The
GRANT COUNTY
TEAMS OFF TO
WINNING START
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
– PAGE B1
Grant County’s newspaper since 1868
W EDNESDAY , D ECEMBER 9, 2015
N O . 49
20 P AGES
$1.00
www.MyEagleNews.com
Eight opposed, one in favor of pot ban
Final public hearing set for 10:15 a.m. today
By Sean Hart
Blue Mountain Eagle
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ings about an ordinance banning
commercial marijuana operations in
Grant County, eight people spoke in
opposition to the ban, and only one
spoke in favor.
At the Dec. 2 Grant County
Court meeting, Commissioner Boyd
Britton said he pushed for the ban
Scott Myers said the ordinance
would not prohibit the personal
to be considered, and he was the growing, possession and use of
only proponent of the ban to offer marijuana, as approved by Oregon
his opinions. The second, and pre- voters in November 2014.
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Statewide, 56 percent of voters
scheduled for 10:15 a.m. today at approved Measure 91 legalizing
the Grant County Courthouse.
recreational use of marijuana, but
The proposed ordinance would about 65 percent of the 3,322 votes
prohibit the processing and dis- in Grant County were in opposition
pensing of medical marijuana and to the measure. Earlier this year, the
production, processing, wholesale Oregon Legislature passed a law
and retail operations related to rec- allowing cities and counties to ban
reational marijuana. County Judge commercial marijuana activity if
more than 55 percent of the county
opposed the measure.
To opt out, the county must enact
the ban by Dec. 30. The ban would
only affect unincorporated areas of
the county, but the cities of John
Day, Canyon City, Prairie City, Mt.
Vernon and Dayville have already
opted out.
The county also has the option
to enact a temporary ban and allow
voters to decide whether to allow
See POT, Page A5
The Eagle/Cheryl Hoefler
Sean Hart, the new editor of
the Blue Mountain Eagle.
Sean Hart
hired as
Eagle editor
CRACKING THE CODE
TO GRANT COUNTY HISTORY
Blue Mountain Eagle
An Eastern Oregon native has
been named the new editor of the
Blue Mountain Eagle.
Sean Hart, originally from Vale,
joined the staff Dec. 1. He replaced
Scotta Callister, who left the newspa-
per in July.
“I’m excited to continue my ca-
reer reporting the news that matters
in Eastern Oregon,” he said. “The
staff here at the Eagle has been great,
and I look forward to getting out into
the community.”
Hart has worked for three East-
ern Oregon newspapers since 2007.
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from the Oregon Newspaper Pub-
lishers Association for best lifestyle
coverage and best graphics and sec-
ond-place awards for best local col-
umn and best personality feature.
Hart, 31, graduated from Vale
High School in 2002. He attended
Treasure Valley Community College
and Portland State University before
earning his degree from the Univer-
sity of Oregon with a minor in busi-
ness administration.
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tending college, Hart began his jour-
nalism career at the Argus Observer
in Ontario, where he was quickly
promoted to lifestyle editor. Prior to
starting at the Eagle, he worked for
the Hermiston Herald and the East
Oregonian.
“Of all the places I have worked, I
already think John Day may suit me
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right in.”
Hart enjoys guns and the out-
doors. He owns a yellow Lab named
Frank. He is also a musician and
songwriter.
The Eagle has been Grant Coun-
ty’s newspaper since 1868. In 1979,
the paper merged into what is now
EO Media Group, which publishes
the Wallowa County Chieftain, the
East Oregonian and eight other re-
gional newspapers.
Contributed photos
Lead translator Chung So, second from right, points out an interesting detail in a Chinese ledger to the
translation team, from left, Chinese medicine practitioner Kyle Cline, Kam Wah Chung curator Christy Sweet
and teacher and translator, Micah Sprouffske.
Kam Wah Chung group aims to translate historical documents
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This Chinese
document
and about
10,000 others
are waiting to
be translated
to reveal
information
about Kam
Wah Chung,
businessmen
Doc Hay and
Lung On and
the history
of Chinese
and American
communities in
our area.
Blue Mountain Eagle
J
OHN DAY — The 10,000 documents left by Chinese
businessmen Doc Hay and Lung On as part of the Kam
Wah Chung Museum could speak volumes about Grant
County’s history.
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According to Kyle Cline, local Chinese medicine practitioner,
that’s just what the Friends of Kam Wah Chung are striving to
do, now that they have received grants to survey the Chinese lan-
guage documents in the museum’s archives.
The survey will provide detailed information so the group can
apply for larger grants to translate all the documents.
Kam Wah Chung was a local general store and apothecary op-
erated by Hay and On in the late 1800s-1940s.
See HISTORY, Page A3
Christmas crafters make family memories
Project brings mom, daughters together
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Contributed photo
Connie Wood of John Day enjoyed a
crafting day with her two daughters
and granddaughter at her home, where
the ladies made several wreaths for
family and friends.
JOHN DAY — Connie
Wood and her two daughters
set up a Christmas workshop
Nov. 21, making several fes-
tive holiday wreaths for fami-
ly and friends at her John Day
home.
Wood said her daughter
Dovie Bolman of John Day
found patterns for the wreaths
online.
Her other daughter Mi-
chelle Trout of Elkton joined
in on their crafting day, as well
as Dovie’s daughter Preslie
Thompson. Wood also has three
sons who live out of town.
“We do this every year to
decorate our homes,” Wood
said.
The wreaths are made using
brightly colored poly mesh rib-
bon, which gives a bright, wel-
coming look to the front door,
and the wreaths are waterproof.
The crafters made several
different styles, using different
colors.
“We do crafts year-round,”
Wood said. “Spending time
with my daughters and grand-
daughter, visiting and making
memories, that’s what makes it
special for this time of year.”
She’s already started another
craft project.
“I’m making Disney prin-
cess aprons for my granddaugh-
ters,” she said.
See CRAFTS, Page A8