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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 2019)
LOCAL & STATE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A BLOOMS L OCAL B RIEFING Continued from Page 1A Petty said she will be work- ing through the winter to build beds for her fl owers. She has a greenhouse at her home at 1605 Seventh St. she will utilize for hanging baskets and other fl owers. “I’ve always loved garden- ing,” said Petty, 59. “It’s very therapeutic to me and I just love it. And to then own my own business obviously has been a dream of mine for a long, long time.” She is not certifi ed organic but she will be using organic and sustainable practices. “Anything to bring the bees and butterfl ies, all of our pollinators in,” Petty said. “I’m starting as a small-scale fl ower farm in size but large in intensity production and eventually leasing or buying more acreage and expanding my business.” Petty has been gardening for 40 years, enjoying the nur- turing aspect and watching “it become a beautiful thing.” “I like to be in my garden, it brings me peace and I like to bring that to others, just the beauty and the peace,” Petty said. She completed the Master Gardener program through the Oregon State University Extension Service last year. Petty said she has a com- munity focus on her business and “a desire to create local partnerships.” Petty said she can “vi- sualize these partnerships tailored to specifi c businesses and their needs” — including providing fresh fl owers and Blue Mountain Community College planning workshops in Baker City The Blue Mountain Community College Small Business Development Center is planning a pair of workshops in October at the Baker City campus, 3275 Baker St. The fi rst workshop, set for Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. to noon, will be led by Michael Mettler of MCM Strategic + Communications and will focus on integrating Google Business into your communications arsenal. The second workshop, Oct. 24 from 9 a.m. to noon, will also be led by Mettler and will focus on promoting and growing your business digitally, creating a voice for your business, creating two-way communication chan- nels and calendaring your content. Cost for each session is $39, and includes light re- freshments and a follow-up session several weeks later to evaluate progress. S. John Collins / Baker City Herald Sheila Petty also grows various fl owers besides dahlias, like this purple eye lily. eventually edible fl owers for restaurants. She will sell to a fl oral busi- ness, fl oral shops, restaurants, and venues for weddings, parties, funerals and other events. Her mission statement reads: “Blue Dahlia will be a leader in providing value-add- ed fl oral designs and services to customers by creating a successful partnership with them. My pledge is to establish long term relation- ships with my customers by exceeding their expecta- tions and gaining their trust. These partnerships will be with individual patrons and established fl oral businesses alike.” Petty moved to Baker City in 2007 from Portland to be closer to her father. She has been involved with com- munity services, including MayDay for six years and as coordinator of the Baker City Community Garden for four Unity planning annual fall harvest bazaar Oct. 5 at Community Center UNITY — Unity’s fall harvest bazaar is set for Sat- urday, Oct. 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Community Hall in Unity, the Baker County town along Highway 26 about 50 miles south of Baker City. Vendors will be offering artisan crafts, new cloth- ing and jewelry. Door prizes will be awarded at 2 p.m. (must be present to win). The Burnt River 4-H Club will be serving coffee, muffi ns, and biscuits and gravy in the morning while supplies last. Starting at 11 a.m. the Club will serve lunch for $8 per person, with a menu including spa- ghetti with homemade sauce, a bowl of salad, a slice of garlic bread and a drink. Cookies and pies will also be for sale, by the whole pie or by the slice with ice cream. All proceeds will go to the 4-H Club. SEARCH Continued from Page 1A S. John Collins / Baker City Herald Dennis is 5 feet 5 inches tall, with blue eyes and light brown hair with a beard and mustache. He was last seen wearing a camoufl age-colored hat and possibly a tan coat. Anyone with information about Dennis’ location is asked to call the Baker County Sheriff’s Offi ce at 541- 523-6415. Saturday was the opening of the deer-hunting season. A Pacifi c storm system ushered in the coldest weather since last spring, with light snow falling in the moun- tains. The temperature dipped to 28 this morning at the Baker City Airport, the coldest since May 3. Drier and slightly warmer weather is forecast through the middle of the week. A dahlia not far from blossoming splendor seems to bask under a day's warm sunshine. years. roots are here now.” “I love Baker,” Petty said. “I More about Blue Dahlia just love the community and is available on the business’ this is where I’m staying. My Facebook page. Autumn bazaar set for Saturday at Baker United Methodist Church The Baker United Methodist Church at the church at 1919 Second St. has scheduled its annual autumn ba- The bazaar will offer houseplants, zaar for Saturday, Oct. 5. second-time-around items, baked goods The event will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and preserves, holiday gifts and decora- ACQUITS Continued from Page 1A “After listening to testimony and based on the evidence, it’s clear to the court that the defendant was playing fast and loose with the rules,” Forte said. Air compressors are impor- tant in fi refi ghting as they provide the breathable air used in body-worn respira- tory systems. All departments need them, though they’re an especially big-ticket item for smaller agencies. At the center of this case is a 1991 Jordair SCBA 5,000- PSI air compressor that Bend Fire took out of service in 2017. A photo of the compres- sor, which is about 8 feet long, 5 feet tall and 5 feet deep, was entered into evidence. Weitz joined the all-volun- teer Baker Rural department in 2004 and was appointed chief in 2014. Along with his involvement in fi re service, Weitz has long operated numerous business- es, he testifi ed. In early 2017, Weitz started an LLC in Or- egon — Baker Rural Fire and Rescue — to provide services on large wildland fi res. In May of that year, Weitz attended the annual confer- ence of the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association at the Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond. There he met Bob Madden, Bend’s deputy fi re chief. He learned from Madden that Bend Fire had recently upgraded compressors and had a 1991 Jordair unit sit- ting under a tarp in one of its parking lots, needing a new home. Bend Fire’s policy is to offer its used equipment to smaller agencies at a discount, or else sell it at auction. The rule is intended to prevent corrup- tion by keeping staff members from arranging sweetheart deals with their family and friends. Madden told Weitz the com- pressor was old, but ran well. It had one other problem — it ran on three-phase power. Madden said they wanted $5,000 for it. Weitz balked at this but mentioned his district typically responds to calls with partner agencies, usually Baker City Fire Department and Haines Rural Fire Protec- tion District. Their compres- tions and several collectibles including Avon and railroad items. A homemade cinnamon roll and coffee are $2. sors were manufactured in the 1970s and were in poor working condition. After a price of $1,000 was discussed, Weitz said he’d talk to the Baker Rural District’s board of directors about mak- ing the purchase. “I said, if you want to get rid of it, I could probably try to fi nd a home for it,” Weitz testifi ed. At the May 18, 2017, meet- ing of the Baker RFPD board of directors, Weitz raised the issue, and it was quickly shot down. Several board members testifi ed hearing him say he could sell the compressor for tens of thousands more than the sale price, though the comment was not entered into the meeting minutes. Weitz testifi ed that after the rejection, he felt obligated to Madden to take the com- pressor off Bend Fire’s hands. In June, he drove to Bend and delivered a cashier’s check for $1,000 to Bend Fire Department. But, controver- sially, he used an account associated with his side busi- ness, Baker Rural Fire and Rescue, and signed the check “Chief Dan Weitz.” Bend Fire’s bill of sale from the transaction lists the purchaser as the Baker Rural Fire Protection District, not Weitz’s LLC. Weitz loaded the compres- sor onto a trailer and returned to his home in Baker County, depositing the compressor in his climate-controlled garage. After learning of the purchase, board members contacted Oregon State Police, which began a criminal inves- tigation. Weitz resigned as chief in September 2017. In December 2017, Weitz was served a criminal indict- ment in Deschutes County Circuit Court alleging miscon- duct and theft by deception. Prosecutor Dan Reesor had a high bar to clear to prove Weitz intended to defraud Bend Fire, in part because Weitz made no efforts to sell the compressor before he was charged with a crime. “This case involves so much more than the purchase and theft of a compressor,” Reesor said. “It involves abusing a position of trust. It’s corrup- tion, both fi nancial and with regard to his community … Crossroads Carnegie Art Center Fall Fundraiser “Oktoberfest” Saturday, October 19, 2019 • 5:30-9:00pm Baker Event Center, 2600 East Street, Baker City there are no assumptions here, Your Honor. It’s in black and white.” Reesor compared the case to a Bend Police offi cer going to a gun store and telling the clerk he was buying a new duty weapon. On hearing this, the clerk lowers the price by $4,000. The offi cer buys the weapon but keeps it for his personal use. Weitz was represented by attorney L. Todd Wilson. “The state hasn’t proved theft,” he said. “It hasn’t proven offi cial misconduct. This was a rush to judgment. This was not a theft case. This is not a crime.” The 1991 Jordair air compressor is located at the Haines fi re station. It is not in service. Purchase your tickets before October 12th (No tickets available at the door) Tickets on sale at Crossroads, Betty’s Books, and online www.crossroads-arts.org Tickets $35.00 a person Includes Traditional German Meal catered by the Little Pig and Jacki’s Savory Sweets Includes a token for one beer or wine and $5.00 donated to the Hand to Heart Scholarship Fund Silent Auction • Dinner • Live Music Support your Local Art Center g nd urin Feat weiss Ba any” l e m Ge r e Ed Bois c of Old i s “Mu A New Kind of Fundraiser Supporting the Arts Casual • Fun • Relaxed Crossroads Needs Your Support Original Art Work by Megan McGuiness Signature Food and Spirits Provided by Sponsors Dennis and Terri Axness Oster/Cook Family Orville Chandler Ranch Lew Brothers Dr. Eric and Kristy Sandefur Baker City Realty Baker City Herald Baker Valley Physical Therapy Vision Wealth Management Loennig Family State Farm – Gregg Hinrichsen Baker County Heating and Cooling OTEC Lamb Family Janet Kahn Betty’s Books Intermountain Law PC Umpqua Bank AAUW – Baker Branch
