Free Republic

"We must hang together, gentlemen...else, we shall most assuredly hang separately." — Benjamin Franklin.Imagine your city council enacts controversial legislation with no public notice despite city employees telling concerned citizens that before any action was taken, they'd read about it in the paper. Imagine that your city continues to refuse to hold a public hearing despite the uproar and you sue. The judge not only finds against you, but orders you to pay $10,000 in legal fees. Your city tries to thwart your every effort to get your issue on the ballot, using a long and frivolous legal battle...

A little more than four years ago, Brandi Swindell, Bryan Fischer and a group called Generation Life hoped to stop the city council of Boise, Idaho, from removing a Ten Commandments monument that had stood in a city park since 1965. The city council accepted no public input into its decision, so Generation Life was compelled to file a lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order on the city's action. Generation Life lost that case, and even though they later took another suit to the Idaho Supreme Court, winning the right to have the citizens of Boise vote on the monument's...

A 14-year-old Boise, Idaho, girl has disappeared and is believed to be in danger after meeting a 27-year-old man on the Internet. Police say the girl may be in the Seattle area with the man, who is wanted on a kidnapping warrant. The girl, Saddie "Elaine" Julian, was last seen Wednesday morning. Authorities are asking for the public's help in locating her. She is described as 5 feet tall, weighing 90 pounds, with pale skin, long red hair and a thin build. According to police, Saddie developed an online relationship with Morgan Douglas Jones, 27, of Birmingham, Ala., while playing...

Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has endorsed Barack Obama for president, according to Obama's local campaign organization.

Wildfires in several western states have stirred embers of the "Sagebrush Rebellion," as ranchers and politicians have criticized federal agencies, the courts and environmentalists over policies they say are contributing to the fires. Nevada's Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons and U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., claimed environmental groups and federal bureaucracy have contributed to fires, including one at Lake Tahoe that burned more than 250 homes. And this week, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, a rancher, and the state's two senators, Larry Craig and Mike Crapo, joined ranchers in blaming federal safety rules for crippling early efforts to douse a 1,000-square-mile...

The female baby - a type of ape called a gibbon - was born April 9. BOISE, Idaho - The first ape ever born at Zoo Boise is being hand-raised by humans and is gaining weight, after being rejected by its mother. The unnamed female baby -- a type of ape called a gibbon -- was born April 9 and weighed half a pound, but is now up to three-quarters of a pound, zoo director Steve Burns said. Her mother rejected her five days after she was born, Burns said.The female baby - a type of ape called a gibbon...

To describe the lapses in ordinary playcalling in the Fiesta Bowl football game on Monday night as constituting an outrageous injustice is an understatement. Since defensive preparation is a conference responsibility as opposed to an individual institutional responsibility, we must look to you to launch a vigorous effort to correct the situation. On behalf of the University of Oklahoma, I ask that you as Big 12 Commissioner take the following actions: - First, seek an apology from Boise State's coaches for running grossly unusual offensive plays without telling us what they were doing beforehand. - Second, since institutions, players, and...

Would you like fired with that? Two employees of the city's ice skating rink have been fired for making a midnight fast-food run in a pair of Zambonis. An anonymous tipster reported seeing the two big ice-resurfacing machines chug through a Burger King drive-through and return to the rink around 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 10. The squat, rubber-tired vehicles, which have a top speed of about 5 mph, drove 1.5 miles in all. The Zamboni operators, both temporary city employees whose names and ages were not released by Parks and Recreation Department, had to negotiate at least one intersection with...

NEW YORK: No more Ku Klux Klan figurines on e-Bay. The online auction site says it's removing a listing for "K-K-K Snowmen and Snow-women." The ad said the crude clay figurines have removable white pointy hoods. The starting bid was listed at 13-77. As of last night, no bids had been placed for the items. An e-Bay spokeswoman told the New York Daily News that the listing violated the company's offensive materials policy and would be taken down. Past offerings removed from the site include a pocket knife with a Klan shield, an antique Klan hood and a T-shirt...

Boise, Idaho -- Police arrested 24-year old Michael Burkett of Boise early Sunday morning after officers with Capitol Mall Security reported spotting him vandalizing two flag polls on the grounds of the Idaho Statehouse. The flags are memorials to soldiers who lost their lives in the war on terror. "It's certainly upsetting, not just to officers but for any citizen of this county who knows somebody who lost their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan," Lt. Ron Winegar said of the ongoing investigation. Burkett was charged with resisting arrest and Malicious Injury to Property. He and his 22-year-old brother, Tom Burkett,...

BOISE, Idaho - Most days, 6-year-old Aubrey Matthews spends her energy fighting a brain tumor growing behind her eyes. But the first-grader managed to foil crimes and chase an arch-nemesis through Boise on Friday, serving the city as the superhero "Star" with assistance from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Idaho, The Idaho Statesman reported. When she donned her blue and metallic superhero costume, Star took on the super-powers of X-ray vision, superhuman strength, speed and blowing power _ and a mission: To capture the villain who had stolen a golden star from the Idaho Historical Museum. After Star was alerted by...

Operation Completion Announces Guest Cities Dover – On Tuesday morning, the Operation Completion Central Advisory Panel (CAP) released the list of guest cities that will host pro-military rallies during the summer of 2006. The list that included seventeen cities in fourteen states and the District of Columbia was accompanies with a partial schedule that included the previously announced event in Sacramento, CA. The complete list included Sacramento, San Antonio, Richmond, Boise, Saint Paul, Indianapolis, Lansing, Columbus, San Diego, Houston, Denver, Tampa, Nashville, Atlanta, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Dates were given for Sacramento (May 12), Saint Paul (June...

BOISE - Stickers saying "Heterosexuals Only" were placed on bus benches and public drinking fountains in downtown Boise and at the Statehouse Monday morning. A group of gay and lesbian activists, who spoke to KBCI-Local 2 News on condition of anonymity, put up the 150 stickers to protest the legislature's passage of a proposed constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage in Idaho, which voters will face in November. "This was an issue we cared a great deal about," one activist told Local 2 News. "It affects us personally, it affects friends and family of ours." The group says it used...

BOISE -- A federal judge today tossed out Canyon County's lawsuit against local employers who were accused by the county of hiring illegal immigrants. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge rejected the southwestern Idaho county's claim that it was damaged through having to provide increased social services for illegal immigrants, saying that was simply the cost of being a government entity. The lawsuit had been championed by Canyon County Commissioner, Robert Vasquez, who is seeking the Republican nomination for Idaho's open First District Congressional seat. The lawsuit had claimed that four major agricultural businesses in Canyon County had conspired to hire...

The FBI wants to know who is responsible for threatening fliers found in several Ada County neighborhoods and business districts. The message is causing concern in Boise's Muslim community. The fliers found in west Boise and Meridian earlier this month claim to be written by a Muslim angry with Americans -- but members of Boise's Muslim community say the message is poorly written -- and not believable.

Officials in Canyon County, Idaho, say that illegal immigrants are costing their county millions of dollars in medical and welfare benefits — millions of dollars the county wants back from agricultural companies, officials say, that knowingly employed undocumented workers. In an unprecedented move, Canyon County is suing several local businesses under the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act. "It's an organized, orchestrated invasion, economic invasion of the United States," said Canyon County commissioner Robert Vasquez. “They're costing the county money in medical indigency welfare cases, and also in crime and other statistical data that we've compiled" The RICO Act...

BOISE -- All four of the Boise area's broadcast television stations will air an ad featuring Peace Mom Cindy Sheehan during President Bush's visit to Idaho today and tomorrow. AP Boise TV stations will air ads featuring Peace Mom Cindy Sheehan during the President's visit to Idaho. The 60-second ad that accuses Bush of lying to the American people about the war in Iraq will air through tomorrow after supporters contributed $10,000 to buy the air time. The ad aired earlier this week in Salt Lake City, but one station refused to run it, saying it was offensive to the...

Just saw Air Force one fly over here in Boise!

Boise, Idaho — It's 1,838 air miles from here to Atlanta, as the Delta non-stop 737 crow flies. Dan Miller's sojourn to Sanford Stadium will last a wee bit longer. He's flying in from Baghdad, a three-day, four-country odyssey, in order to see his son Tad and his Boise State teammates open the season Sept. 3 at Georgia. And you thought game-day traffic on 316 lasts an eternity. "I would not miss it for the world!" Miller, a retired police lieutenant with the Boise Police Department, who's helping to train Iraqi police officers, wrote in an exuberant e-mail. "It will...

SAN ANOTNIO -- Guardsmen and reservists are used to international situations that call for them to put out fires. Now, they are doing it here at home -- literally. More than 60 guardsmen and four specially equipped C-130 Hercules from North Carolina and Wyoming Air National Guard units are battling blazes in the western United States, saving private property and lives during a perilous wildfire season that is keeping firefighters working around the clock. Aircrews from the 145th Airlift Wing and the 153rd Airlift Wing have flown more than 70 sorties this past week over Idaho, Oregon and Utah spraying...

In both shouts and murmurs, the Ward Churchill controversy has echoed through universities across the country amid the escalating clash of politics and academic freedom. Even before the furor over the CU professor's writings - he compared some of the Sept. 11 victims to a top Nazi - some college faculty had sensed an erosion of liberty to broach provocative or unpopular views. Churchill put a face on those concerns. "It's like the old Dylan line - you don't need a weather vane to know which way the wind is blowing," said Robert Polhemus, English professor and chairman of the...

BOISE, Idaho - A city ordinance bans complete nudity at all gentleman's clubs, but one has challenged that ordinance by distributing pencils and sketch pads to patrons during "art night." The ordinance does give nudity exclusions for artistic displays which include dance, ballet and dramatic performances, so every Monday and Tuesday, the club encourages customers to sketch the models as they perform nude routines. "As far as the Boise city code, it specifies it has to be a serious artistic manner and this is a serious artistic manner," said Chris Teague, Erotic City owner. The club has put on art...

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997. Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world. A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in...

City Of Boise Moves Ten Commandments From Julia Davis Park BOISE - As a crowd of about 100 sang and cheered, Boise police arrested 12 members of the Keep The Commandments Coalition...and one who was not a member... prior to removing the Ten Commandments Monument from Julia Davis Park Monday afternoon. Since Jan. 20, when the city council voted to remove the Ten Commandments from Julia Davis Park, coalition leaders and police have been working on a script for a peaceful and respectful display of civil disobedience. The coalition agreed on the symbolic number of 12 so-called arrestables (the...

Boise - A pair of Idaho lawmakers say they'll put themselves right in the middle of things if Boise tries to remove the Ten Commandments monument from Julia Davis Park. And, they say according to Idaho's constitution, they cannot be arrested if they get in the way. But, just what does the constitution really say? During the latest rally to save the monument on Sunday, the more than one hundred people there erupted into applause after this statement: "Is that the Idaho state constitution makes it illegal to arrest a legislature while the legislature is in session. We love Idaho...

Vigil Continues In Boise Park As Monument's Move Looms By Scott Logan BOISE - The big question is -- when will the City of Boise move the Ten Commandments monument after a federal judge Wednesday rejected a religious coalition's request to keep the monument in Julia Davis Park? City council member Alan Shealy said he thought the monument would be moved by now, but it remained in Julia Davis Park as night fell Thursday. Members of the Keep The Commandments Coalition maintained an around-the-clock vigil at the site, but the only thing moving were people's feet as they shuffled...

A Northwest Airlines flight from Minneapolis to Boise, Idaho, made an unscheduled landing here Tuesday after an apparently intoxicated passenger became unruly and assaulted others on board, a federal aviation official said. John Kinney, acting federal security director in Billings, said Flight 1279 landed at Billings Logan International Airport shortly after 1 p.m., and that a female passenger was removed and taken into custody. He said the flight was on the ground for nearly 1-1/2 hours before resuming. The woman's name was not immediately released and charges were not immediately filed. Kinney said the plane was over Montana when the...

BOISE - America Online really knows how to eat crow. After the interactive services company launched an ad campaign for its new AOL 9.0 full service Internet upgrade in New York City last month that poked fun at Boise as a hick town, AOL is making amends in a big way. AOL representatives came to Boise Tuesday, donating $25,000 to the Boise School District, announcing a free Counting Crows concert at the Big Easy Wednesday night, and passing out free T-shirts and CD-Roms. "This is wonderful," said Dr. Stan Olson, superintendent of the Boise School District, as he received a...

BOISE - Bikers and walkers on Boise's famous greenbelt are seeing a lot of mountain lions lately. One was spotted by a biker Monday during his lunch hour. He was worried that HE might end up being lunch, but the cat scampered away. Idaho Fish and Game officers are dispatched immediately after a mountain lion spotting and will try to relocate a cat if it hasn't threatened anybody. But the regional wildlife manager for Fish and Game says there's no tolerance for mountain lions in developed areas. Last week, the U-S Department of Agriculture trapped and killed a mountain lion...

BOISE - A Boise mom admitted she accidentally left her baby boy in her vehicle on a hot summer day. Instead of jail time, Lori Ann Kelly will be working to prevent the same thing from happening to someone else. Kelly pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. That could have resulted in 10 years in jail and a $10,000 fine. In this case, both sides agreed, spreading Kelly’s story is more important that putting her behind bars. A composed Lori Ann Kelly appeared for an arraignment hearing in Ada County Court to make her guilty plea. Police say Kelly’s infant son...

My friend was talking about video that shows the pilot waving to the crowd just minutes after the crash in Boise. Apparently the footage is really impressive. I have searched the heck out of the internet and I just cannot find any pics and vids. It is almost as if they have been pulled for a reason??? If you have any links, I would greatly appreciate it

Hispanics Largest Growing Population In Idaho By Associated Press BOISE - Idaho's Hispanic population grew three times faster than the state as a whole in the first two years after the last census. Leaders of the state's largest minority say that puts more pressure on public schools. According to new estimates from the Census Bureau, the state grew at three-point-two percent overall from mid-2000 to mid-2002, with the Hispanic population jumping ten-point-six percent. Only 13 other states saw higher percentage growth in their Hispanic groups. Gladys Esquibel, who heads the state Commission on Hispanic Affairs, says schools must change...

An F-16 Thunderbird went down at an airshow near Boise. Pilot ejected right before impact and is OK. Pretty dramatic video available, if anyone can find a link.

Federal prosecutors disclosed Tuesday that prominent Islamic leader Mohamed Abdirahman Kariye is a target of a terrorism investigation because of "direct evidence" he helped a group of Portland men accused of trying to fight U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan Prosecutors say Kariye may have provided money and support "in other ways" to a group of six men who they say traveled to China in the weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks. Federal prosecutors said in court papers filed Tuesday afternoon that Kariye, 41, is a "target of the ongoing investigation," which means investigators are building a criminal case against him. "The...

10 Commandments in Boise too 10:42 PM MDT on Thursday, August 21, 2003 Robbie Johnson Idaho's NewsChannel 7 BOISE - A Ten Commandments monument can be found in Julia Davis Park, and some people are wondering if it will stay given the debate in Alabama. Local members of the Fraternal Order of Eagles donated this stone monument to the city of Boise in 1965. Many cities around the country were given the same monument--including several in Idaho. A Ten Commandments monument can be found in Julia Davis Park Here in Boise many people don't even realize this is here....

BOISE - If the saying is true, that only the strong survive, some fear the Canadian Grey Wolf, will be the only one left standing in Idaho's backcountry. "We're headed for the worst wildlife disaster in the history of this state," says Ron Gillette. He's been an outfitter near Stanley for 34 years. Since wolves were reintroduced in Idaho in the mid 90's, Gillette believes the environment has changed. "Once you put these Canadian Grey Wolves into an Eco-system, they kill everything. They kill the prey first, then they kill the other predators, and when they get down to wolves...

BOISE – A 2-month-old child died in a hot car in Boise Wednesday. Ada County authorities said the infant was left in the vehicle outside the mother’s work nearly all day. Boise reached temperatures of 106 degrees Wednesday. Police have not released the name of the woman or the infant. They said the mother apparently was driving to the infant's day care, but was distracted and went to work for the day. According to police, the mother also claimed she thought she dropped the child off at daycare, but did not. The mother discovered the child at about 5:30 p.m....

"High-Stakes" Test Rejected At Boise Hearing BOISE - None of the people who spoke at a Boise public hearing yesterday support a proposed test to determine if high school students will graduate. The state's plan includes a "high-stakes" test, so named because a student's graduation would ride on how they do on the test. Educators also criticized the plan for laying out sanctions against school districts whose students don't show academic improvement. Those sanctions are proposed without any mention of money needed to improve student performance. Elementary school teacher Lydia Powers says many high school students aren't mature enough...

Support the Troops Rally, Saturday, April 12th at 3pm at Julia Davis Park at the Gene Harris Bandshell. In attendance will be a full uniformed color guard to present the American flag, special guest speakers including government and business leaders will personally thank the members of our armed forces for their bravery and sacrifices. Show your support for the troops by signing KBOI's banners that say "We Support Our Troops". Join us as we pay tribute to the men and women selflessly defending and protecting our freedoms and the freedoms of others. Bring your flags, signs, friends and neighbors. Show...

<p>A Boise-based Air National Guard major died Tuesday of injuries he suffered in a grenade attack on officers´ tents in Kuwait on Sunday. Maj. Gregory Stone died at a U.S. Army field hospital in Kuwait, Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Tim Marsano said.</p>

Boise State University College Republicans have organized a pro-America, pro-troops, pro-Bush rally for Wednesday, March 5 on the B.S.U. Quad beginning at 4:00 PM. Visit Rally FOR America in Boise, ID. for details.

Abortion Demonstration Vandalized By Editorial Staff BOISE - It was set up as a demonstration against abortion. Overnight, it was vandalized.Thousands of white crosses were tipped over. Members of St. Mary's Catholic parish put up 32-hundred crosses in a small field owned by the church. It's at State Street and 27th Avenue in Boise. They call it the cemetery of innocents. The church says the crosses are suppose to represent the number of abortions that occur every day. Several young people were seen by area neighbors tearing the crosses down. "It really made a statement to put them all...