40 Years Ago

A five-year master development plan for the Lewiston Fire Department will be prepared by a citizens advisory, committee, under the direction of the Lewiston City Council.

Applications will be sought within the next few weeks from persons interested in serving on the committee. The final selection of 15 to 20 people will be made by the council probably by mid-February.

Fire Chief Merle D. Frank said the department has never had a master plan that extended much beyond each budget year. “It’s always been crisis management,” he said.

BOISE — A bill boosting Idaho’s legal drinking age from 19 to 21 has cleared the first hurdle in the legislature.

With only a couple minutes discussion Friday, the House State Affairs Committee voted overwhelmingly to print and introduce Rep. Linden Bateman’s measure to raise the legal drinking age as of Oct. 1, 1986.

The committee debated the bill earlier in the week, but stalled action when some members questioned whether the measure would ban persons ages 19 and 20 from working in grocery stores, taverns or restaurants serving beer and wine.

But Bateman told members Friday the measure would allow workers ages 19 and 20 to continue working in such establishments, although they couldn’t legally consume alcohol until reaching age 21.