TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021
BAKER CITY HERALD — A3
LOCAL & STATE
LOCAL BRIEFING
Photos with Santa on
Dec. 4 at Event Center
The Kiwanis Club of
Baker City is offering the
annual Santa photos event
on Saturday, Dec. 4, from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the
Baker County Event Center,
2600 East St. There will
be an opportunity to write
Santa a letter before or after
visiting with the jolly elf.
Cost is $10 per sitting and
includes two 5x7 or three 4x6
prints. Prints are normally
available for pickup within 15
minutes. Proceeds from this
event support the club’s com-
munity service projects, which
tion has awarded more than
$100,000 in grants to local art-
ists, programs such as “Chalk
It up to Art,” local orchestra,
children’s program, Halfway
music events, heritage events
Cultural Coalition seeking such as restoring the Haines
School bell, history summer
grant applications
program at Baker Heritage
The Baker County
Cultural Coalition (BCCC) is Museum and the Baker 5J
welcoming grant applications School District oral history
collection.
for arts, culture and heritage
Grants are typically $500
projects through Dec. 15.
and are not restricted to non-
BCCC receives a grant
profi t organizations. Occasion-
annually from the Oregon
ally grants are given in larger
Cultural Trust to support
local heritage, arts and culture amounts where a project
warrants critical support.
projects in the county. Over
The BCCC board of directors
the past 18 years, the coali-
focus on supporting children.
Kiwanis is a global organiza-
tion of volunteers “dedicated to
changing the world one child
and one community at a time.”
seeks applications from any
individual or group who has
a program or project address-
ing arts and culture in Baker
County and it looks forward to
receiving creative ideas.
The local grant process
through BCCC for 2022 is in
two stages. The fi rst deadline
is Dec. 15 for grants given in
January; the second stage is
May 15 for grants giving in
June for projects taking place
before the end of 2022. Grant
applications and instructions
for reports can be found on
the Baker County website at
www.bakercounty.org/cultur-
al_plan/contact_us.html.
Oregon’s fuel tax rises again
10-cent per gallon fuel tax
collected by the city of Port-
Gas prices are up. They’re land, plus an $0.184 federal
gas tax, meaning Rose City
about to get even higher.
Oregon drivers will pay 2 consumers are currently
paying roughly $0.64 in
cents more on every gallon
of gasoline beginning on Jan. taxes on every gallon of gas.
Oregon Department of
1, 2022, as the state’s fuel
tax rises to $0.38 per gallon. Transportation data shows
that state fuel tax revenue
The pump price jump
has recovered somewhat
was baked into House Bill
from the COVID-19 slump,
2017 — the omnibus $5.3
billion transportation pack- even though drivers are buy-
ing less gas.
age passed by state law-
As virus restrictions
makers that year — which
emptied public spaces and
included three previous
price hikes and a fi nal two- converted most white col-
lar commuters into home
cent increase set for 2024,
workers, gross tax revenue
at which point drivers will
be paying 10 cents more per dropped from $620 million
in calendar year 2019 to
gallon in tax.
$589 million in 2020.
There’s also a separate
By ZANE SPARLING
Oregon Capital Insider
According to ODOT Bud-
get Manager Daniel Porter,
the state has collected $486
million in fuel tax revenue
through September 2021,
about $20 million more than
this time in 2019, with the
fi nal quarter of revenue
yet to be tabulated. But the
number of gallons of gaso-
line sold is lagging previous
years, with 1.357 billion gal-
lons sold through September
of this year compared with
1.38 billion in September
2019.
All told, some 1.829 bil-
lion gallons of gas passed
through the pump in 2019,
compared with just 1.645
billion last year.
Lawmakers have con-
sidered proposals to ditch
Oregon’s fuel tax in favor of
a tax on every mile traveled,
which would return electric
vehicle users to the tax base,
but so far it’s just an idea.
Statewide, the average
price for regular unleaded
gas is $3.78 per gallon,
according to the American
Automobile Association.
That’s nearly a buck and
a quarter more than the
average unleaded gas cost of
$2.59 a gallon from this time
last year, though still less
than the price peak recorded
in 2008, per AAA.
As of Thursday, Nov. 18,
Baker County’s average was
$3.82 per gallon for regular
unleaded, according to AAA.
Baker man hurt in motorcycle crash
Baker City Herald
A Baker City man was
seriously hurt when his mo-
torcycle went off Highway 86
near Baker City on Friday
afternoon, Nov. 19.
Terry John Everson,
63, was riding an In-
dian Chieftain motorcycle
POLICE
Continued from A1
“The last 18 to 24 months,
we have seen a lot of our
long-time employees — police
offi cers — retire and so we
have been doing more hiring
than what maybe we would,
or have over the course of the
last 15 to 20 years,” Bell said.
In order to attract lateral
transfers — poaching police
offi cers from other regions—
Bell created a $6,000 hiring
bonus for certifi ed experi-
enced police offi cers, hop-
ing to draw in offi cers from
across the state. So far, that
effort “has not garnered any
certifi ed offi cers,” Bell said.
Lateral transfers are valu-
able for police departments
due to the amount of training
required for new offi cers. It
can take up to nine months
to transform a new recruit
into an independent and ca-
pable police offi cer, Bell said.
“Five to eight years ago
we started retiring police offi -
cers — and you can’t quickly
replace the experience and
the wisdom that those career
police offi cers possess,” Bell
CHIEF
Continued from A1
• Feb. 11-15 — back-
ground checks of candidates.
• Feb. 15 — school board
to meet in executive session
(closed to the public) to deter-
mine list of fi nalists.
• Feb. 16 — set dates for
second interviews with fi nal-
ists.
• Feb. 22-25 — second
interviews with fi nalists.
Candidates would make a
presentation to the board,
tour the district with Witty,
and meet with community
partners.
• March 10 — announce
hiring of new superintendent.
The tentative plan calls
for the new superintendent
eastbound on the highway
about 4:08 p.m. when the
motorcycle went off the
road and hit boulders in the
ditch, throwing Everson off
the motorcycle and into the
ditch, according to a report
from Oregon State Police Sr.
Trooper Nicholas Hagedorn.
A Baker City ambu-
lance took Everson to Saint
Alphonsus Regional Medi-
cal Center-Baker City, and
he was later taken by Life
Flight to Saint Alphonsus in
Boise, according to Hage-
dorn’s report.
Everson was in criti-
“Essentially since George
Floyd we have seen a marked
decrease in the number of
people interested in applying
to be police offi cers,” Bell said.
Dealing with a public
“Law enforcement has really
image problem
been beat up in the course of
While hiring woes are
the last 18 to 24 months.”
not limited to one career,
That sentiment has been
police agencies are facing
muted in more rural areas,
yet another hurdle in their
attempts to hire new offi cers where police enjoy a strong
support from local residents
— a growing sentiment
that paints police offi cers in who, by and large, have a
favorable outlook toward
bad light.
police, Bell said. Much of that
“Everybody is having a
hard time fi nding people who favorable opinion may stem
want to work, and especially from the active community
this profession right now. It’s involvement from police of-
fi cers in rural communities.
probably not the most sexy
“We have to become
profession,” said Pendleton
Police Chief Charles Byram. embedded in our commu-
nity, I mean people know us;
Byram, along with
we’re only 17,000,” Byram
Bell and Duby, noted that
said. “Somebody is going to
the public image of police
know you. You’re only a few
deteriorated in the wake of
degrees of separation away
massive protests and riots
from someone you’re arrest-
across the nation following
the murder of George Floyd ing.”
in Minneapolis on May 25,
2020. Images from majors
Call of duty
cities showed police clad
The chiefs said that they
in riot gear blanketing city
are still accepting applica-
blocks in tear gas, as well as tions for the open positions,
several incidents of assault
but not everybody can
against members of the
become a police offi cer. They
media.
still need to meet the basic
said. “You genuinely can’t
just replace a police offi cer,
it’s a lengthy road.”
to start work at the begin-
ning of the 2022-23 school
year, said Lindsey McDowell,
the school district’s public
information and communica-
tions coordinator.
Witty would work with the
new superintendent to start,
and then fully retire later
in the school year at a time
agreed on by the new superin-
tendent and the school board.
Providing quality and compassion to all his patients.
Dr Sanders specializes in all aspects
of the foot and ankle. Anything from
foot & ankle pain to diabetic foot care &
limb salvage, injuries, surgery, skin or
toe nail conditions, sports medicine, he
covers it all!
cal condition as of Monday
afternoon, Nov. 22, according
to Saint Alphonsus-Boise.
According to Hagedorn’s
report, “evidence of DUII
was observed,” and informa-
tion was given to the district
attorney’s offi ce for consider-
ation of possible charges.
physical and psychological
standards set by the agen-
cies and the state, as well
as background checks and
medical screenings.
“The one thing that I
won’t do is sacrifi ce our
standards just to make a
hiring decision, I won’t do it,”
Byram said. “Usually if you
do that, then you’re setting
yourself up for disaster; and
right now, in this line of work,
I’ll protect the brand all day.
If we have to run short for
a little bit, that’s fi ne; but
our values, our mission, our
beliefs aren’t going to be
sacrifi ced just because I need
another body on the road.”
Byram said that anyone
who is interested should ap-
ply, and that if anyone would
like to see what the daily
lives of a police offi cer entails,
they would be more than
welcome to join an offi cer for
a ride-along or come and chat
with the police chief about
the job.
“Quite honestly, you know,
I’m open for all comers,” By-
ram said. “Whether you have
experience or not, it’s one of
those things where we’re also
good at training cops.”
541-524-0122
Continued from A1
In addition to the
COVID-19 vaccines, health
department workers gave
125 doses of fl u vaccine,
said Nancy Staten, health
department director.
“We were happy with
the turnout,” Staten said
Monday morning, Nov. 21.
Since the April 9 clinic,
the county’s highest one-
day total of COVID-19 vac-
cine doses given was 138,
on Oct. 26. Another 136
doses were administered on
Nov. 9.
Staten said the 245
doses given at the drive-
thru clinic included fi rst
and second doses, as well as
third doses (for people who
are immunocompromised
and receive a full dose) and
booster doses for fully vac-
cinated people (a half-dose).
She didn’t have a break-
down of how many of each
type of dose were given.
Staten said on Friday
that the health depart-
ment will consider having
more clinics, depending on
demand, now that federal
offi cials have made all resi-
dents 18 and older eligible
for a booster dose.
About 7,400 Baker
County residents 18 or
older have been vaccinated,
according to the Oregon
Health Authority (OHA).
Vaccination rates by age
group:
• 65 and older — 64.5%
(statewide rate is 82%
• 50 to 64 — 49% (state-
wide rate is 72.9%)
• 20 to 48 — 38.4%
(statewide rate is 68.8%)
• 18 to 19 — 44.2%
(statewide rate is 57.1%)
Nov. 26 - Dec. 2
ENCANTO
(PG)
Disney Animation. As the only member of her family with
no magical powers, Mirabel must save her family’s magic,
although she has no special gift of her own.
Fri - Sun
Mon - Thurs
1:10, 4:20, 7:20
7:20
HOUSE OF GUCCI
(R)
12:30, 3:45, 7:00
7:00
GHOSTBUSTERS AFTERLIFE (PG-13)
After moving to a new town, a family discovers they have
a connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret
legacy their grandfather left behind.
Fri - Sun
Mon - Thurs
1:00, 4:10, 7:10
7:10
**SHOWTIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. VISIT
OUR WEBSITE OR CALL AHEAD TO VERIFY**
www.eltrym.com
(541) 523-2522
As of Friday (not includ-
ing the drive-thru clinic),
23.3% of Baker County resi-
dents ages 65 and older had
received a third or booster
dose, according to OHA.
Residents 18 and older
who want a booster dose can
call the health department at
541-523-8211 to schedule an
appointment.
Residents can also set up
a time to have children ages
5 and older vaccinated.
Baker County’s vaccina-
tion rate for ages 18 and
older is 53.6%, the fi fth-
lowest among Oregon’s 36
counties.
Friday’s drive-thru
clinic coincided with a rise
in COVID-19 cases in Baker
County.
The county reported 46
cases for the week Nov. 14-20,
the highest weekly total since
51 cases from Oct. 17-23.
Weekly totals for the fol-
lowing three weeks were 24,
20 and 24.
Most of last week’s cases
were reported on three days
— 10 on Nov. 15, 11 on Nov.
17 and 13 on Nov. 18.
Two cases were reported
on both Friday, Nov. 19 and
on Saturday, Nov. 20.
No new cases were re-
ported on Sunday, Nov. 21.
Despite the increase last
week, November remains on
pace to have the fewest cases
in a month since July.
Through Nov. 21, the
monthly total was 89, an
average of 4.2 cases per day.
October’s average was 5.4
cases per day, following the
delta variant-driven surge
in September (a record 15.5
cases per day) and August,
with 10 cases per day.
There were 91 cases
during July, an average of 2.9
per day.
towels, and baby items.
She’s also carrying
candles and soap handcraft-
Continued from A1
ed by Kate Johnson at Old
“I wanted to improve my Wingville Farm in Haines
own health too,” she said.
and featuring unique scents
As she talked, Anderson created just for Sunn.
clipped bright green blades
“It’s been fun creating
of wheatgrass and added
things with her,” Anderson
it to the juicer along with
said of Johnson.
chunks of fresh pineapple
Anderson said she spent
and apple.
many hours researching
“I’ve felt really good since products to offer that are
I’ve been here,” she said.
eco-friendly, fair trade, and
Anderson plans to add
created by small businesses.
other items to the menu,
“It’s all things I love,” she
such as breakfast and
said. “These are things that
lunch bowls and “grab-
make us feel good.”
and-go” items ready in the
Sunn is open 8 a.m.
refrigerator.
to 3 p.m. Wednesday and
The other half of the
Thursday, and from 10 a.m.
space fi lls the “decor” part of to 5 p.m. on Friday and
the shop’s name with items Saturday.
for “bath, body, bed and
Anderson will also
home.”
feature artwork for the First
She’s stocked home goods Friday art walk, held on the
such as sheets in three vari- fi rst Friday of each month
eties — linen, Turkish cotton, (the next one is Dec. 3).
and percale. Other offerings
For updates, check the
include robes, aprons, shirts, shop’s Facebook page.
SUNN
Showing Movies Since 1940!
Fri - Sun
Mon - Thurs
Baker City office hours:
Mon-Thurs 8am-5am
Brian Sanders, DPM
Clinic hours: Tuesday 8am-5pm
Accepting most insurances
Thursday 8am-12pm
Clinic offices in Ontario (every other monday)
John Day (every other monday)
La Grande (every Wednesday)
VACCINE
1809 1st Street • Baker City
When Patrizia Reggiana, an outsider from humble begin-
nings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition
begins to unravel the family legacy.
2830 10th St Baker City, Oregon
Samantha O’Conner/Baker City Herald
Vehicles lined up Friday morning, Nov. 19 on East
Street in Baker City for a COVID-19 and fl u vaccine
drive-thru clinic.
• Lumber
• Plywood
• Building Materials
• Hardware
• Paint
• Plumbing
• Electrical
And much more!
Don’t text and
drive... you
won’t have to
come see us!
3205 10th Street
Baker City
541-523-4422
Mon-Fri 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Saturday 8 am - 5 pm
Closed Sun
2390 Broadway, Baker City
541-523-5223