THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017
Business / Agriculture
Flashflood hits South
Fork of the Burnt River
— Weekly Hay Report —
Friday, September 8, 2017 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady. All prices re-
ported today are 2017 crop, unless otherwise noted.
Most producers are done with first and second
cutting and out in the field working on third cutting.
Fires and smoke throughout the state have slowed
movement of hay due to highway closures and fire
mitigation. Retail/Stable type hay remains the larg-
est demanded hay. The export market demand has
increased as compared to prior reports.
No new sales this week. Last week:
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa Large Square Premium
30 160.00-160.00 160.00
Alfalfa Large Square Fair
150 112.00-112.00 112.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 468
Submitted Photo by Ray Rau.
Nyssa Police Chief Ray Rau said the above photo
doesn’t do the extent of the flood justice.
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
Writes Yencopal, “A
second storm passed
through the area produc-
ing an inch to two inches
of rain per hour causing
additional flash flooding/
debris flows.”
The Forest Service
provided the following
information:
“Forest Service engi-
neers responded to the area
this morning and inspected
the transportation system.
They found damage to
roads, bridges and culverts,
but details of the extent of
the damage have not been
determined at this time.
Several passenger
vehicles, recreational
vehicles and tent camps
were damaged, but no
human injuries have been
reported.”
Baker County Search
and Rescue also surveyed
the area Friday and noted
debris blocking many
roads in the area.
At this time the dam-
age seems to have been
contained mostly to land
managed by the US Forest
Service.
The Burnt River Irriga-
tion District is also assess-
ing the situation. Currently
it appears that Whited
Reservoir has prevented
any debris from continu-
Submitted Photo by Baker County Search and Rescue.
Debris inside the Rail Fire burn area easily flowed.
ing through the rest of the
irrigation system.
This reservoir was also
able to handle most of the
storm surge. It had been
drawn down to about a
quarter full prior to the
storm fronts and is now
about three-quarters full.
Nyssa Police Chief Ray
Rau happened to be camp-
ing in the area at the time
and posted to this news-
paper’s Facebook page,
“Four of us were camped
in the S. Fork Campground
when this hit setting up for
our fall Men’s Retreat.
“Fire Crew in E611 was
amazing in helping ensure
we got out safely with all
of our trailers and gear.
“The photos don’t do
justice to actually load-
ing up trailers and driving
though this to get out and
I know we wouldn’t have
been able to do it without
that crew clearing the
road!”
Lori Adkins Schultz also
took to Facebook, posting
a video she captured of
fast-flowing water cutting
through the area.
In the end, while minor
damages were reported, no
injuries were.
This area is susceptible
to flooding and erosion
more so than ever in the
past due to the Rail Fire,
which swept through it last
year at 42,000 acres.
Two bear incidents in Sumpter
Two separate bear-relat-
ed incidents were reported
in Sumpter last week.
On the evening of
September 7, 2017, a
black bear was shot and
wounded near the area of
Sumpter Stage Highway
and Cemetery Road.
The Baker County Sher-
iff’s Office and Oregon
State Police searched the
area but were unable to
locate the bear.
There was a separate
report on the morning of
September 8th of a bear
creating a disturbance
on Spaulding Ridge near
Sumpter.
On September 7, Doug
Forell was in his residence
at 39484 Sumpter Stage
Highway when he heard a
commotion outside.
As he opened the door to
his residence he came face
to face with a bear.
Forell shut his door, and
the bear pushed on the
door.
Forell retrieved a hand-
gun and shot the bear from
inside the house while the
bear was still on his porch.
The bear ran off but was
wounded.
OSP Troopers and Sher-
iff Travis Ash tracked the
bear as far as they could
but were unsuccessful in
locating it, said Ash.
This incident occurred
between 9 p.m. and mid-
night.
There was an additional
report of another bear
causing an incident in the
Spaulding Ridge area.
This was not believed to
be the same wounded bear.
The Sheriff’s Office
would like to remind
residents not to leave out
trash cans or other food
materials.
If residents see an injured
bear, please contact the
Sheriff’s Office.
Sumpter looking at leaving County
Transient Lodging Tax pool
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Sumpter City Council
met in regular session on
September 12th. August
meeting minutes and bills
to be paid were unani-
mously approved. The
Council then turned to
hearing reports.
Fire Department Re-
port
Fire Chief Kurt Clarke
reported two fires in the
last month. They respond-
ed with other agencies to
the Highway Fire located
at about milepost 18 on
Highway 7. Lightning
also struck a tree in town
during the last lightning
storm. There were three
EMS calls, including one
very remote one at Sum-
mit Lake.
The brush truck was
hired through ODF last
Thursday through Sunday
for patrol throughout the
valley. Last week, it had
20 hours on patrol and
12 on standby at a rate of
$85 per hour on patrol.
Clarke explained the
City of Sumpter pays for
insurance and upkeep, but
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 167.00-192.00 Top 211.00
400-500# Bulk 146.00-169.00 Top 170.00
500-600# Bulk 137.00-151.00 Top 153.00
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 144.00-163.00 Top 172.00
400-500# Bulk 139.00-161.00 Top 164.00
500-600# Bulk 123.00-139.00 Top 140.00
Yearling Steers
600-700# Bulk 131.00-145.00 Top 146.00
700-800# Bulk 122.00-133.00 Top 133.00
800-900# Bulk 119.00-127.00 Top 128.50
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 119.00-129.00 Top 130.00
700-800# Bulk 111.00-117.00 Top 119.00
800-900# Bulk 111.00-117.00 Top 119.00
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Thin Shelly Cows 57.00-65.00
Butcher Cows 66.00-74.00
Butcher Bulls 71.00-87.00
Stock Cows 975.00-1185.00
Younger Heifers 77.00-93.00
Stock Cows Young - 1270.00-1410.00
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Prices are based on the majority of saw mills in
Northeastern Oregon and Central Idaho. The prices
listed below are a composite prices of various saw-
mills willing to visit with me about this topic.
Ponderosa Pine—small diameter class 8-11 inches
diameter class $250 per mbf. Only one sawmill was
willing to buy small diameter pine at this time.
Ponderosa Pine—medium diameter class 12-17
inches diameter class $300 to $350 per mbf
Ponderosa Pine-large diameter class 18 plus inches
diameter class $380 to $410 per mbf
The Pine prices are still approximately $40 per mbf
below average lumber/log market due to 2017 fire
salvage
Doug Fir & Western Larch—$380 to $420 per
mbf. Normal prices typically ranged between $425
to $475 per mbf.
White Fir-$300 per mbf. Normal prices typically
ranged between $340 to $360 per mbf.
Engelmann Spruce—$350 at one Idaho sawmill,
other sawmills including with White fir prices.
In general, the log prices still impacted from 2015
fire season and fire salvage that resulted. Sawmills
are starting to get log yard inventory in line with
sawmill production needs. With a new Administra-
tion as of 1/20/2017, a more normal economic envi-
ronment should result and hopefully a more healthy
housing situation will result in a better climate for
Northeast Oregon Sawmill and private forest land-
owners.
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Meghan Andersch / The Baker County Press
If Sumpter pulls out of the County’s TLT pool, the City would use that $8,000
itself. Above, County Commission Chair Bill Harvey (standing) would like the
County to continue managing those funds.
does not own the truck. It
is a FEPS vehicle and in
exchange for having the
vehicle, “if they call, we
respond.” This in turn
facilitates cooperation and
response when Sumpter
needs help. The truck was
on patrol when lightning
struck in town.
Clarke thanked John
Young for talking them
into equipping the truck
with a big nozzle and said
it put out the fire in the
tree pretty much instantly.
The water reached the top
of the tree and all worked
as it was supposed to.
The Department picked
up a water tender from
Powder River Rural Fire
Department and did a
training on it, which went
well.
When asked the intent
for the vehicle, Clarke
responded that it would
be the water supply high
on the hill where there are
no hydrants. In addition,
the Department is part of
Baker County Emergency
Services so assists beyond
the City limits in wildfire
situations.
SEE SUMPTER
PAGE 4
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1,333.30
Silver: $17.90
Platinum: $985.32
Palladium: $949.51
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $347.50/bu/USD
Wheat: $434.75/bu/USD
Soybeans: $945.75/bu/USD
Oats: $233.75 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $12.77/cwt/USD
Canola: $482.80 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $106.15//lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $148.93/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $59.33/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com