A18
News
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
MEETING
Continued from Page A1
promised the crowd there
would be another meeting in
the very near future.
“We’re not going to stop,”
Houpt said. “We’re not going
to take this anymore.”
Bundy and the militia
leaders had been occupy-
ing the wildlife refuge near
Burns since Jan. 2. They
demanded the 187,757-acre
bird sanctuary be returned to
the county for ranching, while
criticizing the federal govern-
ment’s overall ownership and
management of public lands.
The militia also protested
the sentences of two Harney
County ranchers, Dwight and
Steven Hammond, who were
convicted of arson and given
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and supporters have called for
the Hammonds’ immediate
release.
In John Day, the majority
of people who approached
the microphone during the
town hall were supportive of
Bundy and the armed protest.
A smaller counter-protest was
held outside the senior center,
with roughly 30 people hold-
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Jimi Soupier of Prairie City stands with a group of anti-occupation
protesters in front of the senior center on Tuesday in John Day.
ing signs directing their ire
at both the militia and Grant
County Sheriff Glenn Palmer.
Palmer, who appeared in
uniform at the beginning of
the meeting, declined to speak
with media. When it became
clear Bundy would not ar-
rive, Houpt told the crowd it
appeared there had been an al-
tercation somewhere between
John Day and Burns. News
later circulated about the ar-
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One by one, residents
came to the front of the room
to speak their minds. Larry
Lent, of John Day, argued the
militants had every right to be
in Oregon and said govern-
ment overreach has been go-
ing on for a long time.
“I support the Hammonds
and the Bundys 100 percent,”
Lent said. “To hell with the
FBI. They don’t belong here.”
Jerry Larkin, of Canyon
City, said he spent a day with
the militia on the refuge, de-
scribing them as “just like you
and I.”
“The federal government
has taken away ground that
doesn’t belong to them. It be-
longs to the people,” Larkin
said. “These people are gen-
uinely trying to look out for
these United States, just like
the rest of us.”
Outside, counter-protest-
ARREST
A TTENTION G RANT
C OUNTY
ers held signs that read, “John
Day does not support criminal
action,” and “Bundy Bunch
— not in Grant County.” Hans
Magden, of John Day, held
a sign that simply read “Im-
peach Palmer.”
“He’s not doing his job,”
Magden said of the county
sheriff. “He’s not abiding by
the laws. He’s integrating his
own personal beliefs ... I be-
lieve he should be removed
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In particular, Magden said
it was irresponsible to invite
the militia to John Day. He
said he believes Palmer sym-
pathizes with their cause.
Kay Steele, who lives in
Grant County near the com-
munity of Ritter, said she and
her husband do nature photog-
raphy on the Malheur refuge.
She said they see the militia as
law-breakers.
“These people do not speak
for Grant County,” Steele
said. “We want the world to
know that Grant County peo-
ple don’t support this. This is a
very vocal minority.”
Back inside, militia sup-
porters sat near the front of the
room, with counter-protest-
ers mostly in the back of the
URRP-LP6SURXOD¿IWKJHQ-
eration resident of John Day,
brought up the recent Canyon
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that burned more than 100,000
acres last summer.
“That wasn’t an act of
God. It was an act of negli-
gence,” Sproul said.
Odalis Sharp, of Auburn,
Kansas, got up with her chil-
dren to sing songs during the
meeting. She described Bun-
dy and the militia as good
people, and urged the crowd
to defend their cause.
“You all are going to have
to step up right now,” Sharp
said. “Somebody was shot on
the way here. They were com-
ing over here to tell you the
truth. ... We’ll stand for you
as long as we can.”
V ETERANS :
Continued from Page A1
Did you know a service-connected
disabled veteran is entitled to
FREE use of Oregon State Parks?
See your Grant County Veteran Services
Officer today for more information,
located at Grant County Courthouse.
Open Mon, Wed, & Fri, 10 am - 4 pm,
by appointment. Call 541-575-1631
Debbie Ausmus
245 South Canyon Blvd.
John Day, OR 97845
OPEN WED. & THUR.
9 am - 5 pm
541-575-1113
24 hrs/7 days wk
debbie.ausmus@
countryfinancial.com
Anaconda, Montana.
Other people were also de-
tained during the arrests on
Highway 395 and have since
been released.
In a separate event in Burns
at about 5:50 p.m., Oregon
State Police arrested Joseph
Donald O’Shaughnessy, 45,
Cottonwood, Arizona.
At about 6:30 p.m., the FBI
arrested Peter Santilli, 50, Cin-
cinnati, Ohio, in Burns without
incident. Santilli is known for
his coverage of the occupation
on his YouTube show.
At 8:30 p.m., Jon Eric
Ritzheimer, 32, was arrested by
the FBI after turning himself in
to the Peoria, Arizona, police
department.
Submitted photo
A member of the group occupying the Malheur
National Wildlife Refuge sits on Highway 395
north of Burns while being taken into custody. The
leader of the occupation, Ammon Bundy, was also
reportedly taken into custody.
All of the named defendants
face a federal felony charge of
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of the United States from dis-
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through the use of force, intim-
idation or threats, according to
the release.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley said
in a statement he was pleased
the FBI responded.
“The leaders of this group
Meeting
comments
Beverly Curtis
Prairie City
“I thought it was interest-
ing and informative. I’m glad I
heard the different sides of the
issue. I was glad it didn’t turn
into a riot. ... I never thought
there would be a killing.”
Frances Preston
Prairie City
“I think it was marvelous
that people came out. I think
the situation as it exists real-
ly spoke loudly. Even though
we didn’t have our speakers,
individuals come forward and
through their voices we heard
their concerns and feeling of
community.”
Dave Traylor
John Day
“I thought the meeting went
over well. There was no name
calling, and everyone was re-
spectful. Here in the West we
show we can have varying dif-
ferences, but we can act in a
respectful manner. It was sad to
hear that one of the speakers was
shot and killed on the way over
here. We were always hoping
there wouldn’t be violence.”
are now in custody, and I hope
that the remaining individ-
uals occupying the Malheur
National Wildlife Refuge will
peacefully surrender so this
community can begin to heal
the deep wounds that this ille-
gal activity has created over the
last month,” he said.
Harney County Judge Steve
Grasty also urged the remain-
ing occupiers to stand down.
“I am relieved this situation
is coming to an end, however,
I am saddened by the loss of
life,” he said in a statement. “I
hope and pray that those who
remain at the Refuge will stand
down peacefully.”
The Deschutes County Ma-
jor Incident Team will be as-
sisting the OSP and the Harney
County District Attorney’s Of-
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by OSP troopers.
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