COMMUNITY
TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2021
BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A
Samantha O’Conner/Baker City Herald
Baker High School graduates toss their mortarboards after commencement on Sunday, June 6 at Baker Bulldog Memorial Stadium.
CLASS OF 2021
Continued from Page 1A
She encouraged them to
be kind, positive, and treat
everyone with respect, fi nd
something to be passionate
about, and to be unique.
“Have fun. Some people
are really good at doing this
life thing right,” Sullivan
said. “They don’t stress the
small stuff, they are really
good at enjoying the moment.
They even die well: Zeuxis,
a 5th century B.C. Greek
painter, is said to have died
laughing at the humorous
way in which he painted the
goddess Aphrodite — after
the old woman who commis-
sioned it insisted on model-
ing for the portrait.”
Her fi nal piece of advice
was to remember: “All you
need is love.”
Salutatorian Renee Blin-
coe quoted fi ctional super-
hero Tony Stark (Iron Man
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald
Corah Downing was among the members of the Baker
High School Class of 2021 who participated in a vehicle
processional along Broadway and Main streets Sunday
afternoon, June 6, prior to graduation.
and The Avengers): “It’s not
about how much we’ve lost,
it’s about how much we have
left.”
“Instead of focusing on
COUNCIL
sound their horns except in
emergencies.
Continued from Page 1A
To qualify for a quiet
zone — which are in effect
How satisfi ed are you
in both La Grande and
with the response time Pendleton — Baker City
of police offi cers to a
would have to upgrade the
crime in progress?
barriers at fi ve railroad
• I have never called for crossings to prevent
offi cer assistance, 160
vehicles from reaching
• Satisfi ed, 136
the tracks while a train is
• Not sure/no opinion, 83 passing.
• Somewhat satisfi ed, 75
The concept of a quiet
• Very satisfi ed, 53
zone dates back about two
• Somewhat unsatisfi ed, decades.
32
When city voters were
• Very unsatisfi ed, 21
asked their opinion on the
• Unsatisfi ed, 13
matter, in the May 2002
election, 82% were opposed
What concerns you the to the city pursuing a quiet
most within the city
zone.
limits (check all that
The idea was revived
apply)?
a couple years ago when
• Drug activity, 519
residents formed a group,
• Theft, robbery, bur-
Neighbors for a Safer, Qui-
glary, 511
eter and Healthier Baker
• Messy neighborhood
City, and submitted to the
yards, 178
city a petition signed by
• General safety con-
more than 230 people who
cerns, 166
support a quiet zone.
• Traffi c issues, 85
In November 2019 the
• Dogs at large, 82
city council voted to have
• Barking dogs, 62
the city fi le a notice of
• Gang activity, 52
intent to apply for a quiet
• Gun crime, 47
zone, which doesn’t obligate
the city to take any further
In other business Tues- action.
day, councilors will:
The agenda item for to-
• Hear a report about
night’s meeting is a report
discussions among the
only; councilors are not
previous city council
slated to take any action.
regarding the proposal to
Among the council’s
apply for a “quiet zone” in
options in the future are to
the city, meaning freight
again ask voters, via a bal-
trains, about 24 of which
lot measure, whether they
pass through the city in
support the city pursuing a
a typical day, would not
quiet zone.
SAIL S THE GREEK ISLES
E
PRIC
HED
SLAS
the negative aspect of things
ending, I encourage all of
us to look more towards the
positives,” Blincoe said.
She encouraged her class-
mates to mark their gradu-
ation as a milestone, but not
as a sad ending.
“But I’ll let Tony Stark
have the last words — ‘part
of the journey is the end.’ ”
Co-valedictorian Salena
Bott noted that the Class of
2021 has had experiences
unlike any class.
“Our experiences here in
high school have helped us
grow into better people as we
go forward and look to our
futures,” Bott said. “Obstacles
came our way, but we were
able to come together and
overcome every single one
of them. Through all of our
diffi cult circumstances, we
pushed ourselves to be the
best we could be.”
Bott talked about the pep
night the Class of 2021 had
planned, even though they
weren’t sure, due to the pan-
demic, that it could happen.
“Our senior pep night
experience is just a small
example of everything that
we accomplished together,”
she said. “The mindset that
brought us together is the
same mindset that will con-
tinue to carry us forward.”
She also reminded her fel-
low graduates that the senior
class won pep night.
She ended her speech
with a quote from Mala
Yousafazai — “Let us make
our future now, and let us
make our dreams tomorrow’s
reality.”
Another of the class’ three
valedictorians, Gabriel
Gambleton, congratulated
his classmates for perse-
vering through one of the
craziest years of their lives
— something his introduc-
tion emphasized when he
welcomed not only the tradi-
VARIANCE
tional groups — “staff, family,
friends, alumni and class of
2021” — but also something
that wouldn’t have been
included in any previous
address — “those of you on
Zoom.”
“A year full of unpre-
dictable events, constant
changes, and distance learn-
ing. A year where gradua-
tion gowns could have been
replaced with hazmat suits,”
Gambleton said.
“My biggest takeaway
from this is that many things
are out of our control, but it’s
how we adapt, persevere, and
learn that we can be success-
ful in the future,” Gambleton
said.
Gambleton talked about
the historic times he and
his classmates have lived
through.
“And we will look back at
some point and have one of
the greatest gifts of all, a great
story,” he said. “One you can
share with your grandkids. As
a class I challenge each and
every one of you to go out and
be the best version of yourself,
the choice is yours.”
Co-valedictorian Sydney
Keller said she wanted to
leave her fellow graduates
with a bit of motivation for
the future.
“If you know me, then you
know how much I enjoy quot-
direct and the cumulative impacts of the
proposed request,” Ratliff wrote in the
Continued from Page 1A
letter. “If the variance is approved the
“If granted the conditional use permit department recommends a mitigation
and variance of the 200 foot require-
plan be developed and implemented to
ment we intend to use the lightest touch offset the loss of winter range.”
possible in developing the property into
Fred Warner Jr. attended the June 2
a residence and preserve the natural
commission meeting representing Bork.
beauty of the area,” they wrote. “We do
“The reason there is a 200-foot stan-
not feel this endeavor will negatively
dard is because of the big game overlay
impact any of the neighboring proper-
and the applicant believes that we have
ties or be an eyesore to the community.” mitigated that in our proposal,” Warner
They are proposing to a build
said.
an 1,800-square-foot home and
Warner said Bork has proposed to
1,800-square-foot shop. The buildings
buy a 2.25-acre parcel adjacent to the
would be accessed by an approximately home site and place a deed restriction
1/4-mile private driveway off Highway
prohibiting a home from being built
7, and electricity would be supplied by
there. That property is four times the
solar panels, according to the applica-
size of the footprint for the homesite,
tion. Bork and Landolt plan to have a
Warner said.
well drilled.
Without the variance from the 200-
In a March 26, 2021, letter to the
foot requirement, Bork would not be
Planning Department, Brian Ratliff,
able to build a home on the one suitable
district wildlife biologist at the Oregon
site on the property, Warner said.
Department of Fish and Wildlife’s
“So the preservation of applicant’s
(ODFW) Baker City offi ce, wrote that
property right is contingent on grant-
ODFW recommends the county require ing of the variance and without the
that any home be within 200 feet of the variance, we would be unable to fi t the
highway.
criteria that was discussed and granted
“ODFW has concerns with both the
for the home site,” Warner said.
Annual Youth Trail
Ride started in
1964 is sponsored
by the
Baker County
Mounted Posse
He contends that the home will have
a limited effect on the area, and that
Bork is willing to take signifi cant steps
to keep the home and shop out of sight
from Highway 7.
Shannon Downing, a Realtor for
Keller Williams, told commissioners
that the Scheler property “creates lots
of phone calls and every time we get
into the conversation of ‘is it a buildable
piece of property?’ ” the issue of the 200-
foot road requirement arises.
“It’s dead in the water. People just go
away,” Downing said.
Building on the hill, more than 200
feet from the highway, is the best use of
the property, Downing said.
In other actions on June 2, commis-
sioners:
• approved the purchase of a 2008
Ford F-750 Versalift Truck from the
Oregon Department of Transportation
for $14,000. The truck will be part of the
county road department’s fl eet.
• approved the purchase of a fi nger-
print machine for Baker County Jail. Lt.
Ben Wray of the Baker County Sher-
iff’s Offi ce said the former fi ngerprint
machine is 17 years old and has stopped
working.
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ing lines,” Keller said.
She offered quotes from
Ricky Bobby, the race car
driver portrayed by actor Will
Ferrell in the movie “Talla-
dega Nights.” —“If you ain’t
fi rst, you’re last.”
“As we move on to the next
part of life, know that one of
the most important ingre-
dients to success is a good
mindset,” Keller said.
She also quoted two
characters from Charles M.
Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic
strip, Charlie Brown and his
beagle, Snoopy.
“We only live once” was
Charlie Brown’s line, to which
Snoopy replied: “Wrong, we
only die once. We live every
day!”
“Be sure that as we go out
into the world, you embrace
each moment so as to truly
live,” Keller said.
Keller thanked her class-
mates, teachers, coaches and
family.
“Thank you to all of the
community members who
continually show such
amazing support to us kids,”
Keller said.
Her fi nal quote, refl ecting
Keller’s Nebraska roots and
inherent love of comedian
Larry the Cable Guy, was to
encourage the class of 2021
to go out into the world and
“get ’er done.”
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For more information, questions or an
application please call Jodie Radabaugh at
AKA: (Baker Valley Travel & Alegre Travel)
541-524-9358 or 541-403-4933
541-523-9353 & 541-963-9000
All state and county regulations will be followed.
2390 Broadway, Baker City
541-523-5223
Mon-Fri 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Saturday 8 am - 5 pm
Closed Sun