Education
CWI Bond Try Paid Big $$$ To Local Media
College of Western Idaho Paid $370,000 to consultants and local media outlets in the campaign to pass the $180 million bond which failed to pass November 8. The IDAHO FREEDOM FOUNDATION did a great job of tracking down the financial details which they revealed this week. The RECORDS request revealed a pattern of unseemly spending […]
NO Means NO, Not Maybe, Or Later
The election of Donald Trump pointed out the fact politicos at all levels of government simply are ignoring the will of the people, hence the surprise victory. Some of these elected officials feel they are acting for the “greater good,” and voter/citizens just don’t know what they need. No doubt a many Dems feel that […]
School Officials Need Educating
No one (other than growthophobes) wants to stand in the way of growth–often erroneously termed “progress.” However like cancer, the Treasure Valley is on the verge of growing itself to death. Meridian beams with pride at being the second largest city in the state. Meanwhile they also have the busiest intersection at Fairview and Eagle […]
Simplot JUMP Gets $1 million Tax Break
The Ada Commishes acting as the County Board of Equalization, has lost a battle for more than $1 million in property taxes on the nearly completed J.R. Simplot JUMP Project in downtown Boise. JUMP is the acronym for “Jack’s Urban Meeting Place.” The $62.5 million building and surrounding land is owned by the J.R. Simplot […]
BSU Seeks To Wipe Out Boise Neighborhood
In an informative piece of local reporting, the STATESMAN informed us Sunday that Boise State University has expansion plans which could see the demise of the Southeast Neighborhood along Boise Ave. In a nutshell: BSU officials want to increase the footprint of the school by 50 acres which would wipeout dozens of homes in the […]
2016 Resolution Requests…HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The GUARDIAN promises to at least try to have a more positive attitude during the coming year. One step in that direction would be fulfilling the following list of New Year’s resolutions: –Boise city council will abandon any plans for a trolley or any other permanent tracks in our streets. –Taxes will be reduced across […]
JUMP Project About To Leap To Life
A sneak peek from atop a parking garage reveals the long awaited JUMP Project–for “Jack’s Urban Meeting Place”–is nearing completion. Simplot Company Chairman Scott Simplot told the GUARDIAN, “We are aiming for a December 4 opening, but plan to have it finished at least before the end of the year.” A source of pride for […]
Ed Super Wants Rules For Candidates Stricter Than President or Governor
Sherri Ybarra, Idaho’s Superintendent of Education, has announced plans to make it more difficult to run for her elected office than it is to run for Governor, President, Congress, or be appointed to the Supreme Court of the U.S. She is offering up legislation that would change the rules of candidacy. The qualifications bill would […]
World Social Media Ablaze Over ISU Staffer “Huntress”
Social media is ablaze with comments over a series of posts and tweets featuring an Idaho “huntress” who is shown posing with a series of dead African game animals, in the wake of the controversy ignited by the death of “Cecil the lion.” While we don’t know if the images are really of Sabrina Corgatelli, […]
CWI Appraisal Tops Purchase Price
College of Western Idaho has the results of the property appraisal for the old Bob Rice Ford property near 30th and Fairview and to the surprise of no one, the appraisal came back just above the purchase price. Here is the press release from CWI. Ada County Campus – Due Diligence on Boise Property Update […]
Land Board To Get Out Of Business
Five years after the GUARDIAN first broke the story of the Idaho Land Board going into the business of running businesses, the Board has voted to divest itself of more than 20 commercial real estate parcels, most of them in downtown Boise. The big story back then was a STORAGE business. The poster child property […]
GBAD and Visitor Bureau Attract Herpes Convention
The only thing more comical than the Greater Boise Auditorium District landing a convention of herpes experts is the headline in the DAILY PAPER which proclaims: “HERPES EXPERTS IN BOISE AT SAME TIME AS BASQUES.” The Statesman headline writer gets a coveted “DOPE REPORTER AWARD” from the GUARDIAN for perhaps the worst mix and match […]
The Arming Of Garden Valley Schools
UPDATED INTYRO 5p.m. Friday Garden Valley School Board trustee Alan V. Ward seems to be one of the advocates of arming school staff. He is the same guy who was investigated–but never prosecuted–for jamming locks at the school with Super Glue during a time of unrest over school board membership, eliminating staff positions, and dismissal […]
CWI Project Could Be “Under Water”
In our never ending quest to provide factual information on public issues, the GUARDIAN has posted the following flood plain map from the Corps. of Engineers as it relates to the Bob Rice purchase at White Water and Main in Boise. Since the College of Western Idaho has agreed to an appraisal of the 10 […]
Update: CWI To Get Appraisal
In an unscheduled executive meeting Friday, CWI trustees decided that an appraisal was a good idea after all. They still adamantly stand by their original land deal, however. Here is the complete news release from the CWI Board of Trustees: CWI will Commission Appraisal on Rice Property MEDIA ADVISORY – The College of Western Idaho […]
Boise Public Land Deals Have Dubious History
Latest revelation from CWI is the apparent fact they are attempting to pay 35 times more per acre for land in Boise than land they just purchased adjacent to the Nampa campus. They will close next week on 32 acres for less than they are paying for a single acre in Boise. The recent fiasco […]
No Tax On Private Building Leased By CWI
A little known law allows landlords a tax exemption if they lease to an educational institution has added yet another dimension to the CWI land saga. County records reveal that Sundance Investments has obtained a 100% tax exemption on a building ay 1360 S. Eagle Flight Way for the past six years. The Building is […]
W. Michigan Lost $400,000 on Spud Bowl
The DETROIT NEWS revealed Wednesday that Western Michigan University lost more than $400,000 coming to Boise in December for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Like most schools, the big draw was to perform on ESPN TV. The biggest part of the travel bill was for the 305 member marching band. The school has never won […]
Ada Commish Asks CWI To Void Land Deal
Ada County Commissioner Dave Case has sent a letter to Mary Niland, president of the College of Western Idaho Board of Trustees, asking the board to reconsider its land purchase. Like other GUARDIAN readers, the Commish asks the board to use its “escape clause” and cancel the sale.
Rep. Moyle Wants Appraisals On Land Purchases
Rep. Mike Moyle of Star told the GUARDIAN Monday he has asked the office of Attorney General to write a “repair” of the Idaho Code to prevent future land purchases without an independent appraisal. He noted that nothing could be done about the current College of Western Idaho scandal over paying more than twice the […]
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