Note: This column of items from the Blue Mountain Eagle’s archives is compiled by Eagle staff writer Cheryl Jessup.

92 years ago- Friday, May 24, 1918

? Probably the big surprise of the primary election was the nomination of Miss Mabel McKern for county clerk on the republican ticket. The contest was between W.C. Thompson and the young lady, who received a vote of 574 to 447 cast for Thompson.

70 years ago – Friday, May 31, 1940

? Bids for the construction of the new Grant County Hospital were opened last week and basic bids of from $15,540 to $17,993 were submitted. The only Grant County bidder to submit a figure was Al Harper of John Day, well known contractor and builder.

50 years ago – Friday, May 26, 1950

? Grant Union High School, garnering places in all but two events, swept to an overwhelming victory in the Class B division of the Central Oregon district track meeting in Bend, May 6. Outstanding in the meet were Maurice McKinnis with a 2:19 half-mile and Dick Hanson with a tie for first in the high jump, five feet, six inches.

35 years ago – Thursday, May 22, 1975

? John Day’s East Highway area is slated to join the city soon. Annexation petitions circulating in the past few weeks appear to have the required signatures to allow annexation of this portion of the city’s east limits, easterly to the John Day Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

20 years ago – Thursday, May 24, 1990

? Dairy Queen, is expected to open its doors by the middle of next week. According to manager Gail Niles, DQ’s long hours, 5 a.m.-11 p.m., would be open early enough to serve the loggers, and open after games and other events during the school year. The restaurant is owned by Mark Smith of John Day and built by Graikowski Constructon of John Day.

10 years ago – Wednesday, May 24, 2000

? In the May 16 primary election, the results for Grant County Commissioner were as follows: Unopposed Eva Harris won the Democratic nomination with 702 votes out of 1,121. Scott Myers was the winner among the Republican candidates with 592 votes out of 1,482, with Bobbi Murphey at 503 votes and Brian Adams, 224. In the district attorney race, Nancy Nickel retained the office, beating out Tom Cutsforth, 1,460 to 1,156.

– Wednesday, June 7, 2000? Early dry weather sparked the first fires of 2000, including a 40-acre blaze in Bear Valley. “The woods are unseasonably dry,” said Gordon Foster, ODF forester for the East Central Oregon District. “We didn’t have a lot of moisure over the winter. Meanwhile Forest Service officials were preparing for the lifting of a prescribed burning moratorium that had been enacted after a runaway prescribed burn torched federal land and residential buildings in Los Alamos, N.M.