Train Derails Near Haines
By Teri Brown-Johnson
According to Haines Fire Chief Jerry Hampton, on Friday, May 29, at 5 a.m., the Haines Fire Protection District responded to a Union Pacific Railroad train derailment south of Haines along Highway 30. At the time it was reported there were 12 cars off the tracks, one a chemical tanker with a possible chemical leak.
Five fire fighters responded to the scene and others were placed on standby. It was determined there was no spill. Haines Fire was involved with this emergency from early morning until 6 p.m. A broken wheel is suspected to have caused this derailment. Training on this type of call was provided through Baker County Emergency Management last summer. Train traffic was restored sometime early Saturday, May 30.
Flaggers were slowing traffic on Highway 30 this week while crews with heavy equipment removed the derailed cars and debris.
Baker’s Class Of 2009 Graduates
By Eden Taylor
On May, 135 students graduated from Baker High School. The class of 2009, decked out in their purple and gold caps and gowns, entered the Bulldog Memorial Stadium at the southeast entrance, marching two by two. The sound of “Pomp and Circumstance” played by the BHS band filled the air.
Greeted by Weston Anderson, ASB President for 2009-2010, the audience and graduates saluted the flag as the Choir Seniors sang the National Anthem.
The first address was by Kristen Hoopes, co-salutatorian. Hoopes repeated Mr. Peacock’s favorite statistic that “only 10% of you will remember 10% of what is said 10 minutes from now.” She then said that the class had spent the last 13 out of 18 years gaining a firm foundation of knowledge. Kristen compared the stages of high school to a rollercoaster ride. The end stage is when the coaster suddenly comes to a halt and the ride is over.
Hoopes gave the statistic that 99 million kids would have had education if given the opportunity. She wanted the class to be grateful for the opportunity they had. She also said that though their best memories in the past 13 years have been of school, that high school shouldn’t wind up being the best years of their lives. She suggested making other memories that are better and greater.
City Councilor’s Properties Under Scruntiny, Brocato Receives Performance Evaluation Scores
By Candie Campbell
At the Baker City Council meeting on May 26 a proposal of Ordinance No. 3292 Property Maintenance Code was introduced for the Council to vote on. However, Mayor Dennis Dorrah began the discussion with the mention of an email attachment regarding a survey done by the City Police Department saying its purpose was “to check all of the councilor’s properties in the city limits for violations of both the existing ordinance and the new [proposed] ordinances.”
According to the State Ethics Commission the council may have a conflict of interest, in which case Dorrah says “They [councilors] must announce publicly and refrain from participating as a public official in any discussion or debate on the issue.”
‘The problem is,” said Dorrah, “we are personally liable for law suits if anyone wanted to take it that far.”
For the councilors to be in a position to vote on a property maintenance ordinance, while being property owners themselves, Dorrah claims the Ethics Commission has said there is potential for a conflict of interest.
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