FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local
Oath Keepers learn about
radio show, colloidal silver
By Kerry McQuisten
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Tuesday evening’s
monthly meeting of the
Baker County Oath Keep-
ers was primarily split
between two major pre-
sentations—one relating to
emergency preparedness,
the other to the introduc-
tion of a new radio show
with topics that tie into
areas of interest to the
group.
The meeting was co-run
by Kody Justus, Jake
Brown and Jim Iler. In ad-
dition to the presentations,
Justus announced that
$160 had come in from
a recent fundraiser. Bill
Harvey also spoke very
briefly about community
preparedness before leav-
ing early.
Colloidal Silver.
Tom Omann of Eagle
Valley spoke for nearly an
hour as he demonstrated
how to create colloidal sil-
ver at home to supplement
family preparedness skills.
Using a three connected
9-volt batteries for the goal
of around 28 volts, Omann
hooked the batteries to
two electrodes attached to
14-gauge wire (his prefer-
ence), which were placed
in a jar of filtered well
water along with .9999%
pure silver wire, which he
said can be purchased from
jewelers. A coin of that
same purity would also
work, but not a coin cut
with any other metal—as
that combination can prove
toxic.
Colloidal silver is es-
sentially tiny particles of
silver suspended in ionized
water.
Electrolytically-dissolved
silver has been used as a
water disinfecting agent
for decades—in fact it is
currently used aboard the
International Space Sta-
tion. Some hospitals still
run water through copper
and silver filters to combat
MRSA due to the metals’
antibiotic and antisep-
tic qualities. The World
Health Organization uses it
to disinfect drinking water
in third-world nations.
Omann showed that the
water becomes cloudy as
the colloidal silver readies,
and eventually takes on a
golden hue when held up
to light.
He recommended
straining the final product
through a coffee filter
to remove any darkened
particles.
Silver (and colloidal sil-
ver) have an oligodynamic
effect, which means it has
a toxic effect as a metal
on living cells, which can
include bacteria, mold,
spores and the like.
Because of that effect,
use of colloidal silver in
topical creams and bandag-
es isn’t unheard of, nor is it
uncommon to use colloidal
silver in treatment of other-
wise untreatable infections,
particularly on livestock
and other animals.
While many drink col-
loidal silver as a health
supplement, the practice is
controversial. “Too much
of anything is toxic,” said
Omann, “whether it’s air,
water or anything you can
name.”
Colloidal silver taken
internally in excess can
build up in the body caus-
ing argyria, a bluish-gray
discoloration of the skin,
which is almost always
permanent. Extreme con-
sumption is discouraged—
unless faded Smurf is one’s
preferred look.
“There are people all
over the country this has
happened to,” he warned.
As for storage, he said,
“Keep the stuff away from
electromagnetic fields,
which refrigerators have. It
doesn’t need to be refriger-
ated.”
Omann does advise,
however, to keep colloidal
silver in a dark glass bottle
to help block sunlight,
which can turn the color.
World Gone Crazy.
Special guest Leo Cas-
tillo, host of the new radio
show “World Gone Crazy,”
addressed the group next,
introducing his program,
which airs on 1490AM,
KBKR every Sunday at 9
p.m.
Castillo is a fan of and
has participated in groups
such as Oath Keepers,
Eastern Oregon Patriots
and Forest Access for All.
He is a Gulf War veteran.
Some of Castillo’s key
show topics will revolve
around preservation of first
and second amendment
rights all the way to topics
such as comtrails and the
vaccine debate.
His past interviews have
included Oath Keeper Jake
Brown, Chris Bridgens
who spoke on parents
rights in education, and Dr.
Jennifer Craig on the early
history of vaccines.
Castillo’s wish list of
guests includes Sheriff
Richard Mack to discuss
The Constitutional Sheriffs
and Peace Officers As-
sociation, and Utah State
Representative Ken Ivory
regarding the Transfer of
Public Lands.
Castillo led an open dis-
cussion spanning a number
of issues that came into the
minds of members of the
group.
A proposed Oregon
Senate bill, which has now
failed, caused concern
“trying to eradicate the
parents’ rights to claim a
philosophical exemption,”
he summarized. The spon-
sor of that bill has since
declared her intent to intro-
duce another bill along the
same vein in the future.
One member asked Cas-
tillo if he believed there
will come a time “when
vaccines will be forced
upon you and there will be
no way out.”
“I don’t think they’ll be
able to get rid of the reli-
gious exemption,” he said.
“That would be a really
tough fight.
Castillo broached the
subject of Transfer of
Public Lands, voicing
support for the concept and
Oregon House Bill 3444.
“Prosperity is right here,”
he said. “This whole idea
of scarcity is bull.”
Ron Edge of Baker City
asked if Castillo had heard
of the Mine-Resistant Am-
bush Protected (MRAP)
vehicle that the Baker
County Sheriff’s Depart-
ment had been gifted by
the Department of Justice
nearly two years ago.
Since that time, similar
vehicles, each valued at
$650,000 or more, have
been distributed and
located in hundreds of
the smallest communities
across America, including
Baker City, where there is
little use for a vehicle with
those specs.
Castillo tied Edge’s
concern in with a question
asked of the two appoin-
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Tom Omann shows how to create colloidal silver at
home.
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Leo Castillo introduces his radio program, World
Gone Grazy, which airs on 1490AM Sundays.
tee candidates for Baker
County Sheriff last week,
regarding the Federal mili-
tarization of police.
Several members voiced
the opinion that the Obama
Administration’s efforts to
militarize even the rural
areas could be rendered
“inert” if County Sheriff’s
Departments don’t sign
away local rights via Fed-
eral agreements.
The second amendment
and resolutions support-
ing it were briefly touched
upon, as were a number of
other topics including the
overwhelming elimination
of high-ranking military
officers to the presence of
foreign troops training on
American soil.
The topics on “World
Gone Crazy” will seem-
ingly run the spectrum.
Archives of Castillo’s
past shows, as well as
contact information, can
be found online at www.
worldgonecrazy.net.
For more information or
to join the Baker County
Oath Keepers, please visit
BakerCountySolutions.
com or look for contact
information on the service
directory ad on page six of
this newspaper.
Ash appointed as interim Sheriff
Continued from Page 1
Bennett said, “As I
reflected on this, I realized
I was not elected to be a
politician. I was elected to
listen, to gather informa-
tion, analyze, reflect, and
then make a decision.”
He thanked both candi-
dates, and gave them high
praise for enduring the in-
terview, etc., and described
his analysis, including
using his background of 23
years in law enforcement
to aide in the decision-
making process.
Bennett said the two
candidates had similar an-
swers and goals concern-
ing community relations,
jurisdictional authority,
natural resources policy,
and the Second Amend-
ment.
He explained that, while
he commended Hoopes’
complete honesty and
directness when answering
questions about budget-
ing, training personnel,
and supervision, he noted
that Ash has more experi-
ence with writing warrants,
training, supervision, and
in other areas, and he
was the applicant Bennett
chose.
Kerns thanked the
candidates, and said, “You
were very close, in almost
all cases. We’ve had an
excellent Sheriff; he’s
done an excellent job, and
he’s the one that knows
these people, and knows
the business. He made
a recommendation, and
I’ll have to go with the
recommendation of Sheriff
Southwick, Travis Ash.”
Harvey explained his
own analysis, and talked
about open meetings, com-
munity input and advice
from others, along with
using his own 35-year
business experience in hir-
ing and promoting person-
nel, and said, “It is my job
to look for the person that
is the best fit as your next
Sheriff of Baker County.
That’s why I, too, am ap-
pointing Travis Ash.”
Ash was appointed inter-
im Sheriff, with a motion
from Kerns, and a second
from Bennett, followed by
a short break, during which
the crowd visited with and
thanked and congratulated
the candidates.
In a press release issued
by Ash Wednesday, he
writes, “I fully appreciate
the trust the Baker County
Commissioners have
placed in me by appointing
me to the position of Baker
County Interim Sheriff.
As I have said previously,
I am deeply humbled by
the support and encourage-
ment I have received from
the community during this
process and hope to contin-
ue to earn the confidence
of the people of Baker
County. I am looking
forward to serving the Citi-
zens of Baker County and
am also looking forward to
going through the election
process in the new year.”
Housekeeping.
After the break, the
minutes from the regular
session on March 4, 2015
were approved, with a mo-
tion from Bennett, and a
second from Kerns.
Harvey asked if anyone
had any comments or dis-
cussions for the citizen’s
participation segment of
the session, and the reply
was that there were none.
Kerns commented about
applying for drought assis-
tance, and Bennett replied
that at the next regular ses-
sion, the matter could be
discussed more thoroughly,
with more information.
Appointments.
Order No. 2015-110,
Appointing A Member To
The Baker Valley Vec-
tor Control Board, was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Kerns. Fred Warner,
Jr. was appointed to serve,
his term expiring on De-
cember 31, 2017.
Order No. 2015-111,
Re-Appointing Members
To The Baker County
Museum Commission, was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Kerns. Steve Bogart,
Hal Huntington, Roberta
Proudfoot, and Melinda
Sherrieb were re-appoint-
ed, their term expiring
January 1, 2018.
Order No. 2015-112,
Re-Appointing Members
To The Baker County
Natural Resource Advisory
Committee, was approved,
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Members of the BHS FFA presented a debate on grazing, using one of their
own in a sand creature costume to illustrate one point.
with a motion from Ben-
nett, and a second from
Harvey. Laurene Chapman,
Dick Fleming, Jan Kerns,
and Lane Parry were re-
appointed, their term expir-
ing March 1, 2018.
Courts.
Michael Finley was
present to give a Justice
Court update, explaining
initially that revenue is up,
almost $41,000, from last
year at this time.
He said there’s an issue
with the Small Claims fee
of $28, and it needs to be
increased, since more than
just filing a case would
necessarily involve more
effort and expenditure.
Finley said he’s hearing
that other courts are under-
staffed, and there’s a cur-
rent effort to change filing
processes to an electronic,
paperless system.
He informed the Board
that he will be requesting
another employee to work
an eight-hour week to as-
sist with the large backlog
of files he says needs to be
scanned and digitized.
Finley mentioned two
Oregon House bills, HB
3399, and HB 2355.
HB 3399, he said, could
have a big impact, since
it involves transcription
requirements for the court
system, and it would be
extremely difficult to meet
those requirements with
the staff on hand.
The bill would also
require Oregon State Bar
certifications for certain
personnel, such as Jus-
tice Of The Peace, which
would be costly, he said.
HB 2355 involves fee
increases for Small Claims
court, which is something
Finley does support, and
says is definitely needed
FFA.
The Baker High School
Future Farmers of America
(FFA) presented a debate
on grazing and desertiza-
tion after Finley’s update,
and the group included
Ashley Brinton, Hannah
Oliver, Taylor Hawes,
Christian Oliver, Robie
Davis, and Kylie Skidgel.
The group will be
presenting also at the FFA
National Convention this
weekend in Silverton,
Oregon, they said.
The next regular Com-
mission session is sched-
uled for Wednesday, April
1, 2015, at 9 a.m., in the
Commissioners Chambers
of the Baker County Court-
house.