Archive for March, 2006
Said Like A Real Man
Young: “ A LOT OF THE TIME YOU’RE SMILING AT SOMEONE, WHILE IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD YOU’RE ASSESSING HOW YOU WOULD KILL THEM IF YOU HAD TO. IT’S THREAT ASSESSMENT.” “I’M TINY, BUT ANY OF THE GUYS WHO HAVE EVER BEEN IN FIGHTS WITH ME KNOW BETTER.” “YOU HAVE TO HAVE A JACK […]
Boise Firms Make Wall Street List
Maybe it is the weather or maybe the GUARDIAN is just getting old and cranky, but there isn’t much for informed realists to take pride in lately around town. In the midst of the indignation over the Albertson’s executive compensation revelations, we were heartened to note that KTVB Channel 7 had the cajones to mention […]
Hear The GUARDIAN
GUARDIAN editor Dave Frazier will be the featured guest on the AM 580 KIDO radio talk show Thursday. The show airs at 9 a.m. Topics to be discussed include internet news sites, Boise City and Ada County local governments. Tune in to hear the voice behind the GUARDIAN website.
Build It And They Will Come!
The same folks who promoted the Foothills preservation plan are bent on growing as many houses as possible in the rolling south hills…far away from the cozy North End. Recent “cover stories” in the Statesman about city-owned land and Boise’s plans for growing into the southeast desert should sound alarm bells for growthophobes–like the GUARDIAN. […]
More Poop Farm Charges
Another former Boise City employee has been charged with criminal activity related to the scandal at the Twenty Mile South “Poop Farm.” Bradley G. Holmes is charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly “splitting invoices” for eight tractor tires. He has entered a not guilty plea. City purchasing regulations require bids for items worth more than […]
Drowning In Bureaucracy
Looks like the GUARDIAN is forced to take back all the NICE THINGS we said about Boise Parks. See Swimming Upstream. Last week we chided the Statesman a bit for the play they gave a story about a fallen tree blocking the Boise River, but not doing anything about getting signs posted to warn cold […]
Judge: Commishes Held Illegal Meeting
The Ada Commishes are stretching out their legal battle over holding a closed meeting last June 15 after Judge William H. Woodland declared the meeting to be illegal. He made the finding in response to a motion for summary judgment filed by the Idaho Attorney General’s office and the commishes are aiming to appeal. The […]
Everything Old Is New Again
Like a television station with a new format and broadcast studio, the Idaho Statesman is proud as punch about a change in the product they plan to offer readers April 19. Thursday the new editors and publisher made a gracious gesture to the “Statesman Alumni” living in Boise (most work for government agencies), sharing their […]
Swimming Upstream
The GUARDIAN had a chance to meet all the new brass at the Statesman Thursday for a sneak peek at the new graphics they plan to unveil after tax day in April. We chided them about favoring form over substance noting the lead news story in the local section was about a tree falling in […]
Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil
Tuesday the GUARDIAN received copies of the Boise Public Works newsletter from three sources. All three were probably employees of the department and expressed concernes about a message from the PW director. People are so spooked that one copy was FAXED from KINKOS, one came from a blind e-mail account (they actually retyped the text […]
Evolution: Humans to Monkeys, Chimps, Gorillas
In the realm of Southwest Idaho Cities, Boise stands head and shoulders above the rest as the “800 pound gorilla” with the “chimpanzees” of Meridian and Nampa growing up fast. During the past 10 years as Boise City swung through the suburban jungle unchallenged, it intimidated the surrounding areas and annexed thousands of acres of […]
LaRocco Vies For Lt. Gov. Post
While mainstreamer media was busy speculating about the ramifications of the Risch-Otter-Kempthorne-Little musical chairs at the Idaho Statehouse, a well known Dem joined the fracas. Former Idaho Congressman Larry LaRocco quietly slipped his name into the race for Lt. Governor prior to the Friday filing deadline. He is going to need a lot more than […]
Poop Plant Perks Popped
Should Boise Public Works Department employees be allowed to use city-owned tools and equipment for their own personal and business projects? Is it ethical for city department supervisors to HIRE subordinates to work in off duty moonlighting jobs? The practice has the potential of subordinates being “favored” at their city job or “intimidated” into helping […]
Guv Risch At Your Service
Note to Lt. Gov. Jim Risch: “Get down to Secretary of State Big Ben’s office by 5p.m. Friday with $300 if you still want a shot at that lifelong dream of being ELECTED governor.” Friday is the filing deadline for statewide office. Risch has already filed for Lt. Gov. and had previously said he would […]
County To Sell Passed Gas
We never considered the production of methane gas to be “exciting”–unless it was produced in a fraternity house or Army barracks by a drunk with a lit match who raised his leg and said, “watch this!” In a press release detailing the highlights of the 2nd Annual “State of The County” breakfast fund raiser, Commish […]
How The School Bond Passed
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE The Tuesday Boise school bond election passed with 70% of the voters saying “yes” to 30 years of taxes for $94 million worth of new buildings and improvements. The campaign provided some interesting insights into political strategy. Former legislators Jim Auld and Rod Beck made the media talk show circuit calling for […]
Auditor! What Auditor?
Boise city councilor Vern Bisterfeldt has previously declared the internal auditor was, “worth his weight in gold.” Trouble is we don’t have an auditor and none is on the horizon at present. The office of internal auditor was set up in the wake of the scandal surrounding former mayor Brent Coles. Coles, and two city […]
Continuing Sagas
NEIGHBORS WIN ROUND ONE WITH QUASAR Boise’s Planning and Zoning Commission sided up with existing residents Monday when they rejected plans for a 119 feet tall building in an area zoned for 45 feet structures. Quasar Development was attempting to get permission to build the tower on Park Boulevard near Walnut. existing resents and East […]
Statesman and Others Evolve
The impending sale of the Idaho Statesman’s terminally ill adoptive parent has caused many in the newsroom to ponder the question “who’s your daddy now.” The mood in the newsroom was euphoria that they escaped reacquisition by Gannett, muted optimism about McClatchy, and a little remorse at the loss of Knight-Ridder before anyone really got […]
More Poop On Sewer Plant
Insiders tell us there have been some “come to Jesus” meetings with about half of Boise’s employees, including those at the Public Works Department’s sewage treatment facilities. These group ethics training sessions were prompted by the scandals during the previous city administration which saw several leaders go to jail. To his credit, Mayor Dave Bieter […]
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