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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (July 17, 2015)
LOCAL: Haines student receives VFW award for patriotic art project . PAGE 5 MINERS JUBILEE: Schedule of things to do and see . PAGE 10 The Baker County Press TheBakerCountyPress.com 75¢ All local. All relevant. Every Friday. Friday, July 17, 2015 • Volume 2, Issue 29 Is Baker County a ‘sanctuary’ county? • SHERIFFS SAY CIS/ICE REPORTS DON’T TELL THE FULL, ACCURATE STORY BY BRIAN ADDISON and KERRY McQUISTEN News@TheBakerCountyPress.com Baker County has found itself in the spotlight along with several other eastern Oregon counties after land- ing on a list of “sanctuary” counties and cities—over 275 nationwide—follow- ing the murder of a woman in San Francisco by an illegal resident who had been released due to that area’s sanctuary policy. In the midst of a national media fi restorm, sheriffs began asking the ques- tions: How did our county wind up with a sanctuary designation? And is this designation accurate? Background. The murder of 32-year- old Kathy Steinle earlier this month at a popular San Francisco tourist attraction has placed intense public focus on U.S. immigration regulations and procedures. Steinle was shot to death in front of her father during a family gathering on San Francisco’s Pier 14. Illegal alien resident Francisco Sanchez has been charged with her murder using a gun he reportedly stole from the automobile of a federal agent. SEE SANCTUARY PAGE 10 Photo courtesy of CIS. Baker County is listed as a “sanctuary county” for illegals according to the Center for Immigration Studies, but the Sheriff’s Offi ce disagrees with that label. County told to pay helicopter company’s lawyer fees • APPEAL DECISION IN FAVOR OF COLUMBIA BASIN HELICOPTERS BY KERRY McQUISTEN News@TheBakerCountyPress.com Umatilla Judge Ron Pahl has awarded Columbia Basin Helicopters, Inc. “reasonable attorney’s fees” from Baker County. The original win for the company back in March did not specify compensation for fees spent in defense of the suit—those fees were awarded last week as the result of an appeal. SEE COLUMBIA BASIN HELICOPTERS PAGE 8 Storm clouds rolled in as motorcyclists gathered on Main Street. Photo courtesy of Base Camp Baker. A soggy motorcycle rally Clerks at the checkout counters in local grocery stores joked that whenever Baker County experiences a drought, all that needs to happen is a motorcycle rally be invited into town. Record-setting rains, thunder, lightning and a little hail greeted riders from the Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally (HCMR) last weekend. Riders reported incremental clear weather and sunshine, as the most dedicated rode through the weather along the routes. Five courses were sched- uled for Friday, which is the day 2.03” inches of rain fell at the Baker City Airport. As the skies opened, even the kickoff party outside Bar- ley Brown’s featuring Kiss tribute band, Phantom Kiss, got a little soggy as the band’s mixing board was soaked in the storm. The concert was eventually moved indoors. On Saturday, the motorcycles lined up along Main Street for the annual motorcycle show. Vendors set up from Auburn down to Broadway, Sunday, when the weather was better in places, bikers took the opportunity to check out some of the courses they might have missed on Sunday. Then on Monday, participants “returned to the bonds of daily life,” according to the HCMR’s web site, picking the most interesting roads home along the way. Friday Mostly sunny with pleasant temperatures in the upper 70s. Partly cloudy at night with a 20% threat of thunderstorms after dark. Lows in the upper 40s. Saturday Mostly sunny, high of 80. Mostly clear at night with cool temperatures, lows reaching down into the mid 40s. Sunday A warm sunny day to round out the weekend. High near 90. Clear and not as cool as before at night. Lows in the mid 50s. High-speed chase reaches 125 mph BY KERRY McQUISTEN News@TheBakerCountyPress.com Photo submitted by Alisa Anderson. Bikers got used to parking in puddles as the skies opened up repeatedly. Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County. Our forecast made possible by this generous sponsor: Offi cial weather provider for The Baker County Press. Last Monday morning, around 4:06 a.m. Offi cer Mike Lary, accompanied by Reserve Offi cer Dan Batchelor, noticed a 2007 Kia with a cracked windshield near the corner of Oak and Washington in Baker City. Moments later they found themselves in a high-speed chase across town and out onto the freeway headed east. According to Baker City Police Chief Wyn Lohner, when Lary attempted to pull the vehicle over, its driver, Michael Ray Schulte, age 29, of 1555 Baker Street, failed to yield, speeding south on Clark, out Spring Garden, across to Elm and fi nally onto I-84 at the 306 on-ramp. During that time, said Lohner, Lary reported speeds around 90 miles per hour in town, and fi nally 125 on the freeway. Schulte’s female passenger called police, express- ing that she wanted out of the vehicle, and gave signals through the window indicating she needed help. Schulte, who was on probation in Lake County, stated that he “wanted to die” and continued to accelerate. SEE HIGH-SPEED CHASE PAGE 8 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE New livestock agent hired Flooding in the Panhandle Fire destroys Valley Ave. home Sports Physicals program expands City Council coverage County: $8K/mo. biz dev contract Page Page Page Page Page Page 3 3 5 9 11 12