Athletic passes readyJOHN DAY – Grant Union High School announces that family athletic passes are now available for the 2009-2010 school year.

The passes admit parents and family members under 14 to all regularly scheduled athletic events during the year. This does not include any possible playoff games.

The passes are $100 each and can be purchased at the GU office during regular business hours. Call 541-575-1799 for more information.

Riders to meetMT. VERNON – The Grant County Wilderness Riders saddle club will hold its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, at Clyde Holliday State Park. For more information, call 541-932-4918.

Cinnabar MountainMT. VERNON – The next horse competition date in the Cinnabar Mountain Play Days will be Saturday, Sept. 5, at Buront’s Arena in Mt. Vernon.

The action starts at 9 a.m. with events including barrels, poles, surry race, potato race, boot race, key hole and more. The competition is divided into several age groups.

The dues are $25 a family and $15 per person. There will be a $2 fee for each person per class and all day events cost $10.

The next playdays will be Oct. 3 and Nov. 17. Call Jackie Osborne at 541-620-0552 for more information.

Merkley to visitCANYON CITY – U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley will visit Grant County this weekend as part of his 36-county tour of the state.

Merkley will hold a town hall at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Canyon City Community Center.

Merkley is holding town halls in 11 Central and Eastern Oregon counties this month.

80th birthdayPRAIRIE CITY – Everyone is invited to an open house, in honor of Norma Rynearson’s 80th birthday, from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Prairie City American Legion Hall.

Rock band to performPRAIRIE CITY – The classic rock band “Colt.45” will perform Saturday night, Sept. 5, from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. at the Branding Iron Cafe and Lounge, 137 W. Front St., Prairie City.

Railway programPRAIRIE CITY – Everyone is invited to a program on the Sumpter Valley Railway at dusk, Sunday, Sept. 6, at the DeWitt Museum in Prairie City.

Alfred Mullett, author of “Sumpter Valley Railway,” will give the hour-long presentation, offering memories of Bates and Austin, as well as pictures and a few stories. Everyone is encouraged to bring their own stories and memories to share. A question-and-answer period will follow.

Collections are also being sought on history of the area. Items will be scanned for archival and reproduction purposes and returned, along with a DVD of the materials.

More info: call the museum at 541-820-3330.

School vision checksCANYON CITY – The Children’s Foundation and volunteers will be at Humbolt Elementary School Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 8 and 9, for student vision screening.

Students in first-fifth grades are eligible to participate. More info: call Julie Bibler at 541-330-3907.

Ride a stagecoachCANYON CITY – Passengers are now being booked for “journey through time” rides on an authentic Concord Stagecoach Friday, Sept. 11.

Round trip tickets between Canyon City and John Day cost $15 a person. Rides will run every two hours, starting at 10 a.m. and spaces are limited.

A day-long celebration in Canyon City will include a pie-baking contest, music by Up River Country, cowboy poetry by Grant County’s A.K. Moss and a barbecue pork dinner by Russell’s Custom Meats and Deli from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The cost for the dinner is $6.50 a person.

There will also be a genuine stagecoach mail run; commemorative envelopes are available at $5 each.

More info: call the Grant County Chamber of Commerce at 541-575-0547.

Canning classCANYON CITY – Grant County’s OSU Extension will offer a class on canning salsa, peaches and pie filling from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at Grant Union High School.

The class is limited to 10 people, so call to reserve a spot. The $25 fee includes jars and other supplies.

For more information call 541-575-1911.

Fly-In BreakfastJOHN DAY – Grant County Air Search’s annual Fly-In Breakfast will be held from 7-11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Grant County Regional Airport.

Pancakes, eggs, ham, orange juice, coffee and tea will be served for $6 per adult and $4 for kids.

U.S. Forest Service will hold rappelling and retardant demonstrations as well as a “Sixchuter” powered parachute and “flour bomb” demonstrations, and a candy drop. AirLink and other aircraft will also be on display as available.

There will be free airplane rides for children grades 1-12 with an accompanying adult, as time and weather permits.

Overnight camping at the airport is allowed and courtesy cars will be available.

For more information, call 541-575-1151.

Juniper Singers meetJOHN DAY – A new season is starting up for the Juniper Singers. Anyone interested in joining the chorus is invited to attend a rehearsal at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, in the music room at Grant Union High School.

The next concert for the Juniper Singers will be “Remember When” Feb. 20, 2010. Also featured will be a barbershop quartet, “4th Dimension,” from Boise, Idaho.

For more information, call Peggy Neal at 541-575-2840.

Quilt and Art ShowJOHN DAY – The 10th annual Grant County Quilt and Art Show is coming up, Friday-Sunday, Sept. 18-20, at the Grant County Fairgrounds.

For more information, call 541-575-1900.

Grange celebrationMT. VERNON – Everyone is invited to a potluck dinner honoring longtime members (25 years or more) of the Mt. Vernon Grange at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at the grange hall.

The grange will furnish the meat and beverages. Fourteen grange members will be recognized at the event: Ivan and Marge Porfily, Pauline Holland, Lester Johnson, Pierre and Betty Jones, Wilma Bauer, Gene and Barbara Brady, Ron Greb, Dennis Bradley, Lloyce Phillips, Vern Randall and Peg Hunter.

Reservations are encouraged; call Mary Ellen Brooks at 541-932-4540 or Jean Sagert at 541-575-1007.

Half-Fast MarathonPRAIRIE CITY – The Strawberry Striders will hold their annual Strawberry Mountain Half-Fast Marathon Saturday, Sept. 19.

The run starts at 9 a.m. at the U.S. Forest Service building in Prairie City and finishes at John Day City Park.

The event is free, although preregistration is encouraged. Forms are available at the Grant County Chamber of Commerce office. More info: call the chamber at 541-575-0547 or Richard Thompson at 541-932-2758.

Driver’s ed. classGRANT COUNTY – A driver education class is being organized. The course starting date is tentatively set for mid- to late-September, with the time and location to be announced later.

The cost is $225 for high school students with a valid Oregon driver’s permit, or $435 for students with a driver’s license or over age 21.

To sign up, call Angie at 541-975-5613.