ART: Crossroads recognizes 2017 artists.
PAGE 5 (Painting by Nanci Sheppard at right.)
The
COUNTY: Commissioners discuss Planning
Commissioner’s investigation. PAGE 3
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Friday, October 6, 2017 • Volume 4, Issue 40
Local LEO receives
Oregon Medal of Valor
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
with Press Release text
from Chief Wyn Lohner
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
On June 5, 2017, Offi cer
Blake Hawkins of the
Baker City Police Depart-
ment (BCPD), walked
in a direction that would
be counterintuitive to
most—into a smoke-fi lled
apartment.
There, Hawkins assisted
a disabled citizen out of
that burning apartment
complex at 1490 Resort
Street in Baker City.
As a result of his actions,
Hawkins is receiving the
Medal of Valor from the
Oregon Peace Offi cers’
Association (OPOA) next
month at their awards
ceremony in Pendleton.
The Medal of Valor may
be awarded to individuals
who, while serving in an
offi cial capacity with their
law enforcement agency,
distinguish themselves by
reacting to a situation in a
positive and professional
manner, and thereby re-
duce the risk of loss of life
or injury to citizens. Ac-
cording to the OPOA, their
intent is never to give out
many of these awards—
only for rare service.
Hawkins was nomi-
nated for the award by
Sgt. Wayne Chastain after
details of Hawkins’ actions
were brought to the atten-
tion of the department by
Hawkins’ partner, Offi cer
Chris Sells, and Baker City
citizens who were also on
scene at the fi re.
Hawkins said although
he is very appreciative of
the award, he feels that
he was just doing his job.
He think, “police offi cers
are often put into extraor-
dinary circumstances that
necessitate immediate
action and that this was no
different.”
Hawkins has been with
the BCPD for almost ex-
actly three years.
Photo courtesy of the BCPD.
Offi cer Blake Hawkins will receive this prestigious
award next month.
SEE VALOR PAGE 5
Pair produces ‘Paint
your Wagon’ podcast
Bennett
files to run
again
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Samantha O’Conner/ The Baker County Press
L-R: Andy Lindberg and Doug Kenck-Crispin on site at the Geiser Grand.
• PODCASTERS COMMEMORATE
LOCALLY FILMED MOVIE
BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER
Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Podcasters Doug Kenck-Crispin and Andy Lindberg
traveled to Baker County to commemorate the 50th an-
niversary of the fi lm “Paint Your Wagon” with a special
segment for their “Kick Ass Oregon History” podcast.
“Paint Your Wagon” is a famous Western musical fi lm
starring Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, and Jean Seberg.
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band also appear in the movie.
Several of the stars stayed in the Geiser Grand Hotel, so
the podcasters followed suit. Shooting on that fi lm began
in the spring of 1968—coming up on that half-century
mark.
The two went to the fi lm site and camped there for
a few nights before coming to Baker City. That site is
located in the Eagle Cap Mountains nearest East Eagle
and Jack Creek, and for years was marked with a sign.
No Name City was built on this site but torn down after
production ended. Stars were often seen walking on Main
Street in Baker City during lulls in fi lming.
Kenck-Crispin explained that they were looking into
Friday
Sunny and mild with a high near 70. Friday
Night: Mostly clear and cool. Lows in the mid
30s.
Saturday
Mostly sunny and seasonable with a high in
the lower 60s. Saturday Night: Mostly clear and
cool. Lows in the mid 30s.
Sunday
Mostly sunny and seasonable with a high in the
upper 50s. Sunday Night: Mostly clear and cool.
Lows in the lower 30s.
what that fi lm has meant to Oregon, fi lm history and
Oregon history in general.
“‘Paint your Wagon,’ at the time, was the most expen-
sive fi lm ever made and it was made outside of Baker
City with a lot of folks from Baker City as extras, as
constructions workers,” explained Lindberg. “The expec-
tation that we kind of had was that everybody in Baker
City would have a ‘Paint Your Wagon’ story. But that’s
not necessarily what we’re fi nding and that’s interesting
because, at one time, it was a huge deal. But maybe 50
years is long enough that people forget.”
Kenck-Crispin and Lindberg are both from Portland
and began their podcast in 2011.
Kenck-Crispin said that a podcast is like a radio
show—except on the internet.
Podcasts often do not have a set time slot they are aired
or have a set time limit, allowing podcasters to discuss a
topic for ten minutes or an hour, depending on the story.
Other stories can take several podcasts to tell.
They have traveled all over Oregon in places such as
Copperfi eld, Astoria and McDermott.
They have had segments on Jean Baptiste Charbon-
neau the son of Sacagawea, Oswald West in Copperfi eld,
and Bobbie the Wonder Dog that walked from Indiana to
Silverton, Oregon.
SEE PODCAST PAGE 5
The Fire, Weather & Avalanche Center forecast:
Our forecast made possible by
this generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
Unity rancher and
County Commissioner
incumbent Mark Bennett
fi led last week for a chance
to be re-elected to his pres-
ent commission seat.
The seats held by Bennett
and Bruce Nichols are
each part-time positions.
Said Bennett, “I am run-
ning for re-election simply
Submitted Photo.
because I care about the
County Commissioner
people of Baker County,
Mark Bennett fi led to run
and to insure that the
again for the same posi-
customs, culture, and the
tion in the next election.
economic stability of the
county continue for the future generations.”
Bennett, who has ranched since 1989, was fi rst appoint-
ed to Commissioner to fi ll the term vacated by Dr. Stiff in
May 2013. He was fi rst elected in 2015.
Locally, he worked previously in the Baker County
Sheriff’s Offi ce as a Captain under then-Sheriff Terry
Speelman.
He says his key roles as Commissioner are: Boardman
to Hemingway Lead since 2006; BLM Resource Manage-
ment Plan; and the Governor’s Sage Grouse Association
of Oregon Counties Representative.
Higher power
rates in Nov.
After reviewing the fi nal “Cost of Service” report and
assessing revenue needs to sustain the Cooperative, at
the September 26 meeting, OTEC’s Board of Directors
approved a rate increase of 4.62 percent to recover cost
increases passed through from BPA, OTEC’s wholesale
power supplier, as well as to recover increased distribu-
tion costs. Although BPA increased rates to OTEC as of
October 1, 2017, members will not be impacted by the
rate increases until November 1.
For the non-profi t’s more than 23,000 residential
members the increase will be $4.00 per month, raising
the monthly delivery charge from $25.50 to $29.50. The
residential energy rate (per kilowatt hour rate) will remain
unchanged.
“The board voted to increase the monthly delivery
charge to $29.50 to move closer to full recovery of the
actual cost to provide electrical service to a location,”
said OTEC’s General Manager Les Penning.
SEE OTEC RATES PAGE 4
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
“So I was thinking...” by Jimmy Ingram
GriefShare Program to begin
Man dies at Hewitt Park
5J, BEA reach agreement
Word Search / Crossword
Politicians schedule town halls
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