LOCAL: Haines student receives VFW award
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MINERS JUBILEE: Schedule of things to do
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The
Baker County Press
TheBakerCountyPress.com
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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
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