The
Blue Mountain
GRANT UNION HOSTS DISTRICT
TOURNEY ON SATURDAY
EAGLE
– PAGE A10
Grant County’s newspaper since 1868
W EDNESDAY , F EBRUARY 10, 2016
N O . 6
18 P AGES
$1.00
O N THE T OWN
CANYON CITY
‘Golden’ community is the Grant County seat
Eagle photos/Cheryl Hoefler
The “1862” on the hill beneath Canyon Mountain proclaims the start of Canyon
City’s golden history. Bottom photo: Whiskey Gulch Gang members fire away
during the ’62 Days Celebration parade. The event, held every June since 1922,
commemorates the discovery of gold in 1862 in Canyon City.
By &heryl HoeÀ er
Blue Mountain Eagle
C
ANYON CITY — People were roaming the
Grant County area — hunting, trapping,
tending sheep and cattle — long before
1862. But it was the discovery of gold near
Canyon City that summer that really drew
the crowds.
In fact, once upon a time, Canyon City, with a popula-
tion of about 10,000 people in those early days, was bigger
than Portland.
Life has settled down somewhat for Canyon City since
then, though it is no less a vibrant and attractive commu-
nity.
The second largest town in Grant County, with a popu-
lation of 705, Canyon City is the county seat and home to
“
the Grant County Courthouse and Correc-
tional Facility.
Among Canyon City’s attractions are sev-
eral businesses, Grantville Theater, Canyon
City Community Hall and the Grant County
Historical Museum, which houses a wealth
of artifacts, documents and photographs
Canyon telling the history of Grant County.
City
Canyon City is nestled at the base of
Mayor
Canyon Mountain, which offers a network
Steve
of hiking trails leading to scenic views up
Fischer and down the canyon.
Sproul Park, in the center of town, features
a playground, covered band stage, picnic areas and restrooms
across the street, and is frequently the charming site of sum-
mer concerts in the park and other community events.
See TOWN, Page A3
www.MyEagleNews.com
Sheriffs’ association
asked to investigate
Palmer’s conduct
removed in the past. Current-
ly, he said, all 36 Oregon sher-
iffs are members.
The Oregon State Sheriffs’
Expulsion is the most se-
Association has been asked vere punishment available to
to investigate the conduct of the association, Wolfe said. If
Grant County Sheriff Glenn a criminal investigation was
warranted, he said, it would
Palmer.
Association
President be handled by a law enforce-
Brian Wolfe, the sheriff of ment agency, not the associa-
Malheur County, said, at the tion.
Wolfe said he has not seen
request of citizens, an exec-
evidence
indicating
utive board would be
misconduct by Palmer
looking into Palmer’s
and that he would need
conduct regarding the
to see hard facts before
occupation of the Mal-
commenting further.
heur National Wildlife
“Each sheriff has
Refuge to determine
their unique personal-
whether to launch an
ities and interests,” he
of¿ cial investigation.
Sheriff
said. “We always sup-
“What the associ-
Glenn
port the First Amend-
ation will do is look
Palmer
ment, the freedom of
at all the facts: We’ll
gather evidence and infor- speech and all that, as long as
mation, and then if we think it doesn’t violate the ethics or
there is a violation of the state laws.”
In John Day Jan. 12, Palm-
sheriffs’ (association) bylaws
or ethics, then we would take er met with three people who
whatever would be the appro- participated in the occupation
priate action,” he said. “We of the refuge, including Ryan
would just want to make sure, Payne and Jon Ritzheimer, ac-
¿ rst of all, that sheriffs in Ore- cording to Dave Traylor and
gon are following the law and Jim Sproul who were also at
the meeting. Palmer said he
following their oath.”
All sheriffs in Oregon, he was unaware the occupiers
said, vow to uphold both the would be at the lunch meet-
state and federal Constitution. ing, but he followed them
He said the association has and others to another location
bylaws in effect that allow to continue the meeting after
the expulsion of a member for leaving the restaurant.
misconduct, though he is not
See PALMER, Page A18
aware of any members being
By Sean Hart
Blue Mountain Eagle
It’s a great place to work, with a great council and great people.”
City Recorder Corry Rider
The Eagle/Sean Hart
Kenny Delano, left, and other attendees at a vigil
Saturday in John Day mourn the loss of LaVoy
Finicum, who was shot by police after a short high-
speed chase on Highway 395 north of Burns Jan.
26. Authorities say Finicum reached at least twice
toward a jacket pocket that contained a handgun.
Finicum and others who had been occupying the
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge were en route to a
planned community meeting in John Day.
Vigil attendees mourn
death of LaVoy Finicum
By Sean Hart
Blue Mountain Eagle
County unveils new mass alert system
Flood mitigation
work underway
By Sean Hart
Blue Mountain Eagle
As the county prepares for
the increased possibility of
À ooding following last year’s
¿ re, of¿ cials urged people to
take certain steps to prepare
themselves.
At a À ood preparedness fair
Saturday, Emergency Manage-
ment Coordinator Ted Williams
unveiled the county’s new mass
alert system, which is now op-
erational. People can sign up for
free online at public.alertsense.
com/signup/?regionID=1170.
See FLOOD, Page A18
The Eagle/Sean Hart
Attendees at the flood preparedness fair
Saturday peruse pamphlets and information
from a variety of organizations following a
presentation about the county’s efforts to
mitigate flooding following the Canyon Creek
Complex fire. People can now sign up for the
county’s new mass alert system for free online.
Candlelight cast a soft
glow on the protest signs and
American À ags at the vigil for
LaVoy Finicum Saturday in
John Day.
The 54-year-old rancher
from Arizona, who partici-
pated in the occupation of the
Malheur National Wildlife
Refuge near Burns, was shot
by police Jan. 26 en route to
a planned community meet-
ing in John Day. After leading
police on a short, high-speed
chase, Finicum exited his
vehicle after driving into a
snowbank. Authorities say he
reached at least twice toward
a jacket pocket containing a
loaded handgun before police
shot and killed him.
At Saturday’s vigil, one
man carried a sign stating Fin-
icum had been murdered by
police. Another sign said he
died standing up for constitu-
tional rights. Several people
waved American À ags, and
another — upside down and
at half-staff — was placed on
the hood of a pickup where
people signed guest books
and a tarp to be sent to Fini-
cum’s family.
Kenny Delano, Mt. Ver-
non, was one of several who
spoke to the crowd.
“We’re all free men, but
they’re taking that away,” he
said. “It’s time for us to make
that stand. Everyone should
stand for their freedom and
their neighbor’s rights, and
that’s what LaVoy was do-
ing.”
Delano urged people to
contact their governmental
representatives — from city
council members to national
legislators — to make their
voices heard.
Several of the attendees
said they were traveling to
Burns Sunday and invited
others to join to help rebuild
a roadside memorial erect-
ed for Finicum that had been
destroyed — before it was
announced the memorial had
already been rebuilt by others.
Attendees were also invit-
ed to another meeting Feb. 12
in Burns.