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The
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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
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