News Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, December 13, 2017 A5 Income survey determines grant eligibility John Day seeking federal funds for treatment plant By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle Selected residents in John Day and Canyon City will be asked to participate in an on- line income survey in coming weeks. The information will be used to determine if the city of John Day is eligible for a federal Community Develop- ment Block Grant that will help pay for a new wastewa- ter treatment plant to serve the two cities. “Our community may receive up to $2 million in CDBG funds toward the new treatment plant, depending on the outcome of the survey results,” John Day City Man- ager Nick Green said in the city’s November newsletter. To be eligible for the grant funding, more than 50 percent of the population surveyed must be in the low- to mod- erate-income bracket, Green said. About 2,440 people live in John Day and Canyon City in about 1,080 households. A random sample of house- holds will be surveyed, with the goal of receiving 284 completed surveys to ensure a plus-or-minus 5 percent sam- pling error. Green told the Eagle one strategy for the income survey is to make sure every house- hold selected for the survey is accounted for. People who do not respond to the survey will be considered to have high in- come, hurting the chances of eligibility for the grant. Candidates nominated to replace Ferrioli County commissioners will select GOP successor Blue Mountain Eagle Three people have been nominated to fill the state Sen- ate vacancy left by the depar- ture of Sen. Ted Ferrioli. At a special nominating convention held by the Oregon Republican Party Dec. 2 in John Day, Republican precinct committee persons from Sen- ate District 30 nominated the candidates to be considered by Baker, Deschutes, Grant, Har- ney, Jefferson, Lake, Malheur, Wasco and Wheeler county commissioners, according to a press release. The nominees are Rep. Cliff Bentz, a rancher, farm- er, attorney and current state House representative for Dis- trict 60 from Ontario; Suzan Ellis Jones, a rancher and Bak- er County Republican Party chair from Bridgeport; and Dr. Eric Wattenburg, a fami- ly, emergency and urgent care doctor, small business owner and medical radio show host from Bend. Under state law, the coun- ty commissioners from each county of District 30 must se- lect by Dec. 22 from one of the three Republi- can candidates nominated. Commissioners are expected to announce soon when and Cliff where they will Bentz interview the nominees, af- ter which they will cast their weighted votes according to the number of voters from Suzan each of their Ellis Jones counties regis- tered within the boundaries of District 30. The nomi- nee selected by commissioners will officially take office be- fore the next Eric Wattenburg Oregon Legis- lature session starting Feb. 1. Ferrioli officially resigned from office Nov. 22 to begin his appointment as a member of the Northwest Power and Conservation Planning Coun- cil, which oversees electrical energy co-operatives, public utility districts and hydroelec- tric generation facilities, along with planning, conservation and management of other re- newable energy sources, such as wind, solar and geothermal. Eagle file photo City Manager Nick Green poses for a photo next to one of the holding ponds for the city’s wastewater treatment plant. An upcoming income survey of randomly selected John Day and Canyon City residents will determine eligibility for up to $2 million in federal grant funding toward a new wastewater treatment plant. The survey has three ques- tions: 1) How many families reside at each surveyed lo- cation (families must be sur- veyed separately)? 2) How many people are in a family? and 3) What is the family’s income range? Nine brackets are provided, with the lowest being under $29,900 and the highest being over $56,301. Green notes steps will be taken to ensure confidentiali- ty. Each individual survey will have a unique four-digit PIN number, not the household address. The Survey Research Lab will possess the only mas- ter list linking the PIN number to the household address. “The customer’s responses to the survey items will never be directly linked to their per- sonal information to ensure confidentiality is maintained throughout the survey pro- cess,” Green said in the pro- posal. A similar income survey recently was conducted in the cities of Mt. Vernon, Seneca and Monument so they could qualify for CDBG funds need- ed for infrastructure improve- ment projects. Sewer customers will be notified in advance of the sur- vey through flyers and a no- tice printed in the local news- paper. Randomly selected households will then receive a postcard in the mail providing them with the online survey’s internet address and the PIN number needed to access the survey. Two weeks later, a physi- cal copy of the survey will be mailed to the randomly-select- ed households that did not re- spond online. If the minimum number of needed respons- es has not been reached two weeks later, trained volunteers will go door to door to person- ally interview the households, with attempts made in the morning, afternoon and eve- ning. Green told Business Or- egon it’s possible more than the minimum number of sur- veys will be completed, but that “will only increase the response rate and improve the validity of the data.” Jerome assumes command of helicopter squadron By John Hetherington U.S. Navy A member of the local Vet- erans of Foreign Wars Post 3597 and American Legion Post 77 assumed control of a U.S. Navy helicopter squad- ron last week. Cmdr. James Jerome re- lieved Cmdr. Joshua C. Elli- son as commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6 during an airborne change-of-command ceremony, Dec. 6, above the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt currently deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. His father, Jim, of John Day said James Jerome, his wife, Lauren, and 1-year-old son, William, now live near San Diego, California, where the squadron is based. “I think it’s fantastic,” he said. “We’re very proud of him, very proud of his accom- plishments.” In a unique ceremony that highlighted the capabilities of the squadron, Ellison and Jerome, each piloting an MH- 60S Sea Hawk helicopter, read their orders mid-flight. The pilots demonstrated eva- sive maneuvers and launched flares, completing the cere- mony. More than 150 squad- Contributed photo U.S. Navy Cmdr. James Jerome launches flares from a helicopter he is piloting in a ceremony in which he relieved Cmdr. Joshua C. Ellison as commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 6 on the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Arabian Gulf. His father, Jim Jerome, of John Day said he was very proud of his son’s accomplishments. ron sailors observed from the ship’s flight deck. Prior to reporting to HSC- 6 as executive officer in September of 2016, Jerome served as regional engage- ment branch chief and aide- de-camp for the director of U.S. Africa Command. “I have seen this squad- ron work together through a year of arduous training and now on deployment in U.S. 5th Fleet,” said Jerome. “The squadron’s success is attribut- ed to each member’s dedi- cation to the team and our mission. I plan to continue building on the high standard of operational excellence set by Cmdr. Ellison during his time leading the Indians. I am excited about serving with the men and women of HSC-6.” HSC-6 provides all-weath- er rotary wing operations, and conducts vertical lift search and rescue, logistics, anti-surface warfare, special operations forces support and combat search and rescue ca- pabilities for Carrier Air Wing 17 embarked aboard Theo- dore Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt and its carrier strike group de- parted San Diego on Oct. 6 for a regularly scheduled deployment to the U.S 5th Fleet area of operations in support of maritime security operations to reassure allies and partners and preserve the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in the region. The Blue Mountain Eagle contributed to this report. C OPS AND C OURTS Grant County Sheriff The Grant County Sher- iff’s Office reported the fol- lowing for the week of Nov. 30 to Dec. 6: • Concealed handgun li- censes: 2 • Average inmates: 20 • Bookings: 15 • Releases: 15 • Arrests: 1 • Citations: 1 • Fingerprints: 4 • Civil papers: 19 • Warrants processed: 5 • Asst./welfare check: 5 • Search and Rescue: 0 Justice Court The Grant County Justice Court reported the following fines and judgments: Exceeding speed limit: Jeannette E. Davison, 72, White City, Nov. 25, 63/35 zone, fined $260. Violation of speed limit: Mychelle K. Hite, 31, Bend, Nov. 26, 84/65 zone, fined $220. Violation of basic rule: Mandi Jo Malone, 39, John Day, Dec. 4, 80/55 zone, fined $220; Elizabeth C. Pace, 40, John Day, Oct. 28, 75/55 zone, fined $135; Israel Bar- on, 51, Eugene, Oct. 29, 75/55 zone, fined $160; Lori J. Hart, 25, John Day, Nov. 25, 75/55 zone, fined $135. Driving while suspended: Todd M. Winegar, 40, Prai- rie City, Nov. 19, fined $435; Todd M. Winegar, 40, Prairie City, Nov. 25, fined $435. Failure to register vehicle: Todd M. Winegar, 40, Prairie City, Nov. 25, fined $110. No operator’s license: Isra- el Baron, 51, Eugene, Oct. 29, fined $260. Parking a vehicle in viola- tion of restrictions: Gregory C. Davis, 67, Klamath Falls, Nov. 5, fined $335. Hunting in a prohibited area: Stephen A. Wess, 57, Winston, Nov. 6, fined $110; Ryan M. Lane, 37, Lowell, Nov. 6, fined $110. Homegrown marijuana or cannabis: Leo B. Buzzard, 53, Prairie City, fined $200. No big game tag: James R. Huddleston, 21, Astoria, fined $75. Harassment: Thomas R. Taylor, 50, Canyon City, fined $500. Oregon State Police Dec. 3: Investigated a sin- gle-vehicle noninjury rollover crash on Highway 395 near Beech Creek State Park. Dec. 4: Received a com- plaint about livestock on Highway 26 near Clyde Hol- liday State Park. Dec. 9: Barbara A. Stanley, 63, Baker City, was cited for failure to drive within the lane after her car left Highway 26 near Dixie Summit and hit a tree. Dec. 9: Alec A. Leach, 26, Rocklin, California, was cited for failure to drive within the lane after his car left Highway 26 near Dixie Summit and landed on its side. Dispatch John Day dispatch worked 131 calls during the week of Dec. 4-10. Along with the various traffic warnings, trespassing, injured animals, noise complaints and juvenile complaints, these calls includ- ed: • John Day Police Depart- ment Dec. 4: Responded to a re- port of a noninjury crash on Main Street in John Day. Dec. 4: Received a report of a theft on South Johnson Ave- nue in Prairie City. Dec. 4: Dispatched to a ha- rassment report in downtown John Day. Dec. 4: Responded to a re- port of a hit-and-run crash in downtown John Day. Dec. 4: Dispatched to a re- port of a suspicious subject at a ranch on Highway 26 east of John Day. Dec. 6: Responded to a re- port of fraud on North Johnson Avenue in Prairie City. Dec. 6: Dispatched with the sheriff’s office to a domestic dispute on Main Street in John Day. Dec. 7: Steven M. War- rington, 28, John Day, was ar- rested in John Day on a Marion County warrant. Dec. 7: Responded to a trail- er park in John Day for a report of a suspicious subject. Dec. 8: Dispatched to an apartment complex in Prairie City for a report of stolen gas. Dec. 9: Received a report of Facebook hacking in John Day. Dec. 9: Received a report of a theft on Northwest Second Avenue in John Day. Dec. 9: Responded to Southwest Brent Drive for a report of a suspicious subject. Dec. 10: Britt M. Wilcox, 23, John Day, was arrested on Highway 26 near Pine Creek Road and charged with violating a no-contact order. • Grant County Sheriff’s Office Dec. 4: A suspect was ar- rested on North Humbolt in Canyon City and held on an Idaho warrant. Dec. 4: Dakota C. Stout, 20, John Day, was arrested in Umatilla County on a Grant County warrant. Dec. 5: Responded to a re- port of an assault and stolen cat on South Washington Street in Canyon City. Dec. 6: Dispatched to Hum- bolt Elementary School for a report of criminal mischief. Dec. 7: Responded to the John Day city shop for a report of suspicious circumstances. Dec. 9: Received a report of a verbal dispute on Wall Creek Road in Monument. Dec. 10: Responded to Car- penter Pond Road in John Day for a report of shots fired and pellets hitting the reporting party’s roof. • John Day ambulance Dec. 5: Dispatched to First Street in Prairie City for a 911 call. Dec. 5: Responded to an assisted living facility in John Day for an elderly man with pain in the right shoulder. Dec. 5: Dispatched to Main Street in John Day for a 54-year-old woman with ab- dominal pain. Dec. 6: Responded to La Costa Avenue in John Day for a 37-year-old woman having a seizure. Dec. 8: Dispatched with Prairie City ambulance to Summit Prairie Road for a re- port of a person with a stroke. Dec. 8: Responded to Cot- tonwood Street in Mt. Vernon for a woman who had fainted. Dec. 8: Dispatched with Prairie City ambulance to McHaley Avenue in Prairie City for a woman with a sore throat. Dec. 8: Responded to Northwest Fifth Avenue in John Day for a man who had fallen on ice. Dec. 9: Dispatched with Monument ambulance and fire to John Day Street in Monu- ment for a 45-year-old man. Dec. 10: Responded to Main Street in John Day for a 57-year-old woman. STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI PG-13 FRI - SUN (12:30) (3:30) 6:45 10:00 MON - THURS (1:20) (3:30) 6:45 10:00 A TTENTION G RANT C OUNTY WONDER PG FRI - SUN (12:45) (3:45) 7:00 9:50 MON - THURS (12:45) (3:45) 7:00 9:50 V ETERANS : THE STAR PG Are you using or interested in learning about Choice Card Medical Care? FRI - SUN (1:00) (4:00) 7:00 9:50 MON - THURS (1:00) (4:00) 7:00 9:50 DADDY’S HOME 2 PG-13 See your Grant County Veteran Services Officer today for more information, located at Grant County Court House. FRI - TUES Katee Hoffman Call 541-620-8057 for an appointment (12:45) (3:45) 7:10 9:55 JUMANJI PG-13 & THE GREATEST SHOWMAN PG Open Wednesday 12/20. Go to www.eltrym.com for show times. 16784 $9 Adult, $7 Senior (60+), Youth 29160 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.