FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local
Voluntary sports physicals Biker dies on
program expands at EOMA way to local
• BAKER RANKS 3O
OUT OF 33 COUN-
TIES IN OREGON
FOR HEALTH AND
LIFESPAN
BY DAVID CONN
Dave@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Changes are needed
in the traditional “sports
physicals” program for
adolescents.
That was the contention
of a group of volunteer
health care providers who
met Tuesday afternoon in
Baker City to discuss an
expanded “sports physi-
cals” program designed
to address all health care
needs of adolescents in the
community.
The narrow focus of
traditional health care ex-
ams, intended to evaluate
athletes for sports par-
ticipation, does not address
many of the health issues
that research shows are
very important, according
to Dr. William Irvine, MD.
“There are many medi-
cal conditions and at-risk
behaviors that can have a
dramatic effect on a teen’s
future,” Dr. Irvine said,
“such as depression and
suicide, development of an
addiction, or an unplanned
pregnancy.”
Therefore, this year’s
health care volunteers will
expand “sports physicals”
into a more comprehensive
adolescent visit to include
such topics as general
physical health, mental
health, substance abuse
and dental health.
Dr. Irvine empha-
sized that examinations are
not limited to athletes, but
available to all students
entering the 7th, 9th and
11th grades. There is no
charge for the exams. “Our
primary goal for these
exams is to provide better
comprehensive health care
for adolescents in our com-
munity,” he said.
Here is what an adoles-
cent can expect during the
comprehensive visit. The
visit will be station-based,
meaning that the student
will move from one pro-
vider station to the next.
Physical health: a dis-
cussion regarding body
weight, exercise, diet and a
thorough musculoskeletal
exam.
Immunizations: a
review of each student’s
immunization history and
recommended vaccines.
Medical health: a discus-
sion regarding the student’s
medical history, violence
and injury prevention, oral
health, and a thorough
medical examination.
Mental and behav-
ioral health: screening for
depression, anxiety and
substance abuse including
drugs, tobacco and alcohol
There is no formal
sexual health included in
this year’s visit. “Hope-
fully sexual health will be
something we’ll do a better
job of addressing next
year,” Dr. Irvine said.
Students who partici-
pate in the exam will also
be evaluated for participa-
tion in sports activities.
This is a voluntary pro-
gram. Parents or guardians
may bring their student to
the comprehensive visits,
but they are under no obli-
gation to do so.
The comprehensive
adolescent visits will be of-
fered from 5 to 7 p.m. On:
August 3rd for 7th grad-
ers, girls staring at 5 p.m.,
boys starting at 6 p.m.;
August 4rd for 9th graders,
girls staring at 5 p.m., boys
starting at 6 p.m.; and Au-
gust 5rd for 11th graders,
girls staring at 5 p.m., boys
starting at 6 p.m.
The visits will be
provided at the offices of
St. Luke’s Eastern Or-
egon Medical Associates,
3950 17th St., Baker City,
Oregon. For more informa-
tion call 541-523-1001.
The various health care
providers decided to make
changes to “sports physi-
cals” because important
health issues are not being
addressed, said Dr. Irvine.
“Overall health in Baker
County is not good.”
According to Oregon
Health Authority, overall
health in Baker County
was ranked 30th out of 33
counties in the state based
on health and life span.
Baker County has one of
the highest rates of smok-
ing for adults in the entire
state, said Dr. Irvine, and
the county has the highest
rate of smoking among
pregnant women.
As for alcohol abuse,
Baker County is above the
state average for heavy
use of alcohol, and the rate
of binge use of alcohol
among women is twice the
state average. “Significant-
ly,” Dr. Irvine said, “more
people die in Baker County
from alcohol-related illness
Hells Canyon
Motorcycle
Rally
Photo Courtesy of St. Luke’s.
Dr. William Irvine, MD
says the overall health
in Baker County is not
good.
than the state average.”
According to the Or-
egon Health Authority, 21
percent of 8th graders and
34 percent of 11th graders
drank alcohol in the last 30
days.
The suicide rate in Baker
County is higher than the
state average. A person in
Baker County is almost
twice as likely to die from
suicide, according to Or-
egon Health Authority.
In 2013, Baker County
was ranked 6th in the
pregnancy rate for 18-19
year olds, 5th for 15-19
year olds and 3rd for 15-17
year olds. Baker County’s
tobacco use rate among
pregnant women is 6th out
of 36 counties.
“These health issues
start in adolescence,” Dr
Irvine said. “This is the
best time to intervene
early. That’s why providers
in our community aren’t
comfortable just doing the
minimum sports physical
any longer.”
All survive head-on collision
on Hwy. 20 outside Vale
• DRIVER
DISTRACTED BY
RADIO
On July 13, 2015 at
approximately 12:52 p.m.,
OSP Troopers responded
to a head-on motor vehicle
crash on US 20 at milepost
240 (six miles west of
Vale).
According to Lieutenant
Mark Duncan, preliminary
information revealed that
a 2005 Chrysler Sebring
was traveling eastbound
on HWY 20 near milepost
240 when the operator, a
seventeen year old female,
of Ontario, was distracted
with her vehicle's radio
when entering sweeping
curve.
The juvenile's vehicle
crossed into the oncom-
ing lane and struck a
2013 Volkswagon Passat
head-on.
The operator of the VW,
Scott Henderson, age 56,
of Waupin, WI and his
passenger, Faye Hender-
son, age 54, of Waupin, WI
were injured and trans-
ported to a local hospital
for treatment.
The juvenile driver of
the Chrysler was also taken
to a local hospital for treat-
ment.
Highway 20 was closed
for about two hours during
the investigation.
All parties are believed
to be wearing their seat-
belts.
OSP was assisted by
Photo Courtesy of OSP.
Evidence of a crash was minimal at the scene of the
accident.
On July 9, 2015 at around 10:00 p.m., Grant County
911 and the Oregon State Police received the report of
an overdue/missing motorcyclist that had been traveling
from Bend to Baker City. Law enforcement personnel
conducted area checks on HWY 26 but were unsuccessful
in locating the motorcyclist during the night.
According to Sergeant Tom Hutchison, on July 10, 2015
around 9:00 a.m., an OSP Trooper on patrol located the
missing motorcyclist deceased on HWY 26 near milepost
93 in Wheeler County.
Preliminary information is that a 2007 Yamaha motor-
cycle operated by Michael C. Denmark, age 64, of Bend
was traveling eastbound on HWY 26, when for unknown
reasons left the roadway. The motorcycle traveled a short
distance on the gravel shoulder before dropping off a
steep embankment and coming to rest at the bottom. The
location Denmark was found was not easily seen by pass-
ing motorists and evidence of the crash was minimal.
Special exhibit
at Oregon Trail
A special exhibit at the National Historic Oregon Trail
Interpretive Center examines the material culture - the
“stuff” - that pioneers carried on their journeys west.
“Cargo for a Continental Crossing” is open through
Oct. 13 of this year, and helps visitors consider how we
choose possessions and supplies for any of life’s journeys
by looking closely at the pioneer Oregon Trail experi-
ence.
Western history fans and those with Oregon Trail pio-
neer ancestors will be especially interested in the variety
of authentic artifacts from the trail era on display. Some
are earlier versions of camping equipment still used
today, showing the progression of technology. Other
items are unfamiliar, but reflect the lifestyle and needs of
a five month, slow moving journey in rustic conditions
170 years ago. The exhibit includes maps, images, text
panels and activities to help visitors think about what
we consider essential, and what material culture tells us
about people and society.
The exhibit is in the Flagstaff Gallery within the In-
terpretive Center. Live presentations, films, and activi-
ties related to the exhibit are scheduled in the Leo Adler
Theater. Located east of Baker City, Oregon. Take Exit
302 from I-84 onto Oregon Highway 86 and proceed five
miles. The Center is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Random Acts
of Kindness
Photo Courtesy of OSP.
Miraculously, everyone involved in a head-on collision near Vale survived.
the Oregon Department of
Transportation, Vale Am-
bulance, Treasure Valley
Paramedics, and the Vale
Fire Department.
The investigation is still
continuing and more in-
formation will be releases
when it is available.
Each week The Baker
County Press will in-
clude a list—all anon-
ymous, of course—of
the good deeds and
random acts of kind-
ness people from
around the area have
witnessed. To include
something you’ve
seen or experienced,
email News@TheBak-
erCountyPress.com
with “Random Acts
of Kindness” in the
subject line. We’ll be
sure to include your
story.
• I watched a lady in
a blue skirt run over
and help up a little
boy who’d tripped and
fallen on the sidewalk.
You could tell they
didn’t know each
other, but she helped
anyway.