Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (May 16, 2018)
Wallowa County Chieftain From A1/News wallowa.com HOUSING Continued from Page A1 industrial could move in,” Roberts said. “There were opportunities for industry in Wallowa County and in the area that would have qualified for the program, but there is a lot of preliminary work to do even if an industry were interested.” That preliminary work may also include giving agencies a better understanding of the economic real- ities of the county that might not be grasped with a quick look at bot- tom-line numbers. Income levels of a minority may be driving up aver- age income level numbers and dis- guising the real need. “Revenue in the county (when the mills were in operation) was predominantly created by jobs,” said real estate and housing man- agement professional Diane Dag- gett. “Then, there was this point in time when revenue in the county was coming from outside the county in the form of transfer payments; everything from pension incomes to Medicaid subsidies. For quite some time, we’ve not been creating the (majority of) revenue in this county from jobs, we’re bringing it in from transfer payments. (Knowing) that information will help us identify more potential solutions.” Collaboration of stakeholders is also key. “There are just so many pieces to this issue that there is no easy answer,” Daggett said. May 16, 2018 WHO RECEIVED THE MONEY Pilot programs established by the state Donald: The local agricultural equipment manufac- turer GK Machine and the city of Donald have partnered to propose expanding the community. The first phase of the pilot will include upgrading the city’s wastewater and water treatment plants to support 95 new homes, with an eventual planned total of 465 new homes. Pacific City: Nestucca Ridge Development, the local- ly-owned parent company of Pelican Brewing Co., will construct 12 homes on several acres they currently own. They will pre-lease six of those to their local employees, over half of whom currently commute from outside of Til- lamook County. Warm Springs: The Jefferson County School District currently owns eight small homes built in the ‘50s that sur- round the former elementary school. The pilot project will rehabilitate these existing properties and build one new home, making all of them available for local elementary and middle school teachers at the Warm Springs K-8 Academy. Harney County: Local officials will run a study to assess local workforce housing needs. The study will inven- tory existing housing, identify gaps, and create a strate- gic implementation and business plan to leverage invest- ments, engage employers and create job opportunities. Lincoln County: New income-qualified homebuy- ers will have opportunities to purchase a home through Proud Ground. Proud Ground uses a land trust model to combine a subsidy to lower the purchase price of homes on the open market with land lease and affordability cove- nants. Lincoln County, Newport and Lincoln City will invest matching funds as well as partner with the local school district and other employers. COURT Continued from Page A1 A tribute to retiring Wallowa County Extension Agent John Williams ended with the cutting of this cake. WILLIAMS Continued from Page A1 spring might have been wound a little tight during fair.” Wallowa County rancher Linda Childers told Roberts she had coined a phrase for Williams’ propensity for get- ting grumpy when he’s hun- gry. Childers called it “han- gry,” a combination of hungry and angry. “He doesn’t talk until you feed him,” she said. In addition to Roberts, long- time cohorts Arleigh Isley and Mac Birkmaier spoke. Isley was Wallowa County Extension Agent before Wil- liams and was instrumental in bringing him to the county. “I got him into this mess, so I had to come to get him out of it,” Isley joked. Birkmaier said farmers and ranchers owe a debt of grat- itude to both Williams and Isley, which drew applause from the audience. “We couldn’t have had two better more down-to-earth knowledgable guys willing to help us,” Birkmaier said. “In all the issues that we faced, we had them as allies to help us communicate our part of the story to different urban populations.” Birkmaier said he and Wil- liams attended dozens of meet- ings attempting to keep wolves from being reintroduced in Oregon. He said he worried Wil- Retiring Wallowa County Extension Agent John Williams. liams would “get in trouble” in rooms filled with environ- mentalists “who loved them wolves.” “We couldn’t have had a better ally, and just because we failed goddammit, it doesn’t mean we didn’t try,” Birk- maier added. “What we said in those hearings is coming true today.” Toward the end of the eve- ning, Debera Warnock, who guides the county’s 4-H pro- grams, presented Williams with a plaque from Oregon State University recogniz- ing his 32 years of service. John’s spring might have been wound a little tight during fair.” — Mike Hayward former county commissioner She also announced a special retirement gift –– a one-day guided fishing trip. In his farewell, Williams said he has truly loved being in the county and working with so many great people. He paid tribute to his wife, Eileen, and presented her with an orchid. “You don’t do a job like this without a partner,” Wil- liams said. Williams said he hopes to stick around and work on sev- eral unfinished initiatives. “There are a lot of things I am looking forward to,” he added. The event, coordinated by Warnock, also featured food and ended with serving of a retirement cake. “We’re not going there,” West said as he slammed down the gavel twice and McFarland again attempted to speak over him. McFarland requested more time, which the judge refused. The trial proceeded. As William’s presented her opening statement describ- ing McFarland being pulled over by police, McFarland attempted to object, but was told by the judge to wait. As Enterprise Police Department officer George Kohlhepp was being sworn in, McFarland continued to interrupt the pro- ceedings, at one point object- ing to Kohlhepp describing himself as a police officer. He was overruled. He also objected to the officer saying he had witnessed the defen- dant driving. McFarland cross-examined. He attempted to get Kohl- hepp to define what a driver is, whether the officer was stalking him and even if he knew the definition of the word “police officer” in the penal or driving code. His line of questioning met with relevance and argumentative objections from Williams, which West sustained. Kohlhepp testified to Wil- liams that he was off duty when he saw McFarland driv- ing in Enterprise, and knowing McFarland was suspended, called EPD officer Jacob Cur- tis to tell him of the infraction. Curtis who issued the citation next took the stand. McFarland objected to the manner in which Curtis was sworn in. “I would like him sworn in under pain and penalty of per- jury,” the defendant said. “He’s properly sworn in,” West said. “You’re denying my request to have him sworn in under pain and penalty of perjury?” “Yes.” The line of questioning from McFarland followed almost exactly the same line as his previous questions and were objected and sustained at the same rate. Williams closed by reiter- ating the charges and review- ing the testimony of the two officers. McFarland argued the evi- dence was attained on hear- say and that he was arrested without being read his rights and without a warrant and that he was also being stalked by police. “I have heard the evi- dence and the testimony of the witnesses,” West said. “I find officers Curtis and Kohl- hepp credible and the state has proven the misdemeanor to my satisfaction, beyond a rea- sonable doubt, so I’m finding you guilty of failing to carry a license.” He also found McFar- land guilty of Driving While Suspended. West sentenced McFar- land May 7. Williams offered a copy of McFarland’s driv- ing record, which included 10 traffic violations in 2016 and 2017. She said that while the state had considered asking for probation for McFarland, court documents indicated that he wouldn’t comply with probation. Williams instead asked for an executed sentence of 30 days in jail. McFarland said he still challenged the jurisdiction of the court and called the pro- ceeding a simulation of legal process and said he did not One word describes all of your paperwork, all of your defenses and all of your prostestations about jurisdiction: That word is nonsense.” — Judge West Wallowa County Circuit Court consent to it. “One word describes all of your paperwork, all of your defenses and all of your pros- testations about jurisdiction: That word is nonsense,” Judge West said. “You’re displaying your disdain and noncoopera- tion and refusal to abide by our systems of laws, I don’t know why you’re not tired of it.” “You will go to jail because that’s the only thing you seem to understand,” West said. He sentenced McFarland to a week in jail and three years probation with Wal- lowa County Community Corrections. “The conditions are real simple,” West said. “You will abide by our laws; you will abide by our vehicle code.” He also fined the defendant $500 and ordered him to report to probation immediately upon release from jail. Vet transportation program miles jump THANK YOU Transportation providers such as Community Connec- tion have logged 1,012,790 miles driving rural Oregon veterans to their medical appointments in the last three and one half years. That’s nearly 37,000 hours on the road and almost 18,000 trips –– a great return on the annual Highly Rural Transportation Grant of $50,000 per county. The grant is administered by the state in conjunction with transportation providers in Wallowa, Baker, Gilliam, Dear supporters, friends and family: Thank you for all your help and support during my campaign for County Commissioner. I am committed to this place and our people. No matter the election outcome, I’ll continue to work for the future of our Wallowa County. FOR THE RECORD MAY 7 8:01 –– Possible intoxicated driver reported in Enterprise. 9:23 a.m. –– Loose goats reported in rural Enterprise. MAY 9 9:41 a.m. –– A 911 caller Grant, Lake, Harney, Mal- heur, Morrow, Sherman and Wheeler counties. For veterans living in these areas, the nearest VA medi- cal centers are in Boise, Walla Walla, Portland and Roseburg — round trips that encom- pass several hundred miles, at least. Services include door-to- door pick-up and drop-off in ADA-compliant vehicles, with assistance in loading or unloading at no cost to the veteran. Volunteer drivers reported illegal burning in rural Joseph. 10:50 a.m. –– Complaint of vehicle parked illegally and block- ing a business in Joseph. 3:40 p.m. –– David Wayne Franklin, 27, of Clarkston, Wash., was arrested on a judgement. Original charge was was DUI. He was transported to Umatilla County Jail. A9 support the program in Wal- lowa County. “Veterans should be free to live where they choose,” said Sheronne Blasi, direc- tor of Statewide Veteran Ser- vices for the Oregon Depart- ment of Veterans’ Affairs. “It is the creativity and ded- ication of these county and transportation districts that has made this program such a success. How they are able to do so much with the limited resources available is truly remarkable.” MAY 10 1:04 p.m.–– Possible wolf dep- redation in rural Wallowa County. MAY 12 8:10 a.m. –– Trespass com- plaint in rural enterprise was han- dled by Oregon State Police. 9:12 p.m. –– A 911 caller reported a fire in Joseph, which turned out to be a controlled burn. www.facebook.com/daggett4commissioner Paid for by the Committee to Elect Diane Daggett