LOCAL: Sumpter Valley Community Potluck
and Game Night. PAGE 3
The
SPECIAL: State basketball tournament
greetings from local businesses. PAGE 10
Baker County Press
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Friday, March 4, 2016 • Volume 3, Issue 10
Columbia Basin Helicopter
wins new victory over County
• JUDGE DENIES
COUNTY’S APPEAL,
UPHOLDS AWARD
OF ATTORNEY FEES
TO COMPANY
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
On Thursday, February
25, 2016, Umatilla County
Circuit Court Judge Ronald
J. Pahl issued an opinion in
the matter of Baker County
vs. David M. McCarty, aka
Columbia Basin Helicop-
ter, Inc., Case No. 11-653,
stating that the defendant’s
attorney fees are reason-
able, and that they should
be granted.
During a hearing held
Friday, February 5, 2016,
McCarty and his attor-
ney, Janet Larsen, of the
Portland fi rm Lane Powell,
presented evidence in sup-
port of McCarty’s request
for attorney fees, and
Baker County legal coun-
sel Dan Van Thiel, with
Martin Leuenberger, of the
Baker City fi rm Coughlin
& Leuenberger, presented
evidence in support of the
County’s objection.
McCarty prevailed in the
land-use case last year,
fi rst fi led by the County in
2011; however, the crux of
the issue since that time,
argued by both parties, has
been what constitutes “rea-
sonable” attorney fees, ac-
cording to western Oregon
standards, versus eastern
Oregon standards, because
McCarty had ultimately
enlisted Lane Powell for
representation.
According to the De-
fendants’ Supplemental
Statement For Attorneys’
Fees And Costs, the total
amount is $306,713.24,
which also includes fees
and costs of the La Grande
fi rm of Mautz, Baum &
O’Hanlon, in the amount
of $7,348.57.
SEE COLUMBIA
BASIN HELICOPTER
Submitted Photo.
Columbia Basin Helicopters agriculture services
focus was recognized in court last year.
PAGE 3
Prayer topic
Huntington completes
Middle School Invitational at County
meeting
again
Basketball Tournament
• DIELMAN BRINGS UP MORE
INVOCATION OBJECTIONS
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Eileen Driver./ The Baker County Press
Colts number 10 takes a free throw shot during the fi nal girls’ game between Jordan Valley and Powder
Valley in Huntington.
BY EILEEN DRIVER
Eileen@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The 53rd Annual Huntington Middle School Invitation-
al Basketball Tournament was held on Friday, February
26th and Saturday, February 27th. The purpose of this
tournament is to provide an excellent opportunity for
athletic competition, social development and recreation
for the children involved. The students and parents look
forward to the Tournament and the chance to see neigh-
bors from all over the area, and catch up on what’s been
happening all year ‘round.
The school parking lot and the surrounding streets were
packed with vehicles of all descriptions and “tailgating”
parties are a common site throughout the competition.
There were eight schools who participated this year:
Huntington Panthers coached by Becky Lockett (boys),
Amy Jones and Adrian (girls).
Antelopes coached by Nolan Shira, Nathan Bayes and
LaDawn Bayes (both boys and Ggrls).
Jordan Valley Colts coached by Mike Eiguren (boys)
and Ryan Bruce, Todd Gluch and Andrea Burch (girls).
Willow Creek Warriors coached by Todd Gregory
(boys), Austen Gregory and Rick Jacobs, Brad Jacobs,
Mick Jacobs and Michael McGourty (girls).
Powder Valley Badgers coached by Wendy Bingham
(boys), and Erika Woodworth and Wendy Bingham
(girls).
Friday
Partly sunny and warm. Highs near 60. Mostly
cloudy with a chance for showers. Low near 40.
Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with rain showers. Highs in the
upper 50s. Chance of precipitation 60%. Lows
in the upper 30s.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with rain showers. Highs in the
mid 50s. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Lows
near 32.
Harper Hornets coached by Scott Talbot (boys), Van-
essa Lovell (girls).
Cove Leopards coached by Ron Rees (boys) Bruce
Nell (girls).
Prairie City Panthers coached by Joe Merchant (boys),
and Mike Wall (girls).
Competition categories were for both the boys and
girls basketball teams.
From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. both Friday and Saturday teams
vied for the fi rst, second and third place trophies in their
class in a double elimination contest while being watched
and evaluated by the opposing coaches for the coveted
team Sportsmanship Trophy and individually for the
limited AllStar Ribbons awarded at the end of the tourna-
ment. During halftime for each of the games was either
entertainment by a school’s cheer squad, a cake raffl e or
three-point-shot contest for spectators at a $1 a shot and
all weekend long in the Huntington School library was
the “Feeling Groovy Book Fair.”
The fi nal game in the girls competition was played by
Powder Valley and Jordan Valley and both teams worked
hard to try to earn the fi rst place trophy. With 49 seconds
left in the game, Powder Valley was down to four play-
ers on the fl oor with three players #15 Bailey Cole, #14
Autumn Davis and #21 Josie Krieger having fouled out.
They still managed to pull out the win with a fi nal score
of Jordan Valley 13 and Powder Valley 19.
SEE BASKETBALL PAGE 7
Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County.
Our forecast made possible by this
generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
The Baker County Board of Commissioners held its
fi rst, regular session of the month on Wednesday, March
2, 2016, 9 a.m., in the Commission Chambers of the
Baker County Courthouse, which included a grazing and
wildfi re fuel reduction debate, presented by members of
the Baker High School (BHS) Future Farmers of America
(FFA) Agriculture Issues team, and the topic of prayer
before Commission sessions with Gary Dielman.
Present from the Board were Commission Chair Bill
Harvey, Commissioners Mark Bennett and Tim Kerns,
and Executive Assistant Heidi Martin.
Attendance also included Baker County Road Master
Jeff Smith, newly hired Baker County 911 Consolidated
Dispatch Director Hope Lindsey, Baker County Sheriff
Travis Ash, Baker County legal counsel Drew Martin,
Community Connection of Northeast Oregon Manager
Mary Jo Carpenter, Ed Hardt, Lorrie Harvey, John and
Ramona Creighton, Kody Justus, and Tork and Wanda
Ballard.
Harvey called the meeting to order, followed shortly
thereafter by recitation of the optional Invocation and
Pledge of Allegiance.
After noting a couple of changes to the agenda, it was
adopted, with a motion from Bennett, and a second from
Kerns.
SEE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PAGE 5
baker city
carpet express
Sportsmanship goes a long way!
Discount
Prices!
12 months same
as cash OAC.
Remember,you
walk on our
reputation!
• I n stock I tems
• Carpet starting
at $8.99 sq. yd.
• Vinyl starting at
$4.99 sq. yd
• Miscellaneous
laminate at .99
sq. ft.
• Vinyl plank at
$3.50 sq. ft.
541-523-7360
2080 3rd St., Baker City
Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30, Sat. 12-4
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Opinion: ‘Gold Rush’ is golden
The Outdoor Column
Swim Team results
OTEC Board nominations
Arts Master Plan in the works
Word search & crossword puzzle
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