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137th Year, No. 19
WINNER OF THE 2020 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
Wednesday, August 18, 2021
One for the record books
Wallowa County Fair livestock sales top $360,000
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
Elvaree
Fine
Enterprise
Enterprise
woman
loves the
county fair
ENTERPRISE — Elvaree Fine is a Wal-
lowa County native who moved away
for several years during her youth and
then returned, having been here for the
past 41 years.
“I was born here, at the old hospital,”
she said.
Never married, she has two older
brothers and two younger, who have
produced many nieces and nephews.
She and her brothers were raised on
a cattle and horse ranch 22 miles out of
Enterprise along Crow Creek that was
started by her grandfather.
She worked at the old hospital in the
kitchen, then down at Pete’s Pond, a one-
time restaurant and health food store in
Enterprise. She also took care of her par-
ents in their fi nal years and worked for
the Enterprise Christian Church before
it moved to its current location from
downtown.
Elvaree recently shared her thoughts
about living in Wallowa County.
What’s your favorite thing about
Wallowa County?
The mountains, the scenery, the
people being friendly.
Are you concerned about the
recent coronavirus spike?
Not really, I’ve been OK. I ‘ve been
vaccinated.
What do you think of this year’s
fair?
I think it’s really nice because we
didn’t have one last year. I think it’s really
good this year for the public.
What’s your favorite exhibit?
The stuff that I entered. I also like
watching the horses. I was raised on a
farm.
Have you participated in the
fair? Doing what?
Yes, I entered some sewing and
some crocheting. I just looked at it and
I got some fi rsts and seconds.
What’s your advice for people
who are thinking about moving
here?
It’s a nice, quiet, friendly place for
everybody who moves here. It’s not like
the big city where it’s real crowded and
people aren’t so friendly. People like to
help everybody.
ENTERPRISE — Bids totaling
a record-breaking $360,345 were
received at the Wallowa County
Fair Fat Stock Sale that closed the
nine-day event Saturday, Aug. 14,
the culmination of a year’s worth
of eff orts by 4-H and FFA kids.
Wallowa County Commissioner
Todd Nash, the commissioner who
serves as the liaison with the Fair
Board, said the commissioners
usually budget for about $275,000
and this year’s take far exceeded
expectations.
“It was incredible the amount of
money and amount of support that
went through there,” Nash said
Monday looking back at the fair.
Nash said he was aware of one
year that topped $300,000, but
never as high as this year.
Debi Warnock, the Oregon
State University Extension agent
in charge of 4-H, said the past
two years garnered $230,000 and
$263,000 respectively. Of course,
last year’s was a low mark largely
because of the coronavirus pan-
demic that limited the fair to just
the one-day livestock sale.
“Animals are worth a lot
more all over the state,” she said.
“Sales are well supported by their
communities.”
Fair Board Secretary had one
word for the success of the fair:
“Amazing.”
Fair Board Chairwoman Brinda
Stanley went into a little more
depth.
“I think the fair was a great suc-
cess,” she said. “I think families
had a great time. … and the kids
were a success at their projects. …
I think we achieved all that.”
Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain
Joseph Birkmaier attempts to control his unruly, just-sold steer Moe, during the stock sale of the Wallowa County
Fair on Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021. Behind Moe is buyer Caleb Howard of Cool Springs Ranch. Joseph’s was the
highest-selling animal of the sale at $4,600.
MORE NEXT WEEK
The full list of award winners
from the various categories at
the Wallowa County Fair will
be published next Wednesday,
Aug. 25.
MORE INSIDE
More photos from the Wallowa
County Fair on Pages A9 and
A16
Auction — beef
Joseph Birkmaier, the son
of Tom and Kelly Birkmaier of
Enterprise, had the highest-sell-
ing animal of any species with the
Angus cross steer he raised as his
fi rst 4-H project. The animal was
purchased for $4,600 by Caleb
Howard of Cool Springs Ranch.
But being his fi rst project, it
took an emotional toll on Joseph
as he bid a tearful farewell to his
steer, which he had named Moe
and formed quite an attachment
to.
But Joseph recognized slaugh-
ter was the ultimate destiny of all
market animals and choked back
the tears as he accepted it. As he
thought about the price he got, his
demeanor changed.
Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain
Kane Johnson, right, stands with his just-sold grand champion FFA market
lamb Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021, during the fat stock sale of this year’s
Wallowa County Fair. From left, are future FFA members Mia DeMelo and
Adele Johnson and county Commissioner Todd Nash.
“I’m really happy. I’m really
surprised. I didn’t think I’d get
that much,” he said. “I’m going to
save it for my future, for college.”
He said he has a little less than
$2,000 to pay in costs he incurred
raising Moe, but he’s not worried.
In fact, his mom further bright-
ened his spirits recalling Joseph’s
daily work with Moe.
“Every day, when (Joseph)
would call him in from the pas-
ture for feeding, he’d holler,
‘Mo—ee, Shmo—ee. Would you
happen to want some grain—ee.
Cuz if you did, I happen to know
where you could get some.’ Every
morning and every afternoon I’d
hear that,” Kelly Birkmaier said.
Joseph even had advice for
other kids and encouraged them
to raise a market animal for the
fair.
“It’s a great way to get to know
animals and it will really benefi t
their future,” he said. “They can
See Auction, Page A15
Mask order returns as COVID-19 surges
By GARY A. WARNER
Oregon Capital Bureau
SALEM
—
Gov.
Kate Brown on Aug. 11,
ordered face masks worn
indoors in public places
by everyone age 5 and
over beginning Aug. 13.
The state will not imme-
diately enforce the rules
as people and businesses
make the change.
During a press call
last week, Brown said the
highly contagious delta
variant was pushing the
virus spread to the point
that each infected person
was infecting eight others.
“Moving forward, for
the immediate future,
masks will be required for
all indoor public settings,”
Brown said.
The mandate applies to
adults and children older
than 5. On public tran-
sit, also includes children
older than 2.
Brown also urged, but
“SHE WAS ABSOLUTELY IN
AGREEMENT WITH AND
APPRECIATIVE OF THE EFFORTS
MADE HERE, BUT WASN’T
WILLING TO CARVE US OUT AS
BEING ANY DIFFERENT.”
Wallowa County Commissioner Todd
Nash, about his conversation with Gov. Kate
Brown ahead of the recent mask mandate
did not mandate, wear-
ing masks in crowded out-
door situations. She also
urged private companies
and other organizations
to enact their own indoor
mask policies.
‘Fifth wave’
across the state
Brown’s order came
the day after the Oregon
Health & Science Uni-
versity’s infectious dis-
ease experts forecast the
state could see more than
1,000 COVID-19 patients
per day in hospitals by
early next month. Ore-
gon would be about 500
staff ed beds short of needs
for all patients if the rate
hit its projected peak of
Sept. 7.
Dr. Dean Sidelinger,
the state epidemiologist,
said this “fi fth wave” of
COVID-19 to hit the state
in the past 18 months
was diff erent than earlier
spikes.
More than half the pop-
ulation is vaccinated, but
the “relentless” delta vari-
ant was spreading rapidly
through the estimated 1.2
million Oregon residents
who are not inoculated.
That group includes chil-
dren under 12 for whom
there is no federally
approved vaccine as yet.
The Oregon Health
Authority has reported
patients arriving at hos-
pitals are younger, sicker,
require more care and stay
longer.
“The COVID-19 situ-
ation is dire,” Sidelinger
said, with the delta variant
“far outpacing even the
grim scenarios in our lat-
est reported projections.”
The action was a pol-
icy U-turn for Brown and
the OHA, who had relin-
quished decisions on
COVID-19 restrictions to
county supervisors as of
June 30.
“I
expected
local
elected offi cials to step up
and do the right thing,”
Brown said. “What is
clear they are not taking
action. That is why we are
moving forward.”
Wallowa County Com-
missioner Todd Nash said
he and other commission-
ers spoke with Brown
prior to the mandate going
in place about their local
communities.
“She was absolutely in
agreement with and appre-
ciative of the eff orts made
here, but wasn’t willing to
carve us out as being any
diff erent,” he said.
Nash said the mandates
were “disappointing,” and
said on the call, the gover-
nor wanted local offi cials
to step up.
“She wanted some
actions from the commis-
sioner or she was going
to take action herself. I
told her our actions may
look diff erent than your
See Masks, Page A15