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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 2020)
THE WEEK IN PHOTOS TUNESMITH SET TO KICK MAXVILLE HERITAGE INTERPRETIVE OFF NEW SEASON CENTER HONORS PAST THE BACK PAGE, A16 LOCAL, A6 136th Year, No. 26 LOCAL, A8 WINNER OF THE 2020 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD Chieftain wins four fi rst-place awards Wallowa County Voices Paper wins General Excellence award and two for best feature stories Kayleen Lewis Lostine Globetrotter returned to county ENTERPRISE — Kayleen Lewis is a Wallowa County native who got some globe-trotting experience before settling near Lostine. Right now, she’s an accoun- tant for Chrisman Development in Enterprise. Having grown up in Wallowa, she and her husband, Bobb, lived in Papua, New Guinea, and Malay- sia for awhile. “Then we came home,” she said. The Lewises have fi ve children. All live outside the county — includ- ing one daughter in Australia — except for one son who comes back part time, as his wife is in veterinary school at Washington State Univer- sity in Pullman. What’s your favorite thing about Wallowa County? The beauty of it. I just love look- ing at the mountains all year long. It doesn’t matter what season. I love the trails and being out in the woods. I really like that. Also, the friendliness of the people. The county has had a few COVID cases. Are you particularly concerned about it? Not super concerned. I think COVID’s going to be around a long time and either you get it or you don’t. I take precautions because I have elderly parents and I don’t par- ticularly want them to get it. What are you going to do this fall? Just getting the yard ready for winter, and putting away ranch equipment at my dad’s cattle ranch on Alder Slope. What’s your advice for people who are thinking about moving here? Have a job fi rst and be willing to adapt because we have a slightly diff erent culture here. It’s gotten better. People have gotten a little more open than they used to be. In some ways Wallowa County’s tribal in a good way, meaning that when people are hurting or in crisis, every- body just rallies around and they’re really good about that, where you don’t necessarily get that if you’re in a city. I think our culture ties us together more than some places. When you come from a big city and you’re used to anonymity, you don’t get that here — and that can be good or bad. — Bill Bradshaw Wallowa County Chieftain Wednesday, October 7, 2020 Chieftain staff Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain Chantay Jett, left, stands with her son, Keelan McBurney, at their Joseph home in front of a buggy she said will be a project for McBurney to work on with his grandfather. McBurney’s left leg was seriously injured in May, but he’s well on the road to recovery. Back from the brink Youth, who nearly lost leg, well on road to recovery By Bill Bradshaw Wallowa County Chieftain J OSEPH — It was a tragic acci- dent that nearly cost him his life — or at least a leg — but Joseph Charter School cross-country runner Keelan McBurney isn’t letting it keep him down by any means. It was May 15 when McBurney, then 15, had gone to visit a friend who lived about three miles south of Joseph on the back side of the west moraine. He decided to keep the friend, who was the same age and has since moved out of the area, anonymous. See Awards, Page A10 JOSEPH UNVEILS NEW See Brink, Page A9 STATUE Event marks a turning point for the walama NiiMiipoo, better known Band Nez Perce, and as the Chief Joseph one more step in their homecoming journey. | A4, A10 BRONCS BULLS and A SUCCESS By Ellen Morris Bishop Wallowa County Chieftain T he 15th annual Mountain High Broncs Rodeo set new records for attendan and Bulls the number of cowboys competin ce, and for bronc riders and g. Nineteen with eight wild 13 bull riders competed, along horse race teams. Three present and past World ranch rodeo Champion winner was Juntura, bronc riders competed. But the Oregon, buster Gabe McKay. cowpoke and bronc- He took home for mastering the two horses he rode, a purse of $2,100 score of 155.5 points. with a combined See Broncs and Bulls, The accident “About 45 minutes later,” said his mom, Chantay Jett, “I get a call from his friend who is so distraught that he’s not able to speak on the phone. I could hear Keelan in the background and he said, ‘Mom, I’ve been in an accident. I think I broke my leg. It’s really bad, you need to come immediately.’ ” Jett said that the two had driven the friend’s mom’s car down the drive- way to the mailbox and upon return- ing, McBurney was guiding the friend into a parking spot at the house when the friend thought he had the car in reverse, but it was in drive. The friend hit the gas, panicked and hit the gas harder and pinned McBurney to the house, crushing his left leg. ENTERPRISE — The Wal- lowa County Chieftain won four fi rst-place awards in the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Associa- tion Better Newspaper Contest, including general excellence and two for best feature stories. The awards are for work done during the 2019 calendar year. “I am very pleased that our peers would recognize the Chief- tain as a newspaper of general excellence,” Jennifer Cooney, general manager of the Chieftain, said. “Everything from photog- raphy, writing, editorial page and front-page design were all con- sidered. Basically, all aspects of the Chieftain have been judged amongst the best in the state. It makes me very humble and thank- ful for the work of our staff.” The general excellence win represents the highest award pre- sented to Oregon newspapers and entries are considered to be the best examples of the industry, accord- ing to the ONPA website. The con- Enterprise, Oregon 135th Year, No. 11 Imnaha buckaroo Riley Warnock masters his bronc at Mountain High Broncs and Bulls. Warnock was just 0.5 seconds shy of an eight-seco nd ride. Ellen Morris Bishop Page A10 Wallowa.com Wednesday, June EAST VS. WEST IN ALL-STAR FOOTBALL GAME 26, 2019 $1 Bowlby Bash 20 19 By Ellen Morris Bishop as speedsters. All Wallowa County were of the small Chieftain required to be front wheel to inspected improve before being permitted the vehicle’s sta- This year’s to bility. “It would Bash provided a Bowlby race. Rules for the just tip cars fun and unique host of LQFOXGHG VSHFL¿F ZHLJKW over too easily without booths to limits explore, with local depending upon them,” Aguilar said. Other general rules— and treats galore, goods the age and weight of the or along driver. Derby with plenty of racers driven are at least expectations— activities by 8-12 that the cars be for youngsters. From year olds were built, often from hand- tle corn and face-paint ket- required to be less than cast-off 250 ing or salvaged parts. pounds for the total New dragon boat to sidewalk-chalk Baby weight GHOHFWDEOH URRW EHHU art and of car and vehicle. Drivers stroller wheels are good. events have been the Bowlby Bash ÀRDWV 13 to 17 years of age could So are bicycle wheels and added, including a new offered weigh even wheels from something for 10-paddler event and garden everyone. pounds in at a total of 350 carts and This year, the 16-year-ol the game carts for car 20-paddler boat races. Kari Greer/U.S. Forest Wildfi re season d Vehicles with and driver. that hunters use will approach its event got its original Service to trans- drivers ages port peak later in the year, experts predict. A17 their deer out of summer this back, after having name 18 and older could total the no woods. All enjoyed more than a brief stint as Summerfe derby cars have 550 pounds. st “It’s all about keeping to have brakes that work. in 2018. In some, that’s bicycle the downhill speed One of the most cal- of the iper brakes. pated parts of the antici- cars at a pace that drivers In others a block that is applied it’s Bash celebration Bowlby can control,” Aguilar to said. soap box derby. This is the “Younger and less experi- the wheel via a hand-lever. year, Steering enced designs include eight derby racers drivers really need Brooke Van Sickle primitive, very simple entered. The derby, were to go slower to be sure rack they and pinion spon- keep control.” and Cody Mawhinne By Brad Carlson sored by Greater Enterprise designs as well y The ZHVWHUQ ZLOG¿UH Capital Press plan to expand its inspections focus pre-race as the wires that are more Main Streets (GEMS) DFWLYLW\ on safety. like won’t start to increase was One car, designed boat steering. Agui- inventory, keep its largely organized until as a tri- lar’s creations late June. by Jorge cycle, Mark Moore is ready legendary friendly Aguilar, Jr. There with two wheels include the for were The coastal area of DQRWKHU EXV\ ZLOG¿ categories: Creative two the back and one small on VFW’s racer and lots of Wash- atmosphere intact. one work son on southwest UH VHD ington and Oregon and on the front, Speedster. This will Idaho’s KDYH DQ was required car. on the Number 1 year, all to literally A18 rangeland. DERYHQRUPDO ¿UH He added a number the vehicles were of entered ing wheels install train- As chief of the Mountain risk. 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Year-to-date through 7KRXJK WKH ZLOG¿ June UH RXW WKH look for the Northwest QXPEHU RI ZLOG¿UHV is nationwide totaled mixed — some of 17,118 this KRW VSRWV IRU ZLOG¿ year’s burning 459,776 acres, the ironically, along UH DUH NIFC reported. That’s down from DOO\ GDPS 3DFL¿F the usu- 25,661 the idea is to train FRDVW ² ¿UHV EXUQLQJ VOLJKWO\ PRUH for any than 1.8 possibility million . acres Nick Jannuzzi pilots WKH ¿UVW VL[ PRQWKV during the Elks Lodge The June-September racer towards the Ellen Morris Bishop soapbox derby. RI ODVW year. fi nish line at the regional forecast 2019 Bowlby Bash from the As of last week, six National Interagenc large y Fire Center in Boise predicts that See Fire season, Page A7 East shows west how character, winning is done. A9 DRAGONS IN THE WALLOWAS NEW OWNERS AT IMNAHA STORE AND TAVERN Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain Keelan McBurney shows the scar from a leg-saving procedure called a fasciectomy, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, where skin was removed over injured muscle tissue in May to allow the swelling tissue to heal. He said he’s been told most of the scar should disappear over time. Getting ready for ZLOG¿UHVHDVRQ This Wallowa County Chieftain from June 26, 2019, was featured in the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association awards for best design. The centerpiece of the page is a story and photos by Ellen Morris Bishop. Three local measures on November ballot By Ellen Morris Bishop For the Wallowa County Chieftain ENTERPRISE — The ballots arriv- ing in the mailbox during the week of Oct. 19 contain three local measures that will affect the future of Wallowa County communities. The Enterprise School District bond would improve the security and long- term viability of school facilities, the local marijuana tax would provide more income for the city of Joseph, and the Greater Idaho initiative would require meetings of the county Board of Com- missioners to contemplate the conse- quences of becoming part of Idaho. “The school bond is important because the needs are not extravagant. They are necessities for safety and accessibil- ity in a 100-year-old building,” Enter- prise School Board President Kate Fent said. “Even more important, the district has been awarded a one-time, $4 mil- lion grant from the state that will match the bond, which translates to $8 million worth of work for a price tag of $4 mil- lion to the voters. If the bond does not pass, the district loses the grant.” The school bond is the most expen- sive, and perhaps most consequential of the measures on the ballot. If passed, Wallowa County Chieftain, File See Measures, Page A10 New secure metal ballot boxes have been installed outside Wallowa City Hall and Joseph City Hall.