Dad and daughter complete Wallowa Lake Triathlon
PAGE A8
Enterprise, Oregon
www.wallowa.com
Issue No. 22
September 16, 2015
$1
&yFle 2reJon viVit VFraSSed Ey ¿ re
By Steve Tool
Wallowa County Chieftain
The fast-growing Dry
Gulch ¿ re burning just 7
miles from Richland caused
of¿ cials of Cycle Oregon to
re-route the bike ride, com-
pletely bypassing the Wal-
lowas and erasing a potential
boon for area merchants and
non-pro¿ t groups.
Cycle Oregon, with its 2,400
bike riders and support staff,
was scheduled to spend more
than a day at Wallowa Lake be-
fore moving on to La Grande.
The ¿ re started on the af-
ternoon of Sept. 12 and quick-
ly spread through dry brush
”
THE IMPACT ON THE VILLAGE AT THE LAKE IS A LOT,
THAT’S ALL I’VE GOT TO SAY.
Michael Lockhart, owner of the Wallowa Lake Tramway
and timber, consuming thou-
sands of acres and causing
area evacuation notices and
forcing the closure of High-
way 86, part of the Cycle Ore-
gon route. While the highway
is reopened, heavy ¿ re traf¿ c
and logistical dif¿ culties in
the area caused ride of¿ cials
to re-route this tour segment.
The ¿ re is 20 percent con-
tained, and its cause is still
POT OF GOLD
MARIJUANA LAW OPENS
MONEYMAKING DOORS
New store offers
smoking accessories
By Steve Tool
Wallowa County Chieftain
With the passing of Ballot Measure 91, which allows for the rec-
reational use of marijuana, new business opportunities have emerged
for those with an entrepreneurial frame of mind. The Peace
Pipe recently opened its doors at 9b S. Main St. in
Joseph, offering a wide variety of smoking
accessories aimed at, but not
limited to, marijuana smok-
ers.
The store is owned by partners Sean
Flanagan and Michelle Kramer. Flanagan
has lived in the county for about a dozen years.
Prior to opening the store, he worked for the Wal-
lowa Lake Resort, where he continues to serve in a lim-
ited capacity.
The couple initially looked at a number of area business opportu-
nities, including purchasing Mt. Emily Brewery in La Grande, before
settling on the idea that a smoking accessories store would be a great
draw for Joseph.
“We brainstormed it, found a building and distributors, started
buying display cases and we just opened the doors. We knew there
was a market here because our nearest competi-
tor is well over an hour from here,” Flanagan said.
“We always knew we’d be in some kind of busi-
ness together,” Kramer added.
Despite Joseph City Council’s use of zoning
laws to effectively eliminate the possibility of a
marijuana dispensary of any kind within the city
limits, Flanagan and Kramer said Joseph City Hall
was very supportive of their business endeavors.
Somewhat surprisingly, the couple is supportive
of the city dispensary ban because of the small
returns the city would get after the state takes its
slice of the tax pie.
See STORE, Page A7
Steve Tool/Chieftain
The Peace Pipe co-owners Michelle Kramer and
Sean Flanagan pose next to just a few of their
offerings, including their amazing hookah.
under investigation.
It’s hard to calculate the
economic impact of some-
thing that didn’t happen, but
businesses in Wallowa Coun-
ty had geared up to serve
more than a thousand poten-
tial customers.
See CYCLE, Page A6
County
ponders
‘opt-out’
By Kathleen Ellyn and
Elliott Seyler
Wallowa County Chieftain
Wallowa County
Commissioners had
a brief discussion of
whether or not to opt out
of the marijuana issue at
the regular commission-
ers meeting Sept. 8. The
direct opt-out opportuni-
ty (HB3400) was allowed
for counties with at least
60 percent voter opposi-
tion to Measure 91. Wal-
lowa County recorded a
61 percent opposition.
The discussion was
brief because informa-
tion on the bene¿ ts and
problems of allowing the
sale of marijuana is still
coming in.
“We can, by a stroke
of a pen, opt out,” said
Commissioner Mike
Hayward. “Maybe that’s
exactly how we want to
do that, maybe not.”
The problem is that
it is impossible to tell,
at this time, how much
money Wallowa County
could ink into the “bene-
¿ ts” column if commis-
sioners don’t opt out.
The state will keep
90 percent of its col-
lected tax and license
revenue for speci¿ ed
programs including (in
order of percentage): the
common school fund,
mental health alcoholism
and drug services, State
Police, city and county
law enforcement, Oregon
Health Authority for Al-
cohol and Drug Abuse.
Until July 2017, the
10 percent that the state
shares will go to cities
based on population dis-
tribution — the larger the
population of a city, the
more money it will get.
See COUNTY, Page A7
Potential police chiefs Chambers merger proposed
coming to Enterprise
By Kathleen Ellyn
Wallowa County Chieftain
By Kathleen Ellyn
Wallowa County Chieftain
The top four candidates for
Enterprise police chief have
been asked to be ready to come
to town and bring their wives,
according to the police chief
evaluation committee set up
by Enterprise city councilors.
“Some are coming a long
way and all are excited to
come out here,” said city ad-
ministrator Michele Young.
The evaluation commit-
tee included members of the
public and was advised on
terminology and credentials
by Wallowa County Sheriff
Steve Rogers.
The city received eight ap-
plications and has narrowed
their selection to four top
picks.
Wallowa County Commissioners heard a
presentation Sept. 8, by Joseph Chamber of
Commerce President Becky Rushton proposing
a relocation of the Wallowa County Chamber of
Commerce of¿ ces to Joseph and potentially re-
naming it the Joseph-Wallowa County Chamber
of Commerce.
Both actions, Rushton said, would take advan-
tage of the well-known draw of Joseph without
disrupting the broader mission of promoting the
entire county.
See CHIEFS, Page A6
See MERGER, Page A7
Kathleen Ellyn/Chieftain
Mike Maslach helps a photographer plan a
route that will take him near places featured
in the published work of local photographer
David Jensen.