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Baker County Press
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Friday, September 15, 2017 • Volume 4, Issue 37
Feeding the
firefighters!
BY SAMANTHA
O’CONNER
Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Every year, local Baker
City vendors sign pre-
season agreements to
prepare meals for fi refi ght-
ers working wildfi res.
Among the vendors are
Safeway, Subway, and
Little Pig who have pre-
pared meals in the past to
be taken out to fi refi ghters.
“Generally on larger
fi res, on big fi res, we have
national caterers that we
use to feed our fi refi ght-
ers,” explained USFS
District Fire Management
Offi cer Willy Crippen. “On
large fi res, generally 150
folks and more, we can
bring in a national caterer.
This year, of course, they
are strapped with all the
fi res in the west.”
Crippen said that in the
past, they have utilized
state corrections crew
kitchens but resources are
limited this year. When
they have 20 to 75 people,
they use local vendors,
such as restaurants and
stores.
“What we do is we send
out preseason agreements,
we have minimum require-
ments for meal size, calo-
ries,” explained Crippen.
SEE FEEDING THE
FIREFIGHTERS PAGE 5
Samantha O’Conner / The Baker County Press
L-R: Jessie Cassell, Hannah Jesenko, Erin Hansen, and Crystal Rhodes from
The Little Pig.
Flashflood
hits South
Fork of the
Burnt River
Veteran takes Honor Flight
Submitted Photo.
Submitted Photo.
Water, mud and debris stranded campers near
Unity last Friday afternoon after a fl ashfl ood swept
through the South Fork of the Burnt River.
Baker County native and WWII veteran William (Dale) Evarts meets with Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood
River).
Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), greeted World War
II veterans who came to Washington, D.C. last week to
visit their memorial on the National Mall through Honor
Flight of Eastern Oregon. Baker City native and World
War II veteran William Evarts—who goes by Dale—met
Walden and was presented a fl ag fl own over the U.S.
Capitol building in honor of his service to our country.
“Every time I have the chance to meet one of these he-
roes from the ‘Greatest Generation’, I am reminded of the
poignant words of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. In a
message to Allied troops just before D-Day, he said, ‘The
eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of
liberty-loving people everywhere march with you,’” said
Walden. “Over seventy years later, liberty-loving people
everywhere continue to owe heroes like Dale for their
extraordinary service and their incredible sacrifi ce and
bravery on behalf of our country.”
In addition to presenting Dale with an American fl ag
fl own over the Capitol building, Walden entered his name
into the Congressional Record along with each veteran
who participated in the Honor Flight of Eastern Oregon.
Mr. Evarts served in the Army Air Force in the 71st Air
Service Group during World War II.
“Each of us in this chamber and in this nation should
be humbled by the courage of these brave veterans who
put themselves in harm’s way for our country and way
of life,” wrote Walden in the Congressional Record. “As
a nation, we can never fully repay the debt of gratitude
owed to them for their honor, commitment, and sacrifi ce
in defense of the freedoms we have today. My colleagues,
please join me in thanking these veterans and the volun-
teers of Honor Flight of Eastern Oregon for their exem-
Friday
Mostly sunny and breezy. Highs in the mid 60s.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy and breezy. Lows in
the mid 30s.
Saturday
Mostly sunny. Highs near 70.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows near 40.
Sunday
Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy with lows in the
mid 40s.
• NO INJURIES REPORTED
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Submitted Photo.
10 veterans were honored through Honor Flight of
Eastern Oregon.
plary dedication and service to this great country.”
The Honor Flight Network is a non-profi t organiza-
tion created to honor America’s veterans. The organiza-
tion transports veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit and
refl ect at their memorials – with priority given to World
War II survivors and veterans who may be terminally ill.
Over 150,000 veterans have been honored through the
Honor Flight Network of volunteers nationwide since
2005.
Walden often meets with Oregon veterans who come to
Washington, D.C. as part of the Honor Flight Network,
and fl ies fl ags over the Capitol in honor of each veteran
participating in the Honor Flight, along with entering
their names into the Congressional Record.
The Fire, Weather & Avalanche Center forecast:
Our forecast made possible by
this generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
Late in the afternoon on Friday, September 8, Baker
County Commissioner Mark Bennett informed media
that a “three foot wall of water” had just been reported by
campers outside Unity in the area of the South Fork of the
Burnt River.
Those reports were quickly verifi ed as water, mud and
debris swept through the burn area of the Rail Fire from
last year, and buried roads.
The United States Forest Service began efforts to bring
a cat to the area to clear the road and free any stranded
campers.
Baker County Emergency Management Director Jason
Yencopal sent the following in a press release: “... at
16:48 Baker County Dispatch received a call about a
weather event in the area of South Burnt River Lane. The
weather event was a fl ash fl ood/debris fl ow caused by a
storm front that was producing an inch of rain per hour
over the Rail Fire burn scar. Sheriff Ash of the Baker
County Sheriff’s Offi ce activated Search and Rescue
and coordinated with the Forest Service in a response to
ensure the public was not trapped in the campgrounds
near the area. The Forest Service sent fi re crews that were
staged in the area to the scene and cleared a trail into the
campgrounds.”
SEE FLASHFLOOD PAGE 3
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Sumpter to leave County TLT pool?
Local teachers go back to China
Judge Baxter fi les for reelection
Man dies in Hwy 86 crash
Community Connection awards
Riding High Ministries
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