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City Cast Boise

There's a chance the state is holding unclaimed property for you! (Idaho Unclaimed Property / Facebook)

Idaho State Treasurer’s Office launched this year’s unclaimed property

 campaign on Feb. 1. Since then, the state has redistributed over $20 million. But the office is still sitting on over $100 million of unclaimed property — and some of it might be yours!

Unclaimed property is turned over to the state annually from businesses or government offices when they owe you money but can’t get in contact with you. That can include payroll checks, safe deposit boxes, uncashed checks, refunds, or any other form of money that is technically yours, and you just need to claim it.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare announced that 

 after someone who contracted the disease abroad brought it back to their home. Officials warned that measles is incredibly infectious, but that they are “hopeful” that further spread could be prevented.

With the state on measles watch, we’re also looking at a few other ways to help keep you and your community healthy this fall.

Anyone with or without insurance can get a free flu vaccine at a drive-thru clinic at the Consulate of Mexico in Boise on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The clinic is being put on by the Idaho Immunization Coalition, St. Luke’s, and Idaho State University. 

🩸 Donate Blood During National Shortage

The American Red Cross said that the national blood supply is about 25% lower than expected, and said earlier this week that 

Measles, Flu, & Blood: How to Keep Boise Healthy

Measles, Flu, & Blood: How to Keep Your Community Healthy

Help Your Neighbors

As you plan making the most of your fall, I’m bringing back this topic from a year ago, when City Cast Boise had an 

. The City Cast Boise team are veterans, so if you’re new to using our incredible springs, listen up.

Which includes the rocks, soil, and plants around it.

Look for small, off-the-beaten path spots if you want a more natural experience (and will take care of the place).

Assume that everyone else is trying to have a peaceful time; 

“Complete Guide to Idaho Hot Springs” by Doug Roloff

unique and special these natural springs are

, and how lucky we are to live so close to them! 

It can totally change the temperature and ecology of the hot spring.

If you’ve been there for an hour or so and others are waiting patiently to use it, move along!

Similarly: Don’t assume folks want you to hop in a rustic pool with them. 

If a pool is occupied, ask if you can join

 — and maybe try another nearby pool if the vibe feels off. Again: don’t trash the place.

Beginners and people who want a pool experience should check out:

Keep in mind that hot springs are fragile ecosystems that are being 

. They’re part of what makes Idaho great — but they won’t for much longer if we don’t take care of them.

As you plan to make the most of your fall, let's discuss Idaho’s hot springs. The City Cast Boise team are veterans, so if you’re new to using our incredible springs, study up.

Get to Know Idaho's Hot Springs (and Etiquette)

Neighborhood Guides

The deadline to file for candidacy in November’s local elections has come and gone, so we now have a better picture of who’s running for office. Starting with Meridian today, I’ll go through city council and mayoral candidates for several cities over the next few weeks.

 was first elected as Meridian’s mayor in 2019, and he’s running for the office again. Mike Hon, best known for leading the unsuccessful effort to dissolve Meridian’s library board, is running against Simison. 

 has a campaign website link, but it doesn’t seem functional.

Hear the Meridian Library District’s director

’s seat isn’t up for election this cycle.

, are running for this seat. They were both elected before the districts were created, and the only race between two incumbents.

Two new city council candidates are running to represent downtown Meridian: 

, Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s former chief of staff; and Bill Chandler.

 is a retired police officer who was selected by Mayor Robert Simison to fill the vacated seat of a member who left to work as a legislator, and was sworn in in January. He’s 

’s seat is up for election this November, but she didn’t file to run again. However, 

, who’s running as a “trusted conservative,” and former council member 

 are running to represent this southeast Meridian district.

’s term doesn’t expire until January 2026.

For the first time, Meridian voters will elect city council members by district. 

Who's Running for Meridian Mayor and City Council?

Local Civics

We live in a desert, which means we have to work to see fall colors outside of residential areas. Luckily though, it doesn’t take too far of a drive to get to some autumn foliage.

Yesterday, City Cast Boise lead producer Frankie Barnhill joined host Emma Arnold (both self-proclaimed fall girlies) to 

give us their best fall day trip candidates

You can head to downtown Ketchum or Sun Valley for the mountain village fall feel, or get as remote as you like. Head further up canyons to reach higher altitudes, where leaves are well on their way to falling.

, although closed until late November, is a good home base for hikes or biking with plenty of aspens and cottonwoods in view.

To get a good hike but less of a drive, try the 

On the other side of Galena, the Sawtooths — a booked-and-busy summer destination — offers a quieter side of the mountains in the fall. 

 and other areas are great fall camping spots, but do keep an eye on the forecast, because snow might come sooner than you think.

Fall is peak hot springs season, and there are a few quaint springs around Hagerman to check out. Also travel the 

y, see the fossil beds, and stop at some of the orchards in the area.

Driving north from Boise to McCall, there are any 

. Getting a coffee in downtown McCall and then taking a crisp walk by the lake is about as fall as it gets.

The Best Day Trips Outside Boise for Fall Foliage

The Best Day Trips for Fall Foliage

Boise's Best

We’re spoiled when it comes to fall — from just about anywhere in our city, you can be on a farm picking produce within 30 minutes to an hour of walking out your door. That’s just one of the reasons Boise does fall so well, which we’ll be digging into this week here and on the City Cast Boise podcast with some seasonal getaway suggestions

As a preview to a future episode, we’ve got fall expert Marissa Lovell, the editor of 

 (a twice-weekly newsletter you need to subscribe to), to point you to some of the best u-pick farms in the valley.

This farm’s cherry and peach events are behind us, but they’re entering the full autumnal swing with a corn maze that started this weekend (which will be haunted toward the end of October), and their biggest event, Apple Days on Oct. 21.

Along with their berries, this family farm has a stand with flowers, honey, sweet corn, and meats. They keep their stock updated online, so check before going. Cash only and BYO container.

It’s peak plum and apple season at this farm that’s been operating since 1890. Plus, Marissa tells us that you can get your picked apples juiced at the ranch to bring home some apple juice.

If you’ve never gone the u-pick route, try it out this season and support local farmers!

Fall Getaway: The Best U-Pick Farms Near Boise

You’ve probably heard about the open primary ballot initiative. Maybe you’ve signed it, or are thinking about it (here’s 

 currently in circulation if you choose to do so).

But what would opening Idaho’s primary elections actually do?

To help eliminate some confusion, here’s a breakdown of the initiative’s elements.

There are two distinct but related pieces of the ballot initiative.

First is a replacement of the individual political party primary election (which are exclusive to its registered members) with a free-for-all primary election that would move the top four vote-getters to the general election, regardless of their party affiliation.

The second is the implementation of a ranked-choice voting system in general elections, but not primary elections.

The Idaho Republican Party has closed primary elections that only registered Republicans can vote in. If the initiative becomes law, it will bar that practice, and all candidates will run against each other in the primary.

For example, if 12 candidates from various parties ran for one position in a May primary election, the top four would move on to the general election in November. They could be two Republicans, one Democrat, and one Independent — or any imaginable combination thereof.

How would the ranked-choice voting system work?

In our current voting system, you fill in the bubble next to your favorite candidate’s name on the ballot and call it good. A ranked-choice system allows you to be a little more thorough.

Take the example from above. If you’re a big fan of the Independent candidate, you can rank them first and leave it at that. But if you would be happy with the Democrat or Republican A but are strongly opposed to Republican B, you can rank the Democrat and Republican A, and not rank Republican B at all.

Ranking a candidate qualifies as a vote for them, separated by degrees of endorsement. The ranked-choice system uses rounds to eliminate the candidates with the least votes, until the candidate with the most votes has been identified.

Sticking with our example, if a bunch of your fellow voters didn’t rank the Independent candidate, your top choice might be knocked out in the first round. But in the second round, your second choice would then be counted as your top candidate, and so on.

What would opening Idaho’s primary elections actually do? To help eliminate some confusion, here’s a breakdown of the initiative’s elements.

What Idaho's Open Primary Initiative Would Actually Do

What the Open Primary Initiative Would Actually Do

Boise, Explained

Not for the first time this year, the folks at Caldwell’s Amano are celebrating on a big stage this week after the 

 one of the 50 most exciting restaurants in the U.S.

Describing the standout restaurant’s menu, the Times wrote: “In a nod to Southern California, the L.A. Birria Tacos have a particularly rich consommé. The short rib with mole negro is a dark, rich monumental piece of meat, and afterward, it may be difficult to face the dulce de leche adorned with burnt-corn husk cream, but it’s the right decision.”

Earlier this year, Amano chef Salvador Alamilla joined City Cast Boise (along with KIN’s Kris Komori) to talk 

. Alamilla discussed his immigration journey, research trips to Mexico, and why representing Caldwell’s Latino community is the inspiration he returns to time and again.

“How do we keep getting better? How do we keep presenting our culture in this way? That is right now probably our biggest motivation,” Alamilla said.

, so you might be excited to know that the small, indie movie theater is celebrating 39 years of being in business this week.

Also, shoutout to the Flicks staff who are making movie-inspired food and drink menus a la “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” a regular thing now. In 

honor of showing “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,”

 they’re serving gyros, a Greek wine spritzer, and more — we love to see it!

Amano Makes Headlines — Again

Food & Drink

An endemic species — a plant or animal that lives in a single geographic area — is a gem of evolutionary biology. Idaho is home to a few (

), one of the most notable being the Cassia crossbill.

Crossbills are a group of six finch species that feature a curious-looking, overlapping crossed beak. The 

, “loxia” meaning crosswise, and “sinesciuris” meaning “without squirrel.”

That’s because Cassia crossbills live in two neighboring mountain ranges: the South Hills and the Albion Mountains, where no red squirrels live. The 

 is an evolutionary trait that allows them to pry open lodgepole pine cones and use their tongues to eat the seeds inside, which, because of the lack of squirrels to compete with, guarantees them an exclusive food source.

However, ornithologists are worried about the 

small finch’s survivability in southern Idaho’s lodgepole pine forests

. If you recall the fire season of 2020, you might remember that the 

 for months, setting 90,000 acres of already scarce Cassia crossbill habitat ablaze.

 just a few miles west of the crossbill’s habitat, but it’s being monitored closely and allowed to burn to develop future habitat in the area.

devastating lodgepole pines across the western U.S. and Canada

, threatening an uncountable number of species, including this small songbird that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.

An endemic species — a plant or animal that lives in a single geographic area — is a gem of evolutionary biology. Idaho is home to a few, one of the most notable being the Cassia crossbill.

The Cassia Crossbill: Southern Idaho's Endemic Songbird

Urban Almanac

How to Find Your Unclaimed Property

Tips and tricks by Boise locals, for locals.

Boise Life Hacks

Starting in just under a month, you’ll have a chance to weigh in on one of the most important changes facing Boise.

, the first of its kind since the 1960s, is an attempt to modernize Boise, diversify housing and transportation options, and generally shape our future so it doesn’t feel like we’re constantly trying to fix old systems.

But will it work? What would a “successful” code even look like? 

, or will businesses be prioritized over homes? These are the great questions of our time!

The city’s planning and zoning commission already gave the plan a hearty thumbs-up, and now it’s headed to the next stage of its years-long process.

The week of June 12, neighborhood associations, staff, and members of the public will all throw in their two cents. That Thursday, June 15, will wrap up the public feedback with a Q&A, rebuttal, and ultimately a decision from city council.

You can also submit written comments until June 8 by sending them to 

 about how the rewrite could affect your neighborhood and other places you care about.

🌡️ How Do You Feel About the Rewrite?

How to Have Your Say in the Zoning Code

talked about recycling here and on City Cast Boise

. But did you know that the City of Boise, like most communities, actually composts much more than it recycles? Or at least, that’s based on pounds of matter, but we’ll get into that another time.

The composting program has been up and running for six years now, and the 

 says that it diverts about a third of the waste from Boise residences from going into landfills.

That’s key, because the Ada County landfill does have limited space, and we really don’t want to have to create another landfill. Plus, composting is a community-wide way of reusing food materials, because anyone who uses the city’s composting program can get free compost at two different sites: the Idaho Botanical Garden and the 

Soon, I’m going to write a deep dive into composting with help from the experts. But first, here are some helpful links:

Here’s the city’s digital sorting guide

 for what you can put in your composting bin.

 to learn how and when you can get your recycling and composting picked up.

write in with your questions that those links didn’t answer

, or what you’ve always wanted to know about composting. I’ll do my best to answer any questions I get and share those answers with other readers.

Boise Life Hacks

How to Find Your Unclaimed Property

Boise Life Hacks

How to Have Your Say in the Zoning Code

Composting 101

The latest in Boise

Measles, Flu, & Blood: How to Keep Your Community Healthy

Get to Know Idaho's Hot Springs (and Etiquette)

Who's Running for Meridian Mayor and City Council?

The Best Day Trips for Fall Foliage

Fall Getaway: The Best U-Pick Farms Near Boise

What the Open Primary Initiative Would Actually Do

Amano Makes Headlines — Again

The Cassia Crossbill: Southern Idaho's Endemic Songbird