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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 2017)
News Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, January 25, 2017 A3 Longtime music director receives prestigious award Vidourek recognized statewide for exemplary service By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Recently retired music di- rector Mary Ann Vidourek has traveled far and wide with her students — oftentimes behind the wheel of a Grant School District No. 3 bus. She was recognized by the Oregon Music Education As- sociation for her Exemplary Service to Music Education at a Dec. 14 awards banquet in Eugene, held during the All- State conference. Only one such award is given to a music educator each year in Oregon. Vidourek taught junior high and high school band and choir at Grant Union and also led the music program at Humbolt Elementary with choir and a sixth-grade band. Grant School District No. 3 Superintendent Curt Shel- ley said Vidourek is deserv- ing of the association award. “Our district has been for- tunate to have a music direc- tor of her caliber,” he said. The Eagle/Angel Carpenter The Eagle/Rylan Boggs Mary Ann Vidourek stands for a photo with a plaque for Exemplary Service to Music Education she received from the Oregon Music Education Association in recognition for her service as a music teacher. Only one such award is given to a music educator each year in Oregon. was hired for the position in December. The award recognizes in- dividuals who significantly contribute to their students’ music education through ser- vice, leadership and advoca- cy. Comments from col- “Personally, I need to thank her publicly for assisting us in keeping our music program intact while we searched for her replacement.” Vidourek retired last school year after 25 years with the district, but stayed on as director until Lori Hart Grant Union freshman Samantha Floyd, left, participated in an All-State symphonic wind band in Eugene at the Hult Center, playing trombone. She was selected for the opportunity through audition. The new Grant Union music director Lori Hart poses for a photo Jan. 20 with Floyd at the school. leagues who nominated Vi- dourek were shared during the award ceremony. The accolades for Vi- dourek included her organi- zational skills, hard work and professionalism, behind-the- scenes work at the All-State conferences and enabling hundreds of students to New drug take-back box available in John Day By Rylan Boggs Blue Mountain Eagle A new drug take-back box is available to the public outside the John Day Dis- patch Center. A former Blue Mountain Eagle newspaper box, retro- fitted and painted by John Day Police Sgt. Damon Rand, sits outside the door by the dispatch center, 450 E. Main St., John Day. The box is secure and monitored day and night by security cameras at the center. The ef- fort, spon- sored by the police department and Grant County Safe Com- munities John Day Coalition, Police Sgt. aimed Damon Rand is at keeping danger- ous, addictive drugs out of the wrong hands, reduc- ing the drug diversion and abuse. “The ease of access for the community is a huge benefit,” Safe Communi- ties Coalition Director Russ Comer said. Collected drugs are sent to the DEA for incinera- tion as part of a national program. Incineration is a better way to dispose of medications because throwing them in the trash or down the toilet can eventually pollute the wa- ter supply, according to Comer. Nationally, over the life of the program, 7.1 mil- lion pounds of prescription drugs have been removed from medicine cabinets, kitchen drawers and night- stands by citizens around the country, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency. “Take back programs of- fer a safe, simple, and anon- ymous way to keep danger- ous prescription drugs out of the wrong hands and pre- vent substance abuse,” said Chuck Rosenberg, acting DEA administrator. smoothly transition to honor groups. One person said she sin- gle-handedly kept the music program alive through bud- get cuts and the difficulties of a small school population. “Her music students have enjoyed all the advantages of larger schools in more popu- lated areas — participating in All-State band and choir, per- forming at the State Band and Choir Championships, honor groups, solo and ensemble contests — usually because she drove them there. And made them believe they could be successful,” one colleague was noted as saying. Vidourek said one col- league told her she never used belonging to a smaller school district as an excuse to do less. Although she is now re- tired and living in Redmond, Vidourek isn’t slowing down. She’ll continue as the music education association hous- ing chair, and in March she will direct the MidColumbia junior high honor band in The Dalles. This summer, she will travel to Europe as a chaper- one with Grant Union student Nikki Jones, a soprano, who will sing with the Ambassa- dors of Music choir. At the end of summer, Vidourek will assist with a band camp in Redmond. “I’m just totally honored that my colleagues would recognize me in this way with this award, because there are so many amazing music edu- cators in our state,” Vidourek said. “I’ve thoroughly en- joyed everything I’ve done (with the students) — I usu- ally drove them, too.” R EDNECK HOT TUB Contributed photo/Amy Stiner From left, Nick Stiner Jr., Nick Stiner Sr. and Matt Jones enjoy a dip in their redneck hot tub. “We had a ton of fun building this,” Amy Stiner said. “The water was too hot to touch so we had to add chunks of ice from the trough in the background.” Grants will upgrade Mt. Vernon, Seneca wastewater facilities By Rylan Boggs Blue Mountain Eagle Both Seneca and Mt. Ver- non have received sizable Community Development Block Grants from the federal government. Seneca received $2.5 mil- lion, and Mt. Vernon received just over $1.8 million. The two cities will be using their grants to upgrade their waste- water treatment facilities. Mt. Vernon’s current treat- ment facility consists of four pond lagoons adjacent to the John Day River. The facili- ty, constructed in 1979, was under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Sys- tem Permit, which expired Nov. 30, 2016. The current treatment plant is not up to code, according to Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency. Leakage from the lagoons has been detected and deemed to be worsening since 2005, according to Business Ore- gon, and there may be sub- surface flow to the John Day River, despite the city not in- dicating discharge is happen- ing. A myriad of upgrades are needed for the plant including reduction of infiltration and inflow, replacement of control valves and the influent flow meter device and upgrading the lagoon system to prevent impacts to groundwater and meet the water quality stan- dards, according to Business Oregon. Seneca’s current waste- water plant was built in 1974 and is in close proximity to the Silvies River. The project hopes to combat concerns that the outdated plant may con- taminate the river, The $3.5 million dollar project will be paid for with the $2.5 million block grant, a $500,000 grant and $500,000 loan from the Infrastructure Finance Authority. The new plant has been in the works since 2012 and was delayed because the city lost, and later regained, eligibility for the grant. “The proposed project will include design and construc- tion of the collection system improvements along with the construction of a treatment facility that will include new two-cell facultative waste- water treatment lagoons and Monday - Thursday 7am- 6pm Friday 8am - 5pm Mendy Sharpe FNP Apppointments available 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 class D recycled water reuse effluent disposal improve- ments west of the Silvies River,” according to Business Oregon. The city will be working with regulatory bodies and accepting bids for the contract this year. Work is scheduled to be completed by 2018, ac- cording to Seneca City Man- ager Josh Walker. A TTENTION G RANT C OUNTY V ETERANS : Did you know there may be VA benefits available for you as a result of your spouses’ military service? See your Grant County Veteran Services Officer today for more information, located at Grant County Court House. Jeff Wilcox Call 541-575-1631 for an appointment Open: Mon, Wed, & Fri 10am-4pm by appointment. 05171
