COMPASS
What Happened To Our “Boise Way?”
Guest Opinion by RICARDO OCHOA On the road it meant driving with intelligence and realizing the speed limit is not a suggestion. Your turn signals are meant to be used in a timely manner. One of the most basic ways to be respectful is to use your turn signal. We can’t read your mind. So […]
The Case For “Term Limits”
We just returned from a visit to Hawaii’s “Big Island” where we observed a public notice sign on Alii Drive–the posh oceanfront street packed with hotels and condos. The proposed project included “60 condos and 20 AFFORDABLE HOUSING units!” That prompted us to ponder just exactly what constituted “affordable” on the trendy real estate? Then, […]
Survey Shows “Growing Too Fast”
For years the Boise State University Public Policy Institute survey results served as the justification for Boise’s Team Dave to push for public safety, transportation, and parks to accommodate the growth. The standard response to critics of growth was, “You can’t stop growth. People just want to come here.” Now, more than 70% of those […]
More Than Money Needed For Buses
By Jimmy D. Bus Guardian Transportation Correspondent On Tuesday night the Boise City Council heard testimony from citizens about the crappy Valley wide bus system as the Council considers adding even more funds to the ever declining system. Crappy. That adjective was used at a recent Valley Regional Transit (VRT) Board meeting by none other […]
Will Valley Transit Go To The Dogs?
Talk about being “business friendly!” Seems the government owned and funded Valley Regional Transit (VRT) has been approached by the big dog in the bus business, Greyhound, about the possibility of using VRT taxpayer supported facilities for commercial passenger terminal and vehicle servicing purposes. One could say VRT is going to the dogs to get […]
Topics For Discussion, Let’s Talk
Sorry for the lack of content lately. Other priorities and lack of motivation are prime excuses. Here are some topics for discussion and we freely admit they are not all new. –Boise officials and the USAF staged a demonstration of their close air support (CAS) urban warfare training over our fair city at the end […]
Reader Question And History Lesson Worth A Look
QUESTION Editor, could you possibly educate me (and others) a bit about Boise and its real estate swapping? In every other city in which I’ve ever lived, city government tended to focus on the day-to-day, mundane, “unsexy” aspects of municipal government — fixing the street lamps and the potholes, making sure the police department ran […]
Treat The Cause, Not The Disease
We note Mike Wetherell’s Statesman OPINION regarding planning for mass transit failed to get to the core cause of our “transportation woes”–GROWTH. Rather than create more cancer treatments and simply concede “cancer will always be around,” let’s eliminate some of the causes. Wetherell’s admonitions to clear freeway medians and expand rights-of-way along State Street sound […]
Posted Press Releases Portray “Different Story”
In June the GUARDIAN posted a rant about GOVERNMENT being the local media these days. Today’s “official versions” of local events really need to be compared to ALL the facts. Here is a sample of Tuesday’s events. First off we got a PRESS RELEASE from the Community Planning Association (COMPASS) declaring the multi-county board of […]
Idaho Growth Defies Logic
By DAVE FRAZIER, editor I have lived in Boise for 50 years. All but two of those years in the same house. I am the oldest guy on the block and number two for length of residency behind a neighbor who was born here. I have pretty much lived my entire adult life in Boise […]
Growing To Death Like Cancer
Growing Like Cancer Idaho is experiencing a growth spurt unequaled since the days of homesteading, free mining claims, free cattle grazing, and water rights. Guess what? The modern version of those government give aways come in all sorts of “economic incentives” which has local citizens PAYING corporations to move businesses to the Treasure Valley and […]
Retired Educator Adresses Mayor, Councilors
Most of the following testimony was presented at last night’s Town Hall meeting, but with just a few seconds left to present, Mr. Neil Parker was cut off by Mayor Dave Bieter at the three minute time limit. The entire presentation is posted here as it seems to be an eloquent statement echoing the thoughts […]
Most Speakers Oppose Growth At Town Hall
In a respectful “town hall” meeting at Boise Fire Station #4 on Ustick Road Wednesday night, speaker after speaker told the Boise Mayor and Council they were tired of the growth or the rapid pace of growth. Describing idyllic scenes of the past being blotted out with high density apartments, about 90% of those speaking […]
“Murphy Benches” At Main Street Bus Station
The pugnacious Mike Murphy who sent us the CLASSIC VIDEO last March recorded at the new underground Main Street Station bus terminal has informed us his efforts paid off. It took a year, but there are now benches inside for passengers to sit upon as they await their bus. They don’t fold out of the […]
What Was Top GUARDIAN 2017 Story?
This is the traditional time to look back at the past year’s news and vote for the top stories. From this side of the computer, the F-35 story wins hands down. The effort and expense to expose the clandestine efforts of the local politicos to land the noisy fighter jet was massive. Other topics we […]
Corporate Welfare Costly To Idahoans
Corporate monsters gobbling up local businesses like the Pac Man monsters was easy to understand when the K-Mart, Wal Mart, and Home Depots ran the neighborhood hardware and local clothing stores out of business. When the cities and states created “economic development” departments and urban renewal agencies the equation became cloudier, but no less devastating. […]
Transit Riders Decline With Gas Price Dip
There’s good news and bad news on the commuter and bus business. The good news is the price of gas is down, so motorists are not spending so much to commute. The bad news is the price of gas is down, so motorists are not spending so much to commute. No matter how you cut […]
Guess What? Another Boise Survey!
Seems that City Hall in Boise is awash in cash the past few weeks. First it was stainless steel “cottonwood trees,” in the plaza redo, then hefty raises for the mayor and council, a request to spend $100,000 for a “consultant” to attract the F-35, a clean up of lead at the ill-conceived police shooting […]
If You Record At Bus Terminal, Valley Ride Staff Will Hassle You, Standing Room Only
COMMUNITY JOURNALISM Mike Murphy is a stocky guy with a New York accent and attitude who doesn’t like to take any crap. He is a former taxi driver, mayor candidate, and a champion of civil rights–like freedom of speech. In short he knows his way around, but he can be a little rough around the […]
New Try At Community Journalism
We started the BOISE GUARDIAN as a news blog back in May of 2005. One of the motivating factors was the decline of newspapers nationwide and the drastic increase in government flaks, spokespersons, spin doctors, or other titled “information specialists.” We wanted to give readers a forum to air their opinions and provide “the other […]
Recent Comments