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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2017)
Wallowa County Chieftain wallowa.com THREE minutes with ... Local Features so we would be able to be more involved in communi- ty activities. Our property has pastures for our mules, an unobstructed view of the Wallowas, and Hurricane Creek fl ows through it. The fi rst day we moved in we saw a pair of salmon “in our backyard” spawning in Hurricane Creek. Seeing the salmon I knew right away this was a great place for us to live. You have mules on your acreage. What use do you make of them? Caption HOLLY AKENSON OREGON FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION Holly Akenson of Enterprise has horses and mules on her property. She also is a member of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission When Jim and I lived in the Idaho backcountry we used mules for everything: riding, packing, putting up hay, haul- ing stoneboat loads of rock, skidding fence poles, teaching backcountry horse skills, and we even pulled an airplane out of a snowbank with a mule team. We currently have fi ve mules and a horse and use them as often as possible in all kinds of activities. We go on packtrips to the wilderness with friends, and pack in for big game hunting. I even took a few mules on the Pacifi c Crest Trail with my sisters. Our mule team doesn’t do as much driving anymore, but last summer we mowed the airstrip at Reds Horse Ranch for plane access to the wilderness. We take the mules to the Plowing Bee every spring and enjoy the time with other teamsters. We skid logs with the team on our forested property near Elgin and Jim and I ride and pack our equines for Search and Rescue. I ride with friends every chance I get, mostly checking cows, gath- ering, and moving them between summer and winter pas- tures. My horse loves to do that, but I am giving my young mules experience with cattle too. It’s all so much fun! A stream runs through your pasture. When you ar- rived, you observed salmon spawning in the stream. Did you take that as a good omen? Caxton Press of Idaho published the book you and your husband wrote. “7,003 days” is about your expe- rience living in the Frank Church Wilderness Area of Idaho. How is it selling? What have readers told you? I love living in a wild place close to nature. So I sur- prised myself when Jim and I decided to move from a log house out of town to a small acreage just out of Enterprise, “7003 Days” is really selling well, exceeding the expec- tation of our publisher. Jim and I have done nine presenta- tions and book signings throughout Oregon and Idaho in March 1, 2017 A5 the last fi ve months. We enjoy sharing about our adventur- ous life in the wilderness. Readers are particularly interest- ed in the connection to the history of Idaho’s backcountry, our harrowing experiences in the midst of a fi restorm, ad- ventures with wildlife, and our simple lifestyle. The short stories make it easy to read. You are in your sixth year on the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission. That is an enormous commitment for someone in Wallowa County, because you have to travel so far to meetings. What is the most controversial topic the commission has addressed during your time on it? Wolf management has been the most controversial topic the Fish and Wildlife Commission has addressed in the six years I have been on the Commission. Making decisions on wolf management has been my most rewarding experience on the Commission. In Idaho I did many years of research on wolves and lived with them crossing our pastures and encountering us on the trails. In Oregon I live in the coun- ty most affected by wolves; I have worked with livestock producers to improve their situation and have brought col- lege students majoring in environmental studies to Wallowa County to learn directly from cattlemen how wolves affect them economically and personally. I give local presentations about wolf ecology and the ef- fect of wolves in Wallowa County. I view my role as some- one who can facilitate exchanging real experiences and concerns between ranchers and environmentalists. I am glad we have wolves in Oregon. But as a wildlife biologist and rural resident, I know the wolf population must be managed to minimize losses to livestock and game populations, just as OFDW does with other large carnivores – cougars and bears. Our Commission has removed wolves from the state En- dangered Species list and this year we will be approving a new 5-year plan for wolf management. I look forward to integrating my knowledge of wolves and the concerns of ru- ral people in the Commission’s future decisions on wolves. 1917: Enterprise beats Pendleton, 56-12 OUT OF THE PAST Compiled by Cheryl Jenkins 100 YEARS AGO March 1, 1917 • The new school building proposed for the Enterprise district is considered a happy combination in which utility, economy of construction and beauty of exterior are all pre- served. It will have some 23 rooms, providing quarters for grades and high school. • The Enterprise brick yard will be run, in the future, by Luttes and Briggs, two new men having joined in the busi- ness. Mr. Luttes is an experi- enced brick maker; he thinks the clay at Enterprise so much like that at Weston that he be- lieves a brick equal to what is produced there can be turned out here. • Every school district in Oregon will be required in the future to conduct a school for at least 8 months, according to one of the laws passed by the recent legislature. The old requirement made the mini- mum 6 months. The law also requires that at least $400 be provided for the school needs of each district, where the old regulation was for a minimum Chieftain archive EMT Liz Morgan, ESC Barbara Roberts and Erma Ratcliff, who donated $7,295 to purchase this portable automatic external defibrillator in 1994. of $300. • The Joseph high school debaters in the state contest advanced another step last Friday when they defeated La Grande. They now will con- test with representatives from some other school, as arranged by the University of Oregon. • The EHS basketball team now stands a chance for the championship of eastern Or- egon. They met Pendleton here Friday night and walked the full length of their team. Allowances must always be made for a visiting team, but the Pendleton men were com- pletely baffl ed and confused with the EHS machine’s swift, smooth action. The fi nal score was 56 to 12. 70 YEARS AGO February 27, 1947 • At the 36th annual con- vention of the Oregon Dairy Manufacturing association held last week, Eugene Live- ly of Wallowa won third place in the fresh open butter dairy products contest, S.G. Sheets of Enterprise won second in the junior fresh cheese class, and Don Cornwell placed fi rst in aged cheese contest. • Promise news: Quite a group of the neighbors met at the grange hall Sunday to dis- cuss the possibility of electric- ity in the near future. • Wallowa: The Young Bachelors of America or- ganized Feb. 14 and elect- ed offi cers as follows: Bill Buffi ngton, president; Glenn Breshears, vice president; Laddie Osborn, secretary; Dale Johnson, treasurer; Lynn Fleshman, cheer & song lead- er. They voted a fi ve-cents dues at each meeting to buy refreshments for their parties. As bachelor sewing they are making pot holders. • Mrs. Victoria Moody, pres- ident of the Wallowa County Benefi t association, announces that the Benefi t shop in Enter- prise, which has been closed since New Year’s, will reopen March 1 and be open each Sat- urday from then on. 50 YEARS AGO March 2, 1967 • Imnaha: A.L. Duckett has planted his early garden, Feb. 23, including onions, peas, lettuce, radishes and parsnips. The apricot buds are showing pink and the spring bulbs are blooming. • Three Enterprise wres- Did you love The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society? Then you will enjoy The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir T HE B OOKLOFT Across from the courthouse in Enterprise 107 E. Main • 541.426.3351 always open at www.bookloft oregon.com • bookloft eoni.com tlers will be participating in the State A-2 Wrestling Tour- nament this weekend at Cor- vallis: Rex Short, Aaron Guest and Bryan Stockdale. • Ted Freels, junior center, emerged on top of the EHS basketball scoring statistics leading the Savages in fi eld goals made, free throws made, total points, points per game and fi eld goal accuracy. • 34 members of the Clark- ston and Lewiston chambers of commerce met here Friday with members of the Enter- prise Chamber of Commerce to discuss plans for a highway up the Snake river connecting Lewiston and Clarkston with the Mountain Sheep dam site. • Wallowa county is one of two counties in Oregon which is receiving no assistance under the Federal Abundant Food program which has been in effect since about 1960. This program makes available to welfare cases certain basic foods. It is estimated that about 300 persons in Wallowa coun- ty would be eligible to receive food under the program. 25 YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 27, 1992 • With only three percent of Oregon’s FFA members earning the State FFA Degree each year, the EHS chapter pulled a coup this year when seven students were recently named as recipients. They are Jodi Bacon, Rob Duncan, Bryan Melville, Kurt Mel- ville, Chad Nash, Jessica Ol- sen and Amy Zollman. JHS adds another FFA degree re- cipient – Ryan Hook – bring- ing Wallowa County’s total to eight. • The City of Wallowa takes pride in accepting the fi nancial challenge to devel- op a Nez Perce Culture Cen- ter in the years ahead. This cultural center will preserve Wallowa County history and Native American culture. • Photo: Wallowa’s James Hayes goes airborne against Huntington during District 4-1A action last Thursday. Hayes, Seth Jensen and Lynn Jackson were named to the all-tournament team.