boise
Boise Spins Wheels On Ustick
The Idaho Attorney General’s office has issued a statement backing up the Ada County Highway District (ACHD) argument that Boise City councilors have no authority over ACHD decisions. At issue is the widening of Ustick Road from three lanes to five. ACHD says it is necessary due to traffic volumes and general growth of subdivisions […]
City Land Speculation Unabated
City government in Boise is in disarray as mayor and councilors are preoccupied with growth. We don’t know what is going on at City Hall, but neither do most of the city councilors. We do know they are hellbent on getting bigger at all costs and seek to create urban sprawl on a massive scale […]
Boise Citizens Poorly Served
Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has joined forces with those wishing to go around the will of the voters who have twice turned down a convention center. Like his pals at G-BAD Bieter will not take “no” for an answer. After Judge Cheri Copsey declared it was up to voters to approve long term debt(for a […]
Report Raises Ombudsman Stock
The credibility of Boise’s Police Ombudsman, Pierce Murphy, has risen a few points with the long awaited report on the shooting of teenager Matthew Jones in December 2004. The report comes across as accurate, factual, and impartial. The conclusions and recommendations are well reasoned if not predictable. The response of Top Cop Mike Masterson are […]
Councilor AND Czar
Jim Tibbs has had a lot of titles beyond the old movie name of “Mr. Tibbs.” He has been lieutenant, chief, councilor, chairman, and now CZAR! It all stems from doing nothing but public service for a lifetime, mostly as a Boise cop. It was a surprise move Tuesday when Guv Jim Risch appointed Tibbs […]
West Nile Along The Boise
Ada County bug trappers have found West Nile virus in a mosquito trap off Joplin Road which is between Highway 20 and the Boise River. A trap like the one pictured is used to capture bugs in selected areas. Such traps should not be disturbed if discovered since they yield scientific data. This is the […]
Businesses Violate Booze Law
A number of Boise downtown businesses found themselves in violation of Idaho booze laws during the monthly “First Thursday” promotion when State Police visited their establishments. Seems you need a license–or catering permit–to dispense alcohol even for free. Apparently it is standard practice to entice visitors with a little fruit of the vine. The GUARDIAN […]
New Skipper Takes The Helm
It is not only politics that makes strange bedfellows. Newspapering makes strange “bedpersons” in the case of the local daily in Boise where a 35-year-old “veteran” of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune has just been appointed as publisher. Mi-Ai Parish takes the helm after Mike Petrak jumped ship over the weekend. If the McClatchey group can get […]
Supremes Rule For Citizens Again
DISCLAIMER: This posting is about the Idaho Supreme Court case, “City of Boise vs David R. Frazier.” Frazier is editor of the GUARDIAN. Idaho’s Supreme court Friday denied motions filed by three special interest groups attempting to create a loophole allowing local governments to enter into long term debt without a vote of citizens. Three […]
Skipper Jumps Ship
Boise’s daily newspaper remains in disarray and now even the latest publisher, Mike Petrak, has bailed out. They had three owners in less than a year and changed the format to compete with YAHOO web sites. With top editors on well deserved vacations, those who read the local paper are treated to reruns of two […]
MAYOR HOTLINE June 23 to 30
Looks like a lot of people are unhappy with the City this week. It is the longest complaint list we have seen, but leads off with a compliment for a business fix. Contractor has ignored an agreement with the city and neighbors are irritated, a guy wants help getting out of a mental institution, and […]
Media Rides Scooter Story
Scooter user Hillary Haymond–”HH” to GUARDIAN readers–got 15 minutes of fame Wednesday and secured a neat little parking perk for two wheel drivers…free parking at two downtown Boise locations. Like the activist she is, Hillary deftly handled on camera interviews and schmoozed with the mayor and council president. Hillary wrote to Mayor Dave Bieter and […]
261 Illegal Fireworks Complaints
UPDATED REPORT Boise Dispatch reported 261 illegal fireworks complaints from 8pm to 1:30 a.m. Overall there were 400 calls for service during the five hour period. There were 31 fire calls and 19 medical assist calls. Total calls for the day numbered 2,477–a 1,766 jump over last year. Based on comparision with 2005, we would […]
Monday Morning Media Madness
Even the GUARDIAN sometimes runs short of material. But we NEVER, NEVER publish two year old reruns of stories written by former employees who work as media spin doctors for state government. Not even with our twisted sense of absurd humor would we run a picture of a horse’s patute–with tail raised no less–under the […]
Boise Off Track on Locomotive Move
For starters the GUARDIAN thinks it would be neat to have a historic steam locomotive parked at the Boise Depot. It would also be neat to open the Depot to the public. That said, we can only hope the info from a reader is not true about the financal plan to move “Big Mike” –the […]
Feds Pay Poop Farm Subsidy
One of Ada County’s biggest recipients of farm subsidy (welfare) payments from the U.S. Government last year was none other than Boise City’s “Poop Farm” which qualified for $30,577 in welfare. No word from the city if the money found its way into the general fund and got swallowed up or was added to the […]
Convention Center Lure
The Pyramid Arena in Memphis was built as the “mother of all convention centers” to attract sports teams, national exhibitions, and lure visitors to the Blues City. Apparently it isn’t hooking enough visitors and the silver pyramid is about to become a garish super store the likes of which has never been seen– a BASS […]
Sneak Parking Preview
GUARDIAN reader “Bikeboy” offers a preview of the parking spot at 509 (507) Main which is designated for scooters and cycles. Wouldn’t you know it, an SUV driver who can’t read took up the space. Interesting to see if the SUV folks take up the spot on Wednesday at 1 p.m. when Team Dave has […]
Firefighters-City Approve Contract
In an agreement lauded by Mayor Dave Bieter and his “Team Dave”, Boise City and the firefighters union have come to terms over labor negotiations. Bieter has not taken a raise since he was elected two and a half years ago. His salary is $91,229 a year. If he wants to make big bucks he […]
Boise To Offer Free Scooter Parking
Hillary Haymond’s May 2 suggestion to create scooter and cycle parking spots downtown drew a rapid response by government standards. After only two months of study, planning and action they have adopted her idea. Wednesday July 5 Team Dave and the Councilors have scheduled a photo op to unveil new signs and FREE parking for […]
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