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painting as donation. PAGE 8
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Friday, February 5, 2016 • Volume 3, Issue 6
Hoopes to challenge
Ash for sheriff position
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
On Wednesday, long-
time Sheriff’s Deputy John
Hoopes announced that he
will be fi ling this week,
challenging Sheriff Travis
Ash for that position in the
upcoming May election.
Ash was appointed
by Baker County Com-
missioners last year
after former sheriff Mitch
Southwick resigned from
the position.
At the time, Hoopes had
also submitted a letter of
interest to County Com-
missioners, who ultimately
appointed Ash to fi ll the
remainder of Southwick’s
term.
Hoopes issued the fol-
lowing letter:
“My name is John
Hoopes and I am cam-
paigning for the offi ce of
Baker County Sheriff. I
have proudly served and
protected our community
as a Sheriff’s Deputy for
15 years. I started my ca-
reer with the Baker County
Sheriff’s Offi ce in the
Reserve Deputy Program
under Sheriff Terry Speel-
man in 2000. During my
time as a Reserve Deputy,
I attended Eastern Oregon
University and worked as
a temporary parole offi cer,
prior to being hired in 2001
as a Corrections Deputy
for the Baker County Jail.
In 2002, I was hired as a
Patrol Deputy and certifi ed
through the Oregon De-
partment of Public Safety
Standards and Training
(DPSST) as a police offi -
cer. To date, I have earned
my basic, intermediate and
advanced police offi cer
certifi cations. As a deputy,
I have also participated
with the regional SWAT
team as an MRAP driver,
as well as, the Baker Coun-
ty Search and Rescue as a
rescue diver.”
Submitted Photo.
John Hoopes announced this week that he will
compete for Baker County Sheriff.
SEE HOOPES PAGE 12
New 911
Call Center
Director hired
70 mph speed limit
coming to Oregon in March
Baker County an-
nounced this week that
Hope Lindsey has been
named Director of the
Baker County 911 Con-
solidated Dispatch Center.
Lindsey brings fourteen
years of experience work-
ing within a 911 Dispatch
Center. Her hiring was
the result of a nationwide
search.
She will assume all
responsibilities of the
Submitted Photo.
Director position from
interim Director Jerry Boyd
effective February 16, 2016. Hope Lindsey.
Commissioner Harvey
said in a press release he
is pleased to bring Lindsey on board and believes her
wealth of knowledge will greatly benefi t the County’s 911
operations.
County Executive Assistant Heidi Martin said that no
additional information on Lindsey’s background was
available in time for print.
Photo courtesy of ODOT.
The above speed limits will be in place for Oregonians on March 1 of this year.
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
With the passing of House Bill 3402, parts of Oregon
will see a speed limit increase. There will be an increase
from 65 to 70 on Interstate 84 from The Dalles to the
Idaho border and the limit will bump up to 65 on sev-
eral secondary highways in Central and Eastern Oregon,
including portions of U.S. 20, U.S. 26, U.S. 95, U.S. 97,
U.S. 197, U.S. 395, OR 31, OR 78 and OR 205.
According to Tom Strandberg with Oregon Depart-
ment of Transportation’s (ODOT) Region 5 Public Affairs
headquartered in La Grande, ODOT crews have been
busily preparing for the changes which will take place on
March 1, 2016.
In an email Strandberg wrote, “ODOT has been prepar-
ing by modifying passing zones to accommodate the
changes and installing new sign posts where needed. For
the department, there is quite a bit of work to prepare
for the change. Ordering signs/posts, evaluating curves
for the increased speeds, identifying where new curve
warning signs need to go up and modifying passing lane
striping (painted lines) to take into account the increased
speeds.”
Strandberg indicated ODOT has been working with
communities along the impacted routes to identify where
speeds need to be reduced such as before entering city
limits as well as other factors and concerns.
He noted motorist safety as ODOT’s focus. He said,
Friday
Mostly cloudy and seasonable. Highs in the mid
30s. Chance of snow showers at night is 40%.
Lows in the mid 20s.
Saturday
Cloudy and warmer with a slight chance of snow
showers. Highs near 40. Chance of precipitation
is 20%. Lows in the mid 20s.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy and continued warmer tempera-
tures. Highs in the low 40s. Lows in the mid 20s.
“Our main concern is that motorists keep safety in mind
and that with the increased speeds there is an increase in
responsibility to drive according to the conditions of the
road. Everyone still needs to pay attention to conditions
and slow down when pavement might be wet or icy, or
when visibility might be limited due to darkness, fog,
blowing snow, smoke, dust, etc.”
He went on to state, “Work was started last fall, before
winter’s frozen ground. New signs will go up starting
March 1. All the new speed signs should be up on the
interstate March 2 and on impacted secondary highways
within a few days of that day.”
The Oregon State Police Baker City work site was
contacted for information but did not respond before this
article went to print.
One Law Enforcement Offi cer, who did not wish to
be identifi ed, did state that they believed the impending
increase would be a good thing since many motorists are
already travelling at a higher rate of speed coming into
Oregon from Idaho, where the speed limit is 80. They
believed that it could actually decrease the number of
crashes with a lessening of the change in speed limits.
They stated also that they would like to see it increase
even more and expressed regret that the I-5 corridor on
the west side of the state was not increasing as well.
“I think it is needed,” the offi cer said.
Additional background information, a map of impacted
routes, news releases, photos and video can be found at
www.tinyurl.com/OR-speed2016.
Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County.
Our forecast made possible by this
generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
Three
charged in
pathway
assault
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Jason David Brown of Baker City and out-of-state
friends, Christopher Wade Wymbs and Bryan William
Morris have all been formally indicted on two counts
each of Assault in the Fourth Degree for their involve-
ment in an assault that happened November 14, 2015, on
the Leo Adler Pathway behind Ace Hardware.
District Attorney Daniel Norris of Malheur County is
serving as the special District Attorney for Baker County
during this case due to a personal confl ict of interest
involving a member of the local offi ce’s staff.
The three defendants are accused of intentionally and
unlawfully causing physical injury to Anthony Constan-
tine and Trevor Shankle.
If convicted, Brown, Wymbs and Morris each face up to
one year in prison for each count.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Winery gets expansion permit
Co-Op employee retires after 35 yrs
Lead ammo survey taken
County Commissioners coverage
Water facilities plan discussed
League of Cities meets
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