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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 2016)
A4 Opinion Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, January 20, 2016 40 years of no growth should be an alarm bell 5 HVLGHQWVRI+DUQH\ County have been described as the hostages RIWKHDUPHGSURWHVWHUVZKR WRRNRYHUWKH0DOKHXU1DWLRQDO :LOGOLIH5HIXJH-DQ By most accounts the SURWHVWHUVODUJHO\RXWRIVWDWH agitators, have harassed and generally run roughshod over WKHORFDOFRPPXQLW\IRUWKUHH ZHHNVDQGKDYHZRUQRXWWKHLU ZHOFRPH But the government land management policies that at least partially underpin the protest have constrained the +DUQH\&RXQW\HFRQRP\IRU \HDUV 2QFHXSRQDWLPH+DUQH\ &RXQW\¶VHFRQRP\ZDVVWURQJ 7KLUW\RQHSHUFHQWRIWKHMREV LQDOOZHUHLQWKHZRRG SURGXFWVLQGXVWU\%XWVLQFH 1978, that number has dropped WRRQO\VL[MREVDFFRUGLQJWRD UHFHQWUHSRUWIURPWKH2UHJRQ 2I¿FHRI(FRQRPLF$QDO\VLV $QGZKLOHWKHUHVWRI WKHVWDWHLQFUHDVHGMREV percent since the late 1970s, WKHQXPEHURIMREVLQ+DUQH\ County dropped by 10 SHUFHQW6LQFHZKHQWKH SRSXODWLRQZDVDQGWKH MREORVVHVEHJDQWKHFRXQW\KDV ORVWQHDUO\SHRSOH ³5HODWLYHWRWKHODWHV ²MXVWEHIRUHWKHVWDWHZHQW LQWRWKHVHYHUHHDUO\¶V recession and timber industry UHVWUXFWXULQJ²WKHQXPEHURI MREVWRGD\LQ+DUQH\&RXQW\ LVSHUFHQWEHORZEDFN then,” Josh Lehner, the analyst ZKRSUHSDUHGWKHUHSRUW VDLG³&OHDUO\WKDWLVDUHDOO\ ORQJWLPHZLWKHVVHQWLDOO\QR JURZWK´ $ORWRIWKLQJVKDYHFKDQJHG VLQFHWKHV7KHWLPEHU industry has restructured, and WKHUH¶VPRUHDXWRPDWLRQLQ WKHPLOOV6RQRWDOORIWKH ZRRGSURGXFWMREORVVHVFDQ EHDWWULEXWHGWRIHGHUDOORJJLQJ SROLFLHV But community leaders and residents say that in a county ZKHUHPRUHWKDQSHUFHQW RIWKHODQGLVFRQWUROOHGE\ WKHIHGHUDOJRYHUQPHQWWKRVH SROLF\FKDQJHVDORQJZLWK VWULFWHUJUD]LQJUHVWULFWLRQV increased regulation and WKHHYHUSUHVHQWWKUHDWRI HQYLURQPHQWDOODZVXLWVWKDW DWWHQGDQ\GHDOLQJZLWK government agencies have huge LPSDFWV ³,W¶VFRQWLQXHGUXOHVDQG regulations that do everything WRPDNHLWPRUHGLI¿FXOWWR PDNHDOLYLQJWRSD\\RXUELOOV HGXFDWH\RXUNLGVSD\\RXU PRUWJDJHDQGOHDGDJRRGOLIH´ UHWLUHGUDQFKHU%LOO:LOEHUVDLG County Judge Steven *UDVW\VDLGWKHMREORVVHVLQ the community have led to a JHQHUDOIHHOLQJRIGHVSDLU+LV IULHQGVQHLJKERUVDQGWKHLU IDPLOLHVFDQQRORQJHUGHSHQG RQWKHQDWXUDOUHVRXUFHMREVWKDW RQFHVXVWDLQHGWKHFRXQW\ 0DQ\RIWKRVHMREVKDYH EHHQUHSODFHGE\ORZHUSD\LQJ VHUYLFHVHFWRUMREVVXSSRUWLQJ tourists and the large contingent RIJRYHUQPHQWZRUNHUVZKR PDQDJHWKHSXEOLFODQGV *RYHUQPHQWHPSOR\PHQW QRZDFFRXQWVIRUSHUFHQWRI WKHMREVLQWKHFRXQW\7KRVH MREVDUHZHOFRPHGDQGDUH YLWDOWRWKHFRPPXQLW\,QPDQ\ cases, those employees are ORQJWLPHUHVLGHQWVZLWKGHHS ORFDOWLHV Still, there is a sense that VRPHWKLQJKDVEHHQORVW ³:HEHOLHYHWKHZHDOWKRI a nation is based on its natural UHVRXUFHV´*UDVW\VDLG³:H¶YH lost access to natural resources, LQSDUWLFXODUWLPEHU´ The partner that once encouraged these enterprises KDVJURZQGLVWDQWDQG XQUHVSRQVLYH Sooner or later the protesters ZLOOGHFDPSWKHUHIXJHDQGOLIH LQ+DUQH\&RXQW\ZLOOUHWXUQWR QRUPDO But there and in a hundred places across the West, they ZLOOZDLWIRUWKHIHGHUDO JRYHUQPHQWWRORRVHQLWVJULS F ARMER ’ S F ATE &DOHQGDUVVWRUNVDQGUHGQHFNODERU By Brianna Walker For the Blue Mountain Eagle (YHU\RQH PRVW IDPLOLDU ZLWK WKH *UHJRULDQ FDOHQGDU NQRZV WKDW DOO PRQWKV FRQWDLQ EHWZHHQ DQG GD\V (YHQ VFKRRO FKLOGUHQ ZKR PD\EHKDYHQ¶WEHHQWDXJKW\HWDERXW WKH 5RPDQ FDOHQGDU DQG WKH -XOLDQ FDOHQGDUDQGWKHSXUSRVHRIWKHOHDS \HDU SUREDEO\ VWLOO NQRZ WKH OLWWOH rhyme that sing songs: Thirty days hath September, April, June and November. All the rest have 31, Except for February all alone, It has 28 each year, but 29 each leap year. Being the rational person I be- OLHYH P\VHOI WR EH RQ RFFDVLRQ , KDYH DOZD\V EHOLHYHG WKLV UK\PH %XW LW LV ZURQJ 6R YHU\ ZURQJ $QG , DP ZLOOLQJ WR EHW WKDW , DP QRWDORQHLQP\UDWLRQDOH,WKLQNDOO PRQWKVKDYHEHWZHHQGD\VLQ WKHP²H[FHSWIRUWKHODVWPRQWKRI SUHJQDQF\$WWKDWSRLQWWLPHVHHPV WRUHSOLFDWHIDVWHUWKDQ%RUJQDQLWHV PDNLQJ WKDW ¿QDO PRQWK FORVHU WR GD\V $QG\RXFDQ¶WKHOSEXWZRQGHULI WKH VWRUN DJHQF\ XSJUDGHG WR *36 ,Q WKH FLW\ WKDW¶V JUHDW EXW ZH DOO NQRZ KRZ SHUVQLFNHW\ D *36 FDQ EH LQ UXUDO DUHDV ³$UULYLQJ DW GHV- WLQDWLRQ RQ OHIW´ *36 GHYLFHV WHOO JXHVWVDWWHPSWLQJWRYLVLWRXUKRXVH 7KDW³GHVWLQDWLRQ´LVWZRPLOHVIURP GRANT COUNTY Grant County Courthouse — 201 S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541- 575-2248. Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax: 541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@centu- rylink.net. Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville 97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541- 987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day, 97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541- 575-1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net. /ong CreeN — P.O. Box 489, Long Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax: 541-421-3075. Email: info@cityoÀong- Blue Mountain EAGLE P UBLISHED EVERY W EDNESDAY BY creek.com. Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monu- ment 97864. Phone and fax: 541-934- 2025. Email: monument@oregontrail.net. Mt 9ernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt. Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax: 541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net. Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax: 820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net. Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca 97873. Phone and fax: 541-542-2161. Email: cityseneca@centurytel.net. SALEM Gov .ate Brown D — 254 State Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378- 3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website: www. governor.state.or.us/governor.html. Sheriff should focus on primary job duties To the Editor: 7KH GH¿QLWLRQ RI VKHULII LV WR uphold the peace and, I believe, en- IRUFHWKHODZ,¿QGLWTXLWHGLVWXUE- LQJWKDWRXUFRXQW\VKHULIIKDVVWDW- HGKLVVXSSRUWIRUWKH%XQG\JURXS 7KHLUDFWLRQVDUHREYLRXVO\LOOHJDO , ZRXOG WKLQN DLGLQJ DQG DEHWWLQJ FULPLQDOVZRXOGEHJURXQGVIRUWKH VKHULIIWREHHMHFWHGIURPRI¿FH :H QHHG D VKHULII WKDW XSKROGV KLVSULPDU\MREGXWLHVDERYHKLVSR- OLWLFDODI¿OLDWLRQV Jan Mead John Day Armed protesters should ‘stay the course’ To the Editor: In the past year, some obvious FRQFOXVLRQV FDQ EH GUDZQ IURP HYHQWV DFURVV WKH FRXQWU\ ,Q WKH 0LGZHVWDQG(DVWFLWL]HQVJDWKHUHG WR³SURWHVW´ZKDWWKH\SHUFHLYHGWR EH LQMXVWLFH 5RFNV DQG 0RORWRY FRFNWDLOV ZHUH WKURZQ SROLFH FDUV torched, businesses looted and burned and no one held account- DEOH 7KH ODZOHVVQHVV ZDV HYHQ condoned by some as excusable ³VHOIH[SUHVVLRQ´ +HUH LQ WKH :HVW FLWL]HQV KDYH also come together to express their DQJVW RYHU LQMXVWLFH 2SHQ PHHW- LQJV ZLWK ODZ HQIRUFHPHQW KROG- Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper P UBLISHER ............................... M ARISSA W ILLIAMS , MARISSA @ BMEAGLE . COM E DITOR .................................... S EAN H ART , EDITOR @ BMEAGLE . COM A DMINISTRATIVE A SSISTANT ........ K RISTINA K REGER , KRISTINA @ BMEAGLE . COM E DITORIAL A SSISTANT ................ C HERYL H OEFLER , CHERYL @ BMEAGLE . COM C OMMUNITY N EWS .................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM S PORTS ................................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM M ARKETING R EP ....................... K IM K ELL , ADS @ BMEAGLE . COM O FFICE M ANAGER ..................... L INDSAY B ULLOCK , OFFICE @ BMEAGLE . COM MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION $QG RQH GRHVQ¶W QHHG WKH YDFXXP H[WUDFWRUDWWKH2%¶VRI¿FHKH¶VJRW D 6KRS9DF ZLWK ORDGV PRUH KRUVH SRZHU ,IEDE\LVVWXFNWKHUHLV3%%ODVW- HUWKDWLVVXUHWRGRWKHWULFN&RPELQH WKDWZLWKDIHZVKRWVRI:'DQG EDE\ VKRXOGQ¶W HYHQ PDNH D VTXHDN DIWHULWFRPHVRXW 1HHG WR ZDON WKDW EDE\ RXW" 1R SUREOHPV ZH VWLOO KDYH SOHQW\ RI ZLQWHUZDWHULQJWR¿QLVKXS1RQHHG WRZDONZLWKRXWDQLUULJDWLRQSLSHLQ \RXUKDQG$OLWWOHJHQWOHH[HUFLVHWR KHOS ZRUN WKRVH PXVFOHV" 7KH KD\ WUXFNV DUH FRPLQJ GDLO\ DQG KH FDQ DOZD\VXVHDQH[WUDJUXQWRQWKHWUDLO- HUWRPRYHWKRVHEDOHVLQWRSODFH $QG GRQ¶W ZRUU\ DERXW UXQQLQJ RXW RI EUHDWK ZKLOH \RX¶UH ORDGLQJ WKHWUXFNVKHFDQEULQJDORQJWKHSRU- WDEOHDLUFRPSUHVVRUDQGMXVWKRRNPH XS ,WZDVDERXWWKDWPRPHQWWKDWKH VWDUWHGJHVWXULQJWRWKHZHOGHU%HIRUH KHFRXOGVD\DZRUGKLVSKRQHUDQJ LQWHUUXSWLQJWKHQH[WKHOSIXOVROXWLRQ ,W ZDV WKHQ , KDG DQ RYHUZKHOPLQJ GHVLUHWREX\DERWWOHRIFDVWRURLO, WKLQNLWPLJKWDFWXDOO\PDNHDUHDOO\ QLFHDGGLWLRQWRP\KXVEDQG¶VGLQQHU SODWHWRQLJKW²WKHQZHFDQERWKKROG our stomachs tonight and commiser- DWH RQ KRZ ORQJ DQG XQFRPIRUWDEOH WKDWODVWPRQWKRISUHJQDQF\UHDOO\LV Brianna Walker writes about the Farmer’s Fate occasionally for the Blue Mountain Eagle. L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR Editor’s note: In an interview with the Eagle Jan. 13, when asked whether he supported the armed takeover of the Malheur Nation- al Wildlife Refuge, Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer said, “I don’t know.” W HERE TO WRITE our house in the mid- GOHRIDFRZSDVWXUH 3HUKDSV ZH VKRXOG grab sleeping bags and sleep out there IRU D IHZ QLJKWV ² MXVWLQFDVH Brianna And as your due Walker date approaches and GLVDSSHDUV MXVW OLNH WKHWLSVRI\RXUVKRHVIDPLO\IULHQGV DQGWKHFOHUNDWWKHFRQYHQLHQFHVWRUH VWDUW JD]LQJ DW WKH ELJ ZDWHUPHORQ \RX¶UH VZLQJLQJ DURXQG DQG DVN “What are you going to do?” /LNH LW¶V MXVW D ELJ EOLVWHU WKDW , FDQ MXVW VRDN LQ (SVRP VDOWV DQG PDNHLWJRDZD\7UXVWPHIRUHDFK time someone has thought that baby should be arriving soon, that expect- DQWPRWKHUKDVWKRXJKWDQGGUHDPW LWWLPHV And each time it gets said, the LGHD RI FDVWRU RLO QLJJOHV HYHU PRUH VOLJKWO\ LQ WKH EDFN RI \RXU PLQG 2IFRXUVHFDVWRURLODQGSUXQHMXLFH ,WKLQNVKRXOGEHOHIWWRSHRSOHZLWK much stronger stomach muscles and LQWHVWLQHV WKDW , KDYH %XW FDVWRU RLO DVLGH,OLYHRQDIDUP7KHUHKDVJRW WREHDOOVRUWVRIUHGQHFNUHPHGLHVIRU JHWWLQJWKLVEDE\KHUHVRRQHU 0\ KXVEDQG MXPSHG ULJKW RQ WKLVWUDLQRIWKRXJKW)RUHDFKGD\, remain pregnant is one more day he KDV WR EH WKH SULPDU\ FDUHWDNHU IRU P\SUHJQDQWHZHV)RUJHWIRUFHSVKH VD\VZLWKJOHHWKHUHDUHFDOISXOOHUV LQJ SXEOLF IRUXPV DQG RWKHUZLVH FRQGXFWLQJ WKHP LQ D VDIH DQG UH- VSHFWIXOPDQQHU:KDWPDNHVWKHVH SHRSOHGLIIHUHQWIURPRWKHUSURWHVW- ers? They have the audacity to be ³DUPHG´ The First Amendment is held sacrosanct, but exercising the 6HFRQG LV D KRUVH RI D GLIIHUHQW FRORU $Q DUPHG LQGLYLGXDO LV YLOLILHG DQG FDOOHG D FULPLQDO RU WHUURULVW 2QH ZRQGHUV ZK\ DQG LV DQVZHUHG WKXVO\ 2QH GRHV QRW NLFN D GRJ WKDW FXUOHG LWV OLS DQGVKRZQLWVWHHWK6RLWLVZLWK Americans throughout our histo- U\7KHUHFRPHVDWLPHZKHQFRO- OHFWLYHO\ZHVD\³1RPRUH´ Let us hope the situation at the 0DOKHXU 1DWLRQDO :LOGOLIH 5HIXJH LVUHVROYHGZLWKWKH+DPPRQGVEH- LQJUHOHDVHGIURPSULVRQ$QLQMXV- WLFHKDVEHHQSHUSHWUDWHGDQGLWZLOO QRWEHWROHUDWHG )RUWKRVHIRONVVRXWKRIXVWKDW have had the courage to act, “Stay WKHFRXUVH´ Dave Traylor John Day /onJ &reeN ¿re department swift and professional To the Editor: 7KH SURIHVVLRQDO VZLIW HIIRUWV SXWLQE\RXU/RQJ&UHHNYROXQWHHU ¿UHGHSDUWPHQWWRSXWRXWWKHWUDJLF KRXVH¿UHKHUHLQWKHHDUO\PRUQLQJ KRXUV RI -DQ KDV HDUQHG WKHP D KXJH ³WKDQN \RX´ E\ RXU FRPPX- QLW\ ,W ZDV QRWKLQJ VKRUW RI PLUDFX- ORXVLQWKHVKLIWLQJZLQGVDQGKHDW IURPWKH¿UHKRZWKDWFUHZVDYHG WKH DGMDFHQW UHVLGHQFH LQ WKH SUR- FHVV 2XU )LUH &KLHI 'RQ 3RUWHU DOVR SXW WUDI¿F VDIHW\ DW WKH IRUHIURQW 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION RATES (including online access) Grant County .....................................$40 Everywhere else in U.S. .....................$51 Outside Continental U.S. ....................$60 Subscriptions must be paid prior to delivery Palmers’ Christmas dinner appreciated To the Editor: ,ZRXOGOLNHWRH[WHQGDKHDUWIHOW WKDQN \RX WR 5RVHDQQH DQG *OHQQ 3DOPHUIRUWKHZRQGHUIXO&KULVWPDV dinner they hold every year at the VHQLRUFHQWHU 1RWRQO\LVWKHPHDOZRQGHUIXO, DOVRJHWWRVHHWKHPDQGWKHLUIDPLO\ DQGIULHQGVKDYLQJDJRRGWLPHDQG IHOORZVKLS ZLWK HDFK RWKHU ZKLOH SUHSDULQJLW,KDYLQJEHHQDFRRN IRU D IHZ \HDUV NQRZ KRZ PXFK KDUG ZRUN LW LV EXW WKH\ ZRUN LQ ORYHDQGIULHQGVKLS,WLVZRQGHUIXO WRVHH $OVR QRW RQO\ GR , HQMR\ WKH meal, but also the chance to see and KDYH IHOORZVKLS ZLWK SHRSOH WKDW , GRQ¶W VHH DQ\ RWKHU WLPH , KRSH HYHU\RQHZKRDWWHQGHGDQGHQMR\HG WKLV ZRQGHUIXO H[SHULHQFH UHDOL]HV KRZPXFK&KULVWLDQORYHWKHVHSHR- SOHDUHSXWWLQJRXWWKHUH 7KDQN \RX DJDLQ IRU GRLQJ WKLV IRU\RXUFRPPXQLW\LQKRQRURI-H- VXV¶ELUWK Alma Joslin John Day Periodicals Postage Paid at John 'a\ and additional Pailing oIÀces POSTMASTER send address changes to: Blue Mountain Eagle 195 N. Canyon Blvd. John Day, OR 97845-1187 USPS 226-340 wwwMyEagleNewscoP FDOOHGLQDGGLWLRQDOUHVRXUFHVZKHUH QHHGHG DQG ZRUNHG WLUHOHVVO\ ZLWK WKHUHVWRIWKHFUHZDOOGD\DQGDIWHU GDUN LQ ZLQG\ IUHH]LQJ WHPSHUD- tures, to ensure that everything that could be done in the situation had EHHQGRQH 7KLV ZDV DQRWKHU UHPLQGHU RI KRZLQYDOXDEOHHYHU\FRPPXQLW\¶V ¿UVW UHVSRQGHUV DUH DQG WKH ULVNV WKHVH IRONV WDNH WR NHHS XV VDIH , NQRZP\IDPLO\IHHOVVDIHUNQRZ- LQJKRZFRPSHWHQWO\WKLVJURXSFDQ KDQGOHDQHPHUJHQF\ Leslie Barnett Long Creek Lodge Long Creek Copyright © 2016 Blue Mountain Eagle All rights reserved. No part of this publication covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means — graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping or information storage and retrieval systems — without written permission of the publisher. wwwIaceEooNcoPMyEagleNews @MyEagleNews