matters Doctors Roundtable: July 10, 2024
Jul 10, 2024
Show notes Boise, Idaho Wastewater SARS-COV-2 data.( City of Boise)
The level of COVID-19 is up in Boise, at least according to the spike of the disease found in the city's wastewater. Plus, we know bird flu is hitting Idaho's dairy cows, but what about beef cattle?
Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke's Health System, joined Idaho Matters to talk more about this and answer your questions!
When wildfires destroy homes, who pays the bill?
Jul 10, 2024
Show notes(Canva )
When a power line falls and sparks a wildfire that burns through homes and neighborhoods, who pays for the destruction?
That’s the question being asked in several states, including Idaho, after the deadly Santiam fire in Oregon. Four years ago, the fire killed 11 people and burned more than 5,000 homes and buildings.
PacifiCorp, which provides power to six states, including Idaho, was found liable for billions of dollars in damages, and it and other power companies are looking for ways to reduce liabilities after such fires.
So who should pay the price after fires like the Santiam fire in Oregon, the Marshall fire in Colorado, or the Maui fire that killed over 100 people in Hawaii?
Extreme heat poses risk to Idaho's unhoused
Jul 10, 2024
Show notes(CATCH )
With an excessive heat warning in place through Saturday, many people are trying to stay out of the sun but for people experiencing homelessness, this can be hard to do.
Which is why the local nonprofit CATCH is requesting essential items to help keep this vulnerable community safe.
Connor O'Hora, CATCH's outreach team lead, and Cassidy Landry, a former client of CATCH, joined Idaho Matters to talk more.
What protections do pregnant mothers have in the workplace?
Jul 09, 2024
Show notes(JGI/Tom Grill / Getty Images/Tetra images RF)
Last year, a new law went into effect, expanding the rights of pregnant workers across the U.S.
Now, regulations for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act have been finalized, offering clearer guidelines on what protections can be expected in the workplace.
Charlotte Burrows, Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, joined Idaho Matters to talk more about these rights.
Boise Mayor McLean visited Morning Edition to talk housing, cops, jobs, abortion and more
Jul 09, 2024
Show notesBoise Mayor Lauren McLean ( City of Boise)
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean says she’d “like nothing more than to weigh in” on controversial rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court. But that’s not going to stop her, she says, from making clear that a number of those decisions directly impact Boise.
“When I knock on doors and talk to our residents, I’ve talked to moms whose daughters have moved away and aren’t going to come back until they’re done having kids, because they’re not sure whether or not it’s safe to be pregnant in Idaho,” said McLean. “And in Boise, I’m talking with doctors who are leaving or are deeply considering their next steps.”
The Idaho Community Foundation will cover the costs of services people need when exiting homelessness into a home.
"We have great public private partnerships that are making housing for folks exiting homelessness," said McLean. "Think families will have the chance to live at Park Apartments? Folks with medical needs ultimately will have homes near Fire Station five, and this summer we're breaking ground on New Path 2.0, a place for 95 people exiting homelessness into homes of their own."
The Foundation will cover the costs of services to keep people housed and on the road to self-sufficiency.
Johnson v. Grants Pass
This ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court essentially bans people from sleeping in public spaces. McLean says the city has to be focused on long-term solutions and the root causes of issues related to homelessness.
"What solves this problem is the great collaborative work and solutions focus that Boiseans have had in the last six years, and will continue to have to bring homes to market for folks from all walks of life to support the organizations that are rapidly rehousing families."
McLean went on to say that Boise isn't making the mistakes that other cities have made in regards to homelessness.
Abortion in Boise and Idaho
Abortion in Idaho remains a hot topic, especially after the recent EMTALA ruling from SCOTUS. McLean has not been shy when weighing in on the topic, and said the decision on personal medical issues, emergency or not, are to be made between families and their doctors.
"With government having no space, no room in that conversation, no place in that conversation," said McLean. "And it's for that reason that the city said we would not waste resources on investigating accusations of abortions."
The opinion from SCOTUS does not rule on the merit of the case but sends the case back to lower courts. This 6-3 ruling vacates the previous stay and sends the case back to the Ninth Circuit which will decide on the outcome.
CHIPS Implementation Task Force
McLean was chosen to chair the CHIPS Implementation Task Force in June of this year. The CHIPS (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors) and Science Act was signed into law in August 2022 and is intended to get microchip manufacturing back to the United States.
Axios reports the task force will "provide mayors in other key cities opportunities for collaboration to address supply chain issues and scale effective strategies for sustainable chip industry development."
The act made an investment in Boise-based Micron, but McLean said it will also open doors to make sure the city is working with universities, community colleges and labor unions to create training programs in this field.
The search for a new police chief
Mayor McLean said they will be announcing the finalists for the Boise Police Chief position within the next week and there will be plenty of opportunities for community members to engage with the finalists.
Right now there are about 34 vacancies within the police department, with 25 officers set to be hired and join the police academy this month. McLean said they have been very intentional during the hiring process and the current police chief Ron Winegar has been working to find to find the right people to be in these roles.
"It is so important to continue to see crime rates go down, to continue to see the trust and relationship between our officers and residents remain strong, because that's what keeps those links between the officers that we are hiring and the residents they serve, well," said McLean.
Opera in the Park returns for its fourth year
Jul 09, 2024
Show notes( Opera Idaho)
This weekend, Opera in the Park is returning to downtown Boise for an evening of music that you won't soon forget.
Stacey Trenteseaux, the general director of Opera Idaho, and soprano Cecilia Violetta Lopez join Idaho Matters to talk more about the upcoming event.
Idaho dogs show off their talent at annual Puptricks event
Jul 09, 2024
Show notes( Roseanna Marcum)
In March of 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Nampa was looking for a way to connect with the community without spending time indoors.
That’s when Puptricks was born. This local dog gathering brought together neighbors and their pups, allowing people to have some fun while their dogs showed off their tricks or dressed up in costumes to show off their cuteness.
The event was a success, and it’s almost time for the fourth annual Puptricks. Nampa Civic Center Facility Director Andrea Peachey and sales and marketing manager Roseanna Marcum joined Idaho Matters to tell us more.
How a recent supreme court ruling will impact Idaho's homeless
Jul 08, 2024
Show notes( U.S. Supreme Court)
It’s now legal again to give someone a ticket for sleeping or camping on public property. This comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the Grants Pass v. Johnson case.
The city of Oregon wanted to fine people sleeping in public parks and possibly put them in jail if they refused to comply, and the court said that was not "cruel and unusual" punishment.
This case has its roots in Boise, under former Mayor Dave Bieter, in an older lawsuit when members of the homeless community fought back against the city’s policy of ticketing people sleeping on the street. That suit made it to the 9th Circuit Court, which said it did constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
Current mayor Lauren McLean came out against the Supreme Court’s ruling, saying criminalizing homelessness won’t solve the problem.
Jodi Peterson-Stigers, the executive director of Interfaith Sanctuary Community Housing, joined Idaho Matters to talk more about the ramifications of the ruling on Boise’s homeless community.
How one camp is making a difference for kids with cancer
Jul 08, 2024
Show notes Kids at Camp Rainbow Gold partake in a food fight. ( Camp Rainbow Gold)
When it comes to making memories, there's no better place to do so than summer camp.
But for kids with medical conditions, this experience can feel out of reach. Which is why the work that Camp Rainbow Gold does is so important.
For over 40 years, the nonprofit has been creating opportunities for kids diagnosed with pediatric cancer to just be kids. And now, as demand for the organization’s services continues to grow, the nonprofit has plans to add six new cabins at the state’s first medical camp.
Elizabeth Lizberg, CEO of Camp Rainbow Gold, as well as Easton Brown, one of the campers, and his mother, Paige Brown, joined Idaho Matters to talk more about his effort.
The impact of Idaho's growing outdoor recreation industry
Jul 08, 2024
Show notes(Larry Reis / Flickr)
When you think of fast-growing industries in Idaho, you might think of tech businesses or agriculture. But one of the fastest-growing industries and job markets is fish and wildlife, which employs more than 4,000 people in Idaho.
These jobs include everything from wildlife conservation to fishing guides, manufacturing jet boats, scientists, and working in fish hatcheries.
Since 2012, these types of jobs have grown at a 6.6 percent rate, and that’s expected to skyrocket to more than 22 percent over the next ten years.
Idaho Department of Labor economists Lisa Grigg and Ryan Whitesides will be talking about the fish and wildlife industry footprint at a webinar on Tuesday, July 9 and they joined Idaho Matters for a preview.
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