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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 16, 2015)
A4 Op in ion w a l low a . com S ep t emb e r 16 , 2015 W a l low a Coun ty Ch i e f t a in F i r e c au s e s l o c a l s , v i s i t in g c y c l i s t s b o th t o m i s s ou t I h a s un exp e c t ed ly s l amm ed th e doo r on th i s w e ek ’ s e ag e r ly an t i c ip a t ed v i s i t to W a l low a Coun ty f rom Cy c l e O r egon . W i th t emp e r a tu r e s d ropp ing a w e ek in f ron t o f th e f a l l equ inox , and ev en a s w e w e r e s l e ep ing to th e sound o f ano th e r g en t l e r a in f a l l on ou r roo f s a t n igh t , Cy c l e O r egon ’ s t r ip p l ann e r s w e r e ED ITOR IAL on th e H a l fw ay - to - Jo s eph The vo ice o f the Ch ie f ta in l eg o f th e i r cy c l i s t s ’ jou rn ey . Th i s w a s an un avo id ab l e ad ju s tm en t g iv en th e p rox im i ty o f th e r e c en t ly sp a rk ed D ry Gu l ch F i r e , wh i ch i s now r a th e r s i z ab l e , and wh i ch qu i ck ly a long th e s am e s c en i c rou t e to ou r coun ty th a t Cy c l e O r egon wou ld h av e u s ed . Th e ab rup t ch ang e o f p l an c am e a s a d i s appo in tm en t o rg an i z a t ion s , m any o f wh i ch s tood to g a in a w e l com e sho t in th e a rm e i th e r f rom add ed l a t e - s e a son t r ad e o r th e don a t ion s th e Cy c l e O r egon o rg an i z a t ion m ak e s to lo c a l g roup s . L e s s t ang ib l e bu t equ a l ly v a lu ab l e , though , a r e th e l a s t ing imp r e s s ion s th a t c an b e m ad e upon v i s i to r s , and in th i s r e sp e c t W a l low a Coun ty m ay b e su f f e r ing a W e h av e no id e a ex a c t ly how m any m emb e r s o f th i s y e a r ’ s Cy c l e O r egon g roup h av e p ed a l ed in s id e W a l low a Coun ty b e fo r e , bu t ev en th e s e p r ev iou s ly v i s i t ing m emb e r s cou ld h av e t ak en aw ay som e th ing mo r e th an th ey exp e c t ed in 2015 — an imp r e s s ion o f imp rov ing cond i t ion s h e r e fo r b i cy c l i s t s . T o r e a ch En t e rp r i s e f rom Jo s eph , no doub t a numb e r o f th e cy c l ing v i s i to r s wou ld h av e e s ch ew ed th e mo s t d i r e c t rou t e , H ighw ay 82 , in f avo r o f th e long e r bu t p l e a s an t e r Hu r r i c an e C r e ek Ro ad , wh i ch h a s b e en w id en ed and i s now s a f e r th an wh en Cy c l e O r egon w a s l a s t h e r e . And any v i s i to r who took a mom en t to l e a rn abou t th e v a r iou s lo c a l p ro j e c t s and propo s a l s th a t a r e in v a r iou s s t ag e s o f p l ann ing cou ldn ’ t GUEST COMMENTARY C an th e Ind ep end en t P a r t y b e a m a gn e t ? L a s t Thu r sday wa s the dead l ine to jo in the Ind ep end en t P a r ty o f O r egon . V o t e r s a lw ay s h av e h ad th e op t ion to d e c l a r e th em s e lv e s Ind ep end en t . Bu t on Aug . 17 , th e O r egon S e c r e t a ry o f S t a t e g r an t ed m a jo r p a r ty s t a tu s to th e Ind ep end en t P a r ty . Th a t p a r ty r e a ch ed th e th r e sho ld o f h av ing mo r e th an 108 ,000 r eg i s t e r ed vo t e r s . On e o f l a s t w e ek ’ s b ig d e c id e r s w a s s t a t e S en . B e t sy John son . F ind ing h e r s e l f f r equ en t ly a t odd s w i th th e D emo c r a t i c P a r ty , John son mu l l ed th e coun ty ’ s w e s t e rn end a c c e s s ib l e v i a a n ew t r a i l -b e s id e - sh i f t , t a lk ing w i th an a r r ay o f co l l e agu e s th e - r a i l s , wh i ch wou ld b e a g r e a t ly w e l com e a l t e rn a t iv e a round O r egon . A s 5 p .m . app ro a ch ed , to th e h id eou s ly d ang e rou s ( fo r b ik e s ) c anyon po r t ion o f she backed o f f and r em a in s a r eg i s t e r ed H ighw ay 82 . D emo c r a t . Un t i l now , th e d r awb a ck o f r eg i s t e r ing M e anwh i l e , b a ck b eyond H ighw ay 82 ’ s e a s t e rn o r a s a n I n d e p e n d e n t i n O r e g o n w a s n o t sou th e rn t e rm inu s a t W a l low a L ak e , b i cy c l i s t s and vo t ing in th e s t a t e p r im a ry e l e c t ion , ped e s t r i an s a l ik e m ay r e l i sh th e id e a o f p a s s ing b e tw e en excep t fo r b a l lo t m e a su r e s . M a jo r p a r ty th e h e ad and th e foo t o f th e l ak e w i thou t h a s s l ing s t a tu s w i l l b r ing abou t an a r r ay o f ch ang e s , in c lud ing th e ab i l i ty to h av e an Ind ep end en t s l a t e o f c and id a t e s fo r m a jo r H ighw ay 351 . G r an t ed , cu r r en t ly con c e iv ed op t ion s fo r th i s p a r t i cu l a r p ro j e c t a l l c a r ry p r i c e - t ag s s t e ep enough to indu c e s t i ck e r sho ck , bu t th e f a c t th a t advo c a t e s and ag en c i e s a r e pu t t ing t im e and though t in to th e id e a anyw ay s e rv e s to h igh l igh t how h igh ly w e v a lu e th e non - mo to r i z ed mod e s in ou r b e au t i fu l a r e a s . Wh i l e mon ey and o rg an i z a t ion a r e impo r t an t in po l i t i c a l c amp a ign s , a good c and id a t e i s th e r a r e s t commod i ty . S en . John son i s a good c and id a t e . Th e Ind ep end en t P a r ty ’ s n ew s t a tu s i s p a r t o f a l a rg e r con t ex t in wh i ch m any O r egon i an s s e e th e D emo c r a t i c and R epub l i c an p a r t i e s a s l e s s r e l ev an t th an th ey on c e w e r e . A s th e sh a r e o f O r egon i an s d e c l a r ing th em s e lv e s Ind ep end en t h a s g rown , th e R epub l i c an P a r ty h a s s e en i t s fo r tun e s d im in i sh . Y e a r s o f e s t ab l i sh ing r e l ig iou s l i tmu s t e s t s fo r c and id a t e s h a s c r e a t ed a GOP t a l en t un ion s s e t a l a rg e p a r t o f th e ag end a in th e s t a t ehou s e . Wh i l e w e h av e no t a lw ay s ag r e ed w i th S en . John son ’ s p e r sp e c t iv e on som e o f th e s e d iv i s iv e i s su e s , sh e non e th e l e s s i s g enu in e in h e r a sp i r a t ion to und e r s t and and sp e ak up fo r th e in t e r e s t s o f th e O r egon b eyond th e d en s e ly popu lou s m id s e c t ion . John son t r i e s to g r a sp th e a sp i r a t ion s o f commun i t i e s th a t a r e w e l l aw ay f rom th e m eg a - c en t e r s o f Po r t l and , S a l em , Co rv a l l i s , Eug en e and M ed fo rd . I t i s a t ru i sm n a t ion a l ly , and no l e s s in O r egon , th a t th e two l a rg e s t po l i t i c a l p a r t i e s a r e e i th e r mo r e l ib e r a l o r mo r e h a s t r end ed tow a rd b e com ing a on e -p a r ty con s e rv a t iv e th an th e m a s s o f pub l i c s t a t e . op in ion th a t co l l e c t s in th e m idd l e o f th e Fo r a D emo c r a t l ik e John son , th a t sp e c t rum . shou ld b e good n ew s . Bu t in c r e a s ing ly Fo r th e Ind ep end en t P a r ty to p ro sp e r , th e D emo c r a t i c pow e r s t ru c tu r e (Hou s e i t n e ed s to b e mo r e th an a d e f au l t op t ion . Sp e ak e r T in a Ko t ek , S en a t e P r e s id en t T o b e com e a m agn e t , i t mu s t bu i ld a P e t e r Cou r tn ey ) s e e th ing s th rough a b en ch . I t mu s t h av e good c and id a t e s . l en s th a t i s sh ap ed in Po r t l and and th e W i l l am e t t e V a l l ey . And i t i s w id e ly a cknow l edg ed th a t th e pub l i c emp loy e e s S ch o o l h e a l th c en t e r unn e ed ed T o th e Ed i to r : LETTERS TO A f t e r r e ad ing th e SBHC in fo rm a t ion in th e cu r r en t Ch i e f t a in I wond e r ed i f I w en t THE ED ITOR th i s y e a r , bu t W a l low a Coun ty t ak e s a b a ck s e a t to no o th e r to the w rong m e e t ing . I wou ld d e s c r ib e pa r t o f th e s t a t e in o f f e r ing th e in t en s e b e au ty , m i ld c l im a t e , emo t ion s o f 90% o f tho s e p r e s en t b a r e ly r e - and r e a son ab ly good ro ad s th a t s e r iou s cy c l i s t s t ru ly s t r a in ed . Mo s t o f u s b e l i ev e th i s i s th e gov - r opo s ed SBHC wou ld rnm en t m edd l ing in ou r l iv e s . Th e s e cond P app r e c i a t e . So Cy c l e O r egon fo lk s w i l l undoub t ed ly t ry i t e p a r t o f t h i s i s h o w i t c a m e a b o u t . A p p a r e n t l y , ag a in h e r e in som e n e a r - fu tu r e y e a r , and ev en i f th ey don ’ t , s e rv e r ea l n e ed th i s h a s b e en o r ch e s t r a t ed in a v e ry qu i e t o th e Ed i to r : m ann e r b e tw e en WWMC , th e En t e rp r i s e T two -wh e e l e r s in in c r e a s ing numb e r s . —RCR schoo R eg a rd ing th e p ropo s ed s choo l b a s ed l bo a rd and Sup e r in t end en t , a my s t e - e a l th c l in i c (SBHC ) a t En t e rp r i s e S choo l s , r iou s g roup o f tw e lv e , a t l e a s t a coup l e con - h I n ev e r exp e c t ed th a t th i s wou ld b e s e en a s a subv e r s ion o f p a r en t a l r igh t s a round th e i r i ld r en and th e i r h e a l th . and app a r en t ly no commun i c a t ion s w i th th e ch Th rough my m ed i c a l p r a c t i c e and com - o th e r fou r c l in i c s in W a l low a Coun ty . i ty invo lv em en t o f 13 y e a r s , I know A f ew mo r e unknown i s su e s , wh a t i s mun USPS N o . 6 6 5 - 1 0 0 e r e a r e ch i ld r en in ou r commun i ty th a t th e ro l e o f th e coun ty , w i l l th e En t e rp r i s e th e a r e no t r e a ch ing . I h av e wo rk ed w i th th e s choo l r e c e iv e any comp en s a t ion fo r co s t s , w P .O . Bo x 338 • En t e rp r i s e , OR 97828 en t e r fo r W e l ln e s s , Bu i ld ing H e a l thy F am - w i l l SBHC d i r e c t p a t i en t s to WWMC i f th ey C l i e s , and th e A l t e rn a t iv e H igh S choo l and I a r e no t th e p rov id e r and a r e w e su r e th i s i s i av e s e en ch i ld r en s t rugg l ing a t hom e , and th e b e s t w ay to h and l e th e s e s tud en t s ? W i th h th in and ou t s id e o f s choo l . I am hop e fu l a c l in i c in th r e e town s , w i th in a f ew m in - bo a t th i s h e a l th - c a r e oppo r tun i ty w i l l b e a u t e s o f e a ch s choo l , m ayb e w e do no t n e ed th ew av enu e fo r imp rov ing th e i r ch an c e s o f SBHC and th e i r g r an t s th a t m igh t go aw ay n En t e rp r i s e , O r egon su c c e s s . and th e i r ru l e s and r egu l a t ion s . M EMBER O REGON N EWSPAPER P UBL ISHERS A SSOC IAT ION I und e r s t and th a t th e r e w i l l a lw ay s b e Roy and Ma rgy Ga r t en c o n c e r n s a n d f e a r o f t h e u n k n o w n . I r e s p e c t E n t e r p r i s e P UBL ISHER M a r issa W i l l iams , ma r issa@bmeag le .com though t fu l d i s cu s s ion and exp e c t th a t th e E D ITOR R ob Ru th , ed i to r@wa l lowa .com R EPORTER S tephen Too l , s too l@wa l lowa .com d iv e r s i ty o f id e a s now b e ing exp r e s s ed w i l l SBHC oppon en t s R EPORTER K a th leen E l lyn , ke l lyn@wa l lowa .com sh ap e a v i ab l e so lu t ion th a t w i l l wo rk fo r a l l N EWSROOM ASS ISTANT E l l io t t Sey le r , esey le r@wa l lowa .com i n v o l v e d . o u t n um b e r s p r o p o n e n t s A D S ALES CONSULTANT B rooke Pace , bpace@wa l lowa .com M i t ch e l l and Fo s s i l h av e imp l em en t ed G RAPH IC D ES IGNER R obby Day , rday@wa l lowa .com T o th e Ed i to r : SBHC s and mo s t r e s id en t s f e e l th a t th e s e O FF ICE MANAGER C he ry l Jenk ins , c jenk ins@wa l lowa .com Wh en I r e ad th e a r t i c l e abou t th e m e e t - h av e sub s t an t i a l ly enh an c ed th e l ev e l o f c a r e P UBLISHED EVERY W EDNESDAY BY : ing h e ld a t th e C lov e r l e a f , i t s e em s a s in th e i r commun i t i e s , e sp e c i a l ly r eg a rd ing EO M ed ia G r oup though Sh annon V e rn am i s th e on ly p e r - und e r s e rv ed ch i ld r en . son oppo s ed to th e SBHC , wh en in f a c t Th e En t e rp r i s e s choo l b a s ed h e a l th c l in i c th e r e w e r e s ev e r a l p a r en t s , m ed i c a l p ro - i s a ch an c e to imp rov e ou r commun i ty and S u b s c r i p t i o n r a t e s ( i n c l u d e s o n l i n e a c c e s s ) 1 Y e a r f e s s ion a l s ev en , who oppo s ed th e c en t e r th e h e a l th and w e l l -b e ing o f ou r ch i ld r en W a l l ow a C o u n t y $ 4 0 . 0 0 b e i n g i m p l e m e n t e d a t t h e s c h o o l . T h e r e w i t h o u t d e t r i m e n t t o t h e h e a l t h o r r i g h t s o f O u t - o f -C o u n t y $ 5 7 . 0 0 w a s no t a l e t t e r s en t hom e to p a r en t s o f th e o th e r f am i l i e s . I f e e l th a t w e , a s a commun i - ch i ld r en a t th e s choo l th a t th i s w a s in t end - ty , c anno t a f fo rd to f a i l th em wh en w e h av e ed to h app en , how ev e r , wh en mou thw a sh th e oppo r tun i ty to m ak e su ch a r e a l d i f f e r - en c e in th e i r l iv e s . S e e th e W a l low a Coun ty Ch i e f t a in on th e In t e rn e t n e e d t o s i g n f o r t h e s e t h i n g s . I t s e e m s t h i s “ I f i t i s t r u e t h a t a ch a in i s on ly a s s t rong www .wa l lowa . com wou ld b e som e th ing impo r t an t enough to a s i t s w e ak e s t l ink , i sn ’ t i t a l so t ru e a so c i e ty f a c ebook . com /W a l low a | tw i t t e r . com /w c ch i e f t a in r e c e iv e a l e t t e r hom e . i s on ly a s h e a l thy a s i t s s i ck e s t c i t i z en and POSTMASTER — S end add r e s s ch ang e s to Th e r e w e r e qu i t e a f ew “ I don ’ t know ” on ly a s w e a l thy a s i t s mo s t d ep r iv ed ? ” — W a l low a Coun ty Ch i e f t a in a n s w e r s t o q u e s t i o n s a s k e d , w h i c h b r o u g h t P .O . Box 338 on mo r e qu e s t ion s , l ik e th i s op t ou t , s in c e “Any so c i e ty , any n a t ion , i s judg ed on En t e rp r i s e , OR 97828 th i s u s e s g r an t mon i e s , wh a t h app en s th e b a s i s o f how i t t r e a t s i t s w e ak e s t m em - wh en th e gov e rnm en t r emov e s th e op t ion b e r s — th e l a s t , th e l e a s t , th e l i t t l e s t . ” — Con ten ts copy r igh t © 2015 . A l l r igh ts rese rved . Rep roduc t ion w i thou t pe rm iss ion is p roh ib i ted . and th i s b e com e s m and a to ry ? C h r i s t ina Mo t R en e e G rand i V o lum e 1 3 3 En t e rp r i s e En t e rp r i s e O f lo s t and found sh e ep and co inag e T o th e Ed i to r : #A l lL iv e sM a t t e r , suppo s e you h av e one hund r ed sh e ep in you r c a r e , and you lo se on e o f th em . Do you no t l e av e th e n in e- ty -n in e and go a f t e r th e on e ? And wh e n you ’v e found i t pu t i t on you r shou ld e rs and go hom e ? Th en c a l l to you r f r i end s an d n e ighbo r s and s ay , ‘R e jo i c e w i th m e ! I h ave found my lo s t sh e ep ! ’ O r suppo s e you h av e t en s i lv e r co in s , and you lo s e on e o f th em . you ’v e found i t ? And wh en you ’v e found it c a l l to you r f r i end s and n e ighbo r s and s ay , ‘R e jo i c e w i th m e ! I h av e found wh a t I h av e lo s t ! ’ A l l th a t w e h av e b e long s to you , an d you a r e a lw ay s w i th u s ! Bu t i t i s r igh t to go look ing fo r wh a t you ’v e lo s t . And r ew E squ ib el En t e rp r i se Good r ea son s to w e l com e wo lv e s T o th e Ed i to r : A s Th e vo i c e o f th e Ch i e f t a in no t ed ( “C a l i fo rn i a g e t s wo l f exp e r i en c e , ” S ep t . 9 ) , C a l i fo rn i a i s p r iv i l eg ed to ho s t a n ew wo lf p a ck . W o lv e s h av e b e en in s t rum en t a l in r e- s to r ing b io log i c a l d iv e r s i ty in th e No r th e r n Ro cky Moun t a in s , in c lud ing in c r e a s ing the numb e r o f song b i rd s , p rongho rn s , lynx- e s and o th e r sp e c i e s , wh i l e s imu l t an eou s - ly imp rov ing th e e co logy o f v i t a l r ip a r i a n sy s t em s . R e c en t ly , r e s e a r ch e r s found th a t wo lv e s in th e G r e a t L ak e s r eg ion h av e the s am e t roph i c - c a s c ad ing e f f e c t s on th e i r e co - sy s t em s . W o lv e s h e lp s c av eng e r s l ik e g r i z - z ly b e a r s and b a ld e ag l e s , and a l so h e lp k e e p a ch e ck on sm a l l e r p r ed a to r s . Th e i r l e f t -ov e r c a r r ion a f f e c t s so i l nu t r i en t s , so i l m i c rob e s and p l an t qu a l i ty . s and Mon t an a — s t a t e s w i th mo r e wo lv e th an O r egon o r C a l i fo rn i a — wo lv e s too k l e s s th an on e p e r c en t o f l iv e s to ck inv en to - r i e s . A c co rd ing to th e USDA N a t ion a l Ag - r i cu l tu r a l S t a t i s t i c s S e rv i c e d a t a , mo r e an i - m a l s in r an ch e s d i e f rom w e a th e r , d i s e a s e, th e f t , po i son ing and b i r th ing p rob l em s