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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 2019)
NEWS BlueMountainEagle.com Gold miner loses court fight EO Media Group Gold miner John Wasson is leaving his claim in the Umatilla National Forest for a 60-day stint in jail. Wasson, 74, of Irrigon, has been fighting the federal gov- ernment in court since 2013 over how long he could live on Slip- pery Rock, a 12-acre site on the North Fork John Day River. He lost that fight in November 2018 when a jury in federal court found him guilty of depredation of government property, a felony. “Beginning in 2012, Wasson developed a personal interpre- tation of mining laws that per- mitted him to take any action on the claim that he believed to be reasonably incident to his mining,” according to the state- ment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Ore- gon. “Over a period of years, despite court orders, misde- meanor convictions and the U.S. Forest Service officials’ repeated attempts to work with Wasson to bring his conduct into com- pliance, Wasson’s misuse of the claim grew more expansive and egregious.” Wasson returned to court Tuesday to face sentencing, and U.S. Judge Michael H. Simon sentenced him to five years pro- bation, including 60 days in a community corrections facil- ity for the crime. The court also ordered Wasson to pay $28,817 in restitution. Billy J. Williams, U.S. attor- ney for the District of Oregon, said in a written statement Ore- gonians expect public lands to be protected from degradation and misuse and Wasson “treated For- est Service land as if it were his own, causing significant environ- mental damage.” He also stated his office takes these crimes seriously and will “continue to pursue those who violate our shared resources.” Wednesday, March 13, 2019 A5 Three arrested in John Day meth bust By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle EO Media Group file photo This Feb. 14, 2013, file photo shows gold miner John Wasson on his mining claim on the North Fork John Day River. Wasson was sentenced to 60 days in a community corrections facility for violating federal rules on the property. Forest Service officials by 2017 observed Wasson estab- lished a semi-permanent encampment on the claim, vio- lating regulations that prohibit occupancy for more than 14 days in a 30-day period without For- est Service authorization. Was- son’s camp included three tents, one with a foundation Was- son constructed of treated lum- ber, sand and gravel; a camper; a truck and a pop-up outhouse. Wasson had driven through a riparian area, compacting soil and native vegetation, to make a new road, according to fed- eral prosecutors, and he created a walking path across the John Day River and used plastic sheet- ing to line a wing dam to hold water. That dam, however, caught and held juvenile steelhead, preventing them from access- ing the flowing portion of the river. The Forest Service paid a hazardous waste disposal com- pany more than $19,000 to remove three quarters of a ton of contaminated soil, 90 gal- lons of vegetable oil and quan- tities of pesticides, insecti- cides and rodenticides from the campsite. A search warrant served on a res- idence on Highway 26 in John Day on March 11 led to the arrest of three people on methamphetamine charges. Two of them, Elizabeth Pace, 41, and Olle Starnes, 48, were previ- ously arrested in an April 30, 2018, meth bust that swept up 10 individ- uals in John Day and Mt. Vernon. The Grant County Interagency Narcot- ics Team along with members of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Elizabeth Pace Police, John Day Police Department and Grant County Parole and Probation participated in the search. Pace and Starnes were arrested and charged with distri- Olle Starnes bution of meth and distribution of meth within 1,000 feet of a school. The charges stemmed from undercover operations by the interagency team. Also arrested was Stephanie Briney, 40, of La Grande. She was charged with unlawful possession of meth, unlawful possession of cocaine and frequenting a place where drugs were used or sold. Illegal drug use and sales is an epidemic that is poisoning the local community, Undersheriff Zach Mob- ley said. The interagency team and local law enforcement officers are targeting those types of activities, he said. Anyone who has information about illegal narcotics being used or sold in the community is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 541-575-1131 or the state police at 541-575-1363. COPS AND COURTS Arrests and citations in the Blue Mountain Eagle are taken from the logs of law enforcement agen- cies. Every effort is made to report the court disposition of arrest cases. tion of the basic rule, 74/55 zone. March 4: Calvin Hack, 27, John Day, was cited for violation of the basic rule, 74/55 zone. Grant County Circuit Court • Violation of basic rule: William V. Wetherald, 57, Bend, Nov. 3, 71/55 zone, fined $165; Sharon A. Fritsch, 57, Beavercreek, Jan. 13, 78/55 zone, fined $225. • Exceeding speed limit: Gud F. Leal Ponce, 47, Prai- rie City, Feb. 3, 85/65 zone, fined $225; Dale J. Bogar- dus, 51, Baker City, Feb. 13, 59/40 zone, fined $165; Natalie C. Morgan, 41, Baker City, Feb. 15, 75/65 zone, fined $165. • Violation speed limit: Andrew E. Long, 55, Bend, Jan. 14, 55/30 zone, fined $225. • Driving uninsured: Tamara L. Michael, 48, Mt. Vernon, Jan. 3, fined $265; Tena K. Montange, 46, John Day, Jan. 2, fined $265; Christine N. Daum, 30, Prairie City, Feb. 15, fined $1,000; Tanaya S. Robin- son, 38, John Day, Feb. 21, fined $200; Andria L. Kel- ley, 24, Mt. Vernon, Jan. 13, fined $265. • Driving while sus- pended: Tamara L. Michael, 48, Mt. Vernon, Jan. 3, fined $440; Tena K. Mon- tange, 46, John Day, Jan. 2, fined $440; Joseph S. Hay- zlett, 43, John Day, Dec. 26, fined $440; William V. Wetherald, 57, Bend, Nov. 3, fined $440; Christine N. Daum, 30, Prairie City, Feb. 15, fined $2,000; Tanaya S. Robinson, 38, John Day, Justice Court Kristopher M. Good- win, 28, John Day, was found guilty March 6 of violating probation condi- tions for a 2017 harassment case, including failing to pay fines and fees and fail- ing to complete anger man- agement counseling. He was also found guilty of violat- ing probation conditions for a 2018 unlawful possession of a firearm case, including failing to complete anger management counseling, community service and pay- ing fines and fees. He was sentenced to 40 days in jail. Grant County Sheriff The Grant County Sher- iff’s Office reported the following for the week of March 6: Concealed handgun licenses: 18 Average inmates: 12 Bookings: 11 Releases: 11 Arrests: 2 Citations: 3 Fingerprints: 6 Civil papers: 6 Warrants processed: 1 Asst./welfare check: 1 Search and rescue: 2 March 4: Harry Hosey, 72, Walla Walla, Washing- ton, was cited for speeding, 44/25 zone. March 4: Bradford Wil- liams, 57, San Jose, Cali- fornia, was cited for viola- Feb. 21, fined $400. • Failure to register vehi- cle: Tamara L. Michael, 48, Mt. Vernon, Jan. 3, fined $115; Tena K. Montange, 46, John Day, Jan. 2, fined $115. • Operating a motor vehi- cle while using a cellphone: James R. Tippett, 39, Union, Jan. 12, fined $265. • Careless driving caus- ing an accident: Ronald B. Hodge, 77, John Day, Feb. 10, fined $340. • Operating a motor vehi- cle without required light: Riley T. Clark, 22, Long Creek, Feb. 2, fined $165. • Michael C. Mokres, 34, Grants Pass, pleaded guilty March 6 to driving with a suspended or revoked license. He was sentenced to 30 hours community ser- vice, 18 months probation and $708 in fines and fees. A charge of driving without insurance was dismissed. • Gregg A. Chambers, 30, Cape Coral, Florida, pleaded guilty Feb. 28 to second-degree failure to appear. He was sentenced to 30 days jail and $100 in fines and fees. • Tommy J. West, 59, McMinnville, pleaded guilty Feb. 20 to second-de- gree criminal trespass. He was sentenced to 12 months probation and $350 in fines and fees. • Chance West, 19, McMinnville, pleaded guilty Feb. 20 to hunting on enclosed land. He was sen- tenced to 12 months pro- bation and $850 in fines and fees. His hunting privi- leges were suspended for 36 months. • Colton J. David, 23, Dayville, pleaded guilty Feb. 6 to driving with a sus- pended license. He was sen- tenced to 30 hours commu- nity service and $1,185 in fines and fees. • Jacob C. Brown, 30, John Day, pleaded guilty Feb. 28 to keeping a dog as a nuisance. He was ordered to pay a $500 fine. • Spencer R. Polzel, 42, Redmond, pleaded guilty Dec. 19 to hunting without a game tag. He was ordered to pay a $440 fine. Oregon State Police March 3: Following a traffic stop for no license plate light on Highway 26 east of John Day, Sheila A. Owens, 49, John Day, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Her blood alco- hol content was allegedly 0.17 percent. March 3: Following a traffic stop for crossing the fog line on Highway 26 in Dayville, Mark D. Rea- soner, 52, John Day, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. His blood alco- hol content was allegedly 0.328 percent. March 4: Responded to a residence on Dog Creek Road in John Day and arrested John C. Hopper, 56, John Day, for failing to reg- ister as a sex offender. Dispatch John Day dispatch worked 135 calls during the week of March 4-10, including: • John Day Police Department March 4: Responded to 22nd Street in John Day. March 9: Search and res- cue personnel responded for persons stuck in a cabin on Dixie Creek Road in Prai- rie City. March 9: Received a report of a theft on South Humbolt Street in Canyon City. March 9: Advised of rocks on Highway 26 in Pic- ture Gorge. • John Day ambulance March 5: Dispatched to Park Avenue in Seneca for a 911 call. March 7: Paged to a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day for a 79-year-old man. March 7: Responded to Northeast Seventh Street in John Day for a man with a nose bleed. March 8: Dispatched to Highlan Drive in Mt. Vernon. March 10: Transported a patient to the airport in John Day. • Grant County Proba- tion and Parole March 5: Arrested Melissa A. Haynes, 28, John Day, on a Umatilla County warrant. • John Day public works March 5: Received a call for a burst water line on Southwest Brent Drive in John Day. • John Day fire March 6: Responded to an electrical fire on North Canyon City Boulevard. The AmericaM LegioM came to life iM Paris, FraMce, March 15-17, 1919. War-weary members of the AmericaM ExpeditioMary Forces, who had fought to victory iM World War OMe aMd remaiMed iM Europe, aMd were restlessly awaitiMg passage home, gathered for what became kMowM as the Paris Caucus. IM the moMths that followed the armistice of November 11, 1918, they had time to thiMk about life after the war aMd what they might do… IM support of their wouMded comrades, IM hoMor of the falleM, To help surviviMg spouses aMd orphaMs, To protect the democracy they pledged their lives to defeMd, AMd to chart a Mew course for future geMeratioMs of AmericaMs. These troops eMvisioMed a differeMt kiMd of veteraMs associatioM. It would be like MoMe before it, or aMy that would follow. 103613 March 21, 2019 • Free FEED FOR 1 MONTH AFTER SALE • 1 st BREEDING SEASON GUARANTEE • ALL BULLS TESTED BVD PI FREE • NEGATIVE TRICH TEST & TAG • COMPLETE FERTILITY TESTING a noninjury crash on West Main Street in John Day. March 6: Dispatched to a noninjury crash on South Canyon Boulevard. March 7: Following a traffic stop on South Can- yon Boulevard at Fourth Street, Tammy Hoherz, 49, Bentley, North Dakota, was cited for driving while using a cellphone. March 9: Advised of shots fired on East Main Street in John Day. March 9: Responded to an empty home near the Seventh Street Complex in John Day for suspicious circumstances. March 10: Received a 911 call for an intoxicated suicidal person on North Canyon Boulevard. March 10: Advised of a theft near the Grant County Fairgrounds in John Day. • Oregon State Police March 5: Advised about calves on Highway 26 near Dog Creek Road. March 5: Received a report of a traffic hazard on Highway 26 near Laycock Creek Road. March 8: Advised of a jackknifed semi truck with no injuries on High- way 395 near Ritter Butte Summit. March 10: Received a report of a black calf on Highway 26 in Mt. Vernon. • Grant County Sher- iff’s Office March 4: Advised of a theft on Northwest Bridge 541-523-6377 541-963-6577 541-573-6377 American Legion Dinner at the John Day Senior Center, 6 p.m., Friday, March 15 | Dinner by Donation 541-576-2160 109141
