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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (May 27, 2021)
Wagons Ho! Memorial Day wagon encampment moves to Geiser-Pollman park THURSDAY OREGON HOUSE APPROVES ELECTION-DAY POSTMARK FOR BALLOTS: PG. 5A NORTHEAST OREGON MAY 27, 2021 Page 2 www.gonortheastoregon.com Also Inside: Ison House begins Concert Series Art sought for Wallowa show Farmers Markets are opening GO! Magazine Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityherald.com May 27, 2021 IN THIS EDITION: QUICK HITS Good Day Wish To A Subscriber A special good day to Herald subscriber Randy Estes of Baker City. Oregon, 5A The Thursday, May 27 tip-off of the playoff game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets will be the fi rst big test for Oregon’s newly approved vaccinated sec- tions at arenas, theaters and other businesses. Local • Business & AgLife • Go! magazine $1.50 County drops to low risk By Jayson Jacoby jjacoby@bakercityherald.com With its COVID-19 case rate dropping by more than half during May, Baker County returned to the lowest of the state’s risk levels today, May 27. The county had been at either the high or extreme risk level since April 22. “We have been advocating with the governor’s offi ce to get back down to the lower risk category, and I’m so glad our businesses will begin Memorial Day weekend in the lowest risk category available,” Baker County Commissioner Mark Bennett said. At the lowest risk level, restau- rants and bars can have indoor din- ing up to 50% of capacity, up from 25% under high risk. The county averaged 1.88 cases per day from May 1-25, the lowest rate since October 2020. The county’s daily average was 5.4 cases during April, and 3.1 cases during March. The county had no new cases for four straight days, May 20-23, then reported two cases on May 24 and three cases on May 25. Council OK’s gun rights resolution Old West Federal Credit Union’s Farm To Table Loan Program BRIEFING Kylie Siddoway wins $1,000 scholarship Kylie Siddoway of Dur- kee has received a $1,000 scholarship from the Or- egon Fairs Foundation. The Foundation awarded two 4-H and two FFA scholar- ships. Each applicant was judged on their involve- ment in fairs, including an essay on how they ben- efi ted from their experi- ence with county fairs and the Oregon State Fair. By Samantha O’Conner soconner@bakercityherald.com The Baker City Council ap- proved a resolution Tuesday, May 25 that declares the city a Second Amendment sanctuary and states that the council opposes “any legisla- tion that would infringe upon the rights of the People to keep and bear arms.” Resolution 3885 passed by a 5-2 vote, with Councilors Jason Spriet and Heather Sells voting no after express- ing concern about some of the language. Councilor Johnny Waggon- er Sr. proposed the resolution. He said a resident had asked him if there was anything the council could do to protect residents’ Second Amend- ment rights. Baker County Garden Club to meet June 2 The Baker County Garden Club will meet Wednesday, June 2 at 10:30 a.m. at Ace Nursery, 39103 Pocahontas Road. The speaker will be Janice Cowan, who will talk about growing roses. Please bring a sack lunch, drink and chair. New members are always welcome. S. John Collins/Baker City Herald File Old West Federal Credit Union is trying to make it easier for residents to buy locally raised beef. 75 / 38 Making Local Beef More Accessible Increasing clouds By Lisa Britton WEATHER Today lbritton@bakercityherald.com Friday 65 / 32 Afternoon showers Full forecast on the back of the B section. The space below is for a postage label for issues that are mailed. Your guide to arts, entertainment and other events happening around Northeast Oregon When meat prices rose in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ken Olson wanted to help local consumers pur- chase products from local producers. Olson is the CEO of Old West Fed- eral Credit Union, which has branches across Eastern Oregon including John Day, Baker City, La Grande, Prairie City, Union, Pendleton, Hermiston and Burns. “He has a big heart for our com- munities and rural areas,” Bob Kavanaugh, vice president of business development and member experience at Old West, said of Olson. The USDA reports that, in 2020, supply of meat products was affected by temporary closures of meatpack- ing plants due to COVID-19. The low supply in turn drove up prices in the grocery store. Kavanaugh said Olson challenged an Old West team to brainstorm a solution that would make local beef more accessible — especially when money is tight. “Food insecurity is a real thing,” Kavanaugh said. “We came up with a strategy to help our local communities purchase meat in bulk.” The program is called the Farm to Table Loan. Loan amounts are available from $500 to $4,000. When someone inquires about the loan, Kavanaugh said they meet with an See Council/Page 3A Tuesday was dampest day in a year Old West staff to discuss the loan amount and pay-back details. Storing meat can be a challenge for some families, too, so a freezer can be financed into the loan as well. The 12-month loans are interest-free. Kavanaugh said Old West introduced the program several months ago, and will relaunch it around June 1. To initially promote the program, Old West held a raffle for “Get a Freezer, Give a Freezer Full of Beef.” When Union County rancher Charlie Rohlf found out about the loan program, he donated half a beef to fill the second freezer. Billy Bob’s Butcher Shop in El- gin processed the meat at a reduced cost. By Jayson Jacoby jjacoby@bakercityherald.com For a few hours on Tues- day, May fi nally upheld its soggy reputation. It was the wettest day in Baker City not only for the month, but in more than a year. A total of 0.38 of an inch of rain fell at the Baker City Airport, the most since 0.54 of an inch splashed into the rain gauge on May 20, 2020. But one drippy day wasn’t enough to make up the defi cit that May had amassed. See Beef/Page 3A See Rain/Page 3A Baker man, 19, discusses his decision to not be vaccinated against COVID-19 ■ Shane Cunningham, a college freshman, said he doesn’t feel it’s necessary given his low-risk level become severely ill after being infected with the virus are older than 60. Shane Cunningham pondered the According to the Oregon Health COVID-19 vaccines long before he was Authority (OHA), of almost 11,000 eligible to get one. people who have been hospitalized for Shane, 19, who lives near Baker treatment of COVID-19 in the state City, decided not to be inoculated. during the pandemic, 196 — 1.8% — He said he was persuaded in part were between 10 and 19 years old. by statistics showing that a large ma- Only one person in that age range jority of people who have either died or has died after contracting COVID-19, By Jayson Jacoby jjacoby@bakercityherald.com TODAY Issue 7, 22 pages Business .................... 1B Classified ............. 2B-4B Comics ....................... 5B Community News ....3A Crossword ........2B & 3B Dear Abby ................. 6B out of 2,624 deaths statewide as of Tuesday, May 25, according to the OHA. “The risk with COVID-19 is very negligible for me,” Shane said. “I’m in a very low-risk age group.” Shane, who was homeschooled and earned an associate’s degree in 2020 through the Baker Web Academy, is taking online classes at Treasure Val- Horoscope ........2B & 3B Letters ........................4A Lottery Results ..........2A ley Community College. He said he considered other factors in making his decision about being vaccinated. Shane said his family has a history of medical conditions that can affect the immune system, including his dad, Matt, who has multiple sclerosis. News of Record ........2A Opinion ......................4A Senior Menus ...........2A See Vaccine/Page 2A Sports ........................ 8B Turning Backs ...........2A Weather ..................... 6B SATURDAY — SPECIAL SECTION CELEBRATES THE CLASS OF 2021