Findley, Owens host town hall

SALEM — Grant County’s representatives in the Legislature will hold a virtual town hall at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 17.

Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane, and Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, will report on the 2024 legislative session, discuss what’s going on in the interim period in the run-up to the 2025 session and answer questions from constituents.

Online registration is required to participate in the Zoom meeting and is available at tinyurl.com/2s3c94vv.

OIT honors local students

KLAMATH FALLS — Several Grant County residents enrolled at the Oregon Institute of Technology have been honored for academic achievement by the school.

Carson Weaver, of Mt. Vernon, has been named to the President’s List for fall term. Weaver is studying pre-dental hygiene. To qualify for the President’s List, students must maintain a grade point average of 3.7 or better while taking at least 12 credit hours.

Two local students were named to the fall term Dean’s List at OIT, Aubreianna Osborne, of Monument, and Devon Stokes, of Mt. Vernon. Dean’s List recognition is given to students with a GPA of 3.3-3.69 who are enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours of classes.

Forest practices panel meets

THE DALLES — The Oregon Department of Forestry’s Regional Forest Practices Committee for Eastern Oregon will meet at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 19, at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Screen Shop, 3561 Klindt Drive, The Dalles.

The meeting will also be carried online via Zoom. To attend virtually, use the videoconferencing information found on the online agenda at oregon.gov/odf/board/pages/rfpc.aspx.

Among the topics to be discussed are ODF updates and member training requirements, post-disturbance harvest rulemaking, the habitat conservation plan and forest practice technical guidance.

The meeting is expected to go until 2:30 p.m.

The committee is one of three regional stakeholder groups that advise the Oregon Board of Forestry on current forestry issues and forest management practices.

BEO reports Q1 results

HEPPNER — Bank of Eastern Oregon announced consolidated net income of $3.5 million, or $2.87 per share, for the first quarter of 2024, up from $3.3 million, or $2.75 per share, for the same period in 2023.

The BEO Bancorp subsidiary also reported total assets of $850.1 million for the quarter, down 0.3% from the first quarter last year. Net loans were $531.8 million, up 10.9% from the prior year, and deposits were $762.9 million, down 1.9%.

Shareholder equity grew 24.7% year over year, return on average assets was 1.65% and return on average equity was 21.53%, the bank announced.

Bank of Eastern Oregon operates 21 branches and three loan production offices in Eastern Oregon, Eastern Washington and Western Idaho, including locations in John Day and Prairie City.

Elks bestow awards

JOHN DAY — The John Day Elks Lodge handed out several awards during a ceremony on April 5.

Virginia Miller was named Elk of the Year, Cala Fuller was named Officer of the Year and Lucie Immoos was named Citizen of the Year.

Each was presented with a certificate by Exalted Ruler Dennis Flippence.

The commendations, which are not necessarily given every year, recognize members, officers and citizens who go above and beyond expectations.