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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (May 13, 2015)
A4 Opinion wallowa.com May 13, 2015 Wallowa County Chieftain Bipartisan program merits full funding T he Land and Water Conservation Fund may be the most popular federal program you’ve never heard of. Relying on no taxes, it takes some of the proceeds from offshore oil and gas leases and reinvests those funds in outdoor recreation and conservation throughout America. It is national self- EDITORIAL improvement using assets The voice of the Chieftain that belong to all of us — a sort of savings account in the form of better state and local parks, as well as enhancements in national parks, wilderness areas, forests and wildlife refuges. Started in 1964, it is key to the creation and maintenance of “thousands of local SOD\JURXQGVVRFFHU¿HOGVDQGEDVHEDOOGLDPRQGV´ according to the Trust for Public Land. It was the creation RI:DVKLQJWRQ¶VOHJHQGDU\6HQ+HQU\³6FRRS´-DFNVRQ DWWKHUHTXHVWRI3UHVLGHQW-RKQ.HQQHG\ In a continuation of a tiresome pattern, last year Congress used only $306 million for intended purposes, siphoning away the bulk of LWCF money. In all the years, $17 billion from the LWCF has been frittered away. For the coming budget period, President Obama has asked that the entire $900 million in current funds be used as federal law requires. This request is strongly supported by Sens. 5RQ:\GHQDQG-HII0HUNOH\ The biggest project that may be funded in Oregon is WKH3DWKZD\VWRWKH3DFL¿FZKLFKZRXOGUHFHLYH PLOOLRQWRVWDELOL]H¿VKUXQVDQGLPSURYHSXEOLFDFFHVV with acquisitions in the Oregon National Historic Trail, WKH-RKQ'D\:LOGDQG6FHQLF5LYHUWKH&ROXPELD5LYHU *RUJH1DWLRQDO6FHQLF$UHDDQG-RKQ'D\)RVVLO%HGV National Monument. In the lower Columbia region, this SDFNDJHLQFOXGHVWKH:LOODSDDQG5LGJH¿HOGQDWLRQDO wildlife refuges. In Oregon, “Without full funding, some critical projects in Oregon like protecting the east moraine of Wallowa Lake, will never get completed and instead be lost to GHYHORSPHQWRURWKHUWKUHDWV´VDLG.HOOH\%HDPHU executive director of the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts. The plan to protect the east moraine, championed locally by Wallowa Land Trust, was ranked number 10 among over 40 ranking applications nationwide, so chances of the plan actually going forward are excellent — if Congress renews the LWCF, that is. In Willapa, $4.2 million would pay willing sellers for a 1,458-acre Willapa refuge expansion. According to the Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition: “Funds would acquire three properties next to the main unit. They would help protect and improve the overall health and IXQFWLRQRIWKH:LOODSD%D\ZDWHUVKHGDQGWKHDTXDWLF species within it. This acquisition would also create an opportunity to enhance and restore western red cedar forests to eventually re-establish late successional old- growth function. These areas are important to Federal and State endangered/threatened species and most migratory ELUGVSHFLHVXVLQJWKH3DFL¿F)O\ZD\7KHIHGHUDOO\OLVWHG PDUEOHGPXUUHOHWUHFRYHU\SODQLGHQWL¿HV6RXWKZHVW :DVKLQJWRQDVDVLJQL¿FDQWJDSLQVXLWDEOHQHVWLQJKDELWDW DORQJWKH3DFL¿F1RUWKZHVW&RDVW,QFUHDVLQJDYDLODEOH habitat in this area is critical to expanding the geographic GLVWULEXWLRQRIWKHPXUUHOHWZLWKLQLWVWKUHDWHQHGUDQJH´ This program clearly deserves continuing enthusiastic support by Congress. Generations of bipartisan support for this smart investment of national funds in local communities deserves to be honored and sustained. USPS No. 665-100 P.O. Box 338 • Enterprise, OR 97828 2I¿FH1:)LUVW6W(QWHUSULVH2UH 3KRQH)D[ :DOORZD&RXQW\¶V1HZVSDSHU6LQFH Enterprise, Oregon M EMBER O REGON N EWSPAPER P UBLISHERS A SSOCIATION P UBLISHER E DITOR R EPORTER R EPORTER A D S ALES CONSULTANT G RAPHIC D ESIGNER O FFICE MANAGER Marissa Williams, marissa@bmeagle.com Rob Ruth, editor@wallowa.com Stephen Tool, stool@wallowa.com Kathleen Ellyn, kellyn@wallowa.com Brooke Pace, bpace@wallowa.com Robby Day, rday@wallowa.com Cheryl Jenkins, cjenkins@wallowa.com P UBLISHED EVERY W EDNESDAY BY : EO Media Group 3HULRGLFDO3RVWDJH3DLGDW(QWHUSULVHDQGDGGLWLRQDOPDLOLQJRI¿FHV Subscription rates (includes online access) Wallowa County Out-of-County 1 Year $40.00 $57.00 6XEVFULSWLRQVPXVWEHSDLGSULRUWRGHOLYHU\ See the Wallowa County Chieftain on the Internet www.wallowa.com facebook.com/Wallowa | twitter.com/wcchieftain POSTMASTER — Send address changes to Wallowa County Chieftain 32%R[ Enterprise, OR 97828 Contents copyright © 2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. It rained breakage and pain -XOLXV&DHVDUZDVZDUQHGEHZDUHWKH Ides of March by a soothsayer and failed to listen. I wish a soothsayer had warned me to beware the Ides of April. Times have been tough up here on the Slope. I guess that into each life a little rain will IDOO,DP¿QHZLWKWKDWDQG,ORYH$SULO showers but this has been the most pain- ful and expensive April I can remember. $VD³GD\ZRUNLQJFRZER\´,JHWWR see a lot of beautiful sunrises and maybe some of the most beautiful country that is still around. I get to ride a good horse and have a hard time classifying the job DVZRUN:KHQ,JRWWKHFDOOIURP.UHEV Livestock to help process a few hundred cows I viewed it as a paid vacation. Part of the job required a couple of trips to Cecil, Oregon and included a day stur- JHRQ ¿VKLQJ RQ WKH &ROXPELD ZLWK D JXLGH7KH¿VKLQJZHQW¿QH:HKRRNHG six and landed four sturgeon, two too small and two too big but at least we didn’t have to gut any. My job was to gather and sort cattle IRU D WHFKQLFLDQ WR $, DUWL¿FLDOO\ LQ- seminate) a few hundred cows. There was no room for error as the job is very time-sensitive, down to a margin of less than an hour. I recruited Tio Simmons IRUWKH¿UVW&HFLOWULSDQGZLWKKHOSOLNH Tio everything went better than smooth- ly. It was the trip home when things started to go south. Climbing the grade out of Elgin my Ram Cummins with only 109,000 miles blew black smoke OPEN RANGE Barrie Qualle and engine parts out of the tailpipe. Had it towed to La Grande and Wendy Sim- mons rescued the trailer and horses. The TXRWHWR¿[LWWKHUHZDV,HQG- ed up having it done locally and saved about $6,000. I got no less than six calls from rancher friends offering me a spare SLFNXS WR XVH ZKLOH PLQH ZDV ¿[HG Vicky and Rob Olson wouldn’t take no for an answer and delivered a pickup for my use as long as I needed it. , KHDGHG EDFN WR &HFLO WR ¿QLVK WKH AI procedure, again time-sensitive, but without Tio’s help. He needed to prepare for pasture cattle he had coming. Things ZHUHJRLQJ¿QHWLOO,IRUJRWWKDW9LFN\¶V pickup had a short box and as I backed up and turned my trailer, knocked out the back window and dented the roof, $1,654.60. We had two days of gathering and processing the same cows, again WLPHVHQVLWLYH7KH¿UVWGD\ZHQWJUHDW but while gathering for the last day things deteriorated. Had the cattle to the corrals and they stalled. I went to start the lead and some calves started a run back. I was gaining on the lead calf and thought I would go by and turn around to bring them back. The calf was on the fence and when the calf stopped, my new horse made a great move to turn it and I didn’t. I managed to hold onto the reins causing my horse to walk around on my arm and back for a while. Five broken ribs and an arm that looked broke but wasn’t. It really hurt getting back on and pushing the cattle into the corral. Found out about the ribs a couple of days later. Couldn’t have got the job done without the help of a 13 year truant. Eli really stepped up and saved the day. Others in the area are also having their problems. Tyson Mclaughlin lost round two with his horse and is moving real slow. Might have to sell that one to DJRRGKRPHRXWRIVWDWH'DQ:DUQRFN failed to mark out his bronc at a brand- ing this week and received a no-score. He didn’t make the eight-second whistle anyway. After my wreck I received many phone calls from rancher friends of- fering to help with anything while I convalesced. Not a single call from an environmentalist. I have never met more decent and caring people than the ranching community. They will give you whatever they have if you are in need. It is heartbreaking that there are those that would try to deprive these decent people of their livelihood. I can’t help thinking that if they knew these people like I do they might change their minds and not be so vindictive. Barrie Qualle is a working cowboy in Wallowa County. Advocacy agency ‘into the Act’ ³*HW LQWR WKH $FW´ LV WKH QDWLRQDO campaign slogan celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act, and Community Connection of Wallowa County is getting into the act! More than 40 million people in the 8QLWHG 6WDWHV DUH RU ROGHU %\ WKH 86 &HQVXV %XUHDX SURMHFWV WKLV number will double, which makes im- proving the quality of life for older Americans even more important as we look to the future. Community Connec- tion of Wallowa County is a vital part of that future, receiving Federal Older Americans Act funding to support and implement programs that encourage wellness, nutrition, activities and social- ization for Wallowa County citizens. Meal sites at both Enterprise and Wallowa centers not only provide nu- tritious meals three days per week, they host a variety of classes geared toward senior health and wellness. Tai Chi, Pi- lates and Powerful Tools for Caregivers are just a few of the activities that are offered locally and are a direct result of the Older Americans Act funding. Wal- lowa County has approximately 7,000 residents, with Community Connection care, peer and Medicare counseling, transportation, home-delivered meals, legal services and medical equipment Connie Guentert FDQDOOEHDFFHVVHGWKURXJK$'5&$Q $'5& FDQ DOVR SURYLGH RSWLRQV FRXQ- assisting over 1,000 Wallowa Coun- seling to anyone who needs assistance ty seniors with various programs with in determining what care options best 2OGHU $PHULFDQ )XQGV LQ ¿VFDO \HDU ¿W WKHLU QHHGV DQG SUHIHUHQFHV ² LW LV a personal, caring atmosphere that aims 2013/2014. A program growing in popularity WREHQH¿WDQ\RQHWKDWQHHGVDVVLVWDQFH that Community Connection offers is If you need information and assistance the Family Caregiver Support Program, regarding health, safety, wellness, coun- focusing on the caregiver by offering re- seling or care, connecting with your lo- spite, training and connections that offer FDO$'5&LVHDV\ This month marks the Older Amer- the best support for families in the com- munity. If you know anyone who may icans Month in celebration of the Old- need help with transportation, house- er Americans Act — put into place 50 work, meal preparation or everyday as- years ago so every American is treated sistance, this program has proven pop- with care and respect regardless of age. ular and successful to individuals who In celebration, Community Connection will offer free transportation for people require care and support. Community Connection is also the over the age of 60 to and from meals at $JLQJ DQG 'LVDELOLW\ 5HVRXUFH &RQ- WKH(QWHUSULVHDQG:DOORZD'LQLQJFHQ- QHFWLRQ $'5& IRU (DVWHUQ 2UHJRQ ters throughout the month of May. For more information or to schedule 7KH $'5& LV D IUHH VHUYLFH RIIHULQJ the public information and assistance a ride, please call 541-426-3840. Connie Guentert is county manager affecting older people and people with disabilities — regardless of their in- for Community Connection of Wallowa come. Connection towards in-home County. GUEST COLUMN No ‘out of bounds’ in our forest To the Editor: 'R \RX ZDQW \RXU DFFHVV WR SXEOLF lands treated like a basketball game, where you have to worry about if you DUH³LQERXQGV´RU³RXWRIERXQGV´DQG having to live with the penalties of not staying within the boundaries set forth by the Forest Service? That is exactly what your life will be if the proposed designation of routes language and trav- el management plan are put into place on our National Forest. Currently you are allowed to openly and freely access the Wallowa-Whitman and Malheur National Forest via motor- ized means at your discretion unless oth- erwise noted by wilderness areas or areas VSHFL¿FDOO\WDUJHWHGDVQRQPRWRUL]HG Once roads areas are designated a use, all motorized use off those roads will be prohibited (within a given buffer along the road) going from an open forest sys- tem to a closed forest system. Much like the basketball court where you are not allowed to leave the court, motorized access will be disallowed from roughly LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 95% of your public lands. You may only play on the court the Forest Service al- lows, which will be along their selected roads, and if you play outside those lines you will be penalized up to $5,000 and/ or 1 year in jail. When did you turn over your right of motorized access to the US Forest Ser- YLFH" 'LG DQ\ RI \RX VLJQ D GRFXPHQW giving Mr. Montoya or Pena the author- ity to decide when and where you trav- eled? Offenses that will get you penalized if you go outside the designated area are — Firewood cutting, retrieving big game, dispersed camping, accessing his- toric berry and mushroom picking areas, accessing historic hunting areas, or sim- ply recreating in your favorite area, just to name a few. If you do not agree that our motor- ized access should be restricted, please contact Secretary Tom Vilsack (tom. YLOVDFN#XVGDJRY DQG 5REHUW %RQQLH (robert.bonnie@usda.gov) to let them know how their staff is failing our com- munities and families. John D. George Bates L etters to the Editor are subject to editing and should be limited to 275 words. Writers should also include a phone number with their signature so we can call to verify identity. The Chief- tain does not run anonymous letters. You can submit a letter to the Wal- lowa County Chieftain in person; by PDLO WR 32 %R[ (QWHUSULVH 25 97828; by email to editor@wallowa. com; or via the submission form at the newspaper’s website, located at wal- ORZDFRP 'URS GRZQ WKH ³2SLQLRQ´ menu on the navigation bar to see the relevant link).