Putting Out Fires (Literally, Not Figuratively)

We’re feeling the heat in more ways than one here in Moscow. In this video, we discuss what we know about the current state of the Texas Ridge Fire and give some brief county and city updates as well.

EDITOR’S NOTE: New information on the Texas Ridge Fire may be available that is not included in this video. As such, please check our social media or the social media of the Latah County Sheriff’s Office for the most recently available information.

Read the full transcript of the video below:

I want to begin this video with a quick word of gratitude for the firefighters, the Latah County Sheriff’s Office, and for everyone involved in the efforts to control, extinguish, and investigate the Texas Ridge Fire which, at the time of this recording, is still going on northeast of Kendrick. Thank you all so much for all the efforts you have spent so far dealing with this emergency, and in particular thank you for keeping all of us up to date with the most recent information. Here at Moscow Report, we will work to keep you all posted on the most recently available information on the fire as we receive it. With that, we return to our regular video.

So aside from all that, Mr. Trump, how was the rally?

Ok… fine.

*Nope! We’re not talking about that!*

How’s it going y’all? Aiden Anderson here with the Moscow Minutes. Yes, there’s been some excitement on the national side of things, and there’s been some excitement here in the county as well. Let’s get into it.

On Tuesday this week, the county commissioners declared an emergency in regards to the Texas Ridge Fire which started on Monday July 15th near Kendrick and is still going on at the time of this recording. Texas Ridge, Cedar Ridge, and Linden were among the first areas affected according to the Latah County Sheriff’s office, and the fire continued through the night. Evacuation orders were issued to the residents of the surrounding countryside as firefighting efforts were escalated. A variety of institutions took on both persons and livestock that evacuated due to the fire, including Kendrick High School and Lewiston Roundup.

In an update on Wednesday, July 17th, the Idaho Department of Lands said that at this time, the fire was still at 0% containment, and had burned approximately 1,323 acres of land as well as four primary residences. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Apart from that, the county held their monthly meeting of elected officials and department heads this week. I’ll go briefly over the highlights. The auditor’s office is in the middle of preparing the annual budget and going through logistics for the November election. ITS is working on segregating the internet networks between the District Court and the other county offices in the courthouse. The Fairgrounds is working on getting more staff to aid with the upcoming County Fair, and the county as a whole is preparing for a staff BBQ in August.

And now the Moscow City Council.

The council began with a report from the Human Rights Commission. Erin Agidius, commission chair, gave a report on the commission’s past year of activities. These included inclusive community month, a period marked by a variety of educational forums on subjects such as restorative justice and the UN declaration of human rights. Erin also detailed the commission’s partnerships with groups such as Palouse Pride and the Latah County Humans Rights Task Force, and upcoming events such as the annual food drive and pride march.

The only action item this meeting was a Moscow city code towing ordinance. Police Chief Anthony Dahlinger gave a brief overview of this ordinance, which would give the police the ability to screen the operators of the towing companies which they work with via background check to determine the suitability of the drivers. This procedure is similar to the practices of the Idaho State Police, but it had not yet been incorporated into city code for city police. With a unanimous vote of approval from the Moscow city council, that change has now been implemented.

Outside of all that, y’all can look forward to Rendezvous in the Park taking place this weekend, with appearances from Diggin’ Dirt, Josh Ritter, and Yellow Dog Flats on Friday night. I’d also encourage you to take a look at the draft of the city budget which has now become available on the city website. At this point, the annual budget for Latah County is still in progress, but you can still take a look at the available documents on the auditor’s page on the county website. 

That’s what I got for y’all this week. As always, we’ll have the relevant links posted with this video, and if you have any questions, please reach out. I’m Aiden Anderson with the Moscow Minutes. See ya next time!