The Eastern Idaho Public Health Board voted last week to put Bonneville County into the moderate risk level for COVID-19, requiring all people to wear face masks in public when social distancing is not possible.
The ruling also means that no events with over 150 people can take place, meaning that the beloved community celebration Ammon Days has been canceled for this year.
“I understand the purpose of [the vote] …it’s a sad thing,” Ammon Mayor Sean Coletti said. “We have to make some difficult decisions…to stop the spread [and] to bring the numbers down.”
Despite the disappointing cancelation of Ammon Days, Mayor Coletti said that now is our chance to stem the spread of the virus by working together.
“I invite [people] to consider that we can take advantage of this and really bring…these virus numbers down,” Coletti said. “No one likes when governments tell us what to do, but…if we don’t get it under control, I don’t know how many people will be affected by this virus.”
Bonneville County will have the face mask mandate until at least July 31.
The face masks mandate isn’t the only news in Ammon, quite the contrary, in fact.
Ammon was listed in a global report by New America, which said Ammon had the most affordable internet in The United States and the seventh-most affordable internet in the world.
Ammon was the only U.S. city in the global top ten list.
Mayor Coletti said that the key to Ammon’s internet affordability Ammon Fiber, their homegrown internet network that led to companies bidding for the lowest price.
Ammon even has a free internet plan through Ammon Fiber.
The impressive feat from the little Eastern Idaho city comes as a nice story amid a global pandemic that has had quite a negative impact on society in Idaho and around the world.
But, Mayor Coletti, and others, are ready to face this virus as cases surge state and nationwide.
“[This] will require us all to come together,” Coletti said. “Let’s do it.”