LOCAL AUTHOR PUTS OUT ARTS AND EATS OUTDOORS AT THREE-PART SERIES TERMINAL GRAVITY LOCAL, A3 $1.50 BUSINESS, A6 THE WEEK IN PHOTOS THE BACK PAGE, A14 136th Year, No. 34 Wednesday, December 2, 2020 WINNER OF THE 2020 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD Statewide risk assessment plan begins this week Wallowa County set to start in lowest tier of plan By RONALD BOND Wallowa County Chieftain Gail Tally Enterprise A wish for a return to normal (Editor’s note: This interview was conducted prior to Gov. Brown’s announcement of the move from the freeze to the risk assessment plan, which begins Thursday). ENTERPRISE — Gail Tally has lived in Enterprise for 35 years, having come here originally to run the business offi ce at Wallowa Memorial Hospital. Now retired, her most recent job was as comptroller at Wallowa County Grain Growers. She has no family, but that doesn’t bother her. “I like being single,” Tally said. Recently, she shared her thoughts on living in Wallowa County. What’s your favorite thing about Wallowa County? I like the scenery, but you can’t eat the scenery so it’s important that you have a job when you come here. I like the people; they’re always friendly and willing to help. I never worry, if I get stuck on the highway, that someone will stop and help me. I never worry about that. How has the governor’s two- week freeze on gatherings that is set to end today aff ected you? Because I’m retired, it hasn’t aff ected me that much. I have not traveled out of the county as often as I would’ve liked, but I’m sure it’s much harder for people who have a job and have to travel and be out in the public for work. Do you think it will end today as it’s supposed to? Nope. There are just so many people who believe it’s a hoax and it isn’t seri- ous. I guess because they haven’t lost a loved one. But I am very serious about wearing a mask and staying at home and washing my hands. What do you want for Christmas? I could say “peace on Earth,” that’s the pat answer, but if I had one wish it would be that this COVID be over and we’re back to normal — that we’re back to the “new” normal, because it’s not going to be the same. Fake or real Christmas tree? Fake with lots of balsam fi r candles. I love the smell and I don’t like the mess of a real tree. I used to get worried about it catching fi re. I just prefer a fake. What’s your advice for people who are thinking about moving here? Like I said, you’ve got to have a job and a place to live. Housing is at a premium. — Bill Bradshaw, Wallowa County Chieftain ENTERPRISE — The “two- week freeze” is over at the end of the day today, Wednesday, Dec. 2. In its place, beginning on Thursday, will be a new four-tiered risk-assessment plan, announced last week by Gov. Kate Brown. Each county is placed in one of four categories which will loosen or tighten what counties are per- mitted to do. Wallowa County, which as of Tuesday, Dec. 1, had 71 cases — but has leveled off after doubling in about a month during Octo- ber and November — was placed in the low-risk category, mean- ing there are fewer restrictions in place for it and the three other counties classifi ed as low-risk. “There’s four or fi ve that got put in that green area that allowed us a little more autonomy,” Wallowa County Commissioner Todd Nash said. “We’re just at that low-risk number. We’ve either been lucky, or we’ve done well for keeping the numbers low here.” Nash said the move made by the state is an improvement, but he still would like to see the govern- ment less involved and the coun- ties have even more autonomy. “It’s better than it was. I don’t think, as elected offi cials, it’s in our purview to tell how many peo- ple can gather in one spot,” he said. “People have had enough time to evaluate the virus and what to do to protect themselves and the most vulnerable.” Sizes on social gatherings are still severely restricted — to a max of 10 for indoor gatherings and 12 outdoors — though the number See Risk, Page A12 Holiday lights Heidi’s wins fi rst in lighting contest; beecrowbee, Mad Mary’s also honored By BILL BRADSHAW Wallowa County Chieftain J OSEPH — Heidi’s Gift Shoppe was awarded fi rst place in the 2020 Jin- gle Thru Joseph Decoration and Lighting Contest, according to a press release from the Joseph Cham- ber of Commerce. The lighting contest took place Friday, Nov. 27, and was open to all businesses in Joseph. “The judges had a hard time deciding,” chamber member Jude Graham said in a chamber press release. “So many of our won- derful merchants in Joseph worked hard dec- orating their business. We are very lucky as a community to have such caring merchants.” Graham went on to urge area residents to view the displays in the competition that will be up during the Christmas season. “I hope everyone has a moment some eve- ning to load up the family and to drive through Joseph, both its main street and its homes,” Graham wrote. “There are some wonderful decorations and lights. Thank you everyone.” The actual Jingle Thru Joseph Parade will take place at 5 p.m. Saturday Dec 5. Every- one in Wallowa County is invited to bring the family and make a good memory for this year to fi nish the year on a high note. Winners for the Jingle Thru Joseph Deco- ration and Lighting Contest are: 1. Heidi’s Gift Shoppe won $100 for the fi rst-place win. The shop had an “Old-Fash- ioned Christmas” window that even tells a story. 2. beecrowbee was awarded second place this year for its creative window decorations. beecrowbee won $50 for second place. Mad Mary’s, which was the 2019 fi rst- place winner, won an honorary fi rst place for amazing lights and windows several years in a row. “We would like to recommend that every- one take a stroll through Joseph, each busi- ness has wonderful decorations inside and out,” Graham wrote. “Please shop local this Christmas.” Joseph Chamber of Commerce/Contributed Photo “An Old-Fashioned Christmas,” the name of the display in the storefront window at Heidi’s Gift Shoppe, won fi rst place in the Joseph Chamber of Commerce’s business lighting contest held Friday, Nov. 27, 2020. Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain The storefront window at beecrowbee won second place in the Joseph Chamber of Commerce’s business lighting contest held Friday, Nov. 27, 2020. Grants awarded to Nez Perce Tribal Fisheries and Wallowa Resources Funds from the Meyer Memorial Trust to the entities total more than $280,000 By ELLEN MORRIS BISHOP For the Wallowa County Chieftain ENTERPRISE — The Meyer Memorial Trust has awarded Nez Perce Tribal Fisheries in Joseph and Wallowa Resources in Enter- prise grants totaling more than $280,000. The funds will enhance natu- ral resources and management in Wallowa County, and are among only 150 grants awarded nation- wide by the trust in this year’s Funding Opportunity Awards. Nez Perce Tribal Fisheries in Joseph was awarded $138,824, from the trust’s Healthy Environ- ment portfolio to integrate tribal knowledge into Wallowa Lake management and explore reintro- duction of sockeye salmon to the lake. “We’re grateful to have received these funds and continue our collaborative relationship with See Grants, Page A12 Ellen Morris Bishop/For the Wallowa County Chieftain Grants totaling more than $280,000 will help the Nez Perce Tribal Fisheries reintroduce sockeye salmon to their spawning grounds in the Wallowa River and support Wallowa Resources programs in community forestry, including establishing a Firewise Community for the residents at Wallowa Lake.