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January 29, 2009 Front Page |
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Elk Feeding Tours
T&T Wildlife Tours have a new team of Percheron geldings this year. Waylan and Jed take visitors to within 10 yards of more than 100 head of Rocky Mountain Elk. Tours are being offered every weekend through March 2.
The tours begin at approximately 10:30 a.m, running every 1/2 hour, with the last ride departing at 2 pm. Narration is provided by Susan Triplett and Alice Trindle who discuss the life cycles of the elk, the reason for the feed program, and the partnership with the ranchers and hunters of the area. Cost of the tour is $5 for children and $7 for adults. Visitors are asked to “Come early and dress for warmth! You may have a short wait before we can accommodate you on the wagon.”
T&T Wildlife Tours operate at the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife Anthony Creek feed site located on North Powder River Lane, 8 miles west of North Powder, Oregon. (Take the North Powder exit off of Interstate 84, and proceed west following the wildlife viewing signs.)
For more information contact: T & T Wildlife Tours at (541) 856-3356.
County Commission Delays Road Decisions
By Eden Taylor
In the regular County Commission Session on Jan. 21, Commissioners Fred Warner Jr. and Tim Kerns decided to table the orders to Recognize Mill Creek Road and North Powder River Road as RS2477 right-of-ways and amendments thereto. The reason for the delay was a letter received by the commission from Hells Canyon Preservation Society questioning the County giving sufficient notice to the public hearings. The commissioners decided to turn the letter over to the legal council for the county, Dan VanThiel, before proceeding. Commissioner Carl Stiff was in Honduras giving medical aid in a humanitarian project.
During the session, the commissioners heard an update on Veteran Services by Jane Chandler. Jane began as director of the Baker office in January 2008. She has had the office open 40 hours per week and had over 1,100 contacts. She said it was a good year. There are many veterans moving to Baker County after retiring and Iraqi vets are moving to Baker for the quiet atmosphere. There are 2,300 Veterans in Baker County needing special care.
School Board Considers Centralized Kitchen, Charter School
By Eden Taylor
On Jan. 20 the school board met with some important questions in mind. In consideration of the shortfall of state funds, the school district is going to have to make some uncomfortable cuts. So what is the best option? What is the least damaging? What does the majority want? What about special problems? How can services and performance be kept at the current level? How can the employees be retained?
These are serious questions. Questions that when answered, will make a big difference in our rural communities. Two considerations were presented at the school board meeting.
Jean Dean, Food Service/Cook Manager, asked for adoption of increased prices for school breakfast and lunch. Though no one wanted to raise prices, the fact is that food prices have increased. Rather than applying the new prices on Feb. 1 as proposed, the board voted to increase the prices effective Feb. 15 to give time for notice and advertisement of the price increase.
School Board Ponders Question: Which School Should Close?
By Eden Taylor
Since August 2008 a group of volunteers known as the Facility Efficiency Committee has been examining “recommended areas of the budget which can be reduced while still meeting all of the educational goals and legal responsibilities” of the school district. This group, consisting of Tom Hudson, Cindy Schildknecht, Ken Humphrey, Randy Daughterty and S. Kelly Cahill submitted their revised report to the Baker 5J School Board on Jan. 20.
Faced with the problem of a $2,000,000 shortfall for the 2009-2010 school year, or an approximate 12% cut in the operating budget, the committee spent “four months reviewing, researching, analyzing, meeting, discussing and agonizing over the options available. Decreasing student population in Baker County has necessitated these drastic measures. The committee was commended for their tireless effort by the school board members and by Jerry Peacock, who was standing in for Don Ulrey who was ill.
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