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 [...]

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 [...]

French Grow Suspicious Pine Trees

The GUARDIAN just got back from a week in France working on the day job, but with heart and mind still firmly tied to Boise.
We were driving through the Champagne area northeast of Paris when we spotted this perfectly straight tall pine tree. A little suspicious of this perfect speciman, we made a U-turn [...]

North Beach Party Wreaks Havoc At McCall

The worst fears of Idaho Park officials were realized over the July 4th weekend as nearly 2,000 wild and crazy young people cavorted at North Beach along Payette Lake in an atmosphere described by one officials as “part Mardi Gras and part Spring Break.”
Waterways board members, parks, and local law enforcement are already working on [...]

North Beach At Payette Lake To Remain Open

Acting State Park Director Dave Ricks tells the GUARDIAN there are no plans to close North Beach at Ponderosa State Park over the July 4th weekend.
Reader “Justin” contacted us in a panic claiming that North Beach was to be closed as a “pre-emptive strike” to eliminate rowdy partying over the July 4th Weekend. [...]

GUARDIAN Thoughts After 5,400 Mile Drive

Sorry for not posting more often this past few weeks, but the day job and family demanded our attention. We previously posted some observations and offer more after driving 5,400 miles in two weeks.
–Without question the USA is BIG, beautiful, diverse, a true sleeping giant, and probably in for many months of [...]

Changing View From Interstate

The day job took priority this week and for a change of pace, the GUARDIAN took a little drive to points east and this writing comes from Lansing Michigan Saturday morning after more than 2000 miles in three days.

Here are some random observations:
–TRUCKS outnumber cars on UTAH, WYOMING and KANSAS highways as much as 10 [...]

Spring Has Sprung In SW Idaho Hills

The GUARDIAN got away from the city on the first day of Spring–armed with a camera and 300 mm lens.  For the safety and comfort of the nesting pair of eagles, we won’t disclose the location, but it was in the foothills where the grass is turning green.
A little wildlife photography tip:  your car is [...]

If Voters Say NO, Go To The Feds!

Those sneaky fellas at G-BAD (Greater Boise Auditorium District) got turned down twice by voters for a convention center.  Now they are stepping up to the welfare line in Washington, D.C.
Every deal they have tried has failed and now one of our vigilant GUARDIAN readers offers up this little tidbit.
“I found this tidbit in the [...]

Some Things Never Change In Vietnam

THE FOLLOWING IS ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE ON PRESENT DAY VIETNAM FROM GUARDIAN EDITOR DAVE FRAZIER.
It had been 41 years since the infamous Tet Offensive and the Battle of Saigon in early 1968.
I was curious how things looked along Bui Vin Street, my home for a year as a GI, back when I had hair and [...]

Guardian Upbeat Views From Vietnam

THIS POST WILL BE THE BEGINNING OF A SERIES REFLECTING ON A JANUARY TRIP TO VIETNAM BY GUARDIAN EDITOR DAVID R. FRAZIER. TIME HAS A WAY OF PUTTING EVENTS INTO PERSPECTIVE.
Four decades have passed since the GUARDIAN sat in Saigon in 1967 watching the tracer rounds, rockets, and flares pass overhead while listening [...]

Fame, Greed Behind Special Winter Olympics

PREFACE
I have lived in Boise all my adult life–38 of those 40 years in the first and only home I ever owned. There is no other place on earth I care to live. My roots go deep and I am on a first name basis with most of the movers and shakers, [...]

Note The Kiosks With Notices

The Veterans had trouble getting publicity for the November 11 parade without getting crosswise of an ordinance that prohibits posting flyers in the downtown area.

Not only is it illegal to post on signal boxes and lamp posts, merchants were reluctant to place the signs in their windows. Doug Foote, a retired Idaho Air [...]

G-BAD Losing Streak Intact

The G-Bad Boys at the Greater Boise Auditorium District got hold of a new reporter at the Daily Paper and were able to lull him into publishing “disinformation,” about the need for a new convention center.
District Manager Pat Rice was quoted saying there is a great demand for an expanded convention center. He claimed [...]

City Plans To Market Depot, Exclude Public

Only those able to afford rental fees will be welcomed at The Boise Depot after the city council approves a new plan to increase efforts at “niche marketing” of the facility for private events.
A committee of Team Dave supporters has been meeting–after getting their marching orders from the Mayor last spring. THEIR REPORT and [...]

Down Side Of Absentee Ballot

Traveling in New Hampshire this week where all the license plates remind us, “Live Free or Die.”
Local discussion here in the Granite State seems to be about absentee ballots–when not talking about “leaf peepers” and the awesome progression of fall color across the state.  Today, in Boise the clerk has begun mailing 50,000 ballots requested by voters [...]

Aimless Visitors On Boise Streets

Sunday the GUARDIAN bumped into some real nice tourists from Canada pouring over a highway map at a local coffee shop.
Being the know-it-all GUARDIAN, we asked if the visitors needed some directions.
“We went to your capitol, but it was boarded up, so we went to the Depot and it too was closed. Do you [...]

Growth Trumps Open Space, Beauty

Motivation For Special Olympics?

Mayor Funds Lobby, Still No Signs