8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016
Local
‘Gold Rush’ begins filming Livestock
Association
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
Submitted Photo.
A view near the new Burnt River area mine site as taken by one of the cast members.
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
Hoffman said, “I’ve
also had the chance to
reconnect with some child-
hood friends.” Hoffman
refers to Kevin Logsdon,
owner of York’s on Camp-
bell Street along with wife
Marilyn.
The crew has also ven-
tured into La Grande for
some additional purchases
that weren’t to be located
in Baker City.
“We’re still looking for
satellite stereos for the
rock trucks, too,” Hoffman
said. “And we’re hoping
to hire a couple more local
operators soon.”
Hoffman wasn’t yet sure
if the hirings would be
arranged through the local
employment department
or simply through word of
mouth.
Once production is in
full swing, exclusive tours
of the mine and produc-
tion site can be arranged
through the Geiser Grand
Hotel, with any related
coupons, contests and an-
nouncements available in
The Baker County Press.
The Hoffmans are also
planning a 4th of July
event within the commu-
nity spearheaded by one
of the mine’s co-owners,
Phillip Wirth. However,
as the details of that event
have not been solidified,
those involved have asked
for those details to not yet
be released in the media.
Hoffman and other
cast members are also
confirmed for the Miners
Jubilee Parade—look for
them on the Baker County
Republican float and at
the Republican table in the
park beside the Eastern
Oregon Mining Asso-
ciation display afterward.
Hoffman will also appear
October 29 at the Wicked
Ways Masquerade Ball,
which, in its second year,
is a partnership between
The Geiser Grand and The
Baker County Press. Tick-
ets for that event will go on
sale in May.
“You know what,” Hoff-
man concluded before
being called back to the
set, “we would really ap-
preciate people’s prayers
about we do this year. We
want to honor Oregon and
our families with what we
do on TV.”
At present, up to 20 in-
dividuals from the camera
and production crew can
be spotted at the site, along
with about 20 miners and
any number of family
and friends—40 to 50 are
currently in the area—who
have gathered in Baker
City and southern Baker
County to support the film-
ing and the cast.
A date for the actual
opening of the mine has
not yet been released.
“Gold Rush” airs Fridays
evenings on the Discovery
Channel.
All candidates were given a list of items to discuss,
They were:
• The proposed Owyhee Canyonlands National Monu-
ment Designation in Malheur county
• Blue Mt. Forest Revision Plan
• Wallowa Whitman Travel Management Plan
• Management of public & Private lands
• Coordination vs. cooperation status between county,
state, and federal agencies
• Boardman to Hemingway Powerline
• Threatened or Endangered Species
• Water Right and Water Storage
• County Goals and County Growth
• Transfer of Federal Lands to State Ownership
• Importance of livestock production.
Jeff Nelson had submitted a written statement, which
was then passed out to members.
Justus discussed his background and reasons for run-
ning. Justus addressed each of the discussion areas. One
concern Justus had is the County budget and the amount
of money the County is currently spending for economic
development with no results.
Justus supports the transfer of public lands to state
management.
Justus supports coordination rather than cooperation
with federal agencies.
Nichols started out by saying he was very tired, it had
been a long tax season. He said he was a “fish out of wa-
ter with all of these issues,” and added, “I want everyone
to know up from that I know nothing about each of these
topics ... I do have opinions on some things.”
Nichols, by contrast to the other two candidates, is
against the transfer of public lands, stating it’s too costly
and would trade one problem for another.
Nichols’ response about endangered species views gen-
erated some additional questioning from Cheryl Martin.
Nichols said, “I’m not allowed to say what I would like
to say (on the wolf issue).”
Martin asked, “Why do you think you are not supposed
to say that? Who dictates to you what you are supposed
to say?”
Nichols replied, “I don’t dislike the wolves, but—”
Martin pressed, “I just want to know who is telling you
what you should and should not say.”
No direct response was given, and the meeting wound
down to a close, adjourned by Bingham.
Firewood
permits
available soon
2016 Firewood permits for the Wallowa-Whitman
National Forest will go on sale May 1. Personal-use
firewood permits can be purchased for $5 per cord, with
a four cord minimum and a 10 cord maximum. Personal-
use firewood permits will be available at Forest Service
offices on Monday, May 2 and at several local vendors
beginning Sunday, May 1. Commercial firewood permits
are only available at Ranger District Offices.
Vendors that sell firewood permits may add an ad-
ditional vendor fee of up to $2 per permit. Most vendors
are open early mornings, late evenings and on the week-
ends. An additional fee is not charged if you purchase a
permit at a Forest Service Office.
Firewood cutters will be required to keep a record of
the date, time, and quantity of firewood removed from
the National Forest System Lands. There is a chart on the
front of the permit called the “Product Quantity Removal
Record.” This requirement will be enforced.
To provide consistency and less confusion, firewood
permittees will follow the same system as commercial
operations and will be affected by Industrial Fire Precau-
tion Levels (IFPL).
Level I – 1 hour fire watch after completing chainsaw
activities.
Level II – Partial Hootowl – no internal combustion
engine operation between the hours of 1:00 PM and 8:00
PM and a 1 hour fire watch.
Level III – Partial Shutdown – no internal combustion
engine operation (No Firewood Cutting)
Level IV – no internal combustion engine operation
(No Firewood Cutting)
During fire season, IFPL levels can be found at: http://
bmidc.org/ifpls.shtml
Firewood cutting information and restrictions will also
be updated and posted on a recorded message. Restric-
tions will be announced by 6:00 p.m. on the day prior
to the day the restriction will go into effect. Weekend
restrictions will be announced by 6:00 p.m. on Friday. It
is the public’s responsibility to check to see if restrictions
are in affect.
Call the appropriate Forest’s Firewood Hotline to check
if firewood cutting is allowed, restricted, or prohibited.
An updated recorded message will let you know if
firewood cutting is: allowed all day; restricted to specific
hours (i.e. 1:00 p.m. chainsaw shutdown); restricted to
specific areas of the Forest; or closed completely due to
wildfire danger.
For more information on firewood cutting, please
contact: Wallowa-Whitman Supervisor’s Office: (541)
523-1244; Halfway: (541) 742-7511