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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 26, 2015)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2015 NORTH COAST 3A Beef, long tops in Malheur County, now No. 1 Strong cattle prices over past few years By KRISTI ALBERTSON The Argus Observer -$0,(621²)RUWKH¿UVWWLPH in two decades, beef is Oregon’s No. DJULFXOWXUDOFRPPRGLW\ 7KH2UHJRQ'HSDUWPHQWRI$JUL- FXOWXUHDQQRXQFHGWKLVVXPPHUWKDW FDWWOHDQGFDOYHVFODLPHGWKHWRSVSRW in 2014, unseating greenhouse and nursery products. It was good news for ranchers who have been bolstered E\VWURQJGHPDQGDQGVWURQJHUSULF- es for the last couple of years. In 2014, the industry brought LQ DERXW PLOOLRQ VWDWHZLGH ² XS SHUFHQW IURP 0DOKHXU County, in Eastern Oregon, was re- VSRQVLEOHIRUQHDUO\PLOOLRQ ³7KHUH KDYH EHHQ VRPH YHU\ strong cattle prices the last couple RI\HDUVDQGWKDWLVUHÀHFWHGLQWKH value of production for cattle and calves,” said Kathryn Walker, spe- cial assistant to the director of the VWDWHDJULFXOWXUHGHSDUWPHQW 7KHUH DUH WKUHH SULPDU\ FRPSR- nents of the industry — feedlots, cow-calf operations and slaughter- houses, said Doug Maag, whose IDPLO\ KDV EHHQ UDQFKLQJ LQ WKH -D- PLHVRQDUHDVLQFHWKHV 6L[PRQWKVDJRVODXJKWHUKRXVHV were down and feedlots were losing a bit as the cost to grain cattle for slaughter was high. “The cow-calf guy has been the strongest for the last four years,” said Maag, who has focused on the WZRIDPLO\IHHGORWVZKLOHRWKHUUHO- atives have raised cattle. “Very sel- GRPDUHDOOWKUHHFRPSRQHQWVRIWKH LQGXVWU\PDNLQJPRQH\DWWKHVDPH WLPH´ Ranchers running cow-calf pairs have done well recently because WKHUH KDYH EHHQ IHZHU DQLPDOV RQ WKHPDUNHW0DOKHXU&RXQW\&DWWOH- PHQ¶V $VVRFLDWLRQ 3UHVLGHQW &KULV Christensen said. Many ranchers reduced their herds in Texas after entering the third year of drought, he said. “They liquidated whole herds and a lot of cows went to slaughter,” Christensen said. :KHQ WKH SURGXFW EHFDPH PRUH VFDUFHWKHGHPDQGLQFUHDVHGZKLFK was good news for cattle producers. FOHVFRPHDQGJR,W¶VMXVWWKHZD\LW Concern about ³7KHVH EX\HUV ZHUH VFUDPEOLQJ operates.” monument listing IRU WKH OLPLWHG QXPEHU RI DQLPDOV Christensen said ranchers also out there,” Christensen said. “There Water a lingering challenge are concerned about the effect a ZHUHDOOWLPHUHFRUGKLJKEHHISULF- Vallad sees water as a lingering ZLOGHUQHVV RU QDWLRQDO PRQXPHQW es.” challenge for local ranchers. listing in the Owyhee Canyon- ³,QWKH¿UVW\HDUVRIWKLVYDO- ODQGV PLJKW KDYH RQ WKH ORFDO LQ- OH\ ZKHQ SHRSOH ZHUH KRPHVWHDG- dustry. Taking advantage ing, you saw water usage. Now, in 3URSRQHQWV RI WKH SURWHFWLRQ of good times In 2014, a calf right off a cow the next 100 years, you’re going to efforts point out that grazing is al- could bring in about $1,500, he said. see a big trend toward water conser- ORZHGLQZLOGHUQHVVDQGPRQXPHQW 7KLV\HDUWKHUHDUHPRUHFDOYHVRQWKH vation,” she said. “I tend to think areas under federal law, but local PDUNHWVRWKHSULFHOLNHO\ZRQ¶WEHDV it’s going to change the scope of ag producers worry such a designa- LQ 0DOKHXU &RXQW\ XQWLO VXFK WLPH WLRQ PLJKW FUHDWH D QHZ EDVHOLQH good for sellers. “It’s reduced this year. Next year, it DVZDWHULVPRUHDEXQGDQW´ that would allow for grazing re- Christensen said the federal gov- strictions in the future. will be lower again,” Christensen said. 6RPXFKLVRXWRIUDQFKHUV¶FRQWURO HUQPHQW LV DQRWKHU ZLOG FDUG LQ WKH “We’re squarely against that. IURPWKHZHDWKHUWRWKH:KLWH+RXVH cattle business’s future. The county 7KDW¶V MXVW XQDFFHSWDEOH WR WLH XS Deanne Vallad, who with her husband “ducked a bullet” when the U.S. Fish WKDW PXFK ODQG LQ D SDUN SURMHFW´ Jason has about 150 head of cattle and Wildlife Service decided not to &KULVWHQVHQ VDLG RI WKH PLO- outside Ontario, said producers have list greater sage grouse as an endan- lion-acre Owyhee Canyonlands to learn to take advantage of the good gered species, but there are linger- SURSRVDODFRPELQDWLRQRIQDWLRQDO ing land-use questions regarding the conservation area, wilderness, and WLPHV “When you have high highs, you’d birds. wild and scenic river designations. Maag said the ranchers need to better be getting your house in order “That will devastate the south- so you can weather the low lows,” she have a bigger say in what happens to ern part of county. That’s a lot of federal rangeland. said. acres,” he added. “That ground “Nobody knows better how to down in there, there’s a lot of big Maag agreed. ³:KHQ\RX¶UHPDNLQJPRQH\\RX handle that range than the ranchers ranches, cattle and grazing down in pay your debts, pay ahead a little bit. WKHPVHOYHV´KHVDLG³,IWKH\FKHDW WKHUH7KHUHDUHKXJHLPSOLFDWLRQV You plan ahead,” he said. “These cy- RQLWLW¶VJRLQJWRFKHDWRQWKHP´ in that.” Error: ‘Each dispatch call cost us at least $20’ Continued from Page 1A ‘Big mistake’ Fritts said the error oc- curred because the agency’s cost for operating expenses was added twice in budget spreadsheets. ³,W ZDV D ELJ PLVWDNH´ Fritts said. %HIRUH 3DFL¿F &RXQW\ &RPPXQLFDWLRQV GLVFRYHUHG the error, local agencies were overcharged for their use of 911 services. All saw their bill IRU ¿VFDO \HDU MXPS ² VRPHE\SHUFHQW According to the budget RYHUYLHZ 5D\PRQG 3ROLFH 'HSDUWPHQW SDLG PRUH WKDQ $120,000 for their 2015 dis- patch services, an increase RI QHDUO\ 7KH VDPH report stated Long Beach 3ROLFH IDFHG D KLNH RI PRUH than $19,000 and South %HQGSROLFH¶VELOOMXPSHGE\ FRPSDUHGWRWKH\HDU before. 5D\PRQG 3ROLFH &KLHI 'DYH(DVWKDPVDLGWRUHGXFH WKH H[SHQVH WKH GHSDUWPHQW used secretarial staff for PDQ\RIWKHLUFDOOVLQSODFHRI dispatch. “It got to the point where each dispatch call cost us at least $20,” he said. As a result of the error, )ULWWV VDLG HPHUJHQF\ DJHQ- FLHV ZLOO VHH PXFK VPDOOHU bills for dispatch services next year. ³$ PLVWDNH OLNH WKLV GRHVQ¶WMXVWUHVROYHLWVHOIZH will see it carry over into fol- lowing budgets,” Fritts said. 6KHVDLGVKHKDGQ¶WPDGHDQ error like this in her 20 years experience, so she was in new territory. Money discovered as tax increase proposed Spoor said she discovered the error as the county was debating whether to ask vot- ers if they supported a 911 tax increase to help fund dis- SDWFKVHUYLFHV3DFL¿F&RXQ- Fritts said historically, Spoor realized there had to be an error when she began ERDUG PHPEHUV KDYH EHHQ ZRUNLQJ ZLWK WKH ¿VFDO \HDU good at reviewing her bud- 2016 budget. “It didn’t line JHWVWRPDNHVXUHHYHU\WKLQJ XSIRUPHEHFDXVHRXUFRXQ- added up before it went to the David Glasson ty contribution was going FRXQW\,WZDVVRPHWKLQJVKH Pacific County communications administrator to be considerably less next relied on, she said. \HDU EXW VWDI¿QJ DQG RWKHU “In the future, I know I W\&RPPXQLFDWLRQVHVWLPDWHG sound barrier. She said she is son said. “It was unfortunate- expenses hadn’t changed,” QHHG WR EH PRUH GLOLJHQW´ O\MXVWDXVHUHUURUDQGLWZDV Spoor said the one-tenth of 1 percent looking into vendor options. Fritts said. “There also needs Spoor said she went over WR EH LQYROYHPHQW IURP DOO a big hit that no one caught.” sales tax would collect an- &RXQW\ FRPPLVVLRQ- HYHU\OLQHLWHPXQWLOVKHUHDO- parties to work as checks and other $250,000 for dispatch Finding the error ers have a separate budget ized the agency’s cost for op- EDODQFHV DQG PDNH VXUH HY- services annually. Spoor said the county de- Fritts built the spreadsheet spreadsheet with fewer de- erating expenses was added erything adds up. Those are FLGHG WR PRYH IRUZDUG ZLWK used to create the budget tails that did not include the twice in the agency’s budget WKHRQO\ZD\VWRSUHYHQWPLV- spreadsheets. the tax to create stable fund- IURP VFUDWFK 7KH SDJH error, Spoor said. takes in the future.” ing for the agency and re- GRFXPHQW ZDV VHQW RXW WR duce the cost that fell to local WKH DJHQF\¶V DGPLQLVWUDWLYH agencies. ERDUGDQGWKH3DFL¿F&RXQW\ ³:H GLGQ¶W IHHO OLNH WKH 6KHULII¶V2I¿FH HUURU ZDV LPSRUWDQW WR YRW- 3DFL¿F &RXQW\ &RPPX- ers because the bigger issue QLFDWLRQV $GPLQLVWUDWRU 'D- is still an issue at hand,” vid Glasson, who is also the Spoor said, adding that she /RQJ %HDFK FLW\ DGPLQLV- KDG VDLG LQ SXEOLF PHHWLQJV WUDWRU VDLG LW ZDV D PLVWDNH 3DFL¿F &RXQW\ &RPPXQL- PLVVHGE\HYHU\RQH FDWLRQV¶ EXGJHW SUREOHPV LQ ³,W¶V D GRFXPHQW IXOO RI VWHPPHG IURP D QXP- equations that a lot of people ber of issues. were contributing to,” Glas- “The cost for dispatch ser- vices is still increasing while The Astoria City Council state revenue is not,” she said. wishes everyone a Fritts said she believed the accounting error and 911 tax increase were unrelated. She said the county has seen their jo yo us budget costs increase and Ho liday wanted a way to create a sta- Seaso n . ble budget. Fritts said the agency has been developing new poli- Enjoy the lights and cies to build a lasting fund Holiday festivities EDODQFH 6KH VDLG WKH ¿UVW while shopping JDLQHG IURP WKH WD[ Downtown Astoria! will go into a reserve fund for Stores stay open late capital purchases. November 27th through After those funds are col- December 18th. lected, Fritts said at least 10 www.astoriadowntown.com SHUFHQWRIWKHPRQH\JDLQHG IURPWKHWD[HDFK\HDUZRXOG Customers can park go into the fund. She said ad- downtown longer than PLQLVWUDWLYHERDUGZRXOGGH- the posted time limit, FLGH KRZ WR XVH WKH UHPDLQ- *Danner 10% off. Sorry no phone orders, layaways, coupons, gift certificates, corp. charges or other discounts. except in metered Excludes previous sales, phone orders & special orders. Limited to stock on hand. LQJPRQH\ spaces, November 27th She suggested the dis- through January 3rd. ASTORIA: 239 14th St. • (503) 325-3972 patch’s 20-year-old furniture be replaced. “Dispatch is kind of a dis- PDO SODFH´ )ULWWV VDLG DGG- ing that there was carpeting on the walls that created a ‘It was unfortunately just a user error, and it was a big hit that no one caught.’ W A NTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber 2-H OUR SUPER SH OE SALE Frid a y, N o v. 27 • 7-9a m % OF F 25 * nearly everything P A CIFIC C O AST MEDICAL SUPPLY N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500 YOU ARE W ANTED for a rootin’ tootin’ NIGHT OUT ON THE TOWN Shine up yer fav’rite boots, grab yer Stetson, yer lady love and do-si-do on down to the Elk’s Watering Hole for a good ol’ fashioned hoe down Astoria Elks Western Night Saturday, November 28 | 5pm | $12/person 453 11TH STREET | ASTORIA G RUB : BBQ R IBS • G ARLIC M ASHERS B AKED B EANS • S ALAD & D ESSERT Costume Contest | Live Band | Raffles Sheriff Perry & Deputy Doug will be keeping the peace by thorwing the hoodlums in jail, so make sure you have bail money...just in case Astoria Elks is now open 6 days a week Monday, Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday at 4pm • Sunday 9am-4pm • Closed Wednesday 8:30-10:30 a m 10:30 a m -12:30 p m Va lu e L ift Cha ir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5 45 .00 T ra d itio n a l L ift Cha ir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7 95 .00 3-W heeled S co o ter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7 49.00 4-W heeled S co o ter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7 99.00 4-W heeled W a lker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $125 .00 Va lu e L ift Cha ir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5 7 5 .00 T ra d itio n a l L ift Cha ir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $845 .00 3-W heeled S co o ter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7 7 9.00 4-W heeled S co o ter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $849.00 4-W heeled W a lker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $140.00 AL L OT HER IT EM S 20% O FF AL L OT HER IT EM S 15% O FF 12:30-2:30 p m 2:30-4:30 p m Va lu e L ift Cha ir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $605 .00 T ra d itio n a l L ift Cha ir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $895 .00 3-W heeled S co o ter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $809.00 4-W heeled S co o ter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $899.00 4-W heeled W a lker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15 5 .00 Va lu e L ift Cha ir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $635 .00 T ra d itio n a l L ift Cha ir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $945 .00 3-W heeled S co o ter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $839.00 4-W heeled S co o ter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $949.00 4-W heeled W a lker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17 0.00 AL L OT HER IT EM S 10% O FF AL L OT HER IT EM S 5% O FF 1062 MARINE DRIVE and 2158 EXCHANGE ST (STE 106) ASTORIA Accredited by The Joint Commission We gladly bill insurance 503-338-0349 TOLL-FREE: 1-877-311-0349 HOURS: MON-FRI 8:30AM-5:00PM CLOSED SATURDAYS • 24 HOURS ON CALL SALES•RENTALS•DELIVERY HOME MEDICAL RESPIRATORY EQUIPMENT HEALTH CARE PRODUCTS