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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2015)
National Wild Turkey Federation Banquet —5 The Homemade Goodness: Seafood Alfredo —11 FBLA Regional Competition results —12 Baker County Press Friday, February 13, 2015 • Volume 2, Issue 7 Th eBakerCountyPress.com • Your local weekly news source! 75¢ LOCAL NEWS: HEADLINE STORIES • LOCAL ARTICLES • OUTDOORS • AGRICULTURE • CLASSIFIEDS Council calls special session over marijuana dispensaries Ace Hardware to move SCOTT THATCHER SAYS NEW, LARGER LOCATION OPENS BY MAY Gina K. Swartz / The Baker County Press Thatcher’s Ace Hardware is currently renovating its future location, which will provide more space. By Gina K. Swartz Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com Gina K. Swartz / The Baker County Press After hearing from Police Chief Lohner (far right) and others Tuesday, Baker City Council will meet again next week in a special session to learn more about their legal options regarding either banning or allowing marijuana dispensaries in Baker City. By Gina K. Swartz Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com Ordinance #3336 Regulating Commercial Marijuana Operations was the topic that fi lled Council Chamber at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Before discussion began Mayor Mosier addressed all in attendance. She said, “I believe that the seats in Council chambers are full because of this item on the agenda. I know that there is a lot to say and a lot to discuss. I thought a lot about how to structure this discussion before coming in. I think the best way for the Council is to fi rst have Chief Lohner lead the dis- cussion with information about the ordinance. Then I’d like to take citizen comments, hear concerns and to get community feedback. After we get citi- zen feedback we have our city attorney here to give a report on the ordinance and legalities followed by council comments and any questions for Chief Lohner or the City Attorney.” See MARIJUANA / Page 7 Cop killer remains in prison BAKER CITY POLICE CHIEF TRAVELS TO SALEM PAROLE HEARING By Kerry McQuisten News@TheBakerCountyPress.com A gathering of police chiefs from around Oregon traveled to Salem to sit in the audience January 27 and witness the parole hearing of convicted John Day cop killer Sidney Dean Porter, age 55. Their goal? To prevent Porter’s pending release, which had been scheduled. Among that eastern Ore- gon group were Baker City Police Chief Wyn Lohner, Chief Brian Harvey of La Grande who initiated the movement, and Chief Richard Gray of John Day. When asked why he attended, Lohner said, “It was the right thing to do. I felt very strongly that Porter should not be released and that the fam- ily deserved to see support of the Baker City Police Department.” In the end, Porter’s bid for parole was rejected, and his next parole hearing extended out fi ve years. An extension between two and 10 years was possible. In 1992, Offi cer Frank Ward responded to a domestic violence incident in John Day, at a residence where he had been previ- ously on a similar call. Once at the scene, he heard Porter’s wife screaming for help as her husband assaulted her. Ward was overpowered by the 6’5” Porter who repeatedly struck him in the head with a piece of fi rewood. The offi cer died of a broken neck and severe head trauma. A psychological evalua- tion from December 2014 determined Porter present- ly has “a severe emotional disturbance that constitutes a danger to the health or safety of the community.” Lohner said from his observations, “Porter is a manipulator who seems to try and rationalize every poor decision he has made, rather than holding himself accountable at any level.” The Board also found Friday Mostly sunny with highs in the lower 50s. Clear at night with a few passing clouds and a low around 34. Saturday Warmer and mostly sunny throughout Baker County with highs in the upper 50s. Expect a low at night around the freezing mark. Sunday Sunny with clear skies and highs in the lower 50s. Expect temperatures just below freezing at night. that Porter has an inability to express remorse or em- pathy, and a lack of under- standing of the factors that led up to the murder. Said Lohner, “The voice of the minority can be heard and can make a difference when those who believe in standing up for what is right make a hard push for justice. When Chief Harvey fi rst made our small group of eastern Oregon chiefs and sher- iffs aware that Porter was going to be released—that already-scheduled release was only three months away—from our small group evolved a statewide campaign to keep Porter in prison, which was success- ful!” This hearing marked the fi rst time Ward’s widow, Debra, spoke in person against Porter’s release. Porter, who was accom- panied at the hearing by his attorney and sister, will appear in front of the Pa- role Board again in 2020. See ACE HARDWARE / Page 3 ORP chair candidate comes to Baker City By Kerry McQuisten Submitted Photo. Offi cer Frank Ward. Submitted Photo. Sidney Dean Porter smiles in his mugshot. Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County. Our forecast made possible by this generous sponsor: Offi cial weather provider for The Baker County Press. Cruising down Resort Street in Baker City, drivers will pass the empty building that most recently housed Del’s Feed and Farm Supply. The building has sat empty since the closing of Del’s, but within the last couple weeks, residents have seen movement in the building. Contractor trucks have been around, lights have been on and the windows have been covered. If one gets close enough, however, the paper in the window shows the Ace Hardware logo. The not-so-tightly held secret is out: Thatcher’s Ace Hardware is moving to Resort Street. Said Scott Thatcher, owner of the Baker City Ace Hardware, “I had been looking at the building and work- ing on this since about last May; it just took a while for it to all evolve. We signed the papers on January 16. We signed at 10:00 a.m. and by noon we were in here work- ing. We originally were shooting for an April 1 opening but as things come up, we have delays. I just don’t know. I’d like to be going by May 1, preferably mid-April.” News@TheBakerCountyPress.com Bill Currier,the current vice chair for the Oregon Re- publican Party (ORP), visited Baker City Wednesday af- ternoon for a quick visit with county-level party leaders. Currier has thrown his hat into the ring to run against challenger Wally Hicks for the soon-to-be-vacant chair position. Currier is also the owner of a 20-year-old IT business, and serves as mayor of the town of Adair Village. Outgoing ORP chair, Dr. Art Robinson, recently an- nounced that he would be stepping down after his term ends. Robinson assumed the role to fi nish out former chair Suzanne Gallagher’s term after she resigned in the face of a recall effort. Robinson travelled through eastern Oregon over the weekend, stopping briefl y for a fund raiser in Harney County to stump for Hicks. See ORP CHAIR CANDIDATE / Page 8 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Powder Basin Watershed meeting BHS Honor Roll Compassion Center banquet 1/2-pound of meth seized Sumpter City Council Brooklyn taco feed Page Page Page Page Page Page 3 5 8 8 9 12