Idaho Matters

(Credit: LED)LED is a multi-media artistic collaborative that marries dance, music and film to create narrative performances. Founded by the husband-and-wife team of Lauren Edson and Andrew Stensaas in 2015, they have performed at Treefort and venues throughout the Northwest with filmmaker Kyle Morck. LED joins Idaho Matters in studio to discuss their upcoming show at The Egyptian.  

(Rita Dixon)Some bats tested positive for rabies last month and for better or worse, this seems to be the only time bats are in the news. Animal resuers are concerned this type of publicity gives bats a bad image. We talk with wildlife and health officials about why we shouldn't fear bats and we meet L'il Wayne, a female silver-haired bat.And Idaho Fish and Game has a video for anyone who finds a bat in their home. Check it out below:

(VIA IDAHO OFFICE FOR REFUGEES)Federal immigration policies have slowed the flow of refugees to the United States for resettlement. The Treasure Valley has a history of being a welcoming community to refugees, but this contraction in resettlement numbers has created a worker shortage for some industries in the Gem State.Idaho Matters talks with Megan Schwab of the International Rescue Committee in Boise and an official from the agricultural sector who is seeing the labor shortages as a result of these policies.

Wanna Know Idaho begins its second season, answering the un-Google-able questions you have about the Gem State. What's that red stuff planes drop on wildfires? Why are there so many Abe Lincoln statues in Boise? What would happen if the F-35 program came to Boise? Listeners are encouraged to submit questions and the Wanna Know Idaho team will get answers from the experts.

Susan Madacsi uses her blacksmithing skills to create stunning sculptures from glass and metal. Her work can be found in homes and businesses from Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong to Canyon County, Idaho. Madacsi joins Idaho Matters to describe her creative process.

(credit: Metro Community services)Earlier this year we learned about a unique raffle to benefit older and disabled Idahoans; Metro Community Services is selling tickets to raffle off a tiny home built by students from COSSA Regional Technology and Education Center in Wilder. We get an update on the drawing with Metro's Matt Jones.

(stock/flickr)We review the week's headlines with a team of regional journalists. This week we speak with Melissa Davlin, host of Idaho Reports on Idaho Public Television, Kimberlee Kruesi with the Associated Press-Idaho and Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News.

(BSPR)Idaho has seen a substantial increase in sexually transmitted disease rates in the past year. Gonorrhea rates in the Magic Valley have gone up more than 200%. We look at this trend and efforts to stop the spread of STDs with representatives from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and the Central District Health Department.

(NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute)Planetary scientist Jani Radebaugh was looking at pictures of Pluto's surface a few years ago and realized the images were remarkably similar to the features found in California's Death Valley. Radebaugh determined Pluto has sandy dunes, much like those found in the deserts on Earth. She joins us to talk about this discovery and what it means for planetary exploration in the future.

(Ethan Webber/BSPR)Several states have seen their election networks hacked from foreign countries and several more have seen hacking into infrastructural computer systems. We speak with Idaho Secretary of State Lawerence Denney about election security.

(idahocom.org)The opening of the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine brings the first medical school to Idaho. Classes began this week and we speak with Dan Burrell, a founder and trustee of ICOM and the CEO of the Burrell Group, the investment group behind ICOM's funding.

(thestar.com)Madam Mao is a stage production that tells the story of Jiang Qing, the wife of Mao Zedong. The play has recieved rave reviews in Toronto, where it originated and the original cast is coming to perform Madam Mao at the Boise Contemporary Theater. We'll meet with the play's creator, Janet Lo. 

(Treasure Valley Hospice)A group of Eagle High School filmmakers produced a documentary that places people from all walks of life, from all generations in a single, teal chair to answer one question: If you knew you had limited time, what would you do?We speak with Kimberly Ouwehand, the director of The Teal Chair about what motivated high school auteurs to ask this question of people aged 8 to 102 and the responses they recieved. The Teal Chair will be showing at The Flicks on Thursday, September 6.

(City of McCall)The City of McCall is in desperate need of a new library. In the past 13 years, circulation has increased more than 80% and participation in programs has seen a nearly six-fold increase. The McCall Public Library is reaching out to the community for input and we look at the role of libraries in the growing Treasure Valley communities.

(saaltco.com)When talking to families in to Venezuela, Cherie Hoeger found that women there did not have access to reliable menstrual hygiene products. This inspired her to custom build a menstrual cup that can be cleaned and re-used for distribution to economically disadvantaged women around the world. Cherie joins us with her partner, Amber Sawson, to describe the role of their Idaho-based company, Saalt.

(Tom Michael/BSPR)The 208 Comedy Fest returns to Boise this week with a massive number of performers scheduled to yuk it up at multiple venues from Thursday through Sunday. We'll meet with festival organizers who will tell us what's so funny about Boise.

(Willis Hall/Facebook)You hear our theme music on Boise State Public Radio several times a day. It's been stuck in our heads since April. On Wednesday's program, we meet Will Hall, the man who composed the Idaho Matters theme.

(CREDIT BRUCE REICHERT / IDAHO PUBLIC TELEVISION)The Land and Water Conservation Fund was established in 1965 by Congress to provide funds and grants to governments at all levels to purchase lands for preservation and conservation.The program is funded by off-shore drilling leases and separation fees. In 2015, Congress chose not to renew the LWCF, and it will run itself out sometime this fall. Idaho Matters discusses the role of the LWCF in preserving the West and its contribution to preservation and conservation in Idaho.

(iStockphoto.com/NPR)The benefits of breastfeeding is well known; UNICEF estimates that better education regarding lactation could save 820,000 lives worldwide. We'll look at efforts to bring awareness to the importance breastfeeding plays in childhood development.

(campfiretheatrefestival.com)The Campfire Theatre Festival is a three-day event "created by theatre makers, for theatre makers." Scheduled events include readings, actor, writer and stagecraft workshops and multiple performances. Festival organizers join Idaho Matters in studio to talk about the events.