SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2021
BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A
Baker organized
FBLA skills event
Invasive weed of the week
By Jeffrey Pettingill
The Enemy
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
The Strategy
This is a native plant that
inhabits all states in the U.S.
except Alaska and Hawaii. It
is an aromatic perennial with
leaves very similar in shape
to those of stinging nettle.
It is occasionally grown as a
crop which is sold for tea or
for stuffi ng cat toys. Note the
prominent square stem typical
of the mint family.
The leaves are oval-shaped
with serrated edges and
palmated with prominent mid-
veins. The plant grows from
a taproot which gives it the
stability to grow anywhere, but
it prefers moist areas.
Attack
It is a great attractant for
bees as well as butterfl ies.
Small birds such as fi nches are
attracted to the plant, which
helps disseminate the seeds
and assist in its invasion to
adjacent properties.
The plant seldom becomes
a weed but once established
it can take over an area. Most
animals will not eat the plants
(except cats) thus it spreads
quite quickly. Some people
have known to plant it away
from their gardens just to keep
the felines from the gardens.
Defense
Hand pulling of this weed
is quite easy as it is generally
found near moist soils. Clip-
ping the seeds off the plant
once the seeds have formed
after fl owering will keep it
from spreading away from
desired sites.
If in a garden or landscape
use a combination of Roundup
and 2,4-D. In a pasture
Rich Olds/ Contributed Photo
Catnip can grow almost anywhere but it prefers moist areas.
or range situation utilize
products such as Milestone,
Opensight, or Banvel/Clarity.
Remember if you think you
have this plant you don’t have
to call me, just bring in the
neighbor’s cat and see if he
will not leave the area.
And if you want to take a
nap with the cat, grind up
some of the leaves to make a
summer tea — it’s said to be a
relaxant.
Jeffrey Pettingill is the weed
control supervisor for Baker
County. He encourages people
with noxious weed questions
to call him at 541-523-0618 or
541-519-0204. He also encourages
people to like the Baker County
Weed District’s Facebook page.
Rich Olds/ Contributed Photo
Catnip is an aromatic
perennial with leaves
similar to those of sting-
ing nettles.
Additional sex abuse charges for
Baker County man arrested in 2019
By Chris Collins
ccollins@bakercityherald.com
Another eight crimes re-
lated to the sexual abuse of a
Baker County child have been
added to a list of 30 others a
Baker City man originally was
charged with in December
2019.
The Baker County Sheriff’s
Department
cited Bill David
Gonyer, 74, on a
warrant charg-
ing him with
the original 30
Gonyer
crimes and the
eight new ones
on Friday, Feb. 19, at a motel in
Baker City where he is being
held because of health issues.
The new crimes include four
counts of fi rst-degree encour-
aging child sexual abuse and
four counts of second-degree
encouraging child sexual
abuse. Those charges are
related to child pornogra-
phy discovered on Gonyer’s
computer during the course of
the investigation, said District
Attorney Greg Baxter.
The pornography doesn’t in-
volve the child who is Gonyer’s
alleged victim.
Gonyer has been staying
at a motel in Baker City since
December 2020 when Judge
Matt Shirtcliff granted a
motion by Gonyer’s attorney,
Damien Yervasi of Baker City,
seeking Gonyer’s conditional
release from custody.
Gonyer is paying for the cost
of the motel. There is no charge
to the county for his housing
accommodations, said Ashley
McClay, Sheriff’s Department
spokeswoman.
Gonyer had been held at the
Baker County Jail since Jan.
8, 2020. He fi rst was arrested
on the child sexual abuse
charges in Idaho where he was
receiving medical care. Baker
County authorities worked
with Idaho law enforcement of-
fi cers to arrest Gonyer. He was
held at the Ada County Jail
from Dec. 28, 2019, until being
extradited to Baker County in
early January 2020.
In addition to the new
charges, Gonyer originally
was indicted on these crimes
related to the sexual assault
of a girl younger than 14 who
was known to him:
• Five counts of fi rst-degree
sexual abuse, a Class B felony.
• Two counts of second-
degree sexual abuse, a Class
C felony.
• Six counts of third-degree
sexual abuse, a Class A misde-
meanor.
• Two counts of second-de-
gree unlawful sexual penetra-
tion, a Class B felony.
• Two counts of contributing
to the sexual abuse of a minor,
a Class A misdemeanor.
• One count of fi rst-degree
rape, a Class A felony.
• One count of second-de-
gree rape, a Class B felony.
• One count of third-degree
rape, a Class C felony.
• One count of luring a
minor, a Class C felony.
• One count of using a child
in a display of sexually explicit
conduct, a Class A felony.
• Six counts of felon in pos-
session of a fi rearm, a Class C
felony.
The conditional release was
sought to allow Gonyer to
obtain ongoing medical treat-
ment at the Veterans Hospital
and from other designated
health care providers, accord-
ing to court documents. Condi-
tions of the release require
Gonyer to wear an ankle
monitor to allow staff at the
Baker County Jail and Parole
and Probation offi ce to track
his movements.
He also must maintain
contact with Yervasi and waive
extradition if necessary. And
he has been ordered to inform
Parole and Probation and
the jail when he has to travel
for medical treatment, court
records state.
Gonyer is accused of 15 sepa-
rate crimes that carry manda-
tory minimum sentences upon
conviction in Oregon. A first-de-
gree sexual abuse conviction, of
which Gonyer faces five counts,
carries a mandatory minimum
75-month (6 years, 3 months)
sentence; second-degree unlaw-
ful sexual penetration (two
counts), 75 months; first-degree
rape (one count), 100 months (8
years, 4 months); second-degree
rape (one count), 75 months;
first-degree sodomy (one count),
100 months; second-degree
sodomy (one count) 75 months;
and using a child in display of
sexually explicit conduct, one
count, 75 months.
The fi rst 25 counts are
alleged to have taken place
between May 1, 2019, and
Dec. 20, 2019.
The fi rearms were found on
Gonyers’ property at 35002
Stices Gulch Road when Sher-
iff’s Offi ce deputies conducted
a search there on Dec. 24 after
learning about the accusa-
tions of sexual assault of a
minor.
Gonyer is a registered sex
offender. He was convicted
of the felony crime of sexual
abuse in Clackamas County
in 1999 and is prohibited
from possessing fi rearms, the
indictment states.
See Charges/Page 5A
Members of Baker High School’s Future Business
Leaders of America organized the 2021 FBLA Regional
Skills Conference — virtual style, of course, because of
the COVID-19 pandemic.
The BHS group was tapped to put together the confer-
ence, which took place on Feb. 20, because of Caitlin
Lien’s role as a state offi cer in the position of Blue Moun-
tain Region vice president, Toni Zikmund, FBLA adviser,
stated in an email to the Herald.
“We had to plan the opening and closing virtual cere-
monies, and Caitlin ran a workshop for members across
the state,” Zikmund stated. “We also secured workshops
provided by EOU Financial Aid and EOU SBDC (Small
Business Development Center) director, Greg Smith.”
And although the conference was a virtual event,
Zikmund said she was able to gather students in her
classroom to watch it together.
Here’s how Baker Middle School and BHS competi-
tors placed in their events during the regional skills
contest:
Baker Middle School
• Business Etiquette: 3. Antonio Washington.
• Business Math and Financial Literacy: 1. Nolan
Briels. 2. Reagan Ritter.
• Career Exploration: 1. Nolan Briels. 3. Reagan Rit-
ter. 4. Talon Gyllenberg. 5. Raegan Gulick.
• Digital Citizenship: 1. Gwendolyn Rasmussen.
• Critical Thinking: 1. Ella Wilde. 2. Antonio Washing-
ton.
• Elevator Speech: 1. Ella Wilde. 8. Henry Hester.
Baker High School
• Advertising: 1. Sarah Plummer. 3. Payton Shirtcliff.
6. Taylor Dalton.
• Economics: 3. Jackie Ortiz.
• Hospitality and Event Management: 7. Abbey
Benson.
• International Business: 1. Jadyn Berry.
• Introduction to Business: 2. Penelope Simmons.
• Introduction to FBLA: 2. Taylor Dalton. 3. Jozie
Ramos.
• Introduction to Financial Math: 2. Jozie Ramos. 9.
Maria Guadalupe Rodriguez Sanchez.
• Management Decision Making: 1. Caitlin Lien.
• Marketing: 1. Jadyn Berry.
• Networking Infrastructures: 1. Sarah Plummer.
• Organizational Leadership: 5. Renee Blincoe.
• Securities and Investments: 2. Caitlin Lien.
• Sports and Entertainment Management: 9. Jackie
Ortiz and Hailey Zikmund.
• Supply Chain Management: 1. Payton Shirtcliff.
• Client Service: 1. Hayden Paulsen.
• Graphic Design: 1. Savannah Brown and Phoebe
Wise.
• Job Interview: 3. Renee Blincoe.
• Public Service Announcement: 1. Penelope Sim-
mons.
• Public Speaking: 2. Savannah Brown.
• Publication Design: 1. Tristen Tritt.
• Website Design: 2. Phoebe Wise.
The state conference, also a virtual event, will take
place in April, Zikmund said.
New At The 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
• “Calder Brand,” Janet Dailey
• “The Russian Cage,” Charlaine Harris
• “Riot Baby,” Tochi Onyebuchi
• “The Girl and The Stars,” Mark Lawrence
• “One More River,” Nancy Glickman
NONFICTION
• “The Conquering Tide,” Ian Toll
• “The Organized Mind,” Daniel Levitin
• “The Heroine’s Journey,” Maureen Murdock
• “Splitting,” Bill Eddy
• “Stretching for 50+,” Karl Knopf
DVDS
• “Epic Fantasy Painting in Oils” (Documentary)
• “Generation One” (Documentary)
• “Hellboy” (2019, Sci-Fi)
• “Swallow” (Drama)
• “The Runners” (Action)