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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 2019)
BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019 S. John Collins / Baker City Herald Jamie Kassien says that although he appreciates the handles on grocery bags, he’s prepared for the state- wide law that bans stores from providing these bags to customers starting Jan. 1. L OCAL B RIEFING Prime rib lunch Dec. 27 at Senior Center The Senior Center will be serving a special prime rib luncheon on Friday, Dec. 27. The meal, sponsored by Paul Bennett, will be served at the regular lunchtime of 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., but the suggested donation will be increased and tick- ets must be purchased in advance. Seniors will be asked to make a suggested dona- tion of $8 each and the cost for nonseniors will be $10. Tickets must be purchased from the offi ce because of limited availability, a fl ier advertising the special meal states. The luncheon will include prime rib, baked potatoes, green beans, a roll, green salad and carrot cake. The center and bus service will be closed for the holidays on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and on Christmas Day (Dec. 25). More information is available by calling Community Connection at 541-523-6591. Democrats plan holiday party Dec. 19 The Baker County Democrats will not be having their monthly meeting at Rogers Fellowship Hall as usual. They will instead be having a holiday party at the home of treasurer Ramon Lara. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19. Those planning to attend are asked to call Peter Hall at 541-519-7274. Submitted photo A sign at the Safeway store in Baker City reminds cus- tomers about the impending ban on certain bags. Bazaar supports Upward Sports program A Last Chance Bazaar that supports the Upward Sports Program is set for Dec. 20 and 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days, in the Family Life Center at the Baker City Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane. Lunch options will be provided by the Upward Sports Program. BAG BAN Jamie said. A few minutes after the Continued from Page 1A Kassiens left Albertsons, Matt Kassien said he likes the and Brenda Reidy walked out single-use bags mainly be- with their groceries tucked cause they have handles. into reusable fabric bags. With a chuckle, he admits Matt Reidy said they have that he’s stubborn about been using those contain- trying to make only one trip ers for at least fi ve years, so from his truck to his house the upcoming plastic bag with groceries, regardless of ban won’t have any effect on how much merchandise he them. has. The bags’ handles make He said he supports the it possible to carry several new law. bags in each hand. “I’m all for it,” he said. “We “I will cut off circulation in don’t need to add any more my hands to do so,” he said, plastic into the landfi lls. We smiling. have all these one-time-use Kassien and his husband, plastics.” David, have another per- The Reidys said the fabric spective on the upcoming sacks, which have handles bag ban because they own a and in some cases a rigid fl oor restaurant, D&J Taco Shop for stability, work well. in Baker City, that’s also af- “We’ve worn some out,” fected. Brenda Reidy said with a David said that although smile. he understands the purpose Many businesses have put behind the law — reduc- up signs alerting customers ing the amount of plastic in to the Jan. 1 effective date of landfi lls and the environment the law. — he is concerned about the Marilyn Logsdon, who with fi nancial burden on small her husband, Kevin, owns businesses that have to fi nd York’s Park Grocery in Baker other types of sacks. City, said she doesn’t consider The law’s provisions are the soon-to-be-banned bags somewhat different for single-use, as they’re de- restaurants, as they can pro- scribed in the law. vide reusable paper bags to Marilyn Logsdon said customers for no cost, unlike customers have told her they grocery stores and other busi- use the bags for garbage and nesses that have to charge at other purposes. least a nickel per bag. She said most customers The problem for their prefer the plastic bags, and restaurant, Jamie said, is very few ask to have their that the paper bags available purchases tucked into paper aren’t big enough to accom- sacks. modate take-out meals from Logsdon said the paper their restaurant. sacks in stock now at York’s He hopes to fi nd larger aren’t large enough to ac- paper bags that also have commodate some customers’ handles. orders, nor do they have Jamie said he and David handles. have been alerting their The single-use bags are customers about the pending popular in part because they change. do have handles, she said. “Most were fi ne with it,” “A lot of our customers PLAYGROUND Applicants sought for City Council walk, and that’s why they like the plastic bags,” Logsdon said. Logsdon said that although she understands the envi- ronmental concerns about single-use bags, the new law will increase costs for her business as they buy differ- ent types of paper sacks. And they’ll have to pass on those costs to customers, she said, including the law’s require- ment that retailers charge customers at least 5 cents for each reusable bag, whether it’s plastic, paper or fabric. The law does include a few exceptions to that require- ment. Grocery stores and other retail businesses can provide reusable plastic or recycled paper bags to customers, for no cost, to customers who use food stamps or who have a voucher through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. Businesses can also offer reusable fabric bags to cus- tomers for free as a promotion on up to 12 days per calendar year. Jim Bjork, manager at D&B Supply in Baker City, said the business has received paper bags from its corporate offi ce, and will send its supplies of single-use bags to stores in Idaho, where they still continue to be legal after Jan. 1. “We’ve been verbally having conversations with customers, warning them levels — gold, silver and bronze — and range from swing seats for children at $975, to a Continued from Page 1A 53-foot-long zip track with an adaptive seat The city will take delivery by Dec. 31. for $11,230. Bornstedt said she placed the order before the The city received $164,000 from the Oregon company updated its price schedule on Dec. Parks and Recreation Department, $37,740 11. from the Moda Assist online voting contest “We wanted to make sure we got our order last spring, $25,000 from the Leo Adler placed before the prices went up,” she said. Foundation and $20,000 from the Sunderland Although the city has received several Foundation. grants and donations for the project, totaling Other contributions include: $285,461, the city is still trying to raise money • $1,230 from a Facebook birthday party for the estimated $299,000 effort, including a fundraiser by Karla Macy, whose son, Gus, couple of pending grants. has spina bifi da and will benefi t from the new “Even with the pending grant opportuni- all-inclusive playground. ties, we’re still sitting about $10,000 short, • $10,000 from the city budget so we’re still raising money and we’re very • $2,000 from the Sunridge Inn confi dent that we’ll get there one way or the • $2,000 from the Super 8 motel other,” Bornstedt said. • $1,000 from Motel 6 She said city offi cials have spoken to a • $416 from a fundraiser at the Sunridge couple of local service clubs and will be talk- Inn during the Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally ing to others about sponsorship opportunities. • $363 from an Albertsons fundraiser “That’s available to anybody who wants to • $238 from a fundraiser by Brian and Cor- sponsor a piece of equipment or make any rine Vegter, owners of Churchill School type of donation to the project,” Bornstedt Bornstedt said the city will arrange a said. dedication for the new playground, which she Sponsorship opportunities are in three hopes will be open by Memorial Day weekend. that starting January 1st, if they want a bag it’s going to cost them (5 cents),” Bjork said. “They know it’s a state law. It’s awkward but they’re good with it.” He said D&B Supply will also have reusable cloth bags, with the company’s logo, for sale “that we’re hoping some of our customers will take advantage of.” Baker City residents interested in serving on the City Council have until 4 p.m. on Jan. 6 to submit an application. To be eligible, applicants must be regis- tered to vote in Oregon, and have lived within the Baker City limits for at least 12 months prior to being ap- pointed. The vacancy on the seven-member City Council results from Councilor Ken Gross resigning at the end of this month due to his job being moved. The remain- ing six councilors plan to meet with applicants during a work session on Jan. 8, and then to appoint Gross’ re- placement on Jan. 14. To apply, go to www.bakercity.com and download the City Councilor application. Submit the application and a letter of interest to Katie LaFavor at City Hall, 1655 First St. The person appointed will serve through December 2020, and would be eligible to run for a four-year term in November 2020.
