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Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 8, 2020 -- FIVE The Hatchet (Editor’s Note: This sto- ry was submitted by Jim Doherty in remembrance of his father who recently passed away.) By Jim Doherty We had adjusted the soaker line into the back of the swamp cooler to run at a level that caused the stern wheeler style fan to blow a fine mist into the hallway. By closing all the doors to the right, and the girls’ door at the end of the hall, we could force the air through our room and bring the July temperature upstairs to a still less-than-bearable existence. This is why, like so many nights before, we had opened the window, stepped carefully onto the overhang, and hoisted our- selves onto the roof. It was here we were sitting, doing nothing of any consequence when we heard the black desk phone ring in the office directly below. Three of my older brothers-Pat, John, Ray- mond-and I listened intent- ly. Normally we couldn’t have given a damn if the phone was ringing, and little could be done to beat one of our five sisters to the handset; but it was eleven o’clock and no one –and I mean no one - ever called that late. It had to be bad news, it just had to be, and nothing can spark the inter- est of four bored-to-death teenagers like the prospect of bad news. Well, I was almost a teenager; I was 12 and a half. My oldest two broth- ers, though still in school, were more men than boys and could be counted on to spend all of spring break at Hog Hollow, Nelson Can- yon, or one of our various sheep camps. When you are 14 or 15 and sent off to spend two weeks tending a flock, you tend to grow up fast. This job allowed the herder, generally someone of alien locale, his two- week vacation. Vacations that rarely meant a trip much farther than Pendle- ton’s local “watering hole.” There they would spend one week blowing through the money earned from the year. Their following week was spent with their heads in a bucket, retching and shaking in the bunkhouse. “Hello!” We heard our father lilt into the receiver, in his softer than usual sleep in- duced Irish brogue. In short order, we discerned he was talking to our uncle Johnny, the camp tender. The camp tender was the person who was the herder’s link to the outside world the remaining 50 weeks of the year. He re- laid supplies, moved camp, and once a week checked in on the six sheep camps tucked quietly into the hills of Eastern Oregon. “All his supplies from last week are still setting on the table?” We heard Dad ask. He continued, “Any sign of his sheep, horse…nothing? I’ll bring the boys; we’ll be there first thing in the morning.” He was always far too chipper in the morning, generally rousing us in the pre-dawn darkness with some God-forsaken Irish ditty from his youth. This morning he was somber as he entered and found us quiet, dressed and standing in the center of the room. He looked at us. He knew that we understood what lay ahead on this day in the centennial summer. He spoke in a hushed tone, so as not to wake the girls, “John, why don’t you catch Shaw-nee.” Shaw- nee, a paint horse, and John were veritable equals in their colorfulness and hard- ness. Continuing, he looked at my eldest brother. “If we find Cookie, you can ride him.” Cookie was the con- summate sheep camp horse: half draft, half dead, and half dangerous. He went on to explain what we already knew. Jesus Garciano, his horse Cookie, two border collies, and 1250 Colum- bia and Rambouillet sheep were missing. Not out in the back pasture, but in the deep drainage of the North fork of the John Day River country. In a slow procession, we descended the stairwell. At the bottom of the stairs, under the picture of the Sa- cred Heart Jesus, there was a small pewter font filled with holy water. Blessed by Father O’Brian, it was used by us God-fearing Cath- olics to repel evil. As we passed, five hands silently dipped. Five arms folded a quick sign of the cross and we slipped into the day. The single cab Inter- national pickup swayed to a stop at the lonely conflu- ence of the John Day River and a cooler Camas Creek. The jostling of the pick-up caused by the worn-out springs and by the nervous paint horse rousted me from sleep. It was just breaking light and already hot as hell. With five of us in the cab, the air was heavy with a gathering musk and the irritating dampness of soon- to-run sweat. It was stifling. Pulling over, Dad sug- gested, “Why don’t a cou- ple of you crawl up in the hay rack?” The hay rack was the forward portion of the rusting green side racks affixed to the stake pockets of the ranch pickup. It was here that the paint Shaw- nee faunched, fretful and impatient, in the narrow quarters between the wheel wells. Dad sent us up there, ostensible, too, as he put it “Keep a sharp eye out.” I suspected it was to allow some breathing room in the cab, as we were still miles from the sheep range. Nev- ertheless, I exploded out, lest one of my brothers beat me to this perch. I had not yet grown weary of looking when my “sharp eye,” caught the slightest movement. Well across the river, and a short stretch up the hill, was a horse. It took a fraction of a second to register. No, it was Cookie! I pointed across the way. My brother sitting next to me, holding on for dear life, was all ac- tion. He leaned over and be- gan pounding on the top of the cab. It must have sound- ed like cannons exploding in the hollow interior of that old pickup, which had long since lost any shred of overhead insulation. Excitement rained down to a more solemn Dad, who, after a bit of study remarked, “That horse would not have lasted much longer.” It was then that I noticed the well-worn ground around the man sized tree to which Cookie was tethered. My brother Raymond in response to “One of you wait here” crouched down next to the road, “Indian style.” The rest of us bounced into the truck to rattle on into camp. Here, we would gather the rest of the searchers, return and begin. It was not far to camp; perhaps a mile or two. We ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. Business Editorials Economic relief now available By Daniel Van Schoiack, CPA In response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 threat, recent action by congress provides relief to busi- ness and nonprofit organizations (including churches) through the “Emergency EIDL Grant” and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The proceeds from these programs are not subject to repayment if properly used and accounted for. Also, many business and nonprofit organizations can apply for both if they have less than 500 employees. The EIDL Grant can be applied for directly from the Small Business Administration website for up to $10,000, an amount that is to be directly deposited into a bank account. The proceeds can be used for a number of purposes which include retaining employees, mortgage payments and rent. The time period for using the grant runs through December 31, 2020. The application for proceeds from the PPP is more complicated as it must be done through a qualified SBA lender. The proceed amount is based on 250 percent of the average monthly payroll cost for the prior one-year period. For example if the one-year payroll cost were $120,000; the average monthly cost would be $10,000 and the proceeds would be 250 percent of that amount which is $25,000. The proceeds from the PPP are generally restricted to the following purposes: payroll cost (which may include compensation to a sole proprietor business owner), rent, utilities and interest on mortgages or other debt obliga- tions incurred before the application date. The proceeds from the program must be used by June 30, 2020. While the PPP is structured as a loan, it is forgiven as long as the business or nonprofit recipient is able to document that the proceeds were used for the prescribed purposes. The amount of loan forgiveness depends on maintaining an average number of full-time employees and a percentage of the total wages from a previous pay- roll reporting quarter. As mentioned, an entity can apply for both the Emergency EIDL Grant and Paycheck Protection Pro- gram. While some of the allowed expenses under the two programs overlap, others are unique. For example, proceeds from PPP can be used to pay for draws by a business owner, while that is not allowed with proceeds from the EIDL Grant. On the other hand, funds from the EIDL Grant can be used to make mortgage payments which is not allowed with proceeds from the Paycheck Protection Program. Any business or nonprofit organizations (including churches) seeking relief under either or both of these programs should apply as soon as possible. There is limited funding available. Proceeds from the programs should be kept in separate bank accounts to ensure proper accounting and use of the funds. Daniel Van Schoiack, CPA is a member of the Amer- ican and Oregon Society of CPA’s. were not there long. Dad, having left us in the truck, spoke quickly to the others and bid them to follow. We rounded the first bend in the river road on our return and came immediately upon Raymond. He had a hollow, distant look about him as we pulled up. “Where is he?” Dad asked, somehow knowing. “He’s in the river,” the dry, husky, voice of my brother responded. When we got down over the berm, as Raymond had, we could see a rather large, rather naked Basque washing to and fro in the middle of the river. The sheriff was called in from John Day. It was hours before he and the coroner arrived. Most of the assembled group had gone-joining in the far bet- ter pursuit of scouring the hills in hopes that they would find Jesus’ sheep. I waited with Dad along the river bank until the author- ities arrived. Here, I will spare you the gruesome details. How they waded the river to pull him out. Once they had Jesus rolled into a body bag, things became much more civil. My brother and I, though I don’t remember which one, were called upon to help load Jesus (body), into the back of the sheriff’s pick-up. There was not much by way of possessions. There was a watch-a watch with cathedral hands. The watch is with my brother John, He and it, are still “making time.” The only other thing Jesus had of any conse- quence was a perfect, and I mean perfect, ancient, stone hatchet that he had found. He had found it east of Stony Creek, in the Buck- aroo Flats directly across from Bone Point. It sits on my mantle, and I sometimes take it down. After a quick autop- sy, which consisted of the coroner looking out over the river and remarking, “Looks like heat stroke,” he and the sheriff prepared to leave. “Pat, shall we have him cremated?” To which my father replied, “Lord no, he was a Catholic!” Economic stimulus information for small business owners By Greg Smith, EOU SBDC Director All small business own- ers to some degree (many se- verely) are being negatively affected by the overnight economic shutdown due to the COVID-19 virus. Fortu- nately, there are programs to assist small business owners and their employees. Information regarding these programs has been changing frequently. The two main stimulus programs Greg Smith are the Economic Injury Di- saster Loan (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program which is part of the recently passed two trillion-dollar CARES Act. The following in- formation came from the Small Business Administration. Economic Injury Disaster Loan Information: -The EIDL now offers up to a $10,000 grant (loan advance) which does not need to be repaid if the money is spent on paid leave, maintaining payroll, increased costs due to supply chain disruption, mortgage or lease payments or repaying obligations that cannot be met due to revenue losses. The website to directly apply is: covid19relief.sba.gov/#/ -Important: The grant is a new aspect of the EIDL loan, so if you applied prior to the grant being offered, you must reapply to request consideration for the grant at the website listed above. -Funds for the loan advance will be made within three days of a successful application and will not have to be repaid. -The interest rate for the remainder of the loan award- ed is 3.75 percent. -Businesses can get both an EIDL loan and Paycheck Protection Program loan as long as they don’t pay the same expenses. Be sure to check with your financial advisor or lender before taking both loans if you are not sure of the specifics. Paycheck Protection Program -How does the program work? Currently, the SBA guarantees small business loans that are given out by a network of more than 800 lenders across the U.S. The Paycheck Protection Program creates a type of emergency loan that can be forgiven when used to maintain payroll through June and expands the network beyond SBA so that more banks, credit unions and lenders can issue those loans. The basic purpose is to incentivize small businesses to not lay off workers and to rehire laid- off workers that lost jobs due to COVID-19 disruptions. -What types of businesses are eligible? The Paycheck Protection Program offers loans for small businesses with fewer than 500 employees, select types of businesses with fewer than 1,500 employees, 501(c)(3) non-profits with fewer than 500 workers and some 501(c)(19) veteran organizations. Additionally, the self-employed, sole proprietors, and freelance and gig economy workers are also eligible to apply. Businesses, even without a personal guarantee or collateral, can get a loan as long as they were operational on February 15, 2020. -How big of a loan can I get and what are the terms? The maximum loan amount under the Paycheck Pro- tection Act is $10 million, with an interest rate no higher than 4 percent. No personal guarantee or collateral is required for the loan. The lenders are expected to defer fees, principal and interest for no less than six months and no more than one year. -Can these loans be forgiven? Yes, small businesses that take out these loans can get some or all of their loans forgiven. Generally speaking, as long as employers continue paying employees at normal levels during the eight weeks following the origination of the loan, then the amount they spent on payroll costs (excluding costs for any compensation above $100,000 annually), mortgage interest, rent payments and utility payments can be combined and that portion of the loan will be forgiven. Small business owners can apply right now for the EIDL loan, but as of this date, the CARES Act is still being enacted and isn’t available right now—but will be soon. One-time $500 grant for restaurant workers: -This grant application opens April 2 and funds will be administered on a first come, first served basis. To apply and for more information visit: https://rerf.us/ Please reach out to us if we can assist you in any way. As mentioned above, the CARES Act is still being enacted and both programs are evolving but we will do our best to keep business owners informed of the latest information. We are actively working with our partners at Business Oregon, the SBA, lenders, Chambers of Commerce, and other business organizations.
