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