The mug shot can be viewed at http://www.adasheriff.org/ArrestsReport/wfrmDetail.aspx

Officers from Boise PD made the DUI pinch Saturday night. He is to appear in court October 16.

Look for a serious weekend anchor looking into the camera saying, “We have some unfortunate news to report tonight about one of our own. Mark Johnson was arrested last night by police and charged with Driving while under the influence.”

In all fairness, when media stars get popped for tipping too many, it puts the outlet in a difficult position. They want to be first to report the incident to avoid community backlash, but if the newsie worked anywhere else it would go unreported. At least it didn’t happen when they were taping episodes of “COPS”–bad boys, bad boys, whatchya gonna do?

“I don’t know if Dope Awards cross state lines, but this is classic Dope Award behavior. The story is from the Associated Press in Cleveland.

A television news cameraman paid a $145 fine after police said he enticed three teenagers to ride their bikes through waist-high floodwaters.

The boys told police that Gary Abrahamsen of WEWS-TV in Cleveland offered to put them on TV if they rode through the water on a bridge, according to a police report. They said A REPORTER WADED INTO THE WATER so they would be riding behind her in the video.

Police cited Abrahamsen with misdemeanor disorderly conduct June 22. He paid the fine June 28, according to Norwalk Municipal Court.

AP reports the station has no comment. No word if the reporter was wearing a yellow shirt and hard hat.”

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 headline, “STILL SINGING OF IDAHO AFTER 116 YEARS.”

This may the first time in journalistic history the once proud Boise daily newspaper has published a photo featuring a horse’s ass that wasn’t running for office or a member of a political party!

TV KUDOS

The GUARDIAN was deprived of TV Dope Award potential Monday as the first wildfires of the season made news in the Foothills of Boise. Both KTVB-7 reporter Ysabel Bilbao and KBCI-2 reporter Michelle DeGrand appeared on camera dressed like professional news reporters sans yellow shirts, hard hats, and grimy faces so common of TV-actors.

Three headlines in the printed paper Thursday demonstrate a certain “dope reporter “ mentality. They detail a problem with vehicle air pollution in one story and even acknowledge growth as a cause. The story below crows about 14% growth in Meridian and describes Boise’s .2% growth as “anemic.” Obviously they think growth is “healthy”–even if all those new people can’t breath once they get here!

They also offered a headline saying white water rafting is “still a hit” despite a couple of recent fatalities. That story went on to say folks died despite wearing life jackets and helmets.

Conclusion: Growth is good even if you breath poisoned air and rafting is fun even if some people die. Statesman gets a “Dope Staff Award” on Thursday’s paper.

The story about a report to be released by a regional panel on the subject of air pollution was full of irony.

One of the plans is expanded emission testing, according Peter O’Neil, chairman of the panel appointed by former Gov. Dirk Kempthorne. Ironically the staffers at the regional COMPASS planning agency said growth in the valley will soon overwhelm any benefits of an expanded testing program.

The true irony is that O’neal is one of the biggest developers and growthoholics in Boise and has brought us most of the rooftops along the river and especially Surprise Valley” which has all those crowded dwellings near the Highway 21 bridge east of Boise. Each of those homes has a car or two or three pushing pollution into our air.

The GUARDIAN has a simple answer which should appeal to any self respecting growthophobe. A simple law which says: “THOU SHALT NOT POLLUTE”.

Testing does nothing to create clean air–it only costs money for those who have newer cars which have converters and computers. “Old Smokeys” are exempt along with a bunch of others like tractors, big trucks and lawn mowers.

We think modern testing methods set up along major roads–just like radar–would serve to catch and fine polluters. That way, ANYONE from ANYWHERE would be subject to the rules. Proceeds go to more enforcement and pollution abatement.

We certainly don’t allow out-of-county drivers to speed through the county. We test them with radar and fine ‘em if they violate. Same with drunk drivers. A big rig dripping a pint of insecticide could close the freeway and tie up traffic traffic for hours, but the same diesel truck could belch smoke into the air from Mountain Home to Nampa with no complaints from local regulators.

The other pollution solution is to simply slow or stop the developments.

A DOPE REPORTER award is automatically bestowed on any TV reporter caught on camera wading in flood waters…the GUARDIAN source said Vogel was wearing boots and reporting at noon Friday from the Hailey area where the Wood River has overflowed its banks.

Only the actor-reporters on TV seem to qualify for the Dope Awards. It has little drama for a radio reporter to say, “I am standing in water up to my knees as I speak.”

Same is true for print media reporters who would be laughed out of the newsroom if they wrote, “This reporter waded in the water to get the story and photos.”

We love the video flood followers because their actions elicit so many comments on the GUARDIAN.

Fed up with lack of response from local leaders and eager to provide a forum for concerned citizens, the GUARDIAN was launched just about a year ago. Daily hits have jumped from a few hundred in May 2005 to a whopping 20,000 daily in May 2006.

Our first story was about the city locking citizens out of the Depot which we all own. Ginger Jewell–384-4060 ext 32–told a reader they were planning to have the Depot open during the summer months and staff it for the tourist season. They NEVER DID and the Depot remains a private club open only to those who can afford to rent it.

Our good readers provided enough information about wrongdoing at the POOP FARM to force a lengthy audit which resulted in a police investigation and two arrests. Much of the staff has left the Twenty Mile South biosolids disposal facility and a new manager has been hired. Both suspects await trial. The auditor quit and the city never replaced him.

We have had a lot of fun adding to the local lexicon with terms like TEAM DAVE, COMMISHES, NON-LIBRARY TYPES, GROWTHOPHOBIA and GROWTHOPHOBE. We also coined COUNCILORS for gender neutral reference to city councilpersons.

Here are just some of the highlights during the past year:

–Depot neighbors lost a battle with developers over a condo project.

–Library bond failed, EMS bond failed and school bond passed. TEAM DAVE leader said library bond was a bad plan that was 3 years old from the previous administration. He suggested some alternatives, but only AFTER the bond failed.

–Ada Commishes took a lot of heat for Hawaiian trip and then for a closed door meeting that should have been open. So far they cost citizens about $30,000 in legal fees.

–President Bush visited and Kempthorne got appointment to Interior Secretary. Tamarack continued to get benefits from government.

–Growth runs rampant throughout the valley and quality of life declines. More traffic, more houses, more demand for water, electricity, flood threats are big issue with high end homeowners along the river.

–Property values have increased, but the homeowner exemption has also been raised to $75,000 and includes land. Some land values have more than doubled in less than a year.

–IDAHO STATESMAN has three owners during the year. They are either an unwanted orphan or a hot property, depending on your point of view.

–Commishes and sheriff got caught trying to hold a public meeting at a private club over a detox center plan.

–Jim Tibbs knocked Jerome Mapp off the Boise city council.

–Boise public works department “tool lending policy” exposed in GUARDIAN and curtailed by the city.
–TV Dope Awards become popular with readers and newsrooms.

–Infill with skinny houses creates a big stir among BSU area residents and prompts a council emergency ordinance vote.

–Mayor’s Hotline transcript is added to the weekly GUARDIAN offering.

–GUARDIAN editor, David Frazier wins Idaho Supreme Court decision over airport parking garage which will allow citizens throughout the state to vote on how their tax money is spent on long term debt.

Unlike mainstream media, the GUARDIAN is a blog and all of you have made it what it is today–a forum to exchange ideas, opinions and comments in a literate manner. Without exception the GUARDIAN readers offer the best written–and funniest– comments of any publication in Idaho.

Thanks for reading the GUARDIAN and let’s hear from you on future issues or even your favorites during the first year.

NOTE–There is a little search engine in the upper right of the page which grabs most keywords if you are looking for something.

BROOKE HALE: SAT. 4/29/06 (the KBCI channel 2 Anchor ). Her lead off story was about 3rd grade kids who can’t read. Next item about a body found in Palace-ville. In the middle of the 3rd news item she corrected her mispronunciation of Placerville by explaining that she is not from this area. In the following news item she described an event that happened in “Lewisville, Kentucky”.

EDITOR NOTE– Reminds us of the two travelers arguing about “Lewey-vill, Lou avul, or Lewis-ville.” They stopped at a restaurant and asked, “How do you pronounce the name of this place?” The girl behind the counter said slowly, “BURR-GERR KING.”

Take heart Brooke, at least they are watching you!

I’d like to nominate Melissa Paul (KIVI 6) for Dope Reporter this week. Did you catch her swinging in a playground mid-report???

In the interest of fair play we have to make a nomination for STEVE LIEBENTHAL, the KBCI-2 anchor who spoke of the Spanish named Mercado Mall as “mer say doe” mall in Caldwell.

So far it seems like channels 6 and 7 are front runners with 2 making a respectable(?) showing in this reverse ratings game. Does anyone watch the kids on 12?

Channel 6 KIVI and KTVB 7 are in a close race for the most Dope Awards for reporters caught standing in flood water. Bare legged Brandi Smith at KIVI 6 was our first winner.

Johnson was spotted on the evening newscast April 17 standing on a picnic table surrounded by water!The actor/reporter was dry, so he had to have either helicoptered or boated to the table to stand and talk to the camera.

He is the second Channel 6 reporter to win the award. Brandi Smith was our first winner from that station. She stood in water up to her knees wearing a fashionable skirt and bare legs. Scott Logan at 2 and Ysabel Bilbao at 7 are also previous winners.

The GUARDIAN served notice April 5 that reporters caught on camera in flood water would receive the Dope Award and be subject to public ridicule.