A2
NEWS
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Quilt show makes a comeback Man arrested in
By STEVEN MITCHELL
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — After a two-year hiatus
due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 20th
annual Grant County Quilt Show was held at
the county fairgrounds’ Trowbridge Pavilion
last month.
Hosted by the Grant County Piecemakers
Quilting Guild, the show was held Friday and
Saturday, May 20 and 21.
Karen Hinton, president of the guild, said
the show saw roughly 150 people through-
out the two-day exhibition and featured work
from around 70 local quilters. She told the
newspaper that, in total, 114 quilts were on
display.
Hinton said attendance was down this
year because of the pandemic.
“It’s been hard,” Hinton said, “because
people are out of the habit of coming (to the
quilt show). So we have to get the word out
again that we’re back.”
Hinton said the quilt show held a raffl e
and then a quilting workshop led by featured
quilter Sharon Mitchell. Hinton said quilt-
ing provides the quilters with a creative out-
let. Many, she said, cannot get out of town as
much as others.
“(Quilting) is creative and gives us joy,”
she said.
For her part, Mitchell said there is quite
the fellowship among the quilters.
“It’s really a camaraderie,” Mitchell said.
“We all admire each other’s work, we admire
their color selection and we admire their
pattern. And that’s what we do. It’s a little
sisterhood.”
shooting incident
Blue Mountain Eagle
Steven Mitchell/Blue Mountain Eagle
Sharon Mitchell, the featured quil-
ter at this year’s Grant County Quilt
Show, said there is a “camaraderie”
among the local quilters.
Lusco named assistant principal at Grant Union
By JUSTIN DAVIS
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — Andy
Lusco has been named the
new assistant principal at
Grant Union Junior/Senior
High School.
Lusco, a former history
and government teacher,
will fill the void left by
the ascension of former
assistant principal Karen
Shelton into the role of
principal.
Lusco will also take on
the role of athletic direc-
tor for the school. Lusco’s
knowledge of Grant School
District and his vast expe-
rience in coaching and ath-
letics make him a highly
qualified athletic direc-
tor, according to Shelton.
Shelton also adds that Lus-
co’s background in posi-
tive behavioral intervention
and support and solid rela-
tionships with students will
make him a strong leader of
student behavior.
Lusco’s promotion to
assistant principal leaves
a gap in the Grant Union
teaching staff as he will no
longer be teaching history
and government. The school
will be seeking a new fac-
ulty member to fill the
position.
Steven Mitchell/Blue Mountain Eagle, File
Grant Union High School teacher Andy Lusco walks his stu-
dents through the judicial branch of the U.S. government on
Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Lusco has been named assistant
principal and athletic director of the school.
SERVICE NOTICES
James Whale
Joseph “Joe” William Langenfeld
October 7, 1950 ~ May 23, 2022
Joseph “Joe” William Lan-
genfeld, 71, passed away peace-
fully losing his battle with leu-
kemia on May 23, 2022, at his
home surrounded by his loving
family. He was born October 7,
1950, in John Day, OR to Daniel
and Hilda (Moffett) Langenfeld.
He was number four out of nine
children.
Joe grew up in Mount Ver-
non and attended school there
until he graduated. He loved
working in the cafeteria during
school to get free lunches and
a little extra spending cash. He
really hated the lime Jello and carrots because it made him puke.
In the third grade, he was running like a bat out of hell in the
school hallway when someone opened the bathroom door and he
ran into it, laying him out flat. His concussion was so severe, he
ended up staying a week in the hospital. Joe was always a willing
participant in fun and creative adventures. He always was working
on the ranch to help his family.
Joe was drafted into the military and completed basic training
in Mississippi but was never deployed.
While working at his family businesses, Joe met the love of
his life, Joy Lee Whisenant at the Orbit Motel next to the Night
Owl Café. He rescued her from being locked out of her hotel room
because Sammy the dog locked her out. She was just traveling
through but loved bloomed from this meeting. They were married
March 15, 1974, in Reno, NV at the Chapel of Love. Joe and Joy
traveled around doing construction jobs until they started their
family. From this union, Joseph “Bill” William and Michelle Lynn
were born on July 4, 1977, one minute apart in La Grande, OR. In
1980, the family relocated to Burns and shortly after purchased
their ranch 9 miles east on Hwy 78. He worked for various busi-
nesses in Harney County using his CDL license to deliver fuel for
Chevron and Union 76; hauling hay for Norman Ranches and then
started his own business custom farming all over Harney County
with his wife and children. At the same time they built a cattle
ranch on their place.
Joe enjoyed spending time with family and friends hunting,
snowmobiling, off roading in ATVs, and camping. Fishing in
Alaska was one of the highlights of his life. Joe had an amazing
self-motivated will power, he was very determined to accomplish
anything. He never gave up until the job was done, even if that
meant hours of tireless work, dealing with ornery cows, equip-
ment that kept breaking down, pivots that got plugged or pumps
going out, baling all hours of the night, and helping anyone with
their problems with the same determination. The past few years,
Joe has been the primary caregiver to his wife. He was a devoted
husband, father, grandpa, and friend. Nothing was more precious
to him than his sweetheart, his children, and his grandchildren.
Joe is survived by his wife, Joy; son, Bill (Ann) Langenfeld;
daughter, Chelle (Joe) Arnold; grandchildren Katy, Wyatt, and
Morgan Langenfeld; Derek and Alayna Taylor; sister Dana (Chuck)
Wold of Arizona City, AZ; brother Ronald Langenfeld of Chandler,
AZ; brother, Daniel (Jean) Langenfeld of Mesa, AZ; sister Lisa
(Mark) Merklin of Longview, WA; Aunt Mardell Philups of Fruit-
land, ID; unofficial adopted family; Brandon Baron, Sarah Ayling
and their children Lucy, Dayton, Signor and Ayva; and numerous
nieces, nephews and cousins.
Joe was preceeded in death by his parents; sisters Linda, Cin-
dy, and Tammy; and brother Nicholas.
A celebration of life will be held at the Burns Elks Lodge on
June 4, 2022, at 11:00 am followed by a luncheon. At 1:00 there
will be a procession to Harney Cemetery for burial of Joe’s ashes.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to Joe’s memory can be made to
Harney County Hospice. Paid for by the family of Joe Langenfeld.
A potluck to celebrate the life of James Whale will be held
from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, at the Grant County
Regional Airport, 72000 Airport Road in John Day. Burgers, hot-
dogs and drinks will be provided. Attendees are asked to bring a
favorite dish, dessert or both. RSVP to Facebook or just show
up. For more information, call 541-620-4154 or 541-620-1355.
Patricia J. “Pat” Howard
May 8, 1933 ~ May 4, 2022
Patricia J. “Pat” Howard, 88, a long-
time resident of the Forest Grove com-
munity, died Wednesday morning, May
4, 2022, at Jennings McCall II Assisted
Living Center in Forest Grove.
PATRICIA JEAN HOWARD was born
May 8, 1933, in Prairie City, Oregon, the
daughter of the late William Ray Gal-
braith and Lorena May (McCauley) Gal-
braith. She was raised and received her
education in the Prairie City community,
having been a graduate of the Prairie
City High School Class of 1951. Upon her high school graduation,
Pat attended Eastern Oregon State University in LaGrande, having
received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.
She was united in marriage to Jack Earl Howard on June 13,
1954, in the United Methodist Church in Prairie City, Oregon. Af-
ter completing their college educations, they moved to the Forest
Grove community, where they have loved life since 1958. They
moved to the Jennings McCall Retirement community in 2018,
where Pat had resided since.
While Jack was attending college, she taught school for the
Springfield School District. After moving to the Forest Grove com-
munity, Pat was a substitute teacher for the Forest Grove School
District #15 for several years. She then taught third grade at Jo-
seph Gale School from 1976 to 1992, when she retired.
Pat was a member of the Junior Women’s League, P.E.O. and
the quilters group at Valley Art in Forest Grove.
Among her special interests, she enjoyed reading, quilting,
biking, hiking and traveling. Jack and Pat enjoyed travel of all
sorts. They rafted the Colorado River. Backpacked and hiked
many a trail and mountain. They traveled to many countries,
including Canada, Mexico, Austria, Germany, Ireland, England,
Kenya and Tanzania. They enjoyed Peru, Ecuador and the Gala-
pagos islands. China, Tibet and Bali were highlights on their
list of places visited. They spoke with strangers everywhere
they traveled and 9 times out of ten there was a significant
human connection to people or places they knew and loved.
They traveled by motorhome and pulled their pop-up trailer on
many adventures. Some of those favorite times were spent at
Death Valley, California and Borrego Springs, California.
Pat was preceded in death by her husband, Jack, on October
22, 2021, after celebrating over sixty-seven years of marriage to-
gether. Pat was also preceded in death by her parents, William
and Lorena Galbraith; by her brother, William “Bill” Galbraith and
her son, Dwight J. Howard in 1961.
Survivors include her two daughters and sons-in-law, Gail and
Michael Clary, of Sunriver, Oregon and Marilyn and Joe Rodri-
guez, of Gaston, Oregon.
Also surviving are her three grandchildren and their spouses,
Alisha and Justin Carey, of Forest Grove, Oregon; Meghan and
Michael Whitlock, of Hood River, Oregon and Allison Rodriguez
and her partner, Colton Underhill, of Forest Grove, Oregon and
her three great-grandsons, Howard and Bradley Carey and Alden
Whitlock and several nieces and nephews.
The family suggests that remembrances may be contributions
to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, 700 S.W. Campus Drive,
Portland, Oregon 97239, in her memory.
Paid for by the family of Patricia Howard.
Last Week’s Temps
John Day ...........................................................HI/LO
Wednesday ..................................................... 79/50
Thursday .......................................................... 76/49
Friday ............................................................... 67/42
Saturday .......................................................... 56/40
Sunday ............................................................. 47/37
Monday............................................................ 50/40
Tuesday ........................................................... 66/44
24/7 F ORECAST
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JOHN DAY — A John
Day man is in jail after
allegedly firing a rifle at
phantom “intruders” who
weren’t really there.
About 1 p.m. on Wednes-
day, May 25, emergency
dispatchers received a call
from Christopher Ryan
Hoppe, 39, saying that
unknown people were sur-
rounding the garage he was
in at a house on Lower Yard
Road, according to informa-
tion from the Grant County
Sheriff’s Office. Hoppe
reportedly fired at least one
shot from a high-powered
rifle before law enforcement
arrived.
Sheriff Todd McKinley
and Oregon State Police Sgt.
Tom Hutchison responded
and determined that there
were no intruders in the
area. They took Hoppe into
custody and transported him
to the Grant County Jail.
According to McKin-
ley,
methamphetamine
was found in Hoppe’s
possession.
No one was injured in the
incident.
Hoppe was charged
with three counts of felon
in possession of a firearm,
three counts of first-degree
theft in connection with the
theft of two shotguns and
a rifle, two counts of reck-
less endangerment, and one
count of third-degree crim-
inal mischief in connection
with a broken door.
He was scheduled to be
arraigned on the charges
Thursday, May 26, in Grant
County Circuit Court.
In January, Hoppe was
arrested in Mt. Vernon after
allegedly brandishing a
machete in a bar and steal-
ing a car.
McKinley said only
two officers responded
to Wednesday’s incident
because no one else was
available.
“That’s all there is,”
McKinley said.
The John Day Police
Department was shut down
in October due to budget
constraints. Since then, the
city and county have been
at loggerheads over whether
the city will provide addi-
tional funding for the Sher-
iff’s Office, which has taken
over much of the responsi-
bility for law enforcement
in John Day even though
it has only four patrol dep-
uties. The county, mean-
while, is grappling with an
$800,000 budget shortfall.
McKinley
expressed
frustration that his office
hasn’t received funding to
hire additional deputies to
relieve the staffing shortage.
“It’s super-critical and
somebody’s going to end
up getting killed,” he said.
“Maybe that’s what it’s
going to take before some-
body stands up and makes
some hard decisions get us
some help.”
LOCAL BRIEFING
Free fi shing weekend June 4-5
SALEM — Fishing in Oregon is free this weekend, the Ore-
gon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced.
On Saturday and Sunday, June 4 and 5, everyone can fi sh,
clam and crab in public waters around the state at no charge.
That means no fi shing or shellfi sh licenses or tags — includ-
ing a combined angling tag, Columbia River Basin endorsement
or two-rod validation — are required on those two days, either
for Oregon residents or nonresident visitors.
In addition, it’s free to park and camp at Oregon state parks
on Saturday, June 4.
All other fi shing regulations apply, according to ODFW,
including closures, bag limits and size restrictions.
BLM campfi re restrictions in eff ect
PRINEVILLE — Annual campfi re restrictions go into eff ect
Wednesday, June 1, on Central Oregon rivers and lakes managed
by the Bureau of land Management. That includes portions of the
John Day, Deschutes, Crooked and White rivers, as well as BLM
lands along Lake Billy Chinook and Lake Simtustus.
The restrictions are intended to reduce the risk of wildfi re in
river canyons and other areas where fi res can spread quickly due
to limited access, grassy fuels that can dry out quickly and steep
slopes, the BLM said in a news release.
The rules, which remain in eff ect until Oct. 15, allow commer-
cially manufactured lanterns and metal camp stoves for coking
that use bottled propane or liquid fuel. Traditional campfi res are
banned, as are portable propane campfi res and wood pellet-burn-
ing devices. Smoking is prohibited except in non-public build-
ings, inside vehicles, in boats on the water or when standing in
the water.
On the John Day, restrictions apply within a quarter-mile of
the river between Tumwater Falls and Kimberly on the mainstem,
between Kimberly and the Umatilla National Forest boundary on
the North Fork, and between Smokey Creek and the Malheur
National Forest boundary on the South Fork.
State issues peanut butter warning
PORTLAND — The Oregon Health Authority is urging Orego-
nians to watch out for Jif brand peanut butter that may be con-
taminated with salmonella bacteria.
The J.M. Smucker Co. issued a voluntary recall on May 20.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention are investigating the salmonella
outbreak.
The peanut butter that is being recalled was distributed in
retail stores and other outlets across the country. And includes
creamy, crunchy and natural varieties. Specifi cally, products
with lot codes 1274425-2140425, with the digits 425 in the fi fth
through seventh position, are being recalled. This information is
found on the back label of the jar.
Some of the recalled peanut butter was distributed in OHA
food boxes. The agency is inspecting food boxes at OHA food
hubs and replacing recalled peanut butter. All warehoused Jif
products that were waiting to be distributed have been replaced,
OHA said in a news release.
Blue Mountain Eagle
W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF J UNE 1-7
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Partly
cloudy
Mostly
cloudy
Scattered
thunderstorms
Mostly
cloudy
Partly
cloudy
Partly
cloudy
Mostly
cloudy
72
72
67
60
64
63
68
50
50
51
50
45
42
46