Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 3, 2016)
A8 Business wallowa.com Transparency law drives improvements Oregon health care trasparency rating moves up from an F to a B Wallowa County Chieftain Due in large part to leg- islation the Oregon Associa- tion of Hospitals and Health Systems sponsored in 2015, Oregon has received a health care transparency rating of “B” in its latest report card on price transparency. In every previous edition of the scorecard, Oregon had received an F along with most other states in the na- tion. Now Oregon is one of seven states that received a grade above failing. The state is one of only one of four to earn an A or B. The report says that Or- egon merits the B grade be- cause it “collects data in an [All Payer All Claims] data- base, including paid amounts, and publishes the data on a good website for consum- ers. Oregon can earn an even higher score if the state col- lects practitioner prices in addition to facility prices and does so for a greater number of services and procedures.” The report card rates states on a series of met- rics, all of which focus on whether the public is being provided with high-quality, accessible health care pricing information. The new report cites OregonHospitalGuide. org, where Oregon’s data is displayed in an easy-to-use, accessible and comparable manner as a key reason Ore- gon moved up the ranks this year. “I’m gratiied that the hard work we did in the 2015 Legislative Session on health care price transparency has paid off,” said Sen. Laurie Monnes-Anderson of Gresh- am, who was a lead sponsor of the bill. “In the end, more health care information leads to better choices.” “We tackled the tricky issue of health care pric- ing transparency head on in 2015 and I’m proud to know that our hard work did not go unnoticed,” said Rep. John Lively of Springield, who also shepherded the bill through the legislature. Hells Canyon Mule Days Dutch Oven Cookoff Teams may enter one dish in two entry categories. There will be cash awards for 1st and 2nd place, and a gift basket for the People’s Choice award. Sunday, Sept. 11 FMI: 541-263-0104 hellscanyonmuledays.com for cookoff info and entry form August 3, 2016 Wallowa County Chieftain Castilleja retires after 35 years with Community Bank By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain After a 35-year career in banking, Community Bank Chief Operations Oficer Sha- ron Castilleja is retiring this summer. It’s a bittersweet farewell, Castilleja said. “I enjoyed my co-workers and customers and the job has treated me well,” she said. “I think banking got in my blood. I enjoyed the challenges and it was a good job.” Castilleja was irst hired at age 19 back in 1970 as part of a seven-person team in Wal- lowa County. Back then the branch was located in the cur- rent Indigo Gallery building located on the corner of Main Street and E. Williams Avenue in Joseph. Sharon worked with the former management duo of “Cheatham and Steele” — Jim Cheatham was President and John Steele was cashier. Contrary to their sur- names, they were profession- al and trusted bankers, she recalls. The rest of the team includ- ed Mildred McKinley, Phyllis Lovell, Saonni (Witty) Talbott and Sandy Warnock (of Sim- ply Sandy’s). Although her beginnings were humble (Sharon’s irst position mainly consisted of Courtesy photo Community Bank Chief Operating Officer Sharon Castilleja is retiring. typing out 1099 Interest tax forms), in just a few years she was the secretary to the Pres- ident and the corporate secre- tary to the board of directors. By 1976 she was promoted to branch manager at the new Enterprise location, but after just a year, she took a break from banking to raise her two sons. She returned nearly 12 years later as operations of- icer. There were challenges, she recalled. “When I started back in ’70, there wasn’t a computer in the bank,” she said. “Now, ev- erything is pretty electronic. It can be quite a challenge when you didn’t grow up in the com- puter age.” But Sharon always was up for the challenge — and en- joyed it. “Success, to me, is ‘Am I giving 100 percent?’” she said. “I have never been bored — not one day — in this job.” By 1995, she was promot- ed to assistant vice president and to VP/senior operations oficer in 1998. From 2001 to 2005 she was a senior vice president, and in 2005 she took on her current role of executive vice president/ COO for Community Bank. “Sharon has been the jack of all trades for the bank over the years,” said Tom Moran, president/CEO. “With all the changing regulations, Sharon was always there to dig in and take on the new tasks that needed to be done.” Sharon’s newest challenge will be as a director for Com- munity Bank. Joining the board upon her retirement will keep her valuable experience accessible for the executive management team in the com- ing years. “We were delighted that she accepted the Board posi- tion, it softens the blow of her retirement, just a bit,” Moran said. Some friends and fami- ly worry that Sharon will be bored in retirement, but she’s got a plan. “I’m going to sleep for the irst six months,” she said. Then, she plans on spend- ing more time with her hus- band, County Commissioner Paul Castilleja, and extended family (especially those four grandchildren). But she’ll miss her work family. “You come to work every day and this becomes your second family,” she said. “Just getting to know peo- ple and being involved in the community is enjoyable. There are a lot of good peo- ple in this county. I was born and raised in Joseph and a lot of my customers were friends and neighbors.” Biochar conference explores its use in forestry, ag By Eric Mortenson EO Media Group The status and future of biochar is the subject of a four- day conference in August. The conference, titled “The Synergy of Science and Indus- try: Biochar’s Connection to Ecology, Soil, Food and Ener- gy,” happens Aug. 22-25 at Or- egon State University in Cor- vallis. Registration costs $375 for the full conference; $250 New arrivals from Miss Me! Dresses Tops Joggers Jackets Open Daily 10 am – 5 pm for students and nonproits; $150 for one-day attendance. Biochar is essentially char- coal produced by a pyrolysis process of heating biomass in a low-oxygen environment. The biomass fuel can include such things as logging slash or ield straw, which is why it draws interest from the timber and ag industries, Researchers and industry advocates say biochar has multiple uses in agriculture and forestry. It can provide a quick ix to depleted soil by reducing acidity, retaining moisture and storing carbon. Conference Chair Tom Miles, founder of T.R. Miles Techni- cal Consultants Inc., in Port- land, said it’s already used by vineyards in drought-stricken California. In Japan, biochar devel- ops the strong root systems needed to transplant rice. Commercial cannabis grow- ers favor biochar for the same reason, Miles said. In Eastern Oregon, OSU dryland cropping agronomist Stephen Machado is in the third year of researching bio- char’s use on Columbia Basin wheat and pea crops. One application of biochar continues to produce a “nice response” in test plots, Mach- ado said. Wheat yields increased 20 to 33 percent and pea yields increased at a similar rate, Machado said. Soil pH also improved. “I’m a true believer,” Machado said. He cautioned that not all biochar products are the same, however. The chemistry of the biomass material used to make biochar and the chemistry of the soil on which it will be ap- plied must be considered, he Are you feeling stressed and overwhelmed? Do you feel hopeless or has the joy gone out of your life? Are you struggling to make your marriage work? I can help! Uptown Clothing & Accessories in Downtown Joseph 12 S. Main St. • 541-432-9653 A few sessions can make a big diference. Jeff Harman, MA., LPC Professional Counseling In A Private Setting www.jharmancounseling.com To schedule an appointment call Jef Harman (541) 426-3067 Preferred Provider for Regence Blue Cross, ODS, Cascade Centers and many other private insurance and employee assistance programs. Capital Press File Biochar made from bluegrass screenings is shown in this photo. An upcoming conference will focus on research involving the substance. said. Miles, the conference chair, said biochar increasingly is used in bioswales to ilter stormwater or to capture pol- lutants, and has been shown to remove phosphorous from dairy manure. Research is progressing on multiple fronts, and entrepre- neurs are jumping into biochar production. The Corvallis con- ference is intended for farm- ers, foresters, policy makers, biochar producers and other industry professionals and en- trepreneurs. For more conference in- formation, including schedule and registration details, visit http://usbi2016.org. Addi- tional information is available through the Northwest Bio- char Working Group: http:// nwbiochar.org. WALLOWA COUNTY FAIR Country Pride Shared County Wide Schedule of Selected Events Live Music By NKLE K . C. K U 12 at 5pm Fri. Aug. SAT. AUGUST 6 9am 4-H Dog Show SUN-TUES AUGUST 7-9 MON. AUGUST 8 Live Music By nea B r ia n a R e 6p m 4-H Exhibits to Cloverleaf Open Class Non-Perishable to Cloverleaf Sat. Aug. 6 at TUES. AUGUST 9 Open Class Perishable to Cloverleaf WED.-SAT. AUGUST 10-13 10 am Cloverleaf Hall Opens WED. AUGUST 10 2-6 pm 4-H/FFA Livestock Entries Special Events 8am Sun-Tues 4-H Horse Show THURS.-FRI. AUGUST 11-12 Aug. 6, 2016 8-11 p.m. • $5 per person • Joseph Community Center - 400 E. 1st St, Joseph, OR “Come and Celebrate the Good Times of the Past and the New Friendships of Today” No Host Bar provided by Leo of El Bajio 8:30 am 4-H/FFA Livestock Show 7 pm Grand Champion Classes SAT. AUGUST 13 WED. AUGUST 10 9am Planter Contest Entries THURS. AUG 9 1 pm Grange Pie, Ice Cream FRI. AUG 12 5-7 pm K.C. Kunkle LIVE 8-10 pm Teen Dance SAT. AUG 13 Benny Beaver Day at the fair 10 am Pee Wee Showmanship 11 am Games on the grass 4-H/FFA LIVESTOCK SALE 6PM 8 am Small Animal Show For a full schedule call 541-426-4097 or go to extension.oregonstate.edu/wallowa