Archive for February, 2009
Transit Guy Stands To Gain From Decisions
Once again the Daily Paper’s Cynthia Sewell has come up with a GOOD STORY about developer Jim Tomlinson’s land holdings being considered as parts of a downtown transit scheme. The story accurately points out that Tomlinson is a member–and currently president–of the Downtown Business Association which is an official agency created by Boise City government. […]
Sources and Attribution–A Discussion
While the GUARDIAN works hard at offering up good factual information within the posts we make, it is difficult to verify the comments made by readers–most of whom use an alias. This past week we allowed a lengthy comment regarding Valley Regional Transit and its managers. It was less than complimentary and one reader felt […]
Raleigh, NC Has New Transit Center
A GUARDIAN reader was nice enough to send us a link to a story about a new transit center in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina along with a story about their new DOWNTOWN CIRCULATOR which of course is a rubber tire vehicle as instead of steel rail buried in the street. As for the transit center, it […]
Mayor Hotline February 14 to 20
WHO PAYS WHEN COPS TRASH HOUSE?, MASONS OPPOSE 10th St. TRANSIT MALL, TICKET $$, LED LIGHTS, FEARS OF NOISY TEEN CENTER, TRASH TALK 2/13/09 Wendy Coddel Debby Mayer (roommate) BPD: I thought that I should give you a call to let you know of an incident that occurred at my home last Friday. My house […]
Meridian Schools Seeks Continued Tax Hike
In what can only be described as a “stealth election,” Meridian School District is seeking to take away a scheduled tax break for District patrons in a ballot measure set for Tuesday MArch 3. The District has failed to even post the election on their website or calendar of events. A disgruntled parent contacted the […]
Jail Dopers For Criminal Acts–Not Drug Use
GUARDIAN GUEST OPINION By Dr. Richard Jay At a time when Idaho’s state budget crisis threatens to cut essential state services and corral prisoners in warehouses, perhaps it is time to reconsider a long-recommended plan that would be all pluses for the state. It’s simple to explain: Repeal the law making “drug” use a penal […]
Biden Visit Prompts “Illegal Detainment”
THE GUARDIAN RECEIVED THIS COMPLAINT FROM A READER WHO ALSO WAS A SUPPORTER OF THE SPECIAL OLYMPIC GAMES. WE WELCOME ANY INSIGHT–OFFICIAL OR CONJECTURE. Thursday, February 12, 2009– During Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Boise and his appearance at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games at the Qwest Arena, Boise City Police and […]
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 […]
Park Board Slips In Goose Plan
A GUARDIAN EXCLUSIVE By DAVID R. FRAZIER Boise’s Park Board voted unanimously Thursday to continue efforts to hire a goose herding border collie with a prison record to help control goose poop piling up in the public parks. Seems the Idaho Humane Society has offered up a plan to use border collies with a natural […]
Regulatory Agency Demands High Tech Meters
Cheap thrills peeking at topless babes in the back yard, garden gates left open, and dog bites will soon be things of the past for Idaho Power meter readers. In fact, meter readers themselves will be passe’ thanks to automated meters which will be installed throughout Southwest Idaho over the next three years. The Idaho […]
Taxpayers Fund COMPASS Legislative Party
The GUARDIAN has obtained more information about the taxpayer funded party set for Thursday evening to curry favor with legislators to advance their “agenda” in the Idaho Legislature. While the invitation sent to COMPASS members said “We will have heavy hors d’oeuvres and a hosted bar,” we have learned from COMPASS executive director Matt Stoll […]
COMPASS To Provide “Hosted Bar” to Legislators
COMPASS, the Community Planning Association funded by local city and county governments throughout Ada and Canyon Counties has scheduled a 2009 Legislative Reception Thursday to include free booze. Each city and county pays dues to COMPASS which supposedly acts as a regional planning agency for things like Transit. Just in case anyone in the unwashed […]
Merchants Not Onboard 10th Street Bus Hub
Despite official claims to the contrary, based on what we have seen and heard about a transit mall on Boise’s 10th Street, it looks pretty much like a done deal. The goal is to get a federal grant from 2006 spent before a March 2009 deadline. Officials at all levels of government–and there are many–are […]
Mayor Hotline February 7 to 13
TENTH ST. TRANSIT FOR AND AGAINST, COPS AND TICKETS, NO GAS TAX Toni Newman 1404 N. 24th St. Boise, ID 83702 Transit Center: I was just reading in the paper this morning, in fact a couple of days ago when I first read about this plan, I though you guys had lost your minds, and […]
Copper Chief Shares Caper Recap
One of the most prized possessions of a police chief is an annual crime report that actually shows a decrease in crime. Top Copper Mike Masterson shares the complete CRIME-REPORT with GUARDIAN readers. With fewer calls for service it demonstrates there should be time for coppers to write a few traffic tickets in the course […]
ACHD Chair Snubs Citizens, Denies Comments
Ada County Highway District Chairman Carol McKee went back on her word Thursday and snubbed at least two citizens who wished to share their thoughts about a proposed street closure relating to a “multimodal transportation center downtown.” When GUARDIAN readers expressed an interest in speaking at a Thursday joint meeting of the Boise City Council […]
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 […]
Missing Buses Located With BPD and BFD
The buses are all present and accounted for, but the manner in which possession of the government property has been transferred between agencies has caused concern for managers. The coppers have a couple of the exploding buses at a desert location where they will be used for–EXPLOSIVE training–and some SWAT team exercises. Boise Police command […]
Coppers Oppose Tickets As Fund Raiser
The GUARDIAN has inadvertently stirred up a hornet’s nest with the publication of Top Copper Mike Masterson’s cost containment memo. The local news channels jumped on the GUARDIAN story and the police union has come out in strong opposition to Masterson’s cost containment strategy–especially as it relates to ticket writing. We pretty much agreed with […]
Where Have All The Busses Gone?
The tipster called the GUARDIAN asking slyly, “do you know about the bus Valley Transit gave away to the mechanic?” That prompted a series of phone calls that got more incredible as the day wore on. A Valley Regional Transit spokesman confirmed that a maintenance manager and a deputy director of the government funded organization […]
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