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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 4, 2018)
A4 Opinion Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, July 4, 2018 Remembering independence A s we celebrate our independence, it is worth remembering that freedom is not free. A glance at international headlines is a sobering reminder that so many people enjoy far fewer protections of their liberty than we do in the United States. While sitting at a barbecue, it can be easy to forget the sacrifices of our forebears that made possible life as we know it. If you’re enjoying your freedom this Independence Day, you should thank our veterans for their part in providing it and those in the military for preserving it. And our thanks should extend beyond servicemembers. Countless public servants — police, firefighters, educators and many others — work daily to maintain our free society. Without order and information, our system would fall quicker than if another military could actually defeat ours. It is also worth remembering that our independence came from, and comes from, our unity. When we overthrew monarchic rule by one for democratic rule by all, we did so on a united front as united states. Our independence was, and is, collective. In order to maintain our independence as individuals in a free society, we must remain united. We must work together to overcome the obstacles confronting us. We must remain vigilant against those who wish to see our way of life diminished. We must remember how we got here and where we were headed. And we must do it together. What makes this country great is that it was built by the people from the ground up — to provide liberty and justice for all. Happy Independence Day. Remember what that means. And remember it is neither free nor easy. W HERE TO W RITE GRANT COUNTY • Grant County Courthouse — 201 S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541- 575-2248. • Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax: 541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@centu- rylink.net. • Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville 97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541- 987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net • John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day, 97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541- 575-1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net. • Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax: 541-421-3075. Email: info@cityoflong- creek.com. • Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monument 97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-2025. Email: cityofmonument@centurytel.net. • Mt. Vernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt. Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax: 541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net. • Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax: 820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net. • Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca 97873. Phone and fax: 541-542-2161. Email: senecaoregon@gmail.com. SALEM • Gov. Kate Brown, D — 254 State Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378- 3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website: www. governor.state.or.us/governor.html. • Oregon Legislature — State Capitol, Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180. Website: www. leg.state.or.us (includes Oregon Constitution and Oregon Revised Statutes). • Oregon Legislative Information — (For updates on bills, services, capitol or messages for legislators) — 800-332-2313. • Sen. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario – 900 Court St. NE, S-301, Salem 97301. Phone: 503-986-1730. Website: www.oregonlegis- lature.gov/Bentz. Email: Sen.CliffBentz@ oregonlegislature.gov. • Rep. Lynn Findley, R-Vale – 900 Court St. NE, H-475, Salem 97301. Phone: 503- 986-1460. Website: www.oregonlegislature. gov/findley. Email: Rep.LynnFindley@ oregonlegislature.gov. F ROM THE P UBLISHER Discovering new places, seeking out backroads By Christopher Rush EO Media Group Whenever I’ve had the pleasure of moving to a new town, I’ve always tried to be very receptive to the good advice offered by folks who have lived there for awhile and know the ways and customs of their commu- nity. That is certainly true of my first few weeks here in northeast Oregon. I relocated here in May after spending three years on the west (and wetter) side of the state in Coos Bay- North Bend. Prior to that, my 26-year newspaper career has taken my fami- ly to small cities like Bentonville, Ar- kansas, Aberdeen, Washington, and Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Although dramatically different in climate, culture and economic fortunes, each of the communities in which I have lived and worked shared something in common: They are all fiercely proud of their unique heritage and the niche they occupy in the world. I have discovered this to be true here in northeast Oregon as well. In the brief time I have been here, I’ve had the opportunity to visit numer- ous towns in the region: Pendleton, Hermiston, Stanfield, Umatilla, Echo, Milton-Freewater, Athena, Weston, Tollgate, Elgin, Wallowa, Lostine, Enterprise, Joseph, Pilot Rock, Uki- ah, Long Creek, Mt. Vernon, John Day and La Grande. I still have Ir- rigon, Boardman, Helix, Heppner, Lexington, Baker City and other towns on my to-visit list. Each community usually hangs its proverbial hat on something that sets it apart. For instance, I now know that watermelons play an important part of Hermiston’s branding identity, “Where life is sweet.” Of course, everyone identifies Pendleton with a bronc-riding — “Let ’er Buck” — cowboy image, but as Mayor John Turner pointed out to me recently, the actual city seal hon- ors the city’s woolen products heri- tage with an image of a sheep. I see that the hamlet of Athena honors its nineteenth-century Scot- tish settlers with the annual Caledo- nian Games “to preserve and per- petuate Scottish social manners and customs.” The event is scheduled for July 13-15 this year, by the way. According to Wikipedia, Lostine, in Wallowa County, was named after a short-lived place by the same name in Cherokee County, Kansas. Further down the road, the tourist town of Jo- seph, originally named Silver Lake or Lake City, eventually adopted its name for the legendary chief of the Nez Perce people. In Grant County, John Day takes its name for a member of the famous 1811 Astor Expedition. A renowned hunter and fur trapper, his name is well remembered in the state as it is attached to multiple river branches in Oregon as well as the John Day Fos- sil Beds National Monument. But perhaps my favorite name so far is the quaint hamlet of Echo, “Where History Blooms.” It was named by one of the town’s found- ing fathers, J. H. Koontz, for his then three-year-old daughter in 1880. Her Victorian image, as an adult, still adorns the city’s signage and market- ing materials. But beyond the cities and towns, it is clear to me that the land of Eastern Oregon is a special place. I’ve taken the opportunity on weekends to steer my four-wheel drive down some unpaved and unmarked roads in the beautiful Blue Mountains that sur- round us. The views from a mountain meadow at 4,000 feet in elevation can be breathtaking. Most recently, I discovered the joy of taking the slow route from Deadman Pass down Cabbage Hill via the narrow and winding Poverty Flat Road (now, there’s some inter- esting names for you!). If you’re not in a hurry and the weather is clear, I highly recommend it. Once down the mountain and back onto the gently rolling plains of golden wheat fields, the drive through the Umatilla Indian Reservation is en- lightening. The Confederated Tribes are doing some extraordinary things with their facilities and services. And I truly believe I’m getting closer ev- ery day to the correct pronunciation of “Tamastslikt.” It’s clear that we live in an incred- ibly rich and diverse area and I can’t wait to continue my education and exploration here. Here’s to a safe and happy Inde- pendence Day holiday to everyone! Christopher Rush is regional publisher of the East Oregonian, Hermiston Herald, Wallowa County Chieftain and Blue Mountain Eagle newspapers. F ARMER ’ S F ATE Up a creek with half a paddle By Brianna Walker To the Blue Mountain Eagle USPS 226-340 Blue Mountain EAGLE Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper Email: www.MyEagleNews.com Phone: 541-575-0710 John Day, Oregon MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION P UBLISHER E DITOR & G ENERAL M ANAGER R EPORTER C OMMUNITY N EWS S PORTS M ARKETING R EP O FFICE M ANAGER O FFICE A SSISTANT Chris Rush, crush@eomediagroup.com Sean Hart, editor@bmeagle.com Richard Hanners, rick@bmeagle.com Angel Carpenter, angel@bmeagle.com Angel Carpenter, angel@bmeagle.com Kim Kell, ads@bmeagle.com Lindsay Bullock, office@bmeagle.com Alixandra Perkins, office@bmeagle.com PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY BY EO Media Group Periodicals Postage Paid at John Day and additional mailing offices. 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION RATES (including online access) Grant County .....................................$40 Everywhere else in U.S. .....................$51 Outside Continental U.S. ....................$60 Subscriptions must be paid prior to delivery POSTMASTER — send address changes to Blue Mountain Eagle 195 N. Canyon Blvd. John Day, OR 97845-1187 Copyright © 2018 Blue Mountain Eagle All rights reserved. No part of this publication cov- ered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means — graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping or information storage and retrieval systems — without written permission of the publisher. www.facebook.com/MyEagleNews @MyEagleNews Three-fourths of the Earth’s sur- face is water, and only one-fourth is land. Seems like a pretty strong indication that we were intended to spend triple the amount of time in a boat than on a tractor. Everyone has their vices, and it’s no secret that I’m an aquaholic. I love water. No matter what the problem, I think the solution always involves water — whether it is sweat, tears, the ocean, or a good watermelon. If there is magic on this planet, it’s in water and children. Not to be confused with children in kay- aks in water. But I’m getting ahead of myself. The morning had arrived bright and sunny. Snacks and drinks were carefully packed into bags, while we donned hats, life jackets, water shoes and loaded up eight kayaks — ready for adventure. For years I had wanted to kayak this particular stretch of river — and today was the day! My excitement was tempered only by a distant memory of floating down a river on innertubes during my teen years. It also had started as a sunny day. It ended near midnight— hungry, cold, and covered in stinging nettle scratches. We had torn nails, lost sandals, and my vehicle had been vandalized while it sat waiting for our return. Even the police were out look- ing for us. This was a different river, with a different group of people, and we were on kayaks instead of innertubes, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling that this may be another learning trip. “This is awesome!” my 9-year-old and his friend shouted to each other as they maneuvered through the first set of small rapids. We all seemed to agree, even the 11-week-old pup- py that balanced precariously off the front of a kayak. After an hour, the swift rapids gave way to a gentle cur- rent. The scenery was gorgeous, so no one seemed to mind the leisurely pace. Brianna After another few Walker hours, however, the river got deeper and even more idle — which also meant harder paddling. My 2-year old, sitting in front of me, found this slow pace boring, and the end was nowhere in sight. As the blazing sun moved slowly across the sky, the other kids (while not exactly complaining), began letting us know of aching backs and blistered hands and empty stomachs. I have to admit the underside of me felt pretty un- comfortable as well. My 2-year old was getting tired, and his life jacket was irritating his chin. “Look at the fisherman,” I would say, trying to distract him. He glanced toward the shore, but within moments was pulling at his jacket again. “Oh! Look at the splash that big fish made!” I pointed toward rip- ples in the river. I kept trying to in- terest him in our surroundings, but he wasn’t interested. He had found a new pastime. “Helping” me paddle — first with his arms, and then his legs. Pad- dling a kayak is exercise on a good day, but rowing while a 2-year-old is wrapped around your paddle is quite the “oar-deal.” Obviously, he’s not a believer in the “paddle solo, sleep tandem” rule. I kept trying to paddle, and he kept trying to help — until I got the bright idea to split my oar so each of us could row. Thrilled to have his very own oar, he began paddling on the left. Surprisingly, not only was the oar entertaining him, but he was doing a pretty decent job of propelling that side of the kayak. At first, I watched him like a hawk, to make sure he didn’t drop it in the ever-deepening river. Minutes passed, and we had picked up a nice rhythm together and soon had resumed our position in the front of our group. Before long, I was lost in conversation with the other mom in our group. “Oops, Mommy!” I glanced down to see a fleeting glimpse of white as the oar vanished in the murky river. Multiple diving at- tempts brought up nothing but large sticks. It was a painful moment when we finally admitted defeat — and it didn’t take long to realize that half the paddle makes twice the paddler. We did eventually make it to our destination, but it wasn’t quick. The only quick thing that happens with half an oar is exchanging your po- sition in the lead, for one in the far back. I think my 2-year-old must have known we were in a predicament be- cause he seemed pretty content to play with sticks the rest of the after- noon. As the river lazily threaded its way through the hills, the trees and the fishermen, I had to work twice as hard to keep up, which gave me much time to think about my ac- tions. I decided it is more prudent to take a conservative course of ac- tion, even if it means a baby cries, than it is to engage in risky behav- ior that you may regret later when it is both the baby and your muscles crying — or, as my husband said, “Better safe with one oar than sorry with a half.” When we finally pulled our kay- aks out of the water — tired, hungry and sore — I tossed my half-paddle into the back of the pickup and de- cided there really is merit to the say- ing: Love many, trust a few ... but always paddle your own canoe! Brianna Walker occasionally writes about the Farmer’s Fate for the Blue Mountain Eagle.
