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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 2021)
THURSDAY BAKER’S RUN ENDS AT LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL STATE TOURNEY: PG. A6 Ì×ÎÛ«$ ÙÙÙÉÑÇÃÕÖÇÔÐÑÔÇÉÑÐÅÑÏ Celebrate Huckleberry Festival ÒÃÉÇ Crash Demolition Derby ÒÃÉÇ% Classic Hotrod-a- Rama ÒÃÉÇ% Rodeo #!ÖÊ«ÃÐÐ×ÃÎÅÊËÇÈÌÑÕÇÒÊ ÆÃÛÕÔÑÆÇÑÄÇÉËÐÕÌ×ÎÛ# Ellen Morris Bishop/For the Wallowa County Chieftain “The food is fresh, locally sourced and unbelievably delicious. Their IPAs are distinct and clearly not copy-cats of each other or anyone else making NW IPAs.” - Yelp Review, Bend. Oregon 1219 Washington Ave • La Grande, OR 97850 www.sideabeer.com Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityherald.com July 22, 2021 IN THIS EDITION: Business & Ag Life • Local • Sports $1.50 DROUGHT Dry conditions bring hardship to Eastern Oregon farms and ranches New brochures guide visitors to fresh produce and more Lair family purchases 45-acre cherry orchard near Cove Smutz family well into its second century on Foothill Road farm Ranchers optimistic about meat packing antitrust probe 10 12 16 22 SUMMER EDITION, JULY 2021 An EO Media Group Publication INCLUDED WITH TODAY’S ISSUE Senior Center Reopens For In-Person Lunches After 16-Month Closure Lunch Bunch 24-page special section examines the effects of severe drought on farming and ranching in Northeast- ern Oregon, and other top- ics related to agriculture. Good Day Wish To A Subscriber By Jayson Jacoby jjacoby@bakercityherald.com A special good day to Herald subscriber Chris Draper of Baker City. Local, A3 Two Baker City men rid- ing motorcycles were criti- cally injured in separate crashes over a one-hour period Tuesday afternoon, July 20. The fi rst was reported at 3:13 p.m. on Old Trail Road near Lake Bob, about two miles north of the Baker City limits. Sports, A6 WEATHER Today 84 / 42 Smoke likely Friday 87 / 44 Smoke likely Full forecast on the back of the B section. The space below is for a postage label for issues that are mailed. Bulls, broncs founder dies ■ Ken McPheron, who died Tuesday at 82, started one of Baker City’s signature events QUICK HITS TOKYO — Sweden didn’t have to bunker down on defense against the Americans this time. Stina Blackstenius scored a pair of goals and the Swedes stunned the United States at the Olympics with a 3-0 victory Wednesday in the wom- en’s soccer tournament. GO! Magazine: Your guide to arts and entertainment events around Northeastern Oregon Joanna Mann/Baker City Herald From left, Ludy Busciglio, David Bowers, Barbara Burton, Tami Ritter and John Sutton gathered at the Baker City Senior Center for lunch on Tuesday, July 20. It was the fi rst time the Center had an in-person lunch since March 17, 2020. During the pandemic the Center has offered takeout lunches and Meals on Wheels. By Joanna Mann jmann@bakercityherald.com Seniors streamed into the Baker City Senior Center on Tuesday, July 20, eager to reconnect with old friends over spaghetti, garlic bread, vegeta- bles and tapioca pudding. It was the fi rst on-site lunch at the Center since March 17, 2020. The next day the facility, operated by Community Connection of Baker County at 2810 Cedar St., was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then Community Connection has served takeout meals on week- days, and seen a major increase in Meals on Wheels requests. But on Tuesday the doors reopened for lunch, which is served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. “I think it’s wonderful,” said Col- leen Anderson, who has been meeting her friend Connie for lunch every Tuesday at the Center for years. “We’ve been waiting for this a long time.” Colleen and Connie kept up their “I think it’s wonderful. We’ve been waiting for this a long time.” — Colleen Anderson, who had lunch on Tuesday, July 20 at the Baker CIty Senior Center weekly lunch date even when the Center was closed for 16 months. Col- leen would pick up the takeout meals and the two would meet at her house. “Doesn’t this just raise your spir- its?” Nadine Guymon said Tues- day, gesturing to the balloons and streamers draped across the ceiling. A “Welcome Back” banner greeted lunch-goers in the dining room, and there were door prizes to celebrate the occasion as well. The winners would receive a collapsible garden bag, candles, locally grown honey jars, an umbrella light and a wind chime. Albertsons donated several boxes of vanilla and chocolate cupcakes to go with the meal. The chef made enough meals to feed 100 people, and there were coffee and tea stations where people could catch up before lunch. One group of friends joyfully greeted each other at the table they’ve been sitting at for decades, before COVID-19 broke up the daily lunch date. “We all love it,” Barbara Burton said. “We used to come here every day.” Burton and her fi ve friends were busy chatting after nearly a year and a half of separation. One absence was particularly felt at the table, as one of the group’s regulars has since passed away. While his friends wish he were still there to enjoy the reunion, the rest of the group was overjoyed to be back together again. Joe Hayes, manager of Community Connection of Baker County, is also glad to be up and running with the in-person lunches. “We’re ready to go,” he said. Lunches are served at the Center every weekday from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. The meals cost $5 for those 60 and older, and $7.50 for everyone else. ATTORNEY SAYS POLICE LISTENED TO PRIVILEGED PHONE CALLS WITH HIS CLIENT Man accused of murder in Baker City seeks dismissal of charges Schaef- jjacoby@bakercityherald.com fer writes in The attorney for Shawn the motion Quentin Greenwood, the that crimi- Vale man accused of mur- nal charges dering a woman in Baker against City in January 2020, has Greenwood, fi led a motion seeking to including fi rst- Greenwood dismiss criminal charges degree mur- because several phone calls der, should be dismissed from the Baker County Jail “due to the serious and between Greenwood and egregious constitutional the attorney in 2020 were violation of law enforce- allegedly recorded, and ment listening to commu- law enforcement offi cers nications protected by the listened to the recordings. attorney/client privilege.” James A. Schaeffer, a La Greg Baxter, Baker Grande attorney, fi led the County district attorney, motion June 25, 2021. declined to comment. By Jayson Jacoby TODAY Issue 31, 32 pages Business ...............B1-B2 Classified ............. B2-B4 Comics ....................... B5 A hearing on Schaeffer’s motion has been scheduled for Aug. 13 at 8:30 a.m. in Baker County Circuit Court. Greenwood, 50, is accused of fatally shoot- ing his former girlfriend, Angela Michelle Parrish, 30, of Vale, on Jan. 13, 2020. Police found Parrish’s body in a building just north of H Street in Baker City, on property that previously was owned by the New Tribes Mission, south of the Powder River Correctional Facility. Greenwood is also ac- Community News ....A3 Crossword ........B2 & B4 Dear Abby ................. B6 cused of shooting, in the hand, Nathaniel Leeland Brown, also on Jan. 13. 2020. Brown was treated and released at Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Baker City. Greenwood was initially charged with second-degree assault for allegedly shoot- ing Brown, but that charge was changed to fi rst-degree assault in September 2020 after a grand jury heard evidence that Brown’s in- jury was more serious than fi rst thought. See Charges/Page A3 Horoscope ........B3 & B4 Lottery Results ..........A2 News of Record ........A2 Obituaries ..................A2 Opinion ......................A4 Senior Menus ...........A2 Ken McPheron was best known in Baker City for starting its signature rodeo event in 1995, but the indel- ible memory for Shane Pierce is how Ken made his mom, Shir- ley, smile. McPheron Ken was Shane’s step- father, but such distinctions meant nothing for the blend- ed family of fi ve children that Ken and Shirley forged when they were married in 1992. “They made each other’s world go around, and you could see it,” Shane said on Wednesday, July 21, the day after Ken died at age 82. “When you saw them together you could tell they were each other’s person.” Shane worked with his mom and stepfather begin- ning with the inaugural bull riding competition at the Baker County Fairgrounds in Baker City in 1995, add- ing the bronc riding event in 1997, and continuing for almost another quarter century. During that time the two-night event — broncs on Friday, bulls on Saturday, both coinciding with Miners Jubilee — became a popular draw for rodeo fans across the West. See McPheron/Page A3 City’s water use down slightly By Samantha O’Conner soconner@bakercityherald.com Baker City residents have cut back on their water use since city offi cials asked them to do so, but the daily demand remains high enough to cause concern in City Hall. “I thought I might see a little bit more of a reduction but I am encouraged to see the numbers coming down,” Michelle Owen, the city’s public works director, said on Monday, July 19. That was one week after the city enacted Phase 2 of its water curtailment ordinance. See Water/Page A3 Sports ........................A6 Turning Backs ...........A2 Weather ..................... B6 SATURDAY — BAKER SANITARY SERVICE OPENS COMPOSTING FACILITY