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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 2015)
Bill Would Honor Local Soldier — 9 The Middle School B-ball Tournament — 7 Snake River Econ Alliance meets — 8 Baker County Press Friday, March 6, 2015 • Volume 2, Issue 10 Th eBakerCountyPress.com • Your local weekly news source! 75¢ LOCAL NEWS: HEADLINE STORIES • LOCAL ARTICLES • OUTDOORS • AGRICULTURE • CLASSIFIEDS Mark Witty to be new 5J Superintendent COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS SESSION Brownfields project at Lime, Sheriff appointment discussed BETTY PALMER TO BEGIN AS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF CURRICULUM Submitted Photo. Mark Witty accepted the offer to become 5J’s new Superintendent after this school year. By Brian Addison Submitted Photo. The dilapidated site at Lime has been a topic of discussion for some time, but now plans are moving forward to clean up this Brownfi elds project. By Todd Arriola Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com The Baker County Board of Commissioners held its regular bi-monthly session on Wednesday, March 4, 2015, at 9 a.m., with between 20 and 30 in attendance. Present from the Board were Commission Chair Bill Harvey, Commissioner Mark Bennett, Commis- sioner Tim Kerns, and Executive Assistant Heidi Martin. There was a discus- sion concerning Oregon’s Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), which is set to expire at the end of 2015. Senate Bill 324, which was passed by the Oregon House this week, will sig- nifi cantly revise and indefi - nitely extend that program, and the result will be an increase in gas prices, with estimates over a dollar per gallon higher, and a reduction in the “carbon intensity” of fuels, another controversial topic. Harvey said that the im- pacts of this legislation, at the very least, an increase in fuel prices via a gas tax, are far-reaching and negative, and he voiced his opposition to it. Wanda Ballard, who was present, asked Harvey if there would be any eco- nomic benefi ts associated with the proposed legisla- tion.. Harvey responded that, “There’s no benefi t what- soever to the citizens who are paying the prices. It‘s going to hurt everybody across the board.” See WITTY/ Page 8 By Kerry McQuisten News@TheBakerCountyPress.com BHS’s Mock Trial team competed in Vale last weekend at regionals, bringing in second place. Friday Sunny. Mild, highs in the mid to upper 50s. Lows around 29 at night. Saturday Sunny. Highs around 60 degrees. Lows at night right around the freezing mark. Sunday Mostly sunny with highs in the low 60s and nighttime lows around the freezing mark. Last Saturday Baker High School’s Mock Trial team traveled to Vale to compete in regional competitions. The team fi nished with a respectable second place win, closely behind La Grande. Twenty-one local students in grades 9-12 faced off, after weeks of daily practice before and after school, against teams from La Grande, Vale, and Grant-Union. Stephani Rasmussen coached the team along- side Kris Pepera. The coaches organized practic- es both at the school and inside the Baker County Circuit Court room. See MOCK TRIAL / Page 9 Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County. Our forecast made possible by this generous sponsor: Offi cial weather provider for The Baker County Press. Mark Witty, 51, becomes the Baker School District’s new superintendent after agreeing to a two-year contract that pays him $124,500 per year. The school board gave Witty the unanimous nod during a special meeting Thurs- day, Feb. 26. Betty Palmer, principal of South Baker Intermediate, will assume a new role for herself and for the District as Assistant Superintendent and Director of Curriculum and Instruction. The board voted unanimously to create the new position offered Palmer. Palmer takes over director of curriculum duties from current director of curriculum Anthony Johnson. Johnson is expected to remain in his position until the end of this school year, when he will retire June 30. See COUNTY/ Page 10 BHS mock trial team competes in Vale Submitted by Rachel Burk. Brian@TheBakerCountyPress.com Deputy Hoopes submits letter for interim Sheriff position By Kerry McQuisten News@TheBakerCountyPress.com On Monday morning, Deputy John Hoopes tossed his hat into the ring for the interim Baker County Sheriff position. Last week, Lt. Travis Ash was endorsed by out- going Sheriff Mitch South- wick, who has resigned Submitted Photo. effective April 30, 2015. John Hoopes. Now the two will com- pete in the appointment process to fi ll this position until the next election in 2016. See SHERIFF / Page 5 Correction: In a front page story last week, Mark Witty’s last name was inadvertently changed to Whitley. We apologize for the error. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Mill plans on hold for now New guests at GOP banquet City Budget Board meets Chamber recruiting board members Haines chili feed raises $8K Cougar sighting in south Baker Page Page Page Page Page Page 3 5 5 9 10 12