News
Blue Mountain Eagle
A3
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Local daycare
forced to
shut down
Police, state
agency
investigating
potential
malfeasance
By Sean Hart
Blue Mountain Eagle
Contributed photos
Father and son translation team Chung and Nick So work together on the archival documents at Kam
Wah Chung.
HISTORY
Growing Tree Infant
Center in John Day is closed
pending an investigation by
local law enforcement and
a state agency.
John Day Police Chief
Richard Gray said the de-
partment has an open in-
vestigation related to the
daycare facility. He said
he could provide no further
details.
The Oregon Department
of Education’s Early Learn-
ing Division, which licens-
es all daycares throughout
the state, is also conducting
an investigation.
Karol Collymore, pub-
lic affairs director for the
early learning division,
said Growing Tree has
been closed since last
month.
“Currently, they are on
an emergency suspension
as of Nov. 24,” she said,
adding she could not pro-
vide specific details about
the agency’s investigation.
“In general, if we sus-
pend a child care center,
it’s because there was a
potential violation of the
rules.”
Collymore said, depend-
ing on the outcome of the
investigation, the license
could be revoked or rein-
stated.
Continued from Page A1
The funds, totaling more
than
$12,000,
included
$2,000 from the Oregon Cul-
tural Trust through the Juniper
Arts Council, $8,000 from the
museum fund of Oregon State
Parks and $2,500 from the Or-
egon Community Foundation.
The Friends group applied
for grants for over a year.
The documents are per-
sonal and business corre-
spondence, medical records
and prescriptions, books and
business records, which con-
tain a wealth of information
about Kam Wah Chung, local
Chinese and American history
and Hay and On.
Four people will do the
work:
Christy Sweet, Kam Wah
Chung museum curator, who
is responsible for preserv-
ing and organizing the vast
amount of materials, artifacts
and the physical building of
Kam Wah Chung and the In-
terpretive Center.
Chung So, a native Chi-
nese professional translator
who grew up in the same area
as Hay and On and has worked
with the Kam Wah Chung pa-
pers for documentaries.
Micah Sprouffske, a local
teacher and Chinese transla-
tor, who has spent extensive
time on the materials.
Cline, a local Chinese
medicine practitioner.
The Friends group also re-
ceived donated lodging and
have more than 100 hours
of volunteer contributions to
prepare for the project.
According to Cline, the
OTEC to return
$2.3 million in
capital credits
to members
Blue Mountain Eagle
Oregon Trail Electric Co-
operative members are en-
couraged to check their mail-
boxes this month for a slice
of the $2.3 million in capital
credits the cooperative is re-
turning to its members.
The amount is nearly dou-
ble the $1.2 million returned
in 2014, according to OTEC
General Manager Werner
Buehler.
“It is a great opportunity
for the cooperative to give
its members ‘credit’ — in the
form of a check — for con-
tinuing to help build, sustain
and grow their electric coop-
erative,” Buehler said.
Current members who
have eligible capital cred-
its of $15 or more will be
mailed a check in mid-De-
cember. Those with capital
credits of $14.99 or less
will receive a credit in the
amount owed to them on
their December bill.
“It is always good for our
board to be able to return Cap-
ital Credits during the holiday
season,” said Buehler. “It
brings good cheer and is part
of our cooperative principle,
to help where we can during
tough economic times.”
For more information, vis-
it www.otecc.com.
Outdo
SAN T A
Christy Sweet, museum curator, consults with volunteer Carol Faulkner about
digital scans of documents.
material offers valuable in-
sight on what life was like
during that period.
“It’s like a hidden treasure
waiting to be revealed by the
appropriate translator,” he
said.
Cline said they’ve also
been collaborating with the
Malheur National Forest ar-
chaeological unit to connect
some of the mining cabins
and camps in the area with
Kam Wah Chung.
“We are excited to get
started on this next stage of
revealing some of the fasci-
nating history of this area,”
Cline said.
From the latest laptops, tablets
and smartphones to wireless
speakers and accessories, we
have all the gifts they’re
wishing for this Christmas.
DP Home Entertainment
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