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Friday, September 25, 2015 • Volume 2, Issue 39
Greater sage-grouse not
listed as endangered
• EASTERN
OREGON
CELEBRATES—
CAUTIOUSLY
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Tuesday morning’s an-
nouncement from Interior
Secretary Sally Jewell
came with welcome news:
the Greater Sage-Grouse
will not be placed on the
federal endangered species
list.
“This certainly takes the
pressure off,” said Mark
Bennett, Baker County
Commissioner.
Bennett has worked “off
and on” from 2010-2013
and “full steam” since
2013 on the impacts of
the Greater Sage-Grouse
issue and its Baker County
impact, in anticipation of a
potential listing.
Bennett has been part
of “SageCon,” the Sage-
Grouse Conservation
Partnership, which is com-
posed of dozens of public
entities, ten nonprofi ts and
four private companies.
Love or hate the ap-
proach, the goal of the
SageCon Partnership
was “to present USFWS
with a unifi ed all-lands
approach to sage grouse
conservation in Oregon.
The process is intended to
be a series of focused but
coordinated discussions
to address sage grouse
conservation in the face of
multiple threats and within
multiple jurisdictions
(federal, state and local) in
Oregon,” according to their
web site.
Interestingly, the deci-
sion this week suddenly
garnered praise from Re-
publicans and Democrats
alike, with Oregon Gover-
nor Kate Brown calling it a
“big win” for Oregon.
SEE SAGE-GROUSE
PAGE 5
Photo courtesy of the Department of Interior.
The Greater Sage-Grouse will not be included as an
endangered species, came this week’s
announcement from the Department of the Interior.
Cell towers: meeting Huntington:
pot ban
tackles hot issue
enacted
BY EILEEN DRIVER
Eileen@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Citizens of Huntington have begun a “Ban the Ban”
protest in response to last Tuesday night’s Huntington
City Council decision to ban marijuana dispensaries, fol-
lowing in the footsteps of Baker City and Baker County.
After a long, complicated and controversial debate, the
City Council, in a four to two vote, banned both medical
and recreational marijuana dispensaries within city limits.
After three public meetings lasting more than three
hours each, and the testimony of dozens of people in
favor, and one person against marijuana, the Council’s
decision was met by boos and groans of protest.
As quickly as the day after the decision was made,
a petition started circulating in Huntington, asking for
signatures to put the decision to an election of the people,
and take it out of the hands of the Council.
SEE HUNTINGTON BAN PAGE 5
Halfway:
Pine-Eagle
lawsuit inches
forward
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Sunny Werner / The Baker County Press
About 30 citizens gathered at City Hall to hear the fi rst of what will be multiple meetings addressing the
potential of two cell towers currently being reviewed by the City Planning Commission.
BY SUNNY WERNER
Sunny@TheBakerCountyPress.com
On Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015, the Baker City Planning
Commission reviewed the application from Verizon to
install two, 100-foot cell towers within Baker City limits.
Approximately 30 residents of Baker City were present.
Drew Martin, City Attorney, informed the Commission
of the regulatory standards set by the Federal Commu-
nications Commission for the review of applications for
cell phone towers.
Included in these standards is Section 332(c)(7) of the
Communications Act: “The statute (also) preempts local
decisions premised directly or indirectly on the environ-
Friday
Sunny and mild, highs in the lower 80s. Partly
cloudy and cool at night, lows in the mid 40s.
Saturday
Mostly sunny and not as warm, highs in upper
70s. Partly cloudy and cool at night, lows in the
lowers 40s.
Sunday
Mostly sunny and continued cooling. Highs in
the mid 70s. Partly cloudy at night, lows near
40.
mental effects of radio frequency (RF) emissions, assum-
ing that the provider is in compliance with the Commis-
sion’s RF rules.”
Upon hearing this limitation, many attendees were vis-
ibly frustrated.
The Planning Commission has been reviewing two
separate applications from Verizon—one for a new 100-
foot tower to be located close to the Leo Adler ballfi eld
on East Street in a residential area, and the other on 11th
Street in an industrial area.
The issue at hand was the request for a conditional
use permit to allow the height of the towers. The current
restriction for height in a residential area is 38’, and 50’
for industrial.
SEE CELL TOWERS PAGE 9
Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County.
Our forecast made possible by this
generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
This month, a potential schedule was set in the ongo-
ing case of former Pine-Eagle School District elementary
teacher Linda Mallery McLean vs. Pine-Eagle School
District 61; Alpine Alarm Communications and Construc-
tion, LLC; the members of the Pine-Eagle School Board
at that time—John Miniarch, Mark Butler, Krista Dennis,
Bill Johnson, David Schmitt, Dwight Saunders, Robert
Seal; Superintendent Mike Corley, school Principal Cam-
mie deCastro and District Safety Offi cer Shawn Thatcher.
The case stems from circumstances surrounding the
April 2013 active shooter drill at the school in Halfway.
As ruled and fi led on September 4, a request for produc-
tion of documents and interrogatories are due by October
2. Depositions are to be completed by November 13.
Discovery closes on December 30 of this year.
SEE PINE-EAGLE PAGE 8
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Marvin Wood Products gets award
Co-sleeping factors in infant’s death
New 5J School Board member
Volunteers clean up Powder River
City Council’s 22-minute meeting
NRAC hears about weeds
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