Blue Mountain
The
EAGLE
Grant County’s newspaper since 1868
ODFW approves killing
two Harl Butte pack wolves
By Eric Mortenson
EO Media Group
O
regon Department of Fish and Wildlife approved a kill order for two adult
wolves from Wallowa County’s Harl Butte pack, which has been respon-
sible for seven confi rmed attacks on cattle in the past 13 months.
Ranchers in the area had asked ODFW to wipe out the pack, which
numbered 10 at the end of 2016 and at least seven when counted in March.
The department decided instead to kill two adults and then evaluate the situation.
“In this chronic situation, lethal control measures are warranted,” acting ODFW
wolf coordinator Roblyn Brown said in a prepared statement. “We will use in-
cremental removal to give the remaining wolves the opportunity to change
their behavior or move out of the area.”
The wolves will be trapped or shot from the ground or air in the next
two weeks, according to an ODFW news release.
See WOLVES, Page A18
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Support for
hydroponic
greenhouse grows
construction phase. This
means the first crop could be
planted as early as August of
2018.
The total cost of the proj-
ect is between $300,000 and
$400,000. This price range is
because the city is still in the
By Rylan Boggs
research phase of the project
Blue Mountain Eagle
and is considering a number
of manufacturers, including
The city of John Day Rough Brothers Inc., Crop-
could be getting a hydroponic king and Bright Agrotech,
greenhouse as early as August according to senior project
manager Aaron Lieuallen.
of 2018.
In controlled greenhous-
The facility, capable of
yielding as much as 1,200 es, crops can mature up to 25
pounds of produce weekly percent faster and yield up
and 31 tons annually, is pro- to 30 percent more produce,
posed to be built at the Inno- according to Lieuallen, who
vation Gateway site on the cited the ability to control
the growing climate and
west side of town.
The John Day City Coun- pests, such as earwigs.
The city is working with
cil Aug. 1 approved a budget
adjustment and authorized local grocers to determine
what produce
the expen-
will sell best
diture
of
in local mar-
roughly
kets before
$105,000
deciding on a
from
the
manufactur-
city’s sew-
er, Lieuallen
er
fund.
said.
The
mon-
Chester ’s
ey, roughly
Thriftway
14 percent
The Eagle/Rylan Boggs manager Bill
of the city’s
Wyllie said he
net working A red bell pepper at
had discussed
capital in the Chester’s Thriftway.
selling local
sewer fund,
will pay for a full-time em- produce with the city. Wyllie
ployee to run the greenhouse said the store went through
and materials and services, large quantities of vegetables,
according to John Day City such as lettuce, tomatoes and
cucumbers and recommended
Manager Nick Green.
“You’ve got to throw the city consider cultivating
your toes in the water to see them.
He said eliminating the
if it will work,” Councilman
need to transport produce
Steve Schuette said.
Hydroponic greenhouses would give customers a fresh-
grow crops without soil, in- er product with a longer shelf
stead using water to deliv- life and reduce the amount of
er nutrients to plants. The food waste.
“The customers could win
project will take advantage
of two resources plentiful to because they could potential-
the city: water and sunlight. ly get the product cheaper,
The city’s current plan we win because we put more
involves an eight-month
See HYDROPONIC,
planning window followed
Page A18
by a four-month greenhouse
John Day could
see first harvest
as early as
next fall
Jean Kline honors late
husband as grand marshal
Grant County
Fair runs
through
Saturday
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
It’s Jean Kline’s 50th
consecutive year attending
the Grant County Fair, and
this year brings a special hon-
or.
Kline will represent the
108th fair as grand marshal
this year, honoring her late
husband Dave Kline (1927-
2013).
In her early days attend-
ing the fair, Kline cheered on
her three children who were
involved in 4-H, horse shows
and parade activities.
This year, she’ll be clap-
ping for her great-grandchil-
dren Dylan and Sarah Clark
of John Day as they show
pigs.
Kline said she agreed
to be grand marshal for the
opportunity to highlight the
service Dave gave over the
years.
“Dave was the leader of
the Prairie City 4-H Live-
stock Club in 1967 and en-
joyed helping many young
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Grant County Fair Grand Marshal Jean Kline rides in
her late husband’s pickup, “Old Red,” in the Prairie
City Fourth of July parade.
4-H’ers with their projects for
several years,” she said. “In
those days, we spent many
hours helping young people
in the poultry, pig and sheep
and beef barns during the fair.
Dave also spent many years
instructing with the horse
show and junior rodeo.”
Besides entering pies,
cookies, vegetables and
more, over the years, Jean
also lent a hand to youth,
leading the Prairie City 4-H
Sewing Club for a few years.
“4-H is just a great pro-
gram for the children,” she
said. “It’s a good learning
experience and teaches dis-
cipline.”
Jean and Dave Kline were
married for 62 years. In their
early years of marriage, Dave
managed the Bridge Creek
Ranch in the north end of Sil-
vies Valley, now Silvies Val-
ley Ranch, and then managed
both the Bridge Creek and
Flying Hat Ranch in Mt. Ver-
non. He later became a realtor
as well.
Their children include
Nancy Moffi tt of Mt. Ver-
non, married to Geoff; Dan
Kline of Klamath Falls; and
Susan Byrne of Scottsdale,
married to Shawn. They have
four grandchildren and two
great-grandchildren
After a few years out of
the county, the family settled
in Prairie City in 1967.
“Dave was really well
known in the community,”
Jean said. “I supported him
through all his projects, and
he was very active with ev-
erything in the county.”
The fair is scheduled for
Wednesday, Aug. 9, through
Saturday, Aug. 12. The fair
parade is set for 10 a.m. Sat-
urday, Aug. 12, and Kline
will ride in Dave’s ’66 Chevy
pickup “Old Red,” which
was fully restored by her
grandson Farrell Clark of
John Day.
Jean said her husband
“dearly loved” Old Red.
“If he drove a pickup,
that’s the one he drove,” she
said.
She said she’s looking
forward to the fair and seeing
her great-grandchildren show
their animals.
“It’s really just a great
yearly event that brings ev-
erybody out and gets them to-
gether,” she said. “We see old
friends that we only see once
a year. ... It’s very important
to the ranchers and their chil-
dren.”
TOP PHOTO: Jean Kline will represent the 108th fair as grand marshal this year, honoring her late
husband Dave Kline (1927-2013). Contributed photo
Fire season fl ares up over weekend
Several large
blazes erupt in
Eastern Oregon
By George Plaven
EO Media Group
Wildland fi refi ghters in
northeast Oregon faced their
fi rst big test of the 2017 fi re
season over the weekend af-
ter three large blazes erupted
in relatively short order, at
least two of which were hu-
man-caused.
The largest of the bunch,
the Bear Butte Fire, was fi rst
reported Friday afternoon
within a mile of Anthony
Lakes Mountain Resort in
the Wallowa-Whitman Na-
Contributed photo
The Bear Butte Fire burns Friday near Anthony Lakes
Mountain Resort in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.
tional Forest. Authorities
quickly evacuated the resort,
along with Anthony Lakes
Campground and cabins in
the immediate area.
As of Monday, the fi re
was holding steady at about
500 acres. Road closures are
in effect while crews work to
strengthen fi re lines, includ-
ing Forest Service Road 73
from the North Fork John
Day Campground to the na-
tional forest boundary. The
Elkhorn Crest Trail is also
closed from the trailhead to
the Summit Trail junction.
On Sunday, a Type 2 inci-
dent management team com-
posed of 300 mostly local
fi refi ghters and three helicop-
ters arrived to take command
of the Bear Butte Fire, which
is now 10 percent contained.
The cause of the fi re has not
yet been determined.
Elsewhere, people have
been determined the cause
of the 222-acre Indian Lake
Fire started Friday in Uma-
tilla County, and the 301-
acre Clarks Creek Fire which
was reported seven miles
See FIRE, Page A18
ODF identifies
injured firefighter
EO Media Group
The Oregon Department of
Forestry has identifi ed the sea-
sonal fi refi ghter injured Satur-
day in a vehicle wreck on In-
terstate 84 west of Meacham.
Jesse Boyd, 21, of Hep-
pner, was heading back from
the Indian Lake fi re operating
a 1,600-gallon water tender
when the truck left the road-
way, crossed the median and
came to rest in the eastbound
lanes of the interstate. Why he
crashed remains under inves-
tigation.
Boyd was fl own via air
ambulance to a local hospital
where he is being treated for
serious injuries. His condition
is listed as stable, according to
ODF.