SATURDAY
BAKER VOLLEYBALL ROUTS MAC-HI, IMPROVES RECORD TO 11-2: SPORTS, A6
In OUTDOORS, B1
Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityherald.com
October 2, 2021
IN THIS EDITION:
QUICK HITS
Good Day Wish
To A Subscriber
A special good day to
Herald subscriber Kathy
Rayl of Baker City.
BRIEFING
Haines Fire
Protection board
meets Oct. 11
The Haines Fire Protec-
tion District’s board of
directors will meet on
Monday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
at the main fi re station, 816
Cole St. in Haines. Govern-
ment grants, mandates
and website development
are on the agenda. All
residents within the district
are welcome to attend.
COVID-19 safety protocols
will be in effect.
Baker County
Garden Club to
meet Wednesday,
Oct. 6 at 11 a.m.
The Baker County
Garden Club will meet
Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 11
a.m. at 13816 Red Fox
Lane. A lunch of soup,
salad and bread will be
provided. Please bring a
chair and a beverage.
The surprise program
will be given by David
Cowan, master gardener.
For those who want to
carpool, please meeet at
Ace Nursery on Pocahon-
tas Road at 10:30 a.m.
Local • Health & Fitness • Outdoors • TV
Baker High School
students go outside
to learn — and
make s’mores
By LISA BRITTON
lbritton@bakercityherald.com
The morning sunshine
chased the shivers away
— or maybe it was simply
the act of running across a
meadow chasing bugs that
warmed up the students
from Baker High School on a
chilly autumn morning.
Science classes from BHS
spent Tuesday, Sept. 28 and
Wednesday, Sept. 29 explor-
ing nature during a fi eld trip
to Phillips Park, at the base
of the Elkhorn Mountains,
followed by lunch and hiking
at Anthony Lakes.
In addition to science
teachers Nicole Sullivan and
Tim Smith, students heard
from local experts on forest
health and insects.
“The main focus is to get
them outside and enjoying
nature. And to identify some
species,” Sullivan said.
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald
Olivia Baker, right, and Mikana Clark head into a meadow to catch insects during
a science fi eld trip to Phillips Park.
Tuesday’s trip was
for students in advanced
biology, advanced ecology
and environmental sci-
ence. Wednesday included
students from biology and
general science classes.
Each group moved
through the various sta-
tions.
At Sullivan’s stop, the
students piled sticks in
areas where the landown-
ers can later burn the extra
fuel. Each group took a
selfi e with their pile, and
she awarded a prize for the
biggest stack. Once done
with that task, each student
selected a stick for roast-
Today
75 / 31
Sunny
Sunday
77 / 33
Sunny
Monday
Sunny
$1.50
STICKY SCIENCE
WEATHER
79 / 36
Sampling
Strawberry
Mountain
Wilderness
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald
During rotations during a science fi eld trip this week, Baker High School
students used watercolors to paint something from nature.
Full forecast on the
back of the B section.
The space below is for
a postage label for issues
that are mailed.
Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald
A new child care center is set to open by the end of
October at the Baker Early Learning Center.
Day care center
set to open soon
modular buildings northwest
of North Baker School.
The modulars were moved
A new child care center is
from Brooklyn Pri-
slated to open by the
mary School.
end of October at the
There will be space
Baker Early Learn-
for 40 children, includ-
ing Center (BELC)
ing an infant and tod-
at the North Baker
dler room with space
School property at
for eight to 10 kids,
2725 Seventh St.
said Patty Shukle, the
The Baker
Shukle
new center’s director.
County YMCA will
operate the child care
facility, which is in a pair of
See, Day Care/Page A5
By SAMANTHA O’CONNER
soconner@bakercityherald.com
TODAY
Issue 62, 14 pages
Calendar ....................A2
Classified ............. B3-B6
Comics ....................... B7
ing marshmallows at the
s’mores station.
(Where nearly every stu-
dent immediately burned
the mallow and happily
consumed the blackened,
sticky mess sandwiched
with chocolate and graham
crackers.)
“Story Time with Steve”
featured a talk with Steve
Edwards, who explained
the difference between a
managed forest and a stand
of trees that is not thinned
or cleared of underbrush —
and what that can mean for
the health of the trees.
“The root system is two
times the diameter (of the
crown),” he said. “That tree
and this tree are compet-
ing.”
At the insect station with
Lia Spiegel, an entomologist
with the U.S. Forest Service,
the teenagers looked at
samples of tree bark and the
beetles that burrow inside.
“Every tree has a differ-
ent beetle, and a different
pattern under the bark,”
she said. “I don’t study bugs
exactly — I study the forest
and why trees are dying.”
See, Science/Page A5
SWAT team
called after
theft of gun
Campbell Street, and
notifi ed residents of about
four homes in the area,
A regional SWAT
asking them to lock their
team was summoned
Thursday afternoon, Sept. doors, Ash said.
Police have identifi ed
30, to search an area east
of Interstate 84 in Baker a potential suspect, Ash
said.
City for a person sus-
On Friday morn-
pected of stealing a gun
ing the Sheriff’s Offi ce
during a home burglary.
released two photos of a
The team didn’t
Ford pickup truck that
fi nd anyone during the
search, which ended just was parked in the drive-
way of the home where
before 8 p.m. Thursday,
the burglary happened.
Baker County Sheriff
The incident started
Travis Ash said on Fri-
a little after 4 p.m. when
day morning.
Jim Rex arrived at his
Police from multiple
home at 42140 Atwood
agencies set up a perim-
Road.
eter in the area along
Atwood Road, between
Highway 86 and East
See, SWAT/Page A5
By JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Community News ....A3
Crossword ........B4 & B5
Dear Abby ................. B8
Horoscopes ......B3 & B6
Jayson Jacoby ..........A4
News of Record ........A2
COVID death
toll 6 for
September
By JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Baker County’s worst
month in terms of COVID-19
cases and deaths concluded
Thursday, Sept. 30 with a re-
port that a 63-year-old Baker
County man had died on Sept.
24 at the VA Medical Center
in Boise, after testing positive
on Sept. 3.
His death was the sixth
COVID-19-related fatality
among county residents during
the month, and the 25th over-
all during the pandemic.
The previous record for
a month was four deaths, in
March 2021. There were three
deaths in February 2021.
In a press release in
response to the death of the
63-year-old man, Nancy
Staten, director of the Baker
County Health Department,
said: “All of us here at the
Health Department offer our
condolences and our hopes
for solace for his loved ones.
This surge in cases has also
brought a wave of losses for
the county, and my heart goes
out to each and every family
member and friend who is
grieving right now.”
The Health Department
reported 12 new cases on
Thursday, bringing Septem-
ber’s total to 465.
The previous monthly high
was 300 cases, in August 2021.
September’s total more
than doubles what had been,
until August, the monthly
maximum — 196 cases during
December 2020.
In the press release, Staten
urged residents to take precau-
tions, including getting vac-
cinated, noting that the virus
poses a threat to people of all
ages, whether or not they have
underlying health issues.
“While it’s still true that
those with underlying health
conditions are most likely to
have complications, we’re see-
ing very healthy people with-
out underlying conditions end
up very sick and hospitalized,”
Staten said. “It’s not inevitable.
If we all take simple steps —
stay home when you’re sick,
wash your hands frequently,
avoid social situations where
the virus can spread easily,
and get vaccinated — we can
do a lot to keep ourselves and
each other safe.”
Breakthrough cases
The Oregon Health Author-
ity released its weekly report
Thursday about breakthrough
cases — infections in people
who are fully vaccinated.
Baker County’s break-
through case percentage rose
during the most recent week
for which numbers are avail-
able, Sept. 19-25.
Of the 86 cases that week,
18 were breakthrough cases,
according to OHA — 20.9%.
The breakthrough case rate
the previous week was 10.8%
— 15 of 139 cases.
Baker County’s break-
through case rate remains low-
er than the statewide average
during the surge in infections
caused by the more contagious
delta variant, however.
The county’s breakthrough
case percentage for the past
six weeks, ending Sept. 25, was
14.7%. The statewide average
during that period was 20.8%.
Obituaries ..................A2
Opinion ......................A4
Outdoors ..........B1 & B2
TUESDAY — WEEKEND WRAP UP OF HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE SPORTS
Sports ........................A6
Turning Backs ...........A2
Weather ..................... B8