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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 6, 2015)
BEEF MONTH STEAK GIVEAWAY —8 The 2ND STREET METH BUST —10 Baker County Press Friday, February 6, 2015 • Volume 2, Issue 6 Th eBakerCountyPress.com • Your local weekly news source! 75¢ LOCAL NEWS: HEADLINE STORIES • LOCAL ARTICLES • OUTDOORS • AGRICULTURE • CLASSIFIEDS AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT BAKER COUNTY METH USE Tracking the meth trend County gives strong ‘no’ to MOU COMMISSIONERS SIGN REJECTION LETTER TO USFS Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press L-R, Mark Bennett, Bill Harvey and Tim Kerns voted to send a thanks, but no thanks letter to the USFS. By Todd Arriola Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com Photo courtesy of the BCPD. Baker City Police wear protective gear to handle meth taken into evidence. This evidence was seized during an earlier arrest unrelated to the numerous meth-related arrests over the past month. By Kerry McQuisten News@TheBakerCountyPress.com With the string of methamphetamine-related arrests in Baker County over the last month, the topic of this particular drug is steadily rising to the top of many conversations lately. Meth is no stranger to Baker County, according to those acquainted with the substance’s history, dating at least as far back as the 1950s locally. Baker City Police Chief Wyn Lohner has served in his capacity as Chief for eight years, and been part of the BCPD for 15. He says it would be a tall order to determine how much illegal meth use and sales in the area have increased or decreased, but his impression is that the number of users has remained fairly consistent. His best guess? “In reality, it’s pretty low,” he said. “Maybe three to fi ve percent of the population.” What has certainly changed in recent years is the chemical composition of the drug as well as how meth is coming into the county. Lohner added, “We saw a tremendous reduction in major meth labs to where they are basically non- existent (in Baker County) now. However, meth is still being shipped in from Hermiston and other places.” “Jack Smith,” a Baker County resident with intrinsic knowledge of the drug and its underground market, concurs with Lohner. See METH / Page 5 See COUNTY SAYS NO TO MOU / Page 4 Potato predicament Building from the ground up BMS CONSTRUCTION STUDENTS CREATE THEIR OWN SHOP By Sunny Werner Sunny@TheBakerCountyPress.com Sunny Werner / The Baker County Press Students in Mr. Frazey’s construction class are transforming a dilapidated house into their own shop. Friday Rain. Dreary and nasty! Chance of precipitation is 90% with highs in the mid 40s. Low around 35 at night. Saturday Scattered rain/snow showers tapering off in the early afternoon, 60% chance in the morning be- fore falling as the day goes on. Highs near 50. Sunday Rain Showers, 30% chance. High of 48. Low of 35. Expect another bout of rain at night, with a 60% chance. Sometimes, there is a perfect synchronicity of all the right pieces in all the right places. The inspired leadership. The dedicated school staff. The generous grant-funders. The com- munity partners dedicated to making their commu- nity an even better place. Involved and engaged students. And then it all comes together. As a result, the Baker Middle School’s Construc- tion Class is in the process of actually building its own shop from the ground up. The funds to purchase the original house eight years ago were from grants written to and received from these organizations: Meyer Memorial Trust, Collin Foundation, Leo Adler Foundation, and Baker School District general funds. The house had no foundation, and was a “teardown,” a defi nite fi re hazard. There were several small trash-fi lled sheds also on the property, which were also dismantled. “We hauled many truck- loads of trash,” said Dave Frazey, the Construction Class teacher. The remaning sec- tion of the original house have been shored up and secured, making it into a temporary classroom for BMS construction stu- dents. See BMS SHOP / Page 5 Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County. Our forecast made possible by this generous sponsor: Offi cial weather provider for The Baker County Press. The Baker County Board of Commissioners welcomed a full room of attendees for its bi-monthly session held on Wednesday. Present from the Board were Bill Harvey, Chairman, Mark Bennett, Commissioner, Tim Kerns, Commissioner, and Heidi Martin, Executive Assistant. The hottest item on the agenda was approval of a let- ter addressed from the Board to Tom Montoya, Forest Supervisor, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, with the following introduction: “After review of the new MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) that the Forest Service has presented to all the counties within the Wallowa- Whitman National Forest, we have decided to no longer participate in this MOU for the following reasons:” The letter lists fi ve separate reasons for the termination of the MOU. BAKER COUNTY GROWERS LOOK FOR NEW BUYER TO REPLACE HEINZ By Todd Arriola Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com Baker Valley potato producers received a potentially devastating blow last month when the H.J. Heinz Com- pany (Heinz) announced that the company would not be renewing its contract with them for 2015. The decision was revealed during a pre-season con- tract meeting on January 22, between potato producers and representatives from Heinz and the J.R. Simplot Company, which collectively have purchased the 3,800 acres’ worth of potatoes (3,000 to Heinz and 800 to J.R. Simplot) grown in the valley up to this point. Mark Ward, of Ward Ranches in Baker City, said there was no indication beforehand a decision like this was about to be made, and it was “quite a surprise.” Ward is President of the Malheur Potato Bargaining Association, which represents producers from both Baker and Malheur counties. See POTATO PREDICAMENT / Page 3 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Columbia Basin Helicopter v. County Youth Tour Winners Announced Legislative Hotline Dates Set Classifi eds and Service Directory The Outdoor Column Interchange Plan Open House Page Page Page Page Page Page 3 5 5 6 7 8
