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Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Canyon County celebrates 2nd Pride festival by tripling in size
Canyon County Pride's inaugural 2024 celebration proved more successful than its organizers dared hope, with thousands of attendees, long lines at the entrance and a packed event space. Organizers responded by tripling the size of the 2025 event at Lakeview Park in Nampa. The 2,000 feet of temporary fencing around the perimeter was about three times last year's size, the number of booths grew from about 40 to 100 and the event ran for eight hours compared to last year's three, according to organizer Tom Wheeler. 'I'll never forget seeing a line up and around the park with thousands of people who were shoulder to shoulder in a very small space,' Wheeler told the Idaho Statesman as he recalled the 2024 event. 'And that's when I realized…that it's not that this was some crazy idea. I think Nampa and Canyon County were waiting for the door to be open to celebrate Pride and celebrate the diversity of Canyon County.' Volunteers stationed at the entrance of Sunday's event counted more than 4,000 attendees, which was about the same as last year, according to an entrance count done by organizers. The event, which ran from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., included a stage with musical acts and a variety of speakers, food trucks and booths with vendors and community information. Kristen Thom, co-owner of Canary Books in downtown Nampa, said she set up a booth because she wanted to help others access LGBTQ stories, especially in light of recent book bans at schools and libraries across Idaho. 'Having another outlet to get those books to people in the community can be really important, so we're happy to be here to be a vehicle for that,' Thom said. '…We just want these books circulating in our community, because there are people who need them. They need to read stories and feel seen and know that they're not alone.' Other locals also expressed the need for LGBTQ spaces within Canyon County, a largely Republican county where 72% of voters cast their ballots for President Donald Trump. 'Out in Canyon County, places like Caldwell, they tend to be very traditional and conservative,' Rylyee Cameron, of Caldwell, said. 'I haven't really been able to express my full authentic self up there, for fear of how people will react, and just harmful things that people have said at school that make me feel not safe. So it's really nice to be able to come out here to Canyon County Pride, where everybody's so accepting and loving, and I know that I'm not going to get bullied here.' Nikki Greer, another attendee, noted how much more accessible a Pride celebration in Nampa is for Canyon County residents. 'Not everybody can go to Boise to go to pride festivals,' Greer, 18, of Caldwell, said. 'Having one more in the area is a good thing.' The lead-up to the 2024 event became tense after Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling released a statement saying Canyon County Pride did 'not reflect the personal beliefs and convictions of myself, Nampa City Council, and many living in Nampa.' Wheeler said there was less push back this year. About 20 protesters stood at the entrance wearing shirts and holding signs with Christian messaging. They remained peaceful, handing out cards and offering to talk to attendees about religion. 'Last year, there was a little bit more hype around the fact that we were gonna throw a Pride festival,' Wheeler said. 'I think folks have more or less accepted that Pride is here. So it's actually been so smooth in terms of the response we've had from counterprotesters. We have our usual super fans who are here day in, day out, and we plan and expect for them. But everyone's being respectful, and that's the idea. We couldn't have asked for a better day and experience.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
As Boise area grapples with change, more homes get OK for busy transit corridor
There's no simple solution to the problems prompted by an ever-growing Treasure Valley. Increasing traffic, concerns over water rights or loss of agricultural land often dominate city council or planning-and-zoning commission discussions across Southwest Idaho. It was no different Monday, when the Nampa City Council grappled with and narrowly approved a nearly 1,500-home development on the northeastern edge of the city. Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling broke a tie when the City Council voted 4-3 to approve the development from San Diego-based Murphy Development Co. The development pays tribute to the region's farming history, though she — and other members of the council — struggled with ever-shrinking farmland. Kling said she didn't want to see the 78 acres of farmland at 17672 N. Can Ada Road, along the busy Ustick Road corridor, disappear or the area to keep growing. She said watching farmland be razed can put a pit in her stomach. But she said growth was inevitable, and Murphy had a right to develop the land. 'This is a good plan, it's a good development,' Kling said. 'When it's built out, I think that we're going to be really proud of it in our community.' The area has long been planned for development. The site is wedged between two Nampa special planning areas and Meridian's Fields District Plan Area, and is just over 1½ miles west of the under-construction Highway 16. In its place on the southeast corner of the Can Ada and Ustick intersection, Murphy Development would build 32 three-story and 17 four-story apartment buildings, several clubhouses, 10,000 square feet of market and retail space, an event area and children's play space. The amenity areas would fill pockets of open spaces between the building clusters, according to Renée Strand, the owner, principal and managing director of Holst Architecture in Portland. Most notably, the development would be centered around a 3-acre farm that could include U-pick flowers, seasonal crops and curated events, according to Strand. This could include pumpkins, hot cider or a Christmas tree lot, Strand said during a public hearing on the project in March. 'The heart of this neighborhood is really this 3-acre farm area,' she said at Monday's council meeting. The team, she said, is also trying to figure out how the farm could function in the off-season with cover crops to make it a year-round attraction. Plans call for a perimeter walking-and-biking trail that loops into a network of pedestrian paths. It would also include a tree orchard between the Ustick and the main entrance of the subdivision. The estimated $36 million development would likely take about 10 years to finish, according to Mike Arduino, a partner at Murphy Development. The plan sailed through the city's Planning and Zoning Commission in March with glowing support and no public testimony in opposition. But the City Council struggled. According to a March staff report, the development could add nearly 3,000 residents to the area — a behemoth amount for an area that a few decades ago was far from the heart of Nampa. That prospect discouraged several nearby neighbors, who spoke against the plans Monday. Neils Tidwell, who lives next to the development, said at least half of the property was a part of his family farm for over 80 years. Tidwell said he's watched the landscape change, and that nothing he could say could stop it. 'This is all going to turn into residential,' he said. 'Everything around us. It's already happening, and it's heartbreaking to me.' Katie Hassard, a nearby resident who has lived on a farm that's been in her family for around 50 years, said homes are filling the land around her and causing more congestion. She said though the Murphy Development project 'looks beautiful' with the 3-acre farm, she couldn't imagine the impact it would have on the area. 'They are paying homage to the culture of farming while wiping it out,' she said. 'Please remember us — that we are also important members of a good and healthy community that started here and want to continue here.' Kling, before her tie-breaking vote, said that the area has long been in the sights of development with Highway 16 coming through and a planned expansion of the Ustick Road corridor. 'When you punch the new road in, growth is going to come,' she said. Most of the concerns from City Council members who voted no were in line with residents' comments that the development was too dense and took away farmland, and that the city wasn't ready for the growth barreling toward it. 'The analogy 'if we're not growing, we're dying' is a hard one for me to stomach,' said Council Member Sebastian Griffin, who was undecided going into the vote but ultimately voted against it. 'If we're not growing, we're dying or we cut what we have and try to maintain for the interim until we can be better prepared for the amount of growth that we're going to have.' Council Member Victor Rodriguez, who voted no in part because of disappearing farmland and strained emergency services, put it bluntly: 'I cannot approve this based on the density.' Council Member Dale Reynolds, who voted yes, said that building up with higher density, rather than out, is exactly how the city could best preserve farmland. Plus, he said, the development will add to the city's tax base, helping to provide services. 'Going four stories to me is smart, because we save our farm ground by doing that,' Reynolds said. 'The people are coming here whether we want them to come here or not… This is smart growth.' Harris Ranch could soon add businesses, shopping & food carts. What's the plan? A historic Boise home could be demolished over safety concerns. What happened? For a snapshot of changing Treasure Valley, visit this Boise-area city Want to buy a unique Idaho property? You could shoot your shot with a gun range
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Idaho legislator wants to amend indecent exposure law after pride celebration in Nampa
A performer walks past the audience during the inaugural Canyon County Pride event at Lakeview Park in Nampa in June 2024. (Courtesy of Canyon County Pride) A Nampa legislator wants to amend Idaho's indecent exposure law after receiving complaints about Canyon County Pride. Idaho law currently defines indecent exposure as the exposure of someone's genitals in any public place. It's a misdemeanor on the first offense, and a felony on the second offense within five years. Rep. Jeff Cornilles, R-Nampa introduced a bill to the House State Affairs Committee on Tuesday to add to that law, also making it a misdemeanor to show the following in public spaces: Developed female breasts, not including those of someone breastfeeding a child Adult male breasts that have been medically or hormonally altered to appear like developing or developed female breasts Artificial breasts Toys or products intended to resemble male or female genitals The committee voted on party lines to introduce the bill for a hearing at a later date, with both of its Democrats voting against moving the bill forward. Rep. Todd Achilles, D-Boise, explained his vote, saying it targets four different groups of people. 'This explicitly targets trans Idahoans in terms of the language,' he said. 'Two, anyone with breast surgery is going to be targeted on this. Three, plastic surgeons are also targeted because they counsel people that get surgery. And fourth, anyone with a set of truck nuts hanging off of their rig is also going to be caught up in this thing for indecent exposure.' In June 2024, LGBTQ+ event organizers hosted an inaugural Canyon County Pride at Lakeview Park in Nampa, which included musicians and drag performers. 'There were a few individuals who attended last year who wore nipple pasties (which is legal within the Nampa City Code),' Canyon County Pride President Tom Wheeler told the Sun. 'This year, we will require everyone to wear a shirt.' The event was quick to become controversial within the Canyon County community, attracting protesters the day of the event. Nampa Mayor Mayor Debbie Kling even issued a press release saying the event went against her and the Nampa City Council's beliefs, but the city's lawyer said they had to respect the organizers' First Amendment rights, the Washington Post reported. Cornilles said Nampa City Councilmember Sebastian Griffin would testify in support of the bill. Wheeler said this year's festival has already been approved, and his team is hoping to have an even more successful year, tripling security measures, attendance and fundraising efforts. Canyon County Pride received official nonprofit status this year, and the event will showcase over 50 local art and resource booths, Wheeler said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
