🌱 Ammonia Leak + Expo Idaho Plans + Backyard Boise Digs

Hello, everybody. It's me, John Braese, your host of the Boise Daily — back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days. Including news on...

• An ammonia leak kept some downtown residents indoors Wednesday morning and also closed some streets.
• Read a listing of where to find that perfect costume for the upcoming holiday and if stumped for ideas, look at dressing as a "northender" or a "treeforter."
• Our local university handed out over $50,000 in scholarships to some pretty good writers.
• Grab a lunch with Canals Connect Community Coalition and discuss how to help advance urban pathways in the Treasure Valley utilizing irrigation infrastructure.

But first, today's weather:

Sunny. High: 84 Low: 51.

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Here are the top stories today in Boise:

1. If you needed to get downtown Wednesday morning, you may have experienced a delay near 15th Street. KTVB-TV staff passed on the news from the Boise Fire Department of an ammonia leak south of the 1-84 connector overpass. The River Street off-ramp was closed for some time and some businesses in the area were evacuated for a time. Most businesses were reopened by 9 a.m. (KTVB)
2. If you wait until the last minute and show up at the Halloween party in a crummy costume, don't blame the Boise Daily. FromBoise's Marissa provides a list of local places for that perfect costume and if you are stuck for a costume idea, also provides some Boise-inspired costumes. (fromboise)
3. BoiseDev senior reporter Margaret Carmel was present as three landscape architecture firms presented ideas of the future of Les Bois Park and Expo Idaho to the Ada County Commissioners. The RIOS plan calls for moving the Boise River, an "Adventure Island" feature, a dog park and playgrounds. The Land Group plan proposes sports fields, food truck parking and community gardens and a “destination playground” at the center of the project. The Port plan would include a lawn concert area, an exploration center and walking paths. A fuller explanation of all three paths is included in the story. (boisedev.com)
4. Boise Patch joins with Boise State University announcing the university's creative writing program handed out $56,000 in scholarships recently. The money comes from both the Glenn Balch Creative Writing Scholarship and the Stephen R. Kustra Creative Writing Scholarship. (Boise Patch)
5. Ever wonder what lies beneath that grass in the backyard? Boise State Public Radio's Samantha Wright speaks with Dr. William White, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley. Since 2015, White has been digging up backyards in Boise’s River Street neighborhood, an area where African Americans and immigrants were forced to live more than 100 years ago. (Boise State Public Radio)

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Today in Boise:

• The Frank Church Conference is an annual fall event hosted by the Frank Church Institute, its Board of Directors, and the School of Public Service at Boise State University. The conference begins Thursday with this year's discussion being "Beyond Left & Right: Democracy in the 21st Century." (8:30 a.m.)
• The Canals Connect Community Coalition will hold the group's monthly meeting Thursday. (Noon)
• Join others interested in a new hobby with the Wonders of Weaving at the Boise Public Library. (3 p.m.)
• Join the Boise Public Library and Department of Arts & History on the plaza of City Hall for First Thursday on the Plaza, this month celebrating the history and culture of Boise's Hispanic and Latinx community. (5 p.m.)
• The Capital High School varsity volleyball team takes to the road to meet up with Nampa High School Thursday evening. (6:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Zoo Boise: "Next Thursday (Oct. 13), Zoo Boise is hosting an Adaptive Evening at the Zoo. Stations are focused on varying degrees of sensory input and will include self-guided artifact exploration, art activities, and animal encounters." (Zoo Boise via Facebook)
• Boise Farmers Market: "Put down your pumpkin spice latte because you need two hands to pick all these goods! Normally, there's nothing on this entire planet that could wake you up this early on a weekend." (Boise Farmers Market via Instagram)
• Radio Boise: "Our next Couch Surfer is a week away! Meet this month’s featured musician, Leta Harris Neustaedter. Leta Harris Neustaedter, LCSW is an arts educator, musician, actor, community builder, and clinical social worker." (Radio Boise via Instagram)
• Boise State Public Radio: "Democrat Tom Arkoosh and Republican Raul Labrador traded barbs on qualifications throughout a 60-minute debate Monday, starting right from the opening statements." (Boise State Public Radio via Facebook)
• Boise State Public Radio: "Do you know where you can and cannot put a campaign sign? #IdahoMatters helps answer this question & is looking for more election-related questions to answer every Tuesday leading up to the November election." (Boise State Public Radio via Facebook)

Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! See you tomorrow for another update.

— John Braese

About me: Welcome to the Boise edition of patch.com. I am the community editor in this exciting endeavor for the Boise area. I was born and grew up in Boise, attending Bishop Kelly High School before graduating from Borah High School more than a few years ago. I have seen Boise grow substantially in the last few years, but still maintain my hometown appeal. I want to hear about what is important to you and the stories you wish to see on patch.com. Feel free to reach out to me via email at john.braese@patch.com or drop me a phone call or text at 208 954-9585.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Boise Daily? Contact me at john.braese@patch.com