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Enterprise, Oregon
Issue No. 29
Wallowa.com
November 1, 2017
$1
GET READY
HERE
COMES
WINTER
Weatherization is key to surviving the cold and the cost
HELP IS WAITING
By Kathleen Ellyn
Wallowa County Chieftain
T
he Old Farmer’s Almanac pre-
dicts another snowy winter
with periods of warm weather
and that could mean a repeat
of some of the issues Wallowa
County residents faced last year.
Residents are advised to keep a trickle
of water running in sinks at all times
during freezing weather. Most cities will
cut residents a break on water usage during
winter months to compensate. As winter
approaches, look for an “overage forgive-
ness notifi cation” in your water bill.
I imagine we’ll still help actual little old ladies,
but the guy who just repeatedly ignores advice and
then expects us to do the work for free ... there’s
going to have to be consequences.”
Travis Goebel
Public Works Director
City residents are also advised to take
warnings seriously as cities will be limit-
ing their unoffi cial “public works charity”
of digging up frozen lines.
County commissioners put
Talbott Ranch on the block
Property was foreclosed in 2012
The long-running saga of
the Talbott Ranch in Imnaha
reached the end of a chap-
ter Oct. 23, when county
commissioners voted unani-
mously to list the property at
auction. The 2,024 acres on
Little Sheep Creek will carry
a minimum bid of $910,800.
The ranch was seized for
nonpayment of taxes and
foreclosed on in April 2012.
It was operated by David Ray
Talbott at the time. Citing
“public safety,” the commis-
sioners did not put the prop-
erty up for auction imme-
diately, stating that threats
were made both veiled and
directly about what might
happen if anyone attempted
to take possession of the
land.
Talbott went to prison
May 2017 on charges of
felon in possession of a fi re-
Looking
back, historically
from 2003 to the
current time, there
hasn’t been an
effort to rectify
debts against the
property.”
Todd Nash
County Commissioner
arm and tampering with phys-
ical evidence. He received 36
months. His earliest release
date was listed as June 2018.
The commissioners have
now been approached about
the possibility of the family
purchasing the property back
in a private arrangement —
prompting the commissioners
to vote to dispose of the land.
The commissioners were
advised that there will likely
be a legal action against the
county if it moves forward
with plans to auction, accord-
ing to Commissioner Susan
Roberts, but the commission-
ers have also come under criti-
cism for delaying the decision.
“Looking back, historically
from 2003 to the current time,
there hasn’t been an effort to
rectify debts against the prop-
erty,” said Commissioner Todd
Nash. “At the time of fore-
closure, the state had liens of
$200,000 against the properties
... as well as other creditors.”
For that reason he felt it
was time to move forward
with the auction.
After some discussion the
commissioners voted unani-
mously to begin the process
of listing the property for
auction.
“I imagine we’ll still help actual lit-
tle old ladies, but the guy who just
Priorities will be given to seniors, disabled,
veterans and families with young children.
You may be placed on a waiting list.
Kathleen Ellyn/Chieftain
Kids taking part in the Building Healthy Families “Hike It Baby” program –– Tesla Weston, 4,
and Brant West, 1, both of Enterprise –– met at Joseph City Park on Wednesday to hunt and
decorate pumpkins in advance of Halloween. Hike it Baby events are open to anyone and are
posted on the “Hike it Baby” Wallowa County Facebook page. Past hikes for infants, toddlers
and kindergarteners have included campgrounds in Lostine, hiking the Iwetemlaykin Park or
walking paths at the south end of the lake.
Hawkins takes the helm
of Wallowa project
By Kathleen Ellyn
Wallowa County Chieftain
commemorate the theatre’s
1919 opening. Vali’s Alpine
Restaurant served multi-
tudes of hors d’oeuvres and
a new Terminal Gravity beer,
OK IPA, brewed especially
for the theater, was poured.
Later, auctioneer John Top
sold specifi c theater repairs
to the highest bidder.
OK Theatre owner Dar-
rell Brann said the turnout
was impressive consider-
ing the short notice. He also
said that he deviated from
the original plan for the eve-
ning because people were
having such a good time, and
he didn’t want to spoil the
mood.
One of the biggest hits
was the OK IPA, which
See HELP, Page A8
PUMPKIN PASSION
By Steve Tool
If last Friday’s OK The-
atre Centennial Kickoff
event at the Lostine Tavern
was a harbinger of things
to come, the theater should
see prosperous times for the
foreseeable future.
In one night, the Oct. 27
event raised nearly $20,000
toward a $56,000 match of a
$100,000 grant awarded by
the state to the Greater Enter-
prise Main Street consortium
for the purpose of renovating
the theater and Main Street
as well.
Revelers fi lled the ven-
erable tavern with doz-
ens of participants dressed
in pre-Prohibition attire to
Low Income Energy Assistance Program
Energy bill payment assistance and free
weatherization supplies for low-income
renters or owners including basic home
tightening products such as pipe wrapping,
caulking, duct sealing, weather-stripping,
energy efficient light bulbs and more.
See WINTER, Page A8
OK Theatre fundraiser
nets double original goal
Wallowa County Chieftain
Community Connection can help you apply
for the following programs. Call 541-426-
3840 to schedule an appointment and
determine eligibility.
symbolized the coopera-
tion between various enti-
ties and the theater. Kevin
Highlander, a TG brewer,
talked about TG’s support of
the theater and their excite-
ment about the opportu-
nity to partner, which Brann
appreciated.
“It was an awesome part-
nership to work with Ter-
minal Gravity,” Brann
said. “Part of the kickoff is
announcing these partner-
ships and to make sure the
theater is connected to every
group because as much as
the theater is ours, it belongs
to everybody in a way.”
Diane Daggett, who is
See OK, Page A7
Mary Hawkins has a lot
on her plate these days. She
is offi ce manager for the Wal-
lowa Band Nez Perce Trail
Interpretive Center.
She has additionally vol-
unteered to take leadership of
the Wallowa Hometown Proj-
ect to keep momentum after
former city council member
and project organizer Garrett
Lowe stepped down due to
health reasons.
“There is no formal struc-
ture to the Wallowa Home-
town Project,” Hawkins
said. “There were some good
ideas there that it seemed like
shouldn’t be dropped, bet-
ter signage ... some of our
historic buildings, down-
town corridor,
walking down
toward the new
footbridge,
the possibil-
ity of getting
the depot from
Hawkins
Evans moved
down there.
People are interested, there’s
just not really a leader. I
could take on parts of that.”
Hawkins said the Wallowa
Hometown Project needs
volunteers.
Wallowa Hometown Proj-
ect development process is
citizen-driven, the city is not
formally involved until proj-
ects are brought to the coun-
cil for approval.
Public meetings have
See HAWKINS, Page A8