NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
A3
Dayville reopens historic hall
By JUSTIN DAVIS
Blue Mountain Eagle
Justin Davis/Blue Mountain Eagle
A Tidewater Construction crew begins demolishing Gleason Pool in John Day on Monday, May 23,
2022.
Public dig set at Kam Wah Chung
By JUSTIN DAVIS
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — Archaeologists excavating
the grounds at the former Gleason Pool site are
hosting a public dig on Saturday, July 16.
The excavation is part of the eff ort to pre-
pare the space for an expansion of the Kam
Wah Chung State Heritage Site. The public will
not be invited to do any digging themselves,
but will be allowed to observe and ask ques-
tions of the archaeologists on site performing
the excavations.
Chelsea Rose, Southern Oregon Univer-
sity historical archaeologist and director of
the SOU Laboratory of Anthropology, said her
team will be starting the excavation on Mon-
day, July 11. She said the public is welcome
to observe excavation eff orts before the public
dig, but the best chance for the public to ask
questions of the archaeologists on site will be
on Saturday the 16th.
The public dig will start at 9 a.m. and go till
3 p.m. There will also be exhibits by Southern
Oregon University, Oregon State Parks, Mal-
heur National Forest and John Day Fossil Beds
National Monument.
“They will all be having exhibits and
hands-on things and that kind of stuff so people
can come and learn about local history and the
archaeology as well,” Rose said.
The dig will be followed by a public lecture
from artist and poet Sam Roxas-Chua Yao from
4 to 6 p.m. in the theater room at the Canyon
City Community Center. The lecture by Rox-
as-Chua Yao is free to attend.
Rose said she expects she and the other
archaeologists are going to fi nd “great stuff ”
during the excavation.
“For archaeologists, we can get insanely
excited about a broken bottle because if it tells
us a little bit more about that community, then
that’s all really exciting, important stuff ,” she
said.
Expectations are to fi nd evidence of what
other buildings, businesses and residences were
in that neighborhood, what the community was
like and how long people lived there.
“We’re doing that not only to get more
information about Oregon’s Chinese residents
but also to see how the park can incorporate
those stories into their new interpretive center
and as they update the infrastructure of the park
itself, so that is kind of the goal,” Rose said.
Rose said the purpose of the public dig is
for people to feel like they get to participate in
something that is important to the community
of John Day.
“We’re doing the hard work, we’ll dig in the
compacted gravel for them. They get to see the
exciting stuff that comes out,” she said.
“I think the main thing is just to know how
lucky people are to be living near such an
important archaeological and historic site.”
Rose also added that she hopes people will
get excited and participate in the public day and
the free talk and build on the outreach that has
been ongoing for the past several years encour-
aging folks to get to know the larger history of
the region.
DAYVILLE — The Day-
ville Community Hall has
hosted all manner of events
during its 100-plus-year his-
tory, from weddings and
dances to basketball games
and plays.
On Friday, July 1, the hall
itself was the main attraction
as Dayville celebrated the
building’s grand reopening.
The hall, described as the
heart of the community, has
reopened following major ren-
ovations and closures due to
the COVID-19 pandemic that
left the building’s doors closed
for almost two years.
Crowds gathered outside
the iconic hall on Friday for
a ribbon-cutting ceremony
before making their way inside
or the fi rst time since the start
of the pandemic in 2020.
Reopening
celebrations
included a tour of the updated
facility, a pulled pork meal
and music by the James Gang.
City offi cials thanked all those
involved in seeing the plans for
the hall to fruition.
A fi eld agent for U.S. Sen.
Jeff Merkley was in atten-
dance as well. Jessica Keys
read a letter from Merkley that
congratulated the residents of
Dayville for renovating and
reopening their historic com-
munity hall.
The renovations to the hall
were made possible by a pair
of grants totaling just over $2
million. The fi rst was a Com-
munity Development Block
Grant from Business Oregon
in the amount of $1.5 mil-
lion. The second, from the
USDA’s Rural Development
Program, totaled $642,000.
Along with the grants were
smaller donations, such as
the Bank of Eastern Oregon’s
$10,000 contribution to the
project.
Dayville City Recorder
Ruthie Moore said the ren-
ovations took a little over a
year to complete.
“Kirby Nagelhout Con-
struction Company were our
contractors, and they went
above and beyond to make
sure everything was done
historically correct. They got
period hardware. They found
The Dayville Community Hall prior to the ribbon cutting cer-
emony that offi cially reopened the building to the public on
Friday, July 1, 2022.
Justin Davis/Blue Mountain Eagle
A small crowd tours the renovated Dayville Community Hall on
Friday, July 1, 2022.
wood that replicated what
was on here before,” Moore
said.
Dayville City Council
member Valli Hettinga said
the community hall being
closed changed Dayville
somewhat due to the num-
ber of events the community
would have in the facility that
were no longer happening.
“It cut down on our
Fourth of July festivities, and
we would have quarterly pot-
lucks.” she said. “The clo-
sure from COVID really cut
into our sense of community,
and not being able to gather
in one spot.”
Hettinga said having
the hall open again is good
for the community in many
ways.
“I think it’s hugely ben-
efi cial in both realms, that
we are opened back up free
of the COVID restrictions
in addition to having a nice
kitchen and a meeting space
and all new bathrooms,” she
said. “This is going to be a
huge benefi t for our commu-
nity to have this nice building
to gather in again.”
Hettinga also believes the
renovation will allow more
things to take place at the hall
than there were before the
closure of the facility.
“With the addition of the
nice kitchen, we’ve been
talking with a senior group
and they’re going to come in
and do lunches like they do
in John Day and Monument,”
Hettinga said.
At the end of the day, the
hall is a place for the people
of Dayville to come together
in fellowship.
“It is our gathering spot,”
Moore said. “We’re used to
having community potlucks
twice a year. It’s the place
where we go. It really is the
heart of the community.”
“We are extremely proud
of our community, and we
have a lot of pride in this
building and we want to see
it go for many more genera-
tions,” Hettinga said.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
FRIDAY, JULY 8
Wheeler family benefi t
• 5 p.m., Trowbridge
Pavilion, Grant County Fair-
grounds, 411 NW Bridge St.,
John Day
A pulled pork dinner, live
and silent auction, and des-
sert auction to benefi t the fam-
ily of Adrian Wheeler, who
has a rare form of colon can-
cer. The event will also fea-
ture live music and a no-host
bar. Auction donations will
be accepted through June 25.
Contact Winnie Browning at
541-620-0748 about donating
items for the live or silent auc-
tion, and contact Teri Bowden
at 541-575-2112 about mak-
ing a donation for the dessert
auction.
SATURDAY, JULY 9
Grant County Farmers
Market
• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., South
Washington Street, Canyon
City
Locally-grown
produce
and other items for sale in an
open-air setting every Satur-
day from mid-June through
mid-October.
Family Movie Night
• Dusk, Grant Union
W HAT’S
HAPPENING
Junior/Senior High School,
911 S. Canyon Blvd., John
Day
A free series of fami-
ly-friendly movies screened
outdoors on the football fi eld
at Grant Union. Tonight’s
selection: “Boss Baby: Family
Business.”
SATURDAY, JULY 16
Grant County Farmers
Market
• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., South
Washington Street, Canyon
City
Locally-grown
produce
and other items for sale in an
open-air setting every Satur-
day from mid-June through
mid-October.
Public Archaeology Day
• 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Kam
Wah Chung State Heritage
Site, Northwest Canton Street,
John Day
Archaeologists from the
Southern Oregon Univer-
sity Laboratory of Anthropol-
ogy will be on hand to answer
questions from the public as
they dig for artifacts at the
site of the former Gleason
Pool, home of the soon-to-be-
expanded Kam Wah Chung
State Heritage Site. There will
also be informational exhib-
its and hands-on activities.
Sponsored by SOU Labora-
tory of Anthropology, Oregon
State parks, Malheur National
Forest, John Day Fossil Beds
national Monument and local
museums.
Lecture
• 4-6 p.m., Canyon City
Community Center
Sam Roxas-Chua Yao, a
poet, writer, sound recordist
and artist in residence at the
Portland Chinatown Museum,
will give a free public lecture
as part of Public Archaeology
Day.
Do you have a community
event you’d like to publicize?
Email information to editor@
bmeagle.com. The deadline is
noon Friday for publication
the following Wednesday.
Serving Eastern Oregon since 1959!
Pharmacy • Hallmark Cards • Gifts • Liquor Store
Heppner
Condon
Boardman
(541) 676-9158
(541) 256-1200
(541) 481-9474
www.MurraysDrug.com
Oregon Department of Transportation
NOTICE OF ROAD WORK
GRANT COUNTY AREA CHIP SEALS
(U.S. 26 / U.S. 395)
Beginning July 11, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) maintenance forces will be chip sealing three highway sections
in the Grant County area. A fourth highway section will be chip sealed under a separate contact. This work includes two sections
of U.S. 26 (John Day Hwy.) between the junction of OR 19 and John Day, a section of U.S. 395-C (John Day – Burns Hwy.) between
Canyon City and Star Ridge and the portion of U.S. 395-B (Pendleton-John Day Hwy.) between Long Creek and Mt. Vernon.
1. U.S. 26 between the junction of OR 19 (milepost 124.15) and Old Highway Road on the east end of Dayville (milepost 131.43).
This work is expected to begin July 11 and take about three days.
2. U.S. 26 between the junction of U.S. 395 in Mt. Vernon (milepost 154.03) and Napa Auto Parts at the west end of John Day
(milepost 161.55). This work is expected to begin July 13 and take about four days.
3. U.S. 395-C between the south end of Canyon City near Adam Road (milepost 2.32) and Starr Ridge at USFS road 4920 (milepost
15.56). This work will begin around July 18 and take about a week.
4. U.S. 395-B starting about a half-mile south of Long Creek (milepost 90.77) and continuing to the junction of U.S. 26 in Mt. Ver-
non (milepost 120.51). This work will be constructed under separate contract and has not yet been scheduled, but is expected to
take place in July or August, and take about two weeks to complete.
NOTE: All dates are dependent on weather conditions and other factors that may impact the project start and end times.
PARKING
RESTRICTIONS: No parking in downtown area work zones (Dayville, Mt. Vernon, John Day and Canyon City)
P
during
chip seal activities.
dur
A MAN
WAKES
UP in the
morning
after sleeping on...
an advertised bed, in advertised
pajamas.
Blue Mountain Eagle
MyEagleNews.com
Bicycle riders should be prepared for traveling on rock chip covered highway
sections behind a pilot car with no usable shoulders. Use alternate routes or de-
lay travel if possible to avoid chip seal work zone. Pedestrians, including those
with disabilities, will be provided access through or around the work zone.
S286526-1
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!
TRAVEL IMPACTS: Expect up to 20-minute delays, reduced speeds, loose rock
on the roadway, flaggers, and pilot cars directing single lane traffic through
the work zones. Minor delays during nighttime/early morning hours for road
sweeping. Please reduce speed and watch for construction activities in the
area. Plan extra travel time and slow down to prevent loose rock from flying
onto other vehicles. Crews will sweep roadway, but expect some loose rock to
be present for several days after chip seal.
Don’t get left behind, call today! Kim Kell 541-575-0710
RANCHERS, FARMERS, PROPERTY OWNERS: Please keep farm equipment off
ons
the impacted highway sections during and up to two days after the
chip sealing. Also, adjust irrigation pivots and lawn sprinklers to he
on
keep water off the roadway. If you have plans for moving livestock
on these highway sections, please advise ODOT Transportation
Coordinator Forrest Overcash at (541) 709-1570, or by email at for-
rest.j.overcash@odot.oregon.gov.
We greatly appreciate your support and cooperation during this
paving operation.
For more info on these projects, see contact information listed
for each location on map.
For information on other eastern Oregon highway construction projects contact
Vicki Moles at 541-620-4527 Vicki.L.Moles@odot.oregon.gov. For updated road
conditions check TripCheck.com or call 511, or (800) 977-6368.