THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2017
Business / Agriculture
Masquerade Ball quickly becoming
local tourism success
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Last Saturday the
Wicked Ways Masquerade
Ball saw its third year—
along with a third year of
growth.
A joint venture between
this newspaper and the his-
toric Geiser Grand Hotel,
the event has begun bring-
ing tourists into the area in
impressive amounts.
Barbara Sidway, owner
of the Geiser Grand, said
the hotel was booked to
capacity, primarily with
guests for the Ball.
Guests from as far away
as Australia reserved
rooms, and said they plan
on doing so again next
year. Other guests had al-
ready done exactly that—
reserving rooms for the
last weekend in October in
anticipation of the Ball’s
fourth year.
After the rooms at the
venue were filled, other
guests began reserving
rooms at other hotels,
some said that evening.
Charlie Carpenter from
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Several years have
passed since there was
an increase in officially
reported incidents of bed
bug infestation in Baker
County.
Recently, though
residents have mentioned
hearing new stories about
infestations in a couple
local houses—although
the new stories remain “of-
ficially” unconfirmed.
Bed bugs can create a
major headache for prop-
erty owners and members
of the public, since it’s
difficult to get rid of them
without professional treat-
ment.
While there’s no short-
age of bed bugs, there’s a
positive in that they’re not
known to carry disease, ac-
cording to Malheur County
Environmental Health And
Solid Waste Director Craig
Geddes, who is contract
Sanitarian for Baker Coun-
ty Health Department.
Bed bugs, Cimex
lectularius, flat, parasitic
insects, reddish-brown in
color, and wingless, range
in size from one millime-
ter, to seven millimeters,
and can survive for several
months without a meal,
which they get solely
from the blood of humans
and animals during sleep,
according to information
provided by the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
A normal and common
misconception about bed
bugs is that they’re spread
from location to location
(by clothing and luggage,
for example) due to less
than sanitary conditions
and hosts; however, states
the CDC, “Bed bugs have
been found in five-star ho-
tels and resorts, and their
presence is not determined
by the cleanliness of the
living conditions where
they are found.”
Common places where
bed bug infestations can be
found are near where peo-
ple sleep, according to the
CDC, such as apartments,
shelters, rooming houses,
hotels, cruise ships, buses,
trains, and dorm rooms.
During the day, they find
Friday, October 27, 2017 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady in a limited test.
Retail/Stable type hay remains the largest demanded
hay. Demand for organic hay increased this week.
Many hay producers have sold out for the year.
Eastern Oregon: No new sales this week. Last week:
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa / Orchard Mix Small Square Premium
27 175.00-185.00 182.41
Mixed Grass Small Square Utility
300 45.00-45.00 45.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 1,690
Kailyn McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Vivien McQuisten, 6, helped hide the faux diamonds for this year’s scavenger
hunt before hitting the dance floor.
Arkansas flew in for his
second year at the Ball,
choosing a rental house
instead.
Local sponsor, Glacier
45, kindly provided their
flavored vodkas for the
event, which also included
authentic absinthe—and
sold out quickly.
Ron Colton provided
carriage rides under the
stars. Lucritia told fortunes
for guest entertainment.
Jason Drew from 100.3
The X out of Boise was
the night’s DJ. Shelly’s
Magic Mirror provided
photography from a mirror
that looked like something
straight out of “Snow
White.” All will return
next year.
Vendors with a product or
service they feel in keep-
ing with the overall theme
of the event are welcome
to call 541.519.0572 in
anticipation of next year.
Bed bugs in Baker City?
BY TODD ARRIOLA
— Weekly Hay Report —
clever hiding spots, such
as seams of mattresses,
box springs, bed frames,
headboards, dresser tables,
inside cracks or crevices,
behind wallpaper—basi-
cally anything around a
bed.
Bed bugs, states the
CDC, “have been shown
to travel over 100 feet in
a night, but tend to live
within eight feet of where
people sleep.”
Geddes said, “There are
bed bugs in the area (Baker
County),” but, “They’re
more of a nuisance issue,”
not carrying disease, but
rather, possibly causing
less serious conditions,
such as itching and loss of
sleep.
However, the itching
in some cases can lead
to excessive scratching,
increasing the chance for
a secondary skin infec-
tion, or an allergic reaction
could result from being
bitten several times, ac-
cording to the CDC.
Bite marks resemble
those of a mosquito or flea,
but they may not show up
for up to several days or
more after the initial bite,
because bed bugs inject an
anesthetic and an antico-
agulant when they bite.
The CDC recommends
avoiding scratching the
area, and applying antisep-
tic creams or lotions, along
with taking an antihista-
mine.
Geddes, who’s per-
formed bed bug infestation
inspections in places fre-
quented by the public, such
as motels and restaurants,
said that the best course of
action to battle an infesta-
tion is to seek professional
treatment, and to skip do-
it-yourself remedies found
on the Internet.
“One site recommended
using rubbing (isopropyl)
alcohol,” a flammable
chemical compound, “to
clean all of the surfaces,”
which could lead predict-
ably to a dangerous situa-
tion, Geddes said.
He gives business own-
ers as much information as
he can, in order to effec-
tively prevent an infesta-
tion, and to seek profes-
sional treatment, if needed.
Signs of an infestation,
states the CDC, include
the bed bugs’ exoskeletons
after molting; bed bugs in
the folds of mattresses and
sheets; rusty-colored blood
spots, due to their blood-
filled fecal material that’s
excreted on the mattress
or nearby furniture; and a
sweet, musty odor.
SEE BUGS
PAGE 8
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 185.00-221.00 Top 225.00
400-500# Bulk 165.00-195.00 Top 203.50
500-600# Bulk 135.00-163.00 Top 167.00
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 140.00-169.00 Top 173.00
400-500# Bulk 131.00-160.00 Top 164.00
500-600# Bulk 125.00-143.00 Top 144.50
Yearling Steers
600-700# Bulk 134.00-158.00 Top 161.00
700-800# Bulk 125.00-150.00 Top 152.00
800-900# Bulk 130.00-148.00 Top 150.00
900-1,000# Bulk 110.00-118.00 Top 121.00
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 130.00-145.00 Top 148.00
700-800# Bulk 125.00-138.00 Top 141.00
800-900# Bulk 115.00-134.00 Top 140.00
900-1,000# Bulk 108.00-118.00 Top 126.00
Thin Shelly Cows 42.00-55.00
Butcher Cows 56.00-66.00
Butcher Bulls 65.00-76.00
Stock Cows N/A
Younger Hfrts. N/A
Stock Cows Young - N/A
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 —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1,270.40
Silver: $16.69
Platinum: $918.15
Palladium: $982.24
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $346.25/bu/USD
Wheat: $417.50/bu/USD
Soybeans: $985.25/bu/USD
Oats: $264.50 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $11.57/cwt/USD
Canola: $518.70 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $125.50//lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $159.70/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $67.93s/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com