|
|
News Archive
Photo by David Conn
City Council Supports County Commissioners Transient Tax Committee Change
By Doyle Perry
The Baker City Council voted on two resolutions and an action request Tuesday night at their regular meeting at City Hall. The entire agenda filled just short of one hour that included other department reports as well.
Transient Lodging Tax Committee
The Council had been requested by the Baker County Commissioners to increase the number of members on the Transient Lodging Tax Committee from five to seven. The Commissioners asked the Council to support an amendment to County Ordinance 2006-01, which created a countywide transient, lodging tax to assess, collect and administer the tax. County Commissioners report that the committee has at times experienced difficulty in attracting a quorum of members to meetings. The City Council voted unanimously (6-0) to pass Resolution No. 3670 that supports Baker County amendments. Councilor Milo Pope was not in attendance.
New Wolf Pack In Snake River Unit
LA GRANDE — A new wolf pack is using the Snake River wildlife management unit of northeast Oregon, which borders Idaho and includes the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and Wilderness.
ODFW surveyed the area last week, after receiving reports and trail camera photographs from hunters indicating wolves were in the area. Tracks from at least five different wolves were documented on Thursday. Though the photographs provided to ODFW indicate that at least one pup was produced in this area, the new pack will not be considered a “breeding pair” unless two or more pups are documented in December.
ODFW encourages hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts to report wolf sightings using the online reporting system or by phone. “These public wolf reports from Oregon’s outdoor enthusiasts really help us target our survey efforts and make the best use of limited resources.” said Russ Morgan, ODFW wolf program coordinator.
Grant Johnson Plays For OSU
By Eden Taylor
Grant Johnson, 2007 Baker High Graduate, is a senior at Oregon State University. At 6 foot 3 inches and 293 pounds, Johnson is the center on the OSU Football team. Johnson is a respected leader on his team. He was on a preseason watch-list for the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the nation’s best center.
In an article by Anthony Casson in the program for the BYU vs OSU game, Johnson is touted as a “leader through action and a few words. He fully embraces the role; he loves it.” Johnson started out his freshman year as the backup center to Alex Linnenkohl. The next two seasons he played left guard, with 30 consecutive starts. Now back at Center, Johnson has to pick apart defensive fronts and linebacker attacks as he directs his linemates and keeps his cool.
Casson quotes senior teammate Burke Ellis who plays right guard next to Johnson, “I love having him there (at center). The center has got to be one of the toughest jobs.
|
|
Photo By Maryanne Lovell
Farewell Bend’s restaurant, above, and motel at right, now beckons would-be guests with weeds, overflowing garbage and mud swallow nests tucked under the eves.
Huntington-Area I-84 Landmark
Remains Vacant
By Maryanne Lovell
The Farewell Bend exit of I-84 means different things to different people. It's the southern entrance into Huntington, just a few miles farther north up old Highway 30, passing by the historic VanOrnum murder and burial site of late wagon train days. It's the closest exit to Farewell Bend State Park, that green jewel along the Snake River which offers camping 12 months a year. It's where the trucks get off I-84 for their mandatory weigh ins and permits. People get off at this exit to hunt for wagon train tracks.
And until this year, it meant something else: A place to get gas when the fuel tank was heading to empty. Joy Travel Plaza which provided its once thriving gas station, adequate cafe and sometimes-open bar, plus a quiet motel which housed truckers and tired travelers, has now been closed for months. ODOT's signs have been removed from the I-84 exit, Texaco's gas pumps long pulled out.
School Board Adopts ‘Weapons In Schools’ Policy
By Doyle Perry
The Baker School Board and interested patrons gathered for over three hours Tuesday night at the District Office. The main entree on the table was much discussion, often turning into arguing about the District’s policy on “Weapons in School.”
There was much other activity at the meeting as well. Two Students of the month were honored. Correspondence was presented on the employees’ opinion on weapons control, and several department reports were presented.
In reviewing Trespass Policy, the District determined that they had a “No Weapons” policy for students in place but not one for adults. Concerns about a possible weapon incident involving an adult on school ground prompted attempts to call police to school facilities. However, police must have justification to respond to such calls and there was no specific Adult “No Weapons” policy in place. Three concerns are considered when placing such a policy:
• Weapons – Adults, acceptable reasons to carry in Public buildings include carrying in performance of their job (Police, FBI, Agriculture tools, etc); Responsible authorized permission of principal (example weapon to be used as prop for a production, a starter pistol, etc.); Licenses, Handgun concealed carry permit.
• Doe vs. Medford – fully explained later in this article
• Insurance actuaries – determine of what is safe and what is less safe.
Commissioners To File Injunction Against Columbia Basin Helicopter
By Debby Schoeningh
County Commissioners said they will seek a court injunction against Columbia Basin Helicopter Inc. (CBH), a firm that has been operating on rural residential zoned property for the past 16 years in the Pine Creek area near Baker City. The injunction would halt helicopters from taking off and landing on CBH’s Ben Dier Road property.
County Commision Chair Fred Warner Jr. said, “The County will ask for an injunction and spend as little money as the County needs to, to do that.”
Once filed, David McCarty, owner of CBH, will have 30 days from the day he is served to respond.
CBH works with State, Federal, and private industry in helicopter spray, fertilizer, erosion prevention, forest fire fighting, and general utility lift work. The company offers both flight and on ground (tractor) spraying services.
Mark Bennett, Baker County planning director, said the County is acting under a 1983 ordinance which dictates rural residential zone uses.
Bennett said the discussion on CBH’s helicopter activity began in 1994 when McCarty purchased the property, and the Planning Department’s posture since has been to work with the landowner.
County Commission And City Council Hold Joint Meeting
By Joni Lea Linscott
The County Commissioners office and City Council held a joint meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 18. During this meeting they heard updates on several projects that are going on not only in Baker City, but in Baker County as well.
Marketing Update
Timothy Bishop, Baker County tourism director, gave a presentation on the projects he has been working on. Bishop has been in Baker City for just over 15 months, and stated that it has been a very exciting year for him. He said he hasn't had a chance to meet everyone yet, but it has been a successful year for him working on bringing tourism to Baker County. Bishop explained that in terms of results, he has seen the transient lodging taxes go up 20% since last fiscal year, which is a substantial increase. He attributed this increase to two things; advertising, and “running.” In terms of advertising, he has personally made several changes. The first being updating the ads being run in several travel magazines for Base Camp Baker, making them more exciting. He handed out magazines with the new ads to those present.
|
|
Submitted Photo
Idaho Woman Charged By Wolf
By Debby Schoeningh
Rene Anderson of Headquarters, Idaho reported that a Canadian Gray wolf charged her just outside of Headquarters while she was bow hunting and cow calling for elk on Sept. 15.
Anderson said she shot the wolf, which weighed over 100-pounds, four times with a .44 mag pistol after it ran down a ridge toward her and jumped up on a pile of logs in front of her about 10 feet away. She reported that the wind was at her back so the wolf should have been able to smell that she was human.
Mike Keckler, chief of communications for Idaho Fish and Game, said Anderson had a wolf tag and had harvested the animal legally. Anderson filed a big game mortality report with Fish and Game.
Council Hears Options For Resort Street Project
By Joni Lea Linscott
Assistant Public Works Director Gary Van Patten gave Baker City Councilors an update on the two designs for Resort Street that have been designed by Anderson Perry & Associates during their Oct. 11 meeting.
The first of the two options includes parallel parking on the west side of Resort, and diagonal parking on the east side. This is the current layout and provides the most parking spaces, but with the narrower pavement it will look more like First Street.
The second option includes parallel parking on both sides of the street and accommodates six-foot bike lanes on both sides of the street as well. The bike lanes would encourage alternate transportation downtown and makes a nice tie-in with the Leo Adler Memorial Parkway. This option will reduce parking spaces. The amount of available spaces will depend upon the size of each space.
Albertsons Sells Fuel Stations To Tesoro
By Joni Lea Linscott
Albertsons Grocery stores have recently made a decision to start a partnership with Tesoro fuel stations, by selling the gas station section of their businesses to Tesoro. Albertsons has a total of 124 fuel centers in all including the one in Baker City, and by selling the fuel centers to Tesoro, this will give them the opportunity to re-invest in the grocery stores.
Tesoro will start a new gas rewards program with Albertsons allowing customers to still be able to earn and redeem the rewards, also giving them a wider range of opportunity to redeem rewards when they are on the road, or if they live in remote locations, since Tesoro currently has more fuel centers than Albertsons, expanding through Oregon and Washington.
Obama Administration To Speed Up Power Line Permitting Process
Local B2H Line Included
The Obama Administration last week announced it would accelerate the permitting and construction of seven proposed electric transmission lines, including the Boardman to Hemingway line, which is planned to go through Baker County.
The Boardman-Hemingway 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line proposed by Idaho Power would create an approximately 300-mile long, single-circuit electric transmission line from a proposed substation near Boardman, Ore., to the Hemingway Substation near Melba, Idaho. According to the developer of this project during peak construction, this project is estimated to create about 500 jobs in Idaho and Oregon.
Clothes Outlet Preparing To Open In New Location
By Joni Lea Linscott
The Clothes Outlet, which is owned and operated by Jeff Nelson, recently closed its doors on Baker City’s Main Street, but not permanently. The closure was due to some changes and expansions with other businesses located downtown Baker City.
According to Nelson, The Clothes Outlet will be reopening the first of November. He plans to keep the layout of the store the same, with some expansions to the body jewelry department and kids department.
The new location will be 1924 Broadway Ave., next to Bull Ridge Brew Pub.
|
|
OSP Traffic Stop Leads To Seizure Of 11 Lbs. Of Marijuana And Arrest Of New York Resident On Interstate 84 In Pendleton, Ore.
An Oregon State Police (OSP) trooper arrested a New York resident Saturday afternoon when a traffic stop in the Pendleton area led to the discovery of approximately 11 pounds of marijuana in a vehicle.
According to OSP Lieutenant Greg Sherman, on Sept. 17, 2011 at approximately 5:10 p.m. an OSP trooper stopped a 1999 Dodge Caravan displaying Michigan license plates for a traffic violation eastbound on Interstate 84 near milepost 209. The trooper identified the van's driver as Brandon M. Quin, age 20, from Brooklyn, New York.
BOLI Announces 2012 Minimum Wage
PORTLAND- State Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian announced today that Oregon’s minimum wage will rise to $8.80 per hour next year. The 30-cent increase mirrors a 3.77% increase in the Consumer Price Index since August 2010. Oregon’s minimum wage rate remains $8.50 per hour for all hours worked in 2011. Washington, where the minimum wage is currently $8.67 per hour, will announce its 2012 minimum wage on Sept. 30th.
“Safeguarding the wages of low-income workers is especially critical in a tough economy," Avakian said. "Oregon’s economy will not rebound if we allow 144,538 minimum wage earners to fall behind inflation.”
Bates State Park Near Austin Junction Is A Slice Of Oregon's History
Prairie City OR -- A public ceremony to be held from 10 am-Noon September 20, 2011 at Bates State Park in eastern Oregon will celebrate the grand opening of Oregon's newest state park. It is the eighth new state park to be opened by Oregon Parks and Recreation (OPRD) since 2004. The new park is located off Oregon Highway 7, one mile north of the intersection with U.S. Highway 26 at Austin Junction. The public is invited to attend the opening, which will feature reading of a poem written for the occasion by Oregon Poet Laureate Paulann Petersen.
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, 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.
|
|
| | << Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next > End >>
| | Results 1 - 8 of 199 |
|
|
