The Blue Mountain eagle., October 11, 2017, Image 1

The
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
Grant County’s newspaper since 1868
W EDNESDAY , O CTOBER 11, 2017
• N O . 41
Tiger star
Gabe Walker
returns three
kicks for TDS
– PAGE A10
• 18 P AGES
• $1.00
www.MyEagleNews.com
DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE
HEART
offers help and strength
victims
of
to
domestic violence
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
H
eart of Grant County staff members are bringing attention to Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
They started off October with a Color Me Free Run and Walk on Oct. 4 and decorated their John Day offi ce
with purple T-shirts and a banner that states “Domestic Violence Hurts, Heart of Grant County Helps.”
Heart is a nonprofit domestic violence and sexual assault protection program serving county res-
idents. The organization helps about 75 to 100 clients a year and sees four or five new clients a month
as well as ongoing clients, said Heart’s executive director Shelly Whale-Murphy. The staff at Heart also includes office
coordinator Tammy Larkin and advocate Cindy Kalin.
All three work with a network of local supporters to help families break the
cycle of violence. Domestic violence, which Whale-Murphy said has roots in
power and control, can include sexual assault as well as
verbal, emotional and psychological abuse. It can also
include social, fi nancial and spiritual control, stalking,
• A personal story harassment, threats and intimidation.
at Heart include a 24-hour hotline, tempo-
of triumph rary Services
safe housing, emergency transportation and support
groups that include art therapy. Whale-Murphy said they
• Red fl ags and can also help a client obtain a free restraining order, if
warning signs of an qualifi ed, whether or not he/she is married to the abuser.
She said she and her staff are mandated by grant re-
abuser quirements
to keep private the information given to them.
“We do not disclose information to anyone unless the
Page 8
client gives us permission to or requests for us to release
information,” Whale-Murphy said.
See ABUSE, Page A8
INSIDE
“
We are
there to
help them
navigate
their
journey to
get free of
violence
in the
best way
that we
can.”
Shelly
Whale-Murphy
Heart’s
executive director
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Heart of Grant County’s executive director Shelly Whale-Murphy,
left, and advocate Cindy Kalin stand outside the Heart office, which
is decorated for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Advocates help lives turned ‘upside-down’ by domestic violence
By Angel Carpenter
Victim Intervention
Specialist Kimberly
Neault, left, and
Victim Assistance
Program Director
Andrea Officer.
Blue Mountain Eagle
Cases of reported domestic violence
handled by local law enforcement and
the district attorney’s offi ce show Grant
County is not immune to the problem.
In 2016, the Grant County District At-
The Eagle
Angel Carpenter
torney’s offi ce served 108 victims of do-
mestic violence, providing 2,249 services
to those victims.
Domestic violence cases included:
• Domestic and family violence, 73
• Child abuse, 12
• Child sexual abuse, 11
• Stalking, 5
County extension offi ce
expands into new offi ces
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
From supporting 4-H
kids and county fairs to ad-
vising farmers and ranchers,
the Oregon State University
Extension Service offers a
wide variety of programs
and services for Grant
County residents.
The local extension of-
fice recently moved out of
a county-owned building
on East Main Street to a
suite of offices in the Mad-
den Brothers Performing
Arts Building on Bridge
Street.
As the local offi ce add-
ed the Open Campus and
STEM programs and staff
increased from four to six,
The Eagle/Richard Hanners
The Grant County Extension Service has moved to new
offices in the Madden Brothers Professional Arts Building.
From left, Shanna Northway, Kristal Hansen, Didgette
McCracken, Carol Waggoner and Christal Culley.
additional offi ce and meet-
ing space was needed.
“We increased from 900
square feet to 3,100 by mov-
ing,” offi ce coordinator Car-
ol Waggoner said.
See OFFICES, Page A7
• Violation of protective order, 3
• Adult sexual assault, 2
“Many people believe that domes-
tic violence is an isolated event, and
they’re more aware of it happening in
bigger cities,” said victim assistance
See ADVOCATES, Page A8
Voters to see 911
dispatch levy on ballot
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
Grant County voters will
have a local option tax pro-
posal on the ballot this No-
vember, intended to fi ll a
funding gap for 911 dispatch
in Grant County.
The goal is to raise
$208,916 per year beginning
in fi scal year 2019. The tax
impact on a $100,000 home
would be $38 per year. Ballots
for the Nov. 7 election will be
mailed to voters on Oct. 18.
According to John Day
City Manager Nick Green,
the cost of running the city’s
emergency communications
center is $492,115 for the
current fi scal year. About
$270,000 will come from the
state’s 75 cent surcharge on
monthly telephone bills, and
$22,921 will come from Blue
Mountain Hospital and the
U.S. Forest Service.
That leaves a defi cit of
$199,194 this fi scal year,
which must be covered by
John Day property taxes. The
estimate for 2019 is $208,916.
“The cost of 911 goes up
each year due to increases
in the Public Employees Re-
tirement System, insurance,
utilities and a 1 percent cost
of living adjustment for staff
salaries,” Green said.
The rising defi cit affects
the city’s budget and longterm
goals. Public safety expen-
ditures in fi scal year 2015,
about half for city police, to-
taled $813,629 — 289 percent
of the city’s property tax rev-
enue.
See 911, Page A7