Scott Mallory

Evan McDonald, a local boy who joined the Army and ended up in Iraq getting a Humvee blown out from under him in November, is alive and almost well in Washington, D. C.

He got banged up pretty good, including breaking both arms and cracking a hip; so he’ll be in physical therapy at Walter Reed for at least the next four weeks.

He and his wife, Wendi, are staying in housing near the hospital. Details of his war experience will be in next week’s edition. In the meantime, you may write to him in care of Fisher House, Rm 27010, 6900 Georgia Ave. NW, Washington D. C. 20307, or give him a call at (202) 545-3217.

We hired Brenda Bagett as the new editorial assistant. She started work Jan. 3 and are we glad. She was one of several qualified candidates to apply for the job. She lives in Prairie City, and has been in Grant County for 30 years.

Her husband, Mark, works in the Wildlife Department for the Malheur National Forest. Together they have three children and two grandchildren.

“I have always thought the newspaper business would be exciting and challenging. I am looking forward to experiencing this firsthand,” Bagett said.

Don’t call her, “Bag-ette.” The name comes from Italy and was originally “Bagetto,” but the “o” was dropped when the family first arrived in America way back when. It’s pronounced “Bah-jet.”

“Bah-jet” needs a bit of time to learn all she has to do around here – and that’s a lot – but she hit the ground running and even as deadline approached with pages still unfinished, she kept smiling. I like that.

Welcome aboard, Brenda.

A fellow came in the office the other day angry about there not being a story to go with Dave Traylor’s recent Quote of the Week that concerned a poodle and a wolf because there wasn’t a story in the paper to give the words context. He called the situation foolish and left quickly without giving his name.

Had he stuck around, I would have agreed with him; although, I hadn’t realized the error when the quote was printed.

Traylor made the comment during a meeting at the Forest Service concerning an upcoming roundup of wild horses; it was friendly conversation among a group of people and I thought the comment was funny and rather thought-provoking.

The point is well-taken. A Quote of the Week should be in a story in that edition to provide clarification and better understanding.

Carolyn Stout, the chief cook and bottle washer and all-around good heart at the Grant County Fairgrounds recently presented the fairgrounds’ planning goals through 2015 to the County Court. Here’s a glance at them.

Grant County Fair strategic goals

2005

Remove small animal barn

Fair use tie out fence/cable

Water to orchard

Provide new display medium for small animals

Remove shrubs from perimeter of pavilion

Paint outside of pavilion

Create drainage for pavilion

Landscape south side of pavilion

Replace deck floor of small house

Upgrade siding and windows of small house

Provide an admission structure for use at fair

2006

Construct storage loft in hay barn

Clean and level 3rd Street property

Remove two gas heaters and add fans to old sale barn

Remodel pavilion kitchen

Repair/upgrade of the perimeter chain-link fence

Provide new restroom and shower structure in area of weeping willow

Redo/upgrade pavilion floor

2009

Construct outdoor covered stage

Make the East RV Park entrance the primary entrance and the West entrance as alternate

2015

Relocate rodeo arena to the Third Street property

Create parking in former rodeo arena area

Invest in portable bleachers

Construct new community event building, with stage, meeting rooms, kitchen, restrooms, offices, and storage

Remove portions of Keerins Hall, creating more parking

Construct horse stalls

Extension of Heritage Building