Idaho Matters

(Evergreen state college)In addition to an extensive academic career with Idaho State University, Washington State University and Evergreen State College, Dr. Thomas "Les" Purce served in Pocatello as the first black mayor in Idaho.Dr. Purce joins Idaho Matters to discuss his career in both the public and private sectors. Dr. Purce's address to the City Club of Boise can be heard on Boise Public Radio News this Saturday at 8 p.m.

(Greg Bayne)Boise filmmaker Greg Bayne produced and directed two documentary features, Jens Pulver | DRIVEN (2011), and Bloodsworth–An Innocent Man (2015) and was recognized as the  2012 Sundance New Frontier Storytelling Fellow and 2015 IFP Screen Forward Lab fellow.vHis 2017 noir film, 6 Dynamic Laws for Success (In Life, Love & Money) was shown last weekend at The Flicks in Boise and has been extended for an additional week.Bayne joins Idaho Matters to talk about bringing film noir back to the theater.

St. Luke's is partnering with schools throughout Idaho to promote healthy lifestyles through walking. The FitOne Boise program provides walking tracks for schools and programs to make exercise fun.  Idaho Matters spoke with FitOne executive director Eric Stride and Leigh Peebles, principal of Lewis and Clark Elementary in Caldwell about how healthy students make smart students.

(ICOM)The Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) will open this summer in Meridian. Idaho's first medical school will begin classes on August 20 with 162 students enrolled and ready to learn.Gemma Gaudette spoke with ICOM's founding dean, Dr. Robert Hasty, about the programs being offered and how this could change the state of healthcare in Idaho.

(EMILIE RITTER SAUNDERS / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO)Idaho primary elections are this Tuesday. We'll look at the history of the Gem State's closed primary and how it differs from the process with other states.  Postdoctoral Associate Matthew May of Boise State University sat down with Gemma Gaudette.

A panel of reporters joins Gemma Gaudette to discuss this week’s news affecting the Treasure Valley and Idaho. Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News and Bill Manny of the Idaho Statesman parse out the Idaho primary election ballot.

(PANKEYFORIDAHO.COM / facebook)We continue our series of interviews with Idaho's gubernatorial candidates; Boise State Public Radio's James Dawson speaks with Republican candidate Dalton Ben Cannady and BSPR's Frankie Barnhill talks with Republican candidate Steve Pankey.

(boise state public radio)Earlier this week, members of the Boise Philharmonic performed Haydn's Sunrise Quartet for some unique audience members ... inmates at the Idaho State Correctional Institution. The philharmonic's string quartet played for about an hour in the facility's chapel in front of 500 men.Bryan Shipley, chaplain of the ISCI's chapel and philharmonic violinist Geoffrey Hill will join Idaho Matters with one of the performers to discuss the genesis of the performance and its impact on both the musicians and the audience members.

(DESTINATION CALDWELL )While most municipalities in the Treasure Valley have been experiencing explosive growth, business in Caldwell's downtown corridor has been sluggish. City officials are hoping to turn that trend around with the opening of Indian Creek Plaza, an events center that would host concerts, farmer's markets and other events.In addition to drawing foot traffic into downtown Caldwell, the hope is that the project will attract downtown residents as well.

(JAMES DAWSON / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO | SAMANTHA WRIGHT / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO)We continue our series of interviews with Idaho's gubernatorial candidates; Boise State Public Radio's James Dawson speaks with Republican candidate Lisa Marie and BSPR's Samantha Wright talked with Republican candidate Harley Brown.

(STOCK)Boise gas prices are hovering around $3.20 for a gallon of the cheap stuff, the national average is just above $2.80. We talk with Brett DeLange, chief of the Idaho Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division about why our fuel prices are so high.

(Frankie Barnhill / James Dawson | Boise State Public Radio)We continue our series of interviews with Idaho's gubernatorial candidates; Boise State Public Radio's James Dawson speaks with Democratic candidate Peter Dill and BSPR's Frankie Barnhill talks with Republican candidate Brad Little.

(DANNY LAROCHE - FLICKR )American cities are showcasing their bike-friendliness in efforts to attract new businesses and healthy workforces and Boise is doing everything to stay ahead of the trend. Cynthia Gibson, executive director of the Idaho Walk/Bike Alliance and Dave Fotsch, director of Boise Green Bike (and BSPR community advisory board member) discuss ways in which Boise is improving its bike-ability.

(ADAM COTTERELL - BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO)Nearly 60% of Boise's homeless population have outstanding arrest warrants, usually from petty misdemeanors like public drinking or sleeping in the park. These warrants are easily remedied, though they create substantial roadblocks for homeless Idahoans looking to lift themselves up.On Tuesday's Idaho Matters, we discuss solutions to erasing these warrants and the road forward from there for Boise's homeless with Jodi Peterson of Boise's Interfaith Sanctuary and Judge Dan Steckel of Idaho's 4th Judicial District.

(OTTO KITSINGER / AP | CREDIT MATT GUILHEM / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO)Idaho Matters continues with the second in a five-part series presenting a Q&A with Idaho's gubernatorial candidates. Today, we hear Boise State Public Radio's Matt Guilhem speaks with Democratic Boise businessman A.J. Balukoff and BSPR's Samantha Wright talks with retired physician and Republican candidate Tommy Ahlquist.

(JESSICA ROBERTS)News media has changed drastically since the beginning of the 2016 presidential election. Fake news, Russian bots, data mining and targeted news have changed the way front-line reporters get their content to consumers. Corporate consolidation, a declining print industry and website acquisitions have made the media employment landscape volatile and unpredictable. On Tuesday's Idaho Matters, we spoke with Taylor Munson, online editor with the Boise State University Arbiter and Savannah Cardon, editor-in-chief with the University of Idaho Argonaut about the challenges facing young journalists entering the workforce in 2018.

(CREDIT MATT GUILHEM / EMILIE RITTER SAUNDERS / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO)Idaho Matters begins the first in a five-part series presenting a Q&A with Idaho's gubernatorial candidates. We hear Boise State Public Radio's Matt Guilhem speak with Democratic candidate Paulette Jordan, then BSPR's James Dawson speaks with Republican contender Raul Labrador.

Joe Wiegand has been performing as Theodore Roosevelt since 2004; his impersonation is so masterful he has performed at the White House, and has played the 26th president in documentaries. He will be performing in the Treasure Valley next week and he joined Gemma Gaudette in studio to talk about impersonating 'The Hero of San Juan.' 

(AMELIA TEMPLETON / OPB)When news broke of the occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Eastern Oregon, documentarian David Byars knew he had to go there with a camera. The result was 'No Man's Land,' a chronicle of the 40-day occupation by public land advocates who saw federal land policies as an infringement on their liberty.Byars joined Idaho Matters in studio to discuss the making of his picture, which debuts on Idaho Public Television on Monday evening.

Boise State University president Bob Kustra is retiring after 15 years. He joins Idaho Matters to discuss the growth of the university under his tenure and future plans for both himself and Boise State.