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Opinions
—Editorial—
Even Though The Government Passed A Bailout, Don’t Bail Out On Your Community
There are very few things as scary as the possibility of an economic meltdown. After all, our jobs, our homes, our children’s education, and our retirement are at stake.
Even before the recent passing of the $700 billion bailout there has been nine consecutive months of job losses in the country.
Experts say two-thirds of the economy is derived from consumer spending, and nationwide retailers are expecting a 50 percent reduction in upcoming holiday sales, their most lucrative time of year.
We watched as the stock market plunged 778 points after the first bailout was rejected. And even after the second bailout bill was passed, the market continued to drop.
As the stock market plummets so does our confidence in our nation’s fiscal strength and the banking systems. It makes us wonder if it’s time to start hiding money under the mattress or in a jar buried in the yard.
Economic experts are saying that we are in a recession, and a lot of people are worried that with a weak economy we will have a weak military presence.
This country made it through the depression without a meltdown in our Democratic process and still remained a global peace keeping force.
Oil prices have escalated over the last two years, further burdening people. Food costs continue to rise.
While the working class struggles, the bailout rescues the large financial corporations, banks, investment and insurance companies. They are the ones who contributed to the economic crisis we are facing by over lending to people who didn’t have the means to pay it back. Fortunately, not all financial institutions engaged in this, but for those who did, high interest rates, balloon payments and extreme payoff penalties made it almost impossible for anyone to get ahead.
And of course, the working class taxpayers, not the fat cats on Wall Street, are the ones who will carry the burden of their failures.
Understanding how we got into this mess is important, but figuring out what we can do here in our own backyard to help the situation is paramount.
Even though the government passed a bailout, don’t bail out on your community. If there was ever a time that the words “Buy Local” meant something more than just a marketing campaign, the time is now. Local businesses need our support now more than ever if we want to maintain a viable and productive community.
Of course there are some things that just aren’t available here, but every time you get on the Internet and add an item to your cyber cart, please ask yourself if this is something you could buy locally to help support the economy of the community that you live and work in.
Support your local farmers and ranchers by purchasing locally grown food. Support your local grocery stores rather than making an out-of-town run to the chain store giants. Hire local contractors. Save gas, eat at local restaurants. Support your local hardware, gift shops, auto dealers and clothing stores rather than giving your hard earned money to some faceless store in cyber space where you will never see a return on your investment. Every dollar you spend in Baker County is an investment in your community.
For every item you buy elsewhere, that income is lost to the independently owned business down the street, until it can no longer continue to survive. When a business closes and the owners have to move from the area to survive, it affects our schools, our city and county governments and our livelihoods. A town cannot exist without these entities.
We can’t solve the world’s problems, and we can’t bring back the nation’s economy overnight. But we can utilize the resources we have available here and put money back into our local economy. (DS)
—Letters To The Editor—
County Payments Restored
To The Record-Courier:
County payments are part of a promise made to rural communities in exchange for shutting them out of their forests. The restoration of these payments is long overdue, but it is welcomed with great relief. These communities represent the backbone of Oregon and deserve to have the promises made to them kept.
Ultimately, the long-term answer isn’t government assistance, but giving time-dependent communities access to stable, family wage jobs that will free them from dependence on political games in Washington DC.
Senator Ted Ferrioli
Salem, Ore.
Another Bad Contract
To The Record-Courier:
This is local level, in your face, Letter of Intent, Signed by the County Commissioner’s with the U.S. Forest Service - Department of Agriculture. This Letter of Intent called a MOU (memorandum of understanding), gives authorization of the whole process, to the USFS & USDA by giving them “Lead Agency Status.” Do our elected officials become subservient to an executive agency ? The process is in motion to bring about, all actions to come under the control of The Federal Arbitration Act.
This Federal Arbitration Act in section 2. In part calls for, Preemption of state law. “any state law that disfavors the enforcement of arbitration agreements will be preempted by the FAA”. This is outside the Rule of Law, respect for the Rule of Law, protection of people and their property, and the oath of office they have sworn to uphold.
On a local level the economy, culture, history, the Americans with Disabilities Act are not being protected and preserved. The USFS and USDA must agree to first uphold the present statutes, and go by the letter of the law. Not to abrogate federal, state, and local laws. This will be the only acceptable process, and the only process that recognizes the authority of the local elected County Commissioners.
This is another bad contract, with no Transparency and Accountability
By Roy H. Barnes
Retired OSP
Why Do Democrats Want To Disarm The American People?
To The Record-Courier:
Yes I will be glad when this President election is over and done. Hopefully the right one will win! Glad to see that there are many that see through Obama and the Democratic party’s views on what is right for the American people. I don’t want to see this great country turn over to the far left and socialism. To you who think this is only my opinion, please check the record for yourself. Yes, Obama has said he supports the Second Amendment. He lies, and his record says so. He supports what he calls “Common Sense” gun laws, which include total ban on handguns, ban on sale, transfer of ALL semi-auto firearms, ban on right to carry permits, ban on firearms kept in your home.
Why do the Democrats want to disarm the American people? I have my own theory that would scare you! It’s not just Obama, most of the Democratic party in Washington are on this same role. It became very apparent during the Clinton era. Have we forgot that gun-owners and NRA fought him over the same thing? Check out www.gunban obama.com. Every time the news is on I hear Obama is mixed up with another dirty dog. Acorn, a shady lending outfit, which he was taught and teaches, which happens to be one of the problems with the coming BAILOUT. Obama is up to his eyeballs in so many dealing, and bad judgement that I personally cannot trust him as President!
Now the Mayor of New York wants to change the law from two year office to three so he can run again. Richard Mell, the Chicago Mayor wants to change gun laws to suit himself. All Democrats - Get the picture? Obama said if elected, the first thing he will do is sign the “Freedom of Choice Act,” which gives abortion rights at ANY level. He calls himself a Christian, but like Herod in the Bible, he believes in killing babies.
I could preach a sermon on this subject. Ladies, God loves you, but you’ve missed something. NO ONE denies you have the right to your own body, but the child the mother is carrying is not part of your body, he/she, is a completely different human with the same rights for life as your or me! That’s why it’s considered murder not just with Christians, but in God’s eyes also. One of the Ten Commandments states, “You shall not murder.” All who deal in abortion agree with it including Sen. Obama without repenting will stand before God in judgement for this act whether or not you believe.
One last thing, the BAILOUT, who’s really at fault? Could the fault be us the people for not being up on what our Representatives are doing, being too lazy to see if they are working for us or getting fat off us? Even then, sending the same fat cat back to office to do it again. Think about it! www.nraila.org
Richard Fox
Baker City
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—Letters To The Editor—
Maybe It’s Time For A Rollover
To The Record-Courier:
Any one watching “Wall Street” on TV (CNBC) should get an eye full of how U.S. citizens will be burdened with debts (debits) and the financial ministers, i.e. Federal Reserves, Central banks, World banks, International Monetary funds, etc. to create a form of servitude-slavery on the backs of the future citizens thru taxations to finances “debits”? Is this the coming of the “Sign of the Beast” as the religious zealots are proclaiming as the “Armageddon” of the Biblical prophecy?
Instead of having a “Roll-over” of the national debts like Germany did in the 1920’s, to pay off the “Reparations” caused by WWI debts, the issues of new German “marks” that superseded the previous “marks” in that the new currency was a devaluation (on paper) of previous “marks” as currency devaluations? This is called a “Rollover” to issue new “paper” worth over the worth of old paper. This would cause people “Aristocracy” as to the devaluations on “paper” as to citizens not having the “paper” worth back then.
Instead of a “Rollover” to paper debts the finance ministers (worldwide) would prefer to continue to “contract” agreements to service debts called “Indentured Servitude” (or slavery) into perpetuity-forever.
This has the similar effect of making “tenet farmers” or tenantry-collectively to the financial wizards of the world. The 700 billion dollar advance of the people’s money, i.e. taxes is the down payment to the Federal Reserve “chairs” to start a “blank check” raid on the people’s money (taxes) to tenantry-collectivism to making of tenet farmers of U.S. citizens.
The bar coding and electronic $ is already in place to creations of the monster’s best. They replaced God’s money with godless money, as the U.S. constitutional law Art. I, Section 10 states; “No State Shall” make anything but Gold & Silver coin (note coin) a tender in payments of debts; pass bills, or emit bills of credit, i.e. federal reserve notes is a bill of credits, in which the framers of U.S. Constitutional law deemed as “Godless” money.
This means that the Sec. of Treasury (Paulson) is violation of oath of office and pandering to the central banks (Fed. Res.) to usurpations of Constitutional law of Art. III, “shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support this Constitution (oath of office).
It’s up to each State of the Union and the Governance of each State to enforce Art. I and Art. VI of U.S. Constitutional law as the Secretary of Treasury (Paulson) to his oath of office.
It’s up to the State’s judiciary and Attorney Generals, to force constitutional law now, than have U.S. Congress to cave in to advance as down payment, the 700 billion dollars down to the debts by “Indentured Servitude” to make the citizens of the U.S. as tenants in commerce, to slavery to the money manipulators that Jesus “condemnation” over 2000 years ago. Just may be it’s time for a giant “Rollover” to make the creditors take the dive as for the worthlessness of the coin of the realm which is a reference to Art I, Section 10, U.S. Constitutional law “to emit Bills of credit” in violation of the public trust. The sign of the beast?
Bruce Parke
Sumpter
Horses And Clarity
To The Record-Courier:
Additional information should clarify Mr. Beckstead’s rebuttal to Ed Merriman’s “abandoned horse” article. Please, do not confuse the “American Humane Society” with the “Humane Society of the United States,” Mr. Beckstead’s employer According to Internet information by the Center for Consumer Freedom, the HSUS is the wealthiest animal rights society and has little to do with animal welfare. It operates NO animal shelters, it does NOT run spay/neuter programs or take in stray, abused or neglected pets. HSUS president, Wayne Pacelle promotes an end of animal agriculture, pet breeding, circus animal acts, zoos and animal research, along with hunting and much more. Vegetarianism is encouraged as a big benefit to animals.
Now, back to horses. My family background, past and present, has always been steeped in horses. However, all animals deserve humane management and economics is not a dirty word. As far as horse slaughter plants, (none remain in the United States), when my time comes, I hope it’s swift and merciful as done in those facilities. Horse surplus is a fact. The Oregon Dept. of Agriculture reports more than double the number of abandoned horses above last year. Sanctuaries for horses are full. The BLM budget for horse care has been exceeded. Euthanasia is expensive, if allowed. The closest rendering facilities, in Idaho, charge about $100-per animal for pick up. Prices for all, but the most desirable of horses are pitiful and will become non-existent if legislation to prohibit sale for food outside the U.S. is enacted.
“Wild Animal Safari” at Winston, Ore., can take some for animal feed. Fur farming, such as Mink, that used to use lots of horse meat has already been nearly eliminated by animal rights groups. Animal compassion includes both loving care and a swift and merciful death.
Dan Warnock
Baker City
Oversight Committees AWOL
To The Record-Courier:
I was astonished to hear Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, blame the Bush administration for the current economic crisis. She made these statements during the discussion in Congress about the bailout of our financial institutions, which was to be a bipartisan effort.
Ms. Pelosi should ask Christopher Dodd (Democrat), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and Barney Frank (Democrat), Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services why they did not foresee the potential problems in the housing mortgage market and banking industry.
The Senate Committee provides oversight of “banks, banking and financial institutions; deposit insurance; economic stabilization; federal monetary policy, including the Federal Reserve System; and money and credit.” The House Committee provides oversight of the “securities, insurance, banking and housing industries. The Committee also oversees the Federal Reserve, the United States Department of the Treasury, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.”
I can only assume the two committees were AWOL and they did not do their jobs overseeing the regulation of the U.S. financial institutions.
Donald A. Moskowitz
Londonderry, NH
We’ve Come A Long Way
To The Record-Courier:
This year's presidential election offers an opportunity to be part of history as no previous election has. Our mothers/grandmothers were not even allowed to vote until the 19th Amendment was made part of our Constitution in 1920. We've come a long way! A woman was a viable candidate in the 2008 primary; she was a serious contender for the presidency.
Now we have another historical first with Barack Obama as a candidate for the presidency. It took three amendments for us to get where we are today: the 13th in 1865 to outlaw slavery; the 14th in 1868 to define citizenship as anyone born or naturalized in the U.S. and forbade states to abridge this right. Then in 1870 the 15th, which forbade the denial of right to vote on account of race, color, previous condition of servitude.
We citizens can bring history a step further by voting for Barack Obama, a gifted scholar with life experiences qualifying him for understanding problems our world faces and with professional and legislative experience qualifying him for making informed decisions.
Maryalys Urey
Baker City
Who Is Supporting Obama?
To The Record-Courier:
Here are five groups that Obama has pledged support to:
1. Environmentalists - who will not be satisfied until every manufacturing plant and oil well is closed down and all of America is turned into a state park.
2. “Peace Nics” - who would rather give our country to our enemies than fight and sacrifice for what has been handed to them on a silver platter.
3. Homosexuals - who will not be satisfied until there is mandatory curriculum in our schools and youth organizations promoting the homosexual lifestyle as being healthy and normal.
4. Illegal Aliens - who have been promised free health care on top of everything else they are being given.
5. People who support the killing of unborn babies without conditions or consequence.
So if you want the voices of these groups running our country, Obama is your man.
John Russell
Oregon
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—Guest Opinion—
Believe In America Again
This just in… the sky is actually falling, capitalism doesn’t work and America is no longer the global economic leader. After watching the news and listening to the endless blather from the media how can you draw any other conclusion?
Never mind the fact that our lifestyle is the envy of the rest of the world. Forget the fact that we eat like kings and live longer and healthier than any other society on earth.
The market has fallen before, but there are real problems this time. This time it’s serious, this time is different, right? Right? Ah, how quickly we forget.
No less than six times since 1980 has the stock market had major corrections of 15% or more, twice as severe as 45%. What we are suffering from today is not just a credit crisis, but more importantly a crisis of confidence.
The demise of such prestigious institutions as Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch should send shivers down all of our spines. But what caused them to become insolvent, and why did it happen in some cases, literally overnight?
Some of these institutions were not in much worse shape two weeks ago than they were eight or twelve months ago. However, as fear of the unknown built (namely, how far the housing market will fall), and as the media preached the hot gospel of the demise of capitalism, stock shares of many financial companies plummeted. Because of this their own sources of precious capital virtually dried up (chiefly due to their stock price falling) and the fear of collapse became a self-fulfilling prophesy.
What is most troubling to me this time around is the fact that many people speak of “Wall St.” as if it were some abstract entity; as if what “happens on Wall St. stays on Wall St.”. But in fact what happens on Wall St. effects every man, women and child in this country, and even abroad.
These are the companies that provide the majority of jobs in this county, manufacture our cars, develop life saving drugs and despite what you may have heard, pay the majority of the taxes (either personally or via employee withholding).
Maybe it’s because it’s an election year, or maybe people have just lost touch with reality, but its time to stop the class warfare and endless rhetoric and realize we are all in this together.
Corporate America is the heart that pumps blood to all the rest of the peripheral economy. Here is the real issue; if corporate America goes away, it would destroy the wealth of not just a select few people smoking Cuban cigars on yachts somewhere in the Caribbean, but the wealth of the vast majority of our country as well. It would dry up the source of tax revenue, which is the entirety of Government funding. Those funds are used for many things, as we all know, but some of the more important programs that come to mind are the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) and the Social Security administration.
The point of all this is that it is time to realize that what is good for corporate America is good for the stock prices, and since the vast majority of Americans own stock of some companies either directly or indirectly though mutual funds, what is good for the stock market is good for you and I.
It’s time to turn off the non-stop pessimism that pours out of your television set. Have faith in your country again. Have faith in capitalism again. Have faith that your neighbors are working just as hard as you are to rise out of these hard times, and they may be the folks who work for or manage the companies you invest in. Invest in American companies again. Have faith in American ingenuity, science and technology.
I believe in this country and I have faith we will only come out of this situation a more abundant nation. We have a lot to be optimistic about; after all, oil has fallen sharply from its highs in July, and the U.S. dollar has strengthened markedly the last three months or so. These can only be viewed as a net positive for America.
So let’s ignore the doomsayers and march on. We have seen this story before and we know how it ends- America will rise again and our days as the beacon of global economic activity are far from over.
Teddy Roosevelt had a quote that I think you will find especially fitting during these tenuous times. He said- “It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at least knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while doing greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
I’ll place my bet that America will stay in the vanguard due to our hard work, faith and ingenuity. We have never walked away from an unmet challenge before, and this is certainly not the time to question our resolve.
Matthew Cunningham is an Investment Adviser Representative practicing at 1935 Main St., Baker City OR 97814. He offers securities and advisory services as an investment adviser representative and a registered representative of Commonwealth Financial Network®, a member firm of FINRA/SIPC and a Registered Investment Adviser. He can be reached at (541) 524-0399.
—Letters To The Editor—
Ear Marks A Good Thing
To The Record-Courier:
When I was growing up on the ranch we often cut part of an ear off a sheep if it needed to get culled or if it was castrated and needed to be killed and eaten in the fall. We called that an ear mark. So I was perplexed as to why everybody was up in arms when Congress did it. I thought it was a good idea marking those who needed to be culled from the herd. Now I find out it was just a way to steal money or feather your own bed or bribe somebody who made contributions to your campaign. I liked the old ways better.
Now I see my Baker County law enforcement people endorsing a senator because he is for law and order, expect when it comes to enforcing the borders through a proven electronic verification system. Could be there is a vested interest there. Of course the other guy doesn’t like it either because it might cost some votes.
Then I’ve heard Republicans talk all those bad entitlements for years except when they need a few hundred billion or maybe a trillion, for their lying, cheating, double dealing, two timing, ear marking, cheating hearts of their robber baron buddies, or something.
Baker County has spent five years basically shuffling paper on a land use plan that, I guess, makes the state’s directives easier to implement. It doesn’t have anything to do with actually addressing zoning laws. That will have to wait until we can look at the comprehensive plan in a few or so. Meanwhile Bob Stacey and Thousand Friends will come to La Grande on the 30th to reassure us that if we turn land use decisions over to the counties and have local control all those millions who just wandered on into the United States uninvited will sprawl all over their open space. And I should quit riding my 4-wheeler because there is just too damn many of us riding our 4-wheelers, but we will still legalize a million new people this year and another million will just jump the fence, what there is of it.
Ear marks use to be a good thing, maybe could be again.
Steve Culley
Baker City
Palin Keeps Repeating The Same Old Lies
To The Record-Courier:
Please indulge me in the following: An open letter to Bobby Heriza. Dear Bobby, I read with a great deal of interest your letter in The Record-Courier and would never be so presumptuous to try to tell you how to vote.
But, here a few facts I would like you to consider for the next all to few weeks. I respect and admire John McCain . His service to our country is admirable. As we have heard over and over again of his years spent in the Vietnamese prison camp, they must have been devastating. But consider this, he was in there for five or so years. Those were years that he was completely out of touch with what was going on in the rest of the world. When he emerged from that camp he was the healthiest looking prisoner I have ever seen. And I've seen a few. How about the rest of his fellow prisoners? In my opinion he was always right on in his philosophy while he was a Senator for 26 long years. Why didn't he speak up sooner? He was against drilling in the ANWAR until he, along with Sarah Palin, decided it was politically expedient to be for it.
You compare Alaska to Wyoming and Delaware. Wyoming just happens to be surrounded on three sides by other states. Delaware may have a small population, but it has more corporations than any other state in the union. Nevada also has a small population, but it is next to Delaware in incorporations. Have you ever been to these states? Well, I have been to all of them and Delaware is particularly bustling with activity. I have also been to Alaska. I watched the Ididarod take off from Sarah's hometown sometime in the early 80s. It has grown a little since then but not much and I have to tell you it is the absolute end of creation. Being a city councilman in Baker City would give a person more experience than Governor of Alaska.
Granted Palin can give a very good speech and she can rile people up, but she keeps repeating the same old lies about selling the jet on ebay for a profit. Simply not true.
She sold it months later to a private businessman and took a loss. The infamous bridge to nowhere that she killed? Well, what she doesn't tell you is she still took the money from our government so what happened to the two hundred and some million involved? Maybe that is what she gave back to the Alaskans recently. She thinks foreign policy is being able to see Russia from her front window! Just let Putin get a hold of that and we will all be toast.
She is definitely a talented politician, but let's start telling the truth here. Once a politician lies, can any of his statements really have credibility? If elected she will be one melanoma event away from the presidency. Just think about her sitting in the oval office with her finger on the button. She is known for her 'my way or the highway' philosophy. Kaboom! Take that you so and so's. And last, but certainly not least, is this: the last time I looked at the Constitution I distinctly remember reading that we should separate religion and government. What happened?
Elizabeth Cavallo
Reno, Nev.
Economic Downfall - Do You Want To Stop It?
To The Record-Courier:
For many years I have been trying to warn as many people as possible from the President on down, that the policies, laws and programs we have enacted and engage in are a serious threat to our economy.
The breakdown has begun! We have regulated ourselves out of business and it will continue to worsen until we recognize this fact and remove enough of these regulations to allow Americans to go back to work.
Our basic industries, Oil, Mining, Lumber and food production, that are the foundation of any economy have been seriously impacted. No business or industry can operate without a source of supply. We must recover the resources and produce of the earth.
We cannot afford to buy these products from foreign sources because all original wealth comes from the ground and even more countries are refusing to accept our paper dollars which are losing value every day.
To turn the economy around and create the money we need to prevent complete bankruptcy I recommend the following actions be taken immediately.
Declare an Economic Emergency!
Suspend all regulations that are delaying or impeding production of vital resources and produce that are necessary to keep our processing industries and factories at work.
Declare a moratorium on all new regulations, land withdrawals etc. that restrict access and use of the land. Stop the Government purchase of private land. This takes it off the tax rolls and stops productive use. Charge the agencies that have caused much of the problems i.e. National Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, etc. with responsibility for improving productive use of land under their jurisdiction.
Reduce the size of the land control agencies to the 1965 level. We were productive and prosperous at that level and our country got along fine without most of the activities we have invented to employ these people.
If we sit on our hands and do nothing, millions of jobs and businesses will be lost. What will happen to our country and who will take over when chaos reigns?
Act now we’ll never get another chance.
Kenneth E. Anderson
Baker City
Thanks For The Hospitality
To The Record-Courier:
We would like to thank Misty from Elkhorn embroidery in Baker City for the beautiful banners that we were able to hang in Richland, Halfway, Pine Creek and Oxbow; Hells Canyon Store and Old Pine Market for their donation of the American Flags; Jerry Welch for attaching them to the poles; to Halfway Mercantile for ordering up the brackets; and Halfway Feed and Seed for ordering up the brackets and helium; Idaho Power employees Doug Freebert who gave permission to put the flags up; to Alan Jones from Cambridge who came over to help put the flags up; and to Whitey Bloom who worked with Alan to put the flags on the power poles; to Whitey and Mike Herold for removing them from the poles this last week; Sheila Farwell, Angie Butler, Shelley and Tami who thought sweeping the streets would be nice; and Hooter Larry Walters Sr. took care of helping us remove the piles of stuff; Charity's and Laurel Olmstead for the use of their mannequins; Eleanor Smead for coming up with our awesome the "WAGS" (womens group from Richland) who greeted each and every Cycle Oregon rider; their families; the Cycle Oregon Crew and anyone else who just happened to be driving by; Dale Denson and Doug Miller for the use of the wagon, horses and providing the wagon rides; Susan Sciarrino for your help with ordering balloons and ribbon; Audrene Simpson and Tami Carpenter for decorating the arm bands; Tami and Lynn Carpenter; Kristy Henry, George Loop for helping get the 250 balloons up around town; VFW Auxiliary for decorating, dressing the part, and providing information; Betty Warmath of Jacobs Dream for graciously providing the creative clothing needs for our various characters being built by Kristy Henry, Tami Carpenter, Trevor Durr, Cliff and Sandra Duvall, Rachel Brown, Renee Heeren; and Jerry Welch for providing us with awesome mining theme people to display around town; Jennifer and Abbey Godwin and the Humanities Class who painted the windows in town; Jenipher Dehlin for the "We struck it rich in Halfway, Oregon" photo op board; the 75 folks who graciously created their own unique centerpieces (which were on the tables at mealtime for cycle oregon); Eldon and Marge Deardorff and family for the set up decor of the mining camp, the demonstrations with the mules, for the dancing in the street, true down to earth entertainment; and Lonnie Farfanick, Ivan McKim, Jerry Miller and Pam Haney for sharing your respective gold panning techniques. We thank Steve Backstrom, Hells Canyon Journal for the awesome "Valley Pine Mine Newspaper"; Linda Collier and Tory Crawford for organizing the home tour and to all who participated on the home tour; Lynn Carpenter and George Loop for getting the historical walk signs together (and all who gave history, for the historical walk and Valley Pine Mine Newspaper); to those who dressed in the mining theme; Keith and Linda McLean for the use of their yard, to put our "Thanks you Cycle Oregon" "Thank you for coming" "Be Safe" signs out on the morning Cycle Oregon left for Joseph. This list is to thank all of those who made the "hospitality" piece so hospitable, but it also goes out to all of the volunteers "time donors" who graciously took time in whichever capacity to make this year's cycle oregon such a success. A huge thank you to our fellow Hells Canyon Chamber Members, to the Halfway Lions Club and Pine Eagle School District. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to the communities of Richland, Halfway, Pine Creek, Cornucopia and Oxbow for being wonderful hospitality folks and making our efforts so much easier.
Shelley Welch & Tami Waldron
Hospitality Coordinators for 2008 Cycle Oregon
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—Editorial—
Media Bashing Of Palin Unnecessary and Unfair
John McCain made a smart move when he announced Sarah Palin as his running mate. Not only does she have the support (some say of about 30 percent of Hilary’s voters), she’s an NRA member and is in favor of oil drilling.
However, McCain’s choice of this dynamic, successful hockey mom, was a surprise to many including the mainstream media, which may account for the unfair bashing she has received. Politics tend to bring out the worst in people, as we have witnessed with the Obama and Hilary campaigns, but the attacks on Palin are little more unnerving in a nation that touts equal rights for women.
Palin is being asked biased questions about whether she can juggle being a mom with the vice presidency. We can’t recall Obama being asked if he can handle being a dad along with the presidency. In fact, we can’t recall a man’s fatherhood ever being a point of contention in any election. Obama has young children. What if his daughter has a big piano recital the same evening he’s scheduled to meet with President Talabani of Iraq? To our knowledge, he hasn’t been publicly insulted by being asked that question.
Yet, Sally Quinn, in her washington post.com column stated that Palin is a “bright, attractive, impressive person,” but, “is she prepared for the all-consuming nature of the job? Her first priority has to be her children. When the phone rings at 3 in the morning and one of her children is really sick what choice will she make?” As a “bright” person, a mom, and a governor, we’re pretty comfortable in assuming that she already has arrangements in place for her children in the event a national emergency strikes and she is needed elsewhere.
What’s even more disconcerting is the public attention her children have received. If a man had a Down’s Syndrome child, a newborn or a pregnant teenager, would his ability to hold office be questioned?
CNN’s John Roberts said “Children with Down’s syndrome require an awful lot of attention. The role of vice president, it seems to me, would take up an awful lot of her time, and it raises the issue of how much time will she have to dedicate to her newborn child?”
Women everywhere juggle marriage, children, take care of ailing parents, volunteer and still manage to hold full time jobs. This is not a new concept. In fact research shows that women are more adept at multi-tasking than men.
As if she hadn’t already been attacked enough on her abilities to hold a job and raise a family (something almost any American woman who chooses to can do), and her children drug through the media mud to the satisfaction of some, Liberal radio host Ed Schultz used the words “bimbo alert” when referring to Palin. Has a male candidate ever been referred to with the words “gigolo alert?”
The Huffington Post also featured photos of Palin with the headline, “Former Beauty Queen, Future VP?”
Democrat Vice President candidate Joe Biden said, “There's a gigantic difference between John McCain and Barack Obama and between me and I suspect my vice presidential opponent. — She's good looking.” What does that have to do with anything? And what an insult to voting Americans to insinuate she might be voted into office because of her looks.
It’s true, Palin is attractive, was elected Miss Wallisa, and was a runner-up in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant. But one of our most respected presidents was a former movie star.
Experience counts for a lot in leading a nation, but so does the ability to relate to the public and understand their needs. Who would better know the needs of the American family than one who has juggled the many roles of a wife and mother while fulfilling her job as Governor of Alaska?
There will always be half truths and outright lies in politics, but there should be no room for discrimination.
—Guest Opinion—
Individual County Courts Should Decide On Road Closures
By Roy H. and Betty J. Barnes
Presented to the Baker County Commissioners
Please keep in mind that in politics and management, that small towns and counties have one of the most important and difficult tasks. All politics are local. All authority is delegated from the bottom up. This very thing is being discussed in our national election.
The USDA and USFS have studied this area for at least 18 years, starting in 1990. The results of their study seem to be first to claim the final rule, final authority. Then second is to close most all roads in defiance of the mining laws, the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 and other related laws, such as water rights and their access. This also affects police patrols in the forest such as fish and game enforcement, community policing, drug related prevention and detection.
We have lost over $800,000 in revenue in federal funding for our schools. This will increase our taxes this same amount. This is due to loss in timber sales. This will not be reversible if the USDA and USFS achieve their goal of closing roads and thus open the issue of wilderness designation. Then we have burning rather then harvesting of trees. On Dooley mountain and on the north fork of the John Day Wilderness they watched the fire burn for an extended period of time, thus letting it get out of control, to burn needlessly and devastating large areas of public and private property. The USDA and USFS state this is good for the forest. They do not mention the air pollution; water shed degradation, water quality. Fire management and suppression is not a “spectator sport.” The best time to put out a fire is when it is small and manageable. Once a fire gets out of control, man is no longer in control.
These acts by the USDA and the USFS, are a violation to our economy, culture, history, and yes, our ethics. Roads and water are still the life blood of the economy.
In our Democratic Republic we elect county commissioners. Also we have separate, but equal branches of government, executive, legislative, and judicial, this is where the rule of law, protection of persons and their property, equal protection of the law, civil rights, these are all basic and fundamental. Your oath of office to obey the laws of the federal, state and all legislative acts, apply. To sign any agreement or contract with the USDA and USFS that makes the county subservient to the authority of the USDA and USFS, and to give “lead agency” status, in effect signs off the authority delegated to the commissioners by the voters.
By signing an agreement or contract with the USDA and USFS, the regular avenues of relief are set aside and the courts will not hear the case until the remedies of the contract have been exhausted. This is very time consuming, as the appeals process follows the contract remedies which are arbitration with the final authority (USDA and USFS). This is like the fox guarding the chicken house!
When signing any legal document without full understanding of every word and phrase, and meaning of words in law, is at least careless and reckless. In buying a house, as recent examples have taught us, what not to do. This reinforces our belief to trust but verify. Read and understand in total what you are signing. Especially the meaning of words in the fine print and statements in any legal document. Clarification and understanding is basic and fundamental before singing any contract or agreement.
The public and the law demands transparency (openness, to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth) and accountability (responsible, answerable) this is key to the public process.
We notice that the MOU is signed off on by the Forest Service legal Department, this agreement has serious implications, yet we do not see where you have done the same.
Now we will discuss the Travel Management Plan Proposed Action and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Wallowa-Whitman Travel Management Plan Proposed Action May 2007
Section 2: Recreation Standard, Amended Direction: 36 CFR5/4/07 final Version, page 8 Parts 212, 251, 261, and 295. The MVUM will be reviewed annually and revised as necessary, balancing management considerations, (such as public safety and maintenance costs) with recreation opportunities and commercial uses.
From map Legend Objective (0B) Maintenance levels - The maintenance level to be assigned at a future date considering future road management objectives, traffic needs, budget constraints, and environmental concerns. The objective maintenance level may be the same as, or higher or lower than, the operational maintenance level (Forest Service Handbook 7709.58, 12.3)
The above items are what you will have to over come in arbitration, and remember the USDA and USFS are the arbitrators. This may affect all statues that have to do with roads, and may cancel the counties authority over RS2477’s.
Is signing on with the USDA and USFS the best avenue to take, or is it in the best interest of the county and the public who reside in this county, for the commissioner’s to see to it that the USDA and USFS abide by all the required statues of the United States, State of Oregon, and the Local Government. Not just the above mentioned 5 considered maintenance level objectives. Take for instance the Americans with Disabilities Act, which they are already in violation of, by burming roads. The ADA requires that.
(4) TO INVOKE THE SWEEP OF CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY, INCLUDING THE POWER TO ENFORCE THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT AND TO REGULATE COMMERCE, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE MAJOR AREAS OF DISCRIMATION FACED DAY-TO-DAY BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
In A guide to Disability right laws (Sept. 2005) put out by the US Department of Justice (civil rights Division, Disability Rights Section).
(Section 504)
STATES THAT “NO QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISIBLITIY IN THE UNITED STATES SHALL BE EXCLUED FROM, DENIED THE BENEFITS OF, OR BE SUBJECTED TO DISCRIMINATION UNDER” ANY PROGRAM OR ACTIVITY THAT EITHER RECEIVES FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OR IS CONDUCTED BY ANY EXECUTIVE AGENCY OR THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE. (pg. 17)
This is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Justice, you may contact them at: U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Civil Rights Division Section - NYA, Washington, D.C. 20530 or by calling 1- 800 - 514 - 0301
Please remember united we stand divided we fall. We would encourage Baker County, Union County, Umatilla County, Wallowa County, Grant County, to withdraw from This Memorandum Of Understanding With, the USDA, USFS, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, also to invalidate any decisions that have been made by the lead agency. Further more; we recommend the venue for road closures rest with each individual counties court.
“Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.” During the French Revolution when advised the peasants where about to revolt the Queen said, “Let them eat cake.” Our cake is the American Constitution.
The King of England declared the forest were his and decreed that the death penalty would be invoked for anybody hunting, fishing, or violating the forest. We will not sign our own death warrant by playing a part in something that will destroy our economy, history, and culture.
The King of England declared “divine right of the King”; this is not the Kings forest. We did not grant the USDA and USFS final or divine authority.
Our Democratic Republic is alive and well. Freedom is not free; it has come at a terrible cost, and let’s honor those that have paid price with life and limb.
—Letters—
Globalists Are Going To Be In Charge One Way Or The Other
To The Record-Courier:
Kate Brown and John Kroger came to town Saturday on a campaign swing and met with the locals at Mad Matilda’s. Brown, who is a Portland liberal Democrat is running for secretary of State and probably has her eye on eventually becoming governor even though she says she just wants to be a good secretary of state.
Brown is always interesting when you bring up gun control. In past visits she mentioned going to Montana to visit her relatives who went out hunting with guns of all things, and then just came in and set them down in the kitchen where they stayed until the next morning when they went hunting again and nobody got shot. Imagine that! She retold the story again Saturday. She actually has some hillbilly relatives who shoot guns.
Of course she thinks Portland is different and Portland’s Ginny Burdick is always trying to pass statewide gun control laws. She says she is aware that there is an urban/rural divide and that possibly they haven’t been paying enough attention to it. Brown is by definition the urban/rural divide and now wants a better state job.
John Kroger was the real story though. On guns he still thinks that the second amendment has something to do with arming the National Guard and says he hasn’t read the decision on Heller vs. Washington D.C. And I asked him about ORS 181.850, the law that prohibits any state agency from spending money to assist the federal government in enforcing federal immigration laws. He seemed a bit unclear about it. I did ask if he as attorney general would get involved in immigration enforcement and he said it was “a federal problem.”
I pointed out that under George Bush the borders have remained wide open and enforcement has been almost nonexistent and that other states have started doing what the federal government won’t do and that it is up to the states to get it done. Again he said it was a federal problem. That’s strange because he does link Mexican meth with all of our social problems of child abuse, identity theft and crime, and the high financial costs of the drug flow, but still would rather have some good drug treatment programs, which I agree with, rather than more prisons. But I guess it politically incorrect to go after the suppliers who operate because of an unsecured border. Even with Gordon Smith’s plants who depend heavily on cheap Mexican labor and a lax verification system because Smith likes that labor surplus and knows darn well that the E-Verify system works 99.5 percent of the time and the few glitches are resolved in 30 days Smith and Merkley both oppose it. It’s cheap abundant labor for Smith and Merkley is fishing for Latino votes.
Kroger doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence knowing that both presidential candidates think a “path to citizenship” or amnesty is the way to go. Again we will have a federal policy of globalist open borders and states dealing with it. Evidently Oregon’s land use laws and the true effect of what it has done to Oregon. Then the last democratic legislature cut eh funding while they were trying to push measure 49 with the help of Thousand Friends of Oregon and the Portland Oregonian propaganda machine. Brown says she didn’t vote to cut funding. I’ll take her at her word, but the funding did get cut. The urban elite really doesn’t want to know what the effects on the native born population really were. Oregon has been saved for the well heeled new corner.
The only ways you can get rid of a U.S. Senator is to vote him out or if the Senate expels him. For six years you got him no matter how bad he is. So we will either have Smith or Merkley, neither of whom believe that here is a connection between environmental stress from over population. Smith is particularly amusing when talking about dams and their removal. He says that those dams can light the city of Seattle. Of course the 12-20 million illegal aliens add up to several Seattles and they actually use power, drive cars and burn gas and eat food and need housing and living space too, but I guess he’s a good Democrat in thinking that we can grow forever. Planing and zoning will take care of it.
Then we have John McCain. Cut taxes and everything will be fine, except for the deficit now at $400 billion and a national debt at $9 trillion and growing fast and 34 years of trade deficits that grow every year, but John is “the biggest free trader in history.” And John, being a borrow and spend Republican instead of a tax and spend Democrat buys into the philosophy that if you cut taxes the economy will grow and fill the federal tax coffers. It would be logical that if you cut taxes to zero the federal government would be rich instead of broke. I’ll guess I’ll have to ask my grandkids in a few years if they like what we did to them. “Should have got a rope Grandpa” is what I think they’ll say.
Obama at least says he will reexamine trade policies, until Corporate America objects, but both he and McCain will legalize almost everyone who wants to wander on in and make themselves to home. So what is an America to do when the globalists are going to be in charge one way or the other? Seems like the only rational course of action is to vote the incumbents out and plan on it next time too. The one hope is in the House of Representatives. The Founding Fathers gave us a way to deal with emergencies by making them accountable every two years. Mr. Walden I’m watching your stances on immigration, borders, gun control, corporate America’s trade policies, Wall Street greed and troop commitments and energy independence.
Steve Culley
Baker City
City Councilor Out Of Order
To The Record-Courier:
At last Tuesday's Baker City council meeting, Councilor Terry Schumacher tried to stifle comments by a couple of fellow councilors Gail Duman and Beverly Calder, who, he said, "persist in attacking him (City Manager Steve Brocato)." He added, "When you go to the polls, remember this." Schumacher is running for re-election this November against one of the city councilors he complained about. Don't vote for Duman, he says, and, by implication, do vote for me.
Now, if that isn't a sleazy way to politic from his bully seat on city council, I don't know what is.
If Schumacher wants to campaign against someone, or for another term for himself, on city council, he shouldn't be doing so on city hall property.
Also, Schumacher needs to be reminded that city council's procedural rules (Resolution 3407) do not allow personal attacks, either by councilors or members of the audience. And Mayor Jeff Petry, whose duty it is to enforce the rules evenhandedly, should have immediately called Schumacher out of order, just as he had done earlier in the meeting to Councilor Calder.
Gary Dielman
Baker City
Crossroads Carnegie Art Show Successful
To The Record-Courier:
The 10th annual art show at the Crossroads Carnegie Center was tremendous. We should be so proud that we have so many wonderful artists in the local area.
The Carnegie Building has been beautifully resorted. It is another architectural treasure that has been utilized for its present use.
We thank the Crossroads Board of Directors, volunteers and everyone who exhibited their art for a wonderful event.
Frances Burgess
Baker City
Representing The Voters
To The Record-Courier:
I had three questions to ask at the last city council meeting. 1. Why wasn't council informed when a formal investigation involving our city manager began?
2. Why was our city attorney involved and did the city pay for it? 3. Council agreed in March to re-evaluate our city manager in October, were we going to schedule that meeting? At no time was I wanting to bring up the details of the police investigation! Ask questions your fellow councilors don't like and you are accused of attacking.
Councilor Schumacher refers to myself and Councilor Calder as “those women.” Just because we women don't agree with our male counterparts who feel Steve Brocato is never to be questioned. I never forget that I'm representing those who voted me into office and will continue to ask questions. As Councilor Schumacher reminded those watching the council meeting, "when you go to the polls, remember this."
Gail Duman
Baker City Councilor
A Little Political Perspective
To The Record-Courier:
The socialists are howling piteously about Sarah Palin's lack of political leadership experience. Although the state government in Alaska is considered quite powerful, their state budget is only $12 billion annually.
Now try to put this in perspective. After all, she is only running for vice president. When Bill Clinton ran for president and was elected, the Arkansas state budget was $2 Billion annually. I do not recall these same folks even mentioning that fact during Clinton's election campaign.
Carl Kostol
Baker City
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—Letters—
Alley Yard Sale Successful
To The Record-Courier:
The first annual Alley Yard Sale was a great success. A good time was had by all! Mad Matilda's, Ma Bell's, and the Flower Box all participated in a full day of bargains and fun. In the end those gems that didn't go to buyers were donated to May Day and the Bargain Center. A special thanks to the folks at both organizations for taking the time on a Saturday afternoon to literally haul off all the "stuff"! For those who missed the sale, you'll find great deals now at both places!
Ann Bryan, May Heriza, and Paula Dobbel would like to thank all those who made the sale a great experience. They'll be looking to expand the sale next spring to include more blocks and more businesses; that is on the suggestion of those patrons who thought the Alley Yard Sale was one grand way to pick up the hidden jewels that are tucked away in all those old buildings in the central business district.
Andrew Bryan
Baker City
Problems Facing America
To The Record-Courier:
This election is getting curiouser and curiouser! The current round of questions and assertions about John McCain’s running mate take the cake.
Palin is much too inexperienced. (If you look closely, she has more hand-on executive experience than Biden, Obama or McCain.)
Palin is merely governor of a state with a small population. (WY 515,000, AK 670,000, DE 854,000.)
What if McCain dies in office and the inexperienced Palin has to assume the helm? (What if Obama is elected and Biden dies in office?)
I need not mention the sleazy attacks on her family.
Time to put away the name calling and sophomoric questioning. It is time to spell out how each party plans to address the problems facing America. What is each planning to accomplish with social security, oil addition, rising food prices, the war against terrorism, and how will this be done?
Robert Heriza
Baker City
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—Editorial—
Independently Owned And Proud Of It
We have heard a few comments lately that since The Record-Courier is now being printed at the La Grande Observer, which is owned by Western Communications, the same company that owns the Baker City Herald, that we are part of that chain as well. This is not the case.
The Record-Courier is still owned and operated by the Brinton family. We utilize the newspaper printing services offered by the Observer and pay for those services just like we pay our electricity and phone services. We have no obligations, partnerships, contracts or financial understandings with Western Communications or its publications other than to have the Observer print our newspaper, which they do for several other non-Western Communications publications as well.
We do however, really appreciate the help and support of the Observer staff, Frank, Dorothy and the rest of the press crew who make sure The Record-Courier is printed in time for us to deliver it to our readers. Their dedication, service and quality of work are outstanding.
The Record-Courier is one of the few remaining privately owned newspapers in Oregon, and we hope to keep it that way. Our staff and our owners live and work in the same communities that we serve. We don’t take our cues and follow protocol from corporation managers who live elsewhere. We take our cues from the people we serve and we try to follow the same protocol that was established by the Brinton family 107 years ago.
In a world where big corporations are increasingly swallowing up small enterprises, we are proud to be independently owned and operated.
Even though our newspaper is now printed off site, we still do the majority of our other print jobs in-house. We continue to offer business cards, invoices, letterheads, invitations, two and three part forms, envelopes, brochures, postcards, posters and just about any printing services you may need. We also offer in-house custom design work to set up your printing projects.
We recently purchased another off-set press to help us better serve the community’s needs and also have full color printing options available.
Even though times have changed and technology and has gone from setting type one letter at a time to computerized systems, we still offer the same services, and are still the friendly, reliable, community oriented, independently owned newspaper that was started by C.M. Brinton in 1901.
—Guest Opinions—
Vector Control District Manager Shares Community’s
Frustration With Mosquito Control
By James J. Lunders
“Jim just to give you a little positive input, your mosquito program or lack thereof has caused more thousands of blood meals and more eggs to be laid. You’ve perpetuated generations upon generations of more mosquitoes, your program absolutely is a dismal failure. You’ve had years to figure this out and you’re a dismal failure, you’re going to have to be removed, good luck in your endeavors.” — Caller Unknown
The above message was left on the Baker Valley Vector Control District answering machine Saturday, Aug. 23, at 7:28 pm. Although extreme in its nature this message does typify the frustration both the public and I feel about the continued overabundance of adult mosquitoes within the district. To quote another recent message, “there are too damn many mosquitoes and you haven’t done a damn thing about it”, with this caller I do in part agree, there are too many mosquitoes however I feel the district has done everything within its power to reduce mosquito numbers as much as possible.
At this point in the season the district has logged 302 phone calls. Of those calls 249 where adult mosquito reports, 16 event fogging requests, 12 dead bird reports, 4 larval inspection requests, 3 no spray list, 2 for advice on out of the district mosquito control, and 16 miscellaneous calls including thank yous. The district has made 381 larvacide treatments covering 9,985 acres as well as 55 adulticide treatments covering 63,939 acres. The district also maintains an active adult mosquito surveillance program collecting samples from 24 trap sites weekly; to not only monitor adult mosquito populations, but to collect mosquitoes for West Nile Virus (WNV) surveillance. To date we have processed 253 samples with 3 being confirmed positive for WNV.
The control of WNV and other mosquito borne diseases is the primary function of the District with the control of non disease carrying nuisance mosquitoes being a secondary objective. With the abundance of mosquito larval habitat this season, due to the extremely large snow pack, the district was forced due to budgetary constraints, to focus on our primary goal of controlling disease carrying mosquitoes and allowing nuisance populations to swell above normal treatment thresholds.
You might ask why with the option levy passing has the district been forced to make this decision. Simply put the cost per acre to control mosquitoes has gone up far faster than anyone could have foreseen. Granular aerial larvacide application costs rose from $2.97 an acre to $6.95 per acre that’s just for the aircraft not the product. Aerial adulticide applications also jumped from $0.29 to $0.92. To date the cost for chemical and aerial applications of larvacides has cost $140,396.74 adulticide applications have cost $79,943.32 for a total of $220,340.06. The district has not only used all of the resources budgeted for this seasons applications, but dipped well into the reserves we have built over the last 7 seasons I have managed the district.
As the mosquito season nears its end we will continue to use the limited resources we have left available to impact the mosquito population as much as possible. I would like to personally ask you all to take steps now and in the future to do everything possible to eliminate mosquito production on your property. Mosquito control is a community effort, from fields to buckets, bird baths to water troughs any standing water you eliminate helps the fight against mosquitoes and mosquito borne disease.
With my eighth season coming to a close I am reminded of how far the district has come over the years since I first arrived, I believe we have built a program based on sound science to protect public health and the quality of life of the citizens we serve using the products and resources we have available. Weather you agree or disagree is up to you, but remember this is YOUR district, your tax dollars fund it, if you have any feeling on the direction the district should go please let the district board of directors know. You may reach them by mail at PO Box 585, Baker City, OR 97814. You are also welcome at any of our board meetings. Thanks.
James J. Lunders is Manager and Biologist of the Baker Valley Vector Control District, Director Oregon Vector Control Association, North West Mosquito and Vector Control Association EPA-AMCA Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program Representative, North Pacific Director American Mosquito Control Association
—Letters—
The Monighan Was Moved
To The Record-Courier:
On Aug. 28, 2008, the historic gold mining excavator was dragged from its resting place of 66 years, among the dredge tailings and pine trees, to its display location at the Cracker Creek Museum of Mining on Hwy. 7 in Sumpter, Ore. This challenging project was accomplished by the strength of the machines, the skill of the operators, the tireless effort of the ground crew, and the support of many CCMM members, volunteers, and families.
Thank you to each and everyone of you: Triple C Redi-Mix, Inc.- Casey and Cass Vanderwiele, Clarke Construction- Cary and Chase Clarke, Randy Lee, Leroy Thompson, Jim Allison, Northwest Trenching, Inc.-Dale Curtis Sherman Trucking-Scott Sherman, Farm and Industrial Service Co.-Don, Crystal, and Michaela Tholen, Sumpter Fire Dept. volunteers, Rowand Machinery, DET 1 Fox Co. 145th Maintenance, Oregon National Guard, Trevor, Jerry Ann, Sierra, Michael, and Andrew Dunn, John and Lila Young, Jerry and Viola Howard, Neal Bork, Wes, Cloie, Chanda, and Cheyenne Christensen, Roy, Jennifer, Alec, and Gus Slater Leonard and Alice Bacon, Dan Christensen, Lynn Christensen Henry Matison, Albertsons Safeway, Black Distributing, Inc. Special thank you to Nils Christensen, Project Coordinator.
Cracker Creek Museum
of Mining, Inc.
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—Editorial—
Stop The Polka Dot Polka — Enough Is Enough
When Baker City Councilor Beverly Calder painted large polka dots on the sidewalk in front of her business this summer, Bella Main Street Market, she initiated a marketing campaign which she said she hoped would make people smile. The colorful dots did make a lot of people smile, but they also brought a lot of frowns from those who thought she was in violation of a city ordinance relating to painting on sidewalks.
A flurry of emails were exchanged by City Councilors, City Manager Steve Brocato and Mayor Jeff Petry over this issue including one from Brocato stating that the City had received complaints about pricing advertising being painted on the sidewalks in front of Calder’s business, which included accusations that a city councilor was being unfairly exempted from the laws that everyone else has to follow. Brocato said it was illegal to deface a sidewalk (ordinance 2893) and that he had conferred with the City Attorney on this law.
Last week at the urging of a concerned citizen we talked to Baker City Attorney Dan Van Thiel who said he had never been asked for his opinion on ordinance 2893. We felt that if there were any dishonest statements being made by city officials that the public should know about it and we were gearing up for an article based on Van Thiel’s statement and Brocato’s email.
But then, what at first seemed like a clear issue, got a little muddy. Brocato produced an invoice that showed Van Thiel had billed the city for a 1/8-hour tele conference on July 18 “re sidewalk ordinance.” We decided to put the story on hold until we talked to Van Thiel again.
We were unable to reach Van Thiel before we went to press so we killed the article last week opting to find out more details before sharing this information with the public. When we did reach him, Van Thiel stood by his original comments, which were that he had not been asked about the dots, never gave an opinion on them and that he hasn’t read ordinance 2893. But he did verify the invoice and said that on July 18 there was some brief discussion about the sidewalk ordinance, he didn’t remember the details, but he was fairly certain that nothing was brought up in the conversation, which related specifically to the dots. He did say however, if any City calls him, he is the City Attorney for Seaside and Astoria also, and asks whether or not a city ordinance is enforceable his answer is always “yes.”
Brocato later confirmed that he did not ask the City Attorney for a review of the dots issue, he asked about enforceability of the ordinance during their brief tele conference. This also backs up Brocato’s initial email exchange July 18 with City Councilors where he said, “In the ordinance, it is illegal to deface a sidewalk (ordinance 2893, section 6). I have conferred with the city attorney on the application of the law.” At no point did he say he had conferred with the city attorney as to whether Calder was in violation of the ordinance because of her dots.
So at the conclusion of our research what we wound up with is an article about how Brocato, while discussing sidewalk ordinance violations involving Calder in an email to Councilors, said he conferred with the city attorney of the application of the law (ordinance), and a City Attorney who says he remembers briefly discussing the sidewalk ordinance, but has no recollection of the dots being raised, but yes the ordinance is enforceable.
Splitting dots (hairs)? Maybe, but frankly when we put it all together, minus the accusations that couldn’t be proven to our satisfaction, it boiled down to about two paragraphs and we didn’t see much of a story here any more. Brocato’s statement might not have been crystal clear as to what he was referring to and Van Thiel’s memory may have been a little sketchy since the conversation happened over a month ago, but intentionally dishonest – we see no proof of that.
The bigger issue, we feel, is why was this situation never addressed to begin with? In Brocato’s original email to Councilors he said, “I ask for direction from a collective Council on how to proceed: enforce the law by issuing a citation and turning this issue over to the City Attorney; or suggest to Council that we change the law to accommodate painting on the sidewalks.”
In a follow up email July 27 to Mayor Petry we asked if they had reached a decision on what to do about this sidewalk issue. He responded, “The short answer is no. On 7/18/08, in my email to Staff and Council, I stated: ‘If this conduct continues, I will ask Council to set this matter as an agenda item for discussion.’"
We witnessed a lot of complaining about the dots as well as unfounded accusations on both sides of the issue via the email exchanges, but we didn’t see it on the agenda, and we didn’t see a constructive reply addressing Brocato’s request for direction. Yes, the paint has been removed and people are once again free to roam the sidewalks of Baker City without being accosted by dots, but after almost six weeks, the hullabaloo continues — why?
There are valid points on both sides of the “dots.” It does appear that Calder has been in the limelight as far as getting more than her share of citations/warnings for violating city ordinances, but whether or not they were justified, we don’t know. We leave that up to the courts to decide. What we do want to know is: what is the City and Council going to do to resolve the dots issue and put it to rest? The “conduct” has ceased, no citation was given, and at least three of the Councilors have said enough is enough and they don’t want any further discussion on this topic. But obviously this issue itself hasn’t been resolved because we are still seeing emails accusing one councilor of pre-election politics, accusing city officials of lying and city charter violations on both sides of the issue.
Whether it’s a simple matter of shaking hands and agreeing to disagree, or something more involved like changing the wording of ordinances to make them more understandable, something needs to be done. Or as some suggest, have the Council meet with the City Attorney to hash it out once and for all.
What will it take to resolve this? Do we need to hire a conflict facilitator to mediate a formal dots hearing?
This kind of publicity can’t be good for our community. If we can’t bring some kind of resolution to the issue of painting dots on the sidewalk how are we going to handle something really important like how to help the homeless, uninsured or unemployed in our community.
It’s good to question people in government and healthy in a democratic society, and it’s good to have newspapers with the freedom to inform the public. But when it gets to the point where bickering over sidewalk dots is front page news for several weeks, something needs to change. How many different ways can the dots and ordinances governing them be interpreted and how many he said, she said battles can we get into before enough really is enough?
Some say it’s not really about the dots — the issue is much deeper than that. If that’s the case then the Council needs to get a collective shovel and start digging the real issue out, until then — besides unconstructive accusations — all we have to go on is polka dots and they just need to be buried.
—Letters—
Make A Choice, God Or Man
To The Record-Courier:
Sorry to say, there is an old fable in the world and in the Christian world also that Christianity and politics don’t mix. I have to hotly disagree! As a believer in the Lord it does not in any way excuse me or you from being political! I am and so are you who name Jesus as Lord still a citizen of this world until Jesus takes us out!
I watched the debate from the “Saddle Back” Church in California between McCain and Obama. I do not agree with McCain on everything, but believe he was much more honest then Obama. In fact I know he was! If you call yourself a Christian as they both do, then your view should be the same as expressed by the Word of God, who you say you believe in. Question on same sex marriage, abortion, and any other question you may be asked, including the Constitution of the United States. This is what the whole foundation of this country is based on.
McCain’s answers were Biblical, Obama’s were political. Obama made me feel he is a liar, afraid of his own party or he reads a different Bible then I do. So what am I saying? Don’t call yourself a Christian being a politician, a pastor, or lay person if your beliefs are different or vary from what God has said in His Word. Hold fast to the Word, it’s the only truth in today’s world! Obama gave his or his party’s opinion, not God’s on ALL these questions.
The Bible says life begins at conception in the mother’s womb. Read Psalms 1:39. The Bible is also very clear on marriage. It’s between a man and a woman. In no other way does God recognize or bless this union. In the garden it was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve! Read the marriage scriptures from Genesis all the way through the New Testament.
The Constitution’s Second Amendment was written to protect the people from an evil government, not the government from the people. Obama plans to destroy the second Amendment so the people have no more self protection. We are in hard times, but when the Democratic party wants my rights as a citizen of a free country and begins to look more like a Socialism party, which holds hands with Communism, it worries me a great deal, should worry you also!
It’s time for the truth that matters. God loves the gays as much as anyone else, but they MUST ACCEPT the truth and ACT on it. Woman who have had an abortion, God still loves you and will forgive if you will ask! The Church, the Body of Christ seems to still be not seeing that most needing Jesus are on the outside of the walls. God warned us about being luke warm as many still are. There are over 4,000 people dead in one hour of time. Which way did they go, and where were we?
Richard Fox
Baker City
Thank You For The Support
To The Record-Courier:
The Baker County Fair and Panhandle Rodeo Court extend a huge thank you to Baker County businesses. There were well over 150 businesses that welcomed us with either renewing their ad or were glad to put a new ad in the Panhandle Rodeo program. Union County also stepped in with contributions to their neighboring County. We had fun meeting everyone and saying hello to many familiar faces.
We also extend our thanks to the Pine Valley Fair Association whom helped us get an excellent start with our clothing, and George and Opal Matile, Halfway, who generously provided funding for our chaps. Jason and Laurie VanTassel were very helpful with super ideas to get us started in chap design, and we were extremely fortunate that Greg Gomersall, New Plymouth, Idaho, and Rex Beck, Keating, made the chaps high priority in their work.
Lisa Shira, owner of both The Last Resort Salon and Smartie Pants Parties, and Blue Mountain Design, we thank you for the absolutely beautiful flower arrangements and the serape embroidery, respectively. Our horses look dashing.
And a thank you goes to Elkhorn Boot & Shoe Repair for adding the final detail; grommets. Additionally, Pine Valley Interior who completed one serape along with Quilts Plus adding the grommets, we thank you.
John and Mary Jo Binford, Halfway, provided the funding for the Queen’s breast collar and Rex Beck again made time to make it. Shane Pierce with Roper added all the fun extra clothing. Del’s Feed & Farm Supply were very generous with their gift certificates to each of us, which provided for some fun “shopping.” D&B along with Del’s added another gift certificate that provided supplies to keep our horses looking super. Thank you, all.
VFW will graciously open their doors for us to host our luncheon for people on the go.
Many people that attend the Queen’s luncheon are also those that are incredibly busy making the Fair happen. Therefore along with Subway, Baker City, providing sandwiches and Albertson’s filling in around with the extras, our luncheon fits us all perfectly, thank you. And off to the parade we go!
And two very important people; Steve Backstrom, Hells Canyon Journal, is an incredible photographer. His time and effort taking the Court pictures (thank you Pine Valley Ranch for your barn as our back drop) are very much appreciated along with time spent with the Rodeo Program. Melody Huff, our Court advisor, has given us all the rope possible over this past year. When we would check in with her, her response was often, “have you thought about.” We thank you both very much.
Baker County Fair
Panhandle Rodeo Court, Halfway
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