THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017
Business / Agriculture
Mail
and
snow
— Weekly Hay Report —
Friday, January 13, 2016 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady in a limited test
compared to week ago prices. Most demand lays
with the retail/stable hay. According to some
producers, horse owners prefer lower sugar, higher
protein hay. The recent snows slowed movement as
trucks cant get to the farms to get loaded.
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
The part about exactly
how to keep employees
safe seems to be a matter
of contention among some
Baker City residents.
Recently the postal
service delivered notices
to some postal customers
showing the proper way to
clear curbside mailboxes
in order to ensure safe
delivery.
The notices also advise
customers that mail would
not be delivered, but rather
held at the post office until
conditions improve and
safety can be ensured, of
course customers can pick
up their mail at the post
office as well.
Legler acknowledges that
some customers are very
upset with that requirement
because it is the City’s
responsibility to plow the
roads, but ultimately it is
the customer’s responsibil-
ity to make sure that there
is a clear, safe, unobstruct-
ed path to and from their
mailbox.
He said, “Unfortunately,
the customers need to clear
out their mailboxes so
that the carrier can drive
up to the mailbox, deliver
the mail and drive away
from the mailbox safely. In
some cases we’ve found,
an example being Grove
Street, there is only one
lane on that street in which
to drive down and if you
drift outside of the lane of
travel you sink down into
the snow and get stuck.
“Other instances are
when the carrier might
be able to pull up to the
mailbox but when they try
to leave they get stuck or
they slide into the mailbox
and knock the mailbox
down. All of those things
are the factors as to why
some customers might not
be getting mail. We just
would like the customers
to know that yes, it is our
job to deliver the mail and
we do our best.”
But Legler insisted, “The
safety of my employees is
paramount. Basically the
issue is just that it’s a bad
year this year. Because of
the amount of snow that
we are getting its very dif-
ficult for the City to plow
the roads and keep up.
Unfortunately, what that
means is that people boxes,
especially the curb side
boxes are getting plowed
in and the carriers are hav-
ing to park their vehicles
or stop their vehicles in the
roadway, which makes it
extremely unsafe.
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa — Large Square Fair
100 110.00-110.00 110.00
Alfalfa / Orchard Mix — Small Square Premium
32 185.00-185.00 185.00
Timothy Grass — Small Square Premium
10 200.00-200.00 200.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Submitted Photo.
An example of a letter from the USPS received by a Baker City customer.
“In some cases that
means unfortunately we
are not to be able to deliver
the mail to the customers.
Some carriers have even
been climbing up the snow
berms. We’ve already had
one employee get injured
trying to deliver the mail
by climbing up a snow
berm.”
He also noted that with
the roads being closed
there isn’t much mail.
“None of our trucks
came in but were still out
there delivering what little
we have. Letters, local
mail we were able to hold
back to get delivered and
whatever we received
yesterday. With the freez-
ing rain and now snow
on top the roads are very
treacherous. Even chaining
up our vehicles on all fours
they’re still just having a
devil of a time trying to
get the mail delivered,” he
said.
He stated that recently
carriers have been out as
late as 7 or 8 o’clock just
trying to get as much of the
mail that could possibly
get delivered safely.
Legler explained, “This
is my first year here in
Baker City, in this envi-
ronment and everybody
keeps telling me that this is
the worst snow in years. I
understand that the City is
having problems because
they’ve gone through their
budget, I read a headline
that in just in the first few
weeks of this season they’d
gone through that. When I
talked to Michelle (Mi-
chelle Owen, Baker City
Works Director) at the City
she indicated that they’ve
exhausted their budget and
their contingency. They are
out of money.
“There are a couple of
streets that have only been
plowed once, one of my
carriers lives on one of
those streets and just yes-
terday we were finally able
to deliver his mail.
“Once the vehicles get
out of the rut, the drive
path, it may look good to
the customer but the carrier
gets over there and it’s
anywhere from 6”-12” and
they sink in and get their
rigs stuck. I’ve pushed a
carriers out, dug carriers
out. I’ve used my personal
4x4 truck to pull stuck rigs
out and we’ve even had to
call a tow truck. It’s bad
out there, crazy, terrible.
We are doing our best.
“In many cases we’re
getting out of our vehicles
to deliver the mail even
though that’s not the
proper thing to do. We try
to take care of our elderly
and any one that has a
hardship issue to the best
of our abilities. We try to
provide the absolute best
customer service we can
but again, safety is most
important.”
Legler stated that while
most Baker City customers
are very friendly and un-
derstanding there are a few
that just don’t understand
and think it’s everybody’s
responsibility but theirs
to keep a pathway to their
mailbox.
He cites a recent article
he read where snowy con-
ditions very similar to what
this area is experiencing
forced a mail truck to park
in the road with that carrier
getting out of the vehicle.
That vehicle was struck
causing, the carrier to be
pinned between the vehicle
and a snow berm, breaking
both of his legs.
He said, “I don’t want
to have to be the one to
deliver that news to a fam-
ily. That I put someone in
harm’s way and that’s why
they’re not coming home.”
He added, “I always tell
my employees to be safe
and to let me know if there
is a safety issue we need
to address. I know that my
employees were parking
in the road, climbing snow
berms, just taking chances
and I decided we can’t be
doing this anymore, risking
safety and possibly life just
to deliver some mail to a
customer. ”
Legler empathized, “I
understand it from the cus-
tomer’s standpoint—most
of the customers in Baker
City are understanding but
those that aren’t I ask them
to understand, if this was
you son or daughter out
delivering mail would you
want them in these condi-
tions and harm’s way?”
Legler cited what were,
in his opinion, the worst
areas being South Baker,
Grove between Campbell
and Spring Garden, and the
area of Balm and Court.
Legler said that his
responsibilities include
seven City routes, two
rural routes including one
that delivers to Haines and
North Powder and three
contract delivery routes
that include Sumpter and
Granite, Halfway, Richland
and Oxbow and Medical
Springs and the Sparta
area.
Legler, who hails from
a much larger, busier area,
began here in Baker City
as a Delivery Supervisor
in May 2016 and recently
was promoted to Postmas-
ter.
He said, “One of the
things that I love about
Baker City is that neigh-
bors help neighbors, that
small town atmosphere.
I think this is a fantastic
community.”
He said his “goal is to
provide the absolute best,
top-notch customer service
and be one best post offices
in Oregon.”
This weather has many
discouraged and does
cause hardship for nearly
all.
BTI hires new health services instructor
In response to regional
training needs and grow-
ing enrollment, Baker
Technical Institute (BTI)
has hired Jacque Cobb as
an instructor of the Health
Services Department.
Cobb will assist BTI’s
Health Services Director in
expanding course offerings
and in establishing future
training needs. Her skills
and abilities in program
development with an em-
phasis on efficiency, teams,
networking and commu-
nication combined with a
passion for education are a
natural fit with BTI.
Cobb joins BTI with 15
years’ experience in the
nursing profession working
as a certified nursing assis-
tant and registered nurse.
Most recently, she has
been working in oncology
and family practice. Cobb
developed the oncology
program in Baker City for
Mountain States Tumor
Institute and developed the
team nursing approach for
family practice.
“I am passionate about
vocational training and
look forward to providing
people with the opportuni-
ty to develop their skills to
their fullest capacity,” says
Cobb. “I love nursing and
enjoy introducing people
to the profession.”
by Feb. 13 to reserve your
seat in Baker City, La
Grande, or Enterprise. But,
don’t wait—class size is
limited!
Workshops take place:
Enterprise: Tuesdays,
Feb. 14-28 and Mar. 7-28
from 6 to 9 p.m. at Fish-
trap, 400 E Grant St.
Baker City: Wednes-
days, Feb. 15-22 and Mar.
1-29 from 6 to 9 p.m. at
HatchLab Baker, 2019
Main St.
La Grande: Thursdays,
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk N/A Top N/A
400-500# Bulk 122.00 - 133.00 Top 135.00
500-600# Bulk 117.00 - 129.00 Top 130.00
600-700#
700-800#
800-900#
900-1,000#
Yearling Steers
Bulk 118.00 - 125.00 Top 126.00
Bulk 107.00 - 116.00 Top 117.00
Bulk 104.00 - 111.00 Top 112.00
Bulk 97.00 - 106.00 Top 108.00
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 109.00 - 121.00 Top 122.00
700-800# Bulk 102.00 - 106.00 Top 107.50
800-900# Bulk N/A Top N/A
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Thin Shelly Cows 35.00 - 49.00
Butcher Cows 51.00 - 58.00
Butcher Bulls 51.00 - 61.00
Pairs Young N/A
Hfretts. 64.00 - 79.00
Stock Cows Young - 865.00 - 1175.00
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Prices are based on the majority of saw mills in
Northeastern Oregon and Central Idaho. The prices
listed below are a composite prices of various saw-
mills willing to visit with me about this topic.
Ponderosa Pine—small diameter class 8-11 inches
diameter class $250 per mbf. Only one sawmill was
willing to buy small diameter pine at this time.
Ponderosa Pine—medium diameter class 12-17
inches diameter class $300 to $350 per mbf
Ponderosa Pine-large diameter class 18 plus inches
diameter class $380 to $410 per mbf
The Pine prices are still approximately $40 per mbf
below average lumber/log market due to 2017 fire
salvage
Doug Fir & Western Larch—$380 to $420 per
mbf. Normal prices typically ranged between $425
to $475 per mbf.
White Fir-$300 per mbf. Normal prices typically
ranged between $340 to $360 per mbf.
Engelmann Spruce—$350 at one Idaho sawmill,
other sawmills including with White fir prices.
In general, the log prices still impacted from 2015
fire season and fire salvage that resulted. Sawmills
are starting to get log yard inventory in line with
sawmill production needs. With a new Administra-
tion as of 1/20/2017, a more normal economic envi-
ronment should result and hopefully a more healthy
housing situation will result in a better climate for
Northeast Oregon Sawmill and private forest land-
owners.
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1,202.60
Silver: $17.07
Platinum: $961.60
Palladium: $748.50
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Business workshops free to the public
Northeast Oregon Eco-
nomic Development Dis-
trict (NEOEDD) offers a
free, seven-week workshop
series to help entrepreneurs
and small-business owners
build the basis for a suc-
cessful enterprise. Register
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 305
(No new numbers available for last week.)
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk N/A Top N/A
400-500# Bulk N/A Top N/A
500-600# Bulk 126.00 - 142.00 Top 144.50
Feb. 16-23 and Mar.
2-30 from 6 to 9 p.m. at
Umpqua Bank, 1215 Ad-
ams Ave.
To register, call
NEOEDD by Friday, Feb.
10 at 541-426-3598 or
800-645-9454.
Corn: $365.00/bu/USD
Wheat: $431.00/bu/USD
Soybeans: $1,075.00/bu/USD
Oats: $257.00 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $9.92/cwt/USD
Canola: $515.30 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $119.40//lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $129.55/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $68.60/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com