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
•
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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
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