Got Twine? Local Woman Aims To Recycle It
By Debby Schoeningh
Growing up on a ranch, Sara Bates, of Keating, Ore., has woven the discarded
blue and orange polypropylene baling twine into colorful horse halters and
crafts for years. But that didn't make a dent in the piles of twine her
parents and neighbors accumulated after a winter of feeding hay to
livestock.
“One rancher’s supply would make a lifetime of halters for the entire
county, and not everyone is dying to have one,” said Bates. “The idea of
what to do with baling twine has been pecking away at me for years, and now
that I’m married and have children, I’ve become even more conscious of
utilizing scrap materials.”
A couple of months ago she began researching the possibility of recycling
twine, and as a result, Bates, who couldn’t figure out what to do with the
twine she had before, wants more.
County Commissioners Hear From CFF
By Eden Taylor
At the regular County Commission Session on April 1, Judy Barzee, Director
of the Commission on Children and Families (CFF), presented her budget. The
commissioners agreed that Barzee made good use of her funds and has been
able to increase funding by using discretionary funds to pay for grant
writers.
Barzee is a member of many organizations in the community such as Early
Childhood Advisory, NOCCS, School Site One Stop Advisory Board, Baker County
Prevention Coalition Advisory Board and many others. Barzee says that her
and her assistant, Christy Vega, compliment each other in the office.
Christy performs duties that Barzee is “unable to get to.” Christy enjoys
the “hands-on” work she does in the community and is very good at it.
Director Barzee’s skills are better used in a leadership capacity in the
work she does with community partners and rural communities in our county.
Baker Field Office For DOGAMI On Chopping Block?
By Eden Taylor
In the County Commission Regular Session on April 1, Mark Ferns, Regional
Geologist gave the Commissioners an update on the Department of Geology and
Mineral Industries (DOGAMI). At the present there is a main office in
Portland and field offices in Baker, Grants Pass and Newport. In light of
the drastic state budget cuts, the DOGAMI faces extinction, or at least
large cutbacks.
At a 10% budget reduction, DOGAMI is looking at closing one of the field
offices in either Baker or Grants Pass. A 15% reduction would close both.
With a 20% reduction the agency would probably not survive past 2011. The
State is hoping there will be funds available, or private funds will take
over the financing of the agency. Citizens at the Commission Meeting were
very opposed to closing the Baker City field office. Both Baker and Grants
Pass are large mineral and mining areas. The DOGAMI nearby is vital to
mining operations.
Holcomb Park Comfort Station Nears Completion
By Eden Taylor
Forest Ranger Karen Spencer treated the Baker County Commissioners to a
slideshow of the Holcomb Park Comfort Station in the regular County
Commission session on April 1. The presentation showed pictures of the
comfort station in various stages of progress. The Commissioners were able
to see the station from its beginning until its status on March 31.
Spencer said that the restroom and shower house will be completed in 2 weeks
and open to the public then. The commissioners approved to extend the
construction contract with Gyllenberg Construction to April 30th so that all
can be finished.
Spencer also got approval to apply for 2 grants that will pay for the boat
ramp extension and capping with concrete at Holcomb Park. Before the meeting
was over Spencer had already received the award of one of the grants on the
basis that it had been awarded earlier and not used. Boarding ports down
both sides will be added this year. The instream work period is July 1 to
October 31 when the water can be drawn down sufficiently to extend the boat
ramp.
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