THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
BAKER CITY HERALD — A3
LOCAL
Man sentenced for sex abuse
The state alleged the
crimes took place between
Jan. 1, 2012, and Dec. 31,
A former Durkee man
2018, in Baker
will spend about 10
County.
months in prison
Two counts of fi rst-
after pleading no
degree sexual abuse,
contest on Sept. 13 to
and one count of
two charges involv-
fi rst-degree unlawful
ing sexual abuse of a
sexual penetration,
child whom he knew.
each of which on con-
Cecil Allen
Sangston
viction carry manda-
Sangston, 61, of 2341
tory minimum prison
Plum St. in Baker
sentences, were dismissed as
City, pleaded no contest to
part of an agreement with the
two counts on Sept. 13 — at-
tempted fi rst-degree unlawful district attorney’s offi ce.
The three counts that were
sexual penetration, a Class B
felony, and third-degree sexual dismissed are all Measure
abuse, a Class A misdemeanor. 11 offenses in Oregon, which
carry mandatory minimum
A no contest plea has the
prison sentences on conviction.
same effect as a conviction.
The mandatory mini-
mum sentence for fi rst-
degree unlawful sexual
penetration is 100 months,
and for fi rst-degree sexual
abuse is 75 months.
Visiting judge Robert
Raschio sentenced Sangston
to 17 months on the felony
count, but Sangston had
been in the Baker County
Jail since his arrest on July
31, 2020, and with a reduc-
tion for good behavior he has
served the full sentence for
that charge, Baker County
District Attorney Greg
Baxter said on Tuesday,
Sept. 28.
Raschio sentenced Sangs-
ton to 10 months in prison
on the third-degree sexual
abuse count.
Baxter said during the
sentencing hearing on Sept.
13 that he decided not to
proceed with a trial because
he would have been limited, in
the evidence he could present,
because Baker City Police
Detective Shannon Regan was
the lead investigator in the
Sangston case.
In late August, Baxter, in
court records, said he would
not call Regan as a witness
in the fi rst-degree murder
case against Shawn Quen-
tin Greenwood, who was
accused of fatally shooting
Angela Parrish in Baker City
in January 2020.
Baxter cited a forensic
investigation by the Oregon
Department of Justice which
concluded that Regan’s police
department computer was
used in September 2020
to listen to fi ve phone calls
between Greenwood and his
attorney, calls that were pro-
tected by the attorney-client
privilege.
After hearings in Baker
County Circuit Court on Aug.
13 and Aug. 24, Judge Matt
Shirtcliff ruled that Regan,
who was the lead investiga-
tor in the Greenwood case,
would not be allowed to testify
during any trial of Greenwood
due to the phone call issue.
On Sept. 3 Greenwood
pleaded no contest to three
lesser charges and was sen-
tenced to 90 months in prison.
Baxter said that although
there is no evidence that Re-
gan acted improperly in inves-
tigating the charges against
Sangston, the “taint” from
the allegations against her in
the Greenwood case would
have weakened the prosecu-
tion’s case against Sangston
had there been a trial, which
had been scheduled for early
December 2021.
Baxter said Sangston’s
female victim, whom he knew,
and her family were involved
in discussions about the
settlement and were satisfi ed
with the outcome.
COUNCIL
use fetal cells — aborted fetal
cells — in development and I
feel that that would be a valid
basis for a valid religious exemp-
tion.”
McQuisten agreed, saying
employees could “get really reli-
gious really, really fast here,” and
the state would have to prove
they aren’t.
According to Oregon Health
Authority (OHA) guidelines,
employees who claim a religious
exception must fi ll out a form
“stating that the individual is re-
questing an exception from the
COVID-19 vaccination require-
ment on the basis of a sincerely
held religious belief and includ-
ing a statement describing the
way in which the vaccination
requirement confl icts with the
religious observance, practice, or
belief of the individual.”
Cities and other employ-
ers, not offi cials at the OHA or
another state agency, will review
and verify both medical and
religious exception forms, said
Jonathan Modie, a spokesman
for OHA.
“It’s not like the city is going
to review each and every one, be-
cause that’s really not our forte,
religious exemptions,” Councilor
Johnny Waggoner Sr. said.
McQuisten said that in the
past two weeks, 23 of Oregon’s
36 counties, including Baker,
have passed declarations stat-
ing that the vaccine mandate
could result in enough health
care workers quitting or being
fi red that the counties’ ability to
respond to traffi c crashes and
other emergencies would be
jeopardized.
McQuisten also said she be-
lieves the resolution the Council
passed in March 2021, declaring
an “economic, mental health,
and criminal activity crisis” due
to the governor’s COVID-related
mandates, has “more teeth” than
she originally thought. Baker
City’s resolution, the mayor said,
has been something of an inspi-
ration for other communities
that are objecting to the vaccine
mandate, which the governor
announced in August.
“The idea behind that is to
overwhelm the system once
again so it’s kind of like exactly
what we did, but overwhelm
with requests that they cannot
meet because of the mandates
and hope that those will be
pushed back,” McQuisten said.
Dixon said she believes
that if cities and counties band
together, with resolutions or
declarations opposing Brown’s
mandates and highlighting the
potential problems the vac-
cine mandate could cause with
emergency responders, it will
put them in a good position.
“Everybody’s going to
overwhelm them and if it does
go to lawsuits, then we’re going
to have all these other counties,
cities, involved also,” Dixon said.
“They’re going to be in the same
boat that we are and we’ll be in
it together.”
Councilor Shane Alderson
pointed out that it’s possible that
the state, confronted with many
cities and counties declaring
emergencies, would simply seek
federal money to provide the
resources the local communities
say they might be short of due to
the mandate.
“That’s something else
that we should consider and
think about because it may not
overwhelm (the state),” Alder-
son said.
Waggoner said he under-
stands Alderson’s point.
But Waggoner said that if
the city were to take a more
aggressive approach with a
lawsuit, the burden would then
fall on the city.
“All we’re doing is kind of
playing chess with a bigger dog,”
Waggoner said. “And I get the
federal part of it, but ... if they
want to send the national guard
or whoever out to us, that’s to-
tally up to them. But while this
goes on, these things are still
going to be playing out in court.”
three also voted for Daugherty
during the Sept. 14 meeting.
But Alderson’s motion failed,
as McQuisten, Dixon and Wag-
goner voted no. Each of those
three voted for Hughes during
the Sept. 14 meeting.
Perry sent a letter to the
city saying she felt guilty for
retiring, and urging council-
ors to appoint Daugherty to
replace her.
McQuisten said she had
heard, from residents, that
Daugherty allegedly referred
to the current councilors as
unqualifi ed and inexperienced.
“I didn’t make those com-
ments,” said Daugherty, who
attended Tuesday’s meeting.
Dixon said she had talked
to a local merchant, whom she
didn’t name, who also claimed
to hear Daugherty make simi-
lar comments.
Daugherty again denied say-
ing such things.
Councilors voted 5-1, with
Sells opposed, to remove two
other applicants from con-
sideration, Michael Meyer
and Kara Strutz, as neither
received any votes during the
Sept. 14 meeting.
cinated because they’re among
the employees covered by Gov.
Kate Brown’s vaccine mandate,
Continued from A1
which applies to school and
Nancy Staten, director of the health care workers, and some
Baker County Health Depart- state employees.
She said vaccines, as well
ment, said she isn’t convinced
that the county is on the down- as precautions such as wearing
masks and staying home if you
ward trend from the surge,
driven by the more contagious feel ill, are the county’s best
weapons in the fi ght against
delta variant, that started in
the virus.
late July.
“I’m looking foward to seeing
Breakthrough cases
that, but I haven’t really seen
that drop yet,” Staten said.
Breakthrough cases are in-
fections in people who are fully
vaccinated. These have been
Vaccinations
Baker County’s vaccination less common in Baker County
than in Oregon as a whole.
rate, as of Tuesday, Sept. 28,
From Aug. 1 through Sept.
was 51.4% among residents 18
and older, according to the Or- 19, Baker County has had 60
egon Health Authority (OHA). breakthrough cases out of 604
total cases, a rate of 9.9%. In
That’s tied with Umatilla
County for the sixth-lowest rate the most recent week for which
numbers are available, Sept. 12-
among Oregon counties.
As of Sept. 27, a total of 632 18, the county’s breakthrough
case rate was 10.8%.
vaccine doses had been given
Statewide, the breakthrough
in Baker County, just one fewer
than were administered during case rate has been 20.2% since
Aug. 1, according to OHA data.
the whole of August.
Both months have had a
signifi cant increase in vaccine Age breakdown
doses given compared with July,
A majority of the county’s
when 398 doses were given.
cases during September —
69.2% from Sept. 1-27 — were
Staten said nurses at the
people younger than 50.
Health Department have
The younger age ranges that
noticed that more people are
have accounted for the bulk of
asking about, and asking for,
vaccination since the number of Baker County’s cases during
September also have lower vac-
cases started to rise.
She said some people have cination rates than among older
county residents.
been waiting because they
Following are statistics for
wanted to learn more about
the vaccines, and decided to be age ranges, starting with the
group with the highest share of
inoculated.
cases from Sept. 1-27.
Others know someone
who became severely ill after
contracting COVID-19, she
Ages 10 to 19
said, while others are being vac-
This group, which numbers
about 1,350 in Baker County,
accounted for 21% of cases from
Sept. 1-27 — the highest among
age groups for that period —
and 14.3% from Aug. 16-31.
The vaccination rate for this
group is 27.6, up from 26.5%
on Sept. 14. That includes
only residents 12 and older,
as younger residents are not
eligible to be vaccinated. The
statewide average is 60.5%.
The vaccination rate for the
age range in adjoining coun-
ties — Grant, 22.6%; Malheur,
31.8%; Union, 31/3%; Wallowa,
40.8%.
Ages 40 to 49
There are about 1,650
residents in this age range
in Baker County, and they
accounted for about 10.9%
of cases from Sept. 1-27, and
11.8% from Aug. 16-31.
The vaccination rate for this
age group is 46.8%, up from
45% on Sept. 14. The statewide
average is 74.9%.
The vaccination rate for the
age range in adjoining coun-
ties — Grant, 42.7%; Malheur,
42.3%; Union, 49.8%; Wallowa,
59.9%.
By JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Continued from A1
be ahead of any legal challenge
Baker City might fi le, such
as asking a judge to issue an
injunction temporarily blocking
the mandates.
“The other thing I took away
from all of this, is there are other
legal paths that we could take
that are smarter and cheaper
because if we go straight for the
injunction, then the burden of
proof is on us as a city and we’ll
very likely lose and it will be
very expensive,” McQuisten said.
Councilor Joanna Dixon said
that in regard to the mandate
that health care workers,
including city fi refi ghters, be
vaccinated by Oct. 18 if they are
to keep working, she favors the
city using the religious excep-
tion that’s an option in lieu of
vaccination.
“The Tyler Smith town hall,
one of the biggest things that
I took from that was on the
religious exemption,” Dixon said.
“Essentially, if you are pro-life,
if you are opposed to abortion, I
think two of the three vaccines
COVID
Ages 30 to 39
This group of about 1,950
people had 18.4% of the
county’s cases from Sept. 1-27,
and 18% from Aug. 16-31.
The vaccination rate among
county residents in their 30s is
34.6%, up from 33.1% on Sept.
14. The statewide average for
that age group is 72.5%.
The vaccination rate for the
age range in adjoining coun-
ties — Grant, 43.5%; Malheur,
32.5%; Union, 50.4%; Wallowa,
52.3%.
Ages 50 to 59
There are about 2,300 resi-
dents in this age range in Baker
County, and they accounted for
about 11.2% of cases from Sept.
1-27, and 13% from Aug. 16-31.
The vaccination rate for this
age group is 46.7%, compared
with 45.4% on Sept. 14. The
statewide average of 74.6%.
The vaccination rate for the
age range in adjoining coun-
ties — Grant, 41.9%; Malheur,
46.7%; Union, 49.8%; Wallowa,
57.2%.
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Council vacancy
Councilors tried, and for the
second straight meeting failed,
to appoint someone to fi ll the
vacancy created by Lynette
Perry’s resignation, due to
health issues, in August.
During the Sept. 14 meeting,
the six remaining councilors
reached a voting deadlock when
three voted for one candidate,
Thomas Hughes, and three
voted for another, former coun-
cilor Randy Daugherty.
During Tuesday’s meeting,
Alderson made a motion to
appoint Daugherty. Alderson
and councilors Jason Spriet and
Heather Sells voted yes. Those
55.2% on Sept. 14. The state-
wide average is 78.8%.
The vaccination rate for the
age range in adjoining coun-
ties — Grant, 47%; Malheur,
59.5%; Union, 64.1%; Wallowa,
66.9%.
Ages 20 to 29
This group, which numbers
about 1,300 in Baker County,
accounted for 7.4% of cases
from Sept. 1-27, and 14.3%
from Aug. 16-31. This age
group had the largest drop in
percentage of total cases in
September, compared with the
second half of August.
Ages 9 and younger
The vaccination rate for
There are about 3,000
residents in this age category residents in their 20s is 37.1%,
in the county, and they are not up from 34.6% on Sept. 14. The
eligible for COVID-19 vaccina- statewide average is 67%.
The vaccination rate for the
tions.
20-29 age category in adjoin-
This age group accounted
for about 11.4% of cases from ing counties — Grant, 49.6%;
Malheur, 28.2%; Union, 47%;
Sept. 1-27, and 3.7% of cases
Wallowa, 62.8%.
from Aug. 16-31. This group
has had the biggest increase
in percentage of cases during
Ages 70 to 79
September, compared with the
There are about 2,200
second half of August.
residents in this age group,
and they accounted for 7.2% of
cases from Sept. 1-27, and 5.6%
Ages 60 to 69
There are about 3,100 resi- from Aug. 16-31.
The vaccination rate for
dents in this age range. They
this age range is 68%, up from
accounted for 9.8% of cases
67.3% on Sept. 14. The state-
from Sept. 1-27, and 14.3%
wide average of 87.2%.
from Aug. 16-31.
The vaccination rate for the
The vaccination rate for this
age range in adjoining coun-
age group is 55.7%, up from
ties — Grant, 55.7%; Malheur,
60.3%; Union, 72.5%; Wallowa,
81.6%.
Ages 80 and older
There are about 1,100
residents in this age category,
and they accounted for 2.7%
of cases from Sept. 1-27. There
were no cases in this age range
from Aug. 16-31.
The vaccination rate for
people 80 and older is 70.1%,
up from 69.7% on Sept. 14.
This is the highest rate for any
group in the county. The state-
wide average is 80.2%.
The vaccination rate for the
age range in adjoining counties
— Grant, 46%; Malheur, 61.6%;
Union, 59.5%; Wallowa, 64.4%.
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Sunday: 10am-4pm
Monday-Thursday: By appointment
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If you would like to schedule a
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SACKOS EXCAVATING
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Friday
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SHOP SALE
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Friday, 10/1 & Saturday, 10/2
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