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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (April 25, 2018)
2018 LITTLE LEAGUE SEASON OPENS Photos galore on A13 Enterprise, Oregon Wallowa.com Issue No. 2 April 25, 2018 $1 N I T O P d U H T S N b I Shootin’ Shootin’ it it up up g T e O W Troy P I c d U H T S b g U H I e I c 0 5 c 0 c 0 g b T U P Frolander accused of prosecutorial misconduct By Steve Tool Wallowa County Chieftain Aaron Gray, 38, of Orofino, Idaho, through his attorney, Benjamin Boyd, filed a motion to dismiss the state’s information with prejudice regarding the second of two sexual abuse and harassment cases filed against Gray by the Wallowa County district Attor- ney’s Office late last month. The motion accuses deputy dis- trict attorney Rebecca Frolander of prosecutorial misconduct. Gray formerly worked as the director of physical therapy at Wal- lowa Memorial Hospital. On March 6 and March 23 of this year, Wallowa County filed the charges based on alleged incidents that occurred involving two women in March of this year and Novem- ber of 2017. Although the November alleged incident occurred earlier, the charges were filed later, on March 26. According to the motion and Boyd’s declaration in support of the motion, Frolander’s interactions with the second alleged victim interfered with the possible offer of a legal civil compromises in order to settle the case out of court. Boyd’s office had offered a civil compromise to the alleged victim in the first case on about March 15. If the alleged victim had accepted the offer, Gray could not have been pros- ecuted as it would have amounted to double jeopardy. The alleged first victim refused the civil compromise and later told Frolander she wanted no further con- tact from Boyd’s office. The DA later emailed Boyd about the refusal and no-contact request of the victim. According to Boyd, during a March 26 appointment to discuss the case first filed, Frolander informed him of the new charges in the sec- ond case against Gray. Boyd also stated in the motion that Frolander had informed him that she had spoken to the alleged second victim and told her of the civil compromise offer and refusal from the first alleged victim. According to Boyd, Frolander told him she had informed the second alleged victim that she might receive a similar offer and also had the right to refuse the offer as well as reject fur- ther contact from Boyd’s office. Fro- lander allegedly followed with a state- ment that the second alleged victim See GRAY, Page A8 County ends public health presence; services stay By Paul Wahl ‘Flingers,’ bowmen turning Wenaha Rendezvous into highlight of Troy’s year By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain Kathleen Ellyn/Chieftain “Crafty” of Craigmont, Idaho, prepares to cock her .50 caliber White Mountain Carbine, preparing to shoot at the “bear targets” some 50 yards away on the tar- get trail at the Wenaha Muzzleloaders 42nd Annual Rendezvous on Griz Flats just outside of Troy. This is “Crafty’s” second rendezvous and she already has the full historical attire. p at Griz Flats above Troy, a herd of four deer stands above the campsites, ears twitching. Below them, nearly 80 shoot- ers –– “hawk” (tomahawk) flingers –– and bowmen are demonstrating their skills on a series of challenges. The competitors, along with their families and friends, are enjoying the 42nd Annual Wenaha Rendezvous. No deer will be harmed during the event, though some homebrew will be murdered during the homemade spirits contest and a variety of meats will be eaten during the Dutch oven cookoff. The April 20-22 celebration is one of the largest in the Northwest and features a dozen events for beginners to pros. See TROY, Page A9 Kathleen Ellyn/Chieftain The supply tent at the Wenaha Muzzleloaders 42nd Annual Rendezvous on Griz Flats just outside of Troy. Here mountain men and women can find period correct supplies of many kinds. Wallowa County Chieftain Wallowa County has opted to close its public health presence, but homes have been found for all of the services once offered. Commissioners voted to strike a deal to divide the responsibilities between the state and Winding Waters Clinic. Vital health records will be retained by the county. “In other words, we won’t have your health records from services received through the county,” said Nic Powers, Winding Waters CEO. Patients may request their records be trans- ferred from the county to Winding Waters. Winding Waters will continue to operate the former 1,955 square-foot county clinic at 758 NW 1st St, Enterprise. The clinic will close May 1 and is expected to open June 4. Services in the interim will be provided at Winding Waters. Powers said a lease remained to be signed but expected that to happen shortly. Winding Waters will also employ the last county health worker Jodi Beck, who had served as public health administrator. The office will be operated part-time initially. Powers said his organization had been contacted by the county some months back. Negotiation had gone smoothly. By law, the county was required to approve an ordinance before the transfer could happen. “Because of shrinking funds, the board made the difficult decision to close the pub- lic health department as of May 1,” Commis- sioner Susan Roberts said. “We have been working closely with Jodi Beck, OHA and other partners to ensure a smooth transition.” Paul Karvoski, the county’s emergency services coordinator, will continue to office out of the First Street building. His role is to assist in maintaining community well-be- ing through disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery activities as directed by Oregon Revised Statue 401. Powers said the transfer won’t mean Winding Waters will be the only clinic to receive vaccines from the state. He noted sev- eral other clinics have programs, which will likely remain in place. Reproductive health involves providing physicals prior to prescribing birth control and other contraceptive education programs, both of which Winding Waters had already been offering. See HEALTH, Page A8 McDonald hangs up her swim goggles Beloved swim instructor retires at 77 By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain After 45 years of wrangling kids in a pool — 25 of those in Wallowa County — Judy McDonald, 77, of Enterprise, has retired. Just the mention of her name elicits fond memories for hundreds who learned to swim with McDonald beginning in 1993 when Enterprise had its own pool. Once the city pool closed, McDonald taught out of the pool at Eagle Cap Chalets at the lake, and then Eagle’s View Inn in Enterprise. And mothers who wanted their children to learn just kept calling. Erin Pace, of Enterprise had three chil- dren with McDonald over the years, even- tually becoming an assistant. “I wanted them all to take swimming,” Pace said. “If you don’t learn to swim with Judy — you don’t learn to swim. She’s the best.” McDonald never advertised. Once it was known that she was teaching, people called her until she had a waiting list. Prior to her retirement, McDonald and her vol- unteer assistants were teaching approx- imately 75 students a week (three after- noons) at the little pool at Eagle’s View Inn. “I’ve always had a waiting list,” she said. “There are still people on a waiting list, and I won’t get to teach them. It’s so hard to give this up because I know the desire and need to get kids so they can be water safe. I could be at the pool four after- noons a week the demand is so great.” Judy Mc- Donald needs the arms of an octopus to manage the little kids in her swim- ming class — but she’s defined “multi- task” over a de- cades-long career as a swim teacher for kids of all ages. See POOL, Page A9 Kathleen Ellyn/ Chieftain
