8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2015
Local
Sumpter had new route for Girl injured in
this year’s Cycling Classic dog attack
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
“Those who liked it,
really liked it,” said Brian
Vegter, Race Director, of
the first stage of the Baker
City Cycling Classic, “and
those who struggled at the
back really didn’t.”
Friday, June 26th marked
the start of the Baker City
Cycling Classic with the
introduction of a new route
from Sumpter to Prairie
City.
The 87-mile route
boasts a total ascent of
7500 feet per Baker City
Cycling Classic’s webpage
(bakercitycycling.org) and
the day was hot. Accord-
ing to accuweather.com,
temperatures reached 99
degrees in Prairie City and
95 in Sumpter, adding an-
other challenging element
to this already difficult
stage.
Accommodations were
made due to the heat. Veg-
ter explained a third feed
zone (an area where riders
can pick up water bottles
and discard empty ones)
was added to the course.
He said they have been
working with the Northeast
Oregon Compassion Cen-
ter (through the Nazarene
Church) for a couple of
years.
Volunteers from the
Compassion Center did
“double-duty” on Friday,
manning the first feed
zone, then packing up as
soon as all riders were
through and going straight
to the third feed zone.
The FFA group out of
the Prairie City school
manned the feed zone at
Dixie Summit.
Groups who assist with
the race receive financial
aid from the event. Vegter
explained that 10% of the
race budget goes to the
community. It supports
youth sports, education,
and community groups: for
example, the Compassion
Center, the Mock Trial, and
girls’ basketball. Young
Life, Baker City cheer-
leaders, and the Medical
Springs Fire Department
manned feed zones on
Sunday.
Submitted Photo.
Chantelle Isham received 51 stitches last weekend
due to a severe dog bite.
Meghan Andersch / The Baker County Press
The women’s group at the start, just leaving Sumpter.
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Vegter said that as the
event grows they hope to
be able to do even more
for the community. He
estimated that over the
last 14 years, $60,000 has
gone to help local sports,
education, and community
groups.
Vegter said he is excited
to “give back to the com-
munity that loves and sup-
ports this event.”
He said 100% of the
funds that go to these
groups come from outside
the community. Support
from local sponsors makes
the event possible, but the
funds that go to support
local groups come from
entry fees.
Weldon Reedy, owner of
the Sumper’s Depot Inn,
said people were very ex-
cited about the new stage
and said lots had come in
to ask about it. Some par-
ticipants took advantage of
accommodations so close
to Friday’s start.
Reedy said they had
“three rooms full of bik-
ers.”
Racers departed from in
front of the Sumpter Mu-
seum. Riders were divided
into five groups according
to gender and racing level.
The groups departed in
intervals and were escorted
to Highway 7 by Baker
County Sheriff’s Depart-
ment Deputy Brian Scott.
The women’s group
was the first out, starting at
12:30 p.m.
The last group, Mens’
4/5 and Masters 4/5, de-
parted at 1:20. Each group
was accompanied by a lead
car and several support
cars. All support cars car-
ried extra water.
Each group received
safety instructions for the
route prior to taking off.
Riders were repeatedly
reminded to stay off the
pavement until time to line
up for the race start.
Race officials worked to
make sure area traffic was
able to get through, both in
town before the race and
during the event. Vegter
said this is one of the safer
courses they’ve had as far
as being able to get traffic
around groups of cyclists
on the road.
Vegter said about 90%
of participants loved the
stage and the other 10%
said they wouldn’t come
back if that stage were
included again.
He explained that many
competitors come in from
hundreds of miles away
and don’t realize the effect
the elevation has on them.
The soaring tempera-
tures on top of that made
for challenging conditions.
Vegter said this is one of
his favorite routes and that
unfortunately, due to their
schedule, he and his wife
don’t get to ride it very
often.
He said, “I so love that
route and how supportive
volunteers in Sumpter and
Prairie City were.”
Prairie City volunteers
said they couldn’t wait to
do it again next year.
Vegter said he thinks the
race had a positive eco-
nomic impact on Sumpter
and Prairie City and that
they will look into setting
up the route next year as
a one-day event, rather
than as part of the Cycling
Classic.
He explained keeping
it as the first stage of the
Classic is going to deter
some from participating.
More pictures of the event
and a short video of Stage
1 are available at facebook.
com/pages/Baker-City-
Cycling-Classic.
Fire, chainsaw restrictions on
BAKER CITY, OR-
EGON – Due to increased
fire danger and dry weather
conditions, Phase A of the
Public Use Restrictions
(PURS) for campfires,
smoking, off-road travel,
and chainsaw use went
into effect on the Wallowa-
Whitman National Forest
at 12:01 a.m. (PDT) on
Wednesday, July 1, 2015.
The Seasonal Campfire
Restrictions that are cur-
rently in place will also be
in effect in Phase A of the
PURs.
“Phase A is the second
level of restrictions, gener-
ally implemented when
the fire danger is moder-
ate to high,” said Bret
Ruby, Fire Staff Officer
on the Wallowa-Whitman
National Forest. PURS are
phased in collectively, as
conditions warrant, and
may differ from Forest to
Forest.
On Wednesday, July 1 at
12:01 am (PDT), Phase A
of the Public Use Restric-
tions (PURS) will go into
effect and will include:
• DOG HAD HISTORY OF AGGRESSION
Chainsaws may be oper-
ated only between the
hours of 8 p.m. and 1 p.m.
local time. A one hour fire
watch is required after saw
operations cease.
Saw operators are
required to have an axe
(minimum 2 lb. head, 26”
length), shovel (8” wide,
26” length), and fire extin-
guisher (minimum ABC 8
oz.) in their possession.
Smoking is allowed only
in enclosed vehicles and
buildings, developed
recreation sites, or cleared
areas.
No off-road/off-trail
vehicle travel or travel
on roads not cleared of
standing grass or other
flammable material; no
vehicle travel on those FS
roads where access has
been impeded or blocked
by earthen berm, logs,
boulders, barrier, barricade
or gate, or as otherwise
identified in the Fire Order.
Seasonal campfire re-
strictions and requirements
described for June 1- Octo-
ber 31 apply.
Campfires allowed only
in fire pits surrounded by
dirt, rock, or commercial
rings and in areas not
conducive to rapid fire
spread. All flammable
material shall be cleared
within a 3 foot radius from
the edge of the pit and free
of overhanging material.
Use existing pits wherever
possible.
Campfires must be
attended at all times, and
completely extinguished
prior to leaving.
Persons with campfires
are required to have a tool
that can serve as a shovel
and one gallon of water in
their possession.
The intent of this
requirement is to ensure
individuals with a campfire
to have the tools necessary
to completely extinguish
their campfire.
Portable cooking stoves
using liquefied or bottled
gas and wood burning
stoves equipped with a
chimney that is at least
five (5) feet in length with
a spark-arresting screen
consisting of ¼ inch mesh
hardware cloth are al-
lowed.
Use of charcoal bri-
quettes is permitted under
the same restrictions as
campfires described above.
The public’s coopera-
tion and awareness of the
increasing fire danger
is essential to a safe fire
season.
“Recreationists, fire-
wood cutters, hunters, and
other forest users can all
help in ensuring a safe fire
season,” Ruby said. The
public is responsible for
knowing if restrictions are
in place.
For more information
call our Public Affairs
Officer Katy Gray at 541-
519-4623, Public Affairs
Specialist Matt Burks at
541-523-1208, or one of
our Forest Information
Hotlines:
• Baker City (541) 523-
1234
• La Grande (541) 962-
8679
• Joseph (541) 426-5552
Last Saturday night, 21-year-old Chantelle Isham of
Baker City was attacked by a pitbull, resulting in serious
injuries to her right arm and hand, a trip to the emergency
room and 51 stitches both internal and external.
Isham said she was visiting a house of a friend who
had her brother’s male pitbull locked up in the bedroom.
Isham and her friend were outside the home, but when
her friend opened the door and went inside that bedroom,
the dog pushed through the door and immediately ran out
and attacked Isham.
“I just started punching it in the face,” she said. “Then
my friend came and just ripped the dog off me—and then
they took me to the hospital.”
The next morning, police came and removed the dog.
Several people acquainted with the pitbull said they
recalled three other incidents involving the animal. Isham
said she herself wasn’t aware of much the dog’s history,
including its age or ownership background.
According to Baker City Police Chief Wyn Lohner, the
dog has indeed had a history of aggression, and they had
received one previous call about the animal, but in that
instance the person who had been bitten had been aware
of the animal’s tendencies. After Isham’s injuries, at least
one more past incident has been reported regarding the
same dog.
The dog has been impounded, and due to the nature of
the attack, said Lohner, the case “will be submitted to
the D.A. for potential criminal charges against the dog’s
owner.” The owner signed an euthanize order Wednesday.
Isham says she’s “sore” but beginning to heal.
Phantom Kiss
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
While backstage, Dunn’s wife informed Gene Simmons
that Trevor had formed the tribute and that his stage alter
ego was the Demon character conceived and made into
an American icon by Simmons. “Gene grabbed my face,
squeezed my cheeks, and said, ‘Of course he is, he so
good looking.”
While Phantom Kiss can’t control the behavior of the
audience, Dunn emphasized that the band performs a
family friendly concert where there is no cursing, just
what he calls “toe-tapping rock and roll.” Anyone familiar
with the Kiss tradition knows to expect a blood-spewing
Demon, rock and roll music played at an unearthly vol-
ume, and a dynamic light show.
“We’ve performed in four different states and it is very
exciting to do it right here in our hometown,” Dunn said.
“Back in the day Kiss may have been considered heavy
metal but today it’s just classic rock. Just toe-tappin’ rock
and roll.”
Phantom Kiss takes the stage at nightfall about 9 or
9:30 pm, July 10, in front of Barley Brown’s with a
closure of the one-block section of Church Street and the
usual closure during the Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally
of Main Street to accommodate what is expected to be a
fairly large audience.
“All the people in the band love Kiss. Between us
we’ve probably been to 100 Kiss concerts and we’ve met
the band numerous times. This is not about money, we do
it because we love it. We play music because of Kiss,”
said Dunn.
Ladies bridge
The June 10 1st Flight Ladies Golf winners are:
1st
Lavelle Woodcock, 2nd Jennifer Godwin; and 2nd Flight
is 1st Virginia Babski. The bridge winners are: 1st Del-
la Steele, 2nd Karen Lewis, and 3rd Margo Kenworthy.
June 24 bridge winners were: 1st Jackie Phillips, 2nd
Joan Colton, and 3rd Dianne Ellingson.