NEWS
Wallowa.com
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
A17
Soaring to new heights with aviation
education at Joseph Charter School
Kana Oliver
For Wallowa County
Chieftain
Rocky Wilson/Chieftain
Much of the Integrated Biomass Resources log yard is
decked with logs 6” in diameter and less. IBR is based three
miles northwest of Wallowa, on a 73-acre site formerly
occupied by Wallowa Forest Products.
Local fire at Integrated
Biomass Resources,
cause unknown
On Sunday, May 12, at
approximately 1 a.m. a fire
occurred at Integrated Bio-
mass Resources in Wal-
lowa. No one was present
at the mill and there were
no injuries associated with
the fire. The exact cause of
the fire is unknown at this
time.
Integrated
Biomass
Resources is an exist-
ing small diameter mill,
located just outside Wal-
lowa at the former Rogge
mill site, dedicated to
developing value-added
products from small-diam-
eter trees, including posts,
poles, bundled firewood,
pulp chips, short saw logs,
energy, and biochar. Over
nearly a decade of oper-
ation, IBR has increased
small wood utilization and
forest restoration, reduced
the cost of forest manage-
ment by creating value for
restoration residuals, and
supported Wallowa County
through the creation of 25
jobs.
IBR is thought by some
to be a key player in the
economic development of
Wallowa County.
The fire originated in
the vicinity of a firewood
processor and spread to a
hydraulic fluid tank that
resulted in a high inten-
sity fire that caused sig-
nificant damage to the
surrounding equipment.
Fortunately,the fire did not
spread extensively beyond
this localized area thanks
to the efforts of local fire
fighters, including Jeffrey
Wecks, the Fire Chief of
the Joseph Fire Depart-
ment. Jeffrey and his fam-
ily happened to be return-
ing home from out of the
County and driving on
highway 82 soon after
the fire began. Spotting
the fire, he drove to the
site, called 911, and initi-
ated the firefighting effort
which limited the damage.
While the fire certainly
creates a challenge for IBR
going into the summer sea-
son, the damaged equip-
ment and infrastructure
will be rebuilt and oper-
ations will continue, as
will the benefits that IBR
brings to the community
and our surrounding for-
estlands. IBR would like
to extend a heartfelt thank
you to the Wallowa, Los-
tine, Enterprise and Joseph
Fire Departments.
The aviation population
has been diminishing over
the years and is in desperate
need for fresh faces to replen-
ish the void left by retiring
pilots and mechanics. Since
2016, Joseph Charter School
has been preparing students
interested in aerospace to
take flight in its New Heights
Aviation Program. Students
develop important skills for
aeronautics both in the class-
room and through hands-on
experiments and construc-
tion of aircraft. They also are
encouraged to develop skills
that are necessary to be suc-
cessful in the field such as
communications, logistics,
and thinking outside of the
box.
Construction of the new
Career and Technical Edu-
cation (CTE) Building at
Joseph Charter School began
in early April. The building
will serve as the new home
to Joseph New Heights Avi-
ation. Inside, there will be
classrooms designated for
CTE learning that will help
propel Joseph into the future
of education.
Christian Ambroson
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Building at Joseph Charter School. Construction began
April, 2019.
A
Federal
Aviation
Administration
approved
simulator will be available to
students. This simulator will
work both visually and phys-
ically by moving as a real
airplane would. Students will
also be able to get hands-on
experience building aircraft
in open spaces. Wallowa and
Enterprise High School stu-
dents and community mem-
bers will be able to use the
facilities by appointment.
The building is funded
by a half-million-dollar
Career and Technical Edu-
cation grant issued in Janu-
ary 2018 to the Joseph New
Heights Aviation program.
They are receiving additional
help through an American
Airlines $12,000 grant. It is
being constructed by Wellens
Farwell and is targeted to be
completed by July 31 for the
2019-2020 school year.
“The new building will
allow our school district to
change with future educa-
tion trends and can be trans-
formed into what our stu-
dents need,” Superintendent
Lance Homan explained.
“The design and location will
allow for all students K-12 to
take advantage of CTE edu-
cation and get introduced to
real-world experiences.”
Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland visitor center grand opening
The Nez Perce Wallowa
Homeland will be hosting
a “Grand Opening” of their
visitor center from noon to
5 p.m. on the Saturday of
Memorial Day weekend,
May 25. The event is held in
conjunction with the “Shar-
ing Blankets” exhibit, held at
the Wallowa Longhouse on
Whiskey Creek Road from
2-7 p.m. on the same day.
The
visitor
center,
located at 209 E. 2nd Street
in downtown Wallowa,
has been the site of many
improvements over the past
two years. Decorative exte-
rior painting was completed
by muralist John Michener.
Inside the visitor center,
interactive exhibits include a
hands-on topographical map
of the Wallowas, a ‘Sea-
sonal Round’ calendar of
plants and animals, and an
American girl doll diorama
for children, all impeccably
crafted by JR Rymut, owner
of Echo Fabrication in Enter-
prise. Paintings by another
local artist, Anna Vogel, are
also featured, in addition
to contemporary Native art
by Lloyd Barkley, Wilbert
Beebe, Kevin Peters, Hal
Brightcloud and Ellen Tay-
lor. Colorful and informative
photo panels tell the story of
the wal’waama, the people
of Wallowa, as told by Nez
Perce members of the board
of the Wallowa Homeland. A
full resource library compli-
ments the exhibits. Visitors
are reminded throughout
the space that the Nez Perce
people and this land are
intertwined, today as they
have always been. The mes-
sage is one of shared com-
mitment to this place, Wal-
lowa, through stewardship
of the land and cultivation of
cross-cultural relationships.
Stop by any time between
noon and 5 p.m. to experi-
ence the exhibits and meet
some of the artists. Refresh-
ments will be provided.
Meanwhile, at the Long-
house, five Native textile art-
ists will display their hand-
made blankets, beginning
at 2 p.m. Organizer Britt
Rynearson is a Nez Perce
descendant, and has devel-
oped an informative website
for the project www.sharing-
blankets.org. Refreshments,
discussion and stories of the
tradition of sharing blankets
will commence at 5 p.m. All
are welcome, and quilters
are especially encouraged to
attend.
REAL value
Our legendary tools are only one component
of the value we provide. From sales and service
to professional advice and support, your STIHL
Dealer delivers value well beyond tools.
Experience the difference of Real STIHL.
MS 170
SAVE $ 100 *
SAVE $ 20 *
16 " bar†
HS 45
SAVE $ 50 *
WITH THE BUNDLED PURCHASE
OF THE FSA 56 TRIMMER
AND RMA 460 SET
18 " blade
NOW JUST
$
CHAIN SAW
WAS $ 179 95 SNW-SRP
159
$
"THE PRICE AND RELIABILITY
ARE OUTSTANDING"
95
519 90
WAS $ 619 90 SNW-SRP
RMA 460 SET INCLUDES
AK 30 BATTERY AND
AL 101 CHARGER.
HEDGE TRIMMER
+
WAS $ 299 95 SNW-SRP
249 95
$
"VERY AGILE TO HANDLE
AND CONTROL“
+
- SPENCERFORHIRE755
- STIHLUSER209
Wallowa County Grain Growers
911 South River Street | Enterprise | 541-426-3116
WallowaCountyGrainGrowers.com
*Offers valid through 7/7/19. Available at participating dealers while supplies last. † The actual listed guide bar
length may vary from the effective cutting length based on which powerhead it is installed on. Check out these
reviews and others on the product pages at STIHLdealers.com. ©2019 STIHL SNW19-421-142860-2
stihldealers.com