A2 — BAKER CITY HERALD
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2021
TURNING BACK THE PAGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
September 18, 1971
Meadow Valley, Idaho’s 1970 eight-man powerhouse
could do little more than scratch the Locomotives’ de-
fensive pride as Huntington rolled over its third foe 52-6
Friday in a home encounter.
Huntington had previously slashed Greenleaf 50-0
in its opener, and followed with a 26-0, one quarter
pounding over Burnt River to take the Baker A League
Jamboree last week.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
September 18, 1996
Baker County, its cities, and other agencies that receive
property tax revenue would have to deal with an esti-
mated 20-percent cut in their budgets if Oregon voters
pass Measure 47 on Nov. 5.
County Judge Steve Bogart and Assessor Allen Phillips
explained the potential effects of the property tax-limiting
measure Tuesday.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
September 19, 2011
Spring was rather treacherous for Baker County potato
growers, with its persistent cold, wet weather, but sum-
mer might turn out pretty sublime.
“We had just about as ideal of conditions as you could
hope for growing potatoes,” said Jan Kerns, who with her
husband, Tim, raises spuds in Baker Valley west of Haines.
The lack of severe heat and an abundance of cool nights
should result in a good crop, Jan Kerns said.
So far the temperature has hit 90 degrees or higher on
14 days this summer at the Baker City Airport; the average
is about 26 days.
And the average low temperature for both July and
August was well below average, nearly setting a record in
both cases.
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
September 19, 2020
Fourteen people applied for the Baker City manager job,
and a selection committee comprising three city council-
ors who met Thursday night pared the list of candidates
to fi ve.
Fred Warner Jr., who has been city manager since May
2016, plans to retire at the end of the year.
The seven-member City Council will choose the new
manager.
Mayor Loran Joseph said the selection committee,
which consists of himself and councilors Lynette Perry
and Jason Spriet, will propose to the City Council, when it
meets Tuesday, Sept. 22, that the full City Council inter-
view the fi ve candidates via Zoom.
The Council would then trim the roster to two or three
fi nalists whom the city would invite to Baker City for in-
terviews and potentially a meet-and-greet with residents,
contingent on complying with COVID-19 precautions,
Joseph said.
The city did not release the names of the fi ve candi-
dates.
According to the Oregon Attorney General’s Public
Records manual, public agencies can — but are not legally
required to — withhold the names of applicants because
releasing the names could jeopardize the applicants’ cur-
rent job.
OREGON LOTTERY
COVID wave crests, but recovery
unlikely before holiday season
By GARY A. WARNER
Oregon Capital Bureau
Oregon’s record wave of
COVID-19 cases appears to
have crested, but the long re-
covery will likely stretch into
the winter holiday season.
“I’m happy to deliver
some promising news — dai-
ly cases and hospitalizations
are slowly coming down from
record highs,” said Dr. Dean
Sidelinger, the state epidemi-
ologist, during a press call on
Thursday, Sept. 16.
New infections and
deaths also remain high but
are trending down the past
two weeks after eight weeks
of rising numbers driven by
the highly contagious delta
variant.
But it will take as long to
get down from the crest as it
took to get there, about two
months, according to state
forecasts.
“The Delta variant re-
mains a formidable threat,”
Sidelinger said.
With more than 1,000
COVID-19 patients state-
wide — nearly all unvac-
cinated — hospitals are
reeling and medical atten-
tion is delayed to not just
virus patients, but heart
attack victims, those injured
in car crashes and other life-
threatening incidents.
“These capacity levels are
not sustainable. Our health
system remains under signif-
icant stress,” Sidelinger said.
The Oregon Health
Authority on Thursday
reported 11 new COVID-19
related deaths in the state,
raising the overall death toll
during the crisis to 3,547.
Despite the recent sharp rise
in cases, Oregon’s overall per
capita death rate ranks 46th
among the 50 states. The
Johns Hopkins Coronavirus
Resource Center reported
that as of Thursday, the pan-
demic has killed 4.66 million
people worldwide, including
667,894 in the United States.
COVID-19 trend forecasts
from Oregon Health & Sci-
ence University last month
held out the possibility that
after dropping through
September and October,
COVID-19 levels could fall to
NEWS OF
RECORD
DEATHS
MEGABUCKS, Sept. 15
MEGA MILLIONS, Sept. 14
WIN FOR LIFE, Sept. 15
4 — 10 — 34 — 73
PICK 4, Sept. 16
• 1 p.m.: 2 — 6 — 4 — 3
• 4 p.m.: 6 — 7 — 9 — 1
• 7 p.m.: 6 — 3 — 2 — 6
• 10 p.m.: 5 — 6 — 6 — 9
LUCKY LINES, Sept. 16
4 — 13 — 19 — 63 — 64
2-8-11-14-19-21-27-29
6 – 11 — 15 – 16 — 24 — 46
Next jackpot: $3.2 million
POWERBALL, Sept. 15
1 — 4 — 18 — 46 — 62 PB 25
Next jackpot: $457 million
Mega
16
Next jackpot: $405 million
Next jackpot: $23,000
SENIOR MENUS
MONDAY: Chicken strips, mashed potatoes with gravy,
corn, rolls, cottage cheese with Jell-O salad, sherbet
TUESDAY: Herb-baked chicken, mashed potatoes with
gravy, peas and carrots, rolls, macaroni salad, cinnamon
rolls
WEDNESDAY: Turkey sandwich, turkey noodle soup,
green salad, tapioca
THURSDAY: Chili cheese dog, potato wedges, mixed
vegetables, Jell-O with fruit, ice cream
FRIDAY: Spaghetti, green beans, garlic bread, rolls, green
salad, cookies
Public luncheon at the Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St., from
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; $5 donation (60 and older), $7.50
for those under 60.
CONTACT THE HERALD
2005 Washington Ave., Suite 101
Open Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telephone: 541-523-3673
Fax: 541-833-6414
Publisher
Karrine Brogoitti
kbrogoitti@lagrandeobserver.
com
Jayson Jacoby, editor
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Advertising email
ads@bakercityherald.com
Classifi ed email
classified@bakercityherald.com
Circulation email
circ@bakercityherald.com
ISSN-8756-6419
Serving Baker County since 1870
Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays except Christmas Day by the
Baker Publishing Co., a part of EO Media
Group, at 1668 Resort St. (P.O. Box 807),
Baker City, OR 97814.
Subscription rates per month are
$10.75 for print only. Digital-only rates
are $8.25.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
the Baker City Herald, P.O. Box 807, Baker
City, OR 97814.
Periodicals Postage Paid
at Pendleton, Oregon 97801
Copyright © 2021
Edison ‘Ed’ Bowman: 79,
of Richland, died Sept. 16, 2021,
at his home, surrounded by his
family. Arrangements are under
the direction of Tami’s Pine Valley
Funeral Home & Cremation Ser-
vices. Online condolences may
be made at www.tamispineval-
leyfuneralhome.com.
Donald ‘Don’ Gage: 83,
of Halfway, died Sept. 16, 2021,
at his home, surrounded by his
family. Arrangements are under
the direction of Tami’s Pine Valley
Funeral Home & Cremation Ser-
vices. Online condolences may
be made at www.tamispineval-
leyfuneralhome.
FUNERALS PENDING
David Coughlin: Celebra-
tion of life, Sunday, Sept. 19 at
4 p.m. at the Quail Ridge Golf
Course, 2801 Indiana Ave. in
Baker City.
Viola Perkins: Graveside
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 Museum in
Haines, Haines First Baptist
Church, or the Rock Creek-
Muddy Creek Mutual Improve-
ment 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. Arrange-
ments are under the direction of
Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home
& Cremation Services. Online
condolences can be made at
www.tamispinevalleyfuneral-
home.com.
POLICE LOG
Baker County Parole &
Probation
Arrests, citations
PROBATION VIOLATION:
Mariam Everson Collard, 22,
Baker City, 3:03 p.m. Wednesday,
Sept. 15 at the parole and proba-
tion offi ce; jailed.
levels not seen since the very
beginning of the pandemic.
But the latest forecasts show
a later and slower decline.
Hospitalizations are project-
ed to be below 200 per day
by Thanksgiving. Oregon
residents should hope for
the best, but prepare for the
virus to once again impede
holiday cheer.
“We’re not fortune tellers,”
Sidelinger said. “We will
probably all be considering
celebrating differently. We
may shiver a bit out in the
cold.”
The rebound could slow
or stall amid challenges
from several factors, in-
cluding Labor Day holiday
weekend socializing, K-12
schools reopening to in-class
instruction, the return of
college students, and major
events such as the Pendle-
ton Round-Up and college
football games.
“Every opportunity that
brings people together is an
opportunity for the disease
to spread,” Sidelinger said.
The severity of the fl u
season and the level of wet
and cold weather that may
cause people to congregate
indoors more could also con-
tribute to infection levels.
All are occurring as the
state experiences its highest
infection rates of the entire
crisis, which is now into its
19th month since the fi rst
case in Oregon was reported
at the end of February 2020.
Sidelinger’s press call
came just after the an-
nouncement that Reynolds
High School in the Portland
suburb of Troutdale, the
state’s second largest high
school, would close for a
week because of likely CO-
VID-19 exposure.
Setbacks to in-class
instruction were expected,
Sidelinger said. He noted the
Oct. 18 deadline for school
staff to be fully vaccinated.
Anyone — teachers, staff,
parents, students — who
believes they were exposed
to COVID-19 needs to isolate
and not come to school.
“They are not drivers of
infection,” Sidelinger said of
schools. “The drivers of infec-
tion is the community.”
Following masking and
social distance protocols and
encouraging anyone who
has not been vaccinated to
get their shots was the best
counterattack.
Those who remain unvac-
cinated, go unmasked and
gather in groups are being
selfi sh because their deci-
sions put others at risk, Side-
linger said.
“Come together as a com-
munity,” he urged. “Vaccina-
tions work, masks work.”
Fatigue over the warped
daily reality of living with
COVID-19 can easily set in.
“Did I grab my keys, did
I grab my wallet, did I grab
my mask?” he said, reciting
the new version of people’s
checklist when going out.
But giving in to the fa-
tigue will only give the virus
a chance to grow again.
“This is going to be with
us through the fall and the
winter and perhaps beyond,”
Sidelinger said.
Vaccination rates are
slowing again, leaving mil-
lions of Oregonians without
protection. But many of
those already inoculated
could be eligible for booster
shots of vaccine within a
month. Those with com-
promised immune systems
are already receiving third
shots, a total of 610 people
last week. A Centers for
Disease Control and Preven-
tion committee will meet for
two days next week to set
policy on booster shots for
more people, particularly the
elderly or those with medical
conditions that make them
more prone to severe cases of
COVID-19.
The recent appearance
of the mu variant is being
monitored but is not current-
ly a cause of concern because
of the dominance of the delta
variant crowding out the
growth of other COVID-19
spin-offs.
Memorial Service for
Evelyne Fisher
September 18 at 10:30 am • Haines Baptist Church
Interment to follow at the Haines Cemetery
Zoom Link below:
Meeting ID: 846 3290 5984 • Passcode: funeral
or phone #: 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 846 3290 5984 • Passcode: 5621543
Due to an overabundance of caution, use mask indoors.
“You’ll love the work we do. I guarantee it.” - JR
225 H Street • East of I-84 • 541-523-3200 • grumpysrepair.com
Darrell Robert Bales
July 13, 1938 - August 22, 2021
Darrell Robert Bales of Baker City, Oregon,
83, passed away from pneumonia on Aug 22,
2021 after a 7-month stay at Meadowbrook
Place Assisted Living facility. His family gath-
ered to be with him during that last week of his
life. Memorial service plans for the spreading
of his and his wife’s ashes will be made in the
spring.
Darrell was born July 13, 1938 at the hos-
pital in Mt. Vernon, Oregon to Robert “Bob”
Thomas Bales and Lila Grace Friedly. He spent
his earliest years on the Bales sheep ranch near
Kimberly and John Day, Oregon. In January of
1945 the Bales relatives sold off the ranch and
his family moved to Baker where he lived for the
rest of his life, a loved and respected part of the
community.
He graduated from Baker High School
where he played on the varsity basketball team
and enjoyed playing basketball with his friends
well into his 50s. He was a hard worker. His
first job was as a printer at the Record Courier
newspaper and later he delivered supplies for
the Baker school district where he would give
the kids he knew a friendly wave. He retired in
1999.
On April 12, 1959 Darrell married the love
of his life, Bertha Ann Morris. They bought
a fixer-upper house out on Pocahontas Road
which he continued to help Bertha remod-
el into the house of her dreams. They loved
their home and to make it nice inside and out.
There was the gorgeous garden and patio, the
Western-themed bedroom up to the last major
project, a complete kitchen redo. Darrell simply
adored Bertha with a rare level of dedication
(thus the photo of both of them in this obit) and
would help her do anything with a happy heart.
She would say things like “the windows need
cleaning” and soon the task would be done. He
deeply grieved her passing and that of his sister
Sally and cousin Tom who called him daily.
Darrell studied his wife’s Catholic faith, be-
coming a devout member of Baker’s St. Francis
Catholic church and until the end attended
services whenever he was able to, after which he
enjoyed gathering with a group of others for a
meal out.
He had a special bond with his half-sister,
Sally Farmer, and a few times a week they had
lunch at the Inland Cafe. Bertha, Darrell, and
Sally always attended events together at the
church of the other such as the Methodist Ice
Cream Social and the Catholic Thanksgiving
dinner. He greatly enjoyed the many holiday
family gatherings and meals.
Darrell loved the outdoors, frequently
camping, hunting, fishing and taking the time
to be with his family. Besides these outdoor
adventures, the couple never took a vacation
except for when they won a trip to Hawaii. He
had fun visiting Tom’s ranch where he could ride
the 4-wheeler while helping out with the cows.
The couple enjoyed having their grandchildren,
Kevin and Kelly, come over from Medford for
2-week stays.
He was slow to anger, agreeable, kind,
loving, and generally quiet unless someone
else initiated it, then a long conversation might
follow. He was a favorite uncle that liked to
entertain the nieces and nephews. A very close
and sweet relationship developed between the
couple and nephew Cody who loved visiting
them and the long, warm and easy talks they
had that made him feel especially loved. Niece
Jeanie fondly recalls that when she made a batch
of apricot jam that did not set up right, she gave
it to Darrell and “Bert” and it tasted so yummy
that they fought over who got to eat it.
His passing leaves a huge hole in the hearts
of those who loved him yet we know he is surely
joyous to move on to his eternal “home” to be
with those loved ones who passed before him.
Special thanks to Rocky Morris and her
family for their help with the move to Meadow-
brook, and many other things over the years;
and to the Martin and Mary Neske family who
helped Darrell around the property and with
getting to appointments during his last few
years (and more). Darrell Bales was preceded in
death by his parents Bob and Lila, wife Bertha
(Morris) Bales and all his siblings, Roberta
Bard of Pueblo West, Colorado, Dennis Bales
of Umatilla, Oregon, Patty Moyes and Sally
Farmer, both of Baker City; and nephew Kevin
Moyes of Baker.
He is survived by sons, Brad Bales of Day-
ton, Oregon and Brian Bales of Medford, Ore-
gon; grandchildren Kelly of Medford, and Kevin
(Bergan) of Missoula, Montana; great-grand-
children, Riley Bales of Medford and Greyson
Bales of Missoula; nieces and nephews, Karen
Eck, Kay Patterson, Kip Farmer, Michael Moyes,
Dean, Chris and Colette Bales, Lori Bushke,
Jeanie Dexter, Stephanie and Jessica Eck, Jason
and Brad Waldrop; and the many members of
his wife’s family.
For those who would like to make a dona-
tion in memory of Darrell the family suggests St.
Francis de Sales Catholic Church through Tami’s
Pine Valley Funeral Home and Cremation
Services, PO Box 543 Halfway, Oregon 97834.
Online condolences can be shared at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com