Dave Frazier
Boise, GROWING with Bieter
In a front page display by reporter Brad Hem, the IDAHO STATESMAN offered a retrospective of Mayor Dave Bieter’s first 21 months in office and the conclusion was “mixed reviews.” In typical mainstream media style, the newest link in the Knight-Ridder chain offered a near perfect blend of cheers and jeers. Bottom line in Hem’s […]
Faulty Zipper?
Sharing a GUARDIAN EXCLUSIVE PHOTO from the Iowa State Fair children’s fountain. Even if it isn’t in Boise, sometimes things are just too good to NOT pass along to loyal readers. –Editor
Common Sense 11, Emotion 410
The GUARDIAN endorses common sense and logic rather than political dogma and emotions. Congressman Butch Otter deserves a pat on his tight jeans for voting “no” on the hurricane relief bill. He was among only 11 lawmakers who stood up for not tossing away more money into an emotional quagmire. Everyone in the USA wants […]
Surprise! Micron Expands in Singapore
Those IDAHO tax breaks granted to Micron have really paid off–the company was able to pump $250 million into expansion of a 265,000 square foot production facility in SINGAPORE. The Idaho Statesman barely noted the irony with a business story shorter than this blog entry. The good news is we won’t have to feed, house, […]
Seriously Silly Stinky
Ustick Road has the potential of being a skunk with more stripes than a zebra–but it will still stink, thanks to a “compromise” between the Boise City Council and the Ada County Highway District. Regarding road improvements Boise thinks , “If you don’t build it they won’t come,”. ACHD wants to build their standard 5 […]
Direct from Ground Zero
We received this comment from a reader and thought it compelling enough to share as a featured story .–Editor Dear Guardian: Thank you for your story on Kantankerous Katrina. I have a friend who lives near Baton Rouge and she wrote this to me. Thought you would like to hear another perspctive on things, Bill […]
Disaster Rumor Mill
The GUARDIAN got three calls Wednesday regarding a “huge influx” of disaster refugees coming to Idaho. The most common figure was 5,000. One source was a BSU staffer who was informed at a faculty meeting to expect new students on Monday. Another source was the Boise schools where teachers were cautioning students to be tolerant […]
Official Yzaguirre Rehash
Ada County Commissioner Rick Yzaguirre has maintained a pretty low profile after his reelection campaign, but not low enough to escape some pot shots from former Commissioner Sharon Ullman and the BOISE WEEKLY. The WEEKLY ran a piece called “Taxing The Public Trust” which was pretty much a rehash of Yzaguirre’s financial problems with the […]
Meridian School Bond Battle
The taxpayer snipers have their sights trained on the upcoming Meridian School Bond battle and early indications show the District’s volunteer army may not be as experienced as their tax foe adversaries. The first skirmish had kids used as innocent couriers for a pro bond post card that crowds the line of propriety with a […]
Disaster Good, Bad, Ugly
We were gratified to see better organization and use of resources as the brain trust expanded in the hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Some needy Southern old timers are getting assistance at facilities in Nampa, thanks to transport aboard Idaho Air Guard c-130 planes and GUARDIAN readers are responding with thoughts and offers. Wanna guess who […]
Developer 3, Neighbors 1
After two nights of testimony, punctuated with a medical emergency and many hours of civilized debate, the Boise City Council voted to approve an apartment condominium complex on Peasley Street near the Depot. Only Councilor Vern Bisterfeldt voted with the throngs of people who were overwhelmingly against the size and height of the project which […]
Disaster Want and Waste
Try as we might to be positive about Idaho efforts to offer assistance to disaster victims in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the use of a gas guzzling Idaho Air Guard C-130 to haul water across the USA is the epitome of government waste. This relief effort is devoid of common sense and leadership. The […]
Heart Attack on Live TV
Cable TV channel 11 put some real drama in the Wednesday night special City Council meeting when a member of the audience suffered an apparent heart attack on camera. It happened shortly after midnight after about 50 people from the Depot Bench neighborhood had offered testimony against the proposed four story apartment condo project. At […]
Appearances Take Two
The Boise City Council now explains the rush to get their own raises approved was nothing nefarious (for you non-library types that’s wicked or sneaky). It was just a scheduling error. They euphemistically explained to the Idaho Statesman that it was just a “scheduling error” that forced them to waive the required three readings of […]
Jailhouse Lawyer
Jeannie Braun, the lady lawyer who was recently convicted of falsifying legal documents is sitting in the Ada County jail and she may sit longer if she doesn’t write a letter to the Idaho State Bar–a condition of her plea bargain. It may sound oxymoronic (for you non-library types that means contradictory) but some honest […]
Failure to Communicate
Looks like the Boise PD has an internal communication problem which needs immediate attention if it hasn’t already been cured concerning the case of the officer charged with sexual assault on the teenaged girl. The courts will handle the criminal side of the case, but KIVI Channel 6 ran a story recently which was particularly […]
Leaving Town
Idaho Statesman’s Joe Estrella had a well written story in Sunday’s paper about the dilemma faced by Boise City officials and Boise School District on the issue of “urban flight.” “Urban flight” really means people don’t like living in Boise and they are following the advice of old time newspaper publisher Horace Greeley–”Go West young […]
Appearance Really Matters
In its ongoing quest to garner public confidence and support, the Boise city council offers this little gem in the agenda for the Tuesday August 30 meeting: “FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE FIXING THE SALARY COMPENSATION FOR BOISE CITY MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS; PROVIDING FOR A WAIVER OF THE READING RULES; AND […]
The Saga of John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones is a decorated Vietnam War veteran who will tire you out just listening to him because his sharp mind is usually about three steps ahead of his mouth. The result is a conversation with so many diversions he seems wacko. Well, he IS a little wacko and proud of it. JP is […]
Big Bird Leaves Boise
Hundreds of Boise people eager to get a glimpse of the most famous plane we all own and allow George Bush to ride on created a traffic jam at the Boise airport along Orchard and I-80 Wednesday. There was at least one car crash on the freeway, but it is unknown if it was releated […]
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