FAMILY
Blue Mountain Eagle
A2
GRANT UNION STUDENTS
OF THE MONTH
Seventh grade
Gracee Hueckman
Parents: Bobbee Boethin
and Brandon Hueckman
Eighth grade
Aaliyah Judd
Parents: Jesse
and Marci Judd
Ninth grade
Ava Gerry
Parents: Ryan
and Sami Gerry
10th grade
Drewsey Williams
Parents: Zach
and Marissa Williams
11th grade
Max Bailey
Parents: Zachary
and Heather Bailey
12th grade
Emily Finley
Parents: Aaron
and Janita Finley
OBITUARIES
Tracy Moss
Tracy Moss, 60, a longtime resident of Grant County,
died Thursday, Nov. 11, at his home, surrounded by friends
and family. Arrangements are under the direction of Tami’s
Pine Valley Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Online
condolences can be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneral-
home.com.
Elmer Gill
Elmer Gill, 74, of Prairie City died Thursday, Nov. 11, at
his home. Arrangements are under the direction of Tami’s
Pine Valley Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Online
condolences can be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneral-
home.com.
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OBITUARIES
Michael D. Powell
Oct. 8, 1939 — Oct. 20, 2021
Michael D. Powell, age 82, of John Day passed away on Oct. 20.
Michael was born to Harold and Miriam Powell on Oct. 8, 1939, in
Portland. When he was a child, his family relocated to Fall River Mills,
California. After graduating from Fall River Mills High School, he
enlisted in the Navy and was an aircraft struc-
tural mechanic, serving from 1958 to 1962.
He spent the next 40 years of his life work-
ing as a log scaler with the Southern Oregon
Log Scaling and Grading Bureau. He began
his career in Burney, California, where he
met his fi rst love, Barbara, and started a fam-
ily. They had three children, Dwayne, Tammy,
and Gary. During his career as a log scaler
his worked moved him and his family many
times over the years, fi rst to Wallowa in 1975,
then to Mt. Vernon in 1981 and fi nally to John
Day in 1993. He was preceded in death by his
daughter, Tammy Lavonne Powell, at the age of 2, and his fi rst wife,
Barbara Sue Powell, after 25 years of marriage.
Michael is survived by his sons, Dwayne and Gary Powell; his wife
of 22 years, Arlene Kay Powell; and her daughters, Wendy, Carla, and
Robin, along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was extremely blessed to fi nd Arlene Kay after the loss of his fi rst
wife and he was so thankful for the loving relationships he was able to
enjoy with her three daughters, since the loss of his own infant daugh-
ter Tammy. His love for his family was unwavering and unconditional,
a true testimony to anyone who knew him. He will forever be missed by
family and close friends, but never forgotten.
To leave online condolences for the family, please visit www.drisk-
illmemorialchapel.com.
Carol Emma Tallman Scott Deming
Oct. 31, 1929 — Oct. 29, 2021
Carol Emma Tallman Scott Deming, 91, passed away on Oct. 29 in
Laie, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. A celebration of her life was held on
Saturday, Nov. 6, in Sandy, Utah.
A visitation followed by a graveside ser-
vice at Canyon City Cemetery in Canyon
City took place on Monday, Nov. 8.
Carol was born on Oct. 31, 1929, in
Imperial, Nebraska, to James Orrin and
Leona Ethzelda Mather Tallman. She was
a faithful member of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been
raised Christian and baptized into the church
shortly after being married to Kenneth
Dorsey Scott in November of 1947.
She was a loyal wife and devoted
mother, compassionate grandmother,
great-grandmother and great-great grandmother. Her family was an
important source of joy to her, as was her faith. Carol was preceded in
death by Kenneth Scott, who passed in 2005, and subsequent husband
David Thompson Deming in 2014; one sister, Ruth Elsie Morgan; and
two brothers, Benjiman Eldon and Merrill Elvan Tallman.
She is survived by her brother Keith Erwin Tallman; two daughters,
Sara Sutton and Rebecca Wilson; eight sons, Steven, Jamon, Matthew,
Robert, Gordon, Kenneth, Carlon and Daniel; 57 grandchildren; 120
great-grandchildren; and three great-great grandchildren.
To light a candle in her memory or to off er online condolences to her
family, please visit www.driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Dominique Ann Karpinska
April 7, 1979 — Oct. 30, 2021
Dominique Ann Karpinska, 42, died on Oct. 30 at St. Charles Medi-
cal Center in Bend. A celebration of Dominique’s life will be held on Nov.
27, starting at 1 p.m. at the parish hall of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic
Church, 111 SW Second Ave., John Day. Dominique was born on April 7,
1979, to Jerry and Louise Karpinska Hobbs in Miami, Florida. When she
was 11 months old, she had open heart sur-
gery in San Francisco and this changed her
life, in that she was unable to be outside or in
the sun. Dominique did very well in school,
graduating from high school in Florida.
She moved to John Day to live closer
to her family in approximately 2006. She
helped at the food bank and would help any-
one in need. She loved dogs and horses; her
most favorite little pup was Charlie.
Dominique liked to go to the mountains,
and when she was little, she loved snow.
Dominique left an imprint on every single person’s heart that she came
across. She would give with an open heart and never ask for anything in
return. She had a multitude of friends that she considered family. She was
not only my sister, but she was my best friend. Dominique had the most
beautiful yet feisty soul.
Dominique is survived by her longtime companion, Josh Bennett; sib-
lings Luster Hobbs of South Korea, Dawn Jones of North Florida, Terri
Hobbs of Lake Worth, Florida, and April Clark of Murphy, North Caro-
lina; Aunt Annie Smith; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Those who would like to make a memorial donation in memory of
Dominique to help defray service expenses may do so in her name to
Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Services, PO Box 543,
Halfway, OR 97834. Online condolences may be shared at www.tamispi-
nevalleyfuneralhome.com.
Rep. Owens meets
with constituents
By STEVEN MITCHELL
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — State
Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane,
answered questions and
talked about various topics
Wednesday, Nov. 10, at the
Squeeze-In Restaurant and
Deck with roughly a dozen
Grant County residents.
Owens
summarized
the bills he introduced
during the legislative ses-
sion, his committee assign-
ments, weighed in on the
crowded gubernatorial race
and touched on the pro-
posed River Democracy
Act, sponsored by U.S.
Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron
Wyden.
Owens told the group
that he introduced three
education-based bills last
session. He said each cen-
tered around school choice.
“I honestly feel that
some competition even in
education is good,” Owens
said.
Owens
said
while
schools have good teach-
ers and staff , sometimes a
school is not a good fi t for a
student, and parents should
have options.
Owens said he would
like to see a voucher sys-
tem. A voucher program
allows parents to receive
funds to use toward the cost
of private school.
According to one of the
constituents, the concern
around voucher programs is
the overall quality of public
education if students defect
to private schools.
Owens said he believes
most families would likely
keep their kids in pub-
lic education. However, he
said that should a district
start losing students to pri-
vate schools, it must fi gure
out why kids leave.
Owens said if everybody
were to receive the same
amount of voucher, there
might be higher private
school enrollment numbers,
but hopefully, public educa-
tion would “step up.”
Grant County Commis-
sioner Sam Palmer asked
Owens about Senate Bill
774, which Gov. Kate
Brown signed in August,
suspending essential skills
testing for high school grad-
uation for the next three
years.
The essential skills grad-
uation requirement was sus-
pended during the pandemic
to assist students who had a
year of distance learning.
However, the bill’s propo-
nents took it beyond the
pandemic.
Owens, who served as
chair of his local school
board, said the bill threw
out the essential skills test-
ing requirement until 2024
and formed a committee to
review what type of compe-
tencies should be required.
Owens said he supported
State Rep. Mark Owens
reviewing
competency
requirements and added
that he does not support
standardized testing.
According to Owens,
the state should have vary-
ing high school diplomas
in diff erent areas, includ-
ing career and technical
education and accelerated
learning.
“Not everybody’s fi t for
college,” Owens said, “but
everybody should have the
opportunity.”
Owens added that he did
not vote for the bill because
it did not replace the exist-
ing competency require-
ments with something else.
“I voted no because I
thought it was a bad bill,”
Owens said, “but I actually
liked the premise. We need
to look at education in the
state of Oregon and how we
can make sure every stu-
dent has the opportunity to
succeed.”
Looking ahead to next
year’s elections, Owens
said the chance of getting
a moderate Republican
elected governor is excel-
lent. However, he noted
that one party ruling for
long periods is not good —
no matter what party has a
majority.
“We need to have checks
and balances,” Owens said.
Owens said state Sen.
Betsy Johnson, a moderate
Democrat who will run for
governor under no party’s
banner in 2022, would be a
viable candidate, noting her
pro-life stance.
Owens also added that
he would run for re-elec-
tion to the Oregon House of
Representatives in 2022.
Saying, “I’m not a polit-
ical animal by nature,”
Owens lamented the level
of partisan polarization in
politics today.
When he got to Salem,
Owens said, he thought that
policy would not go through
a political lens. But, unfor-
tunately, he added, the
country and the state have
come to the point where
that is not the reality.
“We live in the best
country in the world. We’re
still going to live in the best
country in the world two
years, four years, even six
years from now,” Owens
said. “But get off social
media and hug your fam-
ily, and go talk to your
neighbor.”
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Call us: 541-575-1335. Follow us on Facebook
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Last Week’s Temps
John Day ...........................................................HI/LO
Wednesday ..................................................... 52/28
Thursday .......................................................... 48/29
Friday ............................................................... 48/38
Saturday .......................................................... 60/36
Sunday ............................................................. 60/38
Monday............................................................ 56/40
Tuesday ........................................................... 43/31
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