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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 2020)
NEWS MyEagleNews.com Wednesday, October 28, 2020 A5 John Day makes new goals for airport industrial park First step is reducing land use restrictions By Rudy Diaz Blue Mountain Eagle Contributed photo The Grant County Sheriff’s Of- fice found Michael Pittman, 71. They had been searching in the Murderers Creek Wild- life Unit and the Swamp Creek and Hay Creek drainages near the Bear Valley Work Center. Missing man found after six nights 71-year-old slept in his vehicle Blue Mountain Eagle A man reported missing in Grant County has been found. The Grant County Sher- iff’s Office said it was search- ing for a 71-year-old man in the Murderers Creek Wildlife Unit, according to a Tuesday press release. Sheriff Glenn Palmer said Michael Joe Pittman got stuck and spent six nights in his vehicle. Palmer said he had shelter, food and water and is doing fine. He had last been seen driving a four-door white Chevrolet Suburban that was described as unreliable. The sheriff’s also searched in the Swamp Creek and Hay Creek drainages near the Bear Valley Work Center. The John Day City Council estab- lished a plan to find a bigger return on the industrial park investment made almost 20 years ago. John Day purchased the 100 acres of land in 2001, and the property will be paid off in full next December. The city established three topics to focus on during a work session Oct. 13, which starts with making adjust- ments to land use restrictions, then seeking appraisal for the land, then marketing and providing incentives for the land, if needed. These will address some of the challenges of selling the lots at the industrial park. Creating flexibility for land use at the industrial park was the first step the city council decided to pursue. The The Eagle/Rudy Diaz The John Day City Council discusses the land at the industrial park near the air- port during a work session Oct. 13. land is currently classified as an Airport Industrial Park Zone and as an Airport Safety and Compatibility Zone. The combination of the two zones presented limitations that made the list of prohibited land uses longer than the list of allowed uses, according to the meeting’s agenda. John Day City Councilor Dave Holland said the restrictions were established to help bring commercial activity, commerce, jobs and tax reve- nues to John Day, but he has seen that the restrictions have not worked. “My opinion is we need to remove as much of that and make that (land) as usable and as sellable and produc- tive as possible,” Holland said. John Day City Manager Nick Green said the city could consider leg- islative amendments to create greater flexibility on the land use restrictions to increase the diversity in the permit- ted uses. The land would still have to abide by the safety and compatibility zone restrictions for the safety of the pilots using the airport. ODF terminates fire season Blue Mountain Eagle The Oregon Department of Forestry ended its fire season in the John Day Unit of the Central Oregon District Oct. 24. Cooling temperatures and increased humidity have reduced the fire danger and potential for rapid spread of fire due to fuel conditions, according to a press release. Additional precipitation is needed before burn permits for logging slash will be issued in the Central Oregon District. Yard debris, burn barrels and other open burning should follow local and county fire restrictions. Prior to any burn- ing, landowners should plan for safe burn- ing practices including monitoring current weather conditions and future forecasts. Safe burning practices also include clear- ing flammable debris from the burn pile or burn area, having a water source nearby, having tools such as a shovel handy while burning, not burning in windy conditions and never leaving a fire unattended. Con- tinue to check the fire area for residual heat in the days after burning to ensure embers do not rekindle and spread to nearby fuels. Year-to-date in the Central Oregon District, firefighters have responded to 70 lightning fires burning 11,300 acres and 69 human caused fires burning 1,659 acres. The 10-year average for this time period is 63 lightning fires for 5,823 acres and 65 human caused fires for 2,192 acres. Eighty-five percent of all fires were less than 10 acres in size. For additional information on ODF’s Central Oregon District, including contact information and unit offices, visit odfcen- traloregon.com. Holland recommended chang- ing the industrial zone to allow light industrial and commercial activity. Green recommended that, instead of changing zones, the city could also issue conditional use permits or require a variance for commercial or agricultural land uses. This would give the city more control of the potential conditional uses and vari- ances, he said. The city decided they would then want to pursue an appraisal for the land to establish the fair market value and get a better idea of a price when selling the land. Marketing the land would be the next step to encourage interest in the site, and incentives would come later if there has not been much success with the new effort to sell some of the lots. “Let’s get the flexibility in there, get it appraised and do a marketing strategy just like what we want to do down here,” Councilor Paul Smith said. County reports 11th COVID-19 case the following precautions: • Wear masks indoors and outdoors if 6 feet of distancing can not be maintained. • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. • Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. • Stay home if you feel ill. After someone contracts COVID-19, if the develop symp- toms they will usually appear within 14 days. The Grant County Health Department urges anyone exhib- iting these symptoms to call 211 or 541-575-0429. Blue Mountain Eagle Grant County has its 11th COVID-19 case. The Grant County Health Department confirmed in a press release Friday an individual in the Canyon City ZIP code tested positive. The health department said they initiated contact tracing. The individual is working with their health care provider for proper care and safety, the press release said, and the department is contacting other people who meet the definition of close con- tacts — within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes. The health department encourages all residents to take 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 James W. Cook, pleaded guilty Oct. 21 for criminal driving while suspended or revoked. He was sentenced to 18 months of bench probation and to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 bench probation fee. He was acquitted for a count of driving under the influence of intoxicants. Grant County Sheriff The Grant County Sher- iff’s Office reported the fol- lowing for the week of Oct. 21: Concealed handgun licenses: 15 Average inmates: 17 Bookings: 8 Releases: 13 Arrests: 1 Citations: 4 Fingerprints: 0 Civil papers: 7 Warrants processed: 0 Assistance/Welfare check: 0 Search and Rescue: 0 Jyla Hill, 31, of John Day was cited for operating with- out required lighting equip- ment and driving uninsured. Waleed Malik, 25, Bel- levue, Washington, was cited for violation of the basic rule, 79/65 zone. Michael Salanti, 64, of Mt. Vernon was cited for dog as a public nuisance. Andrew Ballou, 26, of Mt. Vernon was cited for violation of the basic rule, 80/65 zone. Grant County Justice Court Violation of basic rule: Gerald B. Cummings, 49, Redmond, Sept. 11, 75/55 zone, fined $125; Ivan J. Oral, 28, Long Creek, March 15, 78/55 zone, fined $265; Orie W. Nephi, 40, Fort Duch- esne, Utah, June 17, 76/55 zone, fined $265; Kris- ten L. Hardy, 57, Tualatin, Aug. 10, 74/55, fined $265; Juvenile, 16, Bend, July 28, 71/55 zone, fined $165; Aus- tin K. Crumbley, 30, Leba- non, Aug. 3, 78/55 zone, fined $265; Chris A. Hanshew, 45, Prineville, Aug. 7, 85/55 zone, fined $265; Joseph S. Didner, 21, Portland, Aug. 17, 82/55 zone, fined $265; Rachel L. Strong, 30, Medford, Jan. 28, 74/55 zone, fined $165; April L. Davis, 40, Silverton, July 29, 75/55 zone, fined $165; Julien J. Franceschi, 32, Seat- tle, Washington, 71/55 zone, fined $165; Arno H. Jenkins, 55, Portland, Aug. 20, 70/55 zone, fined $165; Russell D. Ruthstrom, 60, Medford, Aug. 24, 75/55 zone, fined $165; Alicia M. Tafoya, 34, Board- man, July 5, 75/55 zone, fined $165; Clifford T. Curtis, 65, Baker City, Aug. 20, 75/55 zone, fined $165; Jerrid W. Herndon, 37, Milton Freewa- ter, Sept. 4, 78/55 zone, fined $200; Michael J. Godfrey, 32, Portland, Aug. 19, 82/55 zone, fined $265. Exceeding speed limit: Tahj M. Miller, 19, John Day, Sept. 18, 105/65 zone, fined $1,150 and a 30 day license suspension; Janet D. Smith, 57, Shasta Lake, Cal- ifornia, July 18, 84/65 zone, fined $265; Dennis M. Clark, 67, Sonora, California, Aug. 18, 38/25 zone, fined $165; Joshua B. Souders, 31, Pay- ette, Idaho, Aug. 6, 69/60 zone, fined $165; Sad I. Jardaneh, 47, La Grande, Aug. 15, 51/25 zone, fined $265; Joshua J. Schaan, 37, Redmond, July 14, 74/65 zone, fined $165; Liam K. Casey, 20, Portland, Aug. 25, 80/65 zone, fined $265; Bridget L. Pilgreen, 43, Bandon, Sept. 19, 75/65 zone, fined $165; Tyler W. Klein, 25, Albany, Sept. 3, 50/35 zone, fined $165; Anthony I. Reeves, 53, Canyon City, Sept. 17, 73/60 zone, fined $265; Juvenile, 17, Forest Grove, Sept. 12, 60/35 zone, fined $265; Sophia A. Mesler, 21, Katy, Texas, Sept. 13, 54/35 zone, fined $165; Ven- tura E. Ortiz, 20, Prineville, Sept. 19, 61/35 zone, fined $265; Andrew D. Wolfer, 40, Union, Sept. 20, 40/25 zone, fined $165; Christopher R. Jacobsen, 27, Medford, Sept. 17, 55/35 zone, fined $165; Nora A. Healey, 59, John Day, Aug. 24, 57/45 zone, fined $165; Leobardo Ceballos, 43, Minden, Nevada, Sept. 18, 55/35, fined $165; Travis Born, 30, John Day, Jan. 21, 2007, 68/55 zone, fined $165; Mariah C. Denman, 26, Mil- waukie, Sept. 1, 55/35 zone, fined $165; Max J. Stern- berg, 37, El Cerrito, Califor- nia, Aug. 6, 80/65 zone, fined $265; Timothy S. Trollinger, 31, Bend, Aug. 7, 78/65 zone, fined $265; Dale J. Boeshara, 42, Bend, July 25, 56/40, fined $165; Kayla D. Lambeth, 26, John Day, March 20, 35/25 zone, fined $115. Oregon State Police Oct. 18: A vehicle was southbound on Highway 395C when the driver lost control due to a mechanical issue. The vehicle veered off the east side of the highway, striking a rock face. The vehicle rolled and came to an uncontrolled rest on its wheels in the ditch. The driver was taken to the hospi- tal by ambulance with com- plaints of pain. The vehicle was towed by Frontier Tow- ing to the owner’s house. Oct. 22: Oregon State Police investigated a sin- gle-vehicle, non-blocking, rollover motor vehicle crash on Highway 26 near milepost 190. The driver and passen- ger sustained minor abrasions and scratches while exiting the vehicle. Oregon Depart- ment of Transportation ren- dered medical assistance and kept the occupants warm in a vehicle until the arrival of medical personnel. Superior Towing out of Baker City was contacted by the driver’s spouse and removed the vehi- cle and trailer from the scene. Blue Mountain Ambulance responded, but the vehicle occupants refused transport. 176 calls during the week of Oct. 19-25, including: • John Day Police Department Oct. 19: Steven War- rington, 31, of John Day was cited for no license and driv- ing uninsured. Oct. 19: Received a report of a domestic dispute on Southeast Elm Street. Oct. 20: Received a report of a noninjury crash on High- way 26 near milepost 163. Oct. 23: Elmer R. Ahrend- sen Jr., 46, was arrested for theft at a business on West Main Street. • Oregon State Police Oct. 24: Received a report of a black and white cow on Highway 26 near Keeney Fork Road. • Grant County Sheriff’s Office Oct. 19: Received a report of fraud in Mt. Vernon. Oct. 20: Received a report of a noninjury crash on County Road 16. Oct. 24: Multiple units were dispatched to a fight in Dayville. • John Day ambulance Oct. 19: Responded for a patient with heart issues on Hansen Lane. Oct. 20: Along with the Prairie City ambulance, paged for a woman not feel- ing well who was excessively sleepy on Northwest Johnson Avenue. Oct. 20: Responded for an 80-year-old woman with diffi- culty breathing on West Main Street. Oct. 21: Responded for a 13-year-old boy with neck spasms. Oct. 22: Received a report of an injury crash on Austin Road. Oct. 23: Dispatched for a man with difficulty breathing on Laycock Creek Road. Oct. 23: Dispatched for an elderly woman who fell and hit her head on Summit Prai- rie Road. Oct. 24: Dispatched for a woman who was unconscious with high blood pressure and high glucose on Valley View Drive. Oct. 24: Responded for a 58-year-old woman with swelling and heart trouble on Canyon Creek Trail Road. • Dayville fire Oct. 24: Responded to a report of a power pole on fire on Highway 26 near milepost 126.5. TOM CHRISTENSEN CHRISTENSEN TOM CONSTRUCTION Dispatch John Day dispatch worked (541) 410-0557 • (541) 575-0192 CCB# 106077 REMODELS • NEW CONSTRUCTION • POLE BUILDINGS CONCRETE EXCAVATION • SHEET ROCK • SIDING ROOFING • FENCES • DECKS • TELESCOPING FORKLIFT SERVICES S208920-1 IS YOUR MEDICARE PLAN ENDING? Losing your plan is a great “guaranteed issue” opportunity for you! A MAN WAKES UP in the morning after sleeping on... an advertised bed, in advertised pajamas. Blue Mountain Eagle MyEagleNews.com ( 541) 575-3518 • (541) 620-8980 342 W Main St, John Day, OR 97845 S213475-1 He will bathe in an ADVERTISED TUB, shave with an ADVERTISED RAZOR, have a breakfast of ADVERTISED JUICE, cereal and toast, toasted in an ADVERTISED TOASTER, put on ADVERTISED CLOTHES and glance at his ADVERTISED WATCH. He’ll ride to work in his ADVERTISED CAR, sit at an ADVERTISED DESK and write with an ADVERTISED PEN. Yet this person hesitates to advertise, saying that advertising doesn’t pay. Finally, when his non-advertised business is going under, HE’LL ADVERTISE IT FOR SALE. Then it’s too late. AND THEY SAY ADVERTISING DOESN’T WORK? DON’T MAKE THIS SAME MISTAKE Advertising is an investment, not an expense. Think about it! Donna Steele Don’t get left behind, call today! Kim Kell 541-575-0710 Call me for a FREE, no-obligation review to help with your options to keep you covered in 2021! S211797-1 Debbie Ausmus 245 South Canyon Blvd. John Day, OR 97845 OPEN WED. & THUR. 9 am - 5 pm Catering Services Available Breakfast & Lunch Daily Specials 541-575-1113 24 hrs/7 days wk debbie.ausmus@ countryfinancial.com Follow us on Facebook S209976-1 S208916-1