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BEAVERS BEAT DUCKS IN PAC-12 WOMEN’S TOURNEY: PG. 5A
In SPORTS, 5A
Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityherald.com
March 6, 2021
Local • Outdoors • Sports • TV
IN THIS EDITION:
QUICK HITS
Good Day Wish
To A Subscriber
A special good day to Her-
ald subscriber Betty Perry of
Baker City.
Oregon, 3A
Counties that might fall
back into the state’s most
restrictive extreme risk level
for COVID-19 spread will
be given a two-week grace
period on heightened re-
strictions, Gov. Kate Brown
announced Thursday,
March 4.
Brown said the state’s
low overall infection
rates and its steep trend
downward since the winter
holidays allowed for “a bit
more time” for some state
trouble spots. The state
currently ranks 49th of the
50 states in new infections
per 100,000 people — only
Hawaii scores better.
Snowpack Jumped From Below Average To Well Above In February
Shortest Month
Has Major Effect
$1.50
Lillard leads
Blazers to
two wins
Risk
level on
pace to
increase
■ County reported 42 new
cases from Feb. 21 through
March 4, which is 13 more
than the threshold to stay at
the lowest of four risk levels
By Jayson Jacoby
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
BRIEFING
An increase in COVID-19 cases in Baker
County over the past two weeks has the
county on pace to move out of the lowest of
the state’s four risk levels.
The county reported seven new cases on
Thursday, March 4. That’s the highest one-
day total since 11 cases on Jan. 15.
As for the county’s risk level under
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) guidelines,
and the associated restrictions on business-
es and other activities, Baker County has
been at the lowest level since Feb. 12.
Daughters of
the American
Revolution to meet
in person March 12
The Lone Pine Tree chap-
ter of the Daughters of the
American Revolution will
have an in-person meeting
Friday, March 12, at noon at
the Sunridge Inn in Baker
City. Health safety precau-
tions will be followed, in-
cluding face masks. Masks
can be removed prior to
the meeting for lunch, and
during the meeting discus-
sions. Visitors are always
welcome to have lunch
prior to the noon meeting.
WEATHER
See Risk Level/Page 6A
Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald
Snow nearly buries a stump in a ponderosa pine forest near Sumpter on Feb. 27.
Today
43 / 29
Rain or snow
Sunday
49 / 28
A few showers
Monday
48 / 25
Mostly cloudy
The space below is for
a postage label for issues
that are mailed.
By Jayson Jacoby
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
February pulled off a feat in
its 28 days that most months
can’t manage in 30 or 31.
A barrage of blizzards dur-
ing the shortest month boosted
the snowpack in the moun-
tains of Northeast Oregon from
below average to well above.
At a few measuring sites the
snowpack doubled, or nearly
so, during February.
Nathan Petrucci saw bla-
tant evidence of the month’s
achievements fi rsthand.
Petrucci, a deputy watermas-
ter for Baker County, wallowed
through freshly fallen powder
recently with another deputy
watermaster, Luke Albert.
The pair’s destination was a
meadow just east of Anthony
Lake, in the Elkhorn Mountains
about 35 miles northwest of
Baker City.
This is one of Oregon’s oldest
snow survey sites — crews have
trudged into the meadow every
winter since 1936 to sample the
snow, a key element in estimat-
ing the coming summer’s water
supply.
Petrucci, who also was a
member of the group that
measured snow in the meadow
in late January, said the scene
“was quite a bit different.”
The snow was almost twice
as deep — 89 inches compared
with 45 inches a month earlier.
“It was nice to see,” Petrucci
said in an interview on March 4.
See Snowpack/Page 2A
N.E. Oregon Snowpack Report
Measuring Site
Anthony Lakes
Beaver Reservoir
Bourne
County Line
Eilertson Meadow
Gold Center
High Ridge
Little Alps
Little Antone
Moss Springs
Mount Howard
Schneider Meadow
Taylor Green
Tipton
Wolf Creek
AVERAGE
TODAY
Issue 127, 12 pages
Elevation
7,125
5,150
5,800
4,530
5,440
5,340
4,980
6,200
4,560
5,850
7,910
5,400
5,740
5,150
5,630
Snow Water Equivalent (inches)
Now
Average
% of avg.
Last year
Snow Depth
(inches)
22.6
13.9
16.0
6.4
13.1
14.6
32.1
13.0
10.4
26.6
11.3
29.5
26.7
13.8
15.9
19.8
8.9
14.0
4.3
9.2
9.0
21.4
10.4
8.8
20.9
11.8
25.3
18.1
11.1
14.6
132
156
114
149
142
162
150
113
107
127
96
117
148
119
109
129
26.2
11.8
14.5
5.5
10.4
12.6
27.4
11.8
9.4
32.3
11.8
23.2
25.9
10.6
16.2
89
51
67
22
45
55
97
53
38
96
44
100
80
59
66
Calendar ....................2A
Classified ............. 2B-4B
Comics ....................... 5B
Community News ....3A
Crossword ........2B & 4B
Dear Abby ................. 6B
Pair accused of
stealing truck
from Or. State
Police property
By Chris Collins
ccollins@bakercityherald.com
Oregon State Police arrested a Yakima,
Washington, couple Wednesday, March 3,
on multiple charges, including the theft last
month of a truck containing drugs and stolen
property that had been kept as evidence at
the OSP compound in Baker City.
The two are accused of trying
to destroy the vehicle after driv-
ing it through the locked fence
at the OSP compound at 2445
Windmill Road and continuing
to the area of Campbell Street
Caoile
and Atwood Road, where they
allegedly set fi re to the truck
early on Feb. 22.
Mark Timmy Caoile, 44, and
Carole Daniel DeRoche, 45, who
identifi ed herself to police as
Caoile’s fi ancee, were arraigned
DeRoche
Thursday, March 4, in Baker
County Circuit Court by visit-
ing Judge Daniel J. Hill, who serves Umatilla
and Morrow counties, on charges related to
the investigation.
See Arrests/Page 6A
Baker City Police
surveys residents
By Chris Collins
ccollins@bakercityherald.com
The Baker City Police Department is seek-
ing comments from residents about what they
believe are major safety issues in the com-
munity. Those comments are being sought
through an online survey that can be found
at s.surveyplanet.com/eQRJNcie.
See Survey/Page 6A
Horoscope ........3B & 4B
Jayson Jacoby ..........4A
News of Record ........2A
Obituaries ..................2A
Opinion ......................4A
Outdoors ..........1B & 2B
Sports ........................5A
Turning Backs ...........2A
Weather ..................... 6B
TUESDAY — TRIO OF BAKER CITY BOYS STARTS FLY-TYING BUSINESS