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FAMILY
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
OSAA continues suspension of spring activities
Blue Mountain Eagle
The OSAA executive
board held an online meet-
ing April 1 to discuss the lat-
est developments regarding
the COVID-19 situation. The
board decided to continue its
current suspension of spring
activities but chose not to can-
cel any other remaining state
championships at this time,
according to a press release.
Up to this point the board
has aligned its decisions
regarding OSAA’s educa-
tion-based activities with the
governor’s school closure
orders and plans to continue
on that path. Board member
discussion centered around
the latest information sent out
from the Oregon Department
of Education earlier this week
stating that there is a very real
potential that students may not
return to school this academic
year. If the governor orders
that in-person student learning
is shut down for the remainder
of this school year, the OSAA
will continue to align with the
school closures and also can-
cel its spring activities and
state championships.
The OSAA staff has been
in communication with all
spring state championship
venues and shared potential
challenges they are running
into with the board. In partic-
For the Eagle/Benjamin Lonergan
Levi Burke of Prairie City clears a 6-foot-5-inch bar to win the boys 1A high jump at the 2019 OSAA 1A Track and Field State Champi-
onships at Western Oregon University in Monmouth May 18.
ular, Western Oregon Univer-
sity has shut down all of its
athletic facilities until June 30
and will not be able to host the
3A, 2A, 1A Track and Field
State Championships. Staff
members are contacting other
potential track venues to deter-
mine interest and availability.
Board members discussed
the potential of shifting spring
activities and state champi-
onships into the summer and
are not supportive of that con-
cept at this time. Concerns
included increased staffing
and personnel costs for school
districts already facing uncer-
tain financial impacts, sched-
uling issues regarding facility
availability and commitments
for jobs, travel, etc.
The OSAA staff has
been working with Dr. Mick
Koester, chief medical advi-
sor and chair of the OSAA’s
Sports Medicine Advisory
Committee, to develop accli-
matization guidelines that the
board approved to emphasize
student safety if schools are
able to reconvene this spring.
Included would be:
• an initial 7-day period
with practices only, no
contests
John Day colder than normal in March
Blue Mountain Eagle
Temperatures in John Day aver-
aged colder than normal during
the month of March, according
to preliminary data received by
NOAA’s National Weather Service
in Pendleton.
The average temperature was
38.1 degrees, which was 3.6
degrees below normal. High tem-
peratures averaged 50 degrees,
which was 4.3 degrees below nor-
mal. The highest was 66 degrees on
March 6. Low temperatures aver-
aged 26.2 degrees, which was 2.9
degrees below normal. The lowest
was 18 degrees on March 13.
There were 27 days with the low
temperature below 32 degrees.
Precipitation totaled 0.84 inches
during March, which was 0.43
inches below normal. Measurable
precipitation was received on nine
days with the heaviest, 0.30 inches,
reported on March 16.
Precipitation this year has
reached 2.90 inches, which is 0.10
inches below normal. Since Octo-
ber, the water year precipitation
at John Day has been 3.64 inches,
• limiting practices to once
per day and no more than three
hours in length
• maintaining the current
requirement of no more than
six consecutive days without
a rest day
• continuing heat warn-
ings as appropriate to weather
and baseball pitch count
limitations
• limiting the number of
contests allowed in a week
specific to each activity (more
details to come later)
• emphasizing late after-
noon starts and weekend con-
tests when possible to limit
loss of class time
The OSAA executive
board has an online meeting
scheduled for April 15 to dis-
cuss developments regard-
ing this situation and take
any action they deem neces-
sary regarding spring activi-
ties and state championships.
The OSAA will post updated
information to the website
as well as send an update to
all schools following that
meeting.
Visit osaa.org/coronavirus
for OSAA policies and health
and safety resources related
to COVID-19. Included on
this page are all memos and
media releases from OSAA
since early March, along with
a series of frequently asked
questions.
CCS offers
virtual
appointments
Blue Mountain Eagle
Contributed image
John Day was colder than normal in March. Below-normal temperatures expected in April.
which is 2.94 inches below normal.
Snowfall totaled 3.4 inches with
at least 1 inch of snow reported on
one day. The heaviest snowfall was
3 inches reported on March 16.
The greatest depth of snow on the
ground was 3 inches on March 16.
The outlook for April from
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center
calls for below-normal tempera-
tures and above-normal precipita-
tion. Normal highs for John Day
rise from 57 degrees at the start of
April to 64 degrees at the end of
April. Normal lows rise from 31
degrees to 36 degrees.
The 30-year normal precipita-
tion is 1.39 inches.
www.MyEagleNews.com
Community Counseling Solu-
tions is ready to help local resi-
dents through the stressors com-
munities are experiencing as the
result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
CCS offers virtual visits where a
person can reach a mental health
or addictions provider from any
device with a camera, micro-
phone and internet connection,
making behavioral health care as
close as your computer, phone or
tablet. This includes visits with
prescribers. CCS also facilitates
sessions solely via phone call.
It also offers the David Rom-
prey Oregon Warmline (1-800-
698-2392), which provides con-
fidential and non-judgmental
peer support with no registra-
tion or assessment required. Con-
tact CCS today at 541-676-9161
to learn more about virtual vis-
its and visit the website, commu-
nitycounselingsolutions.org for
important information related to
the new coronavirus and helpful
tips for staying healthy during the
COVID-19 outbreak.
BIRTHS
Ernestine (Silvers) Hill
January 29, 1932 – April 2, 2020
Derrick
Ernestine Hill, 88, passed away in The Dalles, Oregon, with her daughters; Colleen and Celeste by her side.
She is survived by her daughters Colleen Marie Hill Hogan of Portland, Oregon, Celeste Ann Hill-Thomas (Britt
Thomas) of The Dalles, Oregon, and son Michael Vance Hill of Seattle, Washington. Her three grandchildren
are Brianna Marie Hogan, 26, Devin Ward Thomas, 26, and Alexia Erin Thomas, 20, and one great grandson,
Jack Ward Thomas, 1. She also leaves numerous nieces and nephews who loved her deeply and considered her
“the fa-vorite aunt”. Ernestine is proceeded in death by her husband of 62 years, Charles Lamar Hill, her three
siblings, Pauline (Silvers) Dyksterhuis, Anthony Silvers and Jo Ann Silvers who died in infancy, and her parents.
Ernestine is the youngest of four children born in Grant County, Oregon to Joseph Canton Silvers and Mary
(Moura) Silvers. At the age of 3 in the late 1800’s, her father, Joe, immigrated with his parents, Martin and
Anna Silvers, to the United States from the Azores Islands. Several years later at the age of 7, her mother Mary, also immigrated with
her parents John and Mary Moura, to the United States from the Azores Islands. Being the daughter of immigrants in the 1930’s was
often difficult. Her father was a ranch hand and her mother was unwell. Her elementary years were spent in a one room school house
between Mt. Vernon and Dayville, eventually graduating from Grant Union High School. After graduation, she attended one year of
business school. Upon returning to Grant County, in the early 1950’s, she worked as a telephone operator for the Oregon Telephone
Company in John Day.
Ernestine met Lamar Hill at a dance at the 62 Hall in Canyon City. They dated off and on for several years while Lamar worked
in Alaska. They married July 21, 1955, and made their home in John Day. They joined the First Baptist Church, attending regularly.
She supported Lamar while he developed his various business ventures. Ernestine and Lamar were blessed with three children and
moved up Canyon Creek in the early 1960’s to raise their family. Ernestine was a loving mother, a caring friend and a wonderful
homemaker. She enjoyed writing poetry, staying in touch with family and friends through cards and letters, singing in church and
collecting antique glassware. She loved spending time with her siblings and the boisterous Hill clan. Ernestine and Lamar leave a
legacy of hard work, determination and commitment to family.
There will be a memorial service in John Day sometime this summer. In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a donation to
the charity of your choice in memory of Ernestine. Paid for by the family of Ernestine Hill.
A boy, Quinten Gene Derrick, 6 pounds, 9 ounces, was
born March 11 to parents Chad and Kiley Derrick of Fox at
Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day. He joins 5-year-old sib-
ling Collins Derrick. Grandparents are Cork and JoAnn Hum-
phrey of Mt. Vernon and Roger and Darla Derrick of John Day.
Great-grandparents are Gene and Vernite Jordan of Mitchell and
Peggy Lively of Fossil.
S182884-1
Last Week’s Temps
John Day ...........................................................HI/LO
Tuesday ........................................................... 41/30
Wednesday ..................................................... 39/26
Thursday .......................................................... 44/24
Friday ............................................................... 47/28
Saturday .......................................................... 49/26
Sunday ............................................................. 54/36
Monday............................................................ 59/33
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
OBITUARIES
Ernestine Hill
Ernestine Hill, 88, passed away April 2 in The Dalles. She
was a longtime resident of Grant County. Her beloved husband
preceded her in death. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home
is in care of arrangements.
CORRECTION
In an April 1 article, the Eagle reported Grant County had
more COVID-19 tests at the time than personal protective equip-
ment to administer them. Grant County Health Administra-
tor Kimberly Lindsay said the county did have enough PPE to
administer the tests. The Eagle regrets the error.
W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF A PRIL 8 - 14
Wednesday
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Sunny
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sunny
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sunny
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sunny
64
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58
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37
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