Mission Statement

The entire contents and design of boiseweekly.com are copyrighted by Boise Weekly ISSN 1944-6322. Boise Weekly is owned and operated by Bar Bar Inc., an Idaho corporation.

"As Boise's locally owned and operated alternative newspaper, Boise Weekly should always keep in the mind that nothing contributes to the well being of a community more than a good local newspaper. Boise Weekly should be a spirited source of accurate, fair news reporting, thoughtful insights and useful information that every reader in the community will find valuable. Its goal is to celebrate what's good about Boise and Idaho — including the idiosyncrasies that make them uniquely attractive — while calling attention, thoughtfully and fearlessly, with humor and without pomposity, to what can and should be improved. Boise Weekly should always be open to voices from the community, foster high quality writing, photography and design, and seek to provide a big picture view of important issues. Most important, it should never lose its dedication to making Boise Weekly an enjoyable and profitable place to work."

Boise Weekly Eliminates Ad Director Position

Nancy Spittle to pursue new professional adventures after seven-year tenure.

September 26, 2008
Source: AAN Website. Boise Weekly eliminates Ad Director Position

Boise Weekly Wins 'Small Business of the Year' Award from Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce

Surprise for Idaho's only alternative paper

June 18, 2008
Source: AAN Website Boise Weekly wins small business of the year award

Boise Weekly Receives Governor's Arts Award

Governor Risch Announces 2006 Governor's Awards in the Arts Recipients

October 7, 2006
Download PDF of entire article here

BOISE — Governor Jim Risch and First Lady Vicki Risch will co-host a ceremony for the recipients of the 2006 Governor's Awards in the Arts on October 7. The ceremony will take place at the Egyptian Theatre in downtown Boise beginning at 7 p.m.

"Vicki and I are looking forward to a wonderful evening as we honor these outstanding recipients," said Risch. "Each honoree has greatly contributed to the arts in our state and is very deserving of the recognition of their contributions."

Boise Weekly's Publisher interviewed for Idaho Business Review

Weekly thrives serving Boise's 'other' market, by Steven Anderson

July 25, 2005
Download PDF of entire article here

When Sally and Bingo Barnes bought Boise Weekly four years ago, they knew what they were getting into.

Boise's alternative weekly was losing about $50,000 a month, and some advertisers were dropping out because of the publication's in-your-face adult content.

But "we did the numbers and the projections, and we felt we could turn it around," said Sally Barnes, a former director of financial systems for American Airlines.

Boise Weekly's 13th Birthday Feature

This is a good history of the early years of Boise Weekly in the words of the people who lived it.

July 13, 2005
Boise Weekly's 13th Birthday

Newspapers, unlike babies, do not begin life at age zero. They begin with volume one, issue one. At the end of the first year, as they grow into the terrible volume twos, they are, in fact, only one year old. This year, as Boise Weekly enters its 14th year, we celebrate our 13th birthday. Officially Boise Weekly began production of its first issue on July 16, 1992, with the first issue published Tuesday, July 21, 1992.

A story about Boise Weekly from www.AAN.org

Alt-Weekly Thrives Despite Competition from Gannett

May 24, 2005
Read entire article here

Bingo and Sally Barnes bought Boise Weekly in August 2001, and the paper's business plummeted a few weeks later in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. By October of that year, when Gannett announced the launch of its Boise faux-alt, Thr!ve, the Barneses were petrified. But their fears were unfounded. After revamping the paper and forging closer ties with the community, they have soundly trounced the faux alt in the three-plus years since its debut.

City of Roses Puts Boise Weekly on the Block

Cites "Internal Strategic Reasons" for the Sale

May 18, 2001
Read entire article here

Less than 18 months after acquiring Boise Weekly and shepherding the paper through a significant redesign, City of Roses Newspaper Co. announced early this week that the nine-year-old publication is once again on the trading block.

Portland-based City of Roses, owner of that city's Willamette Week as well as the Santa Fe Reporter, had become a three-paper chain with the February 2000 takeover of the southern Idaho weekly.

Although it increased circulation and ad revenue under City of Roses, Boise Weekly is not a moneymaker for the company, says Richard Meeker, publisher of Willamette Week and one of three partners in City of Roses, along with Editor Mark Zusman and VP of Sales and Advertising Russ Martineau. The Boise paper does slightly under $1 million in annual revenue, he says.

Boise Weekly Day

September 2, 1993 was designated Boise Weekly recognition Day by the office of the Mayor. The proclamation read...

The office of the Mayor, City of Boise, State of Idaho Proclamation
Whereas, the Boise Weekly is celebrating it's first year of publishing; and
Whereas, the Boise Weekly is an alternative news voice for Boise and the Great State of Idaho; and
Whereas, the Boise Weekly has done an outstanding job of encouraging local writers and artists to express ideas and opinions; and
Whereas, Andy and Deborah Hedden-Nicely, Larry Ragan, Jennifer O'Reilly, Jay Vail, Andy Newman, Chris Munson, Jim Johnston, Steve Duda, Laurie Dunbar, Lori Playstead, Jason Munroe, Dot Steams and the rest of the Boise Weekly staff have done an exceptional job of starting and nurturing this news alternative to make it the success it is today; and
Whereas, my schedule was pretty light today anyway.
Now, therefore, I, H. Brent Coles, Mayor of the City of Boise, Idaho, do hereby proclaim September 2, 1993 as
Boise Weekly Recognition Day
and ask that the Community continue to support this very important part of the city.
signed H. Brent Coles

Awards 2005

1st - GENERAL NEWS STORY

Bingo Barnes — "The Wide, Wide World of Blogs", Idaho Press Club
Rachael Daigle — Boise Weekly — "Taxing the Public Trust"

1st - WATCHDOG/ INVESTIGATIVE REPORT

Peter Wollheim — "Have I driven a Ford lately?", Idaho Press Club

1st - OUTDOOR FEATURE

Bingo Barnes — "N43'W116'", Idaho Press Club

3rd - SPORTS FEATURE STORY

Bingo Barnes — "King of the Hill", Idaho Press Club

1st - GENERAL COLUMN

Bill Cope — "Bill Cope", Idaho Press Club

1st - HEADLINES

Nicholas Collias — "The ID of ID(AHO); Gold Panned; Predator in the Crosshairs: Up a Creek; Boise (Hole) Tower; John D'Oh!, Idaho Press Club

1st - PHOTO ESSAY

Bingo Barnes — "168 Hours", Idaho Press Club

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, Idaho Press Club

1st Amy Atkins
2nd Sara Beitia

MAGAZINE COVER

1st Bingo Barnes — Idaho Arts Quarterly - Winter

Awards 2004

3rd Place - GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Idaho Press Club

Honorable Mention - SERIOUS FEATURE REPORT

Nicholas Collias ,"The Low-Use Segment", Idaho Press Club

3rd Place - LIGHT FEATURE REPORT

Erin Ryan — "Karaoke Fever: The many voices of Manilow", Idaho Press Club

3rd Place - SPECIALTY COLUMN

Nicholas Collias — "Selection of three movie reviews", Idaho Press Club

1st Place - HEADLINES

Nicholas Collias — "Preaching to the choir; Naked and not ashamed; The wide world of chug; History is gay; The Low-Use Segment; Dead Ore Alive", Idaho Press Club

3rd Place - PAGE DESIGN

Leila Ramella — "Fiction 101", Idaho Press Club

3rd Place - ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Erin Ryan, Idaho Press Club

Awards 2002

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - General News Story

Amy Herzfeld — "Too Great for Hate", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Watchdog/Investigative Report

Peter Wollheim — "Crazy bad...Intermountain Hospital", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Outdoor Feature

Joseph Carberry — "Super Seven", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Review

Christopher Schnoor — "Dollhausen; Parker; Raymond", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Specialty Column

Bill Cope — "Bill Cope: Words… thing… boogie", Idaho Press Club

2nd Place Weekly Newspaper - Serious Feature Report

Cynthia Sewell — "Paradis: Lost and found", Idaho Press Club

2nd Place Weekly Newspaper - Review

Chuck McHenry — "Bowling; Mog; Eggers", Idaho Press Club

3rd Place Weekly Newspaper - Specialty Column

Joseph Carberry — "Out there: Rowdy: Expedition; How it all go started", Idaho Press Club

Awards 2001

Watchdog/ Investigative Report

1st Perri Capell — Boise Weekly — "Should you foot the treatment bill?"

Serious Feature Report

2nd Cynthia Sewell — Boise Weekly — "Wasting in the West" (h3>Review

1st Chuck McHenry — Boise Weekly — "A lens lives among cowboys; Sakura; BAM book club"

Environmental Reporting

1st Cynthia Sewell — Boise Weekly — "Ran vs. Boise Cascade"

Health/Medical Reporting

1st Cynthia Sewell — Boise Weekly — "Irreconcilable differences"

Awards 2000

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Watchdog/Investigative Report

Andrew M. Scutro — "Soft Serving the News", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Outdoor Feature

Ellie Rodgers — "Foothills Rancher", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - General Column

Bill Cope — "Call to duty; Fowl trip; Somebody else's Christmas", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Education Reporting

Mindy Kay Bricker — "Kids on the move", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Agriculture Reporting

Mindy Kay Bricker — "A tough Row to hoe", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Religion Reporting

Mindy Kay Bricker — "Say Your Prayers", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Health/Medical Reporting

Andrew M. Scutro — "Short Sheeted", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Photo Essay

Brad Talbut — "Roads & Wilderness", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Review

Steve Martin — "Belles of Boise; To gents falter in Verona; Beasts of absurdity", Idaho Press Club

2nd Place Weekly Newspaper - Review

Robert Olmstead — "Let us now praise famous diners; Reading, writing & remoulade; A sumptuous affair of the plate", Idaho Press Club

2nd Place Weekly Newspaper - Crime/Courts Reporting

Andrew M. Scutro — "Brain Damage", Idaho Press Club

3rd Place Weekly Newspaper - Review

Anna Webb — "Let us now praise famous diners; Reading, writing & remoulade; A sumptuous affair of the plate", Idaho Press Club

3rd Place Weekly Newspaper - General News Story

Andrew M. Scutro — "Hanging in the Courthouse", Idaho Press Club

3rd Place Weekly Newspaper - Light Feature Report

Mindy Kay Bricker — "Clean up your act", Idaho Press Club

3rd Place Weekly Newspaper - Specialty Column

Sara Kuhl — "Boise tries to legislate morality; Mayor Coles takes potshots at Erotic City in speech; Abortion pill won't put end to political debate", Idaho Press Club

3rd Place Weekly Newspaper - Page Design

Dave Goff — "BW pick; selection 3", Idaho Press Club

Awards 1999

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Watchdog/Investigative Report

Jesselin Anthony — "The Big Spill", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - General Column

Bill Cope, Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Review

Steve Martin — "Planet, Game & Chorus", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Environment

Andrew M. Scutro — "Sagebrush Royalty", Idaho Press Club

2nd Place Weekly Newspaper - Sports Feature Story

Anna Webb — "Doing the Monster Mash", Idaho Press Club

2nd Place Weekly Newspaper - Specialty Column

Andrew Putz — "Roving Eye - If a cow farts in the woods..., Dumb and Dumber", Idaho Press Club

2nd Place Weekly Newspaper - Page Design

Ariel Spaeth, Idaho Press Club

3rd Place Weekly Newspaper - Light Feature Report

Anna Webb — "Looking for Elizabeth", Idaho Press Club

3rd Place Weekly Newspaper - Graphics

Brad Talbut — photo illustrations, Idaho Press Club

3rd Place Weekly Newspaper - Review

Anna Webb — "Genius in the Family; Eyes have it; Happiness", Idaho Press Club

3rd Place Weekly Newspaper - Specialty Column

Andrew Putz — "Roving Eye - Oh Helen, we missed ya; slug-out developing", Idaho Press Club

Honorable Mention Weekly Newspaper - Agriculture

A.M. Scutro — "Piles of Pigs", Idaho Press Club

Awards 1998

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Light Feature Report

Bill Cope — "Bowling with the Boys", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Agriculture

A. M Scutro — "Forever Gone", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Politics

Andrew Putz — "Running hard—and angry", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Serious Feature Report

Andrew Putz — "Citizen Batt", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Sports Feature Story

A. M Scutro — "Punching the clock", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - General News Story

A. M Scutro — "Behind the nation's largest money-for-honey scam", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Watchdog/Investigative Report

Andrew Putz — "Sweetheart Deal", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Health/Medical

Robert Speer — "Childbirth outside the law", Idaho Press Club

Awards 1996

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Watchdog/Investigative Report

Chris Farnsworth — "House of Payne", Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper Rookie of the year

Amy Kepferle - "Anne Frank Remembered", Idaho Press Club

Awards 1995

1st Place Weekly Newspaper Rookie of the year

Chris Farnsworth, Idaho Press Club

Awards 1994

1st Place Weekly Newspaper Rookie of the year

David Madison, Idaho Press Club

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Watchdog/Investigative Report

David Madison, Idaho Press Club

Awards 1992

1st Place Weekly Newspaper - Serious Feature

Steven Anderson — "Hate & The First Amendment", Idaho Press Club

Attention Boise Weekly Alumni

If you do not see an award listed here, please e-mail Boise Weekly with information about your award including year, award, awarding organization, place, category and award entry name.