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MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, October 26, 2022
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BIC plans
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Bentz holds Mt. Vernon town hall
By TONY CHIOTTI
Blue Mountain Eagle
MT. VERNON — U.S. Rep. Cliff
Bentz found himself in a familiar and
friendly town hall meeting Oct. 18 in
the Mt. Vernon Community Center as
he, his aides and chief of staff continued
their tour of the district.
Twenty people attended, and they got
a chance to hear updates from their con-
gressman, and to ask questions, plus a
bit of face time before Bentz continued
on to the next stop on the line.
Bentz is in his fi rst term as represen-
tative for Oregon’s 2nd Congressional
District, which includes Grant County
plus 19 of Oregon’s largest, reddest and
most rural counties. He is running for
re-election against Democrat Joe Yet-
ter, but he didn’t seem too worried. The
district remains solidly Republican, and
the election and his opponent in the race
didn’t even come up.
The free-fl owing talk did touch on
a wide swath of issues, from Ukraine
and fossil fuels to military spending.
Bentz talked off the cuff about some of
his current reading, including books on
the Greek and Roman infl uences on the
drafting of the U.S. Constitution, call-
ing out a quote from Cicero: “One of
the phrases that he uses that every pol-
itician should memorize is the further
you get up the ladder, the more hum-
bled you should become. And that is
absolutely true. And I would suggest,
with my observation of certain members
of Congress in the Senate, they need to
read that.”
The talk several times returned to
issues around water, an issue dear to
Grant County and familiar to Bentz, who
previously served as chair of the Oregon
Water Resources Commission and was
raised on his family’s cattle ranch in
Harney County.
One attendee took time to thank
Bentz for his fl oor speech earlier in the
year against the River Democracy Act.
That legislation, introduced by Ore-
gon’s U.S. senators, Ron Wyden and
Jeff Merkley, has been a critical issue for
Bentz, one he’s fought hard against.
Bentz and his chief of staff went on
to update the room on their continuing
eff orts to stymie that bill, explaining
some of the behind-the-scenes of how
they worked with Sen. Steve Daines,
R-Mont., to keep it from getting out of
Senate committee before the current
recess.
There was a bit of cautious optimism
between the crowd and Bentz about the
prospect of fl ipping the House of Repre-
sentatives to Republican control in the
days ahead, with Bentz spending some
time complimenting Minority Leader
Kevin McCarthy on his fundraising
prowess and explaining just how import-
ant fi nding cash is to winning. Bentz said
he spends roughly two hours each day
“calling poor, unfortunate souls — like
Ken here,” but added that that money is
the key to buying TV and cellphone ads,
which lead to electoral victory.
“Should we take the majority in (the
Nov. 8 election), we’ll be trying to fi gure
out what to focus on because there’s so
many things to make you mad,” Bentz
said.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
THURSDAY, OCT. 27
Grant County Republican meeting
• 3-5 p.m., John Day Fire Hall, 316 S.
Canyon Blvd.
The Grant County Republican Central
Committee will meet to elect offi cers, set
the meeting schedule for 2023, discuss the
need for election observers and consider
other matters. The public is welcome to
attend.
MONDAY, OCT. 31
Trunk or treat at the hospital
• 4 to 6 p.m., Blue Mountain Hospital,
170 Ford Road, John Day
Trick-or-treaters are invited to the park-
W HAT’S
HAPPENING
ing lot of Blue Mountain Hospital, where
hospital employees will be handing out
Halloween candy in a “trunk or treat”
event.
THURSDAY, NOV. 10
Triple P Positive Parenting Program
• 5:30-8 p.m., Painted Sky Center for the
Blue Mountain Eagle
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S286526-1
Tony Chiotti/Blue Mountain Eagle
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz talks with attendees following his town hall session at the Mt. Vernon Community Center on Oct. 18, 2022.
JOHN DAY — The
INFORMATION
Blues
Intergovernmen-
For questions, addi-
tal Council will host seven
tional information or
public engagement sessions
to receive the dial-in
this fall to share the council’s
instructions for the
purpose, provide updates on
Zoom, email bluesinter-
BIC’s work products and the
governmentalcouncil@
Blue Mountains Forest Plan
gmail.com.
revision process, and hear
questions or concerns.
The Grant County session
is from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, the BIC ensures numerous
Nov. 3, in the Trowbridge perspectives and interests
Pavilion at the county fair- are represented in discus-
grounds, 411 NW Bridge St. sions around forest manage-
ment issues. The council has
in John Day.
The fi rst session took worked with the Forest Ser-
place on Tuesday, Oct. 25, vice over the past two years
in Pendleton, with the last on key issues from the with-
one scheduled for Nov. 9 in drawn forest plans.
Through these discus-
Enterprise.
Engagement
sessions sions, the BIC provided rec-
are also scheduled in Walla ommendations on several
Walla, Washington; Clark- forest management issues,
ston,
Washington;
La including riparian livestock
Grande; and Baker City. grazing, fi sheries, hydrology,
All meetings will also be forest health and access. The
council also commissioned
streamed live on Zoom.
The public’s participa- and oversaw the completion
tion in the forest plan revi- of a socioeconomic analysis
sion process is important for that identifi es potential com-
ensuring local interests are munity impacts from for-
incorporated into the plans. est management decisions.
The BIC is hosting the ses- These discussions and prod-
sions to introduce the group’s ucts off er important con-
members, summarize the rec- text from diverse perspec-
ommended desired condi- tives to serve as a baseline
tions it has provided to the for an improved forest plan
Forest Service, gain feed- revision process moving
back from the public that can forward.
be presented to the federal
agency and help the public
understand the upcoming
forest plan revision process.
Public input from
Showing Movies Since 1940!
these sessions will help
1809 1st Street • Baker City
the council and the Forest
Service understand issues
OCT 28- NOV 3
and potential community
impacts to inform the pro- TICKET TO
(PG-13)
cess as the agency prepares PARADISE
Friday
4:15, 7:15, 9:45
to restart the process of Saturday
1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 9:45
revising manageent plans Sunday
1:15, 4:15, 7:15
for the Malheur, Uma- Mon-Thurs
7:15
tilla and Wallowa-Whit-
(PG-13)
man national forests. Var- BLACK ADAM
4:00, 7:00, 9:35
ious council members and Friday
Saturday
1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:35
the Forest Service will Sunday
1:00, 4:00, 7:00
participate in each of the Mon-Thurs
7:00
sessions.
The BIC was formed in HALLOWEEN ENDS (R)
4:10, 7:10, 9:40
2019 and consists of gov- Friday
Saturday
1:10, 4:10, 7:10, 9:40
ernment leaders from coun- Sunday
1:10, 4:10, 7:10
ties, states, federal and Mon-Thurs
7:10
tribal entities surround- **SHOWTIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. VISIT
ing the Blue Mountains. OUR WEBSITE OR CALL AHEAD TO VERIFY**
The diverse membership of www.eltrym.com (541) 523-2522