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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 2016)
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016 Business & Ag Eagle Cap Grill opens in town • STEAKHOUSE TAKES PLACE OF FORMER COUNTRY COTTAGE BY TODD ARRIOLA Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com Tequila Lime Chicken Breast was the meal ordered and enjoyed by the very first customer as Eagle Cap Grill, 2915 10th Street, Baker City, made its debut in the community, during a soft opening Mon- day evening. According to co-owner and manager Kristi Hensley after having served between 10 to 15 tables,“It was absolutely fabulous.” The restaurant—which features steak and sea- food—sits in a 2,024 square foot building, built in 1960 at the corner of 10th and D, just north of another familiar business she’s co-owned for over 10 years: The Inland Cafe, 2715 10th (at the corner of 10th and B). The Eagle Cap Grill’s name comes from Hensley’s fondness of the local communities. Her husband and co-owner and manager, Chris, was raised in Richland, and her family is from Halfway, so Eagle Cap from the Eagle Cap Wilderness area seemed a great fit, she said. The community even assisted with the naming of the restaurant. “It was either going to be Elkhorn, or Eagle Cap,” she said. The latter name was chosen, through a public vote on Facebook. “The plates were beautiful, the food was great, everything worked perfect,” Hensley said, noting that the soft opening was a success. The team she assembled includes her son, Cody, and his wife, Hannah, both managers, chef Clint Buchanan, serv- ers Patty Vowell and Misty Brinton, and dishwashers Alex Breshears and Jake Freeman. Newly married couple Cody and Hannah moved back from Portland in August, in order to help operate the restaurant, and to settle into a more relaxed environment. Cody worked as head cook at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, and Hannah at a Portland car dealership. Buchanan attended culi- nary school in Las Vegas, and returned to work at the Geiser Grand for nine months, prior to Eagle Cap Grill. Vowell has worked at various area restaurants, including Inland Cafe, Baker Truck Corral & Restaurant, and Sumpter Junction Restaurant for 17 years. Hensley thought that the community could use another fine dining restau- rant, though she said that Barley Brown’s Brew Pub, 2190 Main Street (Barley’s taphouse, at 2200 Main, is actually Baker City Brewing Company), one example she gave, is an excellent restaurant. Offerings at Eagle Cap include an emphasis on steak and seafood, pas- tas, salads, hand-battered halibut, sockeye salmon, calamari, coconut shrimp, prime rib, gourmet burg- ers, desserts, local Barley Brown’s beer, local Cop- per Belt wine, and local Sorbenots coffee. The certified Angus beef, aged at least 21 days, comes from Food Services of America (FSA), where Hensley has previously worked for 20 years. The beer list this week included Barley Brown’s Coyote Peak Wheat, Pallet Jack, and Tumble Off. And wine included Copper Belt’s Pinor Noir, Ranch Red, and Ranch White. A full bar service means that numerous other drinks are available, as well. The soft opening pre- ceded the grand opening (which is scheduled for today at 4 p.m. including a ribbon-cutting at 3:30 p.m.), partly because there was a constant flow of potential customers during the course of the remodel- ing, who visited and asked when the restaurant would be open for business. “There were so many people were so anxious for us to open,” she said. A soft opening was scheduled for Tuesday, and Thursday this week (on Wednesdays, the restaurant will normally be closed). The remodeling, most of which happened in August (Hensley has co- owned the building since May), included removal of the upper portion of the roof, which had the same Friday, September 16, 2016 — Eastern Oregon Prices trended generally steady compared to week ago prices. Most demand lays with the retail/stable hay. According to some producers, horse owners are starting to prefer lower sugar, higher protein hay. Many hay producers are selling or have already sold most of their first and second cutting hay, and are working on later cutting(s) resulting in higher volumes of hay moving. Tons Price Range Wtd Avg Alfalfa — Large Square Supreme 300 140.00-140.00 140.00 USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov — Cattle Market Report — Wednesday, September 14, 2016 Vale, Oregon Cattle sold through the auction: 1,302 Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press L-R: Kristi Hensley, Cody Hensley, Hannah Henlsey, Clint Buchanan, and Patty Vowell. curved, unique shape dur- She said that the dining ing former owner Sharon area seats normally 44, Orr’s operation of The with up to 58 possible, Country Cottage Cafe, considering the space and and as an A&W (Allen & staff available currently. Wright) restaurant. Noting that there probably “We just wanted people won’t be outside dining to know we were seriously in the immediate future, making it different. We she wants to “just keep it weren’t just going to put small, and full.” in something else—we The exterior signs, were going to change it,” while in their original Hensley said. frames, have been updated An area still being con- to reflect the change in structed outside, to the left name, by the Oregon Sign of the double doors, will Company, of Baker City, a house the video gaming business for which Hensley machines. Hensley said showed much praise, citing that the machines won’t be the quality of work, and in place until 30 to 60 days the quick response. after the grand opening. Community Bank and The dining area includes the Northeast Oregon new partitions, for a total Economic Development of nine private booths, new District (NEOEDD) walls, new tables, new facilitated the project, two window blinds, and fresh organizations that provided paint. Hensley said that great service. “It’s local the dining area carpet, in money, working for local good shape and a match for people...local employees, the color theme, has been local family,” she said. kept in place, but new, wa- Hensley said business terproof, grease-resistant hours are Monday through plank flooring has been Thursday (except Wednes- installed throughout other days, when the restaurant’s areas, including the en- closed), 4 to 9 p.m., and trance, and the bathrooms. Friday and Saturday, 4 to Updates for the kitchen 10 p.m. itself include a new char Within one to two weeks, broiler, and a new fryer. Eagle Cap will probably She said that the construc- be open on Sundays from tion work was completed noon to 9 p.m., to accom- by Bugle 1 Contracting, of modate the after-church Baker City. A couple of crowds, which she said notable items of nostal- is difficult with just the gic value remain for the Inland. Within possibly a moment, though there is a month, she said, the Inland plan to replace them--the will be closed at around 3 orange, A&W bathroom p.m. on Sundays. She will sinks. “First things first, be a familiar sight, as she though—we’ve got to get will split her time between open,” she said. managing both locations. Marvin’s plans huge expansion BY TODD ARRIOLA Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com Marvin Wood Products, 3665 17th Street in Baker City, a subsidiary of The Marvin Companies, plans to break ground next spring on its three-year project, a 20,000 square foot plant addition that will help the company expand its operations and capa- bilities. “This is a very exciting expansion,” the second phase of what was originally a three-phase project, put on hold since the Recession of 2008, said Human Resources Man- ager Sandi Fuller. In a press release issued on May 12th, Baker Plant Manager Everett Vassar said, “We’re excited to continue investing in Mar- vin Wood Products. This state-of-the-art machinery and factory expansion are crucial to supplying the wood needs for Marvin Windows and Doors and Integrity Windows and Doors in a timely man- ner. As those companies continue to expand and lead in the marketplace, it is vital that Marvin Wood Products be able to keep up with demand. We’re confident that our expan- sion and new machinery will set the company up for new heights of success.” The first phase of the project—including reloca- tion of utilities, and expan- sion of what is now a large parking lot area, north of the plant—was completed before the Recession, but, before the next phase, “The economy just fell apart, and there wasn’t the need, or the finances to do that kind of expansion,” Fuller said, noting that the current project actually was planned originally to be larger. This would have included upgrades for edge gluers, molders, and — Weekly Hay Report — other equipment, but those upgrades aren’t part of this expansion, and approval hasn’t been granted for that yet. Among what has been approved since May is the replacement of a rip line (the ripping, or pre-rip op- eration), with an optical rip scanner, according to both Vassar, and Fuller. “The new scanner will allow Marvin to increase its wood ripping capacity and supply wood at a far faster and more efficient rate,” Vassar said. “This is a lot newer technology,” Fuller said. Fuller elaborated on the pre-rip operation, explaining that the Baker plant receives sawmill- cut ponderosa pine slabs, which are then ripped (cut to width) to whatever dimensions are required, in order to maximize use of the wood. This opera- tion would be moved into the Main Plant Building A, but in order to do that, an L-shaped expansion of that same building, on the north and west sides, is necessary, she said. The current equipment that needs upgrading has basi- cally been in use in this operation since the plant was first established, 30 years ago this June, she said. For three decades, the plant has provided cut stock, clear finger-jointed cut stock, and veneer and constructed parts, accord- ing to the press release. The wood supplied from the Baker plant is used in products at the Marvin Windows and Doors plants located in Warroad, Min- nesota, and Ripley, Ten- nessee, and at the Integrity Windows and Doors plant located in Fargo, North Dakota, Fuller said. Steer Calves 300-400# Bulk 139.00 - 162.00 Top 173.00 400-500# Bulk 126.00 - 151.00 Top 155.00 500-600# Bulk 120.00 - 139.00 Top 140.00 Heifer Calves 300-400# Bulk 129.00 - 146.00 Top 148.00 400-500# Bulk 122.00 - 140.00 Top 141.00 500-600# Bulk 114.00 - 121.00 Top 124.00 Yearling Steers 600-700# Bulk 113.00 - 128.00 Top 128.50 700-800# Bulk 110.00 - 126.00 Top 126.50 800-900# Bulk 115.00 - 121.00 Top 123.50 900-1,000# Bulk 102.00 - 116.00 Top 118.00 Yearling Heifers 600-700# Bulk 109.00 - 117.50 Top 119.50 700-800# Bulk 102.00 - 112.00 Top 114.00 800-900# Bulk 96.00 - 103.00 Top 104.00 900-1,000# Bulk 85.00 - 95.00 Top 97.50 Thin Shelly Cows 48.00 - 62.00 Butcher Cows 64.00 - 71.00 Butcher Bulls 68.00 - 79.00 Pairs Young N/A Hfretts. 74.00 - 92.00 Stock Cows Young - N/A ProducersLivestock.com 541-473-3136 — Log Price Report — Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon 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: $1,317.90 Silver: $19.30 Platinum: $1029.50 Palladium: $682.37 Bloomberg.com — Ag Commodities — Corn: $340.50/bu/USD Wheat: $406.00/bu/USD Soybeans: $989.75/bu/USD Oats: $175.00 bu/USD Rough Rice: $9.90/cwt/USD Canola: $469.70 CAD/mwt Live Cattle: $107.05/lb./USD Feeder Cattle: $131.13/lb./USD Lean Hogs: $49.08/lb./USD SEE MARVIN’S PAGE 5 Bloomberg.com
