Business
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
A3
John Day Motel under new management
Updated facilities
in the works
By Rylan Boggs
Blue Mountain Eagle
Instead of selling the John
Day Motel, Ken and Nicki
Mayhead are putting money
back into it to recuperate from
past losses.
To revamp the motel, the
couple are adding new car-
pets, fridges, TVs, mattresses,
heaters and air conditioners,
as well as roughly $6,500
worth of new bedding and
towels. Additionally, they
plan to repaint the motel and
add a new sign.
“I don’t take a loss on any-
thing,” Ken said.
The Eagle/Rylan Boggs
Nicki and Ken Mayhead stand for a photo in front of the
John Day Motel.
Ken bought the motel in
2006 with his uncle but didn’t
directly manage it. After no-
ticing significant losses, the
two decided a more hands-on
strategy was needed.
Nicki said they planned to
run a “reputable business.”
The motel, located at 250
E. Main St., still has rooms
open for the eclipse, and Ken
said he is incentivizing peo-
ple to book with free T-shirts
and glasses.
He’s proud of his low
prices and said they would
be key to the motel’s suc-
cess.
The couple owns a mo-
tel in Elgin and the Rockin
Route 66 Ranch in Arizo-
na and are looking at oth-
er businesses in the area.
Ken expressed interest in
opening a bar and grill as
well.
However, it wasn’t just
the motel that drew them to
John Day. They also plan on
raising a granddaughter who
lives in the area.
Contributed image
Grant County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment
rate fell to its lowest level since comparable statistics
began in 1990 in March. At 7.1 percent, the rate is still
the highest in the state.
Unemployment hits
lowest rate since 1990
Blue Mountain Eagle
Grant County’s unem-
ployment rate dropped to its
lowest level since 1990 in
March.
The seasonally adjusted
unemployment rate dropped
from 8.1 percent in March
2016 to 7.1 percent in March
2017, according to the Ore-
gon Employment Depart-
ment. The county tied for
23rd among Oregon’s 36
counties for over-the-year
improvement.
The county gained an
estimated 20 jobs during
the year. The private sector
added 10 jobs, with gains
in retail trade offsetting
losses in manufacturing.
The public sector also add-
ed 10 jobs in local govern-
ment.
At 7.1 percent, Grant
County still has the high-
est unemployment rate in
the state. Crook and Cur-
ry counties are tied for the
next highest rate at 6 per-
cent. Benton County has the
lowest rate at 2.9 percent.
The statewide rate is 3.8
percent, and the nation-
wide rate is 4.5 percent.
F IGARO ’ S
OWNER
AWARDS GRANTS
Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter
Ken Gronwald of Grumpy’s Graphics stands outside his Prairie City business which he owns with his wife Myrna.
Grumpy’s Graphics gears
up for total solar eclipse
Prairie City business is
‘Eclipse Central’
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Ken and Myrna Gronwald, owners
of Grumpy’s Graphics in Prairie City,
are gearing up for what could be one of
Grant County’s biggest events in history,
the Monday, Aug. 21, total solar eclipse.
In honor of the upcoming eclipse cel-
ebration, the Gronwalds have added to
their business name, calling it “Grumpy’s
Eclipse Central.”
Anticipating a significant increase in
visitors to the area, they are ramping up
production, creating custom-designed
eclipse souvenirs, including T-shirts, travel
mugs, coffee mugs, patches, plates, coins,
pins and fine art.
With their equipment, the Gronwalds
can also print banners, signs, posters and
bumper stickers. All the print jobs are made
at their Prairie City home, then sold at their
shop at 152 Front St.
“We have screen printers and a white
format printer, which prints up to 52 inches
wide, and as long as you want,” Ken said,
adding they also have big vinyl sign cutters.
There are stacks of colorful T-shirts with
various solar eclipse designs in the shop
with other items lining the shelves.
The Gronwalds have also delivered
eclipse T-shirts to businesses in John Day
and Dayville, as well as 150 shirts for the
Grant County Chamber of Commerce in
John Day.
Contributed photo
Patches, pins and coins with a
solar eclipse theme are available at
Grumpy’s Graphics in Prairie City.
Grant County officials expect as many
as 35,000 visitors traveling through and
staying in the area.
“It’s going to be a lot for our commu-
nity, if they come in droves like they ex-
pect,” Ken said. “It could be overwhelm-
ing, but exciting at the same time.”
He said he has family visiting during
the eclipse, but said he may not see much
of them since he’ll be tied up at the busi-
ness. He plans to hire workers to set up
souvenir vending booths in nearby towns
during the weekend of the eclipse.
Myrna said she enjoys working
with her husband. They’ve owned the
Grumpy’s business for nearly 20 years
now, evolving from an embroidery shop
to a print shop, and they’ve lived in Prai-
rie City for nine years.
“He does the designing. I do the edit-
ing,” she said.
She anticipates they’ll have more
styles and items to add to the store.
“We’re looking at another coin design
Solar Eclipse T-shirts of all sizes
line the walls of Grumpy’s Graphics,
including one hanging up that
reads: “Total Solar Eclipse, Stay
Wild Moon Child.”
and more shirts,” she said. “We’re hoping
we can accommodate everyone’s wants
and needs.”
Currently, store hours are 11 a.m. to 4
p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, depend-
ing on how busy it is, and they plan to
add more hours and days as summer ap-
proaches.
Ken said it’s expected that 50 percent
of visitors will be from out of the country.
“You cannot buy an airplane ticket
now, or a rent-a-car,” he said. “I like to
socialize, so I’m looking forward to hav-
ing different people from different areas
to talk to.”
For more information about Grumpy’s
Graphics, call 541-820-4484.
Four Humbolt Elementary School teachers received a
total of $725 in grants through the John Day Figaro’s
Pizza to purchase classroom supplies, including iPad
minis and fidget tools. From left: kindergarten teacher
Adriane Ineck, first-grade teacher Elsa Spence,
Figaro’s owner Pete Teague, special education teacher
Eva Vaughan and fifth-grade teacher Georgia Boethin.
The grants are made available twice a year through
the company’s charitable program called “HELP,”
Helping Education with Love & Pizza. Nonprofit
organizations such as church youth groups, bands
and athletic teams can also apply for the grants. “It’s
a win-win,” Teague said. “People get to buy pizza and
eat it, and a portion goes back to the schools.”
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Seneca’s 26th Annual
$30 ALL
YOU CAN
EAT
BEO Bancorp one of three in state named to top 200 bank list
Blue Mountain Eagle
Bank of Eastern Oregon’s
holding company was named
among the top 200 communi-
ty banks in the country with
less than $2 billion in assets
by American Banker maga-
zine.
With an average return on
shareholder equity of 10.9
percent between 2014 and
2016, BEO Bancorp ranked
77th on the list.
“We are extremely pleased
with the recognition in Amer-
ican Banker magazine. We
find ourselves in the compa-
ny of some of the best run
and most admired banks in
the nation.” said Jeff Bailey,
president and CEO of Bank
of Eastern Oregon. “This is
testimony to the dedication
of our employees and the
tremendous support of our
customer base. We are proud
of our track record serving
eastern Oregon communi-
ties for over 72 years and
are delighted to be the one
of only three banks locat-
ed in Oregon that can make
the claim of being in the top
200 community banks in the
country.”
For more info
call 541-542-2161
Hamburger Stand will be open for you non-oyster eaters!
S OFTBALL T OURNAMENT
Call Pete 541-620-4533
G OLF S CRAMBLE
A TTENTION G RANT C OUNTY
Register at 8am,
4-person teams,
$10 per person
Call Chris 541-542-2201
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.
Raffle, Silent Auction
and 50/50 Drawing
Jeff Wilcox
Call 541-620-8057 for an appointment
Open: Mon, Wed, & Fri 10am-4pm by appointment.
05171
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1188 B REWERY
05595
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