2A — BAKER CITY HERALD
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2020
RELIEF
Karin said she and her
husband, who moved to Baker
City about a year ago, had
three businesses, all of which
they’ve had to close since the
pandemic started.
“And there’s nothing we can
do about it and so we’re wait-
ing for this stimulus check,
waiting for that stimulus
check,” she said.
Shannon, who also declined
to give her last name, said
she’s a licensed massage
therapist who had to close her
business March 15.
She said she’s still trying to
catch up on back rent for her
offi ce and apartment.
She also missed out on the
$500 check.
Bob Kavanaugh, manager
of marketing and business
development and member
experience for Old West, said
Thursday that the nonprofi t
credit union has been working
for the past few weeks to pre-
pare for the expected infl ux of
people applying for the $500
check.
Olson, the Old West Credit
Union’s president and CEO,
said the credit union dis-
tributed about 500 checks
on Thursday and a couple
hundred on Wednesday.
Those are cumulative to-
tals from the seven branches
(of Old West’s eight) that
participated in the program,
Olson said.
He didn’t have the number
of checks issued by individual
branches.
In addition to the Baker
City offi ce, Old West has
branches in John Day, Prairie
City, Pendleton, Hermiston,
Burns, La Grande and Union.
Kavanaugh said Olson has
been focusing on prepara-
tions, along with regional
manager Matt Goodwin and
Chris Kommer, who man-
ages the Baker City branch.
Employees were familiar
with the eligibility criteria,
Kavanaugh said.
Those include:
• A current resident of
Oregon and 18 or older.
• Able to provide docu-
ments, such as a driver’s
license, that prove they are
currently living in Oregon.
• Attest that they are
experiencing severe fi nancial
hardship directly or indirectly
due to the governor’s “Stay
Home, Save Lives” executive
orders issued in March.
• Have earned $4,000 per
month or less pre-tax prior
to their income loss due to
COVID-19.
• Not received all unem-
ployment payments they are
owed.
• Some people who haven’t
applied for unemployment
benefi ts, or who were denied,
might have qualifi ed for the
$500 check.
“As a nonprofi t credit union
we strive to be incredibly
committed to our communi-
ties, and we know people need
help,” Kavanaugh said. “This
is of the highest priority. It’s
not easy to stand in line in
the heat and apply for this
assistance.”
Kavanaugh said Thursday
afternoon that the average
time to process applications
was about 5 minutes.
Olson, the Old West CEO,
said state offi cials had advised
credit unions to expect about
30 minutes per application,
so he was pleased with the
faster turnaround time.
“The staff did really, really
well,” Olson said.
He said Old West agreed
to participate in the aid
program “because it ensured
every dollar that was al-
located actually went to the
recipient. It was just the most
effi cient use of that fund and
it meant that every single
dollar of the 35 million went
to the recipients as opposed
to getting lost in the state
bureaucracy.”
Calls to Umpqua Bank
were not returned by press
time Friday afternoon.
Banks and credit unions
did not charge the state for
their overhead costs from
processing applications and
cutting checks.
The previous record for
weekly tests was July 26-Aug.1,
when 146 residents were
tested. Of those, nine tested
positive.
Holly Kerns, a public
information officer for Baker
County, did not have any in-
formation on Friday about the
seven new cases.
Baker County’s total cases
since the pandemic started is
64. As of Aug. 17, no one was
hospitalized in Baker County
for treatment of the virus.
The OHA lists only one
county resident as being “recov-
ered,” but the agency doesn’t
add someone to that list until
60 days have passed since the
onset of symptoms.
All but one of the county’s
cases have been reported
since late June, so the county’s
number of recovered residents
won’t start increasing until late
August.
The OHA’s most recent
weekly report, which includes
data through 11 p.m. on Aug.
16, showed that 50 of the
county’s cases are residents
who live in the 97814 ZIP code.
Continued from Page 1A
T URNING B ACK THE P AGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
August 22, 1970
“There’s going to be a hot time in the old barn tonight.”
This was the familiar expression heard in days gone by
when old-fashioned barn dances were held every Satur-
day on a well-polished hayloft fl oor. A fi ddler or two, a
guitarist and an accordion player got together to produce
toe-tapping harmony.
Only memories remain of those days, since few people
live on farms now, and fewer have adequate haylofts to
accommodate a barn dance. As a result, old-time fi ddlin’
appeared to be a vanishing art until recently, when the
idea of old-time fi ddlers contests spread throughout the
country.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
August 22, 1995
Most Baker County hunters oppose a state proposal to
allow them to shoot only spike bulls during the general
elk season in three of the county’s fi ve units.
About 40 people attended a public meeting Monday
night in Baker City. All who spoke objected to the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife’s proposed methods to
bolster declining bull-to-cow ratios throughout Northeast-
ern Oregon.
And judging by the reactions of the other audience
members to speakers’ statements, opposition was virtu-
ally unanimous.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
August 23, 2010
The U.S. Forest Service has enlisted some heavy-lifting
help in the campaign to douse wildfi res in Northeastern
Oregon.
A Boeing 234 Chinook helicopter has been on standby
at the Baker City Municipal Airport for about the past
month.
The twin-rotor aircraft can dump more than 1,700 gal-
lons of water on a blaze.
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
August 23, 2019
The annual Memory Cruise is gearing up for its 29th
year Saturday.
Between 140-180 cars will be shown at this year’s event
at Geiser-Pollman Park.
Wayne Ryder, one of the organizers of the event, said
registration begins at 8 a.m. with a raffl e during the day
and live music.
They have 40 awards that will be given out at 4 p.m.
The Durkee Steak Feed at the Quail Ridge Golf Course
will go from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and the Downtown Cruise
will begin at 8:30.
Among the cars to be shown will be Bob and Cherie
Ward’s 1956 Ford pickup truck that Bob has rebuilt three
times.
Bob, 66, had always wanted a ’56 pickup since he had
seen one driving by his high school.
Cherie , 67, explained he fi nally got his pickup after they
were married.
“He brought it home and it was on a fl at bed trailer and
in boxes and he’s rebuilt it three times,” said Cherie. “The
last time was in 1988.”
O REGON L OTTERY
MEGABUCKS, Aug. 19
1 — 24 — 28 — 41 — 44 — 46
Next jackpot: $5.6 million
POWERBALL, Aug. 19
13 — 23 — 47 — 55 — 58 PB 23
Next jackpot: $29 million
MEGA MILLIONS, Aug. 18
4 — 18 — 26 — 27 — 58
Mega
23
Next jackpot: $49 million
WIN FOR LIFE, Aug. 19
28 — 49 — 55 — 73
PICK 4, Aug. 20
• 1 p.m.: 7 — 0 — 5 — 2
• 4 p.m.: 4 — 9 — 8 — 7
• 7 p.m.: 1 — 4 — 8 — 2
• 10 p.m.: 0 — 7 — 9 — 1
LUCKY LINES, Aug. 20
1-8-11-14-19-22-27-30
Next jackpot: $45,000
S ENIOR M ENUS
■ MONDAY: Orange-glazed chicken tenders, fried rice, Asian
vegetables, bread, Asian salad, cookies
■ TUESDAY: Spaghetti with meat sauce, caulifl ower, garlic
breadsticks, green salad, cheesecake
■ WEDNESDAY: Pork roast, potatoes and gravy, green
beans, roll, gelatin with fruit, birthday cake
■ THURSDAY: Baked cod, rice pilaf, mixed vegetables,
coleslaw, ice cream
■ FRIDAY: Hot turkey sandwich, stuffi ng with gravy, carrots,
broccoli-bacon salad, apple crisp
Luncheon at the Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St., 11:30 a.m.
to 12:30 p.m.; $4.50 donation (60 and older), $6.75, under
60. Meals must be picked up; there is no dining on site.
C ONTACT THE H ERALD
1668 Resort St.
Open Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Telephone: 541-523-3673
Fax: 541-833-6414
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
Copyright © 2020
“It’s very hard to come
up with rent sometimes,”
Stone said as she stood in the
sunshine outside Old West.
“If it wasn’t for my family, I
probably wouldn’t make a
cent. That’s what we’re dealing
with. My youngest son, he
lives with me, he’s lost his job
because of the COVID-19, they
laid him off in April. He was
qualifi ed, he got the money.
It hasn’t been easy, it’s been
very hard because I miss my
students.”
Stone said she learned
about the relief checks from
her daughter-in-law.
Olsen, 66, who cleans
houses, said she had fi nished
her second home of the day
Thursday before heading for
Old West.
“There aren’t the house-
cleaning jobs there were, and
I do odd jobs to supplement
my Social Security, my Social
Security goes to pay my mort-
gage,” Olsen said. “So, I cringe
every time bills come in, utility
bills and stuff, so this is my
way of trying to get some help.”
Olsen said the economic
downturn caused by the
pandemic and the related
restrictions on businesses have
affected some of her clients.
The owner of the second
home she cleaned on Thurs-
day, for instance, hasn’t been
able to pay Olsen for several
months.
“She’s homebound and just
can’t afford to pay right now,”
Olsen said. “It slowed down
the jobs that I get.”
Among the people who lined
up Friday morning, only to
fi nd out that the $35 million
had been depleted, is Karin,
a Baker City resident who
declined to give her last name.
VIRUS
Continued from Page 1A
The woman who died is one
of 11 people who tested positive
for COVID-19 in an outbreak
at Meadowbrook, the first
outbreak in the county. The out-
break pushed the county’s total
of positive cases to 14 from Aug.
9-15, the highest weekly total.
The county also set a record
for the number of people tested
— 189 — from Aug. 9-15, ac-
cording to the OHA.
Of those 189 tests, 175 were
negative.
Samantha O’Conner/Baker City Herald
The offer of a $500 check for people fi nancially affected
by the COVID-19 pandemic brought a crowd of people to
Old West Federal Credit Union on Thursday to apply.
O BITUARY
Mobile Service
Outstanding
Computer Repair
Fast & Reliable
Call or Text 24/7
Dale Bogardus 541-297-5831
grandchildren and six great-
If your computer is
grandchildren.
William Holoboff, 83, of
Memorial contributions
in despair call Outstanding
Granite, died on Aug. 9, 2020, can be made to the Arizona
at his home.
Desert Bighorn Sheep Society
Computer Repair!
A memorial
through Gray’s West & Co.
www.outstandingcomputerrepair.com
service for Wil- Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey
Refurbished Desktop & Laptops For Sale
liam will take
Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.
House calls (let me come to you!)
place at a later
To light a candle in
date.
memory of Bill or to leave a
Drop Offs & Remote Services are Available
On May 17,
condolence for his family, go
All credit cards accepted
William
1937, at Salem, to www.grayswestco.com
Holoboff Nicoli and Mary
“You’ll love the work we do. I guarantee it.” - JR
(Popoff) Holoboff
welcomed William into their
family. He attended North Sa-
lem High School, graduating
in 1957. After high school, Bill
225 H Street • East of I-84 • 541-523-3200 • grumpysrepair.com
served in the United States
Army as a PFC from 1959 to
1963. He worked for himself
for 30 years as a farmer, retir-
ing in 1992.
Bill married Mary Lou
New Hope for Eastern Oregon
Sohler on March 12, 1966, at
Animals is seeking volunteers to
assist with its Baker City feral cat
Hood River. Mary Lou and
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Program.
Bill raised two daughters
Working in partnership with the CIty
together, Bonnie and Heidi.
Police Department for a number of
Bill enjoyed gold prospect-
years, the TNR Program is a humane
ing and wood carving; he was
alternative to limiting the prolifera-
a life member of the Arizona
tion of litters of feral kittens, as well
Desert Bighorn Sheep Society,
as keeping overall populations in
and a life member of the
check. TNR does this by trapping kit-
Gold Prospectors Association
tens
and
adult
cats
in
a
specific
area
of
the
City,
spaying
or
neutering
them, and then returning them to
of America. Bill was also a
occupy that same site, which reduces the likelihood of other cats moving in as the territory is occupied.
member of the NRA, Good
This has led to a desired decrease in complaints concerning feral and stray cat numbers for the CIty.
Sam Club, and the Rocky
This year has been marked with an above average number of litters observed or reported thus far, mak-
Mountain Elk Foundation.
ing it important to all within our means to “keep the lid on” populations. Volunteers make this program
Bill is survived by his wife
work. Along with funding the veterinary aspect of spay and neuter surgery. Retirement of our seasoned
of 54 years, Mary Lou Holo-
volunteers over the past 2 years has reduced our ability to carry out this
boff; and his two daughters,
work effectively.
Bonnie Holoboff-Johnson of
New Hope is seeking volunteers to assist with trapping, fostering litters
Cambridge, Idaho, and Heidi too small to undergo surgery, and feeding. No experience is necessary.
Davidson of Kalaheo, Hawaii. Compassion and patience are good traits in a volunteer. Those interested
He is also survived by three
in volunteering should call New Hope at 541-403-2710 or 541-403-0724.
William Holoboff
Granite, 1937-2020
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS
News of Record
on Page 3A