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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 14, 2018)
News Blue Mountain Eagle 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 Sheriff The Grant County Sher- iff’s Office reported the following for the week of March 8: Concealed handgun li- censes: 15 Average inmates: 12 Bookings: 9 Releases: 9 Arrests: 1 Citations: 2 Fingerprints: 6 Civil papers: 40 Warrants processed: 4 Asst./welfare check: 4 Search and rescue: 0 March 8: Alan Wolf, 30, Canyon City, was cited for driving while suspended and failure to signal. Justice Court The Grant County Justice Court reported the following fines and judgments: • Driving uninsured: Shellie L. Wiscarson, 52, John Day, Dec. 5, fined $260; Shawn M. Long, 26, Grants Pass, Feb. 3, fined $265; Christine N. Daum, 29, John Day, Jan. 31, fined $1,000. • Driving while license suspended: Shellie L. Wis- carson, 52, John Day, Dec. 5, fined $435; Christine N. Daum, 29, John Day, Jan. 31, fined $2,000. • Exceeding speed limit: Shawn M. Long, 26, Grants Pass, Feb. 2, 72/55 zone, fined $115; Crystal M. Hen- drix, 43, Seneca, Feb. 18, 46/35 zone, fined $140; Jus- tin C. Richey, 37, Lebanon, Feb. 18, 43/30 zone, fined $165; Kimberly K. Bari- le-Lowry, 59, Tooele, Utah, Feb. 20, 58/36 zone, fined $265; Charles C. Paulson, 40, John Day, Nov. 17, 56/35 zone, fined $260; Robert N. Cargill, 82, Burns, Feb. 19, 78/65 zone, fined $225; David E. Stirewalt, 45, La Grande, Feb. 19, 45/30 zone, fined $165. • Violation of basic rule: Colt C. Ulam, 32, Eugene, Jan. 30, 71/55 zone, fined $165. • Failure to renew regis- tration: Christine N. Daum, 29, John Day, Jan. 1, fined $250. • Failure to drive within lane: Shawn M. Long, 26, Grants Pass, Feb. 7, fined $225; Anne J. Ribeiro, 23, Burns, Feb. 21, fined $225. • Failure to properly use safety belt: Anne J. Rebeiro, 23, Burns, Feb. 21, fined $115. Oregon State Police March 7: Assisted Bureau of Land Management with illegal woodcutting on Dixie Creek Road. Matt W. Fitz- maurice, 41, Baker City, and Timothy Keith, 34, Prairie City, were cited for illegal cutting and transport of spe- cial forest products. Their chainsaws were seized. March 10: Following a traffic stop on Highway 395 south of Long Creek, Rainelle M. Cheever, 33, and Rodney E. Cheever, 35, were arrested on felo- ny Wisconsin warrants for possession or distribution of heroin. Both were charged with misdemeanor posses- sion of methamphetamine after a search of their vehi- cle turned up an intravenous needle containing metham- phetamine. Their 1-year-old boy was placed in the custo- dy of his 57-year-old grand- mother from Long Creek, who was the vehicle’s driver. Dispatch John Day dispatch worked 144 calls during the week of March 5-11. Along with the various traffic warnings, trespassing, injured animals, noise complaints and juve- nile complaints, these calls included: • John Day Police De- partment March 5: Advised of a theft at Blue Mountain Hos- pital in John Day. March 6: Received a re- port of a burglary and theft at the Grant County Food Bank in John Day. March 6: Responded with Oregon State Police to East Main Street in John Day for a report of a fight. Kristopher M. Goodwin, 27, John Day, was arrested and charged with illegal posses- sion of a concealed weapon. March 7: Dispatched to Southwest First Avenue in John Day for an unwanted person. March 7: Responded to Southwest First Avenue in John Day for a harassment complaint. March 7: Following a traffic stop on Northwest Thompson Avenue in Mt. Vernon, Robert J. Bryant Jr., 20, was cited for driving with a suspended license and no insurance. March 8: Responded to a report of a phone scam on West Main Street in John Day. March 8: Assisted De- partment of Human Services with a domestic situation on East Main Street in John Day. March 8: Responded to Northwest Fourth Avenue in John Day for a report of tele- phonic harassment. March 8: Following a stop on West Main Street, Cheryl A. Mutchler, 22, John Day, was cited for driving with a suspended license and no insurance. March 8: Received infor- mation about a suicidal per- son in John Day. March 9: Responded to Johnson Avenue in Prairie City for a report of suspi- cious circumstances. March 10: Dispatched to Northwest Seventh Avenue in John Day for a report of property hit with eggs. March 10: Responded to Bridge Street in Prairie City for a harassment report. March 10: Dispatched to West Main Street in John Day for a report of an un- wanted person at a residence. March 11: Following a traffic stop at Bridge Street and Second Avenue in John Day, Tanaya S. Robinson, 37, of John Day, was cited for driving with a suspended license, no insurance and no registration. • Grant County Sher- iff’s Office March 5: Responded to a report of custodial interfer- ence on Marysville Road in Canyon City. March 5: Advised of sus- picious circumstances in the Marysville area. March 5: Dispatched with Oregon State Police to Highway 26 in John Day for a person with mental prob- lems. March 6: Responded to a two-vehicle crash on High- way 395 near Canyon Creek Road. March 6: Received a re- port of a suspicious person talking to a young girl at the Grant County Library in Canyon City. March 6: Responded to the Grant County Court- house in Canyon City for a suspicious person. March 7: Dispatched with Oregon State Police to Southwest First Avenue in John Day for a report of threats. March 7: Received a re- quest for more patrol at Riv- erside Mobile Home Park in John Day. March 8: Following a warrant service on Southeast Hillcrest Drive in John Day, Tyler Gifford, 23, John Day, was arrested and charged on a parole board warrant. March 10: Received a report of trespassing and people chasing horses with ATVs on Wiley Creek Road in Mt. Vernon. March 10: Responded to a motel in Mt. Vernon for a criminal mischief report. March 10: Following a traffic stop on Highway 395 near Magone Lake Road, Mark S. Crissman, 57, Fox, was cited for driving without a license. March 11: Dispatched to Second Street in Prairie City for a report of loud noise and harassment. • Oregon State Police March 6: Advised of a mule on Highway 26 east of John Day. • John Day ambulance March 5: Responded with Seneca ambulance and Grant County Sheriff’s Office to B Avenue in Seneca for an el- derly man. March 8: Dispatched to North Washington Street in Canyon City. March 8: Responded to East Main Street in John Day for a man who was choking. • Community Counsel- ing Solutions March 11: Received a re- port of a suicidal person on Southwest Brent Drive in John Day. • U.S. Forest Service March 5: Advised of an unattended burn in the Wall Creek Road area of Monu- ment. • John Day dispatch March 7: Received a re- port of an Internal Revenue Service fraud. • Oregon Department of Transportation March 8: Advised of a semi-truck that spun out on Highway 7 near Austin Junc- tion and created a hazard. Hello, I’m Richie. Most everybody knows me by that name. I’m privileged to be running for Grant County Commissioner. Since moving to John Day 10 years ago, I worked at the Chamber, Hospice, Ranch & Rodeo Museum, Grant County Historical Museum and I delivered Meals on Wheels I served on the John Day Budget Committee, The Senior Citizen Advisory Board, I’m your Republican Precinct Committee Person 2nd term, and I’m a Paralegal. Due to my experience, the transition to the court would be seamless. Thanking you in advance for your vote of confidence May 15th. Paid for by Richie Colbeth 45393 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 A5 Local schools prepare for National School Walkout By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Parents of Grant Union Junior-Senior High School students received a letter recently from the school regarding National School Walkout days set for Wednesday, March 14, and Friday, April 20. Grant Union Principal Ryan Gerry said in the letter he felt it was important for parents to be aware of the nationwide movement that involves students walking out of class for 17 minutes at 10 a.m., across each time zone, on those dates to honor those killed earlier this year in the massacre at a Park- land, Florida, high school and to protest gun violence. “Grant Union Junior-Se- nior High School neither supports nor condones this nationwide planned event,” Gerry said. The letter informed par- ents how the school will handle the situation if any Ryan Gerry Grant Union students choose to participate. A student is considered tardy if they are up to 15 minutes late to class, and ab- sent if they arrive more than 15 minutes late. “As with any other situ- ation where a student leaves class without permission, students that choose to par- ticipate will be marked with an unexcused absence for the period,” Gerry said in the letter. “Unexcused absences will need to be cleared by the parent or guardian.” He added that any student who is not in school for the entire day, whether excused or unexcused, would not be allowed to participate in ex- tra-curricular events or prac- tices. Gerry also said, if stu- dents choose to gather off school district property, school supervision will not be present. “Students who partici- pate in this event will not be subject to discipline actions unless their activity causes a substantial disruption to the educational environment,” Gerry stated. In Dayville, superin- tendent/principal Kathryn Hedrick said she didn’t an- ticipate any of their 12 high school students, including four international students, participating in the event. She said that she and oth- er school officials are aware of it, and they’ve talked with the students about it. “We haven’t heard of any wanting to walk out,” she said. HISTORY OF THE USE OF THE RANGE NORTH OF THE JOHN DAY RIVER use of the range north of John Day E arly was mostly by horses, sheep and a few cattle. At an early date the settlers of the John Day River summered their horses and sheep on east Beech Creek and Clear Creek. Many of the camping places used by these men carried their names for many years. My father had a horse camp on East Beech Creek near the mouth of Thompson Creek. The horses were herded on the range during the day and corralled at night. My cousin Henry Trowbridge told me he saw the beginning of the wild horses in the county. Some horses drifted onto the Beech Creek range from the upper end of the valley and horses from the ones that were herded would drift away and join these other horses. In a few years they became wild. By about 1900 most of the land from Bear Creek on the east to Beech Creek on the west was under fence from the John Day river north about four miles. The cattle, horses and sheep ranged on the open range from early spring until gathering time in the fall. I know our cattle ranged from Beech Creek on the west to Bear Creek on the east. About 1901 L.A. Porter, John Silvers and the Trowbridges decided to make an effort to move their cattle from the open ranges across the east fork of Beech Creek, which is now the Malheur National Forest. These men built a corral on Beech Creek near where the Trowbridge corrals are now located. About the first of June each year the cattle were driven from the low range to the Beech Creek corrals. Here the calves were branded and the cattle were turned loose north of Beech Creek. At this time there were no fences on Beech Creek. During the time we were riding we camped near the corral. Our horses were hobbled and turned loose except our range horse that was kept staked. Before the Forest Service was created the Indians used Beech Creek as a summer camping ground. There were lots of birds in the mountains, also coyotes, bear, cougar and a few deer. At this early date about ten bands of sheep were being summered on the range, which is now the John Day allotment. Most of these sheep were from the north end and other counties. About this time the National Forest was created. What is now the Long Creek District was in the Heppner National Forest with headquarters at Heppner. Soon after the Beech Creek range was taken over by the Forest a meeting was held in John Day to decide on a line between the cattle and sheepmen. At this meeting a division line was agreed upon which the cattlemen understood was to be about a mile north of where it was located. The cattlemen protested the sheep being allowed this low down. The Forest officials claimed the sheepmen had a prior right. The cattlemen knew this was a mistake since my father and other local men were the first to use this range. This line started to the east at about the northwest corner of section 16 township 12 range 32 then west through the low saddles to Radue Ranger station. After the Heppner National Forest was established the stockmen had to pay grazing fees. The Eastern Oregon Land Company demanded that the cattlemen lease their land, which was out in the open hills. At this time there were no fences between this land and the Forest. The cattlemen paid the land company so much per acre for grazing privileges. The Forest officials and the stockmen agreed on an on-and-off permit, which I believe was 60 per cent on the forest and 40 per cent on the leased land. At this time L.A. Porter, John Silvers and Trowbridges formed a stock association, which they called the East Fork Cattle Association. The line between the cattle and sheep being placed where it was didn’t leave much ground for cattle to graze. Naturally the cattle began to graze elsewhere. The cattle from the Beech Creek range drifted through the sheep range north to the Keeney, Clark and Flood Meadows, also on to Cottonwood Creek. At this time very few Long Creek cattle used these meadows. I would say two thirds of the cattle grazing on these meadows were John Day river cattle. The same is true of Cottonwood Creek. During this period very few cattle were summered in pastures. Cows and calves, yearling, two and three year steers were summered on the range. About the 15th of July we would gather the fat cows and later we would gather the remaining fat cows and steers. One year we stayed at Hiyu Ranger Station and rode from there. Next was the division of the north side range by drift fence. In this division all of the meadowland our stock had been grazing on for a number of years was put in other allotments. We were allotted the range that had been grazed by sheep for many years. The use of the open range continued, as had been the custom for many years until 1916 when the Homestead Act was passed allowing the homesteading of 640 acres. Soon after the passage of this act most of the government land was homesteaded by stockmen or others who after proving up on the land sold to the stockmen. The Eastern Oregon Land Company in 1922 sold most of their land to stockmen who owned land adjoining. This land was soon fenced, closing the gap between the open range and the Forest allotment. Now that the stock could be kept on the Forest allotment the on-and-off permits were cancelled and new permits were issued. So far I have only mentioned some of the men that used the open range and the Forest allotment. Those that have had permits on the John Day allotments as near as I can remember were L.A. Porter, John Silvers (which later became Silvers & Bragga), J.F. Herburger, Joe Veigas, C.A. Hardy, Johnson & Fisk, F.E. McCullough, B. C. Trowbridge, C.B & W.A. Patterson, Arthur Begg, Bob Sproul, Bud Trowbridge and C.A. Trowbridge. In 1942 our range was improved by annexing about five thousand acres on the Grub Creek watershed. After this range was annexed we kept the fence dividing this and the original in repair. The Trowbridge cattle were turned on the Grub Creek ranged at the opening of the grazing season until about August 1st. The cattle were then put back on the original range. This policy was carried out for three years. One thing I don’t want to overlook was the horses that grazed the range year round. About 1902 seven hundred head of horses were gathered from this range and sold to buyers from Montana. In 1926 in cooperation with the Forest Service we gathered the remaining horses and disposed of them. In closing I want to comment on some things I have mentioned in this history of the John Day Range. Some of the dates may not be correct that I have used in this writing as I go back to when I was quite young. 1. The division of the range between the cattle and sheepmen. The cattlemen were very much opposed to this division, as the range had been used by the John Day stockmen many years before there were any outside sheep. 2. Next the drift fence dividing the Long Creek and Fox range from the John Day. The John Day cattlemen felt they were entitled to some of the meadows since their cattle had grazed that range for many years without any complaint from anyone. We had to be satisfied with range that had been grazed by sheep for so many years. 3. Combined with range improvement projects and wet seasons this range has improved a lot in the past fifty years. 4. I mentioned gathering cattle during the summer. This would be very near impossible now due to the underbrush. 5. Before this range was fenced some of our cattle in the fall would drift onto other ranges. These cattle were always taken care of by the cattlemen that used these ranges. We lost very few cattle from this mixing with other cattle. In return we took care of their cattle. Gathering these cattle late in the fall necessitated a lot of riding. – Charley Trowbridge, circa 1950 Paid for by Austene Hendrix, granddaughter