A8
News
Blue Mountain Eagle
ISSUES
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
FIRE
C APITAL VISIT
cooperator status puts the lead
agency in charge, with no assur-
ance the other jurisdictions will
have any power in the discus-
Continued from Page A1
sions.
Grant County Commis-
John George of Bates has
sioners Boyd Britton and Chris argued for coordination over co-
Labhart also promised a thor- RSHUDWLRQLQDÀXUU\RIHPDLOVWR
ough airing of any agreement IRUHVWDQGFRXQW\RI¿FLDOVDQG
proposed for the county.
through the website for Forest
Myers said he expects the Access for All.
next step to be a discussion soon
“Working under a cooper-
ZLWKRI¿FLDOVLQ3HQGOHWRQWRVHH ating MOU does nothing more
what an agreement might look than assist the Forest Service to
like. Any document resulting check a box and say they met
from such talks would be re- the burden of reviewing your
viewed by the county’s attorney input,” he told that group.
and discussed with the public,
He has urged the individu-
he said.
al counties to press their own
The Baker County Press has needs.
reported that commissioners
“I believe the counties must
there recently decided not to sit as Coordinating agencies
sign a cooperator agreement.
and see our communities needs
Access activists are push- aligned in the Forest Plan Revi-
ing for “coordination” instead, sion, and anything short of that
seeing it as the avenue that is a failure of leadership on the
gives counties equal standing part of the commissioners,” he
LQUHVROYLQJFRQÀLFWV7KH\VD\ said.
Continued from Page A1
Wendel argued the law
requires him to sign the in-
dictment, but doesn’t specify
the timing. He also said the stat-
ute of limitations is running out
on one count in the indictment,
making it important to take ac-
tion.
Cramer cautioned that the
situation could set up an issue
for the appellate court. Howev-
er, he decided to proceed with
the arraignment.
The indictment includes two
FRXQWV RI DJJUDYDWHG ¿UVWGH-
gree theft – one alleging theft
of cash with a total value of
$10,000 or more, and the other
alleging theft of vehicles and
property with a value of $50,000
or more.
The indictment also lists one
FRXQW RI ¿UVWGHJUHH WKHIW RQH
count of unauthorized use of a
vehicle, one count of possession
of a stolen motor vehicle, and
¿YH FRXQWV RI PDNLQJ D IDOVH
statement in a title application.
Wendel asked the court to
set bail at $20,000 and order
Peterson to have no contact with
former board members of the
Monument Rural Fire Protec-
tion District. The state contends
Peterson was heard saying if he
had to go to jail in the case, he
would shoot three of the men.
Hostetter rebutted the threat
allegation, challenging the
state’s reference to an unnamed
witness and the claim of Peter-
son’s supposed prowess with a
.50 caliber.
“Mr. Peterson has never
owned a .50 caliber,” Hostetter
said.
Cramer opted to release Pe-
terson on a standard conditional
release, along with a no-contact
order for the board members
and witnesses, calling that “typi-
cal” in such cases.
Cramer scheduled a session
Thursday, Feb. 19, to hear argu-
ments on the demurrer.
The case stems from an in-
vestigation by the Oregon State
Police and Oregon Department
of Justice that began in May
2013. Police served a search
warrant in October 2013 at
property in the Monument area
DQGVHL]HG¿UHYHKLFOHVDQGHY-
idence for the case, but released
no other information prior to the
indictment.
For about a decade, Peterson
was a vocal advocate for estab-
OLVKLQJDUXUDO¿UHSURWHFWLRQGLV-
trict in the Monument area. He
was chief of Monument’s city
department for a time, and also
acted as chief of a rural district
that was yet to be formalized.
After the district was formed
by voters in 2012, the newly
installed board and Peterson
differed on its management and
operation. Noting challenges
over meeting procedures, oper-
ations, equipment, and leader-
ship, the directors resigned en
masse in December 2012.
With the county’s help, the
board was re-established. In
3HWHUVRQ¿OHGQRWLFHWKDW
he intended to sue the board and
its appointed chief, contending
the directors conducted a cam-
paign of retaliation against him
EHFDXVHRIWKH¿UHHTXLSPHQWKH
had obtained over the years.
Last October, the board re-
signed and asked the County
Court to dissolve the district, a
process that’s under way now.
Their reasons included a lack
of volunteers as well the sta-
WXVRI¿UHHTXLSPHQWWKDWZDV
sidelined at Oregon Depart-
ment of Forestry lot in John
Day because of the investiga-
tion.
Contributed photo
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden meets with members of the Grant County Safe
Community Coalition, who were in Washington, D.C., for the 25th Community
Anti-Drug Coalition of America (CADCA) conference. The Grant County
delegation included (clockwise from top center) Lisa Weigum of John Day,
Russ Comer of Canyon City, Haley Hueckman of John Day and Sheila
Comer, Canyon City.
Contracting workshop offered
be from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
April 17 at the Forest Super-
JOHN DAY – The For- visor’s building, 431 Patter-
est Service is offering a free son Bridge Road.
workshop to introduce con-
The session will give an
tractors and businesses to the overview of the agencies,
process for doing business policies for small business
with the government.
set-asides, networking op-
The Government Contract portunities and more.
Assistance Program will put
Pre-registration is encour-
on the workshop in Pendle- aged.
ton, Baker City, Vale, Burns
For information, contact
DQG -RKQ 'D\ RQ ¿YH GDWHV Sue LaCroix at slacroix@
during the week of April 13.
gcap.org or call 541-786-
The John Day session will 7344.
Blue Mountain Eagle
Ford Cleaners
Providing a Quality Dry Clean & Laundry Service
New location – pickup & drop off every two
weeks at Kings in the John Day Plaza.
1st pickup – Jan. 28th
Call 503-522-7794 for more information 3
The Family of Evelyn L. Cates would
like to thank everyone who sent
cards, flowers and food. The support
you have given is greatly
appreciated. Also, a very special
thanks to Mary Bradley who put on
a wonderful dinner in Evelyn’s
honor, and to everyone who helped
her make it one to remember.
6
PORTER
to be a noble role.”
“This portrayal is contrary
to the record, which shows
repeated acts of aggression
Continued from Page A1
and assaultive conduct,” the
Porter was convicted of ag- board said.
gravated murder in the killing,
• Faced with consider-
which occurred after Ward able information about the
was called to a domestic dis- incident and brutal injuries
turbance at Porter’s home. Ev- suffered by Ward, Porter min-
idence from the case indicated imizes the incident and con-
that a drunken Porter fought WLQXHVWRLQVLVWWKDWWKHRI¿FHU
with Ward, striking him on was the aggressor.
WKHKHDGZLWKDFKXQNRI¿UH-
The board also noted a
wood.
prior crime where Porter as-
Porter has since contended serted his wife’s “hysteria”
he didn’t know the uniformed caused him to “slap” her, a
PDQZDVDSROLFHRI¿FHUDQG characterization that suggests
that Ward died because he fell “the narrow reach of his re-
DJDLQVW D ¿UHSODFH DQG VWDFN morse for his acts of domestic
of wood.
violence and his lack of em-
Among the key factors cit- pathy for his victim.”
ed by the parole board:
• The board remains con-
• Porter fails to grasp the cerned Porter showed poor
circumstances of his crime planning and foresight for
and recognize the severity his parole, when he said he
of his history of domestic would move to a family ranch
violence. The board noted in the Monument. The ruling
his insistence that he was said his plan to “live and
protecting his family on the work in a remote area does
night he killed Ward, por- not account for the high level
traying himself as someone of supervision and support he
who used violence to protect will require in any transition.”
others. While he didn’t re-
“He has not yet developed
member some things ques- D VXI¿FLHQW UHODSVH SUHYHQ-
tioned by the board, he had tion plan, and his presentation
“detailed stories of certain GHPRQVWUDWHG DQ RYHUFRQ¿-
incidents wherein he was dence regarding the high risk
acting in what he perceived of return to alcohol abuse,”
the board said.
The panel also was uncon-
vinced that Porter was think-
ing beyond “alcohol issues”
to deal with domestic vio-
Story Time
Come hear inspirational stories of recovery
lence and anger issues.
The board said Porter
needs to “expand his efforts
for growth” in all those areas.
Porter was represented at
the hearing by his attorney,
Andy Simrin, and several
relatives and friends were on
hand.
Carpenter and Ward’s
widow and brother also spoke
to the panel.
The hearing also drew law
HQIRUFHPHQW RI¿FLDOV IURP
across the state, including
John Day Police Chief Rich-
ard Gray and representatives
of departments in La Grande,
Troutdale, Baker City, and
Crook County.
Ward’s widow pleaded
with the parole panel to extend
Porter’s stay longer than two
years – the period since the
last release review hearing.
Carpenter said he was en-
couraged by the board’s deci-
sion to keep Porter in prison
and to opt for a longer exten-
sion than two years.
“At some point in time, it
is likely that Mr. Porter will
be granted parole,” he said.
However, Carpenter said
a review of the nature of the
crime, the impact on victims,
the psychological evaluations
and Porter’s own statements
made it clear he needed ad-
ditional time “to meet the
demands of justice and to
accomplish the objectives set
for him by the Board of Pa-
role in 2013.”
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Cornerstone Christian Fellowship
139 NE Dayton
NOW SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS
FOR ENERGY ASSISTANCE
Community Connection has funds available for utility payment assistance in
Union, Wallowa, Baker and Grant counties. Please contact your local office
of Community Connect for more information or to schedule your
appointment. Funds are limited.
Dinner at 5:30 pm
Speakers begin at 6 pm
3
Union
1504 Albany
La Grande, OR
541-963-3186
Baker
2810 Cedar St.
Baker City, OR
541-523-6591
Wallowa
702 NW First St.
Enterprise, OR
541-426-3840
Grant
142 NE Dayton
John Day, OR
541-575-2949 6