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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 2017)
A4 Opinion wallowa.com February 8, 2017 Wallowa County Chieftain Don’t gut Oregon’s ‘Right to Farm’ law A bill in the Oregon Legislature is sure to draw the attention of the state’s farmers, ranchers and forest managers. It would gut the state’s “Right to Farm and Forest” law. All 50 states have similar laws that protect farmers, ranchers and forest managers from nuisance or trespass lawsuits filed by neighbors or others who do not approve of how a farm is operated. These laws are based on common sense. They protect farmers and forest managers from people who don’t understand or don’t approve of certain practices. Among them are making noise, kicking up dust or applying weed killers or Voice of the Chieftain other pesticides. “Right to Farm” laws were written with the recognition that farms and forests need to be managed to be financial sustainable. The Oregon law even states that “farming and forest practices are critical to the economic welfare of this state.” The law also protects activities as long as they are done in a reasonable and prudent manner. That means pesticide labels must be followed and neighboring crops can’t be damaged. It doesn’t say anything about whether a complaint can be based on philosophical disagreements about how a farm or forest is managed. Senate Bill 499 would remove the protections for pesticide use in the current law. A key change would allow anyone who sues a farmer over pesticide use and loses to avoid paying attorney fees to the farmer. This in essence voids a major purpose of the law, which was written to protect farmers and forest managers, not put them at risk for using pesticides. In other words, farmers and forest managers who face even a frivolous legal attack for using pesticides could never get their attorney fees from the losers. That is unfair. If that and other ill-considered changes are made, the Legislature might as well change the name of the law to the “Right to Hassle Farmers and Foresters.” Pesticides are an important part of agriculture. Without them, costs will spiral out of control, and weeds and bugs will overtake crops. That’s why the practices of farmers, ranchers and forest managers must continue to be protected by the Oregon Legislature. The best way to do that is to reject SB 499. EDITORIAL About letters Letters to the Editor are subject to editing and should be limited to 275 words. Writers should also include a phone number with their signature so we can call to verify identi- ty. The Chieftain does not run anonymous letters. You can submit a letter to the Wallowa County Chieftain in person; by mail to P.O. Box 338, Enterprise, OR 97828; by email to editor@wallowa.com; or via the submission form at the newspaper’s website, located at wallowa.com. USPS No. 665-100 P.O. Box 338 • Enterprise, OR 97828 Office: 209 NW First St., Enterprise, Ore. Phone: 541-426-4567 • Fax: 541-426-3921 Wallowa County’s Newspaper Since 1884 Enterprise, Oregon M eMber O regOn n ewspaper p ublishers a ssOciatiOn P UBLISHER E DITOR R EPORTER R EPORTER N EWSROOM ASSISTANT A D S ALES CONSULTANT O FFICE MANAGER Marissa Williams, marissa@bmeagle.com editor@wallowa.com Stephen Tool, stool@wallowa.com Kathleen Ellyn, kellyn@wallowa.com editor@wallowa.com Jennifer Powell, jpowell@wallowa.com Cheryl Jenkins, cjenkins@wallowa.com p ublished every w ednesday by : EO Media Group Periodical Postage Paid at Enterprise and additional mailing offices Subscription rates (includes online access) Wallowa County Out-of-County 1 Year $40.00 $57.00 Subscriptions must be paid prior to delivery See the Wallowa County Chieftain on the Internet www.wallowa.com facebook.com/Wallowa | twitter.com/wcchieftain POSTMASTER — Send address changes to Wallowa County Chieftain P.O. Box 338 Enterprise, OR 97828 Contents copyright © 2017. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Volume 134 Oregon takes risk by defying Trump immigration decree From agriculture to medicine to tech- nology, Oregon thrives on the work of immigrants. Caught between state law and Trump administration policy, Gov. Kate Brown has acted responsibly by upholding Ore- gon as a place that “embraces, celebrates and welcomes its immigrant and refugee residents.” On Thursday, Brown signed an execu- tive order expanding a 1987 state law that prohibits law enforcement agencies from using taxpayer money to investigate or arrest Oregonians due only to their immi- gration status. That prohibition will now apply to all state agencies. They still must follow state and federal laws; for example, only citizens can become voters or obtain cer- tain welfare benefits. But state employees must not discriminate based on immigra- tion status or — because Brown worries about a potential “Muslim ban” — on religion. Her point: Oregon agencies and Or- egon law enforcement should focus on Oregon, and leave federal immigration enforcement to the feds. “I want to make it very clear that here in Oregon, where thousands have fought for and demanded equality, where mil- lions have put down roots and become integral to our economy, to our culture, and to our way of life, we cannot retreat,” Brown said. “As governor, it is my duty to uphold the civil and human rights of all who call Oregon home.” President Donald Trump issued ex- ecutive orders that halted resettlement GUEST EDITORIAL From the Capital Press of refugees from Syria and temporarily blocked citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. That is his political prerogative, al- though subsequent lawsuits are challeng- ing the constitutionality of his orders. Brown wants Oregon to join the litigation. The Trump orders, which canceled tens of thousands of visas until a federal judge intervened, directly affect Oregon. In one high-profile case that incensed politicians nationwide, an Iranian infant was blocked from traveling to Oregon Health & Science University for life-sav- ing heart surgery. The federal govern- ment has now granted a waiver allowing Fatemah Reshad and her family to enter the U.S. Oregon’s largest private employer, Intel, has thousands of foreign-born em- ployees who are here on work visas. So do many other employers, from doctors who practice at clinics and hospitals to IT contractors who serve state govern- ment. Oregon universities constantly have scholars and students traveling from abroad to collaborate on study and research. And certainly, Oregon’s farm sector is dependent on the agricultural skills of thousands of immigrants. Oregon’s 1987 law had national influ- ence but has not always been followed locally. Clackamas County ran afoul of the U.S. Constitution for holding a wom- an on a federal immigration detainer after her arrest for allegedly violating a restraining order. That 2014 federal court ruling led many sheriff departments to re- quire that the feds have a warrant or court order when they want a foreign-born in- dividual held for immigration purposes. That is reasonable, despite the inflam- matory rhetoric about Oregon and other places being “sanctuaries” for undocu- mented immigrants. Oregon pursues, prosecutes and pun- ishes criminals regardless of their immi- gration status. Oregon law enforcement also honors federal warrants. Public safety is enhanced by the le- gitimate separation between state law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement. Oregon’s law encourages undocumented immigrants to trust police instead of fearing deportation for being a victim or witness to a crime. The law encourages immigrants to use the court system to resolve child custody and oth- er issues. However, Oregon judges say Trump’s orders already have had a chill- ing effect in that regard. Oregon’s position carries risks. One of Trump’s orders would withdraw fed- eral money from “sanctuary” states and cities. A greater risk, noted Republican state Sen. Brian Boquist of Dallas, is that Oregon will simply be left off the fu- ture recipient list when federal money is doled out for road construction and other projects. It is a risky stance. It is the right stance. Good Samaritans help visitors stranded in snow The weekend of Jan. 21-22, my wife ken by him. and I were in the Wallowa Valley to see My father, Benjamin Leonard Trump, and photograph some of the rare and un- LETTERS to the EDITOR was well respected and a leader of the usual birds that often show up in winter there. We were traveling with a group of friends and other birders on a trip spon- sored by the Oregon Birding Associa- tion, and were glad to even be there, as the highways coming over from western Oregon had been a challenge. By Sunday afternoon most of our group had to leave to get back to jobs & family, so there was just my vehicle with four of us left. Trying to find a few more birds before it got too dark, I was driving north on Elk Mountain Road, just east of Enterprise, when I took my eyes off the plowed part of the road for just a second, and slid into the snow-covered ditch. My car was all-wheel drive, but I was in too deep and couldn’t get out. Almost immediately a young wom- an drove up in a pickup and asked if we needed help. “Yeah, we sure do,” I answered. She said she was in a rush to get to an appointment, but she would make a cou- ple of calls to see if she could find some- one to pull us out. We thanked her and got out of the car, but before she could even make her second call, a couple of young men in a flatbed pickup pulled up and started getting out their tow strap. Less than 15 minutes from when we had first got stuck, we were back in our car and back on the road. I didn’t get any of the young folks’ names in the rush & excitement, but I wanted to thank them for helping out a Washington, D.C. The White House, 1600 Pennsyl- vania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20500; Phone-comments: 202-456-1111; Switchboard: 202-456-1414. car full of visiting birders, and refusing to take a dime for their trouble. It restored my faith in my fellow man and woman! France Davis Portland, Oregon Students forgo party to give to animal care The pupils in Mark Keffer’s fourth grade class in Enterprise decided to forgo their Christmas party and instead take up a collection for the Wallowa County Hu- mane Society. The Humane Society thanks the fourth grade class for a donation of $100. It will be used for our programs of spay/neuter, fostering and adoptions. Mary Pillar, board member Wallowa County Humane society A proud family name My great grandfather, Joner Exary Trump, homesteaded with his family at Promise, Oregon, in 1898, after leaving Raleigh County, West Virginia. He was a leader of the Promise community and well respected. My grandfather, Green Spencer Trump, was a kind and gentle man. He provided for his large family with hard work and diligence. I do not remember ever hearing a harsh or unkind word spo- rural Tucannon River Valley community. He did anything for any relative or neigh- bor without hesitation. During the flood of 1964, he left home in the middle of the night on his cat to save a neighbor’s home from the flood waters. My name is Donna Lea Trump. I am a kind and generous person. I have/have had friends that are gay, lesbian, African American, Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Native American, Hispanic, and many from south of the “Wall”. I am proud of my name and my ancestors. I am very sad that I cannot say any of these good things about Donald John Trump. I am sad for our country and the entire world. Please, do not ever compare my name to Donald’s. Donna L. Trump Dayton and Clarkston, Washington Roof clearing brings back memory The other day while watching neigh- bors shoveling off their roofs reminded me that when living in Selah, Washing- ton, I once did the same thing. With golf shoes on, I was up there for about half a day shoveling away, but it wasn’t snow, it was volcanic ask from Mount St. Helens. Denny Varney Enterprise Where to write U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D — 516 Hart Senate Office Building, Washing- ton D.C. 20510. Phone: 202-224-5244. E-mail: wayne_kinney@wyden.senate. gov Web site: http://wyden.senate.gov Fax: 202-228-2717. U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D — 313 Hart Senate Office Building, Washing- ton D.C. 20510. Phone: 202-224-3753. E-mail: senator@merkley.senate.gov.
