Environment
Citywide Conservation Areas, Not Just Foothills
There are rumblings among the Greenies about another Foothills Levy and the Daily Paper is soliciting comments from readers on the potential serial levy–a two year only tax increase. The money from the levy of 10 years ago is mostly gone. The previous levy was full of illegal and dishonest acts. Former Mayor Brent Coles […]
Boise Joins Growthophobe Movement, GUARDIAN Offers “Back Story”
In a brilliant act to cut development in the Foothills, Team Dave has apparently seen the light and joined the GUARDIAN GROWTHOPHOBE movement. Boise City Council Tuesday made public the purchase of Hammer Flat – a 701-acre wintering range for mule deer, elk and antelope in east Boise – using funds generated by the 2001 […]
Bruneau Dunes Could Be Abuzz with ATVs
During the Vietnam War an Army officer explained a village had to be burned “in order to save it.” Idaho Parks Director Nancy Merrill finds herself in that same situation today as she considers allowing dune buggies to chew up the tallest free standing sand dune on the continent to possibly make a few bucks […]
Idle Coppers Copy Canyon Commishes
A GUARDIAN reader observed a quintet of copper’s cars idling for at least 40 minutes at the Friday night swap held at the Cole Village Shopping Center. He certainly doesn’t sound “anti cop.” The GUARDIAN isn’t anti-cop either, but given what we have seen in the past, there certainly is a shared attitude between some […]
F-35 Could Double F-15 Noise Level At Gowen
An interesting report on the noise levels of the F-35 fighter jet proposed for Boise’s Gowen Field. According to the AIR FORCE TIMES–the unofficial newspaper of the Air Force–noise levels of the F-35 are double those of the F-15s which were here this past summer from the Oregon Air Guard. The AF Times went on […]
Simplot Threatens To Leave Canyon County
J.R. Simplot Company’s environmental director threatened to “go somewhere else” in testimony before the Idaho Senate last week. The legislature has pretty much decided to allow the DEQ to implement plans for vehicle emission testing in Canyon County as the valley comes closer to “non attainment” of federal regulations…which will potentially affect how the Simplot […]
Boise Purchases More Out of County Land
When it comes to phosphorous, a plethora of people and pots of poop puts plenty of pressure for proper procedure to prevent pollution and provide protection. A plan by Boise’s Public Works Dept. to reduce phosphorous in the Boise River sounds like a good environmental move on the face of it and one that could […]
Boise City Buys Out of County Land
Last week at a special council session, Boise City acquired a piece of land in Boise County known as Stack Rock. The landmark is a popular spot with hikers and mountain bikers who previously had to cross private property to reach it. We just hope Boise doesn’t get a hankering for Tamarack! It was acquired […]
Growthophobes Claim Victory In Water Fight
That mega subdivision planned north of Eagle needed a gusher of groundwater and came up with only a trickle as a result of an Idaho Department of Water Resources ruling Monday. The developer known as M3 won approval for only one-sixth of the water right requested from Water Resources in what GROWTHOPHOBES living north and […]
French Grow Suspicious Pine Trees
The GUARDIAN just got back from a week in France working on the day job, but with heart and mind still firmly tied to Boise. We were driving through the Champagne area northeast of Paris when we spotted this perfectly straight tall pine tree. A little suspicious of this perfect speciman, we made a U-turn […]
“Wolf Sighting” Prompts Prediction
After observing the massive media coverage on Idaho’s wolf hunt the GUARDIAN will offer this prediction: BEFORE THE SEASON IS OVER THERE WILL BE A TRAGIC SHOOTING DEATH OF A PET DOG, no doubt prompting an entirely new controversy. When we ran across Nate and his beloved “Pakua” siberian husky sitting outside our favorite bistro […]
Praying Mantis, Nature’s Garden Guardian
The day job includes making photos for textbooks and we just couldn’t resist sharing this one made in the back yard. Many gardeners consider mantises to be desirable insects, as they prey upon many harmful insect species. Organic gardeners who avoid pesticides may encourage mantises as a form of biological pest control. Tens of thousands […]
Boise Pays To Ship Recyclables To Portland, Seattle
Information provided to a citizen by Boise City’s Trash Programs “solid waste coordinator” touched off a GUARDIAN investigation revealing Boise is shelling out big bucks for tons of junk. When a GUARDIAN reader inquired about distribution of revenues (if any) from recycling under the new “Curb It” program, a Boise staffer wrote to her, “It […]
You Don’t Have To Eat Wolf Meat
When it comes to wolves, we can only assume reader Gordon was asking about the four legged variety of wolves and not the political variety. No doubt the tag and bag limits might be appealing. One could argue both varieties are carnivores. Q- “If Idaho now has tags, hunting season and limits on wolves, doesn’t […]
GUARDIAN Thoughts After 5,400 Mile Drive
Sorry for not posting more often this past few weeks, but the day job and family demanded our attention. We previously posted some observations and offer more after driving 5,400 miles in two weeks. –Without question the USA is BIG, beautiful, diverse, a true sleeping giant, and probably in for many months of bad economic […]
New Recycle Program Could Be Costly
We need to raise the yellow caution flag on Boise’s new trash program that includes “no-sort recycling.” Austin, Texas, often held up as a “Big Brother” for things Boise politicos favor, adopted the no sort recycle scheme last fall and suddenly finds itself nearly $1 million in the hole due to transportation costs brought about […]
Spring Has Sprung In SW Idaho Hills
The GUARDIAN got away from the city on the first day of Spring–armed with a camera and 300 mm lens. For the safety and comfort of the nesting pair of eagles, we won’t disclose the location, but it was in the foothills where the grass is turning green. A little wildlife photography tip: your car […]
Growthophobes Fear Well Water Loss
Thirsty land speculators have caused GROWTHOPHOBES in NW Ada County to organize and protest water rights applications due to be heard later this month. Owners of wells near Eagle are concerned about developers getting water rights and causing existing wells to dry up or lower the water table. Of prime concern to those with wells […]
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 […]
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