Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 2016)
Wallowa County Chieftain News wallowa.com December 21, 2016 A5 Schools reimbursed for water lead testing AGNEW By PARIS ACHEN CLEVENGER Continued from Page A1 blow on to the next place and take their skills with them. Often, the two cultures remain unmixed. Both wary of the other, Agnew said this separation keeps the city from capitalizing on all of its assets, and keeps it from growing in the sustainable fashion that it should. There is difference be- tween a friendly face and a friendly place, he said. In Agnew’s view, Enter- prise is always the former but not always the latter. Agnew said as a city councilor he will look for ways to bridge that gulf between new and old. That may entail a kind of Young Professionals club where people in their 20s-40s can meet and socialize. He wants to fi nd other ways for area teens to be involved in the community, and ways to improve and expand assets already in place. “It will be a lot of learn- ing and trying to make exist- ing things a little better,” he said of his council term. Agnew sees himself as a servant, not a politician. He is the pastor at the growing Abundant Life Ministries at 206 N.E. First Street, and has spent years as a youth pastor, so that vocabulary comes naturally. He said the city’s faith community is strong and well represented in city government. He knows most council meetings won’t be about bridging gulfs and creating an identity for a town — which he believes hasn’t been fully formed in Enter- prise. Most of the work is fi guring out sewer rates and stop sign locations and go- ing over the budget with a fi ne-toothed comb. “You have to do the mun- dane or you can never get to the exciting,” he said. Agnew said he hopes to get to do both in his fi rst public offi ce. Continued from Page A1 Clevenger said he wants to be a voice for the year- round residents of Joseph. He thinks their needs of- ten come secondary to the business community and seasonal tourists who bring much-needed money into town and support local jobs. “Those things are neces- sary and we want them to do well,” said Clevenger. “But we want to be a real commu- nity, not just a tourist one.” He doesn’t want to sac- rifi ce local mores in order to please tourists, whether that’s with marijuana stores or alcohol on city sidewalks. One issue in particular where he sides with long- term residents is on short- term rental housing in res- idential areas. Clevenger lives near such a place that was grandfathered in, and he puts up with the problems that causes. But he said that protecting that ban is the major reason Capital Bureau why he decided to run for a seat on the council. Clevenger said he is also interesting in zoning issues and public nuisance ordi- nances. He wants the city to do what it can to clean up Joseph and solve neighbor- ly disputes that arise over semi-abandoned vehicles and city right-of-way. But he doesn’t plan to add employees or hours in order to increase nuisance enforce- ment. He doesn’t plan to look for local dollars to im- prove Joseph’s roads. “I don’t want to raise any more taxes,” he said “I’m taxed out.” He does, however, want to get more public input in city matters. He said he will look to social media and oth- er avenues to try to convince residents to take a more ac- tive role in decision making. “I just want to get the most voices, the most infor- mation we can to make a de- cision and then go ahead and make it,” he said. SALEM — The Ore- gon Emergency Board on Wednesday approved reim- bursing schools more than $2 million for about 53,000 tests for lead in school water supplies. The board established a $5 million reserve fund in September and authorized the Oregon Department of Education to accept applica- tions from schools for reim- bursement of costs associat- ed with testing for elevated lead levels in drinking water. The 53,000 tests come from school districts that represent 89 percent of pub- lic school students in the state, according to the non- partisan Legislative Fiscal Offi ce. School districts had until Dec. 1 to submit invoices for reimbursement. They could make requests for tests con- ducted between March and Dec. 1. The money only covers the cost of collecting and testing water supplies. It doesn’t account for any expenses associated with mitigation of lead contami- nation. The widespread testing followed widespread me- dia coverage of a scandal in Portland Public Schools over lead in drinking water that went unreported. In August, the state Board of Education — at the behest of Gov. Kate Brown – approved a rule that re- quires school districts to submit a plan for testing for lead in water and other tox- ins in school environments and to report any results to the public. The rule doesn’t require actual testing. Education and health au- thorities unveiled a database Dec. 7 that allows the public to look up lead test results. Lawmakers have said they might consider legisla- tion in 2017 that would re- quire districts to test for lead in water. New York recently enact- ed a law requiring schools to test for lead, report results to the public and develop a plan for reducing exposure to the toxin. The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. BIRDS Continued from Page A1 www.eomediagroup.com Prior to the turn of the 20th century, Americans participat- ed widely in the “Side Hunt,” a holiday tradition in which hunters competed to shoot and collect as many birds (and other small game) as possible. This tradition faded with the rise of the early conservation movement. By 1872, with the formation of the fi rst national park at Yellowstone at the di- rection of President Ulysses S. Grant, American attitudes about wildlife preservation were changing. Beginning on Christmas Day in 1900, the Side Hunt was replaced with the “Christ- mas Bird Census,” a concept began by Frank Chapman, a respected ornithologist with the emerging Audubon So- ciety. Chapman proposed to count the bird populations in- stead of hunting them. More than a century later, the popularity of this pastime has grown. On the 101st count in 2001, there were more than 52,000 participants in seven- teen countries. As the day began for Wal- lowa County birders, coffee was fi nished and count circles — each in a distinct habitat in the county — were assigned. One group’s next hours were spent covering miles of Zumwalt Prairie roads, sight- Wallo!a County Chess Club Welcome Tourists and Players of all levels! Thursdays 4 to 8 PM Photo by Michael Beaudoin About a dozen people helped in the Wallowa County effort of the worldwide Christmas Bird Count. The crew located numerous birds of prey, ravens, ducks and quail. ing everything from abundant mountain quail to six massive bald eagles and countless oth- er raptors. Dozens of solitary ravens drifted between the boughs of neighboring forests and groves. The snow was dense and the air still, and the high morning temperature of six degrees explained the frozen streams and irrigation channels. Local census volunteer Da- vid Dranchak remarked that, after a day of birding, “you start to really notice the layer of birds over everything.” The crews counted birds until about noon, then met to compare results. Lueders gathered the checklists and prepared to collate the results for submission to the Audu- bon Society. This year’s Christmas Bird Count had 72,653 partici- pants across the world — an all-time record. Those partic- ipants likely collected import- ant data, as the long-running annual bird count has long proven insightful to the plight of North American birds. The data, gathered exclu- sively by volunteers, has been instrumental to researching habitat and population de- cline. It helped inform the Audubon’s “Common Birds In Decline Report,” high- lighting a major reduction in familiar bird North American bird populations over the last 40 years. Time for a Computer Tuneup? Spyware Removal • 541-426-0108 103 SW 1st St., Enterprise FREE! JOSEPHY CENTER FOR ARTS AND CULTURE 403 Main Street Joseph, Oregon Announcing that we now provide Respite Care Leave those Winter worries behind! Winterize your home, lock the doors, grab a bag and come stay with us. Wallowa Valley Senior Living is now providing Respite Care for those recovering from surgery or wanting a safe place for their loved one for a short duration. Call today to learn more information. 541.426.5311 HILLOCK’S STOR-ALL MINI-STORAGE UNITS 605 Medical Parkway Enterprise, OR 97828 New Units in Joseph Available Now! 541 - 426 - 4264 New Years Eve Party Saturday, December 31st Live Music w/ Good Question Full Bar Doors Open at 8pm Music 9pm - 2017 Bar Snacks Available HIGHWAY 82, LOSTINE Stay Connected On Facebook Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
