LOCAL: Where Oregon’s speed limit is set to
raise. PAGE 12
LOCAL: OSP’s local Fish & Wildlife officers
awarded. PAGE 9
The
Baker County Press
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Friday, July 10, 2015 • Volume 2, Issue 28
Haines Rodeo captures
audience despite heat
BY BRIAN ADDISON
Brian@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Mutton busters, bull
and bronc riders, team
ropers, rawhide racers,
and enthusiastic audience
members braved unseason-
ably hot temperatures and
converged on the Haines
Stampede rodeo grounds
over the Fourth of July
weekend.
Haines Stampede Rodeo
winners are; Saddle bronc
prize sponsored by Elk
Hole, LLC awarded to
champion Kyle Dennis
with a 65, and Jackson
Murphy with a score of 62.
Big Loop sponsored by
Harrell/Mackenzie quarter
horses awarded to Jason
Steward/Riley Brown
with a time of 25:31 and
second place to JT Jaca/
Lee Wright with a time of
30.94.
Bareback competition
sponsored by Britt Sand
and Gravel was won by
Austin Williams with a
score of 72, Jared Bain in
second with a 70, Kerk
St. Claire 67, and Blake
Anglen with a 57.
Team roping sponsored
by Clarke and Clarke
Insurance and Gray’s West
& Co. Pioneer Chapel was
won by Nick Eiguren/
Skeeter Duby with a
time of 6.25, followed
by Michael McGinn/Bill
Justus in at 6.5, Ty Sturza/
Ryan Stewart at 6.75, Jared
McFarlane/Matt Azevedo
at 7.03, Howdy McGinn/
Paul Dunn with a 7.6,
and Kelsey Felton/Darrell
Sewell in with a time of
7.84.
Calf roping sponsored
by Bingham, Bingham and
Watt champion Connor
Rexin at 10.78, followed
by Coy Patterson at 13.22,
Duncan McKenzie with a
time of 21.87, and Gar-
ret Robinson in at 27.97
seconds.
Brian Addison / The Baker County Press
One of the youngest of the Bingham family tries to
tame this sheep during the mutton busting contest.
SEE RODEO PAGE 7
Truck used
in chase
recovered
• SUPERIOR TOWING TAKES ON
DAUNTING MARBLE CREEK REMOVAL
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The May 12th high speed chase during which Damon
Robinson led law enforcement near the rugged Marble
Creek trailhead may have ended with the suspect in
jail—but that left the problem of removing the abandoned
white 1997 Dodge 3/4-ton pickup from its resting place
2,130 feet down the mountainside.
“It took 21 hours of total recovery time,” said Donn
Christy, owner of Superior Towing in Baker City. “It was
an hour and a half in and an hour and a half out. Elevation
posed quite a problem. The air was thin and the hill was
steep—38-40 degrees and the truck was almost a half-
mile down.”
SEE TRUCK RECOVERED PAGE 5
Submitted Photo.
Last week, Baker City’s own bluesman, Jimmy Lloyd Rea, passed away at age 63 leaving behind a legacy
of family, friends, fans—and music.
A blues legend passes
• BAKER CITY’S OWN BLUES HALL OF
FAMER, JIMMY LLOYD REA, LEAVES BEHIND
A RICH MUSICAL HISTORY
BY BRIAN ADDISON
Brian@TheBakerCountyPress.com
“We’re mourning and we’re going to send him out
with a party.” So began the Reverend Danny G presid-
ing over a full house packed to standing room only at
the Baker City Christian Church for the funeral of James
“Jimmy” Lloyd Rea Jr. The ceremony celebrating the life
of the Baker City blues legend was a funeral service like
no other and fi tting of Baker City’s most decorated and
famed musician.
The church hall vibrated with recordings of the shuf-
fl ing, rockin’ blues of Jimmy Lloyd Rea and the Switch-
masters while friends and family clapped their hands and
swayed to the beat laid down by the booming bass of the
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Rain showers with the possibility of a thunder-
storm after 1 PM. Chance of precipitation is
70%. Highs in the mid 80s. Lows in the upper
50s..
blues master himself.
“He always could pack a house,” said one of Rea’s
closest associates during the sharing of memories.
Rea played with some of the greats of the blues world
including B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Albert King, Al
Wilson and Freddie King. Hooker reportedly referred to
Rea as “the new Boogie Man.”
James Lloyd Rea Jr., was born Oct. 6, 1951 and died in
a Nampa, Idaho hospital on June 30, 2015 from compli-
cations caused by diabetes.
He was a lifelong resident of northeastern Oregon and
together with his wife of 43 years, Marydee, raised four
children and cherished his four grandchildren.
In his 63 years, he touched many lives with his music,
sense of humor, and accessible personality. He always
had a story to tell.
“Lloyd could spin a good yarn,” said Oregon City
guitarist Doug Rowell, who played music with Rea for 20
years.
SEE JIMMY LLOYD REA PAGE 10
Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County.
Our forecast made possible by this
generous sponsor:
Lesser chance of showers with even less of a
chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the upper
70s, chance of precipitation is 40%. Lows in the
mid-50s.
Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms. Chance of precipitation is
30%. Highs around 80. Lows in the mid-50s.
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
Forester
sets the
record
straight
• LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER FEARS FIRST
FRIDAY MEETING MEDIA MISQUOTE
COULD CONFUSE PEERS, CLIENTS
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Since last month’s installment of First Friday with the
Commissioner, held on June 5, Arvid Andersen, owner
of Andersen Forestry Consulting, Inc. of Baker City, has
been attempting to set the record straight about what he
said at that meeting, citing some misquotes in another
newspaper that he fears may create confusion or other
issues between him, his peers and his clients.
SEE FORESTER PAGE 3
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Fred Kelly Grant to help County
Sen. Merkley comes to Huntington
Sumpter’s 4th of July
County Commissioners coverage
Class of ‘75 to hold 40-year reunion
Homemade Goodness Column
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