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April 22, 2010 Front Page |
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Americans For Prosperity Hold Local Tea Party
By Suzan Ellis Jones
Over 300 people attended last Thursday evening’s Tea Party at Geiser-Pollman Park in Baker City. Poster packing citizens from Baker City, Bridgeport, Durkee, Huntington and even Ontario attended the event.
Flags and posters ranged from the classic yellow Gadsden flag from the first American revolution of the coiled rattlesnake and the slogan, “Don’t Tread on Me.” Homemade signs were in all varieties, many quoting Thomas Jefferson and others, and there were many originals as well. The mood of the night was positive and confident that there will be change to the liberal majority of Congress in November. The freedom to assembly was being exercised.
High School senior, Kyle Knight, County coordinator for Americans for Prosperity planned the event, which has more than doubled in size from last year’s tea party. Knight was master of ceremonies at the event and the night started off with the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer and then the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner.”
County Compensation Board Votes 2.6 Percent Raise For Elected Officials And 5 Percent Raise For Commissioner Warner
By Suzan Ellis Jones
Oregon Revised Statutes 204.112, requires a little known committee to meet annually to evaluate and compare the salaries of elected officials of Baker County government. They usually meet just prior to the budget board meetings each spring. This committee is so obscure that it doesn’t even rate a mention on Baker County’s web site in the listing of Commissions and Boards, even though this committee is one of the few committees which are required by Oregon statute.
Members of the Board are appointed by the Baker County Commissioners and serve four-year terms. Statute further requires all members of the committee to be “knowledgeable in personnel and compensation management.” Current members are Leroy Gornick of Baker City, new appointees Linda Silva of Haines, Jim Grove of Baker City and current Chair, Suzan Ellis Jones of Bridgeport.
GSA Students Participate In Day Of Silence Promoting Tolerance, And Ending Bullying
By Eden Taylor
On Friday, April 16, about 40 Baker High Students participated in the 15th annual National Day of Silence. The observance was sponsored by the Gay-Straight Alliance Club (GSA) at Baker High School. Members organized the activity and posted flyers informing the student body of the Day of Silence.
Gail Lemberger, advisor to the club, explained the purpose of the observance, “Students across the country took a vow of silence to call attention to the silencing effect on anti-Gay bullying and harassment in schools.” She also noted that “The Day of Silence is the largest single student-led action toward creating safer schools for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.”
Members of the GSA club and some of the other students who participated in the observance wore printed arm bands that read: “Today, I am Silent. Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by harassment, prejudice, and discrimination. I believe that ending the silence is the first step towards fighting these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today. What are you going to do to end the silence?”
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