The
Blue Mountain
Wright’s three titles
EAGLE
help Grant Union girls
to second-place
Grant County’s newspaper since 1868
state track finish
Page B1
CLASS OF
Kaylee Wright of Grant Union clears
the bar to win the 2A girls high jump
Saturday at the OSAA state track and
field meet in Eugene.
2018
EO Media Group/Kathy Aney
PAGES A8-A9
C ONGRATS
TO
W edNesday , M ay 23, 2018
G RANT U NION AND HOME - SCHOOL GRADUATES !
• N o . 21
• 22 P ages
District opts not
to arm teachers
School board
agrees now is
not the time
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
The idea of arming teach-
ers was put to rest after the
Grant School District 3
school board reached con-
sensus May 16 that now was
not the best time to make that
policy change and it was bet-
ter to pursue other options.
Chairwoman Chris Cro-
nin recognized the numerous
steps taken by the adminis-
tration since she sat on the
board, including installing
cameras and new locks, and
she said she appreciated all
the public input on improv-
ing school safety from many
diverse sources.
“This is clearly a subject
this community is interested
in,” she said.
Cronin noted the strong
feelings on both sides and
said the idea had come be-
fore the board three times
already.
“We’ve been listening,”
she said.
www.MyEagleNews.com
R EMEMBERING
THE FALLEN
Now was
not the time
to
change
policy to al-
low teachers
to be armed,
Cronin said.
Chris
The district
Cronin
would face
“significant
costs,” and teachers were
already “stretched thin” and
facing scheduling difficul-
ties. She noted that no school
staff told her they wanted to
be armed.
The district’s proposed
budget includes funding for
a school resource officer, and
opportunities for partner-
ships with law enforcement,
more training and building
improvements had come out
of the discussion, Cronin
said.
Board Vice Chairman
Zach Williams, who had
brought up the idea of arm-
ing school teachers or staff
during the board’s March
21 meeting, following the
Feb. 14 shooting at Marjo-
ry Stoneman Douglas High
School, in Parkland, Florida,
said he agreed with Cronin.
See TEACHERS, Page A11
• $1.00
Memorial Day service planned
Monday in Prairie City
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
F
or many Americans, Memorial
Day is a day to remember those
who died in war. But it’s also a
time to honor those who served
and have passed on even if they were not
a casualty in battle.
While Americans have visited cem-
eteries since their country’s founding
to honor those who died in war, an of-
ficial day of remembrance is a more
recent creation. Decoration Day was
established in 1868 in part to honor the
600,000 soldiers who died on both sides
in the Civil War.
A century later, Congress official-
ly approved the name “Memorial Day”
and moved its date from May 30 to the
last Monday in May. This year it falls on
May 28.
See FALLEN, Page A12
The Eagle/Richard Hanners
Barbara Howell
Reynolds, who was
a member of the
American Legion
Auxiliary in Prairie
City, is buried next to
her husband, Vernon,
an Army veteran, in the
Prairie City Cemetery.
Contributed photo
Pete Baucum was 18 when he attended Army basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington, in 1942 during World War II.
Voters overturn Grant County marijuana ban
Myers wins close
bid for re-election
as county judge
Blue Mountain Eagle
Marijuana businesses will soon be
legal in Grant County.
An initiative to repeal the county’s
ban on marijuana businesses secured
53 percent of the votes,
according to the final un-
official election results re-
leased May 15 by Grant
County Clerk Brenda
Percy.
Of 3,179 votes counted,
1,687 voted to allow mar-
ijuana-related businesses that the
state considers legal with 1,492 votes
against it.
Incumbent County Judge Scott
Myers won a close bid
for re-election against
County Commissioner Jim
Hamsher. Myers won
1,653-to-1,584 for anoth-
er term.
In the race to fill County
Commissioner Boyd Britton’s
seat, Sam Palmer and Gordon Lar-
son will move on to the November
ballot. Palmer received 42 percent of
the vote, 1,394, and Larson received
34 percent, 1,133, according to early
results. Archie Osburn received 504
votes, Tanner Elliott received 183,
Dave Rose received 40 and Richie
Colbeth received 39.
Incumbent Justice of the Peace
Kathy Stinnett has secured re-election
with 76.6 percent of the vote against
challenger Harold Preston, who re-
ceived 23 percent.
See VOTERS, Page A11
Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May.
The holiday commemorates all men and women who have
died in military service for the United States.
We thank them for their service to our country.
srant County Veteran Services • 530 E. Main St., Suite 5, John Day • 541-620-8057