8
WARD
continued from page 1
I want to directly address the people at the wildlife refuge: You
said you were here to help the citizens of Harney County. That
help ended when a peaceful protest became an armed and un
lawful protest.
The Hammonds have turned themselves in. It is time for you to
leave our community. Go home, be with your own families ahd
end this peacefully."
MICRO
DISTILLERY
continued from page 1
If you have questions regarding the application for CUP-15-088,
please contact Planner Kara Harris at (541)-523-8219 or khar-
ris@bakercounty.org, or at the Planning Department, located in
the basement of the courthouse. If you have questiòns about the
work session for the sign chapter of the Development Code,
please contact Planning Director Holly Kerns at (541) 523-8219
or hkerns@bakercounty.org, or in the Planning Department of
fice.
Library Friends Need Volunteers for
Winter Book Sale
Friends of the Baker County Library are looking for volunteers
to help sort books onThursday, Jan. 21, to work as cashiers dur
ing the first weekend of the Winter Book Sale, Jan. 22-24, to
neaten and re-stock during the week of Jan. 25-31, and to pack
up books on Feb. 1. New volunteers will be paired with an expe
rienced volunteer on each shift;
Volunteers can sign up at the circulation desk at the library,
2400 Resort Street, or by calling 541-523-6419.
Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally
Registration is now open. The new dates are July 7-11. Register
now by visiting www.hellscanyonrally.com.
Public Arts Meeting Jan. 12
The Baker City Public Arts Commission will meet Tuesday, Jan.
12,2016 at 5:30 p.m. in Room 205 at the City Hall. Among topics
to be discussed are vinyl wrap projects, the Art Master Plan and
Public Art on Loan.
Connecting Students and Employers at
Eastern Oregon Community Job Fair
Eastern Oregon University, Blue Mountain and Treasure Valley
community colleges are teaming up with WorkSource Oregon
and the Eastern Oregon Workforce Investment Board to host a
job fair serving the region’s rural counties.
The event is set for Thursday, March 3 at the Blue Mountain
Conference Center. Doors open at 8 a.m. for vendor set-up. Early
admission for veterans and their dependents starts at 9 a.m. and
the fair continues with general admission from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
More than 50 businesses and organizations are expected to at
tend, providing students and community members the opportunity
to explore current job openings, internships, training and profes
sional development.
“Our goal is to engage our entire community with careers in the
region, across the state and nation,” said Justin Chin, director of
the Career Services Center at EOU. “We want to connect our
communities and students with employers, service agencies and
educational partners to become an engine for workforce devel
opment and economic vitality.”
A $75 fee secures businesses a spot, and students and com
munity members attend for free. Registration is open now at
www.eou.edu/career, where instructions are posted.
Other career-focused events will bookend the Eastern Oregon
Community Job Fair. A social hour for students starts at 5 p.m.
Wednesday, March 2 in the Hoke Union Building main lounge,
followed by guest speaker Bill Imada giving a keynote at 6:20
p.m. in Zabel Hall, Room 101.
As the founder, chairman and chief connectivity officer for IW
Group - a marketing communications, advertising and public re
lations firm - Imada has represented some of the nation’s largest
companies and brands including McDonald’s, American Airlines,
Coca-Cola, Verizon Wireless, Warner Bros. Pictures and Disney
Imagineering.
Imada was born in Ontario and is invested in eastern Oregon.
He visited campus last spring to address marketing students and
community members.
"Bill Imada is a real dynamo and his experience is unmatched,”
said Brittany Hargrove, a communications major who helped
arrange his trip to EOU in April as part of her class with Shari Car
penter, associate professor of business.
“Even more importantly, he has a zest for life and an infectious
passion for marketing and public relations which he communi
cates through vivid storytelling. Students - whether they are
studying business, marketing, public relations, communication or
the like - should not miss the opportunity to hear him speak,” Har
grove added. “They will walk away feeling energized and ready
to reach for the stars in their professional lives."
Imada’s keynote is open to the public and seating is limited.
Those unable to attend can listen and watch live
athttps://livestream.com/eou. Learn more about his company at
www.iwgroupinc.com.
The final event of the week is a career fair for education majors
hosted by EOU’s College of Education from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30
p.m. Friday, March 4 in Zabel Hall. Activities include an educator
panel presentation, fishbowl interview session and multiple break
out sessions.
For more information about any of these activities or for help
with registering for the Community Job Fair, e-mailcareers-
group@eou.edu or call 541-962-3711.
Powder River Sportsmen's Club Events
Powder River’s Annual Meeting will be held Tuesday, Feb. 2 at
7 p.m. at the Clubhouse, located at 2690 Broadway in Baker City.
Election of officers will be held for 2016. Nominations are open
for all officers thru Jan. 31.
Y.H.E.C. Registration is Jan. 14
Registration for the 2016 Youth Hunter Education Challenge will
be held on Thursday, Jan 14 at the Club meeting room from 5-7
p.m. To register, young people should have completed a state
hunter education class or be scheduled for Dick Haines’ class in
February. Registration for the class is $25. Participants may earn
an expense paid trip to the National Event in Pennsylvania if they
make the Oregon State Team. Call instructor Buck Buckner at
541-523-6109 for information.
2015 Club Championship
The October Club Championship saw few shooters and poor
scores fired. The Club Championship involves pistol, rifle and
shotgun shooting for a possible score of 300 points total. Buck
Buckner placed first with 136, Ray Berryman 2nd with 127 and
Wayne Bloom 3rd with 121.
Editorial
Could it Ever Happen Here?
Before I begin, I want to explain why I spent so much time (and space in this week's paper)
discussing the situation in Harney County. My tag line, after all, is "Intensely Local News" and
normally, I stick to stuff that's happening right here in our county. My other focus, "Positively
Baker County," means that normally on the front page, I feature positive stories about the
people and events happening in our area. Why? Because most media seems to focus on
horrific, tragic, sensationalized, gut wrenching garbage. I happen to believe a steady diet of
this junk is damaging and I don't buy into the fact that ambulance chasing or the police beat is
more newsworthy than talking about the really good things people are doing.
Call me crazy or naive, but I still believe that most people are busy living their lives, raising
their families, going to work, and making positive contributions to their community. Including
here...or frankly, especially here. I truly believe that most people are good.
I wrestled a bit with the decision to travel to Burns Saturday on icy roads, alone, to cover a
situation which may or may not have ended up "peaceful." However, I thought it was very
important to see first hand what I believe may have lasting and far reaching implications,
potentially right here in Baker County.
Regarding the Hammond situation, the bottom line is that I was not in the courtroom, nor am
I one of the Hammond's attorneys. There is no way I am privy to all of the facts or
circumstances of the situation and neither are most of the people who have making a lot of
assertions either in the media, from those occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, or
their followers.
One issue that no one seems to be talking a lot about are mandatory minimum sentencing
requirements which take any discretion away from judges. Judge Hogan felt the minimum
sentence of five years was too much in the Hammond case. However, because of the
mandated minimum sentence by Congress, his decision was overturned and upheld by the
Supreme Court. This isn't double jeopardy, but rather a consequence of a mandatory
minimum sentence.
The Hammonds reported to prison Monday to finish their sentences as they had indicated
they would. As Representative Bentz said, the consequences of the situation are very sad.
Some are calling for a presidential pardon or clemency, but that may or may not happen.
I was raised on a small ranch and married a rancher. We sold it several years ago, but I am
keenly aware of and sympathetic to the many hurdles ranchers and others who make their
living off the land face. Frankly, all businesses face a whole host of challenges. Like in many
situations, the pendulum has swung too far. Extremists with utopian views, good lawyers,and
fat pocketbooks with little practical knowledge of the land have influenced policy and lawmak
ers creating seemingly impossible situations for agencies charged with managing public
lands.
But I'm concerned the pendulum, instead of resting in the middle where common sense,
responsibility, civility, and practicality resides, may swing too far in the other direction.
When do things go too far?
I've heard a lot about the "rights," or at least justification by the militia to break into the
unoccupied bird sanctuary on federal ground and take it over. But what about the rights of the
people living in Burns? What about the rights of the people who work at the Malheur National
Refuge? What about the rights of the kids, teachers, bus drivers, secretaries, teacher's aides,
and janitor who cant go to school and work because it's been closed until further notice due
to safety concerns? What about the kids who love to wrestle and play basketball who have
games and tournaments scheduled? What about the field trips (including many of our local
students here) to the bird sanctuary which will be cancelled because of the occupation? What
about the government workers (neighbors, friends, and relatives) in Burns who cant go to
work because the buildings have been closed, again as a safety precaution? What effect
does being called an enemy of the people have on the family of Sheriff Ward, who like every
body else, is just trying to his job? What about Dwight-and Steven-Hammond's wives and- —
children who did not want the Oath Keepers and militia to come there, who now have to face
this situation on top of trying to run their ranch while their husbands are in prison?
What damaging effects will this have to the economy, not only of Burns but to all of eastern
Oregon, including little bitty Mom and Pop shops and restaurants that depend heavily on
tourism? What impact will it have on economic development and attracting any new
business?
If you don't think something like what is happening in Harney County could happen right
here, then perhaps you might want to sit up and pay attention.
There are two very important elections, one for a spot on the board of County Commission
ers and one as our Sheriff. According to the Baker County Clerk's office, at this point, no one
has filed for Tim Kerns' position and no one besides Travis Ash has filed to run for Sheriff. You
may be of the opinion that your vote doesn't matter, but I believe it may never have mattered
more.
What if, after seeing all the vitriol, hatred and potentially life threatening situations posed by
some who claim "to want to protect us from the tyranny of the federal government," no one is
willing to run for these important positions? What if no one is willing to have their lives
threatened as Sheriff Ward has or put their families through an awful, divisive election
campaign?
What then?
This is the time to become informed and involved in your local government. Register to vote,
if you have not, and take the time to complete and turn in your ballot. Otherwise, we may all
wake up to something we never, ever believed could happen here....right here, in our beloved
Baker County.
-GDP
Burns Rally