News
Blue Mountain Eagle
LETTERS
Continued from Page A4
A5
DA’s office gets $10,000 in grant funding
Support HB
3249, Oregon
Agriculture
Heritage Program
To the Editor:
Continued fracturing of
Oregon’s agricultural lands are
on a track to have far-reaching
consequences. These properties
not only provide a stable eco-
nomic platform for Oregon’s
second-largest economic sector,
but also sustain open space, pro-
tect natural resources and stew-
ard fish and wildlife habitats.
For rural communities, these
attributes are far more essential
to preserving rural customs and
financial vitality.
Even with a strong land use
system, Oregon farms are in-
creasingly challenged by land
fragmentation, along with ris-
ing production and land costs,
government regulations and
complex estate laws. These ob-
stacles further deter a younger
generation from entering the
profession, pressing the aver-
age age of Oregon farmers to
60 years. Over the next two de-
cades, eventual retirements will
subject an unprecedented 64
percent of Oregon’s agricultural
land to further subdivision, as
these lands change ownership.
Looking to the future of agri-
culture and this looming land
succession crisis, a more delib-
erate transition process will be
necessary to achieve the most
desirable outcomes for all Ore-
gonians.
The Oregon Agricultural
Heritage Program and House
Bill 3249 offers a new set of
voluntary tools that can assist
landowners with technical and
incentive resources, wishing to
preserve the agricultural use of
their properties. Technical as-
sets would provide agricultural
producers with access to estate
planning guidance to improve
the success of successions plans.
Created incentives would addi-
tionally fulfill a much-needed
niche by providing state grants
to protect farmland with work-
ing lands conservation ease-
ments. These easements remove
the development rights from
the parcel, while preserving its
agricultural use integrity and re-
taining positive ecological con-
ditions. Such transactions also
work to reduce the land value
itself, to keep it more affordable
for the next generation(s) of
farmers.
For the preservation of Or-
egon’s working landscapes, the
future of our next generation(s)
of farmers and ranchers, and
the long-term conservation of
irreplaceable natural resources
and continuous open space, the
directors of the Grant Soil and
Water Conservation District
urge all residents of the state
to endorse the activities of the
OAHP and support HB 3249.
Grant Soil and Water
Conservation District
Board of Directors
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
New fairgrounds
PA and reader
board system
moves forward
By Rylan Boggs
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Eagle/Rylan Boggs
Grant County Commissioner
Jim Hamsher.
The Grant County Dis-
trict Attorney’s office has re-
ceived $10,000 to help with
programs for children in cri-
sis.
Andrea Officer, the victim
assistance director for the
county, announced the educa-
tion service district grant in a
Grant County Court meeting
Wednesday, May 10.
Grant County Judge Scott
Myers said it was a “very ap-
propriate use of the money.”
During the meeting the
court also:
• approved a $103,100 bid
from Mike Voight Construc-
tion to build a shed for road
department equipment.
• approved a request from
C OPS AND C OURTS
Arrests and citations in
the Blue Mountain Eagle are
taken from the logs of law en-
forcement agencies. Every ef-
fort is made to report the court
disposition of arrest cases.
Grant County Circuit
Court
Glen William Wadley’s
charge of first-degree crim-
inal trespass was dismissed.
Oregon State Police
Cited Takoda Lee Pro-
peck, 18, of Prairie City for
minor in possession of mar-
ijuana and no seat belt after
being stopped for speeding
May 7.
Arrested an unnamed
Canyon City man after exe-
cuting a search warrant with
the Grant County Sheriff’s
Office and seizing items re-
lating to the use, delivery and
manufacture of methamphet-
amine May 7.
Arrested Timothy Keith,
33, Canyon City, for unlaw-
ful possession of a firearm
and cited him for driving
while suspended, driving un-
insured and failure to install
interlock ignition device after
being stopped May 8.
Executed a search warrant
with the Grant County Sher-
iff’s Office for a John Day
residence May 10 in relation
to an ongoing drug investiga-
tion.
Grant County Sheriff
The Grant County Sher-
iff’s Office reported the fol-
lowing for the week of May
5-11:
• Concealed handgun li-
censes: 6
• Average inmates: 14
• Bookings: 9
• Releases: 8
• Citations: 4
• Fingerprints: 3
• Civil papers: 13
• Warrants processed: 1
• Asst./welfare check: 1
Cited Ryan Cook, 18, of
Monument for possession of
marijuana May 11.
Cited Dennis Asher, 50, of
Bend for failure to obey traf-
fic control device and failure
to signal turn May 10.
Cited Elijah Allison, 42,
of Mt. Vernon for reckless
endangering and reckless
driving May 10.
Cited Tawnery Stymus,
42, of Mt. Vernon for viola-
tion of the basic rule, 78/65
zone, May 8.
Cited Delgado Garcia, 20,
of Gresham for violation of
the basic rule, 47/30 zone,
May 8.
Cited Justin McClaughry,
24, of Nampa, Idaho, for vio-
lation of the basic rule, 78/55
zone, May 8.
Justice Court
The Grant County Justice
Court reported the following
fines and judgments:
Driving Uninsured: Timo-
thy Luke Keith, 33, Canyon
City, Jan. 28, fined $260.
Violation of the basic
rule: Chad Elliot Derrick,
36, Mt. Vernon, 74/55 zone,
May 6, fined $160; Mandi Jo
Malone, 38, John Day, 75/55
zone, May 7, fined $135;
Nicholas Landau Gideonse,
56, Portland, 79/55 zone,
March 10, fined $260; Anne
Noelle Staten, 36, Bend,
71/55 zone, fined $160;
Kevin Gentry Kimberling,
44, Prairie City, 75/55 zone,
April 6, fined $135.
Exceeding speed limit:
Richard Stanley Colbeth, 78,
John Day, 75/65 zone, May
8, fined $135; Ryan Wayne
Pettyjohn, 49, Seneca, 75/65
zone, May 1, fined $135.
Driving while suspend-
ed: Timothy Luke Keith, 33,
Canyon City, Jan. 28, fined
$435; Levi B. Kalin, 35,
Canyon City, March 9, fined
$435.
Failure to carry proof of
insurance, Caleb Thomas
Grende, 20, March 24, fined
$260.
Dog as a public nuisance:
Erik Locke Teal, 28, Prairie
City, April 21, fined $130.
Stacy Lyn Prusak pleaded
guilty to third-degree theft on
May 10 and was sentenced
to 30 days in jail, and fined
$127.29.
Michael Dillon Griffith
was convicted of third-degree
theft and fined $460.
ALIEN: CONVENANT R
The crew of a colony ship discover an
uncharter paradise with a threat beyond
their imagination.
FRI & SAT
(12:45) (4:10) 7:10 9:50
SUNDAY
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MON-THURS (12:45) (4:00) 7:10 9:45
KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD PG-13
541-575-1113
24 hrs/7 days wk
debbie.ausmus@
countryfinancial.com
Once he pulls the sword from the stone,
Arthur is forced to acknowledge his true
legacy - Whether he likes it or not.
FRI & SAT
(12:45) (4:00) 7:00 9:40
SUNDAY
(12:45) (4:00) 7:00 9:45
MON-THURS (12:45) (4:00) 7:00 9:45
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, VOL. 2 PG-13
Set to the backdrop of an awesome mixtape
#2. The team unravels the mystery of the
Peter Quill’s true parentage.
FRI & SAT
(12:45) (3:45) 6:45 9:45
SUNDAY
(12:45) (3:45) 6:45 9:45
MON-THURS (12:45) (4:00) 6:45 9:45
$9 Adult, $7 Senior (60+), Youth
05619
Debbie Ausmus
245 South Canyon Blvd.
John Day, OR 97845
OPEN WED. & THUR.
9 am - 5 pm
PUBLICATION FOR SONSHINE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Sonshine Christian School will be accepting pre-registrations for the
2017/2018 school year. Registration fee for students is $75.00.
Pre School students must be 3 years of age before September 1 of the
school year and able to attend to toileting without staff assistance.
Their classes will be offered 2 days a week from 9-11am.
Pre-Kindergarten students must be 4 years of age before September 1 of the school year.
Their classes will be offered 3 days a week from 9-11:30am.
05534
Registration packets can be picked up at the church office, 521 E Main Street, John Day.
The office is open Tuesday-Thursday 9am-3pm. For information call (541) 575-1895
or e-mail Trace at the church e-mail address, judy@johndaynazarene.com
Dispatch
John Day dispatch worked
134 calls during the week
of May 8-14. Along with
the various traffic warnings,
trespassing, injured animals,
noise complaints and juvenile
complaints, these calls includ-
ed:
• John Day Police
Department
May 9: Took a report of an
assault at the Ugly Truth in
John Day.
May 10: Received a report
of an explosion on Northeast
Dayton Street. A burn pile had
been lit with too much fuel.
May 11: Took a report of a
broken car window in Prairie
City.
May 12: Responded to a
report of a broken glass door
at the Church of the Nazarene
in John Day.
• Grant County Sheriff’s
Office
May 8: Cited two Monu-
ment residents for minor in
possession of marijuana and
possession of an illegal fire-
arm.
May 10: Received a report
of people on ATVs harassing
cattle in the Wyllie Creek
area.
May 12: Responded to a
report of trespassing and ha-
rassment in Mt. Vernon.
May 13: Arrested a
57-year-old Mt. Vernon resi-
dent on a Grant County war-
rant.
May 14: Received a report
from Seneca of a dog at large
that killed another pet.
• John Day ambulance
May 8: Responded with
Monument Fire District for
a patient who was bleeding
from the leg.
May 12: Responded to the
John Day Fossil Beds for a
child who had passed out. Re-
sponded for a child who had a
seizure and asthma attack on
Highway 19.
May 13: Responded for a
22-year-old man who fell and
was having seizures.
the victim assistance director
to purchase a couch locally.
• approved a $13,680
yearly agreement between
the Grant County Assessor’s
Office and the Oregon De-
partment of Revenue for map
maintenance.
• signed a letter of appre-
ciation for Bruce Kaufman in
recognition of his volunteer
services.
• approved a contract be-
tween the county and state
for continued substance abuse
disorders and problem gam-
bling services funding for
Community Counseling Solu-
tions.
• approved electrical work
for a new PA system and read-
er board system at the fair-
grounds.
• approved a request from
Justice of the Peace Kathy
Stinnett to sign a contract with
Western Collections Bureau
to collect overdue fines.
• signed a previously ap-
proved Firewise contract be-
tween the county and Jerome
Natural Resources.
John Day budget
includes PT officer
By Rylan Boggs
Blue Mountain Eagle
The proposed budget for
the upcoming fiscal year for
the city of John Day includes
increased sewer and water
fees, a cost of living adjust-
ment for city employees and
establishes a community de-
velopment fund.
The John Day City Council
held a public hearing for the
2017-18 city budget during a
Tuesday, May 9, city council
meeting.
Some of the changes from
2016-17 budget are a $1 in-
crease for both sewer and
water services, a 1.5-percent
cost of living increase for city
employees, the addition of a
part-time police officer, ad-
ditional principle payments
on public works and indus-
trial park loans, a 3-percent
increase in employee health
insurance premiums and an
8-percent increase in property/
liability premiums.
The police department bud-
geted for an increase to com-
pensate for extra shifts needed
during the eclipse, as well as
the addition of part-time of-
ficer and dispatcher Andrew
Martin.
The fire department is an-
ticipating a $142,000 FEMA
The Eagle/Rylan Boggs
John Day City Councilor
Dave Holland, left, and
John Day City Manager
Nick Green listen during
a Tuesday, May 9, city
council meeting.
grant for new turnout gear and
communications equipment is
pending and the rural fire dis-
trict has a large increase in or-
der to help pay for the new fire
hall based on the rural districts
share of calls for service.
The sewer fund received
$70,000 worth of grant mon-
ey for sewer system improve-
ments and the city’s street fund
includes $180,000 in Secure
Rural Schools funds. City
Manager Nick Green said the
SRS funds could be used to
help connect Seventh Street
and Patterson Bridge Road,
as well general street main-
tenance. The budget also es-
tablished a community devel-
opment fund to be spent once
there is a comprehensive plan
to invest it.
Nevada man accused
of child sex crimes
Blue Mountain Eagle
A Nevada man is facing sex
crime charges in Grant County.
An April 17 grand jury in-
dictment accuses David Lee
Murphey of first-degree un-
lawful sexual penetration and
first-degree sexual abuse, both
felonies, for an incident with a
single, female victim who was
younger than 12 at the time,
between Aug. 2, 1998, and
Aug. 2, 2000.
According to court records,
Murphey was born in 1975 and
resides in Tonopah, Nevada.
An arraignment is scheduled
for 1 p.m. Thursday, May 18,
in Grant County Circuit Court.