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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 2019)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2019 BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A SOLAR POWER L OCAL B RIEFING Continued from Page 1A The Sutton Creek project will cost an es- timated $2.65 million, according to a permit issued by the Baker City-County Building Department. The company paid almost $27,000 in permit fees. The solar array will produce 15 megawatts of power. That’s enough to power approxi- mately 3,000 homes. The Unity project, which should be fi n- ished soon and go online in mid November, will produce about 2.75 megawatts from an array overing about 23 acres. Stevens said about 35 people are working on the Sutton Creek solar farm, including employees from contractor Vale Electric Inc. Crews are also fi nishing a substation near Interstate 84 that will connect the solar farm to Idaho Power Company’s transmission line. Work on the substation started in early July, according to Idaho Power, which is building the substation. Both the solar farm and the substation are on property owned by Hat Brand Land & Community Christmas Tree needed The Baker City Community Development Depart- ment and Baker City Downtown are in search of this year’s 2019 Community Christmas Tree. Candidates must meet the following criteria: • Within 3 miles of Court Plaza (downtown Baker City on Court Avenue between Main and Resort streets) • Maximum height of 40 feet If you would like to submit your tree for consideration contact Robin Nudd at 541-524-2036 or rnudd@baker- city.com by Nov. 1. Retirement party for Judge Greg Baxter S. John Collins / Baker City Herald Douglas Stevens is the construction manager for Enerparc Solar Proj- ects LLC of Oakland, California. Livestock LLC of Baker City. Brent Gyllenberg is Hat Brand’s manager. Enerparc applied in March for a permit to divide Hat Brand’s parcel into two parts. The one where the so- lar panels are being installed is 549.6 acres, and the site for the substation, between I-84 and Old Highway 30, is slightly larger than half an acre. COUNTIES CLAIM STATE HAS FAILED TO MANAGE TIMBER LANDS FOR ‘GREATEST PERMANENT VALUE’ Trial begins in westside counties’ $1.4 billion lawsuit against state ALBANY (AP) — A trial that could shape how Oregon harvests its forest trust lands is underway, with 14 counties and dozens of smaller taxing districts saying they want $1.4 billion because the state has failed to manage them for the “greatest permanent value” as required. The trial began Thursday in Linn County Circuit Court and is expected to last three weeks, the Albany Democrat- Herald reported . The breach-of-contract lawsuit has its origins in the Great Depression, when thou- sands of acres of timberlands were harvested by privately owned companies. The land- owners abandoned the lands to the county after cutting the trees, fi guring it wasn’t worth it to replant and then wait 40 to 60 years to harvest again. But the counties didn’t want the properties, either, and couldn’t afford to refor- est them. Working with the state, the counties turned the timberlands over to the Board of Forestry, with the understanding that the state would replant and share the income with the counties upon harvesting, managing for the “greatest permanent value.” The counties sued nearly four years ago, claiming that the state breached that contract when it enacted new rules since 2001, when it ad- opted a plan that emphasizing the protection of wildlife, clean water and recreation. They say their share of revenues from the state’s six state for- ests, totaling more than 1,000 square miles, has fallen by $35 million per year. “This lawsuit is all about economic development and jobs,” said David Yamamoto, a Tillamook County commis- sioner and chair of the Council of Forest Trust Land Coun- ties. “This deal, this contract, was made many years ago, in the ’30s and ’40s, but unfor- tunately production from our forestlands is not what it could be.” During opening statements before a 14-person jury Friday, state’s attorney Scott Kaplan said the contract between the state and counties has always included consideration of values other than economics, such as clean air, clear water, recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat and erosion control. He said the plaintiffs want to see the lands man- aged like an “industrial tree farm from the Cascades to the Pacifi c.” He said the term “greatest permanent value” refers to the value for the entire state, not just the forest trust counties. “State forest lands are not an ATM for the counties,” Kaplan said. According to Kaplan, the counties have actually seen their annual incomes from state timber harvest increase since 1998, totaling $86 mil- lion in 2019. He said that last year, some 67,000 loads of logs came off state lands. Laid end- to-end, that train of logs would reach from Albany to Salt Lake City, Utah, Kaplan said. State forest payments to counties were about $10 mil- lion in 1987 and $28 million in FROSTY The weather is predicted to moderate, albeit slightly, by Halloween on Thurs- Continued from Page 1A day, with the gradual warming trend Temperatures on Wednesday morning continuing into the weekend. could dip into the single digits in Baker Temperatures during Thursday’s City, according to the National Weather downtown trick-or-treating event, from Service. That would threaten the record 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., are forecast in the mid low of 9 degrees for Oct. 30, set in 2006. to upper 30s — chilly but comfortably 1998, Kaplan said. Most of the forest lands in Oregon — about 30% — are owned by the federal govern- ment, he said, while the state owns less than 3%. In his opening statement, lawyer John DiLorenzo, representing the counties, said the case isn’t about changing the way the state manages the forests, but about the state’s broken promise to the coun- ties. “This case is based on common sense and a sense of fairness,” he said. “For the deal to be amended, it has to be agreed upon by both parties.” The fi rst witness called by the counties, Paul Levesque, a historian of the timber trust lands, testifi ed Friday that production and sale of the timber was understood to be paramount when the deal was made. “It was always clearly a business enterprise,” he said. However the jury decides, the case is likely to be ap- pealed. above record-low levels. The coldest Halloween on record in Baker City was 2006, when the tem- perature plummeted to 2 degrees at the Baker City Airport. However frigid it gets this week it will at least be a dry cold. No precipitation is forecast this week. H EART TO H EART Around 2 in the morning I was awakened by the usual nighttime urge. I groggily stumbled to the bathroom. On my way back towards bed I grabbed a Q-tip from the medicine cabinet, hoping to quell the annoying itch in my right ear. A couple of pokes and twirls seemed to do the trick and shortly thereafter I slipped back into dreamland. My eyes opened about 6 the next morning and I drifted in and out of slumber for a half hour before arising to a new this was nothing new. I have lived my whole life with as- sorted ear problems: vertigo, airplane pressure, carnival ride dizziness, balance issues .. you name it. I attacked the itchy situation with another Q-tip and, satisfi ed, continued on with my day. Around midday my ear thing became unbearable, a relentless rustling tickle inside my right ear? I moved quickly to the bathroom and grabbed another Q-tip, jammed it in as far as I dared gling from the end of the Q-tip by a single web!! Screaming and blathering like an insane person I showed the creepy invader to my wife before stomping the life out of it. They say a spider in the ear is not an uncommon occur- rence — so let’s all pretend I’m OK, no really, ha ha I’m OK… Happy Halloween every- one. Don’t forget the ear plugs. Peace to all. Mike Meyer Baker City Weekly Specials Oct 28 - Nov 3 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Crossroads seeks entries for two art shows Crossroads Carnegie Art Center is inviting all art- ists to submit works for the annual Ornament Expo that opens Nov. 1. Crossroads will accept ornaments throughout the holiday season from Oct. 21 through Dec. 20. All artists who enter the “Ornament Expo” will be given a $10 Crossroads gift certifi cate The yearly exhibition “Christmas at Crossroads-The Gift of Art” opens Dec. 6. Crossroads is looking for fi ne art and fi ne crafts including paintings, clay, fi ber art, glass, wood, metal, mixed media, jewelry, hand-painted signs, scarves, hats, collage, soap, small sculptural pieces, and holiday cards of high quality and locally hand-crafted. Entries can be submitted on Monday, Dec. 2, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For both shows there is no entry fee and all items must be available for sale but a commission (30% for members and 40% nonmembers) will be collected on items sold during the show. Both exhibitions will end Dec. 27 and artists will collect their art that day from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For all of the exhibit information and an entry form, go to www.crossroads-arts.org then, look for “Quick Forms” at the bottom of our home page. Click on “Ornament Expo 2019” and “Christmas at Crossroads — The Gift of Art 2019” to view details and to print the entry form. For questions, call Crossroads at 541-523-5369. St. Francis annual turkey dinner Nov. 3 The annual St. Francis Turkey Dinner is scheduled Sunday, Nov. 3. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children Two meal sessions are scheduled. The fi rst starts at 2 p.m. and a second will begin at 4 p.m. at St. Francis parish hall, 2235 First St. The meal includes roast turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, fruit salad and home- made pumpkin pie with whipped cream Tickets are available from Jody Colton by calling 541- 519-0162 or the parish offi ce at 541-523-4521. RATES RISE Continued from Page 1A A terrifying tale just the light, rolled on to my side day. My ear tickle thingy had and twirled. When I pulled it in time for Halloween and was asleep in short order. become more bothersome but out a spider followed — dan- Any day now the witches, goblins, ghosts and vampires will roam the earth. Hallow- een is fast approaching — an appropriate time for a strange and terrifying tale. This is a true story that happened to me, something I am still trying to fully comprehend. It began one gloomy night just a few months ago… I recall a thick fog and weird chill that particular evening. I was in bed read- ing until about 9:30 or 10. I put aside the book, turned off Judge Gregory L. Baxter will be honored with a pub- lic retirement party on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The event will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Baker County Circuit Courtroom at the Courthouse, 1995 Third St. Baxter announced this summer that Oct. 31 would be his last day on the bench in his current position, end- ing his nearly 19-year career as Baker County Circuit Court judge. Baxter, a 1978 Baker High School graduate, served as Baker County district attorney from March 1992 to 2000, before being elected circuit judge of the 8th Judicial District. He will serve as a senior judge after retirement. Gov. Kate Brown has appointed District Attorney Matt Shirtcliff to fi ll Baxter’s vacancy beginning Nov. 1. Shirtcliff has been district attorney since 2001 and has worked for the district attorney’s offi ce, under Judge Baxter, since 1994. Meatloaf............................................................$8.95 All You Can Eat Spaghetti...................................$8.95 Beef Stroganoff..................................................$8.95 Chicken Fried Steak............................................$9.95 All You Can Eat Mini Shrimp...............................$9.95 Steak & Shrimp................................................$10.95 Pan Fried Oysters ............................................$10.50 Prime Rib ........................................................$14.95 Breaded Pork Loin.................................$9.50/8.95 sr BUFFETS Monday - Friday 11 AM - 2 PM Lunch includes Salad Bar, Entree, Grilled Bread, Baked Bean & Vegetable 221 Bridge Street • 541-523-5844 Open Daily 6 AM - 8 PM Sunday 8 AM - 11 AM Sunday Buffet includes Chocolate Fountain In part, rates will increase because the cost of natural gas supply spiked over the last year due to a pipeline explosion last winter, which impacted regional gas sup- ply and caused prices to increase, according to a press release from the PUC. Avista’s increase, as of Nov. 1, will be 15.2% for resi- dential customers. NW Natural’s increase for residential customers is 4.4%. Over the past decade, natural gas rates have declined most years, with the exception of 2013 and 2014, accord- ing to the PUC. Mobile Service Outstanding Computer Repair Any issue $40 fl at rate Call or Text 24/7 Dale Bogardus 541-297-5831 If your computer is scary and slow to boot give me a call and I will save you some loot! www.outstandingcomputerrepair.com Refurbished Desktop & Laptops For Sale House calls (let me come to you!) Drop Offs & Remote Services are Available All credit cards accepted