Year in Review Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, December 28, 2016 N EWS S TORY OF THE Y EAR The occupation of the Malheur refuge By Sean Hart Blue Mountain Eagle The occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns that began Jan. 2 was by far the largest news event of 2016, with re- verberations throughout the year and related stories that have not yet concluded. After a peaceful event pro- testing the resentencing of Burns ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond, some of the protesters took over an unoccupied federal bird ref- uge facility in Harney County. The Hammonds were con- victed of arson for lighting fires that burned onto feder- al land, served their original sentences of three months and one year, respectively, and were then ordered by another judge to serve the full five- year sentences mandated by the federal laws under which they were charged. The armed occupiers — including Ammon and Ryan Bundy, who were involved in a 2014 standoff over federal grazing fees in Nevada with their father, Cliven Bundy — demanded the Hammonds’ new sentences be overturned. Even after the Hammonds turned themselves in to serve their new prison sentences, the occupiers remained at the refuge for what would become a 41-day standoff with federal authorities. They demanded not only the Ham- monds’ release but also the transfer of the refuge land to local control. Into Grant County Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer met with sev- eral of the occupiers, in- cluding Ryan Payne and Jon Ritzheimer, at a lunch meet- ing in John Day, according to other attendees. He said he was not aware they would be there but followed them next door after lunch to continue meeting. Palmer said he believed a positive outcome would require the government to concede to the occupiers’ de- mands. “I don’t think these guys are going to give up without knowing that they’ve done something that benefits the people of our country or our region,” he told the Eagle. Days later, Palmer met with the president of 3% of Idaho, Brandon Curtiss, who said his group was provid- A3 Top Eagle online articles for 2016 Blue Mountain Eagle EO Media Group/E.J. Harris EO Media Group/E.J. Harris Anti-occupation protesters hold signs during a town hall meeting at the senior center Jan. 26 in John Day. A group of occupiers was supposed to speak at the meeting, including Ammon and Ryan Bundy, before the FBI captured the brothers on Highway 395 outside of Burns. ing a “security buffer detail,” around the refuge. Both Palmer and Curtiss told the Eagle they had been friends for more than a year and the meeting was not re- lated to the refuge occupation. They both said they did not believe the occupiers would expand into Grant County. “They won’t come here,” Palmer said. The John Day meeting and the arrests Canyon City resident Tad Houpt organized a meeting in John Day Jan. 26 and invited Ryan Payne. He said he was unsure if any of the other oc- cupiers would attend, though he invited Palmer to speak as well. “What I’d like to get across is how much power and au- thority we have and how we need to make some changes in our government here,” Houpt told the Eagle. “... The corrup- tion, that’s what this meeting is about — the blatant, unbe- lievable corruption we have in this county. It’s from local government clean up to federal government. Our state govern- ment is probably even worse.” At about the time the meeting was set to begin, the attendees learned the two ve- hicles en route from the refuge to John Day had been stopped by the FBI and Oregon State Police on Highway 395 north of Burns. Ammon and Ryan Bundy were arrested along with sev- eral others, and Robert LaVoy Finicum was shot and killed by Oregon State Police offi- cers after he exited his vehicle at a roadblock and officers said he reached for a weapon. An investigation by the Malheur County district attorney con- cluded the officers who shot Finicum were justified, but additional shots by FBI agents that did not hit Finicum were under further investigation. Most of the occupiers left the refuge soon after the lead- ers were arrested. The last four holdouts surrendered Feb. 11. Complaints against Sheriff Palmer At least eight people filed complaints against Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer and his involvement with the occupiers with the Oregon po- lice licensing agency, which forwarded them to the Depart- ment of Justice, recommend- ing further investigation. The justice department opened an investigation, which has still not concluded. The Oregonian requested public records from Palmer and later sued him to com- pel their release. During the course of the lawsuit, The Oregonian obtained most of the records it sought but also raised concerns about records being deleted. A judge granted a temporary restraining order preventing Palmer from delet- ing any emails. The case was dismissed when the documents were released, but the judge speci- fied The Oregonian could still seek attorney fees. The Orego- nian submitted a request for $78,000 in fees, and a hearing on the matter is scheduled in 2017. The trial While several of the defen- dants, including Ryan Payne, pleaded guilty to conspiring to Tad Houpt of Canyon City breaks the news to the audience that the Bundys had been arrested before the start of the public meeting where the brothers were to speak in John Day. prevent federal employees from doing their jobs, most pleaded not guilty and stood trial. Some also faced firearms and theft charges. One group went to trial in 2016, and an- other group is awaiting trial in 2017. A jury found the defendants in the first group not guilty on all charges. One of the jurors told The Oregonian the jury acquitted because the federal prosecutors failed to prove the defendants intended to impede the federal employees, which was a necessary component for the conspiracy charge. While many of the defen- dants were set free, Ammon and Ryan Bundy remain in custody, awaiting trial on charges related to the 2014 Ne- vada standoff along with their father, who was arrested after traveling to Oregon during the occupation. The most-viewed article on the Blue Mountain Eagle’s website for 2016 was “Documents: OSP moved fatal traffic stop to avoid Grant County sheriff.” The article, which shared in- formation from documents re- leased in the investigation into the Jan. 26 shooting death of Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, re- ceived 26,651 views. Top-viewed articles from 2016 by month were: • January: “Watch the FBI vid- eo of LaVoy Finicum shooting” • February: “Sheriff’s associ- ation asked to investigate Palm- er’s conduct” • March: “Documents: OSP moved fatal traffic stop to avoid Grant County sheriff” • April: “Sheriff Palmer in- tends to sue city of John Day, employees” • May: “State accuses DeR- osier of attempted murder for Thursday shootings” • June: “Deputy declined assis- tance, failed to record interview when investigating complaint against his family” • July: “John Day man dies af- ter falling from cliff” • August: “Jury: Peterson guilty on three felony charges” • September: “Missing boy found deceased” • October: “The Dirty Shame becomes the Ugly Truth” • November: “Man rescued from badger hole after fleeing from police” Read all of these articles and many more at myeaglenews.com. A TTENTION G RANT C OUNTY V ETERANS : Did you know a service-connected disabled veteran is entitled to FREE use of Oregon State Parks? See your Grant County Veteran Services Officer today for more information, located at Grant County Courthouse. Open Mon, Wed, & Fri, 10 am - 4 pm, by appointment. Call 541-575-1631 The Blue Mountain Eagle   is now accepting food items this year. We are accepting cash donations. Please drop off at the Blue Mountain Eagle for the Grant County Food Bank. Accepting donations until Dec. 30, 2016 GRANT COUNTY FOOD BANK 04905 R obbins Farm Equipment 3850 10th St. Baker City 10218 Wallowa Lake Hwy. La Grande 1160 S Egan Burns 86812 Christmas Valley Hwy. Christmas Valley 541-523-6377 541-963-6577 541-573-6377 541-523-6377