A2 — BAKER CITY HERALD
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2021
Catt le feedlot seeks to expand
Baker City Herald
BAKER COUNTY CALENDAR
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30
Baker County Board of Commissioners: 3 p.m. work
session at the Courthouse, 1995 Third St. Commissioners
will receive an update from Mark Browning, president
of Blue Mountain Community College. A Zoom link is
available at www.bakercounty.org/online/meetings.html.
TURNING BACK THE PAGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
November 27, 1971
Snowmobilers will be required to have their vehicles
licensed effective Jan. 1, 1972, according to the Oregon
Motor Vehicles Division.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
November 27, 1996
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management on Tuesday
announced it will solicit public opinion at two meetings
as it prepares to charge admission fees for visitors to the
Oregon Trail Interpretive Center.
The center is one of three BLM recreation sites in Or-
egon that will begin charging fees in 1997.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
November 28, 2011
Baker County Commissioners heard about tentative
plans that could bring another wind farm to the Lime area
southeast of Baker City.
Robert Guertin, Oregon Wind Farm, LLC, was contacted
during last week’s commission meeting after a proposed
agreement for easements required further discussion.
Commissioners wanted the length of the contract
changed so it wasn’t open-ended.
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
November 28, 2020
Valerie Tachenko uses one word to describe this year’s
Thanksgiving boxes:
“Phenomenal.”
Tachenko helps organize food boxes distributed by the
Seventh-day Adventist Church and Baker Adventist Chris-
tian School every year. Normally, a food drive in early
November provides enough to fi ll the boxes.
This year the coronavirus pandemic prevented a door-
to-door food drive — the fi rst time it hasn’t happened in
more than 70 years.
And they had no reserves.
“We started at zero this year,” Tachenko said.
But on Tuesday afternoon she looked over tables full of
bright bags and wooden boxes fi lled with canned goods,
sparkling cider, rolls, local potatoes, fresh fruit, desserts,
and more. Each also received a turkey or turkey breast,
depending on the size of the family.
“It’s a breath of hope, of cheer. It’s so festive,” Tachenko
said.
Without the food drive, the church needed to buy items
for the boxes. A GoFundMe drive brought in funds, and
local community members sent donations directly to the
church.
The turkeys caused a bit of a headache. Tachenko called
store after store to fi nd enough — many places had just a
few, and others were priced higher than she expected.
The price for turkeys came in at $1,010.
Not long after she heard that news, Tachenko received
a call from the First Presbyterian Church, which always
takes a collection to donate to the cost of the turkeys.
This year’s donation of $1,000 far exceeded past
amounts — and was almost exactly what Tachenko
needed to buy the 75 turkeys.
“It was a miracle,” she said.
OREGON LOTTERY
MEGABUCKS, Nov. 24
MEGA MILLIONS, Nov. 24
WIN FOR LIFE, Nov. 24
27 — 28 — 35 — 62
PICK 4, Nov. 25
• 1 p.m.: 6 — 1 — 7 — 4
• 4 p.m.: 6 — 6 — 0 — 4
• 7 p.m.: 8 — 9 — 0 — 2
• 10 p.m.: 5 — 4 — 4 — 0
LUCKY LINES, Nov. 25
7 — 24 — 54 — 57 — 58
2-7-11-16-19-24-26-32
20 — 29 — 37 — 39 —40 — 46
Next jackpot: $6.2 million
POWERBALL, Nov. 24
10 — 16 — 32 — 63 — 65 PB 17
Next jackpot: $243 million
Mega
6
Next jackpot: $94 million
Next jackpot: $28,000
SENIOR MENUS
MONDAY: Hot beef sandwiches, mashed potatoes with
gravy, mixed vegetables, carrot-raisin salad, pudding
TUESDAY: Fettuccine Bolognese, garlic bread, carrots,
fruit cup, 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
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Copyright © 2021
The operator of a cattle
feedlot east of Interstate 84
near the Baker Valley Rest
Area has applied for a permit
to expand the capacity from
fewer than 3,000 animals to
15,000.
Baker City Cattle Feeders
LLC is at 20528 Culley Lane,
about four miles north of the
Baker City Airport.
John Hepton of Nampa,
Idaho, operates the feedlot.
The 198.6-acre property in-
cludes a feedlot on 98.9 acres,
with the remaining area used
to grow crops and hay, accord-
ing to a document fi led with
the Oregon Department of Ag-
riculture. The average weight
of the cattle at the feedlot is
750 pounds, according to the
nutrient management plan for
the feedlot.
The feedlot’s existing
Confi ned Animal Feeding
Operation (CAFO) permit, a
large, tier 1 type, allows up to
3,499 head of cattle.
Hepton has applied for a
large, tier II permit, which
allows more than 3,500 head
of cattle.
The Department of
Agriculture issued a notice
of the application on Nov. 5.
The agency is accepting public
comments through 5 p.m. on
Dec. 10. The permit would be
for fi ve years.
Comments can be submit-
ted by:
• Mail to Baker City Cattle
Feeders-comments, ODA-
CAFO Program, 635 Capitol
St. N.E., Salem, OR 97301
• Email to Janet.Short@
ODA.Oregon.gov
• Fax to 503-986-4730
Hepton told the Capital
Chronicle in an email that all
of the manure from the cattle
will be sold to local farmers.
“We have more demand for
the organic nutrients in our
manure than we could ever
produce with the expansion,”
Hepton wrote.
He said the feedlot receives
recently weaned calves and
feeds them through the fall,
winter and into the spring to
“develop replacement heifers
for local farmers and ranch-
ers.”
The animal waste manage-
ment plan for the feedlot is
available online at https://oda.
direct/CAFO. Under “public
notices,” click on “Area 6: (East-
ern Oregon).”
Bentz: River Democracy
Act far from a done deal
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Capital Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. —
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, Oregon’s
only Republican member of
Congress, is pushing back
against the proposed River
Democracy Act in a letter sent
Nov. 16 to all 62 county
commissioners in his mostly
rural district, including Baker
County.
The bill, proposed by Demo-
cratic Sens. Ron Wyden and
Jeff Merkley, would add nearly
4,700 miles of designated
wild and scenic rivers across
Oregon, and calls for widening
protective stream buffers from
Wallowa County Chieftain, File
a quarter-mile to a half-mile on The Imnaha River fl ows through private lands 10 miles upstream from the town
both sides.
of Imnaha. The River Democracy Act of 2021, which Oregon U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden
According to Wyden, the
and Jeff Merkley cosponsored, would redesignate 58 miles of the river from
River Democracy Act was
Indian Crossing to Cow Creek, including this area, as a Recreational River, and
developed based on more than label 4 miles of the river, from Cow Creek to the mouth of the confl uence with the
15,000 nominations from 2,500 Snake River, as Scenic.
Oregonians. It has garnered
As for the House, Stern
criticism from county offi cials, about the bill, which he called meeting on Aug. 31, assuring
constituents the bill contains said Wyden has had discus-
“a fl awed proposal based on
as well as the timber and
language explicitly to protect sions with members of the
an exclusive and secretive
ranching industries, wary
House Committee on Natural
process that would undermine existing private property
of new land restrictions and
Resources.
rights.
public access to, and respon-
regulations.
That said, it is not a re-
Responding to written
sible management of, Oregon’s
In his letter, Bentz stated
questions from the Association quirement to have companion
he is opposed to the legislation natural resources.”
legislation in order for the bill
of Oregon Counties, Wyden
The commissioners in at
and that, despite receiving a
to pass both chambers.
said protections under the
hearing in the Senate Energy least three Eastern Oregon
Bentz, however, said local
National Wild and Scenic
counties — Wallowa, Union
and Natural Resources Com-
and Grant — have objected to River Act are not the same as elected offi cials in his district
mittee, it remains far from a
are worried the bill would
wilderness areas. Motorized
the bill. The Ameri-
done deal.
access and mechanical forest open the door for special
can Forest Resource
For example, he
treatments are allowed, and
Council, a timber in-
said the River Democ-
interest groups to fi le frivolous
dustry group, and the often encouraged to improve
racy Act does not have
lawsuits targeting manage-
the ecological function of the
Oregon Cattlemen’s
a companion bill in
ment activities, while requir-
Association have also watershed.
the House, nor has it
ing understaffed agencies to
The River Democracy Act
raised objections.
received any consider-
produce expensive and time-
actually
goes
a
step
further,
Those
issues
were
ation in the chamber
consuming river plans.
Bentz
Wyden said, and requires land
outlined by Bentz in
to date.
Before the bill moves
management agencies such as forward, Bentz said Wyden
his letter. They range from a
“My Oregon House col-
lack of consultation with local the Forest Service and Bureau and Merkley should release
leagues, all Democrats, have
of Land Management to as-
elected offi cials and experts,
not publicly supported this
detailed maps and analyses of
sess wildfi re risks in each wild the proposed wild and scenic
bill,” Bentz said. “At the time of to how the wild and scenic
writing this letter, (it) only has river designations might affect and scenic river corridor.
river segments for public
A spokesman for Wyden,
multiple land uses includ-
the support of Oregon’s two
review.
Hank Stern, said it is puzzling
ing timber harvest, livestock
senators.”
Stern said the bill in-
why Bentz would oppose a bill cludes legal descriptions of all
grazing, mining and outdoor
The Capital Press con-
aimed at stepping up wildfi re proposed streams and rivers.
recreation.
tacted Oregon’s four other
With half-mile stream buf- management.
House members — Reps.
Nominations for wild and sce-
“Sen. Wyden believes
fers on either side, the River
Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne
nic rivers are still being added
this legislation can pass the
Bonamici, Kurt Schrader and Democracy Act adds up to
and removed as staff contin-
Senate if it gets a fair review
Peter DeFazio — to ask if they about 3 million acres of pro-
ues to meet with stakeholders.
tected land, or an area roughly on what’s actually in the bill,
supported the River Democ-
“Maps will be fi nalized well
rather than meritless and
the size of Connecticut.
racy Act. None responded to
before the Senate votes on the
made-up claims,” Stern said in bill, and be made immediately
Wyden defended the bill
requests for comment.
an email.
Bentz, whose district repre- during a virtual town hall
available,” Stern said.
sents all or part of 20 counties
in eastern, central and south-
ern Oregon, said the majority
of county commissioners have
expressed serious concerns
Showing Movies Since 1940!
NEWS OF
RECORD
DEATHS
John Widman Sr.: 66, of
Baker City, died Nov. 22, 2021,
at his home. Arrangements are
under the direction of Tami’s
Pine Valley Funeral Home &
Cremation Services. Online
condolences can be shared at
www.tamsipinevalleyfuneral-
home.com.
POLICE LOG
Baker City Police
Arrests, citations
CONTEMPT OF COURT
(Baker County warrants): Adri-
enna Dione Morris, 24, Baker
City, 1:06 a.m. Thursday, Nov.
25 at Court Avenue and Second
Street; cited and released.
FAILURE TO APPEAR (Baker
County Circuit Court warrant):
Chuck Wayne Briney, 28, Baker
City, 2:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 22
in the 1700 block of East Street;
cited and released.
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