NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
CASA requests funding amid
surge in child court cases
She said two more carnival companies
closed, and the closures impacted at
least eight other county fairs. Winegar
said she has reached out to multiple car-
nival companies for Grant County’s car-
nival later this year.
Winegar said the county fairgrounds
is asking the 2020 state legislature
for $25,000 for operating costs. She
said the fairgrounds received $53,000
through the state lottery. Winegar said
the operating costs for the county fair
are $120,000.
Court moves forward
with oil heating for
Trowbridge Pavilion
By Steven Mitchell
Blue Mountain Eagle
Grant-Harney
County
CASA
requested funding for two staff mem-
bers in Grant County Court Jan. 22 as
the organization sees a surge in chil-
dren in the court system.
Hanna Hinman, the executive
director, said the 18 court appointed
volunteers are meeting the needs of
65 children between Grant and Har-
ney counties. Grant County, added
Hinman, works with slightly more
than half of those children.
Hinman said there is a strong cor-
relation between joblessness and
neglect, and neglect makes up a
majority of the cases the organiza-
tion sees.
“CASA is historically under-
staffed,” explained Hinman.
Hinman requested an immediate
infusion of $7,500 and two years of
subsequent funding of $7,500 after
that. She said she is looking for fund-
ing from other areas too, including
Harney County.
Hinman said the position starts
in July, and the purpose of get-
ting county funding is twofold. The
money would indeed offset costs, but
more importantly, according to Hin-
man, she wants to “leverage” the
county dollars to get more funding
elsewhere. Hinman said the program
coordinator would primarily super-
vise volunteers.
The other paid position is for an
administrative assistant, and the
duties would mostly consist of data
entry. Hinman said the program coor-
dinator would also enter data as well.
“Three years of funding demon-
strates ongoing local support,” said
Hinman.
County Judge Scott Myers said the
court could not commit to three years
of funding.
“We need more breathing room on
making a decision today,” he said.
Commissioner Jim Hamsher com-
mended the work CASA does in the
community. He said funding is an
important decision and that the court
would need a specific budget line to
make a three-year commitment.
Myers moved to table the issue,
and both Hamsher and commissioner
Sam Palmer concurred. Hamsher added
that funding from the court to CASA
last year represents the court’s support.
Regional law enforcement
training center
The Eagle/Steven Mitchell
CASA Executive Director Hannah Hin-
man requests funding from the Grant
County Court Jan. 22.
Fairgrounds to get oil heaters
The county court decided that
oil will fuel the new heating system
for the pavilion at the Grant County
Fairgrounds.
While the county previously advised
Fair Manager Mindy Winegar to look
for bids for propane as a heating source,
Myers pointed out the liability of pro-
pane and said the court should move
forward with what he said was the safer
option.
“Propane explodes while stove oil
burns,” Myers said.
Palmer said, while he initially saw
propane as the source that would yield
a better return on the county’s invest-
ment, he said the caveat he did not take
into consideration is that the fairgrounds
only has to heat the pavilion in the win-
ter months. Thus, he said, oil is the bet-
ter source.
The court voted 2-1 for oil.
Winegar also proposed funding
for a storage building and picnic area.
She said the lack of storage space is a
hardship.
Myers said the court had reviewed
such a request five to six years ago.
Winegar said she needed approval from
the court, given the ongoing construc-
tion on the pavilion. The court moved
forward on the storage building with a
picnic shade area, and Winegar will go
to the John Day Planning Commission
Feb. 18 for approval.
Winegar updated the court on the
Oregon Fairs Association annual con-
vention she attended earlier this month.
The court voted to move forward on
potentially converting the old Straw-
berry Mountain Beef building into
a regional law enforcement training
center.
The court will enter into a memoran-
dum of understanding with Old West
Credit Union, who owns the building, to
explore other funding options.
Palmer, who introduced the item to
the court, said the facility could be used
by multiple law enforcement agencies.
The commissioner said the county’s vol-
unteer search and rescue team has used
the building for training over the years.
He said the team could potentially use
the facility as a command center.
Palmer said the training center
would bring other benefits to the com-
munity, from increased commerce to
local businesses to a more significant
law enforcement presence in the area.
In other Grant County Court
news:
• The court approved Library Direc-
tor Vicki Bond’s request to purchase
additional shelving. Bond and Kathy
Smith, library treasurer, requested
$11,770.
• The court voted to uphold the
Planning Commission’s decision that
denied Windy Canyon Ranch owner
Phillip Wirth’s application to build a
house on his ranch on Nov. 26.
The Planning Commission denied
the application, stating the non-farm-
ing partitions would alter the stability
of the land.
Rancher Rick Valet, who has cattle
on the land, said he supported the com-
mission’s decision to deny the appli-
cation. According to Valet, the house,
which Wirth had intended to build
at the bottom of Rim Rock Canyon,
would impact ranching and elk habitat.
• The court moved to retain attor-
ney Dominic Carrillo for union
negotiations.
• The court approved a 1.66% cost
of living wage increase. Julie Elli-
son, county treasurer, said the sheriff’s
union minimum increase is 1%.
A5
Mark Owens appointed
to Oregon House
Blue Mountain Eagle
Republican Mark Owens
was selected unanimously by
County Commissioners as
the next state representative
for House District 60 Jan. 21.
The position was left vacant
after Sen. Lynn Findley
resigned and was appointed
to the Oregon Senate Jan. 6.
“I am thankful and hum-
bled today to have been
appointed to serve as the next
state representative for House
District 60,” Owens said in a
press release. “I look forward
to serving the communities
and being a voice for eastern
Oregon in Salem.”
Owens, a Harney County
commissioner, farmer, small
business owner and Crane
school board chair, filed to
run for the seat on Nov. 4.
“At the state level, there
is a lot of work to be done
to protect our way of life in
Eastern Oregon and to pro-
vide a better path for future
generations of Oregonians,”
Owens said. “We need to
make sustainable natu-
ral resources a top priority.
Our kids deserve stronger
schools and greater opportu-
nities for their career paths.
Families need financial sta-
Eagle file photo
Mark Owens, left, stands
with Frances Preston at a
campaign event in Grant
County. Owens was appoint-
ed to the Oregon House of
Representatives Jan. 21.
bility instead of living pay-
check to paycheck and hav-
ing to worry about the next
tax increase coming our way
from Salem. Most impor-
tantly, my top priority and
my number one job will be
to listen, learn and represent
the constituents in Eastern
Oregon.”
House District 60 encom-
passes all of Baker, Grant,
Harney and Malheur counties
as well as portions of Lake
County. Owens will be sworn
in later this month and will
serve in the short legislative
session that begins Feb. 3.
For more information, visit
markowensfororegon.com.
Hay truck stolen and crashed
By Rudy Diaz
Blue Mountain Eagle
Oregon State Police
arrested a man Friday who
they say stole a truck loaded
with one-ton hay bales,
crashed it and attempted
to hide from law enforce-
ment officials near Long
Creek. The truck and trailer
was jack-knifed in the high-
way Friday morning, Oregon
State Police Sgt. Tom Hutchi-
son said in a report regarding
the crash. The truck blocked
both north and south bound
traffic on Highway 395B
near milepost 89.5.
“The pup trailer had
turned onto its side, spill-
ing the bales of hay onto the
roadway...” Hutchison said
in the report. “Subsequent
investigation revealed that
the (commercial motor vehi-
cle) was stolen from a resi-
dence about 12 miles north of
the crash site.”
After OSP and Grant
County Sheriff’s Office offi-
cers searched the area, they
found the driver, Travis B.
Farr, 27, of Canyon City who
was arrested and charged
with unlawful use of a motor
vehicle, driving under the
influence of a controlled sub-
stance and driving while sus-
pended, said Hutchison. The
passenger in the truck has
not been located, according
to the report. The suspect’s
van was located near the site
where the truck was stolen,
and was towed as a hazard,
Hutchinson said.
Hutchison added that
the highway was closed for
about three hours while Ore-
gon Department of Trans-
portation conducted traffic
control and the owner of the
stolen hay truck removed the
truck and the hay from the
roadway.
COPS AND COURTS
Arrests and citations in
the Blue Mountain Eagle are
taken from the logs of law
enforcement agencies. Every
effort is made to report the
court disposition of arrest
cases.
Grant County Circuit
Court
Harry J. Yazzie Jr., 48, was
convicted based on a guilty
plea on Jan. 23 for a count of
driving under the influence
committed on Oct. 26. He
was sentenced to 48 hours in
jail and 24 months of bench
probation. His license was
also suspended for a year, and
he was ordered to pay $2,255
for the DUII fine and intoxi-
cation conviction fee.
Michael Bly, 58, was con-
victed based on a guilty plea
on Jan. 22 for a count of
resisting arrest and a count
of menacing constituting
domestic violence committed
Oct. 14. He was sentenced to
30 days in jail, 36 months of
bench probation and 80 hours
of community service. He
was also ordered to pay $200
in court and bench probation
fees.
Travis J. Freniere, 33, was
convicted based on a guilty
plea on Jan. 23 for a count
of felon in possession of a
restricted weapon committed
Dec. 4. He was sentenced to
15 days in jail, 18 months of
bench probation and 60 hours
of community service. He
was also ordered to pay $200
in court and bench probation
fees.
Michael W. Hagopian,
32, was convicted based on
a guilty plea on Jan. 23 for a
count of menacing committed
Dec. 10. He was sentenced
to 24 months of bench pro-
bation and 30 hours of com-
munity service. He was also
ordered to pay $100 in court
and bench probation fees.
Grant County Sheriff
The Grant County Sher-
iff’s Office reported the fol-
lowing for the week of Jan.
22:
Concealed
handgun
licenses: 6
Average inmates: 11
Bookings: 6
Releases: 9
Arrests: 0
Citations: 1
Fingerprints: 3
Civil papers: 15
Warrants processed: 1
Assistance/Welfare check:
0
Search and Rescue: 1
Dec. 31: Summer Miller,
20, Canyon City, was cited
for violation of the basic rule,
79/55 zone.
Justice Court
Violation of the basic
rule: Garret A. Gregory, 36,
Keizer, Jan. 3, 71/55 zone,
fined $165; Gordon T. Gray,
70, Redmond, July 17, 74/55
zone, fined $140; Jordan
B. Walker, 28, Seneca, Jan.
8, 73/65 zone, fined $140;
Alexzandrea J. Smith-Peter-
son, 23, Mt. Vernon, Dec. 28,
45/30 zone, fined $165.
Violation of speed limit:
Ryan B. Hamilton, 35, Boise,
Idaho, Nov. 11, 70/55 zone,
fined $165.
Dog as a public nuisance:
Joseph V. Radinovich, 42,
John Day, Oct. 28, fined
$265, Nov. 1, $265, fines will
be waived if there are no fur-
ther citations for dog as a pub-
lic nuisance in the next 12
months.
Main Street.
Jan. 21: Responded to a
report of a fire at Malheur
Lumber.
Jan. 21: Responded to a
report of a disturbance on East
Main Street.
Jan. 24: Arrested Tyler D.
Dehiya, 26, of Mt. Vernon on
an Oregon state parole board
warrant.
Jan. 24: Cited Silvia R.
Sweeney, 60, of John Day
for driving while suspended,
driving without insurance
and speeding, 53/35 zone, on
Highway 26 near milepost
163.
Jan. 25: Ty Prusak, 21, of
John Day was cited for theft
at a business on West Main
Street.
Jan. 26: Responded to a
report of a possible intoxi-
cated driver.
• Oregon State Police
Jan. 24: Received a report
of a noninjury crash at Long
Creek.
Jan. 26: Along with sher-
iff’s office and John Day
ambulance, responded to
a report of a motor vehicle
crash on Highway 26.
• Grant County Sheriff’s
Office
Jan. 21: Received a report
of animal abuse on Bucannon
Road.
Jan. 21: Received a report
of trespassing on Cupper
Creek Road.
Jan. 24: Received a report
of a burglary on Patterson
Drive.
Jan. 24: Received a report
of juvenile problems on North
Washington Street.
Jan. 25: Responded to
a 93-year-old woman with
bleeding on Dog Creek Road.
Jan. 26: A tow truck was
called for a motorist whose
parked vehicle had rolled
over.
• John Day ambulance
Jan. 20: Responded to
an 82-year-old woman with
stomach distended and swol-
len face.
Jan. 24: Responded to an
84-year-old man with breath-
ing problems on Charolais
Heights.
Jan. 24: Responded to an
80-year-old woman who was
confused and combative on
McAllum Avenue.
Jan. 26: Responded to a
38-year-old woman with sei-
zures on Fort Road.
• Grant County Road
Department
Jan. 26: Advised of a rock
slide on South Fork Road
Dispatch
John Day dispatch worked
138 calls during the week of
Jan. 20-26, including:
• John Day Police
Department
Jan. 21: Responded to a
report of harassment on West
Benefit Dinner And Silent Auction for Wyatt Simmons
February 8 th 5 pm at Mt.
Vernon Community Hall
Taco Feed Dinner
Raffle tickets for a 308 Riffle
• $100.00 Snaffle Bit Gift
Certificate
• Concealed Weapon Purse
Pioneer Feed
• Electric Water Heater
Andy’s Plumbing
• Kids Themed Basket HECS
• And Many More Items
Look who
will be
80!
Come help
Jimmy celebrate
his 80th on
Saturday
February 8th,
2020 at the
Teen Center
Prairie City
from 1 P.M.
to 4 P.M.
S168932-1
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