Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 2017)
News Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, November 15, 2017 A3 Ward installed as chamber president Ward and Bremner are the chamber’s ‘Energizer bunnies’ By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle About 130 people showed up at the John Day Elks Lodge for the Grant County Chamber of Commerce’s annual instal- lation dinner on Nov. 8. Rancher Jack South- worth, serving Bruce as master of Ward ceremonies, recalled how Grant County looked 80 years ago when the chamber was first organized and how much has changed. State Sen. Ted Ferrioli delivered a short talk filled with humorous quips and later led the installation cer- emonies for Bruce Ward as the chamber’s new president and for the chamber’s board of directors, including new directors Sally Knowles and Elaine Livran. Ferrioli began by noting that Grant County is home to this year’s 2A state volley- ball champions. “I find it amazing how of- ten athletes of Grant County take top honors,” he said. Ferrioli, who is leaving the Senate to take a seat on the Pacific Northwest Elec- tric Power Planning and Conservation Council, said he relied on groups like the chambers of commerce for information to take to the legislature — especially considering the size of Sen- ate District 30, the largest in Oregon — and he urged chamber members to contin- ue what they do. “You are the heart of the community,” he said. “You probably don’t realize how The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Grant County Safe Communities Coalition coordinator Debi Hueckman, left, stands with presenter Natalie Marti, who shared with students the tragic effects a drunken driver had on her family. Woman shares far-reaching impact of drunken driver By Angel Carpenter The Eagle/Richard Hanners State Sen. Ted Ferrioli, left, reads the script installing Bruce Ward as the new president of the Grant County Chamber of Commerce at the John Day Elks Lodge Nov. 8. Outgoing President Jerry Franklin watches from his seat. much power you have.” John Day City Manag- er Nick Green, who spoke to the chamber a year ago shortly after moving here from the Seattle area, tried to provide a thumbnail histo- ry of the city’s accomplish- ments over the past year in less than a minute — but he needed a 30-second exten- sion. Looking forward, Green said he will issue an execu- tive vision document in Jan- uary and the first of what he plans to be an annual state of the city address in February. He said he hopes the address will elicit public feedback. Green said a design con- tract for the Innovation Gateway project will be signed in March, and a new river trail will be dedicated in the spring. He also said he wants to figure out a way to replace the public swimming pool. Chamber Office Manager Tammy Bremner described a busy year that just conclud- ed, which included tens of thousands of visitors during the eclipse and the Rain- bow Gathering. She said the chamber planned for 10,000 The Eagle/Richard Hanners Rancher Jack Southworth was the master of ceremonies at the annual Grant County Chamber of Commerce installation dinner at the John Day Elks Lodge on Nov. 8. eclipse visitors, but more than 20,000 showed up. “It was a great success because we planned ahead,” she said, noting that the chamber later received nu- merous emails and letters from visitors thanking the community for a great expe- rience in Grant County. Bremner said about 3,000 people have downloaded a travel app from the cham- ber’s revised website, add- ing that about 2,000 came from China. “That’s probably because of the Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site,” she said. Ward said his strategy for promoting tourism to the Grant County area would be based on promoting John Day because of the city’s name recognition across the United States. He said he wants to link John Day to its sister cities of Ontar- io, Vale, Prairie City and Prineville and to promote Highway 26 as the preferred scenic route across Eastern Oregon. Outgoing president Jerry Franklin character- ized Bremner and Ward as the chamber’s “Energizer bunnies.” Ward presented Franklin with a plaque in recognition of his longtime support of the chamber. Ferrioli recalled how the outgoing president put John Day on the map in 2010 when a white supremacist group attempted to establish a headquarters in John Day: “Jerry Franklin told the skin- heads to go to hell.” New interim super hired for Monument School Michael Lane seeks improved communication By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Monument School District No. 8’s newly hired interim Superintendent/Principal Mi- chael Lane began work Nov. 6. Lane, from Richland, Ore- gon, came out of his five-year retirement to take on the po- sition. Previously, he worked for 10 years for the Port Or- ford/Langlois School District where he had various roles, including superintendent the last four years before retiring. Lane said the district had about 300 students, a little bigger than Monument. He started his new position this week with goals to keep relations between the admin- istration, staff and commu- nity positive with open communica- tion. “The staff Michael already seems Lane to naturally want to move toward improved commu- nication,” he said. “I’m an interim, making sure we are compliant and taking care of the kids until a permanent su- perintendent is hired.” Lane said he appreciates the warm welcome he’s re- ceived from the community, adding the staff is “polished and professional” and the school board is student-fo- cused. Lane replaces Ron Frieh who left the interim position a few weeks after the start of the school year. Earl Pettit, who was super- intendent/principal at Monu- ment School for seven years, left in June for a position with Cove School District. Monument school board president Jeff Thomas said Lane was recommended as a highly qualified candidate. “He had good references from OSBA (Oregon School Board Association),” Thomas said. “He had a long track re- cord of good performance as a superintendent and in past districts. ... We’re glad to have him on board.” Monument’s next school board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, in Monument. Blue Mountain Eagle More than 325 Grant County students and staff members heard how Natalie Marti’s life was affected when a drunken driver crashed into her family’s car nearly 15 years ago. On Nov. 7, Marti spoke to Grant Union and Prairie City students in John Day, and Dayville and Long Creek stu- dents in Dayville. Grant County Safe Com- munities Coalition member Debi Hueckman was instru- mental in bringing Marti to the area. Hueckman said it’s important for young people to realize how the choices they make can affect others. She said that Marti, who is from Meridian, Idaho, speaks two to three times a week to students and victims impact panels. Marti became a widow the night of Feb. 27, 2003, when she was 23 years old. The car she and her husband, Shawn, and their 5-month-old daugh- ter, Sage, were in was hit by a drunken driver who was trav- eling the wrong way on the freeway at 98 mph. Her husband and daughter died on impact, and she suf- fered a traumatic brain injury, among many other injuries, which left her in a coma for three weeks and on life sup- port. The drunken driver, who lost his hand and forearm in the crash, is serving 18 years in prison, and could face up to 40 years. “He made the choice to drink,” she said of the drunken driver. “He made the choice to drive under the influence. Are you going to take the chance to make the choice to drink and drive, being a weapon on the road? The choices that we make are ultimately our responsibility.” Marti said that when the drunken driver’s girlfriend and brother told him he caused the crash, he said there was a huge pain in his heart and he asked for their forgiveness. “Raise your hand if you are 15 years old,” Marti said to students at the Grant Union gym. Several arms shot up. “That’s how old my daughter would be,” she said. She said others were af- fected by the tragedy, includ- ing her parents, her husband’s parents, the first responders and the drunken driver’s fam- ily — he had a 1-month-old baby at the time of the crash. “I hope I can add every single one of you as someone impacted in such a way that you’ll never do it,” Marti said. She said it took six years to recover from the traumat- ic brain injury and she still suffers in other ways. People have told her she’s “lucky to be alive,” she said. Her thoughts were, yes, “lucky” to have heartache the rest of your life, she said. “After depression ... I re- alized I do want to live,” she said. “I want to live to help other people to not feel what I feel.” This is the second time in four years Marti has shared her message with Grant County students. Hueckman said she was impressed at how Marti has turned something devastating into something impactful. “As the holidays approach, this is a good message for everyone,” Hueckman said. “Never be under the influence and drive, and that doesn’t always have to be alcohol, it could be drugs such as mari- juana.” For more information on Marti, visit NatalieMarti.com. Attention Grant County Veterans: Did you know Grant County Veterans Services Officer is available to assist YOU in applying for all VA benefits you may be entitled to? See your Grant County Veteran Services Officer today for more information, located at Grant County Court House. Katee Hoffman 06183 Call 541-620-8057 for an appointment 06175 • Veteran Owned • Competitive Pricing Monday - Thursday 7am- 6pm Friday 8am - 5pm • Serving Central & Eastern Oregon Mendy Sharpe FNP Apppointments available 59980 Hwy 26, John Day, OR 97845 Look for the tiny house. 541-815-0076 • SONY 4K TVs • 4K Blu-Ray Players • Bluetooth Speakers • Sound Bars • A Selection of Smart Watches. 417 W. Main, John Day (541) 575-1387 Located in the West Main Plaza Open Tues.-Sat. 11am-9pm He will bathe in an ADVERTISED TUB, shave with an ADVERTISED RAZOR, have a breakfast of ADVERTISED JUICE, cereal and toast, toasted in an ADVERTISED TOASTER, put on ADVERTISED CLOTHES and glance at his ADVERTISED WATCH. He’ll ride to work in his ADVERTISED CAR, sit at an ADVERTISED DESK and write with an ADVERTISED PEN. Yet this person hesitates to advertise, saying that advertising doesn’t pay. Finally, when his non-advertised business is going under, HE’LL ADVERTISE IT FOR SALE. Then it’s too late. AND THEY SAY ADVERTISING DOESN’T WORK? DON’T MAKE THIS SAME MISTAKE Advertising is an investment, not an expense. Think about it! 24023 Tossed & Found SALES ON: 23983 • One of a kind gifts • Vintage • Collectibles • Espresso Drinks, Italian Sodas, & Smoothies • Etsy & Ebay 21230 A man wakes up in the morning after sleeping on an ADVERTISED BED, in ADVERTISED PAJAMAS. JOHN DAY VIDEO & ELECTRONICS BLACK FRIDAY DEALS! Don’t buy the usual. 541-620-1405 Burklevi@yahoo.com Blue Mountain Eagle MyEagleNews.com Don’t get left behind, call today! Kim Kell 541-575-0710