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 Saturday’s Tribune.
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GRANGEVILLE — Ben Detweiler and Dustin Elliott bought Western Meats from Kenny and Sheila Crawford who, according to Elliott, had owned the business for 18 years.
“We looked at the business and found that it was a solid business, had a good clientele. Kenny and Sheila just had built a really good, solid business model,” said Detweiler.
“I think it was really important for Kenny and Sheila to have the business stay open for the community. It’s really pretty necessary.”
Elliott remarked it was nice to work with Detweiler, since they’d worked together for several years.
“We both had a common interest and common work ethic,” he said.
The two added they didn’t really have plans for any changes yet, laughing that they’d just needed to “keep our heads above water” starting in such a busy season.
“We want to continue to provide the best and get better and better at what we do,” said Detweiler, “keep improving what we’re doing.”
Detweiler also emphasized their desire to keep a custom approach and provide more options for people.
Jim Schmuck, a meat cutter of 43 years added that he was an old-school meat cutter and felt it was still a professional courtesy to cut meats how people wanted it. He added, though, that he’d seen the industry move on from that service and “go away from real custom.” He emphasized his appreciation for Detweiler and Elliott’s efforts to keep that element in Western Meats.
“They’re doing it right,” he said, “They’re good guys.”
At Western Meats their main services are cutting pork, beef and wild game. In addition they have a custom smoke shop.
For information call Western Meats at (208) 983-0255.
— Kaylyn Ahrens, Idaho County Free Press (Grangeville), Wednesday
Brundage proposes resort fire department
McCALL, Idaho — Brundage Mountain Resort would start its own fire department to serve homes being built at the resort’s base area, under a proposal aired this week to Adams County Commissioners.
The Brundage Fire Protection Association would establish fire and EMS operations at the mountain instead of relying on emergency services in McCall and New Meadows that say they are already stretched thin by growth.
Brundage would buy a fire engine, an ambulance and equipment for the fire department’s staff, which is expected to initially include a part-time fire chief and volunteer firefighter/EMTs.
The resort expects to initially house the fire department in existing maintenance buildings at the mountain and would train ski patrollers who are certified EMTs to also be firefighters.
The department would be funded by the resort and fees paid by the owners of future homes at the resort’s 368-acre base area, including 32 homes expected to be complete in 2025.
“I think that’s the best solution for what we’re facing with the current situation,” Brundage Mountain President Bob Looper said.
The creation of the new fire district must first be approved by the Adams County Commissioners, which on Monday signaled support for the proposal.
Service gap
However, the county commissioners stopped short of approving the proposal amid questions about how service will be provided early next year when the resort is training firefighters and buying equipment.
A service agreement with McCall Fire and EMS, which the resort has contracted with since 2009, is set to expire on Jan. 1.
“We have to make sure there’s a firetruck coming when someone calls 911 for a firetruck,” Adams County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Boyd said. “We can’t hope and pray.”
The agreement cannot be renewed under state law because McCall Fire is no longer considering annexing Brundage into the McCall Fire Protection District, Fire Chief Garrett de Jong said.
“To annex them, we need to be able to provide them with service without reducing our service,” de Jong said.
Additional tax funding from Brundage would not cover increased costs for personel, equipment and apparatus McCall Fire would need to serve the resort.
The funding shortfall is the result of a law adopted in 2021 by the Idaho Legislature that caps budget increases for taxing districts at 8%.
“We had a consultant look at it, and it is mathematically impossible to maintain our current service level and service Brundage with current tax law,” de Jong said.
— Drew Dodson, The Star-News (McCall), Thursday
