The Courier
NEWS Thanks for Your Donations
January has seen a lot of generosity by the people of our area. Helping Hearts and Hands in Gooding received a check for $2500 from the Gooding Elk’s Lodge #1745, as well as donations from John Koonce, South Central Public Health District, VFW Toponis Post #3078, Washington Federal Bank, Love’s Travel Stop in Bliss, and the Idaho Community Foundation. Big or small, all of our local food pantries appreciate community support as they strive to lend a helping hand to those in need.
Soldier Mountain & Pomerelle Join Indy Pass
Soldier Mountain Ski Area in Fairfield, Idaho, and Pomerelle Mountain Resort in Albion, Idaho, have joined the Indy Pass, and each resort will provide Indy Pass holders with two days of skiing or riding through the end of the 2020-21 season. Soldier Mountain is under new ownership and opened this season after extensive capital improvements. The resort features 1425 feet of vertical and 1150 acres served by three lifts. Soldier Mountain's snow cat operation is celebrating 25 years of guided, backcountry skiing on an additional 2,000 acres of backcountry terrain. Pomerelle is famous for its glades and tree skiing and averages nearly 500 inches of light, Rocky Mountain powder every year. Its 1,000 vertical feet and near-empty slopes are a true throwback to a simpler time. It's also one of the only resorts in the region to offer night skiing. "The Northern Rockies have become Indy Pass country," Brundage Mountain general manager Ken Rider said. "The Gem State is aptly named because it's home to so many hidden-gem resorts like Soldier and Pomerelle. Idaho truly is a dream come true for powder-seeking Indy Pass holders." Indy Pass holders receive two days at each of 61 resorts across the U.S. and Western Canada for just $259 or $129 for kids under 13. Beginning March 1, the Indy Spring Pass will go on sale for $149 for adults and $89 for kids and will provide two days and no blackouts at all participating resorts for the remainder of the 2020-21 season.
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
February 3, 2021
Vol 45 Num 5
Sanctuary Cities in the United States
The concept of “Sanctuary Cities” has its roots in the Bible, specifically the Old Testament. Six towns in Israel (later expanded to 48) were designated as Cities of Refuge where perpetrators of accidental manslaughter could claim the right of asylum. The intent of this law was not to shelter an individual but to insure a fair trial for the accused. The U.S. Constitution enshrines many of these Biblical ideas in the 6th Amendment which gives individuals accused of a crime the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury. In 1985, San Francisco passed an ordinance which prohibited the use of city funds and resources to assist federal immigration enforcement, thus giving birth to the sanctuary city movement in the U.S. Today, over 500 cities, states and counties considered themselves immigration sanctuaries. Unlike the Biblical Cities of Refuge, many sanctuary cities exist solely to thwart federal laws which are used to prosecute and deport illegal aliens who commit crimes. This issue gain national attention in 2015 when Kathryn Steinle was shot and killed in San Francisco by an undocumented immigrant. The event prompted former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, to say, “The city made a mistake, not to deport someone that the federal government strongly felt should be deported. I have absolutely no support for a city that ignores the strong evidence that should be acted on.” Her campaign staff later retracted part of that statement. On the other side of the political spectrum, Alaska and Wyoming adopted the Firearms Freedom Act in 2010 declaring that certain firearms and accessories are exempt from federal regulation. This was followed by Kansas and Idaho with similar legislation. Along with these four states, about 400 cities and counties in 20 states have adopted resolutions declaring themselves “2nd Amendment Sanctuaries”. While much of this has been in response to the incessant talk of gun control by politicians in Washington D.C., the recent election of Joe Biden as President has renewed interest in this issue. Many are concerned that the President might use Executive Orders to circumvent congress and enact gun control policies that violate the U.S. Constitution. While resolutions of this sort are largely symbolic, they are important tools in expressing the will or desire of the people.