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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 9, 2016)
A4 Opinion Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Minimum wage plan better than the alternative P olitics is renowned for being the art of the possible. That is the most appropriate way of looking at the minimum wage law that Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signed last Thursday. The law — which schedules pay increases within three tiers of counties across the state — was designed to head off more extreme plans, such as the $15 Now campaign. The new law lowers the wage threshold for businesses in counties outside the state’s hottest economies. It also gives those businesses time to adjust. Grant County and most Eastern Oregon counties are in the lowest tier. In July, the minimum wage across the state will move from $9.25 to $9.75. Then, Grant County’s minimum wage will climb in steps, reaching $12.50 over six years. Negotiations over these tiers were done behind closed doors. There was no hearing to explain them. Paris Achen of our statehouse bureau reports that legislators looked “at how much was needed in each FRXQW\WREHVHOIVXI¿FLHQW The research comes out of the University of Washington.” The Center for Women’s Welfare at UW says that, “The 6HOI6XI¿FLHQF\6WDQGDUG GH¿QHVKRZPXFKIDPLOLHV need to meet basic needs without the help of public or private assistance.” So the price of housing is one of the major variants in separating Oregon counties. We still do not know precisely how legislators inside the room decided where to draw the line between the tiers. Legislative leaders should tell us about that. For many Grant County small- and mid-sized business, paying a rising minimum wage will be a squeeze. It should be VDLGKRZHYHUWKDWWKH¿QDQFLDO demand of the new law will be easier to bear than what was planned for the November ballot. The chief petitioners of an initiative to raise the minimum wage to $15 across the entire state in three years decided to end their campaign after the tiered plan was approved. Although many business owners may believe the tiered plan goes too far, it was certainly better than the alternative. If you are a pragmatist and a realist, this was a decent outcome within Oregon’s political climate. W HERE TO WRITE 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. /RQJ&UHHN — P.O. Box 489, Long Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax: (PDLOLQIR#FLW\RÀRQJ- creek.com. Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monu- ment 97864. Phone and fax: 541-934- 2025. Email: monument@oregontrail.net. 0W9HUQRQ — 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 Oregon Legislature — State Capitol, Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180. Website: www. leg.state.or.us (includes Oregon Constitution and Oregon Revised Statutes). 6WDWH5HS&OLII%HQW]5-Ontario (Dis- trict: 60), Room H-475, State Capitol, 900 Court St. N.E., Salem OR 97301. Phone: 503-986-1460. Email: rep.cliffbentz@state. Blue Mountain EAGLE P UBLISHED EVERY W EDNESDAY BY or.us. Website: www.leg.state.or.us/bentz/ home.htm. 6WDWH6HQ7HG)HUULROL5 — (District 30) Room S-223, State Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-986-1950. Email: sen. tedferrioli@state.or.us. Email: TFER2@ aol.com. Phone: 541-490-6528. Website: www.leg.state.or.us/ferrioli. Oregon Legislative Information — (For updates on bills, services, capitol or messages for legislators) — 800-332- 2313. WASHINGTON, D.C. 866HQ5RQ:\GHQ D — 516 Hart 6HQDWH2I¿FH%XLOGLQJ:DVKLQJWRQ'& 20510. Phone: 202-224-5244. Email: wayne_kinney@wyden.senate.gov Website: http://wyden.senate.gov Fax: 202-228-2717. 866HQ-HII0HUNOH\'— 313 Hart 6HQDWH2I¿FH%XLOGLQJ:DVKLQJWRQ'& 20510?. Phone: 202-224-3753. Email: senator@merkley.senate.gov. Fax: 202- 2UHJRQRI¿FHVLQFOXGH2QH World Trade Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St., Suite 1250, Portland, OR 97204; and 310 S.E. Second St., Suite 105, Pendleton, OR 97801. Phone: 503-326-3386; 541-278- 1129. Fax: 503-326-2990. 865HS*UHJ:DOGHQ5 — (Second District) 1404 Longworth Building, Wash- ington D.C. 20515. Phone: 202-225-6730. No direct email because of spam. Website: www.walden.house.gov Fax: 202-225- 0HGIRUGRI¿FH1RUWK&HQWUDO Suite 112, Medford, OR 97501. Phone: 541-776-4646. Fax: 541-779-0204. Pending Bills: For information on bills in Congress, Phone: 202-225-1772. L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR Occupation condemnation in critical public safety positions where their actions violate Oregon statutes — a process labeled as To the Editor: “Electile Dysfunction.” Verbally Now we can get tough; now orchestrated attacks on a popular we are strong — now that it’s over and duly-elected constitution- and all safe, let’s be heroes. Let’s al sheriff can be tracked through come out now with a resolution of federal, state, county and one city condemnation against the Malheur government as well as city/state refuge occupation. It’s easy, no con- law enforcement, the constitution- frontation, no argument from the ar- ally ignorant or apathetic and those rested occupation protesters. Let’s feeding off our failing economy make them accountable. or reaching for social notoriety. A Accountable: liable to be called local brainwashed county court-in- to account; answerable; explicable spired crowd of alarmists were — Syn. See responsible. led to use biased media reporting Now after the fact let’s investi- on a neighboring refuge occupa- gate the whole matter and demand tion and baseless court resolution responsibility, but what about our as an open door for the attack on bravado, folks, in demanding an in- DODZHQIRUFHPHQWRI¿FHUWKDWWKH vestigation into the Canyon Creek majority of Grant County residents &RPSOH[ ¿UH" /HW¶V DVN IRU DF- duly elected. The politically driv- countability now — after the fact. en Oregon Department of Justice Stand up. Be heard. and Department of Public Safe- When there’s nothing to hide, all ty Standards and Training should can be revealed quickly and easily. UHFRJQL]HWKHDI¿OLDWLRQVDQGJHR- Maybe start with records of radio graphical locations of those people communications between on the clamoring the loudest to replace VLWH¿UH¿JKWHUVDQGFRPPDQGFHQ- our county law enforcement with a ters. If you want to know what hap- more “agency friendly” candidate. pened in a battle, ask the front-line “Agency friendly” is one who will troops — not the generals — but ignore your constitutional rights in maybe we don’t want to bite that favor of anti-constitutional federal hand that feeds us! laws supported by local govern- P.S. If the county doesn’t want to ments that deny your rights of ac- pay for investigation, let’s get up a cess to public lands and send minor fund. infraction violators to Pendleton to Michael R. Christensen SD\ H[RUELWDQW ¿QHV WR WKH IHGHUDO John Day government. All Grant County’s elected city councilmen and -wom- en should have been included be- Peggy Gray will be fore the dictatorial county court made a decision that impacted all hard to replace county citizens. These elected city To the Editor: RI¿FLDOVKDYHEHHQLJQRUHGLQWKHLU I was sorry to hear that our won- ULJKWDQGGXW\WRGHIHQGWKHLURI¿F- derful city manager, Peggy Gray, is es and an equal voice in residential retiring; she will be sorely missed government. To the cities within DQG D FKDOOHQJH WR UHSODFH , ¿UVW Grant County: Silence is consent. met Peggy about six years ago Judy Kerr when I moved here. I was alarmed Canyon City how dangerous the Trowbridge Gully crossing was, especially at night. I brought my concern to the No individual is city council; Peggy was instrumen- WDO LQ KDYLQJ UHÀHFWRUV LQVWDOOHG above the law almost immediately. Every time I To the Editor: cross the gully safely, I think fondly Many are asking why on earth of Peggy Gray. would anybody dare to call Sheriff Richie Colbeth 3DOPHUWRWDVNIRUKLVDFWLRQV"7KH John Day answer is that no one individual or group should consider themselves above the law, especially an elected ‘Electile Dysfunction’ ODZ HQIRUFHPHQW RI¿FLDO ZKR KDV been entrusted with all of his con- To the Editor: stituents’ safety, not just those who 6RPHSROLWLFDO¿JXUHVDQGVRFLDO happen to have the same opinions bottom feeders should consider the and political viewpoints. threat of social censure for their There is an atmosphere of dis- actions by the people who voted trust for government and public WKHPLQWRRI¿FHRUDOORZHGWKHPWR RI¿FLDOV LQ WKLV FRXQWU\ 7KHUH DUH manipulate federal and state agen- quotes such as “I have a pen and cy interaction and environmental D SKRQH´ 6RXQG IDPLOLDU" ,W¶V QRW collaboration. More often than much different on many local lev- not, rumors from the biased media els, such as right here in Grant and others striving for political or County. Our sheriff has repeatedly ¿QDQFLDO DGYDQFHPHQW DUH VWDUWHG refused to work with others, even by people who have no chance of though they have their own realms competing with those targeted on of authority and responsibilities. OHYHO SOD\LQJ ¿HOGV 1RUPDO SHR- 7KLVKDVFRVWRXUFRXQW\GHDUO\¿- ple don’t attempt to destroy oth- nancially and otherwise. Like it or er people’s lives. Those that do not, we all need to work together. should be shunned by society, not Consorting with and encour- HOHFWHG WR SXEOLF RI¿FH RU SODFHG aging the militia members while :as ¿re investigation too much to ask? To the Editor: The Blue Mountain Eagle, March 2, 2016, cited cost, dura- tion and objectivity as reasons for the Grant County Court denying an investigation into the initial Mason 6SULQJ DQG %HUU\ &UHHN ¿UHV WKDW became the Canyon Creek Com- SOH[¿UH Cost: The court did not check nor ask about what the investiga- tion would cost. Would $5,000 as an estimate be too much for the $50 million-plus the county has and in YLHZ RI WKH PDQ\ PLOOLRQV WKH ¿UH KDVFRVWFLWL]HQVLQORVVHV" Duration: What has that got to GR ZLWK DQ\WKLQJ" $ IHZ ZHHNV perhaps months, maybe next week. 'XUDWLRQ" Objectivity: Simple. Citizens ZDQWWRNQRZZK\WZRVPDOO¿UHV in two days time were not put out. Is that too much to ask given the devastation that occurred and the danger Canyon City and John Day ZLOO EH IDFLQJ LQ SRWHQWLDO ÀRRG- LQJ" Finally, the Circuit Court room was packed and meeting held there EHFDXVH WKH ¿UVW WZR DWWHPSWV IRU WKH¿UHLQYHVWLJDWLRQKDGSHRSOHLQ the hallways and not able to squeeze in the County Court room. The Cir- FXLW &RXUW URRP ZDV QRW ¿OOHG XS because of the refuge resolution as WKH(DJOHLQWLPDWHG,WZDVWKH¿UH investigation that brought so many people out. Ken Moore Mt. Vernon See LETTERS, Page A5 L etters policy: Letters to the Editor is a forum for Blue Mountain Eagle readers to express themselves on local, state, national or world issues. Brevity is good, but longer letters will be asked to be contained to 350 words. No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the person. No thank-you letters. Submissions to this page become property of the Eagle. The Eagle reserves the right to edit letters for length and for content. Letters must be original and signed by the writer. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers should include a telephone number so they can be reached for questions. We must limit all contributors to one letter per person per month. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Send letters to editor@bmeagle.com, or Blue Mountain Eagle, 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845; or fax to 541-575-1244. 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 Sheriff Palmer was on duty created DQXQDFFHSWDEOHFRQÀLFWRILQWHUHVW between his duties as our sheriff and his role as a private citizen. They broke the law, regardless of how noble their cause may be per- ceived to be by some. If I were to rob a bank with the intention of giv- ing the money to charity, that still makes me a bank robber. The fact remains that the moment they took possession of the wildlife refuge, they became criminals. One of the very basic premises I learned as a grade school kid in Burns was that we are a nation of laws. If those that are sworn to up- hold those laws bend or break them by consorting with known law- breakers, they are no longer quali- ¿HG WR KROG VXFK D KLJK GHJUHH RI responsibility. The true heroes are the individ- uals who showed enough strength of character to do the right thing, in the face of ugliness and threats. These people are bound by their oaths and consciences to uphold the rule of law, and if they don’t report unlawful behavior, regardless of who, when or why, then they are derelict in their duty to the public they serve. Dan E. Maynard Jr. John Day 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 Periodicals Postage Paid at John 'D\DQGDGGLWLRQDOPDLOLQJRIÀFHV POSTMASTER send address changes to: Blue Mountain Eagle 195 N. Canyon Blvd. John Day, OR 97845-1187 USPS 226-340 ZZZ0\(DJOH1HZVFRP 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. ZZZIDFHERRNFRP0\(DJOH1HZV @MyEagleNews
