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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 23, 2019)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019 BAKER CITY HERALD — 5A False alarm at Brooklyn School Divers find pickup truck containing skeletal remains in Columbia River ■ Vehicle was associated with case of missing person from Washington in 1993 By Phil Wright East Oregonian HERMISTON — The dis- covery of a pickup containing skeletal remains in the Co- lumbia River near Hermiston could solve a missing person case 26 years old. According to a news release from the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce, a couple recreationally scuba diving on Oct. 17 in the Columbia River at the Hat Rock State Park boat launch reported discovering a submerged Ford Ranger pickup with Washing- ton license plates. The vehicle was in approximately 20 feet of water just past the end of the docks. Dispatchers checked the license plate and found the vehicle was associated with a missing person case from the police department in Prosser, Washington, going back 26 years. Maynard Koen, who was born in 1911, according to the sheriff’s offi ce, went missing in August 1993. The sheriff’s offi ce ar- ranged for Columbia Basin Photo from Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce Members of the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce and Columbia Basin Dive Rescue of Richland, Wash., check out the Ford Ranger they helped recover Saturday from the Co- lumbia River at Hat Rock State Park near Hermiston. The pickup and the remains inside could solve a missing person case dating back to 1993. Dive Rescue of Richland, Washington, and D & R Towing, Hermiston, to assist in recovering the pickup. The sheriff’s offi ce, the volunteer dive agency and tow company met Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the site to begin the recovery. Sheriff’s offi ce marine deputies assisted with any boating traffi c or other river- based needs. After approxi- mately two hours, the team removed the pickup from the river and hauled it to the sheriff’s offi ce for further investigation. “Based on the condition of the vehicle and the informa- tion available, it appears likely that this vehicle was submerged in this location at or around the time Mr. Koen was reported missing,” according to the sheriff’s offi ce. “Further investigation of the interior of the vehicle revealed skeletal remains and a driver’s license issued to Mr. Koen.” Governor appoints team to look at cash flow problems with Forestry Department to the tune of $18 million. dent contractor is being hired The forestry department also to help address the situation, Gov. Kate Brown has ap- has tapped the fi nancial re- and it would be supported pointed a fi nancial oversight serves of its state and private by additional staff from the team and will hire an inde- forests programs for another Chief Financial Offi ce and pendent contractor to address $42 million. the Department of Adminis- a cash fl ow crisis caused by All those monies need to be trative Services. The fi nancial the Oregon Department of repaid, and agency leaders oversight team will receive Forestry’s failure to promptly acknowledge that the fi nan- regular reports from the bill and collect money it is cial squeeze is hampering contractor and is expected to owed for wildfi re costs. work in other programs. They meet for about six months. The 13-member team, have put a temporary freeze “Time is of the essence and chaired by the governor’s on all nonessential purchases this team will meet regularly chief of staff, is tasked with to conserve cash, including based on need beginning the identifying the structural spending on computer and week of October 28,” Brown changes needed to expedite motor pool, travel and train- wrote. and standardize how the ing. Delays in fi re cost re- agency processes fi nancial In a letter sent Friday imbursements from fed- transactions related to to State Forester Peter eral agencies have been a wildfi res. Daugherty and forestry problem for some time. The It will also evaluate new board Chair Tom Imeson, cash fl ow implications were ways for the agency to man- Brown said that as a result of called out by state auditors in age its seasonal borrowing an agency push this summer, 2016. Agency leaders said the needs. it had reconciled all of its bills problem reached crisis pro- The cash fl ow problems, from the 2013 and 2014 fi re portions after back-to-back reported in an Oct. 6 story in season. years of large fi re costs piled The Oregonian, come as the “However,” she wrote, “it is up, and a belated realization agency is facing structural imperative that the remain- that it simply didn’t have fi nancial problems in its state ing accounting backlog be enough staff to deal with the forest program, and a $1.4 cleared expeditiously.” problem. That work involves billion breach of contract The letter said an indepen- digging through boxes of by 14 counties that begins Thursday. Your Family Deserves The e The Forestry Department’s Technology... fi re division is responsible for Value... TV!... fi ghting fi res on private and state land. It also contrib- Add High Speed Internet utes much of the resources needed to fi ght fi res on land owned by the Bureau of Land /mo. 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Treasury Call for your FREE Information Kit! has expressed doubt about Get help paying dental bills and its willingness to lend to the keep more money in your pocket. department in the future. In the meantime, the De- 1-877-599-0125 partment of Administrative www.dental50plus.com/25 Coverage not available in all states. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/certificate of this type. Contact Services has been covering us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, NY; call 1-800-969- 4781 for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN). the agency’s payroll — so far 6209 By Ted Sickinger The Oregonian old shift tickets and lists of equipment used on fi res, reviewing them against cost- sharing agreements, auditing the results and submitting the claims. Baker School District offi cials have disconnected an alarm system at Brooklyn Elementary School after a false alarm Tuesday afternoon at the school, which houses kindergarten through third-grade students. Baker School District 5J offi cials along with offi cials from Alpine Alarm are investigating why the alarm system was activated. “The alarm system at Brooklyn will be disconnected until we have a clear understanding as to how it was activated and we have full confi dence that the system will function as designed,” Superintendent Mark Witty said Tuesday. Around 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, Baker County Dispatch received an alarm at Brooklyn, 1350 Washington Ave., according to a press release from the School District. Offi cers were dispatched from the Baker City Police Department. Baker County Sheriff’s Offi ce and the Oregon State Police also responded to the school. Offi cers searched the school and quickly determined there was not an active threat on campus, according to the press release. Upon learning that the campus was secure, Baker School District offi cials reopened Brook- lyn Elementary School for normal activities. Witty thanked Brooklyn staff and emergency re- sponders. “The professionalism exhibited by our staff and the Emergency Services Team was admirable,” he said. “We are grateful for the collaboration between multiple emergency services agencies and the Baker School District. Each organization brings critical skills that enhance the safety of students and staff.” Offi cer Lance Woodward of the Baker City Police echoed Witty’s sentiments. “I am proud of the way Brooklyn Elementary students, staff and parents handled this stressful situ- ation,” Woodward said. “Students, staff and parents kept their cool and responded exactly as they had been trained, which enabled law enforcement offi cers on scene to effectively complete their tasks and quickly re- turn Brooklyn Elementary to normal school activities.” Brown: Refugees welcome SALEM (AP) — Oregon Gov. 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