A2
FAMILY
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
OUT OF THE PAST
75 years ago
Prairie City man in
active combat in Bou-
gainville Jungle
With the Americal (CX)
Division at Bougainville,
Private Alvin E. Polasek,
former resident of Prai-
rie City, in the John Day
valley, is in active com-
bat against the Japanese
at this base in the South
Pacifi c.
“I have been on patrols
into the Bougainville jun-
gle behind the enemy
lines,” Polasek said, “and
I’ve heard the weapons the
Japs use.”
Since his arrival at this
base Christmas day, 1943,
Polasek has been at the
front lines with an infantry
regiment with the Americal
(CX) Division.
Prior to coming to this
combat zone in the Sol-
omon Islands, Polasek,
assigned to a regiment
whose members are the
grizzled veterans of the
battle of Guadalcanal and
winners of a Presiden-
tial citation for gallantry
in action last year. He was
in jungle warfare maneu-
vers in the Fiji Islands with
the seasoned fi ghters of his
outfi t.
50 years ago
‘62 Days Celebration
plans unfold
Can-can girls, a muck-
ing contest, sack racing
will be some of the new
features which will be
added to the regular pop-
ular events for the annual
’62 Days Celebration in
Canyon City, according to
the Whiskey Gulch Gang,
sponsors of the celebration.
Carpenter
graduates
from
commercial
diving school
Daniel M. Carpenter of
John Day graduated from
Divers Institute of Technol-
ogy in Seattle, Washington,
on Feb. 26.
H
e
received an
award
for
perfect atten-
dance in the
seven-month
commer-
cial diving
program.
Daniel M.
C a r -
Carpenter
penter,
a
2018 grad-
uate of Grant Union High
School in John Day, has
since started work for a dive
contracting company in
Louisiana.
The celebration, com-
memorating the discov-
ery of gold in 1862, will be
held June 6-7.
Further planning for the
two-day festivities will be
made at a meeting Friday
at 7:30 p.m. at the Canyon
City Fire Hall. All inter-
ested persons are urged to
attend.
“One thing for sure,”
states Dave Traylor, “there
is going to be something
for everyone.”
Tentative plans call for
a cross-country horse relay
race from Prairie City to
Canyon City on an old
county road. Each contes-
tant will ride three horses
in the relay. It is hoped that
a $100 cash prize will be
offered for the winner.
A wide variety of
events, such as a muck-
ing contest, ax throwing
contest, wheelbarrow and
sack racing and a skil-
let-tossing event, are being
planned.
The Medicine Wagon
Show is being revamped
and will be staged follow-
ing the parade instead of
prior to the parade as in the
past. The show will feature
new acts and is expected to
run an hour and a half.
Black powder shooting
and old time fi ddling will
continue to be a part of the
’62 Days Celebration.
Contestants for the
beard contest can start
sprouting whiskers April 7,
which is 62 days before the
celebration. Emphasis this
year will be on costumes as
well as the beard.
Everyone
will
be
encouraged to dress up in
the style of ’62 Days for the
the library, will help bridge
the needs between where the
library is at now and where
it hopes to go.
The building will not be
available until September.
The county asked the library
board to get a written agree-
ment with the lumber com-
pany to formalize the deal.
The unit will house some
new computers for public
use.
10 years ago
Eagle fi le photo
From March 31, 1994: The lack of any signifi cant rain or snow
this winter is refl ected in the level of Canyon Meadow Lake.
Looking out from the dam, the level is not too much higher
than it was last August, and there is not too much surrounding
snow to provide much spring runoff . Last spring, the water
level covered the rocks seen at the left and extended to the
tallest pine trees in the center of the picture.
celebration said Traylor.
25 years ago
Library board gets the
OK to accept Malheur
Lumber mobile home
Grant County court mem-
bers last week voted unani-
mously to allow members
of the library board to enter
into an agreement with Mal-
heur Lumber Company to
get a single wide mobile
home the company would
like to donate to the library.
Although the 12-by-60-
foot mobile home will be
free, it’s estimated it will
cost the library about $2,600
to get it moved, set up and
hooked up, according to
Melody Jackson, the county
librarian.
Malheur Lumber Com-
pany is building a new
offi ce. When complete, the
company will surplus the
single wide and another
double wide mobile home
it’s now using as its offi ces.
Jackson said the sin-
gle wide, with one bath-
room and electric heat, is
fully paneled and carpeted.
Based on estimates, she said
it would cost $750 to get it
hooked up; $500 to get it
moved from the mill to the
library; $200 to $300 for the
tires and axles; and another
$800 to $1,000 to install an
air conditioner.
Even if the estimates are
low, Jackson and the court
agreed the addition, once
complete, would be worth
far more than its cost. Funds
for the project would come
from the library’s capital
outlay budget.
Grant County Judge
Kevin Campbell said the
addition of the mobile home,
which will be located behind
SWAT team raids ranch
An Oregon State Police
Special Weapons and Tac-
tics (SWAT) team and other
police swept to a ranch near
Long Creek last week and
arrested a federal fugitive in
connection with a drug case.
John Charles Rock Jr.,
51, was arrested on a war-
rant for conspiracy to import
controlled substances, con-
spiracy to possess marijuana
on board arriving aircraft
and conspiracy to distribute
marijuana.
The action began about
6 p.m., Thursday, March 19,
as about two dozen SWAT
offi cers armed with search
and arrest warrants arrived
at the ranch on Low Gap
Lane, about 2 miles north-
east of Long Creek. They
were accompanied by other
OSP offi cers from the John
Day and Baker City out-
posts, Grant County Sher-
iff’s deputies and John Day
Police offi cers.
OSP Sgt. Gordon Larson
of the John Day outpost said
that, when the police moved
in, Rock emerged from a
trailer he had been staying
in and was arrested. He was
not armed and offered no
resistance.
Into the sunset
No one else was at the
ranch at the time.
“He was there by him-
self, with some dogs,” Lar-
son said.
Rock had been staying
at the ranch off and on for
about a year and a half, with
the permission of the absen-
tee owner.
Larson said Rock was
born in Washington and had
lived in Alaska, where he
was a pilot.
He came to the attention
of authorities after an inci-
dent about a year ago in
Canada, when he crashed an
airplane that turned out to be
“full of marijuana,” Larson
said.
Canadian
authori-
ties notifi ed the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administra-
tion, which investigated the
incident. That led to a crimi-
nal indictment from the U.S.
Attorney’s Offi ce.
Acting on a warrant for
Rock’s arrest, the U.S. Mar-
shals Service traced him to
the Long Creek ranch, and
enlisted the aid of the OSP
to make the arrest.
Rock was taken to the
Grant County Jail, where he
was held without bail until
Friday, when two U.S. Mar-
shals picked him up.
Rock is expected to
remain in custody pending
arraignment in federal court.
The SWAT team used in
last week’s raid was made
up of specially trained offi -
cers from across the state.
Larson credited Grant
County Undersheriff Todd
McKinley, who was familiar
with the terrain and build-
ings of the ranch, for provid-
ing good information to help
prepare for the raid.
OBITUARIES
Colleen Rae Conlee
Colleen Rae Conlee, 62, of Canyon City died Sunday,
March 24, at her residence. A graveside memorial service
will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 30, at St. Andrews
Catholic Cemetery in Canyon City. Memorial contributions
may be made to the Elks Children’s Eye Clinic or to Blue
Mountain Hospice through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241
S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. To offer online con-
dolences to the family, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Carl John Lino
Carl John Lino Jr., 75, of John Day passed away Dec.
23 at Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day. Services were
held March 23 at Grant Union High School in John Day with
John Martin and Tom Winters offi ciating. A reception fol-
lowed at the John Day Elks Lodge. Memorial contributions
may be made to Blue Mountain Hospital or the Elks Casey
Eye Institute through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Can-
yon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. To leave an online condo-
lence for the family, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
About Obituaries
Contributed photo/Heather Ann Reilly
Heather Ann Reilly took this shot at the Grant County Regional Airport March 21. If you
have taken a great photo, send it to editor@bmeagle.com with the photographer’s
full name and a brief description.
News obituaries of 300 words or less are a free service of the Blue Mountain Eagle. The
paper accepts obituaries from the family or funeral home. Information submitted is subject to
editing. Obituaries submitted to the Eagle with incorrect information may be corrected and
republished as paid memorials. Obituaries longer than 300 words may be published as paid
memorials. Send obituaries by email, offi ce@bmeagle.com; fax, 541-575-1244; or mail,
195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. For more information, or to inquire about a paid
memorial, call 541-575-0710.
2ND ANNUAL KIDS
PASSPORT TO FUN!
Attend a Rocky Mountain
Elk Foundation Dinner
and Benefit Auction
March 25-29
Where fun and fund-raising combine for a
memorable evening.
Date:
Time:
Join us for adventures in history, science, arts
and crafts, games, prizes and much more!
Passports and information/instruction packets
are available now at the Grant County Chamber of
Commerce. First two children $5 each, families $12;
Children 5 and under are free, no passport needed.
Every other Monday in John Day at
Blue Mountain Hospital
170 Ford Rd. • 541-575-1311
The community hall in Canyon City will be open from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March 28th with many activities
by a variety of community partners. Passports are
required for entry for children age 6-12.
For more information about the event or about the
daycare provided on the 28th please call the Grant
County Historical Museum at 541-575-0362.
Last Week’s Temps
John Day
HI/LO
Tuesday ........................................................... 64/32
Wednesday ..................................................... 64/41
Thursday .......................................................... 60/37
Friday ............................................................... 62/34
Saturday .......................................................... 49/34
Sunday ............................................................. 51/33
Monday............................................................ 61/37
24/7 F ORECAST
A UTOMATED : 541-575-1122
R OAD CONDITIONS : 511; TRIPCHECK . COM
NOAA W EATHER R ADIO FOR J OHN D AY
162.500 MHz
Saturday, April 20
4:00—Doors open
5:30—Dinner
7:30—Auction
Place: Pavilion—
Grant County Fairgrounds
Ticket Information:
Gale Wall (541) 575-2661
A great time for a great cause.
Proceeds benefit elk and other wildlife.
W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF M ARCH 27-A PRIL 2
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Mostly
cloudy
Cloudy
Clouds
and sun
Mostly
sunny
Mostly
cloudy
Sun
and clouds
Mostly
cloudy
52
51
51
56
59
57
56
36
29
32
34
37
33
35