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Happening in Boise is your weekly breakdown of what’s actually going on around the city—local news, community events, public safety updates, new restaurants, real estate, weather, schools, and everything Boise residents are talking about.
Hosted with humor, honesty, and a very Boise-specific point of view, this isn’t stiff broadcast news—it’s real local info with personality. If you live in Boise or just want to keep a pulse on the Treasure Valley, this is your weekly shortcut.
MARK: Welcome to 'Happening in Boise'. It's Monday, March 30, 2026. I'm Mark, and I'm currently wearing four layers because the Boise weather has the commitment issues of a twenty-something on a bender. Last Saturday, I was contemplating a tan. Today, I'm contemplating where I stored my fucking parka.
JOLEEN: And I'm Joleen. I've already accepted that my hair is going to look like a damp bird's nest for the next six days. It's that magical time of year when the city decides to transition from a pleasant spring dream into a grey, drizzly nightmare. But hey, at least the pollen is back to try and choke us all to death. We're apparently the worst allergy city in the country now, so that's a fun little trophy for the mantle.
MARK: It's a badge of honor, really. If the housing prices don't drive you out, the cedar and sagebrush will. But seriously, we've got a massive show today. We're talking about thousands of people screaming at the Capitol, a soccer stadium that used to be for horses, and some legislative bullshit that actually managed to pass unanimously. It's a miracle, or a sign of the apocalypse. Probably both.
JOLEEN: Don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave a comment if you've got something to say. Or just email us at boise@thehappeningnetwork.com if you want to tell Mark his tie looks like a dickhead designed it. We love the feedback, especially the mean stuff. Now, let's get into the shit that actually matters.
MARK: Our top headline is the 'No Kings 3' protest that absolutely took over downtown this past Saturday. We're talking over five thousand people packed onto the Capitol steps. It was part of a national movement, but Boiseans really brought the 'fuck you' energy to the local level. They weren't just there to yell at the federal government; they had some choice words for our favorite supermajority in that shiny building behind them.
JOLEEN: Yeah, the timing wasn't an accident. The protest happened right after the Legislature passed House Bill 572. That's the one that basically makes it a felony to use the wrong bathroom twice in five years. I'm not even joking. We've got people struggling to pay rent and roads that look like Swiss cheese, but our representatives are literally spending their time being the 'potty police'. It's fucking embarrassing.
MARK: Maxine Durand, who's running for governor, had the line of the night. She told the crowd she'd rather be talking about Medicare or the minimum wage, but instead, she's stuck arguing with old men about where she's allowed to pee. It really highlights the priorities of the folks under the dome. And let's not forget the abortion initiative. Those organizers were out there too, saying they've got eighty-seven thousand signatures already. They're aiming for a hundred thousand by the April 30th deadline to get it on the ballot.
JOLEEN: The energy was wild. You had bands like 'Cure for Paranoia' playing, and speakers calling out everything from democratic backsliding to immigration policy. It's wild to see Boise turn out like that. Usually, we're a pretty quiet bunch until someone mentions a new bike lane, then everyone loses their goddamn minds. But five thousand people on a Saturday? That's a statement.
MARK: Moving on to something that actually saw some bipartisan agreement for once. Senate Bill 1412 just cleared the House and Senate and it's sitting on Governor Little's desk. This is the school sexual abuse reporting bill. It's a direct response to the absolute shitshow involving Gavin Snow and the Boise School District. You might remember the district ended up settling for two million bucks with families because things were handled so poorly.
JOLEEN: It's about time. The bill basically says schools can't do their own little 'internal investigations' as a way to avoid calling the cops. If there's an allegation of abuse, they have to report it to law enforcement. It also adds whistleblower protections for staff who speak up. It's crazy that we needed a law to tell people 'hey, maybe don't hide the fact that a staff member is a predator', but here we are.
MARK: Senator Tammy Nichols sponsored it, and while she's usually a lightning rod for controversy, she really pushed this one through. It's a rare moment of the government actually doing its job without making it a partisan knife fight. The House passed it sixty-six to zero. I guess even the most hardened assholes in the Legislature can agree that protecting kids is a decent idea.
JOLEEN: Let's hope Little signs it quickly. Speaking of predators, did you see the report on Evan Swope? That guy was just hit with eleven counts related to child sexual exploitation material. It's a grim reminder that while we're arguing about bathrooms, there's some truly dark shit happening in the background that actually requires police resources. It's been a heavy week for local news, honestly.
MARK: Switching gears to something a bit more... property-based. Boise Police are reporting a spike in construction site vandalism. Apparently, some dickhead decided to spend their Sunday night spray-painting a new home on East Orion Court in the foothills. We're talking thousands of dollars in damage. It's not just kids with a Sharpie; people are stealing equipment and trashing these sites like it's a sport.
JOLEEN: I love the irony of someone building a multi-million dollar mansion in the foothills and then being surprised when a local vandals treats the windows like a canvas. The cops are saying these sites are easy targets because they're dark and empty. No shit, Sherlock. Maybe spend some of that foyer money on a security guard who doesn't fall asleep after ten minutes.
MARK: Contractors are telling people to get cameras and fences, but apparently, homeowners are being cheap about it. It's the classic Boise story: buy the most expensive lot you can find, then act shocked when someone notices it's a giant, unguarded target. Anyway, if you saw anyone wandering around the foothills with blue paint on their hands last night, give the BPD a call.
JOLEEN: In school district news, besides the reporting bill, we've got some movement on special education funding. Superintendent Debbie Critchfield got her five-million-dollar proposal through JFAC. It's designed to help districts like Boise and West Ada pay for aides for high-needs students. It's actually budget-neutral because they're just shifting money around from driver's ed and career programs.
MARK: Taking money from driver's ed? Have you seen the people on Eagle Road? If anything, we should be tripling the driver's ed budget and adding a mandatory 'how not to be a prick in a roundabout' course. But I get it, the special education gap is massive. Schools are drowning in costs for specialized care, and five million is a drop in the bucket, but it's something.
JOLEEN: It's always a shell game with state money. They'll give with one hand and take with the other. But at least it's moving forward. Now, let's talk about something that'll actually make us happy. Food. I finally made it to Alyonka Russian Cuisine over on State Street, and oh my god, Mark, I'm a changed woman. I'm ready to move to Siberia if the food is that good.
MARK: I've been telling you about that place for a year. It's authentic as hell. Elena, the owner, really put her heart into that menu. Most people hear 'Russian food' and think of a sad potato in a dark room, but her Pelmeni is probably the best thing you can eat in this city for under twenty bucks.
JOLEEN: The Pelmeni in broth? I'd bathe in it. And the Pavlova for dessert is like eating a cloud that's been blessed by an angel. It's cozy, it's unpretentious, and it doesn't feel like a 'concept' restaurant where you're paying for the lighting fixtures. It's just damn good food. In a town where every new spot is a 'fusion bistro' that charges thirty dollars for a taco, Alyonka is a godsend.
MARK: It's a gem. If you haven't been, go. Get the blini platter, share some stories, and try not to act like a typical Boise dickhead complaining about the parking. It's on State Street; the parking is always going to be a nightmare. Just accept it as part of the ritual.
JOLEEN: Speaking of rituals, did you see the Fan Fest for Athletic Club Boise this weekend? Our very own professional soccer team is finally opening the doors. They remodeled the stadium at Expo Idaho, and apparently, it's actually nice now. I was skeptical about watching soccer at the fairgrounds, but they've really stepped it up.
MARK: I was there for a bit on Saturday. The pitch looks incredible. It's a far cry from the dusty lot where they usually judge goats. They've got new seating, upgraded concessions, and a sound system that'll probably piss off everyone living in Garden City. They're playing in the USL Championship, and the home opener is April 4th against Spokane. It's going to be a riot.
JOLEEN: I love that half the team grew up here. It feels like a real community project, not just some billionaire's tax write-off. They had fans watching the players train, and the energy was actually palpable. Even for someone as cynical as me, it's hard not to get excited about Boise finally having a pro team that isn't just a farm system for a city we don't care about.
MARK: Exactly. Opening day is just around the corner. If you're a season ticket holder, you've already seen the new merch. It's surprisingly stylish. I might actually buy a scarf just so I have something to soak up my tears when they inevitably lose their first game. But seriously, go support them. It's at Expo Idaho, so you can probably get a corn dog while you watch a corner kick. That's the dream.
JOLEEN: Now, let's talk about the thing we all hate but can't stop discussing: the weather. We had seventy-five degrees on Sunday. It was perfect. I saw people wearing shorts and smiles. It was disgusting. But don't worry, the universe has corrected itself. Today is overcast, and by Wednesday, we're looking at thunderstorms and a high of fifty-nine.
MARK: It's the 'False Spring' trap. We fall for it every year. Thursday is going to be a high of fifty with rain showers. If you haven't put your winter clothes away yet, congratulations, you're smarter than Joleen. If you have, get ready to dig through your boxes in the garage while cursing the heavens.
JOLEEN: Fuck off, Mark. I'm an optimist. But the weekend looks decent. Saturday and Sunday are supposed to be sunny and back in the high sixties or low seventies. So, we just have to survive a few days of grey misery and mud before we can pretend it's summer again. It's the classic Boise cycle.
MARK: Speaking of mud, Highway 12 is down to one lane because of mudslides. It's a mess. If you're planning a trip north, maybe don't. Or at least bring a shovel and a lot of patience. Closer to home, the road construction on State Street is still making everyone want to drive their cars into the river. They're doing 'pedestrian improvements', which is code for 'making your commute ten minutes longer for the next six months'.
JOLEEN: I love how ACHD always starts these projects right when the weather gets bad enough to slow them down. It's like they have a meeting and ask, 'How can we maximize the suffering of the average driver?'. They've also got some new work starting near Linder Road that's going to be a bitch for anyone living in Meridian. Just avoid the roads entirely. Walk. Or crawl. It's faster.
MARK: Let's wrap things up with some real estate news, because I know you love hearing about how you'll never be able to afford a house. The latest data for March shows that inventory is up twenty percent compared to last year. That sounds great, right? More houses! Except the prices are basically flat. The median list price is still hovering around five hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.
JOLEEN: A twenty percent jump in inventory and the prices don't budge? That's not a market, that's a hostage situation. Builders are already raising prices again because they're anticipating the spring rush. And with Micron accelerating their hiring, every tech bro from California is currently browsing Zillow while we're stuck paying seventeen hundred a month for a one-bedroom apartment that smells like wet carpet.
MARK: The average rent is up three and a half percent year-over-year. It's at seventeen hundred and three dollars. We're still cheaper than the national average, which is small comfort when you're looking at your bank account. But the real estate agents are all 'it's a healthy market!'. Yeah, healthy for you and your commission, Bitch. For the rest of us, it's a slow-motion car crash.
JOLEEN: Everything is fine, Mark. Just keep telling yourself that. We're in the 'top allergy city', the 'potty police' are in charge, and we can't afford to live here, but hey, we have professional soccer now! It's all about perspective. If you look at it from the right angle, Boise is still the best place to be. Or maybe that's just the pollen causing me to hallucinate.
MARK: It's definitely the pollen. That's our show for today. Remember, we're here every Monday to keep you informed and slightly annoyed. If you've got a story, a complaint, or a restaurant recommendation that isn't a overpriced sourdough joint, hit us up at boise@thehappeningnetwork.com. We'll be back next week to see if the Legislature has banned anything else fun.
JOLEEN: Don't forget to like and subscribe so you don't miss our next episode. Follow us on all the socials, or just stand on your porch and yell your opinions into the wind--we'll probably hear you anyway. Stay safe out there, Boise. Watch out for the blue paint and the mudslides. See ya!