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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 2015)
Halloween events schedule Page A6 W EDNESDAY , O CTOBER 28, 2015 N O . 43 18 P AGES $1.00 www.MyEagleNews.com State moving forward with dam removal County makes case to repair dam instead By Kyle Spurr Blue Mountain Eagle CANYON CITY — State of¿ cials said Oct. 21 the Can- yon Meadows Dam needs HOW to be removed this year to protect residents from an in- creased risk of À ooding as a result of the 110,000-acre Canyon Creek Comple[ ¿ re. The state has considered the dam a fragile structure since leaking was discovered shortly after it was built more than 50 years ago. Multiple state studies over the years have concluded the dam needs WHAT DO YOU THINK? We value your opinion and want to hear what you think on this issue. Write a letter to the editor. to be removed. “The dam has a lot of value to the people of Grant Coun- ty. The state is aware of that,” Brett Brownscombe, the Gov- ernor’s natural resource pol- icy advisor, said. “The state believes there is an elevated risk to public safety post-¿ re and a risk to property and hu- man life below the dam.” Commissioner Britton asked Ken Olson, who lives below Canyon Meadows Dam, if he was worried about it failing. “Not particularly,” Olson replied. “I’m not worried about the dam.” The state’s plan is to re- move the dam, owned by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) on For- est Service land, before this ZOMBIES (UP) ARE MADE Emma Hughes puts the finishing touches on Caroline Colson’s face. winter. Removal would take ¿ ve days and cost 200,000 at the most. The plan did not sit well with the Grant County Court and a crowd of about 100 res- idents who packed Grantville Theater for the hearing. Residents have a hard time believing the dam could blow See DAM, Page A3 County counsel: Sheriff is overstepping his authority By Kyle Spurr Blue Mountain Eagle Participants attempt to elude circus characters in annual zombie run By &heryl +oeÀ er Blue Mountain Eagle J OHN DAY – The circus came to town Saturday night. Or at least, cir- cus performers. With a dark side – who seemed to have maybe escaped their circus train just so they could wreak havoc and terror on runners in John Day. In the “Zombie Circus” fun run held Oct. 24, runners made their way through an untimed 5K event while running, leap- ing and jumping to make their way through several obstacles and numerous zombies deter- mined to thwart their efforts and grab their À ags. The route began at Seventh Street Complex and wound its way through several locations throughout the Grant County Fairgrounds. The circus-style zombies See RUN, Page A8 Eagle photos/Cheryl Hoefler Marionettes, from left, Rhea Mead, Leah Comer, Madison Spen cer and Andrea Comer, are ready for marionette master Sheila Comer to bring them to life. Other marionettes included Taylor Osgood, Emily Vargas and Paige Lupien. Family guard dog saves newborn kitten By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle MT. VERNON – Two fe- male dogs owned by Tiffany Hull and Drew Johnson of Mt. Vernon, Chaos and Atilla, are usually guarding their home and chasing other animals away, but six weeks ago they showed their softer side when Chaos found a newborn kitten. Chaos, an 8-year-old kelpie mix, found the kitten by the family’s backyard fence, its eyes still closed. “She had this thing in her mouth,” Hull said, adding the dog brought it to them while they were outside. “Drew told her to drop it, and he put it back.” Hull said they were amazed their dog didn’t harm the kit- ten, and said their dog has been a good hunter over the years. Chaos brought a different kitten to the family that night, which was later given away, and the original kitten, now Grant County’s legal counsel released an opinion Wednesday claiming Sheriff Glenn Palmer is overstepping his authority by creating his own Public Lands Natural Resources Plan. Palmer deputized 11 coun- ty residents last month to write and adopt the plan to invoke coordination with the U.S. Forest Service and the management of public lands. Authority to create such a plan belongs to the county court, not the sheriff, accord- ing to county counsel Ron Yockim. “Bottom line is he is over- stepping his authority and reaching into legislative land use matters that are the county court’s role,” Yockim wrote. “He may have authority to develop plans and policies that are within his statutory authority as sheriff (e.g. law enforcement policies) but any coordination of these plans and policies is under a dif- ferent coordination authority than the one he cited.” The legal opinion was pub- licly released during a county court work session OCT. 21. The work session was sched- uled to discuss concerns about the working relationship be- tween the sheriff and the For- est Service. Palmer did not attend the work session. He declined to comment on why he did not attend, but did say he believes the county court should not be getting involved with another elected of¿ cial’s business. “It’s none of the county court’s business to interject themselves into another elect- ed of¿ cial’s affairs like this,” Palmer said. See SHERIFF, Page A8 FALL BACK Contributed photo The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Atilla, a 7-year-old half-lab half-pitbull mix, watches over a newborn kitten found on her owners’ property five weeks ago. named Jack, was discovered in another part of the yard the next morning. The mother cat wasn’t found. “Her mother instincts kicked in,” Hull said of Cha- os. “She protected him for about a week from Atilla.” Atilla is a 7-year-old half-labrador half-pitbull mix, and when she was able to get near the kitten, acted just as motherly as Chaos. “Atilla would lay down by the kitten all day,” Hull said. Both dogs lick the kit- ten to clean him, and they watch over him. Chaos sits with Jack, an abandoned kitten she saved. The family nursed Jack to health with a bottle and kitten formula, and now, at six weeks, the kitten is thriving. “Chaos is a rescue dog her- self,” Hull said. “She was go- ing to be shot by her previous owner, and Drew took her in – she just has a big heart.” Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday at 2 a.m. when clocks are turned backward one hour to 1 a.m. Sunrise and sunset will be earlier, which means more light in the morning.