A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
What do you
want to see?
t may be diffi cult to say
recreational opportunities?
what the future will bring
Improved access to high-speed
to Grant County, but
internet? A new educational
campus? Increased business
community members have
variety? Access to higher
an easy opportunity to let
education? Destination
local leaders know what their
tourism? Or something else?
priorities are through a new
If more people respond, the
survey.
results will better
Grant County,
reflect the will of
the city of John
Online
the community. And
Day, Blue Mountain
The survey is
that’s the point. A
Hospital District and
available online
community project
Grant School District at https://consul-
needs buy-in from
are working with
tations.oregon-
the community.
Oregon Solutions to
skitchentable.org.
The survey is
develop consensus
available online
around a project to
at https://consultations.
benefi t the community. The
agencies have commissioned a oregonskitchentable.
org. Paper copies are also
survey from Oregon’s Kitchen
available at the John Day City
Table, seeking input from
Hall during business hours.
as many county residents as
possible to determine priorities Surveys will be accepted until
June 23.
for the future.
This consensus-building
The survey is simple and
process is a great step toward
quick. It allows community
the future the community can
members the chance to get
create, and this survey is a
involved and offer ideas.
great chance for the entire
People can rank a variety of
community to get involved.
possible projects that could
We hope everyone will get
transform the community.
on board and take the survey.
What do you think is most
So what is it you want to
important for Grant County?
New and renovated homes? An see? Now is the time to voice
your opinions.
innovation center? Additional
I
W HERE TO W RITE
GRANT COUNTY
• Grant County Courthouse — 201
S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City
97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541-
575-2248.
• Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon
City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax:
541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@centu-
rylink.net.
• Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville
97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541-
987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net
• John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day,
97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541-
575-1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net.
• Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long
Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax:
541-421-3075. Email: info@cityofl ong-
creek.com.
• Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monument
97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-2025.
Email: cityofmonument@centurytel.net.
• Mt. Vernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt.
Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax:
541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net.
• Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie
City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax:
820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net.
• Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca
97873. Phone and fax: 541-542-2161.
Email: senecaoregon@gmail.com.
SALEM
• Gov. Kate Brown, D — 254 State
Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378-
3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website: www.
governor.state.or.us/governor.html.
• Oregon Legislature — State Capitol,
Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180. Web-
site: www. leg.state.or.us (includes Oregon
Constitution and Oregon Revised Statutes).
• State Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario (Dis-
trict: 60), Room H-475, State Capitol, 900
Court St. N.E., Salem OR 97301. Phone:
503-986-1460. Email: rep.cliffbentz@state.
or.us. Website: www.leg.state.or.us/bentz/
home.htm.
• State Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R — (District
30) Room S-223, State Capitol, Salem
97310. Phone: 503-986-1950. Email: sen.
tedferrioli@state.or.us. Email: TFER2@aol.
com. Phone: 541-490-6528. Website: www.
leg.state.or.us/ferrioli.
O THER V IEWS
Bill may build bridges
across partisan divide
There’s no reason a large-scale
transportation plan cannot be bi-
partisan. We can all benefi t from
an improved transportation system
— if it’s equitable to all who pay
for it.
For years, agreement on trans-
portation and infrastructure has
lacked at the state level, and for
much longer at the federal level.
It’s an example of partisan bick-
ering that’s come to dominate our
political atmosphere.
But state legislators are trying
to change that with an expansive
10-year transportation plan that
has previously eluded them. A
similar but far less expensive bill
was rounding third and headed for
home in 2015 when the road was
pulled out from under it. The now
much-derided Columbia River
Crossing had plenty to do with that
collapse.
This time it may be different.
Lawmakers last week rolled out a
298-page draft of an $8.2 billion
plan, and many of its proposed
projects and funding mechanisms
have already passed through a
more stringent and public process
than its predecessors — which is
the way it should be — especial-
ly given its price tag compared to
the $343 million proposed in 2015.
Those on both sides of the aisle,
and nonpartisans who have been
involved, say lessons were learned
in the last go-round and those hur-
dles have been hopped. They say
it would be paid for with a combi-
nation of hikes in the gas tax and
registration and license fees, tolls,
new taxes on payroll, vehicle deal-
ers and adult bicycle purchases.
Obviously, deeper vetting of the
bill is needed and is now under-
way. It’s critical because an unusu-
al caveat of the plan is that it could
be repealed in its entirety if voters
successfully challenge even one of
its provisions.
“The logic is that this is a pack-
age,” said state Sen. Lee Beyer,
D-Springfi eld, the co-chairman of
the Joint Committee on Transpor-
tation Preservation and Mainte-
nance. “If you pull one string, the
whole thing comes apart.”
The plan’s key cogs are up-
grades in Portland. But to convince
a majority of legislators — who
don’t represent Portland — sup-
porters of transportation improve-
ments are touting the city’s huge
impact on the statewide economy.
Bob Russell, vice president of
the Oregon Trucking Association,
told T he Daily Astorian transit
time through Portland isn’t reliable
and negatively impacts every busi-
ness in the state — including our
region — that needs to move goods
through Oregon’s largest city. It
also impacts visitors who try to get
here using the choke points along
U.S. Highway 101 and the two
highways connecting to Portland.
The initial bill lists a number of
earmarked projects outside of Port-
land, although it’s troubling that
none are on the North Coast.
But state Sen. Betsy Johnson,
co-chairwoman of the Joint Com-
mittee on Ways and Means Sub-
committee on Transportation and
Economic Development, said the
package, although concerning in its
lack of coastal projects, shouldn’t
be taken as a done deal. “Don’t let
yourself get trapped into thinking
this is ‘x,’” she said. “There are
going to be tons of amendments.”
Johnson said she has subscribed
to the idea that helping ease con-
gestion in the Portland metro area
will help businesses from the Ore-
gon Coast to Eastern Oregon move
products easier.
And under the state’s method of
dividing revenue, portions of some
of the tax money generated will go
to the state’s counties and cities.
That could translate into increased
dollars for our cities’ and county’s
road budgets, the airport and the
P ort. The bill tasks the Oregon
Transportation Commission with
prioritizing proposed projects not
already earmarked.
Public hearings began Monday,
and a vote on the House fl oor could
come by mid-month.
If the bill is properly vetted
— and it must be — it is one is-
sue that does not just benefi t one
political party, or one demograph-
ic, nor pushes one group forward
while another falls behind. A solid
transportation plan can move us all
forward, and this could be the one
if it proves equitable to all.
— The Daily Astorian
F ARMER ’ S F ATE
Weed it and reap!
By Brianna Walker
To the Blue Mountain Eagle
USPS 226-340
Blue Mountain
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There are two seasonal diversions
that ease the bite of winter: spring
thaw and seed catalogs. It’s always
exciting to fl ip through the pages and
pick out your old standbys: tomatoes
and cucumbers, as well as a few
unusual and bizarre varieties like
romenesco or samphire.
Everywhere you look you can see
people getting ready for garden sea-
son: raised beds, fresh mulch, new
tomato cages. Even the newspapers
get into the season with garden tips:
how often to water and how to dis-
tinguish between weeds and plants.
Personally, I fi nd the best way to dif-
ferentiate is to give the plant a tug. If
it came out easily, it must have been
a good plant. If the roots have grown
to China, and pulling on it only results
in breaking the top off before toppling
onto your backside, it’s a weed.
“Grow Great Potatoes Easily”
read the headline of a magazine ar-
ticle promoting old, wet straw bales
for home vegetable gardens. After
loading several decomposing bales
one evening, I started thinking about
trying it myself. After asking my
husband his thoughts, he reached
over and took my hand.
“You have always been able to
grow potatoes so well. I don’t think
you need straw bales to make them
any better.”
I gave him a proud smile. He took
my hand.
“Let’s take a little walk,” he said.
Hand in hand we walked toward the
garage. I was still smiling proudly
when he reached for a box under a
bench. It was full of last year’s for-
gotten potatoes with
10-inch sprouts on
them.
“If you can grow
potatoes
without
dirt, why would you
need straw?”
Brianna
The Bible was
Walker
right. My pride went
before destruction.
I don’t necessarily love garden-
ing, but I enjoy having the ability to
run out and grab a fresh tomato or
cucumber for supper. Having fresh
produce and herbs on hand is great,
but garden maintenance is always a
struggle. Mother Nature and I seem
to have a bit of a misunderstanding
in regards to my garden patch. I
think of it as a place to raise food for
my family to eat. She thinks of it as a
CRP ground that is lacking in lambs
quarter and kochia weed — and she
tries hard to correct the error.
You can bury a lot of troubles
digging in the dirt. Perhaps that’s
why so many people fi nding garden-
ing so relaxing. I’ve even seen cute
signs that say “gardening is cheaper
than therapy—and you get toma-
toes!” But to me, gardening requires
a lot of weeding and water — both
that seem to come in the form of per-
spiration.
Anyone who wants to rule the
world should try ruling a garden fi rst.
Once you can conquer squash bugs
and slugs; successfully create coun-
try lines that are strict on the entry of
terrorists like gophers, deer and rab-
bits; combat seasonal distresses such
as fl ooding and drought; and still fi nd
yourself with enough, energy, man-
power and money to successfully
harvest enough of your crop to gener-
ate an income — whether in the form
of home canning or a lower grocery
bill — then I think you can turn your
attention to world power.
Some people really love their gar-
den plants, even to the point of speak-
ing to them — pointing to para-sci-
ence studies that show that plants
thrive when spoken to. But either my
plants never read those journals or
my tone of voice is too harsh. When
I’m in the garden, breaking the tops
off weeds, I’m rarely in my “hap-
py vocabulary.” I think it really is
because my plants are shy, and too
much attention would inhibit their
growth and cause them embarrass-
ment. At least that’s the theory I’m
going with.
Some people get even more per-
sonal than just talk. I recently read
that the month of May hosted a world
naked gardening day. It claims it was
an opportunity to pull weeds, plant
fl owers and harvest vegetables while
getting some sun (where it doesn’t
usually shine). If you want to join
them, feel free (literally), but my
plants are wall-fl owers. I am certain
that kind of display would cause them
to tuck in their blossoms and die of
embarrassment.
Regardless of your gardening
style, the season is upon us. My gar-
dening motto has been: “Early to bed
and early to rise. Work like a horse
and fertilize!” Unfortunately, the only
things that I can count on growing to
maturity are puncture weeds and zuc-
chini.
Although I guess now I can add
forgotten potatoes to that list.
Brianna Walker occasionally
writes about the Farmer’s Fate for
the Blue Mountain Eagle.