Blue Mountain
EAGLE
The
Grant County’s newspaper since 1868
W EDNESDAY , J ULY 8, 2015
• N O . 27
• 18 P AGES
WILDFIRE TEAM
IS OFF TO STATE!
– PAGE 9
• $1.00
www.MyEagleNews.com
Property owners sweat out Sugarloaf Fire
Blaze burns nearly 5,000 acres around homes
By George Plaven
For the Blue Mountain Eagle
It all started with a few
low rumbles, followed by one
loud boom.
Tom Buce was in the han-
gar at Lands Inn, where his
family operates a bed-and-
breakfast and small airport,
when he heard the crash of
lighting that started the Sug-
arloaf Fire on June 27 near
Dayville.
Within an hour, the blaze
would consume 100 acres just
a half-mile from Lands Inn.
Then the wind shifted, push-
ing a 0-foot wall of À ames
directly toward Buce’s home.
³<ou basically go from ¿ re
plan to panic,” Buce said of
the inferno that ran over his
land. “I just did what I could
do and the rest was in God’s
hands.”
The Sugarloaf Fire ulti-
mately ripped through 5,000
acres and marked an explosive
beginning to wild¿ re season
in Eastern Oregon and Grant
County — which has also
seen the 27,000-acre Corner
Creek Fire continue to burn
Lampton gets 30
years in prison
Jury trial finds
him guilty of
six counts
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
CANYON CITY – Judge
William D. Cramer Jr. sen-
tenced Bobby Wayne Lamp-
ton, 63, in the Grant County
Circuit Court to 30 years in
prison Wednesday, July 1, for
sex crimes against a child.
Lampton, from Bradford,
Ark., was found guilty on
six counts after a jury trial,
including two counts of sod-
omy in the ¿ rst degree, one
count of unlawful sexual pen-
etration in the ¿ rst degree and
three counts of sexual abuse
in the ¿ rst degree on June 2.
“Justice was served,” said
Grant County District At-
torney Jim Carpenter, who
prosecuted the case along
with Deputy District Attorney
Matt Ipson.
“Lampton could have been
sentenced to 600 months (50
years), but the court took into
account a variety of circum-
stances and decided on 360
months, which is an appro-
piate resolution,” Carpenter
said. “The likelihood that he
will get out of prison during
his lifetime is slim.”
Because of the Measure
11 statute, which this case ¿ ts
because the victim was under
the age of 12 at the time of the
sexual abuse, the sentencing
is increased, from 100 months
to 300 months.
Lampton will be required
to serve that amount of time –
the statute does not allow for
early release programs.
He received credit for time
served in the Grant County
Jail – about
one year.
As
of
Tuesday this
week, Lamp-
ton remained
in the local
Bobby
jail; he’ll be
Wayne
transferred to
Lampton
a prison, the
location to be
announced at a later date.
Attorney Renee Denison
of Ontario represented Lamp-
ton in the case, who pleaded
not guilty to the charges.
Family members of the
victim were given the oppor-
tunity to make statements.
“You hear about this stuff
in Hollywood, not in real
life” said the victim’s father.
“To be honest, at one point in
time, it was good that (law en-
forcement) detained him and
not me – I would have done
bad things.”
“The things that my
daughter was put through, I
can’t even hear it,” he contin-
ued. “(You say you’re Chris-
tian) ... Christian men don’t
do this kind of sick, perverted
nastiness.”
The victim’s grandmother
said abusers “hope their vic-
tims will remain silent.”
“I hope you are never al-
lowed around another child
for the rest of your life,” she
said.
She added the victim is
“safe, À ourishing, and will
rise above.”
“Thank God for law en-
forcement,” the grandmother
continued. “May you go
through the hell you’ve put
my (grandchild) through.”
The victim’s mother,
looking back at many fam-
ily members who attended
the sentencing hearing, said,
See CRIME, Page A5
out of control approximately
11 miles south of Dayville.
Lightning strikes were re-
sponsible for both ¿ res, cou-
pled with intense heat and
drought that has left the re-
gion essentially a tinderbox
now into summer.
Lands Inn was ¿ rst in line
to face the Sugarloaf Fire as
it raced toward private prop-
erty up Dick Creek Road just
outside the rural communi-
ty of Kimberly. Buce recalls
how Tuickly the À ames ate up
grass and juniper trees while
bearing down on their own
house and rental cabins.
Without much time to act,
Buce evacuated all guests at
the inn while he stayed be-
hind to assist ¿ re¿ ghters re-
sponding from the Bureau of
Land Management. They set
up sprinklers in strategic loca-
tions and did back burning of
dried grasses to protect struc-
tures.
The ¿ re did destroy two
storage trailers and charred
every last acre of Buce’s land
to a blackened crisp, but with
the help of the BLM they
were able to save his home
and business.
See FIRE, Page A18
Photo contributed by Chris Larson
The Sugarloaf Fire, which started June 27, burned
around the Lands Inn, a bed and breakfast near
Kimberly in Grant County. Firefighters were able to
save the structures.
MONUMENT • DAYVILLE • PRARIE CITY
IT’S JUBILEE TIME!
Contributed photo/Chelsey McDaniel
The Mountain View Mini Mart crew dressed up in red, white and blue tutus for the occasion in
Prairie City.
‘Grand Ol’ Flag’
waves in Prairie
PC celebrates Independence Day
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
PRAIRIE CITY – Colors
of red, white and blue À ood-
ed the streets of Prairie City
during this year’s Fourth of
July Parade.
The sidewalks on Front
Street were packed with on-
lookers who covered their
ears as a cannon gave the start
signal.
Lanni Strong was music to
their ears as she sang the na-
tional anthem.
Jim and Lynette Sullens
served as grand marshals in
the parade, which had 37 en-
tries, including several À oats,
decorated to the theme of “It’s
a Grand Ol’ Flag.”
The American Legion
À oat, decked out with À ags
and veterans, won the sweep-
stakes prize of $100.
Fun events at the park later
that day included a concert,
water games and a tug o’ war.
Fireworks at the Oxbow
Ranch capped the celebration.
See PC, Page A8
S TUDENT
ART
More Inside
Lots more photos on page 8
Contributed photo/Rebecca Grassl
From left, Marinda Cook, 13, Monument,
Kyla Emerson, 14, Monument, and Sayla
Nasr, 5, of Bend, chomp their way through
a watermelon-eating contest.
Monument rolls out the
red, white and blue carpet
By CKeryl +oeÀ er
Blue Mountain Eagle
MONUMENT – Small maybe in size, but big
on fun, Monument rolled out the red, white and
blue carpet for a Fourth of July packed with an
explosion of good times.
The highlight of the day was the parade – which
circled around city park twice just to make sure ev-
eryone got a good look-see.
See MONUMENT, Page A8
Dayville has fun Fourth, despite smoke
Visitors enjoy
variety of events
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Alexander Hoffman
Humbolt Elementary
Teacher: Sophie
Cosgrove
DAYVILLE – The air was
a little smoky, but that didn’t
stop people from coming to
Dayville for Independence
Day festivities.
The morning of July
the Corner Creek Fire was at
19,232 acres burning 11 miles
south of the town.
Marina Martin was this year’s
parade grand marshal, and the
theme was “Let Freedom Ring.”
Julie Carr emceed the pa-
rade, and Shyanne Winters
sang the national anthem.
The family trophy went
to the Sydney and Brandon
Thompson family for their
À oat which was decorated like
a pioneer wagon.
Lee Schrier won best of
parade driving a 196 tractor
which he restored.
See DAYVILLE, Page A8
Dayville city
recorder
Ruthie Moore
has help
from Mason
Moore of
Paso Robles,
Calif., and
Allie Moore of
Kennewick,
Wash., after
the parade.
The Eagle
Angel Carpenter