News
Blue Mountain Eagle
Philbrook announces
write-in campaign for
Prairie City mayor
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
Editor’s note: Taci Phil-
brook contacted the Eagle
about her write-in campaign
after the publication of last
week’s article, which featured
the other three candidates.
Two candidates will ap-
pear on the ballot for a two-
year term as Prairie City
mayor, Carole Garrison and
Frances Preston. Mayor Jim
Hamsher and Taci Philbrook
did not file to be on the ballot
but recently mounted write-in
campaigns.
Taci Philbrook
Taci Philbrook said she
decided to mount a write-in
campaign for mayor of Prai-
rie City after learning the
names of the two registered
candidates and after Hamsher
announced his write-in cam-
paign.
Philbrook grew up most-
ly in Oregon, visiting Grant
County for about 20 years
before moving to Prairie City
five years ago. She has an as-
sociate degree in accounting
and has owned five business-
es over the years, including a
collection agency.
After moving to Prairie
City, Philbrook worked as
the city recorder and treasur-
er. Following her separation
from the city last year, she
worked with several local
small businesses, she said.
Philbrook said she serves
on the boards of the Grant
County Chamber of Com-
merce, Friends of Kam Wah
Chung, Grant County Library
Foundation and the Fiberfest
2019 group that is planning to
hold an event in Prairie City
next year. She also volun-
teered at the Prairie City Food
Bank and
the recycling
center
in
Prairie City
when it was
operating.
In
ad-
Taci
dition
to
Philbrook s e c u r i n g
a back-up
water source to the proposed
Fainman Springs project,
Philbrook said she wants to
address the divisiveness she
sees between city government
and residents. She said she
wants to set up committees
to oversee projects so support
for key projects will continue
if city government changes.
Among the projects Phil-
brook said she wants to see
completed are an overhaul of
the city water ordinance gov-
erning overuse, late payments
and base rates; the upcoming
sewer project; fencing to pro-
tect children at City Park; and
reopening the recycling center.
Philbrook said she is for-
ward-looking and believes
Prairie City has “lost its
brand.” Gone are the Art In
The Park and the Huckleberry
Festival events, and the annu-
al car show is sporadic, she
said. Her experience in writ-
ing grants would be valuable
to the city, she said.
One of her goals is to get
the city involved in the state-
run Main Street Program,
which develops comprehen-
sive, incremental revitaliza-
tion strategies. She said she
was involved in the same
program for 12 years when
living in Oregon City. While
providing funds to upgrade
storefronts and signs on Front
Street, the program would
bring “trickle-down” effects
to other neighborhoods in the
city, she said.
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
A3
‘Good service at a reasonable price’
Isaac & Bailey
Studtmann buy
OK Garage
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Isaac Studtmann, a mas-
ter certified mechanic, and
his wife, Bailey, are the new
owners of OK Garage & Mini
Mart in Long Creek.
The couple moved from La
Grande to Long Creek in July
and took ownership of the
business Aug. 1.
For Isaac, the move is a re-
turn to roots, having lived in
the town from 2008 to 2013,
when he graduated from Long
Creek School.
Bailey, who hails from
Walla Walla, Washington, has
visited Long Creek on several
occasions.
Isaac worked at Legacy
Ford in La Grande for five
years, and he is master certi-
fied in automotive repair.
On Sept. 12, he was chang-
ing out a transmission on an
SUV in the shop and checking
fluids on a semi-truck.
Other services include
changing all fluids, changing
tires, brake work, engine per-
formance and repair, steering
and suspension.
He said his work is most-
ly automotive, and he doesn’t
work on 4-wheelers that
much.
Just about the only ser-
vices he can’t provide are air
conditioning and alignments
because he does not have the
proper equipment.
He said his motto in serv-
ing customers is offering
“peace of mind that they’re
being treated fairly and re-
spectfully with good service
at a reasonable price.”
Isaac said he and Bailey
and their children, 3-year-
old Alayna and 5-month-old
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Bailey and Isaac Studtmann are the new owners of the OK Garage & Mini Mart in Long
Creek.
Madison, frequently traveled
to Long Creek to visit his
parents, Linda and Ed Studt-
mann.
During some of their vis-
its, Isaac said Craig and Don-
na Palmer, longtime former
owners of OK Garage, would
ask him when he planned to
buy the shop, which they had
for sale.
“We weighed the pros and
cons of owning our own busi-
ness as opposed to working
for someone else,” Isaac said.
“The opportunity to make
your own decisions, setting
your own hours, being your
own boss instead of doing
whatever you’re told, regard-
less of whether you agree
with the ethics of it” were
pros in the decision.
Bailey said they were also
interested in raising their
daughters in a small commu-
nity. She said area residents
are personable and she enjoys
knowing them on a first-name
basis
OK Garage also has a gas
station, including diesel, un-
leaded and nonethanol fuels,
and a mini market.
The convenience store is
stocked with snacks, drinks,
liquor, basic grocery items,
ice cream, toiletries, charcoal,
lighter fluid and more.
They also sell a selection
of Outwest Gifts, including
wallets, hats and sunglasses.
The Studtmanns would
like to add fishing gear and
larger camping items such as
coolers and camp chairs in the
future.
Other future goals for the
business include adding tow-
ing services and another me-
chanic on a service truck.
When he’s not working,
Isaac enjoys camping, hunt-
ing and winter snowboarding.
He also enjoys creating clocks
and lamps out of old automo-
tive parts.
He and Bailey both love
classic cars.
“My dad is a mechanic,
and I grew up around cars,
race tracks and car shows,”
she said.
She also enjoys crochet-
ing and making homemade
household products, such as
laundry soap.
The couple said Alayna en-
joys playing outside and vis-
iting her grandma’s horses in
Walla Walla.
Isaac said he likes starting
his day off chatting with the
ranchers, who stream in when
they open, to drink free coffee
and talk about local happen-
ings.
“It’s one of the highlights
of my day,” Isaac said.
OK Garage, located at 151
North Highway 395, is open
from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven
days a week, except for cer-
tain holidays.
“People are welcome to
call or come on down and tell
us what they need,” he said.
“I’ll help them out if I can.”
77206
Monday - Thursday
7am- 6pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
A TTENTION G RANT C OUNTY
V ETERANS :
Mendy Sharpe FNP
Are you using or interested in learning
about Choice Card Medical Care?
Katee
Apppointments
available
See your Grant County Veteran Services Hoffman
Officer today for more information.
Monday through Friday 10 am – 4 pm.
Call 541-620-8057 for an appointment
84550
530 E. Main, Ste. 5, John Day, OR.
71661
Thank You!
We from Rally for the Cure would like
to thank everyone who helped make
our event such a success!
1188 Brewing Co., Ugly Truth Bar, Grubsteak Mining
Co., Hair It Is, Cloud 9, Jonna’s Hair Care, Big Joe’s
Barbershop, Nydam’s Ace Hardware, True Value
Hardware, John Day Auto Parts, John Day Polaris,
Squeeze In, Timbers Bistro, Outpost Pub & Grill,
Prairie Trading Post, Bar WB, Roan Outwest, Mitch’s
Fabrication, Bruce Ward, Darrell
Simmons, Valley Golf Club, Razzle
Dazzle Commmittee, Jeanette
Hueckman, Les Schwab Tire Center,
Radio Shack, Clay Tanler, Dan
Propeck, Melody Miller, Carlene
Johnston, Tawnya Kemper, Linda
McClellan, Micki Burke, Sharon
Livingston, Joe Burke, Gail Burton,
Kathleen Lee, Vicki Mullany, Kim
Ward, Chuck Coffman.
Every other Monday in John Day at
Blue Mountain Hospital
170 Ford Rd. • 541-575-1311
Lynn
Findley
FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE
ENDORSED BY
Oregon Farm Bureau Federation
Oregonians for Food & Shelter
Oregon Gun Owners
Oregon Chiefs of Police Association
Sheriffs of Oregon
Oregon Cattleman’s Association
AG-PAC
Oregon Nurseries’ Association
Association of Oregon Home Builders
National Federation of Small Business
Oregon Right to Life
Oregon Dairy Farmers Association
w w w. l y n n f i n d l e y.c o m
Paid for by Lynn Findley for State Representative, Bob Kemble Treasurer