The Idaho Way: Why can’t you buy a baggie of marijuana at a convenience store in Idaho?
By Scott McIntosh, opinion editor
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My first encounter with illegal aerial fireworks was my very first Fourth of July in Idaho in 2007. I had gone down to Melba to cover the town’s (legal, permitted, sanctioned, safe, public) fireworks show, and it was spectacular. (If you’re new to Idaho, I highly recommend spending the whole day in Melba for Fourth of July, from the morning parade right through the fireworks show.)
As I was driving back to my house in Kuna, the skies were lit up with neighborhood fireworks shows all over the place. When I finally got to my neighborhood and turned the corner to my street, I almost ran smack into an illegal fireworks show right in the middle of my street. I had to turn around, go around the block and enter my street from the other side.
As a testament to the depth and pervasiveness of apathy for the great “Fireworks Act of 1997,” my neighbor who was setting off the illegal fireworks was an officer with a local police agency.
Consider this your annual reminder that Idaho has a state law on the books banning aerial fireworks.
Twenty-five years ago, Idaho legislators passed the “Fireworks Act of 1997.” The only fireworks that are legal in Idaho are “non-aerial common fireworks.”
Vendors have gotten away with selling illegal fireworks by having customers sign affidavits attesting that the customer won’t set off the illegal fireworks in Idaho. Wink, wink.
I’ve written this analogy before, but it’s like going into a convenience store and buying marijuana, as long as you sign a piece of paper saying you won’t toke up within Idaho’s boundaries.
It’s a ridiculous notion.
And the Idaho attorney general agrees, as you’ll read in my column here.
Let’s develop ITD land the right way
The sale of Idaho Transportation Department land on State Street provides a golden opportunity for the city of Boise and the whole community.
As previously reported, ITD officials announced last week that the agency is officially vacating the 45-acre headquarters property that it has held for the past 60 years.
Situated on State Street at Whitewater Park Boulevard, the sprawling campus is in a prime location for development.
If developed the right way, it could be a crown jewel along one of the city’s key corridors. If developed the wrong way, it could be a boring, ugly mess.
Let’s make sure it’s developed the right way.
Here’s how, according to the editorial board.
Idaho’s Democratic candidates for Congress
If history holds true in this beet-red state, then the two Democrats running for Congress — Kaylee Peterson, of Eagle (1st District), and Wendy Norman, of Rigby (2nd District) — will struggle to get 30% of the vote against two Republican incumbents.
In this incumbent-happy red state, there doesn’t seem to be a path to victory in November for two political newcomers.
Unless.... writes Chuck Malloy.
Idaho is not for sale
If there is one thing that is essential to Idaho — that makes Idaho the place that it is — it is its public lands.
Our buildings aren’t so tall. Our weather can be a little tricky. But here there are mountains and lakes, deserts and vast forests where you can disappear and find the solitude lacking in so much of the rest of the world.
So the Idaho land board’s vote last week to auction off Cougar Island on Payette Lake diminishes who and what we are. This is just the latest step in a long process that’s been ongoing since statehood. Idaho started with about 3.7 million acres of endowment land. Today it’s down to about 2.5 million.
Here’s what the editorial board thinks we should do to protect Idaho state lands.
Abortion ruling
Was it only a week ago that the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade? The ruling came out shortly after last week’s newsletter came out, so let’s get caught up:
Freedom-loving states: Red states like Idaho that supposedly value individual freedoms are the ones that should be infuriated with abortion ruling, writes the editorial board.
Deal with the consequences: If Idaho legislators are truly so concerned about preserving life, they should put their money where their mouth is and pass legislation in the upcoming session that would help these new mothers. Read our full editorial here.
Abortion provider desert: With the Supreme Court’s Friday reversal of Roe v. Wade, eastern Idaho will soon become one of the most difficult areas in the country to access an abortion. Read Bryan Clark’s full column here.
East Idaho divided on abortion: Eastern Idaho, along with the rest of America, entered the post-Roe world Friday. As in much of the rest of the nation, opinions about the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the half-century-old Roe v. Wade decision, which established that women have the constitutionally protected right to seek an abortion, are sharply divided. Bryan Clark spoke with East Idahoans on both sides of the debate.
No time to gloat: This is not a time to gloat. This battle has been hard-fought and the ones to come will be harder still, as we work to enact laws and policies that provide protection to the unborn and also wrap-around support to vulnerable mothers and families for the entirety of their lives, writes Cynthia Allen.
Time for compromise on abortion: Roe made our abortion debate worse. With it gone, can we compromise on rights and limits? Let the legislative process take over, writes Ryan Rusak.
I’m listening
Send me your story ideas, news tips, questions, comments, or anything else on your mind. You can reach me via email at smcintosh@idahostatesman.com.
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What you’re saying
This week, we received letters to the editor on fascism, forced belief, new responsibilities and pro-life realities. You can read these and more letters by clicking here.
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