THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2015
Business & Ag
Proposed marijuana business
owner says plans are delayed
• GROUP
WORKING UNDER
NAME “EASTERN
OREGON
FINANCIAL TRUST”
PLANS BALLOT
INITIATIVE
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Blue Christian Ontive-
ros-Winterhawk was a self-
admitted troublemaker in
his youth, raised from ages
seven to 16 in Baker City
up Old Auburn road.
After years away mak-
ing good in Portland and
New York City working
primarily in the events
coordination industry, and
for a museum or theater
here and there, Ontiveros-
Winterhawk says he plans
to return to the area to
open up both medicinal
and recreational marijuana
operations.
He believes he and his
business partners have a
model in mind that will al-
low him to do “something
very beneficial for the
community.”
So far, County Commis-
sioners, local law enforce-
ment, most Baker County
voters in the last election
and the majority of the
City Council disagree with
his outlook.
“Cannabis isn’t just
coming. It’s already here,”
he counters. “I’m already
here.”
Ontiveros-Winterhawk is
working with a Portland-
based partner, Matthew
Chambers, and three undis-
closed financial investors,
forming Eastern Oregon
Financial Trust—a busi-
ness that will be, but has
not yet been, filed with the
Oregon Secretary of State
as an LLC, according to
Ontiveros-Winterhawk.
After working as a medi-
cal marijuana grower in
the Portland area for one
year three years ago, and
then again for the past year
in Portland, Ontiveros-
Winterhawk began making
various treks to Baker
City over the last couple
months. He met with City
Manager Mike Kee and
attended a City Council
meeting or two to learn
more about the current
ordinances against and
attitudes surrounding mari-
juana use.
With the City of Baker
City’s pot ban ordinance in
place, soon to be updated
and replaced with a new
one, as well as a Baker
County ordinance recently
enacted, Ontiveros-Winter-
hawk quickly came to one
conclusion: “Now is not
the time,” he said.
Instead, he and his as-
sociates plan to back off a
step and research the pro-
cess involved in collecting
enough signatures to place
a referendum or initiative
on the ballot in hopes that
local voters will overturn
both those City and County
laws.
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
believes that the prime
opposition to his business
is the fear of lost federal
grant monies, which he
believes is unfounded.
“If they take it away here
because of that, wouldn’t
they have to take it away
everywhere in Oregon?”
he ponders.
Baker City Police Chief
Wyn Lohner has a different
point of view. Said Lohner,
“Although losing Federal
dollars is of concern, not
just here but throughout
the state, in my opinion
that is not even close to the
biggest concern. My big-
gest concern is the safety
of our community as a
whole, but especially our
youth. Anytime a product
is made more available,
the number of users will
increase. That means
more kids going to school
under the influence, more
driver’s operating motor
vehicles under the infl -
ence and more interactions
between citizens under the
influence of a psychoactive
drug.”
Acting on the belief that
the votes will swing his
way, Ontiveros-Winter-
hawk says he has scouted
the area and “picked out
properties” within Baker
County. “The locations are
vital to selling the idea,”
he said.
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
has his eye on a commer-
cial building in the price
range of $100-150K within
the city limits and a com-
mercial grow site on the
outskirts, but still within
the county. His loose guess
is that up to about half a
dozen people, including
himself, would be em-
ployed by his business.
When asked directly if
his plan is all about the
money, Ontiveros-Winter-
hawk responded, “No. Oh
God, no. There’s not as
much money in it for me
as people would think, and
this is hard back-breaking
work. If I end up making
four grand a month, it’ll be
great. It’s about the science
and the industry.”
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
talks easily of pot-growing
terms such as clones, oils,
crop-loss and hydroponic
schematics.
In response to recent
studies cited by a neuro-
surgeon recently featured
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
On Monday, former Boz-
eman, Montana residents
and current Blue Mountain
Oil, LLC General Manag-
ers Jeremy and Ashlee Yer-
rick finished a 13-month
long process of upgrading
the company’s bulk facility
property on 13th Street in
Baker City.
Four new card lock
pumps were opened of-
ficially at that location on
Wednesday.
The couple was contact-
ed in the spring of last year
by Shay Meskill, whom
Jeremy met in Navy Dive
School six years ago, about
the possibility of manag-
ing the facility in Baker
City, along with card lock
systems in North Powder
and Haines.
Meskill had been
informed earlier that the
previous owners had de-
sired to sell their share of
the company, expressing
concerns about infrastruc-
ture upgrades needed,
and the desire to move to
Enterprise, Jeremy said.
Beginning in July of
last year, Jeremy said, the
Friday, August 7, 2015 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady compared to the
same quality last week. Trade activity decreased
slightly this week as many producers are still busy
in the field with the second cutting. Many produ -
ers have decided to hold on to their hay for now, in
hopes for higher prices.
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa — Standing
Good 770 120.00-120.00 120.00
Alfalfa / Orchard Mix — Large Square
Good 500 150.00-150.00 150.00
Timothy Grass — Large Square
Good 350 170.00-170.00 170.00
Oats — Large Square
Good 100 120.00-120.00 120.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Blue Christian Ontiveros-Winterhawk spoke
Tuesday about his future marijuana business plans.
on the Steve Crowder
web site, which show an
average of an eight-point
drop in I.Q. when using
pot once per week as well
as pre-frontal lobe damage,
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
said he believes, “It’s all
about knowing limits,
knowing self. Cannabis af-
fects everyone differently.”
He added that scientific
studies have been limited
and he thinks anecdotal
evidence largely outweighs
them still.
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
said after his “proto-busi-
ness” is past the research
and fact-finding stages,
and if it becomes legally
clear to operate within the
county, he would like to re-
lease a “tailor-made” busi-
ness plan for Baker City,
complete with a public
outreach portion to address
concerns about children
having increased access to
the substance.
“Nothing changes for
them,” he said. “I know
for the public this sounds
like a scary schedule one
drug, but for underage kids
nothing changes at all. All
the good reasons to stay
away from it are still valid.
There’s already cannabis
aplenty in this town. We
want people to not be
scared of us, and to con-
tribute to the community.”
Lohner said, “How many
parents feel they can ef-
fectively set limits on what
their children consume;
whether it is television,
soda pop or cookies? How
many adults can effectively
set limits for themselves,
once they are under the in-
fluence of any intoxicant?
I do agree that marijuana
will have varying effects
on people; but when you
add varying degrees of po-
tency (THC) and varying
degrees of exposure to the
drug, it equates to a com-
munity safety threat.”
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
also finds little validity in
the assertion that mari-
juana is a gateway drug.
He said the “big three” in
his mind are: alcohol, meth
and cigarettes.
Lohner disagrees. “I
have been involved in law
enforcement for nearly 20
years now,” he said, “And
I can tell you I have never
spoken to a user who told
me that one day they just
decided to try methamphet-
amine. It starts by showing
up at a place, or living in
a household, where an
intoxicant is available.
Once they are exposed to
that and their body feels
that high, they want more.
Many drug users will tell
you that it then becomes a
quest to get a bigger high,
which is why some users
start seeking more power-
ful drugs. I won’t quote
statistics, because I believe
statistics can be manipu-
lated by anyone, but in my
professional observations
many times marijuana is
at the lower end of that
escalation.”
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
said in his experience,
marijuana is sometimes
used by meth addicts to
calm themselves and come
off a meth high. He said,
“The bigger issue in a
small community for peo-
ple who abuse a substance
is to find out what they’re
missing in life.”
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
said, “I think it’s similar
to gun control. In the right
hands if guns are handled
well, they’re a tool with
a wonderful, healthy
economy based around
them. It’s crazy people
who kill people with guns,
who cause the problems.
Not the guns. It’s the same
with cannabis.”
Eastern Oregon Finan-
cial Trust’s path in Baker
County now hinges on
whether that ballot mea-
sure comes to fruition, and
if it does, which way the
vote swings.
Blue Mountain Oil upgrades
BY TODD ARRIOLA
— Weekly Hay Report —
couple began overhauling
the information technology
(IT) and other systems at
the Baker City bulk facility
location, and in addition,
assumed the responsi-
bilities of operating and
maintaining the established
card lock facilities in North
Powder and Haines, which
were both also overhauled.
Jeremy, 35, a former
Navy Seabee Underwater
Construction Diver (he
served for six years), who
holds two BS degrees, and
Ashlee, 32, a former chiro-
practor, who holds a PhD
degree, “…wear many
hats” when it comes to
responsibilities, according
to Jeremy. “We have about
370 existing customers,”
Jeremy said, between their
card lock and bulk sale
customers.
Since the couple took
over management last year,
they’ve seen a signifi-
cant increase in customer
base and revenue stream,
and reinvested almost all
earnings towards technol-
ogy upgrades to increase
efficienc , Jeremy said.
SEE BLUE MOUNTAIN
OIL PAGE 7
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 1,319
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 292.00 - 316.00 Top 322.00
400-500# Bulk 276.00 - 307.00 Top 307.50
500-600# Bulk 238.00 - 264.00 Top 278.00
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 264.00 - 308.00 Top 322.50
400-500# Bulk 236.00 - 261.00 Top 272.00
500-600# Bulk 217.00 - 246.00 Top 250.00
600-700#
700-800#
800-900#
900-1,000#
Yearling Steers
Bulk 217.00 - 240.00 Top 241.00
Bulk 206.00 - 224.00 Top 227.00
Bulk 193.00 - 206.00 Top 207.25
Bulk 185.00 - 194.00 Top 197.50
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 204.00 - 216.00 Top 226.00
700-800# Bulk 194.00 - 209.00 Top 210.00
800-900# Bulk 182.00 - 194.00 Top 198.00
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Thin Shelly Cows 74.00 - 89.00
Butcher Cows 94.00 - 108.00
Butcher Bulls 96.00 - 124.00
Stock Cows Yng. N/A
Younger Hfrts.
114.00 - 128.00
Stock Cows - N/A
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon
Doug Fir is $415.00/mbf
White fir is $365.00/mb
Ponderosa Pine is brought sold
on diameter splits
6 to 11 inch dib $300 to $310/MBF
12 to 17 inch dib $350 to $375/MBF
18 to 23 inch dib $400 to $430/MBF
24 inch plus dib $450 to $500/MBF
DIB is diameter inside bark at
small end of log.
MBF is thousand board feet lumber, net scale.
People interested in selling logs
should call and get specific
quotes from saw mills.
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1123.70
Silver: $15.52
Platinum: $1000.20
Palladium: $625.80
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $368.00/bu/USD
Wheat: $492.25/bu/USD
Soybeans: $910.00/bu/USD
Oats: $239.25 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $11.71/cwt/USD
Canola: $481.60 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $146.60/lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $213.88/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $63.38//lb./USD
Bloomberg.com