Idaho Matters

(FPG/Getty Images)Walt Whitman's works have been analyzed by scholars since his passing in 1892 and University of Idaho American literature assistant professor Zachery Turpin is digging through archives and manuscripts in search of Whitman's "lost" works.  Turpin joins us to talk about his quest for literature's "National Treasure."

(Lancey / Flickr)The increased prison population at the Idaho Department of Corrections has forced officials to place some prisoners in county jails for housing. This has led to a stretching of resources for the state's county sheriffs; such overcrowding led to a riot in the Bannock County jail on Wednesday. We talk with Ada County Sheriff Stephen Bartlett and state representatives Lynn Luker (R-15th) and John McCrostie (D-16th) about the impacts they're seeing in Ada jails.

(snake river stampede)A $400,000 purse makes the Snake River Stampede one of the top stops on the rodeo circuit. This Tuesday, barrel-riders, bullfighters, bronco-busters and their fans will descend on Nampa for the 103rd running of the Snake River Stampede and on Monday's Idaho Matters we'll talk about the legacy of rodeo in the West and more than a century of stampeding in the Gem State.

(Ballet Sun Valley)The two-day Ballet Sun Valley Festival begins Tuesday. The festival will feature classical ballet and modern dance performances from Misty Copeland, Aran Bell and other all-star dancers. Idaho Matters discusses the festival with its artistic director, Isabella Boylston.

We assemble a panel of Idaho journalists to discuss the week's events in Boise, the Treasure Valley and beyond. This week we're joined by Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News and Betsy Russell and Scott McIntosh of The Idaho Press.

(IDAHO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL)Jillian Kates, Jodi Dominick and Laura Welsh Berg play the leads in the Idaho Shakespeare Festival's production of Mamma Mia! and they join Gemma Gaudette to talk about the enduring appeal of ABBA.

(CREDIT IDOC)The state's prison system is experiencing critical overcrowding. Inmates are being farmed out to penitentiaries in other states and county jails, and the inmate population is expected to surpass 10,000 by 2020.Prison officials have suggested a half-billion dollar prison expansion that the state is coinsidering. On Thursday's Idaho Matters, we speak with DOC director Henry Atencio about the state's growing prison population and how they will be housed in the future.

(CREDIT ADAM COTTERELL / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO)Former Idaho Supreme Court Justice Robert Huntley filed a class action lawsuit against several public school districts in the state of Idaho for charging fees to K-12 students.The suit was filed on behalf of every student in Idaho and their parents. Huntley says these fees violate the state's constitution and he joins Idaho Matters to explain his motivation for filing this suit.

(idaho.gov)The state legislature nearly convened a special session to parse out the details of unresolved issues of flood control on Southwest Idaho rivers. The session was averted and House Speaker Scott Bedke walks us through the issue and the resolution.

The long awaited Indian Creek Plaza opens in downtown Caldwell. The multi-purpose plaza will serve as a concert venue, a festival space and will facilitate further development in Caldwell's downtown corridor. We speak with Caldwell mayor Garrett Nancolas about the plaza's debut.

( National Fallen Firefighters Foundation)Following the deadly attack against Boiseans attending a child's birthday party, Boise Fire Chief Dennis Doan called for a re-examination of the methods used to treat fire fighters and other first responders for PTSD, telling the Idaho Press, "I do know that more firefighters killed themselves than died in the line of duty."Chief Doan joins Idaho Matters to discuss the need for proper treatment for first responders and how current workers compensation plans neglect this treatment.

(twitter)This year's Idaho Republican Convention stuck pretty much to script until 26-year-old Dom Gelsomino took the floor and introduced himself as a "Christian, a fellow conservative and Idaho's first openly gay Republican to run for office." Gelsomino asked the state GOP to abandon its position on gay marraige and to demonstrate more tolerance and inclusion. Dom Gelsomino joins Idaho Matters to talk about today's GOP and and how it might work with the LGBTQ+ community.

(CREDIT BOISE TWILIGHT CRITERIUM)The Twilight Criterium returns to Boise for its 32nd year. The high-speed street race promises lots of tight pelaton action and events for the whole family. Lynn Hightower of the Downtown Boise Association joins Idaho Matters to talk about the day's events.

(JAMES DAWSON / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO)More than a week after one of the most horrific assaults in Boise history, we look at efforts within the Treasure Valley's refugee community to find healing and closure.

Every summer we're reminded not to leave children unattended in parked cars, and every summer we hear tragic stories of children passing away in hot cars. Idaho Matters discusses the issue with Sherry Iverson, St. Luke's director of advocacy.

(Gem County Economic Development)President Trump's trade disputes over tariffs and NAFTA provisions have created headaches for numerous sectors of the American economy. Idaho's number one exports to China are manufactured goods and electronic components and we look at how these trade policies are impacting Idaho exports and how tariffs are affecting raw material prices for manufacturers.

(CREDIT SADIE BABITS / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO)The State of Idaho is facing a potentially crippling overcrowded prison population and officials are scrambling for ways to alleviate it. A suggestion to house inmates at National Guard barracks was shot down by Governor Otter. A $500 million expansion project is in discussion. In the meantime, many inamtes are being shipped out of state under contracts to house and feed them elsewhere. State representative Melissa Wintrow (D-19) recently visited the Pocatello Women’s Correctional Center and left with some ideas about how to fix the state's corrections system. She joins Idaho Matters to share some of those ideas.

(credit tested in idaho)Idaho Commerce is teaming up with the state's manufacturers of outdoor recreational gear to take advantage of the state's rugged terrain and test consumer equipment. From backpacks to snowshoes, kayaks and camp stoves, Tested in Idaho "shines light on Idaho-based recreation technology companies who take their work to the field." We speak with a representative from Idaho Commerce and a participating manufacturer of climbing gear about the program.

The Wizard World Comic Con visits Boise this weekend with the Golden Goose of sci-fi guests: William Shatner, aka Captain James T. Kirk (and LAPD patrol officer TJ Hooker, Boston criminal defense attorney Denny Crane and eponymous 911 phone center presenter.) "The Shat"joins Idaho Matters to talk about a career in front of the camera and meeting his fans throughout the country.

(James Dawson / Boise State Public Radio)The Boise community gathered outside city hall Monday in a show of unity and defiance against violence. Mayor David Bieter spoke to those gathered, thanking Boiseians for their support and urging all to stand up to hatred and violence. Mayor Bieter joined Gemma Gaudette in studio to talk about the healing process facing the community.