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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (May 29, 2015)
BUSINESS: Learn about a local business that alters altars! PAGE 3 The MEMORIAL DAY: Veteran reflects on love, loss and his extraordinary life. PAGE 5 Baker County Press TheBakerCountyPress.com 75¢ All local. All relevant. Every Friday. Friday, May 29, 2015 • Volume 2, Issue 22 Catfish Derby’s 30th year • HUNTINGTON’S HEAVIEST CATFISH WEIGHS IN AT OVER 31 LBS. BY EILEEN DRIVER Eileen@TheBakerCountyPress.com The 30th Annual Hun- tington Lion’s Club Catfi sh Derby was held Memorial weekend in Huntington, with most of the events centered in and around Lion’s Park. This year’s winners were Tod Roberts for the Heavi- est Cat Senior Division and Heaviest Cat of the Tournament with a catch at 31.06 lbs. The Heaviest Cat Junior Division winner was Kaidan Blair with his 25.86 lb. fi sh. The Catfi sh Derby sig- nals the beginning of the summer season and is one of the largest events held here with the population of Huntington at least tripling in size for the four days of the holiday weekend. Driving along the Snake River Road became a slow and careful process as fi shermen of all sexes, ages and walks of life lined the banks, and rode the waves in their boats to look for that elusive “big one” and claim the $500 Grand Prize for the Heaviest Cat of the Derby. The rules are simple— fi sh must be caught on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday by a Derby- registered fi sherman in the Brownlee Pool of the Snake River and must be brought in alive to be weighed in. Catfi sh become the property of the Lion’s Club and are returned to the river every night. Entries could be turned in between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Satur- day, Sunday and Monday to qualify for that day’s prizes. Registration for the derby was only $10 for the Senior division and $5 for the Junior Division. People gathered daily in the park to walk around the Flea Market, which had booths fi lled with offi cial Catfi sh derby Caps, T- shirts and sweatshirts sold by the Lion’s Club. Cook- ies and cupcakes were sold by the Senior Class at Huntington High School. SEE CATFISH DERBY PAGE 7 Eileen Driver / The Baker County Press Kaidan Blair wins the junior division, receiving his trophy from Mike Raney. Families open their homes to endangered children • FAITH COMMUNITY SUPPORTS PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN IN CRISIS BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com Brian Addison / The Baker County Press Members of the American Legion erect fl ags to honor recently deceased military veterans during the Memorial Day ceremony at Mount Hope Cemetery. Remembering those who were lost • BAKER COUNTY HAS ONE OF LARGEST PER CAPITA NUMBERS OF VETERANS SEE SAFE FAMILIES FOR CHILDREN PAGE 10 Thief steals bag from paramedic BY BRIAN ADDISON Brian@TheBakerCountyPress.com Baker County is home to one of the largest number of military veterans per capita in the state of Oregon and this fact is highlighted every Memorial Day at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Memorial Day holds a special place in the heart of Baker County. A team of volunteers, organized by Baker City Elks Lodge No. 338 leader Doug Riggs, appear every year in the early morning hours and adorn nearly every grave site with the colors of the American fl ag. Hundreds of citizens then gather for the annual ceremony to say thank you and to remember those who made the supreme sacrifi ce for the security of freedom, liberty, and love of country. Chairman of the Baker County Commissioners Bill Harvey spoke to the audience and made special mention of the 50-year anniversary of the start of the Vietnam War and the 58,000 American lives lost waging the battles in that foreign land. Members of the Elks, American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars honored recently deceased military vet- erans by unfurling and planting large American fl ags in front of veterans section of Mt. Hope. This year, eight veterans joined the honor roll of those remembered this Memorial Day for their service to country, family, and community. The recently deceased Friday Sunny. Warm with mostly clear skies. Highs in the lower 80s. Lows in the high 50s. Saturday Partly cloudy skies with the present chance of a convective thunderstorm in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Highs in the mid 80s. Lows in the mid-50s. Sunday Mostly sunny skies with less of a chance of a thunderstorm today than yesterday. Highs in the mid 80s, chance of precipitation is 30%. “Any child, for any reason, for any length of time,” said Priscilla Glidewell, Oregon Coordinator for Safe Families for Children as she described the philosophy of the movement. Glidewell presented an informational session on Tues- day morning at the Baker County library. Safe Families for Children (SFFC) is a movement of families in the faith community opening their homes to the children of families in crisis. SFFC provides vulnerable children a safe place to stay temporarily while their parents get back on their feet. Glidewell’s background is in social services. She spent 40 years as a social worker in the Eugene area, includ- ing 12 years as director of services for one of Oregon’s largest faith-based services. She has worked with the developmentally disabled, mentally ill, and families in poverty. BY KERRY McQUISTEN News@TheBakerCountyPress.com Brian Addison / The Baker County Press A crowd gathers in prayer. honored were Melvin J. Cox, Melvin Earl Hauser, Dr. Menzie McKim, James McClellan Wright, Kenneth W. Sturgill, Raymond Radabaugh, Marshall Cornett, and Gerald Gene Hesseltine. “This is a day to remember, a day to say thank you, and a day for prayer,” said Harvey. Baker’s namesake, Colonel Charles Baker, was the only sitting U.S. senator to die in battle and would likely be proud of the large gathering and the importance placed on Memorial Day by this community. Capping the ceremony this year was a fl y-by timed with military precision by an Air Force F-15. Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County. Our forecast made possible by this generous sponsor: Offi cial weather provider for The Baker County Press. Although a recent rash of car break-ins from a few weeks ago has been solved, according to Baker City Police Chief Wyn Lohner, that didn’t stop another round of thefts and attempted thefts last weekend. Sometime between May 22 at around 7 a.m., and May 23, around 7:15 a.m., an unknown suspect took a large blue canvas bag containing at least $200 in medical sup- plies out of Baker City Fire Department Lieutenant and paramedic Donald Taggart’s vehicle. Said Lohner, “There was also attempted entry to two other vehicles while they were all parked behind the Baker City Fire Department located at 1616 2nd Street.” Anyone with information on the theft is encouraged to contact the police department immediately. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Catfi sh Cookoff winners NRAC has new chair City completes budget process City Council: grants, herbicides Huntington: Duck Derby Eagle Valley, Sumpter Memorial Day Page Page Page Page Page Page 2 3 8 9 9 12
