FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
Hammond family vs. BLM Mrs. Eastern
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
They estimated a little
more than 60 in atten-
dance.
Brown said 45 or so at-
tendees were from Har-
ney County, but the rest
were from out of the area,
including Washington,
Nevada, Idaho, Utah and
Georgia.
“I got to talk to Am-
mon Bundy for 15 min-
utes before the meeting,”
Justus said. “I have met
few people as sincere. The
organizers of the meeting
went to great lengths to
come up with a remedy to
the situation. The history
of the case is alarming.”
That history goes back
decades.
In 1999, Dwight Ham-
mond, who is now nearly
80 years-old, along with
his son Steven, who is now
46, set a small fire on their
own property in the Steens
Mountain. The fire crossed
onto BLM land and burned
some acreage at the time.
In 2001, a similar
situation occurred with
139 acres of BLM land
scorched.
In 2006, a lightning
strike sent a wildfire head-
ed from BLM land toward
Bundy property, and they
set a backfire to protect
that property. One acre of
BLM land was burned by
the backfire.
The Federal government
filed criminal charges.
In 2012 after a two-
week trial, Steven received
a one-year sentence to
prison for setting the 2001
and 2006 fires. Dwight
received three months for
the 2001 fire setting.
The two opted to serve
out the time with the agree-
ment that the case was
closed, in order to avoid
further stress on the family.
In 2015, the Feds filed
paperwork with the 9th
Circuit Court of Appeals,
stating that the sentencing
judge in 2012 ruled il-
legally, and the Hammonds
acted as “domestic terror-
ists” in their arson.
The Hammonds were
prosecuted for arson under
the Antiterrorism and Ef-
fective Death Penalty Act
of 1996.
The 9th Circuit Court,
agreed with the govern-
ment’s assessment.
In October 2015, the
Hammonds were each sen-
tenced, more than a decade
after the fact, to five years
in prison for that arson.
This is a sentence, which
due to the senior Ham-
mond’s age and health, the
family says he may not
survive.
The result is a storm
brewing in Harney County,
Oregon.
“What was really surpris-
ing,” said Brown, “was
there was not one single
voice of dissent in the
audience. I expected some
to come and challenge the
meeting, to maybe heckle,
but there was not one.”
Brown went on to add,
“If I had to sum up the
feeling there, it’s that the
people of Harney County
are totally fed up.”
Days after the Ham-
monds were sentenced
in 2012, many pointed
out that the BLM started
multiple fires that killed
and injured cattle, burned
homes, fences and power
poles and threatened the
town of Frenchglen.
A video being widely
distributed shows the BLM
burning summer grass that
ranchers typically utilized
to feed cattle. The video
also shows a BLM em-
ployee starting a fire within
100′ of a corral filled with
cattle.
“We all know the dev-
astating effects that are
caused by wildfires. Fires
intentionally and illegally
set on public lands, even
those in a remote area,
threaten property and resi-
dents and endanger fire-
fighters called to battle the
blaze,” stated Acting U.S.
Attorney Billy Williams.
Citizens in and out of
Harney County say they
are appalled by the conduct
of the federal agencies and
justice system in this case
and view this as double
jeopardy.
Thus, this month’s meet-
ing in Burns.
The case drew the at-
tention of Ammon Bundy,
son of Cliven Bundy of
the 2014 conflict with the
BLM that ended when
three hundred citizens
stood as a barrier to pre-
vent an armed takeover of
the Bundy Ranch in Bun-
kerville, NV by BLM law
enforcement and militaris-
tic swat teams.
Bundy came to Harney
County and arranged sev-
eral meetings to attempt to
find a solution that did not
result in the Hammond’s
having to turn themselves
into federal marshals for
incarceration in federal
prison on January 4, 2016.
Failing to achieve an
outcome that would pro-
vide a review of the case,
Bundy, with the aid of sev-
eral groups, organized that
town hall on December
15th at the Harney County
Fairgrounds.
This public meeting was
intended to offer facts and
possible solutions to this
situation.
Speakers Bundy and
Ryan Payne explained the
facts of the case and pre-
sented a potential solution
for the citizens in the form
of a Committee of Safety.
“This is the time and
you are the people,” en-
couraged Bundy.
He went on to say,“The
question is do you want to
create a committee of safe-
ty for Harney County?”
After hearing the process
the citizens in attendance
unanimously agreed to cre-
ate such a committee.
Seven people were
nominated to serve, and
after unanimous vote, were
elected to form the com-
mittee, begin deliberations
immediately the following
day and to conduct activi-
ties and actions to promote
the safety of the commu-
nity and the Hammond
family.
Brown said, “The people
there believe this goes
beyond the Hammond
family. This is an attack
on the residents of Harney
County. Today it’s these
ranchers, but it could keep
on and keep on...”
Brown pointed out that a
large number of attendees
were former military and
law enforcement. Many
remain camped, despite the
cold, in Harney County to
be near the situation for the
next couple weeks.
Brown was able to talk to
a member of the Hammond
family after the meeting.
“He was clear that they are
scared to death,” he said.
“The family is scared.”
That family member
indicated that at this point,
Steven Hammond is lean-
ing toward surrending
because, in his mind, he
will at least have a wife
to come home to after his
prison sentence. He fears
without a surrender, a
government shoot-out puts
lives in danger.
“It comes down to if
Dwight and Steven surren-
der,” said Brown, “there’s
really nothing to be done.”
As to the results of the
meeting, aside from form-
ing the Safety Committee,
he said, “There is no clear
answer.”
For information on the
Harney County Safety of
Committee, visit www.hc-
committeeofsafety.org.
Chamber holds open house
for new director
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Baker County Unlim-
ited, Inc., AKA, Baker
County Chamber of Com-
merce, recently hired a
new Executive Director,
local business owner
Shelly Cutler, who will be-
gin work in the New Year,
as she replaces current
Executive Director Debi
Bainter.
Cheryl Martin, Cham-
ber Board of Directors
President, and, co-owner
of Parker Cabin Guest
House in North Powder
with her husband, Curt,
said, “We’re very excited
for the Chamber’s future,
and, wish Debi Bainter the
best as she looks forward
to a new chapter in her life.
Debi was an extremely
hard worker, very smart,
and was always looking for
new programs and ways to
help advocate for business-
es in Baker County.”
Martin said that Cutler,
co-owner of Tropical Sun
Bronzing Spa (former
location of Kona Kolors
Tanning Salon) since May
with Julie Davis, will
officially begin work on
Monday, January 4, 2016,
in her new position for
which she would receive
training both this week,
and, next week.
Oregon
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The need to find scholarship opportunities to complete
her graduate degree was how McNeil first became aware
of, and interested in, the pageant circuit in Oregon.
She said, “I almost applied a couple years but had to
postpone my plans due to unforeseen family tragedies.”
The director of the competition reached out later to
McNeil based on past communications, and asked if she
might apply.
So she gave the idea some more thought.
When McNeil was in high school, she represented
Oregon for three years in the America’s National Teen-
ager Scholarship pageant system. In 1993 she served as
“Oregon’s Hospitality Queen,” and was runner-up for
Miss Oregon Junior National Teenager along with Best
Essay and Speech in the state competition.
McNeil said, “That same year, I went on the Nashville
for the National Competition and was awarded the nation-
al Title for the most Volunteer Community Service work
in one year with 856 hours Nationally. The following
year, in 1994, I received the honor of representing Oregon
as the winner of the Junior state pageant and was crowed,
‘Miss Oregon’s Junior National Teenager’ and again won
the state award for Best Essay and Speech in the state. In
1995 I won the state title for the Senior Queen.”
She added, “Over the three years that I competed, I
grew so much as person and developed skills and confi-
dence that have served as vita building blocks throughout
my life personally and professionally.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Now, McNeil will also compete next year for the title of
Mrs. Oregon America.
She said, “The state competition for Mrs. Oregon
America is hard work! I have been partnering with many
individuals and business throughout Eastern Oregon
to promote literacy in a variety of ways that best meet
the needs of individual communities. My of the work I
have collaborated on has been with schools and libraries.
Because I work full-time and I am married with a family,
I am only able to schedule six to eight official appear-
ances per month and do my best to represent all eight
counties within Eastern Oregon equally. I travel a lot and
work hard to communicate that I represent all of Eastern
Oregon.”
Preparing for the competition takes her about 15 hours
per week. The Mrs. Oregon America pageant is the
oldest most established pageant for married women—a
competition that has existed for 40 years and serves as the
official preliminary pageant for Mrs. America and Mrs.
World.
“I have an amazing family,” said McNeil, “and would
not be able to compete and make all the pieces fit with
their complete involvement and support. My husband,
Jason, and I have been married for 16 years and we have
one four-year-old son who loves to help mommy pick out
matching shoes for all of my dresses. We cherish family
time together and love air popped popcorn family movie
nights and snowshoeing.”
“When the opportunity came up for me to compete at
the ‘Mrs. Level, I knew it would be an amazing oppor-
tunity for me to continue to develop who I am as person
as well as communicate and serve Eastern Oregon as an
ambassador for literacy, strong communities and healthy
families,” she said.
McNeil said she is allowed four official business spon-
sors, but currently has two. She said, “My official dress
Sponsor is One and Only in La Grande. My Official
Health and Wellness Sponsor is the YMCA in Baker
City.”
This leaves two business sponsor positions still open.
These sponsors do receive the benefit of being promoted
during McNeil’s appearances and fundraisers, as well as
on official web sites and Facebook pages.
“It truly is a collaborative partnership,” she said of her
sponsors. “I will be attending and supporting the YMCA
at their Annual Fundraising event in January. I will also
be a featured guest at the Annual Fashion Show for One
and Only in the Spring.”
More information about Lori McNeil can be found at
www.mrseasternoregon.weebly.com.
Her January appearances include:
4th - Ontario Community Library, Ontario, OR (Mal-
heur County), Time:11:00 a.m.
19th - Wallowa County Library, Enterprise, OR (Wal-
lowa County), Time: 10:00 a.m.
23rd - Annual Fundraiser for the YCMA, Baker County
Events Center (Baker County), Time: 5:30 p.m.
Every Wednesday afternoon, September through April,
McNeil reads to kids at Brooklyn Elementary in Baker
City.
Shelly Cutler, middle, talks to guests at a Christmas open house hosted by the
Chamber to introduce Cutler.
Council position
still open
The Chamber hosted a
Christmas Open House on
Wednesday, December 16,
at 4 p.m., in order to allow
members of the community
a chance to meet Cutler,
and, to meet the Chamber
Board members, Martin
said.
“It was very well-attend-
ed by many community
leaders, and, folks young
and old. Everyone enjoyed
The City of Baker City is looking to fill one open
position on the City Council. The City will accept ap-
plications through the office of City Recorder beginning
on December 2nd until January 7th at 12:00 p.m. The
individual who is appointed by a majority vote of the City
Council will serve a partial term on the Council through
December of 2016. An applicant must be a registered
voter in the State of Oregon and have resided within the
City of Baker City for 12 months immediately preceding
the appointment.
To apply go to www.bakercity.com to download and
complete the City Councilor application located on the
City’s home page and submit a letter of interest to Luke
Yeaton at City Hall.
Photo courtesy of Base Camp Baker.
the visiting, the ‘goodies,’
and, the Christmas cheer,”
she said.
The member-financed,
non-governmental Cham-
ber also includes, in its
Board of Directors, Vice
President Jeff Nelson, of
Blue Mountain Commu-
nity College Small Busi-
ness Development Center
(BMCC SBDC), Treasurer
Cindy Endicott, of Country
Financial, Lorrie Harvey,
of Rock Creek Develop-
ments, and, Jerry Peacock,
of Baker Technical Insti-
tute (BTI).
“We want to remind
everyone to get your
tickets early for the annual
Chamber Banquet, coming
up on the 16th of January.
It promises to be a fun
event,” Martin said.