Join KIN and Boise State Public Radio for a distinctive culinary experience, where food takes center stage. Our staff worked with KIN to develop dishes that tell Stories of Idaho! Dine at KIN February 26-28 to experience the magic! While you’re there, make a gift to support BSPR.

Using a massive dataset, researchers are developing tools to help them predict when and where wildfires are most likely to start. The team, led by a Boise State University civil engineering researcher, looked at half a million wildfire starts, and hundreds of attributes about them.

Advocacy groups are criticizing some lawmakers on the House Business Committee for letting a man dressed in brownface testify at the legislature on Monday.

“Our brief to the Supreme Court helped to illustrate the impact on small businesses,” said Abel, founder and CEO of Ketchum-based Wild Rye. “Our story was on behalf of hundreds of thousands of businesses in the U.S. and their consumers that are being affected.”

As immigration enforcement expands nationwide, Native families say increased ICE activity is creating fear in their communities, even among U.S. citizens and tribal members.

Play Free Bird 🦅

Idaho-native Hilary Knight just tied the U.S.-Canada game 👀

You can avoid the hassles of selling your vehicle when you simply donate it to Boise State Public Radio. Donating is easy, the pick-up is free, and your gift is tax-deductible. We accept cars, trucks, boats and more. Donate at www.boisestatepublicradio.org/vehicle-dona...

Everyone at @boisestatepublicradio.org is SOOOO proud of our intern Jaime Geary, who just had a feature air on @npr.org's All Things Considered. A major professional achievement for anyone in the business, let alone someone so early in their career. A name to watch. www.npr.org/2026/02/18/n...

A new bill under consideration by the legislature would give K-9 officers trained to find electronic storage devices the same protections as other police dogs. Under Idaho law, physically harming or killing a police dog — or horse — is a felony. #idleg #idpol

A major snow drought is hitting many parts of the Mountain West, and that has big implications for the looming wildfire season.

The suit, filed today at the U.S. District Court in Boise, accuses local, state and federal agencies of conspiring to use criminal warrants to target Latino and Latina individuals because of their ethnicity.

Idaho lawmakers are trying to bring down levels of social media addiction in children by introducing new regulations for some of the world’s biggest companies. HB 542 would require companies like Meta treat account users who are 16 years of age or younger differently by default. #idleg #idpol

What’s happening with the weather? How is this affecting our ski resorts? And what’s happening to the snow-based economy that our state depends on? To help make sense of all this, Idaho Matters put together a panel of experts to answer what's happening and what it could mean going forward.

Idaho lawmakers took the first step in further cutting state agency budgets in both the current and upcoming fiscal years up to 5%. JFAC wants to slash $131 million from most government offices this year, excluding K-12 education, Medicaid, state police and Idaho’s prisons.

Idaho is one step closer to becoming at least the third state to prohibit its cities and counties from passing anti-discrimination ordinances. #idleg #idpol

A longtime Canyon County activist and former chair of the Idaho Human Rights Commission has been removed from her post effective immediately and will not be considered for reappointment to the seat. #idleg #idpol

Newly proposed state budget cuts could permanently trim between $15 million to $30 million into the future. Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee leaders unveiled state agency responses to their directive to find 1% to 2% in further spending cuts for the current year and going forward.

Thousands of middle school, high school and college students submitted original podcasts to NPR in 2025, representing a wide array of topics and a richly diverse group of entrants. Minette Olvera and Jenna Roeber’s production was Idaho’s only entry.

The latest bill to conform with federal tax changes is heading to the House floor despite overwhelming opposition from the public. Under the proposal, Idaho would forgo taxing income from tips, overtime wages and the interest on auto loans, among other things. #idleg #idpol

Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen is a potato farmer, and her support of immigrant workers put her at odds with Republican leadership. As Trump moved the party even further right, the fight got personal. ICE raided her farm. Our latest collaboration with our colleagues at @boisestatepublicradio.org:

The Reactor Pilot Program would expand federal oversight to all reactors in the program, including DOE-contracted reactors outside national labs. Safety staff based at Idaho National Laboratory would also rewrite DOE rules for them.

The plaintiffs, which include the Moscow School District, the Idaho Education Association and individual parents, say the vouchers interfere with the state constitutional mandate that Idaho provide a uniform, free system of public schools open to all students.

The lack of widespread inquiry over policies that may have factored into a high-profile death involving a federal agent has drawn comparisons to another episode, more than 30 years ago, that prompted sweeping changes.

The West is in a snow drought, delaying mountain openings and limiting ski runs. As snowfall grows less reliable, one Idaho resort is turning to new technology to keep its slopes open.

In the wake of immigration raids, here and around the country, many families lost their main breadwinner and are struggling to stay afloat. In response, four nonprofits came together to create the Idaho Familias Assistance Fund to support families.

Two local operations earned semifinalist nods in the major, nationwide categories. Boise's Bar, Please! is in the best new bar category and Ansots Basque Chorizos and Catering is a semifinalist in the outstanding hospitality category.

Idaho's mental health courts face uncertainty due to state budget cuts, including funding for peer support specialists. #idpol #idleg

New year, new chance to support the public radio you rely on. Become a Boise State Public Radio member and keep local journalism strong in 2026. ➡ bit.ly/3NhLSU9

In Idaho, the teen suicide rate is more than three times the national average. That’s according to St. Luke’s Health System, which is taking part in a new study to reduce adolescent suicide using prevention programs in schools.

When the Idaho Legislature is in session, The Connector is here to help you keep up. Our weekday podcast features clear reporting from journalists who live & work in your community and understand the WHY behind every decision.

Thursday’s commencement marks a new era of housing resources in the Treasure Valley and the end of years of legal conflict between Interfaith Sanctuary and the city of Boise.

A new economic impact study is putting a dollar figure on a crisis many Idahoans have been feeling for years: a growing shortage of doctors, particularly OB-GYN providers.

Had a great conversation on @boisestatepublicradio.org’s Idaho Matters. My recent feature is followed by a lengthy discussion about very compelling recent community forum on the insurance crisis. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i...

Idaho has now collected about $100 million more in taxes than expected, relieving pressure of what had been a projected budget deficit.

Two city of Boise public works employees are in Germany this week, inspecting new equipment that will sanitize more than 20 million gallons of city wastewater each day on its way to the Boise River.

Expect another year of government cuts and no raises for state employees under Gov. Brad Little’s proposed spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year.

Listen to live special coverage of the State of the State address from Idaho Gov. Brad Little this afternoon at 1 p.m. MT. Our Troy Oppie will be hosting, joined by political analyst Jaci Kettler.

We're live on Reddit answering your questions about the 2026 legislative session. Join us!

Longtime KBSU music host Arthur Balinger died Sunday, Jan. 4 after a prolonged battle with cancer.

For more than a year, the Mountain West News Bureau and Boise State Public Radio have tracked Idaho’s growing homeowners insurance crisis. Explore interactive maps, stories, and resources — and connect with us if you’re impacted.

Roughly two-thirds of teenagers are using AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, when they need someone to talk to. People are drawn to AI for mental health because it's free and accessible, but experts stress it does not replace the empathy found from real people.

Rep. Josh Tanner (R-Eagle), Idaho’s assistant house majority leader, will take the reins as the co-chair of the state legislative budget committee for the upcoming 2026 session. #idleg #idpol

In Harney County, the occupation pit neighbors against each other. Since then, some residents say the county has tried to put their divisions firmly in the past and move forward together. via @opb.org

President Trump will be speaking soon on the operation to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Watch it live in the link below.

From breaking news to deeply reported features, Boise State Public Radio’s newsroom spent 2025 covering the stories that mattered most to Idahoans. These were the pieces that sparked conversation, answered questions and kept readers coming back — our most-viewed news stories of the year.

Since 2012, Boise has been ringing in each new year by lowering a 17-foot potato from a crane in downtown. The spud wears white wings and is illuminated, dubbing it the “GlowTato”. But there are other ways you can ring in the New Year around Idaho.

In Idaho, homeowners insurance premiums and policy cancellations are shooting up. And they’re doing so in surprising places, like the state’s southern plains. Experts say that the risk of a catastrophic urban conflagration may be at play.

Previously, Warm Lake Road over the summit has only been accessible each winter by snowmobile. The road runs through avalanche territory and if it is plowed, drivers are likely to try to use the road and could get stuck.

Idaho’s DOGE Task Force is recommending state lawmakers completely repeal its voter-approved Medicaid expansion program.