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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 2015)
1-A District Basketball teams — Pages 7-9 The Sumpter’s outhouse races and poker run —4 Halfway’s Snomobile Poker Run —11 Baker County Press Friday, February 20, 2015 • Volume 2, Issue 8 Th eBakerCountyPress.com • Your local weekly news source! 75¢ LOCAL NEWS: HEADLINE STORIES • LOCAL ARTICLES • OUTDOORS • AGRICULTURE • CLASSIFIEDS Medal awarded to local woman PRESSURED FROM ALL SIDES, OREGON’S GOVERNOR RESIGNS Kitz calls it quits DEAN JONES RECEIVES AWARD POSTHUMOUSLY FOR WWII CIVIL AIR PATROL SERVICE Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press Gilbert and Dean Jones outside their fence at the home in which they lived for decades in Baker City. By Kerry McQuisten Photo courtesy of the Oregon Governor’s Offi ce. Embattled governor John Kitzhaber, shown here with Cylvia Hayes, announced his resignation last Friday. By Kerry McQuisten News@TheBakerCountyPress.com On Friday the 13th, just a day before Oregon State’s birthday, embattled fourth-term democratic Governor John Kitzhaber submitted his letter of resignation. That resignation became offi cial this Wednesday, with Secretary of State Kate Brown taking over the governorship. Kitzhaber’s resigna- tion came after months of controversy and investiga- tions. Democrat leaders joined with Republicans last week, applying a level of pressure that rendered Kizthaber politically inef- fective in his position. “It is not in my nature to walk away from a job I have undertaken,” his resignation letter reads. “It is to stand and fi ght for the cause. For that reason I apologize to all those peo- ple who gave of their faith, time, energy and resources to elect me to a fourth term last year and who have supported me over the past three decades. I promise you that I will continue to pursue our shared goals and our common cause in another venue.” Leaders of both local parties reacted here in Baker County. Said Marshall McComb, chair of the Baker County Democrat Party, “It’s unfortunate. But overall in looking at the big picture, I think we’re looking at a bump in the road. I think we’ll end up with some good results and have every confi dence in Kate Brown.” See KITZHABER / Page 5 News@TheBakerCountyPress.com On Monday, the family of Dean Jones of Baker City was presented with a bronze replica of a Congressional Gold Medal for her World War II service in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). Although most of the CAP fl ying was done by men during World War II, about twenty percent of the mem- bers were women. “They served in many important ways,” said Lt. Col. Art Lumley who helped coordinate the event. One of those women was Dean Jones, who passed away October 30, 2010. Of the medals awarded, all but one of those presented in bronze replica format, were presented to families due to the passing of the recipient. State Rep. Greg Barreto’s wife and legislative assistant, Chris, accepted the medal on behalf of the Jones family. See CIVIL AIR PATROL MEDAL/ Page 5 Cattle rustler sentenced to 6 months Marijuana dispensaries: City Council’s special session COUNCIL STUDIES LAND PLANNING, BUSINESS LICENSE WORDING, PROPONENTS OF DISPENSARIES PROTEST OUTSIDE CITY HALL By Todd Arriola Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com By Gina K. Swartz Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press A small group led by Rod Shaw of Baker City initiated what they termed a peaceful demonstration against City Hall, in support of marijuana dispensaries. Friday Partly cloudy with a chance of an afternoon shower. Chance of precip is 30%. High around 48, low around 29. Saturday Fleeting chance of rain/snow showers, other- wise partly cloudy to mostly sunny conditions. Highs in the mid 40s. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Low in the high 20s. Sunday Clearing with warmer temperatures. Highs in the mid to upper 40s. Clear and cool at night, with lows in the lower 20s. One thing was on the agenda for this week’s special session City Coun- cil meeting: the Baker City Business License and some specifi c wording changes. The main source of contention is whether to change the wording to include specifi cally that a business would not be is- sued a license if that busi- ness intended to operate in violation of Federal Law thus making it impossible for marijuana dispensa- ries to operate within the Baker City limits. See CITY COUNCIL / Page 11 Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County. Our forecast made possible by this generous sponsor: Offi cial weather provider for The Baker County Press. On February 12, 2015, a 12-person jury convicted Lynette Bullington, 64, of 39554 Cemetery Road, Sumpter, Oregon, of two counts of Theft in the First Degree, and four counts of Unauthorized Use of a Livestock Animal, accord- ing to a press release is- sued by the Baker County District Attorney‘s Offi ce. The two and a half day trial, which began on Tuesday, February 10, con- cluded Thursday afternoon after the jury deliberated for about 45 minutes. Bullington came into possession of a stray black Angus calf belonging to Cal and Vickie Foster, dba C & V Livestock, Inc., of Bowen Valley, in the fall of 2009. Bullington retained the calf for multiple years, and had it bred by artifi cial insemination as a cow in June of 2012, and then again in June of 2013. Two counts of Unauthor- ized Use of a Livestock Animal, class A misde- meanors, were based on breeding the cow without the owner’s permission. The two other counts of Unauthorized Use of a Livestock Animal, also Class A misdemeanors, were based on unlawfully withholding the cow and a calf that it produced from the 2013 insemination, without the consent of the owner. See RUSTLER / Page 3 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Livestock Assoc. talks salt tax Huntington candy sale Oath Keepers: supplies at cost County Commissioners session Thrivent Financial open house Cupid the Valentine’s Day calf Page Page Page Page Page Page 3 4 11 12 12 14