Briefs June 16, 2010

Work resumes at Lucky Friday Mine

MULLAN - Miners resumed work at the Lucky Friday mine this past Friday, with operations kicking into full gear Saturday.

Underground operations at the Lucky Friday mine were placed on hold after a routine inspection the morning of May 27 unearthed deteriorated/damaged timber sets in the No. 2 shaft, according to Don Poirier, Hecla Mining Company vice president of investor relations and corporate development.

Teams were assembled to make repairs and Poirier said that there was surface work to be done at the site as well.

Repairs lasted two weeks and were completed in time for mining operations to resume Friday, according to Lucky Friday General Manager Mike Dexter.

"It was all Lucky Friday employees," said Dexter of the workers who made the necessary repairs to the secondary shaft.

Idaho teen meth use drops 52 percent

BOISE (AP) - The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest youth risk survey shows methamphetamine use among Idaho teens dropped 52 percent between 2007 and 2009.

That's compared to a decline of less than 10 percent among teens nationwide.

Gov. Butch Otter says the finding for Idaho may be due to outreach by the Idaho Meth Project, whose graphic ads aims to discourage youngsters from trying the addictive drug.

Otter, whose wife, Lori, is a big Meth Project supporter, says law enforcement, treatment and the Idaho Meth Project are making a difference.

He says, "The numbers are extremely encouraging."

Idaho teen meth use dropped from 6.4 percent in 2007 to 3.1 percent in 2009, the survey found.

Nationwide, meth use dropped from 4.4 percent to 4.1 percent.