The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current, April 06, 2016, Page A4, Image 4

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
A forest plan
we can live with
T
he Blue Mountains
Forest Plan is
the overarching
management document that
guides decisions on millions
RIDFUHVRISXEOLFODQGLQ
(DVWHUQ2UHJRQ
Land managers on the
Malheur, Umatilla and
Wallowa-Whitman national
IRUHVWVKDYHEHHQZRUNLQJ
under that plan, which has not
EHHQXSGDWHGVLQFH7KDW
was two Bush presidents ago
DQGDERXWHLJKW\HDUVEHIRUH
*RRJOHZDVIRXQGHG
The plan is long overdue
IRUDQXSGDWHEXWWKHSXEOLF
DQGODQGRZQHUVWKHIHGHUDO
government and we the
SHRSOHKDYHDVRI\HWEHHQ
XQDEOHWRPDNHKHDGZD\RQ
ZKDWWKDWVKRXOGORRNOLNH
After a long, arduous
process to collect and
FROODWHSXEOLFFRPPHQW
the Forest Service released
VL[SRVVLELOLWLHVIRUZKDWDQ
XSGDWHGSODQFRXOGORRNOLNH
7KH\FDOOWKRVHDOWHUQDWLYHV
7KHSXEOLFGLGQ¶WOLNHDQ\RI
the six, and the Forest Service
GHFLGHGWRJREDFNWRWKH
GUDZLQJERDUGDQGFRQVLGHU
PRUHDOWHUQDWLYHV,WZDV
another delay for a new forest
SODQEXWSHUKDSVLWZLOODOORZ
for an outcome that more
SHRSOHZLOOEHKDSS\ZLWK
,W¶VKDUGWRGR)RUHVWXVHUV
come in all different stripes,
and they want different and
sometimes opposite things
IURPWKHIRUHVWSODQ/XPEHU
LQGXVWULHVZDQWPRUHERDUG
IHHW(QYLURQPHQWDOJURXSV
want more trees in the
JURXQGDQGZLOGOLIHKDELWDW
Recreationalists want great
hunting opportunities and
easy access to their favorite
VSRWV7ULEDOJURXSVZDQW
to conserve resources and
SUHVHUYHWUDGLWLRQDOFXOWXUH
,W¶VLPSRVVLEOHWRSHUIHFWO\
SOHDVHHYHU\RQH%XWDVZH
saw in other Eastern Oregon
SXEOLFODQGVGHEDWHVWKDWJRW
out of hand, it is important
for local organizations and
LQGLYLGXDOVWRWDNHSDUWLQ
the process and provide
DFFRXQWDELOLW\IRULWVRXWFRPH
How can we expect our
JRYHUQPHQWWRNQRZZKDW
ZHZDQWLIZHGRQ¶WWHOO
them? And not in all caps
VRFLDOPHGLDVZHDULQJEXWLQ
UHDVRQHGSXEOLFWHVWLPRQ\
At the same time, we need
RXUJRYHUQPHQWWROLVWHQ
:HFDQQRWEHVRVHOILVKDVWR
WKLQNZHZLOOJHWHYHU\WKLQJ
ZHZDQWEXWZHDUHDOO
VWDNHKROGHUVDQGZHGHVHUYH
to have our voices heard and
FRQVLGHUHG
7KHSXEOLFKDVKDGPDQ\
opportunities to chime in and
EHFRQVLGHUHGDQGQRZ\RX
KDYHRQHPRUHLQQHLJKERULQJ
8PDWLOOD&RXQW\
The East Oregonian and
2UHJRQ3XEOLF%URDGFDVWLQJ
KDYHWHDPHGXSWREULQJWKH
23%VKRZ7KLQN2XW/RXG
to Pendleton to discuss the
SODQ5HSUHVHQWDWLYHVIURP
the Forest Service will answer
questions and discuss the
difficulty of the process, and
PHPEHUVZLWKLQGXVWULDO
recreational environmental
DQGWULEDOFRQFHUQVZLOOPDNH
their case for how they want
WKHZRRGVWRORRNDQGIHHO
The forum is Wednesday from
SPDW%OXH0RXQWDLQ
&RPPXQLW\&ROOHJH¶VPDLQ
OHFWXUHKDOO
If you plan to attend, please
DUULYHE\SPVR\RX¶OO
EHLQ\RXUVHDWE\WKHWLPHWKH
audio engineers hit the record
EXWWRQ,I\RX¶GSUHIHUWR
listen, the show will air from
SPDQGSP$SULO
RQ23%
This forest plan revision
KDVEHHQDORQJWRRORQJ
H[SHQVLYHWRRH[SHQVLYH
FRPSOH[WRRFRPSOH[
SURFHVV%XWDVZHHQWHU
another stage, Oregonians
have the opportunity to listen
DQGOHDUQ7KDWLVWKHEHVW
way to feel involved and
LQYHVWHG
USPS 226-340
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper
Email: www.MyEagleNews.com
Phone: 541-575-0710
John Day, Oregon
MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
P UBLISHER
E DITOR
A DMINISTRATIVE A SSISTANT
E DITORIAL A SSISTANT
C OMMUNITY N EWS
S PORTS
M ARKETING R EP
O FFICE M ANAGER
Marissa Williams, marissa@bmeagle.com
Sean Hart, editor@bmeagle.com
Kristina Kreger, kristina@bmeagle.com
Cheryl Hoefler, cheryl@bmeagle.com
Angel Carpenter, angel@bmeagle.com
Angel Carpenter, angel@bmeagle.com
Kim Kell, ads@bmeagle.com
Lindsay Bullock, office@bmeagle.com
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY BY EO Media Group
Periodicals Postage Paid at John Day
DQGDGGLWLRQDOPDLOLQJRI¿FHV
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
POSTMASTER — send address changes to
Blue Mountain Eagle
195 N. Canyon Blvd.
John Day, OR 97845-1187
Copyright © 2016 Blue Mountain Eagle
All rights reserved. No part of this publication cov-
ered 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.
www.facebook.com/MyEagleNews
@MyEagleNews
L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
Constitutional
accountability must
begin at county level
To the Editor:
7KH RI¿FH RI VKHULII LV FRQVWL
tutionally imperative in the United
6WDWHV RI $PHULFD *UDQW &RXQW\
6KHULII*OHQQ3DOPHULVWKHVXSUHPH
ODZRIWKHODQGLQWKLVFRXQW\3DOPHU
swore an oath to protect and defend
WKH &RQVWLWXWLRQ DQG WKH SHRSOH RI
*UDQW&RXQW\IURPDOOHQHPLHVERWK
IRUHLJQDQGGRPHVWLF
7KH)%,,56%/0%$7)HWF
are all agencies of an unconstitution-
al government and are not required
to adhere to our constitutional pro-
tections; they operate outside of the
&RQVWLWXWLRQ
,IDQ\DEXVHRISRZHUZHUHWRRF
FXU LQ *UDQW &RXQW\ , NQRZ LQ P\
heart Palmer has the integrity, loyalty
and courage to protect and defend the
SHRSOHRI*UDQW&RXQW\ZLWKKLVOLIH
, SHUVRQDOO\ KDYH EHHQ DEXVHG
E\ DJHQWV RI WKH JRYHUQPHQW WR WKH
point of pure hatred towards any
DQGDOOODZHQIRUFHPHQW7KHQ,PHW
Sheriff Palmer; he changed all that,
E\VKRZLQJZKDWDUHDOODZHQIRUFH
PHQWRI¿FHULV,QWKH6XSUHPH&RXUW
FDVHRI3ULQW]YV86$-XVWLFH6FDOLD
quoted the 10th Amendment saying,
the powers are reserved to the peo-
SOH7KHIHGVKDYHQRDXWKRULW\RYHU
the individual counties of the United
6WDWHV
The sheriff has a duty, not an
agenda, to investigate all matters as
they pertain to the defense of the peo-
SOHRI*UDQW&RXQW\6KHULII3DOPHU
EHOLHYHVLQFRQVWLWXWLRQDOJRYHUQPHQW
DQGLQVHHLQJWRLWWKDWDOOORFDOVDELGH
E\ WKHLU FRQVWLWXWLRQDO UHVWUDLQWV RI
SRZHU DQG DXWKRULW\ DQG REH\ WKHLU
RDWK RI RI¿FH ² VRPHWKLQJ EHLQJ
JURVVO\ QHJOHFWHG E\ MXGJHV SROLWL
FLDQVDQGRWKHUJRYHUQPHQWRI¿FLDOV
WRGD\7KLVEUDYHHQGHDYRULVQRWIRU
timid or fearful people not willing to
stand up against corruption, and to
address those issues as they threaten
OLIH DQG OLEHUW\ UDWKHU WKDQ KLGLQJ
from the threats we face through dis-
WUDFWLRQVDQGEOLQGHQWHUWDLQPHQWDQG
EOLQG WUXVW RI WKRVH JRYHUQLQJ DQG
reporting to us; see the truth, and the
WUXWKZLOOVHW\RXIUHH
7KH RI¿FH RI VKHULII KDV WKH DX
thority to hold those in government
DFFRXQWDEOH WR WKH RDWK WKH\ VZRUH
WRWKHSHRSOHDQGWRWKH&RQVWLWXWLRQ
7KLVDFFRXQWDELOLW\PXVWEHJLQDWWKH
FRXQW\OHYHO
Stanley Vincent
Kody Vincent
Granite
‘Stand down the
secret list of deputies’
To the Editor:
*OHQQ3DOPHUZHHOHFWHG\RXWR
serve and protect the citizens of this
FRXQW\ 2Q \RXU RZQ DFFRUG , EH
lieve you made a pledge to the Oath
.HHSHUVDGHOXVLRQDOERG\UHODWHGWR
the sons of confederates and all their
DQWLJRYHUQPHQWVHQWLPHQWV
I have often heard you repeat your
mantra proclaiming how you do not
recognize the authority of the feder-
DOJRYHUQPHQW7KHODVWWLPH,WDONHG
to you your son was on his second
deployment in a war zone with the
86PLOLWDU\SROLFH,I,IROORZ\RXU
logic to its conclusion, the next time
your son is deployed to arrest some-
one, you will call them patriots and
encourage those people to put up an
armed resistance against the unlawful
DFWLRQV RI \RXU VRQ EHFDXVH KH UHS
UHVHQWVWKHIHGHUDOJRYHUQPHQW
<RXKDYHORVW\RXUPLQG*OHQQ
DQG , VXVSHFW LW LV WHUPLQDO 6WDQG
down the secret list of deputies and
UHWULHYH WKH EDGJHV \RX KDYH LVVXHG
WRXQVWDEOHSHUVRQV
Tommy J Skiens
John Day
PFC vs. BMFP
VSO-gate
To the Editor:
Recent issues addressed in support
RI3XEOLF)RUHVW&RPPLVVLRQ¶VPLV
sion include:
‡ 5HWXUQ SXEOLF ODQGV XVH PDQ
DJHPHQW WR PRUH ORFDO LQÀXHQFH
UDWKHUWKDQVSHFLDOLQWHUHVWV
• Remove outside agency and
JURXS LQÀXHQFH UHJDUGLQJ ORFDO
GHFLVLRQV IRU SXEOLF ODQG XVH LQ
cludes: Blue Mountains Forest Part-
QHUV 6XVWDLQDEOH 1RUWKZHVW DQG
RXWVLGHSXEOLFDJHQFLHV
‡ 5HPRYH FROODERUDWLYH DJUHH
PHQWVRUSROLFLHVWKDWGRQ¶WVXSSRUW
local values/economies, involving:
salvage, stream restoration, silvi-
culture, range management, access
management and fuels management
RQSXEOLFODQGV
, EHOLHYH PHPEHUV RI WKH %OXH
Mountains Forest Partners have en-
tered the local political race to com-
EDWORFDOUHIHUHQGXPVDQGSODQVWKDW
FRQÀLFWZLWKWKHLUODQGXVHJRDOV
‡ :KHQ 0DUN :HEE %0)3 H[
ecutive director, entered the political
UDFHLW¶VP\XQGHUVWDQGLQJ6XVDQ-DQH
Brown, staff attorney for the Western
(QYLURQPHQWDO/DZ&HQWHUDQG'DYH
+DQQLEDO²ERWKVHUYHRQWKH%RDUG
RI'LUHFWRUV²TXHVWLRQHGFRPPHQWV
DQGLQTXLULHVDVWRWKHDSSURSULDWHQHVV
‡ 7KH 3XEOLF )RUHVW &RPPLV
VLRQ UHFHQWO\ VXSSRUWHG WKH *UDQW
&RXQW\2UHJRQ3XEOLF/DQGV1DW
XUDO5HVRXUFHV3ODQ,EHOLHYH0DUN
:HEEWULHGWRGHUDLOWKH3XEOLF)RU
HVWFRPPLVVLRQ¶VYRWHLQVXSSRUW
‡0DUN:HEEDQG.LQJ:LOOLDPV
SHWLWLRQHGDJDLQVWSXWWLQJWKH*UDQW
&RXQW\2UHJRQ3XEOLF/DQGV1DWX
ral Resources Plan as a referendum
RQWKHEDOORW
‡,EHOLHYH0DUN:HEEDQG'DYH
+DQQLEDO KDYH HQWHUHG WKH UDFH WR
GLVPDQWOH RU XQVHDW PHPEHUV WKDW
support the original referendum that
IRUPHGWKH3XEOLF)RUHVW&RPPLV
sion and to negate petitions that are
XQIDYRUDEOHWRWKH%OXH0RXQWDLQV
)RUHVW3DUWQHUV¶JRDOV
Frances Preston
Prairie City
To the Editor:
, DJUHH ZLWK D OHWWHU LQ ODVW
ZHHN¶V (DJOH E\ 'HDQ (OOLRW
SHUFHQW ² &RXQW\ &RXUW QHHGV
UHSODFLQJ VWDUWLQJ ZLWK &RPPLV
VLRQHU&KULV/DEKDUWRXUYHWHUDQV
VHUYLFHRI¿FHUOLDLVRQ
$SULOODVW\HDU*UDQW&RXQW\
advertised for a veterans service of-
¿FHUWKUHHKLJKO\TXDOL¿HGLQGLYLG
XDOVDSSOLHG²,ZDVQRQFRPPLV
VLRQHGRI¿FHULQFKDUJHRIWKH962
HTXLYDOHQWLQWKH$LU)RUFHIRU¿YH
\HDUV D UHWLUHG$UP\ 0DMRU DQG D
UHWLUHG $UP\ 5HFUXLWHU DSSOLHG $
young lady who spent two years in
Army supply and a few others ap-
SOLHG/DEKDUWLQDQRXWUDJHRXVGLV
play of cronyism, rammed his sup-
SO\ FOHUN IULHQG WKURXJK$QG WKHQ
KHXSSHGKHUKRXUVWRIXOOWLPHEXW
VKHVWLOOZRUNVSDUWWLPH
,DVNHGIRUDQDFFRXQWLQJRIKHU
WLPH DQG KH UHIXVHG P\ UHTXHVW
When the last VSO left, he said
WKH WUDI¿F ZDV VR ORZ KH UHFRP
PHQGHG RXU 962 EH PHUJHG ZLWK
+DUQH\ &RXQW\¶V $ IHZ ZHHNV
DJRP\ZLIH¶V'HSHQGHQW,'FDUG
ZDVDERXWWRH[SLUHVR,FDOOHGRXU
962WR¿QGRXWZKHUH,FRXOGJHW
LWUHQHZHG+HUH¶VWKHVXEVWDQFHRI
WKHFRQYHUVDWLRQ0PPPP,GRQ¶W
NQRZ,WKLQN\RXGRWKDWDWDQ$LU
)RUFH EDVH PPPP LVQ¶W WKHUH
RQHLQ%RLVH",¿QDOO\FDOOHG2'9$
and got the correct information for
WKLV FRPPRQ TXHVWLRQ LW¶V LQ DQ
DUPRU\ LQ /D *UDQGH :KHUH¶V D
good investigative reporter when
\RX QHHG RQH" , DP RQH GLVDEOHG
UHWLUHH DVNLQJ RQH TXHVWLRQ EHLQJ
VWHHUHGLQWKHZURQJGLUHFWLRQ+RZ
PDQ\RIRXU*UDQW&RXQW\UH
tirees, dependents and survivors
have had this same shoot-from-the-
KLSWUHDWPHQWLQD\HDU"7KDQN\RX
*UDQW &RXQW\ &RXUW 2XU PLOLWDU\
GHVHUYHVEHWWHUWKDQWKLV
Richie Colbeth
John Day
Mary Weaver for
Grant County
treasurer
To the Editor:
Mary Weaver is a very honest,
KDUG ZRUNLQJ GHGLFDWHG SHUVRQ ZKR
KDVEHHQDORQJWLPHUHVLGHQWLQ*UDQW
&RXQW\ 0DU\ :HDYHU KDV RYHU
\HDUVH[SHULHQFHDVDERRNNHHSHUDQG
RI¿FHPDQDJHUDW&KHVWHU¶V7KULIWZD\
%LOO6PLWKWRRNKHUXQGHUKLVZLQJLQ
1974 and started her training in a live
RI¿FH VHWWLQJ 2YHU WKH PDQ\ \HDUV
WKDW0DU\ZRUNHGIRU%LOO6PLWKWKHUH
ZHUH QHYHU DQ\ FRQFHUQV DERXW KHU
KRQHVW\GHGLFDWLRQDQGLQWHJULW\
0DU\:HDYHUKDVEHHQ\RXU*UDQW
&RXQW\IDLUPDQDJHUIRUWKHODVW¿YH
DQGDKDOI\HDUVDQGKDVZRUNHGGLOL
JHQWO\WRPDNHWKHIDLUJURXQGVVRPH
WKLQJ ZH FDQ DOO EH SURXG RI :LWK
0DU\¶V SRVLWLRQ DV PDQDJHU VKH KDV
OHDUQHG KRZ WR ZRUN ZLWK WKH *UDQW
&RXQW\)DLUFRXQW\EXGJHWRQDGDL
O\ EDVLV 'XULQJ WKH &DQ\RQ &UHHN
&RPSOH[ ¿UH 0DU\ :HDYHU VWHSSHG
XSWRKHOSZLWKD¿UHUHOLHIFHQWHUIRU
DOO WKRVH DIIHFWHG E\ WKH ¿UH 0DU\
ZRUNHGKDUGWRPDNHVXUHWKHFRPPX
QLW\ ZRXOG FRPH EDFN WRJHWKHU DIWHU
VXFKGHYDVWDWLRQ0DU\KDGVRPDQ\
community leaders and volunteers
VWHSXSDQGZDVDEOHWRPDNHDGLIIHU
HQFHLQVRPDQ\RIWKHLUOLYHV0DU\
could not have done it without the sup-
port of the community, and now she is
DVNLQJIRU\RXUVXSSRUW
Please vote for Mary Weaver for
*UDQW&RXQW\WUHDVXUHUDV,NQRZVKH
LV SDUW RI WKH KHDUW RI *UDQW &RXQW\
and she has the experience to do a
JUHDWMREIRUDOORIXV
Kim Johns
John Day
Shape up
To the Editor:
0DLOFDOO(DUO\VXPPHUQRW
WRRIDULQODQGIURPWKH6RXWK&KLQD
6HDWDWDSODFHFDOOHG&KX/DL6RXWK
9LHWQDP ³/RRN´ DQQRXQFHG P\
friend and fellow Marine, Jimmy
$OOHQ³0RPVHQWPHDQ(DJOH´6R
it was two young men in a far away
SODFH VDW RQ D VDQGEDJJHG EXQNHU
and shared reading the news from
*UDQW&RXQW\2UHJRQ
6LQFH WKHQ ZHHNO\ IRU KDOI D
century, I have read the Blue Moun-
WDLQ(DJOH7KHIRUPDWKDVFKDQJHG
DQG HGLWRUV KDYH FRPH DQG JRQH
7KH QHZV ZDVQ¶W DOZD\V ZKDW RQH
ZDQWHGWRUHDGKRZHYHUWRERUURZ
D SKUDVH LW ZDV IDLU DQG EDODQFHG
One came to trust the Eagle to pres-
HQWWKHXQYDUQLVKHGWUXWK
Unfortunately, the Eagle has
ORVWVRPHRILWVVWDQGDUGV1HZVDV
UHSRUWHGKDVWDNHQRQDELDVWKDWLV
XQGHQLDEOH 'LVWXUELQJO\ IDFWV DUH
PLVUHSUHVHQWHGRURPLWWHGWRLQÀX
ence a story, when truthful coverage
RIERWKVLGHVRIDQLVVXHVKRXOGEH
WKHJRDO
Is it the newest editor, manage-
PHQW RU D FRXUVH FKDUWHUHG E\ WKH
RZQHUVUHVXOWLQJLQVXFKELDV"6XE
VFULSWLRQVKDYHEHHQFDQFHOHGDQG
often, when reference to a news
article is mentioned, the retort is,
³, GRQ¶W UHDG WKH (DJOH DQ\PRUH´
Kinda sad that citizens have come
WRWKHSRLQWRI³QRFRQ¿GHQFH´LQD
QHZVDJHQF\IRU*UDQW&RXQW\
The Navy and Marines have a
saying when erstwhile conduct is
REVHUYHG ³6KDSH XS RU VKLS RXW´
7RZKLFK,ZLOODGG³&RPHRQ(D
JOHVKDSHXS´
Dave Traylor
John Day
See LETTERS, Page A5