Stories in this Regional News Roundup are excerpted from weekly newspapers from around the region. This is part two, with part one having appeared in Sunday’s Tribune.
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MCCALL — Perpetua Resources has received the first of about 50 permits needed to operate its proposed gold and antimony mine near Yellow Pine, the company announced recently.
The permit covers preventing air pollution for every aspect of Perpetua’s proposal, including mining, construction and ore processing.
The permit requires Perpetua to follow state and federal air quality standards, as well as conditions set by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, which approved the permit.
The permit limits mining to 180,000 tons per day and ore processing to 25,000 tons per day to limit pollution from dust and mining equipment.
The permit also requires regular monitoring reports to the DEQ.
“The approval demonstrates our commitment to comply with state and federal standards and the dedication of our team to fulfill the requirements of the permitting process,” Perpetua CEO Laurel Sayer said.
Perpetua’s application for the DEQ permit was submitted in 2019 and public comments were sought the last three years.
Perpetua still needs about 50 permits and approvals before it can begin work on its proposed Stibnite Gold Project on 1,740 acres near Yellow Pine.
“Nearly all of our permits are in process,” said Mckinsey Lyon, a Perpetua spokesperson. “We anticipate we can have the required approvals and begin construction by mid-2024.”
The most significant permit needed is approval of the project’s operating plan by the Payette National Forest.
The Payette expects to release a draft study on the plan this summer with a final decision expected by the end of 2023.
Perpetua is currently working to get water quality permits from the DEQ, Lyon said.
Those permits would include the use of cyanide to process ore, protecting wetlands and restoring damaged or contaminated streams.
Perpetua must work with Valley County on several of the permits, including a permit to construct mine facilities.
That review would include making sure Perpetua’s plans meet county laws that limit nighttime light pollution and determining which plants will be used for landscaping.
Perpetua has spent about $300 million since 2009 on the Stibnite Gold Project.
— Drew Dodson, The Star-News (McCall), Thursday
Garfield native buys local meat shop on handshake deal
GARFIELD — After more than 25 years, owner Tom Tevlin has sold Garfield Meats.
The new owner is 40-year-old Garfield native Robby Riedinger.
Tevlin, 60, originally from the Tri-Cities, bought the meat shop at 102 N. Third St. in October 1996.
The shop has been processing meat for Whitman County and the surrounding region since 1955. The shop is open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“I had worked at Dissmore’s for two years, and my friend kept bothering me to buy the meat shop in Garfield,” Tevlin said. “I did in 1996, and then we slowly grew.”
Tevlin said he has know Riedinger since he was a freshman in high school, and that they were both comfortable with how they went about their deal.
“It was one of those handshake deals. We didn’t have lawyers, and not much paperwork,” Riedinger said. “It was just a meeting at his house.”
“Robby was asking if he could take it over for a year or so,” Tevlin said. “The lady at the bank thought we were insane.”
He explained that Reidinger had interned for six months with no pay in November last year.
“He was just working and making sure he wanted to do it,” Tevlin said.
“When I first bought the shop, he said give me money, I give you my shop,” Riedinger said. “We agreed on terms, and said, ‘Let’s do it.’ ”
“My biggest goal is to keep the shop going,” Tevlin said. “We service Whitman County and areas beyond.”
Tevlin explained that the shop was started in February 1955 by Roy and Teresa Hasenoehrl, who owned it for 37 years.
Riedinger grew up in Garfield, and is the fourth owner of Garfield Meats.
“I remember others having it. He’s built an empire here, and it’s my job to continue the legacy,” he said. “I don’t take the fact that I’m the fourth to own it lightly.”
Neither Riedinger nor Tevlin take their job butchering lightly.
“I appreciate Whitman County. I’ve lived in Orville, Chewelah, Ritzville and Colfax,” Tevlin said. “This county took me in, and I feel like I’m home.
“Character counts here, and I hope people feel the same about me.”
Riedinger agreed.
“They do — the amount of respect I’ve gotten. They see it as, 'Tom trusts you, I trust you,' ” he said. “That should say a lot about you.”
Both think highly of the people they serve.
“They’re looking to invest, because they will give the shirt off their back,” Riedinger said of county residents.
The shop offers custom butchering of beef, pork, sheep and lambs; cut and wrap; and on-site slaughter services.
Riedinger is even working on selling some custom-made meat products.
“Everything, but fins and feathers. That’s your phrase,” Riedinger said to Tevlin.
To which Tevlin asked Riedinger, “What would you say you do better than me?”
“Nothing, yet.” Riedinger responded.
“Don’t sell yourself short. He’s here seven days a week, he’s motivated,” Tevlin said. “He has a smoker house, so does his own smoking. Tell what you’ve got going on.”
“I’ve got jerky, pepperoni, snack sticks that we’re selling,” Riedinger said.
On Garfield May Days, the shop held a raffle for custom-made products.
The winner of the raffle was Jim Mortland.
Both former and current owner agreed that their handshake deal and just signing a purchase agreement was an old-school way of going about business.
But they have no regrets.
“We all should be able to shake a hand and make a business deal,” Tevlin said. “We should be able to look at our neighbors and think, 'he’s deserving of that.' ”
“It warms my heart that there’s still deals that come together like that,” Reidlinger said. “To me, a handshake still means a lot.”
— Teresa Simpson, Whitman County Gazette (Colfax), Thursday
