Archive for February, 2011
City Sends Jr. Steelheads To Penalty Box
Once again the Idaho Junior Steelhead hockey team is on thin ice with Boise City Parks for flashing more than their skate blades. One stupid pucker has ruined it for the entire team. The folks at the City-owned Ice World took exception when one of the players “mooned” a teammate in a public lobby. There […]
Mayor Hotline February 12 to 18
2/12/11 Joanne Solomon Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Issue: Got a parking ticket for being two minutes over the time limit. Action taken: Contacted via e-mail 2/15/11 Angela Anderson ISSUE: Would like to speak with someone about her sewer bill, which is double her water bill. She has been in contact with her sewer company, but nothing […]
Civil Unrest Looks The Same In Boise or Pakistan
Two images of civil unrest looked shockingly similar Friday. The Guardian shot of teachers and students in Boise doesn’t have the same passion as the Google News/Reuters image in Pakistan, but then again, the education folks weren’t protesting about murder either.
Where Does Crapo Stand On National Monuments?
We got a press release on February 17 from Senator Mike Crapo bragging about co-sponsoring legislation to limit Presidential authority to designate or expand National Monuments. Two days later he is part of the Idaho Congressional delegation applauding expansion of the Minidoka National Monument in Idaho. Apparently Senior Crapo doesn’t know which monument–or press release– […]
Landfill Energy Project May Be Just Garbage
After getting some negative comments as well as talking with an engineer, the GUARDIAN’s red flag began to wave over the electric generation project with Dynamis and Lloyd Mahaffey at the Ada Landfill. Last week the DAILY PAPER ran a big page one story which clearly said the firm operates a trash-to-electricity project at Barrow, […]
Tom Luna: Was He Duper or Dupee?
The GUARDIAN listened to Idaho School Super Tom Luna’s speech Friday at the City Club of Boise and came away somewhat sympathetic to his education reform plan. That was before we read a damning piece by John Miller of the AP This pro is one of the best journalists in the state and he certainly […]
GUARDIAN Supports Urban Renewal Reform
AT LEAST HALF A DOZEN BILLS ARE CURRENTLY BEFORE THE IDAHO LEGISLATURE AIMED AT CUTTING AUTHORITY OF URBAN RENEWAL AGENCIES AND CREATING CITIZEN OVERSIGHT OF ACTIVITIES. NEWSPAPERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE (NOTE IN BOISE HOWEVER) HAVE REPORTED ON THE ISSUE. MOST HAVE LEANED TOWARD THE VIEW OF LOCAL POLITICOS, BUT WITHOUT FACTUAL DETAILS ABOUT WHAT HAS […]
Different DIFFERENT Slants On Urban Renewal
At least four bills aimed at getting more citizen approval for debt, election of commissioners or creation of Urban Renewal Districts are headed for the floor of the Idaho House. Politicos bent on keeping the public from having any authority over their tax spending as mandated by the Idaho Constitution are rallying to oppose the […]
Powerful Trash Talk On Ada Landfill
Boise’s much touted no-sort blue bin recycle program could face some major alterations in the future if the electric generator project at the county dump doesn’t get short circuited. The DAILY PAPER had a page one story Tuesday on the project with details about the technology of superheating trash to reduce emissions. This a new […]
Mayor Hotline Feb 5 to 11
2/7/11 Barbara Pond North End ISSUE: Traffic at Collister Drive and Hill Road is heavy around 5 in the evening. It is a great place to put in a traffic signal. She also likes the new timed crosswalk signs. ACHD 2/8/11 Stephen Graham PO Box 1069 Homer, Alaska 99603 ISSUE: In a call to Utility […]
Cities Seek More Authority Without Oversight
While at least 7 bills are pending in the Idaho Legislature aimed at limiting Urban Renewal by allowing citizens to vote on board members and creation of districts, Idaho”s cities are pushing for a law allowing “Intermodal Commerce Authorities” with no voter control. SB 1060 passed the Senate Friday and is headed for the House. […]
Frequent Flyer Grounded In Boise, Banned From Future Flights
A frequent flyer with more than 40,000 hours in the air over the past 31 years arrived in Boise Wednesday, never to fly again. Boise Police Chief Mike Masterson was among the officers on hand to take the elderly flyer into custody at Gowen Field. Pilots were instructed to use a secure runway just south […]
Mayor Hotline Jan. 29 to Feb. 4
1/31/11 Nancy Sheets Boise, ID 83704 ISSUE: She is partially disabled and tried to walk her leashed dogs in the park with a cane. An enforcement officer gave her a ticket for dogs at large even though they were at her heels and still on their leash. She is on a fixed income and would […]
City Should Strike Out On Foul B’ball Survey
Boise’s City Council will consider a wind up and pitch from Team Dave on Tuesday to commission yet another survey–this one on baseball–and no doubt the results will claim a home run on a bunt. This field of dreams will be built on the premise that a big stadium will be worthy of a AAA […]
Paramedic Trade Worthy Of Major League Baseball
In a four-way trade between Ada County, The Western Idaho Fair (Expo Idaho), North Ada County Fire & Rescue, and the Ada County Emergency Medical Services, the Chinden Blvd. fire station will reopen… sort of… sometimes. In October the fire station was closed when NACFR ran out of money due to lower assessed property values. […]
PUC Deals Big Blow To Wind Generators
Idaho’s Public utilities commission has dealt a blow to companies seeking to sell massive amounts of electricity to Idaho Power and two other utilities in the Gem State. Monday the PUC issued an order putting a temporary limit on the size of so-called PURPA projects which require the big utilities to purchase power from alternative […]
Latin Latch Locks Pretty Purse
The Day Job took us to South America in January, but we did come up with a neat little idea for local restaurateurs that is sure to please the ladies. One upscale eatery we visited in Lima, Peru had attached carabiners–those spring loaded rope clips that rockclimbers use–to the underside of the corners of each […]
Meridian School Uses Parent E-Mail List For Political Effort Opposing Luna Plan
Looks like the principal of Meridian’s Renaissance High School is using confidential parent e-mail addresses for partisan politics to oppose State Superintendent Tom Luna’s latest plans to revamp Idaho education spending. GUARDIAN reader Chuck Everett was contacted via e-mail from his child’s school with the following message and attachment. From: McGrew Wendi [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, […]
Local Issues Cropping Up In Legislature
The GUARDIAN is familiar with much of what’s on the plate of lawmakers this session. We brought the issue of a state-owned storage business to the attention of readers last fall. Sen. Russ Fulcher of Meridian went after the deputy director of the State Lands Department in a Senate State Affairs committee hearing Wednesday over […]
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