After Kootenai County passed a mask mandate on July 23rd, a small portion of the population breathed a sigh of relief, finally feeling like there might be some hope in stopping the wildfire that is the spread of COVID-19 in North Idaho. The mandate stated that failure to wear a mask in public settings would be classified as a misdemeanor offense, complete with a fine or possibly time in jail (“Kootenai Co. Sheriff,” 2020). Those in favor of mask-wearing celebrated, imagining the possibility of walking downtown without the fear of getting called names.
Unfortunately, over the course of the nearly three weeks that the mandate has been passed, not a single citation for failing to wear a mask has been issued. Continue Reading →