A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Who knows what
Brown thinks about
Owyhee Canyonlands
A
group of ranchers, local
business owners and
natural resource users
recently traveled to Salem in
an attempt to get legislators to
weigh in against the creation
of a national monument in
Oregon’s Malheur County.
While they have the support
of Republicans from the state’s
east side, they didn’t get much
from Gov. Kate Brown, the
person whose voice might
carry the most weight.
That’s a shame.
Backed by the Oregon
Natural Desert Association
and the owner of Portland’s
Keen Footwear, the proposed
Owyhee Canyonlands
wilderness and conservation
area would cover about 2.5
million acres of what is now
controlled by the Bureau of
Land Management.
Critics say the area is bigger
than the Yellowstone, Yosemite
or Grand Canyon national
parks and would cover 40
percent of Malheur County.
Opponents in the region
have objected to the proposal,
fearing the establishment of
a national monument will
entail new regulations severely
complicating grazing, mining,
hunting and recreation on the
land while inviting additional
environmental lawsuits.
The people of Malheur
County believe they’ve been
good stewards of the public
lands in their corner of the
state since they began caring
for it more than a century
ago. It’s their home. Beyond
it being the right thing to do,
their economic self-interest
depends that they do so.
In March, Malheur County
residents voted 9-to-1 against
the proposal.
No matter.
Supporters hold the edge.
State legislators and Congress
have no say in the process.
While the administration
has previously said it would
work collaboratively with
Congress, local interests and
elected offi cials in making
such designations, because
the land in question is
already owned by the federal
government, the Antiquities
Act of 1906 requires only that
President Obama pick up his
pen and proclaim it so.
The administration points
out that there is no proposal
before the president and won’t
say how he would act if one
lands on his desk.
It’s no easier getting a
straight answer in Salem.
We asked Brown’s offi ce
whether the governor
supported the proposal or
stood with the people of
Malheur County who are
against it. Here’s what her
people said she said:
“While this is ultimately
a federal decision, I have
heard from many Oregonians
with strong views about the
Owyhee. There’s agreement as
to the beauty and uniqueness
of the Canyonlands and
disagreement over whether
a monument designation
can best ensure those
characteristics will be enjoyed
for future generations. I
have communicated those
viewpoints to federal
administration offi cials and
will be closely following this
issue in the months ahead.”
Got that?
Brown — elevated to offi ce
and seeking election in her
own right in November — has
often proven unwilling to
make declarative statements on
controversial issues.
If the Democrat governor
opposed the plan, she might
help convince Obama to
maintain the status quo. If
she’s for it, the fi x is in.
But we aren’t likely to
know until after the election
— about the time we expect
the president to sign his
proclamation.
W HERE TO W RITE
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.
• Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long
Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax:
541-421-3075. Email: info@cityofl ong-
creek.com.
• Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monument
97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-2025.
Email: cityofmonument@centurytel.net.
• Mt. Vernon — 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: senecaoregon@gmail.com.
SALEM
• Gov. Kate Brown, D — 254 State
Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378-
3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website: www.
governor.state.or.us/governor.html.
• Oregon Legislature — State Capitol,
Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180.
Website: www. leg.state.or.us (includes
Oregon Constitution and Oregon Revised
Statutes).
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
P UBLISHED EVERY
W EDNESDAY BY
• State Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-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.
or.us. Website: www.leg.state.or.us/bentz/
home.htm.
• State Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R — (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.
• The White House, 1600 Pennsylva-
nia Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20500;
Phone-comments: 202-456-1111; Switch-
board: 202-456-1414.
• U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D — 516 Hart
Senate Offi ce Building, Washington D.C.
20510. Phone: 202-224-5244. Email:
wayne_kinney@wyden.senate.gov Website:
http://wyden.senate.gov Fax: 202-228-2717.
• U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D — 313 Hart
Senate Offi ce Building, Washington D.C.
20510?. Phone: 202-224-3753. Email:
senator@merkley.senate.gov. Fax: 202-
228-3997. Oregon offi ces include One
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.
• U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R — (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: 202-225-5774.
Medford offi ce: 14 North Central, Suite 112,
Medford, OR 97501. Phone: 541-776-4646.
Fax: 541-779-0204.
L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
Think about pets
in hot weather
To the Editor:
Last Wednesday, as I was driv-
ing east through John Day, I came
up behind a fl atbed pickup with a
beautiful hound dog chained onto
the back. Lovely to take your dog for
a ride, but my car thermometer said
86, and the poor dog was obvious-
ly not enjoying his ride. His tongue
was out as far as it would go, and he
was moving around as if to fi nd a
better place to be. I’ll bet the blonde
girl with the baseball cap on her
head for shade wasn’t nearly as un-
comfortable as her poor companion,
and that dog didn’t have any choice
about where it was. We owe our pets
better than that. We tie, chain or oth-
erwise restrain them, and that makes
us responsible for how they are do-
ing. What were you thinking, girl?
Mary Brown
Prairie City
‘Who brought these
individuals to your
community?’
To the Editor:
Recently, two individuals, Becky
Hudson and Michael Emry (propri-
etors of “The Voice of Idaho”) took
up residence in the Grant County
RV Park and established themselves
as “The Voice of Grant County, Or-
egon.”
On May 6, Michael Emry was
arrested in John Day by the FBI for
possession of a .50-caliber machine
gun, which he admits he stole from
his employer in Idaho. It was Emry’s
stated intent to take the machine gun
to Harney County during the 41-day
occupation of the bird refuge. FBI
records indicate in his past Emry has
admitted to making 66 machine guns
and a large bomb. Because he was a
cooperating witness against others in-
volved, he was never charged. Other
information revealed by the FBI in-
cludes Emry talking about shooting
police offi cers and a description of
how a .50-caliber weapon would pen-
etrate the side of a police car, or even
a Kevlar vest.
Emry has been in custody in Eu-
gene since his arrest. At a recent re-
lease hearing, the court determined
“there are no conditions that will rea-
sonably assure the safety of the com-
munity.” He remains in custody.
The court has received corre-
spondence from seven individuals
supporting Emry’s pre-trial release.
Two local citizens of Grant County
submitted information in support of
his release. Judy Kerr, a public lands
deputy from Canyon City, states,
“Emry is peaceful and law abiding.”
Elaine Smith, a special deputy for
natural resources from Prairie City,
states, “Emry is not a danger” and she
hoped he would be released to come
back here to live.
In summary, these two Idahoans
came (or were brought) to Grant
County to be your voice. Emry is
arrested with a stolen .50-caliber ma-
chine gun and has a history of making
machine guns and explosives. Two lo-
cal citizens suggest Emry is a great guy
and should be released. The court fi nds
no means of assuring the community
would be safe if Emry is released.
Who brought these individuals to
your community? And why do Smith
and Kerr fail to see Emry as undesir-
able and a risk?
Jim Spell
John Day
Fulfi ll Navy
commitment
To the Editor:
A current graduate of the U.S.
Naval Academy, Keenan Reyn-
olds, requested his service time be
deferred so he can play in the NFL.
The Baltimore Ravens drafted him.
As a former Navy enlisted and
offi cer, I am highly disappointed
with Secretary of the Navy Ray
Mabus, who submitted a request to
Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter
strongly recommending Reynolds’
service be deferred. Carter approved
the request.
The United States taxpayers paid
for Reynolds’ schooling at the Naval
Academy along with the schooling
of thousands of other academy mid-
shipmen. These are future offi cers
who are expected to serve in the U.S.
Navy after they graduate, and many
of them make a career in our Navy.
And they signed a contract.
If Reynolds’ commitment can
be deferred why can’t other mid-
shipmen have their service time de-
ferred? Why can’t deferments occur
for baseball players, or midshipmen
who want to enter civilian graduate
schools, or enter the corporate world
or business world?
SECNAV and SECDEF should
rethink their approval of the defer-
ment and have Reynolds fulfi ll his
commitment to the Navy.
Donald Moskowitz
Londonderry, New Hampshire
Second shot across
our bow — a
‘weapon of war’
To the Editor:
When I wrote about the Emrys
from Idaho (April 27 in the Eagle),
I stated that their plan to become our
voice was their fi rst shot across our
bow. Who would have dreamed that
they actually had hidden a fully auto-
matic machine gun and explosives?
It’s time for decent folks to rec-
ognize who are the locals partnered
with this dangerous man, Michael
Emry (and his wife, Becky Hudson).
Emry told residents that he was in-
vited here by Tad Houpt and Jim
Sproul. Now, two more of Sheriff
Palmer’s special deputies, Elaine
Smith and Judy Kerr, have embraced
Michael Emry. The U.S. Court Mag-
istrate was not swayed by their let-
ters of support; and Emry was de-
nied pre-trial release out of concern
for the safety of our community. (He
is held on weapons charges.)
Kerr said Emery “has acted as
a calming infl uence at community
meetings and gatherings.” Whoa!
Elaine Smith wrote to say she hoped
he “will be released to come back
here to live,” adding that he is not a
danger to the community.
I strongly disagree. Michael Em-
ry’s history is about violent aspira-
tions, building and selling military
grade weapons of death and destruc-
tion. Palmer’s special deputies who
are responsible for the Emrys com-
ing to our county need to be held
accountable. Why hasn’t the sheriff
condemned his deputies’ support of
the Emrys and revoked these depu-
ties’ licenses? Does he endorse out-
rageous, irresponsible behaviors?
Once more, we need to hear from
our sheriff. Where is he?
The Emrys host “The Voice of
Grant County, Oregon.” Doesn’t
that just make you puff up with pride
for their willingness to be your voice
for truth and freedom? I imagine
you can buy a lot of freedom with
a bomb and a fully automatic ma-
chine gun capable of mowing down
a law offi cer nearly a mile away.
The prosecutor said Emry’s illegal
weapon (he stole to sell) is a “weap-
on of war” and was destined for the
occupied refuge. That plot failed,
and so it had found a new home in
the Grant County Fairgrounds (RV
Park) where the couple was living,
and where our families gather.
Kay Steele
Ritter
My vision of hope
To the Editor:
I look forward to serving the
people of Grant County as county
commissioner. My passion for fair
and honest government will be ex-
pressed in actions. For those of you
who did not vote for me, my door is
always open. Positive change arises
from open communication. Mutual
trust within this community must be
restored for any of us to be healthy
again. I welcome you.
Our way of life is endangered.
This is not dramatic rhetoric; it is
reality. The struggle for us to heal
and continue to care for those dam-
aged by the fi re trauma demands
our wholehearted efforts. Economic
survival will be achieved only by
an increase in opportunities to work
for a family wage. Every job we can
create or imagine counts more than
it ever has before. This is the time to
fi nd compassion for your neighbors’
concerns and fears. Let’s continue
repairing and rebuilding, with grat-
itude and thanks to the contributions
that others have made before us. I
appreciate those who encouraged me
and helped get the word out. Thank
you for sharing my vision of hope.
Jim Hamsher
Prairie City
See LETTERS, Page A5
L
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