Wallowa.com
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
THE WEEK
IN
PHOTOS
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WINNER OF THE 2020 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
COVID-19
Vaccine
arrives in
Oregon
Summer
Derrickson
By GARY A. WARNER
Oregon Capital Bureau
Enterprise
She paints
pet portraits
on ornaments
ENTERPRISE — Summer Der-
rickson is a newcomer to Wallowa
County, but she already feels at
home here. She and husband, Chris,
moved here a little over a year ago
from Corvallis.
The Derricksons came here for
Chris’ job with Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife. But they both fi t
right in, she with her art. When inter-
viewed, she had just picked up some
clear Christmas tree ornaments she
planned to paint with people’s pet
portraits. She also works with a gal-
lery in Joseph during the summer
when it’s open.
The young couple has no chil-
dren — yet.
“Maybe eventually,” Summer
said. “But right now, we’re just hav-
ing fun, getting out hiking and all
that.”
Real or fake Christmas trees
and why?
Real. We just love the smell of
them. We don’t mind the mess and
we love going out and fi nding our
own. That’s always an adventure.
What do you want for
Christmas?
Probably just to be able to hang
out with all my family and friends. I
don’t think the pandemic will be a
problem. We’ll just visit with a few
family members.
What’s your favorite
Christmas carol?
I don’t really know them very
well, but “O Holy Night” is one of my
favorite songs.
What are you hoping for the
new year?
That things will start opening
up and that we don’t have to worry
about this whole pandemic thing.
Also, more peace in this world would
be nice.
What’s your favorite thing
about Wallowa County?
The mountains, for sure, and the
hiking. I love horseback riding, too,
so next year I hope to get out and do
more trail riding.
What’s your advice for
people who are thinking
about moving here?
Defi nitely spend a winter here
before you decide to move here.
— Bill Bradshaw,
Wallowa County Chieftain
Indian Ridge, and Am’sáaxpa
(a place of boulders). The prop-
erty extends from the west-
ern edge of the rodeo grounds
nearly a mile south to just west
of where Ski Run Road crosses
Wallowa River. It includes
the house, built in 1884, and
SALEM — The fi rst of millions of
expected vaccine doses needed to extin-
guish the COVID-19 virus arrived in
Oregon on Monday, starting a process
that could last into fall 2021.
The Oregon Health Authority issued
a statement that the fi rst doses of the vac-
cine manufactured by Pfi zer arrived in
the state at 7 a.m. Monday, Dec. 14. Four
facilities in or near Portland, along with
a medical center in Ontario in Malheur
County, were to each receive 975-dose
packages by Tuesday.
Oregon is slated to receive 35,100
doses this week. The remaining 30,225
Pfi zer doses will go to unspecifi ed hos-
pitals later this week. Another 10,725
doses will go to unspecifi ed skilled nurs-
ing facilities for vaccinations beginning
next week.
“Today, I can tell you that help
is here,” said Gov. Kate Brown in a
statement.
The vaccine’s initial arrival comes as
the state, like most of the nation, has seen
a steep rise in COVID-19 cases since
September.
Through reports Monday, there have
been 95,010 positive cases of COVID-
19 in Oregon and 1,161 deaths. Nation-
wide, there have been nearly 16.6 million
cases more than 302,000 deaths, accord-
ing to Johns Hopkins University.
In Wallowa County, there have been
74 cases and three deaths.
While a sign of hope, getting the vac-
cine to most of the more than 2.6 million
estimated adults in the state is still a dis-
tant goal.
“The vaccine is the light at the end of
the tunnel, but we will be in this tunnel
for several months,” said Oregon Health
Authority Director Pat Allen.
Allen urged Oregonians to wear
masks, physically distance, avoid gather-
ings, and staying home if sick.
The initial doses will go to what
health offi cials around the country have
said are the most important initial targets.
“Starting with the frontline health
care workers who have been our fi rst
line of defense against COVID-19 since
the beginning of the pandemic, and the
long-term care facility residents who are
among the most vulnerable, each day,”
Brown said.
See Nez Perce, Page A13
See Vaccine, Page A13
Ellen Morris Bishop/For the Wallowa County Chieftain
The Nez Perce Tribe purchased the 148-acre Hayes Century Farm just west of Joseph on Dec. 9, 2020.
The property holds great cultural and historical signifi cance for the Tribe.
Coming home
Nez Perce Tribe acquires historic Hayes Farm
By ELLEN MORRIS
BISHOP
For the Wallowa County
Chieftain
J
OSEPH
—
On
Wednesday, Dec. 9 the
Nez Perce Tribe com-
pleted the purchase
of the historic Hayes
Farm just west of Joseph and
south of the Chief Joseph Days
rodeo grounds on Airport Road.
The 148-acre property holds
great cultural and historical sig-
nifi cance for the Nez Perce.
According to a press release,
the property includes 3/4 of a
mile of Wallowa River front-
age that may be important in
future fi sheries management,
according to Eastern Oregon
Legacy Lands Chairman James
Monteith.
Nez Perce Tribal Executive
Committee Chairman Shannon
Wheeler and Secretary Rachel
Edwards were there to com-
plete the paperwork.
“This has been a project
in the works for some time,
and there were several people
involved in making this pur-
chase a reality,” Wheeler said.
“This purchase is a wonder-
ful step in the reestablishment
Nez Perce Tribe/Contributed Photo
Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee (NPTEC) Chairman Shannon
Wheeler, right, and Secretary Rachel Edwards complete the
paperwork to purchase the Hayes Farm on Dec. 9, 2020.
of a Nez Perce presence in the
homeland of our people. We
know our ancestors are smiling
to see us returning home.”
The property is the sec-
ond-oldest Century Farm in
Wallowa County. Located
mostly along the terminal
moraine just west of Joseph,
it includes what is known as
‘Christmas Star’ to be visible during solstice
Jupiter, Saturn
come together
Dec. 21
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
ENTERPRISE — The
“Christmas Star” will
become apparent for the
fi rst time in nearly 800
years and — hopefully —
will be visible over Wal-
lowa County on Monday,
Dec. 21, to coincide with
the winter solstice and
brighten up the darkest
night of the year.
About 45 minutes after
sunset Monday, the two
largest gas giants in the
solar system are expected
to appear to cross paths
in the southwestern sky.
Not since 1226 have
they appeared so close,
although they are in real-
ity millions of miles apart.
In 1226, Genghis Khan
was taking over parts of
Russia and the 5th Cru-
sade was trying to recap-
ture land in Egypt.
According to kgw.com,
the visible distance apart
of the two planets can
Pixabay/Contributed Photo
It won’t be quite this bright in Wallowa County, but a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the southwest sky Monday,
Dec. 21, 2020, will create a “Christmas Star” about 45 minutes after sunset. It’s the fi rst time the two have come together
in about 800 years.
be measured by degrees.
Jupiter and Saturn will
be about 0.1 degree away
from each other, making
them appear basically as
one bright light in the sky.
For perspective, the width
of the full moon is about
0.5 degrees. The distance
between Jupiter and Sat-
urn from our perspective
will be about 1/5 the width
of a full moon.
In the Northern Hemi-
sphere, just after sunset,
look in the southwest sky
and you’ll be able to see
the two neighboring lights
above the horizon. Jupiter
will be on the left and Sat-
urn will be on the right.
Of course, much of the
See Solstice, Page A13