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FAMILY
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization to hold meetings
Public invited to
help shape future
of local health care
Blue Mountain Eagle
Eastern Oregon Coor-
dinated Care Organization
will hold community meet-
ings in each of the 12 coun-
ties it serves.
EOCCO serves Ore-
gon Health Plan (Med-
icaid) members through-
out the 12-county region,
according to a press release.
A meeting will be held from
12-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct.
15, at the Grant County
Regional Airport in John
Day.
The meetings present an
opportunity to learn about
community-driven
health
improvement efforts and to
consider shared strategies
under the state’s next phase
of coordinated care, known
as “CCO 2.0.”
“The greatest strength of
Eastern Oregon communi-
ties is collaboration. As we
move into a new era of coor-
dinated care, Eastern Ore-
gon is uniquely positioned
GRANT UNION STUDENTS OF
THE MONTH — SEPTEMBER
Izyk Thompson
Grade 7
Parent: Brenda
Thompson
Sydnie Brandon
Grade 8
Parent: Kristopher
and Fawn Brandon
Allie Clark
Grade 10
Parents: Brent and
Shawna Clark
Devon Stokes
Grade 11
Parents: Kelly and
Lori Stokes
Janie Koopman
Grade 9
Parent: Jane
Kimble
Erika Dickens
Grade 12
Parents: Arthur and
Janice Dickens
to raise the bar on health-
care for the individuals and
families who call this region
home,” said Kevin Camp-
bell, chief executive officer
of EOCCO.
“We look forward to hear-
ing from community mem-
bers as we work together
to build and consider new
approaches to improving the
health care system. Our com-
mitment is better care and
better health at lower costs
for Eastern Oregon com-
munities,” said Sean Jessup,
EOCCO president.
Established in 2012,
EOCCO
serves
about
50,000 members across a
50,000-square-mile service
area — roughly the size of
New York state.
“We’re really proud of
the way the health care com-
munity has come together to
form and support the CCO.
Through these partnerships,
we are rapidly becoming a
nationwide model for suc-
cess in rural communities,”
said Robin Richardson, chief
operating officer and board
chair of EOCCO.
On Sept. 27, the Oregon
Health Authority announced
EOCCO’s five-year contract
award as the coordinated care
organization serving Ore-
gon Health Plan members
in the following counties:
Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Har-
ney, Lake, Malheur, Morrow,
Sherman, Umatilla, Union,
Wallowa and Wheeler.
EOCCO will enter its
next contract cycle on Jan. 1,
2020. This fall, EOCCO will
engage the public at meet-
ings throughout the region.
“EOCCO has played an
important role in the health
of Grant County through the
efforts of the Local Commu-
nity Advisory Council and
community partners. As the
Coordinated Care model is
improved, we encourage
you to bring your comments
and suggestions to the pub-
lic meeting on Oct. 15 at the
airport at noon. Join us in
identifying other opportu-
nities for a healthier Grant
County,” said Kathy Can-
cilla with the Grant County
Local Community Advisory
Council.
For more information
about the upcoming meet-
ings, call 541-298-2101 or
visit eocco.com.
Officials monitoring conditions for prescribed fires
Blue Mountain Eagle
Officials continue to monitor con-
ditions for prescribed fires on the Mal-
heur National Forest.
Blue Mountain Ranger District will
continue ignition this week on hand
and machine piles, according to a
press release. These piles are stacks of
wooded debris left behind from either
thinning or logging operations.
The smoke from the pile burning
operations may be visible from High-
way 395 and southwest of the town of
Seneca. Smoke can also be expected in
the vicinity of the Middle Fork of the
John Day River.
Prairie City Ranger District planned
to begin ignitions on Elk 16 M-1 unit
(81 acres) just west of the 14 road
and south of the 1410 road, as well as
the Summit 3 and Summit 22A units,
weather and conditions permitting.
Emigrant Creek Ranger District
planned to begin some pile burning
in the Devine Ridge/31 road area this
week. Pile burning will continue as
Beth Marie (Gohlinghorst) Piete
Jan. 12, 1946 – Sept. 27, 2019
Contributed photo/U.S. Forest Service
Prescribed fire helps remove slash and
debris fuel build-up on the Damon
South Unit near Seneca in 2018. More
prescribed burns are planned for fall
2019.
weather permits.
Prescribed fires are also planned on
the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.
For the safety of firefighters and the
public, roads and areas of prescribed
fire activity will be signed. For safety,
roads, trails and areas may need to close
temporarily as firefighter operations are
taking place.
About Obituaries
Beth Marie (Gohlinghorst) Piete reached her goal in heaven Friday, Sept. 27.
Beth was born in Norfolk, Nebraska to Ernest A. G. Gohlinghorst and Rose B.
Dittberner, Jan. 12, 1946. She was preceded in death by her father in 1959 and her
mother and sister in 2015.
Her life led her from Nebraska through Idaho Falls, Idaho and Pendleton,
Oregon to John Day, Oregon in 1952, where she attended grade school and Grant
Union High School (Prospectors) where she graduated in 1964. From there she
went to Oregon Technical Institute where she met and married Robert E. Piete
of Applegate, Oregon, and received her bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology
after a one-year internship in El Cajon, California.
She then continued life in El Cajon and lived there for 40 years. Laboratory work was not her life
and after three years she embarked on raising a family where she bore and raised two sons, Timothy
Robert and Douglas Jon. Her life was consumed by love and care for her family and church.
As her boys grew up and started to leave the nest, she started a new career as an administrative
assistant at Lutheran Border Concerns Ministry, which worked in serving the poor in Baja, California,
retiring after 18 years in 2004.
During her life she had traveled with her husband and family visiting all states west of the
Mississippi River (except Kansas), Michigan, New York, Maine, Mexico, Canada and 16 countries in
Europe. She was a life-long member of the Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) attending Atonement
Lutheran Church in Spring Valley for 26 years, until moving to Applegate, Oregon in 2007, becoming
an active member of Applegate Community Church where she attended church services, regular bible
studies and served as secretary for the Women’s Outreach Ministry.
She enjoyed hand work of knitting, crocheting and quilting; she regularly attended a neighborhood
quilting group. She loved hanging clothes on the line to dry. She loved and collected images and figurines of
angels and of birds. Her house is decorated in both and will be a reminder of her presence having been with us.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Bob; son, Timothy (Kelly) with daughter, Amber, and
son, Aaron; son, Douglas (Marisol) with daughters, Alyssa and Isabella, and son, Caden. She has led a
blessed life and will be missed, but the family rejoices that she is surely in heaven with her Savior.
Her funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Applegate Community
Church, with burial following at the Missouri Flat Cemetary.
Paid for by the family of Beth Marie (Gohlinghorst) Piete.
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 re-
published as paid memorials. Obitu-
aries 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.
The most valuable and
respected source of
local news, advertising
and information for
our communities.
eomediagroup.com
James “Jim” Newcomb
May 3, 1936 – Sept. 30, 2019
Smoky conditions may also reduce
visibility to a level that would require
additional temporary closures. During
prescribed fire operations, there is
potential for impacts to camping and
hunting. Hunters are advised to plan
ahead. For their safety they should not
camp in or near an area of prescribed
fire activity.
All prescribed burn activity is
weather and condition dependent.
With the potential for smoke to set-
tle in certain areas during active opera-
tions, the public can monitor the smoke
and air quality in the area and across the
state by visiting oregonsmoke.blogspot.
com.
Additional information regard-
ing prescribed burning on the Mal-
heur National Forest is available on
InciWeb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/
incident/6299/ or by viewing the Pre-
scribed Fire Activity interactive map at
http://arcg.is/2wUZIil.
For more information, visit fs.usda.
gov/malheur or call the Supervisor’s
Office at 541-575-3000.
OBITUARIES
Steven J. McNeil
Nov. 22, 1946 — Oct. 1, 2019
Steven J McNeil, 72, died unexpectedly Oct. 1 at his residence
in Lakeview, Oregon. He was born Nov.
22, 1946, in Albany, Oregon. Steve grad-
uated from Junction City High School
in 1965. He was in the Army National
Guard for seven years. He married Patri-
cia Williams; they had a son, Scott. They
later divorced. He moved to Burns, Ore-
gon, to follow his dream of being a buck-
aroo. Met and married Marilyn and had a
daughter, Naomi. He adopted Marilyn’s
two previous kids, Tina and Rod. They
divorced in 1986. He moved to Baker
City/Haines, Oregon, and then to Seneca, Oregon. He decided to
get his degree in counseling and work with troubled juveniles. He
worked in Vale, Oregon, then on to Burns Oregon Youth Authority.
Then transferred to La Grande, Oregon, at Oregon Authority Camp
Riverbend. He retired in 2017. He will be dearly missed by his fam-
ily and his good friends, and he had a lot of them.
He is survived by sister, Linda (Del) of Albany, Oregon; nephew,
Mike of Oregon; daughters, Tina (Vince) of Vale, Oregon, and
Naomi (Clint) of Lakeview, Oregon; sons, Rod (Patty) of Burns,
Oregon, and Scott (Julie) of Albany, Oregon; seven grandchildren;
10 great-grandchildren; and many cousins. He was preceded in
death by his parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts.
At his request there will be no services. Donations can be made
in his name to Kids Club of Harney County, 267 S. Egan, Burns,
OR 97720 or OHA, 67494 Market Lane, Cove, OR 97824 or to
one’s choice.
Arrangements by Desert Rose Funeral Chapel, Lakeview,
Oregon.
James “Jim” Newcomb, 83, of John Day, Oregon, died Monday, Sept. 30 at Cinnabar Adult Foster Home in
Mt. Vernon. At his request, no service is planned.
Jim was born May 3, 1936 to parents Thomas and Katherine Newcomb in Greeley, Colorado. His family
moved from Colorado to Great Falls, Montana, when he was young and he graduated high school there in
1954. He then moved to the Willamette Valley in 1972, living mostly in McMinnville, Oregon, until retiring
in 1999 to Mt. Vernon and John Day.
Jim married Fern Rowland Brown in Port Angeles, Washington, in 1978. Between them they had five children.
After many years with Carlton Nursery in Dayton, Oregon, Jim launched J.R. Newcomb Construction in McMinnville. He ran a
successful business there until his retirement. Before he moved, Jim was an active member in the Fraternal Order of the Knights of
Pythias Diana Lodge #63.
Retiring to the John Day area fulfilled a life-long dream to live in cattle country. Jim will be remembered for his sense of humor,
for lending a helping hand, tool or equipment from his former shop on Laycock Creek Road, and for crafting custom cabinetry and
furniture.
He was preceded in death by his son, Stan Newcomb; parents, Thomas and Katherine Newcomb; brothers, Walter, Frank and Thomas
Newcomb; and father-in-law, Jerry Rowland.
Jim is survived by his beloved wife of 41 years, Fern Newcomb of John Day; children, Liesel O’Hagan and family of Denver, Colorado,
Susan Newcomb of Seattle, Washington, Jerry Brown and family of Dundee, Oregon, Karen Brown and family of John Day; brother,
Bradford Newcomb of Belt, Montana; sister, Lynn Shanks of Great Falls, Montana; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
For those who would like to make a donation in memory of Jim, the family suggests Blue Mountain Hospice through Tami’s
Pine Valley Funeral Home and Cremation Services, PO Box 543, Halfway, Oregon 97834. Online condolences can be shared at
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com. Paid for by the family of James “Jim” Newcomb.
Last Week’s Temps
John Day ...........................................................HI/LO
Tuesday ........................................................... 49/34
Wednesday ..................................................... 58/28
Thursday .......................................................... 58/41
Friday ............................................................... 53/37
Saturday .......................................................... 59/32
Sunday ............................................................. 66/32
Monday............................................................ 71/37
24/7 F ORECAST
A UTOMATED : 541-575-1122
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Music Lessons: Now registering piano students! Guitar, voice, percussion,
and flute lessons coming soon. Sign up for instrument, teacher, and time
slot; for 3-month sessions.
Author’s Presentation: Karen Spears Zacharias: Thursday, Oct. 10, 5:30
- 7:30 PM. Free public event! Learn about the true crime story Karen is
currently working on & more.
Beginning Photography Class: Oct. 9, 10, & 11, from 4:30 - 6:30 PM. All skill
levels welcome!
Chalk Fun: Thursday, Oct. 15, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Chalk couture class,
using chalk paste and reusable silk transfer onto chalkboard surface.
Arts After School: Ongoing, Mon-Thus 3:30 - 5:45 PM, and Fri 8:00 AM -
5:45 PM. Follows school calendar.
Youth Arts Program: Ongoing, Monday 6:00 PM rehearsals through Dec.
Basic Drawing Class: Ongoing, Wednesdays through Nov. 6, at 5:30 - 7:30 PM.
For more info or to register visit
paintedskycenter.com or email
paintedskycenter@gmail.com.
Sponsored By:
W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF O CTOBER 9-15
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