FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
Republican annual banquet Local police
investigate
stabbing
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PAGE 1
During dinner, Jones
gave a presentation of
photos from last summer’s
wildfires—a presentation
similar to the one she gave
at the Oregon Republican
Party’s platform conven-
tion last year.
Dennis Richardson,
candidate for Secretary of
State, and Bruce Cuff, gu-
bernatorial candidate, each
sent video messages as
they were unable to attend.
Callahan and Laschober
each spoke, each hoping to
defeat each other and the
rest of the slate of Repub-
lican candidates in order to
advance to the fall general
election to face off against
Sen. Ron Wyden.
Callahan said, “I just
don’t give up.” Calla-
han ran against a slate of
Republican candidates in
the last election, losing
to Monica Wehby, who
in turn failed to unseat
incumbent senator Jeff
Merkley.
“Our country was
founded as a constitutional
republic,” Callahan said,
“and Ron Wyden has
been voting wrong.” He
went on to cite instances
in Wyden’s voting record
during which the senator
had voted against second
amendment rights, such as
during his 2013 support of
the United Nations Arms
Trade Agreement. “Ladies
and gentlemen, that just
isn’t acceptable.”
He called Wyden and the
other who voted for that
agreement traitors, which
earned a round of applause.
Callahan said the futures
of his two daughters mo-
tivate him to keep running
for office.
Laschober spoke to the
crowd next, stating that for
the past year and a half he
has put his business com-
pletely on hold in order to
campaign.
Laschober worked for a
large global corporation
abroad for several years
focusing on IT and finance,
before settling permanently
with his wife and two kids
in Portland. He has now
run a software and general
finance consulting practice
for almost seven years.
Kody Justus and Jeff
Nelson (who doubled as
microphone technical
support) also spoke to the
audience.
Both men are seeking the
part-time County Commis-
sioner position, position
#1, soon to be vacated
by Tim Kerns. A third
candidate, Bruce Nichols,
was unable to attend due to
prior commitments.
Justus’s background is
both military and agri-
cultural. He’s a local area
rancher and member of the
County’s Natural Resourc-
es Advisory Committee.
Nelson operated the
Baker City Clothes Outlet
for years, and has served
as downtown manager for
Historic Baker City. He
currently advises small
businesses via his position
at Blue Mountain Commu-
nity College.
Justus said, “I’m running
because I see an erosion of
basic rights.” A fiscal and
social conservative, Justus
says his decisions would
empower locals.
Nelson said, “I will fight
for small business ... I will
fight against big govern-
ment on their overreach of
public lands.”
Rep. Cliff Bentz took the
podium, a little worse for
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
L-R: Suzan Ellis Jones, auctioneer Mib Dailey and Congressman Greg Walden
begin the oral auction.
the wear after spearheading
the battle against the mini-
mum wage hike, which
was just pushed through
Salem along party lines
during the recent short
session.
Bentz spoke about the is-
sue currently on his mind:
the proposed Owyee Can-
yonlands National Monu-
ment, which would seize
half the land in Malheur
County, where he resides,
and move it under Federal
control. Bentz said, “We
are hoping we’re making
some sort of progress.”
Bentz used humor to
keep guests laughing,
and said this presidential
election was proof of
something his mom had
told him as a kid—that
anyone could grow up to
be president.
While he spoke briefly
on Federal issues, he also
said he couldn’t emphasize
enough “how far to the left
Oregon lurched this year.”
He stated that nationally,
the Democratic party has
selected Oregon as the
“bellwether” for socialist
programs and movements.
He stated that in Salem,
the Democrats needed 36
votes in order to pass new
taxes, but with only 35
and Republicans holding
together against new taxes,
Democrats turned to man-
dates such as the minimum
wage hike.
Bentz then handed the
mic back over to Jones
who introduced keynote
speaker U.S. Rep. Greg
Walden, who flies to
Oregon from D.C. nearly
every weekend, was the
evening’s keynote speak-
er—a tradition several
years running.
Walden said, “It’s always
a delight to come to Baker
County.”
He spoke to the theme,
“Elections have conse-
quences,” and encouraged
voters to actually vote. He
asked those in the room
to imagine a scenario in
which Hillary Clinton
or Bernie Sanders was
president, the House and
Senate were overturned,
and Nancy Pelosi became
speaker once more.
He talked about federal
mismanagement of public
lands, stating the origi-
nal intent was to protect
resources for use of the
people. Now, he said, “It’s
do nothing. Let it burn. Do
nothing. Let it burn. Do
nothing again.” He said
good stewardship is about
creating jobs in the woods
and logging the trees while
they still have value.
Walden said he would
love to have a Republi-
can senator from Oregon
who could pick up the
work done in the House
and carry it over into the
Senate. “I don’t have that
partner now,” he said.
According to Baker City Police Chief Wyn Lohner
Wednesday, his department is investigating an altercation
between two adult males and one juvenile male, which
occurred at 3305 ½ 14th Street in Baker City on March
19th at about 11:30 p.m.
This incident resulted in one of the adult males being
transported to St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Baker
City for an apparent knife wound. That individual was
treated and released.
An adult female and a juvenile female were also present
during this incident and are cooperating with the investi-
gation.
Due to the active investigation and involvement of ju-
veniles, any additional information will only be released
through the District Attorney’s Office at a future date.
Cemetery
maintenance
planned
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Senate candidate Dan Laschober hopes to defeat
incumbent Ron Wyden.
Kerry McQuisten // The Baker County Press
Senate candidate Mark Callahan also hopes to chal-
lenge Wyden in the fall.
Kerry McQuisten // The Baker County Press
Baker County Commissioner candidate Kody
Justus.
Kerry McQuisten // The Baker County Press
Baker County Commissioner candidate Jeff Nelson.
The City’s maintenance contractor, Grass Master, will
soon be doing spring cleanup and grounds maintenance
work at the Mt. Hope Cemetery, including removal of
deteriorated decorations, flowers, floral designs, thatch-
ing, edging, fertilizing, and weed spraying, weather
permitting.
This work is scheduled for April 5 through April 29,
2016.
The City asks families to remove any decorative items,
flowers, etc. prior to April 6, 2015.
Please note that decorative items not removed from
graves and headstones by that date will be collected by
the contractor beginning on that date.
Collected items, other than perishable or deteriorated
items, will be stored until claimed or until November 1,
2016. Items conforming to the cemetery rules may be
placed on or returned to the graves beginning on April 30,
2015.
A copy of the Mt. Hope Cemetery Rules is available on
the city’s website, www.bakercity.com .
Fatal shooting
on Umatilla
Reservation
On Saturday, March 19, 2016, at approximately 5:30
am, Umatilla Tribal Police received a report that there
had been a shooting on the Confederated Tribes of Uma-
tilla Indian Reservation. They found a 27-year old man,
Anthony Jimenez of Pendleton, had been shot. He was
transported to a regional hospital, but died of his injuries.
Jimenez is a non-tribal member.
A second adult man was also shot and transported to a
regional hospital where he is listed in serious condition.
This man is a tribal member of the Confederated Tribes
of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
Shortly after the incident, the Umatilla Tribal Police
detained a California man, Victor Contreras, age 23. Fol-
lowing an investigation by the Umatilla Tribal Police and
the FBI, agents made a probable cause arrest of Contreras
and lodged him in the Umatilla County Jail. Contreras
will be transported to Portland on Monday, March 21,
2016, to make an initial appearance before a federal mag-
istrate. Contreras is a non-tribal member.
The investigation is continuing.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Assistant United States Attorney Scott Kerin is
prosecuting this case.
Quit smoking
for free
Baker City is excited to offer Baker County residents a
free tobacco cessation program. This is a four day course
Monday April 11th – Thursday April 14th, 2016 from
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. This will be held at Saint Alphon-
sus Medical Center – Baker City in the Powder River
Conference Room. To register call today 208-367-5864.
Space is limited so register now.
Nancy Caspersen is a Registered Nurse, Tobacco Ces-
sation Specialist and ex-smoker. She has been studying
tobacco and educating tobacco users for over 20 years.
Nancy has helped and educated over 10,000 smokers
and tobacco chewers in her live class. Her new DVD
program has been getting rave reviews from the medi-
cal profession as well as smokers and chewers who have
been given the knowledge and the inspiration they need
to quit.
When participants complete the live four-evening
program they will receive the Quit with Nancy DVD
program for free. This DVD program sells for $350 on
Amazon.