Idaho Matters

A panel of reporters joins Gemma Gaudette to discuss this week’s news affecting the Treasure Valley and Idaho.Idaho Spokesman-Review political reporter Betsy Russell, Idaho Press-Tribune Editor Scott McIntosh and Associated Press reporter KimberleeKruesi will be in-studio to give an update on the upcoming primary elections, a $165 million wastewater treatment bond in Nampa and a breakdown of last week’s democratic gubernatorial debate.

Twin Falls Mayor Shawn Barigar joined Idaho Matters to talk about the growth and economic development impacting Twin Falls and the Magic Valley.

May the Fourth be with you! Film critic George Prentice discusses the ways Star Wars has crossed generations and become a cultural phenomenon, infiltrating every part of mainstream pop culture.

(Chobani)Chobani has announced that it is offering six weeks of 100 percent paid maternal and paternal leave for its employees. The yogurt manufacturer's Twin Falls plant is the largest of its kind in the world and employs nearly 1,000 Idahoans.The United States is one of the very few industrialized nations that does not guarantee paid maternity leave, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 only guarantees unpaid leave. We discussed the merits of maternity leave and how Chobani sees time off as an asset to the company.

(Lacey Daley / Boise State Public Radio )Five foothills homeowners recently won a lawsuit against a number of defendants after the ground beneath their homes slid downhill, pulling apart the structures. With the rapid influx of residents to the Treasure Valley, planners and developers are looking for the safest, most sustainable ways to integrate new development with the region's landscape.Idaho Matters spoke with Jaap Vos, director of the University of Idaho Boise Urban Design Center, to discuss the best way to grow in the Treasure Valley.

Since 2010, nearly 18 percent of the United States' gross domestic product has been spent on healthcare. Chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer and diabetes are responsible for seven of every 10 deaths in America. Those three diseases account for 75% of the nation's healthcare spending.  Idaho Matters discussed the value of personal health within the community with Jean Fitzgerald-Mutchie, service line program manager with St. Luke's Children's Hospital; Dr. Jennifer Shalz, Heart and Rehabilitation Director with St. Luke's and Dr. Alejandro Necochea, an internal medicine physician.

(LUKE MAYVILLE / RECLAIM IDAHO)Reclaim Idaho has been collecting signatures for months in an effort to get Idaho to expand its Medicaid coverage. The petition to place expansion on the November ballot as a voter initiative was submitted yesterday with the requisite 60,000 signatures.The organization is looking for a Medicaid expansion to cover more than 62,000 uninsured Idahoans under the Affordable Care Act; the state legislature voted down any bills exercising the expansion. Opponents to expansion fear state subsidy expenditures will continue to increase until it consumes the state budget.Tracy Olson, Ada/Canyon County co-leader of Reclaim Idaho and Fred Birnbaum, vice-president of the Idaho Freedom Foundation join Gemma Gaudette to talk about expanding Medicaid to fill the uninsured gap and concerns about the cost to Idahoans.

Boise Mayor Dave Bieter joined Idaho Matters to talk about the explosive population growth in the Treasure Valley, responsible and sustainable development and what the future looks like for the City of Trees.

In 2017, Boise's Greenbelt sustained massive damage as a result of a wet winter and subsequent flooding. So as spring settles in this time around, it's no wonder folks are recalling the events of last year.Listener Scott Sanicki is one of those people curious to know what the state of the Greenbelt looks like these days."Has the 2017 flooding damage to the Boise Greenbelt been repaired?"To answer his question, we talked with Boise Parks and Recreation director Doug Holloway Foothills and Open Space Coordinator Sara Arkle on the Wednesday, May 2 edition of Idaho Matters.This segment is our latest installment in our “Wanna Know Idaho” series and came from Scott Sanicki. If you don't want to miss any of our Wanna Know Idaho stories, be sure to subscribe to the podcast!Have a question you've been curious about? Submit your question below!For more local news, follow the KBSX newsroom on Twitter @KBSX915Copyright 2018 Boise State Public Radio

Remember your childhood dreams of being a rock star? Boise Rock School makes those dreams (almost) come true by teaming up with kids and teaching the art of rock. From beginners to experts, the instructors will teach children to channel their inner-Jagger while instilling teamwork and fostering a passion for music.Co-founder Ryan Peck and education director Jared Goodpaster talk about the programs coming up and the absolute value of rocking out.

Atlanta-based developers the Greenstone Group are hoping to build a multi-purpose sports stadium in South Boise to host minor league baseball games and other athletic events. The project has the support of the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce and some other high-caliber boosters. It also has opponents. Concerned Boise Taxpayers is a citizen organization led by former Albertson's executive Gary Michael and Boise Stampede owner Bill Illet, and they do not see any room for a project of this magnitude in South Boise.  Illet joins Idaho Matters to share his concerns.

President Trump insists the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is a terrible deal for American workers, but one-quarter of Idaho’s exports went to Canada and Mexico from 2002 to 2016 and the state's agricultural community is very concerned about what a withdrawal from NAFTA could mean for their bottom line.State Representative Mat Erpelding recently penned an op-ed that outlines a potentially negative impact as a result of a withdrawal; the representative sat down with Gemma Gaudette to discuss his support for the 25-year-old trade agreement.

More than a year ago, the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights in Boise broke ground on an outdoor community classroom as part of the the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial. A kiosk in the classroom will detail the state's history of civil rights as well as address discrimination faced by African-Americans, Latinos, Jews and members of Idaho's LGBTQ community. The classroom will be dedicated to civil rights champion Marilyn Shuler, who passed away last year.Dan Prinzig, executive director of the Wassmuth Center will talk about the work of the center and the benefits of an outdoor classroom.

University of Idaho physics professor Jason Barnes would like to go to the Saturnian moon, Titan. Not him, personally, rather he'd like to send a giant drone-like rotorcraft to the moon to gather data.Barnes is on the team developing one of two drone programs for consideration for a NASA mission to Titan; he spoke with Idaho Matters about his role in exploring the distant moon and the importance of space exploration.

The 2018 primary elections are weeks away and candidates from all parties are meeting for debates. This weekend will see six major state debates and on Idaho Matters, we speak with Melissa Davlin and Seth Ogilvie of Idaho Reports on Idaho Public Television to get the Monday morning recap. 

(Frankie Barnhill/Boise State Public Radio)Early voting for Idaho's 2018 primary elections begins Monday and Ada County Chief Deputy Clerk Phil McGrane joins Idaho Matters to tell Idaho voters everything about registration, early voting options and polling locations.

Zoo Boise is undergoing many changes this past year; a new giraffe, the ground breaking of a new African exhibit and a new director.  Gene Peacock will assume his new role as Zoo Boise's director following the resignation of Steve Burns after a twenty-year tenure.  Peacock joins Idaho Matters to discuss the new exhibits and his vision for Zoo Boise.

Idaho native Natalie Perry grew up in a family with two gay, closeted fathers. One was a Chief Judge of the Idaho State Court of Appeals and couldn't campaign as an openly gay man in Idaho, unable to come out until after retirement.As an author, artist and LGBTQ advocate, she uses this unique perspective to encourage equality for families in the gay community. Her book, "Dad #1, Dad #2: A Queerspawn View from the Closet" tells the story of her parents' struggles and the power of love in unifying a family.

A panel of reporters joins Gemma Gaudette to discuss the week's news affecting the Treasure Valley and Idaho, including education legislation from the 2018 session, Medicaid expansion proposals and the upcoming primary elections.This week's panel includes Kimberlee Kruesi, the Associated Press's Boise Bureau reporter; Kevin Richert, a reporter with Idaho Education News and Idaho Statesman Community Engagement Editor, Bill Manny.

Anxiety is the most common mental health ailment, affecting nearly one third of Americans - both adolescent and adult.  Anxiety disorders are being detected in children as young as four.  Christy Porter is a student counselor at St. Joseph's Catholic School in Boise and she sat down with Idaho Matters to discuss the warning signs of stress in school-aged children and ways to alleviate the anxiety.