FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
What’s New
At The Library
• 2400 Resort St.
FICTION
• “Blue Moon,” Lee
Child
• “The legend of
Perley Gates,” William W.
Johnstone
• “More Than Meets
the Eye,” Karen Wite-
meyer
• “Noumenon,” Ma-
rina J. Lostetter
• “An Elderly Lady is
Up to No Good,” Helene
Tursten
NONFICTION
• “Alone Together,”
Sherry Turkle
• “Mindfulness for All,”
Jon Kabat-Zinn
• “Guilty by Reason of
Insanity,” David Lim-
baugh
• “The Civil War Reen-
actors’ Encyclopedia,”
William C. Davis
• “Grunt,” Antonio
Arques
DVDS
• “Anna” (Action)
• “Art of Self-Defense”
(Comedy)
• “Little Woods”
(Drama)
• “Marie Curie: The
Courage of Knowledge”
(Drama)
• “Retribution” (Hor-
ror/Foreign)
BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A
LOCAL & STATE
DIRECTOR
Continued from Page 1A
Koopman stepped down
this fall after four years to
accept a job at Southwestern
Oregon Community College
in Coos Bay.
Howarth grew up in Baker
City, but his family has spent
the past four years in Boise.
That journey started when
Howarth joined the Oregon
National Guard in 2010 and
began work as a chaplain in
2012 assigned in La Grande.
He worked as a family service
chaplain with Joint Force
Headquarters in Salem from
July 2012 to April 2013.
His Air Force career began
that year working as chaplain
of the 124th Fighter Wing at
Boise. Since 2015, Howarth
has been employed full time
as a wing chaplain in the
Idaho Air National Guard in
Boise. He was promoted to the
rank of captain in April 2018.
He and his wife, Allyson,
had always hoped to return
to Baker City and when the
BMCC job opened up, How-
arth said he decided to apply
and hope for the best.
“I’ve always kind of kept my
fi nger on the pulse of what’s
going on in Baker,” Howarth
said. “I knew Dan (Koopman)
and Peggy (Hudson, who held
the position before Koopman).
“I thought, man, that
would be a fun position and
an impactful one as well,” he
said in a telephone interview
Thursday.
Howarth’s annual salary is
$60,000.
Howarth said he is eager to
become part of BMCC, where
he continued his studies after
high school.
From there, he earned a
bachelor’s degree in business
administration from Corban
College at Salem. He next
studied at Liberty University
in Lynchburg, Virginia, where
he earned master’s degrees in
religion, religious education
and human service, along with
a Master of Divinity degree.
Howarth earned a Master
of Arts degree in Christian
counseling from Amberton
University at Garland, Texas,
and a Doctorate of Ministry
in military chaplaincy from
Piedmont International
University at Winston-Salem,
North Carolina.
Howarth also has attended
multiple chaplain leadership
courses and received offi cer
training through his military
career.
As part of his military ser-
vice, Howarth was deployed
for six months to an undis-
closed location at Al Dhafra in
the United Arab Emirates.
His other work experience
includes teaching at Harvest
Christian Academy in Baker
City from 2006-2010 where
he volunteered as a youth
leader at Harvest Church for
a couple of years.
He also served as the
regional Early Assessment
Support Alliance (EASA)
coordinator for the Center for
Human Development in La
Grande, serving fi ve Eastern
Oregon counties, and also had
worked as a mental health
counselor for New Directions
Northwest in Baker City.
“I’m looking forward to the
opportunity to get back in the
community and really see
how education can help out
and transform lives and make
Baker and Union counties
better,” he said.
The Howarths have two
children. Their son, Jonathon,
18, is in training with the
Idaho Air National Guard.
Their daughter, Ellyanna, 17,
is following in the footsteps
of her parents, her aunt and
uncle and her brother, by par-
ticipating in the Youth With a
Mission (YWAM) program at
Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Howarth said he was in
a good position to remain in
Boise to fi nish out his military
career, but the tug toward
Baker City was pulling him.
His mother and stepfather,
Billie and Bill McClure, live
in the community, along with
his sister and her husband,
Joyclynn and Ben Potter.
But as a chaplain, Howarth
says he just couldn’t overlook
the spiritual aspect of the
situation.
“Is this opportunity kind of
something God has put in my
path?” he had to wonder, even
though the timing wasn’t
exactly what he and his wife
had planned.
And then they decided.
“This is a unique opportu-
nity for me and it may never
happen again,” he said. “Why
not do it now.”
Continued from Page 1A
FINDLEY
Continued from Page 1A
“I believe I am the right
person to continue Senator
Bentz’s work in the Senate,”
said Findley, who has been a
member of the state House of
Representatives since Janu-
ary 2018. “I would hit the
ground running. There would
be no learning curve to speak
of, which I think gives me a
pretty good advantage.”
Findley’s announcement
is the latest in a series of
legislative maneuvers — a
domino effect, basically —
that started Monday when
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden said
he would not seek a 12th
term in Congress represent-
ing Oregon’s 2nd Congres-
sional District. That district
includes all of Oregon east
of the Cascades, as well as
Jackson County and part
of Josephine County in the
state’s southwest corner.
Findley said Walden’s an-
nouncement that he would
retire when his two-year term
ends in early 2021 was “a
shocker.”
“I think Greg Walden is an
incredible legislator and a
great guy,” Findley said.
Walden’s announcement
prompted Bentz to declare his
candidacy for Walden’s seat in
Congress.
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.
St. Francis annual turkey dinner Sunday
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.
OTEC accepting scholarship applications
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative is accepting appli-
cations for a variety of scholarships — academic, trade
school, lineman college, Washington, D.C., Youth Tour
and Idaho Youth Rally.
College, trade school and lineman school
There are 22 scholarships, for $5,000 each, for gradu-
ating high school and returning college students.
Four other scholarships are for the new OTEC-EOU
Rural Scholarship Program, a partnership between
OTEC and Eastern Oregon University in La Grande.
Four local EOU freshman will have their entire tuition
and fees paid if they commit to attend and graduate
from EOU.
Scholarship deadline is Jan. 31, 2020.
OTEC will also award two $5,000 scholarship for
people attending lineman college, and four $2,500 trade
school scholarships. Applications for these programs are
accepted year-round.
Washington, D.C., Youth Tour
High school juniors can apply for a chance to win a
one-week trip to the nation’s capital June 18-25, 2020.
Four students will visit historic sites and civic monu-
ments, learn about electric cooperatives and have a
chance to meet members of Oregon’s congressional
delegation.
Application deadline is Jan. 24, 2020.
MYSTERY
Barrow moved to Baker
City in 2004 and found the
free couch outside the Rachel
Pregnancy Center.
He ended up keeping it for a
while as he worked to restore
the historic home he bought
and is currently trying to sell.
Around six months ago,
while cleaning out his house,
he thought he had better
check the couch to see if there
was any loose change between
the cushions.
That was when he found
the negative deep in the back
of the couch.
“I was very surprised to
fi nd a photo negative and who
knows how long it’s has been
in there,” Barrow said.
The gold-colored couch
is estimated to be from the
1960s, and it might have been
donated to the Rachel Preg-
nancy Center.
Barrow plans to reach out
to the center to see if anyone
remembers who the couch
previously belonged to.
“It’d be really cool if we
could fi nd out where these
L OCAL B RIEFING
Idaho Youth Rally
High school sophomores can apply to attend the an-
nual Idaho Youth Rally, a leadership camp set for July
6-11 at Caldwell. Applications are due by March 1, 2020.
More information about the programs, including
applications and criteria, is available online at scholar-
ships.otec.coop
Ring Praise concert Nov. 9 at Presbyterian
A print made from the fi lm negative that Bryan Barrow found in an old couch shows a
baby on a blanket. Barrow hopes to fi nd someone who can identify the baby.
a hand, at the left, seemingly
there in case the child starts to
topple over.
The background shows a
forest
of what appear to be
— Bryan Barrow
ponderosa pine trees.
If anyone recognizes the
people are and we could give
ing a hat similar to a beret.
baby in the photo, they can
them a family photo that
The baby must have only
contact the Baker City Herald
maybe they lost back then,”
recently been able to sit up,
offi ce at 541-523-3673 or reach
Barrow said.
and even then with assistance out to Barrow at 541-523-2272
The image shows a baby
— the baby is propped against or at rockhopperadventures@
sitting on a blanket, and wear- a pillow and the image shows gmail.com
“It’d be really cool if we could fi nd out where these
people are and we could give them a family photo
that maybe they lost back then.”
“I believe I am the right
person to continue
Senator Bentz’s work in
the Senate.”
— State Rep. Lynn Findley
Because Oregon law
doesn’t allow candidates to
run for the state legislature
and for Congress at the same
time, Bentz’s decision will
create a vacancy for Senate
District 30.
And that’s the vacancy
Findley, a retired BLM fi re
manager and city manager of
Vale, where he grew up, hopes
to fi ll.
The situation is similar to
what prevailed in January
2018.
When Ted Ferrioli, the
Republican who represented
Senate District 30, was ap-
pointed to the Northwest
Power and Conservation
Council, commissioners from
the nine counties in District
30 picked Bentz, then a state
representative, as Ferrioli’s
replacement.
Bentz’s appointment in
turn left his House seat open,
and Findley was picked to
replace Bentz.
Findley was then elected to
a two-year term in November
2018, running unopposed.
Findley said he respects
Bentz’s decision to run for
Congress, and he believes his
fellow Malheur County resi-
dent is “very well-suited” to
representing the 2nd District
in Washington, D.C.
Findley said he believes it’s
important that the legislator
representing Senate District
30 should live in “far Eastern
Oregon.”
The District includes all
of Baker, Gilliam, Grant,
Harney, Jefferson, Malheur,
Sherman, Wasco and Wheeler
counties, and parts of Clacka-
mas, Deschutes and Marion
counties.
Findley said that during
his nearly two years as a
state lawmaker he’s seen
that some of his colleagues
in Salem don’t have a keen
understanding of how laws
and regulations can affect
Eastern Oregon.
He contends his experience,
both as a resident of this part
of the state and more recently
as a legislator, makes him the
“best fi t” to represent Senate
District 30 and advocate for
the area’s interests.
“A decision that makes
perfect sense in the northern
Willamette Valley might
make no sense at all in East-
ern Oregon,” Findley said.
Findley’s committee as-
signments in the Legislature
include vice chair of the
House Committee on Rev-
enue, co-vice chair of the Joint
Committee on Transporta-
tion, and a member of the
House Committee on Energy
and Environment, House
Committee on Veterans &
Emergency Preparedness.
He’s also an appointee to the
Governor’s Wildfi re Response
Council.
Although Findley had
already fi led as a candidate
for House District 60, he will
have to withdraw his can-
didacy and refi le for Senate
District 30.
A concert including bronze handbells and piano is set
for Saturday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian
Church, 1995 Fourth St. in Baker City.
The Ring Praise concert is woven with hymn history
and scripture.
Phyllis Tincher, handbell soloist, and Sean Rogers,
pianist, will perform a variety of songs focusing on prais-
ing God. Through hymns, contemporary praise songs
and refl ective pieces, they tell the saving story of Jesus
Christ. In addition to accompanying, Sean will also play
a few piano solos. Phyllis rings 3 octaves of Schulmerich
handbells and mixes in 2 octaves of handchimes. During
the concert the audience will have an opportunity to
ring handchimes as everyone sings. No music experi-
ence is needed.
There is no charge for the concert. It is sponsored by
a grant from the Presbytery of Eastern Oregon. More
information on Ring Praise Music Ministry, a nonprofi t,
is available at RingPraiseMinistry.org.
Soroptimist Christmas Party set for Nov. 22
The annual Soroptimist Club of Baker County Christ-
mas Party, with the theme “Life’s A Beach,” is set for Fri-
day, Nov. 22 at the Baker Elks Lodge, 1896 Second St.
Doors open at 4:30 p.m. with a prime rib dinner start-
ing at 6 p.m. There will be live and silent auctions, along
with a raffl e of a standup paddleboard. The fundraising
event makes possible the club’s scholarships, Innovate-
HER grant and a variety of other projects.
Tickets are $30 and are available at Gregg Hinrich-
sen State Farm, 1722 Campbell St., The Grove Team,
845 Campbell St., or from any Soroptimist member.
Beach attire is encouraged.
— To contribute, email to news@bakercityherald.com
“Youʼll love the work we do. I guarantee it.” - JR
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