According to Trooper Andrew McClay, OSP is asking for the public’s help to identify the suspect(s) responsible for shooting a horse in a remote area of Grant County during the late evening hours of September 18 or early morning hours of September 19. The horse’s owner had to put the 8-year old quarter horse mare horse down due to the severity of its injuries.

The initial investigation indicates the horse was shot with a high velocity bullet from the roadway while in a fenced pasture along Izee Highway about five miles west of Highway 395 in Grant County. This area is also known as Bear Valley located between Mt. Vernon and Seneca. The owner found the injured horse during the late morning hours of September 19.

Anyone with information is asked to call Trooper McClay at (541) 575-136

Bates State Park is the site of a former lumber mill that operated for nearly 60 years. The 131-acre property, nestled along the Middle Fork of the John Day River, sits adjacent to the former Bates company townsite, home to about 400 families at its peak. By 1975, when a new mill was built in nearby John Day, the Bates mill was shut down and the town gradually disappeared. The mill pond, the last vestige of that era, remains a central feature of the park.

A local nonprofit group, The Friends of Bates State Park, has worked tirelessly behind the scenes for many years, advocating for the property’s preservation as a state park. OPRD purchased the property from Grant County for $407,000 in 2008 using lottery funds designated for property acquisition, and has so far spent about $900,000 to open the park. Park development is funded by dedicated lottery and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund through a $275,000 matching grant.

The site has also benefited from a $119,000 grant from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board to the North Fork John Day Watershed Council. The grant helped fund the first phase of restoration work on the floodplain near the confluence of Bridge Creek and the Middle Fork of the John Day River. Substantial work to restore native plants is already planned for this fall, and will involve planting more than 4,000 trees and shrubs. The department is not funded by state taxes.

The park opens with 28 sites in a primitive campground designed for tents and self-contained RVs. Potable water is available. A six-site hiker/biker camp also opens for riders cycling the popular TransAmerica Bicycle trail. The day-use area has a picnic shelter, vault toilet and more than three miles of hiking trails. The first-come, first-served campground, as well as the rest of the park, will be open May-October (depending on the weather). Day use entry to the park is free.

More information on the park is available by phone (541-932-4453, or toll-free 1-800-551-6949) and online at http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_263.php.

Oregon’s poet laureate program is a collaborative project of the state’s five cultural partners: Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage Commission, Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Humanities and State Historic Preservation Office, with funding from the Oregon
Cultural Trust.

According to Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer, wanted fugitive John Edward Williams, Jr., age 36, was arrested August 30, 2011 by Maggie Valley, North Carolina Police Department on local larceny / possession of stolen goods charges. Further investigation led local police to learn Williams was wanted out of Oregon as a Fugitive from Justice. He was lodged in the Haywood County Correctional Facility in Waynesville, N.C. pending extradition back to Oregon.

Williams was last known to be in Oregon last week and believed to have fled to the east coast.

John Edward Williams, Jr., age 36, is wanted in connection with alleged sex and kidnap crimes against a 12-year-old girl in Grant County. Williams is described as a white male, 6’4″, 250 lbs, brown hair and hazel eyes. Sheriff Glenn Palmer said it is unknown if Williams is armed.

Williams was last known to be driving a dark green 1993 Nissan Pathfinder sport utility vehicle displaying unknown Oregon license plates. The vehicle may have an Oregon trip permit in the rear window and a “Support Your Sheriff” sticker on the rear bumper.

Anyone seeing Williams or with information of his location is asked to immediately contact their local law enforcement agency or call Grant County Sheriff’s Office at (541) 575-1131.

The survey indicates part of the problem is the wholesale grocery system, which offers better prices and delivery services to larger stores that can order in bulk. Sharon Thornberry, community systems food manager with the Oregon Food Bank, says that’s what their research also has found – in many parts of the state.

“It’s true all over rural Oregon. They’re locally-owned stores, and they have a very hard time getting what we would call ‘competitively-priced’ foods that the rest of us are used to shopping for. They can’t get general groceries and what we consider ‘healthier’ food delivered.”

In some towns, the emergency food pantry is the only food source, which was not meant to be its role in the community, says Thornberry. She hopes the survey, called “Map the Gap,” will spark community discussions about how to keep rural grocers in business and get more nutritious foods onto their shelves. It is online at www.feedingamerica.org.

In Grant County, the Jones family owns the Dayville Merc, the only grocery store for at least 30 miles in any direction. Angie Jones says wholesalers lump small stores into the “convenience store” category. That affects what she can buy from them and how much she pays for it.

“Because you’re limited on what you can buy, and what you can buy is at a higher price, then people aren’t going to make it a regular stop, when they’re going to go to town anyway. So, why would they come to your store, when it’s more money? Will it save a little bit on gas? They’re not gonna save that much if your prices are much higher than the big stores.”

Owning the store for six years, Jones has watched customers’ shopping habits change in ways that are making it difficult for small-town merchants.

“People do not have any kind of a sense of community or rural responsibility anymore, period – it is gone. And I believe that the ‘big box’ stores have done it. So, to save what’s left? I’m not sure how to change it, even.”

For now, Jones says they haul their own groceries in from Boise or Portland, which also adds to the cost. The survey found 59 percent of the counties where food insecurity is highest are rural.

Story by Chris Thomas, Oregon News Service

Parents need to take a moment to consider basic safety precautions that will help make Halloween and “Trick or Treating” a safer night of fun:

- CHOOSE bright, flame-retardant costumes or add reflective tape to costumes and candy bags so children are easily seen in the dark. In addition, carry a glow stick or flashlight.

- PLAN a trick-or-treating route in familiar neighborhoods with well-lit streets. Avoid unfamiliar neighborhoods, streets that are isolated, or homes that are poorly lit inside or outside.

- NEVER send young children out alone. They should always be accompanied by a parent or another trusted adult. Older children should always travel in groups.

- ALWAYS walk younger children to the door to receive treats and don’t let children enter a home unless you are with them.

- BE SURE children do not approach any vehicle, occupied or not, unless you are with them.

- DISCUSS basic pedestrian safety rules that children should use when walking to and from houses.

- CONSIDER organizing a home or community party as an alternative to “trick-or-treating.”

- MAKE sure children know their home phone number and address in case you get separated. Teach children how to call 911 in an emergency.

- TEACH children to say “NO!” or “this is not my mother/father” in a loud voice if someone tries to get them to go somewhere, accept anything other than a treat, or leave with them. And teach them that they should make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming and resisting.

- REMIND children to remain alert and report suspicious incidents to parents and/or law enforcement.

Child safety is vital year round, but Halloween is an especially important time for parents and children to pay extra attention to their surroundings and not let their guard down. To help parents be prepared year round, the Oregon State Police – Missing Children Clearinghouse (OSP MCC) provides ID Complete Child Identification and DNA kits in case your child ever becomes missing. The free kits are available in English and Spanish.

To obtain a child ID Complete kit from the Oregon State Police – Missing Children Clearinghouse, call (503) 934-0188 or outside Salem at 1-800-282-7155, or e-mail child.idkits@state.or.us . Please provide your name, address, number of kits needed and a call back phone number when making a request.

On October 12, 2010, OSP Trooper Tom Hutchison was investigating a report of an illegally killed deer and went to a residence on Highway 395 in Long Creek, Oregon. Upon arrival, the trooper noticed an overwhelming odor of marijuana coming from inside the home and knocked on the front door. The door was answered by a 25-year old pregnant woman who lives at the residence with her boyfriend.

Subsequent investigation confirmed the initial complaint regarding the poached deer. The residence was secured and a search warrant was obtained to search the home.

With the assistance of two members of the Baker County Drug Task Force, OSP troopers located and seized multiple packages of deer meat. Seventeen mature marijuana plants and numerous harvested, drying plants were also found, some of which were hanging over a crib in a bedroom.

As part of the ongoing investigation, Lucas Forrest, age 25, was later cited to appear in Grant County Justice Court for Unlawfully Taking Doe Deer during Closed Season and No Hunting License.

Troopers seized the marijuana and other evidence from the home. The investigation will be forwarded to the Grant County District Attorney’s Office for further prosecution consideration. The woman’s name is withheld pending a decision on future charges.

Wood you help us? The No. 3 Heisler locomotive will be operating the rest of the season, and it is a wood- burning locomotive. Donations of wood are needed to burn for the season, or to put up to dry for next season. Contact Cynthia Christy at 541-519-1115 to arrange to have wood picked up in the Baker City or Sumpter area, or to make arrangements to unload your donation at McEwen. Thanks to everyone for the support of the operation of the railroad. Come ride behind the unique wood burning locomotive.

Robbery dates for 2010 include July 10, 11, and 25, with no robbery the last Sunday of the month. Round trip trains depart McEwen at 10:00 AM and 1:15 PM, and at noon from Sumpter. The train robberies are on the way to the Sumpter Depot, and every round trip will be robbed on the scheduled days. Round trip price for adults is $15. The cab pass special (riding in the cab of the locomotive) that includes a year’s SVRR membership is also still available. Call 1-800-523-1235 or e-mail sumptervalleyinfo@yahoo.com for more information.

Story and photos submtted by Cynthia Christy of the Sumpter Valley Railroad.

According to OSP Sergeant Gordon Larson, on May 20, 2010 at approximately 1:55 p.m. Grant County 9-1-1 received a report of a car in the John Day River in the Picture Gorge area of the John Day Fossil Beds National Park.  The Picture Gorge is about five miles west of Dayville in Grant County.  The car was traveling westbound when it failed to negotiate a curve and went into the river.  The continued downstream about 800 feet before getting stuck on a submerged large rock.

Upon arrival, officers and emergency responders spotted the car submerged in the middle of the river which was at high levels due to recent rain in the area.

A man, identified as MILTON PEARLMAN, age 90, from northeast Portland, had reportedly been in the water for over 30 minutes when officers arrived.  PEARLMAN was quickly becoming hypothermic, so OSP Trooper Marv Ritter donned a life jacket and tied a line to him to attempt a swift water rescue.

Ritter, age 57, entered the river several hundred feet above the car and was able to swim to the middle of the river as the current carried him downstream.  Ritter grabbed onto the car and PEARLMAN, placed a life jacket on him and was pulled back to shore by numerous emergency personnel, deputies and Sergeant Larson.
Immediately upon returning to shore, PEARLMAN was treated by medical responders and quickly rushed to the John Day Hospital for treatment of hypothermia.  PEARLMAN was held overnight and is expected to be released Friday after his son arrives from the Salem area.

Ritter’s lifesaving effort was helped by other officers, volunteer ambulance and fire personnel from Dayville, ODOT and numerous citizens who stopped at the scene.

Ritter has worked for OSP for 5 years in the Fish & Wildlife Division at the OSP John Day work site.  He had previous law enforcement experience before joining OSP.

Larson and Ritter visited PEARLMAN Thursday night at the hospital.  They said he was doing very well and was in good spirits.  PEARLMAN was traveling in eastern Oregon to see the sights and had left Baker City for Condon when this incident occurred.

Photograph Source: Oregon State Police