|
Sycamore Tree Receives National Magazine Recognition
By Eden Taylor
The Sycamore Tree has been a fixture in Baker City for 20 years. For many
it’s the first place to go when buying a gift. Two years ago, Lance and Jacki Adams became the new owners of the Sycamore Tree. Jacki had always entertained the idea of having a gift shop, something like a tea house with antiques. When the Sycamore Tree came up for sale, Jacki said that things just fell into place for her and her husband to purchase the shop. Jacki made the shop her own by adding items to the already successful store.
This year The Sycamore was awarded runner-up Retailer of the Year by Country Business Magazine. A story about the Adams and their shop is printed in the March/April 2009 issue of Country Business Magazine. Jacki received a trophy that is displayed in her store window. Just this week, the Adams received a large plaque containing the magazine article pages. That’s quite an honor for a home-town girl and her home-town shop.
Jacki was born and raised in Baker and graduated from Baker High. Salesmanship is nothing new to her. After working for Elkhorn Title Company, Jacki and her Dad, Terry Schumacher bought and ran Broadway Video. Jacki then worked for Baker Dental Group for 7 years before working for McAdams Insurance. There she met and married Lance. They purchased The Sycamore Tree in December 2006.
Jesse Stuart Convicted in Domestic Violence Case
A 12-person jury convicted Jesse Ray Stuart, March 25 of Assault in the Fourth Degree, Strangulation, and Harassment. The jury did not find for a count of felony assault. Judge Michael McElligott, a visiting judge from Washington County, presided over the one-day trial. The State was represented by Deputy District Attorney, Rebeca Piedra. The Defendant was represented by Ken Bardizian.
The defendant was convicted of crimes involving domestic violence stemming from an incident that occurred in the residence he shared with the victim, Kelly McGee, in Halfway, Oregon on June 13, 2008. The Defendant was charged and convicted of assaulting, strangling, and harassing Kelly McGee, who at the time was his live-in girlfriend. Present in the home during the incident was the Defendant’s four-year-old son, as well as two children from the neighborhood, a nine-year-old and her 13-year-old brother. Deputy Scott Immoos from the Baker County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime.
Council Receives $94,000 Franchise Check From OTECC, Discuss Golf Course And SRO Grant
By Debby Schoeningh
Steve Schauer, member services manager for Oregon Trail Electric Consumers Cooperative (OTECC), and Sherry Shermer, member services representative of OTECC’s Baker District delivered a franchise fee check for $94,000 to the City during its March 24 council meeting.
Schauer also reported that OTECC has slated $1.4 million to be used for improvements in Baker County, which includes about $565,000 for OTECC’s share of line extensions for new connections, feeder line (powerline that comes out of a substation) reliability improvements, rebuilding a regulator platform and switch in Keating, voltage conversion at Baker Airport from 2,400 volts to 13,800, voltage conversion in the Hillcrest area, rebuilding lines above Gyllenbergs and at the west end of Phillips Lake. Scheduled purchases include a forklift for the Baker District and about $335,000 in meters and transformers.
Werewolves Removed From Endangered Species List, Silver Prices Soar
In a surpise move today, the Federal Department of Fish and Wild Creatures’ Board of Directors voted unanimously to remove the Gray Werewolf from the Endangered Species List, triggering a sharp rise in the price of silver.
Fred Hardtiman, spokesman for the Eastern Oregon Silver Mines Association says, “This is the best thing to happen to our industry in ages. Now local ranchers won’t be doing the SSS - you know, shoot, shovel and shut up. They’ll be shooting to beat heck, and they’ll be doing it with our good ol’, home-dug silver.”
Up until now, pure silver ammunition has been illegal to purchase at retail stores without a special permit. Of course, not everyone sees the situation in a positive light. The advocacy group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Evil Rogue Beasties (PETERB), released the statement: “We’re very disappointed. The werewolf is a magical creature, just doing what any enormous, fanged beast does to survive. If occasionally a sheep, cow or small human is accidentally ingested, we feel it’s worth it to maintain the natural balance of things.”
|
