TUESDAY
SYDNEY KELLER WINS POLE VAULT, BAKER GIRLS 8TH AT STATE TRACK: PG. 5A
In SPORTS, 5A
Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityherald.com
May 25, 2021
Local • Home & Living • Sports
IN THIS EDITION:
QUICK HITS
Good Day Wish
To A Subscriber
A special good day to
Herald subscriber Kristi
Johnson of Baker City.
Oregon, 3A
CANNON BEACH — The
sand was packed on a
recent sunny day at this
upscale beach town on
Oregon’s coast, but signs
of the state’s cautious
approach to the pandemic
were still everywhere.
BRIEFING
$1.50
Risk
Art For Everyone level
may
drop
Former Newspaper Box Repurposed As ‘Little Free Art Gallery’
■ Other metal boxes refurbished to serve as free libraries located around town
County planning
commission
sets hearing
on proposed
subdivision
The Baker County
Planning Commission
will have a public hearing
on Tuesday, June 8 at 5
p.m. at the Baker County
Courthouse, 1995 Third
St., regarding a proposed
12-lot subdivision in Baker
Valley.
Salmon Creek Build-
ers Inc. has proposed the
subdivision near Brown
Road.
The public is invited to
attend the hearing in per-
son or by teleconference
(1-833-548-0276, enter
Meeting ID: 682 612 1078
and Passcode: 967061,
when prompted).
A copy of the applica-
tion and other documents
are available by calling
Tara Micka at 541-523-
8219. A copy of the
planning department staff
report will be available
starting June 1.
WEATHER
Today
60 / 36
Showers likely
Wednesday
70 / 41
Partly sunny
Full forecast on the back
of the B section.
The space below is for
a postage label for issues
that are mailed.
Badger boys
tops in track
■ County’s rate of
new COVID-19
cases has dipped
to the lowest level
since October 2020
By Jayson Jacoby
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald
Corrine Vegter, creator of Robby the Robot, chats with Damian Reynolds, Olivia Reynolds, and Wyatt Free as
they explore the offerings in the “Little Free Art Gallery.”
Lisa Britton, Baker City Herald
Olivia Reynolds made a side trip after climbing down from the school bus on
the afternoon of May 13.
“Are you going to see Robby?” the 9-year-old asked other riders who rode the
bus to Churchill School.
Olivia led the way around the corner to the front of the former school where a
bright red metal creation greets visitors.
Robby the Robot was the desti-
nation of Olivia and her friends.
Corrine Vegter, who owns
Churchill with her husband,
Brian, built Robby using an old
newspaper box no longer needed
by the Baker City Herald.
It is Baker City’s fi rst “Little
Free Art Gallery” where visitors
can fi nd art pieces on the top shelf
and art supplies on the bottom
shelf.
Everyone is encouraged to
“take some and leave some.” The
robot is out front of Churchill,
3451 Broadway St.
This concept is the same as the
Little Free Libraries where people
can leave a book and take a book.
Starting with the original
orange box, she created a second
door on the bottom half, then
welded tabs inside to install
shelves. Funky metal pieces make
up Robby’s arms, a propeller sits
atop his head, and she added a
face using old gears.
“I’ve been wanting an excuse
to make a robot for a long time,”
Vegter said.
She fi nished the creation with
shiny red oil-based outdoor paint.
“I just wanted something fun,
bright and lively,” she said.
Solar lights illuminate Robby’s
interior during nighttime.
This art library is for everyone.
“I hope both kids and adults
love it,” Vegter said.
There’s even a Facebook page:
“Robby the Robot Little Free Art
Gallery.”
See Artistic/Page 3A
TODAY
Issue 6, 14 pages
With its COVID-19 case
rate dropping to the low-
est level in more than six
months, Baker County ap-
pears to be on pace to return
to the state’s lowest risk
level, which would double
indoor dining capacity at
restaurants at the start of
Memorial Day weekend.
For the 10-day period May
14-23, the county reported
four new cases, according to
the Baker County Health
Department.
That’s the fewest new cas-
es in a 10-day period since
mid-October 2020, when the
county had three new cases
over 14 days, Oct. 10-23.
Baker County had no
new cases for at least four
straight days — May 20-23.
That’s the longest stretch
without a new case in the
county since October, when
the county had 13 con-
secutive days — Oct. 7-19 —
without a case.
See COVID Rates/Page 3A
City Council
to mull
Second
Amendment
resolution
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald
Corrine Vegter encourages people to take, and to leave, pieces of art, and
art supplies, from this repurposed newspaper box at Churchill School.
Calendar ....................2A
Classified ............. 3B-6B
Comics ....................... 7B
Community News ....3A
Crossword ........4B & 6B
Dear Abby ................. 8B
Home ................... 1B-3B
Horoscope ........4B & 6B
Lottery Results ..........2A
News of Record ........2A
Opinion ......................4A
Senior Menus ...........2A
The Baker City Council
during its meeting this eve-
ning will consider approving
a resolution declaring the
city a Second Amendment
sanctuary.
City Councilor Johnny
Waggoner Sr. introduced
the resolution, which has
been reviewed by the city
attorney and City Manager
Jon Cannon. Councilors will
meet at 7 p.m. at City Hall,
1655 First St.
The one-page resolution
includes a clause that reads:
“The Baker City Council
does hereby oppose the
enactment of any legislation
that would infringe upon the
rights of the People to keep
and bear arms and consider
such laws to be unconsti-
tutional and beyond lawful
legislative authority.”
See Council/Page 2A
Sports .............. 5A & 6A
Turning Backs ...........2A
Weather ..................... 8B
THURSDAY — GO! MAGAZINE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE