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.
New facility helps to fill the gap in Idaho foster care
May 09, 2024
Show notes(RenoCdZ / iStockphoto)
Every kid deserves a place to call home. But for years now, Idaho has been facing a shortage of foster families, leaving a gap in care that has resulted in many kids staying in short-term rentals.
Now, though, thanks to state and community efforts, a new center is helping to address this problem.
Stacy Corbett, child welfare program manager, joined Idaho Matters to talk more.
Idaho Matters Doctors Roundtable: May 8, 2024
May 08, 2024
Show notesH5N1 avian flu viruses (seen in gold) grow inside canine kidney cells (seen in green).(Cynthia Goldsmith / CDC)
Avian flu is continuing to spread in the U.S.; in fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, outbreaks in dairy cattle were first reported on March 25. As of May 2, there are known cases in nine states.
Jump to today, there is now a concerning development when it comes to the transmission of this virus. Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke's Health System, joined Idaho Matters to talk more about this issue.
Musical group 'Celtic Woman' comes to Boise
May 08, 2024
Show notes Celtic Woman perform on stage. (donal moloney / Celtic Woman)
You've seen them on PBS, and you've heard them perform all over the globe, they are Celtic Woman, and they're on their 20th anniversary tour.
As part of this tour, they'll be coming to the Morrison Center to sing and perform traditional Irish music as well as contemporary songs. Their beautiful voices, combined with a full band playing traditional Celtic instruments, have been wowing audiences for two decades.
Emma Warren is the newest member of Celtic Woman, and she joined Idaho Matters to talk more.
Idaho students encourage people to reduce their plastic use
May 08, 2024
Show notes( Tree Club)
The choice to use a plastic bag may seem like a small one, but it has big consequences for the environment.
Which is why students in the Treasure Valley are encouraging people to make the switch to a reusable tote. The project is being supported by the Idaho Business for the Outdoors and Albertsons in honor of Earth Month.
Rep. Ilana Rubel (D-Boise), along with Kathy Holland, a member of the Albertsons communications and public relations team, and Jisong Ryu, a junior at Timberline High, joined Idaho Matters to talk more about this effort.
Outrage over a local comic highlights ski town tensions
May 08, 2024
Show notes(Dante Filpula Ankney / KHOL)
Ryan Stolp’s newspaper comic was due in 30 minutes, but he didn't know what he was going to draw. He consulted his half-baked list of ideas and then grabbed his iPad.
“I would love to tell you that I think these out more than I do,” Stolp stammered.
But he didn't have the time. Stick figure here, sketch there, speech bubble, color and… done. He sent it off to the paper — just in time.
“And that’s how Jackson, at least, gets Lift Lines,” Stolp said.
"Lift Lines" is Stolp’s satirical comic that riffs on ski culture and the lifestyle in mountain towns like Jackson. It runs three times a week in the town's daily paper as well as on Instagram to his 15,000 followers.
But this spring one of his illustrations drew community outrage — unlike any he’s done before.
“So, I knew there was this little secret,” Stolp said. “So I'm like, okay, I can fly kind of close to the sun, and I can make this joke.”
That secret was a loophole that allowed locals to avoid a $35 daily parking fee in a lot at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Parking there offers a way to avoid an about hour-long bus ride to the resort from town, or about half an hour from the park and ride lot at Stilson. Dozens — if not hundreds — of locals had been using the hack, by quickly scanning their ticket.
“I kind of felt like I stepped on a landmine that I didn't know was there." - Ryan Stolp, Lift Lines Comics
Soon after the comic ran, the group that runs the parking lot, the Teton Village Association, cracked down. No more hack, no more free parking.
Locals were not amused, to say the least. Suddenly, Stolp was targeted by spam callers and Jehovah’s Witnesses — a setup he suspects was sparked by angry locals. And among the hundreds of angry Instagram comments, he was described as public enemy number one and warned that he would get punched in the face.
“It's different when everyone that's mad is like your neighbor and your community member and your friend or your friend of a friend,” Stolp said.
Thirty-five bucks might not seem like much. But the incident highlights a friction in ski towns across the Mountain West. Skiing and snowboarding continues to grow, bringing more people to resort towns. And that drives up prices on housing, meals, lift tickets — almost everything — and many residents are feeling the squeeze.
(Connor Burkesmith)
Margaret Bowes is the executive director of the Colorado Association of Ski Towns.
“Resort and tourism-based communities have very unique challenges such as high cost of living, affordable housing issues and transportation,” Bowes said.
She said parking fees and parking tickets aim to steer people to car pools and shuttles.
“I think skiing has just really changed,” Bowes said. “It's exploded in recent years, and so gone are the days when you can drive up to your favorite resort at 9 a.m. on a Saturday and not encounter crowds.”
Still, the changes can rankle residents who long for the good old days.
“I think those of us that live in ski towns sometimes feel [that] we get fatigue,” Bowes said. “We get tourism fatigue and sometimes feel like our communities aren't our own anymore. And so there gets to be a little bit of friction.”
Julien Lacourse, who has worked as a bartender in town, has felt that friction.
He said he used the parking hack hundreds of times and saw nothing wrong with using something that was widely available — at least to those who knew.
“I don't think it's possible to steal something when it's allowed,” Lacourse said.
He said he recognizes somebody needs to manage parking but said that the Teton Village Association [TVA], well …
“They're a necessary evil, which we can all stomp our feet about because ... they're nerds,” Lacourse said. “They’re just a thorn in our side because they have to be, man. You know, the village [the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort] is the rose. They’re the thorns. That's just the way it is.”
Nerds because — well, he has gotten some tickets, pasted onto his driver's side door so well that it lasts for days.
Lacourse paid for stickers to be made that say “Defund the TVA” in bold black letters.
He said it was mostly a joke, a reaction to getting a ticket. He added that outside of a few instances, he has never had too much trouble with getting to work, even without the loophole.
He considers Stolp a friend, but said he wishes the cartoonist had apologized. He said he thinks a lot of the blowback was deserved but also that many went too far.
“Any calls to violence are outlandish. Come on guys. That’s ridiculous,” Lacourse said.
Stolp attributes the blowback to folks who are frustrated about changes in town and are looking for a scapegoat. And in this instance, he was exactly that for people’s frustration.
“I think the thing that you have an obligation to do, no matter where you are in that community, is to be a role model and steward how that community should evolve, because all things change,” Stolp said.
Recently, he was back on the mountain during Gaper Day, feeling mostly good, but maybe a little wary, he said.
“Beautiful sunrise on Tetons this morning,” Stolp said.
After riding the tram to the top of Rendezvous Mountain, he clicked into his skis in front of Corbet’s Cabin. He took a minute to think about how things played out and the support he received from many.
“I think the community showed its true colors in the end and the true colors were good. That's why I live here, that’s why I love living here,” he said. “There's great people around every corner.”
And with that he shimmied over a ridge, and down into the bowl he went.
An inside look at the life of an avalanche rescue dog
May 08, 2024
Show notes(Chamonix Experience / Flickr)
Ski season is winding down, but training exercises are going on now for dogs used in avalanche and search and rescue missions. KUNR's Kat Fulwider reports.
The fight for immunity: Breaking down Donald Trump's trial
May 07, 2024
Show notesRepublican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump.(Paul Sancya / AP)
It was just about two weeks ago when the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Trump v. United States. A case that looks at the issue of presidential immunity from criminal prosecution.
During arguments, we finally got a hint of what the justices were thinking in a case that has far-reaching implications for not just former President Donald Trump but all former and future presidents.
Dr. David Adler, President of the Alturas Institute, is going to break down the case and how it relates to the U.S. Constitution on Thursday at his next constitutional conversation at Boise State University's Yanke Center. He joined Idaho Matters for a preview.
Wyoming sanctuary provides new home for dogs coming from the West Bank
May 07, 2024
Show notes( CC0 Public Domain)
In the news, we hear daily about the suffering in Gaza, the crisis touches all parts of society including the pets and strays affected by the fighting.
But, an animal rescue shelter in Wyoming is stepping up to lend a hand. Wyoming Public Radio’s Jordan Uplinger reports for the Mountain West News Bureau.
Why more horses are showing up in the White River National Forest
May 07, 2024
Show notes(Carly Barnes / Flickr)
The White River National Forest in western Colorado uses a variety of methods to manage its 2.3 million acres, whether that's pickup trucks, all-terrain vehicles, or drones, but there's one tried and true method of getting around the wilderness that the forest service still relies on - horses and mules.
Recently, workers got some training in the saddle. Caroline Llanes reports for the Mountain West News Bureau.
Celebrating Idaho's archeological history
May 07, 2024
Show notes Matt Burgess shows a kid how to properly hold an atlatl at the 2023 Idaho Archaeology Fair. ( Idaho Archaeological Society )
When it comes to Idaho history, there's one group that will always be happy to dig into the Gem State's past: the Idaho Archaeological Society.
For more than 50 years, the organization has been preserving important artifacts that not only help us learn more about the state's earliest inhabitants but also how they may have impacted the way we live our lives today. And this weekend, they are celebrating that work with the Idaho Archeology Fair.
Beth Burgess, cultural resources program manager, and Craig Hauer, IAS President, joined Idaho Matters to talk more about the society and their upcoming fair.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
Stay Connected
