In And Out Owners Urge Council To Keep E Street Business Parking Space
By Travis Short
Citizens participation at the June 14 Baker City Council meeting included discussions on cemetery maintenence, reduced parking to a local business due to E Street project and the burn ordinance.
First to speak was Carol Tone. Tone was concerned with the current state of the cemetery. She said that there are leaning stones and sunken graves in the veterans area of the cemetery. She mentioned a veteran who tripped in a hole during Memorial Day services, and could have been severely hurt. She requested that more of the $20,000 allocated for cemetery upkeep be directed toward the veterans section, stating, “We owe this to these veterans.”
Baker City Public Works Director Michelle Owen said there has been no set amount allocated for that purpose, but could be if necessary. She also said “Stones are not covered by the perpetual care contract.” Councilor Sam Bass agreed that there should be some basic maintenance at least to the veterans graves. Councilor Roger Coles said that the sunken graves are not a new problem.
Baker County Commissioners Take Back Lime Property
By Debby Schoeningh
A six year agreement with Baker County and Tigard businessman Paul Vaden for the purchase of the Lime property west of Huntington came to an end earlier this month.
Vaden approached commissioners at their June 1 meeting hoping for an extension on the agreement that expired April 30, 2011.
In 2005, Vaden paid the county $1,000 for an option to study the site for possible industrial or agriculture use, with an option to purchase it. The county had acquired the property, which included a lime plant, 12 years ago through foreclosure.
When the agreement expired Dec. 31, 2006, commissioners agreed to a four-month extension on the study, and an option to purchase the property with Vaden making a non-refundable payment of $50,000 by April 30, 2007, along with the remaining balance payment of $350,000 for the purchase of the property by April 30, 2008 with payment of property taxes beginning Jan. 1, 2007.
Haines Man Dies In Traffic Crash On Hwy. 82 Near Union And Wallowa County Line
Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers are continuing the investigation into last week’s multiple vehicle traffic crash that resulted in the death of a Haines man and injuries to six other people on Highway 82 near the Union / Wallowa county line.
According to OSP Sergeant Kyle Hove, on June 8 at approximately 2 p.m. a truck pulling a box trailer loaded with livestock driven by Michael David Wright, 54, from Haines, was traveling eastbound downhill on Highway 82 near milepost 31 within a highway work zone. Traffic was controlled by flaggers into one lane for both directions.
As the truck and trailer approached the narrowed traffic lanes Wright was unable to stop, driving past a flagger and sideswiping two westbound pickups. As the truck and trailer continued eastbound it collided nearly head-on with a Volkswagen Jetta containing four occupants. The truck and trailer then overturned on its left side and onto a Jeep Cherokee with two occupants.
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