A8
News
wallowa.com
October 25, 2017
Wallowa County Chieftain
NRA fundraiser tops $100,000 mark
FOR THE RECORD
OCT. 16
5:01 p.m. –– A 911 call
received reporting a vehicle
crash outside the city limits
of Enterprise to the south.
OCT. 17
1:37 p.m. –– A report of
a deer needing dispatch in
rural Enterprise was handled.
12:34 p.m. –– Report of
a dog and a pig on Hwy. 82
east of Wallowa
OCT. 18
4:19 p.m. –– Juvenile
complaint in Enterprise.
OCT. 19
11:19 a.m. –– A 911 caller
requested an ambulance
meet a private vehicle trans-
porting a patient in rural
Joseph.
10:05 p.m. –– A 911
caller reported a brush fire
in rural Joseph. Units from
Joseph, Enterprise and ODF
responded.
8:57 p.m. –– Enterprise
PD arrested Otilla Thiel, 52,
of Enterprise on charges of
curfew violation. She was
released.
10:55 p.m. –– Report of
an elk hit by a vehicle in rural
Enterprise.
OCT. 22
7:38 a.m. –– A 911
caller apprised dispatch he
was heading to the hospi-
tal in a private vehicle with
an individual with a medical
condition.
10:33 a.m. –– Investiga-
tion of criminal trespass in
Joseph.
By Steve Tool
Wallowa County Chieftain
This year’s Friends of the
NRA banquet and auction
fundraiser proved once again
how important gun rights and
the Second Amendment are
to Wallowa County citizens.
The sold-out event took place
at Cloverleaf Hall in Enter-
prise on Oct. 21.
Arguably the single larg-
est fundraiser in the county,
organizers raised more than
$100,000 for both local and
national NRA entities.
This year’s banquet com-
mittee chairman, Doug
Wickre, who also serves as
president of the Eagle Cap
Shooters Association, said
that while a large portion of
the banquet’s profi ts will go
Steve Tool/Chieftain
Doug Wickre, center, flanked by auctioneer Luke Womochil
on the right, prepares to announce another item up for live
auction at the Wallowa County Friends of the NRA Banguet
at Cloverleaf Hall on Oct. 21.
to the NRA, funding goes
back to the community in the
form of grants.
“We get a lot of that
money back for the coun-
ty’s shooting ranges, for
Divide Camp and college
scholarships for seniors,” he
said.
Real estate broker Adam
Saxton, who was attending
the event for the fi rst time,
came out a major winner in
one of the raffl es, receiving
a 24-gun safe with a mystery
prize inside that turned out to
be a Henry 45-70 lever-ac-
tion rifl e.
“My wife didn’t want me
to buy a gun safe because I
already have a gun safe,”
Saxton said, referring to the
$20 he paid for the raffl e
ticket.
Born and raised in
the county, Saxton said
he supports the Second
Amendment.
“I believe in the NRA and
I want to support it,” he said.
Joseph Charter School
employee Tim Kiesecker
said he’s been attending for
8-10 years to support his
beliefs.
“I believe in freedom,
and I believe in the Second
Amendment,” he said. “This
is for a really good cause.”
Wickre said the best
part of the banquet for him
was interfacing with the
community.
“When you go out and
talk to them about the
event, asking if they want
dinner tickets or to spon-
sor, you get a chance to
sit down with them and
tell them why it’s import-
ant,” he said. “We had an
overwhelming
response,
and we really appreciate
it.”
Crews stop Black Marble Lane blaze in its tracks
By Steve Tool
Wallowa County Chieftain
Quick response from mul-
tiple agencies stopped the
spread of a wildfi re at Black
Marble Lane on Alder Slope
Oct. 19. The incident started
when a property owner initi-
ated a permitted burn on his
property.
Enterprise Fire Depart-
ment Chief and Wallowa
County Emergency Services
Manager Paul Karvoski said
the fi re had spread to 15-20
acres although fi refi ghters
were on scene minutes after
the 4 p.m. initial call. Kar-
voski said the property had
been thinned and the owner
waited until after fi re season
to attempt to burn piles from
the thinning project.
“We had 20-30 mph. winds,
and it just kind of took off
from there,” Karvoski said. “It
blew onto three other proper-
ties, but I don’t think there was
any signifi cant damage –– it
didn’t threaten any residences
or structures.”
Karvoski said fi ghting the
fi re proved a challenge for
crews as the blaze presented
multiple fronts.
“We
had
Enterprise,
Joseph, Oregon Department
of Forestry and U.S. Forest
Service,” Karvoski said. “It
was pretty fortunate that we
had pretty much everybody in
Enterprise. We got some addi-
tional engines up there pretty
quick.”
Although some of the area
was forested, the fi re did not
get into the canopy because
it had been thinned, although
high dead grass allowed the
fi re to spread.
“We know what can happen
up there on that slope,” Kar-
voski added. “That slope was a
big boiling pot, and with a wind
like that, we know it can take
out a lot of area in a hurry.”
Karvoski cautioned that
just because fi re season is over,
fi res remain a possibility.
“People need to be care-
ful regardless. That’s what it
amounts to,” he said.
WALLOWA COUNTY
Health Line
519 W. North Street, Enterprise
541.426.3413
Mon-Thurs 9 to Noon/1-5pm; Fri. 9-1
Keycode Entry
Weight Room • Cardio
Women’s Circuit • Tanning
202 W. Main, Enterprise
541-426-0313
You’re Invited!
22
nd
Recycle Your Stuff for Cash in
the Classifieds
Call or
go online
to browse,
buy or
sell!
Annual
Healthy Futures Dinner Auction!
Help us save lives by raising money for 3D Mammography, the
best technology in breast imaging available today
Exciting Live Auction Items!
Shakespeare Weekend! Two tickets to OSF, 2 nights Ashland Springs Hotel
Northern Quest Casino – one night for two, dinner at Epic Sports Lounge
Five nights Sunriver vacation home, sleeps 8 – donated by Dr. & Mrs. Underhill
Tri-Cities Hockey Package includes hotel and Tri-Cities Americans tickets for 4
Walla Walla Wine Weekend – two nights VRBO, wine tasting for 4 at Doubleback, two bottles of premium
Call Us Today 541•426•4567
Classified Ads Due By Monday 10 a.o.
For Display Advertising Contact
Jennifer Powell 541•805•9630
jpowell@wallowa.com
Special “bucket list” items: Del Mar Race Horse weekend, Pebble Beach Golf Getaway,
and Country Music Awards show & backstage passes in Nashville – call for details!
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Cloverleaf Hall, Enterprise
Doors open 5:00 pm
Tickets on Sale Now! Hurry, space limited!
Emcees Bob & Bill Williams; Auctioneer Jake Musser
Silent Auction & Social Hour at 5:00 pm (note earlier time!)
Elegant Dinner by Backyard Gardens, choice of prime rib, chicken or vegetarian
Bar by La Laguna & Wine bar featuring L’ecole 41
Wine Roulette sponsored by Anton’s Home & Hearth
Heads or Tails Game Prizes
BARGAINS OF THE MONTH ®
BARGAINS
MONTH
While supplies last.
Mini ipad donated by Wallowa Valley Eye Care
Apple Watch donated by Winding Waters Clinic
YOUR CHOICE
4.99
To purchase tickets:
Stop by the Foundation Office at Wallowa Memorial Hospital
Or mail check made out to WVHCF to PO Box 53, Enterprise 97828
Please specify beef, chicken or vegetarian entree
Space is limited; Tickets are $60 per person
20 lb. Wild Bird Food
L 501 272 1
8 lb. Birders’ Blend
Premium Bird Food
Your support is greatly appreciated
The Wallowa Valley Health Care Foundation
L 501 322 F6
M-F 8AM-6PM • SAT 8AM-5PM • SUN 9AM-3PM
Sale Ends 10/31/17
