FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
Outdoor Rec / Local
Bentz schedules town halls
ONTARIO—Represen-
tative Cliff Bentz (R-
Ontario) is holding town
hall meetings in Malheur,
Baker, Harney, Grant, and
possibly Lake Counties
(House Legislative District
60) so that Eastern Or-
egonians may share their
thoughts about proposed
increases in the minimum
wage.
Oregon’s current mini-
mum wage is $9.25 per
hour and is adjusted on
an annual basis. Several
Measures currently being
planned for the ballot in
November of 2016 will
propose increases in Or-
egon’s minimum wage to
$13.50 per hour or $15.00
per hour.
Said Rep. Bentz, “In-
creases in the minimum
wage beyond those already
required under Oregon law
many times damage the
very people those support-
ing the increase are trying
to help. On the other hand,
many people currently
making the minimum wage
would certainly like to
make more. It is essential
that we hear from you.
This is your opportunity
to say whether you sup-
port, or oppose, such an
increase.”
Each meeting will
include a panel of local
leaders interested in gath-
ering information from the
general public.
Town Hall meetings will
be held on the following
dates, times, and locations:
Baker County
Tuesday, January 5th, 2016
6:30-8:30 p.m. (PST)
At the Sunridge Inn (1
Sunridge Ln, Baker City)
Malheur County
Wednesday, January 6th,
2016, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
(MST), At the Four Rivers
Cultural Center (676 SW
5th Ave, Ontario)
Additional meetings are
being planned for Burns,
John Day and Lakeview.
Rep. Bentz encour-
ages anyone interested or
concerned with this issue
to attend the town hall
meeting in their area and
voice their thoughts. Sum-
maries of what is said and
Parks & Rec
announces
new grants
Submitted Photo.
Rep. Cliff Benz.
the concerns raised will
be directed to the Oregon
Legislators working on a
bill that will be introduced
in the 2016 Legislative
Session beginning in
February.
Oregon military to track Santa Claus
PORTLAND, Oregon
—The Oregon Air Nation-
al Guard will be on high
alert again this Christmas
Eve as they work closely
with the United States Air
Force and the North Amer-
ican Aerospace Defense
Command (NORAD) to
monitor the skies and track
the annual flight of Santa
Claus.
According to Col. Paul T.
Fitzgerald, 142nd Fighter
Wing commander, "It is
not uncommon for our
pilots to fly alongside Saint
Nick in the skies this time
of year. He expects to see
us and the reindeer have
become quite accustomed
to flying in formation with
our F-15s."
"Year after year, we
receive reports on Christ-
mas Eve from the Western
Air Defense Sector at
McChord Air Force Base,
in Washington," said Capt.
Angela Walz, spokesper-
son for the Portland Air
National Guard Base.
"They report high-speed
radar returns from their
defense network radar
systems. Because our F-15
aircrews are on continuous
alert, they may be ordered
to intercept and investigate
anything that can't be posi-
tively identified on radar."
For more than 65 years,
the Oregon Air National
Guard's mission in Port-
land has been to provide
air defense of the Pacific
Northwest -- 24 hours a
day, seven days a week.
The Oregon National
Guard is also prepared to
respond to state and local
emergency contingencies
under command of the
governor.
To obtain audio, click
on the following link:
http://newpreview.afnews.
af.mil/142fw/santasight-
ings.asp
For background infor-
mation from NORAD/
NORTHCOM on Santa's
annual flight around the
world, visit: http://www.
norad.mil/AboutNORAD/
NORADTracksSanta.aspx
SANTA SIGHTINGS:
For the official Santa
tracker, visit: http://www.
noradsanta.org
On Dec. 24, website
visitors can watch Santa
make preparations for
his flight. NORAD's
"Santa Cams" will stream
videos on the website as
Santa makes his way over
various locations. Trackers
worldwide can also speak
with a live phone opera-
tor to inquire as to Santa's
whereabouts by dialing the
toll-free number 1-877-Hi-
NORAD (1-877-446-6723)
or by sending an email to
noradtrackssanta@outlook.
com.
Official NORAD Tracks
Santa apps are also avail-
able in the Windows, Ap-
ple and Google Play stores,
so parents and children can
countdown the days until
Santa's launch on their
smart phones and tablets!
Tracking opportunities are
also offered on Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube, and
Google+. Santa followers
just need to type "@norad-
santa" into each search
engine to get started.
Any time on Dec. 24,
Windows Phone users can
ask Cortana for Santa's
location, and OnStar
subscribers can press the
OnStar button in their
vehicles to locate Santa.
Remember, The Baker County Press will be tracking Santa from the North Pole to
Baker County on our Facebook page! www.facebook.com/TheBCPress!
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD)
announces the opening of the 2016 Local Government
Grant Program grant cycle for funding public parks and
recreation projects. OPRD will host two workshops in
February to assist applicants.
Large, small and planning grants are available for cit-
ies, counties, metropolitan service districts, park and
recreation districts and port districts looking to fund the
following types of projects: planning, development, reha-
bilitation, acquisition, and acquisition and development.
The program is designed to help local government agen-
cies acquire property for park purposes and fund outdoor
park and recreation areas and facilities. The grants are
funded from voter-approved lottery money.
Applications deadlines are set for April and May de-
pending on the type of grant. Two workshops are set:
-Webinar workshop: 10 a.m. to noon, Feb. 3
-Live workshop: 10 a.m. to noon, Feb. 4, Salem
To register and receive workshop notification, send
contact information to Mark Cowan at mark.cowan@
oregon.gov.
OPRD gives more than $4 million annually to Oregon
communities for outdoor recreation projects and has
awarded nearly $50 million in grants since 1999.
Applications, a grant manual, application deadlines and
other information are online at http://oprdgrants.org.
ODFW seeks
council members
The Access & Habitat Program is looking to fill several
regional council positions. The deadline is Jan. 31.
Individuals living in the appropriate region with an in-
terest and experience in hunting and/or wildlife conserva-
tion are encouraged to apply. Applications are available
online and due at the corresponding regional office by
Jan. 31, 2016.
Council vacancies: North Coast Regional Council
One Landowner Representative,Contact David Nuzum in
Tillamook (503-842-2741 ext. 238); Deschutes/Klamath
Regional Council, Chair position representing the public
at large, One Landowner Representative, Contact Nancy
Breuner in Bend for more information (541-388-6229);
South Willamette Regional Council, One Landowner
Representative, Contact David Stroppel in Corvallis for
more information (541-757-5237); and Southwest Re-
gional Council, One Landowner Representative, Contact
Vince Oredson in Central Point for more information
(541-826-8774 ext. 232).
These are volunteer positions and duties include partici-
pation in up to four public meetings each year to review
A&H project proposals and conduct other council busi-
ness. Meetings may require some travel.