8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016
Local
County: B2H special session Scouts to pick
up trees
Baker City Scouts will be picking up Christmas trees
the morning of January 2 beginning at 9 a.m.
Residents can leave their tree near the curb in plain
view from the road. Scouts will collect the trees and
deliver them to bins, donated for use by Baker Sanitary
Service. Baker Sanitary Service will utilize their equip-
ment and facilities to recycle the trees.
Donations for this service are appreciated, but not
required. They may be placed in an envelope and at-
tached to the front door of the residence where Scouts can
retrieve it. Checks can be made payable to “BSA.”
Contributions will stay local, supplementing Baker
County scouting activities, camping and supply pur-
chases.
For more information, contact Emily Braswell, Eastern
Oregon District Executive, at 541-519-7677, or search
“Baker City Christmas tree pick up” on Facebook.
Web address for Public Facebook event:
www.facebook.com/events/1176301212400039
Train collision
proves fatal
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Front right going counter-clockwise: Baker County Commission Chair Bill Harvey, NRAC Chair Doni Bru-
land, County Commissioner Mark Bennett, and Planning Director Holly Kerns peruse the maps along with
others.
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
Harvey and Bennett
provided an introduction
to the session and process,
which included discussion
with those present about
the details of the aforemen-
tioned alternative route for
the proposed transmission
line. A map was displayed
on the county’s interac-
tive Smart Board, show-
ing aerial views and other
layers, for the route, after
Bennett explained that the
County Planning Depart-
ment was also involved in
the process.
Gonzalez said that the
current map (paper copies
of which were printed later
for attendees) is unavail-
able online, because details
could change, which
wouldn’t necessarily be
updated regularly on the
B2H-associated website.
He said he didn‘t want
too many versions of the
map, which would confuse
people.
He said, “The whole
purpose of what we’re
doing right now is for the
cooperating agencies (in-
cluding the Board), not so
much for public comment.
The public gets to make
comments—that’s when
the Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS)
comes out.”
Cathey asked whether
there would be a ver-
sion of the map the BLM
would feel confident about
releasing to the public, and
Gonzalez said not until
the FEIS came out, though
the cooperating agencies
would receive one during
the process.
“While we have a
preferred alternative, that
doesn’t mean that that is
what’s selected,” Gonza-
lez said, when a decision
is eventually made. He
said that the value of input
regarding routes is huge,
and there have been up to
three variations of alterna-
tive routes.
Gonzalez said that, the
deadline to receive com-
ments from the cooperat-
ing agencies had been
originally set as January
8, 2016, however, with re-
quests from Senators Ron
Wyden and Jeff Merkley,
that has been extended to
January 22, 2016. Harvey
and Bennett requested pub-
lic comments to the Board
be received by January 18,
2016.
Owen asked why it
didn’t appear that anyone
were present conducting an
environmental assessment
on his property, through
which the alternative route
would run, and Gonzalez
responded that information
could have been gathered
via other methods, such as
Geographic Information
Systems (GIS), previous
inventories, etc.
Ann asked about tak-
ing inventory of raptors’
nests and whether they’re
occupied, and Gonzalez
said that they would be
considered occupied for a
couple of years, and they
should be easy to locate.
In response to a question
from her about the types of
comments desired, he said,
“The best kind of input
that we can get through the
cooperators (including the
Board) right now, is to hear
what the specific concern
or impact is,” with as much
detail as possible.
In response to a question
about concerns regarding
right-of-ways from Owen,
Maffuccio responded that
Idaho Power, the B2H
applicant, would discuss
with any landowners the
topics of compensation,
construction time, potential
impacts, road building,
etc. Owen said that the
difference in the sale of a
portion of land could be
$100,000 less with the con-
structed power line through
it, asking whether that’s
something he could pos-
sibly be compensated for,
to which Lane said that he
could, if justified. “We’re
not trying to short-change
anybody,” Lane said.
Bennett interjected that
the County could be part
of that process, where de-
sired, to ensure landowners
are treated fairly.
Buchanan asked if the
areas burned by wildfires
would have an impact, as
far as the placement of the
route is concerned, and
Gonzalez responded that
the line wouldn’t change
for that reason.
As the map was dis-
played on the Smart Board
by Holly, she explained the
Preliminary Environmen-
tally Preferred Alternative
Route (the main topic of
discussion), along with
the Idaho Power Proposed
Route, and Alternative
Route. Harvey said, “It’s
just an option… They’re
still all on the table,” to
which Gonzalez concurred.
SEE B2H PAGE 10
Oregon State Police (OSP) is continuing the investiga-
tion into Tuesday afternoon's fatal collision involving
a train and SUV south of Union in Union County. The
names of the three occupants will be released following
confirmation of family notifications.
Preliminary information indicates that on December
29, 2015 at approximately 2:54 p.m., a Union Pacific
Railroad train was traveling eastbound and approach-
ing the Curtis Road and Miller Lane crossing when for
unknown reasons, a blue Jeep Cherokee was traveling
east on Curtis Road and turned left onto Miller Lane, in
the path of the train. The train struck the Cherokee and
all three occupants, as well as a dog, were ejected and
pronounced deceased at the scene.
The rural area train crossing displayed crossing signs
with a stop sign but did not have crossing gate arms. The
train did not derail and no injuries were reported aboard
the train.
OSP was assisted by Union County Sheriff's Office,
Union Fire and Ambulance, La Grande Ambulance, and
Union Pacific Railroad representatives.
This is an ongoing investigation and more information
will be released when it becomes available.
Christmas Day
search and
rescue success
Baker and Union County Search and Rescue (SAR)
teams responded to the area of Anthony Lakes early
Christmas morning to search for an overdue snowmobile
operator, Travis Cannon, age 45.
Travis Cannon and Duane Chandler had been snowmo-
biling on the 73 road around midnight.
Cannon failed to return to the parking lot and the Baker
County Sheriff’s Office was contacted around 1:47 a.m.
SAR members from Union and Baker County respond-
ed to the scene.
Cannon was located by snowmobile teams at 8:15 a.m.
Cannon was in fair health and had a fire started where
his snowmobile was stranded. Cannon refused any medi-
cal treatment and left the scene in his vehicle.
Community Bank raises $24K High-speed
in annual charity drive
chase
The annual Charity
Drive was conducted in
Community Bank’s full-
service branch locations
during November, through
December 18th. The pro-
gram is an effort to collect
donations in branches to
benefit charities in that
same area. This season a
grand total of $24,116.03
in donations and bank
matches were dispersed
to charities assisting local
citizens in need.
Community Bank
matches up to $500 per
branch at $.50 on the
dollar. The goal this year
was to raise a minimum
of $1,000 at each branch
location in order to have
the maximum bank match
achieved and to provide at
least $1500 for each char-
ity. The goal was reached
in 6 of the bank’s 13
participating branches: El-
gin, Wallowa, Enterprise,
Joseph, Milton-Freewater,
and Baker City.
Following are the
amounts the charity orga-
nizations are receiving the
week of Christmas as a
result of the Charity Drive.
Amounts are rounded
to the nearest dollar and
include funds raised in the
branch and the Commu-
nity Bank match. Com-
munity Connection Food
Bank (Enterprise & Joseph
branches): $9,522; Elgin
Food Bank (Elgin branch):
$3,526; Wallowa Food
Bank (Wallowa branch):
$3,038; Milton-Freewater
City Light and Power En-
ergy Assistance Program
through the Salvation
Army (Milton-Freewater
branch): $1,975; Walla
Walla’s Senior Center,
Center at the Park (Col-
lege Place & Walla Walla
branches): $1,622; Baker
City Food Banks (Baker
City branch): $1,500;
EOU Foundation Schol-
arship Fund for regional
need-based scholarships
(La Grande downtown &
Valley branches): $1,105;
Neighborhood Center
Food Bank (Heppner
branch): $790; Neighbor 2
Neighbor Warming Station
(Pendleton branch): $525;
Martha’s House (Hermis-
ton branch): $510.
Since 2010 the Commu-
nity Bank Charity Drive
has provided over $119,000
to charities in the region.
Community Bank would
like to thank all the people
and clubs that donated to
the fund raising efforts.
“We are thankful for
what these organizations
do for our communities
and glad to assist them
with additional support,”
said Tom Moran, Commu-
nity Bank President/CEO,
“We couldn’t do it without
our generous customers
and communities - so
thank you for your help.”
The Clarkston branch of
Community Bank opted
to facilitate their second
annual one day pet-portrait
fundraising event for
the Lewis Clark Animal
Shelter which raised about
$530 in donations at their
location in early Decem-
ber.
About Community
Bank. Headquartered in
Joseph Oregon, Commu-
nity Bank has $373 million
in assets as of 11/30/15.
The Bank has 14 full-
service branches through-
out Eastern Oregon and
Southeastern Washington.
Community Bank is an
Equal Housing Lender and
Member FDIC.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The Saab had crashed into a 2011 Dodge pickup, oper-
ated by Becky Harrell, age 55, of Baker City, and a 2013
Ford pickup, operated by Nathan Hull, age 48, of Baker
City, at the intersection of Hughes Lane and US Highway
30.
Yattaw fled on foot onto 10th Street and into the Oregon
Trail Livestock parking lot where troopers took him into
custody without further incident.
Yattaw was taken to the Baker County Jail for Attempt
to Elude in Vehicle, Attempt to Elude on Foot, Reckless
Driving, Reckless Endangering, Driving Under the Influ-
ence of Intoxicants, Assault II, Attempted Assault II, and
Assault on a Public Safety Officer.
One Trooper received minor injuries after being
dragged and thrown to the ground by Yattaw while he
fled the scene of the traffic stop. Harrell received minor
injuries and Hull was not injured.
OSP was assisted by the Baker City Police Department
and the Baker County Sheriff's Department.
Lohner said the BCPD’s drug K9, Capa, was brought
to the scene and did alert. A search warrant was initiated
but to date, has not yet been executed nor a search of the
Saab conducted. More information will be released when
those steps are completed.