Week of January 16, 2025
The "tentatively final" Oregon Wildfire Hazard map was updated by the Oregon Department of Forestry on January 7 and shows that much of the tri-county area is at high hazard designation for wildfires. The map categorizes all land in Oregon under low, medium, or high wildfire hazard levels and identifies wildland urban interface (WUI) areas that are under increased risk of fire. The map shows that much of Gilliam, Wheeler, and Sherman counties are at high hazard designation...
It's no big secret that businesses in frontier counties rely on summer earnings to carry them through lean, and sometimes anemic, winter months. In particular, restaurants are known to cut way back in winter months and to make it up in busy when tourists and visitors come to small towns. But this year, area restaurants are struggling in the aftermath of a historic wildfire season that forced them to close and in some cases, even evacuate. So is the case for one of the best...
CONDON, OR - WorkSource Oregon, part of the American Job Center system coordinated by the US Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, is a network of workforce development services provided across Oregon to help individuals find and retain employment, as well as to assist employers in finding qualified candidates. It is a collaborative effort between state agencies, local governments, and community organizations. Together the Frontier Chamber and East...
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has awarded $432,000 to Sherman County for transportation projects under the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF). Sherman County Transportation Director Kelsi Phillips appeared before the Sherman County Court last Wednesday to discuss the funding and the projects that her office is working on. Sherman County Community Transit intends to use the funding for operational expenses for the dial-a-ride service, which...
The Wheeler County Court met last Wednesday, January 8, and welcomed Matt Davis as its new County Commissioner. Commissioner Davis and Judge Lynn Morley worked through several issues, Commissioner Ben Logan was not present for the session. The Court heard from Wheeler County Public Health Administrator Shelby Thompson, who is preparing to be deployed with the Idaho Air National Guard. Thompson has been with Wheeler County Public Health since 2021 and is a Flight Operational...
Planted winter wheat acres are up 2 percent according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Idaho growers seeded 760,000 acres of winter wheat for the 2025 crop, unchanged from 2024, but 1 percent above the 2023 crop. Oregon farmers planted 750,000 acres, up 1 percent from the 2024 crop and up 1 percent from 2023. Washington winter wheat growers seeded an estimated 1.85 million acres of winter wheat for harvest in 2025. This is up 3 percent from the area seeded in...
Five counties in eastern Oregon are set to receive federal assistance to recover from the historic wildfires that ravaged rangelands, homes, and infrastructure during the summer of 2024. Recognizing the most excruciating fire season in Oregon's history, President Joe Biden announced on New Year's Day the approval of major disaster declarations for Gilliam, Grant, Umatilla, Wasco, and Wheeler counties, unlocking federal funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency...
The Wheeler Soil and Water Conservation District will hold its annual meeting this Thursday, January 9, 2025, at the Rock in Spray. The meeting will feature a presentation by Russ Vaagen, Founder and CEO of Vaagen Timber, who will talk about forest restoration and mass timber production. The Wheeler SWCD is in the midst of a capital fundraising campaign to build a new headquarters and community center at Service Creek using mass timber materials. Mass timber has become a...
Kade Wilkins, Condon, was in Las Vegas last weekend to compete in the American Rodeo West Coast Qualifier Steer Wrestling for an opportunity to eventually win one million dollars at the American Rodeo April 10-11, in Arlington, Texas. The college Freshman at Walla Walla Community College was invited to the event by being the #2 Steer Wrestler in the Northwest Region of the National College Rodeo Association. The top four finishers advanced to compete in the next round for ten...
The nine participants from the 2024 Condon Elks Lodge Hoop Shoot pose with Exalted Ruler Cassandra Flatt and Coordinator Mark Griffith. (contributed photo) The Condon Elks Lodge #1869 hosted the annual Hoop Shoot at the Condon High School on December 8, 2024. Mark Griffith served as the coordinator for this year's shoot. Nine participants from Condon took part and several high schoolers helped out as judges. Evan Selby won the 8-9 year boys group. Tanessa Washington won the...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-OR) has been selected to serve on three subcommittees of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for the 119th Congress: The Subcommittee on Energy, the Subcommittee on Health, and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade. These subcommittees will play a key role in shaping the upcoming Reconciliation bill and will deal with legislations addressing our nation's energy policies, healthcare systems, and economic...
Governor Tina Kotek has asked the Oregon Attorney General to take charge of the Gilliam County District Attorney's Office. The Attorney General's Office tapped Senior Assistant Attorney Dan Wendel to serve as the interim District Attorney for Gilliam County. Gilliam County's former District Attorney, Kara Davis, vacated the office at the end of December after being elected as Wasco County's District Attorney in the May primary election. Despite having several months to...
SALEM, OR - In a historic milestone for Oregon Senate District 29, Todd Nash was officially sworn in today as Oregon State Senator, becoming the first senator in state history to hail from Wallowa County. Senator Nash brings decades of practical experience, a steadfast dedication to his constituents, and a deep passion for amplifying the voices of Eastern Oregon in the Oregon State Senate. "It is a true honor and privilege to represent the people of Senate District 29, and I...
The City of Grass Valley has a new mayor. When nobody filed for the mayor position last spring, some thought that a write-in campaign would be lodged. But that didn't take shape either. A total of 33 votes were cast in the mayoral election in November, but none of the write-ins wanted the job. Ultimately, the council appointed Christian Ayles of Grass Valley as City Mayor. Ayles is employed by the OSU Extension Service in Sherman County and works with the Sherman County 4-H,...
Judge Cris Patnode and Commissioner Grant Wilkins were sworn in at the Gilliam County Courthouse on Monday. No guests or family members were present, likely because Judge Patnode and Commissioner Wilkins have been on the job for several months. Cris Patnode was appointed to the position over six months ago by Governor Tina Kotek, following the recall election of former Gilliam County Judge Elizabeth Farrar. Commissioner Wilkins joined the court in August. Patnode had served...
Wheeler County welcomed a new County Commissioner and Sheriff this week, swearing in Commissioner Matt Davis and Sheriff Jeremiah Holmes. At a standing-only event at the courthouse in Fossil, Sheriff Holmes took his oath, and then swore in his deputies. Matt Davis, who had been working as the Planning Director at Wheeler County for several years, was elected as the Wheeler County Commissioner #2 position. Davis has said that he is going to focus on long-term planning...
Elizabeth Steiner, a Portland Democrat and former state senator, took the oath of office as Oregon's first female state treasurer in front of a crowd packed with legendary state politicians and prominent party figures. Oregon's first female governor, Barbara Roberts, and former Gov. Kate Brown sat front row as Steiner was sworn in Monday night by Gov. Tina Kotek at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland. Roberts, Brown and Kotek are the only three women to have served as... Full story
Raymond Earnest Clarno was born in Walla Walla, Washington December 9,1929 to parents John Harold Clarno and Genevieve Adams Clarno. Ray passed away in Redmond on January 1, 2025, at the age of 95 with family by his side. Ray attended grade school in Dayton, WA. and graduated from high school in Myrtle Point, OR, where he was right half back on the Times All Star football Team. Ray attended Oregon State College as a member of the S.A.E. Fraternity, where he received two... Full story
