THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016
Business & Ag
Opera comes to the Geiser Grand
— Weekly Hay Report —
Friday, June 17, 2016 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady compared to week
ago prices in a very limited test. Some hay produc-
ers are starting to cut, market and sell new crop hay.
Some areas of Oregon are experiencing some rain,
delaying cutting and harvest. No new sales reported.
Two weeks ago:
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa/Ochard Mix —Small Square Premium
20 165.00-165.00 165.00
Three weeks ago:
Alfalfa — Mid Square Good
150 190.00-190.00 190.00
Alfalfa — Small Square Premium
23 170.00-170.00 170.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Jordan Bowman sings to the crowd below.
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
“I was just so taken with
them,” said Barbara Sid-
way, owner of the Geiser
Grand Hotel in Baker City.
Sidway refers to Jordan
Bowman and Zachary
Buker, two friends who
met at college and formed
Opera Elect.
Opera Elect is a relatively
new production company
formed in 2014, which,
according to Bowman,
strives to focus on up-and-
coming young artists in the
Boise area and beyond.
The pair are traveling
far and wide to promote
their company—and their
talents.
Buker said, “We’ve been
in bars, on big stages, little
stages—no stages!”
After calling around
Baker City, Bowman said
several potential venues
guided them toward the
Geiser Grand, where
Sidway jumped at the op-
portunity.
Dinner guests at the
Geiser Grand will be
treated to a free two-hour
performance by the duo
every Tuesday evening,
6-8 p.m. until the end of
September.
“They just have to make
dinner reservations,” Sid-
way said.
According to Buker,
he and Bowman used to
serve as wait staff in Boise,
singing to patrons for
additional tips. When that
technique didn’t go over
too well with the restau-
rant’s owners, the idea
of forming Opera Elect
quickly became a reality.
“We want to make opera
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Opera Elect’s founders Jordan Bowman and
Zachary Buker.
fun for people,” Bowman
said.
“We’re a small dose,”
Buker said. “We’re not go-
ing to take up your entire
evening.”
At the Geiser Grand,
Bowman and Buker typi-
cally begin their perfor-
mances upstairs beneath
the hotel’s famous stained
glass ceiling. Their strong
voices carry down to the
dining area below, the eve-
ning’s songs ranging from
classical opera to more
contemporary pieces.
“Danny Boy” was a
popular number the previ-
ous week, said Sidway.
One does not have to
be an opera aficionado
to enjoy the show, and
diners are encouraged to
continue laughing and
talking throughout the
performances as Bowman
and Buker gradually work
their way downstairs to the
main floor.
They say it’s not unheard
of to find cash tucked
into their clothing on the
way out of the dining area
thanks to a certain table
filled with spry elderly
ladies, they confided.
The pair hope to one day
found a large opera house
in the “middle of nowhere”
they said in unison. This
is their “big dream,” they
said.
Bowman has been sing-
ing since she was 17, with
some producing under her
belt. Buker has conducting
and piano experience, and
has been singing seriously
since his freshman year of
college.
For more information on
this talented group, visit
operaelect.org.
Travel Management Plan
Committee discusses recreation
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 1,246
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 157.00 - 186.00 Top 193.00
400-500# Bulk 173.00 - 186.00 Top 195.00
500-600# Bulk 139.00 - 166.00 Top 173.25
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 137.00 - 158.00 Top 164.00
400-500# Bulk 153.00 - 169.00 Top 175.00
500-600# Bulk 137.00 - 159.00 Top 163.00
600-700#
700-800#
800-900#
900-1,000#
Yearling Steers
Bulk 136.00 - 151.00 Top 155.50
Bulk 131.00 - 137.00 Top 138.25
Bulk 121.00 - 128.00 Top 130.00
Bulk 109.00 - 117.00 Top 118.00
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 126.00 - 137.00 Top 141.00
700-800# Bulk 113.00 - 119.00 Top 123.00
800-900# Bulk 108.00 - 116.00 Top 118.00
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Thin Shelly Cows 63.00 - 71.00
Butcher Cows 74.00 - 81.00
Butcher Bulls 81.00 - 94.00
Pairs Yng. 1235.00 - 1710.00
Hfretts. 83.00 - 101.00
Stock Cows Young - N/A
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Members of the Baker
County Travel Manage-
ment Plan (TMP) Com-
mittee, a sub-group of the
County’s Natural Resource
Advisory Committee
(NRAC), met on Tuesday,
June 21, 2016, 3 p.m., in
the Commission Chambers
of the Baker County Court-
house, in order to discuss
proposed additions to the
Recreation & Tourism, and
Access & Travel Man-
agement sections of the
County’s Natural Resource
Plan (NRP).
Present were NRAC
Chair Doni Bruland, TMP
Chair Marty Stroy, and
TMP members Wanda Bal-
lard, Chuck Chase, Denise
Kinzer, and Bob Harris.
Stroy called the meeting
to order, and introduc-
tions were made, followed
by the segment Public
Participation. Chase said,
“Mining’s on the way out;
our public lands are on
the way out; I don’t know
what else you’re going
to do...” He said even at-
tempts at agency-to-agency
coordination is currently
an uphill battle.
Ballard said, “...the
(County) Commissioners
have added a section, spe-
cifically for the bicyclists,
and the economic impact
that they bring...I feel real-
ly strongly that they should
not be given any special
recognition, more than any
other activity...” Ballard
was referring to one of
the proposed additions,
regarding mountain biking,
as part of the Recreation
& Tourism section. In its
draft form, copies of which
were given to the commit-
tee, it read as follows:
“Mountain biking is a
popular and growing sport,
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
The TMP Committee is a sub-group of the County’s Natural Resource Advisory
Committee. L-R: Wanda Ballard, Doni Bruland, Mary Stroy, Bob Harris, Denise
Kinzer, and Chuck Chase.
and recreational pursuit. It
is also an emerging force
in developing tourism for
rural communities through
economic diversifica-
tion. It is Baker County’s
policy to maintain and
improve access to public
lands through the existing
roads and trails systems to
benefit recreational, health,
social and economic op-
portunities that mountain
biking and other trail
activities provide.”
Bruland explained that
this proposed addition was
in response to lobbying ef-
forts in connection with the
Anthony Lakes Mountain
Resort (ALMR), with an
emphasis on trail-associat-
ed mountain biking, as op-
posed to more urban-type
bicycling.
Chase said there are
issues with bicyclists in
general, and Ballard stated
she’s opposed to favorit-
ism regarding one form of
recreation over another,
and that the tourism dollars
brought in by bicyclists
is minimal. Harris said
there are safety issues on
the highways, bicyclists
don’t purchase fuel, which
means there is no gas tax
contribution, and he also
echoed Ballard’s statement
about the lack of tourism
dollars.
Stroy read the proposed
addition to the Access
& Travel Management
section, or the Recreation
& Tourism section (to be
decided) as follows, again,
in draft form, at the start of
the meeting:
“Because there is
significant economic loss
to communities and the
county due to the extreme
fluctuations of Brownlee
Reservoir, Baker County
encourages federal agen-
cies and other stakeholders
in the Brownlee Reservoir
to value the healthy, warm
water fishery by maintain-
ing stable water levels to
meet the needs of recre-
ationists. This includes
allowing accessibility to
launch boats at a minimum
elevation of 2,044 feet.”
Bruland said that guid-
ance regarding the state-
ment about elevation was
provided by Baker County
Parks and Recreation
Director Karen Spencer,
and that the Army Corps of
Engineers is also involved
with the operation and con-
trol of the reservoir. Harris
asked what the full eleva-
tion of Brownlee is, and
Bruland responded that it’s
at about 2,078 feet.
Stroy relayed a story
about some friends who
used to visit Brownlee
every year to fish, but who
now frequent other spots,
because of the issues there
with access, etc., which is
an example of the eco-
nomic impacts, he said.
Bruland said that, in recent
years, Brownlee had been
Oregon’s #1 warm water
fishery, and she empha-
sized the economic loss,
with people not recreating
there.
Bruland asked whether
the Brownlee addition
should be in Access &
Travel Management, Rec-
reation & Tourism, or both,
and the response was that
it should be added to Rec-
reation & Tourism. Wanda
moved that the Brownlee
edit be added to the Rec-
reation & Tourism section,
and Stroy seconded that
motion. The motion car-
ried unanimously.
SEE TPM
PAGE 8
Currently the local log market is flooded with
fire salvage logs. The log buyer for Malheur
Lumber Co. stated they have all the logs they
need under contract and are not accepting any
new purchases. BCC/LLC of La Grande has
receive so many burned fire salvage logs they
are no longer accepting logs at the La Grande
log yard. Any additional pine logs have to be
delivered to the Elgin Log yard cut in plywood
lengths and to a 8 inch top. For these pine
logs cut in plywood lengths, BCC is offering
$280.00/mbf. They are also paying $420.00/
mbf for Doug Fir & Western Larch. For White
Fir they are offing $325.00/mbf. At the Pilot
Rock Saw Mill BCC is offing $360.00/mbf for a
12 to 15 inch top, for 16 to 19 inch top $400.00/
mbf & offing $425.00/mbf for 20 inch plus top
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1,264.20
Silver: $17.25
Platinum: $977.50
Palladium: $560.27
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $398.25/bu/USD
Wheat: $427.25/bu/USD
Soybeans: $1116.75/bu/USD
Oats: $216.75 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $11.23/cwt/USD
Canola: $490.90 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $111.63/lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $140.18/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $85.85/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com