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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 2016)
News Blue Mountain Eagle Re-vegetation project aims to improve habitat, irrigation By Rylan Boggs Blue Mountain Eagle The South Fork John Day Watershed Council received $114,279 from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for rapid riparian re-vegetation of the Upper South Fork John Day Riv- er, according to a watershed council press release. The five-year project is lo- cated along 4 miles of private land on the Upper South Fork John Day River, near Izee, and is planned to begin in April 2017. The primary objective of the rapid riparian re-vegetation planting approach is to achieve canopy cover as quickly as possible through the use of woody plants and beaver dam analogues. The project intends to plant 2,300-2,500 plants/ acre and fight invasive vege- tation that impede native plant growth and regeneration. The rapid riparian re-veg- etation technique is regularly Contributed photo This stretch of the Upper South Fork John Day River is scheduled for rapid riparian re-vegetation after the South Fork John Day Watershed Council received an Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board grant. used west of the Cascades in wetter climates, according to council coordinator Amy Stin- er, but this will be the first time the technique has been used in the area. The council is working with ecologist Kendra Smith, who is confident the technique will work for this area. “If it does work, we will be able to vegetate all these streams so much quicker and make the water quality and temperature so much better,” Stiner said. The project will also raise the water table, allowing ir- rigation fields to have water longer into the summer. Projects goals include im- proving aquatic, terrestrial riparian habitat, and wildlife forage, by focusing on veg- etation structure and species diversity. Other desired out- comes include the improve- ment in water quality through increased shade and buffering of sediment and other pollut- ants from entering the water column, and improvement in nutrient cycling. “This project can add powerful additional insight in addressing re-vegetation challenges in very dry con- ditions,” Stiner said in an email. “We view this project as a thoughtful ‘experiment’ but based in a well-grounded understanding of ecological processes.” Project partners include the St. Clair Ranch, the IZ Ranch LLC, Cascade Pacif- ic RC&D, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners For Fish and Wildlife and consulting ecologist Ken- dra Smith. Electors cast votes for Clinton as party chairman objects to process By Claire Withycombe Capital Bureau Oregon’s seven Electoral College members cast their votes Monday morning at the Oregon State Capitol for Democrat Hillary Clinton. Frank J. Dixon, an elector and chairman of the Demo- cratic Party of Oregon, said during Monday’s vote on the Oregon Senate floor that he spoke for all the electors when he voiced objection to the electoral process. “I just want to, on behalf of the entire elector group here today, object to this pro- cess to preserve the record to allow further inquiry of the electoral process given the interference by the Russian government in our election process,” Dixon said. Amid cheering from the gallery, Atkins called public attendees to order. Dixon then added, “And to preserve for the record our objection, this process does not honor the principle of one person, one vote.” Under the U.S. Constitu- tion, the winner of the presi- dential election is the candi- date who wins the majority of electoral votes, not the winner of the popular vote. Each state has a number of electors that corresponds to the number of members in its Congressional delega- tion, and it is those electors who are chosen by the pop- ular vote. Generally, the winner of the popular vote in any state is awarded all of the state’s elec- tors. All of Oregon’s seven votes went to Clinton. Groups gathered in state capitols across the country Monday to urge Republican Party electors to not cast votes for Donald J. Trump, who was expected to win 306 of the 538 Electoral College votes, but lost the popular vote Nov. 8 by about 2 million votes. That effort was largely unsuc- cessful, with only two Texas electors bolting Trump. Four electors in Washington and four in the District of Colum- bia pledged to Clinton voted instead for other candidates. Democrats and others on the left have since criticized the Electoral College system, saying it undermines the prin- ciple of one vote for each in- dividual and that the system, laid out by the U.S. Constitu- tion, is antiquated. In remarks before votes were cast, Oregon Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins said this year’s election was “his- toric” and that the election process came under “unprec- edented challenge and criti- cism.” “This has continued into the post-election period,” Atkins said. “The nation has been roiled by a significantly greater debate than usual over the appropriateness of the Electoral College process in our modern age and over the obligations of those chosen as electors.” Atkins voiced confidence in the state’s voting system and Oregon’s election results. Dixon said after the cere- mony that he and the party in- tended to “get their foot in the door” to preserve the possibil- ity of further inquiry when it came to possible Russian in- terference in the election, and to take a closer look at “legal issues involved” in the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protec- tion clause. “I’m not a Constitution- al scholar,” Dixon said. “I don’t know what the outcome would be of any legal chal- lenge, but it’s simply, if we can preserve the record rather than remaining silent, and just say, state our objection, it may be a way to allow further in- quiry ... it’s nothing more than that at this stage.” Despite Trump’s likely victory and the Democratic Party of Oregon’s objections, Dixon said that he hoped that he and his fellow electors were “preserving democracy” by participating in the Elec- toral College process. Wednesday, December 21, 2016 A3 John Day residents will see increase in water, sewer bills Council approves agreements to provide water, sewer services to Canyon City By Rylan Boggs Blue Mountain Eagle John Day residents will see small increases in their water and sewer bills in 2017. The John Day City Council voted unanimously to approve resolutions in- creasing the cost of both ser- vices by $1 each to combat inflation and depreciation of the infrastructure during a Dec. 13 meeting. At pre- vious meetings, councilors discussed solutions to the problem that the amount currently charged is too low for the city to qualify for state grants, or even loans, to make needed repairs or improvements. One of the resolutions also contained an agreement to establish a rate of $6 per 1,000 gallons of water pro- vided to Canyon City. At the meeting, John Day City Manager Nick Green said declining popu- lation is one of the biggest problems facing John Day and surrounding cities. He suggested the city research utilizing unused water rights and infrastructure to attract growth. Green said the city could “use water to attract thirsty industries.” The councilors reached a con- sensus to begin researching options. The council also dis- cussed partnering with The Eagle/Rylan Boggs Kent J. Bailey of Guyer and Associates explains the 2016 audit to the John Day City Council Tuesday, Dec. 13. Oregon Solutions to work towards a community-en- hancing project. The part- nership would include a two-day meeting between community leaders and Or- egon Solutions to choose a project benefiting the com- munity. The cost of consul- tation would be $9,800, a cost which Green proposed splitting between the city, county and school district. The council also: • approved five-year in- teragency agreements to provide water and sewage treatment services to Can- yon City. • adopted a resolution to authorize expenditure of a FEMA assistance to fire- fighters grant. • accepted the 2016 au- dit for the city of John Day done by Guyer and Associ- ates that showed no major problems. • approved a motion to allow the city manager to live outside of John Day city limits. A TTENTION G RANT C OUNTY V ETERANS : 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 Did you know Grant County Veterans Services Officer is available to assist YOU in applying for all VA benefits you may be entitled to? See your Grant County Veteran Services Officer today for more information, located at Grant County Court House. Open: Mon, Wed, & Fri 10 am - 4 pm, by appointment. Call 541-575-1631 debbie.ausmus@ countryfinancial.com There’s No Place Like Home For The Holidays 331 W. Main, John Day 541-575-2710 1-800-575-2710 Fax 541-575-2610 www.RMLS.com eastoregonrealestate.com cbjohnday@centurytel.net We’d like to deliver our sincere best wishes to your door this holiday. May the season bring much happiness, health and good fortune to you and your loved ones. If you’re looking for a home for the holidays and beyond, please keep us in mind. We’ve been helping area residents find the perfect place to call home for over 10 years. Baker City 2830 10th St. 541-524-0122 Every other Monday in John Day at Blue Mountain Hospital 170 Ford Rd. 541-575-1311 Amy Denman Principal Broker 503-577-7029 Mike Moore 541-620-1645 Al Denman 503-709-0425 Fred Winegar 541-820-3589 05021 OPEN Tuesday thru Saturday 11am to 9pm • 541-575-1387 • 417 W. Main • John Day
