NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Fiber Fest draws a
crowd to Prairie City
By BENNETT HALL
Blue Mountain Eagle
PRAIRIE CITY — Bare
feet pumping the treadle of an
old-fashioned spinning wheel,
Dianne Wright uses prac-
ticed hands to feed hand-dyed
sheep’s wool into her wooden
machine, creating beautiful
blue-green yarn.
“This is the way it’s been
done for centuries,” said
Wright, one of 29 vendors
who participated in the fourth
annual Prairie City Fiber
Fest. The event began on Fri-
day, July 29, with workshops
on weaving, spinning, bas-
ket weaving and other skills,
then continued through Sun-
day, July 31, with more work-
shops and vendors in various
locations around town.
Some vendors, like Wright,
set up shop indoors at the Teen
Center or the Community
Center, while others displayed
their wares under pop-up can-
opies in the city park, where
musicians entertained the
browsers.
Fiber Fest is the brainchild
of Prairie City resident Ginger
Shive, a spinner and weaver
who had been to similar fes-
tivals in the Willamette Val-
ley and wanted to bring the
same fun experience to East-
ern Oregon.
“Our fi rst year, 2019, we
started out with fi ve work-
shops and 18 vendors, and
each year it’s grown,” she
said.
“We have people come
from all over the Pacifi c
Northwest.”
Most of the vendors live
in various parts of Oregon,
including locals from Prairie
City, John Day and Seneca.
But there were several who
traveled from Idaho for the
festival and some who jour-
neyed from as far away as
Reno, Nevada, and Northport,
Washington, just a few miles
from the Canadian border.
Almost everything off ered
for sale was handmade, with
much of the fi ber coming from
sheep or alpacas the vendors
had raised themselves. Goods
for sale ranged from raw
wool and hand-dyed yarns to
scarves, hats, sweaters, bas-
kets, bags, looms, spinning
wheels, homemade soaps and
hand-carved walking sticks.
Diana Adams of Flying
Bennett Hall/Blue Mountain Eagle
Diana Adams of Flying Wheel Woolery in Bliss, Idaho, chats with a
customer at the Prairie City Fiber Fest on Saturday, July 30, 2022.
Wheel Woolery in Bliss, Idaho,
had a wide range of goods for
sale under her pop-up awning
in the park, including fl uff y
4-ounce braids of hand-dyed
roving – unprocessed wool for
spinning.
“I’m an intuitive dyer,” she
confi ded. “It means I don’t go
by any rules.”
This was her fi rst year par-
ticipating in the Prairie City
Fiber Fest, but she seemed to
be enjoying herself, chatting
happily with a steady stream
of customers. While she was
glad for the chance to make
some sales, she said what she
likes most about participating
in fi ber festivals (she’s shown
at others in Idaho and Mon-
tana) is meeting people and
hearing their stories.
“I get a kick out of people’s
stories,” she said.
A few stalls down, Keith
and Roma Henney of K&R
Crafts in Elkton were dis-
playing their wares, which
included wooden picture
frames,
continuous-weav-
ing looms and walking sticks
decorated using a technique
Keith Henney calls fractal
engraving.
He coats the wood in a
resistant solution, then applies
a pair of electrodes through
which he runs up to 2,000
volts of electricity. Using a
rheostat to carefully control
the voltage, he scorches the
wood with feathery patterns
like the fronds of a fern.
The
Henneys
were
recruited by Shive for the
fi rst Prairie City Fiber Fest
in 2019 and have been back
each year since. Like Adams,
Keith Henney said he appre-
ciates the income that he gets
from showing at festivals, but
what he really enjoys is being
around others with similar
interests and enthusiasms.
“I’m a people person – I
enjoy talking to people and
making them happy,” he said.
“My wife’s very shy, but
when she gets around crafts,
she opens up.”
Shive said she’s been to a
lot of fi ber festivals in other
places, and they all have one
thing in common – a friendly,
welcoming atmosphere that
creates a sense of community.
“They’re the nicest peo-
ple,” she said. “They share
their patterns, they share their
knowledge, they look forward
to seeing each other. I think
it’s friendship that brings these
people together.”
Incorporated as a 501©3
nonprofi t in 2020, the Prairie
City Fiber Fest has become
a fundraiser for local youth
groups. Last year, Shive said,
the festival donated $1,800 to
the Grant Union High School
FFA program and gave nearly
$1,000 to local 4-H clubs.
The event contributes to
the local economy in other
ways, as well. While Fiber
Fest’s scattered layout makes
it impossible to get an accu-
rate count of participants and
visitors, organizers estimate
anywhere from 500 to 800
people come to the event each
year. Many are from outside
the area, and all seem to have
money to spend – on every-
thing from gas to food and
lodging.
“We defi nitely bring peo-
ple to Grant County, said Trish
Lindaman, president of the
Prairie City Fiber Fest board.
“The Airbnb’s have peo-
ple, the hotel, the RV park. …
We’re hoping it brings a little
tourism and business to Grant
County.”
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
A3
New owner takes reins at Russell’s
By JUSTIN DAVIS
Blue Mountain Eagle
AT A GLANCE
CANYON CITY — Rus-
sell’s Custom Meats is under
new management.
Estacada’s Chuck Skupa
purchased the business on
April 15 for $125,000, he told
the newspaper. The business
was put up for sale follow-
ing the November passing of
Tracy Moss, who owned Rus-
sell’s with his wife, Kathy.
Skupa said he came to Can-
yon City to look at the business
on Black Friday. Following that
visit, Skupa said the decision
to inquire about purchasing the
business happened very quickly.
“The following Monday I
fi gured it would be a good idea
to jump on it since there were
some other folks looking,” he
said. A couple of the prospec-
tive buyers were corporate
interests, and that wasn’t some-
thing Kathy Moss was looking
to get into, according to Skupa.
Word that Russell’s was in
search of new ownership came to
Skupa via a friend in the butcher
business out of Diamond.
The business model isn’t
going to change much under
the new leadership. “Pretty
much we’re going to stay with
the same MO,” Skupa said.
Most of the work Skupa
is doing now involves build-
WHAT: Russell’s Custom
Meats
WHERE: 235 N. Canyon
Blvd., Canyon City
Justin Davis/Blue Mountain Eagle
New owner Chuck Skupa
stands in front of a display
case at Russell’s Custom
Meats in Canyon City.
ing maintenance.
“It’s always been a clean
facility,” Skupa said, but the
building needs upgrades to the
plumbing and electrical sys-
tems, among other deferred
maintenance items. “That’s my
strength is fi xing that stuff .”
Skupa said he’s already put
a signifi cant amount of money
into fi xing issues with the build-
ing but added that the invest-
ment is worth it.
“The community needs this
facility,” he said. “We’re pretty
much the only (meat proces-
sor) around here surrounded
by ranches, and I can’t imag-
ine being a rancher and hav-
ing to drive to Ontario, Herm-
iston, Pendleton or Prineville,
especially with fuel prices
these days. It’s a service that is
needed around here.”
Russell’s Custom Meats has
a reputation as a quality meat
ETC.: Now under the
ownership of Chuck Skupa,
the business offers house-
smoked meats, jerky,
pepperoni and cold cuts,
custom game processing
and domestic meat cutting.
shop with excellent butchers. It
is a reputation Skupa is aware
of, and that reputation is the
reason he’s putting the word
out that the business is under
new ownership.
“Those that left with good
feelings, I hope to maintain
that. Those that may have had
any bad feelings, for whatever
reason, I’m hoping to repair
that and let them know that
we’re here locally for them
and off ering a clean facility for
them to process their critters,”
Skupa said.
“If you haven’t been to Rus-
sell’s in a while, give us a chance
and swing back by on in,” he
said. “We’ve got very com-
petitive prices. We make most
everything here in house. We
have a giant smoker, and we
make our own bratwurst and
summer sausages just like they
used to, (but) now it’s better.”
Hot times at the street fair
By JUSTIN DAVIS
Blue Mountain Eagle
PRAIRIE CITY — Swel-
tering temperatures kept ven-
dor numbers lower than normal
but sales were still strong at the
Prairie City Street Fair on Fri-
day, July 29, according to ven-
dors and the vent organizer.
Around seven vendors ulti-
mately stayed for the duration
of the fair, which was hampered
both by the heat and by high
winds that lifted the shade can-
opies of a pair of vendors high
into the air, destroying them.
Despite the lower-than-usual
turnout, however, attendees still
had a selection of knives, jew-
elry, baked goods and fi shing
lures to purchase at the event.
Audry Walker’s booth
featured handmade jewelry,
including earrings and hand-
stamped rings. Walker said she
tries to set up a booth at as many
street fairs as she can and that
she’ll also be selling her jewelry
at the Grant County Fair.
Walker said sales were
going well but were not as
strong as normal. “It’s slower
today, likely due to the heat,”
Walker said.
Bridget and John Pilgreen
sold homemade baked goods
at their booth. Bridget said a
desire to support the commu-
nity is what brought her and her
husband out to the street fair.
Bridget said the couple plan
on setting up booths at future
street fairs this year.
“I did a lot last year … just
took a little bit of a break,” she
said. “So now I’m getting back
into it and baking more.”
Event organizer Zach Den-
ney of Oregon RAIN said this is
the second street fair of the year
in Prairie City and that most of
the vendors in attendance had
been working with him for
some time.
“We had a little bit of a chal-
lenge with the heat and the wind
and stuff today, so this is a little
bit of an abbreviated version,”
he said.
In total, there will be seven
street fairs in Grant County this
year that will alternate between
Canyon City, John Day and
Prairie City. Denney said the
fairs have been well-received
and Oregon RAIN hopes to
expand the program.
“The cool thing is this
program has been success-
ful enough that we’re looking
launch a street fair series per
city. We’ll have one monthly in
each location,” Denney said.
“This is the fi rst time that
anyone has ever tried a street
fair series like this,” he said.
“I know we have the farmers
market in the morning on Sat-
urdays, but we wanted to do
something that allowed the
public to come out and have
fun and give our vendors the
opportunity to make money and
then hopefully have this type of
event roll over into (other busi-
nesses in) the cities they’re at.
… I know our fi rst one in John
Day, I’ve never seen 1188 as
full as it was (then).”
Denney said the success of
the street fairs is due to the hard
work and dedication of the ven-
dors, who are constantly work-
ing to make their booths better
at every event.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Emergency Communica-
tion Agency meeting
• 6 p.m., John Day Fire Hall,
316 S. Canyon Blvd.
The Grant County Emer-
gency Communication Agency
Intergovernmental Council will
meet. Topics for discussion
include a new employee sign-on
bonus, a dispatch shortage loy-
alty bonus and an update on the
dispatch offi ce expansion. The
meeting is open to the public. To
participate by phone, call 605-
313-5406 and use access code
889135.
FRIDAY & SATURDAY,
AUG. 5 & 6
ICA Prime Rodeo
• 6 p.m., Grant County Fair-
grounds, 411 NW Bridge St.,
John Day
Two nights of competitive
rodeo action at the Grant County
Fairgrounds. Tickets are $10 for
adults, $3 12 and under or 62 and
over. Tickets available online at
https://tinyurl.com/2uzu94jh.
SATURDAY, AUG. 6
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 Saturday from
mid-June through mid-October.
Family Movie Night
• Dusk, Grant Union Junior/
Senior High School, 911 S. Can-
yon Blvd., John Day
A free series of fami-
ly-friendly movies screened
outdoors on the football fi eld at
Grant Union. Tonight’s selec-
tion: “Bad Guys.”
SUNDAY, AUG. 7
Silvies Sunday Slam
• 11:30 a.m., The Retreat and
Links at Silvies Valley Ranch, 11
miles south of Seneca on Forest
Road 3930
Couples date: Any two peo-
ple play for $50 each (husband/
wife, boyfriend girlfriend, father/
daughter, mother/son, etc.). Sun-
day Slams, open to all Grant
and Harney County residents,
include golf, cart, range balls and
a hotdog lunch. Check-in at the
gatehouse starts at 11:30 a.m.,
with the fi rst tee time at 1 p.m.
Call 800-SILVIES to sign up.
Grant County Junior
Rodeo
• 9:30 a.m., Grant County
Fairgrounds, 411 NW Bridge
St., John Day
Contestants age 16 and
younger compete in mutton
busting, calf riding, steer riding,
dummy roping, breakaway rop-
ing, mini broncs, pole bending,
barrels, goat tail undecorating,
goat tail tying and goat tying.
SATURDAY, AUG. 13
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 Saturday from
mid-June through mid-October.
W HAT’S
HAPPENING
SATURDAY, AUG. 20
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 Saturday from
mid-June through mid-October.
Family Movie Night
• Dusk, Grant Union Junior/
Senior High School, 911 S. Can-
yon Blvd., John Day
A free series of fami-
ly-friendly movies screened
outdoors on the football fi eld at
Grant Union. Tonight’s selec-
tion: “Cliff ord the Big Red
Dog.”
SUNDAY, AUG. 28
Silvies Sunday Slam
• 11:30 a.m., The Retreat and
Links at Silvies Valley Ranch, 11
miles south of Seneca on Forest
Road 3930
Couples date: Any two peo-
ple play for $50 each (husband/
wife, boyfriend girlfriend, father/
daughter, mother/son, etc.). Sun-
day Slams, open to all Grant
and Harney County residents,
include golf, cart, range balls and
a hotdog lunch. Check-in at the
gatehouse starts at 11:30 a.m.,
with the fi rst tee time at 1 p.m.
Call 800-SILVIES to sign up.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 4
Silvies Sunday Slam
• 11:30 a.m., The Retreat and
Links at Silvies Valley Ranch, 11
miles south of Seneca on Forest
Road 3930
Labor Day weekend: Wear
your biggest, brightest belt
buckle, and you and your part-
ner play for $50 apiece. Sun-
day Slams, open to all Grant
and Harney County residents,
include golf, cart, range balls
and a hotdog lunch. Check-in
at the gatehouse starts at
11:30 a.m., with the fi rst tee
Showing Movies Since 1940!
1809 1st Street • Baker City
AUGUST 5-11
BULLET TRAIN
(R)
Five assassins aboard a fast moving bullet train find out
their missions have something in common.
Fri - Sun
Mon - Thurs
1:00, 4:00, 7:00
4:00, 7:00
time at 1 p.m. Call 800-SIL-
VIES to sign up.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 25
Silvies Sunday Slam
• 11:30 a.m., The Retreat and
Links at Silvies Valley Ranch, 11
miles south of Seneca on Forest
Road 3930
The last Sunday Slam of
the year is a couples date: Any
two people play for $50 each
(husband/wife, boyfriend girl-
friend, father/daughter, mother/
son, etc.). Sunday Slams, open
to all Grant and Harney County
residents, include golf, cart,
range balls and a hotdog lunch.
Check-in at the gatehouse starts
at 11:30 a.m., with the fi rst tee
time at 1 p.m. Call 800-SILVIES
to sign up.
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.
TOM CHRISTENSEN
CHRISTENSEN
TOM
CONSTRUCTION
(541) 410-0557 • (541) 575-0192
CCB# 106077
REMODELS • NEW CONSTRUCTION • POLE BUILDINGS
CONCRETE EXCAVATION • SHEET ROCK • SIDING
ROOFING • FENCES • DECKS • TELESCOPING FORKLIFT SERVICES
A MAN
WAKES
UP in the
morning
after sleeping on...
an advertised bed, in advertised
pajamas.
DC LEAGUE OF
SUPERPETS
(PG)
Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman are best friends, shar-
ing the same superpowers. When Superman is kidnapped,
Krypto must master his own powers for a rescue mission.
Fri - Sun
Mon - Thurs
1:20, 4:20, 7:20
4:20, 7:20
MRS. HARRIS
GOES TO PARIS
(PG)
A widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London falls madly in love
with a couture Dior dress, and decides that she must have
one of her own.
Fri - Sun
Mon - Thurs
1:10, 4:10, 7:10
4:10, 7:10
**SHOWTIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. VISIT
OUR WEBSITE OR CALL AHEAD TO VERIFY**
www.eltrym.com
(541) 523-2522
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!
Blue Mountain Eagle
MyEagleNews.com
S286526-1
THURSDAY, AUG. 4
Don’t get left behind, call today! Kim Kell 541-575-0710