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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 5, 2017)
A6 Rainbow Gathering Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, July 5, 2017 Officer shoots dog at Rainbow Gathering By George Plaven EO Media Group The U.S. Forest Service has con- firmed one of its police officers shot a dog Tuesday morning in the park- ing lot outside the Rainbow Gather- ing on the Malheur National Forest. Word of the incident began to spread late Tuesday on social media, sparking outrage among participants at the unauthorized gathering. The dog, a pit bull mix, was taken to an animal hospital in Canyon City where it was euthanized. According to a statement re- leased by the Forest Service, the officer — who was not identified — was conducting a routine daily count of cars in order to estimate the number of people camping at Flagtail Meadow, where this year’s gathering is being held. As the officer turned the corner, he saw two dogs sitting about 15 feet away. The dogs were not leashed, which is required by law and is also specified in the event operating plan. No other people were present in the area. The officer did not have his re- cording device turned on. But the Forest Service claims one of the dogs got up and charged the officer, who drew his firearm and shot the animal once. After shooting the dog, the Forest Service says the owners and other participants at the gathering began to crowd and yell at the officer. Officers took the dog to Canyon City with the owner’s permission. The dog’s re- mains were returned to the owners. To date, there have been at least 15 warnings and six citations is- sued for dog-related violations at the Rainbow Gathering. Local and federal agencies are reminding visi- tors to keep their dogs on leashes for public and animal safety. Stephen Baker, a spokesman for the Forest Service, said the incident remains under investigation and more details will be released when they are available. Faces of the Rainbow By Rylan Boggs Blue Mountain Eagle Eagle photos/Rylan Boggs Dan Hooke plays his flute on the side of the trail at the Rainbow Gathering Saturday, July 1. RAINBOW Continued from Page A1 To feed the masses, several large kitchens have been set up around the site. The Global Relief Kitchen is situat- ed in a massive tepee and is capable of making 100 gallons of food in an hour using minimal natural fuel. An attendee who called himself “Lu- cid,” of the Global Relief Kitchen, said the Rainbow Gathering is a great testing ground for disaster relief projects. “When you’re actually in a disaster situation or refugee camp, you don’t have the time or the ability to test and make changes to the project,” he said. “Everything has to be perfect.” The kitchen uses roughly half a dozen rocket stoves made from used oil drums and beer kegs. The oil drums contain the heat made by a small fire and cook whatever is placed into the kegs above them. The result is a high- ly efficient stove that keeps the tepee cool and vents smoke out of people’s breathing space. Lucid set up the kitchen during the 2016 floods in Baton Rouge, Louisi- ana, and is working to make the kitch- en an official nonprofit. “Rainbow has been a really great trial ground to iron out all the kinks, troubleshoot all the problems,” he said. The kitchen typically cooks vege- tarian stir-fries, curries and soups be- cause they are able to feed the largest variety of people with vegetarian food. The meals provided by the Global Relief Kitchen bring people together and help create a sense of community at the gathering. Attendee Dan Hooke said this is his eighth gathering. He keeps returning because he enjoys the sense of home he finds at the gathering. Hooke hand-makes flutes from bamboo and enjoys sharing his music with other attendees. He also trades DEATH Continued from Page A1 medical station at the gathering. An emergency room doctor from Ken- tucky who was attending the gathering provided medical treatment, and CPR An attendee who calls himself “Lucid” stands for a photo in the Global Relief Kitchen at the Rainbow Gathering Saturday, July 1. The kitchen is capable of quickly and efficiently producing large amounts of food using minimal fuel, according to Lucid. his flutes for anything he might need at the gathering, where bartering is the only form of currency. Janel Ahle and her young daughter Masha are attending their first gather- ing. Ahle said she believes her daughter will enjoy Kiddie Village, an area made specifically for children at the gathering, and she looks forward to the socializa- tion her daughter will experience. The Rainbow Gathering, which began with a July 4 prayer in 1972, is non-denominational and welcomes all faiths. The Jesus Kitchen, at the Jesus Camp, holds regular morning prayers and a more formal meeting Sunday night, as well as cooking for anyone who comes by. “We try to create an atmosphere here where people can come in and feel loved and accepted,” said Joshua Hanson of the Jesus Kitchen. The camp has been a staple at nation- al Rainbow Gatherings since 1997. “Predominantly, people are really open and accepting of Jesus Camp out here, but there are some people that have a problem with it,” Hanson said. Like most of the others, Jesus Kitch- en usually cooks vegetarian but will sometimes include meat on the menu. “Not a lot of kitchens will do meat,” he said, “but we do try to mix it up oc- casionally just because there are people that need the meat.” was attempted for 15-20 minutes with- out success. The sheriff’s office is attempting to identify the individual. Investigation at the gathering provided no leads to identify the deceased. The man was removed from the scene and transported to Drisk- ill Memorial Chapel in John Day where fingerprints were obtained. The fingerprints will be sent to the Oregon State Police Identification Bureau. Once the sheriff’s office deter- mines the man’s identity, the office will attempt to notify next of kin. Joshua Hanson cooks in the Jesus Kitchen at the Rainbow Gathering Saturday, July 1. Shuttle “Shuttle” never counted how many Rainbow Gather- ings he’s been to, but he was at the first one in 1972. He’s worked on the park- ing crews and estimates he’s helped park three quarters of a million cars. He strives to make the gathering a safe and enjoyable place for peo- ple to attend, and tries to greet people at the gate with a joke. “If you drive 3,400 miles with two kids in diapers, the last thing you want is some- body agro at the gates. You want somebody who makes you laugh,” Shuttle said. Now 64, he cannot breathe much dust for health reasons. Instead, he helps with safety, making sure everyone at the gathering is properly hydrat- ed and touring camps with fire pits to ensure they have a shovel and at least five gallons of water on hand. “My whole goal, over my lifetime with the family, has been to keep the family safe. From each other, from the police and from outsiders,” Shuttle said. She said, in a world reliant on electricity and infrastruc- ture, being able to survive outdoors is a valuable skill. Zia This is Zia Martinis’ first annual gathering. She first ex- perienced the Rainbow Fam- ily at a regional gathering in Maui 1999. A young mother on the island with a military husband, she felt isolated. Then, someone invited her to the Rainbow Gathering and told her “you can come home.” “It was freedom. It was family. It was like I felt like I belonged,” she said. The feeling of family is what attracted her to the gath- ering, but it has also taught her valuable life skills. “I’m an urban girl. I’m a black woman born in Berke- ley, but I get to come out here,” she said. “I’ve read my books. I know how to build my fires. I know how to take care of my woods.” Khy Khy prefers life on the road. He said he’s tried the whole “adulting thing,” but after his house burned down and he was laid off from his job, he decided it wasn’t for him. This is his first national gathering, but he said he at- tended a smaller one in Flor- ida. “It’s a way to get away from Babylon and all the non- sense of the world,” he said, describing “Babylon” as mod- ern society and the dollar. Without it, he is less stressed. He travels with his dog, Lady, hitchhiking where he can and walking when can’t. Over the last nine months, he has traveled from Florida to Oregon to attend the gath- ering. Eagle photos/Rylan Boggs “Shuttle” went to the first Rainbow Gathering in 1972 and said he returns to help keep the people safe at the gathering. Khy and his dog, Lady. Zia Martinis, right, and “Papa Bear” stand for a photo outside the Rainbow Gathering. GRANT COUNTY ENTREPRENEURS! Share your ideas about what makes a good business or ask questions about starting a business in Grant County. Maybe you are working on something and you need feedback on your idea. THIS IS THE PLACE: Tuesday, July 11, 10:00 am. at Timbers Bistro - 742 W. Main St. FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL: David@envme.com 541-523-6377 05854 541-963-6577 541-573-6377 541-523-6377 05370
