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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: And we're back. You're listening to 'Happening in Boise,' the only podcast that acknowledges the low-grade hum of despair underlying our city's relentless optimism. I'm Mark.
JOLEEN: And I'm Joleen. And that hum you're hearing is just the sound of a thousand Subarus all idling in the same drive-thru. It's Monday, January 19th, 2026, and it's another glorious week in the Treasure Valley.
MARK: Glorious is a strong word. Tolerable, maybe. This week, we're wading into the political swamp at the Statehouse where they're already fighting over the budget. We've also got the latest drama from the Boise School District, because god forbid we have a quiet week on that front.
JOLEEN: Plus, we'll tell you about a brand-new, ridiculously expensive restaurant that just opened, perfect for when you want to feel poor but with extra steps. We'll check in on our beloved Idaho Steelheads, and I'll give you a few reasons to maybe, possibly, leave your house this weekend.
MARK: And as always, we'll wrap it up with a weather forecast that will make you question why you don't live somewhere with a beach. A real beach, not the sandy part of a reservoir that smells like fish and regret.
JOLEEN: It builds character! Look, if you love what we do, or if you just love to hate-listen, do us a favor: like, subscribe, leave a five-star review, tell your mom, tell your dog. And if you've got a hot tip or just want to bitch about something, email us at boise@thehappeningnetwork.com. We probably won't read it, but the illusion of access is important.
MARK: Alright, let's get this over with. The legislative session is in full swing, which means a bunch of people in ill-fitting suits are deciding how to spend our money.
JOLEEN: Don't be so dismissive! It's our biannual festival of fiscal responsibility. The budget-setting committee, JFAC, just set their revenue targets for the next year. And get this, they're feeling optimistic, projecting over 130 million dollars more in revenue than the Governor's office predicted.
MARK: Oh, fantastic. So they found a bunch of money in the couch cushions at the Capitol. What magical thinking led to this windfall? Did every potato in the state suddenly turn to gold?
JOLEEN: Apparently, corporate income tax filings in December were way better than expected. One of the co-chairs said the economy will continue to 'percolate' and that they're 'sitting heavy' with cash. I love it when politicians use folksy terms for 'we have a shit-ton of money.'
MARK: Percolate. Right. Meanwhile, Democrats are pointing out that there's a huge hole in the budget from last year's tax cuts and that there's a hundred-million-dollar funding gap for special education. But sure, let's talk about percolating coffee money.
JOLEEN: Well, the governor is already proposing cuts to Medicaid to the tune of 22 million dollars, which could affect things like dental coverage and at-home care for people with disabilities. So on one hand, 'we're sitting heavy,' and on the other, 'sorry grandma, you're just gonna have to gum your food for a while.'
MARK: It's the classic Idaho two-step. Proclaim fiscal conservatism while pissing away money on pet projects, then panic and cut services for the people who actually need them. You know this is just going to be another massive fight over Medicaid expansion, which voters approved, by the way.
JOLEEN: Of course it is. That's the main event. It's the political equivalent of a monster truck rally. And speaking of giving away public money, Democrats are also trying to pump the brakes on that new school voucher thing.
MARK: Ah yes, the 'Parental Choice Tax Credit.' A beautifully sterile name for 'here's five grand of public money to send your kid to a private school that teaches whatever the hell it wants.' Applications just opened, and the Dems are already calling for a pause.
JOLEEN: They're worried about fraud, which seems like a pretty fucking reasonable concern. The program allows for advance payments, but the Tax Commission's plan to make sure the money is spent correctly is basically, 'we'll roll out a reconciliation process later in 2026.' It's the honor system, with thousands of taxpayer dollars.
MARK: What could possibly go wrong? They cited Arizona, where people used similar funds to buy ski passes and SeaWorld tickets. I can't wait to see the receipts for 'educational' jet skis and 'curriculum-based' trips to Vegas.
JOLEEN: It's so predictable. This whole thing is a mess. But hey, at least the state's revenue is percolating. Moving on from one type of organized chaos to another, what's happening in the world of petty crime?
MARK: You know, there haven't been any spectacular, headline-grabbing crimes this week. No bank heists, no dramatic car chases. Just the usual low-level hum of human shittiness.
JOLEEN: So we're pivoting to a general complaint session? My favorite. What are we mad about this week? Drivers? No, we did that. Teenagers on scooters? People who bring their entire extended family to Trader Joe's on a Sunday?
MARK: I want to talk about the Nextdoor app. It's supposed to be for finding lost cats and borrowing a cup of sugar. Instead, it's a digital window into the paranoid soul of the Boise suburbs. It's a cesspool of passive-aggression and curtain-twitching.
JOLEEN: Oh my god, yes. 'I saw a man I didn't recognize walking down the public sidewalk at 2 PM. He was wearing a hoodie. Should I be concerned?' No, Karen, you shouldn't. That's just a person. Existing. He's probably just trying to get his ten thousand steps in before the inversion kills him.
MARK: My favorite is the grainy, out-of-focus Ring camera footage. 'Does anyone recognize this blurry shape that might be a person, a dog, or a tumbleweed? It was near my trash cans last night at 3 AM.' What do you want us to do? Form a posse? Call in a forensic analyst? It's the wind, you dickhead.
JOLEEN: And the arguments over dog poop. My god, the dog poop discourse. You'd think people were leaving live grenades on each other's lawns. It's hours of people who have never met arguing about whose Goldendoodle is the neighborhood menace. It's pathetic and I absolutely cannot look away.
MARK: It's the modern town square, except the stocks have been replaced with public shaming over improperly sorted recycling. It’s a beautiful testament to what happens when bored people get access to the internet. Anyway, let's talk about a slightly more functional form of local governance: the school districts.
JOLEEN: Slightly is being generous. So, we all know Boise Superintendent Lisa Roberts is retiring. The big news this week is that the board is holding a special public meeting this Wednesday to figure out how they're going to replace her. They're deciding on the process to find the next person to lead the district.
MARK: They're having a meeting to plan the meeting. Peak bureaucracy. What's to decide? You post the job, you interview some people who are either deeply optimistic or deeply masochistic, and you hire one. How complicated can it be?
JOLEEN: I'm sure it'll involve focus groups and community outreach and a 12-step plan that results in them hiring someone from within who everyone already knew was going to get the job. I'm just hoping for some drama. Maybe they'll propose a series of 'American Idol' style auditions at the Morrison Center.
MARK: Now that I would watch. 'For my talent, I will now attempt to balance a school budget while being yelled at by parents who think books are poison.' It's a tough gig. You have to be a politician, a business manager, and an educator, all while dealing with the Idaho legislature.
JOLEEN: Meanwhile, over in the West Ada School District, they had their big annual meeting. And in a stunning turn of events, they re-elected their board chair and vice-chair. Groundbreaking stuff. The chair is back for a 'second season.' It's not a Netflix show, guys. You're running a school district.
MARK: A second season of what? Agonizingly long meetings and debates about curriculum? I'd rather watch paint dry. But good for them. Stability is nice, I guess. At least they're not actively on fire at the moment.
JOLEEN: Give it time. The legislative session just started. Speaking of things that are perpetually under construction, how were the roads this weekend?
MARK: A complete and total shitshow, as expected. If you tried to go anywhere near the Garrity exit, you have my deepest sympathies. They closed all of eastbound I-84 all weekend to install some massive girders for the new flyover to Highway 16.
JOLEEN: Oh, that thing. The interchange that's supposed to eventually be like a 'mini Flying Wye' by the year 2027. So for the next three years, we get the joy of constant, unpredictable closures. Did it at least open on time this morning? It was scheduled to reopen at 5 AM.
MARK: I haven't heard otherwise, which probably means it did. If it hadn't, we'd be in the middle of Carmageddon right now. But can you imagine the traffic nightmare that detour must have been all weekend? Shunting all of that interstate traffic onto the ramps? It must have been a parking lot.
JOLEEN: It's for the greater good, Mark. Think of the seamless transition you'll have from I-84 to Highway 16 in three years! It'll be a utopia of free-flowing traffic. Probably. For about six months, until everyone moves here and clogs that up too.
MARK: I remain deeply skeptical of any project that promises to fix traffic. It just encourages more people to drive. They say this is part of the 'long-term vision.' My long-term vision involves a functioning teleporter, but I guess we have to settle for concrete and steel.
JOLEEN: At least it's a specific project. It's something tangible to be angry about, rather than the general, ever-present rage of just driving on I-84. It's focused anger. It's healthier. Let's channel that anger into talking about real estate.
MARK: Ah yes, everyone's favorite topic. The one that fills us all with a sense of hope and financial security. What's the latest grim news from the housing market?
JOLEEN: Actually, it's not that grim, depending on who you are. The final numbers for 2025 are in, and the market was shockingly stable. The median sold price in Ada County ended up around 525,000 dollars, which was only up about two and a half percent for the entire year. So, no crazy spikes, no crash. Just a boring, single-digit appreciation.
MARK: Only 525 grand for a median house. What a bargain. I'm sure everyone making a normal salary finds that totally reasonable. The word 'boring' is doing a lot of work in that sentence.
JOLEEN: But here's the interesting twist. While house prices are just kind of plodding along, the rental market is doing something completely different. According to one report, Boise's rents plummeted in December. We actually had the fastest-falling rental market among the 100 largest cities in the country.
MARK: Wait, what? Rents are going down? Is that even legal in Boise? The median rent is now around twelve hundred bucks, which is actually below the national average. I think I might faint.
JOLEEN: I know, it's shocking. It's great news for renters, obviously. You can save a couple thousand a year now. But it's apparently terrible news for developers. The article said that sliding rents and high construction costs have actually stalled some big apartment projects.
MARK: Oh no, poor developers. My heart weeps for them. Are you telling me they can't charge two thousand dollars for a 600-square-foot box with a 'Juliette balcony' that overlooks a dumpster anymore? What a tragedy. This is the market correcting itself, which is what's supposed to happen.
JOLEEN: It is, but the city is still wringing its hands about the housing supply. So now we're in this weird spot where the market is making things more affordable for renters, but that same market correction is stopping the creation of more supply. It's a catch-22.
MARK: Maybe the solution isn't just building more luxury apartments. Just a thought. But enough about shelter. Let's talk about ridiculously priced food. I hear there's a new player in the fancy-pants restaurant game.
JOLEEN: There is! A Seattle-based 'legendary' steakhouse called El Gaucho just opened last week on Idaho Street. And when I say steakhouse, I mean the kind of place where the sides are all sold separately and cost more than a full meal somewhere else.
MARK: Let me guess. Dim lighting, lots of dark wood, and a wine list the size of a phone book. A place where you can get a single steak for the price of a car payment. What are we talking here? A hundred bucks for a filet?
JOLEEN: Probably more, once you add the lobster tail. They do tableside Caesar salads, which is that fun little bit of dinner theater where a guy in a vest makes you a salad while you watch. They have a racetrack-style bar with a built-in fire table. It's all about the 'experience.'
MARK: The experience of my wallet weeping. I just don't get it. Why would I pay that much for a piece of meat I can cook on my own grill for a fraction of the price? The CEO even said, 'We have to earn our business, just like everybody else.' No shit, dickhead. You're charging downtown Seattle prices in downtown Boise.
JOLEEN: Because it's a whole thing! It's for anniversaries or big celebrations. You're not going there on a Tuesday because you're too lazy to cook. It's about feeling fancy and important for a couple of hours. It's a status symbol, like an F-350 that's never seen a dirt road.
MARK: I guess. I'd rather spend my money on something that lasts longer than a few hours and doesn't just turn into a very expensive turd. But I'm sure it'll be packed with people trying to impress a first date. Good for them. Let's talk about a more reasonably priced form of entertainment: minor league hockey.
JOLEEN: To the Steelheads we go! They just wrapped up a three-game road trip in sunny Orlando, Florida. And it did not end well. They got their asses handed to them on Saturday night, losing 5-to-1 to the Solar Bears.
MARK: Ouch. A 5-1 loss is a beating. Did they forget how to play defense? It sounds like they scored early and then just decided to take the rest of the night off. That Florida sunshine must have softened them up.
JOLEEN: It was a rough one. They scored in the first 90 seconds and then it was all Orlando. The Solar Bears tied it up a few minutes later and just kept piling on from there. Our goalie faced 24 shots and let five of them in. Not a great night at the office.
MARK: Well, shit. At least they're coming home. Nothing like a little time back in Boise to get your head straight. What's the schedule look like now? Are they just heading into the All-Star break?
JOLEEN: They are, but not before a couple of home games. They're back at the Idaho Central Arena this weekend to face the Allen Americans. Games are on Friday and Saturday night, so fans will have a chance to welcome them home and hopefully see a win after that disaster in Florida.
MARK: Good. A couple of home games should do the trick. They always play better in front of the home crowd. Hopefully they can get a couple of wins and head into the break with some momentum, instead of the memory of getting stomped by a team named after a fucking polar bear in Florida.
JOLEEN: The irony is not lost on me. And those games are part of our weekend guide! If you're looking for something to do, you can go yell at some hockey players this Friday and Saturday night.
MARK: An excellent choice. It’s a healthy way to release aggression. What other options do we have for weekend fun? And please don't say a farmers market. It's January.
JOLEEN: No, something much more strenuous and miserable-sounding. On Sunday, you can partake in a 'Snowshoe Adventure' up at Mores Creek Summit. You get to hike up to Sunset Mountain. Doesn't that sound just delightful?
MARK: It sounds like a punishment. Why would I want to strap tennis rackets to my feet and march uphill in the freezing cold? What's the reward? A frozen granola bar and a slightly better view of the inversion we're all trying to escape?
JOLEEN: It's about the journey, Mark! The crisp mountain air, the burn in your thighs, the feeling of accomplishment! It's for people who think relaxing is a sign of weakness. You get to earn your Sunday night pizza.
MARK: I can earn my Sunday night pizza by walking to the fridge. So our options are an expensive hockey game where our team might lose again, or a forced march through the snow. I think I'll choose option C: my couch.
JOLEEN: You're no fun. Fine. For everyone else, go to the hockey game. Or go freeze your ass off on a mountain. Whatever makes you happy. And speaking of freezing, what's the weather going to do to us this week?
MARK: Prepare yourself for the soul-crushing monotony of a classic Boise winter week. We're starting the week off, today and Tuesday, with our good friend, the inversion. Expect morning fog, gray skies, and that general feeling of being trapped in a Tupperware container. Highs will be in the upper 30s.
JOLEEN: Oh, lovely. The air you can see. Does it get any better? Please tell me there's a glimmer of hope. A ray of sunshine? A stiff breeze to blow this crap out?
MARK: There's a weak system moving through mid-week. So by Wednesday and Thursday, the inversion might break up a little, but it's being replaced with clouds. Highs might climb into the low 40s. It's a real thrill ride. The big excitement comes Friday.
JOLEEN: Let me guess, a plague of locusts?
MARK: A slight chance of rain. A twenty percent chance, to be exact. So, just enough to make everything wet and miserable, but not enough to actually wash the grime off the city. That chance of rain, or maybe a rain/snow mix, sticks around into Saturday.
JOLEEN: Fantastic. So the weekend will be cold and damp. So that snowshoe hike is sounding even more appealing now. Nothing like hiking in freezing rain.
MARK: Exactly. Lows all week will be in the mid-to-upper 20s, so watch out for slick spots in the morning. Basically, it's a whole lot of gray. Which I guess matches the general mood. And that's our show.
JOLEEN: That's it for this week's 'Happening in Boise.' Thanks for tuning in to our little therapy session. Remember to like and subscribe, and send your angry, poorly punctuated emails to boise@thehappeningnetwork.com.
MARK: Try not to get crushed by the existential weight of it all. We'll be back next week with more reasons to love and hate this weird little city. Stay safe out there.