Emergency Texters, A National Issue

The Idaho House of Representatives is about to consider a “no texting bill” that passed the Senate Wednesday.
Interestingly, we don’t see any exemptions for coppers and firefighters. The Fed transportation people, AAA, and just about everyone who has watched a car weaving slowly down the road agree that reading and writing on computers while [...]

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 [...]

Fraud Alert To Educators–Xpress Flex

We are posting this memo sent to Nampa School District employees as a public service to alert others who may do business with Xpress Flex. No word on the scope of the damage, but certainly not good news to folks who thought they were making a wise financial decision. There will no [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Boise Pays Off In Bum Taser Case

The GUARDIAN has it on good authority the City of Boise has paid off the guy who was Tasered in on or near his bum and threatened by a copper with having an electrical treatment to his family jewels last Valentine’s Day. Gerald Amidon had previously filed a suit against Boise City in U.S. [...]

Driving, Texting Don’t Mix–For Anyone!

The Feds have just come out with strict rules against texting while driving for truckers. Meanwhile, cities and states across the nation have weighed in as well. Idaho legislators will probably consider a bill against texting and driving this session.
The GUARDIAN previously WEIGHED IN on all the talk against texting while driving (we [...]

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 [...]

“E” Will Get You Passing Grades On Bikes

By JIM KERNS
Deputy Chief, Boise PD

The tragic deaths of 3 cyclists this last spring led to a call to action for the citizens of Boise to become more aware of the bike riding public. It seems that there are many polarized attitudes regarding bike riders on public streets. If you read the blogs, [...]

Mayor Hotline January 9 to 15

EDITOR NOTE–Rather than make another post on the police complaint, the GUARDIAN will run it among the complete HOTLINE transcript. Coppers are in a tough position since there is a criminal case pending as well as an internal investigation. Since the complaint is now public, perhaps the ombudsman will contact Mr. Schmid to [...]

Copper Ignores “FIRE LANE” To Park Scooter

After all the heat the Boise copper took parking a squad car in a motorcycle space at City Hall (he eventually paid a hefty parking ticket) it is nothing shy of ironic that a motyorcycle copper parked his scooter in front of a NO PARKING FIRE LANE sign Thursday at the Cole Station post [...]

Cyclists Call For Enforcement of New Law

By STEVE HULME, BIKEBOY
Guest opinion
With last summer’s three fatalities still painfully in mind, bicycle enthusiasts turned out to testify at Boise City Council’s Tuesday meeting in favor of bike laws aimed at increasing safety.

City Council considered – and passed with minor but significant amendments – some new laws recommended by the mayor’s Cycling Safety Task [...]

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 Top 2009 Stories By Month

As the legacy media does its annual TOP TEN stories to fill space between the holidays, the GUARDIAN has done the same thing based on what we have posted in the past year.
In rereading some of the posts and comments, it appears we have an inordinate number of comments on police and fire stories. [...]

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 [...]

Local Coppers Head For Seattle Funeral

Query from reader: “Have you heard anything about local police (Boise city, ACS, Garden City) sending people or cars at our expense to the service for the four officers shot in Washington? I think it’s early next week. I object for a number of reasons.
Following the tragic execution style killings of four [...]

Homeless-No Solution, No End

FROM POET PAUL–
Homeless have decided to sue
These folks haven’t a place to sleep
From he City we get nary a peep
It’s objectionable to some
No matter where from
But there’s a difference
Between Homeless and Bum
As we travel around Boise these days, it seems like every corner–and every supermarket–has a homeless person or team panhandling. It [...]