i Record-Courier
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11,2016
Tami Waldron • tami@pinetel.com
Here we ate, it is Valentines week.
No new snow to report, we are status
quo. Richland and Oxbow however,
are getting their lawnmowers ready.
Wrestling
This last weekend in Halfway, was
the wrestling tournament. The results
are as follows: Blake Butler took first
in the 120-pound weight class; Haden
Kuta took third in the 152-pound
weight class; Moroni Jensen took fifth
in the 138-pound weight class. Two
freshmen, Red Colnot and Brandon
Roe, also wrestled but did not place in
the top five. River Colnot is still recov
ering from an elbow injury sustained
three or four weeks ago. District tour
ney is this Saturday at Grant Union
High School in John Day.
Panhandle Snowmobile
This Sunday, Feb. 14, is the Annual
Panhandle Snowmobile Poker Rim.
Lots of effort goes into this event, and
the participation is always fun. Even
if you don't ride, you can purchase a
$5 card with the chance of winning
monies, maybe even $1600.
Registration starts at 9 a.m. at the
Lions Club for sign up, then onto the
snow park to unload our sleds. Keep
updated with Poker Run plans and
snow conditions at these Facebook
page links.
Charter School
On Thursday, Feb. 11, starting at
2:30 will be grades K-6 Valentine's
Parties.
Friday, Feb. 12, starting at 11 a.m.
will be a Jr. High girls home game
with Prairie City. Then at 6 p.m. a
home basketball game against
Nixyaawii.
Feb. 13, at 10 a.m. Jr. high girls
basketball at home with Enterprise.
This is the last one of this season.
Then at 3:15 p.m., a home basketball
game with Helix.
High School
wrestling is the
district competition at Grant/Union.
On Feb. 15, although a holiday, for
Pine Eagle it is a school day.
Then believe it or not, February 18,
is mid-term (3rd quarter)
Severe Weather Training Workshop-
Both Valleys
Thursday, Feb. 11,6 p.m. Halfway
City Hall
Friday, Feb. 12, 11 .a.m Richland
City Hall
Baker County Emergency Manage
ment and the National Weather Serv
ice will be offering a Severe Weather
Training Workshop and Flood Fight
Workshop to all members of the com
munity. Included will be Spotter Train
ing, which includes definitions of
severe weather, training on cloud and
storm recognition, storm hazards and
safety tips, and weather reporting pro
cedures. Flood Fight workshop will
cover equipment, procedures, and
safety tips when dealing with flood
events. Anyone interested is invited to
attend. Questions can be directed to
Tim Barker (NOAA/NWS) at 208-
334-9860 or Jason Yencopal (Baker
County Office of Emergency Man
agement) at 541-523-6415.
Your Cheatin' Heart Quilt Class
Saturday, Feb. 13,10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
at Quilts Plus in Halfway. Class fee
is $20 and you receive a 20 percent
discount on class supplies purchased
in advance or things purchased the
day of the class. Call the shop at 541 -
742-5040 for more information or to
register, and visit their Facebook page
for project photos.
Veterans Services Meet & Greet
Saturday, Feb. 20 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
Halfway VFW Post and 2 -5 p.m, at
the Richland City Hall, Baker County
Veteran Services Officer Rick Gloria
will be holding informational meet
ings. He will start with a Powerpoint
presentation and follow up with a
questions and answer session. Ac
commodations will be made if any
one needs more time with him. If you
need transportation to either of these
meetings, contact John Duggan,
VFW Post #7847 Commander, at
541-403-4332.
Ending
Have a great week - Lets end with
- What I need to live has been given
to me by the earth. Why I need to live
has been given to me by you. -Author
Unknown Thanks for reading!
Photos by Gina Perkins
Freshman Alex Duran had a real
battle on his hands against
Echo's Kyle Ranger. Alex ended
up with the win by a score of 15-
14 to advance to the semi-finals.
Duran finished with 4th place.
Deputy John Hoopes shown
here at right with a four-legged
friend, has announced his intent
to run against Sheriff Travis
Ash. Hoopes spoke at the Rural
Lives Matter Rally Saturday in
Halfway. He applied to be
appointed for Sheriff following
the resignation by Mitch South
wick
with
Commissioners
Kerns, Harvey, and Bennett
voting unanimously to appoint
Ash. Hoopes has been on leave
for an unconfirmed amount of
BLUE
MOUNTAIN
OIL
The Petroleum Company
Jeremy & Ashlee Yerrick
288513th Street, Baker City
541-523-4779 / 541-403-0215
Cardlocks
• Baker City • Haines
• North Powder
Commissioner Mark Bennett
who spoke at the rally said he
hopes the community does not
get divided as has happened in
Burns and believes the occupa
tion of the refuge has at least
brought national attention to the"
public lands issues facing those
in the West, creating a much
needed
conversation.
He
pointed out that one in four
members of our community
lives in poverty. He also said
that while it's good to see the
logging trucks, he would much
preferred to have them be
"green logs" instead of burned.
‘‘P ohoc U ac
TruCk &RV Wash
We wash anything on wheels!
Exit 304 off 1-84
2410 Plum Street, Baker City
541-523-5070
541-519-8687
Gz/Z Certificates Available.
www.paradisetruckwash, com
:B..............................................■
Organizers Needed
for Baker County
Spelling Bee
To the Editor:
Once again, Baker County
kids are not able to participate
in the Oregon Statewide
Spelling Championship! All that
is needed is a few volunteers to
organize spelling bees at local
schools and districts.
Oregon Spellers is looking for
volunteers to organize spelling
competitions at the school, dis
trict and county levels in Baker
County.
Oregon Spellers,
which
runs the Oregon
Statewide Spelling Champi
onship, is looking for volunteers
in Baker County to organize
written-spelling contests.
The top speller in each divi
sion (elementary, middle, and
high school) of the county level
contest is invited to proceed to
the Oregon Statewide Spelling
Championship which is held at
the Oregon State Fair in Salem
on Labor Day weekend. Local
contest organizers can be
school administrators, teach
ers, parent volunteers, or even
community service organiza
tions.
More information about how
to organize a spelling contest
can be found at www.oregon-
spellers.org or contact Oregon
Spellers at 541-401-9780 or
oregonspellers@kaynor.net.
Kay nor Heineck
Lebanon, Ore.
What if I told you
I'm Jewish?
To the Editor:
In a recent letter to the editor,
Rocky Morris writes, "I don't
think he (meaning me) truly re
alizes what he is doing." Morris
is referring to my complaint that
for the past year Baker County
Commission meetings always
begin with Christian prayers.
Mr. Morris, I know exactly
what I'm doing. Do you?
Did you call me to ask me
about my religious beliefs? No,
you did not. What if I told you
I'm Jewish? Would you still
think it's all right that Commis
sion prayers always end "in
Jesus' name I pray?" Do you
know that the Commission
does so without knowing how
many Jews, Muslims, Bud
dhists, agnostics, atheists, and
persons of no religious beliefs,
might be in the audience? The
Commission, under Commis
sioner Harvey's leadership,
seemingly doesn't believe that
religious minorities deserve ac
knowledgment or representa
tion.
Do you know, Mr. Morris, that
for 160+ years Baker County
Commission meetings did not
mix government and religion?
So why now, Commissioner
Harvey? So why now, Com
missioner Kerns? So why now,
Commissioner Bennett?
Do you knbw, Mr. Morris, that
during the eight years that
local Jewish merchant Hans
Neuberger was a Baker City
councilor, the Baker City Coun
cil asked everyone attending
its meetings to stand while a
Christian prayer was said?
Mr. Morris suggests that if I
have an objection to the Com
mission's Christian prayers, I
just wait outside Commission
chambers until the invocation if
finished. How ironic that the
Baker City Herald's headline to
your letter proclaims "Meeting
Prayer Issue Need Not Divide
Us."
Gary Dielman
Former Baker County
employee for 16 years
Constitution vs.
Admirality
To the Editor:
This letter is intended to clar
ify the essence of the recent
dispute at the Wild Life Refuge
near Burns, Oregon. The un
derlying contest is over
whether these United States
should be governed by Admi
ralty Law (the law of the sea) or
Constitutional Law. Bundy's or
ganization believes so strongly
in the U.S. Constitution that
they are willing to buck the ex
isting federal government,
even to the point of death.
One indication of the system
of law under which you and I
live is the flag that is being
used. If the national flag is dis
played decorated by a golden
fringe and tassel, like that dis
played in our court rooms, that
is Admiralty. Under that flag
there is no obligation to honor
the Constitution. And under
Admiralty law a person has no
enforceable rights, the same
as aboard ship at sea. The
Captain is in complete control.
Another indication of which
law you live under is how your
name is printed on government
legal documents, such as li
censes. That is the govern
ment's indication of your legal
status. If your full name is all in
capital letters you are no
longer a person, but chattel,
property of the government.
News accounts of the sub
ject event in this area all ap
pear to state the federal
governments position, that the
Bundy group is an outlaw or
ganization. Then took action
similar to that used at Waco
and Ruby Ridge: violence
where violence was not neces
sary. No government officials
were held accountable in
those atrocious events and you
can expect the same here.
This nation's government
would never have become a
Constitutional Republic if it
were not for people of courage
such as shown by the Bundy
organization. It has gradually
been converted to admiralty
law at the hands of govern
ment officials and others in
power who prefer the authority
available under Admiralty law.
These are the facts as I un
derstand them. Please don't
condemn Bundy until you have
satisfied yourself as to whether
he deserves condemnation or
a high level of praise, as I do,
for his courage and willingness
to sacrifice for the benefit of
the people of this once great
nation.
Jasper Coombes
Haines
A Decision not
Easily Made
To the Editor:
I will be retiring after 40+
years in the practice of phar
macy on Feb. 18, 2016.
I have not only had the op
portunity (blessing) to serve
friends (some places call them
customers) but also work with
some pretty wonderful people-
Glenn, Dawn, Shari, Jordan,
Hollis and Donna lately, but
there have been a number
more overthe years.
Unfortunately, my retirement
will result in the closing of
Baker City Pharmacy. A deci
sion not easily made.
I want to thank you for allow
ing me to be your pharmacist,
giving me the opportunity to
know you, your sons and
daughters and grand kids (told
ya I was getting old).
I don't believe I could have
picked a better place than
Baker City. I'm thankful God
made that choice for me.
"Bless your hearts" and thank
you.
Jerry Yencopal, RPh
Baker City
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Open Monday-Friday 8am-Noon & l-5pm • 47621 Cornucopia Hwy • Halfway I
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Oregon
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100 "D" Street
North Powder, OR 97867
541.898.7333
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2150 Broadway
Baker City, OR 97814
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Record-Courier \
E-mail: ne ws@
therconline.com
Phone: 541.856.3615
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