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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 2016)
2 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 Local — News of Record — — Community Calendar — JAIL ROSTER SWCD ANNUAL DINNER MEETING Friday, January 22. The Baker Valley, Eagle Valley, Keating and Burnt River Soil and Water Conservation Districts will be holding their An- nual Dinner Meeting on January 22, 2016 at the Sunridge Inn. There will be a “no-host” social hour beginning at 5:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. We will proudly recognize local landowners and partners and showcase their outstanding contributions to the natural resource conservation effort in Baker County. The cost for the dinner is $15, payable at the SWCD offi ce prior to the event. Please join us for a wonderful evening. Must RSVP by January 15th, 2016 to the District’s offi ce at: 523-7121, ext. 100 or ext. 109. LIBRARY WINTER BOOK SALE Friday, January 22 through January 30. The Friends of Baker County Library are planning their winter book sale to raise funds for library improve- ments and services. During regular library hours. POETRY READING Friday, January 22. Join Baker City poet Nancy Christopherson for an evening of spoken poems at Crossroads Art Center, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. She will be reading from her recently published collection as well as new works. Saturday, January 23, 2016, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Crossroads Art Center, Chris- topherson will present a writing workshop open to adults. Learn the fundamentals and techniques of language-as-medium in verse. Topics explored will be form, metaphor, rhyme, the importance of line breaks... Participants will produce an original draft poem, learn to critique constructively, prac- tice revision, then read the revised poems aloud. All materials provided. COMMUNITY CELEBRATION Saturday, January 23. Casual attire vintage ski clothing encouraged! Come join us for a fun eve- ning! Tickets: $25/person, $40/couple 5:30 social hour, 6:30 dinner, 7:15 auction, 8:00 live music by Johnny & the Law Breakers. Casual attire. To be held at the Baker County Event Center, 2600 East Street in Baker City. BROOKLYN BOOK FAIR AND TACO FEED Thursday, February 4, 4:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m. Baker County Event Center. Raffl e tickets are on sale for a variety of prizes that will be awarded in drawings during the evening. Tickets are available from students or at the school. For more informa- tion, or tickets, call the school at 54-523-2450. NATIONAL TURKEY FEDERATION BANQUET Saturday, February 6. Come join in the fun at the Annual National Wild Turkey Banquet and Auction, Saturday February 6, 2016 at the Baker Elks Lodge. Doors open at 5 p.m. Dinner at 6 p.m. Auction at 7 p.m. For more information contact Bob Reedy at 541-403-1352. SUMPTER BLUE MOUNTAIN POKER RUN Saturday, February 13, 7 a.m. till 2:30 p.m. $3,000 in Prizes. Snowmobiles, cars or walker all welcome. Ticket Sales are Friday at the school- house from 6-8 p.m. - $10, and from 7 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets must be turned in by no later than 3:30 p.m. Payout and prizes at 6 p.m. Call Neil for more info: 541-894-2217. HALFWAY PANHANDLE SNOWMOBILE POKER RUN Sunday, February 14, Sign up at 9 a.m. at the Lions Club in Halfway to buy your poker hands. The poker run is 40 miles round trip. Leave your hands at the last station or turn your hands in at the lions hall. Raffl e items will be awarded and winner will be announced at 6 p.m. Total of $4,000 in payouts!! For more information call the Blooms at (541)-742-7277. HENSLEY, Justin GAGNON, Roderick SYPHERD, Crystol LATTYMER, Melissa GRAY, Robert HARDING, Jestin HENDRIKSEN, Carmon PREVO, Loren KINDER, Jeremy ANDERS, Tyler EDISON, Larry BURNINGHAM, Tyson STREET, Kenneth MYERS-GABIOLA, Michael BURKE, Markus IJAMS, Margurite PETERSON, Linda SCOTT, Austin ONCHER-FONTAINE, Jay MYERS, Rodger BRINEY, Justin YATTAW, Anthony DOYLE, James HARSHMAN, Matthew TREANOR, Kevin ROMINE, David BOLANOS, Ann ROMINE, Jonathon HANSON, Coty KEEFE, Timothy WINTERS, Lucinda WEISS, Jamie MADER, Casey WITTER, Robert HODEL, Cody MCBRIDE, Steven MYERS, Anthony SHELTON, Adam SCHLAHT, Nathan ELKSHOULDER, Ida POLICE LOG Gray, Robert James. 1/15. Baker County Circuit Court warrants for Contempt of Court, Criminal Tres- pass II, Probation Violation, Probation Violation. Gray, Robert James. 1/15. Assault IV, Violation of Restraining Order, Criminal Trespass II x 3, Criminal Mischief II x 2, Disorderly Conduct II, and Harassment. Larson, Adam Leonard. 1/15. Ha- rassment. Lattymer, Melissa Jean. 1/16. Baker County Parole and Probation detainer for Probation Violation. Sypherd, Crystol Morgan. 1/16. Baker County Parole and Probation Detainer. Buford, Scotty Ray. 1/19. Baker Circuit Court warrant for Contempt of Court. Original charge is Criminal Trespass II. FUNERAL NOTICES Sharolet Harter, 81, of Baker City, died on Sunday, January 17, 2016 at Settler’s Park Assisted Living. A celebration of Sharolet’s life will be held this summer. Arrangements are under the direction of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Services. Online condolences may be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfu- neralhome.com. Paul Thomason, 91, former Wingville- Baker City resident, died on January 13, 2016, surrounded by family and friends at his home in Scotts Valley, Callifornia. Interment will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Baker City. A Graveside Service will be held this spring, date and time to be announced. Arrangements are un- der the direction of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Services. On line condolences may be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome. com. Nina Stevens, 91, longtime Baker City resident, died at her home on Monday, January 18, 2016. Ar- rangements are under the direction of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Servicees. Online condolences may be shared at www. tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com. Dona Stanbro, 85, of Union, died 1/16/2016 at Jodi George’s Adult Foster Home in Union. Arrangements are under the direc- tion of Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814. Light a candle in remembrance of Dona at www.gray- swestco.com. Amber L. Brown, 38, of Baker City died at her residence 1/17/2016. Ar- rangements are under the direction of Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814. Light a candle in Remembrance of Amber at www. grayswestco.com. 5J says flawed alarm system should be fixed, reinstated soon BY SUNNY WERNER Sunny@TheBakerCountyPress.com In late 2014, Baker School District 5J began to implement their plans to increase safety within the District schools by issuing wearable “alarm fobs” to school personnel at Brook- lyn school. The original plan seemed a good choice; at the fi rst sign of danger staff could immediately key their fob, which was linked to a complete alarm system. Once triggered, the alarm system would lock all school doors, alert law en- forcement and emergency responders. The alarms were activat- ed by pushing two buttons on the fob, which most district personnel wore around their necks. Unfortunately, within the fi rst three months of service there were four separate false alarms gen- erated by the alarm fobs. School lockdowns, parents notifi ed of emergency situation and immediately full response from law enforcement and fi re and ambulance services ensued every time. The alarms were found to be too sensitive to pres- sure, and one false alarm was caused by a student hugging a teacher in greet- ing. The then-superintendent, Walt Wegener, made the decision to “put alarm system on hold until the glitch is fi xed”— this was January, 2015. A year later, questions asked of Brooklyn staff made it clear that they hadn’t been informed of any progress toward a resolution. Baker 5J pointed to Doug Dalton as the person who had taken on the problem. A phone interview with Dalton clarifi ed the situ- ation; the solution to the overly-sensitive fobs was to build hard cases to pro- tect them from inadvertent “bumping.” An outside manufacturer has completed building the specially designed cases, and the District plans to begin distribution to schools in the District over the next two months. Trucks reminded to use chainup areas on local highways Winter in eastern Oregon typically means drivers of commercial trucks and oth- er vehicles can expect to install tire chains at times. At a minimum, vehicle operators need to have appropriate tire chains available and be prepared to install them when condi- tions warrant and when the chain requirement signs are activated. When installing tire chains, commercial truck drivers are encouraged to use the designated chain up areas and not to stop along the highway shoulder un- less absolutely necessary. “During a recent storm event when chains were required there were two miles of trucks parked along the shoulder and in the travel lanes, while a designated chain up area directly ahead of them sat nearly empty,” said ODOT District 13 Manager Ace Clark. (See attached jpg image of trucks chaining up along shoulder) Over the past sev- eral years ODOT has constructed or improved numerous areas designed for commercial trucks to install or remove tire chains. These sites include extra wide shoulders with signage advising they are for truck chain activities only and not for parking. Many of the sites also have overhead illumination for improved safety. “By not using the chain Extensions fi led at no additional charge! BRUCE NICHOLS, CPA STAN MITCHELL, CPA 2550 Broadway, Baker City 541-523-6471 • brucenichols@integra.net Tax Services: • • • • Electronic Filing Individuals Corporations Sub “S” Corporations • Partnerships • Trusts, Estates, Fiduciary • Exempt Organizations • Payroll Services Call us today for an appointment! up areas, vehicles are blocking traffi c and creat- ing a safety hazard,” Clark said. “We have already had a couple crashes and road closures this winter due to trucks stopping in travel lanes to install chains or pulling out in front of traffi c. The chain up areas were built to increase safety for chain up opera- tions and it is a shame to see them underutilized.” All motorists are also ad- vised to be extra cautions around areas where people are chaining up. Please slow down and be mind- ful of those on the ground installing chains, and be prepared for vehicles pull- ing back into traffi c. The road surface is likely slick, so stopping distance will increase. Sudden braking or turns to avoid vehicles and people could result in a crash. Oregon’s road and weather website Trip- Check.com includes infor- mation on snow zones and chain requirements. Most snow zones areas along the interstate in Oregon have designated chain areas for commercial trucks located a short distance from chain requirement signs. Truck drivers are advised to watch for signs that indicate “chain-up area ahead” and use these safety zones for chain-up activity. Stopping in the travel lane to install chains can lead to crashes, which quickly close the route for all travelers. “The logic behind the chain requirement signs is that drivers would read the message, understand the chain-up requirements, and pull past the sign into the designated chain-up areas,” Clark said. “In most cases drivers are stopping on the narrow freeway shoulder prior to ever reading the chain up condition sign. Being out of your vehicle on the ground performing chain operations adjacent to traffi c moving on slick roadways is dangerous enough. Please use the designated chain–up areas when they are available.” Know Before You Go: Visit www.TripCheck. com for the latest real- time traffi c updates, road conditions, snow zone information, chain require- ments, highway cameras and more. By phone call 511 or 800-977-6368. Outside of Oregon, travelers can call 503-588-2941. For additional resources on winter driving and preparedness, please visit: http://www.oregon.gov/ ODOT/COMM/Pages/win- terdriving.aspx