The traditional job of a newspaper like the Statesman, considered the newspaper of record, was to cover governments at hand — in this case local and state. Well into the 1980s, the Idaho Statesman made a college try at covering the state government, county governments (Canyon and Ada), city governments (Boise, Garden City, Kuna, Meridian, Eagle, Nampa and Caldwell and ACHD) as well as law enforcement and courts. (In the 1960s and into the 1970s, the paper had also covered the rest of Treasure Valley, including Payette, Fruitland and Ontario, plus Elmore County and Twin Falls; there was a network of bureaus and correspondents to do this.)

Gannett first axed the correspondents in the late 1970s, then the bureaus in the early 1980s, and finally deemed that government was boring and that people didn’t want to know about it in the late 1980s and into the early 1990s — until you have what you get today. Some coverage of isolated issues but no day-to-day coverage of any of these entities that determine so much about our lives. A change in ownership has apparently done nothing to change that policy. (The Legislature is an exception but when the legislature goes home, how much consistent state government news do you see?)

Unless people on their own can assign individuals within a larger group to attend and report on happenings at specific meetings, it is impossible for single individuals to achieve enough consistently, widely enough, to be familiar with local governments on the level that used to be provided by newspapers.

Not sure what the answer is but somehow, we need some type of institution that enables the gathering and dissemination of consistent government coverage. Not because it is exciting but because we, the citizens, need to know.

My point was the smoke is much more visible than the pollution from vehicle emissions. I’m not saying it’s any less of a reason not to work on making VMT(s) less than what they currently are. I’ve been riding my bike everyday to work and on small errands around town (southeast, downtown, northend). But, I’m only one man.

Granted, I contributed to pollution by driving to the said campground with my PZLEV wagon and no fuel-powered “toys”.

EDITOR NOTE–
Tex, you are so correct. Combine that annual event with the spew from hundreds of thousands of humans, their cars & toys, and you have filthy air. The fires are an annual event, but we don’t need to add to it every year.

getaclue said:
Newwwuseroutside:
Yes…I think the point is exactly that…you (as did the prolific Mr. Edgar) made a lifestyle purchase choice when you decided where to live. Now you (like Edgar) are pissed that you either a) made a bad purchase choice or b) were not willing to pay the higher price for a close-in home. So now you have discovered that it takes you too long to get back into Boise to attend events, doctors, hospitals and stores. You have several choices:
1. Shut up and accept your mistake
2. Get a job closer to your home
3. Get a home closer to your job
4. Support services closer to your home
I can only surmise from your post that you have acreage and animals and a garden? That’s great…spend your time at home tending to them instead of driving around clogging up the overcrowded Treasure Valley road system!

Here is a thought: larger lot subdivisions may create less density but will create more sprawl, more roads, more utilities, etc… Denser subdivisions in the city will actually help meet the demands of the market without taking up much more land or water, without the need to create new roads and utilities. What is wrong with that again?

So, someone who decides to live in a rural area is at fault for his decision, not those who change the zoning to provide dense developments? I’m guessing that you both probably live in residential areas in a city. If a developer tears down your neighbors’ homes and puts in tall apartment buildings, clogging your streets, blocking your light…guess it’s your fault for making a bad decision to buy there in the first place…right? Would you shut up and accept “your” mistake? This argument is just plain silly.