News
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
County signs on to broadband coalition
Details will come in
later agreement
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
Increased internet access in the
John Day area took another step
forward as the Grant County Court
unanimously approved an ordinance
ratifying the creation of the Grant
County Digital Network Coalition at
the Nov. 22 meeting.
Sixteen people addressed the
court on the matter, with 13 in sup-
port and one opposed. The ordinance
will come back for a second reading
in December.
Ground rules describing how
the coalition will be set up and each
members’ obligations and benefits —
including how the county could quit
the quasi-governmental organization
— will be provided in an upcom-
ing memorandum of understanding,
Grant County Judge Scott Myers said.
John Morris asked the court about
recent news regarding a proposal by
Federal Communications Commis-
sion Chairman Ajit Pai to dismantle
Obama administration regulations
protecting net neutrality. As owners
of a broadband cable and distribution
system, the coalition would be an in-
ternet service provider governed by
net neutrality regulations.
Myers said answers to that ques-
tion, as well as the cost and design of
the new network, are not known at this
time. The first step was to establish the
coalition, which would become effec-
tive Jan. 1. Coalition members would
develop plans for how the new broad-
The Eagle/Richard Hanners
From left, Commissioner Boyd Britton, County Judge Scott Myers and
Commissioner Jim Hamsher at the Grant County Court meeting Nov. 22.
band network would be built and op-
erated, he said.
Frances Preston, who said she sup-
ported the coalition, asked why the
Forest Service and Blue Mountain
Hospital — major benefactors of in-
creased internet access — were not
members of the coalition.
“I’m not sure why they aren’t in-
cluded,” Myers said. “It might depend
on their use.”
Ryan Nehl, the Malheur National
Forest deputy supervisor, said the For-
est Service was very interested in the
benefits a new fiber cable could bring
to the John Day area. He also noted
that the fiber cable to be run from
Burns to John Day would cross Forest
Service land.
Jim Sproul said he wanted to see
the benefits of the new broadband net-
work extended to rural areas outside
of John Day and Seneca — two of the
coalition’s members. Prairie City and
Canyon City had opted out of joining
the coalition.
Several people described how
family members had to take turns us-
ing internet at their homes, including
for business or educational purposes,
because of slow access speed.
Zach Williams said he ordinari-
ly opposed the idea of government
competing with private business, but
in this case, he saw the need for gov-
ernment to step in as a way to retain
business and grow the economy.
Ken Olson, the president and CEO
of Old West Federal Credit Union and
a member of the task force working
on the proposed broadband network,
described the tremendous internet
access available at public schools in
Pendleton.
“It blows your mind,” he said.
He noted that streaming movies
represented only 5 percent of the op-
portunities offered by broadband in-
ternet access.
“If there are things we’re going to
spend money on, this should be one,”
he said.
In other county court news, My-
ers and Commissioner Boyd Britton
commented on their attendance at the
Farm Bureau meeting at Grant Coun-
ty Regional Airport on Nov. 10.
Myers said he wasn’t convinced
that changes in state land-use regula-
tions presented at the meeting would
be good for Eastern Oregon. He said
he was concerned that urban growth
under the new regulations could re-
move valuable farm land from the
economy.
Britton said he agreed, but he was
also concerned about old farm families
that had come on hard times and need-
ed to sell portions of their farm land
to make ends meet. He also said he
was concerned the Freedom To Farm
Act could be diluted by the new reg-
ulations. He called the matter another
example of the “urban-rural divide.”
• The court unanimously approved
a request by Grant County Justice of
the Peace Kathy Stinnett to purchase
software for a LEDS-certified termi-
nal. This would eliminate the current
practice of using sensitive hand-deliv-
ered hard copies of driving records that
later must be shredded. The Oregon
Law Enforcement Data System soft-
ware would also provide information
needed to reach a decision on a cita-
tion, Stinnett said. Sometimes she has
taken a defendant’s word on their past
driving record, she said.
• The court unanimously approved
funding for mandatory training re-
quested by Grant County Victim As-
sistance Director Andrea Officer and to
offset a grant shortage.
• The court also unanimously ap-
proved a lease agreement with the
Oregon Department of Transportation
for a county-owned radio tower on Fall
Mountain.
• The court’s next meeting will be
Dec. 13.
A5
Defense
asserts
Fix can’t
stand trial
EO Media Group
Angela Marie Fix of Pilot
Rock needs more time and help
before she can stand trial for arson
and second-degree manslaughter.
Fix, 41, appeared Monday
morning via video from the
Umatilla County
Jail in the Pend-
leton courtroom
of Circuit Judge
Christopher
Brauer for an up-
date on her case.
The state accused
Angela
Fix of setting the
Marie Fix
fire that killed
Larry Castro, 77,
in July at his Pilot Rock home.
Attorney Jill Weygandt han-
dled the defense duties. She told
Brauer that clinical psychologist
Terry Templeman found Fix
was not competent to stand tri-
al. Reading from Templeman’s
report, Weygandt said Fix could
not make relevant decisions or
sort through relevant informa-
tion on her own.
District Attorney Dan Primus
said he would review the report
and anticipated sending Fix to
the state’s mental hospital in Sa-
lem for an evaluation. Brauer set
the status check on the case for
the morning of Dec. 13.
C OPS AND C OURTS
Arrests and citations in
the Blue Mountain Eagle are
taken from the logs of law
enforcement agencies. Every
effort is made to report the
court disposition of arrest
cases.
Grant County Circuit
Court
Jeffrey D. Porter, 52,
Canyon City, was convict-
ed Nov. 21 of probation vi-
olation for a second time.
He had pleaded guilty Aug.
12, 2016, to misdemeanor
counts of driving under the
influence of intoxicants and
furnishing liquor to a minor.
He was sentenced to five
days in jail consecutive to
his sentence for misdemean-
or fourth-degree assault. He
was also ordered to 20 hours
of additional community
service and fined $50. As of
Nov. 22, Porter owed $2,120
in fines and fees.
Justice Court
The Grant County Justice
Court reported the following
fines and judgments:
Violating the basic rule:
Andrew S. Yeaple, 34, Bak-
er City, Nov. 5, 70/55 zone,
fined $135; Jordan J. Powell,
24, Salem, Nov. 11, 87/55
zone, fined $435; Claire K.
Dickey, 32, Oct. 29, 71/55
zone, fined $135; Tanya M.
Cloutier, 52, Madras, Oct.
28, 73/55 zone, fined $160.
Violation of speed lim-
it: Baldemar Riojas III, 28,
Ontario, Oct. 28, 50/30 zone,
fined $160.
Careless driving: Christine
G. Cleaver, 63, Nyssa, Oct.
29, fined $435.
Failure to obey a traf-
fic control device: James J.
Jaynes, 67, John Day, July 18,
fined $220.
Oregon State Police
Shawn C. Kite, 49, Prairie
City, was cited in Prairie City
for driving with a suspended
or revoked driver’s license
Nov. 21.
Dispatch
John Day dispatch worked
142 calls during the week of
Nov. 20-26. Along with the
traffic warnings, trespassing,
injured animals, noise com-
plaints and juvenile com-
plaints, these calls included:
• John Day Police
Department
Nov. 20: Report of a do-
mestic dispute on Second
Street in John Day.
Nov. 20: Responded to a
report of a dispute and suicid-
al person in Prairie City.
Nov. 21: Dispatched to a
laundromat in John Day for
an unwanted subject.
Nov. 21: Report of harass-
ment on Main Street in John
Day.
Nov. 22: Report of a theft
in Prairie City.
Nov. 22: Report of an un-
wanted subject on South Fork
Road.
Nov. 23: Responded to
a report of a stolen vehicle
on South Canyon Boule-
vard. Alexander Ringe, 27,
Hermiston, was arrested and
charged with unlawful use of
a motor vehicle and an out-
standing Umatilla County
warrant.
Nov. 23: Responded to a
report of a domestic dispute
at the Strawberry Apart-
ments in Prairie City. Greg-
ory Devore, 28, Prairie City,
was arrested and charged
with harassment.
Nov. 26: Followed up on
an investigation at the Stalk-
er Alley Apartments in Prai-
rie City.
Nov. 26: Following a traf-
fic stop on Highway 26 near
Pine Creek Road, Ryan Sul-
livan, 37, Baker City, was
cited for speeding.
•
Grant
County
Sheriff’s Office
Nov. 20: Responded to a
report of a broken window at
a business in Mt. Vernon.
Nov. 20: Report of a sui-
cidal person on Indian Creek
Road.
Nov. 21: Report of a juve-
nile problem in Dayville.
Nov. 21: Responded with
John Day and Prairie City am-
bulances to Dixie Creek Road
for an accident.
Nov. 21: Report of shots
fired in the Monument area.
Nov. 22: Responded to a
report of overdue hunters in
the Beulah hunting unit. The
hunters were located.
Nov. 24: Following a traf-
fic stop on Nugget Street in
Canyon City, Christine Daum,
28, Canyon City, was cited for
driving with a suspended li-
cense and no insurance.
Nov. 25: Following a traf-
fic stop on Highway 26 west
of Mt. Vernon, Molly Bren-
nan, 23, Prineville, was cited
for speeding.
Nov. 26: Dispatched to
Council Drive in Mt. Vernon
for a report of harassment.
• John Day ambulance
Nov. 20: Responded to
Highway 26 west of John Day
for a man with trouble breath-
ing.
Nov. 20: Responded to a
senior home in John Day for
a male subject.
Nov. 21: Dispatched to
a senior home in John Day
for an 85-year-old man with
shoulder pain.
Nov. 21: Responded to
Bumpy Road for a man who
was dizzy and fainting.
Nov. 22: Dispatched to
Monument area for a 70-year-
old man.
Nov. 22: Responded with
sheriff’s office to a noninjury
accident on Belshaw Creek
Lane in Mt. Vernon.
Nov. 22: Dispatched to
Main Street in John Day for
a 47-year-old woman with
chest pain.
Nov. 24: Responded to
Laycock Creek in Mt. Vernon
for a 7-year-old boy who had
passed out and hit his head.
Nov. 24: Responded to a
senior home in John Day for a
person not feeling well.
Nov. 25: Responded with
sheriff’s office to Patterson
Bridge Road in John Day for
an 80-year-old woman with
difficulty breathing.
Nov. 25: Dispatched to
Main Street in John Day for a
57-year-old woman with diffi-
culty breathing.
Nov. 26: Responded with
Monument ambulance to
Highway 19 near Monument
for a 48-year-old woman with
a dislocated knee.
• John Day fire
Nov. 25: Responded to
West Main Street for a report
of a chimney fire.
Nov. 26: Responded with
sheriff’s office to Highway
395 in Canyon City for a re-
port of downed power lines.
• Oregon Department of
Transportation
Nov. 20: Report of a large
rock on Highway 26 near the
Wheeler County line.
Grant County
Wrestling Club
OR Wrestling Assoc. for Youth
Saturday, December 9
at Grant Union High School
Wrestling begins at 9 a.m. with ages 8 & under.
Ages 9-14 begin at 12:30 p.m.
TIS THE SEASON
Take advantage of our low
prices on winter car care
essentials and accessories
Foldable Drone
w/Wi-Fi Camera
A special wish
that your happiness builds
with each day of the
season and burns bright
throughout the
New Year.
Digital Personal
Assistant
MILLS
Building Supply
26562
721 W Main St., John Day
541-575-1850
Open Mon-Fri 7am-6pm
Sat 8am-5pm, close Sun
751 W. Main St.,
John Day • 541-575-1021
FIND
WHAT ’ S ON
HIS LIST
Volunteers Needed!
Contact:
Cindy Dougharity-Spencer
at 541-575-1799, ext. 32
or by email at dougharityc@grantesd.org
27341
26559
Come watch as Grant County’s own youth compete!
Spectators: $2
Family: $5 cap
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the morning after
sleeping on an
ADVERTISED BED,
in ADVERTISED
PAJAMAS.
He will bathe in an ADVERTISED TUB, shave with an ADVERTISED RAZOR,
have a breakfast of ADVERTISED JUICE, cereal and toast, toasted in an
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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!
Blue Mountain Eagle
MyEagleNews.com
Don’t get left behind, call today! Kim Kell 541-575-0710