LOCAL & REGION
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021
MALTING
Continued from Page 1A
But when he heard his name
called not once but three times,
he was, he admits, “just stunned.”
“It was way more than I
expected,” Hutchison said on
Tuesday, Feb. 16. “It’s the fi rst
time I’ve entered.”
He was the fi rst malter to win
two gold medals in a single com-
petition, according to the Craft
Maltsters Guild.
Hutchison competed against
27 other malters from seven
countries, 17 states and one
Canadian province.
Each of the 46 samples of
malted barley was evaluated in
multiple ways.
Researchers at Montana
State University’s Barley, Malt
& Brewing Quality Lab tested
each sample.
Then, judges at 17 sites
around the U.S. and Canada
compared the entries’ aroma
and fl avor, including nibbling
on the kernels.
Finally, in the last round,
additional judges reviewed
the lab results and the other
judges’ fi ndings to pick the
winners.
In all, 83 judges participated,
according to the Craft Malt-
sters Guild.
Hutchison said he was
pleased not only with the rec-
ognition from his industry, but
because the awards validated
his efforts to improve every
batch of malted barley based
on the feedback he gets from
the brewers and distillers who
buy his product.
“I’m always tweaking the
process to make a better qual-
ity malt,” he said.
Hutchison buys his barley
from Cornerstone Farms, oper-
ated by the Melville family
in Wallowa County between
Enterprise and Joseph.
BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A
brewers that have proliferated
in the U.S. over the past few
decades.
(The nomenclature is poten-
tially confusing, since pilsner,
in addition to being a type of
malt, is also a style of lager
beer.)
Hutchison said the preva-
lence of India pale ales (IPA)
such as Pallet Jack in the
Northwest has cast attention
on the role that hops plays in
fl avoring beer.
Most beer afi cionados, he
said, are at least somewhat
familiar with hops.
Malt, by contrast, is some-
thing of a forgotten ingredient,
Hutchison said.
He chuckles as he notes that
people, on learning what he
does for a living, ask him “how’s
the hop business?”
Hutchison has to explain gen-
tly that “that’s not what I do.”
Although the type of malt
has a direct effect on the color of
beer — the shorter the drying
period, the lighter-colored the
kernels and the resulting brew
— Hutchison said the malting
process can also affect the fl avor
S. John Collins/Baker City Herald File of the beer.
Tom Hutchison, shown here in 2018, fi lls a sack with malted
That’s particularly so with
barley at his business, Gold Rush Malt, in Baker City.
beer styles such as pilsners,
he said, which have relatively
amounts of hops, mean-
“I’m always tweaking the process to make a better quality malt.” small
ing the malt contributes
— Tom Hutchison, owner, Gold Rush Malt in Baker City
much more to the beer’s fl avor
palette.
“It’s a variety of barley that Jack India pale ale.
Hutchison said he can’t
does really well in these high
Hutchison usually produces predict whether his awards will
mountain valleys,” Hutchison two or three batches per month, bring new customers for Gold
said. “That’s the key.”
each batch yielding about 2 1/2 Rush Malt.
He said he’s a small-scale
tons of malted barley.
For now, the pandemic re-
malter, processing 55 to 60
The bulk of his business are mains a major factor.
tons of barley per year. That
the two types for which he won
With restaurants and bars
equates to about 20 acres of
gold medals — pilsner and pale closed or severely restricted for
the grain, Hutchison said.
malts.
much of the past year, demand
He has about 10 regular
He said those are a chief
for his malted barley has
customers, including Barley
ingredient in many types of
dropped by 60% to 70%.
Brown’s brewery in Baker
beers, both lagers and ales,
“I can produce more if the de-
City, which uses Hutchison’s
the latter being more popular
mand is there,” Hutchison said.
malted barley in its Pallet
among the hundreds of craft
“We’ll wait and see, I guess.”
LAWSUIT
Continued from Page 1A
The lawsuit alleges that Saint Alphonsus
should have known that prior to Sandefur’s
treatment of Mark Brown, Sandefur “had a
history of surgical outcomes that resulted in the
development of infections.”
The lawsuit claims that the hospital should
have performed “reasonable credentialing and
ongoing peer review” of Sandefur to ensure the
safety of its patients.
(A $5.2 million lawsuit fi led Sept. 8, 2020, in
Baker County Circuit Court accuses Sandefur,
Veronica Crowder, a physician assistant who
worked with Sandefur, and Saint Alphonsus
Medical Center of negligence in connection with
treating a fracture to 6-year-old Avery Martin’s
right arm after she was injured on May 5, 2018.)
As part of the Browns’ lawsuit, Lynne Brown
also is seeking $2 million for what she claims
is the loss of her husband’s “society, companion-
ship, consortium, services and support” as a re-
sult of the defendants’ negligence and violations.
In a fourth claim for relief, Lynne Brown
seeks an additional $2 million in noneconomic
damages. She alleges that as a result of Mark
Brown’s injuries caused by the defendants’ negli-
gence and violations, she has suffered “severe
emotional distress and anxiety with depression.”
The Browns are represented by Brian C.
Dretke of the Dretke Law Firm of Bend.
Sandefur is represented by Connie Elkins
McKelvey, of Lindsay Hart LLP, a Portland law
fi rm. As of press time Wednesday afternoon, Feb.
17, McKelvey had not responded to a voicemail
message and an email seeking comment on the
lawsuit.
Saint Alphonsus Health System declined to
comment.
“Saint Alphonsus cannot comment on pending
litigation,” Mark Snider, Saint Alphonsus Health
System spokesman, stated in an email to the
Herald.
In a letter to his patients dated Dec. 21, 2020,
Sandefur announced that “after 23 years of
dedicated service with Saint Alphonsus, I have
decided to explore new opportunities in health-
care.”
The letter stated that Sandefur’s last day of
seeing patients would be Dec. 31, 2020.
In closing, he wrote: “I truly appreciate the
trust you have placed in me to partner in your
care and wish you the very best in health going
forward.”
Charges dropped in Grant County arson, murder case
■ District Attorney says charges against mother and son were dismissed after judge ruled confession can’t be used at trial
By Sean Hart
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — Murder
charges related to the missing
couple whose house burned
in Grant County are be-
ing dismissed because the
confession was not properly
obtained.
Charges of fi rst-degree
murder and
arson against
Isaac Con-
nery, 23, and
his mother,
Gabrielle Con-
Isaac
nery, 47, will
Connery
be dismissed
without preju-
dice — meaning
the state could
fi le the charges
again if further
evidence is
discovered — ac- Gabrielle
cording to a Feb. Connery
12 press release
from Grant
County District Attorney Jim
Carpenter.
The charges are in connec-
tion with the deaths of Terry
and Sharon Smith, whose
house on Nans Rock Road
near Mount Vernon burned to
the ground in the early morn-
ing hours of July 17-18, 2018.
“This is heartbreaking on
many levels,” Carpenter said.
“Through Isaac Connery’s
confession, we know who
did it and how it was done.
The mystery is gone but the
accountability is, at least for
now, out of reach.”
Judge Daina Vitolins ruled
on Feb. 10 that the confession
by Isaac Connery obtained by
Grant County Undersheriff
Zach Mobley could not be
used at trial because state
prosecutors could not prove
said. “He drove to the Boise
The Oregon State Police,
area where he parked the
Grant County Sheriff’s Offi ce
pickup, removed the plates
and Federal Bureau of Inves-
and rejoined his family on
tigation jointly investigated.
their travels.”
Carpenter said Isaac Con- The interview
Mobley said he and FBI
nery later disassembled the
Special Agent Ben Jones fi rst
gun and put it in the trash.
interviewed the Connerys
The fi re destroyed the
in Arizona in July 2019, and
home, but former Sheriff
they invoked their right to
Glenn Palmer later discov-
remain silent.
ered the remains of two
Isaac Connery was indicted
people at the site, Carpenter
on June 23, 2020, for unlaw-
said.
ful use of a motor vehicle, and
“Death certifi cates were
issued for Terry Smith, based a nationwide warrant was
issued for his arrest, accord-
on DNA analysis of human
remains, and Sharon Smith, ing to a previous release from
Carpenter.
based on her disappearance
Mobley, Jones and Grant
and the second set of human
The crime
County Sgt. Danny Komn-
remains,” he said. “Sharon
Isaac Connery admitted in Smith’s remains were burnt ing traveled to Albuquerque,
an interview that he took a
New Mexico, in July 2020 to
so thoroughly no DNA re-
Contributed Photo handgun from Terry Smith
interview Isaac Connery after
mained.”
Terry and Sharon Smith went missing following a fi re at and shot him during an alter-
he was arrested.
Carpenter said the Con-
their remote cabin in Grant County in July 2018.
cation at the Smith residence nerys “almost immediately”
See Suspects/Page 5A
and then shot Sharon Smith, became suspects.
the confession was knowing, hearing and often said on the according to Carpenter’s
intelligent and voluntary be- witness stand he was unsure release.
“He used gasoline to start
cause of Miranda violations. and would have to review the
the Smith residence on
Vitolins said Mobley never tapes. She also said a face
Night @ Old Auburn
asked whether Isaac Con-
mask blocked the camera in fi re, then took the (Smiths’)
“COVID STYLE” • February 27, 2021
pickup and left,” Carpenter
nery understood his Miranda one of the recordings, and a
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Connery invoked his right
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Without the confession,
Carpenter said in the release
the state had only “limited
circumstantial evidence that
does not prove beyond a rea-
sonable doubt” the Connerys
murdered the Smiths.
“Rather than push forward
and risk jeopardy attach-
ing, the State will dismiss
the murder and arson cases
without prejudice,” Carpenter
said. “Investigation of the
case will continue and pos-
sibly other evidence will come
to light that will allow the
State to proceed.”
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