FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2017
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
Ways to cook with cherries Brown
Place jars in
canner and cover
with water. Bring
to a boil. Process
5-7 minutes. Re-
move and cool.
I can taste those
wonderful peanut
butter and cherry
jam sandwiches
now. Still got
cherries to use
up? Try making
Homemade Goodness
this delicious
BBQ sauce to go
By Eileen Driver
with those ribs or
chicken you are
I know it’s really hot
fixing for dinner.
outside, but have you
Cherry BBQ Sauce
noticed the cherry trees?
1 medium chopped onion
They are bursting with ripe
2 tablespoons butter
luscious cherries. It is time
2 cloves minced garlic
to go cherry picking. I love
2 cups fresh dark sweet
fresh cherries right off the
cherries pitted and chopped
tree, yum. I am not a big
1 cup ketchup
fan of cherry pie though,
⅔ cup packed brown
so let’s see if you’ll like
sugar
these alternatives to use
¼ cup cider vinegar
those fresh cherries once
1 tablespoon worcester-
you pick them.
shire sauce
Cherry Jam
2 teaspoons ground
2 ½ pounds fresh tart
mustard
cherries pitted
½ teaspoon pepper
1 (1 ¾ oz) package pow-
⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke
dered fruit pectin
In large saucepan, saute
½ teaspoon butter
onions in butter until ten-
4 ¾ cups sugar
der. Add garlic and cook
In food processor or
1 minute longer. Stir in
blender process cherries
remaining ingredients and
in batches until finely
cook over medium-low,
chopped. Transfer to large
uncovered for 20 minutes
heavy pot, stir in pectin
stirring occasionally until
and butter. Bring to a full
cherries are tender and
rolling boil over high heat
sauce has thickened.
stirring constantly. Stir in
Makes about 3 ½ cups.
sugar, return to full boil
I am going to have to
and stir 1 minute.
tell my husband to get
Remove from heat and
the BBQ ready because
skim off foam. Ladle into
just thinking about how
hot sterilized half-pint jars
wonderful that’s going to
leaving ¼ inch headspace.
smell and taste is making
Remove air bubbles and
my mouth water.
add more as necessary to
If you can’t wait for the
adjust headspace. Wipe
BBQ to get done before
rims. Center lids on jars
digging into those fresh
and screw on bands until
picked cherries try this
finger tight.
refreshing lunch or dinner
idea.
Cherry Chicken Let-
tuce Wraps
¾ pound boneless skin-
less chicken breast cut into
bite-size cubes
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 ½ cups shredded car-
rots
1 ¼ cups coarsely
chopped, pitted fresh sweet
cherries
4 green onions, chopped
⅓ cups chopped almonds
2 tablespoons rice vin-
egar
2 tablespoons teriyaki
sauce
1 tablespoon honey
8 bibb lettuce leaves
Season chicken with
salt, pepper and ginger. In
large skillet heat oil over
medium-high heat. Add
seasoned chicken and cook
and stir 3-5 minutes or
until cooked through.
Remove from heat and
stir in carrots, green onion,
almonds and cherries.
Mix together in small
bowl, rice vinegar, teriyaki
sauce and honey. Stir into
chicken mixture. Spoon
into lettuce leaves and
wrap. Makes 4 servings.
I have really enjoyed
learning about lettuce
wraps and how to make
them, since having to go
gluten-free and these are
one of the best. But how
can you go wrong using
fresh in-season ingredients.
Now for the reward for
all your hard work picking
those cherries in the hot
sun.
Cherry Sherbet
4 cups fresh dark sweet
cherries pitted and quar-
tered
1 cup sugar
2 liters black cherry
soda, chilled
1 can (14 oz) sweetened
condensed milk
In a large saucepan,
bring cherries and sugar to
a boil over medium-high
heat, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat,cover and
simmer 10 minutes stirring
occasionally. Pour into
a large bowl, cover and
refrigerate until cold.
Stir in soda and sweet-
ened condensed milk.
Fill the ice cream freezer
cylinder ⅔ full and freeze
according to the directions
for your ice cream maker.
If it doesn’t all fit refrig-
erate remaining mixture
until ice cream maker is
ready to use again. Eat soft
or put in freezer container
and freeze 2-4 hours until
firm. Makes about 3 quarts.
If you want a cherry pie
to serve under that sherbet
they tell me this one is fast,
easy and delicious.
County Fair Cherry Pie
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Dash salt
4 cups pitted tart cherries
Pastry for double crust
pie
In large saucepan com-
bine sugar, cornstarch, salt
and cherries. Let stand 30
minutes. Cook and stir
over medium heat until
mixture boils and starts to
thicken.
Pour into bottom crust in
9” pie pan and cover with
top crust in your chosen
design leaving breather
holes in top crust.
Place in preheated 375
degree oven Bake 45 min-
utes or until crust is golden
brown and filling is bub-
bly. Cover edges during
last 20 minutes to prevent
over browning. Cool on
wire rack.
Tragedy strikes during parade
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 4
A candlelight vigil was
held at the Baker County
Courthouse at 8:30 p.m.,
organized by Jason Todd
in coordination with the
Baker City Police Depart-
ment, the Baker County
Sheriff’s Office and the
Baker County Courthouse.
A large crowd of maybe
300 gathered to show sup-
port with several stepping
forward to give accounts
of the precious life lost.
There was mention of this
tragedy possibly leading to
more strict guidelines be-
ing required on floats.
A Gofundme account
was set up by Jeff Hale, a
cousin of Dylan’s mother,
Megan Thomas, and as of
Wednesday morning had
raised nearly $29K. Com-
munity Bank also set up
an account for donations
for the family. Meal train
accounts were established
in both Baker City for Me-
gan and Kaydance, and in
Burns for his father, Shad
Thomas and family.
Predawn Adventures,
a company based out of
Prineville that specializes
in bird hunting excursions,
set up a hunting auction
with 100% of proceeds to
go to the Thomas family.
New Directions North-
west offered free, open
grief counseling.
The Baker Summer
Academy cancelled classes
on Tuesday.
The Baker County Li-
brary offered reading ma-
terials that may help with
feelings over the tragedy.
Brooklyn Primary
School Principal Phil
Anderson wrote, “We ask
that you keep Dylan’s
family close to your hearts,
as well as community
members, first responders
and spectators who were
involved in the parade.
When death occurs in our
community, people have
different reactions and
range of emotions includ-
ing shock, fear, anger or
no reaction at all. These
reactions can come and
go in an hour, or a day,
or in days to come. All of
these feelings are normal
responses to the death of
someone we know or who
was part of our school
community.”
Sheriff Ash said, “The
Baker County Sheriff’s
Office would like to extend
our deepest condolences
to the family and friends
of Dylan Thomas. Our
thoughts and prayers are
also with those who wit-
nessed and were affected
by this unspeakable trag-
edy. The community as
whole has suffered an un-
imaginable loss. However,
in the midst of this terrible
event I am thankful for
the many individuals who
came forward and provided
assistance and support. I
would like to thank Baker
County District Attorney
Matt Shirtcliff who was on
scene with me from begin-
ning to end as we managed
the tragic situation.”
Ash continued, “I am
also grateful to my Search
and Rescue Volunteers
whose own parade entry
was very near the float that
Dylan fell from. Search
and Rescue administered
first aid until Baker City
Fire Department arrived
and transported. SAR
also halted the parade and
directed parade spectators
and participants away from
the area to create a safe
buffer zone. I would like
to extend appreciation to
Shari Selander, Marji Lind
and the New Directions
Crisis Response staff who
came without hesitation as
soon as I asked to provide
support to community
members in dealing with
traumatic events of the day.
“Also appreciated were
clergy members who
comforted people at the
scene of the accident and
worked closely with New
Directions in providing
grief counseling later in the
day at the Baker County
Courthouse. Finally, I
am thankful for local law
enforcement officers from
The Oregon State Police,
Baker City Police Depart-
ment and the Baker County
Sheriff’s Office (including
some of our off-duty per-
sonnel) for investigating
the accident, rerouting traf-
fic, helping YMCA staff re-
unite families, comforting
kids and adults, and doing
what we always strive
for—bringing calm to
chaotic situations. Words
cannot express the sincere
sympathy I feel for Dylan’s
family during this time,
but I am comforted that we
live in a community that
supports one another and
pulls together in times of
need.”
A makeshift memorial
has been set up in the mid-
dle of Second Street where
the incident occurred.
The memorial consists of
balloons, stuffed animals,
flowers, candles and mes-
sages. Dylan was laid to
rest on Tuesday, July 18,
after overwhelming turnout
at the Baker City Christian
Church in his honor.
Jubilee gold panning winners announced
The 2017 Eastern Or-
egon Mining Association
announced the winners of
this year’s gold panning
contest winners.
Kids Panning.
Kane Hellberg of Baker
City 1st.
Xander Rexroad of
Baker City 2nd
Evangeline Rexroad of
Baker City 3rd.
Gold Panning Amateur.
Emma Kersgaard of Lo-
rane, Oregon 1st.
Gary Gear of Eagle,
Idaho 2nd.
Caden Schroder of Glad-
stone, Oregon 3rd.
Gold Panning Profes-
sional.
Dakota Martin of Baker
City 1st.
Dennis Rexroad of Baker
City 2nd.
Ken Martin of Baker City
3rd.
The cash prize for the first
place winner in each cat-
egory were $30, $75, and
$125, with lesser amount
for second and third.
sentenced to
59 months
On July 14, 2017 Geoffrey Brown (dob 3-17-1996)
of 1905 17th St. Baker City, Oregon was sentenced to
59 months in prison. Brown was sentenced by visiting
Circuit Court Judge Erin Landis.
Brown was sentenced to 24 months in prison based
on a probation revocation hearing. In that case Brown
had pled guilty on May 26, 2016 to one count of Sexual
Abuse in the Second Degree.
Brown had been on probation in that case with a 24
months suspended prison sentence.
The Sexual Abuse in the Second degree charge
stemmed from Brown having consensual sexual contact
with a 14 year-old girl. On July 14, 2017 Brown pled
guilty to one count of Rape in the Third Degree and
admitted to violating his probation. He was sentenced
to 35 months in prison consecutive to the 24 months he
received in the case in which his probation was revoked.
The Rape in the Third Degree charge stemmed from
consensual sexual contact that Mr. Brown had with a 15
year-old girl in August of 2016 while on probation in
the first case. Brown will be required to register as a sex
offender and will be on post-prison supervision for three
years when he is released from prison.
District Attorney Matt Shirtcliff said, “In both cases
Mr. Brown engaged in sexual relations with teenage girls
when he was 20 years old. He was given an opportunity
for probation but committed the same type of offense
while on probation in the first case. Brown had only been
on probation for three months when he committed a new
sex crime. Although the sexual acts with both girls were
consensual, Mr. Brown ignored the rules of probation and
has proven to be a community safety risk, which required
that he go to prison.”
Stolen vehicle
recovered in arrest
near Oregon Trail
Interpretive Center
On July 13 at 7:26 a.m., the Baker County Dispatch
Center received a complaint of an intoxicated driver on
SR 86 near the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. The
complainant described the vehicle as a tan Chevrolet
Impala and stated that it was driving erratically and into
oncoming traffic.
A Baker County Sheriff’s Deputy located the vehicle
and initiated a traffic stop. After an investigation, the
deputy determined that the vehicle had been reported sto-
len from Ada County, Idaho. Oregon State Police arrived
on scene to assist with the investigation.
The driver of the vehicle, Crystal Renay Gradian
(DOB 2/6/81), was arrested for Unauthorized Use of a
Motor Vehicle. The passenger, Matthew David Brooks
(9/10/89), had a valid, extraditable felony warrant from
the Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole and was
arrested for a parole violation and Unauthorized Use of a
Motor Vehicle.
Both subjects were transported and lodged in the Baker
County Jail without incident.
Crossroads to hold
holiday card contest
Crossroads is inviting local and regional artists to sub-
mit artwork to its 2nd Annual Winter Holiday Card
Contest. The subject is open to artist interpretation of the
holiday season. All media types will be accepted.
The winning submission receives a $100 prize and 12
printed cards. The original artwork will be returned to the
artist. The winning artwork will be the reproduced as a
5” x 7” card which will be the official 2017 Crossroads
holiday card. Proceeds from the sale of the cards will go
to support Crossroads programs.
The contest is open to professional and amateur artists
aged 18 and older.
The subject is open to artist interpretation of the winter
holiday season.
All artwork must be original. All media types will be
accepted.
Lettering which is a part of the design of the artwork
must be clear and easy to read. Please keep signatures
modest.
Please submit original, unframed artwork: minimum 3”
x 5”, maximum 12” x 18.”
For 2-D artwork over 12” x 18” and all 3-D work, art-
ists shall submit for judging a high-quality digital image
along with the original work.
The image must present well for reproduction.
Artwork is to be submitted without a frame and in a
protective sleeve or paper.
More than one entry may be submitted. Each entry must
be accompanied by a signed entry form.
Crossroads will photograph the winning submission
for reproduction. The image must photograph well for
reproduction.
The card will be printed 5” x 7”. The final image will
have a border to fit to size.
Original artwork will remain the property of the artist.
Artist agrees to allow their name to appear on the fin-
ished card and promotional material.