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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (May 22, 2015)
FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 4 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS Opinion & Local — Letters to the Editor — Thank you, voters To the Editor: I would like to send a big thank you to the voters of Baker County for the defeat of County Initiative 1-63. Another thank you goes to all the volunteers who worked tirelessly to stop this change to Baker County Government, which was not needed. Change for the sake of change does not always equal a positive outcome. Hopefully the education process that was started because of this measure will continue and the voting public will again recognize a false narrative for what it is and will value the system we have, which is a representative Republic. This system is what this county was founded on, and it does work when people take responsibility for voting. We’re incredibly thankful that the majority of voters in our county saw that. Suzan Ellis Jones Baker County Republican Chair Letter to the Editor Policy: The Baker County Press reserves the right not to pub- lish letters containing factual falsehoods or incoherent narrative. Letters promoting or detracting from specific for-profit business- es will not be published. Word limit is 375 words per letter. Letters are limited to one every other week per author. Letters should be submitted to Editor@TheBakerCounty- Press.com. Advertising and Opinion Page Dis- claimer: Opinions submitted as Guest Opinions or Letters to the Editor express the opinions of their authors, and have not been authored by and are not necessarily the opinions of The Baker County Press, any of our staff, management, independent contractors or affiliates. Advertisements placed by political groups, candidates, businesses, etc., are printed as a paid service, which does not constitute an endorsement of or fulfillment obligation by this newspaper for the products or services advertised. Wild edibles, EMPs discussed at Oath Keepers BY KERRY MCcQUISTEN News@TheBakerCountyPress.com About 40 people met for the monthly meeting of the Baker County Oath Keep- ers Tuesday night, filling the Baker City Council Chambers on the heels of the Baker City Budget Committee meeting. Kody Justus led the flag salute and invocation, and Jake Brown explained for those new to the group how Oath Keepers is a na- tional organization focused on upholding the Constitu- tion and supporting elected officials in upholding their oaths. The members stressed again that Oath Keepers is not a militia or similar organization. Several members in the group reiterated that by being self-sufficient and prepared at home first, citi- zens could then turn and help neighbors and friends prepare for emergencies, thereby helping the entire community. Toward that goal, two key presentations filled the evening, the first by Michelle Cooper regard- ing the nutritional value of some of the weeds that grow locally, but offer nutritional value that may be overlooked. Lambs Quarter. Cooper brought samples of Lambs Quarter, a weed that grows abundantly throughout Baker County. “It tastes better than spin- ach,” she said. Lambs Quarter is non- toxic and contains several key nutrients including potassium, calcium, niacin and iron. In a pinch such as a natural disaster when the produce section of the gro- cery store may be off-lim- its, this plant can be picked and eaten fresh or sauteed much like any other leafy vegetable. It can also be dried to make flour. Cooper also brought pho- tos of a fodder tray system, a stackable system that can be used indoors to sprout and grow wheatgrass, etc. EMPs. The next presentation was given by Mark Coombes who discussed the potential effects of Electromagnetic Pulses (EMPs). “There are two kinds of events that can cause this,” said Coombes. “The first is a solar event—a coronal mass ejection.” In the 1800s, he said, America’s telegraph system was “fried” due to just such an event. A solar event of that size has not since hap- pened. Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press Mark Coombes talks about Faraday Cages and how to protect electronics. Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press Jake Brown tells those new to the audience what the Oath Keepers are all about. He said the second event could come in the form of an nuclear attack, either by ground or air. North Korea, for example, has a program in place to develop elec- tromagnetic weaponry, ac- cording to Trevor Louden in a speech given in Baker City last year. An EMP, depending on its strength and distance away from a target, could potentially knock out the power grid nationwide and send an electrical pulse through any wir- ing, destroyed tools and equipment that are plugged in. Experts estimate three years to repair each major transformer station, which may be longer consider- ing the factories making the necessary repair parts would also be down. A hit to an eastern seaboard transformer could have a domino effect across the United States, as the grid is linked together, except for Texas, which has its own separate system. Coombes discussed mak- ing a grounded Faraday Cage (a technology attrib- uted to scientist Michael Faraday and also Benjamin Franklin) in which to store valuable radios and other electronics safely at home. Preparedness Fair. Jason Yencopal of Baker County Emergency Man- agement has organized the County’s first preparedness fair, May 30, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. with a special pre- sentation from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. at the National Guard Armory in Baker City. The Oath Keepers and The Baker County Press, along with The American Red Cross, Baker County, The City of Baker City, and the Baker County Sheriff’s Department have come together as com- munity partners to help support this free event. The Oath Keepers dis- cussed bug-out bag and water purification demon- strations at their table. The Baker County Press will have cheap entry-level preppers’ guides for fami- lies available. Radio. The group discussed learning how to legally use and become licensed radio operators, as well as poten- tial ideas for educational communications classes. In other radio news, Leo Castillo, host of the radio show World Gone Crazy, which airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on 1490AM, KBKR, ended the meeting saying he was encouraged to see people come together to help each other. “Wisdom does come with preparing,” he concluded. Castillo stressed that no matter who you are, there is something every single person can do to be better prepared. — Guest Opinion — Forest access hangs in the balance By Rep. Kerry White Special to The Baker County Press The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest has been working on their closure plan for many years. Citizens for Balanced Use from Montana have been doing our best to educate and help the people of Eastern Oregon keep this forest open. Two members of CBU attended the sold-out Forest Ac- cess for All banquet this year in Baker City where Fred Kelly Grant spoke of the coordination process that has been a success all across the nation. The federal agencies and specifical- ly the Forest Service are resisting the requirement of coordination. Through the coordination process the federal agencies are required to make their plan consistent with the local govern- ment’s plan. Since 2007, the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest has shuffled five forest supervisors through the agency. These public employees have been unsuccessful in closing the forest and this is a great thing for the local com- munities and businesses that rely on the federally managed public lands for their economies, culture and heritage. The past supervisors are most often brought in to this forest to subject the people to Washington D.C. mandates with little regard for local government or the people. This is why coordina- tion is so important to preserve the historic nature of the area. Currently the Forest Service is writ- ing what is called “sub-part A,” which will become the guiding document for closing your forest to access. Sub-part A will designate which roads will remain open, which the Forest Service deems necessary for them to manage the forest. How about what the people need for them to con- tinue to enjoy their public land? The Forest Service seems not responsive to the needs of the people but more toward closing the forest to reduce management cost. Is it really about cost or is it about keeping people out? Could it be the Forest Service has mismanaged this land for so long that keeping people out will stop the public from seeing the destruction to our land they have caused? Coordination by the Forest Service with local governments is the law and it is time for this federal agency to fol- low the law. Sub-part A has been drafted and this is a public document yet the Forest Service has refused to release it. Why? Could it be the closures proposed in Sub-part A are so severe they feel the Submitted Photo Elected in 2013, Rep. Kerry White represents Montana’s House District 64. He is a founding member of Citizens for Balanced Use. public’s outrage would derail their closure plan? When will the Wallowa-Whitman forest begin to follow the law and even more important when will they begin to serve the public which they are supposed to serve? Everyone should be concerned with the actions and the plan being drafted by the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. The ability to access this forest for future generations is hanging in the balance. The Forest Plan Revision is current- ly on hold until Sub-part A is finalized but local input in Sub-part A has been non-existent. The new Forest Plan Revision will turn past management direction on its head as this forest will change from a designated open to a designated closed. In other words all roads and trails are considered closed unless posted open. The Forest Service will not be required to post anything. Ev- erything will be closed. Road and trail obliterations will follow shortly and enforcement and fines to violators will become the norm. Groups such as Forest Access for All and Citizens for Balanced Use are working every day to stop the closures and educate their members and the public on the importance of being engaged. Only through member and supporter engagement can we be successful in keeping our public lands public and open. Contact the local Forest Service of- fice in your area and demand a copy of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Sub-part A. Visit with your local County Com- missioners about the importance of coordination and urge them to require the Forest Service to follow the law and create a plan that is consistent with the desires and needs of local communities. Call your state and federal legisla- tors to ask for their help in keeping these lands open. — Contact Us — The Baker County Press PO Box 567 Baker City, Ore. 97814 Open Monday-Thursday for calls 9 AM - 4 PM Open 24/7 for emails Office location: TBA Phone: 541.519.0572 TheBakerCountyPress.com Kerry McQuisten, Publisher Editor@TheBakerCountyPress.com Wendee Morrissey, Advertising and Sales Wendee@TheBakerCountyPress.com David Conn, Advertising and Sales David@TheBakerCountyPress.com Published weekly every Friday. Subscription rates per year are $29.95 all areas, e-mail delivery. $39.95 print issue, home delivery, Baker City city limits only. $49.95 print issue, mail delivery, outside Baker City city limits only. Payment in advance. A division of Black Lyon Publishing, LLC Copyright © 2014 YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS President Barack Obama 202.456.1414 202.456.2461 fax Whitehouse.gov/contact US Sen. Jeff Merkley 503.326.3386 503.326.2900 fax Merkley.Senate.gov US Sen. Ron Wyden 541.962.7691 Wyden.Senate.gov US Rep. Greg Walden 541.624.2400 541.624.2402 fax Walden.House.gov Oregon Gov. Kate Brown 503.378.3111 Governor.Oregon.gov State Rep. Cliff Bentz 503.986.1460 State Sen. Ted Ferrioli 541.490.6528 Baker County Commissioners Bill Harvey; Mark Bennett; Tim Kerns 541.523.8200 541.523.8201
