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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (June 17, 2016)
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3 FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 Business & Ag Huntington gets new smoke shop BY EILEEN DRIVER Eileen@TheBakerCountyPress.com High Mountain Smoke Shop of Baker City has opened a second store in Huntington adding yet another new business to the small town. Darleen and Jody Hallett, the owners of High Mountain, have set up a shop full of fun and inter- esting items from which the residents and visitors of Huntington to choose. When a customer walks into the store, they are immediately drawn to the sparkle and shine of the unusual and stunning jewelry on display, then onto the beautiful display of hanging and tabletop air plants and the brightly colored tie-dyed clothing. If unusual is what you crave, check out the dragon chess set or the mystical section. High Mountain also carries piercing kits, tattoo supplies, incense burners and incense, to- bacco and marijuana pipes, vape supplies and even a small section in the back of adult only items. High Mountain has been open for business about three weeks now in Huntington and accord- ing to Darleen Hallett, “The community has been really welcoming and we are starting to get a lot of repeat customers.” If you live in Huntington and visit the Huntington store, let them know you are a resident and receive a 10 to 20-percent discount on your purchase. Friday, June 10, 2016 — Eastern Oregon Prices trended generally steady compared to week- ago prices in a very limited test. Many hay produc- ers are sold out for the year. New crop hay is grow- ing and will be harvested in the upcoming weeks. No new sales reported this week. Last week: Tons Price Range Wtd Avg Alfalfa/Ochard Mix —Small Square Premium 20 165.00-165.00 165.00 Two weeks ago: Alfalfa — Mid Square Good 150 190.00-190.00 190.00 Alfalfa — Small Square Premium 23 170.00-170.00 170.00 USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov Eileen Driver / The Baker County Press Darleen and Jody Hallett, owners of High Mountain. High Mountain Smoke Shop is located at 205 W. Adams Street in Hunting- ton behind 420Ville, and at 2658 10th Street in Baker City. They are open from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday. Those interested can reach Darleen at (541) 519-0750 or Jody at (541) 403-2928. County meets USFS over BMFPR BY TODD ARRIOLA Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com The Baker County Board of Commissioners met with representatives of the United States Forest Ser- vice (USFS) on Thursday, June 2, 2016, 1:30 p.m., in the Commission Chambers of the Baker County Court- house, for a Blue Moun- tains Forest Plan Revision (BMFPR) update. Neither the Commissioners, nor the attendees, fell short on displaying strong concerns about the USFS’s manage- ment of National Forests. Present from the Board were Chair Bill Harvey, Commissioners Mark Ben- nett, and Tim Kerns, and Executive Assistant Heidi Martin. Present from the USFS were Wallowa- Whitman Forest Supervi- sor Tom Montoya, BMFPR Team Leader Sabrina Stadler, Planner Josh Mul- ligan, and Public Affairs Officer Peter Fargo. Attendance also included Baker County Natural Re- source Advisory Commit- tee (NRAC) Coordinator Eric Wuntz, Baker County Justice of the Peace Don Williams, Tork and Wanda Ballard, Chuck Chase, Arvid Andersen, Craig and Doni Bruland, Bobbie Danser, John and Ramona Creighton, and Cynthia Long. Montoya began the informational meeting by reviewing the history of agency-to-agency coop- eration and coordination, between the USFS, and Baker County, when the USFS started working with counties, to develop a Pro- posed Action and public engagement process, in 2003, seeking input from the counties regarding that process. In 2004, he said, the Forest Revision Plan process was initiated, in the USFS’s Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA), under the National En- vironmental Policy Act (NEPA). Alternatives were developed, using scoping workshops, including Al- ternative D, which he said resulted from major input from the cooperating coun- ties in Washington, and Oregon at that time, and alternatives were analyzed by the USFS for the Draft EIS (Environmental Im- pact Statement). Montoya said there were changes to the Forest Planning Rules in 2001, 2005, 2008, and 2012, and delays were caused by those changes, and lawsuits, among other details. In 2009, he said, Baker County had become a coopering agency with the USFS, through an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding), which expired in 2011. In 2014, the Draft EIS, and the Draft Forest Plans were released, and this process included 14 public meetings and presentations (14 different communi- ties), with over 1,000 par- ticipants, and an extended public comment period (by request), which totaled 150 days, he said. In 2015, the USFS reengaged with the public, after receiving input from members of communities regarding that process, for a total of 24 public meetings, involving over 700 participants, the result of which is a collec- tion of published meet- ing notes, on the project website, fs.usda.gov/goto/ BlueMountainsPlanRevi- sion. Now in 2016, the USFS is reviewing public input, formal and informal, and the decision was made to analyze two new Alter- natives, with a focus on forest restoration, he said. Continuing work includes consulting with federal agencies (primarily, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), regarding the Endangered Species Act (ESA); meeting obligations to coordinate with Baker County, as well as other counties, as requested; cooperating with some counties, as requested; consulting with the Treaty Tribes associated with the Blue Mountains National Forests, primarily the Nez Perce, the Federated Tribes of the Umatilla, the Federated Tribes of Warm Springs, and the Burns Pauite Tribe, in order to continue to meet obliga- tions; and continuing com- munication with the public, and stakeholders, regard- ing ongoing revisions, via newsletters, conference calls, to address concerns (this will continue until a Final EIS is developed, he said). Other efforts includes de- veloping responses to the formal comments, which will be published (by requirement) in the Final EIS; publishing a single EIS, three Revised Forest Plans (one for Malheur, one for Wallowa-Whitman, and one for Umatilla), and three, separate Draft Records of Decision (ROD, to be signed by the Regional Forester), for each of the Forests; and — Weekly Hay Report — the objection process will be overseen by the USFS Washington, D.C. Office, which includes a 60-day review and objection period, and a resolution period of 90 days. Montoya discussed how the USFS is address- ing concerns, as stated in Baker County’s 2014 formal comment letter. He said the County com- mented that the USFS, via the Forest Plan, isn’t going far enough in improv- ing social, and economic conditions, and that the County seeks recognition of the social, and economic importance of the National Forest in Baker County. Montoya responded that the USFS has been trying to update its social, and economic analysis (an economist has worked on it, he said), and it has been updated, using 2014 data, to be included in the Final EIS, to better address these concerns, which were also echoed by other counties. He said that this process also includes comment letters, and other regional, eastern Oregon-specific analysis. Montoya said the County commented that the USFS should coordinate with the County, and the Forest Plan should be consistent with the County’s Natural Resource Plan (NRP). He said that he understands that the National Forest Management Act requires the USFS to coordinate with the County, which is the USFS’s plan, and also why Montoya and the others were present for this meeting, to begin that process. He said that the USFS is looking at the NRP, in order to determine how the Forest Plan can be more consistent, regard- ing any differences with the Forest Plan, and the NRP, though the ultimate decision will be made by the USFS, as far as adher- ing to policies, rules, and regulations, as required by federal law, primarily. This will all be part of the documentation of the Final EIS, he said. He said the County commented that the Forest Plan focuses on ecological principles, and protections over other uses, such as mining, timber harvest, roads, and grazing. Some of the comments Montoya noted were: more of the Forest should be suit- able for economic uses, such as timber produc- tion, grazing, and mining; few lands are suitable for timber removal, or lands are in Management Areas, where timber produc- tion is not allowed; there are enough wilderness, and species protections already; and the threat of wildfires to the residents of Baker County is too high. He said he understands the County’s interest, in terms of the economic benefits, and the USFS is trying to balance that with ecological requirements, under federal law. The USFS is also trying to find a suitable balance, in terms of harvest levels, and looking at those areas, of the highest quality only, to be suitably designated as Management Areas. The USFS is trying to address the threat of wildfires, partly through the two Al- ternatives, he said, and he discussed details of those new Alternatives. The first Alternative fo- cuses on forest restoration, and the second Alternative, more of a long-term one, focuses more on the life of the Forest Plan (15 years), and meeting the Plan’s conditions. Montoya said the County commented that the Forest Plan should not influence Travel Manage- ment in any way, and that the three Forest Plans should be developed independently, to account for their unique social, economic, and environ- mental concerns. His message, he said, is that the Forest Plan, and the Travel Management Plan are two separate docu- ments, and that the Forest Plan is more of a guide as far as moving forward with management, while the Travel Management Plan is more site-specific. In response to concerns about combined Forest Plans, he said that it comes down to boundaries, and how commonalities are shared, with neighboring Forests, and that there are overlaps. He emphasized that, at the end of the process, there will be different Plans, and RODs. Montoya said that there were negative comments about the term “designated routes,” and the USFS decided to remove that lan- guage from the documen- tation, however, he said that Travel Management would be a focus, once the Forest Plan was completed. SEE BMFPR PAGE 7 — Cattle Market Report — Wednesday, June 8, 2016 Vale, Oregon Cattle sold through the auction: 369 Steer Calves 300-400# Bulk 171.00 - 184.00 Top 187.50 400-500# Bulk 163.00 - 178.00 Top 185.00 500-600# Bulk 154.00 - 171.00 Top 175.00 Heifer Calves 300-400# Bulk 135.00 - 164.00 Top 167.00 400-500# Bulk 149.00 - 159.00 Top 166.00 500-600# Bulk 134.00 - 141.00 Top 142.00 Yearling Steers 600-700# Bulk 144.00 - 153.00 Top 158.00 700-800# Bulk 131.00 - 141.00 Top 143.00 800-900# Bulk N/A Top N/A 900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A Yearling Heifers 600-700# Bulk 127.00 - 135.00 Top 138.00 700-800# Bulk 119.00 - 128.00 Top 131.00 800-900# Bulk 113.00 - 124.00 Top 126.00 900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A Thin Shelly Cows 53.00 - 63.00 Butcher Cows 66.00 - 74.00 Butcher Bulls 71.00 - 87.00 Pairs Yng. 1250.00 - 1525.00 Hfretts. 81.00 - 94.00 Stock Cows Young - N/A ProducersLivestock.com 541-473-3136 — Log Price Report — Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon Currently the local log market is flooded with fire salvage logs. The log buyer for Malheur Lumber Co. stated they have all the logs they need under contract and are not accepting any new purchases. BCC/LLC of La Grande has receive so many burned fire salvage logs they are no longer accepting logs at the La Grande log yard. Any additional pine logs have to be delivered to the Elgin Log yard cut in plywood lengths and to a 8 inch top. For these pine logs cut in plywood lengths, BCC is offering $280.00/mbf. They are also paying $420.00/ mbf for Doug Fir & Western Larch. For White Fir they are offing $325.00/mbf. At the Pilot Rock Saw Mill BCC is offing $360.00/mbf for a 12 to 15 inch top, for 16 to 19 inch top $400.00/ mbf & offing $425.00/mbf for 20 inch plus top Courtesy of Arvid Andersen, Andersen Forestry Consulting — Precious Metals Report — Price per ounce, USD Gold: $1,288.80 Silver: $17.40 Platinum: $974.65 Palladium: $533.65 Bloomberg.com — Ag Commodities — Corn: $436.50/bu/USD Wheat: $485.00/bu/USD Soybeans: $1149.25/bu/USD Oats: $206.50 bu/USD Rough Rice: $11.50/cwt/USD Canola: $530.20 CAD/mwt Live Cattle: $115.00/lb./USD Feeder Cattle: $142.15/lb./USD Lean Hogs: $89.33/lb./USD Bloomberg.com