NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Motorcycle riders honor veterans
By JUSTIN DAVIS
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
A5
Grant County’s Firewise
coordinator honored for work
that the Pine Creek community was
not only the ﬁ rst in the county but the
ﬁ rst in Eastern Oregon to receive the
JOHN DAY — Grant County’s designation. Residences there, she
longtime Firewise coordinator was added, survived the Canyon Creek
awarded the highest honor a
Complex Fire the follow-
civilian can receive from the
ing year. Ritter, Middle-
state for ﬁ re prevention on
fork, Upper Laycock Creek
Wednesday, July 21, at the
Road, Canyon Creek Lane,
John Day Fire Hall.
Corral Gulch and Top Road
in Monument followed.
In front of roughly 25
Jerome, a forester who
people, Oregon Fire Mar-
stepped into the Firewise
shal Mariana Ruiz-Tem-
Jerome
coordinator role in 2010,
ple presented Irene Jerome,
said that she was “deeply
Grant County’s Firewise
coordinator, with the 2022 Silver honored and really humbled” to be
recognized. However, she said the
Sparky Award.
Every year, the Oﬃ ce of the Ore- program’s accomplishments are a
gon State Fire Marshal awards the byproduct of the community-driven
Golden Sparky Award to a ﬁ re ser- ethos of the Firewise program and it
vice member and the Silver Sparky has been a collective eﬀ ort.
“There is more power in groups
to a member of the public for their
contributions to ﬁ re prevention and than in individual voices,” she said.
The community drives the
ﬁ re safety, Ruiz-Temple said.
Firewise, a national program that Firewise program, Jerome said. With
is implemented through the Ore- that, she encourages Grant County
gon Department of Forestry, helps residents who are concerned about
communities in ﬁ re-prone areas ﬁ re prevention to get in touch with
make themselves defensible against her. She said she could set up a
time for a meeting to talk about the
wildﬁ res.
During Jerome’s tenure as coor- program.
“We’ll come out and visit and
dinator, Ruiz-Temple said, seven
Firewise communities have been see how we can help you (prevent a
wildﬁ re),” she said. “That’s how we
established in Grant County.
Jerome said the ﬁ rst to become a will make a diﬀ erence.”
Additional information and mate-
designated Firewise community was
Pine Creek in 2014. Jerome noted rials are available at ﬁ rewise.org.
By STEVEN MITCHELL
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — A pair of motorcy-
cle convoys came through Grant County
to honor veterans this summer. The con-
voys came through the county on June
26 and July 10.
The June 26 convoy was the third
annual Memorial Run to the Wall, put
on by the High Desert Eagles chap-
ter of the Oregon Veterans Motorcycle
Association. The purpose of the run is to
bring attention to the memory of veter-
ans who were held as prisoners of war
or listed as missing in action and their
families.
Grant County designated Highway
26 as a POW/MIA Memorial Highway
from the start of the run. The John Day
Elks Lodge No. 1824, Grant County
Chamber of Commerce, American
Legion posts in John Day and Prairie
City and the Veterans of Foreign Wars
worked together to make the visit some-
thing the riders will remember.
The riders took a lunch break at the
John Day Elks Lodge and were pro-
vided a meal that was cooked by lodge
members. The riders were escorted
through the county by the Grant County
Sheriﬀ ’s Department, and the citizens
of Dayville welcomed the riders as they
passed through their town.
The eﬀ ort honors several families of
POWs, including the families of Whitey
Lent and Melvin Rookstool.
The July 10 ride was the 13th Trib-
Contributed Photo
Riders surround the towed torch during the 13th Tribute to Fallen Soldiers Torch
ride on July 10, 2022, in John Day.
ute to Fallen Soldiers Memorial Torch
Ride. The riders were escorted through
the county by the Grant County Sheriﬀ ’s
Department as well as the John Day Fire
Department while in John Day.
The mission of the riders is to honor
Gold Star families and let them know
that their sacriﬁ ce hasn’t been forgotten
and that their loved one will be remem-
bered. A Gold Star family is one that has
lost a loved one who was serving on
active duty in the armed forces.
The ride begins in Eugene, where the
torch is lit, and travels across the United
States, honoring families along the way
to Arlington National Cemetery for the
closing ceremony. The ﬂ ame is towed
by a motor home and escorted by volun-
teer riders from across the country.
During a typical ceremony, the ﬂ ame
will arrive at the honored family’s home
or some other designated location. The
riders dismount from their bikes, and
“Amazing Grace” is played. Warren
Williamson, the director of tribute to
fallen soldiers, will read the soldier’s
eulogy, prepared with the help of the
fallen soldier’s family.
The family is then presented with a
plaque that contains an engraving of the
soldier as well as the soldier’s military
record. The family also receives an oil
painting of the soldier created from a
collection of photos the family provided.
The riders are usually hosted by
Elks Lodges, VFW posts and American
Legion posts along the route, with the
host organizations providing meals and,
for overnight stops, a ﬂ oor or a cot for
the riders to sleep on.
Dr. Charlie Caughlin of the John Day
Elks Lodge, who has been on a number
of tribute rides, said the response from
the many families he’s been a part of
honoring is, “Thank you for remember-
ing our soldier!”
COPS AND COURTS
Arrests and citations in the
Blue Mountain Eagle are taken
from the logs of law enforcement
agencies. Every eﬀ ort is made to
report the court disposition of
arrest cases.
Oregon State Police
July 19
2:35 p.m.: Trooper responded
to South Washington Street, canyon
City. Jeremiah Obadiah Gwalthney,
44, of Canyon City was arrested on
a Grant County warrant and booked
into the Grant County Jail.
3:42 p.m.: Trooper responded
to Adam Road near Canyon City
for a dog bite complaint. A 75-year-
old woman reported being bitten
by a German shepherd while walk-
ing up the road. She asked that the
dog’s owner not be cited. Trooper
veriﬁ ed the dog’s rabies shots were
up to date and warned the owner
not to let the dog run loose.
9:09 p.m.: Trooper responded
to Highland terrace in Mt. Vernon.
Melinda Jo Moss, 43, was arrested
on a felony warrant and booked
into the Grant County Jail.
July 23
1:38 a.m.: Trooper responded to
Highway 395 North near milepost
77B for a single-vehicle crash. The
driver was not on scene. The driver
was contacted. Investigation ongo-
ing. Vehicle tagged for tow.
July 24
2:11 p.m.: Trooper responded
to the Elkhorn Motel in John Day
for a reported stabbing. The Grant
County Sheriﬀ ’s Oﬃ ce devel-
oped probable cause to arrest
James Edward Stechcon, 57, of
John Day, who was booked into
the Grant County Jail on charges
of fourth-degree assault and sec-
ond-degree trespass. According
to information from the sheriﬀ ’s
oﬃ ce, Stechcon had gotten into a
confrontation with a resident of a
nearby apartment and stabbed him
in the chest with a pair of hand-held
pruning shears. The victim was not
taken to the hospital.
Grant County Sheriﬀ
The Grant County Sheriﬀ ’s
Oﬃ ce reported the following for
the week ending July 27:
Concealed handgun licenses: 8
Average inmates: 15
Bookings: 9
Releases: 15
Arrests: 1
Citations: 2
Fingerprints: 1
Civil papers: 27
Warrants processed: 1
Assist/welfare check: 1
Search and rescue: 1
Justice Court
Dispatch
The Grant County Justice Court
reported the following activity for the
week ending July 27:
Traﬃ c citations ﬁ led: 17
Violations ﬁ led: 0
Misdemeanors ﬁ led: 2
Hearings held: 7
Driver’s license suspensions: 6
Cases on probation: 34
Civil cases ﬁ led: 2
Warrants issued: 0
Violation of the basic rule:
Thomas Lee Knepper, 77, Yuma, Ari-
zona, July 7, 73/55 zone, ﬁ ned $165;
Ian Da Stark, 28, Portland, July 2,
77/55 zone, ﬁ ned $265; Efrain M.
Salazar, 25, Bend, July 4, 81/55 zone,
ﬁ ned $265; Daniel Fisher Oster-
mann, 44, Petaluma, California, July
2, 75/55 zone, ﬁ ned $165; Kelly R.
Flanagan, 51, Mt. Vernon, June 27,
81/55 zone, ﬁ ned $265; Garrette
James Smith, 35, Baker City, June
24, 74/55 zone, ﬁ ned $165; Bill Joe
Meadows, 39, la Center, Washing-
ton, June 24, 81/55 zone, ﬁ ned $265;
Kalli Marie Maddox, 20, Dallas, Ore-
gon, July 4, 75/55 zone, ﬁ ned $165.
Exceeding the speed limit: Shane
Dee Wall, 57, Sun Valley, Idaho, June
22, 81/55 zone, ﬁ ned $265; Travis
James Evans, 35, Redmond, June
22, 74/65 zone, ﬁ ned $165; Robert
Lewis Van Voorhis, 74, John Day,
July 22, 35/25, ﬁ ned $115; Kelly
Wayne Koch, 60, Hillsboro, June 22,
37/25 zone, ﬁ ned $165; Levi Robert
McClellan, 26, John Day, June 26,
44/30 zone, ﬁ ned $165; Katie Lou-
ise Miller, 39, Eugene, July 24, 80/65
zone, $265.
Driving while suspended or
revoked: Kelly Rene Baker, 47, Prai-
rie City, July 3, ﬁ ned $440; Thomas
Harry Stephens, 60, Canyon City,
June 26, $440.
Driving uninsured: Kelly Rene
Baker, 47, Prairie City, July 3, ﬁ ned
$265.
Failure to carry proof of insur-
ance: Jesus Rey Conejo Rodriguez,
28, Phoenix, June 29, ﬁ ned $265.
No operator’s license: Efrain M.
Salazar, 25, Bend, July 4, ﬁ ned $265.
Failure to register vehicle:
Keenan Rand McPhetridge, 27, Mt.
Vernon, June 7, ﬁ ned $115.
Open container of alcohol: Curtis
Martin, 32, Enterprise, July 16, ﬁ ned
$265; Rachel C. McNeal, 27, Prairie
City, July 1, ﬁ ned $265.
Minor in possession of alcohol:
Xander McCreery, 19, Pueblo, Colo-
rado, July 1, ﬁ ned $225.
No valid hunting or angling tag:
Robert Lee Warrington Jr., 38, John
Day, June 22, ﬁ ned $115.
Driving while using a cellphone:
Rachel C. McNeal, 27, Prairie City,
July 1, ﬁ ned $265.
Grant County dispatch worked
151 calls during the week ending July
27, including:
• Oregon State Police
July 24
12:43 p.m.: Trooper responded to
Highway 26 near Mill Corner, John
Day, for a roadstruck deer. Trooper
dispatched the injured animal.
July 25
7:17 a.m.: Advised of cows in
Highway 26 near milepost 173.
6:15 p.m.: Advised of a driving
complaint on Highway 26 near Mt.
Vernon.
• Grant County Sheriﬀ
July 20
7:58 p.m.: Advised of a possible
impaired driver on Highway 26 near
milepost 158.
July 21
1:08 p.m.: Received a report of
suspicious circumstances at Old West
Federal Credit Union, John Day.
4:01 p.m.: Responded to Rus-
sell’s Meat Market, Canyon City, for
a civil issue.
4:17 p.m.: Received a theft report
from North Washington Street, Can-
yon City.
5:26 p.m.: Received a report of
harassment from Dog patch lane,
John Day.
July 22
7:29 a.m.: Responded to Mead-
owbrook Apartments, John Day, for a
criminal mischief complaint.
1:22 p.m.: Responded to Len’s
Pharmacy., John Day, for a driving
complaint.
1:41 p.m.: Search and Rescue
responded with John Day Ambu-
lance to Forest Service Road 36 for
a male who was bucked oﬀ a horse.
5:23 p.m.: Responded to High-
way 26 near Apple Road to dispatch
a roadstruck deer.
July 23
7:49 a.m.: Responded with Ore-
gon State Police to Cottonwood
Street in Mt. Vernon for a person with
mental health issues.
7:53 a.m.: Responded to Happy
Valley Road for a civil issue.
12:04 p.m.: Traﬃ c stop, High-
way 26 near milepost 172. Jill Jan-
icek, 55, of Meridian, Idaho, cited
for violation of the basic rule (80/65
zone).
9:02 p.m.: Responded to Olive
Lake to assist an outside agency.
July 24
5:52 a.m.: Advised of a report of
shots ﬁ red in the vicinity of Cotton-
wood Street, Mt. Vernon.
7:53 a.m.: Advised of a male sub-
ject jumping into traﬃ c on Highway
395 South near Grant Union Junior/
Senior High School.
11 a.m.: Traﬃ c stop, Highway 26
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at Cottonwood Street, Mt. Vernon.
Driver warned for speeding.
1:04 p.m.: Responded with John
Day Ambulance to Dixie Creek Road
near milepost 4 for a rollover crash.
No injuries reported.
2:04 p.m.: Responded to South-
west Brent Drive, John Day, for a
reported stabbing. James E. Stech-
con, 57, of John Day was arrested on
charges of fourth-degree assault and
second-degree trespass and booked
into the Grant County Jail.
3:46 p.m.: Responded to South-
west Brent Drive, John Day, for
a complaint of speeding and loud
engine noise.
4:35 p.m.: Responded to East
Fifth Street, Prairie City, for a park-
ing complaint.
11:02 p.m.: Advised of a cougar
sighting near the Snaﬄ e Bit Dinner
House, John Day.
July 25
2:43 a.m.: Advised of a crash
detection on Camp Creek Road near
Seneca.
11:30 a.m.: Traﬃ c stop, High-
way 395 North near milepost 87B.
Avery Louis Chiklak, 26, of Carroll-
ton, Georgia, was cited for violation
of the basic rule (83/55 zone).
2:46 p.m.: Responded to High-
way 26 near milepost 160 to assist
a motorist.
July 26
7:32 a.m.: Responded to Cotton-
wood Street, Mt. Vernon, for a miss-
ing person report. Unfounded.
10:18 a.m.: Grant County med-
ical examiner requested to assist
Crook County at Driskill Memorial
Chapel, John Day.
1:22 p.m.: Responded to Mt.
Vernon Fire Hall for a suspicious
vehicle.
3:56 p.m.: Responded with
Long Creek Ambulance, John Day
Ambulance and Life Flight to High-
way 402 near Long Creek for a
motorcycle crash.
6:03 p.m.: Grant County Jail
deputy served a Crook County war-
rant on Frankie Gene Rippy, 73, of
Bend.
July 27
4:19 p.m.: Took a report from a
resident of Charolais Heights Drive,
John Day, about an excessive rattle-
snake problem.
• John Day Ambulance
July 21
8:30 a.m.: Dispatched to Ingle
Street, Mt. Vernon, for a 47-year-old
male with a broken leg.
4:54 p.m.: Dispatched to Dog
Patch Lane for a 96-year-old male
who fell.
8:04 p.m.: Responded to Ches-
ter’s Market for an unresponsive
female. Patient refused transport.
July 22
8:02 a.m.: Dispatched to Trafton
Lane for a 63-year-old female with
chest pains.
8:52 p.m.: Dispatched to Patter-
son Bridge Road for a 39-year-old
male with a seizure. Grant County
Sheriﬀ ’s Oﬃ ce also responded.
July 23
6:42 a.m.: Dispatched to Valley
View Assisted Living for a 90-year-
old female with a migraine.
7:06 a.m.: Dispatched to Valley
View Assisted Living for a female
who fell.
July 24
11:05 a.m.: Dispatched to Cot-
tonwood Street, Mt. Vernon, for a
24-year-old male who overdosed.
Grant County Sheriﬀ ’s Oﬃ ce also
responded.
4:59 p.m.: Dispatched to For-
est Service Road 73, Granite, for
a motorcycle crash. Grant County
Sheriﬀ ’s Oﬃ ce Search and Res-
cue, Forest Service law enforce-
ment and Life Flight also dis-
patched. All units asked to stand
down after rider declined medical
attention.
July 25
12:13 p.m.: Dispatched to Riv-
erside Mobile Home Park for an
87-year-old female who was vomit-
ing and lost consciousness.
12:50 p.m.: Patient transfer at the
airport.
4:27 p.m.: Patient transfer at the
airport.
4:50 p.m.: Dispatched to Grant
County Regional Airport for an
18-year-old female with a medica-
tion issue.
8:59 p.m.: Patient transfer at the
airport.
July 26
9:46 a.m.: Dispatched to South
Main Street, Prairie City, for an
89-year-old male with a bleeding
issue.
10:17 a.m.: Dispatched to Cot-
tonwood Street, Mt. Vernon, for a
27-year-old female who overdosed
on pills.
3:59 p.m.: Caller requested
an ambulance for a child who had
fallen into a swimming pool but was
breathing normally and was other-
wise unharmed. caller was advised
to take the child to Blue Mountain
Hospital.
9:24 p.m.: Dispatched to Clarks
Creek Road, Mt. Vernon, for a female
with sciatic nerve pain., Patient trans-
ported to Blue Mountain Hospital.
July 27
12:46 p.m.: Patient transfer at the
airport.
• Prairie City Ambulance
July 22
2:27 a.m.: Dispatched to South
Main Street for an unknown medical
issue. Patient refused transport.
11:44 a.m.: Dispatched to Second
Street for a 20-something male with
an unknown medical issue. John Day
Ambulance also responded.
July 26
7:36 a.m.: Dispatched to South
Main Street for an 89-year-old male
with a bleeding head wound. John
Day Ambulance also responded.
• John Day Fire
July 20
8:10 p.m.: Dispatched to High-
way 26 near milepost 156 for a grass
ﬁ re. Oregon Trail Electric Co-op also
advised.
July 23
8:51 p.m.: Dispatched to 755 SW
Brent Drive for a grass and brush ﬁ re.
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235 S. Canyon Blvd. John Day, Oregon 97845
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Grant County Democrats
would like to welcome you to
the 113 th Grant County Fair.
Good luck to all
Fair participants.
We are proud of our
youth in 4-H and FFA.
Thank you to all the
sponsors, leaders
and hard-working
staff that
make the
Fair possible.