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Free class explores local geology

DAYVILLE — Area residents can take a deep dive into local geology in an upcoming class.

The three-part class will consist of two 90-minute lectures and a field trip to the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center and other sites of interest.

Taught by geologists and paleontologists, the classroom sessions are scheduled for 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 2, and noon on Thursday, May 9, at the Dayville Community Hall on Highway 26 in Dayville. The field trip will take place on Thursday, May 16.

The People Mover will provide free transportation for the field trip as well as shuttling people between John Day and Dayville for the lectures.

The class is sponsored by Blue Mountain Community College, Grant County Senior Services, the Malheur National Forest and the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.

Preregistration is required. To sign up, call Jesse Schaefer at 541-575-1550 or email her at jschaefer@bluecc.edu.

Kam Wah Chung opens May 1

JOHN DAY — The Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site opens for the 2024 season on Thursday, May 2, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced.

For six decades, Kam Wah Chung served as a social, medical and religious center for Oregon’s Chinese community. Today, the building serves as a time capsule that offers a glimpse into the lives its longtime proprietors, businessman Lung On and medical practitioner Ing “Doc” Hay.

Starting May 2, the interpretive center at 125 NW Canton St. in John Day will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday, with tours starting at the top of every hour. Space is limited to eight people per tour.

The museum and interpretive center will be closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays through May and possibly into June due to staffing.

For more information, call 541-575-2800.

‘Resource rodeo’ for employers

JOHN DAY — The Eastern Oregon Workforce Board and WorkSource Oregon will host an Employer Resource Rodeo in Grant County this month.

Presented in conjunction with the Grant County Chamber of Commerce, the event will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, in the Trowbridge Pavilion at the Grant County Fairgrounds, 411 NW Bridge St. in John Day.

Attendees will have the opportunity to network with peers, gain business insights from industry experts and learn about resources available for employers through the Eastern Oregon Workforce Board, WorkSource Oregon and their partner agencies.

There is no charge to attend, and heavy refreshments will be served.

Preregistration is required and is available online at eowb.org/eorodeo.

Jobless rate rises in March

SALEM — Unemployment in Grant County rose a point in March, climbing to 7.3% from February’s revised 6.3% rate, according to the latest data from the Oregon Employment Department.

Adjusted for seasonal fluctuations, the county’s jobless rate was 4.7%, up from 4.5% the month prior.

Year over year, Grant County’s raw jobless rate was up 0.9% from March 2023, while the seasonally adjusted rate was down 1.4%, the department reported.

Some 238 Grant County workers were out of a job in March from a civilian labor force of 3,273. Total nonfarm employment was 2,470, up 50 jobs from March 2023.

Total private employment last month was 1,380. Trade, transportation and utilities was the county’s largest private employer with 300 jobs, including 230 in retail trade. Private education and health services was next with 220 jobs, flowed by leisure and hospitality (180), manufacturing (160), and professional and business services (130).

The public sector employed 1,090 in March, with 730 jobs in local government, 230 in federal and 130 in state.