Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 2016)
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3 FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 Business & Ag Safeway aims to move across the street during August 2016 BY TODD ARRIOLA Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com Later this year, local grocer Safeway plans to alleviate, partially at least, the concerns of local customers by moving its operation from the current location at 1205 Camp- bell Street, north to 1120 Campbell Street, a consid- erably larger building. The move, the grand opening of which was originally tentatively planned for August 3rd, would result in an increase in store size from about 36,000 square feet to about 44,000 square feet. Jill McGinnis, Portland Division Communications Manager for Albertsons/ Safeway, said, “While our grand opening date has not been determined yet, we are certainly hoping it’s before year’s end! We are excited about the ability to better serve our cus- tomers in a significantly larger building, which is the biggest benefit. In the meanwhile, we will begin housing some back stock there to allow our current store much needed storage (hence, improved in-stock conditions).” Safeway Store Manager Amber Krantz, who has held that position for about a year, said the move will be in late summer, and she confirmed that the name of the store will be Safeway (Albertsons owns Safeway, the two companies having merged in January 2015). About the grand opening date, she said, “Originally, they said that…That’s a tentative date. I don’t know if it will stay. In a couple of weeks, we’re going to go walk the store, and kind of make a construction plan. So, construction hasn’t even walked the store. They’re going to do a (major) remodel… I’m just saying late summer to be safe.” Krantz said, once this gradual process is complet- ed, there will be a seamless transition for customers, because, the new location will be stocked while the current location continues its operation as usual, right up until the grand open- ing, when the new location opens its doors, and the old location is closed. She said, “One day, we’ll close the doors here, and we’ll open up over there, and it will be ready to go over there.” “Once the (current) store is closed, another team will come and box it all up, and then we send it out to other Safeway stores,” Krantz said. She said that each of a number of other Safeway stores may receive a pallet of goods, for example, and that’s the normal store closure process. Krantz was Assistant Manager at the La Grande Safeway for between five and six years, prior to her current position, she said. Commenting about the frequently crowded park- ing lot and the influx of customers to Safeway— currently, the sole major local grocer—in part, due initially to higher Haggen prices, she said, “It just gradually got busier as Haggen opened.” Haggen, after acquir- ing the former location of Albertsons and opening in May of last year, declared bankruptcy in September, and closed its doors last fall. Albertsons reacquired the building through auction in November for $300,000. The property where Safeway is located, 1205 Campbell Street, originally built in 1977, is owned by Muffrey, LLC, and managed by KIN Prop- erties, both located in Boca Raton, Florida. The property where Safeway will be relocated to, 1120 Campbell Street, originally built in 2001, is owned and managed by Greg Sackos of Intermountain Realty, Inc., of Baker City, through his company, BTS II, LLC. Both buildings have been remodeled since the date of their original construction. Nearby USA Gasoline and Community Bank are also BTS II, LLC properties, both located just south of the property at 1120 Camp- bell Street. At the most recent Baker County Economic Development Council (EDC) meeting this month, Economic Development Director Greg Smith was reluctant to provide much detail about the current major grocer situation, Smith said, “Folks are interested in what’s going on with our grocery store activity here. It’s difficult, because entrepreneurs are sharing this information, and I just don‘t want to breach their confidence…” He spoke generally about some major gro- cer potentials, including Albertsons, and said, “In addition to that, we’ve received contact from an- other grocery entrepreneur who’s expressed interest in a smaller (chain) grocery store…” It’s unconfirmed whether an Albertsons store will be located in the area, and if so, where. However, Smith said the smaller chain grocery store would be west of I-84, in a location other than the aforementioned properties. Sackos, who owns both the land and the build- ing where Haggen and Albertsons were formerly located, also has a common area maintenance (CAM) contract with lessees of the property, which is in ad- dition to rental payments, and, includes services such as landscaping, and snow removal of the common areas such as the parking lot, provided by Sackos. Regarding potential grocer interest in the cur- rent location of Safeway, Matthew Makler, Senior Leasing Manager for KIN Properties, said, “It is the owner’s policy not to com- ment on active leases.” Sackos has voiced strong opinions about litigation involving Albertsons and Haggen (the companies had sued each other), the Haggen bankruptcy, and, the Federal Trade Commis- sion’s (FTC) involvement to begin with, and he’s spent a significant amount for legal services, protect- ing his interest in his prop- erty during this process. The FTC, in its attempt to break up a potential local monopoly of two stores, Safeway and Albert- sons, owned by the same company since the merger, caused Haggen to be brought in as a competitor, however, since the Haggen bankruptcy, the result is that Safeway remains the sole local major grocer, possibly until this fall. Sackos expressed frus- tration obtaining details from representatives at Albertsons, regarding the lease, and, the move to the property. He said, “Until I hear something from the horse’s mouth, it’s all speculation to me, and I own the property. I can‘t confirm anything because I don’t know.” Speaking about the relocation of Safeway slated for late summer, he said, “I‘m going to try to accelerate this timetable.” He said that improvements are planned, for example, changing the parking lot lights to LED (light emit- ting diode) models, but the details need to be worked out. Referencing the dif- ficulties with shopping at an abnormally crowded Safeway, he said he’s been patronizing nearby Bi- Mart, since that store also sells grocery items, such as milk, eggs, and bread. NRAC goes over water rights section, mining, etc. Friday, January 22, 2016 — Eastern Oregon Prices trended generally steady compared to week ago prices. The recent cold snap has increased sales. Many producers have decided to hold on to their hay for now, in hopes for higher prices. Snow has hit some of the hay producing areas. Many hay producers are sold out for the year. Tons Price Range Wtd Avg Alfalfa —Large Square Good 250 135.00-135.00 135.00 Alfalfa / Orchard Mix —Small Square Premium 35 190.00-190.00 190.00 Prairie Grass—Small Square Good 25 150.00-150.00 150.00 USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov — Cattle Market Report — Wednesday, January 20, 2016 Vale, Oregon Cattle sold through the auction: 2560 Steer Calves 300-400# Bulk 182.00 - 206.00 Top 210.00 400-500# Bulk 172.00 - 206.00 Top 211.00 500-600# Bulk 163.00 - 193.00 Top 199.75 Heifer Calves 300-400# Bulk 169.00 - 183.00 Top 195.00 400-500# Bulk 141.00 - 181.00 Top 189.00 500-600# Bulk 139.00 - 166.00 Top 167.50 600-700# 700-800# 800-900# 900-1,000# Yearling Steers Bulk 146.00 - 165.00 Top 167.00 Bulk 141.00 - 152.00 Top 153.25 Bulk 127.00 - 145.50 Top 146.00 Bulk 123.00 - 137.00 Top 141.00 Yearling Heifers 600-700# Bulk 134.00 - 155.00 Top 161.00 700-800# Bulk 127.00 - 139.00 Top 141.50 800-900# Bulk 117.00 - 126.00 Top 129.50 900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A Thin Shelly Cows 41.00 - 52.00 Butcher Cows 53.00 - 61.00 Butcher Bulls N/A Stock Cows Yng. N/A Younger Hfrts. 86.00 - 112.00 Stock Cows Older. - N/A ProducersLivestock.com 541-473-3136 — Log Price Report — Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon Doug Fir is $415.00/mbf White fir is $365.00/mbf Ponderosa Pine is brought sold on diameter splits 6 to 11 inch dib $300 to $310/MBF 12 to 17 inch dib $350 to $375/MBF 18 to 23 inch dib $400 to $430/MBF 24 inch plus dib $450 to $500/MBF DIB is diameter inside bark at small end of log. MBF is thousand board feet lumber, net scale. People interested in selling logs should call and get specific quotes from saw mills. BY TODD ARRIOLA Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com The Baker County Natural Resource Advi- sory Committee (NRAC) held its monthly meet- ing on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, at 3 p.m. in the Baker County Courthouse Commission Chambers, in order to discuss a Water and Water Rights section approval, a Mining section amendment, and, a 2015 Baker County Wildfire Analysis. Present from the NRAC were County Commission Chair Bill Harvey, NRAC Chair Doni Bruland, NRAC Coordinator Eric Wuntz, Ken Anderson, Arvid Andersen, Cynthia Long, Alice Knapp, Lyle Defrees, Chuck Chase, Jan Alexander, Kody Justus, Jan Kerns, Emily Braswell, Dick Fleming, Eileen Gyl- lenberg, Maurene Chap- man, and Lane Perry. Attendance from the pub- lic included Gary Dielman, Dave McQuisten, and Ken Alexander. Bruland called the meet- — Weekly Hay Report — Courtesy of Arvid Andersen, Andersen Forestry Consulting — Precious Metals Report — Price per ounce, USD Gold: 1,108.10 Silver: $14.26 Platinum: $858.05 Palladium: $491.25 Bloomberg.com Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press The large NRAC met Tuesday to go over a complicated water rights section. ing to order, and, as there were no attendees pres- ent for the initial Public Participation segment (they showed up later during the meeting), the minutes from the October, and November meetings were reviewed for approval. The minutes for the October meeting were approved, with a motion from Anderson, and a second from Defrees. The minutes for the November meeting were approved, with a motion from Long, and a second from Alexander. SEE NRAC PAGE 7 — Ag Commodities — Corn: $369.75/bu/USD Wheat: $481.50/bu/USD Soybeans: $880.50/bu/USD Oats: $205.25 bu/USD Rough Rice: $11.01/cwt/USD Canola: $482.00 CAD/mwt Live Cattle: $132.33/lb./USD Feeder Cattle: $157.50/lb./USD Lean Hogs: $66.78/lb./USD Bloomberg.com