NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
A5
Third COVID-19 case reported in Grant County Man dies in
The Oregon Health Authority
said the percentage of tests com-
ing back positive was 6.1% for the
week of July 26 to Aug. 1. That
is the highest percentage since
mid-March.
State health officials had
expressed some guarded optimism
when the positive test rate fell
to 4.8% in the previous
report, breaking a streak
of eight weeks of rising
percentages of positive
tests. The positive rate had
reached 5.8% during the
two weeks following the
July 4 holiday.
Also on Monday, OHA
announced 272 new cases of
COVID-19 bringing the state total to
19,366. There were two more deaths,
bringing the state total to 328.
During the initial outbreak, the
positive rate was 9% and 7% respec-
tively for the first two weeks of
March. Gov. Kate Brown declared
a state of emergency on March 8,
which began a shutdown of many
offices, retail stores and restaurants.
The positive test rate fell to a low
of 1.6% in mid-May, just before the
phased “reopening” of businesses
By Steven Mitchell
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Grant County Health
Department has confirmed a third
resident has tested positive for
COVID-19 in Grant County.
The health department has initi-
ated contact tracing, according to a
press release. The individ-
ual, who resides within
the 97865 zip code, is
working with health care
providers to identify close
contacts.
Grant County Health
Department
Adminis-
trator Kimberly Lindsay also con-
firmed that the second case was a
positive case, despite recent rumors
that the result may have been a false
positive.
“While a third positive is unfor-
tunate, in many ways it is not sur-
prising given the increases in posi-
tive cases around Grant County and
throughout Oregon and the United
States,” the press release states.
The percentage of positive
COVID-19 tests statewide hit their
highest levels in four months, state
health officials reported Monday.
COVID-19 SYMPTOMS
COVID-19
PRECAUTIONS
After someone contracts
COVID-19, illness usually
develops within 14 days.
Symptoms include:
The health department en-
courages all residents to take
the following precautions:
• Fever or chills
• Wear mask indoors and
where a mask outdoors if 6
feet of distancing can not be
maintained.
Blue Mountain Eagle
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or diffi-
culty breathing
• Wash your hands often with
soap and water for at least 20
seconds.
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• Avoid touching your eyes,
nose, or mouth with un-
washed hands.
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Cover your mouth and nose
when you cough or sneeze.
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Stay home if you feel ill.
• Diarrhea
in most of the state. The rate rose
for eight straight weeks before the
dip in the previous report.
The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus
Resource Center reported Monday
that, since the beginning of the year,
there have been more than 4.1 mil-
lion COVID-19 cases in the United
States, with 155,379 deaths. World-
wide, the center reported just under
motorcycle
crash Sunday in
Harney County
The health department urges
those who present with these
symptoms to call 211 or the
Grant County Health Depart-
ment at 541-575-0429.
18.2 million positive cases and
691,352 deaths.
The Oregon Capital Bureau
contributed to this report.
A California man died in a motorcycle
crash in Harney County Sunday.
At about 10 a.m. Oregon State Police
troopers and emergency personnel
responded to a report of a crash on High-
way 395C near Lost Creek Timber Road.
Preliminary investigation revealed
that a Harley-Davidson motorcycle,
operated by Jon Meek, 63, of Riverside,
California, was northbound when he
attempted to pass a farm tractor pulling
a bailer, operated by a male juvenile, that
had just started a left turn. The motorcy-
cle struck the left front of the farm tractor.
Meek was transported by air ambu-
lance to Saint Lukes Hospital in Idaho
where he was pronounced deceased.
The juvenile was not injured in the
crash.
OSP was assisted by the Harney
County Sheriff’s Office, Harney District
Ambulance and Oregon Department of
Transportation.
Firefighters respond to multiple starts
ing operations are winding down
and the Northeast Oregon Inter-
agency Type 3 Incident Manage-
ment Team is preparing to hand the
fire back to the Umatilla National
Forest, according to a press
release from the Umatilla National
Forest.
Incident Commander Shane
Severs and the North Fork John
Day Ranger District took com-
mand of remaining resources Tues-
day to complete containment and
restore the landscape.
Firefighters focused Monday
on thorough mop-up and patrol of
remaining hot spots. Other crews
and equipment worked to rehabil-
By Steven Mitchell
Blue Mountain Eagle
Firefighters have been busy
over the last week, responding to
multiple wildfires.
Fire crews worked over the
weekend to to contain the 100-acre
Buck Butte Fire north of Burns,
according to a press release from
the Malheur National Forest.
Resources on the scene included
six fire engines with 60 wildland
firefighters and a helicopter crew.
Crews will continue to patrol the
area.
With the Matlock Fire north of
Ukiah 95% contained, firefight-
itate and repair control lines that
are no longer needed to contain the
fire.
Firefighting resources assigned
include one Interagency Hotshot
Crew, one Type 2IA handcrew,
seven Type 6 engines, three water
tenders, one log loader, and one
processor.
Crews continued to battle the
Day Basin Fire south of Dayville,
last reported at 41 acres.
The John Day Interagency Dis-
patch Center reported Monday that
resources contained a small fire,
Elk Creek. The main source of fuel
was the burning of a log, the dis-
patch center reported.
Contributed photo
Firefighters from a Umatilla National Forest Type 6 engine dig up and extinguish
remaining hot spots along the line of the Matlock Fire.
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 Sheriff
The Grant County Sheriff’s Office
reported the following for the week of
July 29:
Concealed handgun licenses: 12
Average inmates: 14
Bookings: 13
Releases: 11
Arrests: 2
Citations: 1
Fingerprints: 3
Civil papers: 11
Warrants processed: 4
Assistance/Welfare check: 0
Search and Rescue: 1
Dale Beshara, 42, of Bend was
cited for violation of the basic rule,
56/40 zone.
Grant County Justice Court
Violation of the basic rule: Juvenile,
17, Madras, May 17, 67/55 zone, fined
$165; Alexander A. Toschakov, 24,
Camas, Washington, May 25, 84/55
zone, fined $265; Ted Christopher-
son F. Tipton, 49, Sisters, July 6, 70/55
zone, fined $165; Apolo Sevilla, 40,
Denver, Colorado, July 5, 80/55 zone,
fined $265; Jeffrey H. Brink, 28, Pleas-
ant Hill, May 25, 74/55 zone, fined
$165; Stephanie Kayla S. Mailman,
28, La Grande, May 12, 83/55 zone,
fined $265; Amber N. Stewart, Lakev-
iew, June 12, 65/55 zone, fined $165;
January R. Kolar, 50, Burns, June 11,
81/55 zone, fined $265; Juvenile, 17,
Redmond, May 23, 78/55 zone, fined
$265; Andrew S. Ballou, 26, Mt. Ver-
non, April 28, 70/55 zone, fined $165;
Zachary M. Jolliffe, 23, La Grande,
March 20, 79/55 zone, fined $265.
Exceeding speed limit: Randall C.
Ginn, 63, Brownsville, July 9, 63/45
zone, fined $165; Brian D. Smucker,
57, Bonners Ferry, Idaho, July 5, 53/35
zone, fined $165; Andrea Marie D.
McGinty, 41, Sonoma, 58/35 zone,
fined $265; Shelby A. Brinson, 23,
Hines, June 8, 80/65 zone, fined $265;
Cindy M. Chappel, 39, John Day, April
18, 52/35 zone, fined $140; Chase A.
Wescott, 25, Madras, May 25, 74/65
zone, fined $165; Ethan O. Holdern,
19, Florence, July 4, 50/35 zone, fined
$165; Darren G. Schmidt, 53, Salem,
June 18, 36/25 zone, fined $165; Dan-
iel B. Dickson, 67, Pahrump, Nevada,
June 9, 81/65 zone, fined $265; Jon-
athan I. Fryer, 31, Eugene, July 11,
40/25 zone, fined $165; Jeffery S.
Hayes, 57, Stevenson, Washington,
May 27, 78/65 zone, fined $265; Jamill
T. Thomas, 24, Stockton, California,
April 6, 48/30 zone, fined $165; Logan
J. McGhan, 39, Cottage Grove, May
20, 75/65 zone, fined $165.
Driving while suspended: Steven
M. Warrington, 30, John Day, April
29, fined $440, May 18, fined $440,
May 22, fined $440, May 31, fined
$440, June 8, fined $440, June 15,
fined $440, June 18, fined $440; Jus-
tin W. Wells, 36, John Day, June 15,
fined $440; Caleb J. Vielma, 31, Can-
yon City, June 30, fined $440.
Driving uninsured: Steven M. War-
rington, 30, John Day, April 29, fined
$265, May, 18, fined $440, May 22,
Extr
fined $265, May 31, fined $265, June
8, fined $265, June 15, fined $265,
June 18, fined $265; Caleb J. Vielma,
31, Canyon City, June 30, fined $265.
Open container of alcohol: Brent
L. Sawin, 54, Seneca, June 18, fined
$265, June 18, fined $265.
Operating without proper fenders:
Sawyer R. Watterson, 30, March 11,
fined $165.
Careless driving-accident: John W.
Voigt Jr., 31, May 14, fined $440.
Oregon State Police
July 26: OSP responded to the
Grant County Jail to assist a deputy
with a driving under the influence of
intoxicants investigation. The deputy
had arrested Matthew S. Brown, 27,
of Portland for DUII after a crash. OSP
administered the breath test. The Intox-
ilyzer indicated a blood alcohol con-
centration result of 0.12%. Brown was
lodged by the deputy for DUII.
July 27: OSP assisted the John
Day Police Department with recov-
ering a stolen 1995 Ford van belong-
ing to Blue Mountain Hospital. The
van had been stolen by Charles E.
Carter, 32, Montpelier, Idaho, after he
was released from the hospital around
5 a.m. OSP located Carter at about
8 a.m., sleeping in a tent beside the van
near a business in John Day. The sub-
ject was taken into custody without
incident and transported to the Grant
County Jail and lodged.
July 30: OSP stopped a vehicle on
Highway 26 near milepost 166 for a
traffic violation. The driver, Michael
S. Thomas, 29, was misdemeanor sus-
pended for a DUII conviction. OSP
arrested Thomas and transported him
to the Grant County Jail. His vehicle
was secured at the scene. OSP issued
Thomas a citation for driving while
suspended and lodged him in jail.
Dispatch
John Day dispatch worked 140
calls during the week of July 27 to
Aug. 2, including:
• John Day Police Department
July 28: Received a report of crimi-
nal mischief at a business on East Main
Street.
July 29: Received a report of a dead
deer on the Highway 26.
July 30: Donald Hildreth, 54, of
John Day was arrested for contempt of
court.
July 30: Dispatched for a 55-year-
old man who had fallen.
July 31: Cited Matthew P. Walker,
37, of John Day for driving while sus-
pended and uninsured on Northwest
Third Avenue.
Aug. 1: Located and had the resi-
dent extinguish an open campfire in the
city limits on West Main Street.
Aug. 2: Cited Elmer R. Ahrendsen,
46, of John Day for no Oregon driver’s
license and driving uninsured on Can-
ton Street.
Aug. 2: Cited Matthew P. Walker,
37, of Pendleton for driving while sus-
pended and uninsured on West Main
Street.
• Oregon State Police
July 27: Advised of a bear that had
been hit by a vehicle on Highway 395B
near milepost 95
July 28: Along with Grant County
Sheriff’s Office and Oregon Depart-
ment of Transportation, responded to a
hazard rock slide across both lanes of
Highway 19.
July 31: Advised of a driving com-
plaint on Highway 26 near Lower Yard
Road.
• Grant County Sheriff’s Office
July 27: Received a report of crimi-
nal mischief on East Sixth Street.
July 31: Received a report of crim-
inal mischief on Pine Street in Granite.
July 31: Received a report of theft
on Chimney Gulch Road.
• John Day ambulance
July 28: Along with Seneca ambu-
lance, responded for a 29-year-old man
with chest pain and trouble breathing
on Rendezvous Lane.
July 31: Responded for a 66-year-
old woman with pain at the site of a
previous surgery on West Main Street.
Aug. 1: Dispatched for an elderly
woman with back pain on Widow’s
Creek.
Aug. 1: Dispatched for a man that fell
and hit his head on West Main Street.
Aug. 1: Responded for an 80-year-
old woman who was requesting to be
seen at the hospital.
• Monument ambulance
July 27: John Day ambulance
responded for a 91-year-old woman
who had fallen.
• Mt. Vernon fire
July 30: Along with the Oregon
Department of Forestry, dispatched for
a forest fire near Nans Rock Road.
• Oregon Department of
Transportation
July 31: Advised of a struck deer
blocking the southbound lane of High-
way 395C.
Grant County Youth
Livestock Auction
a!
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E
SATURDAY AUGUST 15th
DINNER 5PM • AUCTION 6PM
EAST END OF THE HERITAGE BARN
GRANT COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS
Options to bid on youth market animals:
1. In person. Strict social distancing guidelines must be followed.
Fair Results in the August 26th issue.
2. Over the phone bidding by calling into one of the sale day phones.
3. Online bidding by logging in and creating an account through
LiveAuctions.TV after August 5th.
Be sure to call Kim today to place
your ad for sponsoring this year’s
FFA and 4-H fair results.
195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR. 97845
www.MyEagleNews.com
Sale Day Phones:
Ben Holliday: 541-620-0521 or MT Anderson 541.377.0030
S201315-1
S201839-1
Blue Mountain Eagle