News
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
A11
TEACHERS
VOTERS
Continued from Page A1
Continued from Page A1
Williams said there was signifi-
cant public pressure to have a dis-
cussion on the idea, and he wanted
the public’s input. He noted he had
heard people say that his mind was
already made up, but he had changed
his opinion.
“We got a better outcome because
of this discussion,” he said.
Williams pointed out that he and
Cronin had not talked about the mat-
ter before the board meeting. The
district was facing numerous changes
this year — a new superintendent, a
new principal at Humbolt Elementary
and numerous staff changes — and
now was not the time to change pol-
icy to allow teachers to be armed, he
said.
One by one, the rest of the board
said they agreed with Cronin and
Williams. Haley Walker noted that
somehow discussion about school
safety had narrowed down to arming
teachers. Colleen Robertson said she
was glad students had an opportunity
to provide input.
The board agreed to pursue oth-
er options to improve school safety,
including evaluating mental health
issues.
Earlier that evening, the dis-
trict’s budget committee approved
next year’s budget, which provides
Incumbent District Attor-
ney Jim Carpenter received
96 percent of the votes run-
ning unopposed.
Percy said 24 signature
envelopes were challenged
— either unsigned or with a
signature that did not match
records — that have not
been processed. They have
been mailed letters inform-
ing them they have until 5
p.m. May 29 to correct the
issue.
Percy said two additional
ballots received on time in
other counties have yet to
be processed as well.
Of 5,193 eligible vot-
ers, Percy said she received
3,417 signature envelopes,
a turnout of 65.8 percent.
One envelope, how-
ever, contained two bal-
lots, both of which had
to be rejected because it
could not be determined
which ballot correspond-
ed with the valid signature
envelope.
Percy wanted to remind
voters not to send more than
one ballot per signature en-
velope.
The Eagle/Richard Hanners
Grant School District 3 school board member Haley Walker listens as Vice Chairman Zach Williams
explains his position on arming teachers during the board’s May 16 meeting.
$45,000 to pay half the cost of a
school resource officer provided
by the John Day Police Depart-
ment. Superintendent Curt Shelley
noted that more details needed to
be worked out, including whether
the SRO would be on duty at af-
ter-school events such as proms and
sports games.
The earliest an SRO would be
available might be August, Shelley
said, because John Day wanted to use
the funded position to help out with
normal police work during the busy
summer tourist season.
He also noted that the district
might find a grant to fund the SRO
position, leaving the $45,000 al-
ready in the budget available for
other school safety options, includ-
O utlook
ing possibly hiring a second SRO
for the district’s three schools.
Cronin told the budget commit-
tee that her experiences with school
resource officers had been positive.
They got along with students and
staff and were very much a part of
the school, she said, adding that a
successful SRO was personality de-
pendent.
SENI R
Food for
thought: a wise man
never plants more
garden than his wife
can hoe. Decided to
try something
Rose Coombs
different this year in
the garden bed. Took
all the old bricks that we found behind the hall last year and
arranged them to make 12 separate areas in the garden. That was
after I turned the new sand and top soil in. Then it started raining…
Oh, well. Always something else to do in the house, huh?
Meanwhile, back at the hall, the pinochle party is going
strong. Drew and Del even got to play a few hands. We were
happy to see Tom Harris at dinner. Ivan Nance also drove in to
pick up his bag of meals. Said they had to get back so they could
watch the workers. Ahem. Drew led the flag salute and Jack asked
the blessing. Drew was also the winner of the gift certificate
donated by Chuck’s Little Diner. Home deliveries were made by
Ken, Larry and Carlos.
And what did they deliver? Rice with beef and gravy over
it, corn, peaches and chocolate pudding with topping for dessert.
My, we were stuffed. Next week is taco salad. We had 66 names
on the registration book. Lorna and Krystin brought Bud Salisbury,
Marilyn Randall, Gordon Sindt and Mary Crawford from the Blue
Mountain Care Center.
We had our monthly board meeting after the meal. The
new doors and painting of the building are making their way from
Prairie City
Seniors
Monday, May
14, Olivia Cornell was on
the greeter’s desk. Our
Lutheran friends, Buzz
and Bobbie Gilmore took
the John Day and Canyon
City meals out, while
Nicky Essex
David Gill and Rodney
from Step Forward took
the Mt. Vernon route, delivering regular and frozen meals to our
homebound friends. Buzz won the Lens Drug gift card and Jan
Ellison won the free meal. We celebrated buttermilk biscuit and
gravy day. There were a bunch of happy diners.
Thursday, May 17, Bonnie Kocis and Jeanette Julsrud were
greeters, the Methodist Church and Ye Olde Thrift Shop were
represented by Sherrie Feiger, and Chet Day did our service as well
as deliveries to John Day and Canyon City, with David Gill and
Rodney, representing Step Forward, making deliveries to Mt.
Vernon. I have missed some of my notes, but the Chester’s
Thriftway gift card was won by Norma Rynearson and Dusty Harris
won the Valley View free meal. There were eight tables full of
happy eaters, who enjoyed cheese-stuffed, bacon-wrapped meatloaf,
with baked potatoes, spinach, dinner rolls and ice cream cake.
John Day
Seniors
Wow, did we ever get
some crazy torrential
rain this past week or
what? It was pouring
buckets at our place and
we had thunder and
lightning. It rained so
Soo Yukawa
hard and so fast that it
washed part of our
driveway away. But, I
praise the Lord for the rain that we so desperately needed. It’s been
nice to not have to water my garden. The grass is coming back lush
and green. And, oh, the air is so clean, fresh, and clear! The skies
have been a gorgeous blue with the lovely, white, and puffy clouds.
Ah, the sigh of contentment living here in the peaceful valley of
Monument.
Another thing to be contented with was our meal for
Tuesday, May 15. This meal was sponsored by Donna Campbell of
Monument. We thank her for her generous support. Carrie Jewell and
Teawna Conklin prepared for us a meal of roast beef sandwiches,
French fries, macaroni salad, and fruit tart for dessert. We thank them
very much for their hard work. It was a most satisfying meal for I
immediately went home and took a nap from the food coma. Ha.
Our greeters at the front table were Jimmy Cole and Linda
Blakeslee. Lonnie Lawrence made the announcements and led us in
the flag salute. Yours truly led us in the blessing over our meal.
Jimmy and Linda collected and counted the money.
Monument
Seniors
“could we do it” status to more solid footing. Hopefully by the end
of summer they will have made it to the “successfully completed”
category.
I was working on one of those agenda items in my life:
sewing a blouse. Finally got it to the trying-on stage and was
disappointed to discover that it was too small. So threw the pattern
away so that won’t happen again. Cut out another blouse from a
different style pattern and it fits much better (i.e. looser).
And the campaign season is over for a few months.
Hallelujah. In our chronological Bible reading for Election Day
were these verses: Proverbs 8:6-8 “Listen, for I have worthy things
to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks
what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my
mouth are just; none of them crooked or perverse.” Oh, how I wish
that were true of all those seeking elective office. It just gets
ridiculous when one ad says something about someone and the next
ad is directly opposite. They can’t both be true. Discernment is the
name of the game for those of us who vote. And did you hear that
Grant County had the highest percentage of returned ballots in the
state? Good for us.
The big news (at least at our house) is that son number two
has found a house to buy in Canyon City and will be moving before
July 4. He was the first to leave the nest and is the first one back.
Take note, classes of 2018. (Suppose any of them read this?)
Colossians 1:23 “…continue in your faith, established and firm,
not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.
Announcements by Veanne included: Linda wants
everyone to feel free to use the library. She is now looking for
children’s books for grandparents to share with grandkids. Grant
County’s health fair is coming up June 15. Sign up at Blue
Mountain Hospital starting June 11. Ask for a senior scholarship;
there are 42 senior scholarships available. Kam Wah Chung dinner
may be a sell out so get your dinner tickets soon. Saturday, June
16, at Fox Community Church, Long Creek Historical Society will
host a potluck meal at noon, across the highway from the church.
Music will be played at the church afterward. Proceeds to benefit
repairs to the church. For more information, call Jack at 541-421-
5524 or Pat at 541-421-3379
Jan and Larry Sanderson, hosts at Clyde Holliday Park,
brought two other couples in for lunch. It is always good to see
them again.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Curt and Lisa Pereira,
in Bend for some very serious surgery. Please help by praying with
us!
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) “If my people, who are called by my
name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn
from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will
forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
We had 44 guests on the books and four take-outs. Among
the guests, we had some visitors join us; we had Miranda Carlin
from Kimberly and Glenna Lang from Service Creek visiting.
Hope they enjoyed the meal and come back again real soon.
Debbie Reid was the lucky winner of the Len’s Drug gift card.
Rusty Baughman and Donna Campbell both won free meal tickets.
We thank all for their generous support of our senior center.
Please keep both Bodean Andersen and Terry Cade in
your thoughts and prayers. Bodean had compression fractures on
the inside of her vertebrae and was in pain. Terry had some back
surgery done and will be out for a few months. We pray that these
two great ladies would heal quickly in the name of Jesus and that
they would be able to join us again soon.
The Monument Graduation ceremony will be this
Saturday. Congratulations and best wishes for all the graduates this
year. May God bless their future with favor and that they find what
they truly have a passion for and enjoy doing.
I’ve planted a bunch of seeds to start. I hope they will
sprout. Of course, wouldn’t you know it, after I planted, the
weather changed and got cold and rained. Luckily, I put them in a
warm, plastic storage shed. I double planted, just in case some of
the seeds were stubborn and would not germinate. Remember my
lettuce seeds I scattered around my raspberries? They are sprouting
and growing wild! Wahoo, soon we will be feasting on fresh
lettuce. The best part? No nasty squirrels to steal them either!
Isaiah 40:29 “He giveth power to the faint; And to them that have
no might He increaseth strength.”
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