FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015
4 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
Opinion / Politics
— Editorial —
Merry
Christmas!
With this issue, The Baker County
Press has been bringing the news to
Baker County for two full years!
During last year’s year-end edito-
rial, we mentioned many of the things
we’d learned during our first 12
months. This year we’ve been remind-
ed that the learning doesn’t end—and
we’ve been reminded that the only
thing that never changes is change.
Right now we’re also thinking about
loss and gain.
Over the past few months, we’ve
grieved, from a distance, the loss of
a handful of subscribers who passed
away—most, unexpectedly.
In one instance, a gentleman sent
in a renewal with a note that made us
smile when we read it. Two weeks
later we received an email notice from
OSP that he’d been killed in a vehicle
crash outside Baker City. His note,
with black ink, blocky handwriting,
and all, was still sitting on the desk in
the editorial office ...
This week, we learned that the man
who lived at the final stop on delivery
route #2 had passed. He had, over the
past two years, developed the habit of
calling from time to time to chat, and
we’ll miss it. We didn’t realize until
we heard from his family about the
struggle to make arrangements for his
last wishes, how tight finances had
been for him, or exactly what it meant
for him when he said he wanted to
support our little family business. We
are humbled. And thankful.
While we’re not family members or
even close friends, and while we rec-
ognize we’re still only on the periph-
ery of these people’s lives, the losses
makes us pause and take a moment of
silence for those who actually were
closest. It makes us think. It makes us
take another look at the people around
us.
The universe has a designed balance,
though, and so we’ve also felt the gain
of others around us this year.
We’ve had people come into our
lives that we don’t know how we ever
did without. We know they know who
they are!
We’ve had businesses and subscrib-
ers come out and support us with kind
words in the community, advertise-
ments, and an email of thanks here
and there. They send in tips and ideas
for things they’d like to see in our pa-
per. For these folks, we’re especially
grateful.
And as always, we thank our report-
ers, ad sales folks, delivery assistants,
friends and family. We are blessed.
Once again, we’re celebrating the
chance to serve you all, to bring you
the Baker County news, in 2016.
—The Baker County Press Editorial Board
— Letters to the Editor —
A letter to Santa
To the Editor:
Today was not a good day; for that mat-
ter the past few weeks nothing has seemed
to go right. Hours cut at work at the begin-
ning of the month, bills piling up, the
wolves howling at my door. The weight of
the world seemed to be on my shoulders
and it was dragging my mood down.
I have never been a fan of the Christmas
holiday; always finding it to be com-
mercialized and about what presents you
buy others directly relates to their happi-
ness. I haven’t believed in Santa for many
years but try to keep the belief alive in my
children.
My son who is twelve still believes in
the spirit of Mr. Claus. This year though
I was having a really hard time getting
into getting into the holiday spirit; more
so than usual. I was getting hung up on
my inability to get cool presents for my
kids even though both of my kids kept
telling me that they didn’t need anything
this year. They are great kids but this just
drove my mood down farther. How could
I deserve such great kids when I was
struggling just to keep a roof over their
heads?
My wonderful wife, who is a rock and
so much better than I deserve, has been
with me through thick and thin and kept
telling me that we will get through this. I
still kept myself awake at night worrying.
So when today rolled around and we were
going to the DHS foster parent Christ-
mas party I was hesitant to go but knew I
needed to for my family.
All the kids were looking forward to
seeing Baker County’s own Santa Claus.
I have known this man for years and he
has watched my kids grow. He is the
reason that my son still believes in Santa.
I believe in my heart that he is the best
Santa in the world because he truly lives
what the spirit of Christmas is supposed
to be. After all the kids at the party got to
sit with Santa I decided to go over and say
hello.
When I walked up, a heartwarming
smile crossed his face and he gave me a
big hug. In my ear he whispered, “You are
loved, brother, and you will have peace
and happiness.” These few words hit me
like a sledgehammer. He didn’t know
what had been going on in my life lately.
Then great weight seemed to lift from
my shoulders and tears came to my eyes.
He didn’t fix my problems, but put them
in prospective. I am a lucky man. I have
great kids, an awesome wife, and good
friends who are there to pick up my spirits
when they are low. All it took for me to
realize this was a little of Santa’s magic
and the kind heart of a good man.
You are loved, Rick Forester, and I
hope you continue to be Santa Claus for
many more years. I want to thank you for
making me believe in the spirit of Christ-
mas once more.
Wade Foersterling
Baker City
— Contact Us —
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503.326.3386
503.326.2900 fax
Merkley.Senate.gov
US Sen. Ron Wyden
541.962.7691
Wyden.Senate.gov
US Rep. Greg Walden
Kerry McQuisten, Publisher
Editor@TheBakerCountyPress.com
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David Conn, Advertising and Sales
David@TheBakerCountyPress.com
541.624.2400
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Oregon Gov. Kate
Brown
503.378.3111
Governor.Oregon.gov
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State Rep. Cliff Bentz
Automotic
voter
registration
coming Jan. 1
By Cindy Carpenter and Jeanne P.
Atkins
Starting January 1, 2016 Oregon’s
new voter registration law, Oregon
Motor Voter, will take effect. This
law was created by House Bill 2177,
passed by the Legislature in the 2015
Session, and signed into law by Gov-
ernor Kate Brown last spring. As your
County Clerk and Secretary of State
we want to make sure you know how
this program will work for Orego-
nians.
Oregon Motor Voter will modernize
voter registration in Oregon and pro-
vide a secure, simple, and convenient
way for more Oregonians to become
registered voters. This innovative
program is the most major change in
voting since statewide vote by mail
was implemented in the year 2000. We
are already seeing other states follow
our lead on this pioneering program.
Here’s how it will work:
Starting January 1st, automatic
voter registration is available if you
are eligible to register to vote and
you apply for your original, renewal,
or replacement license, permit, or ID
card at the DMV. To be eligible to
register to vote in Oregon you must be
an Oregon resident, a U.S. citizen, and
at least 17 years-old.
Once you have engaged the Oregon
Motor Voter process by visiting the
DMV, you will receive a card and a
pre-paid postage return envelope from
the Oregon State Elections Office.
With this card, you have three options:
• Do nothing. You will be registered
Submitted Photo
Jeanne P. Atkins (not pictured) is
Oregon’s 25th Secretary of State.
Cindy Carpenter (above) is the
Baker County Clerk.
to vote as a nonaffiliated voter (not a
member of a political party).
• Choose a political party by return-
ing the card. Joining a political party
will allow you to vote in its primary
elections.
• Use the card to opt-out and decline
to register to vote.
Once registered, you will receive a
ballot and voting instructions in the
mail about two weeks prior to Elec-
tion Day. When you vote, your ballot
is secret and your choices cannot be
matched up with your name.
Oregon has a proud tradition of
trailblazing. It’s in our state’s DNA.
In addition to the simple registration
methods already available to Orego-
nians—like online voter registration—
Oregon Motor Voter will help expand
access to voting and help us put a bal-
lot in the hand of nearly every eligible
voter in the state.
As we work toward making voter
registration more secure and acces-
sible, we are setting an example for
civic engagement that can become the
model for the nation.
For more information contact us
at your County Clerk’s office or visit
www.oregonmotorvoter.gov.
Bentz announces team
State Representative
Cliff Bentz has chosen
these people to help repre-
sent District 60's (Baker,
Grant, Harney, Malheur
and a part of Lake County)
interests during the upcom-
ing 2016 Legislative Ses-
sion, which will convene
Monday, February 1, 2016.
Andrea Dominguez, of
Ontario, Oregon, is Rep.
Bentz's District Director.
She will provide assistance
in operations from the
District Office in Ontario.
A member of Rep. Bentz's
staff since 2009, Domin-
guez holds a Bachelor's
degree in Media Arts
with a concentration in
Journalism from Eastern
Oregon University, and an
Associates' degree from
Treasure Valley Commu-
nity College. Dominguez
staffs Rep. Bentz's Eastern
Oregon office, works on
research projects, assists
in responding to constitu-
ent concerns, drafts press
releases, etc.
David Rocker, from Port-
land, Oregon, joins Rep.
Bentz's staff as Legisla-
tive Director. Mr. Rocker
earned his Juris Doctorate
from the University of Or-
egon School of Law, and
holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Political Science
and International Studies
also from the University
of Oregon. He currently is
a partner at Davis Wright
Tremaine, LLP, a law firm
in Portland. Mr. Rocker
will manage the Salem
Capitol office, provide
policy analysis, and over-
see bill research, hearing
backup, task force partici-
pation, and social media
messaging.
Emily Marchant, from
Coos Bay, will staff the
Representative's front
office in the Capitol.
Marchant holds a Bach-
elor of Science Degree in
Integrated Media from Ste-
phens College in Missouri.
She previously worked as
an Intern in the Missouri
House of Representatives.
Marchant will maintain the
Representative's calendar,
organize email correspon-
dence, and direct the flow
of visitors, lobbyists and
legislators through the
Salem Capitol Office.
Brian Trick, from Corval-
lis, will serve as a volun-
teer Legislative Intern for
Rep. Bentz's team during
the 2016 Session. Brian is
currently working on his
Masters of Forestry Degree
at Oregon State University,
and will graduate in March
2016. Mr. Trick holds a
Bachelor's Degree in Polit-
ical Science and Econom-
ics from the University of
Utah, as well as a Graduate
Certificate in Public Policy
from the University of
Minnesota. He also previ-
ously worked as a Com-
munications Staffer for
the Office of the Governor
in Minnesota, as well as
a rangeland firefighter in
Eastern Oregon.
Kylie Cairo, from Leba-
non, will also be a volun-
teer Legislative Intern in
Rep. Bentz's Capitol Of-
fice. Kylie is a sophomore
at Oregon State University,
majoring in Political Sci-
ence and will graduate in
2017.
The Legislature has allo-
cated $4,666 to each Leg-
islator to pay for staff and
office supplies for the one
month, "even year" 2016
Legislative Session. Two
FTE (Full Time Equiva-
lents) are paid for from
this fund. Since Rep. Bentz
maintains his legislative
office in Eastern Oregon
year-round, he uses contri-
butions from his campaign
fund to pay for the District
Office in Ontario.
Bentz is currently
Vice-Chair of the Rev-
enue Committee, and a
member of the Energy &
Environment Commit-
tee, the Transportation &
Economic Development
Committee, the Joint Tax
Credits Committee, and the
Legislative Counsel Com-
mittee. He is also Co-Chair
of the Public Infrastructure
Commission, a member of
the Governor's Transpor-
tation Vision Panel, and
Assistant Minority Leader
to the House Republican
Caucus.
503.986.1460
State Sen. Ted Ferrioli
541.490.6528
Baker County
Commissioners Bill Harvey;
Mark Bennett; Tim Kerns
541.523.8200
541.523.8201
Copyright © 2014-2015
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