ENTERTAINMENT: Word search and
crossword puzzle. PAGE 7
The
LOCAL: Festival of Trees held for
seventeenth year. PAGE 4
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Friday, December 8, 2017 • Volume 4, Issue 49
Three move toward
empty Senate seat
• COMMISSIONERS
HAVE 10 DAYS TO
MAKE SELECTION
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Last Saturday the 2nd,
a large group of elected,
volunteer Precinct Com-
mittee People (PCPs), the
most grassroots tier of the
Republican party, met to
start the selection process
to fi ll exiting Senator Ted
Ferrioli’s position.
87 PCPs within Senate
District 30, out of the pos-
sible 169, traveled across
snow and ice to the Grant
County Airport in John
Day. The turnout was the
largest in recent memory
for any Oregon nominating
convention.
Six candidates tossed
their hats into the ring:
Rep. Cliff Bentz, Malheur
County; Mae Huston, Jef-
ferson County; Suzan Ellis
Jones, Baker County; Rob-
ert (Bob) Perry, Deschutes
County; Ralph (Mike)
Shirtcliff, Deschutes
County; and Eric Watten-
burg, Deschutes County.
The convention was co-
ordinated in large part by
Chris Barreto, Vice Chair
of the Oregon Republican
Party (ORP) with the assis-
tance of more volunteers.
The meeting opened with
the Flag Salute and prayer.
SEE SENATE SEAT
PAGE 5
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
L-R: Bob Perry, Suzan Ellis Jones, Mae Huston, Eric Wattenburg, Mike Shirtcliff,
Cliff Bentz.
Make it and take it!
Aglow on
Main Street
Samantha O’Conner / The Baker County Press
Santa Claus and his elf make an appearance.
BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER
Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Samantha O’Conner / The Baker County Press
Morgan Stone and Koedi Birmingham work on their projects at this year’s Make it and Take it event.
BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER
Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Crossroads Carnegie Art Center proudly held its annual
“Make It and Take It” event held alongside the Saint
Alphonsus Festival of Trees on Family Day, December
2nd. Ginger Savage, Executive Director of Crossroads,
explained the “Make it and Take it” event started at the
old Crossroads on Main Street.
This year, there were eight stations with different crafts
designed by local artist Andrea Stone for children to
make.
This year’s projects were yarn stars, animal collages,
copper stars, the “Mustached Santa” where the children
used their fi ngerprints to make Santa’s cheeks but then
designed his mustache and beard.
They also made luminaries, metal ornaments they col-
ored, white angel animals, and beaded candy canes.
Baker High School art students were among the volun-
teers for the event, helping children with their crafts.
There were over 30 volunteers who helped with the
event.
“Crossroads tries to do lots of things to help out the
High School Art Program and so this is one of their ways
they can help us out,” explained Executive Director
Ginger Savage. “For many of these kids it’s really special
that they get to help because they remember doing this
when they were kids.”
“It is probably one of the most beloved programs we do
Friday
Mostly cloudy and seasonable. Highs in the mid
30s. Friday Night: Developing fog with lows in
the upper singles digits.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy and seasonable. Highs in the mid
30s. Saturday Night: Developing fog with lows in
the upper singles digits.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy and seasonable. Highs in the mid
30s.Sunday Night: Developing fog with lows in
the upper singles digits.
at Crossroads,” stated Savage. “Because it is just a great
way to engage kids and families in making crafts and be-
ing artistic at their dining room table, and so that is why
we love this program. We moved it over to Festival of
Trees about eight years ago and this has been an amazing
partnership because every family in the valley comes here
today and we can serve more kids this way.”
Savage explained that they received a lot of donations
for the event. One of the donations was wood based orna-
ments that were made by Ella Stepp, who passed away,
and donated by her niece. They were able to utilize her
gift for three or four projects.
The projects done at the event depend on what supplies
Crossroads has that year.
“We try to do something different every year,” ex-
plained Savage. “But, also, many of the kids when I
started this and they were four or fi ve are now fourteen.
So, we can occasionally roll some very fun projects back
around because the kids grow up really fast on us.”
Savage explained that they have a great partnership
with Head Start, saying thanks to an anonymous, gener-
ous benefactor they make it possible for every child in
the Head Start program to get a coupon not just for them
to participate at no charge, but them and their siblings.
There were around 30 children with their siblings who
attended with the coupons.
SEE MAKE IT, TAKE IT
PAGE 7
The Fire, Weather & Avalanche Center forecast:
Our forecast made possible by
this generous sponsor:
Last Saturday, the Baker County Chamber of Com-
merce held its annual Christmas Parade. This year’s
theme was Silver Screen and participants were encour-
aged to style their fl oats after their favorite Christmas
Movies.
Diane Wroe, the Offi ce Manager for the Chamber of
Commerce and Shelly Cutler, the Executive Director, are
the organizers of the parade.
SEE PARADE PAGE 4
Man threatens
wife with shotgun
On December 5, 2017 Baker County Dispatch received
a report of a disturbance at a residence in Huntington. The
reporting party, Elizabeth Severe, stated that her husband,
Billy Severe, was out of control and was in possession of
a shotgun. Baker County Sheriff’s Deputies, along with
Oregon State Troopers, responded to the residence.
Upon arrival, Deputies contacted Elizabeth Severe at
a neighbor’s residence where she had fl ed with her small
child. She stated that she had attempted to wake her hus-
band up, and he became enraged.
He grabbed a shotgun, and she was able to lock herself
and her small child in the bathroom. After a period of
time, he gained access to the bathroom. When he entered
the bathroom she was able to take her child and run out of
the residence.
After being interviewed by law enforcement, it was de-
termined that Billy Severe’s statements were inconsistent
with evidence at the scene. He was taken into custody
and lodged at the Baker County Jail. Severe was charged
with Assault IV, Menacing, and two counts of Reckless
Endangering.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Agriculture reports
Spay / neuter stats released
Wolf plan draft appear online
Man arrested for assault
“Homemade Goodness” by Eileen Driver
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
Angel Tree at Police Department
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