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Friday, December 16, 2016 • Volume 3, Issue 51
Planning begins for full
solar eclipse in 2017
• TOURIST INFLUX
EXPECTED IN BAKER
COUNTY
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The full solar eclipse
coming across North
America next August 21
has been described as a
celestial event of Biblical
proportions by some.
And that event’s path
of totality just happens to
cross over Baker County,
making the area perhaps
the best location in the
world from which to view
it.
Last Thursday afternoon,
Scott Fairley, Regional
Solutions, Eastern Region
Coordinator, Offi ce of
Governor Kate Brown,
hosted a meeting with
community leaders from
around Baker County to
address the tens of thou-
sands of tourists anticipat-
ed to arrive over the course
of a mere day or two for
the eclipse.
The purpose of the meet-
ing was “to coordinate
2017 Eastern Oregon solar
eclipse planning efforts
between event promoters,
local and state law en-
forcement and emergency
responders, and federal and
state agencies.”
The exact amount of
tourists to expect? “That’s
a hard number to pin
down,” said Linea Gaglia-
no of Travel Oregon, who
called in to the meeting.
“Eastern Oregon is a place
people are really seeking
out.”
Gagliano said residents
in nearby urban areas such
as Seattle, Boise, Euguene
and Portland are likely to
travel to Baker County.
“50,000 is not an exag-
geration,” she said.
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Scott Fairley, center, representing the Governor’s
Offi ce held a meeting on the solar eclipse last week.
At the left, Jason Yencopal of Baker County Emer-
gency Management.
SEE SOLAR ECLIPSE
PAGE 5
Manslaughter
charges
brought in
co-sleeping
death
Police K9 fundraiser
brings in $28K
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Sgt. Wayne Chastain lets Capa demonstrate his skills to the crowd. L-R: Sgt. Mike Regan, Vivien
McQuisten, Kara Regan and Ida Newman.
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
“This turned out greater
than I ever thought it
would,” said volunteer Tori
Brown.
Brown, along with event
organizer, Shawna Patton,
teamed up with Phoebe
Wachtel who works the
front desk of the Baker
City Police Department, as
well as other members of
that department, to pull off
the fi rst annual fundraiser
Saturday afternoon and
evening to support the care
and feeding of Capa—Bak-
er City’s second drug dog.
Capa came on board in
late October of last year
after Turbo, the prior drug
dog, had to be retired early
due to the legalization of
marijuana. A canine trained
to hit on marijuana scent
was no longer effective.
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
L-R: Volunteers Tori Brown and Shawna Patton with Phoebe Wachtel of the
Baker City Police Department.
Capa is trained to focus on
other illegal substances,
including cocaine, heroin
and methamphetamine.
A community-driven
fundraising campaign
brought in the money to
purchase Capa, a Belguim
Malinois and German
Friday
Chance for snow showers, otherwise partly
sunny and cold. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Highs in the upper teens. Lows near 0.
Saturday
Mostly sunny and cold, highs in the upper teens.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy and cold, lows
near -5.
Sunday
Partly sunny with a slight chance for snow
showers. Highs in the upper teens. Chance of
precipitation is 20%. Lows near 5.
Shepard mix. The dog
was born in Germany, but
transported to Florida for
highly specialized train-
ing. Then-handler, Offi cer
Colton Smith, attended
training with the dog in
Florida; however, handler
duties transferred to Sgt.
Wayne Chastain after
Smith later resigned from
the handler role.
Said Chief Wyn Lohner,
“Capa is not an item in the
general budget.”
SEE K9 FUNDRAISER
PAGE 5
Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County.
Our forecast made possible by this
generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
On December 13, 2016
Beth Marie Speelman,
(dob 5/22/84) of 1695
Auburn Ave #3 Baker City,
Oregon was arraigned on
an Indictment in Baker
County Circuit Court.
Speelman was indicted
by the grand jury for
Manslaughter in the Sec-
ond Degree, Criminally
Negligent Homicide and
Photo courtesy of the BCSO.
Unlawful Possession of
Methamphetamine.
Beth Speelman.
The charges stem from
an investigation conducted
by the Baker County Major Crime Team in early Septem-
ber of 2016.
The charges relate to allegations that Speelman was co-
sleeping with her baby Tracin Givens causing his death.
Speelman’s bail was set at $215,000.
The baby had died, confi rmed by an autopsy, due to
asphyxiation while sleeping with his mother. In the past
eight or so years, at least half a dozen other infants have
also died locally due to positional asphyxiation, though
no charges were fi led. Charges against other mothers
whose infants have died in such a way have typically
indicated the mother was impaired or intoxicated at the
time. Offi cials, however, have not yet confi rmed or de-
nied those details in the Speelman case.
More information will be released at a later date.
Relay for
Life needs
volunteers
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Looking for an opportunity to serve as a volunteer but
haven’t found the right fi t? Heather Farnworth, the com-
munity manager for the Relay for Life with the American
Cancer Society, would like you to consider volunteering
with The American Cancer Society.
SEE RELAY FOR LIFE PAGE 3
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Coughie Cup planned in Sumpter
Brooklyn school budget night
Page
Page
Sumpter: No pot within 1000 feet of park Page
Huntington preps for solar eclipse
Page
Baker City Council coverage
Page
Youth theater begins
Page
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