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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 2018)
ay! D s ’ e Valentin Happy BIG READ HAS BIG SCHEDULE Page 3 Enterprise, Oregon Wallowa.com Issue No. 44 February 14, 2018 PHOTOGR APHIC PHENOMS Winners at the 11th Annual Wallowa County Digital Photo Contest $1 Defendant disrupts circuit court County courthouse goes on lockdown Wednesday By Steve Tool Wallowa County Chieftain Wallowa County Circuit Court is gen- erally a place with a subdued atmosphere. Voices are occasionally, only briefly, raised to disturb the court’s sanctified atmosphere. That wasn’t the case Feb. 7. Preston Robert Ryan, 29, of Nevada County in Cailfornia was slated for a plea and sentencing hearing pertaining to a felon in possession of a firearm incident that occurred on Hurricane Creek Road and Alamo St. on Christmas Day of last year. His felony crime was for possession of metham- phetamine. The court sees a number of these kinds of cases each year with little fanfare. Ryan had several law enforcement escorts and every door in the courthouse was locked down until he was seated in the courtroom. When Ryan was escorted upstairs he looked See COURT, Page A7 WILDFIRE INEVITABLE County unveils plan to help protect homes, towns Success will depend on cooperation from area homeowners OICE PEOPLES’ CH 1 ST Place By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain ABOVE: This photo, entitled “Just Pretty,” won first in the people’s choice competi- tion in the 11th Annual Wal- lowa County Digital Photo Contest, sponsored by the Chieftain and Wallowa Val- ley Photo Club. It was sub- mitted by Treva Crooks of Joseph. RIGHT: This pho- to, entitled “Barn in Sum- mer Storm,” won first in the judge’s choice competition. It was submitted by Kristi Wade of Lostine. Joseph is at high risk of burning in the event of a catastrophic wildfire. That is just one of the things that approximately 40 resi- dents of Wallowa County learned when they gathered to hear about the new Wallowa County Community Wildfire Protection Plan at a meeting Feb. 7 in Enterprise. The plan was prepared to comply with local, state and federal direction, and having such a plan may be required for a community or county to qualify for disaster aid. Wallowa County is roughly 65 percent forested, and the likelihood of a forest fire is high. But what recent years have revealed is that forest fires no longer burn in the wilder- ness. They are superfires, faster than a speed- ing bullet and able to jump broad rivers in a single bound. There are plenty of causes to consider, and dire circumstances to ponder, but the JUDGES’ CHOIC E 1 ST Place INSIDE: More photos of contest winners | PAGE 13 See FIRES, Page A7 Tram receiving $80,000 in upkeep, upgrades in 2018 SkyTrac electrical controls going in, other work set By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain It’s “winter business” as usual for the Wal- lowa Lake Tram, which means maintenance — $80,000 worth for 2018. “This tram is very important to the tourism of Wallowa County, so we want to invest in keep- ing it in the best shape possible,” said co-owner Michael Lockhart. “Trams like ski lift equipment need constant maintenance, and right now we’re working on a new drive that will improve the lift and extend the life of the tram significantly.” Extending life is important because it would cost an estimated $10 million to replace it, Lock- hart said. It’s also a way to keep tram ride costs as low as possible. The work will replace technology of the late- 60s era with new SkyTrac electrical controls, said tram facilities manager Perry Batten. The cosmetic appearance is also being addressed. Several gondolas have been repainted and reupholstered and are awaiting new win- dows. Those upgrades will cost management approximately $1,000 per gondola. Batten is in the midst of a three-year plan to rebuild all of the 50 cast steel gondola assem- blies (the part that connects the gondola to the lift cable). His crew has rebuilt 11 assemblies in the last 10 months and by the end of 2018, Bat- ten believes they will be 40 percent completed with that part of the project. They are also planning to rebuild each of the 25 tower assemblies, beginning with the towers bearing the heaviest loads. Safety engineers from both the tram’s insur- ance company and Oregon Department of For- estry inspect the tram annually. “We have a stellar safety record,” said Lock- hart. “Our engine is also checked every seven years and is going in for a complete service this year.” Kathleen Ellyn/Chieftain Lift Maintenance Technician Eric Post of Enterprise makes some final adjustments as he works on a lift assembly at Wal- lowa Lake Tram.