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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (June 2, 2017)
Special graduation issue! BUSINESS: Former Western Auto gets new owners, new name. PAGE 3 Senior photos pages 8-12. The Baker County Press TheBakerCountyPress.com 75¢ All local. All relevant. Every Friday. Friday, June 2, 2017 • Volume 4, Issue 22 Memorial Day at Mt. Hope Cemetery BY TODD ARRIOLA Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com On another warm Memo- rial Day morning on Mon- day, May 29, members of the community gathered to pay respect and to honor those fallen during an Av- enue of Flags service, held in the Veterans Section of Mount Hope Cemetery in Baker City. Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Anthony Lakes Post #3048 Commander Jerry Hunter, who opened the service, said, “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Memorial service for 2017... Comrades, on this day, forever consecrated, to our heroic dead, we are once again assembled, to express sincere reverence. “This monument, these graves, represent resting places of departed com- rades, who served in all wars. “Wherever the body of a comrade lies, there, the ground is hallowed. “Our presence here is in solemn commemoration of all these men and women; an expression of our tribute for their devotion to duty, to their courage, and their patriotism, of their services on land, on sea, and in the air. “They have made us their debtors, for the fl ag of our nation still fl ies, over the land of the free.” Post #3048 Chaplain Austin Coates provided the opening prayer. SEE MEMORIAL DAY PAGE 3 Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press Back row L-R: Brandon Davilla, Brett Reinhart, Lori McNeil, Bob Nelson, Jerry Hunter, Austin Coates, Wayne Coates, Duncan Pearce Kneeling: Gary Young, Jerry Shaw. Oregon Trail Interpretive Center celebrates 25 years BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com On Thursday, May 25, the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center celebrated its 25th anniversary with a free admission day. The Center had a reception, performances, and activities to celebrate the day. The speakers at the event were former Oregon gov- ernor Barbara Roberts who attended the opening day of the center, Randy Guyer, Dave Hunsaker, Don Gonzalez, Sara LeCompte, Shane DeForest, and Kathleen Cathay. There was also a special performance by Joyce Badgley Hunsaker as “Fanny,” a woman on the Oregon Trail. Hank Cramer & Friends also performed live music for audiences. Cramer is a traveling folksinger who lives in Washington State. The Vale BLM Fire Prevention was there to educate the students attending the celebration with Smokey the Bear. Madeline Fischer Fire Prevention Technician attended with seasonal workers. The center also offered activities, including a Black Powder Demonstration by Jeremy Martin and a “Skats and Tracks” table where attendants were able to see dif- ferent animal pelts. The Center was opened May 25, 1992. According to Trail of a Dream a History of the National Historic Or- egon Trail Interpretive Center, ideas for the center began in early January in 1987 when Neil Goldschmidt had been elected governor of Oregon. Michael Nelson had been appointed to the governor’s transition council. Friday Mostly sunny skies with mild conditions. highs near 70. Friday Night: Mostly clear and cool. Low near 40. Saturday Mostly sunny skies with mild conditions. highs in the mid 70s. Saturday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 40s. Sunday Mostly sunny skies with warm conditions. highs near 80. Sunday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 40s. Samantha O’Conner / The Baker County Press Students at the ‘Skats and Tracks’ table. According to the text, “At a meeting with his transition council prior to inauguration, Governor Goldschmidt divulged an economic plan he termed the ‘Oregon Come- back.’” SEE INTERPRETIVE CENTER PAGE 7 Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County. Our forecast made possible by this generous sponsor: Offi cial weather provider for The Baker County Press. UP train hits, kills pedestrian On Sunday, May 28, 2017, at approximately 5:44 p.m., the Baker County Consolidated Dispatch Center received a 911 call from Union Pacifi c personnel stating one of their trains had just struck a pedestrian walking on the tracks near where the Burnt River and the Snake River intersect. Deputies responded to the location and found the westbound train stopped approximately three-quarters of a mile west of the Snake River. Personnel from Huntington Rural Fire were on scene when deputies arrived. Through the course of the inves- tigation it was learned 33 year-old Kristoffer McCreary of Caldwell, Idaho, was walking west on the train tracks, heading toward Huntington. A Union Pacifi c Train, also heading west, observed McCreary on the tracks and began sounding the train’s horn and bell. The conductor/engineer also began the emergency braking procedures. As they neared McCreary, he did not seem aware of the train’s presence. The train was unable to stop in time, striking McCreary. It appeared McCreary may have been wearing ear buds, inhibiting his ability to hear the audible warnings from the train. This case remains under investigation. Anyone with ad- ditional information is asked to contact the Baker County Sheriff’s Offi ce. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE City selling surplus items online Man drowns in Snake River Sinclair robbed on Hwy. 7 Man’s arm pinned beneath vehicle Kayak fl ips on 203 Pond Boating accident in Hells Canyon Page Page Page Page Page Page 4 5 5 5 5 5