Eagle Mayor Quits Amidst Controversy

After the GUARDIAN provided a forum for critic Saundra McDavid’s revelation that Eagle Mayor Phil Bandy was holding two government jobs the legacy media picked up on the issue and Bandy suddenly resigned his position as mayor Monday.
Eagle’s political weather is as stormy as this past winter on the Eastern Seaboard–the stuff just keeps [...]

Court Rules Against Boise City In Records Case

BOISE GUARDIAN editor David R. Frazier has a right to a copy of security video showing a game of “strip hockey” at Boise City’s Ice World, despite Boise City’s denial of a public records request.

Senior Judge George D. Carey issued a judgement following a Tuesday trial in Fourth District Court overturning the City’s [...]

Update On Desire Named Street Car

The DAILY PAPER has joined the long list of opponents to Team Dave’s “Desire Named Street Car” with a HUGE EDITORIAL in Sunday’s edition. They didn’t go soa as advocating a massive increase in the bus system, but it is clear (to us) the Statesman has come over to the GUARDIAN side.
Reporter Cynthia Sewell [...]

Sweet Offer From G-BAD Boys

The Center on the Grove, operated by the Greater Boise Auditorium District (G-BAD) sent a bunch of decorated cakes to newsrooms throughout the Valley today in an effort to garner good news reports about the convention center’s 20th anniversary.
At least they haven’t claimed their so-called birthday party is a “public out reach” or an [...]

Broncos Win, Now Its On To Legislature

Now that BSU has won another Fiesta Bowl, there won’t be much to talk about until the legislature comes back to town to figure how to keep government afloat with less money. Oh sure, we will have a few days of news about how Boise still gets no respect, but the media pundits are [...]

Entire Community Turns Out To Help Needy

At this cold and happy time of year it seems like every school, business, and news organization battles to “out nice” each other.
The GUARDIAN is rarely “nice,” but we do believe in helping our fellow man and can’t help but feel “warm and fuzzy” about the community donations this year.
Karen Vauk President chief collection agent [...]

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, [...]

Fox 12 Reporter Wins Dope Award

A reader has nominated Reporter Mike Vogel for a GUARDIAN ” TV Dope Reporter Award.”
Vogel has been in, out, and back in the news game and probably didn’t even think about winning a GUARDIAN dope award when he touched his tongue to a metal pole at temperatures well below freezing on camera. He was [...]

Government, WAC, Bend Minds With PR Dollars

The use of Public Relations firms to build support for everything from jails to street cars and now football bowl bids is reaching the level of absurdity.
Does anyone really believe ADVERTISING and promotion will influence coaches and sports writers to grant BSU a bowl game bid?
The most prominent [...]

Study Shows Boise Amtrak Not In Financial Best Interest Of USA

After spending at least $374,000,000 to get the tracks and people up to speed, Amtrak would have to charge passengers an average of $353 for each ticket–IF they could get 102,000 riders–just to break even on the cheapest option for trail service to Boise, according to figures released in an Amtrak report.

Politicos with overly optimistic [...]

Eagle Tries “Credit Card” Transfer Scam

The City of Eagle is attempting to use a clause in Idaho municipal funding law to go into long term debt without a vote of the citizens–a philosophy that is common among local governments in the Gem State.
In the latest scheme, the city gets a loan known as a “Tax Anticipation Note” that is secured [...]

Statesman Revelations In Missing Kid Case

Reporters Cynthia Sewell and Patrick Orr of the Idaho Statesman offer up a BLOCKBUSTER STORY on Wednesday’s front page, detailing an unsavory past of the adults involved in the disappearance of Robert Manwill, the 8-year-old tot last seen in the area of Vista and Cherry Lane.
Their detailed account took a lot of effort sifting through [...]

Spell Check Can’t Replace Proofreaders

We have to admit we like the idea of a daily newspaper on the doorstep. We also have to lament “it ain’t what it used to be”–especially with the Daily Paper. Hope springs eternal and we still subscribe.
Sunday morning page one–they call it the “cover” these days–had a full page-wide headline proclaiming “SEXTING [...]

Dope Writer Award To Statesman

In what has to be the ultimate in spin doctoring and obfuscation (“clouding the meaning” for non-library types) the Daily Paper had this message to readers on page one of the printed editon Friday:
“Effective Monday, April 6, we will no longer be able to offer re-delivery of missed papers within the metro area…” How [...]

“Kill The Messenger” Is New Message

 
As the economy continues to sour, the use and proliferation of public relations people to spin the messages of governments and agencies is leaving a bad taste in the mouths of many folks.
When the Boise School District announced layoffs, we had immediate comments and suggestions from GUARDIAN readers about getting rid of the District PR [...]

Eagle Mayor On Legal Thin Ice

Eagle’s Mayor, Phil Bandy is skating on some legal thin ice and the temperature is rising with regard to his refusal to make public the names and resume’s of applicants to fill a vacant city council seat.
Bandy has ordered the clerk’s office to withhold the public information  contained in the applications and until today he [...]

GUARDIAN Asks Reader Support For Citizen Journalists

With the blessing and encouragement of some loyal GUARDIAN readers, we have decided to provide you with an “investment opportunity.”
As part of the brave new world of publishing, we will accept contributions from one and all for any amount you care to toss into the pot. Click on the “DONATE” icon for details. [...]

Daily Paper Sells Feature Space To ACHD

DISCLAIMER–At the risk of sounding like a pitchman for female politicos who have recycled themselves back into office, the GUARDIAN was fascinated by an item posted on a new blog by Sara Baker, the newest Commish on the ACHD board and a former Boise City Councilor.

Like Ada County Commish Sharon Ullman, Baker runs a blog [...]

Bungling Bureaucrats Botch Boise Buses

In a refreshing bit of local journalism, Cynthia Sewell of the Daily Paper detailed a pattern of
BUNGLING BUREAUCRATS either unwilling or unable to put together a plan to spend federal funds for a downtown transit center.
The fed money was earmarked for Boise in 2005, but Boise City, the Urban Renewal Agency (CCDC), Ada Highway District, [...]

Daily Paper’s Vision Not 20/20

GUEST OPINION by Sisyphus
The Statesman spilled much ink in the Sunday editorial section vaunting its newly promulgated organization which it touts to help provide some leadership on where to take the Treasure Valley in the next century. But look at this list, chucky jam full of Arid Club/IACI members, some of whom took out ads, [...]