Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2020)
2A — BAKER CITY HERALD TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020 B AKER C OUNTY C ALENDAR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 ■ Baker County Board of Commissioners: 9 a.m.; Commission meetings will be streamed live. A link will be available on the county’s website, www.bakercounty.org THURSDAY, APRIL 23 ■ Baker School Board: 6 p.m.; details of how the public will access the meeting will be announced later. TUESDAY, APRIL 28 ■ Baker City Council: 7 p.m., City Hall; details of how the public will access the meeting will be announced later. T URNING B ACK THE P AGES 50 YEARS AGO from the Democrat-Herald April 21, 1970 An alternate access route from the Highway I-80N inter- change into the city of Baker was proposed Monday night by City Manager Vern Jacobson at a special meeting of the city council. Jacobson said the city had heard nothing but opposition to its plan to widen Campbell Street east of Main Street. 25 YEARS AGO from the Baker City Herald April 21, 1995 A Baker City rancher believes a pack of domestic dogs killed one of his Angus calves late Tuesday or early Wednes- day in a pasture south of Campbell Street and just west of 21st Street. 10 YEARS AGO from the Baker City Herald April 21, 2010 The recycling business has gotten a lot more colorful the past year or so. More megabytes, too. Since Oregon’s “E-Cycles” program started on Jan. 2, 2009, Baker Sanitary Service has added TV sets, computers and monitors to its traditional list of lower-tech recyclables such as corrugated cardboard, milk jugs and magazines. The Baker City company has collected about 20 tons of discarded electronic devices during the past 16 months. ONE YEAR AGO from the Baker City Herald April 22, 2019 Baker Sanitary Service is asking the Baker City Council to approve the company’s fi rst general rate increase for garbage collection in 12 years. Councilors will discuss the request, but are not slated to make any decisions, during their regular meeting Tuesday at City Hall, 1655 First St. The evening starts with a work session at 6 p.m., during which councilors will talk about efforts to reduce the fi re danger in the city’s watershed. That will be followed by an executive session (closed to the public) at 6:45 p.m., fol- lowed by the regular public meeting at 7 p.m. Baker Sanitary is requesting a residential rate hike from $16 per month to $19 for homes with a single roll cart emptied weekly. That’s an 18.75% increase, and it would be the fi rst such increase since 2007. The yellow bag option for customers who generate little waste would remain at $7 per month. O REGON L OTTERY MEGABUCKS, April 18 8 — 11 — 15 — 17 — 31 — 45 Next jackpot: $3.2 million POWERBALL, April 18 4 — 44 — 46 — 56 — 63 PB 19 Next jackpot: $29 million MEGA MILLIONS, April 17 13 — 35 — 39 — 46 — 55 Mega 14 Next jackpot: $164 million WIN FOR LIFE, April 18 35 — 53 — 73 — 77 PICK 4, April 19 • 1 p.m.: 1 — 4 — 0 — 6 • 4 p.m.: 6 — 4 — 8 — 8 • 7 p.m.: 9 — 1 — 7 — 4 • 10 p.m.: 0 — 5 — 5 — 1 LUCKY LINES, April 19 4-7-12-14-19-22-27-32 Next jackpot: $33,000 S ENIOR M ENUS ■ WEDNESDAY (April 22): Chicken-fried chicken, potatoes and gravy, broccoli-blend vegetables, rolls, cottage cheese with fruit, cinnamon rolls ■ THURSDAY (April 23): Barbecued pork ribs, au gratin potatoes, green beans, rolls, pea-and-onion salad, lemon bars ■ FRIDAY (April 24): Cheeseburgers with trimmings, potato wedges, corn, fruit cup, tapioca ■ MONDAY (April 27): Chicken ala King over a biscuit, peas, fruit, brownies ■ TUESDAY (April 28): Meat lasagna, caulifl ower, garlic breadsticks, green salad, ice cream Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St., 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; $4.50 donation (60 and older), $6.75 for those under 60. Due to the coronavirus crisis, meals must be picked up; there is no dining on site. Dozens gather at state Capitol to protest virus restrictions SALEM (AP) — Dozens of people protesting Oregon’s stay-at-home order drove around the state Capitol on Friday, horns blaring, and a lawmaker asked the governor to ease restrictions for medical procedures for non-coronavirus patients. The protest at the Capitol in Salem was one of several hap- pening across the country this week as conservatives push back against virus-related restrictions meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus. State Rep. Cheri Helt, a moderate Republican from Bend, credited Gov. Brown for imposing the stay-at-home order and social distancing. But she said in a letter it’s time to “slowly and carefully begin lifting regulations that have essentially shut down access to health care and medical procedures in Central Oregon for anything unrelated to COVID-19.” Helt noted that the order has affected the health care industry and patients who must wait for procedures. Some hospitals in Oregon have seen revenue decline as much as 60% in a month, said Becky Hultberg, CEO of the Oregon Association of Hospi- tals and Health Systems. Organizers said the Salem rally was aimed at getting their constitutional rights back and getting Oregonians back to work, KEZI-TV reported. Brown issued an order for Oregonians to stay home start- ing March 23 and banned non- essential gatherings and travel after crowds descended on the state’s beach towns and hiking trails the previous weekend. Brown said on April 14 that she won’t reopen Oregon’s economy or ease restrictions until she sees a declining rate of active virus cases and public health data suggesting a return to normalcy is safe. Also on Friday, Brown signed an executive order to prevent creditors or debt col- lectors from garnishing federal coronavirus aid bill payments. “Many Oregonians, through no fault of their own, are strug- gling to pay their bills, their rent, or even buy essentials like groceries and prescrip- tion drugs,” Brown said in a news release. “These recovery checks were meant to pro- vide relief, not reward debt collection agencies for preying on Oregonians who have lost their livelihoods due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” REOPEN conference the governor said her decision on easing the executive order would depend on several conditions, includ- ing slowing the growth of new COVID-19 cases, having capacity at the local hospital to handle a possible surge in virus cases, increases in testing capacity and supplies of personal protective equip- ment, creating a system for tracking people who might have been exposed to the virus, and ensuring effective ways to quarantine people who have tested positive. During a Saturday inter- view with Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Dave Miller, the governor said the gradual reopening of businesses she mentioned during her April 14 press conference could be done “county by county.” “My top priority right now is to protect the health and safety of Oregonians,” Brown told Miller. “But we also have to balance that, at some level, with people’s livelihoods.” Bennett said he hopes the governor will give counties more details about minimum standards they would need to meet to possibly qualify for reduced restrictions, including reopening of some businesses. According to the frame- work the governor’s offi ce released on Thursday, restric- tions wouldn’t be eased in a county without a recom- mendation letter from the county’s public health offi cer, a letter from the CEO of the hospital listing the inventory of personal protective equip- ment and hospital bed capac- ity, and a vote of the county commissioners certifying the hospital capacity and protec- tive equipment inventory. That said, Bennett is confi dent that the county will put together a compre- hensive proposal that makes a compelling case for why restrictions that might still be appropriate in the more popu- lated counties west of the Cascades is no longer war- ranted in some rural areas east of the mountains. “I think we’re going to have a good plan,” Bennett said. The county’s situation — no confi rmed cases, but a testing rate that’s below both the state and national aver- ages — is a potential obstacle in persuading the governor, he acknowledged. But Bennett believes it’s an obstacle the county can clear. “We do need more test- ing — we’re fl ying somewhat blind in this area,” he said. As of Monday the county reported testing 61 residents — 51 tests were negative, and the results from 10 oth- ers were pending. That’s a rate of about 3.6 tests per 1,000 county residents. Oregon’s average is about 8.6 tests per 1,000 residents, and the national average 10.46 per 1,000. But Bennett notes that the county’s relatively low number of tests also refl ects, in part, that few people with symptoms severe enough to meet the Centers for Dis- ease Control and Prevention threshold for testing have been evaluated at Saint Al- phonsus Medical Center and St. Luke’s Eastern Oregon Medical Associates in Baker City. Bennett acknowledged that “there are people out there that are probably in- fected but asymptomatic.” “That’s why we have to encourage people to shelter in place and practice social distancing,” he said. That will be a major component of the county’s proposal to the governor, Ben- nett said — and specifi cally how social distancing could be maintained in restaurants and bars were they allowed to reopen their dining rooms rather than be limited, as they have been since March 17, to takeout and delivery options. “The food industry will be our toughest one,” Bennett said. Findley and Owens, in their letter to the governor suggesting a pilot project in Harney County, wrote that restaurants and bars could potentially comply with social distancing guidelines by al- lowing customers only in al- ternating booths and tables, and sanitizing tables and chairs after each customer. The legislators also sug- gested that beauty shops and barbers could comply by limiting the number of cus- tomers in the business at one time, and by using sanitizers, masks and gloves. Bennett said outdoor seat- ing at restaurants is another option that could make it easier for customers to main- tain social distancing. He’s optimistic about the progress Baker County has made toward other goals that Brown cited during her April 14 press conference. St. Alphonsus Medical Cen- ter has boosted its capacity to 74 beds, almost three times as many as its usual capacity, Bennett said. Continued from Page 1A The other counties whose commissioners signed the April 13 letter are Deschutes, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Union, Wal- lowa and Wasco. The letter, on the stationery of the Eastern Oregon Counties Association, suggested a target date of May 1 for reopening busi- nesses. State Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, and state Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane, sent a letter Friday to the governor asking her to consider a pilot project in Harney County that would allow businesses there to reopen. Harney County com- missioners sent a separate letter to the governor on April 14 asking that restrictions be “eased slowly in Harney County by May 1,” according to Findley and Owens’ letter. Bennett said Findley and Owens, who also represent Baker County in the Oregon Legislature, have offered to support Baker County’s case for easing some of the restric- tions from the governor’s March 17 executive order. Like Harney County, Baker County has yet to have a con- fi rmed case of the virus. Three other counties don’t have a confi rmed case — Lake, Wheeler and Gilliam. Bennett said he had a phone conference scheduled Monday afternoon with the governor’s offi ce during which he hoped to get a list of spe- cifi c tasks the county would need to accomplish to allevi- ate Brown’s concerns that reopening businesses could lead to a surge in infections. During her April 14 press O BITUARY Charlie Robison that he joined hunting. He also took great Hills; his grandchildren, the Army. Char- joy in gardening, making John and Chase Lang; and Charles “Charlie” Robison, lie spent his arrowheads and mining sun- his great-grandson, Hudson 80, of Baker City, died April working career stone. He loved coaching his Lang. 16, 2020, surrounded by his in the construc- grandsons for Little League Charlie was preceded in family. tion business as and football. death by his wife, Jaqueline Per his request there will be a carpenter. Charlie Charlie is survived by Robison. Robison no funeral. Charlie his son, Frank Robison; his Online condolences can be Charlie was born on Feb. enjoyed the out- daughters, Jill and Anna made at www.tamispinevalley 27, 1940, to Charles and Ethel doors, fi shing, rifl e and bow Robison; his sister, Geraldine funeralhome.com Robison. He was raised and Qgmdddgn]l`]ogjco]\g&A_mYjYfl]]al&%BJ educated in Coquille. 1963 was a signifi cant year in Charlie’s life. It was the year that he married Jaque- line Troyer, and also the year Baker City, 1940-2020 225 H Street • East of I-84 • 541-523-3200 • grumpysrepair.com C ONTACT THE H ERALD 1668 Resort St. Open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Telephone: 541-523-3673 Copyright © 2020 Fax: 541-833-6414 Regional publisher Christopher Rush crush@eomediagroup.com Publisher Karrine Brogoitti kbrogoitti@lagrandeobserver. com Jayson Jacoby, editor jjacoby@bakercityherald.com Advertising email ads@bakercityherald.com Classifi ed email classified@bakercityherald.com Circulation email circ@bakercityherald.com ISSN-8756-6419 Serving Baker County since 1870 Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays except Christmas Day by the Baker Publishing Co., a part of EO Media Group, at 1668 Resort St. (P.O. Box 807), Baker City, OR 97814. Subscription rates per month are: Baker City (97814), $10.80; all others, $12.50. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Baker City Herald, P.O. Box 807, Baker City, OR 97814. Periodicals Postage Paid at Pendleton, Oregon 97801 N EWS OF R ECORD POLICE LOG Baker City Police Arrests, citations VIOLATION OF RELEASE AGREEMENT: Zachary Ryan Smith, 24, of Baker City, 11:18 a.m. Sunday, in the 3000 Block of 10th Street; jailed. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLU- ENCE OF INTOXICANTS and PROBATION VIOLATION (Baker County Circuit Court warrant): Rhonda Jean Page, 48, of Haines, 9:18 p.m. Sunday, at 10th and H streets; cited and released. !"#$$%&'((#()% '(*'++,&"-.% /#(.,0*%12% /-3$$%4-$+%5,'% !"#$%&'($)$'!*& $++,-+%65%#(*"7$$#()% /#(.,0*%89: ;,<+'"-&%(,"% &'((#()%7*%=7*"%7*% 04-(%#"%07*%(-02%% >-"%'*%#(*"7$$% *$./)0$0.12!+)& *,$#.%*"7"-%.&#?-:
