Wallowa County Chieftain
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wallowa.com
THREE
minutes with ...
VICKI YOST
Retired
Vicki Yost, 71, grew up in Joseph and graduated from
Joseph High in 1965. She is the daughter of Alta and Henry
Ward Beecher “Bee” Daggett Jr. Bee worked in the forest,
cutting logs for Roy Daggett, working in the local sawmills
or out in the forest.
Alta was a homemaker until her father, Wilbur Reece,
went into care and the family needed a second income.
Wilbur Reece was one of the originators of Chief Joseph
Days back when it was in a big outdoor arena on the east
moraine. He also produced the sign that reads “This little
town is heaven to us so don’t drive like hell through it.”
The number of events and responsibilities held by fam-
ily members is long and storied, Vicki said. Her own part in
Chief Joseph was “doing whatever they needed me to do.”
After high school, she moved to Portland to learn to be a
cosmetician. She married James Yost of Enterprise in 1966,
and the two lived in Kentucky until James got out of the ser-
vice. Then they moved back to the Paul and Gladys Yost
ranch where James ranched and Vicki worked as a beautician.
The couple had two children, Tony and Jill (Hite).
When the children were young, Vicki went to work at the
Wallowa County Courthouse and became the assessor — a
job she held for around 15 years. During that time, she served
as state president of the county assessors association.
She and James divorced in 1988, and Vicki moved to
Deschutes County and took a job in the assessors office to be
near her daughter. She remained in Deschutes County until
approximately 2004 when she returned to Wallowa County.
By then, both her children had returned to Wallowa
County, and she was able to enjoy her four grandchildren.
“I wanted to be really involved in their lives,” she said.
“Those memories you can’t get back. Once they’re gone,
they’re gone, and I just love it. So that’s my life.”
She lived at home in Enterprise until 2017, when her sixth
back surgery — the result of a broken back in a horse wreck
when she was a young mother and the passage of years of
wear and tear — prompted a move.
“I was used to being an old farm girl, and it took a long
time for it to get through this old head that I couldn’t do all
the things I used to do,” she said.
She now lives at Wallowa Valley Senior Living but con-
tinues to lead an active life with trips to ball games, out to
November 21, 2018
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dinner and other events.
“At first I thought I was in prison,” she said. “And then I
decided maybe it wasn’t that bad. I always wanted a maid, a
chef and a chauffeur.”
The list of her volunteer efforts includes involvement and
leadership in 4-H, FFA, March of Dimes, Jaycees, Soropt-
omist, Chief Joseph Days, Stockgrowers Association, Cow
Belles and “anything to do with kids ... I don’t think my head
ever says no.” She continues to volunteer — she was busy
recently helping make up the Christmas list for residents of
Wallowa Valley Senior Living.
Q. Why live in Wallowa County?
A. Why not? Because it’s gorgeous. Where else could you
live in such beautiful country, with beautiful people, caring
people, a community that is always there for you. If you need
help, you don’t even have to say so. Someone else will pick
up the phone.
Q. What has Wallowa County taught you?
A. Humility. Just to be thankful for everything: the blessings
and the hard work.
Q. Can you remember the first book that really had
an impact on you? Can you recommend one you’ve
read recently?
A. I read lots of Disney books when I was a kid. We lived in
logging camp all summer long and anything I could get my
hands on to take to logging camp with me . . . I would go
to the library or wherever anybody had a stockpile and take
those Golden Books with me. I loved Donald Duck — don’t
ask me why.
What I can recommend that I’ve read recently: the voters
pamphlet! I have a passion about people and voting. Many
people died for you to have that right to vote. Take advantage
of that. Don’t poo-pah that away. Take it seriously.
Scams: Beware, it could happen to anyone
Speaker tells
how to avoid
being duped
SIX SIGNS IT IS A
SCAM
ut of the blue.”
an “emergency.”
2. Scammers claim there is
rsonal information.
3. Scammer ask for your pe
wire money.
4. Scammers want you to
e it a “secret.”
5. Scammers tell you to ke
d too good to be
6. Scammers make it soun
true.
By Paul Wahl
1. Scammers contact you “o
Wallowa County Chieftain
If it sounds too good to be
true, it probably is. Be skepti-
cal and vigilant. Don’t engage.
Those were some of the
takeaways from an hour-long
presentation on scams Nov.
15 hosted by Wallowa Cham-
ber of Commerce in the Tomas
Conference Center.
Kevin Jeffries, consumer
liaison for Oregon Department
of Consumer and Business
Services, said that the number
of scams and their sophistica-
tion is on the rise.
“In rural areas like Wal-
lowa County, we tend to let
our guard down,” Jeffries said.
“Most of you would never
think of doing something this
dishonest, it’s just not on your
radar.”
His advice was broken into
two broad categories -- precau-
tions businesses should take
and steps individuals can uti-
lize to avoid being duped out
of money.
He advised business own-
ers that if they don’t need a
customer’s information, don’t
collect it.
“It’s just more risk you
have to manage,” Jeffries said.
He said businesses need to pay
attention to destroying records
properly. He told of one case
his department investigated in
which a business had disposed
of bank boxes full of personal
information into a dumpster,
putting customers at risk.
Individuals should always
be suspect of anyone asking
for their Social Security num-
ent
SOURCE: Oregon Departm
ber, and he suggests asking
why it’s needed and how it
will be stored.
“If you get a credit card
offer in the mail, open those up
and look to see if there’s any
personal information inside.
and if there is, shred it,” Jef-
fries suggested.
Never carry your Social
Security card in your wal-
let and if you still have the
old Medicare card on which
your ID is your Social Secu-
rity number, do not carry that
either.
In large part, too much
private information is being
shared on social media. Jef-
fries told about a scam pop-
ular in Portland in which
dishonest individuals troll
Facebook looking for people
who are posting from a vaca-
tion location.
While they are out of
town, thieves will either list
their home as “for rent” and
of Justice
scam potential “renters” or in
some cases hold an “estate”
sale. When the homeowners
returned, they are cleaned out.
People who use cell phones
should always have them set
to require a password to get in.
Don’t use a debit card if
a purchase requires the card
to leave your hand, Jeffries
said. Use a credit card only
for online or over-the-phone
transactions. And never swipe
a credit card through a reader,
use the embedded chip.
“Magnetic strips have a lot
of information on them that’s
not encrypted, the chip is
encrypted,” Jeffries said.
Senior citizens are espe-
cially susceptible to fraud,
particularly scams involving
grandchildren. He explained
one common scenario in
which an individual calls
grandma on her cell phone and
the number appears to be that
of the grandchild.
The phony grandchild on
the other end of the conver-
sation tells a sad tale of woe
–– usually they are in prison
overseas and need money to
get out -– and asks for money
to be wired.
Jeffries said to hang up on
these callers immediately.
“And for sure, don’t answer
your cell phone if you don’t
know who is calling,” Jeffries
added.
Many unknown calls are
aimed at data mining –– col-
lecting your information to
sell to another entity. If you
pick up and attempt to engage,
Paul Wahl/Chieftain
Kevin Jeffries, consumer liaison for Oregon Department of
Consumer and Business Services, shows an actual private
carrier envelope used to ship a check that was part of a scam
his office busted. He said thiefs will often attempt to lend le-
gitimacy to their dealings by making the scam appear as of-
ficial as possible.
your information becomes
more valuable to thieves.
“Scammers who know
yours is an active number but
you are not willing to engage
are less likely to contact you,”
Jeffries said.
Another common scam
asks individuals to put money
on prepaid gift cards, which is
nearly always a scam.
Chamber executive direc-
tor Vicki Searles said she was
pleased with the turnout and
plans to have Jeffries return for
another session in 2019.
“The more people know
about how these scams work,
the better they are able to pro-
tect themselves,” she said.
ATTENTION
“The Kettle Korn Lady”
will be carrying freshly made
organic Kettle Korn at Market Place Fresh Foods
in Joseph beginning Saturday Nov. 3rd!
Traditional Snicker Doodle, Caramel
and Chocolate varieties.
Stressed?
STUDENT of the WEEK
TOO MUCH STRESS
Hunting for
Bargains
literally causes the human brain
to freeze and shut down
temporarily.
Happy Thanksgiving
Jeff
Harman, MA., LPC
Professional Counseling In A Private Setting
Ed Staub & Sons
Energy Community Service.
201 East Hwy 82 Enterprise, OR 97828
541-426-0320
603 Medical Parkway, Enterprise, OR 97828
www.jharmancounseling.com
To schedule an appointment
call (541) 426-3067
Preferred provider of Regence Blue Cross, ODS, Cascade Centers
and many other private insurance and employee assistance programs
LEVI PRINGLE
Alternative Ed
Levi has been an
AMAZING addition
to the Alternative Ed
Classroom. He is
insightful, intelligent and
a quiet leader. Since he
entered our program,
he has had perfect
attendance and a positive
attitude each day.
We are thrilled he has
joined our school!
Proudly sponsored by
The Student of the Week is chosen
for academic achievement and
community involvement. Students
are selected by the administrators
of their respective schools. Local Money Working For Local People