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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 2020)
ENTERPRISE WOMAN JOINS TWO DECADES OF HALLOWEEN NATIONAL GUARD DECORATING LOCAL, A8 $1.50 LOCAL, A10 THE WEEK IN PHOTOS THE BACK PAGE, A18 136th Year, No. 29 WINNER OF THE 2020 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD Wednesday, October 28, 2020 Wallowa County Voices Tammy Jones Wallowa Jones’ role still allows interaction with kids WALLOWA — Wallowa Super- intendent Tammy Jones is in her 36th year as an educator, and fi rst year at Wallowa, where she is also the elementary school principal. “I really like the idea that it’s elementary principal and super- intendent, although that’s a lot, even in a small district,” she said of her role. “I like that aspect. I’m still interacting with kids.” Jones said the superinten- dent in Snohomish, Washington — where she served as a prin- cipal before coming to Wallowa — had a major role in how she approaches education. “He was an amazing mentor, and he really created an environ- ment that was focused on rela- tionship,” she said. “And I learned a great deal.” What got you into education? “You know, I always wanted to be a teacher when I was a kid. I have younger brothers — they had to be my students all the time (growing up).” When did you move here? “I bought my house, actu- ally, over a year-and-a-half ago — almost two years ago. (It was) October, two years ago, that I fell in love with the house, bought it and I just hoped that a position would come open, but if not it was going to be my summer and vaca- tion place, and hopefully retire- ment place.” How do you view COVID as an educator? “Last spring was very hard — doesn’t matter where you were at in the country. When everyone had to go home, it was kind of like try- ing to build an airplane while we were fl ying it. It was tough. We didn’t have the infrastructure ready to go into a distance model. ... “We did a lot of training, we pushed the start of school back, every school did in the county, and focused on getting staff prepared. ... (Because of our approach), kids knew what to expect, parents knew what to expect and it’s going well. Our numbers are actually increased, which is surprising.” — Ronald Bond Wallowa County Chieftain Margaret Bradshaw/Contributed Screenshot Pastor David Bruce, right, leads the worship band on a recent Sunday at Enterprise Christian Church in this screenshot from the church’s Facebook page. Bruce ministers to those who come into the church, as well as those who attend via Facebook, radio or a combination from the church parking lot. Worship rebounds from shutdowns Christians, others find ways to adapt to pandemic By BILL BRADSHAW Wallowa County Chieftain E NTERPRISE — Many places of worship in Wal- lowa County are rebounding from the shutdowns caused this past spring because of the coronavirus pandemic, and some are even fi nding their new circumstances a benefi t. Virtually all who were con- tacted are employing social dis- tancing and the wearing of face masks when they meet. An effort was made to reach out to all listed places of worship in the county. Some listed phone numbers that were not working and others didn’t respond to mes- sages left. Of those who were con- tacted, some are fi nding benefi ts in the new realities of gathering for worship amid the pandemic restrictions. Pastor Tim Barton, of the Wal- lowa Assembly of God Church, said the pandemic led his church to go to extra lengths to reach his congregation. About 55 people regularly attend, and he doesn’t really know how many are reached by their online broadcasts. “It really did put us in place where we had to adapt to reach people wherever they are in the world,” Barton said. “Any- body with an internet connection can see what’s happening at our services.” He said no one associated with Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain Maureen and Clint Krebs take part in worship at Enterprise Christian Church by listening to the radio and watching on Facebook from their car in the church’s parking lot. the church he is aware of has con- tracted COVID-19 and there’s been no noticeable drop-off in attendance. “That’s largely because we’ve taken steps to make sure people are safe,” he said. “Of course, it does require a certain amount of personal responsibility, but that has proven effective.” He said there also has been no noticeable drop-off in giving, allowing the church to remain fi nancially viable. The church has even been able to purchase equip- ment needed to conduct services online. “I do appreciate how all our people stuck with us. I think everybody appreciates we’re liv- ing in a different world,” Barton said. “We’ll adapt to whatever we have to do to preach the Gospel and spread the Good News.” Some churches have expanded the number of services they hold. Pastor David Pendleton, of Sum- mit Church in Enterprise, said they’ve added another Sunday morning service and spread out the seating in the Cloverleaf Hall, which the church rents for ser- vices. Children’s services and Sunday school, however, remain canceled. “We thought some of our older folks would go ‘into hiding’ but we’re seeing a greater turnout from older folks than the younger families,” he said. The church usually has a con- gregation of 130 to 150 attend- ing each week, but they’re down 30-50% from normal. They’ve also lacked the usual infl ux of vis- itors during tourist season. He said from what he’s heard, that’s consistent throughout the area. “I think the current state of unprecedented times allowed peo- ple to agree on the frailty of the human condition and things they formerly held to be true … in a variety of areas,” Pendleton said. “It’s called us to come to terms with the fact that nothing is con- stant except for the Lord.” Father Thomas Puduppulli- paramban, parish priest for St. Katherine Catholic Church in Enterprise and Wallowa, said in the spring Mass had been shut down by order of the pope and confessions could be conducted by appointment only. Now, however, he said he’s able to conduct Mass for the approxi- mately 50 parishioners, as long as they’re wearing face masks. Some churches have cut back the number of services they hold and are relying more on See Rebound, Page A7 Bentz discusses wildfi res, housing and uniting the country with Chieftain By RONALD BOND Wallowa County Chieftain ENTERPRISE — Wild- fi res did not devastate North- east Oregon this year, but other portions of the 2nd Congressional District, which Cliff Bentz is seeking to represent in the U.S. Con- gress, were completely dec- imated by wildfi res, most notably the Southwest Ore- gon cities of Talent and Phoenix. Bentz, a Republican and former state representative and senator who is running to replace Greg Walden, sat down with the Chieftain on Tuesday, Oct. 27, one week before the general election, to discuss what has hap- pened with fi res in Oregon, and other issues pertinent to area residents. Bentz said a key to pro- tecting Oregonians from fi res is letting them know what the risk level is for commu- nities around the state. “The two things that need to happen right now in this space to anybody that is even close to those fi res who or who had now toured them as I have is that we’ve gotta do something to tell com- munities who are at risk that they’re at risk, and do a risk assessment of all the commu- nities in Oregon, but particu- larly those surrounded by the woods, and say ‘You’ve got to do something because we can’t have our people burn- ing up. You can’t have this,’” he said. “This is one of those things people tend to forget when a fi re is put out.” Bentz said a bill was intro- duced in March of this year “that would have directed risk assessment,” but did not advance through the Demo- See Bentz, Page A7 Ronald Bond/Wallowa County Chieftain Cliff Bentz, who is running for Oregon Congressional District 2, discussed housing, wildfi res and more during an interview with the Chieftain Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.