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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 2020)
A2 FAMILY Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, July 22, 2020 Public use restrictions implemented on part of Malheur National Forest Blue Mountain Eagle The southern zone of the Malheur National Forest has implemented public use restrictions, limiting campfires and chainsaw use. On Friday, the southern Emigrant Creek Ranger Dis- trict listed fire danger as high and moved to an Industrial Fire Precaution Level of II, according to a press release. The north zone, Blue Moun- tain and Prairie City ranger districts, listed fire danger as moderate. High fire danger means fires can start easily from most causes and small fuels will ignite readily. Under IFPL II, power saws (except at loading sites), cable yarding and welding or cut- ting of metal are only allowed between 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. It does not regulate any recre- ational or firewood cutting activities. On Saturday, the south zone will implement Phase B of public use restrictions, prohibiting: 1. Building, maintain- ing, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal briquette or stove fire, except within a developed recreation site, listed on the Malheur National Forest website. 2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or build- ing, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material. 3. Operating a chainsaw between the hours of 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saw operators are required to have a shovel (8 inches wide, 26 inches in length), and fire extinguisher (minimum ABC 8 oz.) in their possession. A one-hour fire watch is required after saw operations cease. Generators are allowed when located in a location cleared of flamma- ble material in an area at least 10 feet in diameter and with an approved spark arrestor. 4. Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark arrest- ing device properly installed, forest, wood cutting is still per- mitted all day with a one-hour fire watch after cutting. For more information, call 541-575-3000. Oregon Department of Forestry Contributed photo/Todd McKinley Lightning the evening of June 12 caused four fires on the Mal- heur National Forest. The forest has implemented public use re- strictions. maintained and in effective working order. 5. Possessing or using a vehicle off National Forest System roads, except when parking in an area devoid of vegetation within 10 feet of the roadway. On the north zone of the forest, the IFPL is I. Moderate fire danger means fires can start from most accidental causes, but the number of fire starts is usually pretty low. Campfires are allowed only in fire pits surrounded by dirt, rock or commercial rings and in areas not conducive to rapid fire spread, at a minimum clear of all flammable material within a radius of 3 feet from the edge of the pit and free of overhanging material. Use existing pits wherever possible. Campfires must be attended at all times, and completely extinguished prior to leaving. Persons with campfires are required to have a tool that can serve as a shovel and one gal- lon of water in their possession. On the north zone of the Residents urged to enroll in statewide COVID-19 study Participants in OHSU-led study will help protect their communities Blue Mountain Eagle About 10 Grant County residents have signed up to report their temperature and other COVID-19 symptoms for up to one year to pro- vide state and local officials information that will help them make decisions about how to keep Oregon open and safe. Since it was announced in May, the Oregon Health & Science University-led Key to Oregon study has been mea- suring COVID-19 prevalence throughout the state, accord- ing to a press release. So far, nearly 9,000 Oregonians have enrolled statewide. The study aims to enroll up to 100,000 randomly selected Oregonians, who will spend less than 10 minutes a day to report their temperature and other symptoms on a secure website. Up to 10,000 of those needs — including reopening or closing local businesses and schools — while also protecting human health and lives. “We are deeply grateful to those willing to volunteer their time to this important work,” said the study’s lead researcher, Jackie Shannon, Ph.D. “Each person who spends less than 10 minutes a day on this study will help us better understand how the virus is affecting Orego- nians. If you were randomly selected, please consider taking part to help your community stay open.” A total of 500 Grant County households have been invited to participate in the study, and should Contributed photo/Kristyna Wentz-Graff have received mail notices Kevin Ystad collects addressed Key to Oregon research study in May. Those mailings cards and packages them for mailing, at Stevens Integrated Solu- included instructions about tions in Portland, May 11. how to enroll online. If you lost your invite but are enrolled will also be selected helping protect their fami- interested in enrolling, send for asymptomatic testing, or lies and communities. OHSU an email to keystudy@ testing those who do not have will share study findings with ohsu.edu. symptoms, to better measure state and local decision mak- Those interested in fol- an often-invisible source of ers, who can use the data to lowing the study’s progress make decisions to meet the can learn more at ohsu.edu/ COVID-19’s spread. Those who take part are state’s economic and social key-to-oregon. Down payment assistance available for first-time homebuyers Blue Mountain Eagle Oregon Housing and Com- munity Services has awarded Community Connection of Northeast Oregon’s Housing Resource Center a $300,000 grant to provide down pay- ment assistance for first-time homebuyers. Applicants can receive up to $15,000 in down payment and closing costs toward the purchase of their home, according to a press release. Eligible applicants must have gross annual income less than the area median income, be first-time home- buyers, have net worth lim- itations and be lender-ready within one year. See www. ccno.org for details. Grant County’s median income is $60,800. Community Connection provides pre-purchase coun- seling to persons interested in purchasing a home. A HUD-certified housing coun- selor helps position folks for lender approval by address- ing budget, credit and debt, and educates prospective homeowners of available loan products. Community Connection also offers indi- vidual development accounts for first-time homebuyers, allowing prospective buyers to save up to $12,000 toward a down payment. Community Connection’s certified foreclosure inter- vention and default counselor counsels homeowners at risk of losing their homes to fore- closure by reviewing options and strategies to retain own- ership of their homes. This includes available pro- grams for loan reinstate- ment and loan modification. Also included is financial capability counseling, which involves budgeting and cre- ating a sustainable projected budget. In 2019, Community Con- nection’s efforts in foreclo- sure avoidance counseling saved homeowners a total of $791,216 and saved 36 homes from foreclosure. This year on Oregon Department of Forestry’s Cen- tral Oregon District, 43 fire have burned 67 acres — 31 of those fires caused by humans. Regulated-use closure for lands protected by the Cen- tral Oregon District went into effect July 1, according to a press release. These restrictions are intended to limit activities that have an increased potential of starting fires. Current fuel con- ditions in the district are likely to result in a rapidly spreading fire from activities such as a spark from a lawnmower blade on rock. All open burning, includ- ing campfires, is prohibited on ODF protected lands in the Central Oregon District, as well as use of tracer ammuni- tion and exploding targets. The full proclamation describing the restrictions is available at odfcentraloregon.com. Those traveling in forested areas need to have a fire extin- guisher and shovel in case they come upon a fire, and they should report all fires to 911 or a local dispatch center even if they believe they have con- tained the fire. While traveling and recreat- ing in the woods, do not leave gravel roadways and never park in grassy areas where hot vehicle parts can come in con- tact with vegetation. Prevention measures can vary among agencies, but it is the responsibility of the user to know the rules and restrictions. ODF’s Central Oregon District continues to serve landowners and the pub- lic as an essential service for Oregonians. Call or email to talk with staff or schedule an appointment. For additional information on ODF’s Cen- tral Oregon District, including contact information and unit offices, visit odfcentraloregon. com. Eagle office will close at 4:30 p.m. starting next week Blue Mountain Eagle The Blue Mountain Eagle office will be closing at 4:30 p.m. starting July 27. Business hours will be from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. All deadlines will remain the same. For more information, con- tact the Eagle at 541-575-0710 or office@bmeagle.com. Alcoholics Anonymous meetings Blue Mountain Eagle Alcoholics Anonymous groups are currently meeting in compliance with social dis- tancing rules. At 7:30 p.m. Mondays, the Outlaw Group meets at Presbyterian Church in Mt. Vernon. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, the Let Go Group meets at St. Elizabeth Catholic Parish Hall in John Day. At noon Fridays, the John Day Miracles Group meets at the Church of the Nazarene. Attendees should use the ramp on the side of the church. Attendees need not be alco- holics to attend. For more information about addiction or recovery, join a group or call 509-551-8402. Eddy graduates from OIT in Klamath Falls Blue Mountain Eagle Kevin Michael Eddy, son of Greg and Debbie Eddy of Can- yon City, recently graduated from Oregon Institute of Tech- nology in Klamath Falls. He earned a Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, in respira- tory therapy. OBITUARIES Ruth (Stussi) Rodarme Nov. 27, 1943 — July 20, 2020 Ruth (Stussi) Rodarme, 76, died July 20, 2020, in Texas. Ruth was born Nov. 27, 1943, in Long Creek, Oregon. Her par- ents were John and Reta Stussi. Ruth died sitting outside her R.V. with two Bibles in her hand and a wonderful hand-written message by her chair. The EMT that came to help Ruth was so touched by her message that he said his life will forever be changed for the good. Ruth loved to travel. So 18 years ago God put Dan Rodarme in her life who also loves to travel and loves the Lord as much as Ruth did. They R.V., across the U.S.A. Ruth was the happiest she had ever been. Ruth had two children, Monica and Darrin; three grandchil- dren, Austin, Elliot and McKenna; and one great-grandson, Reed. She was preceded in death by her parents and her two sisters, Lola Chapman and Donna Amos. Services will be in La Grande at a later date. No Matter how big or small your trophy was or if you just want to share a hunting adventure, send or drop off your best hunting photos or stories to 195 N Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845 • kim@bmeagle.com Your photos could be published in this year’s EAGLE HUNTING JOURNAL Please have them to the Eagle by August 8. Last Week’s Temps John Day ...........................................................HI/LO Tuesday ........................................................... 85/46 Wednesday ..................................................... 89/49 Thursday .......................................................... 93/55 Friday ............................................................... 87/59 Saturday .......................................................... 89/50 Sunday ............................................................. 91/54 Monday............................................................ 94/59 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 S195775-1 W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF J ULY 22 - 28 Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Sunny Mostly sunny Sunny Sunny Sunny Sunny Mostly sunny 93 83 87 86 91 94 100 60 52 52 52 55 51 56
