BUSINESS: Signage, Farewell Bend
development, Industrial Park. PAGE 3
The
SPORTS: Ultra runners conquer the Elkhorn
Crest Trail. PAGE 7
Baker County Press
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Friday, August 25, 2017 • Volume 4, Issue 34
Eclipsed: Inside the path of totality
Photo courtesy of Chance Quintana.
Photographer Chance Quintana of Haines said he
looked forward to taking photos of the eclipse for
two years, and even captured the pink edging.
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Photo courtesy of the Baker County Sheriff’s Offi ce.
Cars pulled off to the shoulders along the freeway
and roads near Lime awaiting the eclipse.
Totality as seen from the Devil’s Canyon Ranch in
Bridgeport.
• GREAT
AMERICAN ECLIPSE
CROSSES EASTERN
OREGON
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Great American
Eclipse proved Monday
morning that some events
just can’t be captured in a
way that fully does them
justice.
Under nearly perfect
viewing conditions, a
70-mile-wide lunar shadow
crossed America from the
Oregon Coast to the South
Carolina Coast, with Baker
County right in the path of
totality.
At 10:24 a.m. on August
21, the light, which had
slowly shifted to a golden
saturation as the sun was
obscured by the moon, fell
into black. The shadows,
Photo Courtesy of Kyle Knight.
National Guard soldiers positioned in Durkee helped clear the way for Lifefl ight
in the parking lot of the Durkee Cafe after an accident during the post-eclipse
exodus sent one woman to the hospital.
which had gradually fi lled
with crescent shapes and
seemed to go backward,
went out. Crickets began to
chirp. The stars came out.
The temperature dropped
up to 10 degrees in some
parts of the county.
Then for two minutes and
a few seconds, it felt as if
the world stood still.
“This eclipse was abso-
lutely amazing! My family
watched it from our fi eld
and everyone enjoyed it.
We were surprised at how
cold it got,” said Kari Ste-
phens Anderson of Haines.
“The lighting leading up
to totality was like nothing
I’ve ever experienced. It
really felt as though we
were on another planet..
Everything was so clear
and was more saturated
in color than normal. We
were in an area completely
alone ... So so quiet, eerily
quiet. In totality the kids
were in awe of the stars
that shown bright in the
skies above,” said Brittany
Aune of Halfway.
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Even Mormon Basin, one of the most remote areas
of the county, had a camp of about 40 visitors.
Joyclynn Potter of Baker
City added, “I was so
surprised! I really thought
all the hype was going to
make it underwhelming-
totally the opposite.”
5J awards summer program staff
• IRVINE TO
RESIGN, MOVE
BY SAMANTHA
O’CONNER
Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Thursday, August 17th,
the Baker School District
5J School Board held their
meeting in the City Coun-
cil Chambers.
At the meeting, Board
member Melissa Irvine
explained that her family is
relocating and September’s
Board meeting will be her
last.
Assistant Superintendent
Betty Palmer presented
certifi cates of Outstanding
Recognition for the Sum-
mer Programs. Jason Todd,
the Summer Academy
Facilitator, Melissa Garner
from the Kindergarten
Camp, and Laura Morley
and Jonathan Baer from
the Jump Start Program
While the eclipse itself
was predicted down to the
split-second, not so were
the crowds or the traffi c.
SEE ECLIPSE PAGE 5
Scientists
explain the
eclipse
BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER
Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Samantha O’Conner / The Baker County Press
Left to right are Laura Morley and Jonathan Baer from the Jump Start Program,
and Betty Palmer.
were presented certifi cates.
David Laws, the China
Program Summer Facilita-
tor, Eric Layton from the
June Experience, and Zach
Grammon from Algebra
Readiness were not present
but recognized.
Kim Mosier gave an
update on the Baker Val-
Friday
Partly sunny and mild, some areas of smoke
are possible. Highs in the mid 80s. Night: Mostly
clear and seasonable, some areas of smoke are
possible. Lows near 50.
Saturday
Mostly sunny and warmer, some areas of
smoke are possible. Highs near 90. Saturday
Night: Mostly clear and seasonable, some areas
of smoke are possible. Lows near 50.
Sunday
Mostly sunny and warmer, some areas of smoke
are possible. Highs in the mid 90s. Sunday
Night: Mostly clear and seasonable, some areas
of smoke are possible. Lows in the lower 50s.
ley Education Foundation
(BVEF) to the Board.
She asked that the School
Board approve the new
members BVEF has voted
on by the BVEF Board
and they are expanding
the Board to include three
additional members.
The BVEF is a non-profi t
organization whose mis-
sion is to “promote, spon-
sor, facilitate and support
innovative teaching and
education in the Baker 5J
School District.”
SEE 5J PAGE 4
The Fire, Weather & Avalanche Center forecast:
Our forecast made possible by
this generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
August 19th to the 21st, Barbara Sidway, the owner
and operator of the Geiser Grand Hotel, presented and
welcomed resident space scientists Jayne Aubele and
Larry S. Crumpler to give a presentation, “Mystery of the
Eclipse Explained.”
Sidway explained that it took a year and a half to get
someone to give context to what was happening in Baker
City.
“We were very delighted to be able to bring these ex-
traordinary space scientists and have that gift of learning
and context we were able to share with our community,”
expressed Sidway. “And we always try hard to get inter-
esting experiences to share with the community and an
example is the Opera Elect that we have.”
Aubele is the Adult Programs/Educator/Geologist and
Crumpler is the Curator for the New Mexico Museum of
Natural History and Science.
SEE SCIENTISTS PAGE 8
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Huntington’s Pioneer Days
Baker City’s Eclipse Festival
Sumpter’s Music in the Meadow
Local P.O.’s eclipse postmark
City: Tesoro’s local line repair ahead
Memory Cruise/Car Show schedule
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