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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2020)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 2020 BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A COMMUNITY Drug team cites several residents By Chris Collins ccollins@bakercityherald.com Members of the Baker County Narcotics Enforce- ment Team spent this week issuing citations to people known to have outstanding warrants and working to curtail problems at a house just a block east of Brooklyn Primary School known for criminal activity. The “warrant sweep” began Monday with the arrest of Matthew John Agar, 41, and Justin Marshall Robinson, 35, who police located near 10th and D streets, Baker City Police Lt. Ty Duby stated in a press release. Agar was cited and released on a Baker County Justice Court warrant charging him with contempt of court on original charges of second- degree disorderly conduct and second-degree criminal mischief. Robinson was cited and released on a Baker County Circuit Court warrant charg- ing him with two counts of fi rst-degree forgery. On Tuesday, narcotics detectives and uniformed offi cers from the Baker City Police Department and Baker County Parole and Probation turned their attention to the problem house, located at 1226 Washington Ave. The house is owned by Gary Kramer. Kramer’s adult son is the only person who should be residing at the home, Duby said. “The residence had become an ongoing issue of criminal and transient activity over the last six months,” Duby stated in the press release. Five people described by police as transients were served trespass notices dur- ing Tuesday’s operation. They were Alex Harold Wise, 18; Trevor Heath, 24; Alex Horn, 24; Chad Cox, 39; and Victoria Mclean, 38. Duby said Mclean also was cited on a warrant charg- ing her with possession of methamphetamine and a charge of allowing her dog to run at large. Police seized the animal because it had been deemed a dangerous dog in a prior case, Duby said. Wise also was cited and released on a Union County warrant charging him with failure to appear on original charges of fi rst- and second- degree theft. Mclean, Horn and Mariam Everson Collard, 20, who police also describe as a transient, all were cited Thursday morning for trespassing at the house at 1226 Washing- ton Ave. Five other people also were arrested Tuesday during the BCNET operation. Police contacted Alen Thomas Brown, 20, at The Knights Inn Motel at 2205 Broadway St. He was cited to appear in Baker County Circuit Court on a warrant charging him with possessing methamphetamine. Jace Taylor Prowell, 29, also was cited and released at the Parole and Probation Of- fi ce at 3320 K St. on a charge of possession of methamphet- amine. Caleb Colton Flint, 35, was contacted at Cedar and Campbell streets. As of Fri- day, he remained in custody at the Baker County Jail on a Circuit Court warrant charging him with violating his probation on a charge of fi rst-degree burglary. Flint also was cited on a Justice Court warrant charging him with contempt of court on an original charge of second- degree theft. Josalynne Voncille Hallett, 20, was cited and released at WEST NILE Continued from Page 1A (West Nile virus, quite unlike coronavirus, isn’t transmitted from person to person.) Hutchinson is manager of the Baker Valley Vector Control District. His job is to control mosquitoes on 200,000 acres, including most of Baker, Bowen and Keating valleys. Each summer Hutchinson sets out a network of traps to capture mosquitoes so they can be tested for West Nile virus. In most summers in the past decade or so — 2018 was an anomalous exception — those tests have detected West Nile virus in local mos- quitoes starting in July. Last summer, for instance, the fi rst infected mosquitoes were trapped in Keating Val- ley on July 9. Later in the summer, three other “pools” of mosquitoes — a pool consists of 10 to 50 bugs — also tested positive. In addition, two people who live near Halfway, which is outside the Vector Control District, were infected with West Nile virus. Both recovered, although Photo from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Mosquitoes can infect humans with the West Nile virus. one, Pam Hall-Brisk, suf- fered severe effects and was in intensive care in a Boise hospital for several days in September. On average about 20% of people infected with the virus have any symptoms, and in most cases those are minor. As of Friday, Hutchinson said he has sent 92 pools of mosquitoes to a testing lab at Oregon State University, and none was infected with West Nile virus. According to the Oregon Health Authority, the virus hasn’t been found in mosqui- toes anywhere in Oregon this summer. That’s also unusual, as in most recent summers the virus has been confi rmed in mosquitoes in several east- ern Oregon counties, such as Malheur and Umatilla, before BLM hires manager for the Baker Field Office By Sam Anthony santhony@bakercityherald.com Joe Aragon, an alumnus of Northern Arizona University, is no stranger to high desert areas like Baker County. He’s worked as a fi re en- gine captain, a fi refi ghting hand crew supervisor, and Aragon a vegetation program man- ager in northern Arizona and California. Aragon is also a certifi ed fi re ecologist. That background made Aragon a natural fi t to be the new manager of the Bureau of Land Management’s Baker Field Offi ce. Aragon, an avid fi sherman, will be mov- ing to Baker City with his wife, Kelly, who is studying at Eastern Oregon University to become a nurse practitioner, and their two dogs. “I really liked being behind the scenes and getting the work done on the ground,” Aragon said. “I’ve learned the more en- gaged I am, the more gratifying the work becomes.” The Baker Field Area, part of BLM’s Vale District, includes about half a mil- lion acres spread across eight counties in Oregon and southeast Washington. the end of July. Hutchinson said the lack of positive tests is not due to laboratory issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. He said he has had no trouble having Baker County mosquitoes tested at OSU, and the results are arriving about as quickly as in previous sum- mers. One factor that might be contributing to the apparent absence of West Nile virus is the relative scarcity of the species of mosquito — culex tarsalis — that most often car- ries the virus in Baker County. Hutchinson said culex tarsalis populations have been below average so far this sum- mer. He attributes this to cool weather in June. Culex tarsalis numbers gen- erally rise during hot spells, the Baker City Police Depart- ment on a charge of second- degree disorderly conduct. And Kleigh Pogue, 25, was cited and released at the police department on a Union County warrant charging her with two counts of failure to appear on original charges of second-degree theft. Baker City Police Chief Ray Duman said the narcotics enforcement team is trying to keep the transient group moving. “This house has been a sore in the community,” he said. “A lot of transient people have been showing up and people with warrants congregating there and taking advantage of the property owner.” Duman said when a group of people like this hole up to- gether they typically use drugs and then police start seeing crime sprees in the community. “As this continues, we’ll be keeping them moving,” he said of the BCNET operation. The enforcement team in- cludes members of the Baker City Police Department and the Baker County Sheriff’s Offi ce. The team is supported by the Baker County District Attorney’s Offi ce and Oregon State Police. and Hutchinson said he’s been fi nding more of that species in his traps since temperatures started climbing the past couple weeks. The sluggish trend is refl ected in the number of mosquito pools Hutchinson has mailed to OSU. So far he has sent 92 pools to the lab. Last year at this time, despite employing the same number of traps, he had already collected 189 pools. More information about the Vector Control District, includ- ing a schedule for spraying to control mosquitoes, is avail- able at www.bvvcd.org. To re- port mosquito infestations call the district at 541-523-1151. Durkee man arrested on sex abuse charges District Attorney Greg Baxter. The state alleges A Durkee man was the crimes took place arraigned Friday in Baker between Jan. 1, 2012, and County Circuit Court on Dec. 31, 2018, in Baker multiple counts of child County. sexual abuse. Because of the victim’s A Baker County age, if convicted, Sangston Sheriff’s deputy arrested would face a mandatory Cecil Allen Sangston, 60, minimum prison sentence of 36235 Hindman Road, of 25 years in prison under at 4:41 p.m. Thursday. He Jessica’s Law, Baxter said. remained at the Baker Enacted in Oregon in 2006, County Jail as of Friday the law increased the man- afternoon. datory minimum sentenc- A grand jury indicted es for those convicted of Sangston on two counts fi rst-degree rape, sodomy of fi rst-degree unlawful or unlawful penetration of sexual penetration and children younger than 12. three counts of fi rst-degree The crime of fi rst-degree sexual abuse. sexual abuse carries, upon The female victim, who conviction, a mandatory was known to Sangston, minimum prison sentence was younger than 12 when of six years and three the abuse fi rst began, said months. By Chris Collins ccollins@bakercityherald.com L OCAL B RIEFING Forest Service tightens fi re restrictions The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, in response to rising wildfi re danger, has imposed more stringent restrictions on campfi res and chain saw use. Phase B of public use restrictions took effect Friday. Campfi res are allowed only in fi re pits at designated recreation sites such as campgrounds. All fl ammable material should be cleared 10 feet from the edge of the pit, and the pit should be free of overhanging mate- rial. Anyone with a campfi re must have a tool that can serve as a shovel and at least one gallon of water. Campfi res must be attended at all times and com- pletely extinguished. Campfi res are also allowed in designated wilderness areas, except the Lake Basin of the Eagle Cap Wilder- ness. Chain saw use is not allowed during Phase B with- out a permit. Motor vehicle travel off developed forest roads and trails is not allowed due to the risk of a vehicle spark- ing a wildfi re in the dry grass and encroaching vegeta- tion. An exception is driving to a campsite within 300 feet of an open road. Motorized travel on roads closed by gates, barricades, berms, rocks, or logs is prohibited. Baker County Garden Club meets Aug. 5 The Baker County Garden Club will meet Wednes- day, Aug. 5, at 10:30 a.m. at the Daugherty home, 995 J St. in Baker City. Please bring auction items and a sack lunch. Social distancing will be practiced. LIVE AUCTION New At The Baker County Library Patrons can reserve materials in advance online or by calling 541-523-6419. Drive-in hours at 2400 Resort St. are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. FICTION • “1st Case,” James Patterson • “Deadlock,” Catherine Coulter • “Robert Ludlum’s the Bourne Evolution,” Brian Freeman • “Empire of Wild,” Cherie Dimaline •“Relentless,” R. A. Salvatore NONFICTION • “Deadliest Enemy,” Michael T. Osterholm • “The Hope of Glory,” Jon Meacham • “Hollywood Park,” Mikel Jollett • “Unknown Valor,” Martha MacCallum • “Breath,” James Nestor DVDS • “Ash Is the Purest White” (Action) • “Flint’s Deadly Water” (Documentary) • “Izzy Gets the (expletive) Across Town” (Comedy) • “Sonic the Hedgehog” (Family) • “VFW” (Horror) Note: Processing of new movies is being delayed due to a disruption of the supply chain for fi ling materials. Library offi cials recommend using the catalog to place holds on new materials. They may be able to fi ll requests by borrowing from Sage partner libraries before local copies are available. Highland Dr Real Estate: 3120 Highland Dr, Baker City, OR August 15th, 2020 @ 10 AM Preview: August 14th, 2020 10AM-6PM Dream location overlooking the City. This amazing 2.32 acres is a must see. Beautiful custom built home with over 3400 sq/ft. Wonderful floor plan with open kitchen and family room with city views. The kitchen offers a large island and dining area with custom oak cabinets. Along with the living room off the entry there is a large master bedroom with city views, with a large walk in closet and walk in shower. A nice second bedroom and office/bed- room plus a large utility with bathroom on the main level. Lower level offers a large bonus room, bedroom, cold storage. Nice private back yard. Outside you’ll find a fantastic 40 x 50 shop with tack room and storage, plus a 35’ x 47’ covered RV storage. Lots of parking. This is a wonderful property. TERMS: This property to be sold at LIVE auction on Aug. 15, 2020 at 10:00 am (pst). Sold As-Is, Close in 30days. 5% earnest money day of the auction, non-refundable. 5% buyer’s premium. Seller to provide title insurance & 1/2 of closing doc fees. * Call Larry with any questions. You do not have to have an agent to participate. All real estate agents must register at least 2 days prior to auction and be present day of auction. PERSONAL PROPERTY AUCTION TO FOLLOW! MLS #98772155 Larry Downs Downs Realty and Auctions 208-939-9456
