LOCAL
Wallowa.com
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Ground broken for bike playground
IN BRIEF
Plans made for
Aug. 20 grand
opening
Public hearing
planned at July
Joseph council
meeting
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
WALLOWA — Ground
was offi cially broken Mon-
day, June 27, for the bicy-
cle playground to be built
behind Wallowa Schools
and plans are well underway
for an Aug. 20 grand open-
ing, project leader Ron Pick-
ens said.
Pickens, a prevention
coordinator and alterna-
tive school teacher with
Building Healthy Families
in Enterprise, spearheaded
last year’s project to refur-
bish the Enterprise Skate
Park. Since then, he became
interested in seeing a similar
project built in Wallowa.
He said in an email Mon-
day, June 27, that the project
— which is expected to cost
$329,500 — has received
pledges of $12,000 from
the Reser Family Founda-
tion and $10,000 from the
Roundhouse Foundation to
match $22,000 raised locally.
The Wallowa County Board
of Commissioners pitched in
$7,000 and they have since
received additional support
totaling $2,000. Early on
in the project, the Wallowa
City Council pledged $2,000
and the Wallowa School
District agreed to have the
project built on its property.
Pickens said plans for the
grand opening of the play-
ground are coming together.
Tony Hoff man is scheduled
as a guest speaker. Hoff -
man is a former BMX Elite
Pro and placed second at the
2016 World Championships
in Medellin, Colombia, in
the Masters Pro Class. Hoff -
man also coached Women’s
Elite Pro Brooke Crain, to
a fourth-place fi nish at the
2016 Rio Olympic Games in
Brazil.
“His story is full of
Ron Pickens/Contributed Photo
Ground was offi cially broken Monday, June 27, 2022, for the new bicycle playground to be
constructed behind Wallowa Schools.
Strawberry
shortcake sale is
July 2
American Ramp Co./Contributed Photo
The latest concept plan for the new bicycle playground to be built at the Wallowa Schools.
Ground was broken for the project Monday, June 27, 2022.
redemption as he has seen
some of the highest highs
and the lowest lows,” Pick-
ens said.
Hoff man is the founder
and director of the Free-
wheel Project, a nonprofi t
organization that mentors
thousands of youths through
action sports. Today, he is
one of the most requested
substance-abuse speakers in
the country, traveling over
200 days a year to share his
inspiring story with various
audiences.
Pickens also said he is
ordering and seeking raffl e
donations for the day of the
event for those attending and
is in the process of lining up
food and beverage vendors.
He said there will be
community partners, such
as the Mountain Works
Bike Shop from La Grande,
Dusty’s Board Shop out of
Walla Walla, Washington,
and the Oregon Depart-
ment of Transportation
set up with booths the day
of the opening. Building
Healthy Families will have
its fl eet of mountain bikes
and helmets for kids to ride
the new facility.
‘Spring Fling’ to be revamped in Joseph
Chieftain staff
JOSEPH — A series of
concerts will take place
in downtown Joseph most
Wednesdays from July 6
through Aug. 24, headlined
by “Americana” musician
Jimmy Bivens and spon-
sored by the Joseph Cham-
ber of Commerce.
The concerts will run
from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in
the courtyard across Main
Street from Embers Brew-
house, Bivens said. There
will be no performance July
JOSEPH — A request
for a zoning change from
commercial to residential
and a conditional use per-
mit for a recreational vehi-
cle park at the same address
will take place at the next
Joseph City Council meet-
ing Thursday, July 7.
The meeting will begin
at 7 p.m. at the Joseph
Community Events Center.
The zone change and
conditional use permit
have been requested by
John Zurita for 709 N.
Main St. Zurita is listed as
the property owner on the
application.
The matter will be
addressed in a public hear-
ing during the council
meeting.
The public is welcome
to attend in person or via
Zoom.
27 — the week of Chief
Joseph Days.
He said he’s been asked
by the chamber to revise
the “Spring Fling” concert
series that usually takes
place downtown.
The guitarist plays West-
ern swing, blues, rock and
more. In a band situation,
he often does lead vocals
and serves as the front man.
“It’s mostly any kind of
music you can think of in a
troubadour style,” he said.
A 10-year resident of
Enterprise, Bivens hopes
to draw more musicians to
the area, particularly those
who are touring and likely
to stop in Wallowa County.
“I want to support those
touring artists while mixing
in some local acts,” he said.
Bivens said the concert
series is being done in honor
and memory of Henry Kins-
ley, who owned and oper-
ated a shop in the courtyard
where it will take place.
He often draws from the
audience to participate in
his performance.
“One of my fortes has
been to get someone from
audience to come up and
play,” he said. “My fi rst
goal is to entertain people,
to put smiles on people’s
faces.”
But the main goal is to
simply bring enjoyment.
“Bring your chairs and
coolers and enjoy some
music
on
Wednesday
nights,” Bivens said.
For a sample of Bivens’
work and to learn more, visit
Jimmybivenspromotion-
alvideo on YouTube or http://
www.jimmybivens.com.
JOSEPH — The Wal-
lowa County Farmer’s
Market Strawberry Short-
cake Sale is Saturday, July
2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The market is in the
parking lot of Stein’s dis-
tillery in Joseph. Lemon-
ade will also be available.
This is a fundraiser for the
market.
The market will also
have fresh produce avail-
able along with jew-
elry, photos, fresh bread,
roasted coff ee, fresh eggs,
and plant starts.
Leftover hunting
tags on sale July 1
SALEM — Leftover
tags go on sale July 1 at
10 a.m. Tags can be pur-
chased via ODFW’s online
licensing system at https://
odfw.huntfi shoregon.com/
login. Hunters who drew a
controlled hunt must wait
until July 2 at 10 a.m. to
try to exchange it for a left-
over tag.
A3
New this year, start-
ing July 2 at 10 a.m., left-
over tags can be purchased
through a license agent in
addition to the online sale.
An existing tag already
purchased or a controlled
hunt win for which you
haven’t yet purchased
the tag can be exchanged
online or with an agent
for $7 (residents) and $15
(non-residents).
If you have not yet pur-
chased the controlled hunt
tag you won, there is no fee
to exchange this tag. These
exchanges can be for left-
over or general season tags.
A list of leftover tags
is available online. Pur-
chasing a leftover tag does
not aff ect your preference
points.
Hunters who want to try
purchasing one of the more
than 7,000 leftover tags
(4,599 for 100 buck deer
series, 2,648 for 200 elk
series) through ODFW’s
online licensing system
must set up their online
account with a username
and password before the
sale date. See MyODFW.
com for how to purchase a
leftover tag.
Reminder that leftover
tags are no longer avail-
able as an additional tag, a
change enacted in 2020 to
distribute hunting opportu-
nities more equitably. That
means hunters who have
already purchased a con-
trolled or general season
deer or elk tag cannot pur-
chase a leftover tag in the
same hunt series unless
they exchange the exist-
ing tag.
Minimum wage
to increase July 1
SALEM — Starting
July 1, minimum wage
workers in Oregon will see
an increase in pay.
In 2016, Oregon law-
makers created a three-
tiered minimum wage.
That means while many of
Oregon’s minimum wage
workers will see a new rate
of $13.50 an hour, employ-
ees in the Portland area will
get an increase to $14.75.
Those are both increases
of 75 cents per hour. Mean-
while, the minimum wage
in rural parts of the state
will jump by 50 cents to
$12.50 an hour.
— Chieftain staff
VISIT US ON THE WEB AT:
www.Wallowa.com
Summer Sign-On Bonus
Part Time and Full Time Positions Hiring for
• Health Services Coordinator • Operational Skills
Trainer • Med Aides • Caregivers • Cooks
Benefits offered to all employees and M/D/V offered to employees working more than
30 hours a week. Positions open in Joseph, Enterprise, and Wallowa. Questions?
Summer Fishtrap returns to lake in July
Events planned
at Wallowa
Lake Lodge
Chieftain staff
WALLOWA LAKE —
After two years online, Sum-
mer Fishtrap fi nally returns
to Wallowa Lake in July.
The 35th Summer Fish-
trap Gathering of Writers
takes place July 11-16 at
the historic Wallowa Lake
Lodge. In a tradition going
back to 1988, the public is
encouraged to come up to
the lake each evening to hear
some of the fi nest writers in
the American West.
Births
A daughter, Fae Lucy
Schaeffer, was born June 16,
2022 in Enterprise to Trever
Schaeffer and Alexandria
Markle of Wallowa.
Grandparents are Lori Shane,
James Markle, Kellie Randal
and Randy Schaeffer.
Monday, July 11, is the Walker and Ellen Waterston.
fi rst day of Summer Fish-
On Friday, July 15, Fish-
trap. The opening-night trap off ers a special event
kickoff will be with
on the theme of
Fishtrap Executive
“Renewal”
with
Director Shannon
luk’upsíimey/North
McNerney. Also on
Star Collective. Led
the schedule are Tim
by Beth Piatote, this
Z. Hernandez and
group of Nez Perce
Sharma Shields.
artists, writers, and
On Tuesday, July
indigenous
lan-
McNerney
12, Fishtrap will fea-
guage activists will
ture JaNay Brown-
speak about their
Wood, Beth Piatote and culture and homeland of the
Cameron Scott.
Wallowas.
On Wednesday, July 13,
Tickets are $25 and avail-
Fishtrap will feature Aaron able at Fishtrap.org or at
Abeyta, Karen Auvinen and Wallowa Lake Lodge the
Laura Pritchett.
evening of the event.
On Thursday, July 14,
Saturday, July 16, is Sum-
Fishtrap will feature Chris- mer Fishtrap’s 35th birthday
topher Kondrich, Frank X celebration with readings
Summer
is Here!
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el’s Mother. Admission is
free.
The lodge will serve
drinks from 5-7 p.m. and
all events begin at 7:30 p.m.
outdoors under the big tent.
Admission is free except
for the special keynote pre-
sentation on Friday, July 15.
Learn more at Fishtrap.org.
Call 541-426-4524 x 1062 or apply at https://www.wvcenterforwellness.org/
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