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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 16, 2022)
NEWS MyEagleNews.com Wednesday, November 16, 2022 A3 ODOT faces regional labor shortage By DICK MASON The Observer LA GRANDE — A labor short- age has Oregon Department of Trans- portation offi cials juggling schedules and resources in Eastern Oregon as the winter season’s icy grip tightens. The department’s Eastern Oregon region, which is composed of Mor- row, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Baker, Grant, Harney and Malheur counties, has 300 total positions. The region now has 38 vacancies, about 25 of which are permanent and seasonal road main- tenance positions, according to Ken Patterson, the manager of ODOT’s Area 5 region. The vacancies mean some ODOT crews may have to do more with less as they work to keep Interstate 84 and state highways clear of snow and ice. “We will do as much as we can with the people we have,” Patterson said. The employee shortage is linked to a falling number of seasonal workers, who are hired to work from November through April. “Our No. 1 concern going into win- ter is seasonal labor,” said Rich Lani, the manager of ODOT’s District 12, which covers Umatilla and Morrow counties and the northern half of Union County. Stricter regulations ODOT’s labor shortage is more dif- fi cult to address today than it was two years ago because of a new state regu- lation that makes the process of earn- ing a commercial driver’s license more time-consuming. The additional regulations make it harder to fi nd potential employees who are ready to begin driving snow- plows and trucks. ODOT is hiring peo- ple without CDLs and then helping them earn the accreditation. However, a number of employees leave ODOT after receiving their CDLs because they are now able to land higher pay- ing jobs elsewhere. “Having a CDL gives you more options,” explained Ace Clark, man- ager of ODOT’s District 13, which includes all or portions of Union, Baker and Wallowa counties. Ace Clark/Contributed Photo An Oregon Department of Transportation snowplow clears a roadway in Bak- er County. Group works to recover MIA remains By MICHAEL KOHN The Bulletin BEND — Americans who join the U.S. armed forces are given a prom- ise. Their remains will be brought home should they fall in battle while fi ghting overseas. Bend resident Derek Abbey leads one group that intends to make good on that promise. Abbey is the chief executive offi - cer and president of Project Recover, a nonprofi t organization that scours the Earth for the remains of American service members missing in action in all wars and military confl icts since World War II. Recovered or still lost, they are equally remembered on Veteran’s Day. More than 80,000 American ser- vice members are considered miss- ing in action by the Department of Defense. Around 72,000 of those MIA service members fought in World War II; another 7,000 fought in the Korean War, and nearly 1,600 fought in Vietnam. “The numbers drive us more towards World War II missions, but we focus on where the information takes us,” said Abbey, a Bend resident for the past three years. “We are evi- dence and science focused so that is what drives us.” In addition to running the non- profi t, Abbey has participated in more than 15 missions to search for the remains of service members. His next trip is to the jungles of Palau where the U.S. fought Japanese forces in pitched battles over the far-fl ung Pacifi c archipelago. Dick Tobiason, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and Vietnam War vet who lives in Bend, said there are several American groups that look for MIA Americans, and Project Recover is among those doing crucial research and recovery work. “Everyone that looks for them improves the chances of recovery,” said Tobiason, who is leading the Vet- erans Day parade Friday in Bend. Project Recover relies on dona- tions to operate. One of its biggest donors is the Friedkin Group, a pri- vately held consortium that operates a number of businesses including Toy- ota distribution. Abbey believes that even though the nonprofi t is run by just a few people, it’s every Ameri- can’s mission to bring home service members killed in combat. “We make a promise that we will do everything we can to return them if they fall in battle, and that prom- ise doesn’t have an expiration date,” said Abbey. “Not everyone can take Project Recover/Contributed Photo An archaeologist inspects material found at a potential MIA site deep in the jungle of Palau. off to the jungles and waters around the world so we do that on behalf of all Americans.” Project Recover, which began as the BentProp Project, has located, doc- umented, and conducted the recovery of dozens of service members since it began operating nearly three decades ago. The organization has worked in more than 20 countries and territories, including Korea, Kuwait, Vietnam, Denmark, and Micronesia, among other places. Much of the work is done with cut- ting-edge technology, including torpe- do-shaped robotic submersibles that can dive deep underwater to search for planes and shipwrecks. Once a wreck is located, team members scuba dive to the ocean fl oor when possible to try and identify the plane. After amassing information about the plane, they then try to identify the crew. Surviving families of the MIA ser- vice members and pilots are informed of the discovery. Remains and per- sonal items are repatriated when pos- sible. To date, Project Recover has repatriated the remains of 15 Ameri- cans that had been missing in action for decades. Abbey’s fi eld teams include an archaeologist, and all information is shared with the host nation. Any human remains that are found are brought to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency labs in Nebraska or Hawaii, where researchers use DNA and other methods to try and identify the MIA service members. “Fifteen MIA cases have been closed,” said Abbey. “These service members were repatriated back to their families and received full mili- tary honors upon their return.” For those families who have received word that their MIA relative was located, it can be a life-changing experience. That is what happened to Casey Doyle, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps whose grand- father went missing in World War II when his B-24 aircraft was shot down over Palau. Doyle said his father and grandmother spent their lives wonder- ing about their loved one, sometimes considering the possibility that he could still be alive somewhere. “While loved ones always hold to any hope that the MIA might be alive, it can be incredibly painful to think that the service member might choose to not come home. That idea can fes- ter into life-altering changes,” said Doyle. Project Recover spent years locat- ing the crash site of the B-24 and even- tually found the remains of Doyle’s grandfather. “Although it has been more than 10 years since my grandfather was properly returned and buried next to his wife, I still fi nd it hard to put into words my family’s and my gratitude,” said Doyle. “They literally changed the history of my family. They healed wounds that had only grown, not diminished, for my family over the many years since my grandfather disappeared.” Even after a great discovery, the work still continues. Sites located and documented by Project Recover associated with more than 100 MIAs remain open, awaiting recovery eff orts or offi cial identifi cation, Abbey added. WHAT’S HAPPENING SATURDAY, NOV. 19 FRIDAY, DEC. 2 Cowboy Christmas Coro- nation Dinner • 5 p.m., Trowbridge Pavilion, Grant County Fair- grounds, 411 NW Bridge St., John Day The 2023 Grant County Fair and Rodeo court will be crowned at this gala aff air, which features a tri-tip din- ner, a no-host bar and music by DJ Chris Gibson, as well as live and silent auctions. The cost for dinner is $18 per person or $34 per couple. For more information, call Whitney Richey at 541-228- 4604 or Mindy Winegar at 541-620-8058. Carrie Young Memorial Dinner and Auction • 5 p.m., John Daty Elks Lodge, 140 NE Dayton St., John Day The 30th annual Carrie Young Memorial Dinner and Auction will feature a dona- tion-only dinner of spaghetti, salad and bread as well as live and silent auctions to raise money to provide Christmas presents and necessities to Grant County senior citizens and assisted living residents. THURSDAY, NOV. 24 Community Thanksgiv- ing dinner • 1-4 p.m., John Day Elks W HAT’S HAPPENING Lodge, 140 NE Dayton St., John Day Volunteers will dish up a free Thanksgiving dinner to all comers at the John Day Elks Lodge. The traditional menu will include turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, rolls, stuffi ng, cran- berries and pies. Those who are disabled or homebound can call the lodge at 541-575-1824 to request deliveries. Leave a mes- sage with your name, address, phone number and how many meals you will need. SATURDAY, DEC. 3 Blue Mountain Hospital Bazaar • 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Trow- bridge Pavilion and Keer- ins Hall, Grant County Fair- grounds, 411 NW Bridge St., John Day Hosted by the Blue Moun- tain Hospital Auxiliary, this annual event will feature a wide array of holiday gift items, many of them hand- crafted. Lunch, pie and coff ee will be available. A portion of the proceeds goes to support projects of the Blue Mountain Hospital District. FRIDAY, DEC. 9 Holiday Showcase • 6:30 p.m., Grant Union High School, 911 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day This 24th annual event will feature special perfor- mances by Grant Union Gold SATURDAY, DEC. 10 Ugly Sweater Christmas Bazaar • Monument Senior Cen- ter, 269 Main St., Monument Wear an ugly sweater to be entered into a drawing. Tables are available at a cost of $15. To reserve a table, call Jeanne Strange at 541-934-2001. Timber Truckers Light Parade • 6 p.m., Main Street, John Day The annual parade of log trucks, big rigs and work vehicles decked out in festive holiday lights will begin at former Grant Western Lum- ber Co. site just west of John STRUCTION, LL N O C C AW Featuring: • • • • • Monday - Thursday 7am- 6pm Monday - Thursday 7am- 6pm Friday 8am - 5pm Friday Sharpe 8am - 5pm Mendy FNP Serving Eastern Oregon since 1959! Heppner Condon Boardman (541) 676-9158 (541) 256-1200 (541) 481-9474 S283676-1 139101 MyEagleNews.com ~ Thanksgiving ~ Christmas ~ New Years S286526-1 Blue Mountain Eagle CCB#186113 NLY YS O E K R TU RS KED NUMBE O M S TED LIMI A MAN WAKES UP in the morning after sleeping on... an advertised bed, in advertised pajamas. 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! 541-910-6609 and Much More! TURKEYS.HAMS. PRIME RIB. www.MurraysDrug.com Grant County Marines say "Thank you" Pat Holiday for your generosity paying for our luncheon each year, Nov. 10, on the Marine Corps Birthday. You are a True Patriot! "Semper Fi" Roofing • General Construction Remodeling Fences Decks Storage Sheds Andy Wolfer Pharmacy • Hallmark Cards • Gifts • Liquor Store Mendy Sharpe FNP Apppointments available Day, then travel east on Main Street to Third Street Exten- sion before looping back around to the Elks Lodge, where a chili feed and awards ceremony awaits the partici- pants and their families. This year’s theme is “Christmas Memories,” and entrants can sign up at the former Grant Western Lumber site from 2 to 5:30 p.m., The entry fee is $10. For more informa- tion, call Leslie Traylor at 541-620-4032. Do you have a commu- nity event you’d like to pub- licize? Email information to editor@bmeagle.com. The deadline is noon Friday for publication the following Wednesday. and Body, Fitness & Dance. Don’t get left behind, call today! Kim Kell 541-575-0710 r u o y n i l l Ca n ow! o rder Russell’ s Custom Meats & Deli “It’s worth the extra mile” 235 N. Canyon City Blvd. Canyon City • 541-575-0720