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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 2017)
Opinion Blue Mountain Eagle LETTERS Continued from Page A4 Governmental overreach in the courthouse To the Editor: Federal prosecutors are showing a personal and political vendetta against the patriots that helped pro- tect protesters while Cliven Bundy rescued his cattle from Bureau of Land Management impoundment. These men took an armed stand to protect protesters because the Bu- reau of Land Management had snip- ers in position above the protesters. The third retrial, in the Tier 3 group retrial of USA v. Bundy for the Bunkerville, Nevada, standoff, if kept separate from the next two tiers of the Bundy trial, will delay all the other participants still in the Pahrump Detention Center by many months. Many have been incarcerat- ed for over 20 months already. With so many of the Bundys and supporters being acquitted, it looks to me as if the prosecutors are using the retrial of Eric Parker and Scott Drex- ler as a ploy to keep the members of the Bundy family and their support- ers incarcerated as long as possible before their trial, because they know that many will be acquitted. The third trial for Eric Parker and Scott Drexler is currently scheduled for Sept. 25 at the Nevada Federal District Court in Las Vegas. It is pos- sible that the prosecution could ask for an extension of that date. Terry Noonkester Myrtle Creek Helping parks helps businesses To the Editor: I applaud Jim Hammett’s recent opinion piece for shining a light on the important economic role John Day Fossil Beds National Monu- ment plays in supporting communi- ties and businesses in the surround- ing area. Mr. Hammett mentions that Fossil Beds visitors spent $10 million in our region. I wanted to let our friends and neighbors know specifically what that means to our communities and how important the national monument is to the Oregon Hotel. The Oregon Hotel was first built in the late 1800s. While we are rel- atively new owners, we know that throughout the decades many visi- tors have come to the hotel to expe- rience the Fossil Beds. We are only nine miles west of the Painted Hills Unit of the Fossil Beds, and hikers, photographers, painters and geolo- gists have all stayed under our roof. The monument is such a draw for our business that we have it featured prominently on our website. Visitors to the Fossil Beds support our hotel, and they support other Mitchell busi- nesses. Former Superintendent Hammett is right to encourage Oregon’s mem- bers of Congress to support mea- sures like the National Park Services Legacy Act that will help Fossil Beds address the $1,565,383 million it faces in backlogged repairs. Sim- ply put, if the park cannot keep up with visitors, businesses like mine will suffer. The Oregon Hotel supports our national parks because national parks support us. If Congress helps national parks address the billions in backlogged repairs, they will be helping businesses like mine. Waunita Reed Mitchell ‘We will never forget John Day’ To the Editor: Grant County provided the ul- timate experience of a total eclipse on Aug. 21. Your community was so welcoming and prepared for this event, you made it a truly memora- ble visit. We expected the worst with the crowds in such a small town, and we received the best. From the mo- ment we arrived on Friday, shopping for last minute forgotten supplies, setting up camp at Tom and Al Ol- son’s place and fixing our first meal on a brand new camp stove, we were impressed with the community. We spent the weekend touring Fossil, the Painted Hills and the Paleontol- ogy center, enjoying the beautiful scenery and weather and building up anticipation for the eclipse. And, oh my, what an eclipse. There truly are no words to convey the experience, but the town seemed to stand still in that moment with everyone sharing the same sense of awe. We live on an amazing planet in an amazing solar system, so little known but enough to appreciate the majesty of it all. And regardless of your faith, politics or personal cir- cumstances, for that one moment all was forgotten except the ability of a small rock called the moon to block out the awesome power of our sun. What a beautiful experience. Your town is to be congratulated Wednesday, August 30, 2017 on hosting so many strangers and be- ing a part of the biggest event of the decade. And now, back to normal for you and your community. After a nine-hour drive on Mon- day (that only took seven hours on Friday), we are also back to normal. But we will never forget John Day, Al and Tom Olson, your Chamber of Commerce who graciously provided Wi-Fi access so we could reach fam- ily and all the merchants and resi- dents who welcomed people from all over the world. And of course, the strange colored light, beautiful coro- na and diamond ring, from an eclipse which we hope we have a chance to see again some day. Debbie and Kent Treen Sammamish, Washington Grant County ‘welcoming and gracious’ To the Editor: We would just like to say that Grant County and its people are awe- some! Everyone was so welcoming and gracious, opening homes and property to visitors from far and wide to share in the experience of the eclipse that just happened to cross your special place, taking time to talk to us, responding patiently and generously to questions about where to go and what to do. We spent several days, enjoy- ing the hospitality of a local motel (Dreamers Lodge) on our first night, great food and friendly hosts at the Outpost and Squeeze In and the fantastic views, bird life (so many hawks! mountain bluebirds!), forests and geology of Eastern Oregon. We are from California and had some worries about how we would be received, showing up without a real plan (honestly, we tried, but even in March there were no hotel rooms available). The Chamber of Commerce was helpful, and finally, driving around and talking to people led us to the perfect spot (Dan and Cheryl’s field on Dixie View Road outside Prairie City, where we pitched our tent Sun- day afternoon). We sincerely hope that the influx of people proved to be a benefit for the businesses of Grant County, and that the services required to get us all safely in and out were not too burdensome. We will be forever grateful that you made it possible for us to have such an amazing experience. Be- yond the eclipse, we enjoyed the Cove Cherry Fair, the Eastern Ore- gon Beer Festival, the Malheur and Hart Mountain refuges and the spec- tacular vistas of the high desert. We look forward to coming back. Ruth Norris and John Shores Santa Clara, California ‘A house divided cannot stand’ To the Editor: I once served in a war with men that ran the spectrum of red, yellow, tan, black and white. No one was concerned my great-grandfather was a Confederate soldier, or someone’s predecessor was made a slave in Africa by other blacks and sold overseas, land taken from someone else and settled was eventually lost to other settlers or Native Americans, Europeans mur- dered each other from the get go. It was history, and hopefully one can learn from it, not still bicker and fight over what is long done. We soon discovered the only color we were interested in was red, the col- or of everyone’s blood, and we were keen in keeping each other’s backs. The world is a perilous place. We can ill-afford to bicker and fight among ourselves. We best realize that united as Americans is the only course we pursue. Abraham Lincoln stated, “A house divided cannot stand.” True when spoken and just as true today. Dave Traylor John Day Confederate flag ‘a proud symbol of American history’ To the Editor: According to a letter to the editor in the Blue Mountain Eagle on Aug. 23, celebrating and honoring a symbol of our history is now racist and depicts white supremacy? The Confederate flag is part of our history. During the Civil War, men fought and died for what they believed in and both Confederate and U.S. flags were flown during confrontations. Perhaps the individual objecting to the pres- ence of the Confederate flag during a parade would also consider the Amer- ican flag as racist? Both blacks and whites fought and died — who was the racist here? Blacks had black slaves — who were the racists or white su- premacists here? Do their headstones of north and south Civil War soldiers lend credence to racism? Tobacco is racist. Cotton is racist. Sugar cane is racist. All were part of the history of the South, and the list goes on. A5 Perhaps that individual who al- lowed racism to raise its ugly head within our county should return to the liberal world that spawned him and take his message of hate with him. I did not realize that hired liberal ex- tremists were inhabiting our small, rural communities and seek to infect other inhabitants with their hypocrisy. Grant County does not need this sort of herniated intellect or philistine predilections visited upon us. By the way, the U.S. Supreme Court deter- mined that burning and desecration of the American flag, once a punishable crime under Title 18, Part 1, Chapter 33, 700, was now freedom of speech. However, Oregon Revised Statute 166.075 still holds that abuse of the flag is a crime. Don’t you suppose honoring the Confederate flag, a proud symbol of American history, deserves equal con- sideration? Early in American history, white Irish indentured servants, who were virtually slaves, outnumbered black slaves and endured worse treat- ment at the hands of their masters. Per- haps we should be eyeing shamrocks, the color green, blarney stones, red- heads and Irish whiskey for brainless destruction — and ignorance and hy- pocrisy continues unabated. Judy Kerr Canyon City ‘Great job, Grant County!’ To the Editor: I am so proud of the people of Grant County! From the reports we are receiving, our eclipse visitors were very impressed with our com- munities. They say we were organized, prepared and very friendly. Many of them have indicated that they plan to return. Great job, Grant County! I love the way we pull together when we need to and put our best foot for- ward. I would like to give a shoutout to Irene Jerome, Sally Bartlett and Eloise Boren for the beautiful new Grant County map. We handed out hundreds of them. I am so glad we will have them even beyond the eclipse. They are not only beautiful, but a fantastic resource when trying to point people in the right di- rection. My hope going into this huge undertaking was that the benefit we all received would outweigh any incon- venience we might have experienced. Many people have told me that it did. Yay, Grant County! Tammy Bremner, manager Grant County Chamber of Commerce 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 Christopher Joseph Ortega was found guilty of delivery of methamphetamine, menacing and resisting arrest and was sentenced to 150 days in jail, and fined $550. Oregon State Police Arrested Ryan David Hall, 39, for driving under the influ- ence of intoxicants, tampering with evidence and refusing a breath test Aug. 20. Responded to a single-ve- hicle crash on Highway 26 and issued a juvenile female a cita- tion for failure to drive within lane Aug. 23. Counts of pos- session of methamphetamine, attempt to commit a class B felony, recklessly endangering another person, harassment, driving under the influence of intoxicants and reckless driv- ing were dismissed. Thomas E. Pfeifer was found guilty of falsifying drug test results and was sentenced to 24 months probation, 30 hours community service and 20 days in jail, and fined $100. He was also found guilty of manufacture of methamphet- amine and sentenced to 24 months probation, 60 hours community service and 20 days in jail. Charges of posses- sion of methamphetamine and possession of oxycodon were dismissed. JT Lee Knutson was found guilty of unauthorized use of a vehicle, possession of meth- amphetamine and attempting to elude police officers and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 54 months probation and 160 hours of community service, and fined $20,658. Charges of criminal mischief, attempting to elude a police of- ficer and reckless driving were dismissed. He was also found guilty of first-degree failure to appear and sentenced to 24 months probation and 20 days in jail, and fined $200. Grant County Sheriff The Grant County Sheriff’s Office reported the following for the week of Aug. 18-23: • Concealed handgun li- censes: 2 • Average inmates: 17 • Bookings: 14 • Releases: 14 • Arrests: 3 • Citations: 25 • Fingerprints: 1 • Civil papers: 5 • Warrants processed: 5 • Asst./welfare check: 14 • Search and Rescue: 1 Cited Spencer Leifheit, 41, Mt. Vernon, for disorderly conduct Aug. 21. Arrested Alexander Rick- mond, 28, Los Angeles, for driving under the influence and failure to signal turn Aug. 21. Justice Court The Grant County Justice Court reported the following fines and judgments: Driving while suspended: Talia Christine Maloy, 41, Prairie City, April 14, fined $435. Driving uninsured: Tami Dawn Stringam, 45, Ontario, July 3, fined $130. Failure to drive within lane: David Lee Palmer, 58, Baker The Juniper Arts Council is offering training on applying for small grants and the Juniper Arts Council Shelk Community Grant Application. THURSDAY, SEPTEM2ER 14, 2017 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room at the John Day Fire Hall Why should your organization attend? • Your organization needs a small grant • Your organization is looking for grant application training • Your organization would like to apply for a Juniper Arts Council Shelk Community Grant (maximum grant awarded: $1,000) * For more information, contact Kris Beal at 541-932-4892. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE NOVEM2ER 2, 2017 2Y 5 P.M. * The Juniper Arts Council is pleased to be partnering with the John and Linda Shelk Foundation to offer community grants in Grant County. The trainer will use the Juniper Arts Council Shelk Communty Grant application and budget as a model at the training with extra points added to your grant application when it is scored just for attending. City, July 28, fined $220. Dispatch John Day dispatch worked 224 calls during the week of Aug. 21-27. Along with the various traffic warnings, tres- passing, injured animals, noise complaints and juvenile com- plaints, these calls included: • John Day Police Depart- ment Aug. 21: Received a report of a hit and run that happened between four and five days be- fore near Chester’s Thriftway. Aug. 22: Took a report of second-degree theft at the fair- grounds. Aug. 23: Responded with Oregon State Police to a report of trespassing at a vacant house on Canyon Boulevard. Minis- terial aid was given to a family that ran out of fuel in John Day. • Grant County Sheriff’s Office Aug. 21: Responded to a report of trespassing on High- way 395 north. Responded to a report of trespassing on Keeney Road. Aug. 22: Received a re- port of lost puppies near Forest Service Road 31. Dis- patched to a report of a miss- ing juvenile at the site of the Rainbow Gathering. Aug. 24: Responded to a homicide on Dog Creek Road with Oregon State Po- lice, John Day Police and the John Day ambulance. Aug. 26: Responded to a grass fire on the hill behind Juniper Ridge Acute Care Center with the John Day Fire Department, Canyon City Fire Department, Ore- gon Department of Forestry and John Day Police De- partment. Aug. 27: Advised of someone speeding through livestock on Schoolhouse Lane. • John Day ambulance Aug. 23: Responded to a single-vehicle crash near the Carter Ranch with Oregon State Police, Grant County Sheriff’s Office and John Day police. • United States Forest Service Aug. 21: Dispatch called AAA for a vehicle with a hole in its oil pan. Received a re- port of fuel leaking from a ve- hicle on the highway near Mt. Vernon. Aug. 23: Received a re- port of a forest fire on Vester Creek Road. Aug. 27: Grant County Sheriff’s Office and Sen- eca Fire Department were advised on a fire on County Road 16. • Dayville Fire Depart- ment Aug. 25: Responded for a report of a fire on West Franklin Avenue. Thank you! The Grant County Fairgrounds extends our thanks to all our sponsors, volunteers, staff, board members and attendees. We could not do it without you. save the date: September 8 & 9, 2017 NPRA Rodeo at the Fairgrounds