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News Archive
2009 Twilight Parade Has 27 Entries Despite Bitter Cold
Baker City’s 2009 Twilight Parade was one of the longer winter parades in memory with 27 entries. The parade began at 5 p.m. and lasted about half an hour.
As temperatures dropped down into the teens, parade goers were warmed by the Lions Club burn barrels and hot chocolate on both sides of Main Street at Court. The Baker High School Bel Canto Choir sang carols up and down Main Street and at the Christmas Tree for the Lighting.
Parade Winners.
Best Use of Lights: Baker City Fire Department Ladder Truck
Best Use of Music: Baker Elks Drum & Bugle Corps
Best Use of Theme: (Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas) Fraternal Order of Eagles
Baker To Face Marist In State Championship Game
By Eden Taylor
For the first time in Baker High School’s recent history, the Bulldogs will be playing for the State Football Championship. The Bulldogs face the Marist Spartans in an 11 a.m. game at Reser Stadium at OSU campus in Corvallis on Saturday, Dec. 12.
The undefeated Spartans are the Sky-Em League champions. Marist is a private Catholic high school located in Eugene. Their trip to Corvallis will take only an hour. The navy and Vegas gold Spartans play on artificial turf in their home stadium. They defeated Ontario in the semi-finals last week 42-7. Marist played both their other playoff games on their home turf. They defeated Cascade 62-0 and Central 30-22.
Council Selects UV Water Treatment Option, Discuss Re-Hiring Of Retired Employees
By Mark Bogart
The Baker City Council dealt with water, transportation and employment issues at its Dec. 8 meeting at City Hall. Councilors approved a method for additional purification of city water and designated a representative to negotiate with the federal government regarding upgrades to the pipeline running from the watershed to city’s water storage facilities. They also discussed the practice of rehiring employees who retire and begin collecting benefits, and heard a report on the status of the Leo Adler Parkway and Central Park plans. Councilor Andrew Bryan was absent.
After reviewing several options, the Council selected ultra-violet (UV) light as the additional disinfection method for the municipal water system. The action was necessitated by federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements enacted in 2006.
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Second Annual Turkey Trot Raises $3,300 To Feed The Needy
Nearly 300 runners and walkers lined up on Main Street in front of Kicks Sportswear for the second annual 5K Turkey Trot last Thursday morning. Donations benefit the Nazarene Church’s Northwest Compassion Center. Almost a ton of donated food items were collected in addition to over $3,300.
The men’s winners were: 1. James Schmeits, 2. Jason Hardrath, 3. Micah Johnson.
The women’s winners were: 1.Robbie Langrell, 2. Robin Welter, 3. Frances Langrell.
Participants were treated to hot coffee and cocoa, as well as prizes donated by various businesses from around the Baker City area.
City Council Approves HBC To Continue Management Of Main Street Program, Selects Airport Engineering Firm
By Mark Bogart
The Baker City Council worked quickly through its agenda at the Nov. 24 meeting. It approved the selection of an airport engineering firm and the continued designation of Historic Baker City (HBC) to manage the Main Street Program included in the Economic Improvement Plan. The council also accepted the retirement and temporary rehiring of an employee.
The meeting began with the approval of the “consent agenda,” which included minutes for three prior meetings and the certification of the recall election results. The need to approve three sets of minutes resulted from councilors’ desire to clarify summaries of their statements regarding the firing of former City Manager Steve Brocato and related issues in past meetings. This time the minutes were approved unanimously with only one minor correction. The recall effort was formally completed with the certifying of results. Both Mayor Dennis Dorrah and Councilor Beverly Calder withstood the recall attempt in November. In the election, 938 people voted to recall Dorrah while 2,288 voted no. Calder’s results were 1,036 yes votes and 2,187 opposed.
Civil War For The Roses Baker’s Grant Johnson To Play For OSU Beavers
By Eden Taylor
Today (Dec. 3) is a significant day in Oregon. It is the day Oregon State and Oregon clash college football’s “Civil War.” It’s when loving friends and families are torn apart for a few hours because most of us have definite opinions on which team should win.
The OSU Beavers will visit the U of O Ducks in Autzen Stadium. The game will begin at 6 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.
The Civil War has a long history. While it only lasts a few hours, the week prior becomes a labyrinth of analyzation. Who has the better running back? Who has the better coach? Will this defense be able to stop that offense? Who has the cleaner shoes? Whose quarterback is better looking? Etc. Once analyzed into the ground, the game can finally begin.
Ulrey Announces Retirement
By Eden Taylor
Baker 5J Superintendent Don Ulrey submitted a letter to the School Board announcing that he will retire on April 29, 2010. He said he is retiring with very mixed emotions. He has served children and schools in Oregon for over 40 years.
In his letter Ulrey stated, “I am very proud of all of you; the students, teachers, board members, support staff, administrators and district office staff for your dedication and commitment to excellence. “ He further wrote that, “The accomplishments of staff and students are evident as I step away from the best school district with the best staff in Eastern Oregon. I will miss you.” Ulrey reemphasized that point at the board meeting on Nov. 23, “I really mean it.”
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Baker City’s Christmas Tree Arrives On Main Street
At about 9 a.m. last Saturday morning, a blue spruce donated by Jo Vernholm took its place as this year’s community Christmas tree. The tree, which is approximately 35 feet tall, was transported from Grove Street to Court Avenue between Main and Resort. The tree will be decorated during the next week, and City employees will flip on its festive lights the evening of Dec. 5 after the Christmas Twilight Parade.
Third Van Occupant Dies From Injuries
The Ada County, Idaho Coroner's Office notified Oregon State Police (OSP) Monday of the death of a third person who was a passenger in a Nov. 12 fatal van rollover crash on Interstate 84 about five miles west of Baker City. The investigation has not been completed nor reviewed by the Baker County District Attorney's Office, so no additional details will be released.
According to Ada County Coroner's Office, Phillip Joel Harris, 24, from Attalla, Ala., died early Sunday morning, Nov. 22, at a Boise-area hospital where he was being treated since the crash.
Planning Commission Public Hearing Continues On Proposed Zoning Ordinances
By Suzanne Ellis Jones
The Baker County Planning Commission met for another public hearing on the proposed zoning ordinances last Tuesday night at the Courthouse. Public testimony was taken on Chapters 340, the Transportation Standards and Chapter 750 on the Wind Power Generation Facilities. Only three people testified on the proposed ordinances.
Planning commission members in attendance were Anna Sullivan, Jim Grove, Don Silva, Bill Harvey and Randy Joseph. Grove and Silva are newly appointed commissioners and this is their second meeting. Staff attending was Holly Kerns, Mark Bennett and Donna Thibodeau.
Ten Wolves In Video Of Imnaha Pack
A video at http://www.dfw.state. or.us/news/video_gallery/imnaha_wolf_pack.asp, taken by ODFW on Nov. 12, 2009 in the Imnaha Wildlife Management Unit (east of Joseph, Ore. in Wallowa County) shows at least 10 wolves in a pack ODFW has been monitoring since June 2008. The video was taken from an adjacent ridge across a canyon and shows a mixture of gray and black individual wolves moving upslope.
“ODFW has been regularly monitoring this pack but until this video was taken, we only had evidence of a minimum of three adults and three pups making up the pack, says Russ Morgan, ODFW wolf coordinator. “Pups can be difficult to distinguish at this distance, but it appears there may be as many as six pups in the video.
Wolf litters generally average around five pups, but more is not uncommon,” he added.
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Two Die In Fatal Crash Near Baker City
Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers, with the assistance of local police and emergency responders, are continuing the investigation into an early Thursday morning single vehicle rollover crash on Interstate 84 about five miles west of Baker City that resulted in the death of two people and injuries to 14 others.
The van involved is reportedly registered to New Life Worship Center in Federal Heights, Colo., and is affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Masters Commission. The group was enroute to Portland, Ore., for a conference to raise funds for the commission's discipleship program. Crash scene investigators have finished at the scene, and are continuing to gather information with the help of agencies in Oregon, Idaho and Colorado.
Baker City Manager Candidates Narrowed To Two
By Mark Bogart
The Baker City City Council voted Monday afternoon to conduct background checks on two top contenders for the city manager position. Tim Johnson of Portland and Clarence Hulse of Cocoa, Fla. remain as possible replacements for former City Manager Steve Brocato.
After discussing the options in executive (closed) session, the Council returned to open session for its decision. Aletha Bonebrake moved to offer the job to Johnson contingent on a background check and public input. However, interim City Manager Tim Collins recommended maintaining two finalists in order to avoid possible conflict with a state law requiring public involvement before a final decision is made.
Number Of Swine Flu Cases Increases
By Mark Bogart
The estimated numbers of hospitalizations and deaths due to H1N1 pandemic flu, often called swine flu, took a dramatic jump last week, partly due to refinements in the way estimates are made. More is also being learned about who is most likely to face hospitalization or death from this strain of flu. Because most cases don’t require a doctor’s care, and because most victims are not tested, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has had to reevaluate how it estimates the number of cases. It now estimates 22 million cases and 4,000 deaths in the U.S. from the illness since last April. An estimated 540 children are thought to have died from H1N1.
The CDC has narrowed its focus on risk groups due to recent data and a continuing shortage of vaccine. Oregon health officials report that, “Over 90 percent of people hospitalized with H1N1 have been pregnant women, children 5 and under… and people with underlying health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and cardio-pulmonary disease.” While millions of people have contracted the disease, most recover without medical care, so officials at all levels are reaching out to the high risk groups in an attempt to get them vaccinated as soon as possible.
Haystack Fire Consumes More Than 100 Tons
A fire broke out early last Friday afternoon in a hay shed owned by John and Kate Rohner. The shed was located outside Baker City on Pocahontas Road.
An estimated 100-150 tons of hay were lost in the blaze. The efforts of the Baker Rural Fire Department and Haines Fire Department, as well as those of quick-thinking neighbors with tractors, helped to save the remaining 400 tons.
The fire is thought to have started due to spontaneous combustion within the stack, a phenomena that occurs when hay is baled and stacked too green and the resulting moisture-created mold within the bales self-ignites as heat is produced..
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