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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 2017)
Wallowa County Chieftain News wallowa.com THREE minutes with ... Gia Oh JIA OH Jia Oh has been a regular in Wallowa County for just fi ve years, but she’s been in love with the area for much longer. She’s been in a relationship with local businessman Mike Lockhart for 15 years and they vacationed in Wallowa August 30, 2017 County because of his property holdings here. Seeing Wal- lowa County gave her the contrast she needed to eventually realize she wasn’t where she wanted to be living in Portland. She met Mike in 2002 while working in Portland for Environmental Lighting Systems, which was in the same building as his real estate offi ce. In addition to working as a secretary, she was attending night school to become a court stenographer, which is the job she holds now. She has a son, Michael Oh, who is studying to be a rocket scientist — he’s studying astro-aeronautical engineering at University of Washington. Jia is the reason the couple lives in Wallowa County. Five years ago, she got sick of the “rat race” of the western side of the state and encouraged Mike to start living in an RV full- time. They’ve been traveling since then, but after seeing a lot more of the Americas, they realized they wanted to call Wal- lowa County home. Jia volunteers with the Dragons in the Wallowas Paddling Club, which Mike introduced to the county. She says the club is taking over her life. She also volunteers at the Art Center and for the Wallowa County Festival of the Arts. Q. Why did you move to Wallowa County? A. I never intended to, things just fall into place in your life once in a while. I feel like this is where my early life was leading. This is where I want to be. I had to learn in Portland A5 what I didn’t want. What I love about Wallowa County is everybody pitches in. That’s one of the reasons I feel like it’s home. In the city, it was hard to get to know each other because everybody’s lives were so busy, we all had kids, we had careers — it was hard to be good friends. Here you are close together and you see each other a lot. People are more down to earth. I don’t think I got that kind of fulfi llment when I was living in the city. Q. What has Wallowa County taught you? A. It’s taught me how to connect better with other people. I think that’s the big lesson for me. I was really shy. This county brings you out of your shell. I think this club (the dragon boat club) is a really big thing in that regard, too. Q. How has Wallowa County surprised you? A. We were talking about that the other day — how diverse this place is and how we all get along despite how differ- ent we are. We’ve got doomsday preppers living alongside business people. We’ve got all the artists living together with ranchers and they get along so well. That’s amazing, isn’t it? And Wallowa County is so beautiful. You go through 300 miles of desert before you get here and all of a sudden, it pops up like Shangri la. This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. It’s so spectacular. We’re in the RV and we’ve traveled around, but this place is special. Hunters group honors Union-Wallowa chapter Morgan Olson of Cove has been recognized by the Ore- gon Hunters Association for his outstanding dedication to wildlife as the Union-Wal- lowa Chapter President and is this year’s statewide Wildlife Member of the Year. The Union-Wallowa Chap- ter has made a huge comeback from inactivity to being one of the most active and success- ful chapters, thus earning it the Chapter of the Year Award. Woody Wolfe of Enter- prise was recognized as Cit- izen Landowner of the Year for his contributions to wild- life, habitat and hunting. Wolfe donated two landowner prefer- ence muzzleloader white-tail buck hunts to the group and has volunteered at fundraising banquets. Recent banquets and unique antler auctions have raised critical funding for a long list of wildlife and habitat proj- Courtesy photo Courtesy Photo Woody Wolfe, left, of Enterprise accepts the Citizen Land- owner of the year award from OHA Conservation Director Jim Akenson of Enterprise. ects this past year, including winter deer feeding, funding a fencing project and an Elkhorn Wildlife Area elk-trapping mechanism, as well as sup- porting the Ladd Marsh youth pheasant hunt. The chapter supported local shooting groups such as the 4-H shooting team and the EOU Trap Club, which in exchange for funding, assisted Oregon Hunters Association Union-Wallowa Chapter mem- bers Chad Carlson, Tyler Cook and Morgan Olson accept the award for Chapter of the Year. in the constructing of 20 deer traps for an ongoing mule deer study at Starkey Experimental Forest in Union County. The chapter donated 20 trail cameras for predator research in northeast Oregon. “Morgan has done an out- standing job of leading the Union-Wallowa Chapter’s resurgence by putting on suc- cessful fund-raisers for many wildlife and habitat projects he coordinates,” said Ore- gon Hunters Association State Coordinator Duane Dungan- non. “Easily one of OHA’s most improved chapters, the Union-Wallowa Chapter and its president are certainly deserving of recognition as Chapter of the Year and Wild- life Member of the Year.” The honors and awards were announced at the group’s chapter leadership summit earlier in August at Diamond Lake Resort. “We had more nominees than ever before, so the com- petition was spirited,” Dun- gannon said. “Yet the vot- ing was clear and convincing, demonstrating how truly out- standing this year’s winners are.” The association (oregon- hunters.org) is the state’s larg- est Oregon-based pro-hunt- ing organization with 10,000 members and 26 chapters statewide. Changes at Bennett Insurance; Chinese medicine practice opens Hailie Hillock has purchased Bennett Insurance Agency from Kathleen Bennett. The name of the business will be changed next year, when it will be known as Hillock Insurance. Hillock has worked at Bennett Insur- ance Agency for four years as director of fi rst impressions and as a personal lines agent. As owner of the business, Hillock will focus primarily on commercial insurance and Kathleen Bennett will continue with the agency into 2018, focusing on health care and Medicare. BIZ BUZZ Kathleen Ellyn Hillock, married to Jared Hillock, was born and raised in Enterprise, went to Blue Mountain Community College for her busi- ness administration degree and worked as a seasonal employee with the U.S. Forest Ser- vice for the past 12 years. When the insurance business came available, she was ready to take the reins. “As lifelong residents of Wallowa County, my husband and I value our community and Kathleen Bennett and I both felt it was import- ant to keep this business in local hands,” said Hillock. “The number one priority at Ben- nett Insurance is to offer exemplary customer service. One thing that makes us stand out is we’ve partnered with a large insurance agency which gives us access to multiple carriers not normally available to small agencies.” • Jamie Slagel of East Bridge Wellness in Portland has hung out her shingle as an Acu- puncture-Herbal Medicine Wellness practi- tioner in Wallowa County. Slagel is a 2014 graduate from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine with a masters of science in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. She is board certifi ed by the National Com- mission for the Certifi cation of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine and licensed by the Oregon Medical Board as an acupuncturist. Her offi ce is at 119 E. Main Street in Enter- prise, upstairs from the new Belle Salon. N OW IN P APERBACK Panky Hauxwell, of Joseph, lead “stroker” for the Dragons in the Wallowas shows her form during practice for the Seven Wonders Cup Dragon Boat Races on Wallowa Lake. Panky has been a lead stroker, along with Jia Oh, since she joined the dragons last year. The strokers set the pace for the entire team and give feedback to the caller who is directly in front of them. This tiny athlete was a key player for the Dragons of the Wallowas, helping the women’s team take home three silver medals this year. In addition to paddling with the Dragons, Panky golfs regularly at Alpine Meadows. She owns La Lou Salon in Joseph. Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance T HE B OOKLOFT Across from the courthouse in Enterprise 107 E. Main • 541.426.3351 always open at www.bookloftoregon.com • booklofteoni.com Panky Hauxwell Presents Popular Country Singer & Cowboy Poet Proudly Sponsored By: Eastern Oregon’s Full Service Propane Supplier ANDY BALES 201 E. Hwy 82, Enterprise 541-426-0320 www.edstaub.com Summer, It’s Not Over Yet Lumber & Building Hardware & Tools Electrical & Plumbing Paint Supplies Drywall & Insulation Fixtures & Lighting Giving Great Advice & Ideas For Over 100 Years! Finish it Right With Help From Monday - Friday Monday-Friday 7am - 5pm 7am-5pm Saturday Saturday 8am - 12pm 8am-12pm Sunday Closed Sunday Closed Opening Act ROBIN DALE Is it time for your teen’s Performing at the CLOVERLEAF HALL in ENTERPRISE September 9th, 2017 at 7:00pm Annual Wellness Check? Tickets - $10/adv Avaliable at Favorite Finds, Thompson Auto Supply and The Bookloft. Keep your teen healthy and active with an annual wellness check, and learn what you can do as a parent to help your teen establish smart lifestyle habits now! Schedule your teen’s wellness check today! 541.426.7900 M ain S treet J oSeph 541-432-1917 HELLS CANYON MULE DAYS Mountain View Medical Group 603 Medical Parkway (next to Wallowa Memorial Hospital) Enterprise, Oregon 97828 At the Door $15 Adult $5 Children 3-12 Free - 3 and under Make it a GREAT EVENING for the WHOLE FAMILY! Joseph Clinic 100 N. East St. | Joseph 541.426.7900 We treat you like family Hells Canyon Mule Days September 8-9-10 2017 601 Medical Parkway, Enterprise, OR 97828 • 541-426-3111 • www.wchcd.org Wallowa Memorial Hospital is an equal opportunity employer and provider. www.hellscanyonmuledays.com
