SPORTS: Local swimmers compete in
championship in California. PAGE 7
LOCAL: Professor Algernon brings magic to
town. PAGE 2
The
Baker County Press
TheBakerCountyPress.com
75¢
All local. All relevant. Every Friday.
Friday, August 12, 2016 • Volume 3, Issue 33
Shriners weekend filled
with local events
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Last Saturday, several
events in Baker City were
among the highlights of the
day, in honor of the 64th
annual East-West All-Star
Shrine Football Game.
These included the Hoofi n’
It to Beef Fit 5K Run, the
Shrine Parade, and the
Gridiron Tailgate & Grill.
The 5K run fundraiser,
made possible by the
Baker County Cattle-
women (BCC), U.S. Bank,
and Subway, began at the
Thomas Angus Ranch,
42598 North Cedar Street,
at 8 a.m., and ended at
Geiser Pollman Park, via
the Leo Adler Memorial
Parkway. There were 50
to 60 participants, and
the fastest time recorded
was 22 minutes, BCC
member Wendy Bingham
said. Prizes included cook
books, pedometers, and
meat thermometers. The
fundraiser helped collect
funds, over $1,300 just
from the run registrations,
for the purchase of the
2016 Shrine Steer, raised
by Matt Siddoway of Dur-
kee. Sponsorships totaled
over $2,000, in addition.
The Shrine Parade
began around 11 a.m.,
with Blue Mountain Lodge
#34 AF & AM (Ancient
Free & Accepted Masons)
member Donald M. Bur-
rows at the microphone in
front of Marilyn’s Music
Plus, 1821 Main Street, as
announcer. The parade,
once again, featured many
participants, including the
following:
Cub Scout Pack #432,
chartered by the United
Methodist Church, in
Baker City; Baker Elks
Lodge #338, with its
American fl ag; the East
Queen, Josie Rankin, and
the West Queen, Grace
Andreasen; the East and
West All Star Cheerlead-
ers; East Co-Captain
John “JW” Dippold, and
West Co-Captain Payton
Gergory; Baker County
Livestock Association
(BCLA), Baker County
Cattlewomen (BCC) ...
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
This year’s Shriners Steer mugs it up for the
camera.
SEE SHRINERS PAGE 4
Baker Fire
Department
gets new hire
BLM project criticized
for adding fuel to the fire
Gina K. Swartz / The Baker County Press
Former volunteer Jeremy Yerrick is the newest hire
at the Baker City Fire Department.
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Submitted Photo.
Nearly 4,000 acres spanning Rooster Comb, Pedro and the Mormon Basin areas now hold the ground fuel
shown above, with another 3,000 or so acres planned for the same treatment, BLM budget pending.
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Bureau of Land
Management’s (BLM) ju-
niper eradication project in
southern Baker County is
drawing criticism from for-
estry experts and neighbor-
ing property owners who
say the project has created
a fi retrap for landowners.
The problems? Piles of
dried juniper have been left
as new fuel near private
property boundaries—and
the fact that the trees were
cut and left to lay in the
months immediately pre-
ceding fi re season.
Forestry expert Arvid
Andersen of Andersen For-
estry Consulting said, “It is
a matter of using common
sense and managing risk.
As a private forester I
would consider the matter
adding additional fuel
loads going into a fi re
Friday
season.”
As reported in the July
22, 2016 issue of The
Baker County Press in an
article by Todd Arriola,
roughly 4,000 acres of
public lands in the Mor-
mon Basin, Rooster Comb,
and Pedro Mountain, areas
west of Bridgeport have
been included in lop and
lay project orchestrated by
the BLM and executed by
Medford-based contrac-
tor Summitt Forests, Inc.,
aimed at reducing juniper
expansion.
This BLM land borders
private lands owned by
both Devils Canyon Ranch
and Three Valleys Ranch.
Last weekend, one
wildfi re ignited on Rooster
Comb and a second on
Pedro Mountain not far
from the supply of crispy,
downed trees.
Submitted Photo.
Piles of dry trees line the roadway just down the hill
from Pedro leading from BLM onto private land.
In June the Baker City Fire Department (BCFD),
through the creation of a new full-time position approved
by the City Budget Board, hired volunteer fi refi ghter
Jeremy Yerrick.
Yerrick, along with his wife, Ashlee, have both been
volunteer fi refi ghters with the Baker City Fire Depart-
ment since December 2014.
Jeremy said aside from the volunteer work he’s done
has no background in fi refi ghting. “I’m grateful for hav-
ing this opportunity. I was humbled to even go through
the hiring process and feel real honored to have been
hired. This is a great community,” he said. The job post-
ing was an internal posting, therefore as a volunteer Yer-
rick was eligible to apply.
“Both Ashlee and I would have liked to be able to of-
fer more of a commitment to BCFD but Blue Mountain
Oil was a very large commitment and until recently the
availability of a position within the department was not
something that had been available,” he said.
The Yerricks moved to Baker City about two years
ago to manage Blue Mountain Oil, located at 13th and D
Streets. Recently, the business changed ownership so for
Jeremy the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
Blue Mountain Oil was sold in June. The application
closing date for BCFD was in the beginning of June with
testing in the middle of June. The timing allowed for Yer-
rick to step right into his new role that began on June 26,
2016.
“Had I not been involved in the volunteer side of the
house, I would not have been eligible to apply,” Yerrick
said.
SEE FIRE DEPARTMENT PAGE 8
SEE BLM PAGE 3
Sunny and mild, highs near 90. Clear and cool,
lows near 50 at night.
Saturday
Sunny and hot, highs in the mid 90s. Mostly
clear and not as cool, lows in the mid 50s.
Sunday
Sunny and not as hot, highs in the low 90s.
Mostly clear at night. Lows in the mid 50s.
Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County.
Our forecast made possible by this
generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Sunridge: more legal motions
Sumpter: marijuana dispensary?
The Outdoor Column
Homemade Goodness Column
Word search and crossword
Bronc and Bull Riding thank you
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
3
5
7
8
9
10