Lincoln County Ignores State Ban

While fire officials statewide were on alert through the long July 4 holiday for range fires sparked by fireworks, officials in Lincoln County again chose to ignore the state ban on fireworks that explode.

One county commissioner calls the state law an unnecessary, ludicrous regulation and Commissioner Mike Telford said, “We see it as a non-issue. We have more important things to worry about.”

“If they’re worried about fires and injuries, they should look at cigarettes instead of worrying about fireworks,” Telford said.

But others do see it as an issue with heavy stands of dried cheat grass posing a real danger for fueling wildfires.

And they object to the commission knowingly allowing Johnny’s Country Store four miles north of Shoshone to sell banned fireworks like rockets.

“We look at Johnny’s Country Store as an asset,” Commissioner Clarence Tews said.

“To the best of my knowledge, she draws customers from all of southern Idaho.”

The county has no local ordinance on fireworks, Tews said, “and we won’t pass any either.”

Store owner Lois Peterson was cited last summer for selling illegal fireworks as a result of what Tews said was the fire chief of Hailey in neighboring Blaine County “sticking his nose in” Lincoln County business.

The charge was dropped.

“We feel it isn’t any of his damn business what Lois does” when it comes to selling illegal fireworks, Tews said.

“I know exactly what she has - I bought some from her.”

He contended the state law is vague - “probably not as vague as what Lois is doing, but still pretty vague.”

Peterson said she only sells fireworks to adults and while she does not inform them that explosive fireworks are prohibited in Idaho, “what they do with them when they leave the store is their business.”