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FR IDA Y , AUGU ST 14 , 2015 4 — TH E BAK ER COUNT Y PR E S S Opinion — Guest Opinion — — Guest Opinion — SB 941 ’ s e f fec ts s t i l l in ques t ion Exper ienc ing the L ime H i l l F ire Th e town o f Hun t ing ton i s n e s t l ed in a n a tu r a l bow l su r round ed by g en t ly ro l l ing h i l l s . Y ou c an s t and anywh e r e in town , s low ly tu rn in a comp l e t e c i r c l e and look in aw e a t th e b e au t i fu l g r e en , b rown o r wh i t e , d ep end ing on th e s e a son , h i l l s a l iv e w i th n a tu r e a l l a round you . Tho s e h i l l s a r e wh a t m ak e Hun t ing ton f e e l in su l a t ed and p ro t e c t ed f rom th e ou t - s id e wo r ld . Th ey g iv e u s a s en s e o f w a rm and co zy in t im a cy th a t f e e l s l ik e hom e to lo c a l s and v i s i to r s a l ik e . Bu t fo r abou t e igh t hou r s in th e l a t t e r p a r t o f th e d ay on W edn e sd ay , Augu s t 5 th , th ey b e c am e mo r e th r e a t en ing th an com fo r t ing . On th a t d ay i f you s tood and m ad e th a t 360 d eg r e e tu rn you wou ld h av e f e l t mo r e t r app ed th an p ro t e c t ed . Th e h i l l s w e r e a l iv e bu t w i th f i r e and d ev a s t a t ion r a th e r th an n a tu r e . I f e l l in lov e w i th th e town o f Hun - t ing ton wh en I u s ed to com e h e r e on v a c a t ion ev e ry summ e r to go c a t f i sh ing . Wh en I mov ed h e r e 15 y e a r s ago th a t f e e l ing on ly d e ep en ed ov e r t im e . On th a t W edn e sd ay mo rn ing I w a s wo rk ing on my l ap top in my hom e wh en my hu sb and c am e in f rom ou t s id e and to ld m e th a t th e r e w a s lo t s o f smok e in th e a i r f rom th e d i r e c t ion o f L im e . A s I am cu r r en t ly hono r ed to b e A c t - ing M ayo r o f Hun t ing ton , I imm ed i a t e ly c a l l ed C i ty H a l l to s e e i f th ey h ad b e en in fo rm ed o f any f i r e s bu rn ing o r i f ou r F i r e D ep a r tm en t h ad b e en c a l l ed ou t . Wh en th e an sw e r w a s y e s th ey h ad , I w a s no t wo r r i ed bu t r e l i ev ed th a t th e p ro f e s - s ion a l s w e r e on th e w ay and I though t i t wou ld b e ou t soon . Bu t a s th ey d ay con - t inu ed and th e w ind p i ck ed up , I r e a l i z ed th a t a s h a rd a s I kn ew th ey w e r e f igh t ing , th a t th i s t im e th e f i r e m igh t w in b e fo r e th ey h ad th e ch an c e to t am e i t . A s th e a i r b e c am e f i l l ed w i th smok e , my hu sb and and I d rov e to th e top o f M a lh eu r R e s e rvo i r Ro ad wh e r e I -84 i s th e c lo s e s t to ou r town and w e s tood in aw e a s f i r e f igh t e r s , sh e r f s , h e l i cop t e r s , p l an e s and t ank e r s d e s c end ed on ou r town and ru sh ed to t ry and s av e i t . A s I w a t ch ed th e f i r e s low ly c r e ep down th a t h i l l , ev e r c lo s e r to th e f r e ew ay th a t w a s th e on ly th ing b e tw e en u s and th e f i r e I c an hon e s t ly s ay th a t I h av e n ev e r f e l t mo r e s c a r ed o r h e lp l e s s in my l i f e . I t i s s t r ang e th e though t s you h av e wh en f a c ed w i th a g r im r e a l i ty . I h av e a l - w ay s though t th a t f i r e w a s v e ry b e au t i fu l w i th a l l i t ’ s d an c ing co lo r s , bu t I l e a rn ed th a t d ay th a t i t c an a l so b e v e ry d e s t ru c - t iv e . I a l so l e a rn ed a d e ep e r r e sp e c t fo r th e m en and wom en th a t f e a r l e s s ly, so i t ap - p e a r s , wo rk so h a rd to f igh t i t . By Kev in S ta r re t t Spec ia l to The Bake r Coun ty P ress Subm i t t ed Pho to E i leen D r ive r is a repo r te r fo r The Bake r Coun ty P ress as we l l as the in te r im mayo r o f the C i ty o f Hun t ing ton . Wh en I w a s in fo rm ed by Coun c i lwom an and vo lun t e e r F i r e f igh t e r Rhond a B ro - son th a t th e F i r e D ep a r tm en t w a s i s su ing a L ev e l 1 A l e r t i t b e c am e imp e r a t iv e th a t w e m ak e su r e th e town sp eop l e w e r e p r ep a r ed fo r th e wo r s t . ’ s D ep a r t - Th e B ak e r Coun ty Sh e r i ff m en t l e t ev e ry on e l iv ing on H ighw ay 30 , th e c lo s e s t to th e f i r e l in e , know to s t a r t w a t e r ing down th e i r b a ck y a rd s and p r ep a r e to ev a cu a t e . My hu sb and and I d rov e th rough town to l e t ev e ryon e w e cou ld know to b e p r e - p a r ed to l e av e an a mom en t ’ s no t i c e . Th en w e r e tu rn ed to th e f i r e l in e and coo rd in a t ed w i th ou r f i r e f igh t e r s on ho w e wou ld go doo r to doo r i f th e ev a cu a - t ion b e c am e a r e a l i ty . W i th a l l p l an s in mo t ion a l l w e cou ld do w a s l i s t en fo r and hop e w e wou ld no t h e a r th e wo rd s w e d r e ad ed th e mo s t , th a t th e f i r e h ad jump ed th e f r e ew ay and w a s h e ad ed s t r a igh t fo r u s . W e p r ay ed th a t no on e wou ld b e hu r t , th a t ou r town wou ld b e sp a r ed and th a t th e w ind s wou ld s t i l l . Th e town g a th e r ed th e i r f am i l i e s a round th em , m ad e su r e th e i r p e t s w e r e w i th in a rm s r e a ch and t r i ed to d e c id e wh a t th ey ju s t cou ldn ’ t l iv e w i thou t i f wo r s t c am e to wo r s t . W e m ad e p l an s on wh e r e to go i f th ey to ld u s w e h ad to l e av e ou r hom e s b eh ind . W e w av e r ed b e tw e en w an t ing to s t ay and p ro t e c t ou r hom e s and w an t - ing to g e t ou r f am i l i e s f a r aw ay f rom th e d ang e r . W e l i s t en ed w i th hop e a s th e h e l i cop - t e r s f l ew ov e r ou r h e ad s coun t l e s s t im e s to s coop w a t e r ou t o f th e r iv e r and d rop i t on th e f i r e . W e ch e e r ed w i th h app in e s s and r e l i e f wh en w e w e r e f in a l ly to ld w e w e r e ou t o f d ang e r and con t inu ed to p r ay fo r th e m en and wom en s t i l l f igh t ing th e f i r Tho s e e igh t hou r s wh e r e th e long e s t e igh t hou r s o f ou r l iv e s and w e hop e th a t no on e ev e r h a s to l iv e th rough hou r s l ik e tho s e ag a in . Bu t w e w an t you to know th a t Hun t ing - ton i s s t i l l h e r e and i t w i l l t ak e mo r e th an a f i r e to b r ing u s down . W e a r e p ro found ly g r a t e fu l to ev e ryon e who fough t w i th and fo r u s to s av e ou r town and w e look fo rw a rd to wh en w e c an on c e ag a in m ak e th a t 360 d eg r e e tu rn and s e e tho s e b e au t i fu l ro l l ing h i l l s a l iv e w i th n a tu r e and f e e l th a t f e e l ing o f hom e . — Letters to the Editor — d i s t r e s s . I know $150 fo r a th r e e -d ay con f e r en c e i s a lo t o f mon ey to com e up w i th . Bu t T o th e Ed i to r : a t w e w i l l lo s e i f w e don ’ t s t and up and Th e r e i s a m e e t ing com ing up on Augu s t wh b e coun t ed i s mu ch , mu ch mo r e . I f you 20 , 21 and 22 a t th e Ev en t C en t e r , 2600 an ’ t a t t end p l e a s e don a t e to h e lp o f f s e t E a s t S t r e e t , B ak e r C i ty . I t i s p rob ab ly on e c e co s t o f th e ev en t . T o a t t end o r don a t e o f th e mo s t impo r t an t m e e t ing s on t e a ch - th o r fo r mo r e in fo rm a t ion p l e a s e c a l l Lo r r i e ing Coo rd in a t ion you ev e r h av e h ad th e a t 541 -519 -5470 , o r s top by h e r o f f i c e ch an c e to a t t end . op en Mond ay th rough F r id ay a t 3370 10 th I t g iv e s you th e too l s to s top th e ov e r S t . , Su i t e C h e r e in B ak e r C i ty . r e a ch o f th e Fo r e s t Ag en c i e s . W e n e ed W e a r e runn ing ou t o f bu l l e t s , and th i s to s top th e i r b en ign n eg l e c t o f ou r fo r e s t , i s th e l a s t s t and to m ak e a d i f f e r en c e on b l am ing ev e ry th ing on th e o f f ro ad u s e r s ou r pub l i c fo r e s t l and s , p l e a s e h e lp m ak e a and o th e r fo r e s t a c t iv i t i e s . W e n e ed to i f f e r en c e . s top th e shu t t ing down ou r ro ad s b e c au s e d Chu ck Cha s e o f s i l t m igh t g e t in a c r e ek . O r a s a lmon Ba k e r C i t y th a t n e ed s h e lp o r som e o th e r sp e c i e s in Eve ryone shou ld a t tend coo rd ina t ion sem ina r Le t te r to the Ed i to r Po l icy : The Bake r Coun ty P ress rese rves the r igh t no t to pub - l ish le t te rs con ta in ing fac tua l fa lsehoods o r incohe ren t na r ra t ive . Le t te rs p romo t ing o r de t rac t ing f rom spec i f ic fo r -p ro f i t bus iness - es w i l l no t be pub l ished . Wo rd l im i t is 375 wo rds pe r le t te r . Le t te rs a re l im i ted to one eve ry o the r week pe r au tho r . Le t te rs shou ld be subm i t ted to Ed i to r@TheBake rCoun ty- P ress .com . Adve r t is ing and Op in ion Page D is - c la ime r : Op in ions subm i t ted as Gues t Op in ions o r Le t te rs to the Ed i to r exp ress the op in ions o f the i r au tho rs , and have no t been au tho red by and a re no t necessa r i ly the op in ions o f The Bake r Coun ty P ress, any o f ou r s ta f f , managemen t , independen t con t rac to rs o r a f f i l ia tes . Adve r t isemen ts p laced by po l i t ica l g roups , cand ida tes , bus inesses , e tc . , a re p r in ted as a pa id se rv ice , wh ich does no t cons t i tu te an endo rsemen t o f o r fu l f i l lmen t ob l iga t ion by th is newspape r fo r the p roduc ts o r se rv ices adve r t ised . On Augu s t 9 , SB 941 ’ s un iv e r s a l gun own e r r eg i s t r a t ion p rov i s ion s took e f f e c t . I t i s now i l l eg a l to l end , g iv e , o r s e l l a f i r e a rm to a f r i end o r n e ighbo , o r ev en a p e r son w i th whom you h av e l iv ed fo r tw en ty y e a r s , un l e s s you f i r s t ob t a in p e rm i s s ion o f th e po l i c e a t a gun s to r e . M i ch a e l B loomb e r g , th e b i l l ion a i r e fo rm e r m ayo r o f N ew Y o rk , who b ank ro l l ed th e b i l l ’ s suppo r t e r s , h a s r e s e rv ed s ix f igu r e s in a i r t im e fo r ad s p romo t ing th e n ew r e s t r i c t ion s . Ov e r 20 coun t i e s w ro t e r e so lu t ion s oppo s ing th i s b i l l and m any sh e r i f f s h av e pub l i c ly s t a t ed th ey w i l l no t en - fo r c e i t . O th e r s h av e m ad e th a t s t a t e - m en t in p r iv a t e commun i c a t ion s . C l e a r ly , th e D emo c r a t s in th e O r - eg i s l a tu r e so ld O r egon i an s a b i l l egon l o f good s c l a im ing th i s w a s an “ an t i - c r im e b i l l . ” On ly th e mo s t l ib e r a l , u rb an , ex -po l i c e suppo r t ed i t . W e a lw ay s s t a t ed th e b i l l w a s no th ing mo r e th an an e f fo r t to h a r a s s and in conv en i en c e l aw - ab id ing gun own e r s and exp and th e d a t a b a s e o f p r iv a t e ly own ed f i r e a rm s and who own s th em . Th i s b e c am e ev en mo r e obv iou s wh en i t w a s r ev e a l ed , a f ew d ay s b e - fo r e th e r eg i s t r a t ion p rov i s ion s k i ck ed in , th a t th e O r egon S t a t e Po l i c e w e r e no t on ly co l l e c t ing d a t a on th e buy e r s o f gun s , bu t a l so th e s e l l e r s . No th ing in th e b i l l c a l l ed fo r th e co l l e c t ion o f any d a t a on s e l l e r s , bu t OSP i s u s ing th e b i l l a s a v eh i c l e to co l l e c t th a t d a t a . G iv en th e OSP ’ s own adm i t t ed aby sm a l r e co rd o f u s ing b a ckg round ch e ck s to s top c r im in a l s , O r egon i an s shou ld b e fu r iou s , o f f end ed and f e a r - fu l o f th e in t en t and r am i f i c a t ion s o f th i s l eg i s l a t ion . L ik e so m any o th e r gun r e l a t ed b i l l s in th e 2015 s e s s ion , th i s b i l l w a s th e p rodu c t o f l i e s , ex agg e r a t ion s and m i s r ep r e s en t a t ion s . Ev en a f t e r b e ing p rov en f a l s e , th e p ropon en t s con t in - u ed to m ak e d e c e i t fu l c l a im s abou t th e n e ed fo r th e b i l l . K e ep in m ind , th i s i s no t a s imp l e m a t t e r o f l im i t ing s a l e s , th i s b i l l ou t l aw s ev en th e s to r ag e and s a f e - gu a rd ing o f f i r e a rm s fo r f r i end s o r n e ighbo r s who m ay b e l e av ing town o r who s e p e r son a l c i r cum s t an c e m ak e Subm i t t ed Pho to Kev in S ta r re t t is the d i rec to r o f the O regon F i rea rms Fede ra t ion , f igh t ing to p rese rve Second Amendmen t r igh ts . i t w i s e fo r th em to r emov e f i r e a rm s f rom th e i r hom e . Fu r th e rmo r e , ev en though O r egon h a s long h ad a sy s t em fo r p r iv a t e p a r - t i e s to condu c t b a ckg round ch e ck s , th i s b i l l m and a t e s th a t th e ch e ck mu s t b e condu c t ed by a d e a l e r , a t any co s t h e cho s e s to ch a r g e , i f you c an ev en f ind a d e a l e r w i l l ing to t ak e t im e aw ay f rom s e l l ing h i s own m e r ch and i s e to do i t ! G iv en how o f t en th e OSP b a ck - g round ch e ck p rodu c e s f a l s e d e l ay s and d en i a l s , i t ’ s no su rp r i s e th a t mo s t d e a l e r s a r e exp r e s s ing s ev e r e doub t s abou t w an t ing any th ing to do w i th th e p ro c e s s . Th e con s equ en c e s o f th i s poo r ly d r a f t ed b i l l a r e no t a l l y e t known . W e do know th a t i t w i l l now b e i l l eg a l fo r a p e r son und e r 21 to l aw fu l ly a cqu i r e a h andgun f rom anyon e o th e r th an som e f am i ly m emb e r s . W e do know th a t p ro f e s s ion a l s condu c t ing e s t a t e s a l e s c an no long e r t r an s f e r f i r e a rm s . W e do know th a t th e r e w i l l b e n ew comp l i c a t ion s and exp en s e s i f th e t r an s f e r s a r e d e l ay ed by th e S t a t e Po - l i c e , a s th ey o f t en do w i th no ju s t i f i c - t ion . Bu t coun t l e s s qu e s t ion r em a in un an sw e r ed . I t i s ev id en t th a t th e ch i e f e l e c t ed l aw en fo r c em en t ag en t s , ou r sh e r i f f s , oppo s e th i s . (Ev en th e sh e r i f f o f Mu l tnom ah Coun ty, hom e o f th e mo s t an t i -gun c i ty in th e s t a t e , h a s s a id h e h a s no budg e t fo r en fo r c em en t . ) Th r e e coun t i e s and a t l e a s t on e c i ty h av e exp r e s s ed oppo s i t ion to any en fo r c em en t and mo r e a r e exp e c t ed to do so . Y e t th e suppo r t e r s o f th e b i l l a r e s t i l l r ep e a t ing th a t a lmo s t “90% ” o f O r egon i an s w an t ed th i s l eg i s l a t ion . F eb ru a ry w i l l b e ou r f i r s t ch an c e to r ep e a l th i s d ang e rou s coun t e rp rodu c - t iv e l eg i s l a t ion . I t th a t f a i l s , r em emb e r th i s a t t a ck on you r r igh t s a t th e n ex t e l e c t ion . — Contact Us — Th e B a k e r C oun ty P r e s s PO Box 567 Bake r C i ty , O re . 97814 Open Monday -Thu rsday fo r ca l ls 9 AM - 4 PM Open 24 /7 fo r ema i ls O f f ice loca t ion : TBA Phone : 541 .519 .0572 TheBake rCoun tyP ress .com Ke r ry McQu is ten , Pub l ishe r Ed i to r@TheBake rCoun tyP ress .com Wendee Mo r r issey , Adve r t is ing and Sa les Wendee@TheBake rCoun tyP ress .com Dav id Conn , Adve r t is ing and Sa les Dav id@TheBake rCoun tyP ress .com Pub l ished week ly eve ry F r iday . Subsc r ip t ion ra tes pe r yea r a re $29 .95 a l l a reas , e -ma i l de l ive ry . $39 .95 p r in t issue , home de l ive ry , Bake r C i ty c i ty l im i ts on ly . $49 .95 p r in t issue , ma i l de l ive ry , ou ts ide Bake r C i ty c i ty l im i ts on ly . Paymen t in advance . A d iv is ion o f B lack L yon Pub l ish ing , LLC Copy r igh t © 2014 YOUR ELECTED OFF IC IALS Pres iden t Barack Obama 202 .456 .1414 202 .456 .2461 fax Wh i tehouse .gov /con tac t US Sen . Je f f Merk ley 503 .326 .3386 503 .326 .2900 fax Me rk ley .Sena te .gov US Sen . Ron Wyden 541 .962 .7691 Wyden .Sena te .gov US Rep . Greg Wa lden 541 .624 .2400 541 .624 .2402 fax Wa lden .House .gov Oregon Gov . Ka te Brown 503 .378 .3111 Gove rno r .O regon .gov S ta te Rep . C l i f f Ben tz 503 .986 .1460 S ta te Sen . Ted Ferr io l i 541 .490 .6528 Baker Coun ty Comm iss ioners B i l l Harvey ; Mark Benne t t ; T im Kerns 541 .523 .8200 541 .523 .8201
