Idaho Matters

(Boise Bicycle Project )The Boise Bicycle Project is spending the month of May encouraging kids to get on their bikes and explore their communities. The project manages programs that provide bikes for low income Idahoans and teach bike maintainance to all. The BBP also organizes rides for all levels and looks for opportunities to combine biking with community outreach. We talk with the Boise Bicycle Project about their efforts this month.

(SCOTT KI / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO)An Idaho state judge ruled the state's Department of Corrections must release information regarding the drugs used in executions from 2011 and 2012.In recent years, states that use this mode of execution have been finding it difficult to obtain the necessary drugs and have turned to different cocktails of available drugs, which have resulted in prolonged executions with the condemned demonstrating clear pain.Idaho Matters speaks with University of Idaho law professor Aliza Cover and Ritchie Eppink of the Idaho ACLU about the use of these drugs in state executions.

(IDAHO STATESMAN)Orange plastic bags are now a part of everday Boise life and Boise State Public Radio's Frankie Barnhill answers your questions about the new recycling procedures.

(Aquability)Aquability is a therapeutic aquatic program designed to help children with disabilities develop "independence and ability, enhance health and fitness, increase self-esteem and improve quality of life." We speak with Karen Morrison, the founder of the Boise-based organization, about using pools to help kids grow.

(ROOTSZEROWASTEMARKET.COM)The Roots Zero Waste market in Garden City bills itself as a "a neighborhood, bulk-goods, organic, non-GMO, micro-grocery store and bistro cafe." We speak with its owners about both the health and community benefits of providing locally-sourced foods free of packaging.

(pinterest)Utah recently enacted a law that protects parents from charges of negligence when they let their children play unsupervised outdoors. The "free-range parenting" law is the first of its kind in the country and we speak to the founder of the Free Range Kids movement.

(RICK BOWMER / AP IMAGES)A 2016 report found that Idaho forensic services had a back-up of sexual assault evidence kits that needed to be tested. Thanks to a groundbreaking kit tracking system, the Idaho State Police have managed to process more than a third of the kits, but there are many waiting to be tested.On Monday's Idaho Matters, Emily Lowe of the Press-Tribune joins Gemma Gaudette in studio to parse out her reporting and State Representative Melissa Wintrow discusses legislative efforts to fast-track the processing of these kits.

(CHRIS BRONSON/IPT )In 1990, the Boise exburb of Nampa had a small-town population of about 25,000 residents. Ten years later, it had doubled. Today there are more than 81,000 Nampans and the community is growing as housing prices in Boise are driving homebuyers into Canyon County. Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling joins Idaho Matters to talk about the growth in her community.

(Miracle League of Payette)The Miracle League of Payette provides an adaptive baseball program for children of all abilities so every kid has an opportunity to step up to the plate and swing for the fences. We'll speak with league organizers about the program and the value of making sports accessible for all children.

(IDAHO STATESMAN )Idaho reporter Rocky Barker has announced his retirement after a 40-plus year career covering politics, the environment and just about everything else in Idaho. Barker joined Idaho Matters to talk about his favorite stories and the ones that moved him the most.

(Trailhead)As the population of the Treasure Valley continues to swell, the region is poised to emerge as a tech hub in the Northwest. Idaho Matters will discuss efforts to cultivate the valley's position as a tech powerhouse with Vynyl's Nick Crabbs, Trailhead's Dan Faricy and Sparrow Travel Media's Christina Lankowski.

(stock)Gemma Gaudette discusses the week's events with a roundtable of Idaho journalists including Kimberlee Kruesi of the Associated Press-Idaho, Bill Manny, community engagement editor with the Idaho Statesman and Betsy Russell of the Idaho Press-Tribune.

(IDAHO STATESMAN )For years, America has shipped its raw recyclable material to China for processing, but as of January first of this year, China has stopped accepting shipments, which means recyclable trash is starting to pile up and fees are increasing. BSPR's Frankie Barnhill joins Idaho Matters to discuss the problems arising from these new recycling policies and we look at Boise's new residential recycling rules.

(St. Luke's)St. Luke's Magic Valley is implementing a program that allows volunteers to care for the pets of people who require longer-term hospital stays. Many people are hesitant to seek medical care out of fear that any extended hospital stays would leave their pets unattended. We discuss this foster care for animals with St. Luke's Magic Valley.

(IDAHO LEGISLATURE WEBSITE)The Idaho Legislature's website was hacked two weeks ago by the Italian hacking group, AnonPlus. While no data had been stolen, just a publishing of their manifesto on the site, the hack exposed vulnerabilities in governmental websites. Boise State assistant computer science professor Hoda Mehrpouyan joins Idaho Matters to discuss cybersecurity in our public computer networks.

(DARIN OSWALD / IDAHO STATESMAN)IndieDwell is repurposing shipping containers into habitable homes for a fraction of the price of a traditional brick-and-mortar home and they leave a substantially smaller environmental footprint. Could shipping containers help solve the pending housing crunch facing the Treasure Valley?IndieDwell founders Scott Flynn and Peter Gombert join Gemma Gaudette to talk about out-of-the-box solutions for affordable housing.

(BOISE MUSIC WEEK )Boise Music Week begins its 100th year of events that will include jazz perofrmances, choral and organ recitals and performances of The Music Man. We talk with Boise Music Week board president Roger Lingle and board member and director of The Music Man, Allyn Krueger, about what to expect this year and why it has sustained as the state's longest enduring annual gathering of performers.

(Boise State University)Boise State University president Bob Kustra is retiring in June and the university has worked its field of 53 applicants down to three finalists. Today the university announced it was extending its search to consider more applicants. Boise State Public Radio's Matt Guilham joined Idaho Matters to discuss the reasons behind the decision and how the search for a new president might proceed.

(BSPR / NPR)Boise State University assistant political science professor Stephen Utych, Idaho Public Television's Melissa Davlin and College of Idaho professor of political economics Jasper LiCalzi join Gemma Gaudette to break down the results of Tuesday's primary elections and Idaho Education News' Kevin Richert discusses the state superintendent of education race and the various bond measures that went before voters.

(AP PHOTO/OTTO KITSINGER |EMILIE RITTER SAUNDERS / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO |NPR |)The primary elections have arrived and Idaho Matters spoke with Boise State University assistant political science professor Stephen Utych about voter trends in Idaho and around the country. Later, Boise State Public Radio's Matt Guilhem and Samantha Wright shared voices from polling stations across the Treasure Valley.