NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
A3
County asks lawmakers Paving work adds trail link
to take up border move
By BENNETT HALL
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — Contrac-
tors last week completed a
small but signifi cant piece of
the emerging John Day trail
network.
A paving crew from Tide-
water Contractors, working
for general contractor Iron
Triangle, put down a layer of
asphalt on a short segment of
trail from Hill Family Park to
the Seventh Street Complex
by way of the new pedestrian
and bicycle bridge over the
John Day River.
The paved trail segment
provides off -street access from
the south side of the river to
the Seventh Street Complex,
which has a paved walking
path of its own. The 23-acre
property houses baseball and
softball fi elds, pickleball, ten-
nis and basketball courts, a
fi shing pond, children’s play
area, a skatepark and a bike
park. It is also the site of a pro-
posed new swimming pool.
While that connection is
already providing benefi ts to
local residents, the short rib-
bon of asphalt can also be seen
as a key link in the city’s plan
for a future trail system.
Parts of that system are
already beginning to take
shape.
From the bridge, an
unpaved trail heads west
along the north bank of the
river. So far, the trail has been
roughed out for only a short
distance, but plans call for it
to be graded and rocked as far
as Patterson Bridge Road by
June 30. It will also connect
with the existing trail network
at Davis Creek Park, giving
the Charolais Heights neigh-
borhood a link to the river-
front trail.
A good deal of work
remains to be done at Hill
Family Park, but the parking
lot has been paved, restrooms
are under construction and a
fresh crop of grass is grow-
ing. Eventually, a footpath
will circle the park, and the
city is negotiating with prop-
gress. Findley told the Eagle last month
during an editorial meeting that the move
would be a “heavy lift.” However, Find-
On Wednesday, Dec. 1, Grant County ley said he would bring it to the Senate
Court members agreed to send state law- floor on behalf of his constituents.
makers a letter requesting they bring an
Rick LaMountain, a Mt. Vernon resi-
initiative to the Legislature that proposes dent, pointed out that it benefits the group
moving a large chunk of Oregon into to see the big picture of rural Oregonians’
Idaho.
effort to join Idaho within the broader,
The plan’s backers believe
national political framework.
that rural Oregon would fare
LaMountain said intel-
better in reliably red Idaho.
ligent, informed people are
Mike McCarter, president
becoming convinced that
of Move Oregon’s Border, the
social and political upheaval
grassroots group behind the
has brought the country to
border shift, said the liberal
a tipping point over the last
supermajority in Salem has long
year. America, LaMountain
left conservative Oregonians
said, may no longer be a via-
behind.
ble and functioning polity like
“They’ve got a freight train
it was before.
agenda that focuses on North-
LaMountain
cited
an
west Oregon,” McCarter said,
excerpt from a book titled
“and the heck with rural Ore-
“The Stakes: America at
gon. If they have already let us
the Point of No Return” by
Steven Mitchell Michael Anton, writer and for-
go, then hey, let us become part
Blue Mountain Eagle mer national security official
of Idaho.”
McCarter told the court that Sandie Gilson, a key in the Trump administration.
the group believes rural Oregon backer of the idea to
While Anton paints a bleak
is better aligned politically with move a large chunk of and pessimistic picture of the
residents of Idaho than people Oregon to Idaho, ad- country’s future, LaMountain
dresses the Grant Coun- said, he also offers an optimis-
in Northwest Oregon.
The court’s letters will go to ty Court Wednesday.
tic solution. Allow counties,
Sen. Lynne Findley, R-Vale, and
cities and towns unhappy with
Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane, as
their state governments to join
an official request to begin the
one another.
discussion at the state level.
Anton’s book notes that
Those discussions have
there are examples in his-
already started at the local level.
tory and around the world of
Grant is one of eight coun-
countries redrawing inter-
ties to require county officials
nal lines to suit shifts in pop-
to study or promote joining
ulation and interests, accord-
Idaho. The others are Harney,
ing to LaMountain. Not only
Wasco, Malheur, Baker, Jeffer-
would these population shifts
son, Sherman and Union.
improve
civic
harmony,
Wednesday’s meeting was
Anton argues, but they also
one of three meetings the county
would extend the life of the
commissioners are required to
republic.
conduct each year.
“For our county and others
Under terms of the initiative
in Eastern Oregon,” LaMoun-
voters passed in May, the county
tain said, “the move to Idaho
Steven Mitchell
will meet the first Wednesday of
might not only help us in the
Blue Mountain Eagle
April, August and December “to
near term, but provide the
LaMountain impetus for a new endur-
discuss whether it is in the best Rick
interest of Grant County to pro- addresses the Grant ing political template that
mote the relocation of the Ore- County Court.
enhances local autonomy and
gon-Idaho border.”
popular sovereignty and could
Shifting the borders would
make America as a whole a less
require the approval of both the Oregon polarized, longer-lasting and more peace-
and Idaho legislatures as well as Con- ful country.”
By STEVEN MITCHELL
Blue Mountain Eagle
Bennett Hall/Blue Mountain Eagle
A paving crew from Tidewater Contractors works on a new path
linking Hill Family Park to the Seventh Street Sports Complex
in John Day. From left are Lee Duckett, Lorin Hodge and Scott
Fitzhugh.
erty owners to try and secure
right of way for a trail that
would run south along Canyon
Creek to the Kam Wah Chung
State Heritage Site, where
the Oregon Parks and Recre-
ation Department is planning
a major package of improve-
ments that will include a new
interpretive center.
“Once that’s fi nished, we
will have just over 5 miles of
in-city trails,” said John Day
City Manager Nick Green,
adding that the trails will form
a kind of “connective tissue”
between downtown and the
riverfront.
“That entire reach of the
John Day was not accessible
to the public for about 100
years, and now it’s theirs, lit-
erally theirs – it’s in the pub-
lic trust again,” Green added.
“We gave them back their
river. I feel pretty god about
that.”
Over the winter, the city
will work on creating trail
markers and informational
signs about the history of the
area to make using the trail
system more enjoyable.
City Councilor Elliot Sky
is a supporter of expanding the
trail system.
“I really like the idea of
living in a city that has good
walkability and bikability,” he
said. “That just really adds,
I think, to the livability of a
city.”
But in order to reap the
full benefi ts of the trail net-
work, people need to be able
to get to it easily, Sky added.
To make that happen, he said,
the city needs to create access
points that people can drive to
and park their cars.
Among other things, he’d
like to see Seventh Street
extended to the west side of
town to improve accessibil-
ity, as well as the addition of
at least one more pedestrian
and bicycle bridge over the
river so the trail system could
expand still further.
“It depends on the outcome
of (grant applications) for a
portion of that,” Sky said.
“My vision for a trail sys-
tem would be one that can
really weave through the city
and provide connections to as
many sections of the city as
possible.”
Showing Movies Since 1940!
1809 1st Street • Baker City
December 10-16
BELFAST
(PG-13)
In 1960’s Northern Ireland, a nine-year-old boy must chart a path
towards adulthood through a world that has suddenly turned up-
side down.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
HAPPENING
Friday, Dec. 10
Tuesday, Dec. 7
Grant County Senior Cit-
izens Advisory Council
• 11 a.m., Monument
Senior Center, 269 Main St.,
Monument
The purpose of the semi-
annual meeting is to introduce
a new member of the coun-
cil appointed by the Grant
County Court, entertain new
business proposed by council
Grant Union High School
fundraiser
• 5 p.m., Elks Lodge, 140
NE Dayton St., John Day
This event is a fundraiser
for Grant Union’s eighth
grade trip. It starts with a spa-
ghetti dinner at 5 p.m. and fea-
tures bingo starting at 6. There
will also be a dessert auction
and a raffl e for a smoker and
a gun safe. Tickets for the din-
ner are $8 per person, and raf-
fl e tickets are $5 apiece or fi ve
for $20. For more information,
call 541-390-5790.
Saturday, Dec. 11
Timber Truckers Light
Parade
• 6 p.m., downtown John
Day
The annual holiday log
truck parade returns with
a theme of “Light Up the
Night.” The entry fee is $10.
Entrants are encouraged
Roofing
• General Construction
Remodeling
Fences
Decks
Storage Sheds
Andy Wolfer
541-910-6609
Sunday, Dec. 19
Deck the House 2021
• 6 to 8 p.m., Canyon City
Annual holiday lighting
contest sponsored and judged
by the Whiskey Gulch Gang.
First place wins $500 and a
trophy, and second place wins
$250. To enter, call or text
Jenna at 541-620-1673 with
your address. Entries will be
accepted until Dec. 18. Be
sure to have your lights on the
evening of Dec. 19.
Do you have a community
event in Grant County you’d
like to publicize? Email infor-
mation to editor@bmeagle.
com. The deadline is noon
Friday for publication the fol-
lowing Wednesday.
ENCANTO
(PG)
Disney Animation. Mirabel must save her family’s magic,
although she has no special gift of her own.
Friday
Sat & Sun
Mon - Thurs
4:10, 7:10
1:10, 4:10, 7:10
7:10
GHOSTBUSTERS AFTERLIFE (PG-13)
A family discovers they have a connection to the original
Ghostbusters and the legacy their grandfather left behind.
Friday
Sat & Sun
Mon-Thurs
4:00, 7:00
1:00, 4:00, 7:00
7:00
**SHOWTIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. VISIT
OUR WEBSITE OR CALL AHEAD TO VERIFY**
www.eltrym.com
S270916-1
(541) 523-2522
Michael B. DesJardin
Dentistry, PC
Preventive, Restorative & Endodontics
STRUCTION, LL
N
O
C
C
AW
Featuring:
•
•
•
•
•
to preregister by calling Les-
lie Traylor at 541-620-4032.
Winners will be announced
following the parade at the
John Day Elks Lodge, 140 NE
Dayton St.
4:20, 7:20
1:20, 4:20, 7:20
7:20
and
Much
More!
New Patients
Welcome!
208 NW Canton
John Day
541-575-2725
mbddental@live.com
michaelbdesjardinmd.com
Serving Eastern Oregon since 1959!
Pharmacy • Hallmark Cards • Gifts • Liquor Store
Heppner
Condon
Boardman
(541) 676-9158
(541) 256-1200
(541) 481-9474
S270837-1
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WINTER STOCK-UP SALE
Take advantage of our low
prices on winter car care
essentials and accessories!
and accessories!
®
Evercraft®
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Monkey
10 Pc.
Pliers &
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3-Pack
Value Utility Gloves
/Set
$24.99
$9.99 /3-Pack
Evercraft® 30 Pc.
1/2” Dr.
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NAPA
Wooden
Model
Socket
Set,
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$42.99
$5.99 /Each
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721 W
Main St.,John
Day Day
721 W
Main
St., John
541-575-1850
541-575-1850
Open Seven
Seven Days
Open
Days a Week
a Week S267691-1
www.MurraysDrug.com
S265258-1
W HAT’S
members and elect a vice chair
and secretary. There will be
information shared on senior
program funding. The public
is welcome!
Friday
Sat & Sun
Mon - Thurs
Domestic Violence
The Blue Mountain Eagle
would like to thank all the
participating businesses who
helped make the Domestic
Violence ad a huge success.
Between all the business we were
able to donate $ 1,170 00
to the Grant County Victim
Assistance program. Way to go
Grant County Businesses!
S272701-1