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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2015)
Wallowa County Chieftain News wallowa.com December 9, 2015 A7 FFA chapters selling Christmas trees Cannabis research task force appointed Wallowa County Chieftain Both the Joseph Charter School and Wallowa High School FFA chapters are of- fering just the tree you need to shelter your family’s gifts. JCS started selling their trees Dec. 5. Of their original 90-tree order, only 35 were left for the taking as of Tues- day afternoon. Emma Hite, vice president of the JCS chapter, said you can contact her outside of school hours at 541-263-1808 to re- serve a tree. Customers also can call the school of¿ce at 541- 432-7311 to make an appoint- ment to stop by the school and either Hite or chapter president Raymond Seal will help you ¿nd the perfect tree. Tree prices are $30-$40, and tree species offered in- clude Sub-Alpine Fir, Grand Fir and Con-Color Fir. On Dec. 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Wallowa High School FFA chapter will sell Christmas trees from Paradise By Paris Achen Capital Bureau Steve Tool/Chieftain Joseph Charter school FFA member Kade Kilgore prepares to show off a tree to a prospective customer on Dec. 5, the opening day of tree sales. The chapter sold 55 of their 90 trees that day. The Wallowa High School FFA chapter is selling trees from their school parking lot on Dec. 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tree farm out of Flora at the high school parking lot. FFA members are available to load your tree. To reserve a tree, call the school at 541-886-2951. The chapter offers Grand Fir and Sub-Alpine Fir trees priced at $30-$50 depending on size. GOP wants probe of energy tax credit allegations By Hillary Borrud Capital Bureau SALEM — A group of Republican state lawmakers are calling for a probe of alle- gations that employees at the Oregon Department of Energy and Department of Revenue violated state law on energy tax credits, engaged in favorit- ism and allowed some people to evade capital gains tax. The lawmakers outlined the allegations in letters sent Monday to Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, the state’s U.S. Attorney, the FBI, the IRS and Marion Coun- ty District Attorney Walter Beglau. The legislators who sent the letter were Sen. Doug Whit- sett, R-Klamath Falls, Rep. Gail Whitsett, R-Klamath Falls, Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-On- tario, Rep. Mark Johnson, R-Hood River and Rep. John Davis, R-Wilsonville. “We hope to achieve a broad legal investigation of what may or may not have gone on,” Whitsett said. “That was the purpose of sending the letter to six different law enforcement agencies and (carbon copying) the others so everybody knew they got it.” Lawmakers based their al- legations on interviews with whistle blowers who were for- mer or current employees of the Department of Energy and Department of Revenue. The state issued the tax credits to owners of renewable energy and ef¿ciency projects. Project owners could use the credits to offset their taxes, or sell them at a discount to raise capital. Those sales produced a capital gain for the purchaser. Business energy tax cred- its issued between 2006 and 2014 could cost the state up to $968.1 million in tax revenue, according to the Department of Energy. A majority of that cost — $703.6 million — comes from tax credits that were sold to investors. The companies and individ- uals who bought those credits could realize a total gain of $209.4 million, which is the difference between the value EO Media Group A group of Republican lawmakers have asked state and federal officials to investigate allegations of irregularities in the implementation of Oregon’s energy tax credit program. of the tax credits and the price taxpayers paid to purchase them, according to analysis by the EO Media Group/Pamplin Media Group Capital Bureau. The lawmakers wrote that “(business energy tax cred- its), as they were issued by the (Department of Energy), were hand delivered by a (Depart- ment of Energy) employee to a select buyer of those cred- its without an opportunity for others to bid.” The same em- ployee allowed the tax credit recipients to ignore state price regulations on the sales of the energy tax credits. “The capital gain on the sale of the credits by the entity purchasing the credits was not appropriately reported to either the state or federal taxing au- thorities,” lawmakers wrote. A state auditor who raised the is- Wallowa County sue was told to “stand down,” and the Department of Energy never issued 1099 tax forms to report the capital gains, ac- cording to the lawmakers. The EO Media Group/ Pamplin Media Group Capital Bureau reported many of the same issues in recent months. For example, the bureau reported in August that the well-connected energy tax credit broker Blue Tree Strat- egies was able to get the De- partment of Energy to change the rules for energy tax credits. The bureau also reported in June that wealthy individuals and companies were able to avoid paying taxes on capital gains they realized by pur- chasing discounted energy tax credits, because auditors at the Department of Revenue were told by top of¿cials in 2012 to TOYS FOR TOTS ignore the problems. “It certainly appears that there was some favoritism go- ing on,” Sen. Doug Whitsett said Tuesday. “There certain- ly sounds like there may have been signi¿cant taxes fore- gone ... It certainly sounds as if there was one particular brokerage that was garnering great favoritism.” The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Media Group and Pamplin Media Group. Restocked! Sweaters, fleece lined leggings, and CC Beanies SALEM — State of- ¿cials have appointed 15 members to a new cannabis research task force charged with studying and recom- mending legislation on the development of the medical marijuana industry. The body — of¿cially called the Task Force on Researching the Medical and Public Health Proper- ties of Cannabis — has yet to schedule its ¿rst meeting, said Susan Wickstrom, an Oregon Health Authority spokeswoman. The agency was in the process of scheduling one at press time. Legislation earlier this year established the task force to answer questions about the credibility of ex- isting research on the med- ical properties of marijuana and to propose solutions to limitations on cannabis re- search. The task force will ex- amine the legal barriers to establishing research laboratories and using in- stitutional review boards to monitor and review re- search. Lawmakers also are in- terested in the possibility of using state or private sector funds to pay for research and establishing a state-run research grow site. The task force was due to deliver its ¿rst report and recommendations Dec. 15, but appointees were not announced until earlier this week. Another set of report and recommendations is due Feb. 1. Senate President Pe- ter Courtney appointed a Senate representative, Sen. Chris Edwards, D-Eugene. The House representative, appointed by House Speak- er Tina Kotek, D-Port- land, is Rep. Carl Wilson, R-Grants Pass. The governor appointed the other 13 members. This story ¿rst appeared in the Oregon Capital Insid- er newsletter. To subscribe, go to oregoncapitalinsider. com S a v e T oe o nai l t r i m 50% E ar E x am O r al e x am A nal Gl and E x pr e s s H ol i da y Gi ft ba g a nd goodies 7 0 6 D e p o t S t . E n t e rp ri s e * e n t e rp ri s e v e t . c o m * 5 4 1 . 4 2 6 . 3 3 3 1 Great gifts and holiday outfits Check out our $20 Holiday Sweater SALE! Open Daily 10 am – 5 pm Uptown Clothing & Accessories in Downtown Joseph 12 S. Main St. • 541-432-9653 Nov 16th through Dec 17th. Collecting for boys & girls ages 1-12 Les Schwab will be participating with Enterprise Christian Church in the toy drive this year. Toy collection will begin November 16 th through December 17 th . Toys will be picked up December 20 th along with enough Les Schwab bags for each family. ECC will wrap and deliver gifts to the families. For questions contact Joanne McBride at 541-426-0463. www.LesSchwab.com Introducing Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Adrian Davis Dr. Davis will be based in La Grande; he will see patients at Wallowa Memorial Hospital four days per month, starting in November • Sports medicine, orthopedic trauma, hip/knee osteoarthritis • Dr. Davis served as physician for the USA Rugby Team, and several other professional Pittsburgh sports teams • Education: medical school at Indiana University; orthopedic surgery residency at St. Louis University; sports medicine fellowship at Alleghany General Hospital Ask your physician for a referral today! 802 NW 1st • Enterprise • 541-426-3139 We treat you like family 601 Medical Parkway, Enterprise, OR 97828 • 541-426-3111 • www.wchcd.org HEALTH LINE Wallowa Memorial Hospital is an equal opportunity employer and provider. The ple lea easure of you r comp o mpan ny is re quested es ed a t the th W INTER T RADITIONS D INNER Wallowa W allo a wa Lake Lodge Saturday, S atur dayy, December D ecember 19, 2015 5:0 0 pm hosted libations t 6 6:15 5:00 : 1 5 pm p dinner $40 per ticket On n this very O v er y special p ev evening, ening, g y you’ll ou ’ ll experience exper p rience all the lodge g has to offer. Y ou o ’ ll also hear mor e about futur You’ll h more b the history h histor y of f the h lodge l d and d its future. f e. 519 W. North Street, Enterprise 541.426.3413 Mon-Thurs 9 to Noon/1-5pm; Fri. 9-1 Specializing in Anti-Aging Skin Therapy Customized Facials Waxing Services, Brow Sculpting Body Polish-Back Facials High-Perfomance Products 541-398-0759 | Located @ beecrowbee 01 Main Joseph First Course: Second Course: Third Course: Main Course: Dessert: P Potato o otato latkes & applesauce F Fresh r esh e O Oregon r e egon cr crab r ab a cocktail C r anberr a ry candied pecan salad Cranberry R oasted beets P Prime r rime rib with horseradish horserr adish a sauce; Yorkshire Y or o r kshir k r e pudding; Roasted with lemon z zest est Vegetarian Option egetarian O ption V e Yorkshire Roasted Lentil loaf; Y o orr kshir k r e pudding; R oasted beets with lemon z zest est S Saint aint a L Lucia ucia buns; D ates with almond butter & coconut Dates Please P lease RSVP tinfo@lakewallowalodge.com t info@lakewallo walodge.com or 541-398-0305 www.lakewallowalodge.com www w .lake . wallo walodge.com t Lake W Wallowa a allo wa Lodge LLC LL C t 508 N. Main M ain Street, S tr eet, Suite S uite A t PO Box Bo x 10 t J Joseph, oseph, Oregon O r egon 97846