Boise Joins Growthophobe Movement, GUARDIAN Offers “Back Story”

In a brilliant act to cut development in the Foothills, Team Dave has apparently seen the light and joined the GUARDIAN GROWTHOPHOBE movement.
Boise City Council Tuesday made public the purchase of Hammer Flat – a 701-acre wintering range for mule deer, elk and antelope in east Boise – using funds generated by the [...]

Bruneau Dunes Could Be Abuzz with ATVs

During the Vietnam War an Army officer explained a village had to be burned “in order to save it.”

Idaho Parks Director Nancy Merrill finds herself in that same situation today as she considers allowing dune buggies to chew up the tallest free standing sand dune on the continent to possibly make a few bucks to [...]

All Public Records Should Remain PUBLIC

Freedom of Information in Idaho is being attacked by some of the people who have taken an oath to uphold the constitution and the laws of Idaho–coppers.
The police bill approved last week by the senate state affairs committee would allow police, prosecutors, and prison guards to conceal their private phone and home address numbers [...]

Idle Coppers Copy Canyon Commishes

A GUARDIAN reader observed a quintet of copper’s cars idling for at least 40 minutes at the Friday night swap held at the Cole Village Shopping Center. He certainly doesn’t sound “anti cop.”
The GUARDIAN isn’t anti-cop either, but given what we have seen in the past, there certainly is a shared [...]

Boise Fire Beyond The Limits

THIS IS A REVISED STORY WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING I-84 RESPONSES. SOME COMMENTS BELOW MAY NO LONGER APPLY.

We have to side up with Boise FD Chief Dennis Doan and the City Attorney when it comes to collecting $15,000 from the owner of a $500,000 house outside the city which caught fire in 2007.

Boise [...]

Attorney General Asked To Investigate Caldwell Urban Renewal

Canyon County Prosecutor John Bujak announced Today he will petition the office of Idaho Attorney General to investigate information revealed yesterday by the Boise and Caldwell GUARDIAN news blogs.
“Based on the information presented and the check register of the agency, the case certainly merits further investigation,” said Bujak. He explained the case will start [...]

Audit Of Caldwell Urban Renewal Imperative

Caldwell GUARDIAN editor Paul Alldredge has been working tirelessly to shed light on the excesses and deceptive activities of urban renewal agencies in Canyon County. In his latest effort he obtained the check register of the Caldwell Urban Renewal Agency which reveals a pattern of abuse and deception. This report will draw [...]

Mayor Hotline January 16 to 22

TRASH TALK, and FILTHY TALK.
Once again we are faced with a serious allegation via the Hotline. The GUARDIAN will run it and hope that police are not only investigating, but the potential suspect–if there is one–has been relieved of duty. The facility is run by Ada County and the Commishes should be informed [...]

Third Canyon Gov’t Woman Charged

Canyon County ladies in government aren’t doing much to foster trust among citizens.
Last year two gals in the DMV office took a fall for skimming funds and now a third one is charged according to the DAILY PAPER.
This one handled finances for the Sheriff’s mounted posse–a search and rescue group. The DAILY says they [...]

“Non-Partisan” Think Tank Issues Pork Report

An outfit called the Idaho Freedom Foundation is gaining traction billing itself as a “think tank” and offering the public a variety of “reports” and op-ed pieces.
While they call themselves non-partisan, it is fair to say there probably aren’t too many liberal Democrats within the ranks. Wayne Hoffman, an able journalist and former [...]

Macy’s Departure Is Due To Inept Government

Macy’s leaving downtown Boise comes as no surprise. For more than 40 years we have watched officials tout their “vision for the future” in downtown Boise. It changes with each new planner and consultant.

The Bon Marche (Macy’s today), J.C. Penney’s, The Mode, Falk’s I.D. and many smaller merchants vanished, thanks to the far [...]

BFD Ambulance Issue Probably Not Dead

Despite direction from the Boise City Council, it appears the issue of who will operate the ambulances–and call the shots for medical calls–is still up for grabs if the BFD union Bros and Sis have a voice.
And based on what we hear from at least one candidate for VP of the union, he would like [...]

CCDC, County Still At Odds Over Parking

This came in from a disgruntled worker along Front Street:
“Taxpayers subsidize Ada County employee parking fees at the Courthouse. Wish someone
would subsidize mine – I work in the same complex and CCDC is charging the highest
in the downtown area and there is no 1st hour free.”
Her complaint is only the tip of the parking issue. [...]

Spam Yields Brilliant Idea

We opened our spam file at the GUARDIAN to make sure we weren’t missing anything on this last year of the decade and a little gem sparkled in the mix about how WE should run our own government. While it is aimed at the Washington politicos, it applies just as well at city, county [...]

Another Copper Funeral In Tacoma

Word from top coppers in Boise of another funeral Tuesday, January 5, in Tacoma following the ambush shooting of a Pierce County deputy sheriff. Boise will send the standard two man honor guard and a pair of motorcycle officers at city expense. The deputy who died was one of two who were shot [...]

GUARDIAN Christmas Wish List

For those who believe in Santa Clause, we have a Christmas wish list which has plenty of room for additional items.

A toy train for Dave Bieter so he will stop trying to force a trolley and AMTRAK upon the kind, decent inhabitants of the City of Trees.
A toy ambulance for the Boise FD so they [...]

Boise FD and Ada EMS Play Santa

We can’t help but note both the Ada County Paramedics and the Boise Fire Department are visiting the Hospitals, playing Santa to the kids. Even when they are doing charity gigs, it seems like they are competing.
The Firefighters are now making it a point to bill themselves as “Boise Fire & Medics.” (could also [...]

Growthophobes Claim Victory In Water Fight

That mega subdivision planned north of Eagle needed a gusher of groundwater and came up with only a trickle as a result of an Idaho Department of Water Resources ruling Monday.
The developer known as M3 won approval for only one-sixth of the water right requested from Water Resources in what GROWTHOPHOBES living north [...]

Hyped Development Now Pathetic Footnote

Interesting note for GROWTHOPHOBES out Eagle way.
When the developers offered all the hype for a golf course community, the city fathers and mothers of Eagle jumped aboard and all crowed about pumping millions upon millions of dollars into the Treasure Valley annually.
It never happened because the developers didn’t have the money–as with Avimor, [...]

Ada County Property Tax Update

Monday, December 21 is the deadline for paying first installment of property taxes and Ada County Treasurer Cecil
Ingram tells the GUARDIAN collections are “just about the same as last year to date,” despite an ailing economy.

Of course, many tax bills are part of mortgage payments and the bankers wait until the last possible day to [...]