FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016
4 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
Opinion / 2016: A Year in Review
— Letters to the Editor —
Collaborative has stolen the
voice of the people
To the Editor:
A ‘quieter federal land battle unfolds’
If you really look at what is unfolding,
it’s a battle for who speaks for local resi-
dents and how they use public resources.
Mr. Webb, executive director for the
Forest Service supported Blue Mountains
Forest Partners (Collaborative) worked
hard to disband the forest commission. A
commission that friends of Mr. Webb’s
sat on for years, and never once ques-
tioned the legitimacy of the commission.
Mr. Bevlerin, supervisor for the Malheur
National Forest, told forestry leaders that
if road closures were opposed, no harvest
would come off the forest, meaning “part-
ners” of the “Collaborative” would not
see their 70 million dollar “Stewardship
Contract” come to pass.
So, what were Mr. Webb and Mr.
Beverlin to do, could they sit back and
watch “their” collaborative not be the sole
“voice” on the Malheur National Forest,
No. Could they sit back and watch people
they supported for the commission lose
in the primary and see their “infl uence”
dwindle to nothing, as the forest com-
mission could be used in Grant County
directly “Coordinating” on projects in the
county? No.
They were left with only course of
action, disband the commission, steal the
voice from the people of Grant County,
and remove the last effective tool the
people had to affect change on bad proj-
ects. This, doesn’t not even mention Mr.
Webb’s growing infl uence and wage as
the executive director of the collaborative,
that is in direct confl ict with the commis-
sion.
Were Forest Service “Collaboratives”
formed to bring people together, or to con-
trol a message? Seems more to the latter
anymore. Do what the collaborative says,
and you can proceed, go against the col-
laborative, and they send in their execu-
tive director to kill public participation.
Nice model you have Mr. Webb and
Beverlin, maybe you should take it nation-
ally—oh wait, it already is.
John George
Bates
Marijuana opinions aren’t facts
To the Editor:
In response to the letter submitted by
Mr. Jerry Boyd (Friday, December 16,
2016) concerning marijuana I think some
facts need to be pointed out that Mr. Boyd
seems to be unable to fi nd references for
due to concerns “for brevity”. Perhaps I
can help with the education of the “Reefer
Madness” believers (but I doubt it). Some
of the “information” Mr. Boyd presented
(without references “for brevity”) is hear-
say or, at best, uneducated speculation.
But some of the concerns Mr. Boyd brings
up are, in fact, accurate, at least partially.
Mr. Boyd stated:
“1. In states that have “legalized” mari-
juana injury and fatal traffi c crashes have
increased signifi cantly.”
Actually, according to this report in
the Washington Post traffi c fatalities in
Colorado are at near historic low levels.
(https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/
the-watch/wp/2014/08/05/since-mari-
juana-legalization-highway-fatalities-in-
colorado-are-at-near-historic-lows/)
Also, referenced in that article was a
study done by The University of Chicago
Press Journals that states: “the fi rst full
year after coming in to effect legaliza-
tion (of medical marijuana in 19 states)
is associated with an 8 - 11 % decrease in
traffi c fatalities.”
However, in a recent study at Washing-
ton State University (included in the same
article) states “the percentage of drivers
involved in fatal crashes who had traces
of marijuana in their blood has doubled
since marijuana was legalized. While the
study can’t prove that marijuana was a
key cause of those crashes, it is likely that
marijuana is at least one contributor to
those fatal crashes. It’s possible that po-
lice are simply testing for THC more often
now that the drug has been legalized, and
are therefore catching people who might
have been missed in previous years.”
In driving simulators people who are
high are less likely to weave out of their
lane and speed than drunk drivers, a 2015
study in The Journal Drug and Alcohol
Dependence found.
According to this study done at Wash-
ington State University and reported about
in USA Today : “What’s more unex-
pected, the odds — adjusted for age and
gender — of a driver with THC in his or
her system crashing are only 5% higher
than those of a sober driver.” (http://col-
lege.usatoday.com/2015/02/17/new-study-
shows-no-link-between-marijuana-use-
and-car-accidents/)
I’ll offer more facts in response to Mr.
Boyd’s letter about the “perils” of mari-
juana in a future edition.
Steve DeFord
Sumpter
Happy New Year
2017!
STRONG FOUNDATIONS
STRONG FUTURE
Ash Grove Cement
33060 Shirttail Creek Road
Durkee, OR 97905-0287
Letter to the Editor Poli-
cy: The Baker County Press
reserves the right not to pub-
lish letters containing factual
falsehoods or incoherent nar-
rative. Letters promoting or
detracting from specifi c for-
profi t businesses will not be
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limited to one every other
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should be submitted to Edi-
tor@TheBakerCountyPress.
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TRIPLE
REDI-MIX INC.
C
Since
1989
A happy
2017 to
everyone!
Triple C Redi-Mix Inc.
42430 Atwood Rd. (Atwood Road & Hwy. 86)
Baker City • 541-523-6648 • CCB 90220
March
Columbia Basin Helicop-
ter wins new victory over
County
On Thursday, February
25, 2016, Umatilla County
Circuit Court Judge Ronald
J. Pahl issued an opinion in
the matter of Baker County
vs. David M. McCarty, aka
Columbia Basin Helicop-
ter, Inc., Case No. 11-653,
stating that the defendant’s
attorney fees are reason-
able, and that they should
be granted.
Huntington hosts basket-
ball tournament
The 53rd Annual Hun-
tington Middle School
Invitational Basketball
Tournament was held on
Friday, February 26th
and Saturday, February
27th. The purpose of this
tournament is to provide
an excellent opportunity
for athletic competition,
social development and
recreation for the children
involved.
Geiser Grand to offer
real ranch experiences
The Geiser Grand Hotel
on Main Street has just
fi nished expanding its pre-
vious “Real Adventures”
packages, which have been
offered to guests for quite
some time.
Now, travelers to Baker
City have a chance to
visit local area ranches and
experience fi rsthand what
Baker County ag life is all
about.
March 9, 2016, including
Representative Cliff Bentz,
and Senator Ted Ferrioli
via telephone, in support of
a singular goal: to oppose
the proposed 2.5 million
acre Owyhee Canyonlands
National Monument desig-
nation.
State dismisses ethics
complaint
On February 26, 2016, the
Oregon Government Eth-
ics Commission (OGEC)
ruled that they “did not
fi nd cause to proceed with
an investigation” regard-
ing an ethics complaint
fi led against former interim
Baker County 911 Dis-
patch Center Director Jerry
Boyd.
Johnston sentenced in
tampon-fl inging arrest
On March 9, 2016, a
12-person Baker County
Circuit Court Jury con-
victed Marlene Frances
Johnston of one count of
Aggravated Harassment, a
Class C Felony, with a vote
of 11-1.
Republican banquet sees
large turnout
The Baker County
Republicans hosted their
annual spring banquet last
Saturday night at the Elks
Lodge. As always, the
event, which included a
prime rib dinner, oral and
silent auctions, and door
prizes, fi lled the banquet
room with around 150 in
attendance.
Baker County goes to
Idaho Sportsmans Show
Nonprofi t and for profi t-
groups from all over Baker
County showed up to
encourage visitors at the
Idaho Sportsman Show
to plan their vacations in
Eastern Oregon.
Cattlemen to fi ght
Owyhee Monument
Between 30 and 40
people attended a special
Baker County Livestock
Association (BCLA) meet-
ing at the Sunridge Inn
Restaurant, on Wednesday,
BCPD hires new offi cer
Johnathan Stanley is
starting as the Baker City
Police Department’s new-
est offi cer on April 20.
April
Museum mural project
completed
Tom Novak’s mural proj-
ect was a labor of love four
years in the making.
Originally planned to be
completed in 11 months,
but delayed by the artist’s
illness, the 18-mural series
fi nally found its place
along the exterior walls of
the Baker Heritage Mu-
seum last Saturday.
Hughes arrested on meth
charges
BCPD Detective Sharon
Bass was able to observe
what appeared to be a
delivery of narcotics at a
local residence and then
Offi cer Rand Weaver
conducted a traffi c stop on
the vehicle the suspect was
traveling in, near the inter-
section of 5th and Myrtle.
Arrested at the scene for
Possession of a Controlled
Substance Methamphet-
amine and Conspiracy to
Deliver Methamphetamine
was Tracy Leroy Hughes,
age 50.
Rising police, fi re needs
focus of presentations
On Monday evening,
about a dozen attendees
including several City
Council members, City
Manager Mike Kee, and
department heads, gathered
in the City Hall Council
Chambers to begin outlin-
ing Council goals for the
coming year.
Rollover kills three
Oregon State Police
(OSP) Troopers are con-
tinuing the investigation
into this Monday morn-
ing’s fatal crash on Inter-
state 84 westbound near
Baker City, near milepost
306.
The child and an adult
passenger, Wayne A. Ow-
ens, age 35, from Portland,
suffered fatal injuries and
were pronounced deceased
at the scene.
ORP adopts Transfer of
Public Lands Resolution
Baker County Republican
Chair Suzan Ellis Jones
and Baker County Repub-
lican Corresponding Secre-
tary Carole Dyke traveled
to Medford last weekend
Kerry McQuisten/ The Baker County Press
History in the making as Sara Blair becomes the
Baker City Fire Department’s fi rst female lieutenant.
L-R: Alan Blair, Sara Blair, David Blair and Fire Chief
Mark John.
for the Oregon Republi-
can Party’s (ORP’s) state
meeting.
Man arraigned on sex
abuse charges
On Tuesday, April 5,
2016, Antoine Mulder,
born November 30, 1949,
of 2306 Church Street in
Baker City, was arraigned
on a Grand Jury Secret
Indictment alleging one
count of Sexual Abuse in
the First Degree, a Class B
Felony.
Nichols to look at consoli-
dating police and sheriff
At an April 1 meet and
greet in Halfway for Coun-
ty Commissioners candi-
dates, candidate and Baker
City CPA Bruce Nichols
was asked by a member
of the audience to address
rumors circulating that he
would explore consolidat-
ing the Baker City Police
Department and the Baker
County Sheriff’s Offi ce
should he be elected.
Nichols’ answer regard-
ing local law enforcement
consolidation? A defi nite
maybe.
SWAT robot fundraising
begins
Last Saturday, Boyd
demonstrated the Avatar III
robot, which is the model
the Northeast Oregon
Regional SWAT team
hopes to purchase—what
they say is a vital piece of
equipment that will add
to the safety of their team
members, victims and even
crime suspects.
Standoff ends safely
On Tuesday, April 12, at
approximately 5:33 p.m.,
Baker City Police Offi cers
made contact with a male
subject in Baker City’s
Mount Hope Cemetery,
1000 S. Bridge St. after a
family member reported
concerns the male was
suicidal.
Candidates forum held
About 165 Baker County
voters headed to the Sun-
ridge to hear what Repub-
lican candidates for Baker
County Commissioner
Kody Justus, Jeff Nelson
and Bruce Nichols had to
say Tuesday night.
Patriots’ Day celebrated
Patriots’ Day was estab-
lished on April 19, com-
memorating the Battles of
Lexington and Concord in
1775, and this year it was
celebrated in Baker County
for the fi rst time.
‘Gold Rush’ begins fi lm-
ing
The cast and crew of
The Discovery Channels’s
mega-hit show “Gold
Rush” are settled in Baker
County, and according to
one of the series’ stars,
Todd Hoffman, “It is un-
believable how welcoming
the people around eastern
Oregon have been.”
Fire Dept. hires fi rst ever
female lieutenant
“In the long history of
this fi re department, this
is really a very signifi cant
event,” said Baker City
Fire Chief Mark John.