JOHN DAY, Oregon — The news that Malheur Lumber will be shutting its doors permanently has hit this community of 1,700 people like a freight train, prompting locals and lawmakers to search for solutions that could keep Grant County’s last lumber mill operating. …Blue Mountains Forest Partners and the Harney County Restoration Collaborative, a pair of stakeholder groups that include representatives of conservation and timber industry interests, worked with the Malheur National Forest to hammer out a deal that ensured a steady stream of logs for Malheur Lumber. That contract, which was criticized by some of Iron Triangle’s competitors, expired in March 2023. Now many are wondering what, if anything, can be done to prevent the mill’s closure this time around. …The key to keeping Malheur Lumber’s doors open, Ward said, is resolving the company’s workforce issues.