W EDNESDAY , D ECEMBER 30, 2015
Izee
man
shot
in the
chest
Victim has been
released from
Bend hospital
Blue Mountain Eagle
N O . 52
18 P AGES
$1.00
www.MyEagleNews.com
YEAR IN REVIEW
2015
IT WAS ALL ABOUT
THE PEOPLE
An Izee man was shot in
the chest in the early morn-
ing hours on Christmas
Eve.
At about 3:08 a.m., the
Grant County Sheriff’s Of-
fice received a report of an
altercation at
an Izee-area
ranch and dis-
covered Jer-
emy Lawson,
39, Izee, was
injured from a
Sheriff
single gunshot
Glenn
wound to the
Palmer
chest, accord-
ing to a press
release from Sheriff Glenn
Palmer.
Palmer and Deputy Ken
Olson were the first offi-
cers on scene, and Lawson
was initially transported
from the Izee area in a po-
lice vehicle because of the
distance from ambulance
services. Law enforcement
met up with the Seneca
Quick Response Team and
transferred Lawson into its
ambulance, which then met
up with the John Day am-
bulance.
Lawson was transport-
ed to Blue Mountain Hos-
pital and later flown to St.
Charles Medical Center in
Bend. Hospital staff con-
firmed Tuesday afternoon
that Lawson has since been
released.
The case is currently
under investigation, but
no arrests have been made.
Palmer said in the release
it is likely evidence will be
submitted to a grand jury,
and no other names will
be released until after the
grand jury has reviewed the
evidence.
Faces and names
highlight the past year
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Blue Mountain Eagle
F
aces and names not only
make a community, they
also make the news.
Flipping back through
the 2015 issues of the Blue
Mountain Eagle, it seems that time
and again, faces and names stand out
from the pages, as people made head-
lines — and a difference.
The topics run the spectrum:
personal achievements, career ac-
complishments, community con-
tributions, newsworthy decisions.
Yet they all had an impact on Grant
County life and history.
Before stepping bravely into the
unknown world of 2016, here’s a
look back at some of the people in
our community who made the news.
Eagle file photos
Fire
While the Canyon Creek Com-
plex Fire was without question one
of the most traumatic and destruc-
tive events ever to happen in Grant
County and the state of Oregon, it’s
important to remember the helpers
— the many individuals who came to
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a difference.
Everyone — If you donated to
the Fairgrounds Relief Center, con-
tributed to Old West Federal Credit
Union’s Fire Relief Fund or support-
HG RQH RI WKH PDQ\ FDXVHV IRU ¿UH
victims, you were a newsmaker. All
those goods in the relief center and
the more than $250,000 distributed
from the fund came from somewhere
— a good chunk of it from local peo-
ple, friends, neighbors and relatives
RISHRSOHLPSDFWHGE\WKH¿UH“Do-
nations pour into Fairground Relief
&enter for YiFtiPs of Zild¿ re´ $ug
“Relief fund set up at 2ld :est´
$ug “2ld :est presents . to
¿ re relief´ DeF
Jim Hamsher and Kristin Cur-
rin — In a case of perfect strangers
coming together for a cause, Ham-
sher, of Prairie City, and Currin, of
La Grande, teamed up for “Hay for
Sherry and Mike Dress embrace after looking over property
destroyed by the Canyon Creek Complex fire.
See 3age $
After serving hungry
customers in John Day
for nearly 20 years,
McDonald’s of John Day
closed on Oct. 31.
Juniper Ridge
An official examines the
damaged fence at Juniper
Ridge Acute Care Facility
in John Day following two
escapes from the mental
health facility in 2015.
Mom?
Motherly instincts kicked
in for Atilla, a half lab, half
pitbull mix, who, along
with Chaos, a kelpie mix,
cared for a newborn kitten.
A month-by-month review of 2015
have been easily overshadowed
by the plumes of smoke and
Undoubtedly, the 110,000- ÀRRGRI¿UH¿JKWHUV)ROORZLQJ
acre Canyon Creek Complex is a month-by-month recap of
¿UH WKDW GHVWUR\HG KRPHV the year that was 2015.
was the biggest story of 2015
January
in Grant County.
Ochoco Lumber Co. laid
With its destruction and
evacuations, followed by off the second shift of employ-
countless acts of charity for ees at its Malheur Lumber Co.
YLFWLPV DQG WKH GLI¿FXOW WDVN mill in John Day.
The Grant County Library
RIUHKDELOLWDWLRQDQGÀRRGPLW
LJDWLRQWKH¿UHFRQVXPHGQHZV Foundation received a $20,000
coverage as effectively as it grant to move toward its goal of
a new county library.
decimated the forest.
Maureen McGrath was
The year, however, had
many other highlights that may hired as the executive direc-
Blue Mountain Eagle
tor of Umatilla Morrow Head
Start.
Jim Sullens was honored
for volunteering at Prairie City
Fire Department for 50 years.
Travis Frizzell escaped
from Juniper Ridge Acute Care
Facility before being captured
the same day.
Grant Western Lumber
Co. auctioned the sawmill and
equipment at the site at the west
end of John Day.
Andy Anderson was sworn
in as Mt. Vernon mayor.
See 0217+ 3age $
Clinton Shaver,
with the Molalla
Rural Fire District,
watches as a tree
goes up in flames
on the Canyon
Creek Complex
south of John Day.
Eagle file photo