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Happy Friday, Boise. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Boise Brief serve up everything you need to know for the weekend ahead.
In today’s edition: Meridian library updates, a winter market, Santa’s Rock Shop, and more.
Let’s get to it.
— Cait Baker
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📰 In the news
Long-vacant landmark under review: Eagle authorized auctioning belongings at the Orville-Jackson House and will seek an appraisal before weighing lease or sale options, with repairs mounting and ADA compliance estimated at nearly $4 million — see what’s next for the property.
Traffic stop prompts policy rethink: Boise settled a federal lawsuit for $200,000 over its anti-loitering ordinance after a judge deemed it unconstitutionally vague. City leaders will take up a vote to repeal it — learn how the case unfolded.
New chapter for Meridian libraries: Meridian Library District has leased 15,000-plus square feet to centralize operations, retire the Cherry Lane annex, and keep collections accessible during renovations through branch pickup or home delivery — read the full story.
Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.
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Small-batch sweets that Boise keeps coming back for
Boise keeps a pantry stash for a reason. The Chocolat Bar crafts small-batch sweets right here in town.
Their caramels lean rich and perfectly salty. The case overflows with truffles, barks, and those dangerously snackable drops and clusters.
They also spin gelato and sorbetto from scratch, available only in the shop. Rotating seasonal flavors, like pumpkin spice drops and autumn harvest bark, hit the cool-weather sweet spot. Gift boxes make easy wins for birthdays, office thank-yous, or the times you “accidentally” forgot dessert.
If you haven’t popped in lately, consider this a friendly nudge to support a local maker that keeps Boise craving chocolate. Peek the current lineup at The Chocolat Bar before you go.
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Ready to see your business featured in an ad spot like this? 👆
Advertising with us is as easy as it gets. Fill out this quick form and we’ll get you in an upcoming edition!
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🫶 We got your back
Inside the acquired structures program: Headed for demolition? Boise Fire might want it. The department trains in donated homes and commercial buildings, practicing ventilation, searches, hose work, and, when conditions allow, full live burns. If a live burn isn’t safe, crews still use the structure, and owners can even shave demolition costs. See how to donate.
Contract impasse affects patients: Starting January 2026, St. Luke’s Health System will be out of network for Humana Medicare Advantage plans. St. Luke’s remains in network through 2025, and care will still be available but may cost more. Humana says members will be notified. Humana stays in network at Treasure Valley Hospital and Saint Alphonsus. See what’s changing in 2026.
For your furry roommate: Skip the big-box chaos and restock at Bark n’ Purr Boise, a locally owned shop with natural pet food, smart toys, and a self-serve dog wash for muddy zoomies. They’ll also talk nutrition if itchy skin or picky eating is causing drama, so everyone leaves happier.
An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.
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🤝 Introducing local deals (just for you)
We’re launching a brand new segment to bring you exclusive local offers from trusted businesses right here in Boise. Think of it as your inside pass to the best local finds, discounts, and experiences.
The kind only available to Boise Brief readers.
Know a local business you love? Send ’em this newsletter and encourage them to get involved.
Own, manage, or market a local business? We’d love to feature you here for free. The only catch? Your deal has to be genuinely valuable and exclusive to our readers.
Email us 👉 [email protected] to get started.
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📆 Around town this weekend
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
Have an event to share? Submit it here for free →
Today
🎄 Boise State Department of Music Holiday Concert @ The Morrison Center for the Performing Arts | Friday (11/14) at 6:30pm – Skip the mall playlist and hear the real thing. Boise State fills the Morrison Center with brass, strings, woodwinds, and carols, and your ticket fuels scholarships. Bring family, friends, or your inner Bronco, and yes, kids and students are free.
🎗️ Benefit Concert for Fallen Marines Featuring Royal Bliss & American Hitmen @ The Grove Hotel | Friday (11/14) at 7:30pm – Crank up some rock with a purpose at a benefit concert for wounded and fallen Marines, featuring Royal Bliss and American Hitmen. Expect loud guitars, louder gratitude, and every ticket helping wounded veterans and scholarships. Bring your friends, your generous streak, and maybe earplugs.
This weekend
❄️ Winter Market @ The Boise Senior Center | Saturday (11/15) at 9:00am – Boise’s winter market delivers the good stuff, minus the fluorescent lighting. Think 50-plus vendors slinging peak-season produce, serious meats, Alaska-fresh seafood, cheeses, breads, coffee, and on-the-spot eats. Support the folks who grow it, then accidentally buy three kinds of jam.
🥳 Annual Holiday Party @ Enchanting Objects | Saturday (11/15) at 11:00am – Nothing like kicking off the season by rummaging a 109-year-old farmhouse, grounds, and outbuildings packed with vintage treasures, festive decor, and giftable goodies. Sip a libation, snag treats, maybe score a gift with purchase. Less mall chaos, more charming dust.
🧙♀️ Witch Trials: A Murder Mystery Awaits PG-13 @ Watson’s Mystery Cafe & Spirits | Saturday (11/15) at 7:00pm – Watson’s Mystery Café serves up a PG-13 whodunit where three witches in Withering Oaks try to outwit the witch-finders, while you sip and speculate. Less Salem, more sly laughs, sharp twists, and a night that pairs well with adult conversation, and dessert.
👗 Boise Belles Vintage Affair @ Arthur Murray Dance Studio | Sunday (11/16) at 11:00am – Take a break from the big-box blah and swing by the Boise Belles Vintage Affair, a one-stop trove for pinup diehards and the retro-curious. Local vendors bring clothing, accessories, hair products, and home decor, plus the Belles’ closet purge means primo finds, not grandma’s attic.
🎅 Santa’s Rock Shop @ Idaho Museum of Mining and Geology | Sunday (11/16) at 12:00pm – Skipping the mall? Santa’s Rock Shop is rolling in with crystals, geodes, fossils, and giftable goodies for the rock-obsessed in your life. No guessing sizes, no return lines, just shiny things, curious kids, and your inner geology nerd quietly fist-pumping.
Next week
♻️ Trash to Treasure @ Children’s Museum of Idaho | Monday (11/17) at 10:30am – Give your inner tinkerer a workout at this hands-on upcycling workshop, where you make and take a project from recycled materials. Finally, a legitimate reason to hoard jars, magazines, and bottle caps, and to call it art, not clutter. Low pressure, high satisfaction.
🧶 Chronicles of Yarnia @ Victory Branch Library | Monday (11/17) at 2:00pm – Settle in for a low-key stitch session where knitters and crocheters bring their projects, swap tips, and tell better stories than Netflix. New to the craft? Supplies are on hand, friendly folks will teach you, and yes, it counts as self-care.
🎤 Neko Case Fall Tour 2025 @ Knitting Factory | Tuesday (11/18) at 8:00pm – Neko Case is rolling through town with that honey-and-smoke voice, the songs you know, and a band that can land a punch. It sounds great, you feel virtuous, because a buck from each ticket supports Peer Solutions and their youth leadership and prevention work.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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🎶 Live music & entertainment
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🏠️ Price is right – Boise edition
How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).
Listed by: Jody Hinton (Group One Sotheby's Int'l Realty)
Top-floor aerie with panoramic views of downtown Boise, Ann Morrison Park, and the River Greenbelt. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the living space with light and skyline drama. Chef’s kitchen with Thermador, bespoke cabinetry, and a generous island that spills into dining and living, anchored by a fireplace. The primary suite brings spa vibes with heated floors and a custom walk-in. One of only four on this level.
Work-from-home office, full-size laundry, and a large storage room keep life tidy. Two premium, secure underground parking spaces and exclusive on-site amenities, steps to theaters, eateries, and the Greenbelt. Penthouse attitude, Boise heartbeat.
Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →
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