Merkley plans virtual town hall

GRANT COUNTY — U. S. Sen. Jeff Merkley will hold a virtual town hall meeting for Grant County residents at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20.

Following the usual format for an in-person town hall, the senator will speak and then take questions and comments from constituents.

To join the meeting by computer or mobile device, send an email to TownHall@merkley.senate.gov with Grant County in the subject line.

To join by phone, call 669-254-5252, then enter meeting ID 160 850 4332, participant ID # and passcode 28152932.

Malheur archaeologists publish work

JOHN DAY — The work of two Malheur National Forest archaeologists is showcased in the winter 2021 edition of the Oregon Historical Quarterly, a special issue on the Chinese diaspora in Oregon.

Don Hann’s article, “Chinese Mining Kongsi in Eastern Oregon: A Case of Cultural Amnesia,” discusses the joint ventures formed by Chinese miners and the important role they played in Grant County’s mining boom.

In “Stacked Rock Features: Archaeological Evidence of Chinese Miners on the Malheur National Forest,” Katee Withee shines a light on the daily lives of Chinese miners in Grant County as revealed by excavations of their camps, often marked by carefully constructed stone hearths.

More information about the special edition of the quarterly is available online at https://tinyurl.com/5672adsa.

ODOT seeks input on funding decisions

SALEM — The Oregon Department of Transportation is seeking ideas from the public on the best way to spend $412 million in flexible funding coming to the state under the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The agency has submitted a proposal to the Oregon Transportation Commission that lays out nine program areas to invest in, including accessibility, public transportation and highway enhancements. The proposal is available online at https://tinyurl.com/yckhkvbv.

There are three was for the public to provide feedback on the proposal:

• An online open house, which can be accessed at https://tinyurl.com/5dyfs3mk.

• Written comments, which can be submitted through the commission’s public comment page at https://tinyurl.com/bdfv8uz7.

• Commenting at a meeting of the commission on Thursday, Feb. 17, or March 10; instructions on how to sign up can be found online at https://tinyurl.com/2fdva9k3.

Student makes college dean’s list

FREDERICK, Maryland — Destiny Fairless of John Day was named to the Hood College dean’s list for the fall semester, the college announced. The list recognizes the academic achievements of students who earn at least a 3.5 grade point average while completing a minimum six semester hours of coursework. Fairless graduated in January with a bachelor’s degree in history.

Blue Mountain Eagle