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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (June 3, 2015)
Wallowa Co unty Fair 2015 WALLOWA COUNTY FAIR GUIDE inside this issue! www.wallowa.com Enterprise, Oregon June 3, 2015 $1 Schools roll budget dice again City still mulling police report By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain The Public Employees Retire- ment System (PERS) issue has been settled in a new direction and schools are again gambling on po- tential outcomes. Patton On April 30 the Oregon Su- preme Court overturned a 2013 legislative decision that reduced public employee retirees’ cost of living adjustments from 2 to 1.25 percent. See BUDGET, Page A7 or supported by a sergeant for two months. The Enterprise department (QWHUSULVH 3ROLFH 2I¿FHUV normally has four full-time George Kohlhepp and T.J. RI¿FHUV LQFOXGLQJ WKH FKLHI Miller are still working over- when at full strength. Former time, carrying a department that chief Wes Kilgore resigned hasn’t been overseen by a chief in March, and Sgt. Michelle By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain Bloker is currently on medical leave. Other law enforcement is helping out, but only on emer- gency calls, said Wallowa County Sheriff Steve Rogers. See COPS, Page A7 FIREFIGHTERS PAY IT FORWARD Courtesy photo The old and the (relatively) new Enterprise fire trucks sit side by side for comparison. The 1993 Pierce (left) is Enterprise’s “new” truck. The 1974 La France (right) is now the “new” truck for Greater Bowen Valley FD. ENTERPRISE GETS ‘NEW’ 1993 TRUCK AT A DISCOUNT FROM PENNSYLVANIA, SENDS OLD TRUCK TO GREATER BOWEN VALLEY By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain T alk about getting your money’s worth. Enterprise Fire De- partment decided that 41 C HIEFTAIN WA L L O WA C O U N T Y Wallowa County’s Newspaper Since 1884 Volume 133 Issue No. 7 © 2015 EO Media Group years of service was enough for their 1974 La France fire engine and finally replaced it. With a 1993 Pierce custom pumper. The new(er) engine comes from Pennsylvania where a fire department with plenty of money was simply replacing what they considered “older” engines with brand new ones, said Paul Kar- voski, Enterprise fire chief. The new-to-Enterprise engine is “immaculate, spotless,” said Karvoski. “It has low miles and low engine hours and we paid $50,000 for it. Replacement for this engine is easily $550,000 and this particular truck could have brought (the Pennsylvania department) $125,000 for sure.” Enterprise didn’t pay the top price, because fire departments like to pay it forward and help a brother firefighter, Karvoski said. See FIRE TRUCK, Page A7 Festival of Arts opens Friday JCS super retiring FESTIVAL OF ARTS June 5-7 Joseph Community Center JOSEPH — Twenty-one Wallowa County artists will participate in the 33rd annual Wallowa Valley Festival of Arts, the weekend of June 5-7 at the Joseph Community Center. In all, this year’s show will feature 201 pieces of art from 88 artists, working in widely varying media, including every- thing from bronze and oil paint, to glass, SKRWRJUDSK\DQG¿EHU$OORIWKHDUWLVIRU sale. Wallowa County artists taking part in the weekend festival include Tom Clev- enger, Sam Collett, Robert Dawson, Mary Edwards, Jean Falbo, C. Rene Fleming, Jennifer Hawlins-Connolly, Teresa Hen- ke, David Jensen, Shelly Johnson, Aimee Jungman, Keith Kirts, Michael Koloski, Mark Kortnik, Leslie Leviner, David Martin, Kendrick Moholt, Tim Norman, Malcolm Phinney, Dennis Reinke, and Kirk Skovlin. The weekend begins with a special artist and patron’s reception on Friday evening, June 5, from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $25 at the door, but a limited number are available in advance for $20. Tickets are available via the Web at www.wallo- wavalleyarts.org. By Steve Tool Wallowa County Chieftain Courtesy photo Opening night at the 2014 Festival of Arts. The 2015 fest opens at 7 p.m. Friday, June 5, with the artist and patron’s reception. Admission includes the opportunity to preview the art before the public viewing days as well as a hand-painted wine glass, free wine bar, and hors d’oeuvres. Award winning artists will be honored as well as the festival judge, Paul Hoelscher, profes- sional artist and art instructor from Baker City who was a featured artist on OPB’s “Oregon Art Beat.” The show continues on Saturday and Sunday. Admission on those days is free. On Saturday there will be art demonstra- tions and music from 10 a.m. to 5 pm. The festival’s popular “Night of Quick Draw” is slated Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. (doors open at 6:30) with silent auc- tion, live music, food and no-host bar. Admission is $5 and artists will complete DZRUNRIDUWIURPVWDUWWR¿QLVKZLWKLQ 1½ hours. The festival concludes with Sunday’s free viewing hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Established in 1981 to showcase the bronze sculpture for which Joseph is not- ed, the festival has grown to include art of all media. JOSEPH — She led the school through such changes as consolidating the elementa- ry school into the junior high and high school complex and gaining charter school status for Joseph. But now Joseph Charter School Superintendent Rhon- da Shirley is retiring, even though her associates believe she’s still at the top of her game. “Mrs. Shirley is a vision- ary who will be missed at Jo- seph Charter School. Luckily, the programs and infrastruc- ture she has implemented are established and will be valued by many to come,” said JCS teacher Laurie Altringer. See SHIRLEY, Page A7