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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 2016)
The Blue Mountain FAMILY HEALTH GUIDE EAGLE – INSIDE Grant County’s newspaper since 1868 W EDNESDAY , J ANUARY 27, 2016 N O . 4 18 P AGES $1.00 www.MyEagleNews.com Long Creek pot grower gets green light Council approves land use compatibility statement By Sean Hart Blue Mountain Eagle The city of Long Creek may be in for an economic boom of the green variety — not sustainability, but mari- juana. Mayor Don Porter said Long Creek City Council vot- ed 3-2 against an ordinance that would have prohibit- ed pot businesses and then signed off on the ¿ rst step of an application from a pro- spective grower. The vote was tied with councilors David Hines and Alvin Hunt in favor of the pot ban and Joe Gibson and Porter’s wife, Denise, opposed. As mayor, Porter broke the tie — his only vote in 11 years as the head of the town of about 200 people in northern Grant County. Many people expressed opposition to an outright ban on all types of pot businesses at two community meetings before the vote, Porter said. “We had approximately 40 people that were in favor of the green light (for marijuana businesses and probably ¿ ve that were opposed to it,” he said. “It was enough support that we chose to do what we did.” The city’s attorney advised a fee could be imposed on the businesses through a city or- dinance, Porter said, which could be a “revenue produc- er” for the city. Potential new jobs to combat high unem- ployment was another factor that inÀ uenced his vote, he said. “The jobs were what re- ally got a lot of people, be- cause we have a lot of unem- ployed folks here in town,” he said. “There are probably 15 able-bodied people out of work in Long Creek that could de¿ nitely go to work at something like that.” So far, Porter said, the city has only received one See POT, Page A5 Staff photo by E.J. Harris Rancher Bruce Strange, left, from Kimberly listens as Gordon Larson speaks at a public meeting at the senior center on Monday in John Day. SHOOTOUT, DEATH END STANDOFF Bundy, others arrested on way to John Day One killed during arrest of leaders of refuge occupation Town hall carries on in John Day Meeting was end destination of Bundy militant leaders Blue Mountain Eagle By George Plaven EO Media Group Grant County residents ¿ lled the John Day Senior Center beyond capacity Tues- day evening for a community meeting that was supposed to feature Ammon Bundy and leaders of the armed militia group occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Instead, Bundy and four other militants were arrested by the FBI and Oregon State Police on Highway 395 north of Burns be- fore they could arrive. A sixth member of the group was shot and killed during the encounter. The news drew tears and anger from militia supporters at the meeting, who described it as an “ambush.” Yet the gathering pressed on, evolving into a town hall with the majority of speak- ers siding with Bundy and venting their frustrations on the federal government. Organizer Tad Houpt, of Canyon City, Staff photo by E.J. Harris Allyn Belangie of Phoenix, Ariz., talks about being part of the group that occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge outside of Burns during a public meeting on Tuesday at the senior center in John Day. See MEETING, Page A18 The leaders of the group occupying the Mal- heur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns have been arrested, and one was killed by police during the arrest. At about 4:25 p.m. Tuesday, the FBI and Or- egon State Police took action to take members of the armed occupation into custody on High- way 395 north of Burns near Devine Ridge about 50 miles south of John Day, according to a release from the Harney County Sheriff’s Of¿ ce. During the arrest, three shots were ¿ red, and one suspect died. The Oregonian is report- ing occupier Robert “LaVoy” Finicum was shot by police. No law enforcement personnel were injured. Another suspect suffered non-life threaten- ing injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment and later arrested. The individuals arrested include Ammon Edward Bundy, 40, Emmett, Idaho; Ryan C. Bundy, 43, Bunkerville, Nevada; Brian Cav- alier, 44, Bunkerville, Nevada; Shawna Cox, 59, Kanab, Utah; and Ryan Waylen Payne, 32, See ARREST, Page A18 O N THE T OWN DAYVILLE: Community radiates ‘Old West’ atmosphere, small town charm %\&KHU\O+RHÀHU Blue Mountain Eagle DAYVILLE — Don’t mis- take the peace and quiet of a small rural town to mean nothing ever happens there. Nothing could be further from the truth in Dayville. If there’s not an event ac- tually taking place, one has probably just concluded or another is in the planning stages. The small community, with a population of 150, has a bit of everything to offer for both locals and visitors: gro- ceries, diners, camping, lodg- ing, a bank ATM machine, gas The Eagle/Cheryl Hoefler Dayville School, atop a hill overlooking the town, has an enrollment of about 50 students in grades K-12. and gifts. Dayville even has its own volunteer-run library. Located next to city hall, the building was once a private house with its own history and stories to tell from Dayville’s days gone by. Located at the western end of the John Day Valley, Day- ville has a more temperate cli- mate than other towns strewn through the valley. With an elevation of 2,369 feet, it’s more than 1,000 feet lower than Prairie City, 52 miles to the east at the other end of the valley. South Fork Golf Course a few miles south of town closed almost two years ago, but the community is certain- ly not lacking in recreational opportunities. With the Northside, Mur- derers Creek and Ochoco units all intersecting the area, and the John Day River and its South Fork À owing near- by, the region is a paradise for hunting, camping, ¿ shing, wildlife viewing and more. Looking for scenery? The Mascall Formations Over- look about 4-1/2 miles west of Dayville features stun- ning 360-degree views of the Mascall formations and the western end of the John Day Valley, with interpretive signs describing the formations. Plenty of parking and wheel- chair accessibility make this a treasure for everyone to enjoy. The overlook also has a good view of the entrance to Picture Gorge. Carved by the See TOWN, Page A3