A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Two adult wolves from the Walla Walla Pack were caught on remote
trail camera Jan. 16, 2016, in northern Umatilla County.
Wolf plan
hearing should
be in NE Oregon
T
he Oregon Fish and
Wildlife Commission
has scheduled two
public hearings on an
updated wolf management
plan.
Many ranchers in wolf
country would counter that
state wildlife officials have
in reality updated their plan
to manage cattle producers.
And it seems they’re doing
it a bit far from where
wolves and people most
often interact.
Oregon’s wolf population
has grown steadily in
the decade since the first
wolves migrated from Idaho
into Northeast Oregon.
In 2011 there were only
23. The state visually
documented 112 wolves at
the end of 2016, according
to ODFW’s annual report.
At the end of 2015, Oregon
had 110 confirmed wolves.
ODFW officials have
described Oregon’s wolf
population growth as a
biological success story,
and the state commission
took wolves off the state
endangered species list in
2015.
They remain protected
under the federal
Endangered Species Act in
areas west of U.S. highways
395, 78 and 95. That’s most
of the state.
We have generally agreed
that wolves have a place
in Oregon’s wild country.
Oregon is a big place, with
room for native wildlife and
domestic livestock.
But we’ve been equally
adamant that ranchers
should have reasonable
leeway to take action
against wolves when non-
lethal actions aimed at
keeping them away from
livestock don’t work. That’s
not the case in the current
plan, and less so in the
proposed update.
Instead, ODFW has
proposed raising the bar.
The commission plans
hearings on the updated plan
at its next two regularly
scheduled meetings.
The first was April 21 in
Klamath Falls, an area of
the state that only recently
started to report some wolf
activity. The second will be
May 19 in Portland, where
there have been no wolves
for decades.
The commission has
received quite a few letters
from Portlanders who
write passionately about
their desire that wolves go
completely unmolested in
the state. They argue that
the wolves, as property of
the state, belong just as
much to them as Eastern
Oregon ranchers.
That’s true. But while the
Willamette River belongs to
all Oregonians, discussions
on its restoration are never
held in Enterprise.
It seems to us that
commissioners would want
to make it easier to hear
from people for whom
wolves are not an abstract
attraction. We can assure
them that there is no lack
of diversity of opinion on
wolves, even in the far
reaches of Wallowa County,
where livestock depredation
is common.
Paraphrasing a member of
Oregon’s wolf management
team, the ultimate success
of wolves in Oregon
requires their widespread
acceptance in those areas
where they most come in
contact with human activity.
For now, that’s ranching
country.
That’s where the wolves
will be managed. Perhaps
that’s where the plan should
get a hearing.
L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
Standing by
our midwife
To the Editor:
In response to the article on our
midwife Sherry Dress, I felt it
necessary to show another side in
her defense. I am the father of five
beautiful daughters — two with
my first wife and three with my
current. I witnessed the birth of all
five. There is nothing more beau-
tiful than a mother and her new-
born child, and no one other than
the mother should have the final
say on who to assist and share that
most cherished and precious mo-
ment.
My first two were born in the
hospital with a very sterile and
controlled environment. Bright
lights, stirrups, face mask, you get
the picture. It was heartwarming
to see my children come into this
world, but I must say there was a
lot of screaming, anger and pain.
Now to share the experience
of the daughters that were born in
our home under the care of Sherry
Dress. During the first pregnancy,
we were lovingly guided in nutri-
tion and prenatal care organically
to insure a healthy baby and moth-
er. Toward the end of the preg-
nancy when most doctors would
have been considering a cesarean
because the baby was still turned
feet first, Sherry simply instructed
my wife with a few simple move-
ments and gravity to turn the baby,
and to our amazement, it worked!
The baby entered the world in
our home to meet her parents with
tears of joy. No screams, bright
lights, masks, stirrups, needles
or otherwise. Rather, she emerged
in a pool of water into my arms, then
into the mother’s. All witnessed by
smiling family and friends. The same
with our second child. With our third
and my fi fth, there were complica-
tions that could have cost the lives of
both mother and child. With the vast
experience of more than 2,000 births,
Sherry knew just what to do and made
a potentially horrifying experience
into another beautiful and cherished
memory. To this day, Sherry con-
tinues to be a most treasured friend.
We love and will always stand with
you.
David Paddock
John Day
‘No more road
closures!’
To the Editor:
In 2013, with the urging of citi-
zens, the county court and sheriff
approved a road ordinance barring
any closures of roads in Grant
County without the consent of the
court or sheriff. The ordinance
was motivated to insure public
safety and access to roads within
the county. Many issues were ad-
dressed such as recreation, wood
gathering, access to grazing al-
lotments, search and rescue, fire-
fighting and hunting, among oth-
ers, as reasons to not have roads
closed.
Former county judge Mark
Webb has petitioned the court
to repeal the road ordinance, yet
states in a letter to the editor,
April 19, that as executive direc-
tor of the Blue Mountains Forest
Partners, the nonprofit organiza-
tion he heads, they are for what-
ever the Malheur National Forest
wants in a road system. He goes
on to list socioeconomic benefits
for area communities such as pub-
lic access.
Mark Webb is talking out of
both sides of his mouth in an effort
to rubber stamp the road closures
the Forest Service is attempting to
do and using the BMFP as the ve-
hicle to achieve the goal through
collaboration.
The court must respect the citi-
zens of the county by standing be-
hind the road ordinance. No more
road closures!
Guy Sproul
John Day
Emergency fi rst
responders, and
community support,
deserve praise
To the Editor:
Our ambulance and fi refi ghter
volunteers are an intricate and vital
part of our communities and coun-
ty. The EMS Appreciation Dinner
is a positive event that brings our
community together to celebrate
those who voluntarily serve us. It
is heartwarming to see so many
offer up their time and energy to
make this event a success. All the
planning and effort pays off as we
see nearly every seat in the room
fi lled. The auction is well supported
through the donations of many who
give wonderful items to bid on. We
truly are indebted to those who so
selfl essly give or their time to our
communities. We are also appre-
ciative for a supportive county who
see the need for each community to
have their own EMS teams.
Linda K Hunt
Long Creek
Protect Medicaid
To the Editor:
In response to your coverage of
the new administration and Con-
gress: The GOP-dominated Congress
and the Trump White House are again
attempting to strip vital health insur-
ance from millions of middle and
low-income Americans! These ac-
tions will affect the health of children,
seniors and people with disabilities
all to give a tax break to the top 1 per-
cent — who can afford the best health
insurance money can buy. Americans
deserve better consideration from the
offi cials they elected.
Last month, we narrowly avoid-
ed disaster when the House health
care bill failed at the last minute.
Now there’s talk of trying to jam
through another version of that
bad bill in the next two weeks. It
would still end Medicaid as we
know it and strip health coverage
from 24 million Americans. And
if that wasn’t enough, it now also
threatens people with pre-existing
conditions.
I hope we can count on our
members of Congress to listen to
the people they were elected to rep-
resent. They need to protect Medic-
aid and reject this bad proposal.
Janet McClenahan
Boise, Idaho
Degrade North
Korean economy
To the Editor:
President Trump has pointed out
the strong linkage between China
and North Korea, and he correctly
assumes China can infl uence North
Korea’s weapons development pro-
gram. We must work with China on
resolving this situation, and also on
the Chinese encroachment in the
South China Sea and the trade defi -
cit imbalance.
At this juncture, the North Ko-
rean nuclear missile program is of
primary concern. China can bring
pressure on North Korea to stop
its development of these weapons
systems by reducing its trade with
North Korea.
One area of trade that comes to
mind is the large quantity of coal
China imports from North Korea.
It is estimated this amounts to 22
million tons per year, which is
40 percent of North Korea’s coal
exports. A reduction in the im-
portation of North Korean coal
would significantly impact the
North Korean economy, and could
force it to change. The U.S. has
large quantities of coal available
for mining, which could be sold
to China, if cost effective, to fill
its coal importation needs. This
would help our trade imbalance
with China, boost our coal mining
industry and put our coal miners
back to work.
Donald Moskowitz
Londonderry, New Hampshire
L
etters policy: Letters to the Editor is a forum for Blue Mountain Eagle readers to express themselves on local, state, national or world issues. Brevity
is good, but longer letters will be asked to be contained to 350 words. No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the person. No thank-you
letters. Submissions to this page become property of the Eagle. The Eagle reserves the right to edit letters for length and for content. Letters must
be original and signed by the writer. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers should include a telephone number so they can be reached for
questions. We must limit all contributors to one letter per person per month. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Send letters to editor@bmeagle.com, or Blue
Mountain Eagle, 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845; or fax to 541-575-1244.
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
P UBLISHED EVERY
W EDNESDAY BY
Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper
P UBLISHER ............................... M ARISSA W ILLIAMS , MARISSA @ BMEAGLE . COM
E DITOR .................................... S EAN H ART , EDITOR @ BMEAGLE . COM
A DMINISTRATIVE A SSISTANT ........ J ACKIE O SBORNE , JACKIE @ BMEAGLE . COM
R EPORTER ............................... R YLAN B OGGS , RYLAN @ BMEAGLE . COM
C OMMUNITY N EWS .................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM
S PORTS ................................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM
M ARKETING R EP ....................... K IM K ELL , ADS @ BMEAGLE . COM
O FFICE M ANAGER ..................... L INDSAY B ULLOCK , OFFICE @ BMEAGLE . COM
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
MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION Email: www.MyEagleNews.com Phone: 541-575-0710
Periodicals Postage Paid at John
Day and additional mailing offi ces.
POSTMASTER
send address changes to:
Blue Mountain Eagle
195 N. Canyon Blvd.
John Day, OR 97845-1187
USPS 226-340
Copyright © 2017 Blue Mountain Eagle
All rights reserved. No part of this
publication covered 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