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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 21, 2022)
NORTHWEST East Oregonian A2 Thursday, July 21, 2022 Public dig in John Day shines light on Kam Wah Chung By JUSTIN DAVIS Blue Mountain Eagle JOHN DAY — Archaeologists from Southern Oregon Univer- sity held a public dig on Saturday, July 16, to wrap up their weeklong excavation of the land adjacent to the former site of Gleason Pool. The excavation was part of an effort to prepare the space for the expan- sion of the Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site. The Kam Wah Chung building is all that remains of a once-sprawling and vibrant Chinese community that lived in Grant County starting in the mid-1800s. At one time, the Chinese population in John Day numbered more than 2,000. Once a general store and apothecary, Kam Wah Chung was the only Chinese- owned business in Eastern Oregon to survive the racist undertones of the time coupled with the influx of non-Chinese clients. The public was not allowed to dig at the site on July 16 but did get to watch archaeologists in action and ask questions about the exca- vation process and the fate of any artifacts the excavation unearthed. Exhibits by Southern Oregon University, Oregon State Parks, Malheur National Forest, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument and Friends of Kam Wah Chung also were on site to provide infor- mation about local history. The public dig began at 9 a.m. and lasted until 3 p.m. The dig was followed by a free public lecture from artist and poet Sam Roxas- Justin Davis/Blue Mountain Eagle Archaeologist Keoni Dicamos explains the process of an archaeological dig to attendees at the Kam Wah Chung public dig on Saturday, July 16, 2022, in John Day. Chua Yao from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Canyon City Community Center. Chelsea Rose, a Southern Oregon University historical archaeologist and director of the SOU Laboratory of Anthropol- ogy, said the excavation over the past week gave archaeologists fresh insights into the history of the site. “There has been excavation on this property for almost 20 years now, and I feel like this time we really kind of broke through to a new level of understanding of what was happening here. It’s a very, very complicated site,” Rose said. One reason for that complex- ity, Rose said, is the site’s location at the confluence of the John Day River and Canyon Creek. “We now know Canyon Creek flooded pretty extremely in 1890, and it almost wiped out China- town,” she said. “Some of what we’re seeing is from that. We also know that the residents of Forecast for Pendleton Area TODAY FRIDAY | Go to AccuWeather.com SATURDAY MONDAY SUNDAY this community were mining — the reason Chinatown is here is because of its proximity to the creek, and they were mining on both sides of this little neighbor- hood.” Rose said all of this information helps archaeologists understand when the community was estab- lished, how long it was there, why there aren’t more buildings that survived and where residents were distributed on the landscape. She added the goal is to be as transparent as possible and to communicate how important this resource is, not only to John Day and Oregon but also to the history of the Chinese diaspora in the United States. “We want the people in the community to be invested in it and to be good stewards and to care about the site and understand that it is important,” she said. “The only way to do that is to share what we are finding and to let people feel like they have a stake in this story, because they do.” Most of the artifacts found during the excavation were shards of glass and broken bottles, along with nails from the period. Rose said most people would see those things and think they aren’t very important, but those artifacts provide valuable insight if looked at through an archaeological lens. “It’s not Indiana Jones; it’s not the movies. The treasure we find is much more humble in appearance, but it’s still priceless. It’s not a gold statue, but the broken bottles, if we can date to when they were made or figure out what’s in them ... to us, that’s treasure,” she said. “That is a direct connection to a person that lived here a hundred years ago that made a purchase or drank a soda or whatever. That’s what we’re looking for is the human connection. It’s not about monetary value or what would look cool on a museum shelf. Really we’re after the data, and that’s the priceless thing to us.” Actor Jack Black visits Wallowa Lake By JEFF BUDLONG Wallowa County Chieftain Mostly sunny Breezy in the morning; sunny 99° 66° 90° 58° Hot with plenty of sunshine Plenty of sunshine Plenty of sunshine PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 100° 65° 96° 63° 93° 61° HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 101° 67° 95° 61° 101° 67° 99° 63° 96° 61° OREGON FORECAST ALMANAC Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. PENDLETON through 3 p.m. Wed. HIGH LOW TEMP. Seattle Olympia 69/58 89/56 98/60 Longview Kennewick Walla Walla 97/66 Lewiston 79/57 102/67 Astoria 67/56 Pullman Yakima 97/61 79/54 98/64 Portland Hermiston 85/59 The Dalles 101/67 Salem Corvallis 81/53 Wednesday Normals Records La Grande 96/61 PRECIPITATION John Day Eugene Bend 84/54 97/54 98/57 Ontario 103/67 Caldwell Burns 100° 58° 94° 60° 108° (1931) 45° (2019) 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date Albany 83/55 0.00" 0.03" 0.08" 7.48" 2.46" 5.10" WINDS (in mph) 100/63 97/53 0.00" 0.31" 0.25" 11.13" 4.32" 8.20" through 3 p.m. Wed. HIGH LOW TEMP. Pendleton 93/56 86/56 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date HERMISTON Enterprise 99/66 95/65 99° 60° 91° 60° 110° (1931) 42° (1932) PRECIPITATION Moses Lake 81/53 Aberdeen 92/61 96/66 Tacoma Wednesday Normals Records Spokane Wenatchee 80/56 Today Boardman Pendleton Medford 97/59 Fri. WSW 8-16 W 7-14 SW 8-16 W 8-16 SUN AND MOON Klamath Falls 93/47 Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2022 Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today 5:26 a.m. 8:36 p.m. 12:26 a.m. 2:50 p.m. New First Full Last July 28 Aug 5 Aug 11 Aug 18 NATIONAL EXTREMES JOSEPH — “School of Rock” star Jack Black proved to be a quick study when it came to fishing lessons during his weekend trip to the Wallowa Lake Marina. Black, and his family, were in Wallowa County where they dined and enjoyed a day on the lake with the help of marina staff. “(Store manager) Duncan Christman met him down at the (Glacier Grill) and offered to have him come out on a pontoon boat with us the next day,” said Brandon Keeling, who is the Wallowa Lake Marina Inc. vice president. “We took them around the lake, we took them fishing and they went swimming.” Black was there with his family — which included his parents, siblings and aunts and uncles — because his father previously visited the area with a hiking group. A member of the group recently died, leading to the Blacks choosing Wallowa County as a place to come together as a family. Keeling said the entire party picked up on fishing fast after he gave a quick Wallowa Lake Marina/Contributed Photo Movie actor and musician Jack Black, fourth from left, poses for a photo while visiting Wallowa Lake during the weekend of July 16, 2022, with his family for some fishing, swimming and sightseeing. lesson with Black snagging the biggest rainbow trout of the group and his father a close second. The entire family reeled in at least one fish with Black’s father snagging the first within 30 seconds of dipping his line. And, yes, both Black and his father cleaned the fish they kept. “The family was abso- lutely wonderful and a joy to be around,” Keeling said. “He was out here picking up kids and taking pictures with everybody. He is out here spending hours out of his day doing photo ops around the community.” A quick search of Face- book reveals the numerous Wallowa County residents and visitors who got to snap a picture with the actor. Keel- ing credited Black for his down-to-earth nature and willingness to engage with everyone who approached. Black isn’t the first celeb- rity to take in the impressive nature views the area has to offer. “Napoleon Dynamite” star Jon Heder has hiked in the area, but did not make it to the marina. The experience is some- thing the marina’s staff, including Wallowa Lake Marina Inc. president Casey Barstad’s daughter, Jaiden, won’t forget anytime soon. “It made our week pretty dang awesome,” Keeling said. Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 113° in Needles, Calif. Low 34° in Yellowstone N.P., Wyo. IN BRIEF NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY Hereford woman dies in 4-wheeler accident Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. -10s -0s 0s showers t-storms 10s rain 20s flurries 30s snow 40s ice 50s 60s cold front E AST O REGONIAN — Founded Oct. 16, 1875 — 70s East Oregonian (USPS 164-980) is published Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, by the EO Media Group, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801. Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, OR. Postmaster: send address changes to East Oregonian, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801. Copyright © 2022, EO Media Group 90s 100s warm front stationary front 110s high low Circulation Dept. For mail delivery, online access, vacation stops or delivery concerns call 800-781-3214 ADVERTISING Classified & Legal Advertising Regional Sales Director (Eastside) EO Media Group: Classified advertising: 541-564-4538 • Karrine Brogoitti 541-963-3161 • kbrogoitti@eomediagroup.com 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211 333 E. Main St., Hermiston 541-567-6211 Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed major holidays EastOregonian.com In the App Store: 80s BAKER COUNTY — A Hereford woman died in a four-wheeler accident west of Dooley Mountain Summit late last week. Kathleen Marie “Kate” Sullivan, 66, was killed when her four-wheeler rolled in the Bald Mountain area, about 2 miles west of the summit on Highway 245, said Ashley McClay, public information officer for the Baker County Sheriff’s Office. Members of the county’s search and rescue team found Sullivan’s body about 10:43 a.m. on Saturday, July 16, McClay said. Her dog, who had accompanied her on a ride to set out salt blocks for cattle, had stayed with Sullivan, and was not injured, McClay said. The search started about 6:15 a.m. on July 16 after Sullivan’s relatives reported that they hadn’t been able to find her after SUBSCRIPTION RATES Local home delivery Savings (cover price) $10.75/month 50 percent 52 weeks $135 42 percent 26 weeks $71 39 percent 13 weeks $37 36 percent EZPay Single copy price: $1.50 Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday searching earlier that morning and the night of July 15, McClay said. Sullivan was supposed to meet family for an event in Baker City the evening of July 15, but she didn’t arrive. No one had talked with Sullivan since July 14, when she planned to distribute salt blocks in the Bald Mountain area, McClay said. After family and friends were unable to find Sullivan Friday night or early Saturday, they called the sheriff’s office at 4:17 a.m. on July 16, McClay said. Sheriff Travis Ash activated the search and rescue team at 5:11 a.m. A dozen searchers, including Ash, went out with 15 to 20 relatives and friends of Sullivan, to resume the search. McClay said Sullivan had been riding cross-country when the four-wheeler rolled. It appeared she had died July 14. “It was not the outcome that we hoped for,” McClay said. — EO Media Group Multimedia Consultants: • Angel Aguilar 541-564-4531 • aaguilar@hermistonherald.com • Melissa Barnes 541-966-0827 • mbarnes@eastoregonian.com • Audra Workman 541-564-4538 • aworkman@eastoregonian.com Business Office Legal advertising: 541-966-0824 classifieds@eastoregonian.com or legals@eastoregonian.com NEWS • To submit news tips and press releases: call 541-966-0818 or email news@eastoregonian.com • To submit community events, calendar items, engagements, weddings and anniversaries: email community@eastoregonian.com, call 541-966-0818 or or visit eastoregonian.com/community/ announcements. • To submit sports or outdoors information or tips, email sports@eastoregonian.com. 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