From 25 years ago: Sunday morning incendiary fires: Pictured here, John Day Fire Chief Steve Keegan, left, gives a damage report to Dave and Betty Freeman.

75 years ago

More sawmills for Grant County

Looks like Grant County will have no less than a half-dozen more sawmills before snow falls this fall. There are indications that there will be two more mills in the Dayville neighborhood, another one near Ritter, perhaps two mills on the Middle Fork river east of the Three Flags highway and one or two between John Day and the upper river section.

50 years ago

Jacksons to continue oil firm distributorship

The widow and son of the late Cecil E. Jackson of John Day announced plans this week to continue the American Oil Company distributorship which serves Grant County.

Bernie Carson of Canyon City, who has been with the company 22 years, will continue to be in charge of deliveries throughout the county. Greg Jackson will assist with deliveries and handle the business end of the business with his mother. Cecil E. Jackson owned and operated the company for the last 19 years. He died suddenly at his home in John Day on Feb. 25. Greg Jackson moved here shortly after his father’s death from Oregon State University, Corvallis, where he had been completing work on a degree in business, to help his mother continue the company’s operation.

Mrs. Jackson said the company will continue to serve all of its customers and plans to make no changes in tanks, pumps and other service units now on location to serve customers.

25 years ago

Incendiary fires reported

John Day Fire Department personnel with mutual assistance from Cnayon City, Mt. Vernon and Prairie City responded to two fires early Sunday morning at John Day Floral and the office of Dave Freeman, CPA, both on West Highway. Both fires were incendiary, and the investigation is underway to determine if arson was involved. The investigation is being coordinated by the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office and Oregon State Police.