For more than 20 years the Boise Young Rider Development Squad has worked with kids, here in the Treasure Valley, who are interested in cycling. They've provided support for those new to the sport as well as an opportunity for competition.

This summer there's been one member of the program, in particular, who has been no stranger to competition, 13-year-old Tessa Beebe. In the last two months she has won five national titles and just a few weeks ago placed third in Boise's 35th Annual Twilight Criterium.

Tessa, along with her coach Douglas Tobin, joined Idaho Matters to talk more about her love for cycling and the BYRDS program.

Cities and counties throughout the United States are considering re-instating mask mandates as COVID-19 cases and hospitalization continue to rise.

Joining Idaho Matters to talk more about this and answer your questions is Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke's Health System and a current member of the Idaho Coronavirus Task Force.

When our summer intern Jack Bevan heard rumors that Yellowstone National Park could explode soon and start a new ice age, he had to find out if there was any truth to it.

First, he set out to find if Yellowstone or any other volcanic formations in the northwest, like Mount St. Helens, were likely to blow up soon and he found himself learning all about volcanoes and geysers from a Boise State University graduate student and researcher.

Maggie Holahan has been listening to the sounds made by the Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park to learn more about it. She Joined Idaho Matters to discuss Yellowstone, volcanoes, and the possibility of an eruption.

Intern Jack Bevan helped produce this segment.

As we all know, over the last few years, COVID-19 has put a damper on live events, from concerts to festivals to book launches. While virtual get-togethers are fun, they're just not quite the same.

That's why The Cabin is holding a Belated Book Launch Party Wednesday night at Lost Grove Brewing, celebrating local authors who published their books during the pandemic. The celebration starts at 7 p.m. and there will be live music, beer, trivia and prizes.

Novelist and screenwriter Samantha Silva, journalist Kim Cross and award-winning poet Emily Pittinos joined the Idaho Matters show to talk more about the event, as well as their books.

Every five years Boise hosts one of the biggest Basque festivals in the world, bringing thousands of people to the Gem State to eat, dance and sing.

Jaialdi has been described as a gift from Boise's Basque community to anyone who wants to come and take part. There's a new book out about this unique festival. "Jaialdi: A Celebration of Basque Culture" is a collaboration between Basque American journalist Nancy Zubiri and photographer Jon Hodgson.

Zubiri joined Idaho Matters to talk more about her book, as well as the culture and traditions behind the celebration.

A December wildfire tore through neighborhoods near Boulder, Colorado destroying hundreds of homes before it was extinguished the next day.

The fire left its fingerprints all over the area. Months later, residents had a smoky taste and smell in their water. That required an expensive fix, one that could become more common in towns and cities across the west. KUNC's Alex Hager reports for the Mountain West News Bureau.

There's a growing trend across the country to try and keep non-violent kids and teens out of juvenile detention by "wrapping" them in services that will hopefully steer them away from crime.

Since the late 90s, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, almost every state has reduced the number of kids behind bars by working to change their behaviors.

Ada County Juvenile Services just received a $600,000 grant to set up a Juvenile Assessment Center to help kids in trouble. The Director of Ada County Juvenile Services joined Idaho Matters to talk about the grant and more.

The Moose Fire, near the Idaho-Montana border, has grown to 56 square miles. 800 people are fighting the blaze and two pilots were killed last week in a helicopter accident while on the fire.

Large wildfires like this one can cause people who live in or near the wilderness to worry about how to best defend their homes. With wildfire season growing longer and stronger across our region, companies that do prevention work are staying busy. The Mountain West News Bureau's Kaleb Roedel tagged along with one of them.

In 2020 the Peace Corps evacuated nearly 7,000 volunteers from over 60 countries as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe.

Now, two years later, the program has started to return volunteers to overseas service. Among those returning is Boise local Gregory Ripke. He joined Idaho Matters to talk more about his upcoming mission.

A warning, this interview does talk about shootings and gun violence.

Dr. Lynne Fenton is the only psychiatrist in the history of the United States to be publicly revealed as the doctor of a mass shooter.

Ten years after the deadly shooting at a Colorado movie theater, Dr. Fenton is telling her story in a new memoir, "Aurora: The Psychiatrist Who Treated the Movie Theater Killer Tells Her Story." Dr. Fenton joined Idaho Matters to talk more about her book.