FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015
4 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
Opinion / Local
— Editorial —
2A protects
freedom of
the press
The first time it happened was about
a year and a half ago. We were at a table
during a local gun show selling sub-
scriptions and handing out copies of our
newspaper. It didn’t strike us as unusual to
be at a popular community event, but the
comments came quickly from visitors.
“Now there’s something you don’t often
see,” said one man—who gave us the
thumbs up sign.
“The media here? What do you really
want?” another man joked.
Most of the comments we heard were
good-natured, but we quickly realized that
this more light-hearted tone occurred only
because we personally knew a lot of the
folks there. But what if we hadn’t? How
would the reaction have changed?
Suddenly, because we now operated a
newspaper, we were on the other side of
the wall looking in at the room in which
we’d always existed comfortably before.
The sensation was odd, to say the least.
We got yet another probably more
honest feel for how the media is viewed
across our country in relation to law en-
forcement and second amendment issues
last weekend.
We attended the Oregon Sniper Chal-
lenge, a private event. Only after we
arrived did we realize how much of a leap
of faith it must have taken for the event’s
organizers to not just allow us in for cov-
erage, but to make us feel welcome.
As we began to talk to the participants,
early on came the words, “I’m only talk-
ing to you at all because [insert name
here] said you’re okay.”
We got a lot of that.
As the men around us gradually re-
laxed, we began to hear stories, mostly off
the record, of their past experiences with
the media across the U.S. and in other
countries. Those stories weren’t pretty.
They were horrifying, actually.
By the end of the weekend, after
we’d wrongly assumed everyone there
pretty much knew who we were, one 6’4”
gentleman spoke to us cautiously.
He stood there for a moment looking
like he’d stepped straight out of the pages
of a suspense novel. “You’re with the
newspaper?” he finally asked.
“Yes, The Baker County Press.”
He took a breath and laughed—one of
those nervous laughs that are never good.
“Every time I’ve had a ride-along, the
reporter ends up throwing me under the
bus.”
This was the last, albeit brief, conversa-
tion we had at the event, and it stuck with
us.
We came away disheartened in a sense,
not because we’re sometimes viewed so
wrongly, but because we know second
amendment proponents, law enforcement
and military often do get “thrown under
the bus” by modern-day, mainstream
media. We’d be leery, too.
We don’t know how it came to this.
Our second amendment rights defend
all the other rights of Americans—to hear
from a free press, to speak freely. In their
2A attacks, it seems to us that certain
media outlets are committing the slow
murder of their own occupation.
The second amendment holds up the
first. What’s not to understand?
At the very least, you’d think those out
there in the line of duty trying to uphold
and support our Constitution deserve fair
media coverage.
We’re just one voice in the wind. But
hopefully our message begins to echo.
—The Baker County Press Editorial Board
— Letters to the Editor —
Business development salary is
misuse of tax dollars
To the Editor:
This letter is in response to Marshall
McComb’s letter to the editor on global
warming. I agree with Marshall to a point;
we have come a long way in controlling
pollution. Our pollution expertise 50 years
ago was leading the charge on polluting
our planet. That is until The Clean Water
Act and the Clean Air Act which stopped
this insane practice of spewing Nitrous
Oxide, Sulfur Dioxide and other polluting
gases that hung over the cities like a fog.
But it seems now it is fossil fuel, oil
and natural gas that contribute to carbon
dioxide gas. We as humans contribute by
the air we inhale and remove the oxygen
and exhale carbon dioxide. The trees and
the vegetation love us because they need
it to survive and thrive, and they give out
oxygen so that we may survive and thrive
also. The Al Gore’s thinking on Global
Warming could be self-serving because
Al owns business building green energy
equipment.
The Marshalls of the world want us to
quit using carbon polluting oil and natural
gas to cut down on the nasty old carbon
dioxide. But even Marshall is a loss for
words when you mention the volcanic fire
chain in the south pacific erupting several
hundred times a year spewing out tons of
carbon dioxide.
Just the eruption in Iceland alone wiped
out all of the Al Gore and Marshall Mc-
Comb’s hard work and put more carbon
dioxide in the air than we have since we
started cutting back on carbon dioxide,
that isn’t even counting the hundreds of
eruptions a year. Not only that when a for-
est or even a grass fire burns it gives up to
the atmosphere all of the carbon dioxide it
has consumed in its entire lifetime.
Back when Oregon was just an inland
sea, volcanic eruptions, lava flows and
mountain building were prevalent in
Oregon. So much so the carbon dioxide
levels were so high that it super saturated
the inland see with carbon dioxide. This
super saturation settled to the sea bottom
and contributed to the limestone deposits
that Ash Grove is mining today that are
thousands of feet thick.
I deal with fact and quit drinking cool
aid and believing in fairy stories when I
was a kid.
Chuck Chase
Baker City
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 may 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.
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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.
To the Editor:
$96,000 per year to manage economic
development for Baker County? You are
kidding, right? I don’t know the recipient
of those tax dollars. I’ve never met him.
But it isn’t about him anyhow. It is about
results, and as The BCP editorial asked
what, specifically, do we have to show
for expenditures of our tax dollars to this
individual over the past two years? How
many businesses, and which businesses,
have taken up roots in Baker County dur-
ing that time period directly attributable to
his efforts? If he has economic develop-
ment contracts in other Oregon counties
does that not constitute a conflict of inter-
est which borders on the unethical?
Just for comparison purposes, the Sher-
iff of Baker County who is responsible for
the safety and well being of 16,000 resi-
dents is not paid $96K a year. Nor are his
Deputies who put their lives on the line
and must make life and death decisions.
Come to think of it, I am unaware of any
department head (Police Chief, Fire Chief,
Health Director, Public Works Director,
etc.) who makes that kind of money in our
county.
If there was proof that as a direct result
of his efforts enough businesses were
attracted to our county that, collectively,
they paid enough taxes to compensate for
his salary I might be more supportive. I
doubt that is the case and unless and until
it becomes the case as one lone tax payer I
resent this misuse of my tax dollars.
Jerry Boyd
Baker City
Global warming is a fairy tale
Inmate dies at Snake
River Correctional Facility
An inmate died unex-
pectedly early Wednesday
morning at Snake River
Correctional Institution
(SRCI) in Ontario.
As with all unanticipated
deaths in state prisons, the
Oregon State Police Crimi-
nal Investigations Unit is
conducting an investiga-
tion.
At approximately 7:00
a.m., Wednesday, June
10, a Correctional Officer
found James Papineau,
66, unresponsive in his
cell, where he was the sole
occupant. Medical staff
began life-saving efforts to
no avail.
He was pronounced
deceased at 7:15 a.m. No
other details are available
at this time.
Attempts to locate next
of kin have not been suc-
cessful. The department
asks that anyone familiar
with the deceased contact
one of the numbers listed
above.
Papineau originally
entered DOC custody
on August 20, 1988, on
multiple charges, including
robbery in the first degree,
burglary in the first degree,
and coercion.
He paroled on May 3,
2004, later violated his
parole, and returned to
DOC custody on Febru-
ary 1, 2006, with multiple
new charges. His earliest
release date was June 4,
2030.
SRCI is a multi-custody
prison in Ontario that
houses approximately
3,000 male inmates.
SRCI has multiple
special housing units in-
cluding disciplinary
segregation, intensive
management, infirmary
(with hospice) with 24-
hour nursing care, and an
administrative segregation
unit.
SRCI participates in
prison industries with
Oregon Corrections Enter-
prises including a contact
center, laundry, and sign
shop.
SRCI specializes in
incentive housing, special-
ized housing, inmates with
mental health/medical vul-
nerabilities, education and
trades programs, cognitive
and parenting programs,
and institution work
programs. SRCI opened
in 1991 and is the largest
correctional institution in
the state.
Self-pump gas bill goes
to Governor’s desk
A house bill designed
to allow self-pumping of
gas—but only during the
night (6 p.m. until 6 a.m.)
and only in rural commu-
nities of less than 40,000
people—has now also
passed the Oregon Senate.
The ban against self-
pumped gas began in
Oregon in 1951.
New Jersey is the only
other state that has such a
ban.
It’s been about 12 years
since a proposal to lift the
ban, even partially, has
been entertained.
The bills sponsor, Rep-
resentative Cliff Bentz,
R-Ontario, says the bill
focuses on having fuel
available in very rural ar-
eas where gas station hours
can be limited.
The bill is now on Gov-
ernor Kate Brown’s desk,
where it is expected to be
signed.
Baker City looks to fill
vacancies on various boards
Parks and Rec.
Baker City is looking to
fill three open positions on
the Parks and Recreation
Board. The Parks and
Recreation Advisory Board
was created to represent
the community regarding
matters related to our local
parks. The Parks and Rec-
reation Board is a two-year
term commitment. The
terms will expire in July of
2017.
Tree Board.
The Tree Board has the
duty to maintain a written
plan for care and main-
tenance of tree/shrubs in
parks, along streets, and
in public areas. The board
will consider and make
recommendations on any
special matter or ques-
tion within the scope of
their work as requested
by the City Council. The
board will issue or deny,
after a hearing, tree permit
variances. The board may
also order the removal
and remedial treatment of
unsafe, dead, diseased or
potentially injurious trees
on public or private prop-
erty. The two vacancies are
three year terms that will
expire in July 2018. The
vacancy will be advertised
until filled.
Anyone interested in
volunteering for appoint-
ment to the above board
may contact Luke Yeaton
at City Hall, 541-524-2033
or lyeaton@bakercity.
com. Applications may be
submitted electronically
through www.bakercity.
com.
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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