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Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityherald.com
June 13, 2020
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Oregon, 3A
Gov. Kate Brown on
Thursday evening issued
a one-week pause in
the schedule to reopen
counties closed for weeks
because of the pandemic
quarantine. Multnomah
County was scheduled to
go into Phase 1 of reopen-
ing on Friday.
Local • Health & Fitness • Outdoors • TV
$1.50
Court overrules judge
■ Oregon Supreme Court orders Baker County Circuit Court Judge Matt Shirtcliff to vacate his May 18
decision — later blocked — finding that the governor’s coronavirus restrictions exceeded her authority
By Jayson Jacoby
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Shirtcliff
The Oregon Supreme Court
concluded that Baker County
Circuit Court Judge Matt
Shirtcliff erred in his May 18
ruling that Gov. Kate Brown
exceeded her legal authority
in restricting businesses and
social gatherings during the
coronavirus pandemic.
The state’s highest court on
Friday issued a ruling ordering
Shirtcliff to vacate his decision
granting a preliminary injunc-
tion to a group of plaintiffs,
including Elkhorn Baptist
Church in Baker City, who
sued the governor May 6.
The Supreme Court issued a
temporary stay on Shirtcliff’s
ruling later on the day he made
that decision, so the governor’s
executive orders, which limit
business activity and the size
of public gatherings, among
other things, have remained in
BRIEFING
All-Abilities Playground At Geiser-Pollman Park
Red Cross blood
drive set Monday
in Baker City
The American Red Cross
has scheduled a blood
drive for Monday, June 15,
at the Baker City Nazarene
Church, 1250 Hughes Lane,
from noon to 6 p.m. Please
call Myrna Evans at 541-
523-5368 to make, cancel,
or reschedule an appoint-
ment.
Donors should expect
safety measures to protect
them and volunteers from
COVID-19 such as social
distancing, temperature
screenings and face masks.
Donors will also be asked
to wear face masks. Guests
will not be allowed to
attend if they are not also
donating. Donors can save
time by going to redcross-
blood.org/rapidpass to fi ll
out a questionnaire.
effect over the past few weeks
pending the Supreme Court’s
ruling.
The lawsuit itself can con-
tinue, as the Supreme Court’s
ruling was limited to Shirt-
cliff’s granting of a preliminary
injunction.
See Overrule/Page 6A
Library sets
Monday for
limited
reopening
By Jayson Jacoby
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
The Baker County Library tentatively
plans to reopen, with limitations, on
Monday, June 15.
Patrons will be encouraged to limit
the length of their visit, and no more
than 30 people will be allowed at a time.
See Library/Page 2A
Today
Churches
welcoming
worshippers
57 / 40
By Sam Anthony
WEATHER
santhony@bakercityherald.com
Showers and storms
Sunday
63 / 42
Morning showers
Monday
62 / 41
Rain likely
Full forecast on the
back of the B section.
Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald
The space below is for
a postage label for issues
that are mailed.
Pablo Santillan, owner of A West Pacifi c Contractors of Salem, installs surfacing at the new
all-abilities playground at Geiser-Pollman Park.
With Baker County in phase 2 of
the state’s reopening plan, some local
churches are welcoming back their
congregations after relying on alterna-
tives such as online sermons during the
coronavirus pandemic.
Phase 2, which Baker County started
on June 6, allows for indoor gatherings
of up to 50 people, but some facilities,
such as churches and movie theaters,
can have up to 250 people if the venue is
large enough to ensure social distancing.
Calvary Baptist Church in Baker City
has continued in-person services during
the pandemic by dividing the congrega-
tion and having two separate services.
See Churches/Page 3A
Playground
Progressing
city’s technical administrative
supervisor whose duties include
The fi nishing touches are un- overseeing city parks.
derway on the new all-abilities
The city received several
playground at Geiser-Pollman
grants and donations to help pay
Park.
for the approximately $300,000
“The playground was designed project, the largest being a
for children that either have lim- $164,000 grant from the Oregon
ited mobility or cognitive skills to Parks and Recreation Depart-
play side by side with normally ment.
functioning able-bodied peers,”
The city received that grant
said Joyce Bornstedt, the
last fall, and it allowed offi cials
By Corey Kirk
ckirk@bakercityherald.com
TODAY
Issue 15, 14 pages
Calendar ....................2A
Classified ............. 3B-6B
Comics ....................... 7B
Community News ....3A
Crossword ........5B & 6B
Dear Abby ................. 8B
to order the various toys and
other equipment.
Bornstedt said she was grati-
fi ed to see all the other dona-
tions, which included $1,230
from a Facebook birthday party
fundraiser by Karla Macy of
Baker City, whose son, Gus, has
spina bifi da and will benefi t
from the new playground.
New Directions
Northwest’s
headquarters
nearly finished
By Sam Anthony
santhony@bakercityherald.com
After starting construction last
summer, New Directions Northwest is
almost ready to open its new outpatient
facility, across from the Powder River
Correctional Facility at 13th and K
streets south of Saint Alphonsus Medi-
cal Center.
New Directions Northwest is a non-
profi t organization dedicated to help-
ing people in Baker County with drug
addiction, mental health disabilities and
a variety of other issues.
See Play/Page 6A
Health ........................ 2B
Jayson Jacoby ..........4A
Lottery Results ..........2A
See New Directions/Page 2A
News of Record ........2A
Obituaries ..................2A
Opinion ......................4A
Outdoors ..........1B & 3B
Turning Backs ...........2A
Weather ..................... 8B
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