THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2021
BAKER CITY HERALD — A5
LOCAL
Ashland man dies in motorcycle crash GOP governor
Baker City Herald
A 78-year-old man from
Ashland died Monday
afternoon, Sept. 13, when he
failed to negotiate a curve
while riding his motor-
cycle on Highway 7 south of
Sumpter.
Lawrence Clay Drake was
riding southbound on the
highway near Milepost 23
at about 3:40 p.m. when his
KTM 950 motorcycle went
off the highway and crashed,
according to Oregon State
Police. He died at the scene.
The curve is on the grade
below Larch Summit, about
two miles south of Sumpter
Valley.
Drake was wearing a hel-
met and “proper motorcycle
riding attire,” according to an
OSP report.
COVID
county’s cases from Sept. 1-14,
and 18% from Aug. 16-31. Both
were the highest percentages
Continued from A1
among 10-year age groups dur-
ing those periods.
Majority of cases in
The vaccination rate among
residents younger than 40
Continuing the trend from county residents in their 30s is
33.1%. The statewide average
August, the largest share of
cases in Baker County during for that age group is 71%.
The vaccination rate for the
September has been in people
age range in adjoining counties
younger than 40.
That age range accounted — Grant, 42%; Malheur, 30.4%;
Union, 48.6%; Wallowa, 50.9%.
for about 58% of cases from
Sept. 1-14, and about 50%
from Aug. 16-31, according
Ages 20 to 29
to the Baker County Health
This group, which numbers
Department.
about 1,300 in Baker County,
accounted for 7.3% of cases
A large majority of the
from Sept. 1-14, and 14.3%
cases have been in unvacci-
from Aug. 16-31.
nated residents.
The vaccination rate for
From Aug. 1 through
Sept. 5, Baker County had 40 residents in their 20s is 34.6%.
The statewide average is
breakthrough cases — posi-
65.3%.
tive tests in people who are
The vaccination rate for the
fully vaccinated. That was
20-29 age category in adjoin-
11.1% of the county’s 362
cases during that period.
ing counties — Grant, 48.2%;
(The weekly breakthrough Malheur, 26%; Union, 45.4%;
Wallowa, 61.7%.
case report will be released
today, Sept. 16.)
As of Tuesday, 50.2% of
Ages 10 to 19
Baker County residents 18
This group, which numbers
and older — a total population about 1,350 in Baker County,
of about 13,800 — were vac-
accounted for 19.1% of cases
cinated, according to the OHA. from Sept. 1-14, and 14.3%
from Aug. 16-31.
The county, which had
The vaccination rate for this
had the seventh-lowest vac-
group is 26.5% — residents 11
cination rate among Oregon
and younger are not eligible to
counties for more than a
month, has dropped into a tie be vaccinated. The statewide
for sixth-lowest with Umatilla average is 59%.
The vaccination rate for the
County.
age range in adjoining counties
— Grant, 22%; Malheur, 29.5%;
Age group comparisons
Union, 29.8%; Wallowa, 37.9%.
The younger age ranges
that have accounted for the
bulk of Baker County’s recent Ages 40 to 49
cases also have lower vaccina-
There are about 1,650
residents in this age range
tion rates than among older
in Baker County, and they
county residents.
accounted for about 12.2%
of cases from Sept. 1-14, and
Ages 30 to 39
11.8% from Aug. 16-31.
This group of about 1,950
The vaccination rate
people had 19.5% of the
SUIT
Continued from A1
Commissioners Mark Ben-
nett and Bruce Nichols voted
for a motion to authorize Sul-
livan to sign the settlement.
Commission Chairman Bill
Harvey voted no.
DEATHS
Raymond Howerton: 74, of
Baker City, died Sept. 14, 2021, in
the comfort of his home. Arrange-
ments are under the direction of
Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home
& Cremation Services. Online
condolences can be made at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com.
Linda Rae Koplein: 72, of
Baker City, died Sept. 14, 2021, at
Saint Alphonsus Medical Center-
Baker City. No memorial services
are planned at this time. Memorial
contributions can be made to Step
Forward Activities through Gray’s
West & Company Pioneer Chapel,
1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR
97814. To light a candle in memory
of Linda, or to offer online condo-
lences to her family, go to www.
grayswestco.com.
David Oliver Romine: 62, of
Halfway, died Sept. 12, 2021, at the
home of his parents, Dave and Skip
Romine, in Richland. Arrangements
are under the direction of Tami’s
Pine Valley Funeral Home & Crema-
tion Services. Online condolences
can be made at www.tamispineval-
leyfuneralhome.com.
Carol Ann Peters: 67, of Baker
City, died Sept. 10, 2021, at Saint
Alphonsus Medical Center-Baker
City. No services are planned at
this time. To light a candle in Carol’s
honor or to extend online condo-
lences to her family, go to www.
grayswestco.com.
FUNERALS PENDING
Debra Kay Davis: Celebration
of life, Saturday, Sept. 18 at 2 p.m.
at the Riverside Park Pavilion, 3501
N. Spruce St. in La Grande. Food
and drinks will be provided after the
service.
David Coughlin: Celebration
of life, Sunday, Sept. 19 at 4 p.m. at
the Quail Ridge Golf Course, 2801
Indiana Ave. in Baker City.
Viola Perkins: Graveside
Several passers-by stopped
to try to help Drake before
emergency responders ar-
rived, according to the report.
Baker County Dispatch
received a call about the
accident at 3:47 p.m., and an
ambulance from the Baker
City Fire Department, as well
as a Life Flight helicopter,
were dispatched at 3:48 p.m.,
said Ashley McClay, public
information officer for the
Baker County Sheriff’s Office.
The original call was from
the Powder River ambulance
district, but the caller had
poor cell service and it wasn’t
clear where the accident had
happened, McClay said.
OSP was also assisted
by the Powder River Rural
Fire Department, Life Flight
and ODOT.
for this age group is 45%,
compared with a statewide
average of 73.7%.
The vaccination rate for
the age range in adjoining
counties — Grant, 41.9%;
Malheur, 40.6%; Union,
48.3%; Wallowa, 58.9%.
Malheur, 59.7%; Union,
71.6%; Wallowa, 81.1%.
Ages 50 to 59
There are about 2,300
residents in this age range
in Baker County, and they
accounted for about 11% of
cases from Sept. 1-14, and
13% from Aug. 16-31.
The vaccination rate for
this age group is 45.4%,
compared with a statewide
average of 73.5%.
The vaccination rate for
the age range in adjoining
counties — Grant, 40.5%;
Malheur, 45.2%; Union,
48.7%; Wallowa, 56.3%.
Ages 80 and older
There are about 1,100
residents in this age category,
and they accounted for 2.4%
of cases from Sept. 1-14.
There were no cases in this
age range from Aug. 16-31.
The vaccination rate
for people 80 and older is
69.7% — the highest for any
age group in the county. The
statewide average is 79.7%.
The vaccination rate for
the age range in adjoining
counties — Grant, 45.9%;
Malheur, 61.2%; Union,
59.3%; Wallowa, 63.5%.
Ages 9 and younger
There are about 3,000
residents in this age category
in the county, and they are
not eligible for COVID-19 vac-
cinations.
Ages 60 to 69
This age group accounted
There are about 3,100 resi-
dents in this age range. They for about 12.2% of cases from
Sept. 1-14, and 3.7% of cases
accounted for 9.8% of cases
from Aug. 16-31.
from Sept. 1-14, and 14.3%
from Aug. 16-31.
The vaccination rate for
Vaccination rate rising
this age group is 55.2%. The
slightly
statewide average is 78.1%.
Bennett said he hopes
The vaccination rate for
the hospital capacity crisis
the age range in adjoining
in Idaho, and the potential
counties — Grant, 46.5%;
that it can put Baker County
Malheur, 58.6%; Union,
residents in life-threatening
63.4%; Wallowa, 66.1%.
situations they wouldn’t
otherwise face, will encourage
people to get vaccinated.
Ages 70 to 79
Idaho officials said that
There are about 2,200
on Sept. 11, of the more than
residents in this age group,
600 people hospitalized for
and they accounted for 6%
of cases from Sept. 1-14, and treatment of COVID-19 in the
state, more than 91% were
5.6% from Aug. 16-31.
not vaccinated.
The vaccination rate
In Baker County, the daily
for this age range is 67.3%,
average of vaccine doses given
compared with a statewide
was 20.6 from Sept. 1-13, up
average of 86.6%.
from a daily average of 20.4
The vaccination rate for
doses during August. The July
the age range in adjoining
average was 12.8 doses.
counties — Grant, 55.1%;
Harvey said in a phone in-
terview Wednesday afternoon
that although he supports the
part of the settlement that
creates a permanent public
right of way, requiring that
road remain open to the pub-
lic except during periods of
extreme fire danger, he voted
no on the motion because the
settlement includes a para-
graph he believes misstates
the situation.
That paragraph states that
when Longgood locked the
gate on the road in 2017, “one
or more responsible officials
at Baker County” advised him
that he was “legally autho-
rized to do so.”
Harvey contends that’s
not true.
“They were only given
permission to close a gate by
somebody who is represent-
ing our road department,”
he said. “No one person
in Baker County has the
legal right to close any road
in Baker.”
memorial service Friday, Sept. 24
at 10:30 a.m. at Haines Cemetery.
Donations in Viola’s memory can be
made to the Eastern Oregon Mu-
seum in Haines, Haines First Baptist
Church, or the Rock Creek-Muddy
Creek Mutual Improvement Club
through Coles Tribute Center, 1950
Place St., Baker City, OR 97814. To
light a candle in Viola’s memory, go
to www.colestributecenter.com.
Donna Weir: Graveside service
will be Saturday, Sept. 25 at 11 a.m.
at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in
Richland. Arrangements are under
the direction of Tami’s Pine Valley Fu-
neral Home & Cremation Services.
Online condolences can be made at
www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.
com.
POLICE LOG
County Circuit Court warrant):
Kyle Dean Arthur, 31, Baker City,
2:01 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14 in the
3900 block of 17th Street; cited and
released.
FOURTH-DEGREE ASSAULT:
John Scott Urlacher, 26, Baker City,
10:48 a.m. Monday, Sept. 13 in the
2200 block of 15th Street; cited and
released.
Baker County Sheriff’s
Office
Arrests, citations
CONTEMPT OF COURT (Baker
County Justice Court warrant):
Jacob Thomas Grant, 45, Baker City,
5:09 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13 at the
Sheriff’s Office; cited and released.
DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED:
Robert Wayne Jarboe, 46, Hunting-
ton, 3:52 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13 in
Huntington; cited and released.
News of Record
Baker City Police
Arrests, citations
CONTEMPT OF COURT (Baker
County Justice Court warrant):
Sharon Lee Beck, 35, Baker City,
5:14 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14 at Geiser-
Pollman Park; cited and released.
CONTEMPT OF COURT (Baker
County Justice Court warrant):
Alex Cooper Horn, 25, Baker City,
4:56 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14 in the
1500 block of Campbell Street; cited
and released.
CONTEMPT OF COURT (Baker
County Justice Court warrant):
Trevor James Health, 25, Baker City,
4:56 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14 in the
1500 block of Campbell Street; cited
and released.
CONTEMPT OF COURT (Baker
hopeful visits Baker
As a Republican, Gomez
understands the challenge
that her party faces in try-
Jessica Gomez wants to
be Oregon’s next governor,
ing to win the gubernatorial
and as she travels
race.
the state she’s hear-
Oregon voters
haven’t elected
ing a lot about how
a Republican as
little there is of a
vital resource.
governor since 1982,
Water.
when Victor Atiyeh
Concerns about
won his second four-
the current drought,
year term.
and fears about wa-
But Gomez said
Gomez
she believes the
ter shortages in the
widespread dissatisfaction
future, have been a major
topic in her discussions with with Brown’s tenure, includ-
farmers and ranchers this
ing executive orders related
summer, especially east of
to the pandemic as well as
the Cascades, Gomez said.
a general sense of “law-
“The biggest issue is wa- lessness” due to riots and
ter out this way,” she said on violence in Portland, has
Tuesday, Sept. 14, during her given Republicans a unique
second visit to Baker City
opportunity.
since she announced her
“We probably have the
candidacy for the Republican best chance to make it to
nomination in late June.
the governor’s office that
Gomez also traveled to
we’ve had in a long time,”
Baker City during Miners
Gomez said. “I think people
Jubilee in July.
are frustrated with a lack of
On Tuesday she met with leadership.”
Baker County Republicans.
She also believes
Gomez, who owns a
Oregon’s public education
business in Medford, said
system is not producing the
the water users she’s met
results it should based on
with “want to have a voice”
the amount of money the
in efforts to deal with water state is spending.
shortages.
Gomez has seen — and,
“People here are solutions indeed, smelled — the
based,” Gomez said. “They
effects of this summer’s
want to solve a problem.”
wildfires as she drove
Besides the drought,
throughout the state.
Gomez said a frequent topic
Although she acknowl-
raised by residents is the
edges that the federal
scarcity of workers for avail- government, not the state,
able jobs, and a shortage of
manages much of the public
housing.
land that has burned in re-
Gomez said she’s heard
cent years, Gomez contends
from residents frustrated
that Brown has failed to
by land use regulations that lobby federal agencies to
make it difficult to build new improve forest health and to
housing.
allow salvage logging after
In terms of the workforce fires.
shortage, she said one chal-
“The governor has a
huge role on the advocacy
lenge for parents is finding
side,” Gomez said. “As gov-
childcare.
She said that as governor ernor I would band together
she would promote more
with other western gov-
flexibility in zoning regula-
ernors to advocate for our
tions to help businesses, in- states with federal agencies.
cluding manufacturing, have I don’t think we’ve gotten
onsite childcare to make it
aggressive enough about
easier for parents to work.
advocating for ourselves.”
The pandemic is a
Trying to overcome
ubiquitous topic, Gomez
nearly four decades of GOP
said, and in particular Gov.
failures at the ballot box
Kate Brown’s mandates
is the latest challenge for
that many people, including Gomez.
health care workers and
She grew up in New
school staff, be vaccinated,
York and struggled to read
and that students and school at age 9. When she was
workers wear face masks
12 her family moved to
indoors.
Southern Oregon, and after
“People are frustrated
her parents separated she
about the vaccine mandate,” was homeless for a time as
Gomez said. “They’re wor-
a teenager.
She moved back to the
ried about losing employees,
East Coast and gradu-
and they think their voices
are not being heard.”
ated from high school and
Gomez said that although community college. Gomez
she is vaccinated, she
returned to Oregon in
opposes the mandate that
2003, at age 26, and she
Brown announced in August. and her husband started
“People don’t want to be
a microchip manufactur-
forced,” Gomez said.
ing business.
By JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
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