FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2017
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local & Entertainment
Chaves
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
Richard emphasized that
the model for their call
center could be replicated
across rural areas, possibly
helping to make up for
jobs lost during the decline
of the timber industry.
Walden suggested that
rather than moving jobs
from rural Oregon to Sa-
lem, Brown might consider
“moving them the other
way.”
Kathleen said, “We were
building a call center niche
for rural Oregon.”
Richard said right now,
OHA’s budget calls for 179
new positions.
“They want new ones,”
said Kathleen, “that are
doing what we were doing
at double the cost—and
why?”
“There’s no logical
reason,” said Richard, who
stressed that the manage-
ment at OHA with whom
they work “are working
hard” but that they exist
in a system in which their
hands are tied.
Walden said, “Well deci-
sions are made at the top.”
Walden then pointed out
an economic ratio used
in business development
wherein if one job is lost
in a rural area of Oregon,
it’s the economic impact
equivalent to 150 jobs in
the Portland metro area.
The Chaves pointed out
the domino effect of $2.5
million lost here. One
example is the taco shop
located in the Baker Tower,
where their call center is
also located. According to
Kathleen, when their 54
employees quit coming to
work, the taco shop lost
about one-third of its gross
sales.
Walden said, “I’ve heard
this chatter forever.” He
referred to the political-
speak about building
bridges between eastern
and western Oregon. “But
you put that up against
the actions and they never
equal out.”
Richard imagined out
loud that with nearly every
state agency having a call
center, what economic ben-
efi ts might happen to rural
areas if only those centers
were moved to places like
Baker City.
This Monday, the Chaves
were able to speak with
Lynne Saxton, Director of
the Oregon Health Author-
ity, by phone for roughly
half an hour. They had a
prior meeting with Saxton
about two weeks ago.
Kathleen writes in an
email Monday, “She (Sax-
ton) asked us to educate
her about the capabilities
our company, Chaves
Consulting, Inc., possesses.
She was very aware of the
outstanding work our 54
people had done for OHA
over the past year but was
not aware of the work
we’d done throughout the
State for the past 32 years
in Oregon and other States,
including other contracts
with OHA and DHS. She
told us that after under-
standing the breadth and
depth of our capabilities
and the proven excellence
of our rural workforce,
she was going to see what
other possibilities we could
compete for within OHA
or DHS.
“Last week we had
additional discussions
with Senator Ferrioli and
Representative Bentz dur-
ing their monthly Webinar
conducted at the Baker
County Extension Offi ce.”
Before the loss of those
54 jobs, Chaves Consulting
employed 75 individuals.
While the future of those,
or similar positions in
Baker City is still up in the
air, the Chaves say they
are grateful for the support
from both the community
and from elected offi cials
thus far.
Walden said Brown is
traveling to D.C. at the end
of the month, and that he
has a meeting scheduled
with her.
Walden concluded, “This
is the poster case for bad
government behavior in
management. They get rid
of a private sector competi-
tor that does is better and
more effi ciently and at
lower cost in exchange for
doubling the cost for the
government sector. And
this is why the people can’t
afford the government we
have today. That’s why we
don’t have the resources to
do the basic services that
are necessary.”
Bebe’s word search
The Littles’ crossword puzzle
Two arrested in dispute
On February 8 at about
4:15 p.m., deputies from
the Baker County Sher-
iff’s Offi ce responded to
a Domestic Dispute that
occurred at 140 E Wash-
ington Street, Apartment
Number 1 in Huntington,
Oregon.
During the investigation,
Deputies discovered that
Yesenia Lopez was trying
to force her way into the
residence.
William “Bill” Schisler
(09-11-1951) in the process
of trying to keep Lopez
from entering the residence
received a bloody nose.
Lopez did not reside at
The
the residence.
Prior to entering the
residence, Lopez used a
shovel to bash in a window
of a car that was parked at
the property.
Lopez had been consum-
ing alcohol and was at-
tempting to get to her child
who was in the residence.
Lopez received lump on
her head and red marks on
her back resulting from the
altercation.
Deputies learned from
William Schisler (12-14-
2011) that during the al-
tercation, Derrick Schisler
struck him in the eye while
trying to throw a punch at
Lopez. William Schisler
had a red mark and swell-
ing around his eye.
Williams Schisler is the
son of Derrick and Lopez.
At the conclusion of the
investigation, Lopez was
arrested for Assault IV
Domestic in the presence
of a Minor, Burglary in the
First Degree and Criminal
Mischief.
Derrick Schisler was
arrested and charged with
Assault IV Domestic in the
presence of a minor.
Both subjects were trans-
ported and lodged in the
Baker County Jail.
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Across
1- Condescend;
6- Dish of raw veg-
etables;
11- Frequently;
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16- Part of ETA;
17- Acoustic engineer;
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20- Cocks;
21- Ship apartments;
23- Arctic explorer
John;
24- Make right;
25- One of the three
Magi;
29- Country singer
Tucker;
30- Violinist Zimbalist;
31- Ace, e.g.;
32- Anaconda;
35- In spite of;
39- Lilt syllable;
40- Phooey!;
41- Words on a Won-
derland cake;
42- Animal trap;
44- Consented;
45- Divide into three
parts;
48- Civil War inits.;
49- Name of God;
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55- Chart shape;
56- Process of swal-
lowing;
58- Conductor ___-Pe-
kka Salonen;
59- Ways to the pins;
60- Alamogordo’s
county;
61- Ingot;
62- Evade;
63- Swellings;
Down
1- Box;
2- ___ Bell;
3- Melville novel;
4- Numbered work;
5- Deli meat;
6- Steeple;
7- Circle segments;
8- Him, to Henri;
9- South American boa;
10- Tenfold;
11- Jack of “The Great
Dictator”;
12- Former French cur-
rency;
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vous;
18- Drop of water ex-
pelled by the eye;
22- Bikini part;
24- Wagons;
25- 1/100 of a mon-
etary unit;
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29- Sensation provided
by buds on the tongue;
31- Graph;
32- Sever with the
teeth;
33- Treater’s words;
34- Old;
36- Of the windpipe;
37- Denial;
38- Patriotic org.;
42- Compass reading;
43- Sewing instrument;
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45- Laid-back;
46- Mrs. Gorbachev;
47- Do ___ a Waltz?;
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50- Ran, as colors;
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52- Fibbed;
53- Knowledge;
54- Slaughter in Coo-
perstown;
57- Bearded grazer;