A14 NEWS Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, August 18, 2021 The Eagle/Steven Mitchell Buyer Kay Cowen-Thompson, left, and Contributed photo Contributed photo Contributed photo Contributed photo beef reserve grand champion Monel Wyatt Suchorski, Grant Union High Madelyn Bailey, Strawberry Riders CC, Preston Fretwell, Dayville CC, sheep, Morgan Molyneux, Canyon Creek CC, sheep, grand champion. Anderson of the Izee Livestock club. School FFA, steer grand champion. reserve grand champion. goat, grand champion Auction Continued from Page A1 MARKET STEERS Wyatt Suchorski, Grant Union High School FFA, grand champion steer Monel Anderson, Izee Livestock club, reserve grand champion steer Weston Suchorski, Izee Livestock club, champion Kingdon Kirby, Izee Livestock club, champion Beau VanCleave, Juniper Ridge, champion Evangeline Schultz, Northfork CC, reserve Rowdy Wilson, Canyon Creek CC, blue ribbon Carson Weaver, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Bret Burril, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon Wyatt Lemons, Grant Union High School FFA, blue ribbon Talon VanCleave, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon Raney Anderson, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Tate Waddel, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon Bethany Wilburn, Northfork CC, blue ribbon Nick Stiner, Strawberry Riders CC, blue ribbon Bridger Walker, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Colton Lindsay, Strawberry Riders CC, blue ribbon Keira Stiner, Strawberry Riders CC, blue ribbon Cooper Ross, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon Jacey Mickey, Grant Union High Scool FFA, blue ribbon Emma Field, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon Sage Browning, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Jerett Waddel, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon Preston Boethin, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Jaycee Winegar, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon Abbie Justice, Strawberry Riders CC, blue ribbon Hayden Spencer, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Gracey Kenyon, Izee Livestock, red ribbon MARKET SHEEP Madelyn Bailey, Strawberry Riders CC, grand champion sheep Preston Fretwell, Dayville CC, reserve grand champion sheep Adeline Northway, Beaver Believers, champion Olive Thunnel, Juniper Ridge, reserve champion Kellen Fretwell, Dayville CC, reserve champion Naomi Blood, Strawberry Riders CC, blue ribbon Hannah McKinley, Strawberry Riders CC, blue ribbon Lilly Huerta, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Aaliyah Judd, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon Max Bailey, Strawberry Riders CC, blue ribbon Jonathan Leighty, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon Audrey Walker, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Akeelah Vielma, Strawberry Riders CC, blue ribbon Reid Dole, Grant Union High School FFA, blue ribbon Eli Wison, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Eliza Bailey, Strawberry Riders CC, blue ribbon Katelyn Hughes, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Jillie Thunell, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon Savanah Watterson, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon Madilynne Cearns, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon Samantha Choate, Northfork CC, blue ribbon Rhynna Wyllie, Strawberry Riders CC, blue ribbon Tempest Kalin, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon Sophia McKinley, Strawberry Riders, blue ribbon GOATS Morgan Molyneux, Canyon Creek CC, grand champion goat Dawson Jenks, Northfork CC, reserve grand champion goat Gauge Jenks, Northfork CC, blue ribbon Emmalyn Northway, Canyon Creek CC, blue ribbon Sierra Jenks, Northfork CC, red ribbon MARKET SWINE Brooke Taynton, Canyon Creek CC, grand champion swine Fallan Giffi n, Moon Mountain Livestock, reserve grand champion swine Gracee Hueckman, Moon Mountain Live- stock, champion Jesaka Culley, Moon Mountain Livestock, champion Skylar McKay, Prairie City FFA, reserve champion George Ashley, Grant Union High School FFA, reserve champion Laken McKay, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon Cayden Howard, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon Sarah Clark, Canyon Creek CC, blue ribbon Noah Spencer, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Zinny Locke, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon Cooper Holly, Dayville CC, blue ribbon Colton Lyman, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Owen Parsons, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon Lane Clark Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon Kara Hanson, Dayville CC, blue ribbon Eric Culley, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Tatyn Harper, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Fletcher Grove, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Kahden Weaver, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Brynlie Koppel, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Madison Whitmore, Canyon Creek CC, blue ribbon Brooklyn Kimball, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon Macy Carter, Grant Union FFA, blue ribbon Eliza Ashley, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Emmie Saul, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Karlie Chappel, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Haven Giffi n, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Trevor Sasser, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon Treyton Brown, Grant Union High School FFA, blue ribbon Zooey Rookstool, Canyon Creek CC, blue ribbon Hannah Wall, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon Paige Weaver, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Tymber Moore, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Riddick Hutchison, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon Mayley Saul, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Cowen Weaver, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Elias Starbuck, Northfork CC, blue ribbon Reece Jacobs, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon Abbey Pfeff erkorn, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon Sierra May, Canyon Creek CC, blue ribbon Garret Ashley, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon Jenna Chappel, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon Ava Brown, Canyon Creek CC, blue ribbon Brooklyn Grassl, Northfork CC, blue ribbon Paige Galbreath, Izee Livestock, red ribbon Allyson Moore, Izee Livestock, red ribbon Tristan Clarry, Canyon Creek CC, red ribbon Parker Manitsas, Grant Union High School FFA, red ribbon Brooke Teel, Prairie City FFA, red ribbon Evan Chappel, Moon Mountain Livestock, red ribbon Ava Gerry, Juniper Ridge, red ribbon Ryan Coalwell, Canyon Creek CC, red ribbon Trevyn Coalwell, Canyon Creek CC, red ribbon Parker Grassl, Northfork CC, red ribbon MARKET TURKEY Danner May, Canyon Creek CC, reserve champion turkey Sydnie Brandon, Strawberry Riders CC, blue ribbon MARKET CHICKEN Morganne Wyllie, Strawberry Riders CC, grand champion chicken Mahayla Moss, Grant County CC, reserve grand champion chicken Payton Whitmore, Canyon Creek CC, blue ribbon Contributed photo Fallan Giffi n, Moon Mountain Livestock, swine, reserve grand champion. Contributed photo Brooke Taynton, Canyon Creek CC, swine, grand champion. Contributed photo Dawson Jenks, Northfork CC, goat, reserve grand champion. Masks Continued from Page A1 Courtney that the county does not have the power to take back local control of its school dis- tricts from the state. “Some people might be mis- taken in thinking that the county has power beyond a voice,” he said. “We don’t have the power to make those things happen.” County Commissioner Sam Palmer said he was “quite dis- turbed” that a state law that sus- pends a requirement for basic skills testing in math, reading and writing — which, in his opinion, is based on color — was signed by the governor on Aug. 10. He said this is about more than a mask mandate. The state, he said, is trying to control the youth in an attempt to change society. According to the bill’s text, the measure temporarily elim- inates essential skills testing through the 2022-2023 school year. In addition, according to The Eagle/Steven Mitchell Ellie Justice, left, and Morganne Wyllie of the Strawberry Riders club, who won grand champion in chickens. the text, the Oregon Depart- ment of Education compares Oregon’s diploma requirements with other states and recom- mendations for state require- ments to reduce disparities. He said he stands for “free- dom” to choose, and he sup- ports whichever decision a par- ent makes for their child. Liability to teachers, staff and administrators Hallgarth said he is con- cerned about the liability that teachers and education assis- tants face should a kid refuse to wear a mask, or how some- one might interpret how a staff member enforces the rule. He said this opens the door for someone who disagrees with how the school is enforcing the rules or reading the interpretive guidance who could fi le a com- plaint with the Oregon Safety and Health Administration. The penalty can range from $8,600 to $126,000, depending on how OSHA rates the level of noncompliance. Hallgarth said he has worked to build relationships with the staff and create a cul- ture within the district, and the enforcement guidelines pit peo- ple against each other. Losing teachers and staff Prairie City High School teacher Billy Colson said he likes the word “empowerment.” He said the county should have more local control, and the state should trust and empower regions to make those decisions. He said he has a daugh- ter who could “survive” online school, but his 7-year-old son needs to be in the classroom. Colson said his only concern is whether or not his son has to wear a mask. Recently, he said he found out his son is a seventh-gener- ation Oregonian. “My great-great-great- something came over in a cov- ered wagon,” Colson said. “And we spent last night look- ing at where are we going to go when they force the vaccine on our kids and us out of the state of Oregon.” What is the county’s authority? A member of the audience who said she was a federal employee and a parent asked what the county would do to help teachers, administrators and children. She asked the county to “think outside of the box” if the gover- nor said no to giving the county local control. Hamsher said the county could face liability if they were to tell a school district to fl out pandemic restrictions. Like- wise, he told her a teacher could sue if they were to lose their cer- tifi cations, and the county’s insur- ance company could drop the county, leaving the county with- out legal protection. Palmer said he could not put a “price tag” on people’s freedoms. “So I’m going to abuse your child?” he said. “I am going to abuse an adult by making them get a shot? When do we say enough is enough?” Myers said the court is not in a position to back someone’s per- sonal decision not to send their kid to school and not to wear a Contributed photo The Eagle/Steven Mitchell Danner May, Canyon Creek CC, turkey, reserve grand champi- on. Mahayla Moss, Grant Coun- ty CC, chicken, reserve grand champion. mask. However, he said they are doing what they can to advocate for local control. likely much higher. And the rate of infections is growing, likely because of reduced masking and social dis- tancing with the rollout of vac- cines, coupled with the surge in the delta variant, whose char- acteristics make for more effi - cient transmission. In the week ended Aug. 5, there were close to 94,000 COVID-19 cases in chil- dren, compared with the high- est peak at 211,486 recorded in the fi rst week of January. But the worrying trend is that the percent- age of total COVID-19 cases rep- resented by children is growing: 14.3% in the week ended Aug. 5, compared with less than 2% for most of 2020. The Academy of Pediat- rics noted that children make up roughly 1% of hospitaliza- tions, depending on the state, and 0.26% of all COVID-19 deaths. “If we’re bringing kids back to schools indoors, and we are seeing case rates rise in the com- munity, it’s probably important to keep the mask on, wash their hands and vaccinate those that are eligible,” Kalu said. Does mandating masks slow the spread of the delta variant? Dr. Ibukun C. Kalu, a profes- sor of pediatrics at Duke Univer- sity, said a “bundle of interven- tions” seems to work in slowing the spread of the virus. “I hesitate to pick on one thing and say this is the most eff ective thing, perhaps except vaccina- tion,” Kalu said. Kalu said, while kids might be less effi cient in spreading the virus than adults, they can spread not only COVID-19 but many other viruses. What risks does COVID-19 pose for children? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there had been 4.3 million confi rmed infections among children in the U.S. However, given that many kids are likely to have few or no symptoms, the actual number is Thank You to Everyone that helped make the 2021 Prairie City Fiber Fest a Success! A Special Thanks to: 4-H Veterinary Science Club and 4-H Archery Club! (Leaders, Kids & their Parents!) Thank you to all of our Volunteers: Bob Shive, Mary Jones, Lynn Marsh, Mike Springer, Nancy Nickel, Ethelyne Kauth, Ed & Diane Higbie, Karen Jacobs, David Kebler, Jeanne Munhall, Jen Smith, Teresa Trulock, Renee Snyder, and Sue Bellagamba. Thank you to the Vendors and the Workshop Instructors. A Huge Thank you to our Sponsors: Chester’s Thriftway, Huffman’s Select Market, Grant County Chamber of Commerce/ Transient Room Tax Fund, Blue Mountain Eagle, Elkhorn Media/ KJDY, Grant County Economic Development, Grant County Fair, Sally Bartlett/Prairie Sun Bakery, ER Printing & Graphics, Juan’s Fresh Salsa. for up-to-date information visit: www.PrairieCityFiberFest.com Mark your Calendar: July 30 & 31 for the 2022 Prairie City Fiber Fest! 2022 Workshops: Friday July 29 through Sunday July 31. S256963-1 S226597-1