PAGES 8-10 FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2018 VOLUME 91, NUMBER 34 WWW.CAPITALPRESS.COM $2.00 STILL TALL IN THE SADDLE Brad Carlson/Capital Press Rick Bean of RC Bean Saddlery south of Star, Idaho, tightens conchos on a saddle. In an internet-dominated retail world, tack shops survive by featuring hand-made, one-of-a-kind wares By BRAD CARLSON Capital Press O n a recent Friday in New Plymouth, Idaho, Flying V Saddlery owner Jerry Vincent is found not in his colorful retail shop but in- stead in a back room where he is skillfully working a small strip of leather that will become bridle reins. “We have to do a super-good job,” said Vincent, 75, as he meticulously worked the leather. “We have to take care of our customers.” Thirty miles to the southeast, near Star, Idaho, Rick and Kristie Bean welcome a handful of customers — including hobbyists and a couple of horse-industry professionals — to the larger of their two shops. No one walks out with a big-ticket purchase, but almost ev- eryone talks about current needs and future wants. Rick Bean, 57, then goes back to work on a saddle, as he has done for 40 years. “My love is not just to be a saddle-maker,” Rick Bean said. “I kind of evolved into a leather artist be- cause I have built high-end saddles.” Jerry Vin c Brad Ca Idaho, s ent of Flying V S rlson hows cu stom We addlery in New /Capital Press employe Plymouth stern pu e crafted rse , to broad en the p s he and an roduct lin e. Turn to TACK, Page 12 Wildfires burn 6 million acres across West By BRAD CARLSON Capital Press Associated Press File More than 6 million acres of the West have been burned this fire season. Vicki Markley remembers the scene vividly. The owner of Pinehurst Cabins & RV Park stood on her doorstep two weeks ago as the Rattlesnake Creek Fire approached from across U.S. Highway 95 south of Riggins, Idaho. “It was burning right across the street,” she said. “Helicopters were dip- ping right out of the (Little Salmon) river here.” Neither people nor property in the immediate area were hurt, she said, and the fire eventually reversed course and moved away from the resort property. But as of Aug. 21 the Rattlesnake Creek Fire remained only 28 percent con- tained, and the Boise-based National In- teragency Fire Center pegged it at 8,135 acres. It’s one of thousands of fires burn- ing in a busy Western wildfire season. Through Aug. 21, 41,563 fires have burned more than 6 million acres across the West. For the same period of 2017, there were 42,977 fires that burned nearly 6.48 million acres. Jennifer Jones, a U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman at NIFC, said that on a 1-to- 5 scale the current preparedness level is 5. Court reinstates suspended WOTUS rule By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Capital Press A U.S. District Court in South Carolina has reinstated the controversial 2015 Waters of the United States rule that expanded EPA and Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. District Judge David Norton last week ruled the Trump administration failed to comply with rulemaking requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act in suspend- ing rule. Norton ruled that while different adminis- trations may implement different regulatory priorities, they must comply with procedural requirements. Specifically, the government provided no “reasoned analysis” for suspend- ing the rule and no “meaningful opportunity” for public comment, Norton stated. The judge enjoined the suspension rule nationwide. But two federal courts — one in North Dakota covering 13 states and one in Georgia covering 11 states — have blocked Turn to WOTUS, Page 12 This year, Australia and New Zealand senior firefighters and U.S. active-duty military soldiers arrived at the start of August rather than near the end of the month, as in the past, indicating staff and resources were stretched thinner, earlier, she said. “It also feels different to have so much fire ‘on the board’ in such a widespread area,” she said. For example, Colora- do and Wyoming still have active fires, whereas those states usually aren’t in play to a large extent this time of year. “It’s rare for us to go into the end of Turn to WILDFIRES, Page 5 States affected by 2015 WOTUS Maine N.H. Vt. Wash. Minn. Ore. Mich. Iowa Ohio Ill. Calif. Penn. Va. Ten. Okla. Source: American Farm Bureau Federation Capital Press graphic N.Y. Texas Miss. La. Mass. R.I. Conn. N.J. Del. Md. D.C. Hawaii