Your Daily Guide

C.W. Moore Loo Is a Go

The process of installing a public “Portland Loo”-style bathroom at C.W. Moore Park in downtown Boise will move forward. City Council rejected an appeal from the owners of the nearby historic Belgravia building at 5th and Main Streets, who said the location and design was “inappropriate,” given the park’s historic features. A similar bathroom is already in use at Cherie Buckner-Webb Park. [BoiseDev]

Adopt a Husky for $5

The West Valley Humane Society is undergoing construction, but doing so has limited space for its animals. In particular, the shelter is trying to relocate 24 huskies currently living in crates, either to adopted or foster homes. To incentivize adoption, all huskies have a $5 adoption fee through Friday, but they have specific care instructions to keep in mind. All West Valley animals are spayed or neutered and vaccinated. [West Valley, KIVI]

• This isn’t the first time this year that West Valley’s ran an adoption discount — hear from their director on the challenges of being a no-kill shelter. [City Cast Boise]

Sagebrush Fire Near Lucky Peak

A relatively small fire is burning near Lucky Peak Dam, with no structures under threat. As of Wednesday evening, the Bonneville Fire was at about 30 acres and BLM crews had it near containment. [KTVB]

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 (Bliss Rapids snails, anyone?), 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 Cassia crossbill is also called Loxia sinesciuris, “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 Cassia crossbill’s distinctive beak 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 Badger Fire raged across the South Hills for months, setting 90,000 acres of already scarce Cassia crossbill habitat ablaze.

For the past month, the Black Mountain Fire has been burning 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.

The climate crisis is 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.

Canning Basics 🍅 | Thursday | 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

A master gardener from the University of Idaho Extension office will be at the Lake Hazel branch of the Ada Community Library to get you started on your canning journey. [free, all ages, Southwest Boise]

Flipside Fest, Day 1 🤘 | Friday | 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.

The three-day festival celebrating community and art in Garden City is back. On day one, headliner George Clanton performs at 9 p.m. at Visual Arts Collective’s outdoor Main Stage. [$49+, all ages at Main Stage, Garden City]

Gourd Festival 🎃 | Friday & Saturday | 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Did you know gourd art is a thing? Learn all about it at this quirky two-day event at Franz Witte, from the Idaho Gourd Society. [free, all ages, Nampa]