🚲Used bikes needed + Intersection to roundabout + Steelhead arrival

Hello Wednesday. Gretchen Parsons here to fill you in.

The Boise Bicycle Project is in desperate need of used bikes ahead of their big giveaway event, details below. Plus, a Meridian intersection is now closed while crews prepare to build a roundabout.

• Today: 36°🌤 Partly sunny.

First Up Today

Used kids bicycles needed

The Boise Bicycle Project is in desperate need of help ahead of its annual Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway.

Every December, BBP gives away more than 500 bicycles to kids in the community. Leading up to the event, children who are referred through local nonprofits, social workers, and schools, draw a picture of what their “dream bike” would be and submit it to BBP. BBP then spends months collecting used bikes, fixing them up, and customizing them based on each child’s drawing. The bikes are then given to the children at a big event, which is taking place this year on Saturday, December 17.

While the big day is less than two weeks away, BBP says they are still short about 300 bikes.

The organization is asking for gently used bikes that are 12″, 16″, 20″, 24″ and BMX.

If you have a spare bike to donate or know of someone who does, they can be dropped off Wednesday- Saturday at BBP (1027 S Lusk St Boise, ID 83706) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You can also volunteer to pick up bikes. BBP says some people have reached out and have bikes to donate but no way to transport them. If you can help this way, email [email protected]

BBP asks that people not buy new bikes to donate. You can, however, “adopt a dream bike” for a child, which is basically a monetary donation that goes toward repairing a bike that another community member drops off. BBP can make money go a lot further by fixing what it already has.

(Photo Courtesy Boise Bicycle Project)

Meridian Intersection to be replaced with roundabout

A Meridian intersection is now closed as crews work to replace it with a roundabout.

The intersection of Victory and Locust Grove roads closed today and will remain that way for several months.

Crews with the Ada County Highway District are doing gas, water, power, and other utility work as they prepare to build a dual-lane roundabout at the intersection, which will include bike ramps at the entrance, a 10-foot wide buffered pathway for cyclists and pedestrians to share, and crosswalks.

The project also includes widening Locust Grove to two lanes in each direction from Victory to Overland and adding a 10-foot pathway for cyclists and pedestrians, installing a signalized pedestrian crossing at Time Zone Dr., and relocating the existing crossing at Mastiff St. slightly to the north.

The closure is expected to last through February, and construction of the entire project is expected to be complete in the fall of 2023. You can learn more about the project here.

More Steelhead call MK Nature Center home

Come check out the new residents at the MK Nature Center in Boise!

Fish and Game staff from the Oxbow Hatchery in Oregon were in town stocking the Boise River with steelhead. While they were here, they dropped off five steelhead at the MK Nature Center. The fish were hatchery-raised, released to migrate to the Pacific Ocean, and made their way back to Oxbow avoiding danger and beating the odds.

People can get a look at the steelhead up close through the Alpine Lake viewing window. The MK Nature Center is located at 600 S. Walnut Street and is open from dawn to dusk.

(Photo Courtesy Idaho Fish and Game)

Happening Today

• Scam Alert: Caldwell Police say if you get a call from someone claiming to be with the department soliciting donations, hang up, it’s a scam.
• Tax Help: The Idaho State Tax Commission has added a courtesy callback feature to its call center. The feature allows customers to keep their place in line when they call for tax help without having to wait on hold. The Boise call center for the Tax Commission can be reached at 208-334-7660.
• Coffee With the Mayor: Join Eagle Mayor Jason Pierce for “Coffee with the Mayor” today from 9-10 am at the Community Hall.

BoiseDev Reports

‘We’re growing so much’: ITD makes changes to bicycle, pedestrian crossings at Highway 44 and Eagle Road after complaints

ITD had to make changes to the intersection of Eagle Road and Highway 44 after residents raised concerns about safety. Margaret Carmel lays out their concerns and explains how the agency is addressing them.

‘Very frustrating’: Nampa’s only family shelter could close come February

Canyon County’s only family homeless shelter could shut down come February 2023 if the $300,000 funding goal is not met. Autum Robertson explains why the shelter is struggling to stay open and how you can help.

More than 200 apartment units and dozens of duplex and triplexes planned for Meridian

A project called Newkirk Neighborhood, which would stretch across 21.41 acres, is planned for an area north of Franklin and east of Black Cat roads in Meridian. It would have a mix of housing types, including apartments and duplexes. Read more about the project here.

Riverfront view: CWI hopes developers will help build public-private partnership campus along Boise River

Plans for a new campus for the College of Western Idaho along the Boise River are moving forward. The campus would be at Main St. and Whitewater Park Blvd. Don Day has the details.

Link-worthy

• Empowering Parents Grant: The Idaho Capital Sun reports on parents who were approved for the Empowering Parents Grant from the State but haven’t yet received any money.
• Sales Tax: Idaho could lower its sales tax from 6% to 4% and still generate more than $1 billion more a year for schools, including enough to pay off supplemental levies, increase school funding and address building needs – by eliminating a big batch of the existing exemptions from the sales tax. Read the full article from the Idaho Press.
• Stolen Display: A Boise man had a unique lawn display stolen while he was out of town, but thanks to a Good Samaritan, things are bigger and better now. Read the story from Idaho News 6.
• Mountain Home Police: According to KTVB, a former Mountain Home Police Officer claims she was sexually harassed by another officer.

Things To Do

• Nutcracker: The Nutcracker is at the Morrison Center Friday, December 9-18. Get tickets here.
• Santa at Warehouse: Santa will be at the Warehouse Food Hall Saturday for free pictures from 1-4 p.m.
• Polar Express: The Nampa Train Depot is decked out in holiday decorations and will host a screening of the Polar Express movie on Saturday from 1-4 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and pillows to sit on. Tickets are $25.
• Christmas Concert: There’s a free Christmas concert at the Kuna Performing Arts Center on Sunday from 7:30-9 p.m. Reserve a spot for free.

Pet of the Day

Look at these happy hounds! Meet Riva, LeRoy & Izabela (left to right). Owner Stephen Pendl says Riva loves to chase, Iza loves to be chased, and LeRoy loves to fetch. But one love they share in common is chewing on the Christmas Tree! 😂

Submit your pet’s photo here, and we may feature it Monday-Thursday! Plus, our friends at Zamzows will send along a prize to the winning pet (owners)!