Kiddie Drag Show Killed

Organizers of this weekend’s Gay Pride Festival have dropped the drag show for 11-18 year-olds from the schedule after seven sponsors, including the Idaho Health and Welfare, dropped their support. Controversy erupted after conservative groups, the Republican Party, and others complained about “the sexualization of children” in the planned kiddie drag show. “While the vast […]

Gay Pride Parade Bombshell

The talk radio right and conservative social media is sparking with news that Boise’s Pride Parade Sunday will feature a “Drag Queen” festival on stage…for 11-18 year-olds. The EVENT. The GUARDIAN has discussed the event with our trusted liberal and gay friends. We also talked to some middle of the roaders and conservatives. At first […]

Fire Ravages Youth Ranch Warehouse

Fire broke out about 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Idaho Youth Ranch warehouse on Irving Street, pouring thick black smoke into the sky visible for miles. The GUARDIAN had just finished lunch nearby and responded to the fire long before Boise Fire units arrived. It turned out to be at least a three alarm fire […]

A Growthophobe’s Lament

By DAVID KLINGER Boise’s “growth tsunami” continues unabated. And while realtors and chamber of commerce boosters breathlessly extol the virtues of this unique and lovely community, they’re short on providing newcomers with a handy list of 10 tips to ease their personal transition to their new home — a place that’s under severe stress at […]

Still At It, But Admittedly Slower After 16 Years

HAPPY NEW YEAR! To everyone. Feel free to offer your opinions on the best, worst, most interesting stories of the past year. Check archives HERE We have cut back as you no doubt are aware, mostly because when we started the GUARDIAN we were about the only game in town when it came to on-line […]

Feathered Friends Find Feeder

The snow has covered the ground and made home bird feeders a popular stop for our feathered friends. For those who think the GUARDIAN is “for the birds,” you are correct. We enjoy watching the gold finches flock to the thistle feeder as well as the multitude of other small birds who visit the wild […]

“Did You Want To Add A Tip?”

In this age of automated car washes, supermarket checkout, and airline checkin we were taken aback at the Mister Car Wash when after handing over a credit card to the cutie who stood by the computer terminal she asked, “did you want to add a tip?” FOR WHAT? There was no one drying the car, […]

Tourists Come See The Rusty Iron Trees

A pair of Idaho legislators have spawned a letter campaign by Boise City’s arts department to seek support for a move to kill House Bill 311. Introduced by Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger and Sen. Regina Bayer, HB 311 would require public art costing $25,000 or less be approved by a simple two-thirds majority vote from […]

Santa Memory Of Long Ago

We got the following Christmas note from David Zarkin, a former Statesman staffer who was obviously strolling down memory lane from his Minnesota home. “Vernon Bisterfeldt, a Boise cop, working off duty as a Santa, nabbed a shoplifter in 1965 at Welles department store on the Boise Bench. “I was doing rewrite on the Statesman […]

Harsin Off To Auburn??

The GUARDIAN has an unconfirmed, but probably accurate tip the BSU head football coach Brian Harsin will be the next head coach at Auburn. A trusted source in the Southeastern USA sent the GUARDIAN a text saying SOCIAL MEDIA is on fire with news claiming Harsin will leave the Bronco stable and become a Tiger […]

RBG Boise Connection, Memorial

Tucked away next to the sign for a flyfishing shop on Vista Ave. in Boise is a small plaque and memorial to Sally Reed who once lived on the spot. In 1971 Boise attorney Allen Derr joined efforts with then-lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the United States Supreme Court to strike a blow for women’s […]

Editor Recalls First Encounter With Chloroquine And A President

By David R. Frazier, editor Excerpt from his book, “DRAFTED! Vietnam at war and at peace” President Donald Trump’s advocacy for the drug Chloroquine brought back memories from 52 years ago for Frazier who was prescribed the “malaria pill” following his Vietnam service in the Army. In July of 1968 while working at the Ypsilanti […]

Cabin Fever Cure

Non-Partisan Mayor Race Turns Right

When we got our Friday mail at the Boise GUARDIAN world headquarters it was a bit of a shock and a bigger amusement to see Donald Trump supporter and self-proclaimed “CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN” David H. Leroy supporting Dave Bieter in what has jokingly been called a “non-partisan” mayor race. Leroy is a fixture in Republican politics […]

Public Records Are Media Obstacle

The Idaho Press Club has sued Ada County for multiple violations of Idaho’s public records law. The lawsuit, filed in 4th District Court in Boise, seeks full release of records related to four different public records requests by the Press Club and its members. It also seeks a change in how Ada County handles future […]

A Change Of Attack At The GUARDIAN

By DAVE FRAZIER, editor When I started the GUARDIAN almost 15 years ago it filled a void in local news coverage aimed at serving as…well, the GUARDIAN for folks suffering from the revolving door for reporters at the TV stations and the decline of what we called “The Daily Paper.” The internet provided a version […]

Thoughts From Half A Century Ago

By DAVID R. FRAZIER, editor I wanted to share a personal walk down memory lane which began 50 years ago today, ironically enough at what today is Memory Road–the overpass on I-84 near Micron. It was 50 years ago today in 1968 when I drove from Ypsilanti, Michigan with all of my earthly possessions in […]

Boise Needs a “NO TEXTING” Ordinance

NOTICE TO CITY COUNCILORS. PEOPLE ARE WATCHING YOU! Polite society doesn’t text at the movie theater, the Shakespeare Festival, or at church. Most parents don’t let their kids text at the dinner table. Teachers don’t allow texts during class, and it is suicide to text while driving. Boise City Councilor Holli Woodings got busted by […]

Wildlife Conflicts Mount As Population Soars

Recent issues with wolves developing a taste for mutton and at least one grizzly bear in Eastern Idaho seems to like veal (he killed a calf), have Idaho wildlife managers caught in a bind. Historically, ranchers and settlers spent many years and bullets wiping out the predators to insure the safety of their flocks and […]

Was Grizzly Shot, Killed, Slaughtered, Whacked, Blasted, Smacked, Harvested, Put Down?

It will be interesting to see how the Idaho Fish and Game Department spins a new development on a single permit to hunt and kill a grizzly bear in Idaho near Yellowstone Park this fall. F&G officials determined that a single permit was warranted to kill a bear after the grizzly was “delisted” as an […]