LOCAL: Espresso was secret ingredient in
this year’s Dutch oven cookoff. PAGE 5
BUSINESS: New organic spa to open in
Baker City. PAGE 3
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Friday, October 13, 2017 • Volume 4, Issue 41
Efforts fail to put repeal of
gun grab law on the ballot
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
A statewide petition ef-
fort by Republicans to put
a repeal initiative on the
ballot for newly signed bill
SB719 has failed.
About 1,000 voters in
Baker County alone turned
out to support putting a
repeal of this law on the
ballot for voters, with
Baker County Republicans
spending two afternoons at
the corner of the park col-
lecting signatures.
“We spent a few hours
on two separate Saturdays,
and people were lined up
eager to sign. We’ve never
seen such a turnout for a
cause,” said Baker County
Republican Chair Suzan
Ellis Jones. “They came by
the hundreds both days.”
SB719, which passed
through the Oregon legis-
lature as a bill focusing on
mental health and pre-
venting suicide, is widely
viewed by opponents as
illegal legislation in viola-
tion of the Second and
Fourth Amendments.
Under this new law, if a
friend, neighbor or family
member claims a citizen
is unstable, homicidal or
suicidal—whether or not
there is real evidence to
back up the claim—he or
she can obtain an order
from the local court for
police to seize fi rearms
belonging to that citizen.
The citizen would have
no warning before police
arrive on their doorstep,
which legislators opposed
to this bill argued will
inevitably put law en-
forcement in unnecessary,
dangerous situations as
lawful gun owners caught
off guard are abruptly put
on the defense.
Once fi rearms are seized,
that citizen would then
have to wade through a
lengthy court process to
prove him- or herself in-
nocent.
Submitted Photo.
SEE GUN GRAB REPEAL
PAGE 5
Lines continued solidly for two afternoons as people
clamored to sign petitions locally.
City Manager proposes one
Sumpter’s
less police position in order to un-bear-able
accept grant for Fire Dept.
situation
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker City Council
Convened Tuesday, Octo-
ber 10, 2017, at City Hall
in the Council Chambers.
The meeting opened with
Councilor Adam Nils-
son leading the pledge of
allegiance and giving the
invocation. All were pres-
ent except Council member
Arvid Andersen.
The hot topic was wheth-
er to accept a SAFER grant
to add three positions to
the Fire Department—a
grant that requires a sub-
stantial funds match from
the City, which it does not
have. City Manager Fred
Warner suggested not fi ll-
ing one open position at
the Police Department in
order to fi nd funding.
This year, a public safety
fee was implemented, in
large part to fund and save
that police position.
SEE CITY COUNCIL
PAGE 3
Kids learn to make bread
Photo courtesy of Samantha Rowan.
Bears are making quite a mess in Sumpter.
• BEAR PROBLEMS CONTINUE
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Sumpter is receiving more than the usual wildlife
visitors this fall, with several bears raiding garbage cans
throughout town. “Apparently, they’re hungry, and they
like garbage,” said City Recorder Julie McKinney.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife trapped a
couple of bears in the Sawmill Gulch area.
Samantha O’Conner / The Baker County Press
SEE BEARS PAGE 3
First graders learned how to make bread, starting above mixing ingredients for dough in plastic bags.
BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Friday, October 6th, fi rst grade students were invited
to participate in the fi rst Friday Experience of the school
year, where they learned how to make bread.
The theme of the event was “The Little Red Hen” by
Paul Galdone, and was held at the North Baker cafeteria.
Students learned more about the Little Red Hen’s job
making bread through activities, such as learning how
fl our is made, and reading the story. Each student left
with a personal-sized loaf of white bread.
The students mixed small amounts of ingredients in
plastic bags before kneading and baking the dough. They
also colored pictures from the book and put them in order
from the story.
Daisy Walden, a substitute teacher who has been in the
district for fi ve to six years, taught this Friday Experi-
ence.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with a few rain showers mainly
early. Highs near 50. Chance of precipitation is
40% Night: Cloudy with a few showers to start
then turning partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 20s.
Saturday
Mostly sunny and cool. Highs near 50.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear and cool. Lows in
the mid 20s.
Sunday
Mostly sunny and cool. Highs near 50.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear and cool. Lows near
30.
“It’s something that I love. I really love cooking and
I knew that for this Friday Experience it needed to be
something a little more exciting than just well, you know,
reading a book and practicing regular old school stuff
they do every day,” explained Walden. “And I knew I
wanted some sort of literature connection.”
Walden explained that the opportunity began last year.
Teachers are able to volunteer to do a Friday Experience
event and submit a proposal of what activities they would
like to do.
The proposals are approved by the principal and 5J
Superintendent.
“I’m hoping to do a couple more this year,” said
Walden.
Walden explained that the amount of students who are
able to participate in the events is the teacher’s choice.
For her event, it was open to 15 students but they can
have as many as 20.
“I think it was a success. I think I’d like to do some-
thing again,” said Walden.
The Fire, Weather & Avalanche Center forecast:
Our forecast made possible by
this generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
Suspect
caught in
Powder River
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
A foot and bicycle chase ended Tuesday afternoon in
the middle of the Powder River. On October 9, at about
12:35 p.m., Offi cer Shannon Regan observed a subject on
a bicycle, who she believed to be wanted, in the area of
Myrtle and Dewey Streets in Baker City.
SEE SUSPECT CAUGHT PAGE 8
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Drug take-back scheduled
Local airman graduates basic
Sumpter City Council coverage
Sage-grouse comments reopen
Taste of Baker ushers in autumn
Suspect fl ees, crashes car
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