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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2016)
Wallowa County Chieftain wallowa.com Business June 1, 2016 A5 Expansions and a call for assistance BIZ BUZZ Kathleen Ellyn Janet Standeford, director of the Experi- ence Works program for Wallowa County, dropped by the paper the other day to let us know that the Experience Works Program was looking for clients. The program — formerly known as Green Thumb and launched by Ladybird Johnson back in 1965 — puts people age 55 and older of limited income back to work for up to 21 hours a week at minimum wage. The program requires both on-the-job- training by the employer and extensive testing and skills building on the part of the client. Working for minimum wage is no way to get rich, but many older Americans ind it very dificult to ind paying work, part-time work or a way to break into a new ield. Going to work for a nonproit at minimum wage can sometimes open doors they did not expect. Right now there is just one Experience Works client in Joseph, but Standeford is looking for another to work at the Maxville Interpretive Center. There are other opportu- nities as well. I was in this program when I was on the west side of the mountain and was placed in a state job where it was my boss’ intention to hire me full time after a year of on-the-job training — if I was not hired elsewhere irst. Unfortunately, state budget cuts eliminated the job for which I was being groomed, along with several others, and I moved on. But I thoroughly enjoyed the process and can high- ly recommend it. It’s important for folks who don’t think they qualify for “low income” to know that the program igures low income generously and the money you make in Experience Works also does not count when iguring your qualifying income for HUD housing, SNAP beneits or SSI. Experience Works is a good way to bright- en your prospects in a new ield, especially for folks looking to refresh a resume after some time out of the job market while caring for family members or other reasons. If you think you might it in this program, or if you are a nonproit looking for some good part-time help (free to you), call Janet Stande- ford or her assistant at 541-850-4573. • On Saturday, July 2, Anita and Kim Me- tlen, the designers and driving force behind the Joseph Rail Riders, will hold a ribbon-cutting for Oregon Coast Railriders in Bay City, Ore. The business team had been looking for places to expand their business after the suc- cess of the Joseph Rail Riders experience and settled on the track going from Bay City to Til- lamook, an 11-mile round trip that takes a little more than two hours. The route will begin in Bay City, continue along the rail line passing Blue Heron French Cheese Co. in Tillamook and then double back to Bay City. This is just the beginning, according to the Metlens, who have their eyes on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railway among other possible routes. “For now we’re just sticking with this,” Kim said. The Joseph Rail Riders set out from Jo- seph three times a day (9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m.) Thursday through Monday. The Mi- nam-to-Wallowa ride and return, about 26 miles and six hours, leaves at 9 a.m. Thursday Kathleen Ellyn/Chieftain Courtesy of Ellen Bishop Mike Lund sharing space at Mike’s Garage on Main Street in Joseph as Mike’s Saw Shop/ Mike’s Small Engine Service. Patrick Thiel delivers some organic onions to a Portland chef. to Monday. The Joseph Branch Railriders have a web- site at JBrailriders.com and a Facebook page is in the works. To book a Wallowa County ride, call 541-910-0981. Tickets are $20 per person ages 12 and older and $10 per child 11 years and younger when accompanied by an adult. Tickets can be purchased at the depar- ture point. • This last bit of news goes in the good news/bad news category. It’s good news be- cause it gives us all a chance to put our money where our principals are and help out a local business. The bad news is that the successful business has suffered unavoidable setbacks of late. I’m talking about Prairie Creek Farm, Pat- rick Thiel’s organic farm in Joseph on the Dag- ger Ranch that I told you about recently in the article on quinoa growers in Wallowa County. Following in his famous (in Organic Farm circles) father’s footprints, Patrick has devel- oped a route for selling his organic produce to top restaurants in Portland and continued to blaze a trail for other organic producers to follow. However, Patrick has been ighting debt left after his father died in 2013 and several crop failures hit the farm. He has just kept plugging, as farmers do. But sometimes all the best intentions and hard work in the world meet a roadblock so large a man cannot surmount it on his own. As of now, Patrick cannot qualify for an operating loan to produce this year’s crop. He already has planted most of his crops, but as Wallowa County people know, planting is just the irst part of an expensive process that hopefully leads to a good harvest. Then it will be time for another big push to bring that harvest to market — especially for Patrick since he de- livers his product all over the Northwest him- self. For the full story and to join 150 people and counting in helping Prairie Creek Farm this year, visit the farm’s “Go Fund Me” page at www.gofundme.com/gcwjd3js and help Thiel get this year’s crops on their way to market and help to build the Wallowa County Brand. Please send your Biz Buzz news tips to Kathleen Ellyn at kellyn@wallowa.com. Small engine repairman Lund returns to county By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain Mike Lund is back. For 15 years Lund was the proprietor of Mike’s Saw Shop in Enterprise before he moved into La Grande and opened AC Power Sports (next to Walmart). He sold that business some years ago and worked for John Deere for a while, but he said he missed Wallowa Coun- ty. “Everybody knows me in Wallowa County,” he said. “I just love to spoil people and I’m just happy to be back in the county.” He’s sharing space at Mike’s Garage on Main Street in Joseph as Mike’s Saw Shop/ Mike’s Small Engine Service and will be ixing boat mo- tors, chain saws, lawn mowers, ATVs and more for a bargain price. “My motto is twice the ser- vice at half the price,” he said. “Most guys charge $90 an hour — and I am that kind of guy, the kind that could charge $90 an hour — but I’m charging $39 an hour. I just want to spend the rest of my time in Joseph.” Mike has 35 years of expe- rience in his chosen profession and has worked extensively with Stihl, Husky and John Deere engines. Call him in Jo- seph at 541-786-0774 or drop by from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. week- days and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. g e o d L e d h t S a v w e a Lake ’s Historic Tre asure ! Wallo Come Celebrate! Ch ampagne i er Toast & Cid 4pm