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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 28, 2018)
News Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, November 28, 2018 A5 Old city hall building makes way for pocket park Transition to current city hall took multiple tries By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle A piece of John Day histo- ry disappeared Monday, as a crew from the Grant County Road Department demolished the old city hall building on South Canyon Boulevard next to the Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative substation. OTEC needs better access to the substation should a large piece of equipment fail and require replacement. Pre- liminary plans call for turn- ing the narrow site between the highway and a steep em- bankment into a pocket park, according to Charlie Tracy, OTEC director of engineering and operations. OTEC is also The Eagle/Richard Hanners County crews begin demolishing John Day’s old city hall building, which was built in about 1950. exploring options for an elec- tric vehicle charging station at the site. Demolition began at the south end of the former city hall building, which once housed the city jail. The shov- el of a large excavator banged into the reinforced concrete roof of the jail with a loud bang again and again in an at- tempt to break it into smaller pieces. Tax records in the Grant County Courthouse indicate the old city hall building was built in about 1950. As city government grew, the lack of space in the old city hall building became an issue. While the police and fire departments were housed on the north side of the electrical substation on Dayton Street, the old city hall was home to the administration and the public works department, with no room large enough to hold city council meetings. The city initially proposed constructing a new city hall at a site on West Main Street, but an $800,000 bond election was soundly defeated in No- vember 1985 by 377-121. The next plan was to ac- quire the Grant County Fed- eral Credit Union building on East Main Street and remodel it to accommodate city ad- ministration, police and pub- lic works, along with a public city council meeting room. A $250,000 levy, how- ever, failed in the June 1986 election by a 276-163 vote, and a $175,000 levy fell six votes shy of winning in March 1987. Finally, voters approved a smaller $160,000 five-year levy in November 1987 by 359-283. “It’s probably one of the worst-needed things in John Day,” Ralph Hunter, the may- or at that time, said. “I’m re- ally pleased the people finally approved it.” By coincidence, that same week residents in Mt. Vernon got a first look at their brand new city hall, fashioned from a mobile home at a cost of $28,750. City government moved into the current John Day City Hall on the weekend of Feb. 3-4, 1990. In an op-ed piece in the Eagle, city staff explained why the transition took so long after the 1987 levy passed. The credit union had been given until April 1989 to complete its new building and move into it, city staff said, but the “minor remodeling” expected at the former credit union building turned out to be much more extensive. Fac- ing numerous changes to meet code, the city finally hired an architect to assist in the proj- ect. Hillcrest Drive in John Day. Nov. 25: Responded to West Main Street in John Day for a noninjury crash. • Oregon State Police Nov. 24: Advised of a slide- off crash on Highway 395 near Bear Valley. Nov. 24: Received a report of cattle on Highway 395 near Ritter. • Grant County Sheriff’s Office Nov. 20: Advised of a dis- pute on Violet Street in Mt. Vernon. Nov. 20: Received a report of a grass fire on South Canyon Boulevard in John Day. Nov. 21: Advised of crim- inal mischief at the former school in Mt. Vernon. Nov. 21: Received a report of domestic dispute on West Sixth Street in Prairie City. Nov. 23: Advised of live- stock on County Road 63. Nov. 23: Received a report of a domestic on Park Street in Canyon City. Nov. 24: Advised of suspi- cious circumstances near Aus- tin Junction. Nov. 24: Received a report of menacing at an apartment complex in Prairie City. • John Day ambulance Nov. 18: Responded to Nugget Lane in Canyon City for a 911 call. Nov. 19: Dispatched to a motel on Main Street in John Day for a 911 call. Nov. 19: Responded to Screech Alley in John Day for a 22-year-old woman having seizures. Nov. 20: Dispatched to a convenience store in Mt. Ver- non for a 911 call. Nov. 21: Responded to Northeast Dayton Street in John Day for an 85-year-old woman. Nov. 21: Transported a pa- tient to the airport in John Day. Nov. 21: Responded with John Day police, sheriff’s of- fice and state police to a crash with injuries at Bridge and Third streets in John Day. Nov. 23: Dispatched to Highway 26 near John Day for a 65-year-old woman. Nov. 23: Responded with Monument ambulance to North Street in Monument for a 911 call. Nov. 23: Dispatched with Prairie City ambulance to East Sixth Street in Prairie City for a man with unknown medical conditions. Nov. 23: Responded to North Johnson Avenue in Prai- rie City for a 24-year-old wom- an with cramping. Nov. 24: Dispatched with sheriff’s office to North John- son Avenue in Prairie City for a woman in pre-term labor. Nov. 24: Responded with Long Creek ambulance, state police, sheriff’s office and Or- egon Department of Transpor- tation to a rollover accident on Highway 395. Nov. 24: Dispatched to Aslin Avenue in Mt. Vernon for a 911 call. Nov. 25: Responded to Green Acres Lane in Mt. Ver- non for a 911 call. • Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Nov. 23: Advised of a downed power line on Harper Creek Road in Mt. Vernon. • Forest Service Nov. 25: Received a report of livestock on Forest Road 1710. C OPS AND C OURTS Arrests and citations in the Blue Mountain Eagle are taken from the logs of law enforce- ment agencies. Every effort is made to report the court dispo- sition of arrest cases. Grant County Circuit Court Two cases filed against Ronald J. Nishioka, 54, Ya- kama, Washington, were dis- missed and an arrest warrant was recalled Nov. 25 in the best interests of justice following the district attorney’s motion. He was charged with driving under the influence of intoxi- cants allegedly committed July 6, 2008, and second-degree failure to appear allegedly com- mitted in August or September 2008. Two cases filed against Keith P. Sroczynski, 57, Post Falls, Idaho, were dismissed and an arrest warrant was re- called Nov. 25 in the best in- terests of justice following the district attorney’s motion. He was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants and felony possession of marijuana both allegedly committed Nov. 30, 2013. Two cases filed against Tommy W. Jackson Jr., 34, Banning, California, were dis- missed and an arrest warrant was recalled Nov. 25 in the best interests of justice following the district attorney’s motion. He was charged with furnishing alcohol to a minor and having an open container with alcohol in a vehicle allegedly commit- ted on April 15, 2008, and fail- ing to appear on a citation for furnishing alcohol to a minor allegedly committed on May 15, 2008. Two cases filed against Ted E. Howell, 43, John Day, were dismissed and an arrest warrant was recalled Nov. 25 in the best interests of justice following the district attorney’s motion. He was charged with fourth-degree assault constituting domestic violence and harassment, both misdemeanors allegedly com- mitted on May 15, 2013, and fourth-degree assault constitut- ing domestic violence allegedly committed on July 3, 2013. One case filed against Der- rick R. Unbewust, 33, Spokane, Washington, was dismissed and an arrest warrant was re- called Nov. 25 in the best in- terests of justice following the district attorney’s motion. He was charged with second-de- gree forgery and second-degree theft allegedly committed on Nov. 22, 2013. Grant County Sheriff The Grant County Sheriff’s Office reported the following for the week of Nov. 21: Concealed handgun licens- es: 6 Average inmates: 18 Bookings: 11 Releases: 8 Arrests: 1 Citations: 1 Fingerprints: 3 Civil papers: 11 Warrants processed: 0 Asst./welfare check: 0 Search and rescue: 0 Nov. 19: Karina Robinson, 18, Mt. Vernon, was cited for driving uninsured. Justice Court • Violation of basic rule: Alan P. Williams, 47, Redmond, April 19, 71/55 zone, fined $140; Zachary E. J. Despain, Anchorage, Alaska, April 29, 78/55 zone, fined $275; Robert H. Weis, 66, Heppner, Nov. 11, 74/55 zone, fined $165; Chad R. Shultz, 49, Medford, Nov. 2, 82/55 zone, fined $225; Scott A. Smith, 43, Redmond, Oct. 28, 73/55 zone, fined $165. • Exceeding speed limit: Cameron C. Fast, 34, Unity, Sept. 21, 82/65 zone, fined $275; Steven W. Arment, 59, Lostine, Oct. 23, 55/35 zone, fined $140; Brian S. Hubbard, 45, John Day, Nov. 10, 63/50 zone, fined $140; David J. Steckler, 54, Redmond, Sept. 11, 84/55 zone, fined $265. • Driving uninsured: Jacob S. Ellson, 27, Prairie City, Jan. 12, fined $265; Cameron C. Fast, 34, Unity, Sept. 21, fined $275. • Driving while suspended: Casey D. Branham, 40, Jack- sonville, April 17, fined $390; Cameron C. Fast, 34, Unity, Sept. 21, fined $450. • No operator’s license: Bri- an S. Hubbard, 45, John Day, Nov. 10, fined $265. • Careless driving causing an accident: Norma Y. May, 54, Prineville, Oct. 26, fined $375. • Open container of alcohol: Ryan L. Kreps, 37, Boardman, Oct. 19, fined $265. Oregon State Police Nov. 18: Investigated a non- injury crash on Highway 26 east of Dayville where an SUV struck a deer. Nov. 19: Mitchel D. Long, 48, was arrested at the OSP of- fice in John Day and charged with failing to file as a sex of- fender. Nov. 19: Investigated a non- injury crash on Highway 395 near Ukiah where a northbound vehicle failed to negotiate a curve, lost traction on ice, over corrected, left the roadway, hit a tree and rolled down a steep embankment to the river bank. Nov. 19: Following a traffic stop on Highway 26 near Moon Creek, Hunter D. Martin, 19, Prairie City, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants and un- lawful possession of a firearm. The passenger, Colt J. Martin, 20, Prairie City, was arrested and charged with resisting ar- rest and unlawful possession of a firearm. Nov. 24: Investigated a non- injury crash on Highway 395 near Meadowbrook Pass. A northbound SUV slowed for a slower vehicle, lost traction on ice, rolled off the roadway and came to rest at the creek bot- tom. Dispatch John Day dispatch worked 153 calls during the week of Nov. 18-26, including: • John Day Police Department Nov. 18: Received a report of a suspicious person at a mo- bile home park on West Main Street in John Day. Nov. 18: Responded to West Main Street in John Day for a burglary report. Nov. 18: Received a call about a dispute at a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day. Nov. 19: Responded to a restaurant on South Canyon Boulevard in John Day for a theft report. Nov. 20: Dispatched to a bank on Main Street in John Day for a fraud report. Nov. 21: Tracy Clark, John Day, was cited for having a dog as a public nuisance. Nov. 21: Responded to a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day for a harassment report. Nov. 21: Dispatched to North Canyon Boulevard in John Day for criminal mischief of vehicles. Nov. 21: Received a re- port of a juvenile problem on Southeast Hillcrest Drive in John Day. Nov. 22: Responded to East Main Street in John Day for a report that two dogs had killed chickens. Nov. 23: Investigated a credit card fraud at a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day. Nov. 24: Responded to a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day. Da- kota Stout, 21, John Day, was arrested on a Grant County warrant. Tylor J. Gifford, 24, John Day, was arrested on a community corrections detain- er. Nov. 24: Advised of live- stock on County Road 16. Nov. 25: Received a report of harassment on Southeast SATURDAY DECEMBER 1ST 9AM - 3PM AUXILIARY BAZAAR Saturday, December 1st, 9AM - 3PM Grant County Fairgrounds Pavilion Book your Christmas party here and get a free dessert! Mostly Handcrafted Items Soup & Pie Available Pictures with Santa - Bring Your Camera! Michele 541-792-0958 Pick up a gift certificate for that special someone. BLUE MOUNTAIN HOSPITAL AUXILIARY KEERINS HALL HOLIDAY BAZAAR Grant County Fairgrounds in Keerins Hall Large variety of items Holiday Hours 90883 Tues. - Sat. 4:30 PM - 9:00 PM 89407 Snaffle Bit 830 S Canyon Blvd. John Day 541-575-2426 Call Fair Office for more information: 541-575-1900 grantcountyfairgrounds.com 89395
