• •
i Record-Courier
THURSDAY, JANUARY 29,2015
■1
Super Bowl: The Stakes Are High
Submitted by Melissa Grammon, Prevention Specialist
for New Directions Northwest, Inc.
Super Bowl XLIX is upon us, and millions of Americans will be
cheering on the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. Fans
. have been waiting all season to see their teams reach the big game
.’ and the stakes are high in more ways than one.
i USA Today estimates $12 billion was bet on the Super Bowl last
year. Super Bowl wagering reaches such a fever pitch that folks bet
not only on the game, but on things like who will sing the National
Anthem, what color clothing they will wear, how long they will hold
the note on the word “free” etc. For most people it’s really just a way
to have some fun, but for the thousands of Oregonians who are prob­
lem gamblers, the Super Bowl stakes are much higher.
Many people aren’t aware that gambling can become just as addic­
tive as substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; and events like
the Super Bowl can serve as “triggers” for those with gambling prob­
lems.
This concerns not only problem gamblers, who may see betting on
the Super Bowl as a last hope to recoup their losses from wagering
on the season, but youth as well.
Thirty percent of youth in Baker County have self-reported as gam­
bling in the past 30 days and those who have gambled are more likely
to engage in other risky behaviors as well, such as binge drinking and
using tobacco. It’s something we need to pay attention to and address.
Parents can use this event as a teachable moment to talk to their kids
about the fact that gambling can become addictive. There are great
resources for kids and parents at www.problemgamblingprevention
■org.
In Baker County, it’s estimated that there are over 400 adult problem
gamblers. Since each problem gambler affects six to ten people
around them, the impact in our small community can ripple out
quickly.
How to know if someone has a gambling problem:
• They are often preoccupied with gambling.
• They bet more money and more frequently.
• They lie about the money and time they spend gambling.
• They often chase their losses by betting more in a futile attempt
to regain the money they’ve lost.
If you or someone you care about is putting too much at stake with
their gambling, free and confidential help is available by calling 1-
877-mylimit or by going to 1877mylimit.org. Help is also available
from problem gambling counselors at New Directions Behavioral
Health and Wellness at 541-523-3646.
Are you a family member of a problem gambler? You too can get
help with or without the direct involvement of the gambler.
5-J
Continued from page 4
A consensus was reached for
approval by the board to move
.forward with the preparations.
.Next Meeting Feb. 26
The Board made a change in
, next month’s meeting, moving it
, ^rom Feb. 17 to Feb. 26. The
' -change is due to the new super-
."¡ntendent hiring and evaluation
. process. Feb. 20 is the day
scheduled for the final interview
process and open house for the
'final three candidates.
The district’s budget is on
track and growth in revenue
"remains strong and stable.
’There is a potential for mainte-
:nance needs at the high school
" for heating and cooling which
■ fall within the budget, but will
need to be addressed soon.
'’Assurances and
' Compliances Met
Wegener reported the current
■ school year’s assurances have
'' "been completed and all compli­
ances have all been met. The
■ district’s teachers have begun
making the changes in a long-
-'!term turnover to change the
c overall instructional environ-
'ment within the district.
> “It’s a massive change in
o instructional protocol. So teach-
2 ers who have taught content as
• the primary instruction and
allowed kids to kind of absorb
content as best as possible
have to change to teachers who
- are engaging kids with content,”
-Wegener
explained.
He
. mentioned it is a turnover that
.could take several decades to
.fully implement and there are
currently no textbooks to cover
this new content.
Extra-Duty New Hires
There was no public comment
and the Board moved on
agenda action items approving
extra-duty new hires: Barry
Nemec as Baker Middle School
(BMS) seventh grade girl’s
traveling
coach,
Candace
Hoskins as BMS seventh grade
intramural
girls
basketball
coach, and the extra-duty
resignation of Suzy Cole from
BHS assistant volleyball coach.
They approved the liquidation of
surplus kitchen equipment and
items, and the first reading of
policies: EBB - Integrated Pest
Management, EEA - Student
Transportation Services, EFAA
- District Nutrition and Food
Services,
and
IIBGA
-
Electronic
Communications
System. Finally, they approved
the second and final readings of
policies: EFA - Local Wellness
Program, JHCD - Nonprescrip­
tion Medication, JHCDA -
Prescription Medication, and KL
- Public Complaints. Meeting
was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
A Tricky Plan For
Deceiving?
Letters
charged with administering our lands, the BLM, for­
est service, EPA, etc., have been so carried away
with issuing a never ending series of regulations re­
stricting access and use of the land, often disregard­
ing congressional law and the decisions of the
highest courts of our land, that they are destroying
the very industries that supply the wealth and re­
sources that support our Country.
They have been so carried away by environmental
policies and their slogan "save the earth" that they
have forgotten the basic fact of life, that no life on
earth can survive unless we harvest the food and re­
sources of the earth.
It is a noble thing to save a few special places for
the future but you can't have them all. The same
forces that uplifted our beautiful mountains brought
the minerals to the surface and change the climates
to make timber growth productive.
Unless we reassess our access and use of the land
policies our country is facing economical break
down and do your job and all environmental con­
cerns will go out the window.
To the Editor:
Countless people in Eastern Oregon are consumed
by the forest plan or the travel plan, that is being
force fed us by the USFS. We spend part of every
single day living the possible impact of losing our
access and open forest system. Impact, negative im­
pact on economy, health and welfare, carry over to
every aspect of our personal lives.
We don’t need a graph to know we are tied histor­
ically and presently to our public lands. At the mo­
ment we are being fed, “strategy." As always, I
associate a change in terminology and new words
with an individual’s possible advancement in the
agency. The dictionary tells me “strategy” is the sci­
ence of planning and directing military operations.
Esp, using stratagems. Okay what is “stratagems?"
Back to my dog eared ancient dictionary, “strata­
gem:" 1. A trick plan for deceiving an enemy in war
Kenneth Anderson
2. Any tricky ruse.
I’m not saying the choice of words was inten­ Baker City, Mining Geologist Engineer
tional, maybe a poor choice at best. I can point to a
few, but not all the stratagems, “this plan doesn’t
close roads," “this project doesn’t close roads," all
the while closures are hidden and buried behind
vocabulary such as “desired conditions, habitat,
reclamation, restoration, collaborative, or partner­ Dear Idaho Power, please find in the enclosed par­
ships." Looking at the invitations to the “strategy cel: ■
meeting” would leave most reasonable people won­
1 (one) GPS (Global Positioning System) naviga­
dering.
tor.
To my knowledge every representative except
I am sending you this because you are obviously
FAFA, is willing to let our roads and open forest be lost or your route planners are complete morons.
negotiated away without a thought, or consideration You are definitely in the wrong place. Permission to
of our previous losses. The Travel Management run your power lines is, to the west of here, an En­
Plan, was strongly opposed, resulting in the Record ergy Corridor generously mapped out by our gov­
of Decision, being withdrawn. Now we have the ernment to help you, a private company, shuffle
Blue Mountain Forest Plan Revision, that has met your power around with minimum hassle to gener­
with overwhelming negative reviews. Presently 11 ate dividends for your shareholders, obviously none
counties have voiced opposition to the forest plan, of whom live in this area. To find the correct
accompanied by over 1000 submitted comments lat/longs on this GPS you will have to read the in­
that are 95 percent against the plan.
structions. This is a deluxe model sporting numerous
The message is veiy clear, but I guess the volume women’s voices to help guide you. I took the liberty
is set too low for the forest service to hear. These to program Lucrezia Borgia’s voice for you. She will
plans generate employment for an agency that has tell you where you can go.
lost all credibility with the public. Who is in charge?
1 (one) Unabridged Merriam-Webster Dictionary
The condition of our vast forest resources are in de­ dog-eared on page 969 where you will find the
plorable condition and will continue to decline if the word, ‘no’ highlighted with a yellow marking pen.
present mentality of managing people takes priority It is a fascinating word, an adverb, usually used to
over healthy forests.
answer a question. But you never asked any ques­
I’m offering a strategy, "cut funding to this top tions. You just barged your way in with wrong as­
heavy agency."
sumptions, such as:
Wanda Ballard
i.e. #1 That we rural Oregonians wouldn’t care if
Baker City
your unnecessary, ghoulish transmission lines scar
and desecrate our rural landscape.
i.e. #2 That you could turn a quick buck compro­
mising our lifestyle and values.
1 (one) hearing aid generously dopated'by the Dr.
Seuss Audio Corporation.This hearing aid is top-of-
the-line and you should have no problem hearing
what we here in Baker County are saying and have
been saying all along:
To the Editor:
We do not want your transmission lines
Access and use of the land is perhaps the most im­
We do not want to hear them whine
portant problem facing America today. The problem
We do not want them here or there
is that so few people recognize the problem and how
We do not want them anywhere
it relates to them, particularly those who live in met­
We do not want them near our house
ropolitan areas. I say it's most important because no
We do not want to disturb sage grouse
industry, no business and no jobs can continue with­
We do not like them high and spanned
out the produce and resources that are recovered
We do not like them on our land
from the earth.
We do not want them through the trees
Another fact that few are aware of the is all new
Why can’t you just let us be?
wealth comes from the ground, there is no other
We do not like your company
source. It is created when farmers, ranchers and fish­
We like our vistas pylon free
ermen harvest the food and fibers in their crops, and
We do not want lines near or far
timber men, miners and oil men recover the other
Why can’t you leave things as they are?
vital resources. This wealth is expanded when we
We do not want your power grid
process and manufacture more useful products from
We will not feed your greedy id
these resources.
We do not want your lines here or there
All others share this wealth by distributing the
We do not want them anywhere!
products or by providing a service for one another.
Thus, the basic industries are the foundation of our Sincerely yours,
entire economy. Our country has serious economic Whit Deschner
Sparta/Baker City
problems and needs more jobs and money.
The problem is that the agencies that have been
We Do Not Want Them
Anywhere
Access and Use of
Resources Biggest
Problem
Outdoor Program Leads Snowshoe
Tour of Hoffer Lakes Basin
Join Eastern Oregon University’s Outdoor Pro­
gram on a scenic snowshoe tour of Hoffer Lakes
Basin from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 31.
Hoffer Lakes is just a short distance - approx­
imately two miles round trip - from Anthony
Lakes Mountain Resort.
No prior snowshoe experience necessary and
equipment rentals are free for EOU students
through the Outdoor Program.
Find out more during the pre-trip meeting at 4
p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29 in the Outdoor Program
Office in the Hoke Union Building, Room 118.
One dollar
taC°S
everyday at
.Ai&xica/z ffl&stau/'a/it
Daily Specials • Happy Hour
Hand Made Corn Tortillas
1910 Main Street, Baker City
541-523-9369
See us in 2015 for all of your
prescription and pharmacy needs.
541-523-5231
Fax 541-523-6030
t
1920 Resort Street
Baker City, Oregon 97814
FREE IN TOWN DELIVERY!
Tr
Pharmacy
Hi there! My name
is Haylee and I am a
purebred
female
Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
I am 5 years old and very
healthy. I have been living with
my best friend who is unable to care
for me any longer. I am house trained,
and good with my commands, but will
need work to learn new commands. I do
not know how to walk on a leash. I have
been a dependable indoor/outdoor dog and sleep inside at night. I
enjoy being outside chasing and playing fetch. I am afraid of thun­
der and lightening and that is probably why I ended up in a shelter
in the first place. I am not a hunting dog, but love to go for rides
inside the car. I am micro-chipped,vaccinated and spayed and
ready to go to a new home. I need a fenced yard to keep me
safe and away from cats and squirrels. Please call Carmen at 4K
541-519-4530 or Best Friends of Baker at 541-519-7397.
Call Best Friends of Baker, Inc.