Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 26, 2018)
The Blue Mountain EAGLE Grant County’s newspaper since 1868 Wednesday, December 26, 2018 150th Year • No. 52 • 18 Pages • $1.00 BlueMountainEagle.com 2018 YEAR IN REVIEW Couple’s disappearance turns into homicide case Kam Wah Chung site draws media attention By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle The mysterious disappear- ance of a “social” couple and their pickup truck following a cabin fi re on Nan’s Rock Road south of Mt. Vernon evolved into a homicide case after human remains were identifi ed by the state crime lab. Terry Smith, 67, and Sharon Smith, 65, owned the cabin that burned down July 17-18. The cabin was located in a remote area off Laycock Creek Road and was completely gone by the time fi re crews arrived. Sheriff Glenn Palmer said his phone was “off the hook” in the days following the fi re as numer- ous friends and family called from around Grant County and out of state. Foul play was not suspected at fi rst, Palmer said, but law enforce- ment was searching for the miss- ing 2006 Toyota Tacoma. He also noted that the Smiths were often in contact with friends and family and wouldn’t just take off without telling them. Palmer confi rmed a few days See Couple, Page A3 Contributed photo Sharon and Terry Smith went missing following a fi re at their cabin on Nan’s Rock Road south of Mt. Vernon on July 17-18. The suspicious case was later declared a homicide investigation. By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle Four Main Street businesses in John Day underwent major changes. Dave Barntish closed Prime Time Video after 30 years, Greg Armstrong began selling everything in Muzzy’s 123 Dol- lar Store in preparation for clos- ing, the Eastern Oregon College of Industries and Arts College closed to reopen as a beauty salon and Sherry Dress moved her Nat- urally Yours Health and Wellness The Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site attracted media attention this year, and two television documentaries now in the works could lead to a significant increase in tourism next year. It’s been about 140 years since the Chinese store opened its doors in a for- mer military outpost in John Day. And it’s been about 10 years since the Friends of Kam Wah Chung organiza- tion established an interpre- tive center for the site. The Portland Lee’s Asso- ciation Dragon & Lion Dance Team appeared at a celebra- tory dinner in John Day on June 9 after marching in the ‘62 Days parade in Canyon City. Former First Lady Mary Oberst joined other nota- bles at the dinner, including Dr. Eric Brand, an expert in Chinese herbal medicines who speaks Chinese and spent time studying in Hong Kong under Professor Zhao Zhongzhen. Brand and Zhongzhen were back in John Day in mid-August as a crew from the Yiping Media Group of Shenzhen, China, worked on a documentary about Kam Wah Chung for the Chinese version of the Discovery Channel. Zhongzhen, who appeared in the video, also sits on a tourism board in China that sees 3 million vis- its on its website. Museum curator Don Merritt said See 2018, Page A6 See Site, Page A3 Eagle fi le photos A garage and bedroom of a house on Skyline Drive in John Day were destroyed by a fi re of unknown origin Nov. 4. Dale and Shelly Mosier escaped unharmed with their dog. A month-by-month recap of 2018 Day, pleaded guilty Jan. 18 to fi rst-degree manslaughter and unlawful use of a weapon in the shooting death of Todd A. Berry near Dog Creek Road on Aug. 24. He was sentenced June 26 under amended charges to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay $16,405 to a criminal injuries compensation account. Fire destroyed a two-story home on Pine Creek Road owned by Jim and Mary Jensen on Jan. 25. The house was fully engulfed when fi refi ghters arrived. The Jensens owned the Oxbow Trade Co. antique business in Canyon City. By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle January Rep. Cliff Bentz was chosen by county courts and commis- sions from nine Eastern Oregon counties to replace Sen. Ted Fer- rioli to represent Senate District 30. Ferrioli had resigned to take a governor-appointed position with the Pacifi c Northwest Electric Power and Conservation Plan- ning Council. Bentz, a Repub- lican from Ontario, had been in the state house since 2004. Lynn Findley, the former Vale city manager, was appointed by the same group to replace Bentz as state representative for House District 60. Bradley D. Moles, 31, John Day, was convicted of sexual abuse by a 12-person jury Jan. 17. A jury in September 2017 had failed to reach a verdict. He was sentenced Jan. 31 to 75 months in prison. Grant County Circuit Court Judge William D. Cra- mer Jr. denied a request to grant Moles a new trial Feb. 23. Moles submitted notice of his intent to appeal the conviction in March. February Dave Barntish closed his Prime Time Video store on Main Street in John Day on Jan. 27. Grant School District 3 announced plans for a $932,300 seismic upgrade to Humbolt Ele- mentary School, which was built in 1956. The project would take place in summer and include a new roof. Thomas J. Elliott, 55, John Prairie City water emergency leads to new well By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle Prairie City Mayor Jim Hamsher declared a water emergency Aug. 6, but city residents were not surprised and instead frustrated by recurring water shortages. For the second summer in a row, residents had been asked in late July to cease all outdoor watering. Pub- lic Works Director Chris Camarena blamed drought conditions caused by low snowpack and falling water tables. The city had imposed water restrictions in summer 2017 after a June 26 lightning strike that knocked out electrical controls coincided with a well improvement project. Water levels in the city’s reservoir fell to 4 feet before crews were able to restore safe levels around 23 feet. But the city’s water supply prob- Eagle fi le photo Water was trucked to Prairie City from John Day after Prairie City declared a water emergency on Aug. 6. lems were older and more involved. Prairie City had incurred signifi - cant debt after building a $2 mil- lion slow-sand fi ltration system in 2008 for water drawn from Dixie Creek. But the creek often ran dry in drought years, and the debt made it diffi cult for the city to invest in a new water source. The city’s Dixie Creek infi ltration galleries, which reached 200 gal- lons per minute in August 2005, had dropped to 15-20 gpm this year when Hamsher declared a water emer- gency. The level in the city reservoir had dropped to a foot and a half by that time as demand exceeded out- put from city wells. Water tenders went to work Aug. 12 hauling donated water from John Day and dumping it into Prairie City’s water mains on Dixie Creek Road. Hamsher said he was con- cerned about elevated wildfi re dan- ger and wanted to replenish the reservoir. He also was frustrated by city water users who allegedly ignored the water emergency and continued sprinkling. City Recorder Bobbie Brown said warning notices were sent to about 40 customers known See Water, Page A6