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Opinions
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—Editorial—
Watch For Kids!
School is almost out and kids will be skateboarding, bicycling and playing, and flooding the streets, parks and sidewalks for the better part of the next three months. Drivers who aren’t used to seeing children out and about during the day now need to be extra cautious at intersections, side streets and basically everywhere. Let's face it most parents and teachers do the best they can at teaching children to obey traffic lights and crosswalk signals, and where to safely cross streets, but kids will be kids and they will occasionally dart out in traffic to retrieve a wayward soccer ball.
Drivers need to put down their cell phones, put lipstick on and comb their hair before they leave the house, wait until they arrive at their destination to eat that hamburger or drink that coke, give their honey kisses some other time, and slow down to watch for kids.
Parents have a responsibility to make sure their children wear the proper safety equipment and helmets while skateboarding, rollerblading and biking and that their children understand the importance of obeying traffic control devices.
Parents also need to make sure younger children are properly supervised and that older children obey local curfew laws. In Baker City the curfew for children under 18 is 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., during which time they cannot “wander, stroll or play” without adult supervision.
Even though skateboarding, rollerblading and bicycling on sidewalks is illegal in downtown portions of Baker City, pedestrians need to be on the lookout for adults and kids who do not adhere to these laws. Having someone on a skateboard run you over as you come out of a store could cause some serious pain.
Bikes, skateboards and rollerblades ridden on the street are considered the same as a vehicle and those who use them on the streets need to obey the traffic laws.
Sgt. Kirk McCormick with the Baker City Police Department says it best, “Slow down does not equal stop” for any mode of transportation.
People of all ages have a responsibility to be on the lookout for moving automobiles and motorcycles and realize that drivers may become distracted and won't always see them.
An accident could be devastating to a child and their family and it could emotionally scar a driver for life. At that point it doesn't really matter who's fault it is, prevention is the key. (DS)
—Letters To The Editor—
Appeasement Jeopardizes National Security
To The Record-Courier:
President Obama is making mistakes impacting our foreign policy.
The Administration tried appeasement when it declared Chavez’s president-for-life referendum was “for the most part …. a process that was fully consistent with a democratic process.”
The Administration looked the other way when Russia pressured Kyrgyestan to shut down a valuable U.S. air base.
In Turkey Obama said “The United States is not, and never will be, at war with Islam,” which is true, but he should have stated the U.S. will pursue Islamic terrorists.
The President warned North Korea it would suffer “consequences” if it went ahead with the launch of a long range missile, but North Korea snubbed the U.S. and launched the missile on a 2000 mile run. Also, North Korea recently restarted its nuclear weapons development program.
Obama is making reconciliation overtures to Cuba, but Cuba is negotiating to allow Russian warships and aircraft to refuel at Cuban bases; and Russia might be allowed to reopen an electronic intelligence gathering operation in Lourdes.
Appeasing and apologizing (for nothing) to these totalitarian countries is interpreted as groveling weakness by the Administration, and it is jeopardizing our national security.
Donald A. Moskowitz
Londonderry, NH
Greenhouse Windows Needed
To The Record-Courier:
Well wouldn’t you know it, I wasn’t too far off with the weather misnomers. Since then my place at one point looked like a jungle growing in my house and now they are outside with a mini greenhouse covered with windows and growing to say the least including my potatoes, which I have a little mesh greenhouse covering them to keep the predators away, so much for predators these days.
If the weather is in full swing at the writing of this letter this past weekend, all will take off for the holiday. The bases are all covered at that, and yes the onions are in full swing now — too amazing what windows can do for a greenhouse. I do need some larger windows for my other section so if anyone is wishing to donate a few to see someone else make use of them please email me at Brendajames@q.com.
This year is even unusual for the lilac bushes not to be blooming on time this year. Many people like to use them for the Memorial Day weekend Cemetery, and all the events to add to their display for remembering their loved ones.
While in one of the stores once again, another comment was made to me about keeping the letters coming. I will have to see what I can make out of that and stretch it a mile or two.
Yes so many issues and events, keep coming at us every day it seems like.
You know, I could have mentioned in my last letter about what the Biblical character David and Goliath did to knock the big giant down. It doesn’t take much on what we can do to remedy situations, but given the laws of our country it kinda makes one think twice.
You know back in the early days there were no laws to govern so to speak as to what it took in protecting one’s turf, what one could do and or not do. This kind of reminds me of even the early days of the Bible at how people were put into the rings for the fans to watch the lions go for human flesh. So will we be in the lions den so to speak, let alone wolves to be trampled on at their leisure without defending ourselves? So much for the big bad wolf as one would put it.
Coffee Anyone?
Brenda Dickison
Baker City, Ore.
Local Show, One Of The Best
To The Record-Courier:
“Swingtime Canteen” is one of the best, most entertaining productions that we have had for many years! You still have a chance to see and to hear the wonderful World War II songs next Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the former Natatorium, now renamed the Baker Heritage Museum.
Can you believe we once voted to tear this magnificent building down? As I watched the show in the ballroom, I thought how grateful we should be to Alice Warnock, Carolyn Sherrieb and others who had the vision to restore the old “Nat” and save many artifacts from Eastern Oregon.
Fran Burgess
Baker City
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—Guest Opinion—
Wings Over Baker Airshow Takes A Year Off
By Mel Cross
I am writing to announce that after nine successful years of the “Wings Over Baker” airshow, we have decided to take a year off. A lot of folks have been asking about it, so we thought we should let you know why.
This was an incredibly tough decision to make, as it has become a popular summer event for the community, having started out as a fly-in breakfast for local people and pilots from out of the area, and evolving into a two-day event that includes a night pyrotechnic show aerobatic airplanes in the night sky to glider rides, skydives, helicopter rides, vendors and ending on Saturday with a two-hour aerobatic airshow. The original huckleberry pancake breakfast continues to be as well liked as ever.
Now the three reasons for canceling the 2009 show: economy, economy, economy.
The airshow has a cost of $25,000. It is difficult to sponsor an event with this kind of expense without funds on hand before the event, which is what we have always done and worry about gate fees and donors making it work.
Our plans are to bring it back in 2010 with some fundraising events between now and then. We would need to raise between ten and fifteen thousand dollars in order to make it feasible to have the show. We have some ideas but are asking for more and hope you will support it in a couple ways. One is that we would never turn down outright contributions and two, we would like to hear from you if you have some fundraising ideas. We would also like to have anyone who would like to be a member of WOB, we would welcome you, and there is no cost. We will not work you to death and will not “meeting” you to death. We just want people who are of the same interest with the group for events like Wings Over Baker Airshow. I know we can make it work.
Our Wings Over Baker is a 501C3 nonprofit group, formed for a variety of reasons. We will continue the airshow but would also like to fund a yearly $1,000 scholarship for a high school student with the ability and desire to learn to fly as a career, receive his or her student pilot’s license, and historic air museum is not out of the question as well.
Thank you for your continued support, and we hope to see you at one of our fundraising events.
Memorial Day Is For Patriots
By David K. Rehbein
In some circles, patriotism has become a synonym for arrogant or jingoistic. Some people even use it as a political weapon; “Don’t question my patriotism,” they say. Yet, this Memorial Day, and every other day for that matter, we should remember that those who died for this country are the true patriots.
Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes called Memorial Day, “our most respected holiday,” and urged that “we not ponder with sad thoughts the passing of our heroes but rather ponder their legacy – the life they made possible for us by their commitment and pain.”
At its core, Memorial Day has always commemorated the universal all-encompassing understanding of, “No greater love than this does any man have, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
President Lincoln put their sacrifice into perspective at the battlefield in Gettysburg when he said, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.”
After the terrorists struck us on 9/11, America was changed. Our all volunteer force responded. People with comfortable jobs left their towns and deployed with their Reserve and Guard units. Some even joined the active-duty forces. The existing military responded in its typical heroic fashion, overthrowing a tyrannical regime in Afghanistan and battling ruthless insurgents in Iraq. Thousands gave their lives.
The call to freedom came and they answered. Just as their predecessors in the two world wars, Korea, Vietnam, Beirut, Grenada, and the Persian Gulf, the War on Terrorism is being won by ordinary Americans making extraordinary sacrifices.
One such man was Marine Cpl. Travis Braddack-Nail of Portland, Ore. He played the drums, loved punk rock and drove his mother crazy with his tattoos. Although he hoped to attend college, he extended his stay in Iraq to help his platoon. “The platoon wasn’t surprised by his decision. He would always step in and take his spot,” a Marine buddy recalled.
Travis was killed two months later in an explosion during a mine-clearing operation near Karbala. We owe Travis, and the men and women like him, our unending respect and gratitude.
The Preamble to The American Legion’s Constitution states in part, “to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars.” On Memorial Day, we call on all Americans to do this.
Memorial Day is not about trips to the beach or sporting events. It’s not about politics. It’s about people who have decided that the United States is worth dying for. It’s about patriots.
David K. Rehbein, of Ames, Iowa, is national commander of the 2.6 million-member American Legion, www.legion.org, the nation’s largest wartime veterans organization.
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—Editorial—
Pork Producers Will Have To Wallow In Aftermath Of Swine Flu Scare
Mention swine flu and the word “pandemic” immediately pops up. Alerts have been issued, schools have closed and a general panic has ensued.
Media headlines range from “Swine flu rattles global economy” to “Swine flu unstoppable.” One publication reported that “Swine flu keeps investors, businesses on edge.”
Naming the illness “swine” flu has also raised concerns for pork producers who say prices have dropped even though the illness isn’t spread by eating pork. China, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates have banned meat and pork products from some parts of the United States. Russia banned imports of all meat not thermally treated from Mexico and raw pork from eight US states. China also banned imports of live pigs and pork products from Mexico, Texas, California and Kansas. Serbia banned pork from all of North America.
The US Trade Representative stated "Restrictions on U.S. pork or pork products or any meat products from the United States resulting from the recent outbreak do not appear to be based on scientific evidence and may result in serious trade disruptions without cause."
So why the ban? Maybe other countries refuse to believe what scientists have repeatedly said, “Swine flu cannot be contracted from eating pork.” Even if pork had the influenza virus in it, which it doesn’t, scientists say cooking it would destroy it anyway. The only other conclusion I can come to is that these countries are seeing this as an opportunity to ban imports and drive their own pork markets up.
U.S. hog futures have fallen, meat packing companies have had to cut pork production, and retail orders have decreased. If the swine flu scare continues it could have a serious impact on our already flagging economy.
Even though swine flu can spread to people from contact with infected pigs or areas where the pigs have been, pork has taken a bad rap. Officials are now trying to refer to it as the “H1N1” virus instead of swine flu, but the damage has been done and now pork producers will have to wallow in the aftermath, much like the poultry producers did from bird flu.
Although there is cause for concern, let’s put this flu in perspective. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the common seasonal flu infects 28 million to 56 million in North America each year. Of these, approximately 100,000 are hospitalized and about 36,000 die. So far there have been 1,085 cases of swine flu reported “worldwide” and 26 deaths.
According to Australia’s Sunday Morning Herald there were 12 known transmissions of swine flu to humans in the United States from 2005 to February of this year. This was up from just one person contracting swine flu "every one or two years" across the US up to 2005.
It's true there have been pandemics in the past such as the 1918 Spanish flu that killed almost a half million Americans. But we need to remember that health care and poor living conditions that helped the spread of the virus and secondary infections, which are usually what cause death from flu viruses, were not up to today's standards. Nor did we have the antibiotics and medications to combat the secondary infections as we do today.
It's wise to take precautions during any flu or cold outbreak including washing our hands frequently, staying away from people who are sick as much as possible and covering our mouths and noses with a tissue when we cough or sneeze. But so far experts say that swine flu is not as virulent as initially suspected. The New York Times reported that it lacks certain proteins and amino acids that would make it as deadly as other flus. And it appears similar enough to other common strains that most people may have some immunity.
Banning or refusing to eat pork won’t make the swine flu go away any more than putting lipstick on a pig will make it anything other than a pig. But buying into the pork hype could contribute to the disappearance of the pork industry. (DS)
—Letters To The Editor—
Thank You, Baker County
To The Record-Courier:
On behalf of my family and myself, I would like to take a moment and thank the people of Baker County for the prayers, phone calls and support during the recent events in the Keating Valley. When we decided to move here a few years ago, one of the reasons we chose this area was because we felt a genuine warmth and friendship when we visited the area.
Now with the wolf attacks on our ranch and the Jacobs’ ranch, we have again had the opportunity to experience this. For fear of missing someone, I’m not going to try and name you all. But some that I must mention include the Oregon Cattleman’s Association, Baker County Livestock Association, Oregon Farm Bureau, and Baker County Farm Bureau. All of who contributed time, money and effort in assisting us and providing support for Curt’s and my trip to Salem. Also included in this is ODFW. The wolf crew has worked night and day to try and help us and get the Jacobs’ through this.
The phone calls, emails, words of encouragement and friendly handshakes are more appreciated than can ever be voiced in a newspaper thank you. To our friends and neighbors, words will never be enough. To those of you throughout the county that we have yet to meet, again words will never be enough. But all of you can be assured that if and when the need arises, we will make every effort to return the kindness and support you have shown.
Again thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Tik Moore and Family,
Keating, Ore.
Wyden Misses The Point
To The Record-Courier:
Again Senator Wyden misses the point of forest management. His bill, “Oregon Forest Restoration and Old Growth Protection Act of 2009” with apparently no number, is a complex set of criterion, rules and requirements for managing our forests through legislation driven by environmental concerns and tax expenditure. This bill is a reckless invitation to litigation over the plethora of arbitrary practices outlined. Forest management should be left to the professional managers on a site by site basis and not legislators with less than a modicum of forest management understanding.
We have experienced a time when Oregon, under the legislative guidance of Senator Wyden, saw its economy go up in smoke along with the timber industry as our forest health withered due to environmentally driven mismanagement. I can think of no worse source of guidance for our forest recovery than Senator Wyden. This opinion is based on his record of inaction for the past years as chair of the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests, of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and his complacency during this sympathetic collapse of forests and economy over the last decades in Oregon.
Mr. Wyden’s bill mentions “commercial” in regard to forest management only once in 62 pages and that was a prohibition on page 20 of the draft.
(C) COMMERCIAL SALE. Any tree cut or removed under this paragraph may not be sold commercially.
I didn’t understand “commercial” is a four-letter word in environmental-ese. Commercial harvesting of timber has to be a large part of any attempt to manage our engorged national forests. It is clear to those who have viewed the demise of our economy and our forests that they cannot be maintained in a healthy fashion without monetary input from commercial timber harvest (logging). Tax dollars cannot carry the load of forests that are growing at rates exponentially beyond the rate of currently limited and over-controlled harvesting and/or scrub thinning.
Mr. Wyden’s website includes the following promotional phrase “ecologically-sound production of wood fiber in a way that produces many more good-paying jobs.” This appears to allude to either tax dollar funded jobs or biomass related jobs. We all know where the money comes from for tax dollar funded jobs and that bucket is empty. Biomass jobs are fine, but even in good times they still rarely pencil and are only a fraction of the volume of mass that is needed to clean up our forests.
Leave the management of our forests up to the professionals in the industry, bring back commercial logging and the health of our forest and get the government out of legislating science and economic growth. I ask Senator Wyden to step up and lead the cause for categorical exemptions for managed harvest in forests which have burned or are in dire need of harvesting due to bug infestation or simply due to gross fuel overload. It starts with leadership and there is a seat open for Senator Wyden.
Tim Smith
Harney County
Visual Arts Strong In Baker City
To The Record-Courier:
Last Friday's First Friday demonstrated the many strong supporters of the visual arts in Baker County. Student art from our high schools was overwhelming to me. The exhibits at Clark and Co., Mad Matilda, Crossroads—these are high school students?! How do these art teachers, Abbey Godwin and Brenda Johnson, do it?
The timely mother-daughter show at Crossroads featured artists from Halfway, Union, Baker City, some of the daughters living elsewhere. Exhibits at Earth and Vine featured more local artists.Downtown merchants, schools, Crossroads Arts Center, plus many talented artists combine their talents and resources to make First Friday a memorable event.
Maryalys Urey
Baker City
On Pitbulls And Wolves
To The Record-Courier:
Well with both cars down and one in the shop, after the winter blahs and being stuck indoors other than for my gardening and lawn yard work, I am with a slight bit of humor calling this house arrest. This is not my choice so I am entertaining myself and those who like to read my letters with all the news media coverage, of this and that and so forth.
Now with the swine flu issues, we are being told to even stay at home more so if we feel we have the virus itself or whatever, so guess I might as well as settle in and get used to this idea of being without a car for the moment. Maybe this house arrest thing is a blessing in disguise itself... hmm!
And wouldn’t you know it, I no sooner said something about alfalfa sprouts being good and all, and now their saying there are some issues with that and pistachios as well. I haven’t heard anything anymore other than the one time, too busy keeping up with the swine flu virus....wonder when they will get back to the recalls etc.?
O.K., I saved the best for last on this letter of mine this time, the issues with our wildlife, wolves, you name it. You know the good Lord created them for a purpose and within reason. We all know that we need to protect our turf for whatever comes our way. Remember the poem, “Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?” Well I am sure most of us will do whatever to protect the things that matter the most to us no matter what the consequences do after the fact... and is that going to be any different on the gun control issues, etc.? Electric fences were mentioned not sure if that will even do the job. I can’t even keep the cats out that are so many in our neighborhood to keep from coming in our yard no matter what we do to put our defenses up. Now I am not too sure if that is any more so than the pitbulls that they are trying to outlaw and not have as pets, anymore. I seem to notice more in our neighborhood, as well. So are pitbulls going to be an endangered species as well down the road and we can’t defend ourselves from them?
After all, we were chased by one and had to call the police for our protection around this area and sometimes it can be hard to even go for a walk, so yes, so much for confinement.
Last summer I wasn’t even able to do much in our yard especially the one side at that.
Now they say they have to see them on the loose etc. so much for roaming predators and the issues we face. To bad we couldn’t recall the issues here as well. Remember what the Indians did to protect their food source from the wolves getting to their habitat and all? So much for learning from past experiences... and the knowledge we gain.
Another law, that I do hope passes for our protection is the cell phone users who like to have those phones in their ears while driving their cars. Bad deal.
I am surprised that there aren’t more accidents at that, from people talking on their phones going down the road and who don’t pull over for the safety of others on the road. Stay home if you can’t be away from your phone long enough to enjoy the outdoors etc., and the pleasures of life itself.
Coffee Anyone?
Brenda Dickison
Please Don’t Nail The Poles
To The Record-Courier:
While driving through your local neighborhood you may see a utility pole strategically placed on a well-traveled intersection with hundreds of nails stuck in it. These menacing metallic flesh eaters are remnants from years and years of yard and garage sale signs having been hung on the poles. While this may only seem to be a minor eye sore to the casual passer-by, it is a real safety hazard, as well as, a violation of state regulations.
People who hang signs or connect objects to utility poles create serious working concerns for workers whose job includes climbing them and handling them. Some folks go so far as to hang basketball backboards, bird houses and clothes lines to our poles. Even foliage planted to camouflage the poles such as vines create additional problems. All of these objects have one thing in common; they are dangerous for our linemen.
The National Electrical Code (NESC) is a guideline for construction and safety standards concerning utilities in the United States. The Oregon Public Utility Commission has adopted the entire NESC and, as a result, the Code is essentially state law in Oregon. Within the NESC are rules that expressly forbid tacks, nails, vines or other climbing hazards on poles. Additionally, the rule includes the prohibition of any signs, posters, notices, or other attachments without concurrence with the pole owner.
The NESC requires that utilities monitor poles for illegal attachments. We must then contact individuals who have made the connections and have them remove the hazards. This may all sound as though it is just another layer of government intervention. However, imagine climbing a pole and slipping. If you slip, a person’s first instinct is to hold on tightly. If a lineman does this and slides into a sign or group of nails, no clothing can protect his body from the slicing action he will experience.
We agree that spring fever is in the air and garage sales are a right of passage. But, please avoid attaching anything to utility poles for the sake of the guys who work with them every day.
Ned Ratterman,
OTECC Loss Control Manager
Cooperating Status - Perilous For Citizens
To The Record-Courier:
Most of you, who read this article, know of the Wallowa Whitman National Forest (WWNF) and its Travel Management Plan (TMP). You should also know that it plans to release for public comment its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in June, and this is all based on the Forest’s proposal to close 4,261 miles of roads in the forest and to redesignate all roads, trails and areas as closed unless the Forest Service designates some roads open and publishes a map for the public showing which roads they can use.
In case you didn’t know, this proposal will close at least 60 percent of the roads in the WWNF, which extends into five counties in Eastern Oregon. These are roads in the forest that are in Baker, Wallowa, Union, Umatilla and Grant counties.
All this is quite a switch for a sub-management plant, because the current 1990 Forest Plan, the master management plan, requires all sub plans to follow the direction of the master plan; and the master plan is forest access friendly and cross-country travel friendly, as long as, environmental damage is not occurring. However, what most do not know is that the 2005 Travel Management Rule actually supports prior decisions made for roads, trails and areas in management plans. The 2005 Final Rule says it plain enough: “The Department believes that reviewing and inventorying all roads, trails, and areas without regard to prior travel management decisions...would be unproductive, inefficient, counter to the purpose of this final rule, and disrespectful of public involvement in past decision making...” and, “Nothing in this final rule requires reconsideration of any previous administrative decisions that allow, restrict, or prohibit motor vehicle use on NFS roads and NFS trails or in areas on NFS lands and that were made under other authorities, including decisions made in land management plans...”
I wrote the above to refresh your memories of what the Forest Service is about to do to the citizens in the five counties. There is a way to protect the general welfare of the citizens in these counties and it’s called “coordination.” The U.S. Congress required the Federal land management agencies to coordinate their plans, programs and projects with local governments in all of the Acts that deal with natural resources. What is most interesting is that even in the 2005 Travel Rule it states, “The proposed and final rule requires public involvement in the designation process (Sec. 212.52), and coordination with appropriate Federal, State, county, local and tribal governments in designating roads, trails and areas for motor vehicle use (Sec. 212.53...)”
It was after the Forest Service held its series of meetings on its proposal to close practically all but a few roads in the forest, then, in July of 2008 the five counties agreed together to be cooperating agencies. All of the laws state that Federal agencies have to “coordinate” their plans with local governments, yet instead, the Forest Service gets the five counties to sign an agreement to be cooperator in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This MOU gives all final decisions to the Forest Service. But under coordination, the Forest’s plans have to be consistent with the planning process of the counties.
The problem is that county commissioners were elected to protect the general welfare of the citizens in their jurisdictions. They are there to protect the custom and culture of access to the forests, as well as access for grazing, mining and a host of other uses. These citizens produce products from their access to the forest and this has been the custom since the founding of the counties, therefore closing sixty percent of the roads in the forest will also affect the counties tax base and the economic stability of the citizens who use the forests.
There have been several attempts to get the commissioners of the counties to rescind their signature participation in the MOU and start requiring the Forest Service to coordinate its TMP with the counties. Until they do, the Forest Service will continue to make decisions that go against the needs of the citizens in each of the counties. This will be perilous for the citizens: because the window of opportunity for the counties to require coordination is closing fast. When the Forest Service makes its Record of Decision (ROD), it will be too late for the citizens to do anything, but to cooperate with the decision of the Forest Service.
Every citizen should call and write to their commissioners and tell them to rescind their signature participation in the MOU and require the Forest Service to coordinate, now, while there is time to do so. If you do nothing now, then you will enjoy the decisions of the Forest Service, even if it goes against your use and access of the forest.
Guy Michael
Durkee, Ore.
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—Letters To The Editor—
Baker County Has Talented Musicians
To The Record-Courier:
What an absolutely great performance when the Baker Community Choir presented the “Broadway Beat” this past weekend. We commend Lynn Burroughs, Director; Kelly Brickman, Assistant Director; Charlie Thomas, Pianist; and all the choir members for the excellent entertainment.
Now we are looking forward to “Swingtime Canteen” by the Eastern Oregon Regional Theater also directed by Lynn Burroughs. It will be three weekends in May in the ballroom of the Baker Heritage Museum.
We are so fortunate to have so many talented musicians in Baker County.
Frances Burgess
Baker City
The Oregon Department Of Geology - An Essential Survival Tool For Our State
To The Record-Courier:
With tough economic decisions currently being made by our state legislatures they look to their constituents to provide guidance as to which state departments and state services are viewed by Eastern Oregonians as critical. The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries is a small department (one office east of the cascades located here in Baker City) which we, the public, heavily depend on for a plethora of vital information.
Locally, we rely on the geologists to provide information pertaining to the location of mineshafts, faults, potential well locations and mineral deposits including lithium (naturally occurring element being purported for “clean” energy). Statewide our geologists are relied upon to help predict the occurrence of natural disasters before they happen so that we do no end up like China with their recent traumatic experience where so many schoolchildren died.
WHO is the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI)
• It is our State’s integral resource team for understanding the earth’s foundation and maintaining people’s safety. This efficient department consists of only five offices in communities throughout the state of Oregon and only one east of the cascades.
WHAT THEY DO:
• Assist individuals in natural resource management, emergency situations and environmental protection.
• Provide information on Green Power: geothermal, wind, water and solar.
• House critical historical documents that identify the locations of faults, mine shafts, water wells, and mineral deposits.
• Provide critical information for emergency management and natural disaster assistance such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, tsunamis and volcanoes.
• Assist in identifying and monitoring changes in geology and to alert citizens of potential dangers in a timely manner.
• Assist emergency teams in disaster situations.
• Provide a knowledge of groundwater framework (what the hydrology looks like underground), water hazards, and geo-chemical hazards.
• Provide oversight for mineral exploration and extraction.
DOGAMI plays an important role in Oregon’s vitality by providing a better understanding of our landscapes and resources. Their assistance in natural disaster situations not only provides short term assistance but guides one and all in future ventures.
Peggy S. Browne
North Powder, Ore.
Tea Party Rally Against Government Waste
To The Record-Courier:
It seems to me there is a lot of misinformation being disseminated by many in the press concerning the recent Tea Party protests. Contrary to what many have reported, it was not a rally against one political party or against our current president, but was a protest against wasteful government spending that will result in an unreasonable tax burden for us and our children.
All political parties have participated in the idea they can fix everything wrong in our country with money we don't have. I believe President Bush was wrong when he passed the first bank bailout. Now it appears that President Obama has opened the floodgates to spending billions more. When most Congressmen do not even read the bill that authorizes the expenditures, something is seriously wrong.
There is no money to fund these new projects. After the government prints the paper necessary to pay the bills, future tax payers will be trying to pay the debt which will be in the trillions. That is what most people were protesting at the tea parties.
In today's mail, we were informed we would receive $250 as part of the Stimulus Recovery Act. I know some folks may desperately need this money, but the majority will notice little difference in their lives. The Chinese economy will probably benefit more than ours. But not to worry, it will only amount to a couple million more that our grandchildren will pay off later. The checks should have been means-tested.
I am old enough to remember the great depression and I was in the Navy during WW2. I have seen our country go through some very difficult times. I firmly believe we live in the greatest nation on earth, but I don't think any country has ever spent their way to prosperity with borrowed money. It can only be done by hard work, funding the principles specified by the founding fathers in the Constitution and by the grace of God.
Congress and the President need to listen and react to the concerns being expressed by the folks who pay their taxes.
Roger Stamy
North Powder, Ore.
Dead Lambs And Thank You Cards?
To The Record-Courier:
Ms. Fouty, you and your sage rat loving, fret about the elk eating the riparian ecosystem buddies, must be proud. The wolves are here, roaming through the forests of Northeastern Oregon.
Oh wait, they were not roaming through the forests; they were getting their "free meal" as you so cleverly put it, 350 yards from the Jacob’s front door. Which is not located in the forest, but in the middle of an open meadow, no evergreens around. That "free meal" you mention, not much of a meal. The wolves did not eat more than a few of the hearts and livers from two-month-old baby lambs. The wolves did as wolves do—they come in, they play, they kill, they snack, they leave. They leave the rancher wondering, fearing, losing sleep, how many more are going to die from the stress and injuries, are wolves coming back.
Is this something you would do? You stand at your front door and 350 yards away, some animal comes out of the mist and attacks your dog, cat, gold fish, your livelihood. Now stand in us ranchers' boots, for just a minute, imagine you are not able to do a damn thing, just stand there, just wonder, just watch…What section of Hallmark did you find that thank you card?
Don’t get me wrong, I too am grateful for the rapid response from Russ Morgan. Without his prompt response in setting up the cameras, there still would be some poor dog with a bounty on its head. Those pictures are the reason why Curt was believed. The flagging fence, nice touch to the décor of Keating Valley; it needed a little more color this time of year.
Carter Niemeyer, thank you also for traveling here, to confirm with Russ Morgan that it was wolves and your work in tracking and attempting to collar the rouge animals. I am comforted as I am sure the ranchers of Keating Valley are that the wolves here in Northeastern Oregon are not out of fashion from the wolves in Idaho and Montana. Every wolf should have a little "bling" around its neck, too bad it’s not a noose. This is not a personal attack on Mr. Morgan and Mr. Niemeyer; they are just doing their jobs. It is the politics behind the job that are the most frustrating.
Ms. Fouty, thank you so very much also. Without that heartfelt letter to Defenders of Wildlife, what would the Jacobs have done? A personal letter from you, I am sure made them sit up a listen. After May 4, 2009 when, or I should say, hopefully when the wolf is removed off the endangered species list and the Defenders of Wildlife possibly feel they may not be obligated to compensate farmers and ranchers for their loss of domestic livestock (because as you may not be aware, cattle and sheep are domestic livestock, not wildlife) are you and your environmentalist friends going to spearhead the Defenders of Domestic Livestock Foundation? If so please remember to include along with wolf depredation, sage rat (aka ground squirrels) dehayfieldation, badger mound backfill program and the coyote abatement plan. I personally know of some farmers and ranchers who would like to take advantage of this program for compensation.
This may sound harsh, somewhat personal, it is. The Jacobs are personal family friends. I grew up in Keating Valley. I worked in those lambing sheds as a kid. The natural ecosystem in Northeastern Oregon is controlled by hunting, harsh winters and animals such as bears and cougars that are native.
Wolves are NOT an important role player in the natural ecosystem of Northeastern Oregon; they are NOT native. They are outlaws, and in such should be treated as so. Wolves were eradicated by our forefathers for a reason. Would it be because they have witnessed these headlines firsthand or was it worse, closer to home, more personal…?
Heidi Johnson
Baker County Cattle Producer
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—Editorial—
Endangered Wolves Endanger Livestock
Most local ranchers have known for several years that small numbers of gray wolves have been making their rounds through Baker County. There have been numerous sightings as well as tracks in several areas, but it took the killing of 23 lambs during two nights this month to finally confirm it. In the beginning, state and federal officials were reluctant to call the predator that killed Jacobs’ sheep anything other than a “large canine-like animal,” but now that the two wolves were caught on camera there is no denying it. There are wolves in eastern Oregon, and here in Baker County.
The more recent loss of a calf this week on the Moore ranch in Keating, may also be attributed to a wolf.
You can hardly blame the wolf; it has to kill to survive. And wolves have just as much right as any other wild animal to co-exist with humans and livestock. But the sad truth is, once they start feasting on domestic livestock, that is no longer a possibility if the livestock industry is to survive.
It has been documented that once wolves get a taste of domestic livestock they will continue to include them in their diet and others of a pack that did not have a taste for sheep and cattle before will follow suit. After all, chasing down a fenced-in lamb or calf is much easier than bringing down a predator savvy deer with miles to run in the wild. To an opportunistic wolf, it’s the difference between an all-you-can-eat buffet and hunting for food.
Unlike other predators, wolves don’t just kill what they need to survive, they kill for the sake of killing as evidenced by the dead, but in tact, lambs they left strewn on the Jacob’s Ranch.
These two wolves had ventured down lower into the Keating Valley, within an 1/8 mile of homes and other outbuildings, near enough to get a whiff of human scent which apparently didn’t deter them in the slightest. Wolves haven’t been hunted in 30 years so they have little reason to fear humans. Wolves teach their pups what or who to avoid.
If these two wolves are a breeding pair, then we can expect to see larger packs form in the near future. The average wolf litter is five or six pups. There is also the possibility that these wolves may already be part of a larger pack from the Eagle Cap Wilderness and once they see the buffet these two have been enjoying, will feast on mutton and beef as well.
To survive a wolf requires five to ten pounds of meat per day. A small pack of five wolves could in a short period of time cause considerable economic damage to a livestock producer, and that’s not counting the animals they kill for sport.
The stress of merely having wolves hovering near a ranch can be significantly damaging to livestock, and in some instances has caused miscarriages, decreased weight gain, and a decrease in meat quality. Not to mention the sleepless nights and worry it causes the rancher.
There have been several instances in the news where a cougar or even a coyote have ventured too close to a town for comfort. In most cases the animal is immediately disposed of by authorities because there are children and pets who are vulnerable to wild predators. Just because a livestock producer lives out of town doesn’t mean the danger is any less when a predator comes too close to their home, children or pets. Although historically wolf attacks on humans are rare, they have occurred.
Since wolves are listed as endangered species in Oregon, the Jacobs were told that these two wolves would be trapped, radio collared and then turned loose in the same area. Curt said he was told he would receive a signal when the wolves came within a quarter mile of his property. Then, he could haze them—what essentially amounts to shooing them off of his property.
Have you ever tried to take away or shoo a domestic dog away from a bone? They usually won’t stand for it no matter how gentle they are, and I doubt a wolf would leave a fresh kill behind without considerable pressure. And even if you were successful in getting a wolf or wolves to leave, unless you canvassed your property day and night, they would more than likely return.
Even though wolves are considered endangered here, not allowing ranchers to shoot one that is in the process of attacking livestock or working dogs is nonsensical.
You have more legal rights to shoot a person breaking into your house to steal your grandmother’s silver from you than you have to shoot an animal that is stealing your livestock and threatening your financial security and safety.
And while we are on that subject, it’s our understanding that there are no provisions in the state wolf law that specifically allow someone to shoot a wolf that is endangering a person.
It would be a shame to see these beautiful animals become extinct, and thanks to recovery efforts of state and federal agencies, populations have recovered substantially in recent years. But at the same time we can’t allow these predators to kill off our food supply and our livestock industry.
We aren’t asking that every wolf in the country be tracked down and eliminated, but we are asking that we have the right to defend ourselves and our livestock against the predators causing the damage. Otherwise if they are allowed to continue unchecked, and as populations increase, ranchers will soon become the endangered species. (DS)
—Letters To The Editor—
What Can I Do?
To The Record-Courier:
There is a new, intense energy out there today. For the last few weeks across the west, I’ve been working with and talking to men and women who are motivated and ready to be involved. The common story is: “I have never been involved and I have decided that I can no longer sit back and watch. I guess you could call me a member of the old silent majority. But I can no longer remain silent. What can I do?”
These people know that their country is in trouble, their personal freedoms and treasure are diminishing, and most frightening of all, the economic and social future of their children and grandchildren are threatened. This unrest is manifesting itself for some in tea parties, taxpayer coalitions, education reform groups, prayer groups, 2nd Amendment activists, and growth in the traditional conservative advocacy groups all across our nation.
So you ask, “What can I do?” Start by reading or re-reading your Constitution. Then find an active group that fits your passion and life needs, and join it. Make a commitment to do what you can. It doesn’t matter if you become a leader or a helper. Both are necessary. Better yet, run for elected office. You may think that holding an office is beyond your capacity, but let me say that I have never seen an elected man or woman who doesn’t pull their pants on one leg at a time just like you and me. Every election we have people elected in uncontested races. It doesn’t matter if it is for a school board, city council, water district, county commissioner, or a member of the legislature, everyone has talent and everyone has to start somewhere. Every time we have an elected position filled in an uncontested race, we end up with a weaker official and a weakened community. Uncontested races lead to poorer leadership, second rate work ethic and narcissistic attitudes of the office holder. Contested races produce a stronger winning candidate, give rise to the public exchange of ideas, and strengthen our community and democratic system. There are no losers in a race to serve your fellow man.
We need leaders who will once again create all levels of government that thrive on the success of people and not the success of their jurisdictional agencies. We need government out of our way and not trying to be the way.
Thanks to those who have suffered, fought, died and given of their time and treasure. We live in the greatest, strongest, most creative and most benevolent nation ever created. No one ever, not even Barack Obama, has the right to go to some greedy, needy or fascist far-away land representing you and me and apologize for the success, strength or pride of the United States of America. You and I can and will save our nation if we answer the question, “What can I do?”
Tim Smith
Harney County
Support The Return Of The Wolf To Eastern Oregon
To The Record-Courier:
I am writing in response to the wolf predation that occurred on the Jacobs’ ranch in Keating Valley. My thanks to Russ Morgan for his rapid response and attempts to resolve the situation, to Carter Niemeyer for his willingness to come out of retirement and provide his skills, and to Defenders of Wildlife for the compensation option. However, my deepest appreciation and thanks go to the Jacobs for their measured response at a time when they are no doubt feeling angry, raw and uncertain.
I am and remain a strong supporter of the return of wolves to our area. I am also and remain a strong supporter of my local community, economic diversity and the ability to ranch on private lands and make a living. Therefore, last Thursday I wrote Ms. Stone of Defenders of Wildlife urging her to provide to the Jacobs the full compensation they requested without delay. Even if uncertainty had remained about which wild or domestic carnivore had done the killing and, in reality, the wolves were simply taking advantage of a free meal, I would still feel strongly that in this case with photographs documenting their presence at the site, that one err on the side of the Jacobs.
Wolves have an important role to play in assisting us in restoring our stream and riparian ecosystems by altering elk and deer movements—a restoration that is critical if we are to successfully survive an increasingly unpredictable climate. Improvement in the condition and function of stream and riparian ecosystems will increase summer stream flows and the quality of water that comes off the mountains for use downstream. The wolf also has some downsides as demonstrated on Thursday and Sunday nights. My hope is that with the help of Defenders of Wildlife and the measured response of the Jacobs, we will choose to maintain a dialogue on this complex, important, and emotionally charged subject.
Suzanne Fouty
Baker City
Outsourcing Still Under Debate At City Council
To The Record-Courier:
Contrary to the April 16 Baker City Herald editorial, I would say City Councilors did not consider the proposal presented by staff on April 14 to be a done deal. What I heard at the council meeting was that everybody seemed to agree that Don Chance has been doing a very good job and is an outstanding employee.
Disagreements remained on whether or not contracting out planning services is the best choice. No argument for or against was conclusive. Mayor Dorrah summarized the choices well. It depends on how much you are willing to pay to retain planning services within the city staff. The numbers were not precise. They depend on the staffing levels we agree to provide, and the differences are not huge.
I add to this the feeling that I would like the city to be perceived to behave in a consistent manner, not “arbitrarily” switching back and forth between contracting and in-house staffing. If you listened, you would recognize that the councilors expressed honest differences of opinion and a willingness to listen to the opinions of citizens.
But, what matters more to me than perception or my own feelings is quality of service, continuity, and competence. I believe in loyalty to good employees as well as employee loyalty to the city. I think Don Chance has demonstrated his part. I hope the council arrives at a solution that accommodates his personal situation. Whether it happens through full privatization, individual service contract with Don, or allowing Don the freedom to tele-commute and work part-time in City Hall matters less to me. I could live quite happily with any of those results. I think we have most to gain by retaining his service and his arrangement to mentor Michael Pina.
I apologize that I will miss the first council meeting in May because of personal matters. I don’t think the council needs me there to make a good choice.
Clair Button
Baker City Council Member
Obama Is No Christian
To The Record-Courier:
In this letter to the editor, I want to cover some different subject. First let me make it real clear, I do not have a racist bone in my body. I don’t care if the president is black, white, yellow or green, it’s the policies I have trouble with, and that should be your view also!
If you will take a close look at them, both black and white, the ones who keep bringing up race as an excuse to attack those who disagree with Obama policies are the ones with race problems. Number one. If Obama is truly a born-again Christian as he says he is, believes God’s word, then he must be against abortion at any stage, which according to his own word, he’s not! God’s word says life begins at the moment of conception. A heartbeat is detectable at 18 days, by 20 weeks, virtually developed.
Read Psalms 139-13:16 and Jeremiah 1:5. President Obama says okay at any stage while calling himself a Christian? Seems politics override his faith? I am and you should be troubled by his statements in other countries about the United States being an arrogant country and then apologizing for it.. Maybe he forgot they would all be speaking German if it wasn’t for this arrogant country. Then to say this country is not really a Christian nation. Sir, you and anyone else need to study the history of your own country. No president before you has made such anti-American statements. Also sir, the Bible does not agree with the Muslim belief or any other. It’s apparent he has not studied either the Bible or the Koran.
It should trouble us all for our president to make such statements to foreign countries. I would like to hear more from Sen. Keys who said we have a communist in office. The United Nations is doing its best to control our American rights, gun control, freedom of speech, and many others. Now a new bill that Obama is thinking of signing called “Childrens’ Rights to Privacy” that says in short they have the right regardless of you the parent!
Wake up, America! The Tea Parties that are happening across the United States are a good sign that many people are waking up to the fact that government has gotten too big and out of control, and they’re tired of all the corruption. These are Democrats, Republicans and Independents saying together, “We’ve had enough.” I was at the tea party in La Grande, and was very impressed by the people there.
We need to keep it going. Baker, we need to wake up and do the same here! It should make us all a little mad, suspicious, even a little scared when our Homeland Security Secretary calls those who attend tea parties radicals and possibly dangerous because they disagree with the way government and its policies are going. According to the Constitution, as Americans, we still have that right.
Remember, Jesus was a radical!
Richard Fox
Baker City, Ore.
More Marbles...
To The Record-Courier:
Well the subject about marbles in the last couple of events in my letters seems to be having some side effects, even the editor of this paper found one in their yard and added to her collection of sorts. Wonder if others are experiencing the same sort of issues...?
While visiting the office one day to pick up a letter from a very dear friend of the family, (and another friend just happened to receive another letter from her as well) I shared it with my mother and all in church. And here, I was the recipient of yet another letter, from her as well, asking questions about the Baker Food Co-op store mentioned in previous letters. Yes one can make donations to the Co-op to be able to build a yet bigger and better store and have more on hand than before. I would highly encourage anyone to do so.
Anyway, the subject of age was mentioned and that seemed to take over the topic of our conversation while at the office for a few moments and of course one mentioned that 91 years younger was no problem if you look at it that way. I just turned another digit and they thought that was nothing compared to the age mentioned in this letter. Guess it depends on how you look at it and what kind of statistics come from it. Ha! So guess whether it be an issue with digits or statistics, etc. anything goes from the young to the old or in between just whatever suits you. But the one given our conversation had a trusty old cane that could really set us young ones straight even at the age of 58, etc... and not stretch the imagination on that one without going too far with it anyway you look at it. So guess this thing called age has no limits. So I hope this friend can rest assured 91 can be a ripe old age at that. Smile. So yes for me, I couldn’t resist on my letter consisting of this issue. Should strike some more chords at that. Awk!
So it does make me wonder how many more marbles we will find yet? Haven’t been able to do much yard work on the account of the wind lately. We’re supposed to have nice weather give or take when this letter is printed. So when enough marbles are collected here and there, guess we will have to do a comparison etc. on them.
Coffee Anyone,
Brenda Dickison
Baker City, Ore.
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—Letters To The Editor—
Baling Twine Memories
To The Record-Courier:
We read with interest your article about Sara Bates and her efforts to recycle baling twine.
This brought back fond memories of my father, Art Chaves, who had his own unique way of recycling twine years ago.
He would go out and gather up the pieces of twine in the fields around Baker City and take them home.
Then he would very patiently tie the ends securely together until he had enough to wind it on a spool that fit in a wooden box he had made so it could be unwound as needed for stringing up vines, tying up packages, etc. He always laughed and said that he imagined that is what they had people do in the 'nut' house! Before he died, he managed to make a spool for each one of his grown children. We treasure that twine and this memory so much that we ration it out to make it last as long as possible.
Marilyn Chaves Fullmer
Hillsboro, Ore.
Shotgun Approach To Economy - The Bailouts
To The Record-Courier:
The President is using the last $100 billion from the $700 billion bailout for banks to continue to loan money to them, and he desires an option for another $250 billion. The optional $250 billion should not be approved and the $100 billion in loans should have significant restrictions.
The President instituted a $75 billion program to allow troubled homeowners to refinance their mortgages. They are mostly mortgages approved by conspiring banks for low income people with poor credit ratings, which were instituted under the Clinton Administration and continued in the Bush Administration.
After providing $17 billion in loans to the automobile industry the incompetent auto executives are back for another $20 billion, but thankfully the Administration is placing restrictions on future loans. The auto CEO’s have annual compensation packages worth tens of millions of dollars. The average hourly pay of the unionized workers, including hourly rate and all the extravagant fringe benefits is approximately $75 per hour compared to $45 per hour for non-union workers at foreign manufacturers with plants in the U.S. The U.S. auto industry has to reorganize, manufacture small, fuel efficient vehicles and cut the salaries of executives and get the pay of hourly workers close to $45 per hour. However, the government should not be running any private corporations, and should not be firing employees of these companies.
Despite the dire and gloomy economic predictions of Barack Obama and some of his staff from November 2008 through February 2009, the incompetence of the Detroit auto industry, and the greed of Wall Street, AIG and various large banks across the country, we will overcome the financial difficulties and prevail as a country because of the hard work, tenacity, stamina and wisdom of the American people, but we have to stop bailing out banks, the AIGs and the auto industry.
Donald A. Moskowitz
Londonderry, NH
From Under The Desk
To The Record-Courier:
When I was a small boy, daily we looked into the grim and menacing face of communism. We were trained to hide under our desks in the classroom in the event of nuclear attack by the Soviet Union. We hid under those desks for years until John F. Kennedy took a stand and backed the Soviet missiles from our southern door and out of Cuba. The United States breathed a sigh of relief and prospered under the freedom of capitalism while the world stagnated in confusion and turmoil. We soon found ourselves again under those childhood desks. We thought that being the strongest, best and free would sustain and protect us. Slowly and insidiously came the resurgence of the roots of communism across Europe, Asia and the third world nations. Not until a leader named Ronald Reagan challenged the axis of evil and the soviets to “tear down this wall” did we see the collapse of the soviets and the regression of communism. Again we breathed a sigh of relief and came out from under those childhood desks. But just as elm tree roots live on and spread as its heart decays and dies, the socialist roots of communism advanced. Neo-socialism had spread and was rejuvenated across the globe under the promise of economic equality for all. Socialism generated the vilification of capitalism, nationalization of private industry in the third world, unprecedented growth of unions in Europe and the old British Empire, worldwide experimentation in government controlled health care and untold entitlement programs in the west. Socialism, not communism, had broadened its base and we in the U.S. again slipped back under those desks and chose not to recognize the roots cracking our foundations.
The stage was set for today’s end product of socialism. As the twentieth century had its fascists, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Mao Tse Tung, and Fidel Castro, the twenty first century has its own. Saddam Hussein, Mahamoud Ahmadinejad, Hugo Chavez, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-II and our own, Barak Hussein Obama, who we view daily through the teleprompter. Yes, fascism is alive and well in our world. Fascism:
(1)A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism. (2) Oppressive, dictatorial control.
From secularism to leftism, from leftism to dependency, from dependency to socialism and from socialism to fascism the progression has been swift and deliberate in the United States.
From children fearing communism from under a desk, to an entire free society, caught in the grasp of extreme socialist oppression, who would have believed our worst enemies were those who would rise from within? Will those who would deliver us from suffocation of our freedoms also come from within? It is up to us to make that decision. Read your Constitution, get involvedand take our country back. You may become the leader or the one vote to make that difference.
Tim Smith
Harney County, Ore.
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—Editorial—
Beer Cheaters Will Be Prosecuted
Having solved all of the state’s other problems, Oregon legislature is
tackling another very important issue. A bill went before a House committee
last week that will issue decals to establishments that meet the “honest
pint” to help beer drinkers know whether they are getting their full 16 oz.
worth.
Apparently some Oregonians feel that they are getting cheated by the use of
12 oz. specialty glasses and 14 oz. cheater glasses with a thick base.
There is also the head (foam on top of a beer when drawn from tap) to
consider in this equation. If a glass of beer contains an inch of head, then
chances are high that you are only getting 15.25 oz. of beer instead of the
standard 16.
And what if the server sloshes out a little beer on the way to your table,
you could end up with .25 oz. less than what you ordered. That server should
be punished with a good old-fashioned stoning.
Or at the very least as Evan Manvel, a conservative lobbyist addressed the
committee, "I would make serving cheater pints a Measure 11 offense." To
heck with Measure 11, let’s take matters into our own hands and string em’
up high.
With a looming economic crisis, high unemployment, statewide housing and
food shortages, a health care crisis, homelessness, school funding problems,
escalating crimes, drug epidemics and violence, getting a full pint of beer
is by far the most important issue our legislature has to deal with now. Our
country, our freedoms, our very existence is dependent on getting a full
serving of alcohol!
And while they are at it, there are some other very important bills that
should be brought up before the House:
• A bill that guarantees a smoker can get that very last puff of a cigarette
before it gets down to the filter.
• A bill that guarantees only two percent of a 12 oz. rib steak is fat.
• A bill that states if you step one foot off of the curb at a crosswalk
that it is illegal to change your mind, you have to go all the way across
the street.
• A bill that prohibits gas stations from raising prices just before summer
vacations.
• A bill that ensures retirement and stockholder investments can’t just
“disappear.”
• A bill that requires every citizen to have a subscription to their
county’s weekly newspaper.
• A bill that would put a freeze on fishing license fees, and that doesn’t
mean each fish can be taxed either.
• A bill that would make eating ice cream slowly illegal and fines imposed
on anyone who complains about the inevitable brain freeze afterward.
One would think all of these bills are too silly to even make it to the
House. But if they spend valuable time trying to pass a bill to ensure a
full 16 oz. beer, then who knows? I’m planning on proposing the sidewalk
crossing bill myself, that really is a little annoying...
Honest Abe is probably rolling over in his grave about Oregon’s honest pint
bill.
Cheers! (DS)
—Letters To The Editor—
Great Job, Public Works!
We are writing this letter to compliment the Baker City Public Works
Department on the excellent customer service we recently received from them.
We had a sewer drainage problem that the plumber couldn’t resolve. We
contacted Baker City and in less than five minutes Bruce Hayes arrived at
our house. Less than five minutes after that, Tom Fisk was there to help
analyze the problem. The manhole had been accidently covered up in a
pavement patching job so, less than thirty minutes after Tom Fisk arrived,
another public works department worker arrived to take care of that. That
same afternoon Tom Fisk contacted me, explained the problem and gave me his
recommendation on how to fix it. The next morning I had an estimate from
the Public Works Department and the day after that, they fixed it!
The Baker City Public Works Department should be commended for their
outstanding customer service.
For us, it is another reason why Baker City is such a great place to live.
Richard & Kathleen Chaves
Baker City, Ore.
Administration’s Shotgun Approach To Economy:
Part Two
To The Record-Courier:
The Obama Administration is throwing many hundreds of billions of dollars at
a multitude of programs, hoping for economic success. It appears the thrust
of the policies encompass Rahm Emanuel’s philosophy of “not letting a crisis
go to waste.”
Instead of concentrating on creating jobs to spark the economy, President
Obama’s proposed budget is diluting our limited resources. It includes a
prospective national health care system ($634 billion), promoting
alternative energy sources, and making college more available to low income
students. Alternative energy is important and it will create jobs, and
other programs might be worthwhile over the long term in a burgeoning
economy, but they pose a drain on us in the current recession. The $3.6
trillion budget will provide a deficit of $1.75 trillion in FY 2010 and
annual deficits of $1 trillion for many years to come, and our national debt
will go from $11 trillion to $23 trillion by 2019.
There are somewhere around 8,000 pork barrel earmarks in the proposed budget
worth an estimated $8 billion. They include $2.1 million for the Center for
Grape Genetics in New York, $1.7 million for a honey bee factory in Texas,
$1.7 million for Mormon cricket control in Utah, $819,000 for catfish
genetics research in Alabama, $650,000 for beaver management in North
Carolina and Mississippi, $2 million for astronomy studies in Hawaii,
$167,000 for the Autry National Center in California, $238,000 for the
Polynesian Voyager Society in Hawaii, $200,000 for tattoo removal to help
gang members forget their past, and $209,000 to improve blueberry production
in Georgia. These earmarks should be axed. It looks like and smells like
the same pork barrel politics of prior administrations, except the weight of
the thundering elephants has been replaced with the misguided socialistic
wanderings of the donkeys.
President Obama plans on paying for half the health care costs from
increased taxes on families earning more than $250,000 per year, and these
families will see a significant decrease in allowable itemized tax
deductions for charitable contributions and mortgage interest. These
actions will depress charitable contributions during a time of great need
and will hurt the housing market. The programs are a means of
redistributing money from more successful families to the less successful,
which runs counter to our free enterprise system. They should not be
implemented.
The Administration has to cease exploiting our economic fears, including the
media campaign to the American people, which is designed to enable it to
implement very expensive domestic social programs. Long term social programs
should be debated after the turnaround of our economy.
Donald A. Moskowitz
Londonderry, NH
What Goes Around, Comes Around
Well in my last letter I made mention about the Dow Jones being down and up
and up down—seems like it is so with the weather lately. Down and up and up
down. We all know that our weather can be unpredictable no matter when.
Now remember the old saying, that is a Biblical saying, whatever is
measured out shall be measured back to you, of course depending on what the
subject is at that...well bite my tongue...while out digging the dirt and
getting it ready for potatoes that are sprouting like crazy, here I dug up a
marble....and thinking, well what goes around comes around in my subjects
lately. Can’t seem to stay up with them.
You can well imagine the shock treatment that gave me. Almost thought I had
lost my marbles in the midst of my garden don’t think so, though. I am sure
some of you have experienced this in your life time given the age of the
human mind so to speak—awk!
And yes I have had some ask of my many letters being printed. It seems like
almost every week, but I know the editor has just as much fun with them too,
but with all the gardening etc. it might not be as often, just whenever I
have a spur working on me, then I commence to writing. So finding one’s
marble like I did brought this one about, who knows what else I might find
digging in the dirt, kinda of like politics. Now I am not into horses etc.
with their hooves and all and how they like to kick up now and then when
their stubbornness sets in, kinda of hard on the old body at that. Need to
keep our dukes up to be prepared for whatever.
Made mention of potatoes sprouting etc. well I do know alfalfa sprouts are
good for a lot of things. I take alfalfa powdered pills, that help with a
lot of issues in our system that help eliminate things that can be
undesirable and all one would need to read up on what the alfalfa pills can
do. Walmart is the place to get them for a better buy and of course to make
sure one needs to check in with their doctor to see if it will do the same
for them. Everyone’s system is different. My system can’t seem to take all
the vitamins etc. it is pretty balanced to some degree and I do take a few
things, but like a once a week thing so not everyone can take all that there
is recommended to take. I found that out during the blood draw and cut back
and since then the results have been normal. Be sure once again to check
with your doctor.
Another one, good for a lot of issues is cayenne pepper. Go on-line to check
for information regarding some of these remedies or check with the library.
It seems like one can override the other...now lets see what can come of
that one issue.
Anyway, my morning coffee seems to be better suited for me...it would be a
heartbreaker if I had to give up that for any one reason to speak of. Wonder
if that will be a prescribed issue down the road?
Coffee Anyone?
Brenda Dickison
Baker City
April Is Child Abuse
Awareness Month
April is National Child Abuse awareness month. Child abuse is everywhere,
yet we do not often enough think about the impacts it has on not just the
child and their family, but also on the community as a whole. The impacts of
child abuse and neglect are profound, and it is happening in Baker City
every day.
Child abuse happens in all families, no matter what their race, ethnicity,
socio-economic status or religion is. Child maltreatment found that in 2006,
there were 905,000 children who were found to be victims of child abuse.
That is 12.1 children for every 1,000. According to Oregon DHS, for the
fiscal year of 2007, there were a total of 13,306 children who were found to
be victims of child abuse. Baker County has one of the highest rates of
child abuse cases in the state of Oregon.
It is not just children and their families who are affected by abuse, the
entire community is. Every year, taxpayers pay for law enforcement, judicial
and public service systems, and non profit agencies that respond to child
abuse. According to the child welfare information gateway, child abuse and
neglect costs the nation as much as $253 million every day. That is $94
billion every year.
The best way to stop child abuse is by preventing it from ever happening in
the first place, and the best method of prevention is through education.
Through parent education classes, parents can learn how to mange the stress
of caring or a baby and how to build a healthy relationship with them.
Parent education classes also focus on how to be a good parent. They teach
about child development, age-appropriate expectations and the roles and
responsibilities of parenting.
If you suspect any form of child abuse or neglect, or if you are an abuser
yourself and what to get help, call the child help national abuse hotline at
1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453). They have 55,000 emergency social service
and support services ready to help, and all calls are anonymous.
Annika Yates
Baker City
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