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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 2017)
Wallowa County Chieftain News / Opinion wallowa.com December 27, 2017 A5 Wallowa Resources adds three new positions Thanks to the Ford Family Foun- dation’s support, Wallowa Resources has added three new positions. Jean Jancaitis is the new director of programs and watershed stewardship program manager. Larz Stewart is the new development director and Jessica Tomasini is the new communications coordinator. “With the increased capacity, we’re committed to increasing our impact in Wallowa County, helping our commu- nity demonstrate the economic poten- tial of land stewardship and support- ing other counties and communities interested in a similar rural devel- opment trajectory,” said Wallowa Resources Executive Director Nils Christoffersen. Jancaitis grew up in the Southeast, living in Alabama, Florida and Vir- ginia. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology from The College of William and Mary in Virginia, and a master’s in environmental studies from the Uni- versity of Oregon. She has worked for The Nature Conservancy in Oregon and Califor- nia as a botanist, ecologist and stew- ardship manager, restoring and man- aging thousands of acres of working landscapes. Through this work, she developed collaborative relationships with pri- vate land owners on working farms, ranches and forest land. Most recently, Jancaitis was the natural resource spe- cialist for the Oregon Parks and Recre- ation Department based in Bend. While there, she fell in love with With the increased capacity, we’re committed to increasing our impact in Wallowa County...” — Nils Christoffersen Wallowa Resources Executive Director Jancaitis Stewart Tomasini northeastern Oregon and was inspired by Wallowa Resources. “It’s exciting to be working with an organization that cares for both the land and the community,” she said. After growing up in the Grande Ronde Valley, Stewart left to play intercollegiate basketball and start a career in the big city, but he always dreamed of returning to northeast Ore- gon and giving back to the place and people that helped craft his values and a strong sense of place. After spending most of his career working in the urban areas of Hono- lulu, Beijing and Portland, he’s excited to be back in the mountains and living in a vibrant rural community. He has experience in program development, marketing and project management. Most recently, Stewart was the assistant executive director of Adven- tures Without Limits, a nonprofit that served at-risk youth and people with disabilities in the Portland Metro area. He has a master’s in business administration from Hawaii Pacific University, and has completed post-graduate coursework in sus- tainable forestry at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. His passion for connecting people to the natural resources that support them, outdoor education and bridging the urban and rural divide has brought him to Wallowa Resources. He is excited to be an advocate for the rural communities across the west that are doing great things for the land, water and their communities. His other interests include hiking, any water sport, jam sessions, lan- guages and spending time with family. Stewart and his wife have two young boys. After spending most of their lives living in southwest Washing- ton, Tomasini and her husband were in search of a rural area in which to raise their family. It didn’t take much for them to fall in love with Wallowa County and all it had to offer. They moved here a year ago with their three young children. Jessica has a background in photography and grant writing and a bachelor’s degree in information technology. She is excited for the opportunities Wallowa Resources offers and to com- municate that with Wallowa County and beyond. Jessica also has a personal interest in the county’s natural resources, spe- cifically timber management. Her hus- band, Dustin, has his own business specializing in fuel reduction, logging and other forestry needs. With their children, they love to spend time hiking, hunting, fishing or enjoying the beautiful Wallowa Lake. Wallowa Resources is a nonprofit with the mission to empower rural communities to create strong econo- mies and healthy landscapes through land stewardship, education and job creation. The office is at 401 NE First St. in Enterprise. Eleventh Annual Wallowa County Digital Contest CON PRO Continued from Page A4 Continued from Page A4 Have we learned nothing whatsoever from the empty promises of trickle-down economics over the last forty years, even as we continue to watch our middle class shrink while the top 1 per- cent gobble up even more of our nation’s income? Perhaps it should come as no surprise that an elec- torate, which selected a bil- lionaire Celebrity Appren- tice as president, now stands stunned and at least tempo- rarily impotent as a Repub- lican Congress passes out modest tax reductions for the middle class as a way of camouflaging the bulk of their giveaways to large cor- porations and the wealthy. And over the coming months and years, as deficits resume their upward climb to the tune of a projected additional $1.5 trillion, don’t be surprised when those same Republicans in Con- gress will announce gravely that spending cuts have to be made in health care and social security. With a sober understand- ing of President Trump’s current unpopularity, and with a worried eye toward their own precarious and shrinking majority, Congres- sional Republicans have just made a huge gamble on this tax reform legislation. After eight years of solid progress in the economy, they have scorned that basic, homespun adage: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” They ignored the eco- nomic successes of the Clin- ton and Obama presidencies, which followed modest tax increases to upper income earners, and instead they tripled-down on the trick- le-down bets of Ronald Rea- gan and George W. Bush. They also jeopardized the recent expansion of health care coverage by eliminat- ing the individual mandate, a move which is projected to swell the ranks of the unin- sured by thirteen million people. The short-term result is that President Trump and the Republicans in Congress “got a win.” As for the rest of us, only time will tell. But if past is prologue, don’t expect too many crumbs to fall from a rich man’s table. Not all the 1 percent are as fair and decent as Paul Capelli. John McColgan writes from his home in Joseph, except when he is travelling. makers reinvest more money locally in their businesses and our communities. Globally, we’ll finally see American-based compa- nies bring money home and invest it here, rather than look for ways to shelter earnings overseas. America had one of the highest corporate tax rates in the industrialized world, resulting in lost jobs and American companies moving abroad. That all changes under this legislation. Our plan makes the Amer- ican economy more compet- itive, which will lead to more job growth and economic expansion. We’re finally giv- ing American companies a better place to do business. A spokesman for Intel, one of Oregon biggest employ- ers, told the Oregonian news- paper that these changes “can help level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers and make us more competitive in today’s global economy. The bill should also spur further investment in Amer- ican manufacturing and (research and development). These tax reforms are boosting confidence in our economy. Last month, the National Federation of Inde- pendent Business confidence index hit an all-time high. Meanwhile, in the fourth quarter, optimism among manufacturers also reached a new high. While the stock market will ebb and flow, a 5,000-point gain in the last year is welcome news to those with savings and retirement accounts, especially after the last eight years of slow growth. Many factors affect the strength of the economy, including an available and trained workforce, interna- tional incidents and more. Congress and the President need to focus on rebuilding America’s infrastructure next. But after waiting 31 years for real tax reform, finally we have a law that brings tax sav- ings to hard working Ameri- cans and makes us competitive again overseas. Walden represents Ore- gon’s 2nd Congressional Dis- trict, which includes Wallowa County and much of central, southern and eastern Oregon. Who can enter? All amateur photographers who live in Wallowa County either full-time or part-time, or who have ever vacationed in Wallowa County, are eligible. Exceptions: Members of the Wallowa Valley Photo Club, the staff of the Chieftain, and their immediate families may not submit entries. "Immediate family" includes only spouses, parents, and children. Public display of photos: All submitted photos will be displayed on the Chieftain's web site as they are received. After judging, winning photos will be featured on the Chief- tain's web site, and as many winning and non-winning photos as space allows will be featured in the Chieftain's print edition. Selected winning and non-winning photos may also appear in a single issue of the Wallowa Valley Photo Club's monthly newsletter and on the Photo Club's web site in the context of informing members of the Photo Club about the contest. Awards: There will be two categories of awards. 1. The People's Choice awards for the most popular submitted photos, with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in each division. Everyone can vote by browsing to the Chieftain's contest web page and choosing their favorite Student Division photo and their favorite Adult Division photo. Prizes are $40, $20, and $10, plus certificates. 2. Overall best photos, with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in each of the two divisions as determined by the judges. Prizes are $40, $20, and $10, plus certificates. Honorable Mentions may be awarded at the discretion of the judges. Prizes for honorable mentions will be certificates. The Wallowa Valley Photo Club is solely responsible for all awards. Deadline: Submissions to the contest may be made beginning Monday, January 1, 2018 and will be accepted through Saturday, January 10, 1018. Vot- ing for the People's Choice award is from Sunday, January 21, 2018 through Sunday, February 4, 2018. Winners will be announced in the Wednesday, February 14, 2018 issue of the Chieftain. p Hel Can re a We u Sh the Yo of Joy s the liday o H Kodak Photo Kiosk • Christmas Cards Frames & Albums • Stationery Boxes & Shipping Supplies •Central Copy• 108 S. River St., Enterprise (across from the courthouse) 541-426-2679 • centralcopy@eoni.com Submissions: All submissions must be digital – prints and slides are not accepted. However, prints and slides may be scanned and digital copies submitted. • Digital photos may be submitted via the Chieftain's online submission form or emailed to PhotoWallowa@ gmail.com. CDs may also be dropped off at the Chief- tain (209 NW 1st, Enterprise, Oregon). Complete List of Rules: Please see the website for a complete list of the contest rules at www.wallowa.com/photocontest