The following are being carried forward from the former website. They are not being posted for comment but are interesting as a reference or time machine 🙂 Dave

Feed Frankie’s Friends Founder Thanks Northenders (12/20/02)

Last year when I sat down to write a thank you note to you I had hopes that in a few years Feed Frankie’s Friends would be able to support the Idaho Humane Society’s pet food needs for an entire year. After raising 7,000 pounds of food last year, I had set a goal to raise 10,000 pounds in 2002. I was concerned though, since that goal of 5 tons of food seemed high and I had fears that it was unattainable. Imagine my surprise when the donations kept coming and coming, and we reached the 23,800 pound mark yesterday. Almost 12 tons!

I am still receiving donations, but at this point, we have raised $12,763 which will purchase 1,830 pounds of cat food and a staggering 21,991 pounds of dog food. As you can imagine, I have become more involved with the Shelter operations and I will be working with the IHS and Zamzow’s into 2003 to track the food usage so I can provide details regarding how far our donation will go. At first glance, however, it appears that we have come very close to raising enough food to feed all of the homeless dogs and cats at the Shelter during 2003. You should all be receiving a thank you note from the Humane Society, but I wanted to be sure to pass along my gratitude for your generosity.

Special thanks also to:
*Zamzow’s, for printing the flyers in conjunction with Bird Dog Productions, for running radio announcements, for collecting over $4000 at their area stores, and for delivery all of that food;

*Healthwise, which again selected Feed Frankie’s Friends as one of its Holiday Giving campaign options. In addition to monetary donations, Healthwise filled my car with donations of food, blankets and towels for the Shelter.

The following businesses for placing donation jars at their stores: – Big City Coffee – Doggie Detailing – Frenchie’s Doggie Coiffeur – Hounds Lounge – Kandor – McU’s (Bogus Basin Road location) – Snake River Yamaha *The Energizer’s and PawsAbilities 4H Clubs, for manning tables at Zamzow’s and the Boise Christmas Fair to collect donations for Feed Frankie’s Friends; *Becky Creighton and her friends who canvassed for FFF and took up a collection at North Junior High.

Happy holidays and wishing you all the best in 2003!

Christine Cragin (and Frankie too!)

Cathedral Place Protest (12/08/02)

It doesn’t take much to get Northender’s to jump into action. Sometimes the action is small, and sometimes it can be huge. The response to the Olympic Torch visit was huge, while the response to building a neighborhood watch program has been modest. But, the reaction to the Cathedral Place project proposed by the United Methodist Church is getting “huge”.

This past Sunday dozens of people protested the project at the church on Fort St. during morning services. While not the usual protest, it was in the spirit of protests past. It was peaceful and the church patrons I spoke with seemed to be evenly split between affront and appreciation. Some even seemed a little bewildered that so many people were angered by the project, and some were in agreement with the protesters.

The protest is in the spirit of the fundamentals that have made this country strong. It was led and organized by people who are deeply about the Northend, their homes, and the potential threat “too much progress” can have on our lives.

Dave Green – Northend.org

In Memory – Peggy Guillory

Our good friend Peggy Guillory passed away after a two-year battle with cancer on November 9th, 2002. She leaves behind her husband Doug and her daughter Karen. Peggy was a biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

I met Peggy at Washington Grade School where she was a tireless volunteer. She also represented the BLM and US Fish and Wildlife Service in the Partners in Education Program (PIE). Her outgoing nature and positive influence on all who knew her will be missed.

LETTER – Off-Site Vendors and the Hyde Park Street Fair (09/17/02)

Just wanted to respond to the whole “off-site vendor” comment. Capitalizing on the crowd of a big event is nothing new. Having the presence of yard sales, street vendors, and musicians only contributes to the traditional “street fair” atmosphere the Hyde Park Street Fair has earned over the last 20-some years. As long as there are no laws being broken, I think we should embrace the eclectic mix the event attracts, including those on the “outskirts” of the park.

Side note: The food vendors at the Hyde Park Street Fair managed to make more money this year than last…guess the guys on the outskirts didn’t effect them too much. (:

Molly King – Hyde Park Street Fair Event Manager

September 11th Stays With Me Always (09/04/02)

Love is why we are here…

“I keep coming back to his hand in her hand, nestled in each other with such extraordinary, ordinary, naked love. It is the most powerful prayer I can imagine, the most eloquent, the most graceful. It is everything that we are capable of against horror and loss and tragedy. It is what makes me believe that we are not fools to believe in God, to believe that human beings have greatness and holiness within them like seeds that open only under great fire, to believe that who we are persists past what we were, to believe against evil evidenced hourly that love is why we are here.”

By Brian Doyle – Portland, Oregon from his essay “Leap”

For me it all comes back to ‘what we believe to be true about who we are’ and ‘what we stand for’. I recently read Brian Doyle’s essay and it gave me a realization about not only who I am in all this, but who we are together. And together we can get through this, hand in hand. When it comes to how I’ve dealt with the events and tragedy that unfolded on September 11, 2001 I know I can take great comfort in the words and actions of our children, like the cards and letters sent to the fire fighters and workers at Ground Zero by the kids at Highlands Elementary (click here to visit).

Thank you for what you bring to my life.

Dave Green – Northend.org

Open Letter to Neighbors: Little Richards Liquor License Information (07/09/02)

Update: Check the article from the Idaho Business Review for more information about NENA’s position on this issue and the process provided for approval of the license – click here

Dear Northend neighbors and Richards Across the Street guests:

Richards Across the Street is expanding into the space that was formerly Espresso Italia. This will provide additional seating and waiting area to enjoy while you are at Richards. Additionally Richards Across the Street has purchased a liquor license. The license has been approved by both the state and county. The city license has been put on hold pending the review of objections raised by some Northend residents.

The opportunity for you to enjoy a cocktail before or with dinner at Richards will enhance your dining experience in Hyde Park. The ability for you to walk from your Northend home, have a cocktail and appetizers at Richards Across the Street adds even more charm to the Hyde Park district.

If you feel that City Planning and Zoning should approve the license for the service of cocktails at Richards Across the Street please e-mail, write or call the city officials listed below. If you or anyone you know has any questions or concerns about this issue please contact me personally at 344.0519.

Wayne Gibbs
Planning and Zoning
WGibbs@Cityofboise.org
Planning and Zoning Commission
P.O. Box 500
Boise, ID 83701-0500

Your neighbor,
Richard Langston
Executive Chef/Owner
Richards Across the Street

Harry’s “Family Values” Challenged (05/21/02)

Hyde Park has become such a great place to visit and spend money. However, please note that one of the local businesses, Harry’s, won’t serve unaccompanied kids. when I asked the manager why my son was asked to leave, I was told that it was a business decision to exclude kids because some of them like to come in and just drink pop for long periods of time and even though my son wasn’t being disruptive, they just didn’t want him, or any other kids, around. As it turns out, my son and his friend just wanted lunch!

I have no problem with businesses being able to “have the right to refuse to serve” anyone, however, I find it a little odd to exclude good kids….just because. Although their commercials make it look as though they are ‘family oriented,’ I guess Harry’s doesn’t want the kids’ business…….or their parents’ business either.

Annie Cosho (back to top)
Boise, Idaho

North End Traffic Analysis – Schools in Jeopardy (05/06/02)

I was disappointed not to find any mention of the NETA, ACHD’s and NENA’s North End Traffic Analysis in the last NENA newsletter. Not what it says, what the neighborhood association might do about it, not how to get involved, not what the numbers or biggest risks are, nor who to contact. Why not?

Not a word to rally the neighborhood to protect its own children, despite thousands more trips per day that are soon to hit this historic neighborhood in its pedestrianized core, specifically Washington Elementary, Hyde Park, Camel’s Back Park, North Jr. High, the Ridge to Rivers dedicated bikeways, St. Joseph’s Elementary, the Co-Op mall, and Boise High. Why no rally, no uniting of strengths and voices? Why no protection of all these North End community assets?

This core area reaching from 8th Street to Harrison Blvd is already known as the most populated, the most active, the most visited, and as having the most dangerous traffic in the North End, yet nothing was done to protect all these people, children, and expensive infrastructure from the thousands of new trips/impacts. It just doesn’t make sense to me, especially the apparent sacrifice of the school streets to save short term individual residences on other non-school streets.

The installation of the 300+ new stop signs on all but the school streets and the Harrison arterial were the results of the neighborhood association’s input. This shortsighted plan is forcing drivers to move onto the school streets and Harrison, which the engineers had warned about before this plan was adopted.

ACHD has still failed to put in 2 of the new stop signs at Fort & Fifteenth for the pedestrian crossings to North Jr. High and Albertsons. Residents didn’t want highway style stop lights here since research proves they worsen pedestrian safety with amber light racers and red light runners, and simple inexpensive 4-way stop signs would do the job better for a lot less money. Maybe they need to hear from more residents in regard to adding stop signs for all the neighborhood’s school crossings. The school streets are 9th, Resseguie, 13th, Fort, 15th, & 28th. Please ask for protection for all these thousands of children, not just for the schools your children might attend.

Since ACHD left in the extra stop at 16th & Hays leading to the Harrison arterial when they changed 15th & Hays, drivers are now being acclimated to using 15th Street and the school zones to cut through the neighborhood more quickly by avoiding that ill-timed extra stop light. The increase of traffic through the school zones shifting from the arterial has been heavy, sometimes 13 to 1 at 16th & Hays. This needs remedied before some children are struck down.

Another impact threat to the schools and parks on 13th, 15th, & Fort could come from the proposed closure of arterial access to and from Albertson’s shopping via the Harrison arterial and Resseguie and 17th. An expected 5,630 trips per day could be shifted into these schools zones from that street closure, which ACHD and NENA is calling the Expansion of McAuley Park.

Traffic impacts can kill neighborhoods when poorly planned out. I’m afraid the NETA is one of these types of plans, striking hardest where most family’s hearts are – directly against the children and the neighborhood’s schools. None of these school streets were designed to be through corridors for good reason. What has happened to these schools has been a combination of short sighted planning and bad politics in the last 20 years. If you care about children and the ongoing health of the North End, you should contact ACHD at tellus@achd.ada.id.us and ask them to protect the school streets permanently, for the greater good of the community. Nobody else is going to do it for you, nor for the kids.

Cherie C. (back to top)
Boise, Idaho

More Information About Proposed Apartment Complex – Please! (3/07/02)

This story appeared recently on ktvb.com:
http://ktvb.com/news/newstory.html?StoryID=10772

I’m sure that I am not alone in wishing to hear more about this proposal and how it affects the neighborhood. How might public comment influence the ability of the church to receive the zoning change they need to make this happen?

What avenues are available for public comment on this issue? Is NENA preparing to rally neighbors in the North End against this proposal – and how? An article on northend.org with details about this plan and what can/is being done would be very much appreciated.

Marliece T.
North End, Boise, ID

Note: I have some feelers out for information and would like to get someone to help. Please contact me with anything that might be useful.  Dave

Harrison Boulevard Logging Route (3/01/02)

I just wrote the Ranger in Mt. Home on the log trucks Other than inconvenience to the truckers there is no reason they cannot move down the Harris Creek road on the backside of Bogus, this takes them into Horseshoe bend and beyond. It is a perfect solution for removing trees, unnecessarily from Bogus, and maybe a bit more difficult but it saves the Forest Service allot of criticism and head ache let alone the North End.

Best,
Norm N. (back to top)
Boise, Idaho

NOTE: According to Mike Bishop, Neighborhood Coordinator for Boise, the option of going off the backside with the loads has been considered and would add many miles and dollars to the cost of transporting the logs to thier final destination in Oregon. This doesn’t mean there aren’t other solutions.

We also asked about the issue of the diseased trees. The trees became diseased as a result of the prolonged drought in the 80’s. The drought weakened up to 30% of the stands in the Boise and Payette National Forests, we are told, making them susceptible to this particular variety of beetle. The beetle doesn’t stand a chance (as we are told again) against a healthy pine tree and isn’t interested in other varieties of evergreens and any varieties of deciduous tree.

OPINION – North End Roundtables (2/18/02)

Study Circle Program in North End Seeks Organizers and Participants

Study Circles are small-group, democratic, highly participatory discussions that give everyday people opportunities to make a difference in their communities. We will be using a Study Circle guide called “Building Strong Neighborhoods,” which was created by the Study Circles Resource Center.

These guides have been used successfully around the nation to help residents toward a variety of action efforts. Initially, we need people interested in organizing the program. We will also need ten or twelve people to try out the sessions. Then we will seek to expand the program so that there can be a number of study circles going on at the same time.

Each study circle begins with participants talking about their connections to the neighborhood and hearing about others’ experiences. We then move to a particular issue, then discuss long-term ways of making the neighborhood healthier and stronger. We conclude with a discussion of action steps that the study circle wants to take. All of the study circles come together at the end of a round for an “action forum”.