FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local & Entertainment
Economic Development
Council to pen FTC letter
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
He also mentioned that
the Chamber’s local com-
ponent of Hatch Oregon
(Nelson also serves on the
Chamber Board of Direc-
tors) currently has four
local business owners at-
tending Community Public
Offering (CPO) training,
with possibly an event to
be held at the Chamber, to
allow the business owners
to share their ideas with the
community.
Harvey mentioned a new
tenant in his offi ce com-
plex at 3370 10th Street
(Harvey’s also a local
custom builder, who built
the complex, owned by
Rock Creek Developments,
LLC, which both he, and
his wife, Lorrie, manage).
Norco Medical, in the
building since March 1st,
is a component of Norco,
Inc., “...the nation’s largest
privately owned welding,
safety, medical and gas
supplier...” according to
Norco’s website.
Drugge spoke about
her role in Business
Oregon, covering the
Eastern Region (Baker,
Grant, Malheur, Mor-
row, Umatilla, Union, and
Wallowa counties), and
about activities over the
course of 2015, includ-
ing visiting with over 94
manufacturing-type com-
panies, regarding potential
business expansions, and
related barriers, and other
issues. This year, she said,
she’ll be visiting with
around 55 companies, ones
which have shown interest
in moving forward with
expansions, and she’ll be
coordinating the effort with
local Economic Develop-
ment entities to accomplish
this. She mentioned that
Chris Harder, appointed
by Governor Kate Brown,
began work as the new Di-
rector at Business Oregon,
on Tuesday, March 22.
Cutler said that Chamber
membership is up, with
many renewals from busi-
nesses who were members
in the past, as well as some
new business member-
ships, and she said that
she thinks the Chamber is
meeting its goals, and mak-
ing the community happy.
Smith provided an
Economic Development
update, fi rst mentioning
that the Oregon Legislature
has allocated $260,000 to
the Burnt River School
District in Unity, to assist
in bringing Portland area
students, with a higher
level of academic achieve-
ment, as part of an ex-
change program, to Unity,
in order to learn about
agriculture, environmen-
tal science, local culture,
etc. Initially, Smith said,
the students will be from
Roosevelt High School, to
begin possibly during the
fall semester. Funding is
currently available for up
to 20 students a year, and
the goal is to send back
20 ambassadors of eastern
Oregon every semester, he
said.
Smith said that nego-
tiations are continuing,
regarding the Albertsons/
Safeway grocer situation,
but they’re private compa-
nies, on private property,
so Economic Development
is just assisting where
desired, with the com-
munication process. He
said he’s doing what he
can to ensure that the
community has two major
grocers (there is only one
currently, Safeway, owned
by Albertsons, which also
has a lease agreement for
the vacant, larger building
across Campbell Street,
where Albertsons, and then
Haggen, had previously
been located).
He said that he’s been
in regular contact with an
entrepreneur, with existing
grocery stores, who’s very
interested, and prepared, to
have a store in Baker City,
but they’re waiting for
Albertsons/Safeway to re-
solve some issues. Wheth-
er the grocery store would
be located in an existing
building, or there would be
one built, is unclear at this
point, Smith said.
Smith said his opinion
is that a letter should be
written from the commit-
tee, to the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC),
requesting information
regarding the FTC’s plans,
relating to a local grocer
monopoly (Safeway, as the
current sole grocer), and to
make the FTC aware of the
current situation, that one
company has control of
two prime grocer locations,
resulting in issues with
prices, and stock, among
other items.
Kee moved that a letter
be written to the FTC from
the EDC, making the FTC
aware of what the EDC
considers a grocer monop-
oly, and if necessary, the
City will provide attorney
Drew Martin as legal coun-
sel. Jerry seconded the
motion, and it carried.
Among other update
items, Smith said that the
closing of the local Radio
Shack was prompted partly
by issues with competition
with Amazon, as well as
issues with theft. He also
said that Governor Kate
Brown has asked Smith to
serve as a member of the
Small Business Advisory
committee. He said that
this opportunity will give
him a chance to be a voice
for eastern Oregon.
— Random Acts of Kindness —
Each week The Baker
County Press will include
a list—all anonymous,
of course—of the good
deeds and random acts
of kindness people from
around the area have
witnessed. To include
The
something you’ve seen
or experienced, email
News@TheBakerCounty-
Press.com with “Random
Acts of Kindness” in the
subject line. We’ll be sure
to include your story.
• To the boy who
grabbed my dog on
Campbell Street before
she could run out into
traffi c, I thank you with
all my heart.
Bebe’s word search
The Littles’ crossword puzzle
Across
1- Computer owner;
69- Remains;
70- Prophet;
5- Misfortunes;
9- Running wild;
71- God of love;
14- ___ on the Range;
15- Agreed!;
16- Verso’s opposite;
Down
1- Oops!;
2- Slammin’ Sammy;
3- Islamic chieftain;
17- Medical suffi x;
18- ___-European;
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19- Dined at home;
20- Kidney bean;
22- Pungent sauce;
24- Furnishings;
26- Half of MCII;
27- Indistinct;
30- Like the Acropolis?;
35- Milo of “Barbarella”;
Name:
36- Peek follower;
37- ___ Like It Hot;
38- Wages;
Address:
39- Male European
deer;
42- Haul;
43- Red sign;
45- Coconut-husk fi ber;
City, State, Zip:
46- Approaches;
48- Greedy;
50- British island;
Email address:
Phone:
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51- A Gershwin;
52- No longer fresh;
54- Staying power;
58- Illness;
62- Rudner and More-
no;
63- “James and the Gi-
ant Peach” author;
65- Folk singer Burl;
66- Cavern;
67- Native Oklahoman;
68- Maryland athlete,
for short;
4- Remainder;
5- Stupidity;
6- Slow, to Salieri;
7- Young man;
8- Token taker;
9- Fit for farming;
10- Keeps;
11- Locks up;
12- Ear-related;
13- ___ avail;
21- Cupressus;
23- For a specifi c pur-
pose;
25- Burrowing rodents;
27- Thicket;
28- Atty.-to-be exams;
29- ___ Beautiful Doll;
31- Travel from place to
place;
32- Smidgens;
33- Love, to Luigi;
34- Informative;
36- Long time;
40- Indian, for one;
41- Mournful sound;
44- First in rank;
47- Recluse;
49- Van Gogh master-
piece;
50- Lockup overseer;
53- Chevy SUV;
54- Ladies of Spain:
Abbr.;
55- Hue;
56- ___ boy!;
57- Hoo-has;
59- By any chance;
60- Fiddling emperor;
61- There are six in a
fl . oz.;
64- Did lunch;