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Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityherald.com
May 11, 2021
Local • Home & Living • Sports
IN THIS EDITION:
QUICK HITS
Good Day Wish
To A Subscriber
A special good day to
Herald subscriber Larry
Brooks of Baker City.
Local, 3A
JOHN DAY — Glenn
Palmer, the former Grant
County sheriff who had
a controversy-riddled,
20-year stint in offi ce,
has taken a new job as a
marine deputy with the
Sherman County Sheriff’s
Offi ce.
$1.50
Property Owner Contends There’s No Public Right-Of-Way On Pine Creek Road
Landowner Sues
County Over Road
Oregon, 5A
PORTLAND — A federal
judge on Tuesday, May 4
declined to release college
senior Matthew Klein, one
of two Oregon brothers ac-
cused in the Jan. 6 breach
of the U.S. Capitol, after
fi nding his parents, who
live in Baker City, unsuit-
able to supervise him
pending trial.
Today
69 / 37
Contributed Photo
The Pine Creek Road through David McCarty’s property is extremely rocky and rough.
By Jayson Jacoby
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
The owner of a property in the
Elkhorn Mountains has sued Baker
County in an ongoing dispute over
whether a recreational road that
passes through his land is a public
right-of-way.
David McCarty, who fi led the civil
suit in Baker County Circuit Court
on April 30, is requesting a jury trial.
He is asking for either a declaration
that the disputed section of the Pine
Creek Road is not a public right-of-
way, or, if a jury concludes there is
legal public access, that the limits of
that access be defi ned and that the
county pay him $480,000 to com-
pensate for the lost value of the land
based on the legal public access.
McCarty is also seeking a judg-
ment requiring the county to pay
him at least $250,000 for “damages
McCarty has incurred to investigate
and respond to this dispute and to
protect his property rights,” according
to the lawsuit.
McCarty is represented by Janet K.
Larsen of the Lane Powell law fi rm in
Portland.
The county is represented by
Andrew Martin, an attorney with
Intermountain Law in Baker City.
Baker County Commissioner Bruce
Nichols said on Friday, May 7 that he
had not read the entire lawsuit and
could not comment on the matter.
Martin said on Monday, May 10
that the county would not comment
on active litigation.
See Lawsuit/Page 3A
Mostly sunny
Wednesday
78 / 40
Sunny
Full forecast on the back
of the B section.
The space below is for
a postage label for issues
that are mailed.
■ County officials
will answer
councilors’
questions during
meeting tonight
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Katie Moe receives
$1,700 scholarship
WEATHER
Council
to talk
about
COVID
By Jayson Jacoby
BRIEFING
Katie Moe has received
a $1,700 scholarship from
the P.E.O. Program of Con-
tinuing Education. Chapter
CJ of Baker City nominat-
ed Moe, who is a gradu-
ate student in intercul-
tural relations at Johnson
University. Moe and her
husband, Silas, formerly
ministered at the Baker
City Christian Church but
are now working with
Pioneer Bible Translators
in Dallas, Texas. The Moes
are on a fact-fi nding trip
in Uganda, Africa, for the
company.
Get more
from your
grilling
Baker schools report 7 COVID cases
The Baker School District an-
nounced Friday, May 7 that seven
people had tested positive in the
district during the week, including
two at Brooklyn Primary (grades 1-3),
three at South Baker Intermediate
(grades 4-6) and two at Baker Middle
School (grades 7 and 8).
The district, as has been the case
for the past few weeks, did not say
how many of the people affected are
teachers or other employees, and how
many are students.
See COVID/Page 2A
Schedule Includes Two ‘Battle Of The Bands’ Events, on June 26 and July 31
Baker City Council
members will have a chance
Tuesday evening, May 11, to
query county offi cials about
multiple topics related to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Councilors will meet at 7
p.m. at City Hall, 1655 First
St.
During their most recent
meeting, on April 27, council-
ors discussed issues such as
how COVID-19 case counts
are determined, reasons that
Baker County case rates
increased recently, and ways
that the city can potentially
mitigate the effects of state
restrictions based on the
county’s risk level.
In a report to councilors
for Tuesday’s meeting,
City Manager Jon Cannon
wrote that, in response to
the councilors’ questions,
he had spoken with county
offi cials, who are oversee-
ing the county’s response
to the pandemic, and that
they had agreed to attend
the meeting and answer
questions.
See Council/Page 3A
Ballot
return
near 23%
■ Ballots are due
by 8 p.m. on
Tuesday, May 18
By Jayson Jacoby
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Summer concerts start June 13
By Lisa Britton
lbritton@bakercityherald.com
Powder River Music
Review will bring music to
the park on Sundays again
this summer, as well as
“Battle of the Bands” events
on two Saturdays, June 26
and July 31.
The regular concert
series begins June 13 with
Frank Carlson. Music is
from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at
the Powder River Pavilion
in Geiser-Pollman Park.
Sunday concerts continue
through Aug. 29. Concerts
are open to the public and
are free to attend.
Raffl e tickets are sold at
each event to help cover
overhead expenses.
The music has also
TODAY
Issue 155, 14 pages
been scheduled for Miners
Jubilee, July 16-18. The
weekend will bring back
The Wasteland Kings,
Leather and Lace, Brass
Fire, The Blue Yesterdays,
and possibly the Tri-City
Drum group. Barefoot and
Bonafi de will perform at
the street dance during
Jubilee.
Baker City Events,
which organizes the Pow-
der River Music Review,
is now taking applications
from musicians and bands
who would like to compete
in the battles.
The entry fee is $25 for
single acts, $35 for duos, or
$50 for bands of three or
more members. The sound
system will be provided.
Calendar ....................2A
Classified ............. 4B-6B
Comics ....................... 7B
Musicians will need to
provide their own instru-
ments.
The entry fees will be
used for a People’s Choice
Award at the end of each
day’s concert.
There will be a “Sponsor
Award” of $1000 for fi rst
place, $500 for second place
and $250 for third place.
According to a press
release, musicians who
donated their time and
talent to raise funds for
the building of the Powder
River Pavilion will be
given fi rst chance at being
scheduled to play at these
special concert dates.
Vendor booth revenue
and sponsor donations
will comprise the “sponsor
Community News ....3A
Crossword ........4B & 5B
Dear Abby ................. 8B
award” funds. Vendor fees
are $200 per booth.
Musicians who want
to enter or vendors who
would like to reserve booth
space can send an email to
bakercityevents1@gmail.
com to apply.
Businesses who would
like to be a sponsor of the
events can send an email
for details and benefi ts.
Individuals or busi-
nesses that are interested
in being a concert spon-
sor for one of the Sunday
concerts, or providing a gift
certifi cate or promotional
item for one of the weekly
raffl e drawings, can contact
Lynette Perry, event coordi-
nator, by email at baker-
cityevents1@gmail.com.
Home ................... 1B-3B
Horoscope ........4B & 5B
Letters ........................4A
Lottery Results ..........2A
News of Record ........2A
Opinion ......................4A
Close to one in four Baker
County voters had returned
their ballot for the May
18 election as of Monday
afternoon.
Almost 23% of the
county’s approximately
12,500 voters had returned
their ballot one week before
the deadline, said Stefanie
Kirby, Baker County clerk.
Kirby recommends that
voters who haven’t fi lled out
their ballot to bring it to a
drop box rather than put it
in the mail, to ensure it ar-
rives before the deadline at 8
p.m. on May 18.
Mailed ballots that arrive
after that time aren’t valid,
even if they’re postmarked
prior to the deadline. A list of
ballot drop boxes is available
at www.bakercounty.org/
clerks/Drop_Sites.html.
See Ballots/Page 2A
Senior Menus ...........2A
Sports ........................6A
Weather ..................... 8B
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