News
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
A3
Police train in defusing mental crisis situations
18 receive
CIT training
certificates
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Local officers and other
emergency personnel are bet-
ter equipped to handle situa-
tions when facing individuals
experiencing mental crises.
After training for 40 hours
over four weeks, 18 local law
enforcement officers and oth-
er emergency first responders
graduated in May with Crisis
Intervention Team certifica-
tion.
CIT certification train-
ing coordinator Rick Brunk
from the Boardman branch of
Community Counseling Solu-
tions organized the classes,
which mainly took place at
the John Day Fire Department
conference room.
The instruction provided a
toolbox of techniques to calm
tense situations, including
Contributed photo
Local law enforcement officers and other emergency
first responders gather after completing a 40-hour
crisis intervention team training with Rick Brunk, left,
the CIT certification training coordinator of Community
Counseling Solutions in Boardman.
collaboration with the Com-
munity Counseling Solutions
mental health team.
“We help them recognize
the symptoms of mental ill-
ness and help them look for
ways to manage mental health
crises,” said Brunk.
One class he taught, called
City receives
$100,000 grant
“Crisis Cycle,” gave insight
into what may contribute to
a person with a mental illness
becoming upset, and what can
help that person feel safe.
Brunk said they look for
alternatives to arrest, if pos-
sible, when the person is pre-
senting with indicators of a
mental health condition and
arrest can be deferred.
Grant County Sheriff
Glenn Palmer said dealing
with people who have mental
health issues in the communi-
ty has been a concern for law
enforcement, and the training
offered some ways to handle
those incidents.
“(The training) gave us
some different techniques
on how to talk to people who
might be going through a
mental health crisis, getting
them the right resources,”
Palmer said. “If we can use
our techniques to defuse the
situation, and if we don’t
have to make an arrest — it
may be a medical or a men-
tal-health crisis — some-
times bringing them to jail
may not be the best solution.
It’s not what we’re looking
for.”
He added, “We’re learning
to handle this a little different-
ly than we have in the past.”
Linda Mills, a licensed so-
cial worker with Community
Counseling Solutions who
helped coordinate the train-
ing, said research indicates
officers who receive CIT
training have fewer encoun-
ters which result in violence,
injury and death — not only
against themselves, but oth-
ers.
The full-day classes were
taught on Thursdays with fi-
nal instruction on Friday, May
12.
Instructors included some
local experts, including Grant
County Undersheriff Zach
Mobley, Oregon State Police
Senior Trooper Erich Timko
who is a drug recognition spe-
cialist, CCS counselor Laura
Brunton, Grant County Dis-
trict Attorney Jim Carpenter
and several others.
The classes wrapped up
with scenario-based training
held at Humbolt Elementa-
ry School where officers and
other first responders could
test their skills in common
crisis situations with help
from volunteer role players.
Seasoned instructors and
mental health clinicians were
on hand to give immediate
feedback.
John Day Police Officer
Scott Moore said he found the
training helpful.
He said they learned how
to recognize symptoms of
mental illness as well as psy-
chosis from drug use.
“The tools we learned help
de-escalate situations with
ways to talk to them and ap-
proach them,” he said.
They were also given
phone numbers of people who
specialize in mental health.
“The main goal is to get
them the help they need,” he
said.
Agencies with individuals
receiving training included
John Day Police Department,
John Day Emergency Com-
munications Center, Grant
County Sheriff’s Office,
Grant County Correctional
Facility, Grant County Com-
munity Corrections, Grant
County Parole and Probation,
Community Counseling Solu-
tions and Blue Mountain Hos-
pital District.
FISHIN’ FOR FUN!
Local agencies
host Kids
Fishing Derby
By Rylan Boggs
Blue Mountain Eagle
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
John Day is looking into
purchasing the building,
at 131 W. Main St., which
currently houses four
business, Naturally Yours,
Etc., Karen Barntish LTC
and H & R Block, and
six apartments upstairs,
only one of which is
occupied. After being
approached by and
meeting with business
owners, John Day City
Manager Nick Green
submitted an application
for the $100,000 Oregon
Main Street Revitalization
Grant.
$2 million restoration, the
city would need to seek fund-
ing from state, federal and
non-profit sources, he said.
The project would offer
improved housing for resi-
dents, increase the property
tax base and beautify Main
Street, he said.
A proposed design for the
building would result in four
1,200-square foot commercial
spaces with improved stor-
age, restrooms and energy ef-
ficiency as well as a mountain
chic look. The second floor
would be converted into con-
dos with improved lighting,
energy efficiency and afford-
able prices for landlords and
renters.
The grant is intended to
“acquire, rehabilitate and con-
struct buildings on properties
in designated downtown areas
statewide and facilitate com-
munity revitalization that will
lead to private investment, job
creation or retention, estab-
lishing or expanding viable
business or creating a stron-
ger tax base,” according to
Oregon Parks and Recreation.
The department award-
ed 27 matching grants worth
$2,355,700 in amounts rang-
ing from $17,500 to $100,000.
Youth reeled in fun during
Saturday’s Kids Fishing Der-
by at McHaley Pond in Prairie
City.
The event drew 63 kids
and about as many parents,
grandparents and older sib-
lings.
Wayne and Rhonda Ber-
nard of Prairie City, along
with their Yorkshire Terrier
named Tuffy, watched their
young grandchildren fish
from camp chairs.
“It’s fun,” Wayne said. “I
used to fish out here when I
was a kid.”
“It’s one of the best things
to happen in Grant County
for the kids,” Rhonda added.
“It is so much fun watching
the little kids — it’s absolute-
ly fantastic. It’s a great fami-
ly affair.”
Five-year-old
Orean
Maurer of John Day fished
with his sister, Evangeline,
age 3, with help from their
mom, Alexandria.
“I felt a tug!” he ex-
claimed.
On the other side of the
pond, 9-year-old Kayden
Moles of John Day caught
a small trout, which he re-
leased, then a couple minutes
later reeled in a keeper.
His biggest catch of the
day, at that point, was 15
inches long.
The Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife had fish-
ing gear on hand for those
who needed a pole or bait.
Kids also had the option of
Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter
Five-year-old Orean Maurer and his sister, Evangeline,
3, were among 63 children casting their lines Saturday
at McHaley Pond in Prairie City during the Kids Fishing
Derby. Their mother, Alexandria, and baby brother,
Freidrick, watch nearby.
filling out a Free Fishing Day
Passport Book, adding stick-
ers as they completed a list of
activities.
Eight-year-old Erin Do-
nathan of Prairie City made
a colorful fish print, and
9-year-old Keilon Watson of
John Day completed a Chi-
nook salmon puzzle.
Other stations includ-
ed salmon life cycle brace-
let-making and a spin-the-
wheel question-and-answer
game.
The Malheur National
Forest had a booth about fire
prevention, which included a
visit from Smokey Bear.
“We really want people to
know that the pond is open
to the public,” said Confed-
erated Tribes biologist Emily
Davis.
She said they welcome
visitors to fish anytime.
“We’re glad people now
know where it is and have the
opportunity,” she said.
McHaley Pond is locat-
ed a half mile east of Prairie
City; turn right at the Forrest
Conservation Area sign (a
sign reads “office”) and fol-
low a dirt road to the pond.
Nine-year-old Kayden
Moles of John Day catches
another trout at Saturday’s
Kids Fishing Derby held at
McHaley Pond in Prairie City.
Eight-year-old Erin Donathan of Prairie City makes a
fish print with help from Alexandra Reinwald of the
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
The event was sponsored
by the Confederated Tribes
of the Warm Springs, Ore-
gon Department of Fish and
Wildlife and the Malheur Na-
tional Forest.
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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 541-620-8057 for an appointment
Open: Mon, Wed, & Fri 10am-4pm by appointment.
05171
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245 South Canyon Blvd.
John Day, OR 97845
OPEN WED. & THUR.
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541-575-1113
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countryfinancial.com
05755
The Eagle Rylan Boggs
05737
The city of John Day was
awarded a $100,000 Main
Street Revitalization grant.
The city applied for the
grant in March to purchase
and revitalize the Weaver
Complex on Main Street. The
building, at 131 W. Main St.,
currently houses four busi-
ness, Naturally Yours, Etc.,
Karen Barntish LTC and H &
R Block, and six apartments
upstairs, only one of which
is occupied. The building is
owned by Mary Weaver, ac-
cording to etc. owner Sherrie
Rininger.
John Day City Manag-
er Nick Green said the city
council has not yet deter-
mined whether the city will
purchase the property.
“We have not decided yet
to make an offer,” Green said.
“We are still doing our due
diligence.”
The city has 12 months to
decide if they want to use the
grant to purchase the property,
according to Green, who said
they may reach a decision
during a June 13 city council
meeting.
Green said he has been
dealing with closing the Or-
egon Pine transaction and
has moved this project to the
back burner. The Oregon Pine
property is a 53-acre proper-
ty on the John Day river be-
tween Patterson Bridge Street
and Seventh Street purchased
for $519,000 for future eco-
nomic development.
The city is looking at pur-
chasing the downtown build-
ing for $247,750. The grant
can only be used for this pur-
chase and requires a $147,000
match. The city would be-
come the landlord and, at
normal rental, see a return on
their investment within six
years, according to Green.
Though the $147,000 invest-
ment is in the upper limit of
the city’s financial exposure,
Green said it was a safe in-
vestment.
To complete the roughly
Thank You
I want to express my sincere appreciation
to everyone that attended my Open House
Retirement Party at City Hall. I was truly
blessed by the many friends that came by
to wish me well on my retirement as the
City Clerk for the City of Prairie City.
Thank you so much for the many cards,
gifts, flowers, and well wishes. A special
thank you to the City Council and staff for
the fond farewell and the thoughtful, very
generous gifts. I am going to miss all of you.
Lyn McDonald
05760
Give us a call today
541-676-9158 - Heppner
541-384-2801 - Condon
We welcome the opportunity to visit with
you about our services!
Heppner & & Condon
Heppner
Condon