HOPE FOR JOSEPH’S POTHOLES See editorial on Page 4 Enterprise, Oregon Wallowa.com Issue No. 42 January 31, 2018 2017 Citizens Award Banquet AND THE WINNER IS . . . Dan Gover of Enterprise was astonished when he re- ceived the Agriculture Award. Gover, 80, was recog- nized for his exemplary resource management, both as a farmer and a timberman. Penny Arentsen, pictured with husband Paul, accepted the Nonprofit Award. Arentsen is so involved in the community that it was hard to choose just one project to honor her for, but presenter Marla Dotson narrowed it down to the Joseph Playground project. Jennifer Gibbs of Wallowa Elementary poses with pre- senter Ann Bloom. Gibbs, a teacher for 30 years, was awarded the 2017 Educational Leader Award. Amid cheers and tears, chamber honors best of the best You taught me to be patient, hungry and humble.…You lit a flame so bright and hot that today it continues to burn as if it was the first day I raced.” By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain W allowa County has not begun to run out of outstand- ing citizens to honor each year at the Chamber of Com- merce Citizen Awards. Another seven were feted Jan. 28 and as usual, astonished winners, standing ovations and tears from presenters and recipients were the rule. Marc Stauffer The capacity crowd at Cloverleaf Hall saw the first award of the eve- ning go to Enterprise resident Marc Stauffer, who was honored with the award of Excellence in Community Service. See AWARDS, Page A8 Photos Kathleen Ellyn/Chieftain — David Ribich Enterprise Track and Field Coach Dan Moody was sur- rounded by supporters as he was surprised with the Un- sung Hero Award. in a letter praising Coach Dan Moody Hospital seeks new management company for assisted living Drugs drain resources New contract should be signed before June Law enforcement battling worst epidemic in county’s history By Steve Tool Wallowa County Chieftain Wallowa Memorial Hospi- tal is seeking a new manage- ment company for the Wal- lowa Valley Senior Living Center. The center provides assisted living services as well as memory care for two dozen residents. Artegan, the current man- agement group, elected not to renew its five-year con- tract with the hospital in late December. Crystal meth is just one form of the drug methamphetamine. Chieftain file photo Wallowa Valley Senior Living Center will have a new manage- ment company is place by this summer. Carfentanyl found in recent case By Steve Tool Artegan did not give a rea- son for nonrenewal. The hospital’s CEO Larry Davy and board chair Nick Lunde said the hospital has begun the search. “Under the terms of the 2013 contract, we would need to do a renewal before June,” Lunde said. “They were required under the contract to give at least 90 days notice.” When the center opened in 2013, a company called Marathon served in the man- agement capacity for nine months before it was bought by Artegan. “We didn’t have to do a new contract with Artegan; they just took over Mara- thon,” Lunde said. Both men said that Artegan did not give a reason for nonrenewal. Artegan will remain until June 27. It’s possible that a new company might take over the contract before June. “You want to look at who’s adept at running them already,” Davy said. “Artegan gave Nick (Lunde) a refer- ence of an organization that’s considered strong.” Lunde added that the new company is a leader in the field and pioneered the con- cept of assisted living, which had its origins in Oregon. “Quality and customer service is huge, but they also need to be fiscally responsi- ble,” Davy said Alpine House, an assisted living facility in Joseph, has also been contacted. Their selection would mean local rather than remote manage- ment. Davy added that the talks are at a stage of feasi- bility assessment for both parties. Both men are confident of finding a replacement com- pany before the deadline. “I don’t want to consider the alternative,” Lunde said with a laugh. “Seriously, we have a couple of strong leads.” “Failure is not an option,” a smiling Davy added. “Assisted living and senior care is very important. It’s See HOSPITAL, Page A9 Wallowa County Chieftain Wallowa County has a drug prob- lem. Law enforcement and the dis- trict attorney’s office are aware of it, as are circuit court and those who read the dispatch log. Law enforcement, including dis- trict attorney Mona Williams, Enter- prise Police Chief Joel Fish and Wal- lowa County Sheriff Steve Rogers are drawing battle plans. They sat down in Williams’ office recently for an hour-long interview with the Chieftain to discuss their challenges. The three have around 80 years of law enforcement experience between them. “It’s not new, it just kind of changes – ebbs and flows,” Williams said of the illicit drug trade in the county. Street drugs such as those found in large urban areas of the state have turned up. “We’re one of only three counties in the state that has actually found Carfentanyl,” Rogers said. The drug is 10,000 times more powerful than an equivalent unit of morphine and can be absorbed through latex gloves. It’s so danger- ous that the sheriff’s office won’t field test it; the drug is bagged and sent to an Oregon State Police Crime lab. So is the situation worse than it was 15 years ago? Today, marijuana products are legal to ingest. Williams said she still considers marijuana a drug, and if it is counted, drug use is more prevalent. “I’m seeing more of it than I did when I took office 11 years ago,” Williams said. Crystal Methamphetamine has also become more prevalent. “We weren’t seeing a lot of meth when I first started,” Williams said. “I would say a high percentage of cases that come through have a PCS meth along with whatever else there is,” she said. The others agreed. They believe meth presents the biggest problems. The county appears to have a higher than expected percentage of middle-aged meth addicts. “It’s that addictive,” Williams said. Rogers said that kids are always going to push boundaries, but with the high potency of today’s drugs, they don’t get many chances for error. See DRUGS, Page A9 $1