Cody Sederlin shows fighting shape at the teen party Dec. 31 at Grant Union High School.

July

Charter jet slips off runway at airport

JOHN DAY – Eight tourists along with a puppy and a hamster got an unexpected layover at the Grant County Regional Airport Wednesday, June 30, after their chartered jet got stuck in the soft dirt at the south end of the runway.

At about 6:30 p.m. the Citation-5 aircraft, which airport director Tom Switzer said had been chartered out of the San Francisco Bay area, was in the process of turning around in preparation to take off when a wheel on the left landing gear slipped off the edge of the runway and became mired in the soft dirt.

Tom Switzer, along with Gary Judd, members of the John Day Rappel Team and Randy Stovall’s four-wheel-drive vehicle then went to work.

“We managed to manhandle the airplane back on the runway,” Switzer said.

“It took us about an hour and a half to get the job done and then he went on his way.”

Switzer reported there was no damage to the airplane, and no injuries were suffered due to the mishap.

“The only damage was to the pilot’s ego,” he said.

Ranchers win round in grazing battle

Citing a “profound threat to the affected ranchers’ livelihood,” a federal district court judge in Portland last week refused to grant an injunction against the U.S. Forest Service that would have prevented the agency from allowing cattle to graze on two allotments in the Malheur National Forest this summer.

A lawsuit filed in March 2003 by the Oregon Natural Desert Association and the New Mexico-based Center for Biological Diversity claims that for years the Forest Service has failed to properly monitor steelhead recovery efforts or implement appropriate watershed and riparian habitat protection strategies on the Murderers Creek and Blue Mountain allotments, located near Dayville and Prairie City respectively.

Twisters, hail hit county

CANYON CITY – Monday afternoon’s windstorm accompanied by intermittent heavy rain and hail in the northwestern portion of Grant County resulted in minor property damage, but no injuries were reported.

One of the tornados touched down on Highway 395 just north of Long Creek and another was reported in Rightman Canyon.

There was also a report of some flash flooding west of Monument going toward Kimberly as a result of the heavy rain, and the Dale area received an evacuation notice for people living in mobile homes from the National Weather Service.

Pendleton meteorologist Jeremy Wolf said the last tornado in Grant County was Oct. 4, 2003. It was a small, weak tornado less than a mile southeast of Fox.

Hospital back to birthing babies

Blue Mountain Hospital is back in the baby business full time. After an uncertain few weeks when it appeared that the hospital would have to restrict obstetrical services to emergency-only cases, four local doctors have stepped forward to say they will see expectant mothers on a regular basis.

The hospital was going to stop regular maternity services Aug. 1.

Drs. Robert Holland, Russell Nichols, Joseph Bachtold and John Jackson will provide the service.

The main obstacle to providing maternity services was the cost of malpractice insurance, which has been on the rise, Houser said.

CNA Insurance Co. agreed to supply the necessary coverage.

Great balls of energy

JOHN DAY – The sun is roughly 93 million miles from Oregon, depending on the Earth’s orbit, and it takes about eight minutes for its light, traveling at 186,282 miles per second, to get here and make a person put on sunglasses, head for some shade or set up a solar barbecue to cook a pan of chicken tenders.

The sun is big, more than a million times the size of the Earth, and hot, about 10,000 degrees. The amount of energy that the fiery sphere at the center of the solar system sends toward Earth is about 1,400 watts per square meter, most of which is stopped by the Earth’s atmosphere.

The rest of that power, about 40 percent, is what keeps makers of sunscreen, umbrellas

and beach resorts in business, and was the main force behind the SolWest Renewable Energy Fair, held July 23 to 25 at the Grant County Fairgrounds.

The main goal of the fair, held for the sixth consecutive year in this eastern Oregon city, was to inform and educate visitors on renewable energy production and energy efficiency, mostly through the harnessing of solar power.

New Editor Scott Mallory behind Eagle desk

The Blue Mountain Eagle has a new editor. Scott Mallory, who has been writing for and editing newspapers for more than 20 years, arrived July 18 in John Day and assumed the editor’s position the next day.

Mallory’s most recent job was with The Porterville Recorder, a six-day daily in Central California.

At The Recorder, Mallory started as a copy editor, became the city editor and then finished nearly six years of employment as the sports editor.

“Being the city editor was challenging, but being the sports editor got me out of the office,” Mallory said.

A desire to get out of California’s major farm belt to a place where the air isn’t fouled by agricultural pesticides led Mallory to apply at the Eagle.

August

Fiery aroma causes evacuation

JOHN DAY – A burning smell from a transformer gone bad in the heating and cooling system at the Forest Service Headquarters Building caused evacuation of about 100 employees and visitors July 27.

Employees were initially told they could return to work at 1 p.m., but were later directed to stay away until the next day.

The fiery aroma was first detected about 9:30 a.m. upstairs in the building’s west wing.

River caused death

CANYON CITY – An autopsy report received from the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office in Portland indicated Dennis Edward Randolph died as the result of asphyxiation by drowning, said Glenn Palmer, Grant County Sheriff.

The report also listed methamphetamine intoxication as a contributing factor in Randolph’s death, Palmer said.

Little Canyon Mountain project called success

CANYON CITY – When the effort started, there wasn’t much confidence it could be done. Every one of the nearly three dozen local forest, business and city leaders who gathered Aug. 5 near the Little Canyon Mountain Fuels Reduction Project site voiced skepticism two years ago when a grassroots campaign began to reduce the growing fire hazard in the mountains near here and John Day.

The group included Rep. Greg Walden and Kathleen Clarke, national director of the Bureau of Land Management.

That the project has so far been a success was the general consensus of all who there in the shadow of the Strawberry Mountains.

Beal has big shoes to fill

Kris Beal is looking forward to the upcoming school year in her first year as principal at Humbolt Elementary School in Canyon City. She spent the past six years as assistant principal at Grant Union High School.

Midwife honored for service

CANYON CITY – Sherry Lauer-Dress, 56, is a licensed, certified and practicing midwife, who has lived in Grant County since 1976. Her smiling eyes and energetic persona are host to Dress’s many ventures and ideas.

When Dress was presented with an invitation to the 2004 President’s Dinner and National Republican Congressional Committee Business Advisory Council Annual Board Meeting, she didn’t believe it at first.

There were only eight people from Oregon chosen to go. Dress speculated that the reason she was invited was because she is on the State Licensing Board of Midwifery.

On July 20, Dress was presented with a timepiece at the Chairman’s Timepiece and Presentation Luncheon in recognition of her service. There were about 1,200 people so honored. The luncheon was a tribute to Ronald Reagan, with Reagan’s son, Michael Reagan, as a special guest, who spoke about his father.

Weaver resigns; Charlie retired

Former Grant County Sheriff’s Deputy Richard Gray began working for the department Aug. 6 as a patrolman, filling the position vacated when Rich Tirico was promoted to chief of police, and at the Aug. 10, meeting of the City Council, patrolman Cody Weaver submitted his resignation.

Weaver, who has been a patrolman with the department for four years, will be going to work as a trooper for the Oregon State Police.

Weaver’s resignation created somewhat of a dilemma as he is the department’s K-9 officer.

Charlie the police dog is technically the property of the city, having been purchased and trained with donated funds, but Weaver is the only officer on the department trained in handling the animal.

After some discussion, Council member Chris Labhart made the motion to give Weaver complete custody of the dog, which would be retired from service.

Labhart’s motion received unanimous approval.

County has emergency dilemma

CANYON CITY – David Cary’s recent resignation created a major problem for Grant County.

Cary, an 18-year county employee, submitted a letter of resignation from his position as Emergency Management and Bioterrorism Coordinator, Safety Officer and American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator last week causing a dilemma for the Grant County Court and leaving a big hole to fill.

“His position was a hodgepodge of several jobs combined into one and we are going to have a problem finding a replacement,” County Judge Dennis Reynolds said.

Chief among the problems is that the bioterrorism coordinator must also be a nurse.

The Grant County Fair Livestock Auction corrals its biggest sale

Animal handlers from 4-H and FFA groups paraded 140 steer, swine, goats and lambs before an appreciative crowd that opened its wallet to spend nearly $162,000. The total passed last year’s record of $138,000.

There were some good-looking animals on display, including Cherise Ricco’s Grand Champion steer, which tipped the scales at 1,300 and was bought by Chester’s Thiftway of John Day; and the two top swine, which impressed the livestock judge.

Isaac Whitman and his Grand Champion market hog, which tipped the scales at 263 pounds, and Cole Maley’s Reserve Grand Champion market hog would do well at the state level, said Anna-Marie Pimm, who’s been judge 4-H livestock for eight years.

September

West Nile Virus found in Grant County

MT. VERNON – West Nile virus hit Grant County Thursday Aug. 26, when blood work on a nine-year-old quarter horse in Mt. Vernon came back positive. Colleen Robertson, veterinarian at Gambler Veterinary Clinic, drew blood on the horse Thursday, Aug. 19 and received word back from the Rocky Mountain Regional Animal Health Laboratory in Colorado a week later.

“Since last year when West Nile first came out, we have been drawing blood on horses. Though this is our first positive case,” said Robertson. “In this case the horse is doing OK.”

Model train show puts visitors on track to fun

JOHN DAY – The first stop was Seneca, as it was circa 1930. The model train was on the floor, rolling along track that wound its way around a replica of the Eastern Oregon city made of cardboard, construction paper and wood and held together with glue.

On Sept. 4 at the fairgrounds, engineers of all ages stepped aboard the first Great Eastern Oregon Train Festival.

The six-hour event was a showcase for model railroads and the people who lay the track, build the cities, the mountains and the wilderness scenes that the little engines that can roll though.

Palmer earns state certificates

CANYON CITY – Years of training, experience and education have proven beneficial for Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer.

On Monday, Sept. 6, the sheriff received his management, supervisory and executive certificates from the Oregon Bureau of Police Safety Standards and Training.

Church in Long Creek has long history

LONG CREEK – Old walls held warm hearts at the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

There were 200 believers, or close to that many, gathered Sept. 4 to mark more than 100 years of worship at the same church in which some of their grandparents opened a hymn book and sang to his glory.

“My great-grandmother was a member in 1898,” said Alita Henslee, who related a little church history and offered a simple reason for the ocassion she called, “Centennial Plus.”

“The century mark passed and nobody had celebrated and I thought that was bad,” said Henslee, who’s lived in Long Creek for 64 years. She taught first and second grades for 28 years in Long Creek.

The church sits on the same street corner on Main Street is has occupied since 1896, when it was a only one room.

That year, a Long Creek investor deeded it to the Upper Columbia Mission Society of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In 1907, the congregation became the most western part of the Adventist’s Idaho Conference.

PC police chief retires

PRAIRIE CITY – After five years as Prairie City’s chief of police, Dave Welch announced his retirement from the position Sept. 24.

Welch, 56, has been with the department for the past seven years and has served in law in various enforcement positions for 28 years, Mayor Lance Delgado said

“Twenty-eight years is a long time, and he has been a very dedicated and conscientious officer while he was here in Prairie City,” Delgado said.

In a letter submitted the the mayor on Sept. 9, Welch said the reason for his retirement was due to illness in the family.

The resignation leaves Prairie City with just one sworn officer, Sgt. Jim Wood, remaining on the force.

McGuire’s firing reviewed

CANYON CITY – A special meeting of the Grant County Court began Monday, Sept. 20, at the request of former Grant County Jail Supervisor Steve McGuire to review disciplinary actions taken by Sheriff Glenn Palmer.

McGuire was terminated by the sheriff Aug. 4.

The hearing, which was open to the public at McGuire’s request, continued on Tuesday.

After all evidence and testimony is presented, the County Court will be charged with either sustaining, modifying or reversing the action taken against McGuire.

Scottish history and games come to John Day

JOHN DAY Though it’s not considered polite conversation to ask what one is wearing under their clothing, the topic was brought up by different guests last week in John Day.

The question? “What does a Scotsman wear under his kilt?” The answer, “his shoes and socks.” Or, what is worn under your kilt? “Nothing is worn, it’s all new.”

After Friday’s clouds and rain threatened to put a halt to the first Eastern Oregon Highland Games and Celtic fair, Saturday brought forth fair weather and a crowd of more than 300 people to witness the events of the day.

The fair was held Sept. 17 and 18 at the Grant County Fairgrounds.

Neal Coleman, the local man who pulled the event together, insisted that not all the credit should go to him.

“It was kind of a combined effort between myself and Charlie Caughlin. He’s been after me for the last four years to this,” Coleman said.

Caughlin is a chiropractor with a practice in John Day.

Firefighters benefit from citywide event

MONUMENT – The city came out in force to help the local fire department – and had a little bit of fun to boot.

The first Fall Festival on Sept. 25 at the park, senior center and other sites throughout the city was a fund-raiser organized by the Monument Fire Department Womens Auxiliary.

The day started with an all you can eat pancake breakfast served by the school booster club; a parade, with grand marshell May D Ett Hinton riding in a Ford convertable, who was celebrating her 90th birthday; a one- and a two-mile walkathon; a lawnmower race for 10- to 15-year-olds; a search in the hay for money and candy occupied a lot of children; a farmers’ market; a rummage and bake sale; and a turkey shoot at Kimberly Rock Products that raised $245 for the fire department.

There was live music and laughter all around.

Long Creek ninth-grader asks the questions

LONG CREEK – When Josh Thatcher, a ninth-grade student at Long Creek High School asked Oregon’s District 59 State Representative John Dallum (R-The Dalles) to visit the school, Dallum did not hesitate. After all, Dallum is a retired educator.

Yet Rep. Dallum was pleasantly surprised with what he saw and heard at the small school during his visit Sept. 28. Long Creek is in the eastern part of Rep. Dallum’s district.

Thatcher is a member of the school’s newspaper staff and one of the things he wanted to do was interview Rep. Dallum. The interview left the State Representative impressed with the young journalist.

“In the last week I have been interviewed by The Oregonian, the Bend Bulletin, and The Dalles Chronicle and this was the toughest one yet,” Dallum said.

October

Court decision reverses termination

CANYON CITY – Grant County Jail Supervisor Steve McGuire was reinstated to the Sheriff’s Department by the county court Oct. 6 after the second of two lengthy executive sessions that included detailed advice from the county’s labor counsel.

On a 3-0 vote, Judge Dennis Reynolds and commissioners Scott Myers and Boyd Britton ruled that Sheriff Glenn Palmer did not have “good or sufficient reason” to fire McGuire for what the sheriff described as the jail supervisor’s insubordination regarding a work schedule for jail employees.

The court further ruled that the firing was not done in accordance with the county’s personnel manual by which county employees are governed.

In a written statement, Palmer announced his intention of reinstating McGuire to his former position. Deputy Dwight DeFord, who was promoted to jail manager after McGuire was fired, was returned to his former position as a corrections officer.

“I was really happy with the court’s decision,” McGuire said. “I know that this type of hearing puts them in a tough spot. Getting the job back was important, but I’ve lived here 37 years. I also felt like I needed to clear my name in front of the community. I need feel much better, not only getting the job back, but as far as my reputation in the community goes.”

Although the court’s final decision Oct. 6 was given in open session, the three-page, eight-part decision was not read, but instead copies were given to Palmer, McGuire, members of the audience and the media. No general discussion of the decision was held.

Fire hits, community helps

PRAIRIE CITY – By the time the fire alarm rang in the dispatch center in Prairie City, the flames had already consumed the home.

It was 3 a.m. Oct. 5, and Charles Hoffecker was awake when he heard popping coming from somewhere and suddenly realized his house was on fire.

Hoffecker woke his wife, Joyce, who was sleeping in the front bedroom, and his stepson, Steven Helstowski, and his wife, Christy, who were sleeping in the back bedroom.

The smell of chard wood overtook the air in the blocks surrounding Ninth and Railroad Streets the next morning.

The blackened skeleton of the home that once was grey, muddy ground from fire hoses that were used to douse the fire with water, orange cones barricading vehicles from the road, firefighters doing final checks and clean up and a fire truck still parked in front of the disaster site.

Joyce and Charles rented the home with the intent to buy it from Ruth and Carol Johns, who live directly behind the rental.

The Hoffeckers and the Helstowskis didn’t have rental insurance that would have covered their personal property that was destroyed by the fire.

Richard Smith, deputy fire marshal from Ontario, was brought in to investigate and determine the cause of the fire.

“Probable cause at this time is that the fire was associated with the oil furnace,” Smith said.

The oil furnace had just been filled and the family had started using the system a week ago. The furnace was under the house in the garage.

Most everything that the family owned in the home was destroyed or ruined by the smoke.

City Hall had already received phone calls the morning after from people around the community wanting to donate in some way to the family.

A family from San Diego that was staying at Depot Park was awakened by the sirens and could see the flames donated money through a local church.

The morning after, the family searched through the charred remains looking for items that could be salvaged.

“It’s a new beginning,” Steven Helstowski.

City leaders struggle to provide services

JOHN DAY – A local gasoline tax was mentioned as one way a small city in Eastern Oregon can better its financial picture in a world in which state funds are dropping and the cost of doing business is going up.

“We’ve thought about a local gas tax,” Prairie City Mayor Lance Delgado told a gathering of city officials from small communities around Eastern Oregon and campaigning politicians Oct. 14 at the Elks Lodge.

Approximately 50 people were there to talk about the problems rural cities face in providing essential services to their residents, while trying to attract businesses that will spur economic growth – and the conversation, not surprisingly, boiled down to money, and how to get more of it.

Delgado, one of five main speakers during City Hall Day, a meeting sponsored by the League of Oregon Cities as a way for small-town voices to be heard by big-city politicians, didn’t advocate a gas tax, but mentioned it more as a way to show the struggle rural cities face trying to provide services that are indispensable – water, sewer, roads, police, fire, health-care.

The industrial park at the regional airport is designed to help that problem, said Chad Freeman, the economic development coordinator for Grant County. His Power Point presentation highlighted positive steps the area is taking to address financial concerns.

“The profit isn’t on land, it’s on attracting businesses,” Freeman said.

Phase 1 of the industrial park is on schedule to be finished Nov. 1, Freeman said, and he pointed to John Day and Prairie City’s beautification efforts to give the cities “curb appeal” that will attract not only business but tourism as well.

He talked about the Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum, the $8 million expansion of the John Day Fossil Beds, the Little Canyon Mountain restoration project and a stronger westside infrastructure that includes a new 850,000-gallon water reservoir.

“We have a 20-year water master plan,” Freeman said.

A fair way to find a job

JOHN DAY – With the highest unemployment rate in Oregon, it seemed only smart to have the first Grant County Job Fair Oct. 14 at the Grant County Fairground’s Pavilion.

The event, held Oct. 14 at the fairgrounds, was coordinated by Debbie Stanbro, workforce development, and Sherie Hoard, workforce development specialist, both working for Training and Employment Consortium (TEC) in Canyon City.

More than 80 people, including teenagers, steadily flowed through the pavilion, meeting with 36 local employers, colleges and agencies that were handing out applic ations in decorated booths.

Masons leave after 116 years

LONG CREEK – Change is difficult; maybe not so much to do it, but to accept it.

There were mixed feelings among the dozen or so people gathered Oct. 21 inside City Hall to witness a ceremony that marked the altering of the community’s landscape, if not so much physically, certainly emotionally.

The occasion was the changing of the guard at the local masonic lodge.

Representatives of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Oregon were there to hand over the keys and the deed to the building to Mayor Cliff Smith.

“This moment is bittersweet,” said Oregon Grand Master Gareth Duggan during the ceremony. “We’re saying good-bye, you’re saying hello.”

It was a bit of welcome back, too, since the masons bought the lot directly behind City Hall from Long Creek more than 30 years ago.

“In a way, we’ve come full circle,” Richard Courchesne told the gathering, which included LeVelle Holmes, Sharon Livingston, Dale Martin, Alita Hensley and Wanda McHatton.

Holmes is running for City Council, Livingston’s family tree has deep roots in the area, Martin helped serve morning coffee and nibbles, which included Hensley’s homemade cinnamon rolls, and McHatton is Long Creek’s city recorder.

Courchesne, a mason of long standing, and the local lodge’s secretary for its last five years, was one of the four members out of 19 who attended the last local meeting in May 2004.

Meetings at the masonic lodge weren’t always so sparsely attended. The masonic lodge had an active membership and was a strong part of the community for most if its 116 years in Long Creek.

November

Kingly hand wins poker run

JOHN DAY – In the World Poker Tour, four kings would be played with patience and skill. The player would lock others into the hand to take them for everything they have and win millions.

Lucy Gibson of John Day didn’t win millions, but she won prizes from local merchants and had fun.

Gibson walked around town for nearly two hours to earn her the best hand in the first Harvest Poker Run in downtown John Day. For her work, she received three season passes to the Grant County Fair and Rodeo, a Webber barbecue from Len’s Drug, a gift basket from Java Jungle, $25 off an area rug from The Floor Store, $25 gift certificate at the Grubsteak, two two-way radios from Radio Shack and a $25 gift certificate from Ace Hardware.

Other players including Mo Delano, Jo Shafer, Sally Fine, Don Gabbard, Lisa Delano, Sharon Paddock, Catrina Smith Perry Fowler, Jessie Legg, Sharla Bentley, Chris Rowe, Gailleen Cooper, Barb Johnson, Dotty Parsons, Brian Whitman, Julie Humbird and Shelly Whale-Murphy.

David Paddock, of Nomad Signs, was the man behind the idea and helping in promoting the event.

Allen promoted to GM of Eagle

JOHN DAY – Marissa Allen,-a reporter for The Blue Mountain Eagle and longtime resident of Grant County has been appointed General manager of the newspaper, effective Dec.14.

Allen succeeds Diane Oster-Courtney, who is moving with her family to Burney, Calif. –

Allen was employed in the news department of The Bend Bulletin, a daily newspaper serving Bend and Central Oregon, before being hired at The Blue Mountain Eagle in 2003. She has considerable business experience, including owning and managing two local pizza parlors, and worked as an office manager and administrative assistant in previous employment.

Plans for depot renovation chugging along

PRAIRIE CITY – Everyone with a stake in the renovation of the Dewitt Museum at Depot Park agreed the work should be done.

It was just a matter of how, when and who was going to control the money.

It’s been two years and counting to find agreement on those points, but it looks as if all the ducks are finally in a row and that work on the $135,000 renovation could start in the spring.

Machine malfunction delays vote count

CANYON CITY – Election day in Grant County got extended Tuesday (Nov. 2) night because the counting machines went on the fritz.

Things looked bleak early, but by 10:30 p.m., 85 percent of the total vote was counted.

The secretary of state’s office gave its OK to extend the count another today.

The finish of the count will be mainly write-in votes.

It was estimated that voter turnout in the county was 80 percent.

In the race for sheriff, preliminary results showed that incumbent Glenn Palmer had 2,035 votes and write-in candidate Steve McGuire had 705 votes, with approximately a third of the write-in votes left to be counted.

In a tight race between incumbent Long Creek Mayor Cliff Smith and challenger Dale Martin, Smith had 58 votes and Martin had 47.

Scott Myers will likely keep his seat on the county court. He had 1,963 votes. His opponent, Terry Sowa, had 900.

McKinnon received 2,386 votes to a write-in candidate’s 27.

County Treasurer Kathy Smith received 2,274 votes and will likely be crunching numbers at the courthouse for another term.

The last ballot to be hand-delivered to the clerk’s office was dropped in the box at 7:58 p.m. by John Stearns, who was working for OTEC in La Grande and had to rush to cast his vote.

Coin flips Hamsher’s way

PRAIRIE CITY – It wasn’t much of a coin flip, barely reaching 6 feet in the air, but in the end it was good enough to determine the city’s next mayor.

Jim Hamsher, by virture of a call for “heads,” became the community’s newest leader a few moments after noon Nov. 20 on a street corner near the old Texaco station on Front Street.

The toss ended Paul Woodworth’s campaign for a third term at the helm of the City Council, but he didn’t appear too bothered by the outcome.

“That’s all right,” Woodworth said. “No problem. No problem at all.”

The two men shook hands afterward as many in the crowd of about 100 people gathered for the coin toss cheered for Hamsher, who was asked what his first official duty as mayor would be.

“Well, hopefully, just to move the water project along right now. That’s the biggest thing,” Hamsher said. “We’ve got a bit of a waste-water pump problem that needs (to be) addressed.”

The two write-in candidates each received 125 votes during the Nov. 2 general election. A third candidate, Linda Harrington, the only candidate named on the ballot, received 109 votes.

Four recounts certified by County Clerk Kathy McKinnon didn’t change the result; so the stage was set for the coin toss during the city’s Christmas on the Prairie holiday celebration.

December

Industrial park gets certified

JOHN DAY – The 103-acre Airport Industrial Park received state certification Nov. 12 for general manufacturing, warehouse and distribution and rural industrial business.

The certification means that the site has been deemed to be ready for improvement not more than six months after a business takes steps to buy the land, build and operate at the site.

The industrial park is one of the top sites listed at www.oregonprospector.com. The Web site, launched in May, is a joint effort of the state, the Oregon Economic Development Association and Pacific Power. The group’s web managers report the site is averaging 500 hits per day.

Oregon’s proposed wolf plan in the cross-hairs

CANYON CITY – The only good wolf is a dead wolf, or at least one that isn’t in Oregon, was the general consensus of a group of people at the Nov. 24 meeting of the Grant County Court during a discussion of the state’s plan to manage the coming wolf population.

“We should have zero tolerance for this animal,” said Dean Elliott of Canyon City, a hunter who was concerned about the affect wolves will have not only on the safety of people, but on the area’s game animals.

The Court asked for public input for its response to the wolf plan being drafted by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Eastern Oregon recognized at annual governor’s awards

PORTLAND – Carolyn Micnhimer of John Day, the Pendleton Round-Up, Laura Pryor of Gilliam County and Arthur Pease of Milton-Freewater were honored Friday in Portland at the 2004 Governor’s Gold Awards.

The awards, an annual event, recognize Oregon businesses, public and civic leaders and communities and citizens who have contributed to the “greatness” of Oregon.

Dressed in evening attire, in a black and gold decorated ballroom at the Marriott located along the Willamette River in downtown, the three Eastern Oregon representatives all accepted the awards from Gov. Ted Kulongoski.

When she went to accept the award from the governor, Micnhimer, 78, drew laughs from the audience, saying about Kulongoski, “I have apologized to this man twice because I didn’t know him. Today was one of those times. It’s not that I don’t pay attention to government. I just don’t see the pictures much.”

Micnhimer accepted the 2004 Gold Award as a tribute to her work at the Kam Wah Chung Museum in John Day.

Timber parade still kickin’

JOHN DAY – People gathered Dec. 11 along both sides of Main Street, from Grant Western Lumber Co., where the Timber Truckers Light Parade’s 42 entries started, to east of Canyon Boulevard, where the wheeled gliterring spectacle turned left on the Third Street extension to wind its way to the parking lot at Grant County Fairgrounds.

There were cars and trucks parked along the route, some running with the heater on, but it was a nice night for a parade, hardly cold at all and clear skies, and so inside the vehicles, coats and caps were enough against a mild chill, and there were drinks and munchies to have while the show slowly twinkled on its way.

The first image on an entry coming around the corner was of the American flag, fitting for this year’s theme of “America … Together … Still Kickin’.”

The greatest entry of them all rolled through about midway. Its bright, shining red nose made it easy to know that Rudolph was in town.

The motorized reindeer, with its big smile and tall antlers, weaved to and fro and delighted the crowd.

“Rudolph,” children and adults cried.

The entry from Grayback Forestry Inc. in Canyon City went down in history as winner of the People’s Choice Award.

Bird count records new species

The 24th annual John Day Christmas Bird Count was held Dec. 18. There were 20 participants in the field, most of them members of the Grant County Bird Club.

By tradition, the count area is a circle, with a 15-mile diameter, or an area of roughly 177 square miles. The John Day Christmas Bird Count has its center at the stop light in John Day and has the unique distinction of being somewhat oblong, an exception allowed due to our topography.

There was one new species recorded this year, an Eared Grebe, found just west of Mt Vernon. Two other species seen this year, Wild Turkey and Common Redpoll, have only been found during the count once before.