YEAR IN REVIEW
MyEagleNews.com
Continued from Page A1
Skye Fitzgerald, a for-
mer Monument resident,
was nominated for an Oscar
for his short film “Lifeboat.”
His parents traveled from
Grant County to attend the
award show.
The Grant County Digital
Network Coalition decided
to update the previous year’s
application for grant funding
to run a fiber optic line from
John Day to Seneca after the
board received news that
they did not receive a $2.9
million U.S. Department
of Agriculture Community
Connect grant.
Contributed photo
Grant County Commission-
er Jim Hamsher traveled to
Washington, D.C., on March
1-7 where he attended a Na-
tional Association of Coun-
ties committee meeting and
met with numerous govern-
ment officials about natural
resource issues.
MARCH
The century-old Com-
munity Hall in Dayville
received a $1.45 million fed-
eral grant for a major facelift
of the center.
John Day City Manager
Nick Green told the city
council he planned to apply
for more than $10 million in
grant funding in 2019.
Stephanie Briney of La
Grande, Elizabeth Pace and
Olle Starnes were arrested
on
methamphetamine
charges in John Day.
Architects
presented
Innovation Gateway con-
cepts during a special meet-
ing of the John Day City
Council held at the Grant
County Regional Airport.
Grant County Commis-
sioner Jim Hamsher traveled
to Washington, D.C., and
attended a National Asso-
ciation of Counties com-
mittee meeting and met
with multiple government
officials regarding natural
resource issues and forest
management.
by John Day Police due to
an earlier investigation.
The city of John Day
planned to submit an appli-
cation for the BUILD grant,
a $15 million dollar grant
that could help fund several
improvement projects.
A bomb threat was
reported at the Bank of East-
ern Oregon on July 18. Law
enforcement went to the
bank and then cleared the
scene, finding nothing.
The Inland Street bridge
over Canyon Creek was
planned to be repaired and
lifted 2 feet higher to protect
it from future flooding.
A large crowd showed
up for the Whiskey Gulch
Gang’s annual demolition
derby at the Grant County
Fair.
APRIL
John Day city staff had
been reduced by one third
by transitioning the 911 dis-
patch out of city govern-
ment, City Manager Nick
Green said in a state of the
city address. The city’s com-
mercial greenhouses and the
grand opening for the city’s
new trail network were both
delayed.
The Community Coun-
seling Solutions board of
directors adopted the Zero
Suicide initiative in Febru-
ary, which would help deal
with the rising suicide rates
in Oregon.
Oregon Department of
Transportation crews kept
busy inspecting and repair-
ing stream banks, bridge
abutments and highway
shoulders undercut by the
fast-moving streams during
a recent flood.
Additional revenue and
grant proceeds contributed
to a proposed John Day city
budget that was 21% larger
than the previous fiscals
year’s budget. The $13.9
million proposed budget
was presented to the city’s
budget committee during its
first meeting on April 16.
Eagle file photo
Joyce and Dean Nodine will be the grand marshals of the 110th Grant County Fair.
living increase, according
to the 2020 fiscal year bud-
get approved by the court on
June 12.
Seneca secured funding
for a $3.5 million waste-
water project. The city also
received a grant for the fire
station, and planned to apply
for park upgrades.
JULY
MAY
The Grant County Dig-
ital Network Coalition and
Oregon Telephone Corpora-
tion formalized a public-pri-
vate partnership for grants to
increase broadband access
in Grant County.
The Kam Wah Chung
State Heritage Site was on
track to add 1,000 more vis-
itors each year with about
9,000 visitors expected in
2019.
Four Grant County
schools were awarded Tech-
nical Assistance Program
grants from the Oregon
Department of Education’s
Office of School Facilities.
Prairie City School Dis-
trict was also awarded a
$2.5 million grant from the
state’s Seismic Rehabilita-
tion Grant Program.
Greg and Marla Arm-
strong were awarded a
$200,000 Main Street Revi-
talization grant through the
OPRD’s Heritage division.
The
Grant
County
Regional
Airport
was
awarded a $6.25 million
grant through the federal
Department of Transporta-
A3
Eagle file photo
Riders on their way to Logan Valley were greeted with blue-
bird skies during the BMW Riders of Oregon’s Chief Joseph
Rally at the Grant County Fairgrounds in John Day on June
27-30.
tion’s Airport Improvement
Program. A match was not
required for the grant, which
will fund a decoupling proj-
ect for the airport’s two
runways.
Search and Rescue coor-
dinated an interagency fire
evacuation drill in Galena
on May 11.
Grant County Court
appointed Rob Raschio to
a steering committee for a
pool in Grant County.
JUNE
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
was asked questions about
impeachment, gun rights,
abortion and more at a town
hall meeting at the Madden
Brothers Performing Arts
Center in John Day.
Gary Gregg, a former
rodeo rough stock compet-
itor, rode as the grand mar-
shal of the ‘62 Days Parade
THE JUNIPER ARTS COUNCIL / GRANT
COUNTY CULTURAL COALITION IS SEEKING
GRANT PROPOSALS FOR OREGON
CULTURAL TRUST GRANT AWARDS
on June 8.
Progress was made on
construction of the torre-
faction plant at the Malheur
Lumber Co. mill in John
Day.
Lightning strikes caused
four forest fires in the Mal-
heur National Forest on June
12. Each fire was contained
at one-tenth of an acre or
less.
All
Grant
County
employees, from elected
officials to hourly workers,
received a 2.55% cost of
The 911 tax bill passed
in the Oregon Senate to
increase funding for dis-
patch centers.
BMW
motorcyclists
came to Grant County
for the 41st Chief Joseph
Rally at the Grant County
Fairgrounds.
An explosive device
was found during a traffic
stop in John Day. Highway
26 near milepost 163 was
closed for 2.5 hours as the
Oregon State Police Explo-
sive Unit responded and ren-
dered the device safe. Jere-
miah Alsop, 37, of Prairie
City was arrested for driv-
ing under the influence of
intoxicants and two felony
warrants. The registered
owner of the vehicle, Alycia
Howes, 22, was arrested on
a felony warrant. The third
passenger, Tanner Prock, 22,
of Prairie City was arrested
AUGUST
Five bulls were killed and
found mutilated at Silvies
Valley Ranch.
Smokey Bear turned 75
and showed up at Chester’s
Thriftway in John Day on
Aug. 9.
Dean and Joyce Nodine
celebrated 60 years of mar-
riage and were the Grant
County Fair grand marshals
Aug. 14-17.
Grant County has paid
more than $18,000 for
five months of administra-
tive leave for Grant County
Sheriff’s Office Deputy Abi-
gail Mobley.
The Grant County Court
approved a coordination
ordinance, and discussions
on the Natural Resource
Advisory Committee soon
followed.
Grant County Sher-
iff Sheriff Glenn Palmer
announced his resignation
on Aug. 14. The following
week, Palmer withdrew his
resignation amidst a theft
complaint filed against him,
which he said was false.
SEPTEMBER
The public was asked to
provide input for an update
to a Natural Hazards Mitiga-
tion Plan for Grant County.
See Year, Page A6
CONSERVATION TECHNICIAN
Grant Soil & Water Conservation District, based in John Day,
OR is seeking to fill a Conservation Technician Position. This
position provides labor, technical and programmatic services
to support the successful implementation of District Programs.
Qualified candidates require field and technical skills, have the
ability to work independently and as part of a team as well as
possess strong oral and written communication abilities. Salary:
$45-$55K DOE, Plus Benefits. For a complete
job description and application, please visit
www.grantswcd.net or contact Kyle Sullivan
541-575-0135 ext. 111, sullivank@ortelco.net.
Application Deadline is January 17, 2020.
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The coalition has $6,300 from the Oregon Cultural
Trust to distribute in Grant County to organizations
for projects relating to culture and / or heritage.
Interest-Free Home Repair Loans
MONEY AVAILABLE NOW!
Applications are available from Karin Barntish,
131 W. Main Street, John Day, Oregon, or call
Kris Beal at (541)932-4892 for more information
or an application.
Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, Inc., has
Housing Rehabilitation money to loan to qualified local
homeowners.
Grant applications will be accepted until
February 5, 2020 5 P.M.
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TO QUALIFY, YOU MUST:
1) Own or be buying your home with a value less than
$195,000.
2) Have adequate collateral to secure the loan.
3) Own no other property.
4) Live in Grant, Wallowa, Union or Baker counties.
For more info or to apply, contact
Community Connection of
Northeast Oregon, Inc
2802 Adams, La Grande
or Call 1-541-963-3186 .
No Monthly
Payments!
Household
Max Income By County
Size
Union County Grant, Baker Wallowa
1
$34,100 $32,200 $33,050
2
$38,950 $36,800 $37,800
3
$43,800 $41,400 $42,500
4
$48,650 $46,000 $47,200
5
$52,550 $49,700 $51,000
6
$56,450 $53,400 $54,800
6) Meet other requirements of the program.
The Housing Rehab Program provides a zero-interest, deferred-
payment loan up to $24,999. Typical repairs include plumbing
and electrical, roofs, accessibility improvements, etc. The loan is
repaid when either the property is sold, the borrower no longer
resides in the residence, or upon the death of the last surviving
borrower. www.ccno.org (click link for Housing Rehabilitation)
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Review
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
We appreciate your business & support.
Babette Larson,
Broker, GRI
Office: 541-987-2363
ddwr@ortelco.net
Lori Hickerson,
Principal Broker, GRI
Office: 541-575-2617
ljh@ortelco.net
Wishing you the Peace and Joy of
the Christmas Season. Best
wishes for 20
r 20 from your friends
at Eastern Oregon Realty.
Jerry, Michal, Lindsey, Traci,
Deann and Jo.
Sally Knowles,
Broker, GRI
Office: 541-932-4493
sknowles@ortelco.net
www.dukewarnerrealtyofeasternoregon.com
Your professional Real Estate choice in Grant County
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