ENTERPRISE — Paul McCrystal loves the Wallowa County winters.

Born and raised in Oregon, he lived about 30 years in the Medford area. He also spent time in La Grande before coming to Wallowa County.

“I came up here and I loved it here,” he said. “I love it here because it’s small, everybody helps everybody, everybody knows everybody and it’s a nice little quaint town.”

His family here consists of his 14-year-old son, Aiden, and sister Rachelle Long. McCrystal said Aiden went to school here, but was home schooled and now is graduated. Aiden is involved in the Eagle Cap Extreme Sled Dog Races with his wolf-husky crossbreed dogs.

McCrystal keeps busy as a handyman.

“I try to do a little bit of everything,” he said. “I try to help people out, when people need stuff moved or help painting or whatever they need.”

Since Aiden’s done with high school, he helps his dad out in the handyman business.

McChrystal said his favorite thing about Wallowa County is definitely the winter.

“It’s kind-of weird now that we don’t have any snow yet, but it’s a nice day,” he said.

He also likes that quaint, old-time feeling he gets in Enterprise.

“It’s not like Medford is now. It’s like it was back in the early ’80s — small,” he said.

As fall has fallen, he has a few things he needs to do before winter.

“I need to make sure my yard’s done, make sure I’ve got the pipes done up and insulated, the garbage all taken out and get our fence done up for our dogs,” he said.

McCrystal said the only thing he doesn’t like about Enterprise is that he believes the city needs a leash law because he sees too many hit by cars along the main streets.

McCrystal’s not looking forward to the coming return to standard time.

“I wish they would just leave it on one time,” he said.

He acknowledges the need for more affordable housing in Wallowa County.

“I really don’t think we have much to say about it,” he said. “I think it has to do with government. They need to set priorities and stick to them.”

When it comes to people thinking about moving here, McCrystal’s advice is simply “Don’t move here.”

He thinks outsiders will bring their issues “and they’ll cause it to get bigger,” he said.

— By Bill Bradshaw

Wallowa County Chieftain