9-Year-Old Colorado Boy Gets Town to Throw Out Ban on Snowball Fights

Dane Best, a 9-year-old boy from the small, snowy town of Severance, Colorado, on Monday convinced town leaders to overturn a nearly century-old ban on snowball fights. When town board members asked Dane who he wants to pelt with snow, he pointed directly at his little brother. Kyle Rietkerk, assistant to the town administrator, said the snowball rule was part of a larger ordinance that made it illegal to throw or shoot missiles, as snowballs fell under the town’s definition of “missiles.” “All of the kids always get blown away that it’s illegal to have snowball fights in Severance,” Rietkerk said before the meeting. “So, what ends up happening is (town leaders) always encourage the kids with, ‘You have the power you can change the law.’ No one has.” Best stepped up to the plate, leading his classmates to write letters in support of overturning the ban. The town’s board members voted unanimously to lift the ban. Best’s 4-year-old brother, Dax, better watch out.