A2
FAMILY
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Olive Lake Campground opens limited number of campsites
Blue Mountain Eagle
Eagle file photo
Visitors will find trails, boating, fishing and camping at Olive Lake, located about 12 miles
west of Granite.
campsites that have already
been cleared of hazard trees
are open to the public for
camping. A volunteer camp
host is onsite and available
to help answer questions or
assist forest visitors with
identifying available camp-
ing locations.
“I appreciate the public’s
patience and understanding
while we complete the nec-
essary maintenance and haz-
ard tree removal over the
next few weeks,” said Dis-
ODF Central Oregon District enters regulated-use closure
Blue Mountain Eagle
Oregon Department of
Forestry’s Central Oregon
District entered regulat-
ed-use closure June 29.
Lands included in this
closure include private,
municipal and state owned
lands protected by the Cen-
tral Oregon District, includ-
ing Grant County, accord-
ing to a press release.
New rules include:
• Possession of the fol-
lowing firefighting equip-
ment is required while trav-
eling in a motorized vehicle,
except on federal and state
highways, county roads
and driveways: one shovel
and one gallon of water or
one operational 2.5-pound
or larger fire extinguisher,
except all-terrain vehicles
and motorcycles which
must be equipped with an
approved spark arrestor in
good working condition.
• Smoking is prohibited
while traveling, except in
vehicles on improved roads.
• Open fires are prohib-
ited, including campfires,
charcoal fires, cooking fires
and warming fires, except in
designated areas.
• Chainsaw use is pro-
hibited from 1-8 p.m.
Chainsaw use is permitted
at all other hours, if the fol-
lowing firefighting equip-
ment is present with each
operating saw: one axe, one
shovel and one operational
8-ounce or larger fire extin-
guisher. In addition, a fire
watch is required at least
one hour following the use
of each saw.
• Mowing of dried grass
with power-driven equip-
ment is prohibited from
1-8 p.m., except for the
commercial culture and har-
vest of agricultural crops.
• Use of motor vehicles,
including motorcycles and
all-terrain vehicles, is pro-
hibited, except on improved
roads and except for vehi-
cle use by a landowner
and employees of the land-
owner upon their own land
while conducting activi-
ties associated with their
livelihood.
• The use of fireworks
and blasting is prohibited.
Additional restrictions
and the full proclamation
can be accessed at oregon.
gov/odf/fire/pages/restric-
tions.aspx.
The public is also
reminded that the use
of tracer ammunition or
exploding targets is illegal
within the district during
fire season. Sky lanterns
and other luminaries are
prohibited in Oregon.
For more information,
visit odfcentraloregon.com.
Grant County changes on agenda at big game regulation meeting July 9
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife will host
a big game regulation meet-
ing from 5:30-7 p.m. July 9 at
the Grant County Extension
office, 116 NW Bridge St.,
Suite 1, John Day.
Attendees can hear about
changes proposed for the
2020 seasons, comment on
those changes and ask ques-
tions of district wildlife
biologists.
As part of a multi-year
process to review, simplify
and improve the Big Game
Hunting Regulations, ODFW
is proposing some major
changes for 2020.
A major change proposed
for Eastern Oregon would be
a general season antlerless
elk damage tag pilot program
to address higher populations
of elk on private land, which
increase economic dam-
age and can reduce hunting
opportunities. These general
season tags would replace
the need for some landowner
damage tags and controlled
hunts. They would be valid in
specific chronic elk damage
areas mapped annually by
ODFW, including the John
Day Valley, from Aug. 1 to
Nov. 30. Hunters considering
this new opportunity would
still need to think ahead about
permission to hunt on private
land for this tag, and the tag
would be their only elk hunt-
ing opportunity. Other pro-
posed changes would con-
solidate hunts, expand hunt
areas, adjust bag limits and
extend seasons to be simpler
or consistent with other hunts.
A complete list of proposals
is available at myodfw.com
under “Big Game Hunting.”
Proposals that impact
Grant
County
hunting
include:
• The Murderers Creek
Unit is the only unit in the
state that has a split weapon
restriction in a portion of the
unit during general archery
season. Staff propose the
entire Murderers Creek Unit
be open to all legal archery
equipment during general
archery elk season.
• A new, controlled tra-
ditional archery-only hunt
would be added for Sept. 28
to Oct. 2, with a proposed bag
limit of “one elk” and a hunt
boundary of the North Fork
John Day Wilderness (all
units). This tag would also
be valid during the general
archery elk season using any
archery equipment.
• Five elk hunts in Grant
County require hunters to be
on a landowner permission
form before applying for the
controlled hunt. These hunts
and associated requirements
were put in place decades ago
prior to most private land ant-
lerless elk hunts. These hunts
are now an outlier as there are
numerous other private land
elk hunts in the state with-
out this requirement. Staff
propose to eliminate the
landowner permission form
requirement.
NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL PROGRAM
CONSERVATION TECHNICIAN
ODFW staff will also dis-
cuss conditions for Grant
County’s big game herds at
the July 9 meeting. Annual
big game survey flights were
conducted in March. Due to
the harsh conditions experi-
enced in late winter, ODFW
observed a lower-than-ex-
pected mule deer fawn ratio
in the Murderers Creek,
Northside and Desolation
units. Elk appeared to have
wintered well as calf ratios
remained within the normal
range in all three units. Big-
horn sheep numbers in the
McClellan and Aldrich herds
remain stable with normal
lamb production. ODFW will
conduct their annual prong-
horn and mountain goat sur-
veys later this summer.
Public comment about the
proposals and other issues
related to big game regula-
tions will be taken at these
meetings, or comments can
be emailed to odfw.commis-
sion@state.or.us. Final 2019
Big Game Hunting Regula-
tions will be adopted at the
Sept. 13 commission meeting
in Gold Beach.
northeast side of Olive Lake
near the dam and spillway
is closed to public access
for safety due to mechanical
failure in the water release
gate located at the bottom
of the dam structure. The
area closed to public entry is
approximately one-half acre
in size and is signed and
defined by a string of buoys
(extending from the dam
into the water about 200
feet) to notify swimmers and
boaters of the closure.
Olive Lake is a popular
mountain lake and camp-
ground located 12 miles
west of Granite. The natu-
ral lake was deepened by a
30-foot-high dam built in the
early 1900s by the Fremont
Power Company to provide
hydroelectric power, gener-
ated at the Fremont Power-
house, to the then-booming
gold mining community.
For more information,
call 541-427-3231 or visit
fs.usda.gov/umatilla.
OBITUARIES
Ronald D. Larkin
Aug. 7, 1949 — June 26, 2019
On June 26 Ronald D. Larkin
passed away at the age of 69.
Ronald “Ronny” was the 10th of
14 children born on Aug. 7, 1949,
to parents John and Helen Larkin in
Prineville, Oregon. He graduated
from Dayville High School in 1967.
He married Vickie Fluery in 1972.
They resided in John Day where they
raised their three children. Ronny was
employed in the logging industry as
a skidder operator over the course of
35 years.
Ronny had a passion for the outdoors including hunting,
fishing and gardening. He was loved by many for his great
sense of humor and his giving nature.
Ronny is survived by sons, Kelly Larkin, Bob (Crystal)
Larkin; daughter, Brandi Larkin; granddaughter, Breanna
Larkin; three brothers; and seven sisters.
A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday,
July 20, at Clyde Holliday State Park.
Charles Corwin
Charles Corwin, 95, of John Day passed away June 26 at
Valley View Assisted Living. No services are planned at this
time. To leave an online condolence, visit driskillmemorial-
chapel.com.
About Obituaries
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, office@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.
CORRECTION
The June 26 story about
the Dustan Homestead Pre-
serve referred to a railroad
grade blocking the flood-
plain. The Sumpter Valley
Railroad never ran on tracks
in the Middle Fork of the
John Day River Valley. The
railroad grade belonged to
another company.
The June 26 story about
county
health
services
referred to Advantage Den-
Grant Soil and Water Conservation (District) has a job opening for the full time
position of Noxious Weed Control Program Conservation Technician. Minimum
qualifi cations: must be 18 years of age; possess or obtain within 45 days of hire
an Oregon Public Pesticide Applicators License; possess a valid driver’s license;
and be physically capable of lifting 50 pounds and performing backpack herbicide
applications with 3 gallon sprayer. Position primarily performs tasks associated with
coordinating and conducting fi eld herbicide applications using ATV’s and other spray
equipment to control noxious weed populations, along with other related natural
resource conservation technical and offi ce work. Salary range $2,666.67 - $3,500.00
per month DOE, plus benefi ts. Application Deadline: 3:00 pm, July
18, 2019 for initial review and position will remain open until fi lled.
Application and full job description are available from the District at
721 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR. For more information contact
Matt Wenick at 541-575-0135 ext. 112. The Grant Soil and Water
Conservation District is an equal opportunity employer.
tal handling patients using
the Oregon Health Plan.
Although Advantage Den-
tal no longer has a full-time
dentist working out of the
John Day office, the business
relies on dentists that rotate
through, with an on-call den-
tist available at all hours, and
a full-time expanded practice
dental hygienist.
The Eagle regrets the
errors.
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Friday 8am - 5pm
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128879
Apppointments
available
$9 Adult, $7 Senior (60+), Youth
Last Week’s Temps
John Day ...........................................................HI/LO
Tuesday ........................................................... 74/50
Wednesday ..................................................... 74/44
Thursday .......................................................... 69/45
Friday ............................................................... 74/42
Saturday .......................................................... 81/44
Sunday ............................................................. 82/49
Monday............................................................ 83/53
24/7 F ORECAST
A UTOMATED : 541-575-1122
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NOAA W EATHER R ADIO FOR J OHN D AY
162.500 MHz
W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF J ULY 3-9
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Clouds
and sun
Periods
of sun
Mostly
sunny
Mostly
sunny
Clouds
and sun
Sunshine and
patchy clouds
Sunny
75
79
85
85
82
82
91
49
52
53
52
49
45
50
128800
Forest officials on the
North Fork John Day
Ranger District of the Uma-
tilla National Forest have
opened a limited number
of campsites at Olive Lake
Campground due to haz-
ard trees surrounding the
campground.
Trees within the camp-
ground have been impacted
by a recent mountain pine
beetle infestation that has
caused tree mortality within
the area, according to a press
release.
These trees have been
identified as hazardous and
must be removed prior to
opening the campsites to the
public. All closed campsites
within Olive Lake Camp-
ground are clearly marked
by a sign on the site num-
ber post that states “Camp-
site Closed Due To Hazard”
in orange and red lettering.
The limited number of
trict Ranger Paula Guenther.
“We realize this is a popu-
lar recreation area and are
committed to maintaining
recreational opportunities at
the site, while providing for
public safety.”
Forest Service personnel
will be at the campground
during the next week cutting
down the remaining haz-
ard trees. The downed wood
will be available to camp-
ground visitors for use at
their campsites.
Olive Lake Campground
is available on a first-come,
first-served basis, and camp-
sites cost $12 per night for
a single-site (with a $5 per
vehicle charge if there are
more than two vehicles
parked at the site) and $25
per night for a group site (no
extra charge for vehicles).
In addition to the limited
number of available camp-
sites, forest officials would
like to remind the public
that a small portion on the