Idaho is as nice as it is becouse there are not a ton of people here. SHHHHH Idaho is the best place to be and the more open the better. i am only 27 and i have seen some big changes in blackfoot. i am sure that all of you have hurd your grand parents say "I rember when this was all farmland." i have cought my sellf saying this very thing. so to all of your %$#@@!#$ investers from out of state taking all our land driving the prices higher and higher. LEAVE US ALONE. Now on the other hand if it is a family that is looking to leave the big city life and wants to settle here. welcom but please follow the rulse and regs. and KEEP THE TRASH WERE IT BELONGS. there are lots of people that do there best to keep blackfoot looking the way that it dose and they need help. long story shot put the trash in the can and dont litter. us locals love our town and take pride in it.

I live in western Idaho near the border and I see the same thing here. So, I understand what you are saying . We have numerous "out siders" decide to move to our town because they didnt like it where they were living. Now they keep trying to change things so it is like it was "back home" . If it was so nice "back home "why move here then try to change it ? why not just leave well enough alone they moved here because it is'nt "back home". And with all this new growth has came gangs and drugs and gunfights. I remember when tow guys or gals could go out back handle a dissagreement come back in and but each other a drink. now when some one goes out back it is usualy to get high or get knifed or shot!

Dad gum it, I'm just sick and tired of these darn fureners comin here to by up a bunch of land then try to tell us how to live. I'm creepin up to 80 and I gree with "upset" abpout how it was in the old days. If we all had a disgreemint we'd just call up our gang of buddies, bring the guns and some hooch and we'd take of anyting we had to. Nowadays these whippersnappers with alot of money like from Calfornee have gone changin' things and now we are sposed to be talking about our disgreements with the person we're mad at and then by them a drink. Just crazy.
Ooops! I just musta read upset's comments wrong. Upset is upset that theres gangs and drugns and gunfights so honey, you better figger out what you want cuz that's the way its all ways been here in Idaho. If you dont like guns, move to one of those sissy towns like San Francisco or something.

You all must be the minority or why else would Idaho have voted in Otter, Simpson, Sali, and Jones? Did anybody even THINK about what these people are going to do with our public lands? Let's see... Otter already tried selling it off, Simpson has got CIEDRA, Sali was given $1 million from Club for Growth, and Jones is a real estate agent... ADD IT UP... Keep voting the "R" folks... and say "goodbye" to Idaho as we know it.

We are experiencing the same thing here in Bayview, ID. A major developer has come into our sleepy town and proposed major changes to the town including the development of a 7 story condo complex he wants the sell to well to do out of staters (probably Californians).
The major issue we are facing as a small community is that he (the developer) wants incorporate our town. That means the establishment of a local government, Fire and Police services as well as a new water treatment facility etc. This all boils down to more taxes and will force many long time residents (mostly seniors) who are on a fixed income to have to pack up and sell their homes because they cant afford the property tax increases this will generate.
I do believe in progress and development, but it needs to be done in such a manner as not to affect the exsisting people of a community in such a negative manner. If Bayview's development was done over a period of years rather then months, the current residents would have the opportunity to reevaluate their living situations and make intelligent, researched decisions rather than be forced out with a few weeks notice.
I guess this is the price we pay for having such a beautiful place to live and the money grabbers wanting to get what they think is their fair share of "our" pie.

Add coal and nuclear plants along with development... and the "beautiful place to live" will be a story we can tell our grandchildren...

After the comments by head coach Chris Petersen of the BSU college football team during the Fiesta Bowl activities I was interested in moving from the busy, chaotic life of Phoenix AZ to slower pace Idaho. But after reading these blogs, I sense a definite bitterness and hostility to newcomers. I just want to live my life in peace and make some new friends and be happy, but Idaho does not sound very friendly. Too bad.

I remember what Idaho used to be. My grandpa was born on the farm in 1902 just out side of Boomerang. He was born of immigrants who sought freedom. His parents said "We're in
America we will speak english" (some of his siblings we're born in the old country). My parents sought gainful employment so they ended up moving around. I was schooled in LA and spent my summers on the farm between Payette and Weiser. I saw both worlds. Some of my school friends never saw the difference. Some of my cousins never saw the difference. When my grand parents became older we all came back home to Idaho. A real monetary sacrifice, but back to morality. Everybody knew everybody so you couldn't get away with bad behavior. We cared about our neighbors, and didn't care about keeping up with the Jones's. We learned how to entertain ourselves and enjoy God's Country. Being exposed is good. I travel for a Living. This growth is happening everywhere it's the same story all over. Some find it scary and don't understand. People make people. They say you can't go back home. You can't go back in time!. Things are so complicated for our children. Some of the newer residents to Idaho are the cream of the crop, and they want a better way of life. Some just couln't make it where they were. Some want to raise their children where it's clean and decent. Not all Idahoan's are narrow minded. Our own government sold us out and we voted them in. I went to another state and turned on the TV. I saw a commercial that was funded by our local Idaho travel council "Idaho what America used to be". I thought why tell everybody. I have to struggle with myself also. Our demographic are changing, but this is nationwide. We have to teach our children what is acceptable and right, we can't tollerate anything else but. We don't want to be desensitized byTV. We have to teach our chidren respect for others esspecially respect for the elderly. Forget life in the fast lane, take the time now!-for some of us that's all we have. Teach tollerence and take a deep breath.

I love your state, I Take my family every year for a week long camping trip to Idaho, Last year we went across the Lolo Pass. Idaho is a very clean state and the facilities are not tore up. I am looking forward to another yearly trip.

The Good ol' US.of A is going to hell in a hand basket. Enjoy Idaho while you can.