🌱 Church Arson Arrest + Fast Car Parking Jam + Record Booze Sales

Hello, everybody! I'm here right on time with your fresh copy of the Boise Daily, filled with all the community information you need to know right now.

Welcome to the Saturday edition of the Boise Daily. An arrest has been made in connection with an arson fire at a Boise church and local firefighters did not catch much sleep as multiple grass fires were active overnight. Emmett will be home to racers and their crews this weekend and a state agency is requesting a cryptocurrency company to stop business in the state and return money to investors. Finally, Idahoans are drinking less booze, but the quality of what is in the glass is going up.

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Now, today's weather:

Sunny to partly cloudy. High: 90 Low: 60.

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Here are the top stories today in Boise:

1. A Boise man was arrested and charged with two felonies in connection with a fire at a local church. CBS2 news staff report 22-year-old Joshua Blair was found sitting in a pickup near the blaze at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church at 5645 S. Maple Grove Road. After questioning at the scene, Blair was arrested and charged with both felony arson and burglary in relation to the fire. (idahonews)
2. A combination of a wet spring pushing grass growth and a hot, dry summer continues to cause fire problems around Boise. KTVB-TV staff speak with firefighters who were involved in multiple blazes Thursday night and Friday morning. Three fires were reported near Lucky Peak and one fire was fought off of North Cartwright Road and Pierce Park Lane. A small grass fire was also reported off Interstate 84 near Blacks Creek. (KTVB)
3. Parking can be a problem for everyone, but this weekend, with over 35 nitro cars and their teams and semis coming into local Firebird Raceway, space to park is at a premium. KIVI-TV's Roland Beres previews this weekend's Nightfire Nationals, set to host a record number of racers Saturday and Sunday. Six people work just the pits at the speedway, turning once empty pits into a mini city for both local and nationwide racers. (KIVI)
4. The State of Idaho is stepping in to assist Idahoans with $60 million in funds locked up with a cryptocurrency company currently in bankruptcy. BoiseDev editor Don Day writes the Idaho Department of Finance issued a “notice of intent” to Celsuis, a prominent crypto lender, to “cease and desist from violation of Idaho financial regulations.” Celsius froze all withdrawals in June while also claiming $11.8 billion in assets. The Department of Finance reports 1,300 Idahoans have $59 million invested in the company. (boisedev)
5. Idahoans are spending more cash on alcohol than ever before. KISS-FM's Chris Cruise writes the Idaho State Liquor Division confirmed Idaho residents spent a record $305 million on drinking, a 3 percent increase over last year. However, the amount of volume went down translating to we are drinking the high-end stuff here in the Gem State. The best-selling stuff coming off the shelves was Tito's Handmade Vodka, picking up sales of $13 million. (1035kissfmboise)

Today in Boise:

• The Capital City Public Market is open Saturday with fresh produce from local vendors available. (9:30 a.m.)
• The Boise Public Library continues to hold Community Listening Sessions with Saturday's taking place at the Main Library. (10:30 a.m.)
• With all this heat, it may be tough to think of snow and Christmas, but Saturday marks auditions for the upcoming showing of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." (11 a.m.)
• The "KindYourMind" festival takes place Saturday in Nampa and is a free family event that brings awareness to the impact of violence and trauma. (11 a.m.)
• The Creative Space hosts the Wild West Comedy Show Saturday evening. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Boise Police Department: "It’s the end of a podcasting era here at BPD! After 29 years of service, Captain Bryngelson officially retires next week. For his very last episode, he asked his daughter Kylee to take over the podcasting studio." (Boise Police Department via Facebook)
• Visit Boise: "We don't want to be anywhere but here for the next few weeks... 📷: @odysseyaeronautics #visitboise #boiseidaho #summerinboise #visitidaho #quinnspond #exploreboise #liveworkboise" (Visit Boise via Instagram)
• Boise Bicycle Project: "This week, the Boise Bicycle Project is donating its 10,000th bicycle to young people in our community. BBP gives away upwards of 1,000 bicycles a year, in an effort to promote the personal, social and environmental benefits of cycling." (Boise Bicycle Project via Facebook)
• Zoo Boise: "Zoo Boise is the perfect campout for your family, scout, or youth group with a private Snooze at the Zoo! Sleep under the stars and surrounded by wildlife!" (Zoo Boise via Facebook)
• Radio Boise: "Here are the Top 10 Most Played from the week past. Enjoy!" (Radio Boise via Instagram)

Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you soon!

— John Braese

About me: Welcome to the Boise edition of patch.com. I am the community editor in this exciting endeavor for the Boise area. I was born and grew up in Boise, attending Bishop Kelly High School before graduating from Borah High School more than a few years ago. I have seen Boise grow substantially in the last few years, but still maintain my hometown appeal. I want to hear about what is important to you and the stories you wish to see on patch.com. Feel free to reach out to me via email at john.braese@patch.com or drop me a phone call or text at 208 954-9585.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Boise Daily? Contact me at john.braese@patch.com