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City Cast Boise

We ask local movers and shakers the essential questions.

, whether for beginners or more advanced plant owners.

Q: What’s it like to be a crazy plant lady?

 I don’t even know where to start — it happened overnight. It’s been something that’s kept me sane for the last three years, just because of how the world has been. It’s been a great hobby to have and I really enjoy it. But I’m constantly bringing in plants, my husband’s like “can you please stop?” [laughter]

Q: This seems like a ton of work — how do you do it?

It is a ton of work. I used to use an app for plant care … but then you kind of get the idea of what plant needs what care at certain times, so there’s plants that need watered more often than others, and I have my eye on those. Plants are so awesome, because they’ll show you what they need.

Q: Do we have good options for people to buy their plants locally?

I have quite a few favorite shops, because I’m all around the valley just browsing and torturing my kids by taking them to the plant shops. So first off, I want to shout out A Succulent Day … they have a lot of succulents, gift ideas, they’ll pot up your plants for you, they do a lot of one-on-one with you — they’re so awesome. The second one is Coffee Plant Repeat in Meridian. Shannon is amazing, she has an array of plants, she’s brought in a lot more unique plants in the last year or so.

Catch the whole conversation for some species tips, whether for beginners or more advanced plant owners.

3 Questions With a Plant Mom

3 Questions With

Last week, City Cast Boise contributor and Idaho Statesman reporter Ian Max Stevenson joined Emma to 

 policies that the Boise City Council is considering. Here’s more info on the possible changes, if they get approved.

Q: What changes are Boise’s leaders proposing to protect renters?

 The Boise City Council is proposing an ordinance to help renters through four policy changes.

The first would add language prohibiting retaliation against renters, an effort to allow renters to do things like ask for maintenance or raise other concerns without the fear of it coming back and biting them somehow.

The second would require landlords to give new tenants a document explaining their rights and responsibilities. City officials have said that they would create such a document and basically expect landlords to give their tenants the link to this document. This would be like the notices that a lot of people get from their landlord if you live in an older building informing you about the dangers of lead paint and the like.

The third provision would expand the city’s non-discrimination rules to include no source of income discrimination. The idea here would be for landlords to have to treat income from child support or a voucher program the same as income from a job.

And the last provision has to do with situations where a landlord decides to demolish a building — perhaps to build a larger building. In those cases, landlords would be required … to give tenants their full security deposits back. The idea here is that even if a tenant perhaps damaged a wall or something else in the unit that generally would require fixing and some maintenance that a landlord might deduct from your security deposit for … that means that sort of maintenance isn’t necessary [because the building is going to be destroyed in the future], so you should get your full security deposit back.

Q: What did council members have to say about these provisions?

 Overall, I think council members seemed pretty supportive of the proposals, though there may be some disagreement about some of the specifics when it comes back to the council down the road. For instance, council member Patrick Bageant said that he did not think gift income should be included in the non-discrimination provision, because he thinks that it’s reasonable for a landlord to have questions about a person’s ability to pay rent if they’re relying on money from a gift to pay that rent. He also said that on the list of non-discrimination items, he thought small business income should be included there, because he thinks it can be hard for small business owners to secure loans and get other types of funding. But I think we’ll see down the road if there are other council members who have issues with some of the other provisions, too.

Q: Is there a city Boise was looking to for guidance on this?

The mayor’s housing advisor said that she’s been looking around the region at different changes and different policies that other places have implemented. For instance, Tacoma, Wash., recently passed some new protections requiring extended notice for rent increases and caps on late fees. Eugene, Ore., has also passed some protections like capping security deposits and the like, and requiring some relocation assistance. Given the really high rents around the country in recent years [as well as federal COVID rental protections ending recently], a lot of communities have considered ways to protect renters, who tend to be lower income than homeowners.

Listen to the Whole Interview

Last week, City Cast Boise contributor Ian Max Stevenson joined Emma to discuss proposed renter protection policies that the Boise City Council is considering. 

Renter Protections That Could Be Coming to Boise 

3 Questions About Housing Policy Changes

Boise’s plot to steal the Capitol from Lewiston

Q: How did Lewiston become Idaho’s first territorial capital in the first place?

White settlers came onto Nez Perce land (in north-central Idaho), mostly to get gold. [Lewiston] became a central location where you had steamboats running up and down trying to move crops and other things. You have to keep in mind this is still territorial days, so Idaho was not a state. Originally, that Lewiston area was part of the Washington territory [until Congress carved out the final Idaho Territory in 1863].

Q: But by 1864, Boise became the capital, because it was moved, right?

 It was moved — I say it was stolen, because it literally was stolen. But with the gold rush up near Lewiston [dying down] and finding more gold and other things to mine in the Idaho City and Treasure Valley areas, that’s where all the people went. The people in Boise were like “we have more people now, why aren’t we the capital?”

There was a territorial seal and some papers designating Lewiston as the capital, and Lewiston saw what was coming, and put those documents into the Lewiston city jail and locked it in a safe. Then, Clinton DeWitt Smith, who was the territorial secretary, named himself acting governor, and brought federal troops with him to seize all of that. He broke into the jail, he broke the lock, grabbed all the papers, and then whipped out of town on a ferry back to Boise to install the capital there.

Learn More About This Political Heist

How Boise Stole the Capital from Lewiston

3 Questions About the Lewiston Capital Heist

 joined City Cast Boise this week to discuss how a 

new housing program in Caldwell could become a model

 for putting homes within reach for Treasure Valley families.

 They are a low-cost housing organization based out of their campus where they previously used to serve as a migrant labor camp during the Great Depression and they’ve transformed that campus into low housing units for Canyon County families.

Q: You wrote about a new program where the CHA is offering a house at a low cost — what is this project they’re working on?

 CHA is able to purchase properties and renovate them and use them for affordable housing purposes. This new project — they bought a house really close to the College of Idaho, it’s a two-bedroom, two-bathroom house, newly renovated — and instead of just selling it at full price, they’re selling it below the market rate. It was recently appraised for $310,000 and instead they’re selling it for $170,000, and they’re doing that because Canyon County is a really rural area and we’re seeing a lot of new developments, and the CHA wants to make sure that the person who buys this house really wants to plant roots here.

Q: Thinking about smaller cities like Twin Falls and Ketchum who also have these housing problems, do you think this could be replicated in other areas?

 There are some similar organizations that do affordable housing projects, but a lot of it comes from the nonprofit sector, so seeing it come from a local government entity like the CHA is really unique. I think that’s definitely the goal of the CHA, and the director, Mike Dittenber, had a really good quote in my story that was, “What I really want to see happen is for developers who are getting rich to set aside two houses and do the same thing. You may only have to spend five weeks in Cabo instead of six this winter, but you’re giving something back to the community.”

3 Questions With Reporter Mia Maldonado

City Cast Boise contributor Jocelyn Robertson brought the City Cast Boise team to the ballpark, and we have some recommendations for how to have a great time at a Boise Hawks game.

Q: Jocelyn, what can people expect at a Boise Hawks game?

 I love the Memorial Stadium, because it’s old school baseball. It’s got little tiny plastic seats that fold up and down, it’s got nowhere to put your drink, but it feels really personal and really intimate. The crowds are always enthusiastic, you can see all the action, and you don’t have to wait in a super long line for any drinks or hot dogs or anything, and you can get to your seat easily — this just feels like hometown baseball.

Q: What are some tips for how to enjoy the game?

 I didn’t get the Idaho Philly cheesesteak, but it looked good as hell. Honestly, everything I saw somebody eating there and everything I ate was really tasty; perfect baseball park food, honestly. I got the Killer Kielbasa on Jocelyn’s recommendation, and it was incredible.

 Sit on the third base side, even though that’s technically the visitors’ side, it’s not in the glaring sun. … Have your hot dog early while it’s hot, and as the game is in the seventh inning stretch, get that ice cream and it’ll take you through to the end.

 We went on a Wednesday and it could not have been better. I’ve been on Saturdays and you should go to that, but if you’re anxious about the mass of people and being crowded, go on a weeknight.

Q: For people on the fence, do you recommend trying a Hawks game?

If you feel like baseball is not for you, I am really with you — [but] just go try it out.

 I obviously recommend it … [it’s] fun for the whole family, I’m here recruiting new baseball fans.

 I want to tell people: If you haven’t ever been, go, and if you have been but it’s been a while, get together a group of friends and just go sit on the shady side and have a great time.

The Unwritten Rules of Going to a Hawks Game

How to Have Fun at a Boise Hawks Game

3 Questions About the Boise Hawks

Geoff Schroeder represents Idaho’s largest legislative district, but he lives in Mountain Home. Here’s 

 podcast host Emma Arnold asking him about what the town is actually like, and what he thinks of outside influences on his own Republican party.

Q: Has Mountain Home seen the same growth as the rest of the Treasure Valley?

 Yes, it’s grown from 10,000 when I first moved there to about 15-16,000 now. They’ve formed an urban renewal agency, and that has provided significant funding … funding a complete revamping of the downtown area: wider sidewalks, planters, a big plaza — it’s beautiful. And it’s the core that now the events are more downtown-centered, and it’s just a fun place to walk, an incredible array of very nice parks, some good restaurants and nice patios and bars.

Q: What should someone do on an ideal day in Mountain Home?

I guess I’d start out with the parks … Then you’re going to want to come see the Mountain Home Air Force Appreciation Day parade that was at one point the largest one in the state. You’re going to want to come see the Endless Summer of Beer festival that’s in August. … You can visit the airbase, and then there’s the outlying areas — it’s 30 minutes to the Bruneau Dunes [State Park] and the observatory. And it’s kind of counterintuitive to come to Mountain Home so that you can go somewhere else, but it’s really nicely located to be able to reach out and go to these areas that are on the periphery.

Q: The Idaho Freedom Foundation gave you an “F” rating. What’s your reaction to that?

It’s a pity that it couldn’t go lower. They’re not serious policy folks, they have exposed themselves as not being serious about [being] being champions of liberty. Nobody knows who is funding them or what they’re about, it’s a hidden agenda. You don’t get to know, and there’s nothing you can do to please them, particularly if you think for yourself.

Don't Sleep on Mountain Home!

3 Questions With State Sen. Geoff Schroeder

 host Emma Arnold talked about her favorite flower with Sara Arkle from Boise Parks & Recreation. They got into what you can expect at the festival this weekend, and how the city has reduced pesticide use by 50% in just a few years.

Q: There are a lot of festivals competing for attention in the summertime — what can people expect if they go this weekend?

We are so excited to do this inaugural event to celebrate what has been and is still considered a weed in this community: the dandelion. On June 24, from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Cassia Park, we’re hosting a community-wide event where folks can learn about dandelions, pollinators, listen to some music, and also experience a very special brew that Woodland Alehouse is brewing for us, both a beer and a root beer that includes dandelions.

Q: What’s the goal of moving away from pesticide use in Boise parks?

It’s a combination of providing a user experience that people want and then also meeting some of our healthy ecosystem goals, providing pollinator habitat. We’re putting pollinator gardens in a lot of our new parks and this is all based on demand from the public. So looking at that effort holistically meant also providing habitats that are safe and healthy for pollinators.

Q: What are the benefits of keeping dandelions in parks?

An entire lawn full of dandelions might not be what you want aesthetically, but it’s OK to have some different types of broad-leaf, flowering plants. It almost looks like a natural meadow. The reason dandelions are so noticed is that they bloom so early. And so they do provide an early source of food for our pollinators, and a consistent source.

Time to Try Some Dandelion Beer!

3 Questions about Weeds in Boise Parks

This week I spoke with Karyn Levin, the food hub manager for 

, an Idaho Office for Refugees program. You might have had produce from a Global Gardens farmer before, but she said there’s an even better way to get involved that closes at the end of June.

Q: How do you explain Global Gardens to someone who’s never heard of it?

What we do is support folks who have arrived as refugees who now operate their own small farming business. I sometimes describe it as a farm collective. All the farmers that we work with have their own individual business, but we have shared resources. … While a lot of these folks have farming and agricultural skills, there are barriers that exist. So Global Gardens comes in and fills in those gaps and supports the farmers in whatever ways they need to be successful.

Q: There are lots of ways to support refugee and immigrant communities — what does Global Gardens bring to the table?

Global Gardens was born out of a need that was identified in the community. In countries that folks come from as refugees, especially the farmers that we work with right now, it's very common that people grow their own food. So a lot of folks showed up to the U.S. with these skills and experiences, and also facing barriers to other forms of traditional employment, language, education, skills, as well as other things like transportation and, you know, visa complications and things like that. So it's really a two-way street where it benefits the farmers because they're able to be really successful in ways that other jobs that are available to them would not allow, and really provides an integral and really beneficial service to our community as well.

Q: How can people support Global Gardens and also get some fresh food?

The best way to connect with a Global Gardens farmer is by joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). How it works is folks sign up at the beginning of the season, and then for the next 18 weeks, you receive a bag of fresh, seasonal veggies every week. We've just started our CSAs in the past couple of weeks, but we're leaving registrations open through the end of June. So it's not too late to join. [The money] all goes straight to the farmers and so when people say “support local,” or “support Black-owned businesses,” or “support refugees,” this is the way to do it.

3 Questions with Global Gardens

Between the fall of 1955 and spring of 1956, sixteen men were arrested in a moralistic scandal that gripped Boise. Allegedly, they were arrested to protect children from sex crimes for which there was very little evidence, but with historical perspective, the scandal was just one ripple effect of the Red and Lavender Scares. 

e on City Cast Boise, breaking down the affair and what it means today.

It’s a catchy name for a scandal that ended up involving over a thousand people in Boise in the 1950s. In short, it was a homophobic witch hunt that aimed to aid society but ultimately just destroyed the lives of over a dozen men and damaged the reputation of Boise nationally.

Q: What crimes were these sixteen men charged with?

There’s two very different crimes here: one involving adult men taking advantage of their social position by seducing, potentially intoxicating, and paying for sex with teenagers; however, the second crime which under our more contemporary, sophisticated understanding of homosexuality we generally accept in society, and that’s consensual sex between adults of the same gender. Twelve of the 16 men arrested were only charged for consensual acts between adults.

Q: Did this get national attention at the time?

 This was a somewhat well-known story. TIME Magazine published a story in December of 1955 which was a pretty scathing article, it made Boise sound like a pretty unsophisticated, po-dunk town that was obsessed with sex and curing this thing which any New Yorker had learned to live with years ago. Ultimately, it’s really important that we remember the story, that we retell the story, and that we watch out for any potential missteps we may be making towards the direction of this recurring.

Learning from a Dark Chapter in Boise’s Queer History

3 Questions on the ‘Boys of Boise’

In some downtown bars, bartenders are making minimum wage — which still is $3.35 an hour for those jobs. That’s why there are some new standards for tipping, especially given the stress of the pandemic on service workers. Here’s a 

 between City Cast Boise host Emma Arnold and local bartender and comedian Norelle Bond.

Q: What are you hearing from other bartenders in town?

Right now, I know a lot of bartenders in downtown Boise are particularly frustrated with the city. The way the construction is happening, it’s such a short radius of blocks downtown and it’s blocking streets and parking in multiple locations. 

I know that that’s an issue that has been frustrating

Q: During COVID, a lot of veteran service workers called it quits because of customer behavior. Have people improved?

It has, slightly. In Boise, there tends to be some complaints about our population growth, but I’ve actually heard from bartenders that people are bringing the polite manners that they’ve learned in other places to downtown Boise when they’re going out. Which is really nice, especially when it comes to things like tipping.

 Yes and no. I’d say overall Boise tends to be very generous, but there are still some people, particularly in generations that were used to tipping 10% or 15% in the 90s, that don’t consistently tip the standard 20%. Twenty percent is the standard, not because of service, but because in the state of Idaho, making up for the fact that employers only have to pay $3.35 an hour, that should be the standard: 20% everywhere you go, no matter how the service is. People still have to pay their bills. Going out is a privileged thing to do, and it should be the expectation that tipping is built into the budget when you’re going out to a bar.